In this article, it is demonstrated that if the zeta function does not have a sequence of zeros whose real part converges to 1, then it cannot have any zeros in the critical strip, showing that the Riemann Hypothesis is false.

In this paper, we define and investigate modified p-Leonardo, p-Leonardo-Lucas and p-Leonardo sequences as special cases of the generalized Leonardo sequence. We present Binet's formulas, generating functions, Simson formulas, and the summation formulas for these sequences. Moreover, we give some identities and matrices related with these sequences. Furthermore, we show that there are close relations between modified p-Leonardo, p-Leonardo-Lucas, p-Leonardo numbers and Fibonacci, Lucas numbers.

This study addresses the importance of conducting mass movement susceptibility mapping and hazard assessment using quantitative techniques, including machine learning, in the Northern Lima Commonwealth (NLC). Previous exploration of the topographic variables revealed high correlation and multicollinearity among some of them, which led to dimensionality reduction through principal component analysis (PCA). Six susceptibility models were generated using weights of evidence, logistic regression, multilayer perceptron, support vector machine, random forest, and naive Bayes methods to produce quantitative susceptibility maps and assess the hazard associated with two scenarios: the first being an El Niño phenomenon and the second being an earthquake exceeding 8.8Mw. The main findings indicate that machine learning models exhibit excellent predictive performance for the presence and absence of mass movement events, as all models surpassed an AUC value of >0.9, with the random forest model standing out. In terms of hazard levels, in the event of an El Niño phenomenon or an earthquake exceeding 8.8Mw, approximately 40% of the NLC area would be exposed to the highest hazard levels. It also highlights the importance of integrating methodologies to reduce model uncertainty, such as comprehensive analysis of variables supported by high quality data and organized workflows. The findings of this research are expected to serve as a supportive tool for land managers in formulating effective disaster prevention and risk reduction strategies.

Cryptococcosis is a disease that originates in the lungs and is prevalent among immunosup-pressed individuals. In severe cases, it can lead to meningoencephalitis and even death. Bio-chemical studies have revealed that the capsule of this fungus is primarily composed of glucu-ronoxylomannan (GXM), which constitutes the majority of the capsule, while glucuronoxylo-mannogalactan (GXMGal) is present in smaller amounts. Previous studies have demonstrated that polysaccharide components exhibit different immunomodulatory activities. While GXM primarily exerts an anti-inflammatory effect, GXMGal conversely demonstrates greater pro-inflammatory activity. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) encompass a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells, comprising myeloid progenitor cells and precursors of macrophages, granulocytes, and dendritic cells at various stages. It has been observed that MDSC populations contribute to negatively regulating the immune system in numerous pathol-ogies, such as bacterial and fungal infections, through mechanisms such as the inhibition of T lymphocyte proliferation. Here, we demonstrate that infection with either B3501 or CAP67 strains induced the accumulation of granulocytic precursors of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in peritoneal and bronchoalveolar cavities. While the MDSCs recruited by the B3501 strain exhibit suppressive action on T lymphocytes, those recruited by the CAP67 strain could not suppress T lymphocyte proliferation. Additionally, we observed the presence of the pro-grammed death ligand PD-L1 in recruited MDSCs, indicating that this may represent a form of immunosuppression in this infection. These findings uncover a mechanism by which capsule polysaccharides from C. neoformans might compromise host immune responses.

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

Considering the various problems caused by infiltration in civil construction, this study aimed to identify the most appropriate waterproofing methods for different types of surfaces. A study was conducted on the mechanisms of water infiltration on surfaces and the waterproofing methods available on the market, focusing on asphalt blankets, in addition to a literature review highlighting state-of-the-art on this topic. A case study was also conducted in residence in Nova Lima, Brazil, analyzing different waterproofing techniques, including their characteristics and stages. Among the conclusions, it is highlighted that the implementation of adequate project, installation, inspection, and maintenance techniques can significantly reduce the waterproofing failure rate and repair costs and that the excellent choice of materials, along with the skill of the labor force in the application, is fundamental to guarantee the adequate performance of these materials in buildings.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungus that mainly affects the respiratory system and the central nervous system. One of the main virulence factors is the capsule, constituted by the polysaccharides glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) and glucuronoxylomanogalactan (GXMGal). Polysaccharides are immunomodulators. One of the target cell populations for modulation are macrophages, part of the first line of defense, important for innate and adaptive immunity. It has been reported that macrophages can be modulated to act as a "Trojan horse" taking phagocytosed yeasts to strategic sites or having their machinery activation compromised. The scarcity of information on canine cryptococcosis led us to assess whether the purified capsular polysaccharides from C. neoformans would be able to modulate the microbicidal action of macrophages. In the present study, we observed that the capsular polysaccharides, GXM, GXMGal or capsule total did not present toxic effects for the DH82 macrophage cell line. However, it was possible to demonstrate that phagocytic activity was decreased after treatment with polysaccharides. In addition, yeasts recovered from macrophages treated with the polysaccharides, after phagocytosis, could be cultured, showing that their viability was not altered. The polysaccharides led to a reduction in ROS production and the expression of IL-12 and IL-6. We observed that GXMGal inhibits MHC class II expression and GXM reduces ERK phosphorylation. In contrast, GXMGal and GXM were able to increase the PPAR- expression. Furthermore, our data suggests that capsular polysaccharides can reduce the microbicidal activity of canine macrophages DH82.

Genetic parameters of overreach, term and acuteness in Peruvian Paso horses (PPH) have not been determined to date. It is important to estimate these parameters for application in PPH breeding, therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the heritability, repeatability, and genetic correlations under field conditions of overreach, term, and acuteness of PPHs. The study included records of up to 137 stallions and mares. All measurements were recorded in MP4 video format with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 megapixels and at 60 frames per second. All traits were measured three times (once per stride), and each trait was analyzed. KINOVEA software version 0.9.5 was used to analyze the measurements. A multivariate repeated measures animal model with sex effect was used to estimate the variance components for each trait using WOMBAT software. The results showed heritability of 0.411, 0.476 and 0.405, for the traits of overreach, term, and acuteness, respectively. Repeatability was high in all traits (> 0.78). Genetic additive correlations ranged from -0.30 to 0.49. It can be concluded that overreach and term have high heritability values, which allows these traits to respond better in a selection process, unlike acuteness which has a moderate heritability value.

Developing a low-cost wireless energy meter with power quality measurement for smart grid applications represents a significant advancement in efficient and accurate electrical energy monitoring.In increasingly complex and interconnected electrical systems, this device is essential in various applications, such as smart grids, enabling real-time energy usage monitoring. In such a context, smart meters expand the possibilities for sustainable and efficient energy use and promote better utilization of energy sources, especially non-renewable ones. According to the 2020 International Energy Agency (IEA) research, non-renewable energy sources represent 65% of the global total. The smart meter developed in this work is built based on the ESP32 microcontroller and easily accessible components, using a user-friendly development platform that offers a cost-effective solution while ensuring reliable performance. The main objective of the smart meter development was to enhance the software and simplify the hardware. Unlike traditional meters that perform electrical parameter calculations using complex hardware circuits, this project performed the calculations directly on the microcontroller. This approach reduced the complexity of the hardware, simplifying the meter’s design. With the high-performance processing capability of the microcontroller, efficient and accurate calculations of electrical parameters were achieved without the need for additional circuits. This software-driven approach with simplified hardware brought benefits such as reduced production costs, lower energy consumption, and increased meter development and updates flexibility. Furthermore, the integrated wireless connectivity in the microcontroller enables the transmission of collected data to remote monitoring systems for later analysis. The developed smart meter offers cost, energy efficiency, and flexibility benefits. It represents an innovative, efficient, and versatile solution for smart grid applications.

Leishmaniasis is a group of neglected infectious, non-contagious diseases caused by parasites of the Leishmania genus which affects millions of people worldwide. The drugs available for its treatment, especially in cases of visceral leishmaniasis, are old, outdated, have serious side effects and in many cases are ineffective due to the emergence of resistant strains. In this context, the search for new candidates for more effective and safer drugs which can become new therapeutic alternatives is a constant need. In this work, 10 new chalcones were synthesized in high yields through Claisen-Schmidt condensation and were evaluated in vitro against Leishmania infantum promastigotes and amastigotes. CP04 and CP06 compounds were the most promising, respectively showing IC50 values = 13.64 ± 0.25 and 11.19 ± 0.22 against promastigotes, and IC50 = 18.92 ± 0.05 and 22.42 ± 0.05 against amastigotes. The compounds did not show cytotoxicity in erythrocytes, showing selectivity indexes greater than 74 and 90. Molecular docking studies carried out under the sterol 14-alpha demethylase (CYP-51) (PDB: 3L4D) and trypanothione reductase (PDB: 5EBK) enzymes from L. infantum evidenced the great affinity of the CP04 molecule for these targets, showing Moldock score values of -94.0758 and -50.5692 KJ/mol-1, with these values being much lower than the co-crystallized ligand energies. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated great stability of CP04 in its targets, thus indicating a real interaction possibility. Our findings confirm the potential that chalcones have as candidates for anti-leishmania drugs, and suggest that the CP04 compound may become a promising drug candidate to design and develop novel chalcone-based analogs for leishmaniosis therapy.

The goal of this study was to characterize the initial growth trajectory of Epicrates assisi, 1 Epicrates cenchria, and Epicrates crassus snakes raised in captivity. An exponential model with 2 parameters for birth weight (A) and growth rate (k) was fitted for each animal. There was a significant 3 difference A and k among the three species, the means (standard error) for A and k parameters were 4 31 (0.3) g and 0.0027 (0.00006) for E. assisi, 27.6 (0.6) g and 0.0046 (0.00013) for E. cenchria and 25.9 5 (1.4) g and 0.0033 (0.00027) for E. crassus. We showed a significative variability between species for 6 initial growth trajectory. In addition, we also demonstrated the existence of variability within species, 7 which can be used to change the growth trajectory of snakes, being a tool for selection and genetic 8 improvement.9

This research aims to introduce a model, SectraBank, designed to mitigate cyber fraud attacks, specifically targeting SIM Swapping and Fake App schemes in mobile banking users. A quantitative methodology with an experimental design was meticulously employed to examine the rise of cyber fraud within mobile banking. The study involved a sample of 100 professionals with advanced knowledge in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Surveys were utilized to measure awareness of threats and perceptions of security before and after the implementation of the proposed model. SectraBank leverages unique user identifiers such as fingerprint authentication and the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, in addition to geolocation and One Time Passwords (OTP) for validating electronic transactions in mobile banking. The effectiveness of the proposed model was notable, achieving a 96.1% efficacy rate in mitigating Fake App attacks and a 90.2% success rate in countering SIM Swapping attacks. These findings underscore the potential of SectraBank as a robust solution to enhance cybersecurity measures in the realm of mobile banking.

