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

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

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 (

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>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.

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

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

The following are three successful case studies that affected humanity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The key to their success was their swift adaptability to the new confinement regulations and the unyielding determination of those carrying out their plans. Various extraordinary and prompt efforts were required to make the essential logistical preparations and practice for distance learning a reality. The research activities were also reorganized so the thesis students might carry out a few simple experiments at home under the strict supervision of their advisers and supervisors. The findings revealed that the students who participated in these projects applied all the abilities they had gained before the epidemic. In addition, they included crucial knowledge about the project, problem-based, and research-based learning. Furthermore, because they were the primary implementers of the trials, they learned by planning and performing experiments. The culmination of these efforts was displayed in three scientific publications that were published in index journals with a high level of impact. This latter factor is essential for the prestige and visibility of the university, in addition to the acquisition of financing and grants for scientific research.

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning have revolutionized the field of protein engineering, particularly in the area of de novo protein design. This review article explores the impact of AI-driven approaches on protein design, with a specific focus on the role of structure prediction neural networks, such as AlphaFold and RoseTTAFold. The article discusses the paradigm shift brought about by these networks, which have enabled the design of proteins with unique structures and functions that are not found in nature. The review covers various aspects of AI-driven protein design, including the use of protein language models to harness evolutionary information, the development of de novo protein design workflows utilizing deep learning, and the application of generative models like RFdiffusion and RoseTTAFold All-Atom. The article also highlights the successes and applications of AI-driven protein design across diverse domains, such as enzyme engineering, antibody design, and vaccine development. Additionally, the review identifies current challenges and future directions in the field, emphasizing the need to address limitations in modeling conformational dynamics and designing proteins for in vivo functionality. The article concludes by underscoring the potential of AI-driven protein design to transform various aspects of science and technology, while also acknowledging the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of robust pipelines for the validation and optimization of designed proteins. Overall, this comprehensive review serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners interested in understanding the current state and future prospects of AI-driven protein design.

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

The lithium-ion batteries are widely used as a power source for portable devices, including cell phones. The useful life is about 2 years or 500 cycles, contributing to the generation of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Mining of lithium and cobalt damages the environment and is onerous; therefore, sustainable alternatives, such as obtaining these elements from secondary sources as recycling of lithium-ion batteries, are essential to provide the inputs used in the sector. However, the metallurgical route which will used to recovering them must be considered, due to this work aims for a more environmentally favorable process using DL-malic acid 1.5 M and instead of compared with sulfuric acid 2 M, heat pretreatment of 1 h and 3 h, and for all conditions, experiments were carried out with and without adding the oxidizing agent hydrogen peroxide. The best yields occurred in presence of H2O2 10 % v/v, and heat pretreatment of 1 h: 33.49 % Co and 4.63 % Li, and 29.78 % Co e 3.44 % Li were recovered by sulfuric acid and DL-malic acid, respectively.

“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.

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

In this review, we present the latest exclusion limits obtained with astroparticles for Lorentz Invariance Violation (LIV) in the photon sector. We discuss the techniques known as energy-dependent time delay or time lag, subluminal pair production threshold shift, superluminal photon decays and superluminal photon splitting. Perspectives for future results in LIV with the next generation of experiments are also addressed.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a cardiac arrhythmia caused by electrophysiological anomalies in the atrial tissue, tissue degradation, structural abnormalities, and comorbidities. A direct relation exists between AF and altered mitochondrial activity resulting from membrane potential loss, contractile dysfunction, or decreased ATP levels. This review aimed to elucidate the role of mitochondrial oxidative mechanisms in AF pathophysiology, the impact of mitochondrial oxidative stress on AF initiation and perpetuation, and current therapies. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews. PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, and Scopus were explored until June 2023 using "MESH terms." Bibliographic references from relevant papers were also included. Oxidative stress is an imbalance that causes cellular damage from excessive oxidation, resulting in conditions such as AF. An imbalance in reactive oxygen species production and elimination can cause mitochondrial damage, cellular apoptosis, and cardiovascular diseases. Oxidative stress and inflammation are intrinsically linked, and inflammatory pathways are highly correlated with the occurrence of AF. AF is an intricate cardiac condition that requires innovative therapeutic approaches. The involvement of mitochondrial oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of AF introduces novel strategies for clinical treatment.

Autoinflammatory disorders encompass a wide range of conditions with systemic and neuro-logical symptoms, which can be acquired or inherited. These diseases are characterized by an abnormal response of the innate immune system, leading to an excessive inflammatory reac-tion. On the other hand, autoimmune diseases result from dysregulation of the adaptive im-mune response. Disease flares are characterized by systemic inflammation affecting the skin, muscles, joints, serosa, and eyes, accompanied by unexplained fever and elevated acute phase reactants. Autoinflammatory syndromes can present with various neurological manifestations, such as aseptic meningitis, meningoencephalitis, sensorineural hearing loss, and others. Early recognition of these manifestations by general neurologists can have a significant impact on the prognosis of patients. Timely and targeted therapy can prevent long-term disability by reducing chronic inflammation. This review provides an overview of recently reported neuroinflam-matory phenotypes, with a specific focus on genetic factors, clinical manifestations, and treatment options. General neurologists should have a good understanding of these important diseases.

This study aimed to assess the response of 3D printed PLA scaffolds biomimetically coated with apatite on human primary osteoblast spheroids and evaluate the biological response to its association with Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (rhBMP-2) in rat calvaria. PLA scaffolds were produced via 3D printing, soaked in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution, and characterized by physical-chemical, morphological, and mechanical properties. The in vitro biological response was assessed with human primary osteoblast (HOb) spheroids. The in vivo analysis was conducted through the implantation of 3D printed PLA scaffolds either alone, covered by apatite (PLA-CaP) or PLA-CaP loaded with rhBMP-2 (PLA-CaP+rhBMP-2) on critical-sized defects (8 mm) of rat calvaria. Increased cell adhesion and in vitro release of growth factors (PDGF, bFGF, VEGF) was observed for PLA-CaP scaffolds when pre-treated with FBS. PLA-CaP+BMP2 presented higher values of newly formed bone (NFB) than other groups at all experimental periods (p<0.05), attaining 44.85% of NFB after 6 months. These findings indicate that functionalization of PLA scaffolds with biomimetic apatite can improve its biological properties in the presence of complex biological media. Its association with BMP2 may enhance bone repair, suggesting this strategy as a promising candidate for bone tissue engineering.

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

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

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

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

(1) Background/Objectives: Accurate determination of chronological age is crucial in legal dental identification. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of different formulas in estimating the age of a Brazilian subpopulation by analyzing the pulp/tooth ratio of the maxillary canine and mandibular second premolar in panoramic and periapical radiographs. (2) Methods: The sample consisted of panoramic and periapical radiographs of 247 individuals. The file of each radiograph was opened in the Adobe Photoshop CS4® program to outline and obtain values in pixels for calculating the pulp/tooth ratio. Statistical analysis was conducted using the SPSS program, with a significance level set at 5%. (3) Results: The interclass correlation coefficient demonstrated excellent intra-observer agreement (0.990 – 0.999). The determination coefficients (R2) suggested that only 30-35% of the actual age results could be explained by the pulp/tooth ratio. Smallest differences were observed with Cameriere's formula for the mandibular second premolar on panoramic radiographs (+4.1 years). The greatest differences were found with the formulas for the mandibular second premolar in panoramic radiographs of the Korean (+12.5 years) and Portuguese (-12.1 years) populations. (4) Conclusions: The equations employed allowed for estimating the age of a Brazilian subpopulation and showed little agreement between the actual age and the estimated age.

This study aims to examine the non-volatile Particle Number (PN) emissions of a retrofitted Heavy-Duty Spark-Ignition (HD-SI) engine powered by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) under both steady-state and transient conditions. The engine was tested under seven steady-state operating points to investigate the PN behavior and Particle Size Distribution (PSD) upstream and down-stream of the Three-Way Catalyst (TWC). This analysis intends to assess the impact of including particles with diameters ranging from 10 nm to 23 nm in the total particle count, a consideration for future regulations. The study employed the World Harmonized Transient Cycle (WHTC) for transient conditions to encompass the same engine working region used in the steady-state analysis. A Dekati FPS-4000 diluted the exhaust sample to measure the PSD and PN for particle diameters between 5.6 nm and 560 nm using the TSI-Engine Exhaust Particle Sizer (EEPS) 3090. Findings indicate that PN levels tend to increase downstream of the TWC under steady-state conditions in operating points with low exhaust gas temperatures and flows (equal to or less than 500 °C and 120 kg/h). Furthermore, the inclusion of particles with diameters between 10 nm and 23 nm leads to an increase in PN emissions by 17.70% to 40.84% under steady conditions and by an average of 40.06% under transient conditions, compared to measurements that only consider particles larger than 23 nm. Notably, in transient conditions, most PN emissions occur during the final 600 seconds of the cycle, linked to the most intense phase of the WHTC.

