Background: To compare photodynamic therapy 41 and the use of probiotics in reducing halitosis assessed through gas chromatography and microbiome analysis. Methods: Participants aged from 18 to 25 years, showing sulfide (SH2) ≥ 112 ppb on gas chromatography, were selected. They were divided into 4 treatment groups: Group 1 - Tongue Scraping; Group 2- Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy (aPDT); Group 3- Probiotics; Group 4- Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy (aPDT) and Probiotics. The halimetry process was performed before, immediately after the treatments, 7 days, 14 days and 30 days after the initial collection. The collections for later microbiological analysis were made along with the halimetry, for the microbiome analysis. Results: Treatment with aPDT or probiotics under these experimental conditions was not able to change the bacteria present in the biofilm of the tongue. Conclusions: More research is needed to know the behavior of the oral microbiome in the presence of halitosis and the effectiveness of new treatments.

Purpose: The goal of this article was to introduce a new technique for root coverage (RC), the Mixed-Thickness Tunnel access (MiTT), approaching a full-split design, showing the results obtained in a case series and demonstrating it step-by-step. Methods: Healthy individuals, non-smokers, and non-diabetics, who were diagnosed with gingival recession (GR) type 1 or 2 (RT1 or RT2). After all necessary evaluations, prophylaxis was performed 14 days before the surgical procedure. Then, after the basics clinical conduct and anesthesia, one or two vertical incision(s) on the mucosa (around 1-2 mm apical to the MGJ), lateral to the papilla base, were done. Initial detachment of the mucosa from the muscles (split design); it was permitted (but not mandatory) to do intrasulcular incisions; from the MGJ to coronal, subperiosteal access was done to raise the full-thickness tunnel. It must communicate up to the gingival sulcus area and the papilla’s base, keeping the papilla’s tip intact. A connective tissue graft was harvested, which was inserted through the linear incision or intrasulcularly. Interrupted sutures were done and may be used as adjunctive material. Results: Nine healthy individuals (7 females and 2 males) aged 19 and 43 years were enrolled. They were treated following the MiTT steps. There were four cases with a single GR, 2 patients with 2 teeth involved, and three with 3 or 4 GR. Seven cases were RT1 and two RT2. All RT1 cases achieved 100% RC, while the mean RC obtained for RT2 was around 80%. Conclusion: MiTT can be considered a more straightforward approach for minimally invasive surgical technique, which is a feasible option to treat RC with a high success rate, predictability, and esthetic preservation. There is a technical sensitivity to performing the full-split design procedure.

Recent findings have demonstrated an increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity and overweight in Portugal, urging the need to study modifiable risk factors such as parental feeding practices. The Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) is an important self-report measure assessing a broad range of responsive and non-responsive feeding practices. However, the CFPQ has not yet been validated in Portugal. Therefore, the present study aimed to test the validity of this measure with Portuguese parents of 2- to 8-year-old children. A sample of 409 parents completed a Portuguese-adapted version of the CFPQ and the already validated Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and psychometric analysis were conducted. CFA demonstrated the original 12-factor structure did not fit the sample. EFA identified an 8-factor structure, comprising 29 items: Monitoring, Modeling, Environment, Involvement, Emotion Regulation, Restriction for Weight Control, Restriction for Health, and Pressure. Findings suggest that parental feeding practices are sensitive to parents’ background culture and children’s developmental period.

Background: Demographic aging is a reality in developed countries, which poses a social challenge of great responsibility. Thus, numerous studies have been developed in an attempt to understand which factors best predict healthy aging. The aim of this study was to investigate and systematize literature on intervention programs that simultaneously include cognitive stimulation and physical activity, understand the importance of the use of new technology in these programs, and understand their impact on cognitive function in older adults, giving indications about their contribution to healthy aging. Methods: A narrative approach was used for extraction and synthesis of the data. Relevant studies were identified from electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Academic Search Complete. Results: Thirty-two articles, involving 2815 participants, were identified. All selected studies were randomized controlled studies. The studies were published between 2011 and 2020. All studies included a combination of cognitive and physical interventions. Many of the studies used technology to administer the cognitive stimulation program. Conclusions: Most of the analyzed studies use new technologies in physical and cognitive interventions, demonstrating that this new form of intervention exerts lasting and stable benefits in cognition.

Carbonate reservoirs, influenced by depositional and diagenetic processes and characterized by features like faults and vugs that impact storage capacity, require more than traditional Borehole Imaging logs (BHI) for accurate porosity data. This data is essential for geological assessments, production forecasting, and reservoir simulations. This work aims to address this limitation by developing methods to measure and monitor the sustainability of carbonate reservoirs and exploring the application of sustainability principles to their management. The study integrates BHI and conventional logs from two wells to classify porosity-based facies within the Barra Velha Formation (BVF) in the Santos Basin. The methodology involves four steps: (i) analyzing conventional logs; (ii) segmenting BHI logs; (iii) integrating conventional and segmented BHI logs using Self-Organizing Maps (SOM); and (iv) interpreting the resulting classes. Matrix porosity values and non-matrix pore sizes categorize the porosity into four facies (A to D). Facies A has high non-matrix porosity with 14,560 small megapores, 5,419 large megapores, and 271 gigapores (71.9%, 26.76%, and 1.34% of the 20,250 pores, respectively). Facies B shows moderate non-matrix porosity with 8,669 small megapores, 2,642 large megapores, and 33 gigapores (76.42%, 23.29%, and 0.29% of the 11,344 pores, respectively) and medium matrix porosity. Facies C exhibits low non-matrix porosity with 7,749 small megapores, 2,132 large megapores, and 20 gigapores (78.27%, 21.53%, and 0.20% of the 9,901 pores, respectively) and medium matrix porosity. Facies D has low non-matrix porosity with 9,355 small megapores, 2,346 large megapores, and 19 gigapores (79.82%, 20.02%, and 0.16% of the 11,720 pores, respectively) and low matrix porosity. The novelty of this work lies in integrating data from two sources to classify porosity across the Pre-Salt reservoir interval, serving as a proxy for preliminary litho-facies identification without core data. This study advances our understanding of carbonate reservoir sustainability and heterogeneity, offering valuable insights for robust, sustainable reservoir characterization and management in the context of global environmental and geological changes.

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

Previous research has already examined the relationship between Future Anxiety, a construct recently introduced in Italy, and mental health in young adults, although possible mediating variables in this relationship have so far never been investigated. The present study attempts to fill this gap by exploring the incidence of Future Anxiety on psychological distress in a group of 302 young Italian adults (18 - 30 years; M = 21.9; SD = 2.6), presenting and evaluating the simultaneous mediating effect of Intolerance of Uncertainty and Non-Pathological Worry.Findings highlighted how Future Anxiety had a positive and significant direct effect on Stress and Depression, but not on Anxiety. In the three serial mediation models proposed, Intolerance of Uncertainty and Non-Pathological Worry mediated the relationship between Future Anxiety and mental health outcomes. The results also confirmed the hypothesized serial mediation effect by highlighting how young adults with greater Future Anxiety experienced more Intolerance of Uncertainty, which positively affected Non-Pathological Worry levels and, in turn, exacerbated psychological distress. Finally, results indicated that female participants experienced more Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in relation to Future Anxiety compared to males. Starting from the review of main references on this subject, the results discussed provide new insights for understanding youth psychological distress. Finally, practical implications for the design of supportive interventions for this study’s target group are proposed.

Human Adenovirus (HAdV) infection occurs in 14-16% of patients in the early months after pediatric hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and this correlates with a higher risk to develop HAdV disease and overall 6-month mortality. The main risk factors for HAdV infection are T-cell depletion of the graft by ex vivo CD34+ selection or in vivo use of alemtuzumab or anti-thymocyte serum, the development of grade III-IV graft versus host disease (GVHD), the type of donor (unrelated donor, cord blood, haploidentical or HLA mismatched parent) and severe lymphopenia (< 0.2 x 109/L). The prevention of HAdV disease is based on early intervention with antivirals in the asymptomatic patient when the permitted viral load threshold on blood (> 102-3 copies/ml) and/or on the stool (109 copies/g stool) is exceeded. Cidofovir, a monophosphate nucleotide analog of cytosine, is the primary drug for preemptive therapy, used at 5 mg/kg/week for 2 weeks followed by 3-5 mg/kg every 2 weeks. The alternative schedule is 1 mg/kg every other day (three times/week). Enhancing virus-specific T-cell immunity in the first months post-HCT by donor-derived or third-party-derived virus-specific T cells represents an innovative and promising way of intervention applicable both in prevention and therapeutic setting.

The study of hydrothermal travertines contributes to the understanding of the interaction between physico-chemical processes and the role played by microbial mats and biofilms in influencing carbonate precipitation. Three active travertine sites were investigated in Central Italy to identify the types of carbonate precipitates and the associated microbial mats at varying physico-chemical parameters. Carbonate precipitated fabrics at the decimetre- to millimetre-scale and microbial mats vary with decreasing water temperature: a) at high temperature (55-44°C) calcite or aragonite crystals precipitate on microbial mats of sulphide oxidizing, sulphate reducing and anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria forming filamentous streamer fabrics, b) at intermediate temperature (44-40°C), rafts, coated gas bubbles and dendrites are associated with Spirulina cyanobacteria and other filamentous and rod-shaped cyanobacteria, c) low temperature (34-33°C) laminated crusts and oncoids in a terraced slope system are associated with diverse Oscillatoriales and Nostocales filamentous cyanobacteria, sparse Spirulina and diatoms. At the microscale, carbonate precipitates are similar in the three sites consisting of prismatic calcite (40-100 µm long, 20-40 µm wide) or acicular aragonite crystals organized in radial spherulites, overlying or embedded within biofilm EPS (Extracellular Polymeric Substances). Microsparite and sparite crystal size decreases with decreasing temperature and clotted peloidal micrite dominates at temperatures &lt; 40°C, also encrusting filamentous microbes. Carbonates are associated with gypsum and Ca-phosphate crystals; EPS elemental composition is enriched in Si, Al, Mg, Ca, P, S and authigenic aluminium-silicates form aggregates on EPS. This study confirms that microbial communities in hydrothermal travertine settings vary as a function of temperature. Carbonate precipitate types at the microscale do not vary considerably, despite different microbial communities suggesting that travertine precipitation, driven by CO2 degassing, is influenced by biofilm EPS acting as template for crystal nucleation (EPS-mediated mineralization) and affecting the fabric types, independently from specific microbial metabolism.

A review of desiccant dehumidification technologies for improving air-quality has been presented, especially focusing on alternatives for air conditioning systems for minimizing the Sick Building Syndrome. The principles and types of desiccant wheels, as well as the existing selection software for these types of equipment, were reviewed and comparatively evaluated. The study focuses on the Brazilian context, therefore, information about air condition systems and laws of this country were evaluated. Possible applications of desiccant wheels are also analyzed, such as their integration into cooling cycles and the sensible heat wheel. Finally, several commercial desiccant wheel selection software were evaluated, which are useful in many situations. Nevertheless, it was evidenced that the available softwares are not capable of performing an operation analysis for only a specific period. Therefore, it is essential to create computational tools to select desiccant wheels, considering the data from the different Brazilian regions for a year.

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

A 3D graphene foam made of interconnected multilayer graphene flakes was produced on optical fibres (OF) by laser-induced transformation of a polyimide (PI) film coated on the OF cladding. This material, known as la-ser-induced graphene (LIG), was explored in the electrochemical detection and quantification of dopamine (DA) at physiologically relevant concentrations in the presence of the most relevant interfering molecules in biological fluids, ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA). The measured limit of detection is 100 nM, the linear range is 0.1 to 5 μM and a maximum sensitivity of 5.0 µA µM−1 cm−2 was obtained for LIG decorated with Pt nanoparticles (NPs). Moreover, immunity to AA and UA interference and to fouling was attained by decorating the LIG elec-trode with Pt NPs and coating with Nafion. These figures of merit underlines the potential of these sensors for the quantification of physiologically relevant concentrations of DA in biological fluids, paving the way for the development of hybrid electrochemical/optical sensing actuating platforms in a lab-on-fibre configuration, with relevant applications in biomedical engineering. The advantages of this hybrid arrangement include the possi-bility of in-situ counterproofing, extended measuring ranges, photoelectrochemical detection and the probing of inaccessible places. This elegant approach can also provide a simple and cost-effective way to fabricate biomed-ical devices with extended functionality, such as medical optical probes with added electrochemical capabilities, optogenetics combined with local electrochemical detection, among others.