The objective of the study was to predict the risk of exposure to ammonia concentration in the production of broiler breeds of slow and fast-growing with low and high production density and correlate with the incidence of health injuries in broiler chickens using a learning machine. Two commercial lines of broiler chicken were used, one with fast-growing (Ross®, slaughter age 42 days) and another with slow-growing (Hubbard®, slaughter age 63 days). All slow-growing birds were housed at a density of 32 kg/m2. Fast-growing birds were housed in two different housing densities: low housing density with a final housing density of 16 kg/m2 and high density with a final housing density of 32 kg/m2. A total of 1250 birds were used in this experiment, 450 of which were fast-growing birds and 800 were slow-growing birds. In each room, 306 birds were randomly distributed in 18 boxes (6 boxes for each treatment and 17 birds per box), each with 3 nipple drinkers and a manual feeder. The dimensions of the high-density boxes were 1 x 1.3 m2 , while the low-density boxes had the same number of animals housed in a larger area, with dimensions of 2 x 1.3 m2 . The remaining 319 birds were housed randomly throughout the room and outside the pens to simulate a commercial production system condition (stock density). All birds were fed with an initial commercial feed from day 1 to day 18 of the experiment, and from day 18 until the end, each breed was fed with different feeds according to their nutritional demands. The following data analysis steps were performed: data selection, pre-processing, transformation, mining, analysis, and, interpretation of results. The classification algorithms, decision tree (J48), SMO (Sequential Minimal Optimization), Naive Bayes, and Multilayer Perceptron were applied to the training and test data sets to build a rule model for predicting ammonia risk levels in broiler chickens. The cross-validation technique was used to parameterize the analysis in all models. From the database of the first phase of analysis, with the classifier to predict the risk condition of ammonia concentration, the Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ, rho), considering the presence of pododermatitis, vision/affected and mucosal injury, which includes assessments of the trachea, bronchi, lungs, eyes, paw injuries, and other injuries. A non-parametric correlation measure was applied to injury incidence data as a function of ammonia risk level (1 and 10 ppm) to correlate injury incidence and ammonia level in the conditions studied. The best predictive model capable of evaluating and obtaining better performance was the Multilayer Perceptron when we considered greater accuracy by the level of risk of exposure to ammonia in the broiler chicken production process, including fast and slow-growing. Birds exposed to higher levels of ammonia concentration have a higher correlation coefficient when the relationship between the variables is strong. The Spearman correlation coefficient shows a stronger association between increased risks of ammonia exposure and the incidence of chicken injuries.

In this study, we investigated the relationship between age and microbial diversity in cattle, revealing significant changes in both protist diversity and fungal microbiota composition with age. Using fecal samples from 21 Simmental cattle, we analyzed microbial communities through 18S rRNA gene sequencing. Results indicated significant differences in alpha protist diversity among the three age groups, while fungal composition varied notably with age and was linked to hematological parameters. Despite the stability of fungal alpha diversity, compositional changes suggest the gut as a stable niche for microbial colonization influenced by diet, clinical parameters, and microbial interactions. All cattle were maintained on a consistent diet, tailored to meet specific nutritional needs of each age group. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding age-related microbial dynamics to enhance livestock management and animal health, contributing to broader ecological and biomedical research. However, the study was limited by the lack of comprehensive metabolic analyses correlating microbiota changes with specific age-related variations, indicating a need for further research in this area.

In this study, we successfully obtained a 2Mg-Fe mixture through mechanical alloying (MA) and processed it via accumulative roll bonding (ARB) (MA+ARB). Our primary focus was to analyze the impact of ambient air exposure while also evaluating the processing route. Some powder samples were exposed to air for 12 months before undergoing ARB processing. The Mg samples obtained after ARB processing exhibited a (002)-type texture. Our results demonstrate that all samples, including those processed via ARB, could rapidly absorb hydrogen within a matter of minutes, despite considerable differences in surface area between powders and rolled samples. ARB-processed samples reached approximately 60% of their maximum acquired capacity within just 24 minutes, compared to powders stored for a year which took 36 minutes. Also, the desorption temperatures were lower than those of MgH2. The absorption and desorption kinetics remained fast even after prolonged exposure to air. Although there were minor variations in capacities, our overall findings are promising since scalable techniques such as ARB have the potential to produce hydrogen storage materials that are both safe and cost-effective in a highly competitive market.

Since the first description of SARS-CoV-2 in China in 2019, thousands of variants have emerged worldwide. For some of them, the constellation of mutations caused changes in virus biology, pathogenicity, infectivityity and transmissibility resulting in dissemination throughout the world. Gamma variant (P.1) differs from SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan strain (B.1) by 12 amino acids in the Spike (S) protein, and presented mutations related to greater affinity for the receptor angioten-sin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) and/or immune escape. The Gamma variant and subvariants were responsible for the second wave of COVID-19 in the Brazilian city of Manaus, characterized by high mortality and rapid transmission. The ability of variants to induce cytokine production may be closely related to their pathogenicity. Herein we observed that there was no significant difference in the quantity of cytokines among macrophages or neutrophils infected with P.1 and B.1 strains. Also, no significant difference was observed in the absolute number of macrophages and neutrophils infected with these variants. Furthermore, no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 replication was observed in macrophages when infected by the two analyzed variants. Our findings suggest that the difference in the epidemiological outcome observed during the P.1 variant spread when compared to B.1, it is not explained by differences in the quantity of cytokines and absolute number of macrophages or neutrophils. Through bioinformatics analysis of the S protein, we observed that the physicochemical differences between the variants and subvariants of P.1, probably refer to the degree of infectivity, due to the impact caused in the recognition of antibodies and receptor af-finity

Cyber-physical Systems involve the creation, continuous updating and monitoring of virtual replicas that closely mirror their physical counterparts. These virtual representations are fed by real-time data from sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and other sources, enabling a dynamic and accurate reflection of the state of the physical system. This emphasizes the importance of data synchronization, visualization and interaction within virtual environments as a means to improve decision-making, training, maintenance and overall operational efficiency. This paper presents a novel approach to a cyber-physical system to harness the power of Industry 4.0, Digital Twin technology, Virtual Reality (VR) and 3D SCADA in the context of monitoring and optimizing an olive mill. In conclusion, this paper presents a methodology that leverages digital twins and virtual reality to create an immersive, data-driven simulation and monitoring system for an olive mill. The proposed CPS takes data from the physical environment through the existing sensors and measurement elements in the olive mill, concentrates them and exposes them to the virtual environment through the Open Platform Communication United Architecture (OPC-UA) protocol, thus establishing a bidirectional and real-time communication. Furthermore, in the proposed virtual environment, the digital twin is interfaced with the 3D SCADA system, allowing it to create virtual models of the process. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize the olive oil industry by improving operational efficiency, product quality and sustainability, while optimizing maintenance practices.

In this research work, we examined the decomposition mechanisms of N-substituted diacetamides. We focused on the substituent effect on the nitrogen lone pair electron delocalization, withdrawing and electron donor groups. DFT functionals used included: B1LYP, B3PW91, CAMB3LYP, LC-BLYP, and X3LYP. Dispersion functions gd3bj were applied when necessary to improve non-covalent interactions in the transition state. Pople with higher angular moments and def2-TZVP basis sets were also applied and were crucial for obtaining consistent thermodynamic parameters. The proposed mechanism involves a six-membered transition state with the extraction of an α hydrogen. Several conformers of N-diacetamides were used to account for the decrease in entropy in the transition state in the rate-determining state. All calculations, including Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analyses, were performed using the Gaussian16 computational package and its GaussView 6.0 visualizer, along with VMD and GNUPLOT software. The isosurfaces and IBSI indexes were calculated using MultiWFN and IGMPlot, respectively.

Weather-related risks in aviation are one of the main causes of accidents worldwide. This article aims to analyze aviation risks resulting from adverse weather conditions, using the case study of the Pucallpa accident that occurred on August 23, 2005, in eastern Peru. In this analysis, we have determined the relationship between meteorological information and aviation risks, presented a matrix of risks associated with the most predominant meteorological variables at Pucallpa airport, and drawn up three maps of meteorological risks indicating the month of the year in which their incidence is most relevant. Finally, we conclude that it is essential to emphasize the importance of considering the prevailing weather conditions at Pucallpa airport to help mitigate the potential risks that may occur during different phases of the flight.

The Geopyörä breakage test uses two counter-rotating wheels to nip and crush rock specimens with a tightly controlled gap between rollers. The force applied and energy consumed during breakage are measured with instrumentation. In contrast to drop weigh test (DWT) methods, the breakage energy is a response to the rock compressive strength and degree of compression, not a controlled test input, such as the kinetic input energy of a falling weight. This paper presents the detailed measures conducted to evaluate the accuracy and precision of energy measurements across various ore types using the Geopyörä device. While force measurement was assessed just for its precision. The outputs are compared directly to the DWT measures of fragmentation at the same energy and fitted A and b parameters. The test reproducibility was evaluated using a Round-Robin methodology, testing several samples in multiple laboratories. The results confirmed that the new test has sufficient accuracy to match DWT results and excellent precision to assure reproducibility.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex causes tuberculosis (TB), a disease that causes pulmonary inflammation but can also affect other tissues. Despite macrophages having a defined role in TB immunopathogenesis, other innate immune cells, such as neutrophils, are involved in this process. These cells have high phagocytic ability and a microbial-killing machine comprised of enzymes, antimicrobial peptides, and reactive oxygen species. In the last two decades, a new neutrophil immune response, the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), has been intensely researched. NETs comprise DNA associated with histones, enzymes, and antimicrobial peptides. These structures are related to antimicrobial immune response and some immuno-pathogenesis mechanisms. This mini review highlights the role of NETs in tuberculosis and how they can be helpful as a diagnostic tool and/or therapeutic target.

Background: This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Brief-COPE Inventory and to determine its concurrent validity by exploring its association with perceived stress in Peruvian nurses. Methods: Psychometric study carried out in 434 Peruvian nurses to determine the psychometric properties by confirmatory factor analysis. Three stepwise variable selection regression models were implemented. Results: The three-factor of the Brief-COPE Inventory reported adequate fit (root mean square error of approximation = 0.052, standardized root mean square = 0.068, and both the comparative fit index and the Tucker–Lewis index = 0.95). Likewise, we found that its factors are correlated (p < 0.001) and that there is adequate reliability (ω= 0.90). Moreover, nurses showed a medium level of perceived stress and the following associated factors: sex, having received stress management training, fear of COVID-19, and problem-focused coping strategies (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study proved that Brief-COPE Inventory is a valid tool for measuring coping strategies in Peruvian nurses because it has a good fit to the model, excellent reliability, and concurrent validity with perceived stress. However, further studies are required to evaluate its validity according to the nursing professionals’ perceived areas of performance.

All neurological diseases have their pathological progress influenced by microglial cells, which react to insults with multiple morphofunctional phenotypes. However, the complete morphological spectrum of the reactive microglia, revealed by the three-dimensional microscopic reconstruction, has not been explored in detail in virus limbic encephalitis. Here, we used anatomical series of brain sections from a previous study using Piry arbovirus encephalitis, expanding the original investigation to CA1/CA2. The morphological response of the homeostatic and reactive microglia was investigated 8 days after infection. The hierarchical cluster and linear discriminant function analysis of multimodal morphometric features allowed to distinguish between the microglial morphology of infected individuals and controls. In order to represent more broadly the morphological spectrum of the microglia of each cluster, representative cells of the homeostatic and reactive microglia were chosen, using the sum of the distances of each cell in relation to all the others. Overall, the multivariate statistical analysis showed that the reactive microglia of infected animals have more complex trees and thicker branches, that cover a larger volume of tissue than the microglia of control animals. With this approach a more reliable representation of the microglia dispersion in the Euclidean space, would be closer to the spectrum of morphotypes of the control and infected groups, and help to avoid hiding the morphological kaleidoscope of surveillant and reactive microglia. As form precedes function in nature, our findings are a good starting point for future research with integrative approaches to microglia form and function.