A single water pollution by dyes is a huge environmental problem; there is a necessity to produce new decolorization methods that are effective, cost-attractive, and suitable in industrial use. Magnetic chitosan polymers offer the advantage of easy separation from the dye solution. In this work, a Chitosan-Fe polymer was synthesized, characterized, and tested for removal of the azo dye Direct Red 83:1 from water. The polymer was characterized in terms of surface morphology (SEM), elemental analysis (EA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), infrared spectrophotometry (IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and density functional theory (DFT). The reported results hint that 1 g and pH 7.0 were the best conditions to carry out both kinetic and isotherm models. To understand the adsorption behavior of Direct Red 83:1 onto the polymers, adsorption rate and maximum adsorption capacity were calculated using kinetic tests and isotherm curves respectively. The kinetic data and mechanism of the adsorption process were analyzed by three models and the equilibrium data by three adsorption isotherms. The results indicated that the adsorption process follows a pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2= 0.999) and fits the Temkin isotherm (R2= 0.946), indicating that the adsorption occurred on heterogeneous surfaces. The newly synthesized Chitosan-Fe polymer exhibited good adsorption properties and easy separation of cleaned water.

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.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are diseases that occur when blood-producing cells in the bone marrow are damaged; such damage can affect one or more types of blood cells. Common types of MDS are refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts and refractory anemia with excess blasts (MDS-RS and MDS-EB, respectively). This work analyzed the proteomics of the medullary plasma of 10 patients with MDS-RS and MDS-EB compared to healthy control people. Overexpressed proteins that may be potential candidates for biological markers for the evaluation, study, and diagnosis of these diseases have been identified. These samples were subjected to immunodepleting, concentrated, and digested for further analysis by mass spectrometry. The ratios between selected groups and healthy people were calculated. Seven overexpressed proteins in both syndromes were identified as potential biomarker candidates: vitronectin (VTN), (2) fibrinogen (FGA), (3) pregnancy zone protein (PZP), (4) kininogen (KNG1), (5) immunoglobulin lambda chain (IGLL1), (6) complement factor C4b, and (7) hemopexin (HPX). A modified affinity chromatographic column with lectin frutalin (FTL) was used for non-depleted samples. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) was expressed in the samples from both syndromes. Surprisingly, IgM from patients with syndromes was over retained on the frutalin (FTL) column when compared with the control group. We further hypothesized that over retention of this protein by the FTL is due to the presence of α-galactosidic residues in the IgM of MDS-RS and MDS-EB patients. Differential recognition of proteins on non-depleted samples from the use of FTL appears to be a powerful tool for proteomic analysis.

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

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

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

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

Coagulant lectin from Moringa oleifera seeds (cMoL) was characterized by potentiometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using MOF, Metal-Organic Frameworks of [Cu3(BTC)2.H2O)3]n, to immobilize cMoL and construct biosensors. Developed aluminum-air batteries degraded indigo carmine dye formulated similar to a textile effluent; biosensors investigated cMoL interaction with specific galactose and monitored residual dye. SEM revealed components of electrode assembly steps. Oxide reduction reactions of batteries generated Al(OH)3 promoting dye electrocoagulation. Cyclic voltammetry showed differentiated redox peaks related to dye residue quantification by cMoL. Electrochemical systems evaluated cMoL interaction with ligand and efficiently degraded dye; biosensors could be used for lectin characterization and monitoring dye residues in environmental textile effluents.

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

Portugal’s EPAC silo network, initially planned in the 1930s but constructed and utilized primarily in the 1970s, consisted of 31 silos with a total capacity of 841,100 t. The network’s usage declined, however, due to market liberalization and Portugal’s accession to the European Economic Community in 1985. This study focuses on adapting a methodology to inventory and analyse the 31 silos in the EPAC network considering their general features, construction, technological facilities, and socioeconomic aspects. The silos are situated in 30 cities and towns, predominantly in the country’s key grain-growing regions, particularly the Alentejo region. While there are variations in design and construction, most EPAC silos contain two or three rows of circular reinforced-concrete cells and use the spaces between cells for storage. Their capacities range from 6,000 to 35,000 t. Some are inland grain reception and storage silos, while others are larger-capacity port silos designed to unload grain rapidly onto ships using mechanical or pneumatic unloaders. These structures are a significant part of Portugal’s agro-industrial heritage and have in some cases been repurposed as museums or event venues. Compared to other agro-industrial buildings, silos pose unique conversion challenges due to their height and design complexities. Examples of successful reuse in countries like Spain and Italy may provide insights for potential silo projects in Portugal. However, analysis suggests that such proposals and similar initiatives may be viable only in the more highly populated towns.

(1) Background: Grapes and their associated by-products (as grape pomace, GP) stand out for their polyphenol content, which makes them a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant capacity. The aim of this research was to determine if the inclusion of 50 g/kg of GP in the diet of hens could enrich egg with antioxidants and to study its effect on internal and external egg quality parameters. (2) Methods: A trial was conducted with two genetic lines of hens, which were fed either a control diet or a diet containing 50 g/kg of GP. Performance, internal and external egg quality, and egg yolk content of vitamins E and A, and gallic acid were determined; (3) Results: In eggs laid by hens fed GP diet, Haugh units and yolk colour score were enhanced, and eggshell became thinner, but without affecting the breaking strength. No dietary effect was observed on vitamin contents in yolk. Higher gallic acid content was observed in yolk of eggs laid by hens fed the GP diet, suggesting that some dietary phenolic compounds could be transferred to the eggs. Hen genetics influenced egg weight, albumen Haugh units, shell thickness and α- and γ-tocopherol concentration in yolks; (4) Conclusions: Dietary inclusion of GP improved the internal quality of eggs, enriching yolks with a phenolic compound, but reduced shell thickness.

A realistic implementation of an all-fiber CO₂ sensor, using 74 cm of hollow core PCF fiber as the cavity for light/gas interaction, has been implemented. It is based on CO₂ absorbance in the 2 μm region. The working range is from 2% to 100% CO₂ concentration at 1 atm total pressure. The response time obtained was 10 min. The use of an FBG tuned fiber ring laser, specifically designed for this application, is discussed and preliminary results with this laser are also presented.

Food allergies have increased significantly in recent decades, with shellfish being a leading cause of food allergy and anaphylaxis worldwide, affecting both children and adults. The prevalence of shellfish allergies is estimated to be approximately 0.5-2.5% of the general population, varying significantly by geographical location, age, and consumption habits. Although mollusk consumption has risen, the prevalence of mollusk allergies remains unknown. While extensive research has focused on crustacean allergies, mollusk allergies, particularly those related to gastropods, have received comparatively less attention. Clinical manifestations of shellfish allergy range from localized symptoms to life-threatening systemic reactions, such as anaphylaxis. Notably, severe bronchospasm is a predominant clinical feature in cases involving gastropods. Several allergens have been identified in mollusks, including paramyosin, tropomyosin, and sarcoplasmic calcium-binding protein. In gastropods, documented allergens include tropomyosin, paramyosin, the heavy chain of myosin, and Der p 4 amylase. Diagnosis typically involves a thorough clinical history, skin testing, in vitro quantification of immunoglobulin (Ig) E, and confirmation through oral challenge, although the latter is reserved for selected cases. This review highlights the limited research on gastropod allergy, the identified allergens to date, and the necessity for further investigations to better understand the implications of shellfish allergy within this class.

This study explores the multifaceted influence of litter size, maternal care, exercise, and aging on rats' neurobehavioral plasticity and dentate gyrus microglia dynamics. Body weight evolution revealed a progressive increase until maturity, followed by a decline during aging, with larger litters exhibiting lower weights initially. Notably, exercised rats from smaller litters displayed higher body weights during mature and aged stages. Dentate gyrus volumes showed no significant differences among groups, except for aged sedentary rats from smaller litters, which exhibited a reduction. Maternal care varied significantly based on litter size, with large litter dams showing lower frequencies of caregiving behaviors. Behavioral assays highlighted the detrimental impact of a sedentary lifestyle and reduced maternal care/large litters on spatial memory, mitigated by exercise in aged rats from smaller litters. Microglial dynamics in the layers of dentate gyrus revealed age-related changes modulated by litter size and exercise. Exercise interventions mitigated microgliosis associated with aging, particularly in aged rats. These findings underscore the complex interplay between early-life experiences, exercise, microglial dynamics, and neurobehavioral outcomes during aging.

One of the significant challenges today in the brain-machine interface using invasive methods is the stability of the chronic record. In recent years, polymer-based electrodes have gained notoriety for achieving mechanical strength values close to that of brain tissue, promoting a lower immune response to the implant. In this work, we fabricated fully polymeric electrodes based on PEDOT:PSS for neural recording in Wistar rats. We characterized the electrical properties and both in-vitro and in-vivo functionality of the electrodes. Also, we employed histological processing and microscopical visualization to evaluate tecidual immune response in 7, 14, and 21 days post-implant days. Electrodes with 400-micrometer channels showed a 12dB signal-to-noise ratio. Local field potentials were characterized under two conditions: anesthetized and free-moving. There was a proliferation of microglia to the tissue-electrode interface in the first days, with a decrease after 14 days. Astrocytes also migrated to the interface, but there was no continuous recruitment of these cells in the tissue, showing inflammatory stability at 21 days. The signal was not affected by this inflammatory action, demonstrating that fully polymeric electrodes can be an alternative to prolong the valuable time of neural recordings.