The acoustic startle response (ASR) is an explosive motor response leaded by a sudden and intense acoustic stimulus. ASR has several clinically relevant forms of plasticity, including habituation and sensorimotor gating. Although ASR and its plasticity have been intensively studied in different animal models, including zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae, information in adult zebrafish is still very scarce. In this manuscript we present Zebra_K, a new automated high-content kinematic analysis platform for assessing ASR, its habituation and prepulse inhibition (PPI), a quantitative measure of sensorimotor gating, in adult zebrafish. The analysis of the kinematic parameters in 1,875 ASR in adult zebrafish has shown a single response wave consistent with the short-latency C-bend described in zebrafish larvae. Moreover, protocols have been designed and validated in Zebra_K for the analysis of sensitivity, habituation and PPI of this response. Then, this platform has been used to determine the effect of pharmacological and physiological modulators of ASR plasticity. As described in other animal models, the NMDA-receptor antagonist ketamine increased the responsiveness to the acoustic stimuli, decreasing habituation and leading to complete abolition of PPI. Moreover, the effect of the gender on zebrafish ASR plasticity has been analyzed for the first time. Females exhibited higher responsiveness and a lower habituation and PPI than males, a result consistent with the gender effect described in other animal models and in humans. These results enhance the interest of using adult zebrafish to assess the potential effect of chemicals or genetic manipulations on ASR plasticity.

Aims: This systematic review aims to evaluate the influence of Environmental Enrichment (EE) on oncological factors in experimental studies involving various types of cancer models. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in three databases: PubMed (161 articles), Embase (335 articles), and Scopus (274 articles). Eligibility criteria were applied based on the PICOS strategy to minimize bias. Two independent researchers performed the searches, with a third participant resolving any discrepancies. The selected articles were analyzed, and data regarding sample characteristics and EE protocols were extracted. The outcomes focused solely on cancer and tumor-related parameters, including cancer type, description of the cancer model, angiogenesis, tumor occurrence, volume, weight, mice with tumors, and tumor inhibition rate. Key-findings: A total of 770 articles were identified across the three databases, with 12 studies meeting the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The findings demonstrated that different EE protocols were effective in significantly reducing various aspects of tumor growth and development, such as angiogenesis, volume, weight, and the number of mice with tumors. Furthermore, EE enhanced the rate of tumor inhibition in mouse cancer models. Findings: This systematic review highlights the significant impact of EE protocols on multiple parameters associated with tumor growth and development, including angiogenesis, occurrence, volume, weight, and tumor incidence. Moreover, EE demonstrated the potential to increase the rate of tumor inhibition. These findings underscore the importance of EE as a valuable tool in the management of cancer.

Background: Despite the existence of a wide variety of anti-inflammatory drugs, the vast majority are classified as steroidal or non-steroidal. Both classes with many side effects that limit usage. Thus, the search for new molecules with anti-inflammatory potential is still important. Methods: Five phenylbenzohydrazides were synthetized and evaluated in pre-clinical models of acute inflammation in vivo and in vitro. Results: Substances significantly reduced cell migration induced by carrageenan. It was also observed an intense inhibition in protein extravasation and cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) production as well as nitric oxide reduction. INL-11 demonstrated to be the most potent since the reduction was significant even when compared with dexamethasone. In vitro INLs also reduced cytokines and NO production and iNOS activity. INL-11 was the most effective in reducing cell migration in vitro. Conclusions: our data suggest that these substances are suitable for further development to new series of compounds that could lead to new hits and future drug prototypes for anti-inflammatory conditions.

The effective treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), also known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), has transformed a highly lethal disease into a chronic and manageable condition. However, better methods need to be developed for eliminating the virus from reservoirs, enhancing patient access and adherence to therapy, and improving treatment in the long term to reduce adverse effects. From the perspective of drug discovery, one promising strategy is the development of anti-HIV prodrugs. This approach aims to enhance the efficacy and safety of treatment, promoting the development of more appropriate and convenient systems for patients. In this review, we discussed the use of the prodrug approach for HIV antiviral agents and emphasized nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. We comprehensively described various strategies that are used to enhance factors such as water solubility, bioavailability, pharmacokinetic parameters, permeability across biological membranes, chemical stability, drug delivery to specific sites/organs, and tolerability. These strategies might help researchers conduct better studies in this field. We also reported successful examples from the primary therapeutic classes while discussing the advantages and limitations. In this review, we highlighted the key trends in the application of the prodrug approach for treating HIV/AIDS..

Baía de Todos os Santos is the second largest bay in Brazil and is home to important ecosystems, including estuarine systems and mangroves. However, studies on the seasonal variability of its soil properties and composition are still scarce. For this study, soil and leaf samples were seasonally collected from mangrove forests at four sites (Cacha Prego, Ponta Grossa, Ilha de Maré, and Pitinga), which are representative of different environmental conditions within the BTS. Soil physicochemical properties, soil composition and partition of Fe forms were determined, and analysis of minerals by Scanning Electron Microscope, was performed on soil samples. Isotopic ratios (δ13C, δ15N) were also determined on soil and leaf samples. Soils showed significant spatial and temporal changes affecting both their properties (pH, Eh) and their composition (TOC, pyrite and Fe oxyhydroxide contents). Clear spatial changes were observed in redox potential, significantly affecting the concentrations of the different geochemical forms of Fe, particularly the concentrations of crystalline oxyhydroxydes and pyrite in one of the studied sites. In three of the study sites, pyrite crystals showed clear evidence of degradation associated with sandy soils. Finally, δ13C and N/C ratios in soils seem to suggest a mixed origin of organic matter.

Canine mammary tumors (CMT) are the most common cancer in noncastrated female dogs. Interestingly, triple-negative tumors are the most common molecular subtype in female dogs. In this study, we proposed to evaluate the expression of VEGFR-2, PDGFR and microvascular density (MVD) in a group of metastatic and nonmetastatic triple-negative CMT and compare the expression based on clinical parameters. Twenty-six female dogs with triple-negative mammary tumors were divided into three groups: nonmetastatic tumors (NMT) (N=11), tumors with lymph node metastasis (LNM) (N=10) and tumors with lung metastasis (LM) (N=5). We observed increased VEGFR-2 expression in LNM compared with NMT and a positive correlation between tumor grade and VEGFR-2 expression. A positive correlation was noted between VEGFR-2 and PDGFR expression. Regarding microvascular density (MVD), we identified a higher number of vessels in primary tumors with lymph node metastasis and lung metastasis compared with tumors with no metastasis. The primary tumors with lung metastasis exhibited an increased MVD compared with carcinoma with lymph node metastasis. Overall, our results suggest a deregulation of VEGFR-2 and PDGFR and high MVD in metastatic tumors, indicating a role for angiogenesis in tumor progression.

60\% of the global population is expected to be in cities by 2050. At the same time the climate is changing at an accelerated rate. In this short paper we discuss the conflation of these two phenomena and how it may change the cities of the future. We formulate this as an optimization problem that could help answer important questions such as where are they likely to be located? How are they to be powered? What would be their demand for mobility and how might this be met? How over or under ground might these cities be? This paper first looks at a historical paradigm of cities in the absence of the climate crisis and then proposes the new paradigm to look at cities of the future faced by the challenge of the climate change crisis.

In the age of social media, images come from unreliable sources that may change their content to fit a narrative. Automated detection of forged images is a complex task, especially considering recent technological advances in image manipulation software. However, in the existing literature, it is possible to identify two general approaches adopted by detection methods, active and passive. Active techniques preemptively act on an image by inserting structures before any manipulation is made that can verify its authenticity. In contrast, passive methods analyze the content of an image in search of traces of manipulation. In this way, this research proposes a novel approach to image manipulation detection, combining two passive methods through neural networks, creating a generalist approach capable of detecting with greater accuracy than the methods that compose it. Furthermore, this work used a combination of four datasets available in the literature for training and evaluation. After training, the merged approach obtained an accuracy of 89.59% in the set of validation images, significantly higher than the model trained with only unaltered images, which obtained 78.64%, and the two other models trained using images with a feature selection method applied to enhance inconsistencies that obtained 68.02% for Error-Level Analysis images and 50.70% for the method using Discrete Wavelet Transform. In addition to the performance improvement, the proposed approach’s accuracy variation was lower than the other models.

This critical review revisited the new classification system for periodontitis, specifically for staging, suggesting modifications, and introducing a new flowchart for a better clinical evaluation. It evaluated articles published between 2018 and 2024 in the English language, which had an educational motivation focused on staging periodontitis. PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase databases were used to retrieve the articles. The focus questions involved the analysis of all parameters for staging periodontitis. A total of 836 articles were initially found; 388 duplicated were excluded; 448 were evaluated by title and abstract; 26 articles followed for full-text reading, and 6 articles were included in this critical review (k=0.98). All articles included detailed parameters and steps about how to diagnose periodontitis. Therefore, it was possible to observe instability and “gray zones” in the staging step, which was due to a lack of priority and an organized order sequence. This review suggests the severity parameters cannot be overcome by complexity parameters, following a cumulative sequence: CAL (1^st), RBL (2^nd), TLP (3^rd), and, after, complexity parameters. An exception must be permitted only for complexity factors between Stages III and IV that can change the initial Stage (III or IV) obtained through the severity analysis, but only between themselves. Moreover, for patients without tooth loss or with TLP of ≤4 teeth (without need for complex rehabilitation) and presenting any type of drifting or flaring or a secondary traumatic occlusion, it cannot be a justification for moving the diagnosis from Stage III to Stage IV.

Background: COVID-19 infection has received the attention of the scientific community due its respiratory manifestations and association with evolution to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). There are few studies characterizing SARS-CoV-2 in pediatric immunocompromised patients, such as liver transplanted (LT) patients.The aim of this study was to analyze the outcomes of the larger cohort of pediatric liver transplant recipients (PLTR) from a single center in Brazil who where contaminated with COVID-19 during the pandemic. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Primary outcomes: COVID-19 severity. The Cox regression method was used to determine independent predictors associated with the outcomes. Results: 74 PLTR were included. Patients were divided into two groups according to the severity of COVID-19 disease: moderate-severe COVID and asymptomatic-mild COVID. Patients categorized as moderate-severe COVID were younger (12.6 months vs. 82.1 months, p 0.03), higher prevalence of transplantation with deceased donor (50% vs. 4.3%, p 0.02) and with a higher prevalence of COVID-infected patients before 6 months after LT (75% vs. 5.7%, p 0.002). The independent predictor of COVID-19 severity identified in the multivariate analysis was COVID-19 infection < 6 months after LT (HR=0.001, 95% CI=0.001-0.67, p 0.03). Conclusion: The time interval of less than 6 months between COVID-19 infection and LT was the only predictor of disease severity in pediatric patients.

Amid the covid-19 pandemic, other diseases, including viruses, are still acting to the detriment of their seasonality and risk factors for contagion. For this reason, it is interesting to know the degree of impact of other viruses, mainly respiratory, in which they have similar symptoms, in diagnoses for contamination by the new coronavirus based on epidemiological surveys, via epidemiological weeks, in Brazil. To what extent there may be a hypothesis of confusion of contaminated data, harming the health system, with regard to the need for intensive care units and control of viruses, and negatively or positively implying in the control or uncontrolling of viruses in general.

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.

