A cross-sectional study was conducted to gain insight into the epidemiology of canine ehrlichiosis and rickettsiosis in northern Portugal. Specific IgG antibodies to Ehrlichia canis were analysed using a commercial indirect ELISA test, and antibodies to Rickettsia conorii using a commercial IFAT. A total of 113 dogs from two different shelters were sampled, and seroprevalence values of 0.9% (95% confidence [CI]: 0.2–4.8%) for E. canis and 9.7 (95% CI: 5.5–16.6%) for R. conorii were found. Univariable models investigated risk factors for seropositivity. The odds ratios (OR) of R. conorii seropositivity were higher for female dogs (OR = 2.32; 95% CI: 1.58–3.39) and for dogs belonging to Shelter 2 (OR = 3.0; 95% CI: 2.28–3.95). Seropositive dogs for co-infection (E. canis + R. conorii) were more frequently observed in females (OR = 2.4; CI 95%: 1.66–3.47) and in Shelter 2 (OR = 2.72; 95% CI: 1.97–3.76). These findings show that shelter dogs in northern Portugal are exposed to E. canis and R. conorii, which can affect both canines and humans. It is imperative to adopt a One Health approach to educate the public about the hazards of canine zoonoses and develop legislation and procedures to control their spread and preserve public health.

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is a chronic, systemic and often severe disease. The main causative agent of CanL is a protozoan parasite, Leishmania infantum, with phlebotomine sand flies acting as vectors. In Europe and other continents, L. infantum is also responsible for leishmaniosis in other animals, such as cats, horses and humans. In Portugal, animal and human leishmanioses are endemic, and high prevalence levels of infection and disease have been reported in dogs. There is a prejudice against stray animals and also those housed in shelters, assuming they have higher levels of infection with vector-borne pathogens, including L. infantum, when compared to domestic animals. In north-eastern Portugal, serum samples were obtained from March to May 2022 in three shelters (n = 179) and 13 veterinary clinics (n = 164), resulting in 343 dogs being analysed for antibodies to Leishmania spp. by the direct agglutination test (DAT). The overall seroprevalence was 9.9%, with 15.2% seroprevalence in domestic dogs and 5.0% in the shelter ones (p = 0.003). The fact that shelter dogs had a lower seroprevalence could be explained by more regular veterinary care provided in shelters regarding preventive measures, including insecticides with an antifeeding effect, in comparison with domestic dogs.

In the wake of Portugal's pivotal shift to animal welfare legislation in 2018, where the no-kill policy for population control came into effect, animal shelters have emerged as critical sanctuaries for stray or unwanted animals. Recognising the critical role that adopter preferences play in the successful placement of shelter animals and the pressing need for shelters to expedite adoptions to liberate valuable space to accommodate more animals in need of refuge, this study seeks to investigate the intricate matrix of factors guiding adopters' choices. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed with a convenience sample of the Portuguese population to assess their preferences and opinions about pet adoption. An online questionnaire was completed by 415 participants from February to October 2021. Among participants selecting attributes for pet adoption, the top preferences were behaviour (52.8%), size (49.6%), vaccination and deworming status (44.3%), and age (36.1%). Conversely, breed (7.2%), sex (6.3%), and animal colour (5.1%) were the least prioritised. Combinations were established based on the most selected attributes. Certain participant characteristics, such as education level and pet ownership history, exhibited distinct preferences in animal attributes. Portuguese people show a marked preference for shelter adoption, prioritising behaviour, size, and health over breed and colour. This insight allows shelters to allocate resources effectively. While promising, the trend towards shelter adoption needs adaptive strategies to align with evolving adopter preferences.

In Brazil, the production of corn and soybeans has been growing significantly in recent years. Considering that the strategies for investing in the production of these crops are conditioned by production costs and risk, the objective of this article is to propose a simulation model that indicates the trend of production costs for these commodities, considering the dispersion and correlation of selected key variable prices and corn and soybean production costs practiced between the years of 2018 and 2022. Fifty specialized companies in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, provided data for this study, and Monte Carlo simulations showed that the total cost of corn production/ha is between USD 600.00 and USD 1150.00, with a level of certainty of 84.7%, and soybeans are in the range of USD 260.00 to USD 420.00, with a level of certainty of 86.4%. The model evidenced a trend of decreasing production costs for the crops for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 harvests, as the input with the greatest impact (fertilizer) is showing a downward trend. On the other hand, costs related to labor, soybean seed, and fungicides are showing an upward trend, while dolomitic limestone corrective remains stable.

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.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective and safe medical treatment that improves the lives of patients with a wide range of neurological and psychiatric diseases, and has been consolidated as a first-line tool in the last two decades. Closed loop deep brain stimulation (CLDBS) pushes this tool further by automatically adjusting the stimulation parameters to the brain response in real-time. This paper presents a CLDBS with 2 stimulation channels and 2 acquisition channels. Each channel has a low-noise amplifier (LNA) buffer in differential configuration to eliminate the DC signal component of the input. Energy management is efficiently done by the control and communication unit. The battery supports almost 9 hours with both the acquisition and stimulation circuits active. If only the stimulation circuit is used as an Open Loop DBS (OLDBS), the battery can hold sufficient voltage for 24 hours of operation. The whole system is low-cost and portable and therefore it could be used as a wearable.

Almost fifty years after the introduction of antibiotics as an antimicrobial agent, we are facing an increasing number of multi-resistant microbials. The search for new antimicrobial compounds emerged as a promising alternative to treatments for diseases caused by microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria. Thus, endophytic fungi are gaining recognition for their varied metabolites that may possess antimicrobial properties. In our research, we isolated, from Calea pinnatifida, six endophytic fungi identified as Colletotrichum siamense, Colletotrichum karstii, Hypomontagnella barbarensis, Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, Nigrospora sacchari-officinarum and Annulohypoxylon moriforme. Analyses of microbial secondary metabolites by utilizing UHPLC-HR-ESI-MS/MS in conjunction with molecular networking, allowed the annotation of 9 compounds, 5 of them from GNPS spectral library match, and 4 from prediction-based on the molecular network, and allowed the isolation of two pairs of Acyl-tetronic acid derivatives distereoisomeric identified by NMR spectrum. In this sense, the present study underlines the value of endophytic fungi as a reservoir of potentially new antimicrobial agents.