A strategy to reduce qualitative and quantitative losses in crop-yields refers to early and accurate detection of insect-damage caused in plants. Remote sensing systems like hyperspectral proximal sensors are a promising strategy for managing crops. In this aspect, machine learning predictions associated with clustering techniques may be an interesting approach mainly because of its robustness to evaluate high dimensional data. In this paper, we model the spectral response of insect-herbivory-damage in maize plants and propose an approach based on machine learning and a clustering method to predict whether the plant is herbivore-attacked or not using leaf reflectance measurements. We differentiate insect-type damage based on the spectral response and indicate the most contributive wavelengths to perform it. For this, we used a maize experiment in semi-field conditions. The maize plants were submitted to three different treatments: control (health plants); plants submitted to Spodoptera frugiperda herbivory-damage, and; plants submitted to Dichelops melacanthus herbivory-damage. The leaf spectral response of all plants (controlled and submitted to herbivory) was measured with a FieldSpec 3.0 Spectroradiometer from 350 to 2500 nm for eight consecutive days. We evaluated the performance of different learners like random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), extreme gradient boost (XGB), neural networks (MLP), and measured the impact of a day-by-day analysis into the prediction. We proposed a novel framework with a ranking strategy, based on the accuracy returned by predictions, and a clusterization method based on a self-organizing map (SOM) to identify important regions in the reflectance measurement. Our results indicated that the RF-based framework algorithm is the overall best learner to deal with this type of data. After the 5th day of analysis, the accuracy of the algorithm improved substantially. It separated the three treatments into different groups with an F-measure equal to 0.967, 0.917, and 0.881, respectively. We also verified that the most contributive spectral regions are situated in the near-infrared domain. We conclude that the proposed approach with machine learning methods is adequate to monitor herbivory-damage of S. frugiperda and stink bugs like Dichelops melacanthus in maize, differentiating the types of insect-attack early on. We also demonstrate that the framework proposed for the analysis of the most contributive wavelengths is suitable to highlight spectral regions of interest.

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.

The use of plant growth-promoting bacteria can be one option for mitigating the impact of abiotic constraints on different cropping systems in the tropical semi-arid region. The aim of this study was to evaluate growth, leaf gas exchange and yield in maize inoculated with Bacillus aryabhattai, and subjected to water and salt stress. The experiment followed a randomised block design, in a split plot arrangement, with six repetitions. The plots comprised two levels of electrical conductivity for the irrigation water (ECw): 0.3 dS m-1 and 3.0 dS m-1; the subplots consisted of three irrigation depths (ID1: 50%, ID2: 75%, and ID3: 100% of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc)); while the sub-subplots included the presence or absence of Bacillus aryabhattai inoculant. A water deficit of 50% of the ETc resulted in the principal negative effects on growth, reducing the leaf area and stem diameter. The use of Bacillus aryabhattai mitigated salt stress and promoted better leaf gas exchange by increasing the CO2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, and internal CO2 concentration. However, irrigation with brackish water (3.0 dS m-1) reduced the instantaneous water use efficiency of the maize. Inoculation partially reduced the effects of abiotic stress due to morpho-physiological traits, and increased yield potential under water deficit with no salt stress.

Human infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, called COVID-19, is a new pandemic with devastating effects worldwide. Science seeks the rational and systematic explanation of phenomena. In pandemics, decisions on prevention and treatment of people should be consistently taken, supported by scientific knowledge and ethical principles to produce more good than harm. At first, prospective observational studies to systematically collect patient data, correlating protective or therapeutic interventions with outcomes to assess effectiveness and safety, should be prioritized as the most appropriate type of study. The proposed protocol in this article aims to provide doctors with information on the reduction of harm in early COVID-19 patients by applying individualized interventionist or expectant therapeutic strategies, respecting the autonomy and preferences of physicians and patients in clinical decision-making. The evaluation of the clinical status, besides laboratory confirmation of COVID-19, comprises an individualized symptom score for each patient, a global self-perception scale of the severity of the disease, a clinical progression scale developed by the WHO for clinical studies in COVID-19 and, at the first consultation, doctors´ overall impression on the clinical prognosis. The analysis of anonymized data should preferably use descriptive and inferential statistical resources. The case report form is available for free use in the protocol, along with examples of patient informed consent forms for the prescription of off-label medications and authorization to use the data. Their results may be useful to indicate interventions that are candidates for efficacy trials, in randomized controlled trials, with a higher chance of success. It respects the autonomy and preferences of doctors and patients to decide the best options for treatment in uncertain situations. It also allows the gathering of useful information for future more rigorous clinical trials, trying to link science, ethics, and personal clinical experience.

Piperine, an active plant alkaloid from black pepper (Piper nigrum), has several pharmacological effects: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory, which involves inhibiting molec-ular events associated with various stages of cancer development. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms of action of piperine in relation to its potential anticancer effect on head and neck cancer cells. Parameters related to neoplastic potential, analysis of cyto-kine, protein and gene expression were investigated in the head and neck cancer cell lines (HEp-2 and SCC-25) treated with piperine. The results of the tests indicated that piperine modified mor-phology, inhibited viability and the formation of cell colonies. Piperine promoted genotoxicity by triggering apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in G2/M and S. A decrease in cell migration was also observed, and decreased expression of MMP2/9 genes. Piperine also reduced the expression of inflammatory molecules (PTGS2 and PTGER4), regulated the secretion of cytokines (IF-y and IL-8) and modulated the expression of ERK and p38. These results suggest that piperine exerts anti-cancer effects on tumor cells, and could be a promising natural treatment by regulating signaling pathways associated with head and neck cancer.

Putting value to ecosystem services is something that society still refuses or simply ignores because it is not aware of the benefits that ecosystems provide us. In fact, people should be aware that a good understanding of ecosystem services can lead to win-win situations. Being aware of the importance of preserving the ecosystem and attaching value to its services will enable the development of self-sustaining strategies and appropriate policies for better ecological governance. Decades of over exploitation of natural resources, introduction and spread of alien species and, also, climate change, forest fires among other threats, have fostered biodiversity loss. The European Union Biodiversity Strategy has as one of its main goals to stop biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystem services; if possible, to recover the most threatened and degraded ecosystems, based on 20 Actions divided into 6 Targets. The present work falls within the scope of Action 5 of Target 2 – Improve knowledge of ecosystems and their services in the EU. The specific focus of this study is the Site of Community importance “Dunas de Mira, Gândara and Gafanhas” (Portugal) and the assessment of its ecosystem services, in accordance with the methodology proposed by the MAES (Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services) Working Group. The work currently under way, a small segment of which is presented here, aims to identify, map and, when possible, assign value to the ecosystem services. For this purpose, modern GIS technologies will be used. This approach was implemented using a combination of data and tasks, including the photo-interpretation of Sentinel 2 (COPERNICUS Program) satellite imagery. The data geoprocessing tasks and image segmentation were developed using QGIS software and IMPACT Toolbox software (developed by the Joint Research Center – JRC, of the European Union), respectively. The analysis of Land Use and Burned Areas maps for the SCI "Dunas de Mira, Gândara and Gafanhas" led us to conclude that Forests ecosystems, the most affected by the fire of October 2017, continue to have the greatest expression in the area under study even though they have lost more than 50% of the area, and their services were also the ones most affected by the fire.

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be a public health problem. In 2020, 680,000 people died from HIV-related causes, and 1.5 million people were infected. Antiretrovirals are only a way to control HIV infection but not to cure AIDS. As such, effective treatment must be developed to control AIDS. Developing a drug is not an easy task, and there is an enormous amount of work and economic resources invested. For this reason, it is highly convenient to employ computer-aided drug design methods, which can help generate and identify novel molecules. Using the de novo design, new novel molecules can be developed using fragments as building blocks. In this work, we develop a virtual-focused compound library of HIV-1 viral protease inhibitors from natural product fragments. Natural products are characterized by a large diversity of functional groups, many sp3 atoms, and chiral centers. Pseudo-natural products are a combination of natural products fragments that keep the desired structural characteristics from different natural products. An interactive version of chemical space visualization of virtual compounds focused on HIV-1 viral protease inhibitors from natural product fragments is freely available at https://figshare.com/s/ceb58d58e8f5585ce67e.

This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the applicability and performance of two prominent growth models, namely the Verhulst model and the Montroll model, in the context of modeling tumor cell growth dynamics. Leveraging the power of Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs), we aim to assess and compare the predictive capabilities of these models against experimental data obtained from the growth patterns of tumor cells. We employ a dataset comprising detailed measurements of tumor cell growth to train and evaluate the Verhulst and Montroll models. By integrating PINNs, we not only account for experimental noise but also embed physical insights into the learning process, enabling the models to capture the underlying mechanisms governing tumor cell growth. Our findings reveal the strengths and limitations of each growth model in accurately representing tumor cell proliferation dynamics. Furthermore, the study sheds light on the impact of incorporating physics-informed constraints on the model predictions. The insights gained from this comparative analysis contribute to advancing our understanding of growth models and their applications in predicting complex biological phenomena, particularly in the realm of tumor cell proliferation.

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

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

The aim of this work was to classify the business incubators in Spain according to the four phases of startups incubation. Taking into account that the graduation rate implies greater survival and business success of the incubated companies, they have been identified at each stage of the incubation (spread of entrepreneurship, pre-incubation, advanced incubation, and graduation). The activities that present higher impacts on the success of the incubated companies and the activities carried out by the incubator that have a greater relevance on the graduation of the companies have concretely been considered. Principal component (PC) cluster analysis have been applied. All the incubation variables were used simultaneously, reducing their number, and grouping them into factors, finally the cases were grouped according to these latent variables. Principal components analysis reduced dimensionality to 8 factors with a 74 % of explained variance. Factor 1 was positively related to pre-incubation variables, factor 2 was linked to training and collaboration variables within the entrepreneurship diffusion phase. Factor 3 called activity monitoring and control and was related to phase 3 or basic incubation variables. Clusters analysis facilitates the grouping of incubators into three clusters: Group 1 (16 % of the total), incubators with strong deficits in incubation phases 1, 2 and 3. They are small Business Incubators, often located in rural areas or cities and low graduation rate. Group 2 (30 %), business incubators with very high graduation rate, and strongly positive values in factor 1 and 2. Factor 3 although positive is susceptible to improvement. They are the largest incubators and usually located in industrial and technological parks. Group 3 (54 %) is the majority, with values close to cluster 2 and 3.