Objectives: The goal of this pilot study was to validate and introduce a new AI tool (algorithm), providing and comparing (1) the periodontal/peri-implant diagnosis between professional (specialist) and automated tool, (2) risk assessment and prognostication with the algorithm, and (3) establish cut-off limits for clinically significant disease with a new score system (GF-PeDRA score). Methods: All patients were evaluated by two evaluators, and in case of any divergence, the case was revisited and discussed until clarification and definition. The validation sample constituted 221 patients. The AI tool (GF-PeDRA©) had eighteen parameters to be assessed, involving systemic and local predictors, achieving an octadecagon (an eighteen-sided polygon). The parameters were: (1) The highest probing depth (PD); (2) Number of interproximal sites with bone loss; (3) The highest clinical attachment loss (CAL); (4) Maximum radiographic bone loss (RBL); (5) Bleeding on probing (% BoP); (6) Bone loss pattern; (7) Tooth loss including periodontally hopeless teeth planned for extraction; (8) Evidence of progression over five years; (9) Need for complex rehabilitation; (10) Patient’s age; (11) CAL and biofilm accumulation; (12) Smoking; (13) Diabetes; (14) Extension and distribution of the disease; (15) Peri-implant disease; (16) Other systemic conditions (other than diabetes); (17) Furcation involvement; and (18) Necrotizing lesion. A new score system (GF-PeDRA© score) based on the percentual of the octadecagon area is obtained; if the area was ≥0% to ≤9%, the prognosis is good; ≥10% and ≤ 24%, it is fair; ≥25% and ≤37%, poor; ≥38% and ≤49%, it is questionable; and between ≥50% to ≤100%, the prognosis is hopeless. Results: 221 patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 46.73. 5301 teeth were examined. 187 non-smokers (84.62%) and 34 smokers (15.38%) were included. 193 (87.33%) patients did not have diabetes, whereas 28 (12.67%) had. Comparing the diagnosis between both evaluators, k=0.83; all disagreed cases were re-discussed, and a final decision/diagnosis was reached. After this, the diagnosis found was contrasted with the diagnosis achieved by GF-PeDRA© and a perfect agreement was observed, 100% (k=1.0). 28 patients were diagnosed as periodontally healthy, 55 with plaque-induced gingivitis, and 138 with periodontitis. Only one case of molar/incisor pattern was observed. No peri-implant disease or necrotizing condition was found. The mean CAL found was 3.19 mm; 25 patients (11.31%) had a furcation involvement. The mean percentual of BoP found was 28.67% (median = 19%; maximum: 100%; minimum: 100%); and the mean PD was 5.31 mm. The mean of the new GF-PeDRA© score (ranging from 0% to 100%) was 28.64%, with a median of 32.2% (minimum: 0.6% and maximum: 64.1%). Then, analyzing the GF-PeDRA© score of 221 patients enrolled, 48 (21.73%) were sorted as a Good prognosis for periodontal treatment, 43 (19.45%) had a Fair prognosis, 43 (19.45%) had a Poor prognosis, 68 (30.77%) had a Questionable prognosis, and 19 (8.60%) had a Hopeless prognosis. Conclusion: The new AI tool (GF-PeDRA©) was validated and proved to be extremely helpful in diagnosing and providing risk assessment and prognosis.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a role in several inflammatory diseases and is capable of inducing the release of inflammatory mediators in several cell types. The objective was to investigate the potential of Ang II to induce mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators by cultured primary human periodontal cells. A synergistic effect of a co-treatment with Ang II and IL1β on mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was also explored. Primary cultures of human fibroblast-like cells isolated from gingival and periodontal ligament tissues from 3 subjects were established using explant techniques. Immunophenotyping of STRO-1, Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2R) was performed by flow cytometry analysis. Cell cultures were challenged with Ang II (1M) for 3, 6 and 24h with or without a co-treatment with IL1β (0.1ng/mL) for 24h. mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was performed by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). We present, for the first time, a precise quantification for AT1R and AT2R on human gingival and periodontal fibroblast-like cell types; the percentage of positive immunostaining compared to the total population of cells varied from 3.35% through 5.29% for AT1R and 2.97% through 4.57% for AT2R. Ang II slightly upregulated mRNA expression of IL6 and CCL2/MCP1 in gingival cells and IL8 and PTGS2/COX2 in periodontal ligament cells. IL1β induced upregulation of IL8, IL6 CCL2/MCP1, PTGS2/COX2 and IL1β mRNA in both cell types. Co-treatment with Ang II and IL1β did not show a synergistic effect under these experimental conditions. Ang II shows a low potential to induce mRNA upregulation of inflammatory mediators in cultured primary human gingival and periodontal ligament cells, most likely due to the low percentage of Ang II receptors in such cells, and no synergistic effect with the co-treatment with IL1β.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a role in several inflammatory diseases and is capable of inducing the release of inflammatory mediators in several cell types. The objective was to investigate the potential of Ang II to induce mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators by cultured primary human periodontal cells. A synergistic effect of a co-treatment with Ang II and IL1β on mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was also explored. Primary cultures of human fibroblast-like cells isolated from gingival and periodontal ligament tissues from 3 subjects were established using explant techniques. Immunophenotyping of STRO-1, AT1 and AT2 receptors was performed by flow cytometry analysis. Cell cultures were challenged with Ang II (1M) for 3, 6 and 24h with or without a co-treatment with IL1β (0.1ng/mL) for 24h. mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was performed by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). We present, for the first time, a precise quantification for AT1 and AT2 receptors on human gingival and periodontal fibroblast-like cell types; the percentage of positive immunostaining compared to the total population of cells varied from 3.35% through 5.29% for AT1 and 2.97% through 4.57% for AT2. Ang II slightly upregulated mRNA expression of IL6 and CCL2/MCP1 in gingival cells and IL8 and PTGS2/COX2 in periodontal ligament cells. IL1β induced upregulation of IL8, IL6 CCL2/MCP1, PTGS2/COX2 and IL1β mRNA in both cell types. Co-treatment with Ang II and IL1β did not show a synergistic effect under these experimental conditions. Ang II shows a low potential to induce mRNA upregulation of inflammatory mediators in cultured primary human gingival and periodontal ligament cells, most likely due to the low percentage of Ang II receptors in such cells, and no synergistic effect with the co-treatment with IL1β.

In the recent years, tubular nanostructures have been related with immense advances in various fields of science and technology. Considerable research efforts have been centered on the theoretical prediction and manufacturing of non-carbon nanotubes (NTs), which meet modern requirements for the developing of novel devices and systems. In this context, diatomic inorganic nanotubes formed by atoms of elements from the 13th group of the periodic table (B, Al, Ga, In, Tl) and nitrogen (N), have received much research attention. In the present work, the elastic properties of single-walled boron nitride, aluminium nitride, gallium nitride, indium nitride and thallium nitride nanotubes were numerically evaluated using the nanoscale continuum modelling approach (also called molecular structural mechanics). The elastic properties (rigidities, surface Young´s and shear moduli, and Poisson´s ratio) of nitride nanotubes are discussed with respect to the bond length of the corresponding diatomic hexagonal lattice. The results obtained contribute to a better understanding of the mechanical response of nitride compound-based nanotubes, covering a broad range from the well-studied boron nitride NTs to the hypothetical thallium nitride NTs.

Due to the energetic transition at course, new geological exploration technologies are needed to discover mineral deposits containing critical materials such as lithium (Li). The vast majority of European Li deposits are related to Li–Cs–Ta (LCT) pegmatites. Literature review indicates that conventional exploration campaigns are dominated by geochemical surveys and related exploration tools. However, other exploration techniques must be evaluated namely remote sensing (RS) and geophysics. This work presents the results of the INOVMINERAL4.0 project obtained through alternative approaches to traditional geochemistry that were gathered and integrated into a webGIS application. The specific objectives were to: (i) assess the potential of high-resolution elevation data; (ii) evaluate geophysical methods, particularly radiometry; (iii) establish a methodology for spectral data acquisition and build a spectral library; (iv) compare obtained spectra with Landsat 9 data for pegmatite identification; and (v) implement a user-friendly webGIS for data integration and visualization. Radiometric data acquisition using geophysical techniques effectively discriminated pegmatites from host rocks. The developed spectral library provided valuable insights for space-based exploration. Landsat 9 data accurately identified known LCT pegmatite targets, compared to Landsat 8. The user-friendly webGIS facilitated data integration, visualization, and sharing, supporting potential users in similar exploration approaches.

During normal ageing, physical changes take place, namely in terms of the biomechanical, musculoskeletal, and psychomotor systems, that reduce strength, flexibility, motor coordination, balance, and precision of movements. This article analyses the motion behaviour of a sample of 49 senior and pre-senior subjects during the process of entry to (ingress) and exit from (egress) new car models not experienced before, obtained over five days at the Geneva International Motor Show. The methodological process is based on visual studies using photography and video to analyse motion behaviour. This investigation identifies five entry movement strategies and three exit movement strategies in three types of vehicle groups. The movements adopted in the egress of the vehicle were more complex and difficult, in general, than those observed for ingress, requiring greater flexibility, agility/dexterity, and physical strength of subjects, involving more contact or support with vehicle parts. The main factor that influences movement strategies is essentially related to subjects’ levels of physical capacity and previous experiences. In conclusion, there are no significant changes in the subjects’ somatic movement strategies based on vehicle types.

This study aimed to verify the responsiveness of common bean plants subjected to re-inoculation of Rhizobium in topdressing applied at different stages in edaphoclimatic conditions of the Cerrado. A randomized block design was used, with four replications: T1=uninoculated control; T2=inoculation via seed (VS); T3=VS + reinoculation at the V4 stage; T4=VS + reinoculation at the R5 stage; T5=VS + reinoculation at the R6 stage; T6=VS + reinoculation in at V4 and R5 stages; T7=VS + re-inoculation at V4 and R6 stage; T8=VS + reinoculation at R5 and R6 stages; T9=VS + reinoculation at V4, R5, and R6 stages, and T10=mineral nitrogen fertilization. Nodulation and morphological variables were evaluated at the R7 stage and agronomic variables at R9 at harvest. The use of reinoculation, in addition to inoculation, positively influenced the bean nodulation process. The morphological characteristics of the plants showed good development with the supply of N performed by inoculation and reinoculation, equivalent to the addition of mineral nitrogen fer-tilizer. Reinoculation from R5 to R7 stagesproved ineffective in supplying N to the common bean crop. Inoculation associated with reinoculation at the V4 stage provided higher yields and could replace mineral nitrogen fertilizer.

The literature, aimed at understanding the income-price elasticity of air passenger demand, bases its analysis on airport movement. The diversity of studies regarding the casualty between air transportation and economic growth are examples. Some studies covering this link, estimate the income-price relationship with the demand considering international traffic. Considering a domestic setting, where this traffic is significant in Brazil, studies related to remote regions are scarce, and the existing ones focus on governmental policies and subsidies. In addition, empirical studies on the theme consenter themselves in developed regions, such as Europe, North America, and Australia. For Brazil, where we find the Amazon region, there are no empirical researches. This paper analyses the price-income elasticity of the demand regarding domestic passengers in air links from remote cities of the Brazilian Amazon. This study uses panel data regression analysis method on a database of domestic scheduled flights of Brazil´s National Civil Aviation Agency. The results show that air passengers involving remote region flights present a lower sensitiveness regarding local income and airline´s price variations than those in flights among capitals. The higher difference is in income-elasticity of the remote city of origin, which is lower than that of the air traffic among capitals.

The Armillaria genus represents one of the most common causes of chronic root rot disease in woody plants. The disease damage prompt assessment is crucial for pest management. However, the disease detection current methods are limited at the field scale. Therefore, an alternative approach that can enhance or supplement traditional techniques is needed. In this study, we investigated the potential of hyperspectral methods to identify the changes between fungi-infected and uninfected plants of Vitis vinifera in early detecting the Armillaria disease. The hyperspectral imaging sensor Specim-IQ was used to acquire images of leaves of the Teroldego Rotaliano grapevine cultivar. We analysed three groups of plants: healthy, asymptomatic, and diseased. Highly significant differences were found in the Near infrared (NIR) spectral region with a decreasing pattern from healthy to diseased plants attributable to internal leaf structure changes. Asymptomatic plants emerged from the other groups due to a smaller reflectance in the red-edge spectrum (around 705nm). Hypothetically associated with the presence of secondary metabolites involved in plant defence strategy. Furthermore, significant differences were observed in the wavelengths close to 550 nm in diseased plants versus asymptomatic. We used linear discriminant analysis from a machine learning context to classify the leaves based on the most significant variables (vegetation indices and single bands), with resulting overall accuracies of 85% and 84% respectively in healthy vs. diseased and healthy vs. asymptomatic. To our knowledge, this study represents the first report on the possibility of using hyperspectral data for root rot disease diagnosis on woody plants. Although further validation studies are required, it appears that the spectral reflectance technique, possibly implemented on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), could be a promising tool for a cost-effective, non-destructive method of Armillaria disease early diagnosis and mapping in the field, contributing to a significant step forward in precision viticulture.