All neurological diseases have their pathological progress influenced by microglial cells, which react to insults with multiple morphofunctional phenotypes. However, the complete morphological spectrum of the reactive microglia, revealed by the three-dimensional microscopic reconstruction, has not been explored in detail in virus limbic encephalitis. Here, we used anatomical series of brain sections from a previous study using Piry arbovirus encephalitis, expanding the original investigation to CA1/CA2. The morphological response of the homeostatic and reactive microglia was investigated 8 days after infection. The hierarchical cluster and linear discriminant function analysis of multimodal morphometric features allowed to distinguish between the microglial morphology of infected individuals and controls. In order to represent more broadly the morphological spectrum of the microglia of each cluster, representative cells of the homeostatic and reactive microglia were chosen, using the sum of the distances of each cell in relation to all the others. Overall, the multivariate statistical analysis showed that the reactive microglia of infected animals have more complex trees and thicker branches, that cover a larger volume of tissue than the microglia of control animals. With this approach a more reliable representation of the microglia dispersion in the Euclidean space, would be closer to the spectrum of morphotypes of the control and infected groups, and help to avoid hiding the morphological kaleidoscope of surveillant and reactive microglia. As form precedes function in nature, our findings are a good starting point for future research with integrative approaches to microglia form and function.

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.

This research presents a novel algorithmic implementation to improve the analysis of visually controlled interception and accompanying motor action through the computational application of harmonic ratios and stimulation invariants. Unlike traditional models that focus mainly on psychological aspects, our approach integrates the relevant constructs into a practical mathematical framework. This allows for dynamic prediction of interception points with improved accuracy and real-time perception-action capabilities, essential for applications in neurorehabilitation and virtual reality. Our methodology uses stimulation invariants as key parameters within a mathematical model to quantitatively predict and improve interception outcomes. The results demonstrate the superior performance of our algorithms over conventional methods, confirming their potential for ad-vancing robotic vision systems and adaptive virtual environments. By translating complex theo-ries of visual perception into algorithmic solutions, this study provides innovative ways to im-prove motion perception and interactive systems. This study aims to articulate the complex inter-play of geometry, perception, and technology in understanding and utilizing cross-ratios at infin-ity, emphasizing their practical applications in virtual and augmented reality settings.

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

Whole cell biosensors could serve as eco-friendly and cost-effective alternatives for detecting potentially toxic bioavailable heavy metals in aquatic environments. However, they often fail to meet practical requirements due to an insufficient limit of detection (LOD) and high background noise. In this study, we designed a synthetic genetic circuit specifically tailored for detecting ionic mercury, which we applied to environmental samples collected from artisanal gold mining sites in Peru. We developed two distinct versions of the biosensor, each utilizing a different reporter protein: a fluorescent biosensor (Mer-RFP) and a colorimetric biosensor (Mer-Blue). Mer-RFP enabled real-time monitoring of the culture’s response to mercury samples using a plate reader, whereas Mer-Blue was analysed for colour accumulation at the endpoint using a specially designed, low-cost camera set up for harvested cell pellets. Both biosensors exhibited negligible baseline expression of their respective reporter proteins and responded specifically to HgBr2 in pure water. Mer-RFP demonstrated a linear detection range from 1 nM to 1 μM, whereas Mer-Blue showed a linear range from 2 nM to 125 nM. Our biosensors successfully detected a high concentration of ionic mercury in the reaction bucket where artisanal miners produce a mercury-gold amalgam. However, they did not detect ionic mercury in the water from active mining ponds, indicating a concentration lower than 3.2 nM Hg2+ -a result consistent with chemical analysis quantitation. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of Mer-Blue as a practical and affordable monitoring tool, highlighting its stability, reliance on simple visual colorimetry, and the possibility of sensitivity expansion to organic mercury.

In recent years, news media has been greatly disrupted by the potential of technologically driven approaches in the creation, production, and distribution of news products and services. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged from the realm of science fiction and has become a very real tool that can aid society in addressing many issues, including the challenges faced by the news industry. The ubiquity of computing has become apparent and has demonstrated the different approaches that can be achieved using AI. We analyzed the news industry’s AI adoption based on the seven subfields of AI: (i) machine learning; (ii) computer vision (CV); (iii) speech recognition; (iv) natural language processing (NLP); (v) planning, scheduling, and optimization; (vi) expert systems; and (vii) robotics. Our findings suggest that three subfields are being developed more in the news media: machine learning, computer vision, as well as planning, scheduling, and optimization. Other areas have not been fully deployed in the journalistic field. Most AI news projects rely on funds from tech companies such as Google. This limits AI’s potential to a small number of players in the news industry. We make conclusions by providing examples of how these subfields are being developed in journalism and present an agenda for future research.

Pumpo is a Simmental breed and an essential livestock resource in the nucleus genetic cattle of Peru. This study provides a draft genome sequence of a top bull using a de novo assembly approach on the Illumina Novaseq X platform, yielding 208 GB of raw sequencing data with 150 bp paired-end reads. The final genome assembly resulted in a size of 2.06 Gb with an N50 contig length of 108 Mb and a completeness of 95.7% according to BUSCO analysis. A total of 973,925 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified, with a predominance of mononucleotide repeats. The genome showed low heterozygosity (0.568%) and moderate repeatability (11.5%), aligning with other Bos taurus genomes. Reference-guided scaffolding improved the assembly quality significantly, producing an N50 scaffold value of 108 Mb. The SSR analysis of the Pumpo genome identified 973,925 SSRs with a frequency of 2,808 SSRs per kilobase, predominantly mononucleotide repeats, and 85,453 found in compound formations. Obtaining knowledge of the genome of a breeding Simmental bull is essential to optimize breeding programs and improve productivity.

The aims of this research were to know the physicochemical parameters, texture properties and sensory profile of vegetarian sausages through the flash profile, overall liking and purchase intention. Additionally, protein, fat and carbohydrate contents, pH, water activity, color, instrumental texture and descriptive profile were quantified with the overall liking and purchase intention of four sausages: ovo-vegetarian (SO), classic vegan (SC), fine herb vegan (SH) and vegan quinoa (SQ). Regarding the physicochemical properties, significant differences (p < 0.05) were obtained. Using the flash profile, consumers described SO with attributes of elasticity, tamale smell, strange smell, characteristic flavor, pastiness, softness, pastel color. SC described as soft, pale color, characteristic odor, characteristic flavor, porous and flexible; SH and SQ characterized by the presence of ingredients, stew flavor, spices, pale and soft color. The SO sample presented greater overall liking and purchase intention compared to the other samples, and had a better texture and higher protein content. Through the HMFA analysis, a positive correlation was obtained between the texture and descriptive sensory of the flash profile, and on the other hand, a correlation between the physicochemical characteristics pH, aw, color, overall liking and purchase intention.

The spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global challenge. Close and continuous surveillance for quick detection of AMR can be difficult, especially in remote places. This narrative review focuses on the contributions of pharmacovigilance (PV) as an auxiliary tool for identifying and monitoring the ineffectiveness of, resistance to, and inappropriate use of antibiotics (ABs). The terms “drug ineffective,” “therapeutic failure,” “drug resistance,” “pathogen resistance,” and “multidrug resistance” were found in PV databases and dictionnaires, and denote ineffectiveness. These terms cover a range of problems that should be better investigated because they are useful in warning about possible causes of AMR. “Medication errors,” especially those related to dose and indication, are highlighted in the literature, suggesting inappropriate use of ABs. Hence, the included studies show that the terms of interest related to AMR are not only present but frequent in PV surveillance programs. This review illustrates the feasibility of using PV as a complementary tool for antimicrobial stewardship activities, especially in scenarios where other resources are scarce.

Rhizophora mangle L. is a well-known medicinal plant found in mangroves worldwide used to treatment diabetes. This study evaluated the chemical composition of the acetonic extract from Rhizophora mangle barks (AERM), by HPLC-PDA and FIA-ESI-IT-MS/MS and the effects on high-fat diet induced obesity in mice and its mechanism of action by gene expression of inflammatory markers (Pparg, Ppara, Srebf1, Cd36, Tnf, Ccl2, Lep, Il10, Il6, Fasn, 18s). High-fat diet fed mice during 12 weeks was used as model of obesity and associated alterations. The results were very satisfactory, the extract, rich in polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids and phenolic acids, displayed intense antioxidant activity in vitro (608 µmol Trolox/g), and showed excellent activity against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and reverse insulin resistance in a model of diet-induced obesity. We can registered a modulatory effect of AERM in liver PPAR-γ mRNA expression associated to an important inhibition of CD36 mRNA expression suggesting that AERM induces the down regulation of CD36 mRNA via PPAR-gamma inhibition. These results support the traditional knowledge about the use of R. mangle for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and reveal the potential of AERM for the treatment of NAFLD and management of obesity and comorbidities.

The present research aimed to identify if consumption values influence the attitudes of Millennials who intend to purchase organic products. The research was quantitative, with a correlational scope and a cross-sectional design, and it was conducted on 509 Peruvian millennials. A questionnaire consisting of 23 questions was administered, and responses were quantified using a five-point Likert scale. The results were processed through an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences 24 and AMOS 24. The study identified that environmental attitudes of Millennials do influence their intentions to purchase organic products, and the antecedents of these attitudes are functional and social values, whereas emotional, conditional, and epistemic values do not. The study confirmed that consumption values, either as a second-order variable or as a single construct, do not influence the attitudes of Millennials who intend to purchase organic products, thus confirming that these dimensions should be measured independently.

Ozonated oil has several benefits for humans, as it contributes to numerous interventions, maintaining the quality of life and the well-being of individuals. Being a natural product, it has few or almost no side effects. Thus, the study aimed to verify the sensitivity and/or resistance of fixed o “Ozonated” and “Non-Ozonated” oils from Mauritia flexuosa (Buriti), Carapa guaianensis (Andiroba) and essential “Ozonated” oils from Menta piperita (Mint), Eugenia caryophyllus (Clove) in different concentrations, against internationally known bacteria from the American Type Culture Collection – ATCC, comparing with the “Non-Ozonated” versions of the respective oils, using the Agar diffusion technique. Thus, it is evident that the ozonation of the fixed oils of Buriti and Andiroba, as well as the essential oils of Mint and Clove, provided significant results, although they were statistically different. The Buriti and Andiroba oil were ineffective in inhibiting microorganisms. On the other hand, the essential oil of Mint and Clove obtained similar activity of inhibition of microorganisms. With regard to Ozonation, the Essential Oil of “Ozonated” Clove provided greater activity than the “Non-Ozonated” one, which inhibited only one tested microorganism, in addition to producing changes in its chemical composition, requiring individualized studies for the ozonation of each essential oil.

Background: This study aimed to explore the association between the emotional impact of COVID-19 and emotional eating and the risk of alcohol use disorder among Peruvian health science students. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study in which an online questionnaire was administered to 456 health science interns from four cities in Peru. We used the COVID-19 Emotional Impact Profile questionnaire, Mindful Eating Questionnaire, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Spearman’s correlations were calculated and two multiple linear regression models were developed. Results: 68.4% of the participants were emotional eaters and 8.6% reported low-risk levels of alcohol use disorder. Based on the results of the first model, the overall emotional impact of COVID-19, being overweight or obese, depression and anxiety levels, and living with only one parent were factors associated with emotional eating. The results of the second model showed that the level of depression, living with just one parent, living alone, sex, and number of months as an intern were factors associated with the risk of alcohol use disorder. Conclusion: To reduce emotional eating and the risk of alcohol use disorder among interns, universities should implement interventions aimed at reducing the emotional impact of COVID-19 and provide nutritional counseling.