The silos built in the 1930s for Italy’s ammasso (obligatory grain stockpile) stood as powerful symbols of the country’s fascist era. Many of them were destroyed in World War II; only a few remain today, and recent demolitions underscore the urgency of their preservation. This study adapts a methodology developed for inventorying Spanish silos based on their general features, construction, technological facilities, and socioeconomic aspects and applies it to the 30 remaining ammasso silos. These silos are located in grain-producing areas near communication routes and are mostly owned by agricultural consortia. Over half of them are disused and in disrepair. All of them have machinery for receiving, storing, and dispatching grain, and most have equipment for cleaning, sorting, weighing, and packaging if needed. These structures are part of Italy’s agro-industrial heritage and should be protected. Some have been made over into commercial spaces, leisure areas, museums, and even homes. Vertical-cell silos are challenging to convert, unlike horizontally-oriented silos and other open-plan agro-industrial buildings. Examples of silo reuse in other countries, such as Spain and Portugal, can offer useful insights for the ammasso silos. However, socio-economic indicators suggest that such projects are most viable in large population centres.

(1) Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different types of warm-ups on the strength and skin temperature of Paralympic powerlifting athletes; (2) Methods: The participants were 15 male Paralympic powerlifting athletes. It was analyzed the effects of three different types of warm-up (without warm-up (WW), traditional warm-up (TW), or stretching warm-up (SW)) on static and dynamic strength tests as well as in the skin temperature, which was monitored by thermal imaging; (3) Results: show no differences in the dynamic and static indicators of the force in relation to the different types of warm-up. No significant differences were found in relation to the Peak Torque (p = 0.055, F=4.560, η2p= 0.246 medium effect), and 1-Repetition Maximum (p = 0.139, F=3.191, η2p = 0.186, medium effect) between the different types of warm-up. In the thermographic analysis, there was a significant difference only in the Pectoral muscle clavicular portion between the TW (33.04 ± 0.71ºC) and the WW (32.51 ± 0.74ºC) (p = 0.038). The TW method also presented slightly higher values than the SW and WW in the Pectoral Muscles Sternal portion and in the Deltoid anterior portion, but with p-value > 0.05; (4) Conclusions: that the types of warm-up studied do not seem to interfere with the performance of Paralympic Powerlifting athletes. However, the thermal images showed that traditional warm-up best meets the objectives expected for this preparation phase.

Currently, the textile industry is a poorly automated sector, due in part to problems in the handling of deformable leather and textile parts during production operations. In this work, several problems in the handling process of leather and textile parts are addressed, introducing methods to increase the automation of the process. A pneumatic actuator designed to pick up textile or leather parts avoiding their deformation during transport has been developed. This actuator maximizes the number of gripping points to improve handling, making it more stable and efficient. Additionally, a vision system has been implemented in the part picking task which, in conjunction with the CAD information of the part, sends the modified gripping position of the part to the robot. This allows customized handling of each textile or leather part. Finally, validation tests have been carried out on this development, both in simulations and in laboratory conditions, demonstrating its viability and direct applicability in the production line.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontitis are two chronic diseases that are interconnected. The coexistence of these conditions leads to increased severity of periodontitis and challenges in controlling blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate both the influence of periodontal disease and its treatment in patients with DM in terms of a reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin levels at 3 and 6 months after treatment. Methods: A sequential, nonprobabilistic, controlled, prospective and longitudinal case−control study was carried out at the University Dental Clinic of the Morales Meseguer Hospital in Murcia, Spain. Thirty diabetic patients were divided into two groups: patients with periodontitis (test group) and patients without periodontitis (control group). The periodontal and endocrine-metabolic variables were measured at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after periodontal treatment for both groups. Results: Statistically significant differences were found at 3 and 6 months after periodontal treatment with respect to HbA1c levels in the group of periodontal patients. However, these differences were not observed in the control group. Conclusion: The presence of periodontal disease increased HbA1c levels in patients with DM. Nonsurgical periodontal treatment significantly decreased the degree of periodontal inflammation and the HbA1c level at 3 and 6 months after treatment.

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

This article presents a unique set of voltage and current data from a public building and acquired using a hybrid measurement solution that combines Python and Grafana. The transversal purpose consists of contributing to the community with a vision of the quality of the supply more oriented to the monitoring of the state of the network, providing a more realistic vision, which allows a better understanding, and the adoption of the best decisions to achieve the efficient energy management and thus optimize the operation and maintenance of power systems. The work focuses on higher order statistical estimators that, combined with exploratory data analysis techniques, improve the characterization of the shape of the stress signal. These techniques and data, together with the acquisition and monitoring system, present a unique combination in the line of low-cost measurement solutions. It also incorporates the underlying benefit of the contribution to industrial benchmarking. The paper also includes a computational comparison between Python and LabVIEW to elicit the performance of the measurement solution.

The result of the multidisciplinary collaboration of researchers from different areas of knowledge to validate a solar radiation model is presented. The MAPsol is a 3D local-scale adaptive solar radiation model that allows to estimate direct, diffuse and reflected irradiance for clear sky conditions. The model includes the adaptation of the mesh to complex orography and albedo, and considers the shadows cast by the terrain and buildings. The surface mesh generation is based on surface refinement, smoothing and parameterisation techniques and allows the generation of high quality adapted meshes with a reasonable number of elements. Another key aspect of the paper is the generation of a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM). This high-resolution DEM is constructed from LiDAR data and its resolution if two times more accurate than the publicly available DEMs. The validation process uses direct and global solar irradiance data obtained from pyranometers at the University of Salamanca located in an urban area affected by systematic shading from nearby buildings. This work provides an efficient protocol for studying solar resources, with particular emphasis on areas of complex orography and dense buildings where shadows can potentially make solar energy production facilities less efficient.

The accumulation of brown algae from the genus Sargassum has been increasing over the years in coastal regions of the Caribbean, Africa, Brazil, and Mexico. This causes harmful effects to the ecosystem, health, economy, and climate due to gas emissions from its decomposition process. There is the possibility of this biomass being reused in civil construction, and few studies have been carried out on its application to common Portland cement mortar. As such, the objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of sargassum ash as a mineral addition to partial replacement of fine aggregates in Portland cement mortar. Characterizations of the raw materials were carried out through X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, loss on ignition, particle size distribution, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), real density, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and dispersion spectroscopy of electrons. The mortars were prepared by partially replacing the fine aggregate (sand) with sargassum ash, at 0%, 5%, 10% and 20%. Mortar performance was evaluated through water absorption, apparent porosity, apparent specific mass, compressive strength after 7, 28, and 63 days after curing. Lastly, a life cycle assessment in accordance with ISO standards 14040:2006 and 14044:2006. The results showed that replacing sand with sargassum ash increases water absorption, apparent porosity, and decreases the apparent specific mass and compressive strength as replacement increases. Nevertheless, the compressive strength results after 63 days, for 5 and 10% replacement did not differ statistically from reference values. The life cycle assessment indicates that mortars with partial replacement of sand by sargassum ash showed positive environmental impacts when compared to reference values for most categories regardless of the scenario analyzed, especially for mortar with 10% replacement. As such, the use of sargassum ash at 10% does not alter compressive strength values after 63 days while reducing its environmental impact. The application of this biomass in civil construction materials provides a destination for this algae that has been causing several social, environmental, and economic problems.

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

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

Living beings are composite thermodynamic systems in non-equilibrium conditions. Within this context, there are a number of thermodynamic potential differences (forces) between them and the surroundings, as well as internally. These forces lead to flows, which, ultimately, are essential to life itself. Living beings are under the pressures of natural selection, thus are biological flows as well. At the same time, the maintenance of homeostatic conditions, the tenet of physiology, demands regulation of these flows by control of variables. However, due to the very nature of these systems, regulation of flows and control of variables become entangled in closed loops. Therefore, the search for adaptation in flows takes a different path than the search for adaptation in morphological traits. Being at the roots of transfer processes, thermodynamic criteria turn out to be as natural physical candidates. Likewise, being at the roots of physiology, control turns out to be as a natural biological candidate in that path. Here we show how to combine entropy generation, with respect to a generalized process, and control of parameters (in such a generalized process) in order to create a criterium of optimal ways to regulate changes in generalized flows.

The global textile sector, pivotal to economic development, significantly contributes to environmental degradation, prompting a shift towards sustainable raw material sources. Embracing circular economy principles, this industry is exploring the valorization of agricultural by-products. This study introduces an innovative approach to repurposing mango waste into valuable textile fibers, a byproduct of the fruit processing industry, predominantly generated during juice and jam production. The focus is on the lignocellulosic constituents of mango waste, specifically the peel, seed, and fibrous material, traditionally considered as refuse. Previous research has predominantly utilized mango peel in pectin extraction for food applications, whereas the potential of seed and fibrous content remains underexplored. This investigation endeavors to transform these fibrous by-products into high-value materials suitable for textile manufacturing. The process involved washing, drying, and comprehensive physicochemical characterization of mango fibers, emphasizing lignin quantification, revealing a composition of 12.2% lignin. An experimental design was employed to elucidate the impact of variables such as liquid-to-solid ratio, reaction duration, and sodium hydroxide concentration on lignin dissolution through alkaline hydrolysis. Optimal conditions—10% NaOH concentration, 30 mL/g liquid-to-solid ratio over six hours—achieved an 83% reduction in lignin content. The resulting fibers exhibited properties akin to conventional natural fibers, including a favorable aspect ratio indicative of their suitability for textile applications. A subsequent softening process using propylene glycol enhanced the fibers' spinability, producing a durable, textured fabric ideal for eco-conscious fashion applications, including bags, footwear, and accessories. This research demonstrates the feasibility of converting mango waste into a textile-worthy material and underscores the importance of waste revalorization in promoting sustainability within the circular economy framework.