Background: Research articles are essential for describing new ideas, techniques, and procedures and consolidating concepts. It creates an opportunity to expose studies and publicly assimilate published knowledge. Therefore, one of them is the most used and accepted index to verify the author’s scientific impact is the H-index or Hirsch index. It provides a robust single metric that combines quality and quantity. Therefore, it presents disadvantages, (1) researchers with shorter scientific carriers may have fewer articles and citations than those with longer scientific life; (2) it allows scientists to receive citations even if no new papers are published; (3) it is only useful for comparing the better scientists in a field; (4) this indicator can never decrease; (5) it is only weakly sensitive to the number of citations received; (6) the major and minor (or no) contributor in the research gained equal h-index. Then, the H-index ignores the total of citations and the time of a researcher's experience (“scientific age” [sa]). Objective: Thus, the goal of this study was to present a new index system (GFsa index ©) based on the two variables completely forgotten (total of citations and “scientific age”), introducing a new terminology “scientific age”, to evaluate the best-ranked researchers in Dentistry. Methods: The AD Scientific Index was used, and all researchers included in this study were cited in the AD Scientific Index (2024) in the Dentistry field and had the Google Scholar page accessible for a consultation to manually obtain the total of citations and calculate the “scientific age”. The information was retrieved by two authors (G.V.O.F. and J.C.H.F.), who assessed the data twice to avoid errors or mistakes. For inclusion: a minimum H-index value of 30; for exclusion: (i) the author did not have a Google Scholar page; (ii) duplicated author; or (iii) presented any suspicious activities about manipulation of articles. Then, a dataset of all researchers who were reported in Dentistry was prepared (name, H-index, i10 index, and publications). The formula developed and applied was GFsa=(total number of citations)/(“scientific age)². The Pearson correlation statistically evaluated the data obtained; the confidence interval was 95%. Results: A total of 9,093 researchers in Dentistry were recorded, of whom 1,020 were included. Then, we collected all 1,020 researchers' Google Scholar data (publications, citations, and indexes), and each researcher's total citations and “scientific age” were registered and calculated. The mean “scientific age” registered was 34.18 ± 13.34 (standard error of mean = 0.4181). With this information and data collected, GFsa index © was calculated, presenting a minimum value of 0.2186 and a maximum of 154.8 (mean = 10.33 ± 11.82; standard error of mean = 0.3706). Then, the data was organized and sorted following the ranking obtained in the GFsa index ©. The Pearson correlation showed that the H-index had a weakly positive association with the researcher’s “scientific age”; this fact means that the H-index will increase according to the “scientific age” increase. Otherwise, a moderately negative correlation between GFsa and “scientific age” was demonstrated, whereby a higher GFsa © had a lower “Scientific age”. This assessment shows that the variables introduced were fairly used. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between both indexes (H-index and GFsa). Conclusion: It is possible to conclude that the new variable reported (“Scientific age”) and using the total citations brought a fairer and more feasible evaluation among the researchers. Thus, we are launching the new GFsa index © and the new information named “Scientific age” for the first time in the literature. The future perspective of the GFsa © application will be (1) the evaluation of the 9,093 researchers in Dentistry (total initially registered), including more authors/researchers in the Dentistry field, (2) expanding the exposition of this new index for other areas of the knowledge, and (3) provide free access of all data through the website (http://gfindex.us.to).

Despite the advancements in evidence-based medicine, many hospitals still maintain high rates of patients undergoing prolonged preoperative fasting. The goal of this study is to determine the prevalence of prolonged fasting time among patients undergoing elective surgeries at a Brazilian university hospital and its associations with clinical and sociodemographic variables. This cross-sectional study was conducted between May and November 2019 and included patients of all ages undergoing elective surgeries. Out of the 293 patients analyzed, 64.2% were male, with ages ranging from 1 to 85 years, and 93.9% were classified as ASA I or II. The prevalence of preoperative fasting exceeding 8 hours was 89.4%. An average fasting time exceeding 11 hours was observed across all age groups. Patients who underwent procedures in the afternoon had an average fasting time that was 16% longer than those in the morning period (13.84 vs. 11.92, p<0.001). Surgery time (r=0.134, p<0.03) and anesthesia times (r=0.121, p<0.04) demonstrated a weak correlation with fasting time. Despite the international consensus on preoperative fasting time, our study demonstrated low adherence to current recommendations. Therefore, healthcare professionals should ensure the comprehension of fasting guidelines, and further studies should aim to identify effective solutions to mitigate prolonged fasting.

Triglycerides of waste cooking oil reacted with methanol in refluxing toluene to yield mixtures of diglycerides, monoglycerides and fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in the presence of 20% (w/w) catalyst/oil using the hydrophilic sulfonated silica (SiO₂-SO₃H) catalyst alone or with the addition of 10% (w/w) co-catalyst/oil [(Bun4N)](BF₄) or Aliquat 336]. The addition of the ammonium salts to the catalyst lead to a decrease in the amounts of diglycerides in the products, but the concentrations of monoglycerides increased. Mixtures of [(Bun4N)](BF4)/catalyst were superior to catalyst alone or Aliquat 336/catalyst for promoting the production of mixtures with high concentrations of FAMEs. The same experiments were repeated using DMSO as the solvent. The use of the more polar solvent resulted in excellent conversion of the triglycerides to FAME esters with all three-catalyst media. A simplified mechanism is presented to account for the experimental results.

Advanced Nano structural hard coatings are thin materials films that range in thickness from a few nanometers to a few micrometers and are applied to different surfaces to increase their hardness and wear resistance. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods are frequently used to deposit these coatings. These coating’s distinctive characteristics result from their microstructure, which is made up of material columns or grains with a diameter of only a few nanometers. Increased hardness, higher wear resistance, and improved tribological properties result from these short dimensions. In applications with significant wear and/or high contact pressures, such as cutting tools, bearings, and engine parts, the usage of sophisticated Nano structural hard coatings is crucial. Advanced Nano structural hard coatings include, 1. Amorphous carbon coatings with high hardness, low friction, and exceptional wear resistance are known as diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings. DLC coatings are frequently used in a variety of industries, including the automotive, aerospace, and biomedical ones. 2. Coatings made of titanium nitride (TiN): These metallic coatings have high hardness and wear resistance. Cutting tool, machining, and aerospace industries frequently use TiN coatings. 3. Chromium nitride (CrN) coatings: These coatings have great corrosion resistance, good wear resistance, and high hardness. Cutting tools, gears, and bearings are just a few of the objects that use CrN coatings. 4. Tungsten carbide (WC) coatings: These coatings, which have a high degree of hardness and wear resistance, are frequently employed in cutting tools and other applications that require wear resistance. Advanced Nano structural hard coatings provide many advantages over conventional coatings, including better hardness, increased wear resistance, and improved tribological qualities. The automotive, aerospace, and biomedical industries are just a few that could use these coatings. In this paper the author will explain about the design synthesis and applications of advanced Nano structural hard coating in aerospace and automotive applications.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that poses a significant threat to human and animal health worldwide. Among different animal species, pigs are known to play a crucial role in the transmission of the pathogenic Leptospira spp. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Leptospira spp. infection and associated risk factors in subsistence pig production in the state of Paraná, Brazil. A total of 1393 serum samples were collected from pigs on 188 subsistence properties in different regions of the state, and tested using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) to detect antibodies against 24 different Leptospira spp serovars. The results revealed an overall seroprevalence of 68.78% for Leptospira spp. antibodies, with Icterohaemorrhagiae, Butembo, and Pomona being the most commonly detected serovars. Poor housing conditions, lack of rodent control, absence of veterinary assistance, and a history of reproductive problems were identified as significant risk factors associated with Leptospira spp. infection in the subsistence pig population. These findings highlight the urgent need for implementing effective control measures, such as improved housing conditions, rodent control, and veterinary assistance, to prevent the spread of this zoonotic disease in subsistence pig production systems in Paraná, Brazil.

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

Chronic noncommunicable diseases (CNCDs) have been a major public health concern worldwide, especially diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, in addition to obesity, which is even more worrying when the subject involves the covid-19 pandemic, because such incidences correlate with the need for intensive care units, including the possibility of death of the patient. Therefore, for countries with the highest numbers of critical cases, it is important to assess the incidence of these diseases to guide the public that most needs guidance on public policies for social isolation.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles have risen concerns about their possible toxicity and the European Food Safety Authority recently banned the use of TiO2 nano-additive in food products. Following the intent of relating nanomaterials atomic structure with their toxicity without having to conduct large scale experiments on living organisms, we investigate the aggregation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles using a multi-scale technique: starting from ab initio Density Functional Theory to get an accurate determination of the energetics and electronic structure, we switch to classical Molecular Dynamics simulations to calculate the Potential of Mean Force for the connection of two identical nanoparticles in water; the fitting of the latter by a set of mathematical equations is the key for the upscale. Lastly, we perform Brownian Dynamics simulations where each nanoparticle is a spherical bead. This coarsening strategy allows studying the aggregation of a few thousand nanoparticles. Applying this novel procedure, we find three new molecular descriptors, namely, the aggregation free energy and two numerical parameters used to correct the observed deviation from the aggregation kinetic described by the Smoluchowski theory. Molecular descriptors can be fed into QSAR models to predict the toxicity of a material knowing its physicochemical properties, without having to conduct large scale experiments on living organisms.

New proposals for the equation of state of four- and five-dimensional hard-hypersphere mixtures in terms of the equation of state of the corresponding monocomponent hard-hypersphere fluid are introduced. Such proposals (which are constructed in such a way so as to yield the exact third virial coefficient) extend, on the one hand, recent similar formulations for hard-disk and (three-dimensional) hard-sphere mixtures and, on the other hand, two of our previous proposals also linking the mixture equation of state and the one of the monocomponent fluid but unable to reproduce the exact third virial coefficient. The old and new proposals are tested by comparison with published molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulation results and their relative merit is evaluated.

Biomechanics is a branch of biophysics that deals with mechanics applied to biology. The biomechanics of the cornea plays a significant role in managing patients with glaucoma. While evidence suggests a higher risk of glaucoma in patients with thin and stiffer corneas, it also affects the measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP). We reviewed the pertinent literature to help the understanding of corneal biomechanics and how it can help optimize clinical and surgical treatments and a better approach to diagnosing and managing patients with glaucoma.

Low back pain is prevalent in equestrian athletes, but prevalence and associated factors are unknown in the Portuguese equestrian population. A questionnaire regarding low back pain and possible associated factors was answered by 347 respondents. Estimated 12-month prevalence was 67.1%. The probability of suffering from low back pain was higher in individuals with higher weekly riding workload, that reported equestrianism as their main occupation and that performed daily stable duties. The Roland Morris disability questionnaire was applied to the respondents that stated having experienced low back pain in the past 12 months, resulting in an average score of 5.39 ± 4.42. 63.1% of respondents stated that low back pain impaired their performance. Individuals that stated equestrianism was their main occupation showed a significant higher risk (OR = 1.759) of exhibiting a score ≥ 4, as measure of dysfunctionality. Age and high body mass index were also associated to a dysfunctional score. Further research is needed to fully understand the impacts of low back pain in Portuguese equestrian athletes.

Purpose: This integrated review aims to identify and analyze the multifactorial contributors to the longevity of direct restorations, focusing on tooth-, patient-, and dentist-related factors. Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed using an electronic database, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus, between 1980 and 2024. Titles and abstracts of papers that evaluated aspects categorized into tooth-related, patient-related, and dentist-related factors influencing restoration failure were selected and screened. Full-text assessments were conducted, and the extracted data were compiled, summarized, and synthesized. The reference lists of the collected papers were also screened, and relevant citations were included in this review. Data were gathered from clinical and laboratorial studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses to provide a comprehensive understanding of restoration longevity. Results: Among the tooth-related factors, multiple-surface restorations, deep margins, tooth location, and tooth vitality significantly impact restoration survival. Patient-related factors such as medical conditions, risk predictors of caries, age, sex, parafunctional habits, smoking, periodontal health, number of restorations, and socioeconomic status all play crucial roles. Regarding dentist-related factors, the decision-making process, age, experience, and dentist manual dexterity are vital aspects. Furthermore, the technique used, including isolation methods for moisture control, as well as the type of dental practice (large group vs. small practice), notably influenced the restoration survival. Conclusions: The longevity of dental restorations is influenced by a complex interplay of tooth-related, patient-related, and dentist-related factors. Strategies to improve restoration outcomes should consider all these multifactorial contributors. Continuing professional education, diligent patient guidance on the factors that influence restoration survival, careful material selection and restorative technique, and tailored individual treatment are crucial factors to reduce failure rates and improve the lifespan of restorations.

Some novel (phenyl-diazenyl)phenols (3a–g) were designed and synthesized to be evaluated for their antimicrobial activity. A previously synthesized molecule, active against bacteria and fungi, was used as lead for modifications and optimization of the structure, by introduction/removal or displacement of hydroxyl groups on the azobenzene rings. The aim of this work was to evaluate the consequent changes of the antimicrobial activity and to validate the hypothesis that, for these compounds, a plausible mechanism could involve an interaction with protein receptors, rather than an interaction with membrane. All newly synthesized compounds were analyzed by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), DSC thermal analysis and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The in vitro minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of each compound was determined against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and Candida albicans. Compounds 3b and 3g showed the highest activity against S. aureus and C. albicans, with remarkable MIC values of 10 µg/mL and 3 µg/mL, respectively. Structure- activity relationship studies were capable to rationalize the effect of different substitutions on the phenyl ring of the azobenzene on antimicrobial activity.