This article critically examines existing wastewater management legislation, highlighting its detrimental impact on environmental and public health. It emphasizes the urgent need for a mentality shift among water managers, advocating responsible stewardship of water resources. By promoting collaboration between regulatory bodies and scientific communities, the article seeks tailored solutions for complex challenges. It underscores the necessity of integrating technological innovation, rigorous monitoring, and public engagement for sustainable management. Additionally, it calls for the implementation of easy-to-adopt technological solutions, alongside rigorous monitoring and financial support. Ultimately, the article advocates for a paradigm shift in wastewater management policies towards accountability, innovation, and environmental sustainability. Directives governing wastewater management in Europe, particularly in Spain, have faced scrutiny due to significant shortcomings. Legislation has inadvertently facilitated untreated or poorly treated wastewater discharge, resulting in widespread pollution. Despite EU efforts, punitive measures have proven ineffective, with fines often borne by the public sector, although private sector responsibility. The lack of robust monitoring mechanisms and technical support exacerbates the situation, perpetuating a regressive mindset among water managers. Urgent reforms are needed to enforce strict discharge prohibitions, promote reuse, and provide financial and technical assistance. However, systemic barriers and entrenched mentalities pose formidable challenges to meaningful change.

This paper provides a comparative analysis of AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and Salsa20 algorithm implementations, focusing on power consumption efficiency in passive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags and ultra-low-power devices. The main objective of this work is to determine which of these algorithms is more suitable to operate in these types of devices. For this purpose, ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) implementations of AES and Salsa20 based on low-power approaches were developed and their power consumption was evaluated. Results demonstrate that Salsa20 power consumption is lower than AES (2.82μW and 4.01μW, respectively - both in 0.18μm), indicating that Salsa20 is a better choice than AES for passive RFID tags.

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.

In his best-selling book An Introduction to Probability Theory and its Applications, W. Feller established a way of ending the St. Petersburg Paradox by the introduction of an entrance fee, and provided it for the case in which the game is played with a fair coin. A natural generalization of his method is to establish the entrance fee for the case in which the probability of head is θ (0 < θ < 1/2). The deduction of those fees is the main result of Section 2. We then propose a Bayesian approach to the problem. When the probability of head is θ (1/2 < θ < 1) the expected gain of the St. Petersburg Game is finite, therefore there is no paradox. However, if one takes θ as a random variable assuming values in (1/2,1) the paradox may hold, what is counter-intuitive. On Section 3 we determine a necessary and sufficient condition for the absence of paradox on the Bayesian approach and on Section 4 we establish the entrance fee for the case in which θ is uniformly distributed in (1/2,1), for in this case there is paradox.

This study reviews how policy and agricultural laws relate to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 and 12, sustainability and rural development, in Ecuador. Policy aligns itself with goals 2 in terms of increased productivity and income (target 2,3) to interna-tional markets (targets 2b y 2c), rural infrastructure, research, agricultural extension and technological development (target 2a), agrobiodiversity and traditional knowledge (target 25). It is related with SDG 12 to sustainable production and consumption targets 12.1, 12.2 and 12a). Laws highlight public procurement, research, seeds, and efficient resource management through sustainable practices. It is concluded that policy is aligned with SDGs 2 and 12 but is necessary to establish others that surpass the emphasis on produc-tivity towards export markets that leave AFC production and achieve a transition to sus-tainable production and consumption. The study of laws indicates that it is necessary to strengthen local governance for food sovereignty, including the peasant sectors within the framework of existing laws with participation in spaces of debate and formulation of ac-tions.

The only solution to avoid pollution due to sewage is to treat the effluent and reuse water and sludge at the wastewater production site. This makes it necessary to install treatment plants distributed along the sewer system to prevent the movement of effluents with the consequent losses to the aquifer. This new management is called decentralized wastewater treatment. To make this change possible, it is necessary to develop treatment plants that do not represent a health hazard for citizens, eliminating the nuisance caused by traditional plants. These plants need to be robust, operate autonomously, have reduced maintenance and exhaustive control of each process, where each cubic meter of effluent is perfectly controlled, avoiding losses to the aquifer or discharges that may occur due to deficiencies in their purification capacity; constantly producing water and sludge, which are directly reusable with all the health and environmental guarantees regardless of variations in inlet effluent or environmental conditions. This article presents a paradigmatic case of a decentralized solution with conditions of maximum complexity that has been solved efficiently, saving around 98% of the initial investment, completely avoiding wastewater discharges into the environment and reusing 100% of the treated water, in 14 years of operation.

This study examines the recovery efforts at Gran Tarajal Harbor following a significant oil spill, employing innovative technologies. Initial response efforts were hampered by inadequate contingency plans and bureaucratic delays, underscoring the need for improved preparedness. Cleanup operations utilized advanced methods such as enhanced absorbent sponges, absorbent granulates, bioremediation with allochthonous species, and a combination of barriers and sponges. These technologies proved effective in minimizing environmental impact, reducing hydrocarbon concentrations in sediments from nearly 60,000 mg/kg to less than 1,600 mg/kg in seven months. Heavy metal analysis revealed lead and copper concentrations associated as well as with routine port activities, while mercury levels linked to the spill decreased over time. Tissue analysis indicated minimal contamination in local organisms, suggesting limited impact from the spill, and evaluation of the biological communities in sediments suggest an ecological recovery. Study underscores the importance of rapid response, advanced technologies, and detailed contingency plans tailored to each port. Despite the successful cleanup and ecosystem recovery, political and bureaucratic challenges remain significant obstacles to implementing these improved methods. The findings advocate for a re-evaluation of current oil spill response protocols to incorporate more effective, sustainable, and cost-efficient technologies, aligning with the principles of a circular economy.