This study investigates the correlation between gut microbiota diversity and various hematological and meat quality parameters in different cattle breeds, including Angus, Simmental, Braunvieh, Brahman and F1(SMxBR). Using 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequencing, microbial communities were profiled to discern breed-specific impacts on gut microbiota. Significant correlations were identified between gut microbiota diversity and health parameters, emphasizing the role of microbial diversity in influencing skin condition, fat deposition, and muscle quality. Key bacterial genera such as Blautia, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, and Coprococcus exhibited significant correlations with meat quality traits. In fungi, genera like Rhodotorula exhibited positive correlations with muscle quality, while protist genera such as Cryptosporidium negatively correlated with meat quality parameters. These findings suggest that host genetics significantly shape the gut microbiota and highlight the potential for targeted microbiota management to optimize gut health, enhance feed efficiency, and improve meat quality in livestock.

A Digital Twin can be understood as a representation of a real asset, in other words, a virtual replica of a physical object, process or even a system. As virtual models, they can integrate with all the latest technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI), among others. Digital twins have applications in a wide range of sectors, from manufacturing and engineering to healthcare. They have been used in managing healthcare facilities , streamlining care processes, personalizing treatments , and enhancing patient recovery . By analyzing data from sensors and other sources, healthcare professionals can develop virtual models of patients, organs, and human systems, experimenting with various strategies to identify the most effective approach. This approach can lead to more targeted and efficient therapies while reducing the risk of collateral effects . Digital twin technology can also be used to generate a virtual replica of a hospital to review operational strategies, capabilities, personnel, and care models to identify areas for improvement, predict future challenges, and optimize organizational strategies. The potential impact of this tool on our society and its well-being is quite significant. This article explores how digital twins are being used in healthcare. The article also introduces some discussions on the impact of this use and future research and technology development projections for the use of digital twins in the healthcare sector.

We introduce the Ising Network Opinion Formation (INOF) model and apply it for the analysis of networks of 6 Wikipedia language editions. In the model, Ising spins are placed at network nodes/articles and the steady-state opinion polarization of spins is determined from the Monte Carlo iterations in which a given spin orientation is determined by in-going links from other spins. The main consideration is done for opinion confrontation between capitalism, imperialism (blue opinion) and socialism, communism (red opinion). These nodes have fixed spin/opinion orientation while other nodes achieve their steady-state opinions in the process of Monte Carlo iterations. We find that the global network opinion favors socialism, communism for all 6 editions. The model also determines the opinion preferences for world countries and political leaders, showing good agreement with heuristic expectations. We also present results for opinion competition between Christianity and Islam, and USA Democratic and Republican parties. We argue that the INOF approach can find numerous applications for directed complex networks.

Laurencia seaweed species synthesize a broad range of secondary metabolites mainly terpenes, such as the elatol exhibiting ecological roles, such as defense against fouling and herbivores. Recently, an intricate cellular machinery was evidenced concerning terpenes biosynthetic pathways, storage inside corps en cerise - CC and regulated exocytosis in these species. But for seaweeds in general, the proteins involved in transmembrane transport of secondary metabolites remains unknown. Assays with Rhodamine-123 and cyclosporine A (CSA) revealed the presence of ABC transporters in CC membrane of Laurencia dendroidea. In vivo incubation assays with CSA resulted in CC morphological changes, reduced intracellular elatol concentrations and increased biofouling cover on the seaweed surface. Cultivation assays in the presence of a marine pathogenic bacteria induced the expression of ABC proteins belonging to the subfamilies ABCB, ABCD, ABCF and ABCG. The later subfamily is known to associated in the transport terpenes in plants. Our results shed new light on the role of ABC proteins in key mechanisms of the defensive system in seaweeds against fouling and herbivory.

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

Accurate channel estimation is of utmost importance for massive MIMO systems that allow providing significant improvements in spectral and energy efficiency. In this work, we investigate the spectral efficiency performance and present a channel estimator for multi-cell massive MIMO systems subjected to pilot-contamination. The proposed channel estimator performs well under moderate to aggressive pilot contamination scenarios without prior knowledge of the inter-cell large-scale channel coefficients and noise power. The estimator approximates the performance of a linear Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) as the number of antennas increases. Following, we derive a lower bound closed-form spectral efficiency of the Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) detector in the proposed channel estimator. The simulation results highlight that the proposed estimator performance approaches the linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) channel estimator asymptotically.

The Brazilian water legislation advocates that some uses have priority over others, but this aspect has never been clearly addressed, generating conflicts. Water authorities usually refer to hydrological models to justify their decisions on water allocation. However, a significant group of stakeholders does not feel qualified to discuss these models and is, therefore, excluded from the decision process. We hereby propose a hydrologically robust method to correlate water uses with their respective reservoir alert volumes, which should empower the less formally educated stakeholders. The method consists of: (i) generating the water discharge versus reliability curve, using a stochastic approach; (ii) generating the withdrawal discharge versus alert volume family of curves, using a water-balance approach; (iii) calibrating the key parameter T using field data; and (iv) associating each water use with its alert volume. We have applied the method to four of the largest reservoirs (2.10³ - 2.10² hm³) in the semi-arid Ceará State. The results indicate that low-priority water uses should be rationalized when the reservoir volume is below 20%; whereas uses with very high priority should start rationalization when it is below 11%. These hydrological guidelines should help enhance water governance among non-specialist stakeholders in water-scarce and reservoir-dependent regions.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between engagement and quality of life at work in nursing professionals, from a public hospital in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study, with nursing professionals, conducted between December 2020 and January 2021. We used the Brazilian versions of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and the Walton Model scale. Results: The nursing professionals obtained a strong and positive correlation (r≥0.70) between the social integration domain of QWL and vigor dimension of work engagement (r=0.88; p=<0.001); moderate positive correlation (r≥0.40≤0.69) between QWL working conditions and vigor (r=0.40; p=<0.001), dedication (r=0.40; p=<0.001) and overall score (r=0.41; p=<0.001) of the work engagement. The correlations were positive and weak (r≤0.39) for the other domains of QWL and dimensions of work engagement. Conclusion: Professionals with satisfactory levels of quality of life tended to have higher levels of engagement at work. Professionals were strongly engaged and satisfied with their quality of life at work at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Abstract: Chitosan spherical scaffolds, derived from the deacetylation of chitin, are natural polymers with significant potential, though challenges remain in optimizing their properties. The use of chitosan as a carrier for the controlled release of iron chloride is not yet fully established, despite iron’s critical role in various essential biological processes, including as a component of metalloenzymes and in the maintenance of life. Methods: This study aimed to develop a novel protocol for synthesing chitosan scaffolds and to characterize their properties using analytical techniques. Additionally, the release profile of iron was modeled using two primary controlled-release mathematical models. Results: The results demonstrated successful synthesis and physicochemical characterization of the chitosan sphere scaffolds. These scaffolds exhibited appropriate topography for iron loading and cellular interaction, as confirmed by SEM analysis, and contained functional groups as identified by FTIR. The scaffolds were also semi-crystalline (XRD), showed controlled degradation, and were confirmed to be non-toxic biomaterials. Furthermore, the modeling of the controlled release of iron chloride adsorbed on the scaffold surface, as well as the modeling of iron chloride specimens using the MEDUZA software, was successfully conducted. A theoretical curve was generated from the experimental dose-response data collected over time, considering variations in pH and medium concentration. Conclusions: In conclusion, a novel protocol for chitosan-based carriers was successfully developed, enabling thorough physicochemical characterization and modeling of both absorption and controlled release.

Music perception in foetuses has been explored under different theoretical paradigms such as habituation, categorical perception, sound preferences and recall. This study investigated the temporal dimension of music perception through the habituation and sensitization paradigm. Foetuses of 41 pregnant women, mean gestational age of 34.7 weeks (±2.4), were observed during ultrasound exams. Foetuses’ reaction to two different tempos (Allegro vs Adagio) and sources (internal vs external) of music stimuli was registered by heart rate variability (HR) and motor response according to the Assessment of Preterm Infants Behaviour scale (APIB) by its factors of movement (MOV) and organization (ORG). A folkloric lullaby, sung and played live with a stringed instrument by a musician, was presented in three stages that were compared to baseline: 1) slow tempo (Adagio), 2) fast tempo (Allegro); and 3) now sung by mother at slow tempo (Adagio). Exploratory analyses showed that all factors increased from baseline to first stage. HR and ORG varied significantly among stages, with HR being the strongest factor. MOV merely detected change from baseline to first stage. ORG decreased for Allegro but increased for maternal Adagio, while HR decreased to near baseline values. ANOVA-repeated measures with gestational age as covariate showed that all measures were sensitive to first music presentation (Adagio), although only HR and ORG differed among stages. Considering estimated marginal means, adjusted for gestational age, HR presented a sensitization pattern throughout stages, but ORG kept habituating to external source and increased to maternal Adagio, suggesting foetal discrimination by sound source. We conclude that foetuses showed different behavioural and physiological responses to external versus internal sound source and musical tempo. The combined use of a behavioural scale (APIB) and HR in foetuses proved to be a valid multidimensional instrument.

Autosselecionar a intensidade do treinamento aeróbico é uma perspectiva que permite aos praticantes desenvolver autonomia (escolha do ritmo), melhorar a aptidão física e alcançar a perda de peso. Comparar o efeito de quatro protocolos de treinamento aeróbico nas respostas cardiometabólicas e psicofisiológicas em homens e mulheres adultos fisicamente inativos. A amostra foi composta por 11 indivíduos com idade entre 56 ± 10 anos e IMC 29,2 ± 2,4 kg/m2 que realizaram quatro diferentes protocolos de treinamento aeróbio em esteira, sendo: 1-indivíduo com intensidade autosselecionada (ISS), 2-indivíduo com intensidade prescrita (IPI) (64-76% da FC máx), grupo 3 pequeno com autosseleção. intensidade selecionada (SGS) e intensidade prescrita em 4 pequenos grupos (SGP) (64-76% da FC máx). Foram analisados ​​frequência cardíaca, lactato, percepção subjetiva de esforço, resposta afetiva, escala de ativação, prazer, intenção de repetir a sessão, velocidade da esteira e distância total do protocolo. A análise estatística utilizou ANOVA com teste post hoc de Tukey (p<0,05). As análises de frequência cardíaca, lactato, percepção subjetiva de esforço, escala de ativação, prazer, velocidade média e distância total não apresentaram diferenças significativas entre os protocolos. A resposta afetiva apresentou menor declínio no protocolo ISS (p<0,05), e a intenção de repetir a sessão de treinamento foi maior no protocolo ISS (p<0,05). Conclusão: Os dados permitem concluir que o protocolo de treino ISS produziu resultados superiores na resposta afetiva e na intenção de repetir a sessão.

The aim of this study was to compare the screw removal torque of mini conical prosthetic components and straight trunnion of indexed morse taper implants, after mechanical cycling. The sample consisted of 40 implants and 20 mini-conical prosthetic components (MC group) and 20 straight trunnion components (ST group). Each group consisted of 10 specimens, with 2 implants in each, and cobalt-chromium metallic crowns were screwed into each sample. The components of the MC group received a torque of 20 N.cm with a digital torque wrench and after 10 minutes were retightened with the same value as the initial torque. The components of the ST group received a torque of 30 N.cm, with a digital torque wrench and after 10 minutes, they were retightened with the same value. The screws of the respective crowns of the two groups received a torque of 10 N.cm and after 10 minutes were retightened with the same value. Each group was subjected to the fatigue test in a mechanical cycler at 2.000.000 cycles, with a load of 250 N and frequency of 4 Hz. At the end of the fatigue test, the loosening torque of each screw of the specimens was measured through a digital torque wrench. The data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey test. In both groups, there were loss of torque. The results showed no statistic difference between MC and ST groups.