Diabetes is a prevalent global health issue associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a well-known inflammatory, neurovascular complication of diabetes and a leading cause of preventable blindness in developed countries among working-age adults. However, the ocular surface components of diabetic eyes are also at risk of damage due to uncontrolled diabetes, which is often overlooked. Inflammatory changes in the corneas of diabetic patients indicate that inflammation plays a significant role in diabetic complications, much like in DR. The eye´s immune privilege restricts immune and inflammatory responses, and the cornea and retina have a complex network of innate immune cells that maintain immune homeostasis. Nevertheless, low-grade inflammation in diabetes contributes to immune dysregulation. This article aims to provide an overview and discussion of how diabetes affects the ocular immune system’s main components, immune-competent cells, and inflammatory mediators. By understanding these effects, potential interventions and treatments may be developed to improve the ocular health of diabetic patients.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells derived from bone marrow (hBM-MSCs) are utilized in tendon tissue‐engineering protocols while extra-embryonic cord-derived, including from Wharton’s Jelly (hWJ-MSC), are emerging as useful alternatives. To explore the tenogenic responsiveness of hBM-MSCs and hWJ-MSCs to hGDF-5 we supplemented each at doses of 1, 10, and 100 ng/mL and determined proliferation, morphology and time-dependent expression of tenogenic markers. We evaluated expression of Collagen types 1 (COL1A1) and 3 (COL3A1), Decorin (DCN), Scleraxis A (SCX-A), Tenascin-C (TNC) and Tenomodulin (TNMD) noting the earliest and largest increase with 100 ng/mL. With 100 ng/mL, hBM-MSCs showed upregulation of SCX-A (1.7-fold) at day 1, TNC (1.3-fold) and TNMD (12-fold) at Day 8. hWJ-MSCs, at the same dose, showed up-regulation of COL1A1 (3-fold), DCN (2.7-fold), SCX (3.8-fold) and TNC (2.3-fold) after 3 days of culture. hWJ-MSCs also showed larger proliferation rate and marked aggregation into a tubular shaped system at Day 7 (with 100 ng/mL of hGDF-5). Simultaneous to this we explored expression of pro-inflammatory (IL-6, TNF, IL-12A, IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10, TGF-β1) cytokines across for both cell types. hBM-MSCs exhibited a better balance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines upregulating IL-1β (11-fold) and IL-10 (10-fold) at Day 8; hWJ-MSCs, had a slight expression of IL-12A (1.5-fold) but a greater up-regulation of IL-10 (2.5-fold). Collagen type I and tenomodulin proteins, detected by immunofluorescence, confirming the greater protein expression when 100 ng/mL were supplemented. In the same conditions, both cell types showed specific alignment and shape modification (fibroblast-like) with a Lenght/Width ratio increase at value higher than 1, suggesting their response in activating tenogenic commitment events, and they both potential use in 3D in vitro tissue engineering protocols.

There are complex ethical dilemmas inherent in medicine teaching, particularly in clinical prac-tice involving actual patients. Questions must be raised on fulfilling medical students' training needs while still respecting patients' fundamental rights to autonomy and privacy. We aimed to assess patients' perspectives regarding medical students' involvement in their medical care. An observational, cross-sectional study was developed, and an interview-like questionnaire was ap-plied randomly to patients waiting for a consult/admitted to three distinct departments: General Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynaecology, and Infectious Diseases. Of the 77% interviewed patients who reported previous experiences with medical students, only 59% stated that they were asked for consent for their participation and 28% that students had adequately introduced themselves. Pa-tients from Gynaecology/Obstetrics were the ones who reported lower rates of these practices and were also the ones who were most bothered by students' presence, stating that they would refuse students' participation in the future. Male patients received more explanations than female pa-tients regarding the same matters. 35% of patients stated they would feel more comfortable without the medical students' presence. The study shows a need to pay closer attention to ful-filling patients' fundamental rights.

Magnetorheological fluids (MRFs) are smart materials consisting of micro-scale magnetizable particles suspended in a carrier fluid. The rheological properties of a MRF can be changed from a fluid-state to a solid-state upon the application of an external magnetic field. This study reports the development of a particle-level simulation code for magnetic solid spheres moving through an incompressible Newtonian carrier fluid. The numerical algorithm is implemented within an open-source finite-volume solver coupled with an immersed boundary method (FVM-IBM) to perform fully-resolved simulations. The particulate phase of the MRF is modeled using the discrete element method (DEM). The resultant force acting on the particles due to the external magnetic field (i.e., magnetostatic polarization force) is computed based on the Clausius-Mossotti relationship. The fixed and mutual dipole magnetic models are then used to account for the magnetic (MAG) interactions between particles. Several benchmark flows were simulated using the newly-developed FVM-IBM-DEM-MAG algorithm to assess the accuracy and robustness of the calculations. First, the sedimentation of two spheres in a rectangular duct containing a Newtonian fluid is computed without the presence of an external magnetic field, mimicking the so-called drafting-kissing-tumbling (DKT) phenomenon. The numerical results obtained for the DKT case study are verified against published data from the scientific literature. Second, we activate both the magnetostatic polarization and the dipole-dipole forces and resultant torques between the spheres for the DKT case study. Next, we study the robustness of the FVM-IBM-DEM-MAG solver by computing multi-particle chaining (i.e., particle assembly) in a two-dimensional (2D) domain for area volume fractions of 20% (260 particles) and 30% (390 particles) under vertical and horizontal magnetic fields. Finally, the fourth computational experiment describes the multi-particle chaining in a three-dimensional (3D) domain allowing to study fully-resolved MRF simulations of 580 magnetic particles under vertical and horizontal magnetic fields.

Village has a vital role in the national development efforts. The concept of development considered village as an object instead of a subject of development. This study focused on determining the important points in enabling a village to be independent by shifting the paradigm of “building the village” into “the building village”. This study was an exploratory research of public policies with qualitative legal studies. This study was conducted in 3 villages in Bandung regency with different characteristics, namely Neglawangi with urban characteristics, Cibiru Wetan with sub-urban characteristics, and Rancamanyar with plural characteristics. The results of this study showed that the wise step in building an independent village is through “the building village” road maps. First, encourage the inception of critical and care community and community organizations who dynamically interact in the policy making processes of village development. Second, implement a participative, accountable, and transparent planning and budgeting system within the limits of their authorities. Third, empower inclusive village economic institutions. The three road maps can succeed if they are supported by good implementation of participative, systematic, effective and efficient planning and budgeting system, as well as good monitoring.

The olfactory system is capable of distinguishing individual odorants from among a virtually unlimited number. Fish, for example, detect changes in the electric field environment induced by prey and other sources. Floral electric fields exhibit variations in pattern and structure, which can be discriminated by bumblebees. We have constructed an electric field sensor, which, in the course of focussing on achieving maximum sensitivity and consistency, ultimately resembles features of the insect sensorium. A “fingerprint” 3D plot ( time, frequency range, voltage amplitude), representing the emitted electric field profile, is presented for each of a variety of odorants and other chemicals. The substance-specific electric-field emission and identification is not impeded by containers or barriers or distance.

Introduction The increase in survival of extremely preterm infants has led to increased rates of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Therefore, a potential role of human milk feeding in protecting against this condition has been suggested. Material and methods Retrospective descriptive study based on data about morbidity in the population of infants born from 22+0 to 26+6 weeks of gestation, included in the Spanish network SEN1500 during the period 2004-2019 and who were alive at discharge. The primary outcome was moderate-severe BPD. In addition, associated conditions were studied, including breastfeeding at discharge. The temporal trends of BPD and breastfeeding rates at discharge were also studied. Results In the study population of 4341 infants who survived to discharge, the rate of moderate-severe BPD was 43,7% and increased over the period to a rate >50% in the last three years. The factors significantly associated with a higher risk of moderate-severe BPD were male sex, high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, inhaled nitric oxide, patent ductus arteriosus, and late-onset sepsis. Exclusive human milk feeding at discharge and any amount of human milk at discharge were associated with a lower incidence of moderate-severe BPD (OR 0.752, 95% CI 0.629-0.901, and OR 0.714, 95% CI 0.602-0.847, respectively). The rates of human milk at discharge in infants with moderate-severe BPD increased over the period. In the last years, more than one-third of extremely preterm infants were discharged on exclusive human milk feeds, and about two-thirds of them on any amount of human milk feeding. Conclusions
The results of the present study strongly support the role of any amount of human milk in preventing BDP in extremely preterm infants.

Feline sporotrichosis is an endemic disease with high occurrence in Brazil. Itraconazole (ITZ), remains the drug of choice for treating this disease in cats, despite the increasing reports of therapeutic failure. A controlled, randomized clinical trial was performed on 166 naive cats with sporotrichosis to assess the effectiveness and safety of the combination therapy (ITZ+KI) com-pared with ITZ monotherapy. Cats were randomly allocated in two treatment groups: G1 - ITZ 100 mg/cat/day and G2 - ITZ 100mg/cat/day + KI 2.5-20 mg/kg/day. Cats treated in G2 presented 77% more risk of reaching clinical cure (a positive effect) than those treated in G1, even when controlled by negative predictors. The survival curves of the two treatment protocols indicates that clinical cure was achieved faster in G2. An increase in the KI dose was necessary in 28 cats due to persistence of clinical signs. Adverse reactions were equally frequent in both groups and manageable with a temporary drug suspension and/or a hepatoprotective therapy. The combination therapy was associated with a higher cure rate and a shorter treatment time, suggesting that ITZ+KI arises as a better option for treating feline sporotrichosis and should be considered as the first-line treatment in the presence of negative predictors.

Drafting is a common technique to reduce the drag experienced by elite runners on races, leading to better running efficiency and energy savings. The tactic has been successfully used in previous races where world records were set, especially by Eliud Kipchoge in the 2018 and 2022 editions of the Berlin marathon. In the 2023 edition of the Chicago Marathon, Kenyan runner Kelvin Kiptum broke the Marathon record after a 2:00:35 finish. This feat becomes even more impressive by the lack of use of drafting formations, despite the availability of two pacers for the majority of the race. In this study, the drag faced by Kiptum and his pacers during the race is calculated by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The performance of each runner is evaluated from an energetic standpoint, and the analysis is extended to include more efficient drafting formations. Our results indicate that, by properly using the advantages of drafting, Kiptum could have finished the race at a staggering 1:57:34, a full three minutes better than his own record and 215 seconds better than the previous world record.

Nutraceuticals comprise dietary supplements, functional foods, medicinal foods, and pharmaceuticals. However, to date all these concepts are interpreted in different ways with the rapid increasing knowledge on nutrition, medicine, and plant biotechnology changing the concepts about food, health and agriculture. What matters are the bioactive elements conveyed by foodstuffs as nutrients or non-nutrients, which interfere with human metabolism and have impact on health, aging and well-being. Food, not nutrients, is the fundamental unit in nutrition and edible mushrooms, are fungi that supply unique biological compounds, different from plant or animal origin, which significantly impact on health status. Their influence on medicinal interventions has been known and studied for many years. The role on neurodegenerative disorders has been recently investigated and their significance on many other diseases has been well demonstrated. On this note it is synthesized the more recent knowledge of some edible mushrooms and preparations on Ménière’s disease, a lifelong condition it can develop at any age, but most commonly appearing between 40 and 60 years of age.

Acrylamide (AA), a molecule which potentially increases the risk of developing cancer, is easily formed in food rich in carbohydrates, such as biscuits, wafers and breakfast cereals, at temperatures above 120 °C. Thus, it is eminent the need to detect and quantify the AA content in processed foodstuffs, in order to delineate the limits and mitigation strategies. This work reports the development and validation of a high-resolution mass spectrometry-based methodology for identification and quantification of AA in specific food matrices of biscuits, by using LC-MSⁿ with electrospray ionization and Orbitrap as mass analyser. The developed analytical method showed good repeatability (RSD_r 11.1%) and 3.55 μg kg^-1 and 11.8 μg kg^-1 as limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ), respectively. The choice of multiplexed targeted-SIM mode (t-SIM) for AA and AA-d3 isolated ions provided enhanced detection sensitivity, as demonstrated in this work. Results for AA concentration obtained vary between 323.7 and 2056.1 μg kg^-1. During baking an increase in AA concentration was observed, as well as between samples taken from different areas of the baking oven. Statistical processing of data was performed in order to compare the AA levels with several production parameters, such as time/cooking temperature, placement on the cooking conveyor belt, color and moisture for different biscuits. The composition of the raw materials was statistically the most correlated factor with the AA content when all samples are considered. The statistical treatment presented herein enables an important prediction of factors influencing AA formation in biscuits contributing for putting in place effective mitigation strategies.

Horn manure (Preparation 500) is a product used in the practice of biodynamic agriculture. It is obtained by an underground fermentation of cow faecal material incubated in cow horns for several months. The product is used as spray treatment meant to increase soil fertility. In the present report we analyzed the successional changes in bacterial and fungal communities throughout the process of horn manure maturation by high throughput sequencing of ribosomal 16S (bacterial) and ITS (fungal) gene markers. Marked shifts in the microbial community were seen involving a general decrease from a Firmicutes-dominated material to a product transiently enriched in Proteobacteria and later in Actinobacteria, mostly within the Nocardioidaceae family. In the fungal community evolution, the most abundant taxon in the starting faecal material resulted a member of the Onygenales order, known to specifically degrade keratin. Its abundance in the intestine is explained by the fact that keratin, which is also the structural component of hairs and horns, is found in all epithelial layers, including gut mucosae. This occurrence suggests a link of enzymatic/catabolic nature between manure and horn.