This study develops a structure for mapping native vegetation in a transition area between Brazilian Cerrado and Atlantic Forest from integrated spatial information from the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellites. Most studies use this data separately, however, the integrated use of optical sensors with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors can improve the methodology for classifying land use and land cover (LULC). The fusion of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2, for example, can increase the accuracy of mapping algorithms, using complementary information, such as spectral, backscattering, polarimetry, and interferometry. The study area comprises the Lobo Reservoir Hydrographic Basin, which is part of an environmental conservation unit protected by Brazilian law and with significant human development. LULC were classified, using the random forest deep learning algorithm. The classifying attributes were backscatter coefficients, polarimetric decomposition, and interferometric coherence for radar data (Sentinel-1), and optical spectral data, comprising bands in the red edge, near infrared, and shortwave infrared (Sentinel-2). The attributes were evaluated in three settings in which the SAR and optical data were evaluated separately (C1 and C2, respectively) and in an integrated manner (C3). The study found greater accuracy for C3 (96.54%), an improvement of nearly 2% compared to C2 (94.78%) and more than 40% in relation to C1 (55.73%). The classification algorithm encountered significant challenges in identifying wetlandsin C1, but performance improved in C3, enhancing differentiation by stratifying a greater number of classes during training and facilitating visual interpretation during sampling. Accordingly, the use of SAR and optical data becomes an alternative to optimize LULC mapping in tropical regions, due to the limited influence of atmosphere on images in the microwave range.

Our aim was to determine the secondary antibody deficiency profiles of patients in a mesoregion of São Paulo state, Brazil, focusing on infectious diseases. Demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory data were obtained from electronic files; infections were classified as organ-specific and graded as mild, moderate, life-threatening, and fatal. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) accounted for 30% of patients, nephrotic syndrome (NS) 25%; chronic lymphocyte leukemia 20%, and multiple myeloma 15%. Patients with NS were younger than those in other groups, and hypo-γ-globulinemia was detected in 94.1%, IgG <400 mg/dL in 60.0%, IgA <40 mg/dL in 55.0%, and CD19 <20 cells/mm³ in 30.0%. One hundred and one infections were found; 82.1% were classified as mild or moderate, 7.9% as life-threatening, and 1.9% as fatal. Respiratory tract infections were more prevalent (41.5%), and pneumonia accounted for 19.8%. Lower levels of infections were found in patients with NS compared with NHL (P=0.0001). Most patients progressed to hypo-γ-globulinemia and secondary antibody deficiency after treatment with immunosuppressants, and mild and moderate infections were predominant. These therapies are increasing in patients with different diseases, therefore monitoring hypo-γ-globulinemia and infections may help to identify patients at high risk for severe complications, antibiotic prophylaxis or treatment, and immunoglobulin replacement

Count data analysis presents unique challenges due to its discrete nature, often exhibiting excessive zeros and overdispersion. To address these complexities, count models, such as Poisson regression and Negative Binomial regression, have been developed, enabling modeling and prediction of count-based phenomena. Additionally, it’s important to notice that zero inflation, a phenomenon commonly observed in count data, requires specialized techniques for robust analysis. This article provides an overview of count data and count models, explores zero inflation, introduces Likelihood Ratio Tests, and explains how the Vuong Test can be used as a model selection criteria. Furthermore, we created a Vuong Test implementation from scratch using the Python programming language. This implementation enhances the accessibility and applicability of the Vuong Test in real-world scenarios, providing a valuable contribution to the academic community, since Python didn’t have an implementation of this statistical test.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a notable arbovirus with maternal, sexual, and TORCH-related transmission capabilities. After 2015, Brazil had the highest number of ZIVK-infected pregnant women who lost their babies or delivered them with Congenital ZIKV Syndrome (CZS). ZIKV infection has been linked to variations in endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) and interleukins within the placenta. ERVs, remnants of ancient viral infections integrated into the genome, include syncytin receptors crucial for placental development. Interleukins, immune response regulators, aid immune tolerance and support syncytial structure development in the placenta, where syncytin receptors facilitate vital cell-to-cell fusion events. Since ZIKV can infect trophoblast cells, we investigated the relationship between ZIKV infections and ERV and interleukin modulations. Investigating the impact of ZIKV on trophoblast cells, we examined two cell types (BeWo and HTR8) infected with ZIKV-MR766 (African) and ZIKV-IEC-Paraíba (Asia-Brazilian) using Taqman and RT2 Profiler PCR Array assays. While early ZIKV infection (24-48 hours) did not induce differential ERV and interleukin expression, future studies involving additional trophoblastic cell lineages and extended infection timelines will illuminate the dynamic interplay between ZIKV, HERVs, interleukins, and cytokines essential for placental formation and function.

Endometrial cancer (EC) poses a significant global health challenge, with increasing prevalence in 26 of 43 countries and over 13,000 deaths projected in the United States by 2024. This rise correlates with aging populations, the obesity epidemic, and changing reproductive patterns, including delayed childbearing. Despite the early diagnosis in 67% of cases, approximately 30% of cases present with regional or distant spread, leading to nearly 20% mortality rates. Unlike many cancers, EC mortality rates are escalating, outpacing therapeutic advancements until recently. One of the reasons for this was the lack of effective therapeutic options for advanced disease until recently. The introduction of immunotherapy has marked a turning point in EC treatment, particularly benefiting patients with defects in mismatch repair proteins (dMMRs). However, dMMR status alone does not ensure a favorable response, underscoring the need for precise patient selection. This review explores the pivotal role of mismatch repair proteins in EC, emphasizing their heterogeneity, the challenges in their assessment, and their potential as predictive biomarkers.

The study evaluated the regenerative responses of the lacrimal functional unit (LFU) after Lacrimal Gland (LG) ablation. The LG of Wistar rats were submitted to G1) partial LG ablation, G2) partial ablation and transplantation of an allogeneic LG, or G3) total LG ablation, (n=7-10/group). The eye wipe test, slit-lamp image, tear flow, and histology were evaluated. RT-PCR analyzed inflammatory and proliferation mediators. The findings were compared to naïve controls after 1 and 2 months (M1 and M2). G3 presented increased corneal sensitivity, and the 03 groups have shown corneal neovascularization. Histology revealed changes in LG, and corneal inflammation. In the LG, there was an increase in MMP-9 mRNA of G1 and G2 at M1 and M2 and RUNX-1 at M1 and M2 in G1 and RUNX-3 mRNA at M1 in G1, and in G2 at M2. TNF-α mRNA rose in the corneas of G1 and G2 at M2. There was an increase in the IL-1β mRNA in the Trigeminal Ganglion of G1 at M1. Without changes in tear flow or evidence of LG regeneration, LG ablation or grafting are unreliable models for dry eye or LG repair in rats. The surgical manipulation extended inflammation to the LFU.