This paper presents the validation of the End Point Rate (EPR) tool for QGIS (EPR4Q), a tool built-in QGIS Graphical Modeler to calculate the shoreline change by End Point Rate method. The EPR4Q tries to fill the gap of user-friendly and free open-source tool for shoreline analysis in Geographic Information System environment, since the most used software - Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) - although is a free extension, is suited for commercial software. Besides, the best free open-source option to calculate EPR called Analyzing Moving Boundaries Using R (AMBUR), since it is a robust and powerful tool, the complexity and heavy processes can restrict the accessibility and simple usage. The validation methodology consists of applying the EPR4Q, DSAS, and AMBUR on different examples of shorelines found in nature, extracted from the U.S. Geological Survey Open-File. The obtained results of each tool were compared with Pearson correlation coefficient. The validation results indicate that the EPR4Q tool created acquired high correlation values with DSAS and AMBUR, reaching a coefficient of 0.98 to 1.00 on linear, extensive, and non-extensive shorelines, guarantying that the EPR4Q tool is ready to be freely used by the academic, scientific, engineering, and coastal managers communities worldwide.

The integration of AI in educational settings, particularly through Large Language Models (LLMs), is accelerating, reshaping pedagogical approaches due to students' interactions with new learning tools. This study assesses the impact of generative AI on the educational experiences of computer and data science students at the Center for Informatics, University of Paraíba (CI/UFPB), Brazil. Through Exploratory Factorial Analysis (EFA) of five psychometric scales, the research examines students' acceptance of LLMs, their associated burnout levels, technology anxiety, and the prevalence of metacognitive and dysfunctional learning strategies associated with LLMs. Results indicate significant adoption of AI technologies among students, accompanied by a low incidence of technology anxiety, manifesting as fears of losing jobs to AI. However, a significant correlation was observed between academic burnout and dysfunctional learning strategies, which could likely be attributed to the rigorous academic environment. Additionally, the employment of metacognitive strategies in conjunction with LLMs reflects an advanced learning approach, yet challenges with functional learning strategies persist. This study contributes to the discourse on AI in education, highlighting the need for educational frameworks that support effective AI adoption while addressing the psychological demands on students.

Environmental pollution management combined with food safety represent two of the main important challenges of the last decades. Soil and water contamination. have historically threatened food safety. As ubiquitous pollutants, microplastics (MPs) have attracted increasing attention over the last few years, due to their impact on the socio-ecological system. These particles can affect the balance of terrestrial, aquatic and aerial ecosystems. Their negative impacts are intensified when they adsorb and carry toxic chemicals. They can circulate through organisms and accumulate in the human food chain. Physiological dysfunctions in living beings continue to be reported, both in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The question that remains is on what scale this might be affecting the global production of food. The present article addresses issues related to the food industry, including agriculture, livestock, and fish farming. In doing so it seeks to provide subsidies for the evaluation of the real impact of MP dispersion through the different world environments and the resulting effects on global food production.

Long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may occur after experiencing acute COVID-19 infec-tion with many effects on patients´ kidneys. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and labora-tory aspects of kidney function in individuals with long COVID in the Amazon region of Brazil. This cross-sectional study selected participants from a ‘long COVID’ clinical care program. Clini-cal data and baseline demographics were obtained, and blood samples were collected to quantify kidney-related markers. Patients were evaluated after COVID-19 infection at several time points as follows: 0–3 months, 3–6 months, 6–12 months, and 12 months. Altogether, 246 patients were selected for this study, and only 79 were hospitalised (9 in the intensive care unit because of COVID-19. Of the patients, 38 were diagnosed with hypertension after COVID-19, 52 cases had to have their medications adjusted, and 83 patients presented with kidney function decline. The older age group and individuals with glycaemic alterations presented with a higher risk of devel-oping kidney dysfunction. Therefore, health professionals should monitor long-term kidney mark-ers in long COVID.

The highly adaptable parasite Trypanosoma cruzi undergoes complex developmental stages to exploit host organisms effectively. Each stage involves the expression of specific proteins and precise intracellular structural organization. These morphological changes depend on key structures that control intracellular components’ growth and redistribution. In trypanosomatids, the flagellar attachment zone (FAZ) connects the flagellum to the cell body and plays a pivotal role in cell expansion and structural rearrangement. While FAZ proteins are well-studied in other trypanosomatids, there is limited knowledge about specific components, organization, and function in T. cruzi. This study employed the CRISPR/Cas9 system to label endogenous genes and conduct deletions to characterize FAZ-specific proteins during epimastigote cell division and metacyclogenesis. In T. cruzi, these proteins exhibited distinct organization compared to counterparts in T. brucei. TcGP72 is anchored to the flagellar membrane, while TcFLA-1BP is anchored to the membrane lining the cell body. We identified unique features in the organization and function of the FAZ in T. cruzi compared to other trypanosomatids. Deleting these proteins had varying effects on intracellular structures, cytokinesis, and metacyclogenesis. This study reveals specific variations that directly impact the success of cell division and differentiation of this parasite.

Background: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a progressive and incurable condition that prompts the exploration of interventions to slow its advancement and enhance the quality of life. The cortical brain waves could have a role in the process of executive function deterioration, increasing dementia symptoms. Objective: To interrogate the effects of physical exercise, and non-invasive brain stimulation, both in electrophysiological behavior of the brain, the executive functions, and dementia symptoms in older adults with AD. Methods: One hundred and sixteen older adults were grouped (n=22 each): GAE (AD, PMED+NIBS), GCP (AD, PMED), GCN (AD, NIBS), GCS (control, no intervention). Binaural beats were used as a non-invasive brain stimulation, physical exercise, or both, were applied during 16 weeks. Pre/post measurements included Alpha Band, and SMR Rhythms, executive functions, and dementia symptoms. Results: GCS showed no significant changes (p>0.05). GCN and GCS slightly enhanced inhibitory control (p>0.05) and working memory (p>0.05). In contrast, GCP and GAE improved executive function (p

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

The importance of measuring sustainability in tourism has been significantly advancing in recent years, following the need to manage the impact of tourism on territories and hosting communities. It was further boosted by the pandemic, where sustainability has been defined as one of the central elements to restart global tourism. The ETIS model, developed by the European Commission, is a point of reference based on self-assessment, data collection and analysis by the destinations themselves. The application of ETIS toolkit has faced many challenges, especially at sub-national level, mostly related to the lack of available and updated data to feed the model. The hypothesis explored by the authors is to solve the implementation issues, developing an indicator based on the use of the Sentiment Analysis to frame e-reputation and tourism satisfaction, and further combining it with other open data sources. The Tourism Sustainability Index (TSI) can provide a scalable and geo-referenced evaluation of tourism sustainability, measuring the four pillars and sub-components referenced to ETIS criteria, applicable to any tourism destination. Results show that the TSI can be seen as a consistent and valid tool for destinations to analyze sustainability, monitor its evolution through time periods and sub-areas, and compare it to other benchmark or competitive areas.

Mothers of children with a specific clinical condition such as type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) may experience higher levels of stress predisposing them to a poorer perception of quality of life and alterations in nutritional status. The aim of this research was to evaluate the relationship between nutritional status and quality of life perception of mothers caring for children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. This research was conducted from July to September 2022, with mothers of children aged 5 to 10 years with diabetes. Data were collected through an online questionnaire including soci-oeconomic information, anthropometric data, clinical data of the children, and the WHO-QOL-abbreviated quality of life questionnaire. For statistical analysis, Statistical Package for Social Science 24 was used. Fifty-five mothers of children with diabetes were evaluated. Over 33% of the mothers were overweight and reported a regular perception of quality of life. Higher BMI was associated with poorer perception of quality of life in the psychological and self-assessment domains, and longer diagnosis time was associated with better perception of quality of life in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains. Therefore, it is understood that actions aimed at improving the quality of life of these mothers are necessary.

Protein hydrolysates are plant biostimulants containing amino acids, oligopeptides, and peptides in their composition. When supplied to plants, protein hydrolisates (PH) have been identified to improve nitrogen metabolism, enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes, boost plant defence response to stresses, and positively impact the quantity and quality of products. Soybean is a crucial global commodity, with nitrogen being the primary nutrient for crop development as it directly affects productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a HP-based biostimulant on the N metabolism in nodulated soybean plants and their productivity. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to test two modes of application of the 0.20% HP-based biostimulant. Soybean plants, growing in pots, were treated with HP 0.20% either via seed treatment or foliar application (at growth stages V3 and V5). Activities of enzymes and compounds related to N metabolism, gene expression, and productivity components were analysed. It was observed that the mode of application did not significantly influence the results. The application of HP increased the concentration of nitrate, amino acids, and ureides in soybean leaves. It also positively altered the expression of genes such as nitrate reductase, urease, and asparagine. Additionally, it enhanced productivity, resulting in plants with a greater number and weight of pods and grains. Therefore, it is possible to consider HP as a stimulator for increasing soybean productivity, even under non-stressing conditions.

Microturbines can be used not only in models and education but also to propel UAVs. However, their wider adoption is limited by their relatively low efficiency and durability. Validated simulation models are required to monitor their performance, improve their lifetime, and design engine control systems. This study aims at developing a numerical model of a micro gas turbine for prediction and prognostics of engine performance. To build a reliable zero-dimensional model, the available compressor and turbine maps were scaled to the available test bench data with the least squares method, to meet the performance of the engine achieved during bench and flight tests. A steady-state aeroengine model was implemented in GSP and compared with experimental operating points. The selected flight data was then used as input for the transient engine model. The exhaust gas temperature (EGT) and fuel flow were chosen as the two key parameters to validate the model, comparing the numerical predicted values with the experimental ones. The observed difference between the model and the flight data was lower than 3% for both EGT and fuel flow.

This work offers a new log generalized odd log-logistic exponential regression model for analyzing weekly dengue fever cases in 2022 with a location-systematic component. To achieve this, a data set of 49 observations of dengue fever cases in the Federal District of Brazil is employed. A review of the mathematical properties of the generalized odd log-logistic exponential distribution is provided, the maximum likelihood method is used to estimate the parameters, and, through Monte Carlo simulations, the accuracy of the estimators is investigated. The model's fit is assessed using global influence metrics and residual analysis. For the time scenario studied, the proposed regression identified factors that have an impact on dengue fever cases, which may contribute to improve disease control. Finally, several interpretations are addressed, and a discussion presents results that aid in better understanding the data set and future research on different data.