The development of electric aircrafts is becoming an important technology for achieving the goals set by the European Commission for the reduction of gases emissions by 2050 in the aeronautical transportation system. However, there is a gap between the values of specific power in commercial electric machines and the ones required for aeronautical applications. Therefore, the search for alternative materials and non-conventional designs is mandatory. One emergent solution is using superconducting machines and systems to overcome the current limits of conventional electrical machines. This work reviews the new hybrid and all-electric aircraft tendencies, complementing it with recent research on the design and development of high specific power superconducting machines. This includes the main topologies for hybrid and all-electric aircraft, with an overview of the ongoing worldwide projects of these types of aircrafts, systematizing the main characteristics of their propulsion systems. It also includes the research on superconducting machines for the purpose of high specific power, considering the impact on the redesign of aircraft systems in the electrical, cooling, and fuel source sense.

This article provides a comprehensive review of the intersection of 5G technology and Beyond, and Smart Grids, focusing on the potential of Vehicle-to-Fog as an industrial alternative for addressing energy efficiency challenges in data processing. This study aims to investigate relevant articles and patents to understand the collaborative potential between 5G and Smart Grids. It explores how to establish new regulatory standards within the architectural framework of 5G to facilitate decentralized data processing and remodel energy consumption patterns. The hypothesis suggests that decentralized 5G architecture and Smart Grids can be most effectively applied through vehicular fogging powered by solar energy. A combined quantitative and qualitative methodology guides the exploration of articles and patents. The study concludes by advocating for new standards that embrace decentralized 5G data processing, emphasizing the potential of Vehicle-to-Fog and the future deployment of 6G technology in Smart Grids. These advancements can significantly enhance energy efficiency in the context of 5G and pave the way for future innovations.

In this paper, we introduce the application of Type-I fuzzy inference systems (FIS) as an alternative to improve the prioritization in the FMECA analysis applied in cyber-power grids. Classical FMECA assesses the risk level through the Risk Priority Number (RPN). The multiplication between three integer numbers computes this, called risk factors, representing the severity, occurrence, and detectability of each failure mode and are defined by a team of experts. The RPN does not consider any relative importance between the risk factors and may not necessarily represent the real risk perception of the FMECA team members, usually expressed by natural language; this is the main FMECA shortcoming criticized in the literature. Our approach considers fuzzy variables defined by FMECA experts to represent the uncertainty associated with the human language and a rule base consisting of 125 fuzzy rules to represent the risk perception of the experts. To test our approach, we select a cyber-power grid previously analyzed by the authors using the classical FMECA. The results reveal our proposed fuzzy approach as promissory to represent the uncertainty associated with expert knowledge and to perform an accurate prioritization of failure modes in the context of electrical power systems.

This comprehensive review is devoted to an under-exploited family of phenolic compounds, the coumarins, and the most relevant strands in which they are involved in some spirit beverages – wine spirit, brandy, whiskey, sugar cane spirits (rum and cachaça) and grape marc spirit – with great importance worldwide in terms of production, trade and consumption. It gathers the key discoveries on the topic considering the production process of each spirit beverage, the related sources of coumarins (different kinds of wood used in the ageing stage) along with the factors that govern them and can influence the sensory properties of the aged beverages. An overview of the analytical methods available for their identification/quantification is also included, as well as the corresponding trends for the advancement of knowledge in this field. Moreover, the remarkable role of coumarins as nutraceuticals, their importance as chemical markers for authenticity purposes, and their relationship with food safety of these spirit beverages are also addressed, highlighting the current gaps and issues, and providing clues for future research.

The integration of bacteriophages, a particular class of viruses that specifically infect bacteria and archaea, in biosensors for the monitoring of pathogens in foods and beverages is highly desirable. To this end, an increasing focus has been set on the exploration of covalent and physical methods for the immobilization of phages on solid surfaces. This work investigates the electrostatic assembly of tailed phages, specifically anti-Listeria monocytogenes P100 phages, on an ultrathin self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 11-amino-1-undecanethiol (AUT). The cationic properties of AUT may allow for the electrostatic capture of P100 in a capsid-down fashion, thus, exposing the specific receptor-binding proteins on their tails to the corresponding pathogens in analytical samples. The physical properties of immobilized phages have been studied using AFM, SEM, and electrochemical techniques, providing insight into the orientation of the phages and revealing that the pH plays a remarkable role in the morphology and charge transfer behavior of the adsorbed films. Overall, this research portrays SAMs of amino-akylthiols as a valid platform for the oriented immobilization of bacteriophages on surfaces for electroanalytical purposes.

Currently, in a context of biorefinery and bioeconomy, lignocellulosic biomass is increasingly used to produce biofuels, biochemicals and value-added products. Microwaves and ultrasounds are emerging techniques that enable efficient and environmentally more sustainable routes in the transformation of lignocellulosic biomass. This review is divided into four parts. In Part I, the theoretical foundations of microwaves and ultrasounds are revisited. Dielectric constants for biomass, factors that influence pre-treatment, are some of the subjects addressed. In Part II, the effects that these technologies have on lignocellulosic biomass (on the size and surface area of the particle; on the content of lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose; on the crystallinity index of cellulose; on the effect of solubilization of organic matter; on hydrolysis and reduction of sugars) are analyzed. In Part III, emphasis is given on how microwaves and ultrasounds can contribute to the achievement of value-added products. In this context, several examples of liquefactions and extractions are presented. Part IV describes examples of sonocatalysis of lignocellulosic biomass to obtain value-added products such as for instancethe production of furfural, which is significantly reduced by ultrasound.

Background: The 2021 “Universal Definition of Heart Failure (HF)” Proposed the following left ventricle ejection (LVEF) phenotype classification: ≤40%; HF with intermediate LVEF: between 41-49% and HF with preserved LVEF: ≥50%. LVEF represents the percentage of left ventricular ejected volume in each cardiac cycle and Cut-points considered statistically normal are: ≥52% in men and ≥54% in women. The prevalence HFpEF is of 35-60% among the HF phenotypes, with a facing to increase rates in relation to HFrEF and is associated with mortality rates similar to those of HFrEF. The pathophysiology of HFpEF is based on vascular and metabolic dysfunction, therefore, there is less neurohumoral stimulation compared to HFrEF. Methodology: A systematic review was performed to report of information related to Sacubitril-valsartan and the treatment of HFrEF. Terms related to “treatment” and “brazil” were used in the databases PubMed (MEDLINE) and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO). Results: Clinical trials testing drugs that modulate the neurohumoral system in patients with HFpEF failed to demonstrate benefit in the combined endpoint of reduced mortality/hospitalization due to HF compared to placebo to date. Sacubitril-valsartan is a drug with a mechanism of action surrogate the pathophysiological concept of HFpEF, it is safe and decreased endpoints of natriuretic peptides and left atrial structure in a phase II clinical study. Conclusions: The PARAGON-HF trial demonstrated that sacubitril-valsartan reduced the primary endpoint of the study when assessed the pre-specified subgroup of LVEF≤57% and improved the secondary endpoints of performance status and renal function in the population.

Passiflora cincinnata Mast is a plant popularly used in traditional medicine in northeastern Brazil. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-lipoperoxidative and anti-α-amylase properties, and cytotoxicity of an extract and fraction of passion fruit leaves (P. cincinnata Mast), as well as the antihyperglecemiant activity of the fraction rich in glycosylated flavonoids and showing low cytotoxicity in rats with a postprandial hyperglycaemia condition. The ethyl acetate fraction (F.ACT) of the P. cincinnata leaves presented the best anti-lipoperoxide properties with TBARs 81.49%, 95.48% and 75.62% lower than AAPH, FeSO₄ and H₂O₂ induced controls, respectively, at 200 μg.mL-1. In addition, it presented an anti-α-amylase potential, with a better ability to inhibit the α-amylase enzyme in comparison to the acarbose control (IC₅₀ 6.49 ± 0.11 and 12.01 ± 0.4 μg.mL-1, respectively). The hydroalcoholic extract of P. cincinnata (ExEt) presented high content of total tannins, flavonoids and flavonols. However, F.ACT had the highest concentration of flavonoids among the fractions studied. HPLC analysis of this fraction revealed the presence of the flavonoids isovitexin, orientin and isoorientin. F.ACT showed low to no cytotoxicity below 150 μg.mL-1. Regarding the post-prandial antihyperglycaemic activity of F.ACT, it was observed at 50 and 100 mg.kg-1.

A previous research showed the 1755 tsunami would inundate the Marginal Avenue, the railway and the low ground area of Caxias, Oeiras municipality, Portugal. Thus, in this study several proposals for coastal protection are presented. A new Lidar data of local topography allowed the construction of a more accurate DEM, including the representation of the streets of Caxias downtown, to be used in the tsunami numerical model. The results were combined with field survey on Caxias and other coastal areas of Portugal and Japan. The new calculations show the low ground areas up to 6 m in height area inundated by the tsunami. However, with the new proposal DEM the tsunami inundation is restricted to the beaches. The proposal includes the construction of a new sea wall with 7 m in height at Caxias beach, the increase in height of the Barcarena Stream levees and the elevation of the sidewalk at São Bruno beach, with a gentle slope up to 7 m in height. It is also proposed the construction of a third bridge over the Barcarena Stream for pedestrian ranging from 5 to 7 m in height that will serve as a gate for the incoming tsunami waves.

This work deals with the evaluation of adhesive single-lap joints using ultrasonic guided waves. An adhesive bonded lap joint can be modelled as a three-layer system made up of two adherents and an adhesive. The propagation of guided waves in the joint is developed from matrix formulations. The behavior of the different guided wave modes that propagate in the bonded region is characterized and it is found that their relative amplitudes can be estimated based on the properties of the incoming wave that propagates in the non-bonded region. It was verified that the excitation of these modes is ruled by the degree in which the shapes of both modes match each other. A 3D simulation of two aluminium bonded plates using 500 kHz ultrasonic transducers in a pitch and catch configuration was implemented using the Matlab k-Wave toolbox. Scattering effects due to some produced defects located in the bond line of the lap joints were simulated. Experimental setup with some artificial defects produced in the aluminum joints were used in order to compare with the simulated. Qualitative agreement was observed for the two approaches. The observed deviation can be due to the different characteristics of the experimental and simulated defects.

Nowadays the dynamism induced by the constant change of strategic decisions on the markets produces an extra difficulty in the management of an organization. The strategic decisions made by managers can become obsolete in a short period of time. One of the major difficulties in managing a commercial organization is to predict, with some precision degree, the impact some strategic decisions have on the financial results. Business Intelligence (BI) is an area widely used to help managers to make strategic decisions. But the methods used, behind the scenes, to achieve the conclusions are kept secret by BI company-based services. Modelling the environment can be a good option to study the impact of an action, provided by a strategic decision, in a real environment. A good model should give an approximate result of an action applied to a previous state of the environment. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are proven to be excellent in modeling environments with some level of data noise. The same strategic action can have different results in different organizations. A tool that allows an evaluation of a strategic action applied to an environment should have a major importance in the management scope. Modeling the environment should save time and money for the organization to improve the performance of the strategic plan. If one evaluates the state of the environment after a strategic action being applied, it can be possible to mitigate the risk of failure of the strategic plan. As we will be able to verify, it is possible to use ANNs to model strategic environments that should allow the prediction of sales and operating results by the used strategies with some precision, although the level of success will be directly related with the user’s necessity.

This study aimed to identify the most relevant factors of absenteeism in the perception of nursing technicians from a regional reference hospital in Brazil. A cross-sectional study, based on a case study, was conducted from August 2018 to July 2021, with 324 nursing technicians from a Brazilian macroregional reference hospital in Northwestern Ceará. Data were collected through Google Forms® via the Scale of Factors of Work Absenteeism (EFAL). For data analysis, the overall mean and means of the four EFAL factors were calculated. The individuals were grouped by rating level and data were presented descriptively. The results showed that fatigue, low pay, work overload, need to resolve unpostponable personal/family bureaucratic matters, and need for time to continue/post-graduate education were the main causes of absenteeism. In general, nursing technicians' perceptions varied between low and medium relevance to the factors that contributed to work absenteeism. We can associate these results to the low frequency of absen-teeism among the professionals of the institution.

Recent years have shown that traditional regulatory techniques alone are not effective in achieving behavior change in important fields such as environmental sustainability. Governments all over the world have been progressively including behaviourally informed considerations in policy and law-making with the aim of improving the acceptance and impact of sustainability-oriented measures. This led to the arrival of alternative regulatory tools, such as nudges. The effectiveness of nudges for environmental sustainability (green nudges) has been largely reported but the practical and ethical implications are still largely neglected by academic research. In this contribution, “nudges” are conceptually distinguished from “boosts” and their ethical briefly explained. The analysis is made at the light of the current mostly European and US American academic literature.