This comprehensive overview of the historical milestones in cell culture underscores key breakthroughs that have shaped the field over time. It begins with Wilhelm Roux's seminal experiments in the 1880s, followed by the pioneering efforts of Ross Granville Harrison, who initiated groundbreaking experiments that fundamentally shaped the landscape of cell culture in the early 20th century. Carrel's influential contributions, notably the immortalization of chicken heart cells, mark a significant advancement in cell culture techniques. Holtfreter, Moscona, and Leighton introduced innovations such as 3D cell culture, laying the groundwork for further exploration. The advent of induced pluripotent stem cells by Takahashi and Yamanaka in 2006 was revolutionary, enabling the reprogramming of differentiated cells into a pluripotent state. Since then, recent innovations include spheroids, organoids, and organ-on-a-chip technologies, aiming to mimic the structure and function of tissues and organs in vitro, pushing the boundaries of biological modeling and disease understanding. In this review, we overview the history of cell culture shedding light on the main discoveries, pitfalls and hurdles that were overcome during the transition from 2D to 3D cell culture techniques. Finally, we discussed the future directions for cell culture research that may accelerate the development of more effective and personalized treatments.

The Atmospheric Dynamics Mission ADM-Aeolus was successfully launched in August 2018 by the European Space Agency (ESA). The Aeolus mission carried a single instrument, the first-ever Doppler Wind Lidar (DWL) in space, called Atmospheric LAser Doppler INstrument (ALADIN). Aeolus circled the Earth in a polar sun-synchronous orbit at about 320 km altitude with a repeat cycle of 7 days, providing vertical profiles of horizontal line-of-sight (HLOS) winds on a global scale. Exceeding scientific expectations, Aeolus, initially designed for a 3-year lifetime, provided global coverage of wind profiles for almost five years. In this long-term validation study, we assessed the accuracy of the Level 2B (L2B) Rayleigh-clear and Mie-cloudy wind products by collecting radiosonde data from three stations in the Brazilian Amazon: Cruzeiro do Sul (7.62° S, 72.67° W), Porto Velho (8.76° S, 63.91° W), and Rio Branco (10.00° S, 67.80° W). Statistical validation was conducted by comparing Aeolus L2B wind products and radiosonde data, launched daily at 12:00 UTC from October 2018 to March 2023. Considering all data collected during the mission period, Pearson’s coefficient (R) of 0.73 was observed in Rayleigh-clear and 0.85 in Mie-cloudy, revealing a strong correlation between Aeolus and radiosonde winds. No significant biases were detected, with values of -0.14 m/s for Rayleigh-clear and -0.40 m/s for Mie-cloud, fulfilling the mission requirement of having absolute biases below 0.7 m/s. However, when analyzed annually, in 2022, the bias for Rayleigh-clear was -0.95 m/s, exceeding the mission requirements.

Uterine tube extracellular matrix is a key component that regulates tubal tissue physiology, and it has a region-specific structural distribution, which are directly associated to their functions. Considering this, application of biological matrices in culture systems is an interesting strategy to develop biomimetic tubal microenvironments and enhance their complexity. However, there are no established protocols to produce tubal biological matrices that consider the organ morphophysiology for such applications. Therefore, this study aimed to establish region-specific protocols to obtain decellularized scaffolds derived from porcine infundibulum, ampulla, and isthmus to provide suitable sources of biomaterials for tissue-engineering approaches. Porcine uterine tubes were decellularized in solutions of 0.1% SDS and 0.5% Triton X-100. Decellularization efficiency was evaluated by DAPI staining and DNA quantification. We analyzed ECM composition and structure by optical and scanning electronic microscopy, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. DNA and DAPI assays validated the decellularization, presenting significative reduction of cellular content. Structural and spectroscopy analyses revealed that produced scaffolds remained well structured and with ECM composition preserved. YS and HEK293 cells were used to attest cytocompatibility, allowing cell survival and successful interaction with the scaffolds. These results suggest that such matrices are applicable for future biotechnological approaches in the reproductive field.

The late diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus can occur due to lack of access to the primary health care system and the non-manifestation of symptoms. Faced with this problem, this work presents the creation of a mobile application, called DiabetesCheck, for predicting the risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. A mathematical model is used, which classifies the risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus for a group of patients with intervention and for a comparative group, using Fuzzy Classification and Decision Trees. The proposed application allows the health professional to monitor patients through the history stored in a database, allowing a representation of the evolution of patients and indication of medications. Therefore, this proposal aims to carry out the diagnosis in the initial phase of the disease and help in the prescription of more effective treatments and in the proposition of public policy strategies in epidemiology and screening.

Background: Here, we investigated the inflammaging and physical performance in older adults before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Women(n=18) and men(n=7) older were evaluated before the COVID-19 pandemic(PRE), 12 months after the lockdown(POST), and 10 months after resuming exercise training(POS-TR). Physical tests [gait speed(GS) and timed-up-and-go(TUG)]; muscle strength (handgrip-HG), and serum cytokine levels were assessed. Results: The older women showed higher GS and TUG at POST than PRE and POST-TR, besides lower HG at POST-TR than PRE, whereas older men exhibited lower HG at POST and POST-TR than PRE. Both groups presented (1)lower IL-10 and IL-12p70 values in contrast to higher IL-6/IL-10 and IL-8/IL-10 ratios at POST than PRE; (2)higher IL-10 values and lower IL-8/IL-10 ratio at POST-TR than POST; (3)higher IL-12p70/IL-10 ratio at POST-TR than PRE and POST. Particularly older women showed: (4)lower IL-6 values at POST and POST-TR than PRE; (5)lower IL-8 and IL-10 values at POST-TR than POST; (6)and higher TNF-α/IL-10 and IFN-γ/IL-10 ratios at POST than PRE and POST-TR. Significant correlations between the variables were found in both groups. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, detraining and resumption of exercise training promoted distinct alterations in physical capacity and inflammaging among older women and older men population.