Academic procrastination, more than merely postponing tasks, represents a significant failure in the self-regulation process of learning. Research on study skills highlights academic time management as one of the crucial elements of learning strategies and sustainable education. These abilities will help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals fourth goal. Therefore, this study aimed to understand how students plan time management in school activities and its influence on study procrastination, analyzing differences between genders and the hours students spend studying. The Time Management Planning Inventory, the Study Procrastination Questionnaire, and a personal and school data sheet were used. A sample of 506 students from elementary schools in northern Portugal was utilized. The results revealed that gender and study hours significantly influence how students plan time management for school tasks in the short and long term. This variable also showed a significant impact on the procrastination of study activities. The practical implications of this study are substantial, as they provide educators and researchers insights into the factors influencing academic procrastination and the role of time management planning and study hours. These insights can be applied to develop effective strategies to reduce academic procrastination and promote sustainable education.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) encompasses a wide variety of decision-making problems that affect business and supply chain performance as a whole. Since most of these problems involve uncertainty and hesitation on the part of Decision Makers (DMs), various studies have emerged recently that present SCM applications of techniques based on Hesitant Fuzzy Linguistic Term Sets (HFLTSs) and HFLTS extensions. Given the relevance of this subject and the lack of literature review studies, this study presents a systematic review of HFLTS and HFLTS extension applications to SCM decision-making problems. In order to answer a set of research questions, the selected papers have been classified in accordance with a group of factors that are pertinent to the origins of these studies, SCM, HFLTSs, and decision-making. The results demonstrate that the Source and Enable processes have been studied with greater frequency, while the most common problems have to do with supplier selection, failure evaluation, and performance evaluation. The companies of the automotive sector and Sustainable SCM and Green SCM strategies predominate in the analyzed studies. Even though most of the studies use techniques based on HFLTSs, we have identified applications of seven distinct HFLTS extensions, with Double Hierarchy Hesitant Fuzzy Linguistic Term Sets and Probabilistic Linguistic Term Sets being the most utilized. The identification of gaps in the literature presents avenues for future studies focused on innovative applications, integrations of techniques, comparisons of techniques, group decision-making, and validation procedures for new models. The results of this study offer a panorama of the state of the art in regard to this subject and can help researchers and practitioners develop new studies which involve the use of methods that employ HFLTSs and HFLTS extensions in SCM decision-making problems.

This paper presents a dynamic homotopy technique that can be used to calculate a preliminary result for a power flow problem (PFP). This result can then be used as an initial estimate to efficiently solve the PFP using either the classical Newton-Raphson (NR) method or its fast decoupled version (FDXB) while still maintaining high accuracy. The preliminary stage for the dynamic homotopy problem is formulated and solved by employing integration techniques, where implicit and explicit schemes are studied. The dynamic problem assumes an initial condition that coincides with the initial estimate for a traditional iterative method such as NR. In this sense, the initial guess for the FPF is adequately set as a flat start, which is a starting for the case when this initialization is of difficult assignment for convergence. The static homotopy method requires a complete solution of a PFP per homotopy pathway point, while the dynamic homotopy is based on numerical integration methods. This approach can require only one LU factorization at each point of the pathway. Allocating these points properly helps avoid several PFP resolutions to build the pathway. The hybrid technique was evaluated for large-scale systems with poor conditioning, such as a 109272-bus model and other test systems under stressed conditions. A scheme based on the implicit backward Euler scheme demonstrated the best performance among other numerical solvers studied. It provided reliable partial results for the dynamic homotopy problem, which proved to be suitable for achieving fast and highly accurate solutions using both the NR and FDXB solvers.

Many manufacturing sectors require high surface finishing. After machining operations such as milling or drilling, undesirable burrs or insufficient edge finishing may be generated. For decades, many finishing processes have been handmade-basis; this fact is accentuated when dealing with complex geometries especially for high value-added parts. In recent years, it’s a tendency of trying to automate as far as possible this kind of processes, repeatability and time/money savings are main purposes. Based on that idea, the aim of this work is to check new tools and strategies for finishing aeronautical parts, especially critical engine parts made on Inconel 718, a very ductile nickel alloy. Automating edge finishing of chamfered holes is a complicated but really important goal. In this paper, flexible abrasive tools were used for this purpose. A complete study of different abrasive possibilities was carried out, mainly focusing on roughness analysis and final edge results obtained.

Chikungunya (CHIKV) and Mayaro (MAYV) viruses are arthritogenic alphaviruses that promote an incapacitating and long-lasting inflammatory muscle-articular disease. Despite studies pointing out the importance of skeletal muscle (SkM) in viral pathogenesis, the long-term consequences on its physiology after acute injury and the mechanism of persistence of symptoms are still poorly understood. Combining molecular, morphological, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and histological analysis, we conduct a temporal investigation of CHIKV and MAYV replication in a wild-type mice model, focusing on the impact on SkM composition, structure, and repair in the acute and late phases of infection. We found that viral replication and induced-inflammation promote fast loss of muscle mass and reduction of fibers cross sectional area, by inducing muscle-specific E3 ubiquitin ligases MuRF1 and Atrogin expression, that trigger protein breakdown, resulting in acute SkM fibers atrophy. After temporal reduction of inflammation and clearance of infectious viral particles, SkM atrophy persists until the late phase of infection. The genomic CHIKV and MAYV RNAs were still detected in SkM at the late phase, along with increased levels of chemokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines expression. In agreement with the involvement of inflammatory mediators on induced atrophy, neutralization of TNF and the reduction of oxidative stress using monomethyl fumarate, an agonist of Nrf2, decreases atrogens expression and atrophic fibers, while increasing weight gain in treated mice. Taken together, these data indicate that arthritogenic alphavirus infection could chronically impact body SkM composition and also harm repair machinery, contributing to a better understanding of mechanisms of arthritogenic alphaviruses pathogenesis and with description of potentially new targets of therapeutic intervention.

We consider open non-twist Hamiltonian systems represented by an area-preserving two-dimensional map describing incompressible planar flows in the reference frame of a propagating wave, and possessing exits through which map orbits can escape. The corresponding escape basins have a fractal nature that can be revealed by the so-called basin entropy, a novel concept developed to quantify final-state uncertainty in dynamical systems. Since the map considered violates locally the twist condition, there is a shearless barrier that prevents global chaotic transport. In this paper we show that it is possible to determine the shearless barrier breakup by considering the variation of the escape basin entropy with a tunable parameter.

Self-selecting the intensity of aerobic training is a perspective that allows practitioners to develop autonomy (choice of pace), improve physical fitness and achieve weight loss. To compare the effect of four aerobic training protocols on cardiometabolic and psychophysiological responses in physically inactive adult men and women. The sample consisted of 11 individuals aged 56 ± 10 years and BMI 29.2 ± 2.4 kg/m2 performed four different treadmill aerobic training protocols, including: 1-individual with self-selected intensity (ISS), 2-individual with prescribed intensity (IPI) (64-76% of HR max), 3-small group with self-select. selected intensity (SGS) and 4-small group prescribed intensity (SGP) (64-76% of HR max). Heart rate, lactate, perceived exertion, affective response, activation scale, enjoyment, intention to repeat the session, treadmill speed and total distance from the protocol were analyzed. Statistical analysis used ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc test (p<0.05). Heart rate, lactate, perceived exertion, activation scale, enjoyment, average speed and total distance analyzes did not show significant differences between protocols. The response affective showed a smaller decline in the ISS protocol (p<0.05), and the intention to repeat the training session was greater in the ISS protocol (p<0.05). Conclusion: The data allow us to conclude that the ISS training protocol produced superior results in affective response and intention to repeat the session.

In this work, we derive the spectral efficiency, secrecy outage probability, and bit error rate of a communication system assisted by a large intelligent surface (LIS). We consider a single-antenna user and an array of antennas at the transmitter side and the possibility of a direct link between transmitter and receiver. Additionally, there is a single-antenna eavesdropper with a direct link to the transmitter, which is modeled as a Nakagami-m distributed fading coefficient. The channels from transmitter to the LIS and from the LIS to the user may or may not have the line-of-sight (LoS) and are modeled by the Nakagami- m distribution. Moreover, we assume that the LIS elements perform non-ideal phase cancellation leading to a residual phase error that assumes a Von Mises distribution. We show that the resulting channel can be accurately approximated by a Gamma distribution whose parameters are analytically estimated using the moments of the equivalent signal-to-noise ratio. We also provide an upper bound for the error probability for M-QAM modulations. With the derived formulas, we analyze the effect of the strength of the LoS link by varying the Nakagami parameter, m.

Background: Chronic exposure to severe hypoxia causes an increase in hematocrit (Hct) and hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]), which can lead to Excessive Erythrocytosis (EE), which could impact physical performance. This work aims to determine the differences in the six-minute walking test (6MWT) outputs between EE and healthy subjects residing at more than 5000 meters. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study was performed on 71 men (36 healthy and 25 suffering EE) living in La Rinconada, Peru (5100 m). Basal levels of [Hb] and Hct were obtained. All the subjects per-formed the 6MWT, and distance reached, vital signs, dyspnea, and fatigue (Borg scale) at the end of the test were recorded. Results: The average [Hb] and Hct levels in the control group were 18.7 ± 1.2 g/dL and 60.4 ± 7.1%, respectively, contrasting with EE subjects who showed 23.4 ± 1.6 g/dL and 73.6 ± 5.9% (p < 0.001). However, no statistically significant differences were observed in BMI or other anthropometric parameters. At the end of the 6MWT, the distance traveled, and vital constants were similar between both groups, except for arterial oxygen saturation which was consistently lower in subjects with EE along the test. Conclusion: EE does not significantly affect 6MWT performance at high altitudes nor the hemodynamic control during moderate aerobic exercise of subjects who live permanently in a severe hypoxic environment.

Objective: To report time-loss match injuries in Portugal’s “Divisão de Honra” (Portuguese First Tier) 2022/23 season focusing on injury incidence, injury burden, anatomical region and type of injury. Methods: A cohort prospective observational study was conducted. Data was collected through an online form sent for every team medical department categorizing player position, injury type, location and severity. Injury incidence and burden were calculated per 1000-player-match-hours. Results: The overall injury incidence was 54.4 injuries per 1000 player-match-hours (CI95% 30.3-96.2). Forwards had a higher incidence comparing to backs. Lower limbs were the most affected location (52% of the injuries). Sprain/ligaments injuries were the most common type of injury followed by muscle injuries. Discussion: The injury incidence was higher than what is reported in amateur competitions and lower than professional ones. Injury severity was similar to other studies. Our study suggests a lower injury burden compared to other semi-professional and elite leagues. Further research with broader participation and training injury data is needed.

Overweight/obesity and cardiovascular diseases are associated with high rates of mobility and mortality. We investigated inflammatory lesions and ionic transporters in the left ventricle of male rats chronically fed a high-fat diet (HL). They developed moderate overweight with early expansion of visceral adiposity. The inflammatory markers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-), Na+-transporting ATPases, sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2a), and the abundance of Angiotensin II receptors were studied together with lipid and glycemic profiles, and the left ventricle echocardiographic parameters fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF). HL rats doubled IL-6 and TNF-, which returned to normal levels when signaling coupled to Angiotensin II type 2 receptors (AT2R) was supraregulated by Ang-(3–4) administration. The decreased glucose tolerance was accompanied by significantly reduced plasma triglycerides due to intense hepatic steatosis (Crisóstomo et al. Metabolism Open. 2022, 14, 100176). AT2R (and AT1R) abundance did not change. (Na++K+)ATPase and ouabain-resistant Na+-ATPase were downregulated and upregulated, respectively, normalized with Ang-(3–4). SERCA2a lost its most critical regulatory property, inhibition by excess substrate. The ultrasound showed no changes in FS and EF. We conclude that very moderate overweight can cause silent initial molecular tissue damage in heart, which can evolve to cause systolic dysfunction.