Wearable Biosensor Technology (WBT) has emerged as a transformative tool in the educational system over the past decade. This systematic review encompasses a comprehensive analysis of WBT utilization in educational settings over a 10-year span (2012-2022), highlighting both the evolution of this field and its integration to address challenges in education by integrating technology to solve specific educational challenges, such as enhancing student engagement, monitoring stress and cognitive load, improving learning experiences, and providing real-time feedback for both students and educators. By exploring these aspects, the review sheds light on the potential implications of WBT for the future of learning. A rigorous and systematic search of major academic databases, including Google Scholar and Scopus, was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles selected were assessed for methodological quality and bias using established tools. The process of data extraction and synthesis followed a structured framework. Key findings include the shift from theoretical exploration to practical implementation with the EEG being the predominant measurement, aiming to explore mental states, physiological constructs, and teaching effectiveness. Wearable biosensors are significantly impacting the educational field, serving as an important resource for educators and a tool for students. Their application has the potential to transform and optimize academic practices through sensors that capture biometric data, enabling the implementation of metrics and models to understand the development and performance of students and professors in an academic environment, as well as to gain insights into the learning process.

National heatwave plans are aimed at reducing the avoidable human health consequences due to heatwaves, by providing warnings to and improving communication between relevant stakeholders. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of key stakeholders within plans in Belgium and the Netherlands on their responsibilities, the partnerships, and the effectiveness of the local implementation in Brussels and Amsterdam. Key informant interviews were held with stakeholders that had an important role in development of the heatwave plan in these countries, or its implementation in Brussels or Amsterdam. Care organisations, including hospitals and elderly care organisations, had a lack of familiarity with the national heatwave plan in both cities, and prioritised heat the lowest. Some groups of individuals, specifically socially isolated individuals, are not sufficiently addressed by the current national heatwave plans and most local plans. Stakeholders reported that responsibilities were not clearly described and that the national plan does not describe tasks on a local level. We recommend to urgently increase awareness on the impact of heat on health among care organisations. More emphasis needs to be given to the variety of heat risk groups. Stakeholders should be involved in the development of updates of the plans.

Background. This study aims to estimate the rate of death by cancer, according to Radio Base Stations (RBS) radiofrequency exposure, especially for the types of breast, cervix, lung and esophagus cancer. Methods. We collected information about the number of deaths by cancer, gender, age group, Gross Domestic Product per capita, death year and the amount of exposure over the lifetime. We investigated all cancer types and some specific types (breast, cervix, lung and esophagus cancers). Results. In capitals where RBS radiofrequency exposure was higher than 2,000/antennas-year, the average mortality rate was 112/100,000 for all cancers. The adjusted analysis showed that the higher the exposure to RBS radiofrequency, the higher cancer mortality. The highest adjusted risk was observed for cervix cancer (Rate Ratio = 2.18). The spatial analysis showed that the highest RBS radiofrequency exposure was observed in a city in southern Brazil, which also showed the highest mortality rate for all types of cancer and specifically for lung and breast cancer. Conclusion. The balance of our results indicates that the exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from RBS increases the rate of death by all types of cancer.

Silicon Photomultipliers find applications across various fields. One potential Silicon Photomultiplier application domain is neutrino telescopes, where they may enhance the angular resolution. However, the elevated dark count rate associated with Silicon Photomultipliers represents a significant challenge to their widespread utilization. To address this issue, it is proposed to use Silicon Photomultipliers and Photomultiplier Tubes together. The Photomultiplier Tubes signals would serve as a trigger to mitigate the dark count rate, thereby preventing undue saturation of the available bandwidth. This paper presents an investigation into a fast and resource-efficient method for filtering Silicon Photomultiplier dark count rate. A low-resource and fast coincident filter has been developed, which removes the Silicon Photomultiplier dark count rate by using as trigger the Photomultiplier Tube input signals. The architecture of the coincidence filter, together with the first results obtained, which validate the effectiveness of this method are presented.

This paper investigates portfolio optimization methodologies and short-term investment strate-gies in the context of the cryptocurrency market, focusing on ten major cryptocurrencies from January 2020 to November 2023. We employ high frequency data and utilize the Kurtosis Mini-mization methodology, alongside other optimization strategies, to construct and evaluate port-folios under different rebalancing frequencies. The empirical analysis reveals that cryptocurren-cies exhibit significant volatility, skewness, and kurtosis, necessitating sophisticated portfolio management techniques. We find that the Kurtosis Minimization methodology consistently outperforms other optimization strategies, delivering optimal returns to investors, particularly in shorter-term investment horizons. We demonstrate the diversification benefits of integrating cryptocurrencies into multi-asset portfolios and emphasize the importance of regular portfolio rebalancing in the volatile cryptocurrency market. Our findings offer insights for portfolio man-agers and investors seeking to optimize their investment outcomes in the cryptocurrency market, highlighting the importance of risk management, diversification, and dynamic portfolio man-agement strategies.

Introduction: The repertoire of microRNAs (miRNAs) in thyroid carcinomas starts to be elucidated. Among differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTC), papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common. The assessment of miRNAs expression may contribute to refine the pre-surgical diagnosis, in order to obtain a personalized and more effective treatment of patients. Aims: This study aims to evaluated 1) miRNAs expression in a series of DTC, and the association with the presence of selected genetic mutations, in order to improve diagnosis and predict biologic behavior of DTC/PTC. 2) the reliability of molecular tests in Ultrasound-guided Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (US-FNAC) for a more precise preoperative diagnosis. Material and methods: This series includes 176 samples (98 cytology samples and 78 formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues) obtained from 106 patients submitted to surgery, being 13 benign lesions (controls) and 93 DTCs (cases). The microRNA expression was assessed for miR-146b, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-15a by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and the results were analyzed using the 2- ΔΔCT method, using miR16 as an endogenous control. The discriminative ability of miRNAs expression regarding PTC diagnosis was evaluated using the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC). The association of miRNAs expression, clinicopatological features and genetic alterations (BRAF, RAS and TERTp) was evaluated in PTCs. Results/Discussion: All the analyzed miRNAs showed a tendency to be over expressed in DTCs/PTCs when compared with benign lesions, both in cytology and histology samples. In cytology, miRNAs expression levels were higher in malignant than in benign tumors. In histology, corresponding discriminative abilities regarding PTC diagnosis were: miR-146b (AUC0.94, 95%CI 0.87-1), miR-221 (AUC0.79, 95%CI 0.68-0.9), miR-222 (AUC0.76, 95%CI 0.63-0.89) and miR-15a (AUC0.85, 95%CI 0.74-0.97). miR-146b showed 89% sensitivity (se) and 87% specificity (sp); mi-R221 se=68.4, sp=90; miR222 se=73, sp=70, and mi-R15a se=72, sp=80. MicroRNAs were associated with aggressive clinicopathological features and tumor progression in PTCs (p < 0.05), particularly for miR-222. Our data reveals a significant association between higher expression levels of miR-146b, miR-221 and miR-222, with the presence of BRAF mutation (p<0.001), and miR-146b (p=0.016) and miR-221 (p=0.010) with the presence of RAS mutation, suggesting an interplay of these mutations with miRNAs expression. Although this study has a relatively small sample size, over expression of miRNAs in cytology may contribute to a more precise preoperative diagnosis. The miRNAs showed a good discriminative ability in PTC diagnosis. The association between the miRNAs expression profile and genetic alterations results could be useful for an accurate diagnosis of DTCs/PTCs in FNAC.

The objective of this study is to analyze the assessment practices in primary education and how they relate to the valuation of the learning process. It seeks to understand the perceptions of teachers and students regarding assessment and to observe classroom activities, as well as to analyze the assessment instruments used. The method used is a mixed approach that combines qualitative interpretations of the participants’ realities with a phenomenological analysis to reflect on the evaluative practices. The results indicate a contradiction between what is said and what is done in terms of evaluation, with a tendency to use written tests and traditional exams instead of a combination of techniques that allow for a significant evaluation of student learning. In addition, significant differences are observed among teachers regarding the importance they give to evaluation within their practices and evaluative models.

Transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are co-actors in genome-scale decoding and regulatory networks, often targeting common genes. In this paper, we describe the algebraic geometry of both TFs and miRNAs thanks to group theory. In TFs, the generator of the group is a DNA-binding domain while, in miRNAs, the generator is the seed of the sequence. For such a generated (infinite) group $\pi$, we compute the $SL(2,\mathbb{C})$ character variety, where $SL(2,\mathbb{C})$ is simultaneously a \lq space-time' (a Lorentz group) and a \lq quantum' (a spin) group. A noteworthy result of our approach is to recognize that optimal regulation occurs when $\pi$ looks like a free group $F_r$ ($r =1$ to $3$) in the cardinality sequence of its subgroups, a result obtained in our previous papers. A non free group structure features a potential disease. A second noteworthy result is about the structure of the Groebner basis $\mathcal{G}$ of the variety. A surface with simple singularities (like the well known Cayley cubic) within $\mathcal{G}$ is a signature of a potential disease even when $G$ looks like a free group $F_r$ in its structure of subgroups. Our methods apply to groups with a generating sequence made of two to four distinct DNA/RNA bases in $\{A,T/U,G,C\}$. Several human TFs and miRNAs are investigated in detail thanks to our approach.

Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome is a primary autoimmune or paraneoplastic neuromuscular disorder, which causes muscle weakness, areflexia and autonomic disorders through the production of antibodies to voltage-gated calcium channels. Diagnosis may be challenging, yet at the same time extremely important, allowing the detection of a possible underlying malignancy, in cases of paraneoplastic presentation. Some antibodies have good sensitivity and specificity for malignancy and are also discussed. Although most of times being correlated to small cell lung cancer, other types of tumors may be also found in the paraneoplastic syndrome. Misdiagnosis with Myasthenia Gravis may occur and differences between these two disorders are discussed. Therapy choice may vary from each patient depending on drug response and the situation in which the patient is encounter. Overall, the present paper brings a review of Lambert-Eaton, involving the diagnosis, as well as, the pathophysiology, differential diagnosis, tumor investigation and treatment. Also, a brief overview through guidance on therapy during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 pandemic is analyzed.

The value of landscape, as part of collective heritage, can be acquired by GIS due to the multilayer approach of the spatial configuration. Proficiency in geospatial technologies in order to collect, process, analyze, interpret, visualize and communicate geographic information is being increased by undergraduate and graduate students, but in particular by those who are training to become geography teachers at secondary education. This training can be carried out through personalized learning and distance learning methodology. Personalized GIS education aims to integrate students and enhance their understanding of landscape. Some teaching experiences are shown whereby opportunities offered by WebGIS will be described, through quantitative tools and techniques that will allow this modality of learning and improve its effectiveness. Results of this research show that students, through geospatial technologies, learn landscape as a diversity of elements but also the complexity of physical and human factors involved. Several conclusions will be highlighted: i) the contribution of geospatial training to education for sustainable development; ii) spatial analysis as a mean of skills acquisition about measures for landscape conservation; iii) expanding and applying acquired knowledge to other geographic spaces and different landscapes.

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

Introduction: Infections associated with medical implants pose significant challenges to healthcare, demanding the development of new effective antimicrobial strategies. This study focuses on the creation of a novel biological membrane with enhanced antimicrobial properties by with the incorporation of either vancomycin or silver nanoparticles. Methods: Pericardium samples were impregnated with either silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) or vancomycin (VAN). The antimicrobial activity of the membranes was assessed through qualitative microbiological analysis, biofilm production and animal in vivo model of infection. Histological analysis was performed on the pericardium samples, and quantitative microbiological analysis was conducted on the tissue from the animal model and biocompatibility evaluation. Statistical analyses were carried out using appropriate tests. Results: Microbiological tests confirmed both VAN and AgNP showed inhibition halos against bacteria. Histological analysis indicated minimal inflammatory response and bacterial presence in VAN and AgNP groups compared to the control group revealed reduced bacterial presence. Biomechanical testing showed that polypropylene had the lowest tensile strength, while AgNP-impregnated pericardium exhibited lower resistance than VAN-impregnated and control pericardium. Conclusion: Lyophilized and decellularized bovine pericardium as a substrate, combined with the incorporation of vancomycin or silver nanoparticles, provides a versatile platform for combating infections associated with medical implants.

Despite the numerous advances in target therapy for the treatment of colorectal cancer, aggressive colorectal cancer remains an incurable disease whose negative modulation of the immune system in the tumor microenvironment is still critical for improving the patient's prognosis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have received attention for their use as cell-membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles and drug delivery systems in nanomedicine derived by nearly all cell types for intercellular communication and regulation in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, M1 Macrophage EVs (M1EVs) were used as nanocarriers of oxaliplatin (M1EV1) associated with retinoic acid (M1EV2) and Libidibia ferrea (M1EV3), or combined together with retinoic acid and Libidibia ferrea (M1EV4) to evaluate their antiproliferative and immunomodulatory potential on CT-26 and MC-38 colorectal cancer cell lines, as well as their capacity to prevent metastases in mouse models of colorectal cancer such as allographic and peritoneal. Tumors were evaluated by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The cell death profile and epithelial-mesenchymal transition process (EMT) were analyzed in vitro in colorectal cancer cell lines. Polarization of murine macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) was also carried out. M1EV2 and M1EV3 used alone or especially combined (M1EV4) downregulated the tumor progression by TME immunomodulation, leading to a decrease in primary tumor size and metastases in peritoneum, liver and lungs. STAT3, NF-kB and AKT were the major genes downregulated by systems of M1EVs. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) switched M2 phenotype (CD163) towards M1 (CD68) reducing levels of IL-10, TGF-β and CCL22. Furthermore, malignant cells showed overexpression of FADD, APAF-1, caspase-3, and E-cadherin, and decreased expression of MDR-1, survivin, vimentin, CXCR4, and PD-L1 after treatment with systems of M1EVs. The results obtained in this study provided evidence that EVs from M1 antitumor macrophages can transport drugs and increase their immunomodulatory and antitumor activity by stimulating activation or blockage of pathways involved in cell proliferation, migration, cell survival, and drug resistance processes.

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

In the last two decades, the application of composite structures in many industrial sectors has been made progressively. For the current major scientific and technological challenge, the energy transition with sustainable and eco-friendly initiatives, the polymer matrix laminated composites have been revealed as an excellent alternative for the renewable energy sector. In this context, the knowledge about mechanical behavior of multiphase materials is required. Then, researches related to macro, mesomechanical and multiscale approaches are very important to improve accuracy of the models to predict effective mechanical properties and to develop a better understanding about complex phenomena such as progressive damage, creep and fatigue. Due to theses needs, this research is a synthesis of fundamentals and advanced topics concerning to global modeling of laminated composite structures, layerwise analyzes and micro-macromechanical models, in which mainly fiber, matrix, interface and damage characteristics are studied and used in the macroscale approach. At the end of this study, some final remarks and a trend analysis are proposed based on literature consulted, in other words, expectations for the future works are made by the authors.

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.

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

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the agent of tuberculosis, one of the most important infectious diseases in the world. This microorganism stands out from other bacteria, not only for its extremely high infection capacity, but also for its cellular characteristics that include an extremely resistant and hydrophobic cellular parade the passage of antibiotics. An incredible ability to adapt to adverse conditions inside the host as well as its vast arsenal of virulence factors that allow its survival within the inhospitable environment within the macrophage can be highlighted. This review aims to discuss several aspects of MTB microbiology, genetics, and physiology. We will address in this review details of the metabolism of MTB that allows it to replicate in the active phase and remain viable during latency, as well as the characteristics of its cell wall that contribute to the blockade of the immune response and its resistance to antibiotics.

Microbial pigments have many structures and functions with excellent characteristics, such as being biodegradable, non-toxic, and ecologically friendly, constituting an important source of pigments. Industrial production presents a bottleneck in production cost that restricts large-scale commercialization. However, microbial pigments are progressively gaining popularity because of their health advantages. The development of metabolic engineering and cost reduction of the bioprocess using industry by-products opened possibilities for cost and quality improvements in all production phases. We are thus addressing several points related to microbial pigments, including the major classes and structures found, the advantages of use, the biotechnological applications in different industrial sectors, their characteristics, and their impacts on the environment and society.

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

The Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (SZe) is a global distortion of Cosmic Microwave Bckground (CMB) spectrum as result of its interaction with a hot electron plasma in the intracluster medium for large gravitational virialized structures such as galaxy clusters. Furthermore, this hot gas of electrons emits X-Rays due to its fall in the gravitational potential well of the cluster. The analysis of SZe and X-Ray data, provide a method for calculating distances to galaxy clusters at any redshift (Angular diameter distance (d_A) and gas mass fraction (f_gas)). On the other side, many of these galaxy clusters produce a Strong Gravitational Lens effect (SGL), which has become an useful astrophysical tool for cosmology. We use these cosmological tests, in addition to the more traditional ones (SNIa, CMB, BAO), to constraint alternative models of dark energy (ωCDM, CPL, IDE, EDE) and study the history of expansion through the cosmographic parameters (H(z), q(z), j(z)). Using Akaike and Bayesian Information Criterion (AIC, BIC) we find that the ωCDM and ΛCDM models are the most favored by the observational data. In addition, we found that at low redshift appears an peculiar behavior of slowdown of aceleration, which occurs only on dynamical dark energy models using only galaxy clusters (d_A,clusters + f_gas).

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

Climate change and exposure to environmental pollutants play a key role in the onset and aggravation of allergic diseases. As different climate-dependent patterns of molecular immunoglobulin E (IgE) reactivity have been regionally described, we sought to investigate the evolving allergen exposome in distinctive allergic phenotypes, and subtropical weather conditions through a Precision Allergy Molecular Diagnosis (PAMD@) model. Concurrent sensitization to several house dust mites (HDM) and storage mite molecules were broadly dominant in the investigated cohort, followed by the major cat allergen Fel d 1, and regardless of the basal allergic disease. Although a complex repertoire of allergens was recognized, a steadily increasing number of IgE binding molecules was associated with the complexity of the underlying atopic disease. Besides the highly prevalent IgE responses to HMD major allergens, Der p 21, Der p 5, and Der p 7 also showed as serodominant molecules, especially in those subjects bothered with asthma and atopic dermatitis. The accurate characterization of the external exposome at the molecular level and their putative role as clinically relevant allergens is essential to elucidate the phenotypic diversity of atopic disease in terms of personalized diagnosis and therapy.