This study investigated the effects of fish oil (FO) treatment, particularly enriched with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), on obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. The investigation focused on elucidating the impact of FO on epigenetic modifications in white adipose tissue (WAT) and the involvement of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). C57BL/6j mice were submitted to a control diet or a HFD for 16 weeks, treated (or not) with FO for the last 8 weeks. WAT was removed for RNA and protein extraction, while ASCs were isolated, cultured, and treated with Leptin. All samples were analyzed using functional genomics tools, including PCR-array, RT-PCR and Western Blot assays. Mice receiving HFD displayed increased body mass, fat accumulation, and altered gene expression associated with WAT inflammation and dysfunction. FO supplementation attenuated these effects, a potential protective role against HFD-induced obesity. Analysis of H3K27 revealed HFD-induced changes in histone, which were partially reversed by FO treatment. The study further explored leptin signaling in ASCs, suggesting a potential mechanism for ASC dysfunction in the leptin-rich environment of obese WAT. Overall, FO supplementation demonstrated efficacy in mitigating HFD-induced obesity, influencing epigenetic and molecular pathways, and shedding light on the role of ASCs and leptin signaling in WAT dysfunction associated with obesity.

Early weaning management followed by energy supplementation can lead to metabolic alterations in the calf that exert long-term effects on the animal’s health and performance. It is believed that the main molecular basis underlying these metabolic adaptations are epigenetic mechanisms that regulate, activate, or silence genes at different stages of development and/or in response to different environmental stimuli. However, little is known about postnatal metabolic programming in Bos indicus. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the DNA methylation profile of Nellore animals submitted to conventional and early weaning and to correlate the findings with genes differentially expressed in Longissimus thoracis skeletal muscle of Bos indicus cattle. A total of 481 differentially methylated regions were identified, with 52% (250) being hypermethylated and 48% (231) hypomethylated. Functional enrichment analysis of 53 differentially methylated and differentially expressed genes was performed. The main enriched terms and pathways were associated with 3’-5’-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling which present the upregulated adenylate cyclase 3 (ADCY3) gene and significatively hypomethylated in promoter region. Alterations in cAMP signaling are involved in numerous processes, many of them related to lipid metabolism. The relative differential expression of key genes of this pathway demonstrates the relationship between cAMP signaling and de novo lipogenesis. These findings suggest an important role of postnatal metabolic programming through DNA methylation mechanisms in determining fat deposition in beef.

Plants support numerous microorganisms within their tissues and the rhizosphere, and these microorganisms, known as the microbiota, can influence plant growth and health. Up to 40% of a plant's photosynthetic metabolism may be invested in the rhizosphere. The microbiota is considered an extra genome that can be modulated to meet plant needs. Researchers have identified a set of genes from these microorganisms, known as the microbiome, which can be manipulated to enhance plant growth and health, improve nutrient absorption, reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, increase resistance to pathogens and pests, and increase stress tolerance. In particular, fungi exhibit large genetic and metabolic diversity and are often used to promote plant growth. For example, the fungus Purpureocillum lilacinum has been employed primarily as a biocontrol agent to manage nematodes, but some studies have suggested that it may also promote plant growth by increasing the efficiency of the plant to absorb nutrients from the soil and provide phytohormones to plants. Therefore, the current review aims to summarize the existing literature on the use of this fungus in agriculture as nematodes control and discuss its potential as a plant growth promoter.

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

The global craft beer market is witnessing substantial growth, with a particular spotlight on sour beers. These unique brews are created through lactic fermentation initiated by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). However, the presence of hops, renowned for their antimicrobial properties, can pose a limitation within the realm of sour beer production. This research aims to explore and assess the potential of sour beer as a probiotic beverage. It involves a comparative analysis of the viability of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei F19 (F19) and 431 (L431) in a sour beer with an International Bitterness Unit (IBU) value of 26.65, alongside examining the ex-pression of genes such as horA, horB, horC, hitA, bsrA, and recA, which are associated with hop resistance. The study encompasses the development of two formulations of sour beers characterized by both high hop content and a robust probiotic count (8.44 – 8.77 log CFU/mL). The findings suggest that both probiotic strains of F19 and L431, are well-suited to produce sour beers with elevated hop levels, demonstrating excellent stability. Notably, the expression of genes responsible for hops resistance exhibited distinct modulation patterns among the two strains. It appears that a higher concentration of bsrA, as observed in strain L431, may be more effective in mitigating the effects of hop-related stress, potentially surpassing the combined expression of horA and bsrA. Nonetheless, further research is essential to validate this observation in gene expression. F19 and L431 emerge as promising candidates for the development of sour beers with increased hop intensity.

Hypertensive diseases of pregnancy (HDP) represent a global clinical challenge, affecting 5-10% of women and leading to complications for both maternal well-being and fetal development. At the heart of these complications is endothelial dysfunction, with oxidative stress emerging as a pivotal causative factor. The reduction in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability is a vital indicator of this dysfunction, culminating in blood pressure dysregulation. In the therapeutic context, although antihypertensive medications are commonly used, they come with inherent concerns related to maternal-fetal safety, and a percentage of women do not respond to these therapies. Therefore, alternative strategies that directly address the pathophysiology of HDP are required. This article focuses on the potential of the nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway, abundantly present in dark leafy greens and beetroot, as an alternative approach to treating HDP. The objective of this review is to discuss the prospective antioxidant role of nitrate. We hope our discussion paves the way for using nitrate to improve endothelial dysfunction and control oxidative stress, offering a potential therapy for managing HDP.