Background: Gingival enlargement is defined as an abnormal overgrowth of gingival tissues. A case of a 34–year–old female presenting with maxillary chronic inflammatory gingival enlargement associated with a nickel wire allergy is reported here. Replacement of the wire, good oral hygiene therapy and surgical therapy was carried out to provide a good aesthetic outcome. Histopathological evaluation was done of the excised specimen. There is only one similar case reported in literature to the best of our knowledge and ours is the second case. Result: A Histopathological diagnosis of inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia was established. No recurrence was reported at the end of 1 year. Conclusion: The patient should be made aware of the allergy at the initial visit and oral hygiene instructions should be reinforced at every visit. The significance of patient compliance during and following therapy as an important factor in the success of treatment.

As Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (CNCD) increase, preventive approaches become more crucial. In this review, Calorie Restriction (CR) effects on human beings were evaluated, comparing benefits and risks of different CR diets: classic CR vs ketosis-inducing diets, including Intermittent Fasting (IF), Classic Ketogenic Diet (CKD), Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), Very-Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD) and Spanish Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet (SKMD). Special emphasis on Insulin Resistance (IR) was placed, as it mediates Metabolic Syndrome (MS), a risk factor for CNCD, and predicts MS diagnosis. CR is the most robust intervention known to increase lifespan and health span, with high evidence and known biochemical mechanisms. CR improves cardiometabolic risk parameters, boosts exercise insulin sensitivity response, and there may be benefits of implementing moderate CR on healthy young and middle-aged individuals. However, there is insufficient evidence to support long-term CR. CKD is effective for weight and MS management, and may have additional benefits such as prevention of muscle loss and appetite control. SKMD has extreme significance benefits for all the metabolic parameters studied. Studies show inconsistent benefits of IF compared to classic CR. More studies are required to study biochemical parameters, reinforce evidence, identify risks, and seek effective and safe nutritional CR approaches.

The study of notable people as agents for increasing cancer awareness started just in the last decades of the 20th century. This study aimed to identify Pan-American notable people with head and neck cancer (HNC) and to assess HNC’s professional perspective on communicating stories of notable patients with HNC to promote prevention. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by applying a RedCap questionnaire to oral medicinists, oral pathologists, head and neck surgeons, and clinical oncologists with experience in HNC research, education, or treatment in Pan-American countries. Additionally, a structured search was performed on PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, LILACS, and gray literature Results: We identified 42 notable people from the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, El Salvador, Chile, Colombia, and Peru who were mainly actors, athletes, and musicians. Participants agreed that stories of notable patients with HNC can positively impact the population and promote prevention if communicated by the internet, social media, and television. Conclusion: In the Pan-American region, notable individuals who have suffered from HNC may be powerful advocates for increasing cancer awareness and promoting prevention strategies. The professionals involved in the study expressed a positive inclination towards using the stories of these notable HNC survivors as an effective prevention strategy.

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.

Ruderal plants designate native or exotic plant species that grow spontaneously in anthropized environments, being important from the ecological succession perspective. The present study aimed to identify ruderal plants that occur in an anthropized area of the Campus Floresta of the Federal University of Acre (UFAC), in the municipality of Cruzeiro do Sul, in the Southwest Amazon. Toward this end, botanical material was collected and herborized, and identified based on consultation of the specialized literature, virtual herbariums, and by comparison with the Campus Floresta Herbarium (CFCZS) collection. Finally, these data were incorporated to the referred collection, according to the usual plant systematics procedures. The results revealed 28 species and 28 genera, distributed in 14 families. The most representative families were Fabaceae, Malvaceae and Poaceae, with four species each; followed by Asteraceae with three; Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Amaranthaceae with two each; and the others, Plantaginaceae, Ochnaceae, Urticaceae, Verbenaceae, Iridaceae, Lamiaceae and Dennstaedtiaceae with one species each. The occurrence of predominant species in planted pastures, agricultural use, and mining area ecosystems is highlighted, such as Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn., Andropogon bicornis L., and Crotalaria micans Link.

Background: Elevated fasting plasma glucose and visceral fat area (VFA) is highly prevalent in obese adults. This study investigated the associations between systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and laboratory, anthropometric, heart rate variability (HRV), and obstructive sleep apnea markers. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 95 obese patients treated at Obesity Treatment and Surgery Center, located in Salvador, BA, Brazil. SAH data were obtained from electronic medical records of patients. To evaluate the association of SAH with the predictor variables, the sample was stratified in Normotense Group (NG) and Hypertensive Group (HG), and laboratory markers, body composition, polysomnography data, and HRV were measured. Results: The average age of the NG was 36.3 ± 10.1 and HG 40.4 ± 10.6 years, 73.7% were women in the NG and 57.9% in HG; 82.4% in HG had insulin resistance. In the multivarious logistics regression model with adjustments age, sex, height, and oxyhemoglobin saturation, SAH was inversely associated with fasting plasma glucose mg/dL (odds ratio [OR] = 0.96; 95% interval confidence [CI] = 0.92 - 0.99) and VFA cm² (OR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.97 - 0.99). The area under curve the VFA was 0.728; CI 95% (0.620 - 0.836) and fasting plasma glucose 0.693; CI 95% (0.582 - 0.804). Conclusions: Lower VFA and fasting plasma glucose concentrations were inversely associated with SAH. These results indicate opportunities to improve the outcome in obese patients through counseling and clinical interventions.

This article presents and discusses analytical data on the scientific publication record from 1910 to 2020 on two topics: "climate" and "climate change/global warming/climate emergency". The goal is to visualize how the publication record on these two topics has evolved over time, from different classification perspectives (year, country, source and organization). Three hypotheses are tested using data collected from Web of Science and various graphical representations of the data. It is found that research output related to the Earth’s contemporary changing climate overtook that of general climate research in 2011, and the publication ratio has been expanding in the last decade. There are significant differences in the publication countries and sources between the two topics, and conversely less significant differences in terms of organizations publishing these works. Differentiation factors that affect the level of research output and engagement on the climate challenge include: island versus landlocked nations, specialized versus general scientific journals, academic versus institutional organizations. The future of the publication records is discussed, such as the emergence of new terms to refer to the climate challenge, such as “climate emergency”.

The interest in flying wings dates as far the early years of the aviation age. Over the 20th century, numerous attempts were made to investigate the feasibility of the concept, which demonstrated numerous early benefits: increased aerodynamic efficiency, reduced fuel consumption and lower noise and pollutant emissions compared to conventional tube and wing aircraft. However, major technical challenges prevented that type of design from entering mass production, especially with regards to structural design and manufacturing, stability and control and ride quality. In the 1990’s, a new concept, the blended wing body (BWB), was created to alleviate some of the concerns of flying wings while maintaining increased efficiency. Despite the promise, technical hurdles once again proved to be a deal breaker, and as of 2024, the only flying wing to enter serial production is the B-2 Spirit, an extremely complex and expensive aircraft. Thirty years later, as the world is quickly transitioning towards cleaner energy, the interest in the blended wing body has been renewed. The latest technological advancements in the aerospace industry should make the development of the BWB more plausible, however passenger comfort issues remain. Surprisingly, the BWB development may come from an unexpected application: as a tanker aircraft. As the U.S. Air Force is seeking a replacement to hundreds of aging tankers, a startup company was recently funded to develop the concept and build a prototype. In this study, we explore the history of blended designs from its early days, highlighting its opportunities and challenges – and why the design is an intriguing fit for application as a tanker aircraft.

Single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM SPA) has recently emerged as an exceptionally well-suited technique for determining the structure of membrane proteins (MPs). Indeed, in the last years, it was observed a huge increase in the number of MPs solved by cryo-EM SPA at a resolution better than 3.0 Å in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). However, sample preparation remains a significant challenge in the field. Here, we evaluated in the MPs solved by cryo-EM SPA deposited in the PDB in the last two years at a resolution below 3.0 Å the most critical parameters for sample preparation: i) the surfactant used for protein extraction from the membrane, ii) the surfactant, amphiphiles, nanodiscs or other molecules present in the vitrification step, iii) the vitrification method employed, and iv) the type of grids used. The aim is not to provide a definitive answer on the optimal sample conditions for cryo-EM SPA of MPs, but rather assess the current trends in the MP structural biology community towards obtaining high-resolution cryo-EM structures.

The Golgi apparatus (GA) dysfunctions in Parkinson’s Disease (PD), neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), cancer, and organelle structural biology (OSB) can provide insights into therapeutic targets, gene therapy, and drug design. Primary defects and fragmentation within the GA are implicated in a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases. GA defects typically result in mislocation of proteins, accumulation of undegraded proteins, and impaired glycosylation of proteins. Inhibition of vesicular trafficking by α-synuclein (aSyn) may affect the dopamine-producing neurons and neuromodulators. GA regulates apoptosis during pathological mechanisms of neurological diseases and could provide new avenues in treatments through translation research. PD patients bearing the hereditary E46K disease mutation manifest the clinical picture of parkinsonism. How do we provide high resolution nanoimages of the GA during disease to capture dysfunction? Could we visualize the aSyn traffic jam between vesicles in the organelles ER and GA? OSB is emerging as a field as more technology advances and is more accessible. Structural studies of the GA will advance the field of neurological disease forward with an in depth understanding of dysfunction, fragmentation, and defects. Discoveries of the GA in PD, NDDs, and cancer would break new ground and provide translational medicine data of these diseases. Future research could be visualizing high angle annular dark field-STEM (HAADF-STEM) tomograms, cryogenic electron tomography (cryo-ET), multiplex correlative light and electron microscopy (cryo-CLEM), nanobody-assisted tissue immunostaining for volumetric EM (NATIVE) and using soft X-ray tomography (SXT) and computational reconstruction of the GA.

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

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disease that affects approximately 6.1 million and is primarily caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons. Naphthoquinones have several biological activities explored in the literature, including neuroprotective effects. Therefore, this review shows an overview of natural and synthetic naphthoquinones with neuroprotective effects and with potential for the development of molecules for the treatment of PD. Many examples of natural naphthoquinones, such as shikonin, plumbagin and vitamin K, exerted a neuroprotective effect by preventing oxidative stress, in addition to multiple mechanisms. Synthetic naphthoquinones with inhibitory activity on the P2X7 receptor were also found, leading to a neuroprotective effect on Neuro-2a cells. It was found that naphthazarin can act as inhibitors of the MAO-B enzyme. Vitamin K and synthetic naphthoquinones hybrids with tryptophan or dopamine showed inhibition of the aggregation of α-synuclein. A library of synthetic derivatives of juglone and naphthazarin were able to protect Neuro-2a cells against neurodegenerative effects of neurotoxins. We report many examples of naphthoquinones that act in therapeutic pathways for the treatment of PD. In addition, routes for producing synthetic derivatives were also discussed. With the data presented, 1,4-naphthoquinones can be considered a promising class in the treatment of PD.

The microbioma is presently one of the hottest areas of scientific and medical research and exerts a marked influence on the host during homeostasis and disease. Fermented foods arise in the human relationship to the microbial environment. Further to the traditionally recognized effects of fermented foods and beverages on the digestive health and well-being there is now strong evidence on their general health benefits, namely the significance on the gut microbiota and brain functionality. We highlight the possibilities in this field, how little is still known, and call for a convergence of interdisciplinary research fields of One Health microbe-nutrition with fermented foods and gut-brain research. A consequence of civilisation, changes in present-day society in diets with more sugar, fat and salt, habits and lifestyle, contributes to the likelihood of an inflammatory microbiome, particularly the global epidemics of obesity and mental health. Although two recent papers claim that probiotics perturb rather than aid in microbiota recovery back to baseline after antibiotic administration in humans, consuming fermented foods has shown to reduce inflammation so improve gut health and the proper function of the body’s immune system.

The difficulty in detecting tumors in earlier stages is the major cause of mortalities of patients, despite the advancements in treatment and research regarding ovarian cancer. Deep Learning algorithms are applied to serve the purpose of a diagnostic tool by applying them on CT scan images of the ovarian region. The images go through a series of pre-processing techniques and further the tumor is segmented using the UNet model. Instances are then classified into two categories – benign and malignant tumors. Classification is performed using Deep Learning models like CNN, ResNet, DenseNet, Inception-ResNet, VGG16 and Xception along with Machine Learning models such as Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, AdaBoosting, XGBoosting. DenseNet 121 emerges as the best model on this dataset even after applying optimization on the Machine Learning models by obtaining an accuracy of 95.7%. The current work demonstrates the comparison of multiple CNN architectures among themselves and with common Machine Learning algorithms, with and without optimization techniques applied.