This work highlights that monitoring the microbiological quality of animal products, such as raw sheep’s milk and cheese, is necessary for food safety. Sheep’s milk and its derivatives are not legislated in Brazil. Thus, present study aimed to evaluate: (i) the hygienic-sanitary quality of raw sheep’s milk and cheese produced in southern Brazil; (ii) the presence of enterotoxins and Staphylococcus spp. in these products; and (iii) the antimicrobial susceptibility profile and resistance genes of the isolated Staphylococcus spp. Thirty-five raw sheep’s milk and cheese samples were evaluated. Microbiological quality and the presence of enterotoxins were determined by Petrifilm and VIDAS SET2 methods, respectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were conducted using VITEK 2 equipment and the disc diffusion method. The presence of resistance genes tet(L), sul1, sul2, ermB, tetM, AAC(6)', tetW, and strA were evaluated by PCR. In total, 39 Staphylococcus spp. were isolated. The tetM, ermB, strA, tetL, sul1, AAC(6)’, and sul2 resistance genes were detected in 82%, 59%, 36%, 28%, 23%, 3%, and 3% of isolates, respectively. The results showed that both products contained Staphylococcus spp. and these strains were resistant to antimicrobials as well carriers of resistance genes. These results highlight Brazil's need for specific legislation regarding the pro-duction and marketing of these products.

We are currently facing a potential ‘polycrisis’, a critical inflection point that requires a whole-of-society response aimed at building collective foresight and preparedness for short-, medium-, and long-term risks. The role of higher education institutions and social stakeholders is decisive to make an impact. This paper depicts the alignment of academia, governance, and industry with the aim to challenge, inspire, and encourage universities to go beyond commodified courses and mere employability, enhance student growth and bind macro-scale measures that lead to a sustainable future. A modest teaching innovation project has served as a transforming lever, with the private sector joining in, to create a platform that reaches more than 50 000 undergraduate students and teaching staff. The resulting structure, rooted in the University’s strategic plan, has served to channel local and regional initiatives, establish effective partnerships with broad social members, raise awareness and promote actions to advance in the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals. Chronology, materials and methodology, together with a description of the different courses, programmes and actions are provided. The paper concludes with some recommendations for future research, policy and cooperation among stakeholders. Research methodology posted on clinicaltrials.gov under ID NCT04392869, NCT05598944, and NCT05775978.

We are currently facing a potential ‘polycrisis’, a critical inflection point that requires a whole-of-society response aimed at building collective foresight and preparedness for short-, medium-, and long-term risks. The role of higher education institutions and social stakeholders is decisive to make an impact. This paper depicts the alignment of academia, governance, and industry with the aim to challenge, inspire, and encourage universities to go beyond commodified courses and mere employability, enhance student growth and bind macro-scale measures that lead to a sustainable future. A modest teaching innovation project has served as a transforming lever, with the private sector joining in, to create a platform that reaches more than 50 000 undergraduate students and teaching staff. The resulting structure, rooted in the University’s strategic plan, has served to channel local and regional initiatives, establish effective partnerships with broad social members, raise awareness and promote actions to advance in the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals. Chronology, materials and methodology, together with a description of the different courses, programmes and actions are provided. The paper concludes with some recommendations for future research, policy and cooperation among stakeholders. Research methodology posted on clinicaltrials.gov under ID NCT04392869, NCT05598944, and NCT05775978.

Introduction: Studies conducted in real-life scenarios on vaccine protection against COVID-19 constitute an important global priority, but one that is currently mostly neglected in low- and middle-income countries such as Angola. Here, we analyze for the first-time vaccine protection against COVID-19 in a real-life scenario after 6 months of implementing a multi-vaccination plan in Angola, providing estimation of odds ratios in vaccinated individuals and vaccine efficacy against infection by SARS-CoV-2 in a period that coincided with the identification of the Omicron variant in the country. Methods: We used a negative test case-control design to assess the effectiveness of vaccination against confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. A total of 4.232 vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals with the result of a rapid antigen diagnostic test against SARS-CoV-2 performed from December 27 to 28, 2021 were included in the study. Data were extracted from the Digital Vaccination Record Platform (Rediv) of the Ministry of Health of Angola. All ethical procedures related to the authorization necessary to carry out the study were followed. Statistical analyzes were performed using version 7.5.2.0 of CDC's Epi Info. Frequency distributions and measures of central tendency were used to characterize the study universe. The general and sex-adjusted and age-adjusted odds ratios, were evaluated by comparing the chances of vaccination between cases and controls, and their associated 95% CI, which were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel stratification method. The risk classification of Axel Kroeger, Piscoya and Alarcon was used to interpret the odds ratio. The Breslow-Day statistic was used to assess the homogeneity of the odds ratios. Vaccine efficacy was calculated using the odds ratio applying the accepted statistical vaccine efficacy formula:(1 − odds ratio) × 100. For all estimates, a P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The population consisted of 63.63% male and 36.37% female. The mean age was 36 years with a standard deviation of 13. 83. Regarding vaccination status, 83.27% of individuals were vaccinated and 16.73% were unvaccinated, with 21.81% positive and 78.19% negative for SARS -CoV-2. The odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection were 0.85 (95% CI 0.70 – 1.03) times lower in vaccinated compared to unvaccinated individuals, with P=0.09. The overall vaccine efficacy (VE) was 15% (95% CI -3 – 30). Conclusion: There was no statistically significant decrease in the chances of SARS-CoV-2 infection in vaccinated versus unvaccinated individuals. However, the overall vaccine efficacy was 15%.

A single qubit may be represented on the Bloch sphere or similarly on the 3-sphere S3. Our goal is to dress this correspondence by converting the language of universal quantum computing (UQC) to that of 3-manifolds. A magic state and the Pauli group acting on it define a model of UQC as a positive operator-valued measure (POVM) that one recognizes to be a 3-manifold M3. More precisely, the d-dimensional POVMs defined from subgroups of finite index of the modular group PSL(2, Z) correspond to d-fold M3- coverings over the trefoil knot. In this paper, one also investigates quantum information on a few ‘universal’ knots and links such as the figure-of-eight knot, the Whitehead link and Borromean rings, making use of the catalog of platonic manifolds available on the software SnapPy. Further connections between POVMs based UQC and M3’s obtained from Dehn fillings are explored.

A single qubit may be represented on the Bloch sphere or similarly on the $3$-sphere $S^3$. Our goal is to dress this correspondence by converting the language of universal quantum computing (uqc) to that of $3$-manifolds. A magic state and the Pauli group acting on it define a model of uqc as a POVM that one recognizes to be a $3$-manifold $M^3$. E. g., the $d$-dimensional POVMs defined from subgroups of finite index of the modular group $PSL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ correspond to $d$-fold $M^3$- coverings over the trefoil knot. In this paper, one also investigates quantum information on a few \lq universal' knots and links such as the figure-of-eight knot, the Whitehead link and Borromean rings, making use of the catalog of platonic manifolds available on SnapPy. Further connections between POVMs based uqc and $M^3$'s obtained from Dehn fillings are explored.

This work investigated the effect of temperature and acid or alkalis chemical activation by pyrolysis of Açaí seeds (Euterpe Oleraceae, Mart.) on the yield of bio-oil, hydrocarbon content of bio-oil, and chemical composition of aqueous phase. The experiments were carried out at 350, 400, and 450 °C and 1.0 atmosphere, KOH and HCl activation, in laboratory scale. The acidity of bio-oils and aqueous phases determined by AOCS methods, while the chemical composition of bio-oils and aqueous phase by GC-MS and FT-IR. The bio-char characterized by XRD. For the activation with KOH, the XRD analysis identified the presence of Kalicinite (KHCO3), the dominant crystalline phase in bio-char, while an amorphous phase was identified in bio-chars for the activation with HCl. The yield of bio-oil, for the pyrolysis of Açaí seeds activated with KOH, varied between 3.19 and 6.79 (wt.%), showing a smooth exponential increase with temperature. The acidity of bio-oil varied between 12.3 and 257.6 mgKOH/g, decreasing exponentially with temperature, while the acidity of aqueous phase lies between 17.9 and 118.9 mgKOH/g, showing and exponential decay behavior with temperature, demonstrating that higher temperatures favor not only the yield of bio-oil but also bio-oils with lower acidity. For the pyrolysis experiments activated with HCl, the yield of bio-oil varied between 2.13 and 3.37 (wt.%), decreasing linearly with temperature, while that of gas phase varied between 17.91 and 37.94 (wt.%), increasing linearly with temperature. The acidity of bio-oil varied between 127.1 and 218.5 mgKOH/g, increasing with temperature, showing that higher temperatures did not favor the yield of bio-oil and bio-oils acidity. For the chemical activation with KOH, the FT-IR analysis of bio-oils identified the presence of chemical groups characteristics of hydrocarbons and oxygenates, while that of aqueous phase only groups characteristics of oxygenates. For the chemical activation with HCl, the FT-IR analysis of bio-oil and aqueous phases identified only the presence of groups characteristics of oxygenates. For the experiments with KOH activation, the GC-MS of bio-oil identified the presence of hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, cycloalkanes, cycloalkenes, and aromatics) and oxygenates (carboxylic acids, phenols, ketones, and esters). The concentration of hydrocarbons varied between 10.19 to 25.71 (area.%), increasing with temperature, while that of oxygenates from 52.69 to 72.15 (area.%), decreasing with temperature. For the experiments with HCl activation, the GC-MS of bio-oil identified only the presence of oxygenates. Finally, it can be concluded that chemical activation of Açaí seeds with KOH favors the not only the yield of bio-oil but also the content of hydrocarbons while activation with HCl produced bio-oils with only oxygen compounds.