Freezing of Gait (FoG) is a disabling motor complication in Parkinson’s disease (PD), affecting approximately 50% of advanced PD patients. It is characterized by sudden and transient inability to initiate or maintain walking, leading to falls and reduced quality of life. This study investigates the relationship between white matter integrity and step initiation impairments in FoG. Forty-three PD patients (26 with FoG) underwent diffusion-weighted imaging to assess white matter DTI metrics and kinematic analysis during step initiation tasks. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore the connection between white matter tract integrity and step initiation behavior. The multiple regression analysis shows that (1) Right Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus RD explained 31% of APA duration’s variance; (2) Corpus Callosum Forceps Major explained 25% of the step length's variance. There was a positive correlation between the Right Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus RD and APA duration and a negative correlation between Corpus Callosum Forceps Major RD and step length. The findings suggest that compromised white matter integrity in RILF and CC contributes to impaired motor control during step initiation in FoG. These regions are critical for inhibitory control and interhemispheric coordination, crucial for APA execution and step length regulation.

Several Lung diseases can result in lung damage structural changes, with lung transplantation as a only therapeutic option when the disease reaches an advanced progression, unfortunately, the success of lung transplantation is limited. In this context, lung bioengineering is considered a potential therapeutic alternative and the current approach is based on the use of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) of the decellularized lung. The use of undifferentiated cells to seed an ECM can be a more practical strategy for lung bioengineering but the sterilization of the organ for this recellularization process is still a challenge. In this sense, Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) can emerge as a potential treatment alternative. Therefore, the objective of this study was to verify if LLLT, can optimize lung recelularization with mesenchymal stem cells by cytokine modulation. For this, we decellularized lungs from C57BL/6 mice perfusing SDS 1% via pulmonary artery, sterilized with LLL (660nm, 100mW, 30s). Whole lung scaffolds were recellularized: (1) Recellularized Lung (2) Recellularized Lung + LLLT. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human tooth pulp (DPSc) were seeded into lungs and incubated for 24 hours at 37ºC, 5% CO₂, in a bioreactor-like conditions, maintaining CPAP at 20cmH2O, 90% O2, and LLL at wavelength of 808nm, 100mW, 30s. Culture medium were analyzed at 24 hours. H&amp;E, immunostaining, SEM and ELISA assay were performed. We produced viable biological scaffolds absent of DNA content, preserving glycosaminoglycans and collagen I, III and IV, fibronectin, laminin and elastin and lung structure (SEM). The levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were stable during the 24 hours of culture. IFN-γ levels showed significant difference in the DPSc and DPSc+LLLT group in the 24-hour evaluation. The levels of IL-10 decreased after LLLT. These findings highlight LLLT's role in cytokine regulation and contamination prevention during lung recellularization with mesenchymal stem cells. Overall, these results demonstrated that LLLT's modulated cytokine levels and could prevent contamination during the lung recellularization process with mesenchymal stem cells, offering promise for enhanced therapeutic strategies in lung bioengineering.

The access to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is contingent upon physician referrals, yet these are often inadequate, particularly in low-resource settings. This multi-method study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Portuguese version of the Provider Attitudes toward CR and Referral (PACRR-P) scale, as well as to identify key factors influencing CR referral in a Latin American context for the first time. The PACRR was translated into Brazilian-Portuguese through a rigorous process involving independent translation, back-translation, and expert panel review to ensure face, content, and cross-cultural validity. A total of 44 Brazilian physicians completed the questionnaire, allowing for an assessment of internal consistency, criterion validity, and convergent validity. The findings confirmed the face, content, and cultural validity of the 20 translated items, with a mean item clarity rating of 4.8/5. The final version included 17 of the original 19 PACRR-P items, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.73. Referral rates were significantly associated with specific PACRR-P items, supporting the scale's criterion validity, while correlations with ReCaRe scores further supported convergent validity. The most prominent barriers to referral were a lack of familiarity with CR site locations, absence of a standard referral form, and lack of automatic referral processes. The PACRR's validity and reliability among Portuguese-speaking providers are preliminarily supported.

Social distancing policies put in place during COVID-19 epidemic in addition to helping to limit the spread of the disease also contributed to improving urban air quality. Here we show a decrease in air pollutant concentration as a consequence of mobility reduction in São Paulo during the containment measure which began on 22^nd March 2020. When comparing to foregoing weeks to equivalent periods of 2019, the concentration of most air pollutants sharply decreased in the first days of mobility restriction, to then increase again after government officials downplayed the threat of the disease. This trend is also followed by a decrease in hospital admissions by SARS-influenza. Therefore, despite the great economic and social unrest caused by the pandemic, this unique situation shows that large-scale mobility reduction policy had a significant impact on air quality, benefiting, directly and indirectly, the public health system.

Studies carried out have revealed that every day around three thousand and twelve people lose their lives in the world due to traffic accidents and poor air quality. Large cities, with their millions of inhabitants and vehicles, face many problems relating to vehicular traffic. In 2015 the speed limit was modified on several roads in the city of São Paulo-Brazil. However, in 2017 the speed limits were increased again, but not on all previous routes. This study analyzed the impact of this change on the number of accidents and pollutant concentrations, over a period of ten years, comparing the periods before and after the implementation of the measure, using real data collected and provided by the authorities of the city and the state transit and environmental companies, on more than forty routes and two nearby air quality stations. The results show a clear reduction in the number of accidents without victims on the roads of the city of São Paulo starting in 2010. However, the restrictive measures imposed by government officials may have contributed to the decrease in the number of accidents, but the number of fatalities has not changed much. Air pollution has not improved substantially with speed changes, as new speed increases have been linked to new episodes of congestion. The average number of fatalities due to accidents has been increasing since 2010 and accidents are becoming more serious. The application of a general linear statistical model (GLM) estimated the impact of the speed reduction policy in terms of the number of injuries avoided per month: 43.4 and 14.1 on other roads and on Pinheiros marginal, respectively. The results highlight the need for a constant data collection by the authorities in cities with high vehicle traffic. The important temporal time trend in terms of reduction of injuries but not in terms of fatalities and air quality, shows the need to apply joint public policies, not only speed reduction, but also the use of new technologies and raising drivers’ awareness of the problem.