Reliability assessment in traditional power distribution systems has played a key role in power system planning, design, and operation. Recently, new information and communication technologies have been introduced in power systems automation and asset management, making the distribution network even more complex. In order to achieve efficient energy management, the distribution grid has to adopt a new configuration and operational conditions that are changing the paradigm of the actual electrical system. Therefore, the emergence of the cyber-physical systems concept to face future energetic needs requires alternative approaches for evaluating the reliability of modern distribution systems, especially in the smart grids environment. In this paper, a reliability approach that makes use of failure modes of power and cyber network main components is proposed to evaluate risk analysis in smart electrical distribution systems. We introduce the application of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) method in future smart grid systems in order to establish the impact of different failure modes on their performance. A smart grid test system is defined and failure modes and their effects for both power and the cyber components are presented. Preventive maintenance tasks are proposed and systematized to minimize the impact of high-risk failures and increase reliability.

Prostate cancer, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), ranks as the fourth most prevalent type in the population, even though it is highly frequent when detected early and promptly treated, resulting in a low mortality rate. However, in some cases, despite adherence to proper clinical protocols, there is a progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). In these cases, as outlined in clinical guidelines such as those developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), one approach involves the utilization of the pharmaceutical agent abiraterone to implement androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), aimed at suppressing the production of hormones directly implicated in disease progression. Another noteworthy aspect is the limited literature on clinical protocols and their efficacy concerning the Amazonian indigenous population, which often exhibits unique genomic profiles, with descriptions of variants not yet documented in the literature. Building upon these considerations, this study aims to survey the variants identified in genes associated with the abiraterone signaling pathway, their frequencies in the Amazonian indigenous population, and the correlation of these frequencies with those observed in other global populations. The objective is to contribute to the refinement of clinical practices in the treatment of prostate cancer within this population.

Given the importance of the development of urban infrastructure and environmental impacts produced by the civil construction waste (CCW), it is important to correct the handling of CCW with objective solutions that are more environmentally friendly. In that sense the present study aimed to determine indicators that make it possible to estimate the amount of CCW generated from construction sites in the city of Londrina, Parana State, Brazil. The generation of CCW was estimated in a general way, regarding the composition of its mixture, correlated to the gross areas of the buildings studied and their generated volumes of RCC. This generating rate was evaluated in a general way and specifies two types of sites: the new residential and new non-residential constructions. The data required for the development of these indicators was obtained through extensive survey and interviews carried out at the environment secretariat of the City Hall. The generating rate of CCW obtained for non-residential buildings was 0.2052m3/m2 or 170.44kg/m2, for new residential sites was 0.2054m3/m2 or 170.60kg/m2 and for new commercial or non-residential construction sites, it was 0.20453 m3/m2 or 169.85kg/m2. It was also possible to estimate the amount generated annually per inhabitant in the municipality, which is 0.60m3/inhabit.year or 498.55kg/inhabit.year.

In order to fully perform their functions and be durable, mortars for renders and plasters are requested to have a set of characteristics that can vary with the type of exposure to external environmental actions and the type of substrate. Generally, they need moderate strength, high deformability, some water protection capability, good adhesion to the substrate, and compatibility with the pre-existent materials. The presence of water and its movement inside the pore structure of the mortars are among the most significant causes of degradation. Moreover, several authors consider that the main factors for durability and good performance of lime-based mortars are mostly related with the good quality of the binder and the use of adequate aggregates. This paper intends to study the effect of ageing on the properties and durability of air lime mortars, using aggregates of different mineralogy. For this purpose, different mortars compositions are exposed to an accelerated weathering test under defined conditions. The obtained characteristics are discussed and compared with the results obtained with the same mortars tested in laboratory conditions. The effects of the aggregate type on the durability of mortars seem to be linked to their effects on the mortars porous structure.

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.

A one-dimensional numerical overland flow model based on the cascade plane theory was de-veloped to estimate rainfall-induced runoff and soil erosion on converging and diverging plane surfaces. The model includes three components: (i) soil infiltration using Horton’s infiltration equation, (ii) overland flow using the kinematic wave approximation of the one-dimensional Saint-Venant shallow water equations for a cascade of planes, and (iii) soil erosion based on the sediment transport continuity equation. The model’s performance was evaluated by comparing numerical results with laboratory data from experiments using a rainfall simulator and a soil flume. Four independent experiments were conducted on converging and diverging surfaces under var-ying slope and rainfall conditions. Overall, the numerically simulated hydrographs and sediment graphs closely matched the laboratory results, showing the efficiency of the model for the tested controlled laboratory conditions. The model was then used to numerically explore the impact of different plane soil surface geometries on runoff and soil loss. Seven geometries were studied: one rectangular, three diverging, and three converging. Constant soil surface area, rainfall intensity, and slope gradient were maintained in all simulations. Results showed that increasing convergence angles led to higher peak and total soil loss, while decreasing divergence angles reduced them.

Mathematical optimization offers a valuable approach to tackle Industry scheduling problems. By formulating the scheduling challenge as a mathematical problem, mathematical optimization enables efficient and effective decision-making processes. Mathematical optimization is particularly beneficial in complex scheduling scenarios, such as in networked manufacturing environments, where multiple jobs and resources need to be coordinated. By leveraging optimization models and algorithms, it becomes possible to generate optimal process plans, considering factors like job dependencies, resource availability, and timing constraints. Through mathematical optimization, organizations can achieve improved efficiency, reduced lead times, and enhanced utilization of resources. Rigorous mathematical formulations and optimization techniques enables to surpass traditional manual planning methods and brings forth powerful computational capabilities. By optimizing various scheduling objectives, from minimizing makespan to maximizing resource utilization, mathematical optimization provides organizations with valuable insights and actionable plans. The purpose of this study is to discuss scheduling solutions for multiple jobs in a networked manufacturing setting based on mathematical optimization process. The study analyses a solver-based approach to generate the optimal process plans for multiple jobs and compare it with a more traditional game-theoretic approach. The objectives aim to develop two solver-based model using Z3 and Gurobi to generate optimal process plans; implement a game-theoretic model to solve for the same set of scheduling problems, and compare the computational time, solution quality, and efficiency of both approaches. To achieve this, the methodology will start with the problem definition. Multiple jobs are to be scheduled on a set of parallel machines. Each job has predefined processing times, deadlines, and priorities. The objective is to minimize the total completion time and maximize machine utilization while meeting all deadlines.

The hydrothermal synthesis of aluminophosphate molecular sieve type AlPO4-11 was processed from chemicals containing psueudobohemite, 85% phosphoric acid, water, and di-isopropylamine as templating agent. The crystallization of the samples was studied by taking samples in times from 2 to 74 hours. The obtained white powder products have been characterized by XRD patterns, FT-IR spectra, thermogravimetric data, scanning electron microscopy and pH measurement of the mother liquor. The pore volume, as determined from TG and DTG curves, was ca. 0.17 cm3g-1. The crystallization process of the aluminophosphate exhibited in its initial phase a behavior of first order reaction with a specific velocity constant of ca. 0.25 h-1, as determined from XRD and FT-IR data.

Glial cells provide physical and chemical support and protection for neurons. Secreted neurotrophic factors, scaffolds and vesicles regulate in addition to normal homeostasis, repair following neural tissue injury or degeneration. We previously demonstrated that human CNS glia have revascularization capacity by inducing endothelial cell sprouting and microchanneling driven by glial cell secreted components. The clinical potential of using secreted factors and vesicles generated by glial cells in conditioned media was shown by their re-normalization of pathological blood vessels and 3D tissue wound healing and remodeling capacity. To identify secreted components of glial cells and how CNS and PNS glial cells differentially regulate neural tissue homeostasis, disease and injury response, we developed a novel culture method for various types of glial cells that allow for isolating and characterizing secreted glial components, free of animal factors and contaminants normally associated with serum-based culture conditions. Our culture method will enable to identify secreted components using ultrasensitive RNA, glycoconjugate and protein analysis technologies. The characterization of glial secreted factors involved microchanneling may help in development of new clinical therapies for glial and neural cells or axons to migrate and reform connections.

Fiber-cement composites were prepared from cellulosic cotton residue (CCR) arise from sanding process (emerizing). The effect of different concentrations: 0.5% and 1%, and granulometry: thick (retained in a14 mesh sieve) and thin (retained in a 48 mesh sieve) of this residue were evaluated on tensile strength of cement slurries with seven (07) curing days. To characterize the CCR, TGA, FT-IR, SEM and XRD analysis were performed and the residue resistance in an alkaline environment was also evaluated. Splitting tensile strength test, known as Brazilian Test, was used to assess effects of the fibers on the mechanical behavior of cement matrix. Analyzing the results, the CCR proved to be resistant in an alkaline environment, meaning that it can withstand the alkaline environment of cement matrix. The results showed an improvement superior to 17% in tensile strength for 1% of CCR. Therefore, the CCR presents a great application potential in cement pastes used for oil well cementing that requires to increase its tensile strength, once a significant improvement was achieved with a low-residue employee.

Climate changes caused by anthropogenic actions can directly and indirectly affect living beings, including parasites and their hosts. Changes such as water temperature, pH, distribution of nutrients in the aquatic environment are some examples that can interfere with the fish community, whether in open water or in production systems. In this review, we will show how climate change can affect the adaptation of hosts and parasites in the aquatic environment and how these parasites can be used for environmental monitoring.

We study in this work a dilute granular gas immersed in a thermal bath made of smaller particles with nonnegligible masses as compared with the granular ones. The kinetic theory for this system is developed and described by an Enskog--Fokker--Planck equation for the one-particle velocity distribution function. Granular particles are assumed to have inelastic and hard interactions, losing energy in collisions as accounted by a constant coefficient of normal restitution. The interaction with the thermal bath is based on a nonlinear drag force plus a white-noise stochastic force. To get explicit results of the temperature aging and steady states, Maxwellian and first Sonine approximations are developed. The latter takes into account the coupling of the excess kurtosis with the temperature. Theoretical predictions are compared with direct simulation Monte Carlo and event-driven molecular dynamics simulations. While good results for the granular temperature are obtained from the Maxwellian approximation, a much better agreement, especially as inelasticity and drag nonlinearity increase, is found when using the first Sonine approximation. The latter approximation is, additionally, crucial to account for memory effects like Mpemba and Kovacs-like ones.

The overlap of visual items in data visualization techniques is a known problem aggravated by data volume and available visual space issues. Several methods have been applied to mitigate occlusion in data visualizations, such as Random Jitter, Transparency, Layout Reconfiguration, Focus+Context Techniques, etc. This paper aims to present a comparative study to read visual variables values with partial overlap. The study focuses on categorical data representations varying the percentage limits of partial overlap and the number of distinct values for each visual variable: Hue, Lightness, Saturation, Shape, Text, Orientation, and Texture. A computational application generates random scenarios for a unique visual pattern target to perform location tasks. Each scenario presented the visual items in a grid layout with 160 elements (10 x16), each visual variable had from 3 to 5 distinct values encoded, and the partial overlap percentage applied, represented by a gray square in the center o each grid element, were 0% (control), 50%, 60%, and 70%. Similar to the preliminary tests, the tests conducted in this study involved 48 participants organized into four groups, with 126 tasks per participant, and the application captured the response and time for each task performed. The result analysis indicates that the Hue, Lightness, and Shape visual variables are robust to high percentages of occlusion and gradual increase in encoded visual values. The Text visual variable show promising results for accuracy, and resolution time was a bit higher than the last visual variables mentioned. In contrast, the Texture visual variable presented lower accuracy to high levels of occlusion and more different visual encoding values. At last, the Orientation and Saturation visual variables got the highest error and worst perfomance rates during the tests.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether chronic undernutrition modifies the response to rostafuroxin in juvenile rats. Chronic undernutrition was induced in male rats using a multideficient diet known as Regional Basic Diet (RBD), mimicking alimentary habits in impoverished regions worldwide. Animals were given RBD – or a control/CTRL normal diet for rodents – from weaning to 90 days, and rostafuroxin (1 mg/kg body mass) or vehicle were orally administered during the last 30 days. Undernourished rats became hypertensive at 55–60 days of age (tail-cuff recording). During the last two days, the rats were hosted in metabolic cages to measure food/energy, water, Na+ ingestion, and urinary volume. Blood and kidneys were collected after euthanasia. Rostafuroxin increased food/energy and Na+ intake in CTRL and RBD rats but had opposite effects on Na+ balance (intake minus urinary excretion): negative in CTRL and positive in RBD. The drug normalized the decreased plasma Na+ concentration found in RBD rats, increased urinary volume in RBD but not in CTRL, and decreased and increased urinary Na+ concentration in the RBD and CTRL groups, respectively. Rostafuroxin decreased the ouabain-sensitive (Na++K+)ATPase and increased the ouabain-resistant, furosemide-sensitive Na+-ATPase from proximal tubule cells in both groups, and normalized the systolic blood pressure in RBD without effect in CTRL rats. We conclude that chronic undernutrition modifies the response of blood pressure, caloric metabolism, Na+ distribution in liquid compartments, mobilization of Na+ from non-osmotic compartments, Na+ and water balance, and activity of renal Na+-transporting ATPases to rostafuroxin.

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