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

Scientific literature shows increased interest in the aged and the aging phenomenon. The Aging Attitudes Questionnaire - AAQ was validated for the Portuguese population to understand the importance of attitudes towards old age and their impact on the subjective well-being of the elderly. A sample of 400 subjects (from 18 to 93 years) answered a socio-demographic questionnaire, and the AAQ was composed of three subscales (psychosocial losses, physical change, and psychological growth). The CFA confirmed the tri-factorial structure with very good adjustment of the model to the data with the Cronbach alpha of the total scale scoring .84 and ranging from .65 to .77 for each factor. A total of 9 items were omitted both for poor factor loadings (<0.50. Notwithstanding, 3 items below the criteria were maintained, as they conceptually fit into the factor. Of the final 15 AAQp items, 5 belong to the Psychosocial Loss factor, 6 to Physical Change, and 4 to Psychosocial Growth. This tree factor model explained 50.1 % of the total variance. In conclusion, this study supports that AAQ has acceptable validity, confirming the composite reliability and the discriminant validity, but not the convergent validity. Through multi-group analysis, the invariance of the scale was confirmed. This validation is of pivotal importance once it allows measuring the attitudes towards aging, thus facilitating the promotion of wellbeing across the lifespan.

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

The maturation process of Arabica coffee fruits is influenced by plant endogenous and external factors. The maturation stage of the fruits affects the bean's chemical composition, which is related to coffee beverage quality. During fruit maturation, the colour of the peel changes from green to red (cherry), which indicates the harvest time and supposedly that the fruits have high quality. However, many tones of red may define fruit maturity. This work aimed to study the dynamics of soluble sugar accumulation related to fruit redness in coffee fruit tissues. We classified the ripe fruits into six ripeness classes based on the intensity of the red colour of the epicarp using a colourimeter. Total soluble sugar, sucrose and starch were analyzed in the coat (exocarp+mesocarp), coat juice (obtained by squeezing the coat), and beans. We showed that endosperm sugar dynamics do not follow changes in the coat, indicating a separate control of sugar accumulation, mainly related to sucrose, an essential component of coffee quality. Our data show that there is no transfer of sucrose and reducing sugars from the red coat to the bean.

(1) Background: This study evaluated the spatial position and anatomical characteristics related to impacted third molars by map-reading strategy using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). (2) Methods: To determine the positioning of impacted third molars on CBCT it was used Winter's and Pell &amp; Gregory's classifications, and the presence of external root resorption in mandibular second molars were based on Herman´s classification. The relationship between the mandibular third molar root apex and the mandibular canal was also analyzed. Fisher’s exact test was used to comparative statistical analysis. The significance level considered was 5%. (3) Results: The results showed that according to Winter's classification, 48.06 % of impacted teeth were in the mesioangular position. Using Pell &amp; Gregory's classification, 43.22% of the impacted molars were in the position B and C, and 54.2% of the teeth were class II. 69.7% of teeth showed an absence of contact between the root apex and the mandibular canal and there was no occurrence of external root resorption in the distal of second molar in 88.7%. (4) Conclusions: The map-reading strategy using CBCT scans for anatomical positions and characteristics of impacted third molars increases professional confidence and establishes a parameter of quality and safety in the surgical procedure for the patient.

In this study, a computational method is proposed that employs Recurrent Convolutional 1 Neural Networks, utilizing meteorological radar images to forecast storm movement and intensity up 2 to 3 hours ahead, a process known as nowcasting. For this purpose, images from a radar situated in 3 southern Brazil were used. These data are publicly accessible on the website of the National Institute 4 for Space Research (INPE) in Brazil. The approach involves evaluating a spatiotemporal learning 5 recurrent convolutional neural network called PredRNN++. The results were validated through 6 case studies of storms within the radar’s coverage area. To evaluate the performance of the neural 7 network, both visual assessments and metrics such as RMSE and SSIM were employed. The findings 8 indicate that PredRNN++ was effective in simulating the shape and location of the meteorological 9 system.

: The objective of this study was to obtain different dry matter contents and proportions of mel-on plant biomass for silage making. A completely randomized design was adopted with a facto-rial scheme (3 x 2) in four replications. The first factor corresponded to three mixtures of melon biomass on as fed basis (AF) of plant (branch + leaf) and fruit (harvested melon) as follows: 100% plant, 90% plant + 10% fruit, and 100% fruit. The other factor corresponded to the ensiled materi-al with fresh and dehydrated melon plant biomass (40% DM) which was dried in the field, after harvest. Silages with partial dehydration of the biomass available after fruit harvest with 0% and 10% fruit showed the greatest DM values: 297 and 293 g/kg DM, respectively. Silages with 0, 100 and 10% fruit showed medium LAB populations: 5.79, 5.14 and 4.58 logs CFU/g, respectively. Higher concentrations of acetic acid contents were observed in silages with 0 and 10% fresh fruit, which were 14.9 and 14.1 g/kg DM, respectively. Silages with 0% and 100% of dehydrated fruit showed better results for the indicators of good-quality silage. Dehydration improves the fer-mentative profile and quality of the melon silage.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease and affects more than 350 million people worldwide. However, there are no vaccines for humans, and current treatment is hampered due to its high cost, numerous side effects, and painful administration routes. Ending its epidemics by 2030 has become a United Nations goal, and the multitarget drug strategy emerges as a promising alternative. Flavonoids are an example of multitarget compounds and organic synthesis represents a tool to obtain high yields of these molecules. In our study, we synthesized 17 flavonoid analogs using a scalable, easy-to-reproduce, and inexpensive method. All compounds demonstrated an impressive inhibition capacity against rCPB2.8, rCPB3, and rH84Y, which are highly expressed in the amastigote stage, the target form of the parasite. Compounds 3c, f12a, and f12b stood out as effective against all isoforms and intermolecular interactions were investigated through a molecular modeling study. The compounds were highly potent against the parasite and demonstrated low cytotoxic action against mammalian cells. The results were pioneering, representing an advance in the investigation of the mechanisms behind the antileishmanial action of flavonoid derivatives. Furthermore, compounds have shown to be promising leads for the design of other cysteine protease inhibitors for the treatment of leishmaniasis diseases.

Long COVID affects a significant number of people after acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and haematological changes can persist in the COVID-19 phase. This study aimed to evaluate these haematological laboratory markers, linking them to clinical findings and long-term outcomes in patients with long COVID. This cross-sectional study selected participants from a ‘long COVID’ clinical care programme in the Amazon region. Clinical data and baseline demographics were obtained, and blood samples were collected for quantification of erythrogram-, leukogram-, and plateletgram-related markers. Long COVID was reported for up to 985 days. Patients hospitalised in the acute phase had higher mean red/white cell, platelet, and plateletcrit levels and red cell distribution width. In addition, haematimetric parameters were higher in shorter periods of long COVID. Patients presenting with more than six concomitant long COVID symptoms had a higher white blood cell count, shorter prothrombin time (PT), and increased PT activity. Within up to 985 days of long COVID, our results suggest a probable benign compensation for erythrogram-related markers. Increased levels of leukogram-related markers and increased coagulation activity were observed in the worse long COVID groups, also indicating an exacerbated response after the acute disturbance, which is uncertain and requires further investigation.

Metformin is an oral antidiabetic agent with antimicrobial properties, excreted in an active and unmetabolized form. Like some non-antibiotic drugs, subinhibitory concentrations of metformin may contribute to the expression of microbial resistance in wild-type strains. This work aimed to evaluate the biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa TGC04 exposed to 100 and 200 µg/mL of metformin, varying the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and flow regime. Biofilms were quantified after 2 and 24 hours, observing reductions and increases in biofilm growth around 13 and 64%, respectively. The greatest biofilm growth occurred in cells exposed to 200 µg/mL of metformin. Both the flow regime and COD concentration were important for the development of the biofilm, whose cells were mostly weakly to moderately adhered. The study provides evidence that in polluted aquatic systems with turbulent regimes, the inhibitory concentration of metformin promoted the least disturbances to the biofilm.

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

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) played an important role in understanding the dynamics of the territorial spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic. Even today, it is important to understand such dynamics in view of the imminent risk of new epidemics and pandemics. This study aimed to identify space-time clusters of incidence and mortality due to COVID-19 during the pandemic, analyzing socioeconomic and demographic characteristics in order to highlight the priority areas for control and surveillance actions. This study was conducted in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP) from March 2020 to February 2022. To detect the clusters, a multidimensional punctual process was created to perform multiple tests for every geographic point using the SaTScan™ software. Socioeconomic and demographic differences were analyzed using nonparametric Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. High-risk clusters of incidences were observed in May 2020 (RR=2; p-value <0.001) and March to June 2021 (RR=2.6; p-value <0.001) in the capital of São Paulo and neighboring municipalities, with statistically significant differences between the socioeconomic variables analyzed. No low-risk cluster of COVID-19 incidence was found, but low-risk clusters of mortality from COVID-19 were found in the period from July to December 2020 in the central region of the capital (RR=0.33; p-value <0.001), which concentrates the highest incomes and the lowest percentages of Black, Brown (Mixed-race), and Indigenous people in the MRSP.

The genetic development of commercial broiler led to body misconfiguration and consequent walking disabilities, mainly at the slaughter age. The present study aimed to identify broiler locomotion ability using image analysis automatically. A total of 40 broiler 40 d-old were placed to walk on a specially built runway, and their locomotion was recorded. An image segmentation algorithm was developed, and the coordinates of the bird's center of mass were extracted from the segmented images for each frame analyzed, and the Unrest Index (UI) was applied. We calculated the center of mass's movement of the broiler walking's lateral images, therefore, capturing the bird's displacement speed in the onward direction. Results indicated that broiler speed on the runway tends to decrease with the increase of the gait score. The locomotion did not differ between males or females. The proposed algorithm was efficient if predicting the broiler gait score based on their displacement speed.

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

Background: Surveys conducted in different regions of the world showed that the prevalence rates of health risk behaviors (HRBs) in university students are sometimes higher than those found in non-university populations. This study aims to identify the prevalence rates and demographic and academic environment correlates associated with HRBs among Brazilian university students. Methods: In a cross-sectional epidemiological study, a random sample of 5,310 university students answered an online questionnaire with demographic (sex, age, skin color, marital status, and paid work) and academic setting information (housing type, size of campus, year and shift of study), as well as items clustered in four HRB domains: personal safety and violence, sexual behavior and contraception, addictive substance use, and eating habits, physical activity, and sleep. The data were analyzed statistically using bivariate analysis and hierarchical multiple regression. Results: The highest prevalence rates occurred in HRBs clustered in the domain of eating habits, physical activity, and sleep (> 60%), while HRBs for personal security and violence were less prevalent (

Viruses with encephalitogenic potential can cause neurological conditions of clinical and epidemiological importance, such as Saint Louis encephalitis virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Western equine encephalitis virus, dengue virus, Zika virus, Chikungunya virus, Mayaro virus and West Nile virus. The objective of the present study was to determine the number of arboviruses with neuroinvasive potential isolated in Brazil that corresponds to the collection of viral samples belonging to the Section of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers (SAARB/IEC) of the Laboratory Network of National Reference for Arbovirus Diagnosis from 1954 to 2022. A total of 1,090 arbovirus samples with encephalitogenic potential were isolated from mice. From a total of 7,054 samples intended for cell culture. The isolates from mosquitoes totaled 659 viruses. The emergence of new arboviruses may be responsible for diseases still unknown to humans, making the Amazon region a hotspot for infectious diseases due to its fauna and flora species characteristics. The detection of circulating arboviruses with the potential to cause neuroinvasive diseases is constant, which justifies the continuation of active epidemiological surveillance work that offers adequate support to the public health system regarding the virological diagnosis of circulating arboviruses in Brazil.