Leishmaniasis are neglected diseases that affect regions such as South Asia, South Africa and Latin America, less developed regions. Current treatment, for cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniosis, which are the main forms of the disease, is based on the administration of pentavalent antimonial and amphotericin B. However, these drugs have low efficacy and high toxicity. For this reason, the search for new treatments for this disease is necessary, based on studies of new molecules and their conformations. The research proposed the conformational study of brominated guanidine compounds with potential antileishmanial activity using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The present study involves the bro-minated molecules, LQOF-G2, LQOF-G30, LQOF-G35 and LQOF-G35-Br. The later was synthesized by the reaction of LQOF-G35 with NBS under IR irradiation at 120 Watts of potency and dichloro-methane as solvent by 12-h of exposition. The obtained results demonstrated the efficiency of the bromination method, since two bromines atoms entered the molecule. Furthermore, NMR analysis showed the occurrence of a conformational change from Z to E when compound LQOF-G35 was brominated to LQOF-G35-Br. This feature was well confirmed by comparative DRX study of the LQOF-G35 and LQOF-G35-Br compounds. The antileishmanial activity of LQOF-G2 e LQOF-G35 motivated the synthesis of new brominated compounds LQOF-G30 e LQOF-G35-Br.

Rutin, a flavonoid compound found in various plants, has gained attention for its potential applications in the cosmetic industry due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential photoprotective properties. Our review explored the use of rutin (rutoside, 3-O-rutinoside-quercetin) in cosmetics/dermocosmetics, focusing on its physicochemical properties and stability, cutaneous permeability, and efficacy in sunscreen systems, involving in vitro tests and the current state of clinical trials. Rutin's ability to scavenge free radicals, prevent peroxidation, and reduce vascular fragility makes this flavonoid a promising ingredient for photoprotection. Studies have shown that rutin can enhance the sun protection factor (SPF) of sunscreen formulations, especially when combined with organic UV filters. The encapsulation of rutin in nanostructures has also been investigated to improve its applicability. Overall, rutin shows potential as a safe and effective ingredient in cosmetic/dermocosmetic formulations, offering protection against the harmful effects of UV radiation and oxidative stress on the skin.

Background: The management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) focuses on dietary interventions, physical activity, and pharmacological therapy. Strategies that enhance adherence to the diet could play a pivotal role in managing this population. Objective: To compare the effectiveness of outpatient nutritional guidance supplemented by digital media with exclusively standard outpatient nutritional guidance in pregnant women with GDM. Methods: This was a randomized, patient-blinded clinical trial conducted at the Diabetes and Pregnancy outpatient clinic from February 2021 to January 2023. Pregnant women with GDM were randomly allocated into two groups: the Control Group (CG) received exclusively outpatient nutritional guidance, and the Intervention Group (IG) received outpatient nutritional guidance along with reminders via WhatsApp. Dietary intake (calories, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and fibers) was evaluated using 24-hour dietary recalls (24HR). Glycemic control and the need for pharmacological treatment were also assessed. Mann-Whitney tests were applied to numerical variables, and Fisher's exact test or Chi-square tests were used for categorical variables. Results: 81 women were included, 34 allocated to the CG, and 47 to the IG. Patients were followed for a period of 4 to 8 weeks. Few differences were observed in glycemic control between the two groups over the follow-up period. There were no statistical differences in pharmacological therapy (p=0.498); 188 24HR were conducted in the CG and 290 in the IG. A statistically significant increase in lipid intake was observed in the IG over the follow-up period compared to the CG (p

Background; Cell-released extracellular vesicles (EVs) acting as 'metabolically and proteolytically active machines,' show potential in metabolomic and proteomic analysis of serum EVs. Despite diverse challenges, post-isolation omics characterization EVs offers crucial insights for effective analysis; (2) Methods: The research, involved children with Congenital Zika Syndrome, utilizing mass spectrometry for proteomics and GC-MS for metabolite identification. Vesicles were isolated using Izon qEV columns, quantified, and characterized by NTA and TEM. Data analysis employed Cytoescape/String and MetaboAnalyst, revealing variations in metabolic and proteomic profiles among groups through PCA and volcano plots. Proteins and Metabolite set enrichment analysis provided biologically meaningful patterns to enriched metabolites; (3) Results: Using molecular exclusion chromatography, the EVs were characterized, revealing size variations. Protein analysis identified 13 significantly altered proteins, including upregulated (e.g., AOM8Q6 - IGLC7) and downregulated (e.g., Q8TD86 - CALML6) ones. Metabolite analysis indicated involvement in the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway and suggested a role in Angiotensin inhibition in CZS+. Upstream of mTOR, Akt is the central signaling molecule in the PI3K pathway and plays critical roles in brain development as well as synaptic plasticity important for Zika Virus. The study provides insights into molecular mechanisms associated with CZS; (4) Conclusions: The study pinpointed valuable possible biomarkers, specifically proteins and metabolites, in Zika virus (ZIKV) infection. It stresses the necessity for broader investigations with advanced techniques to uncover molecular targets, potentially advancing pharmacological strategies.

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

We are experiencing an unprecedented urbanization process that alongside with physical, social and economic developments is having a significant impact on population’s health. Due to higher apprehensions of pollution, violence and poverty, our modern cities no longer ensure a good quality of life so they become unhealthy environments. This study aims to measure the socio-environmental and hematologic profile of residents of Santo André’s landfill – “Bairro Espírito Santo” by using the contextualization of the studied area. The research method is Observational type and from Retrospective cohort and by convenience sampling in Santo André in the Greater ABC region. The study determined a socio environmental profile and the hematologic diseases screening related to a close location to the landfill. The disease manifests itself within a broad spectrum of symptoms that causes changes in blood count parameters. The full blood counts analysis was performed, indicating that the blood counts of residents living near the landfill led to positive hematological changes and diseases like Leukopenia, Anemia, Neutropenia and lymphocytosis were the most common changes. However it is considered that the proof of the relation of cause- effect to environmental exposures that may trigger chronic manifestations in humans requires specific studies that are often complicated.