We consider partition functions, in the form of state sums, and associated probabilistic measures for aperiodic substrates described by model sets and their associated tiling spaces. We propose model set tiling spaces as microscopic models for small scales in the context of quantum gravity. Model sets possess special self-similarity properties that allow us to consider implications on large and observable scales from the underlying (non-ergodic) dynamics. In particular we consider the implication of the underlying aperiodic substrate for the well known problem of time in quantum gravity, and propose a correspondence between small and large scales, the so-called ergodic correspondence, that addresses the emergence of matter properties and spacetime structure. In the process we find a possible bound in the mass spectrum of fundamental particles.

This paper investigates if Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports published by a selected group of Nordic companies are aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. To achieve this goal, several natural language processing, and text mining techniques were implemented and tested. We extracted strings, corpus, and hybrid semantic similarities from the reports and evaluated the models through the intrinsic assessment methodology. A quantitative ranking score based on index matching was developed to complement the semantic valuation. The final results show that Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) and Global Vectors for Word Representation (GloVE) are the best methods for our study. Our findings will open the door to the automatic evaluation of sustainability reports which could have a strong impact on the environment.

Glycerol is a subproduct of biodiesel production and represents an important problem when generated in large scale. Alternatives that can utilize this unrefined byproduct is of potential interest. It is herein described the synthesis of a series of 1,2,3-triazoles using glycerol as starting material. The key step involved in the preparation of triazolic derivatives corresponded to the Copper(I)-catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC), also known as click reaction, between 4-(azidomethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane (3) and different terminal alkynes. The eight prepared derivatives were evaluated with regard to their fungicide, phytotoxic and cytotoxic activities. The fungicide activity was assessed in vitro against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, the causing agent of papaya anthracnose. It was found that the compounds 1-(1-((2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)methyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)cyclohexanol (4g) and 2-(1-((2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)methyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)propan-2-ol (4h) demonstrated high efficiency on controlling C. gloeosporioides when compared to the commercial fungicide tebuconazole. The triazoles did not present any phytotoxic effect when evaluated against Lactuca sativa. However, five derivatives were mitodepressive, inducing cell death detected by the presence of condensed nuclei and acted as aneugenic agents in the cell cycle of L. sativa. It is believed that glycerol derivatives bearing 1,2,3-triazole functionalities may represent a scaffold to be explored toward the development of new agents to control C. gloeosporioides.

Polymer-based (nano)composite foams, especially those having a microcellular structure, containing suitable conductive (nano)fillers, have been shown to act as good shielding materials, hence coming as promising to act as shields in electronic devices, limiting/avoiding electromagnetic interference (EMI) pollution. Nevertheless, due to their high (micro)structural complexity, related to their multiphase nature, there is still a lot of unawareness behind the shielding mechanisms acting in these materials, coming as a necessity to study their microstructure-cellular/porous structure-properties relations, especially in terms of their electrical conductivity and EMI shielding efficiency (EMI SE). To target and control the electrical conductivity through a controlled distribution/dispersion of conductive nanofillers, single or combined (nanohybrids), as there is a direct relation between electrical conductivity and EMI SE, as well as the main EMI shielding mechanisms working on the developed microcellular structure of the foams, which are expected to be absorption-dominated or absorption/multiple reflection-based, are two of the main objectives when combining polymer foaming with the addition of conductive nanofillers. The present review work considers the recent developments and trends on polymer-based foams containing conductive nanofillers, especially carbon-based such as carbon nanotubes or graphene-based materials, as well as similar porous structures created using trending technologies such as 3D printing, for EMI shielding applications. It is divided in different sections, starting with the strategy of microcellular foaming to develop polymer-based foams with enhanced EMI shielding characteristics, especially focusing on technologies and methods using supercritical CO2 (sCO2); continuing with the use of polymer foams as templates to synthesize carbon foams with improved EMI shielding performance for high use temperature applications; the recent strategy of combining different functional (nano)fillers to create hybrid nanofillers/nanohybrids to be used at lower amounts as conductive fillers in polymer foams; the control and selective distribution of the nanofillers in terms of favoring the formation of a more effective conductive network and hence promote the enhancement of the EMI SE; the very recent use of computational approaches to tailor the EMI shielding properties of composite foams; and the very trending possibility of creating cellular components with varied porous structures from these materials using 3D printing; to finish, some future perspectives are discussed.

This article introduces a new MfEIT UDESC Mark I system, which consists of a 32-electrode setup featuring a modified Howland current source, low cost, portable and non radiation. The system is capable of reconstruction of electrical conductivity tomographic images at a rate of 30.624 frames per second and about 5 minutes for imaging. The current source employs 0.5 mA, adjacent current application pattern with frequencies ranging from 10 kHz to 1 MHz. The article outlines the hardware, firmware, and software design specifications, which include the design of the current source, calibration procedures, and image reconstruction process. Tomographic images of conductivity were reconstructed in ex vivo healthy pig lungs and those with pneumonia, as a proof of concept for future applications in live pigs. The high spectral power density, combined with real-time system calibration provides clinical advantages in veterinary medicine. The goal is to identify lung areas affected by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in pigs, through the analysis of electrical conductivity difference, offering a valuable tool to assist veterinarians for to obtain images of respiratory diseases. The reconstruction method (GREIT) was evaluated with experimental data and It was compared with the Gauss-Newton and Total Variation methods, where GREIT proved to be superior.

Blood Concentrates (BCs) are autologous non-transfusional therapeutical preparations with biological properties applied in tissue regeneration. These BCs differ in the preparation method, in fibrin network architecture, growth factors release as well as in platelet/cell content. Methodological changes result in distinct matrices that can compromise their clinical effectiveness. The present study evaluated the influence of different g-forces and types of tubes in the release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) as a function of time. The PRF-like samples were obtained with three g-forces (200, 400, and 800 x g) for 10 minutes in pure glass tubes or in polystyrene-clot activator tubes. Scanning and Transmission electron microscopy was used to morphometric analyzes of PRF’s specimens and flow cytometry was used to quantify VEGF slow release until 7 days. Our results showed that platelets were intact and adhered to the fibrin network, emitting pseudopods and in degranulation. The fibrin network was rough and twisted with exosomic granulations impregnated on its surface. An increase in the concentration of VEGF in the PRF supernatant was observed until 7 days for all g forces (200, 400 or 800 x g), with the highest concentrations observed with 200 x g, in both tubes, glass or plastic. Morphological analyzes showed a reduction in the diameter of the PRF fibers after 7 days. Our results showed that g-force interferes with the shape of the fibrin network in the PRF, as well as affect the release of VEGF stored into platelets. This finding may be useful in applying PRF to skin lesions, in which the rapid release of growth factors can favor the tissue repair process. Our observations point to a greater clarification on the methodological variations related to obtaining PRF matrices, as they can generate products with different characteristics and degrees of effectiveness in specific applications.

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.

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

The evaluation of research proposals and academic careers is subject to indicators of scientific productivity. Citations are critical signs of impact for researchers, and many indicators are based on these data. The literature shows that there are differences in citation patterns between areas. The scope and depth that these differences may have to motivate the extension of these studies considering types of articles and age groups of researchers. In this work, we conducted an exploratory study to elucidate what evidence there is about the existence of these differences in citation patterns. To perform this study, we collected historical data from Scopus. Analyzing these data, we evaluate if there are measurable differences in citation patterns. This study shows that there are evident differences in citation patterns between areas, types of publications, and age groups of researchers that may be relevant when carrying out researchers’ academic evaluation.

Abstract: To compare the use of variable mechanical ventilation with conventional mechanical ventilation in porcine model of ARDS. Methods: Animals were divided into two groups (n = 6), conventional ventilation and variable ventilation with bi-oscillatory PEEP. For induction of ARDS, intravenous oleic acid was used until a P/F ratio of 200 to 300 mmHg. The animals were ventilated with pressure control, FiO2 1.0, inspiration-expiration ratio = 1:2, tidal volume 6 ml/kg with the initial respiratory rate adjusted to maintain an end tidal CO2 tension of 35 to 45 mmHg. Variable ventilation was characterized by the oscillation of PEEP from 5 to 10 cmH2O every 4 respiratory cycles, in convencional ventilation group PEEP was set from 5 cmH2O. Ventilatory, hemodynamic parameters, oxidative stress, antioxidant enzymes, Interleukin 8 (IL8) and 17-a (IL17a) and histological analyzes were evaluated; Results: The use of BiPEEP demonstrated improvement in lung compliance and PaO2 in relation to control. The levels of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes showed no significant difference. There was no difference in IL17a between groups. In IL8 there was a significant increase in the lung base of control in relation to BiPEEP, and a reduction in the apex of BiPEEP in relation to control. The control group showed changes in lung morphology characterized by cellular infiltrates, a thickening of the alveolar septae and atelectasis, which were attenuated in BiPEEP group; (4) Conclusions: The use of variable ventilation with bi-oscillatory level of PEEP demonstrates a potential ventilatory strategy in an experimental model of ARDS.