This article presents a combined route and path planning strategy to guide Skid-Steer Mobile Robots (SSMRs) in scheduled harvest tasks within expansive crop rows with complex terrain conditions. The proposed strategy integrates: i) a global planning algorithm based on the Traveling Salesman Problem under the Capacitated Vehicle Routing approach and Optimization Routing (OR-tools from Google) to prioritize harvesting positions by minimum path length, unexplored harvest points, and vehicle payload capacity, and ii) a local planning strategy using Informed Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (IRRT*) to coordinate scheduled harvesting points while avoiding low-traction terrain obstacles. The global approach generates an ordered queue of harvesting locations, maximizing the crop yield in a workspace map. In the second stage, the IRRT* planner avoids potential obstacles, including farm layout and slippery terrain. The path planning scheme incorporates a traversability model and a motion model of SSMRs to meet kinematic constraints. Experimental results in a generic fruit orchard demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. In particular, the IRRT* algorithm outperformed RRT and RRT* with 96.1% and 97.6% smoother paths, respectively. The IRRT* also showed improved navigation efficiency, avoiding obstacles and slippage zones, making it suitable for precision agriculture.

The scientific community has explored new packaging materials due to environmental challenges and pollution from plastic waste. Bacterial cellulose (BC), produced by bacteria like Gluconaceto-bacter xylinus, shows high potential for food preservation due to its exceptional mechanical strength, high crystallinity, and effective barrier properties against gases and moisture, making it a promising alternative to conventional plastics. This review highlights recent advances in BC production, particularly agro-industrial residues, which reduce costs and enhance environmental sustainability. Incorporating antimicrobial agents into BC matrices has also led to active packaging solutions that extend food shelf life and improve safety. A bibliometric analysis reveals a significant increase in research on BC over the last decade, reflecting growing global interest. Key research themes include the development of BC-based composites and the exploration of their antimicrobial properties. Critical areas for future research include improving BC production's scalability and economic via-bility and its integration with other biopolymers. These developments emphasize BC's potential as a sustainable packaging material and its role in the circular economy through waste valorization.

We aimed to assess whether play behavior can be used as a welfare indicator for farmed spotted pacas (Cuniculus paca) by examining its association with other positive welfare markers including affiliative behavior and low-amplitude vocalizations. We submitted six groups of spotted pacas (one male/two females per group) (N=18) to an ABA experimental design (A1/A2: without ball; B: with three boomer balls). Play behavior occurred only during phase B (mean=35.5s, SE=6.4). Spotted pacas spent more time in affiliative and exploratory behaviors, while they spent less time engaging in agonistic interactions during phase B than in both control phases (A1 and A2) (P<0.05). Moreover, spotted pacas emitted more low-amplitude bark vocalizations during phase B than during either control phase (P<0.05), which have previously been shown to indicate a positive affective state and low arousal level. Because the expression of play was associated with a decrease in aggression, an increase in affiliative behavior, and an increase in low-amplitude barking, indicating thus a positive state, we suggest that play behavior can be used as a non-invasive indicator of positive welfare in this species.

Multicriteria decision aid requires a database as a decision matrix, in which two or more alternatives are evaluated according to two or more variables selected as decision criteria. Several problems of this nature use measures by Likert scales. Depending on the method, parameters from these data (e.g. means, modes or medians) are required for calculations. This parameterization of data in ordinal scales has fueled controversy for decades between authors who favor mathematical/statistical rigor and argue against the procedure, stating that ordinal scales should not be parameterized, and scientists from other areas who have shown gains from the process that compensate for this relaxation. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the advantages of the Composition of Probabilistic Preferences (CPP) method in multicriteria problems with data from Likert scales. The CPP is capable of allaying the protests raised and obtaining more accurate results than descriptive statistics or parametric models can bring. The proposed algorithm in R-code involves the use of CPP with empirical distributions and fitting histograms of data measured by Likert scales. Two case studies with simulated datasets having peculiar characteristics and a real case illustrate the advantages of the CPP.

The Biginelli reaction is a highly versatile reaction, which leads to dihydropyrimidinones/thiones. This scaffold is reported as being a privileged structure due to its ability to interact with biological targets. Synthesis of ethyl 4-(2-fluorophenyl)-6-methyl-2-thioxo-1-(p-tolyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate was achieved through the Biginelli reaction using a functionalized thiourea. In silico studies demonstrated that the compound title showed good potential for interacting with ecto-5’-nucleotidase, which has been considered as a target in designs for anti-cancer drugs.

A rapid and efficient technique using an electronic nose based on a mass detector combined with headspace sampling (HS-SPME-MS e-nose) and chemometric tools was applied to classify beer samples between fresh and aged and between samples contained in aluminium cans or glass bottles, and to predict the shelf life of beer. The mass spectra obtained from the HS-SPME-MS e-nose contain information on the volatile compounds, recorded as the abundance of each ion at different mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios. The analysis was performed on 53 samples aged naturally for eleven months in the absence of light and with a controlled temperature of around 14° C +/- 0.5° C. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed on the data, showing a grouping of samples between fresh and aged. Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) allowed discriminating fresh from aged beers but was not able to discriminate samples packaged in aluminium cans or in glass bottles. Finally, Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) was applied to build a prediction model and showed to be effective to predict beer shelf life.

Thermal plasma is a versatile technology that can be used to treat various types of wastes, including vegetal and mineral oils, solvents, plastics, papers and cardboard, glasses, bricks and rocks, metals, clothes, and mixtures of these materials. In this study, we utilized a commercial plasma cutter as a thermal plasma source to decrease the volume of a simulated low-level radioactive mixed solid waste. The simulated waste included papers, plastics, clothes, gloves, metals and stable Co, Cs, Sr, and Ce additives as surrogates of 60Co, 137Cs, 90Sr, and 144Ce, the latter typical contaminants in nuclear LLW. As a result of the process two products were obtained, a solid phase in which we focused this work and a gaseous phase. To retain as much as possible surrogates in the solid final phase, crushed glass from broken bottles was included as a vitrification additive to the original waste. After undergoing heat treatment, a dense vitreous slag was produced and ashes. The process resulted in a volume reduction of 70%, indicating the successful gasification of organic excess materials. The surrogate elements were retained in the process and were found in the ashes composition: Co (3.4% w/w), Cs (37.7% w/w), Ce (0.6% w/w) and in the glass matrix composition of Co, Cs, Sr and Ce: 72.4 ± 14.7, 32 ± 18.2, 125.3 ± 31.6, 80 ± 13.1 % w/w respectively. For the actual experimental conditions, retention efficiencies were estimated for Cobalt (Co) at 72.4 ± 14.7%, Cerium (Ce) at 80 ± 13.1%, Strontium (Sr) at 125.3 ± 31.6%, and notably Cesium (Cs) at 32 ± 18.2%.

The first hyperpolarizability of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) suspended in water was determined using the hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) technique. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of the HRS technique to characterize GQDs. Two commercial GQDs (Acqua-Cyan and Acqua-Green) with different compositions were studied. The HRS experiments were performed with an excitation laser at 1064 nm. The measured hyperpolarizabilities were (1.0±0.1) × 10^(-27) esu and (0.9±0.1) × 10^(-27) esu for Acqua-Cyan and Acqua-Green, respectively. The results were used to estimate the hyperpolarizability per nanosheet obtained by assuming that each GQDs has five nanosheets with 0.3 nm thickness. The two-level model, used to calculate the static hyperpolarizability per nanosheet, provides the values of (2.4±0.1) × 10^(-28) esu (Acqua-Cyan) and (0.5±0.1) × 10^(-28) esu (Aqua-Green). The origin of the nonlinearity is discussed on the basis of polarized resolved HRS experiments, and an electric quadrupolar behavior with a strong dependence on surface effects is found. The nontoxic characteristics and order of magnitude indicate that these GQDs may be useful for biological microscopy imaging.

This study explores the impact of regular physical exercise on the quality of life and body image among Para-athletes, emphasizing the necessity of such activities for physical, social, and psychological health. This qualitative study employs content analysis and ethnomethodology to evaluate seven Para-athletes from the Navy's Paralympic Project, using focus group interviews to assess their perceptions. The findings reveal that participation in structured sports programs positively influences body image and quality of life, leading to improved performance in training, social interactions, and competitive events. The analysis suggests that motivation and self-esteem are fundamental to the sporting success of Paralympic athletes. Both external and internal motivations are crucial for sustaining athletic careers and overcoming challenges. Self-esteem enables athletes to remain confident in their abilities, even after setbacks.

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

There have been beaching events of the marine alga pelagic sargassum in coastal regions of the Caribbean Sea, West African countries, and the north-northeast region of Brazil since 2011. Its presence has caused environmental and socioeconomic impacts while several studies were conducted in order to understand the causes of this phenomenon, as well as alternatives to mitigate its impacts. The objective of this research was to evaluate pelagic sargassum biomass as a raw material for the manufacture of medium-density multilayer particleboards. These are composed of 30% sargassum particles in their inner layer and 70% sugarcane bagasse particles on their outer layers which are bonded with castor oil-based polyurethane resin. A physical and chemical characterization was carried out in order to evaluate sargassum particles while physical and mechanical tests were carried out in order to evaluate the panels. Results were subsequently compared with indications from NBR 14810-2:2018 and ISO 16893:2016 standards. A life cycle assessment based on ISO 14040:2006 and 14044:2006 was carried out as to complement the feasibility study of these panels and to compare their different manufacturing processes. The multilayer panels met the minimum requirements for physical and mechanical properties established by regulations, indicating that the Sargassum spp. biomass can be used as filling. The life cycle assessment study indicates that sargassum panels produced in the Belém-PA-Brazil region present lower environmental impacts in four of seven evaluated categories when compared to conventional panels. As such, they constitute an alternative way to mitigate environmental impacts generated by beaching events.

The enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) plays a crucial role in the termination of nerve impulses by hydrolyzing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh). The inhibition of AChE has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for the management of neurological disorders such as Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The potential of various compounds as AChE inhibitors has been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the impact of natural compounds of interest on the intrinsic deformability of human AChE using computational biophysical analysis. Our approach incorporates classical dynamics, elastic networks, statistical potentials, energy frustration, and volumetric cavity analyses. The results revealed that cyanidin induced significant changes in the flexibility and rigidity of AChE, especially in the distribution and volume of internal cavities, compared to model inhibitors such as TZ2PA6, and through a distinct biophysical-molecular mechanism from the other inhibitors considered. These findings suggest that cyanidin could offer potential mechanistic pathways for future research and applications in the development of new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

Spontaneity and its connections to mental health and wellbeing are a central issue in both theory and practice of psychodrama, and the specialized literature sometimes even associates the presence of pathology to a lack of spontaneity. This paper describes spontaneity in Moreno's theory, its assessment, its association with other measures and concepts, and scientific advances in the field. Specifically, we present results obtained with the English and Portuguese-language versions concerning its assessment. The main purpose of this work was to study the spontaneity measure (SAI-R) in a 3 first-order factors version for a Portuguese sample of 719 subjects, divided into two independent samples. The participants were aged 18 to 69. The mean age of participants was 28.5 years (SD = 7.51), and ages ranged between 18 and 69 years. Data was collected through an online platform of a Portuguese market research company. The results revealed that the 3-factor model has acceptable validity when items 1 (“Creative”) and 7 (“Euphoric”), confirming the composite reliability, the convergent validity, but not the discriminant validity. Through multigroup analysis, the model showed to be stable. Notwithstanding the need for complementary studies, including clinical samples, the SAI-R is a short and valid instrument in clinical and non-clinical contexts when evaluating spontaneity.