Pharmacological treatment is not very effective for neuropathic pain (NP). A progressive decrease in the estimated effect of NP drugs has been reported, giving rise to an increase in the use of the multimodal analgesic approach. We performed a new, independent review to assess whether more evidence and of better-quality has become available since the last systematic review. We evaluated the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of double-blinded, randomized, controlled trials involving only adult participants and comparing combination therapy (CT: ≥ 2 drugs) to a placebo and/or at least one other comparator with an NP indication. The primary outcome assessed was the proportion of participants reporting ≥50% pain reductions from baseline. The secondary outcome assessed was the proportion of drop-outs due to treatment-emergent adverse events. After removing duplicates, 2323 citations were screened, with 164 articles assessed for eligibility, from which 16 were included for qualitative analysis. From the latter, only five lasted for at least 12 weeks and only six complied with the required data for complete analysis. CT has been adopted for years without robust evidence. Efforts have been made to achieve better-quality evidence, but the quality has not improved over the years. In this regard, guidelines for NP should attempt to make recommendations about CT research, prioritizing which combinations to analyze.

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is key to the success of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Clostridium sp. often occurs in MFC anode communities, but its ability to perform EET remains controversial. We have employed Clostridium pasteurianum DSM 525 as biocatalyst in a glycerol-fed MFC, designated MFC_DSM. We have also followed the EET of this biocatalyst in the presence of a mediator, namely soluble neutral red (NR), soluble methyl viologen (MV), neutral red film (FNR), or methyl viologen film (FMV). MFC_DSM provided power and current densities (j) of 0.39 mW.cm^-2 and 2.47 mA.cm^-2, respectively, which evidenced that the biocatalyst performs direct electron transfer (DET). Introducing 150.0 µM NR or MV into the MFC_DSM improved the current density by 7.0- and 3.7-fold (17.05 and 8.45 mA.cm^-2), respectively. After 20 cyclic voltammetry (CV) cycles, the presence of FNR in the MFC_DSM anodic chamber provided almost twofold higher current density (30.76 µA.cm^-2) compared the presence of NR in the MFC_DSM. Introducing MV or FMV into the MFC_DSM anodic chamber gave practically the same current density after 10 CV cycles. The MFC_DSM anodic electrode might interact with FMV weakly than with FNR, so FNR is more promising to enhance C. pasteurianum DSM 525 EET within MFC_DSM.

Students with disabilities are often framed as “the problem” and have limited opportunities to engage in standards based mathematics, leading to persistent underachievement. In this paper, we investigate a research divide between mathematics educational research for students with and without disabilities, a divide with significant differences in the theoretical orientations and research methodologies used to understand learners. Based on an analysis of 149 mathematics educational research articles published between 2013 and 2015, we found significant differences between articles focused on learners with and without disabilities. For those with disabilities, mathematical problem solving was understood primarily from behavioral and information processing theoretical perspectives, while for those without disabilities, problem solving was understood primarily through constructivist and sociocultural perspectives. While 86% of research on problem-solving including students with disabilities was quantitative, only 35% of research on students without disabilities was quantitative. Fifty percent of problem-solving research on students without disabilities was qualitative, compared to only 6% of research on students with disabilities. Problem solving, then, is studied in very different ways for learners with and without disabilities. Students without disabilities are studied through close analysis of learning, often individual. Students with disabilities are most often studied quantitatively, in groups, with little analysis of individual thinking. By offering only a limited range of methods and theoretical orientations, this research divide reifies deficit constructions of students with disabilities.

(1) Agricultural production is one of the most important, fundamental and resilient sectors. The excessive and incorrect use of agricultural pesticides has caused environmental pollution, with final destination in aquatic environments. Once in the aquatic environment, the decontamination process aimed at removing the pesticide is not always a simple task. There are expensive and low-efficiency procedures in the literature. In this sense, it is necessary to develop low-cost, sustainable procedures with high remediation capacity. Among the widely used agricultural pesticides, glyphosate stands out for weed control, which according to the World Health Organization (WHO) is potentially carcinogenic in humans. (2) In this context, a nanocellulose-based biopolymer was developed to recover glyphosate from aquatic environments. Different methodologies have been developed, the most interesting being membrane immersion in aquatic systems. The analytical technique for quantifying glyphosate was molecular spectrophotometry in the ultraviolet – visible range (UV-VIS); (3) Nanocellulose showed a value of 4.7 mg of Glyphosate per g of nanocellulose, and organomodified nanocellulose showed the removal of 6.1 mg of Glyphosate per g of nanocellulose, evaluated in pseudo-first order kinetic models; (4) The biomaterial has a sustainable and renewable origin and has potential for contaminant removal and can be applied to contaminated aquatic systems.

Beans are the most widely used protein source in the world and their productivity is directly linked to nitrogen (N). The short crop cycle imposes the need for fast methodologies for N quantification. In this work, we evaluated the performance of four machine learning algorithms in nitrogen prediction using NIR spectroscopy. Increasing doses of nitrogen were applied to the plants and leaf reflectance was collected. Weka software was used to test the algorithms. The selection of the most effective spectral zones was made with the VIP. Considering predictions with the whole NIR, the best results were achieved with RF (R2 = 0,84 and RMSE = 2,69 g kg-1) and KNN (R2 = 0,77 and RMSE = 3,86 g kg-1). The intervals of 700-740 nm and 983-995 nm were considered the most important for the study of N. More efficient predictions were verified when only spectral regions screened by VIP were included, increasing the accuracy of the RF, KNN and M5 models by 6%, 4% and 8%, respectively. The efficiency of N prediction based on NIR reflectance combined with machine learning was verified. This approach can optimize the management of nitrogen fertilization, serving as an important tool in precision agriculture.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is currently treated with bacterial L-Asparaginase; however, its side effects bring up the special need for improved and efficient novel enzymes development. Previously, we obtained low anti-asparaginase antibody production and high serum enzyme half-life in mice with the P40S/S206C mutant; however, its specific activity was significantly reduced. Thus, our aim was to test single mutants, S206C and P40S, for in vitro and in vivo assays. Our results showed that the drop in specific activity was caused by P40S substitution. Besides, our single mutants were highly stable in biological environment simulation, unlike double mutant P40S/S206C. The in vitro cell viability assay demonstrated that mutant enzymes have higher cytotoxic effect than WT on T-cells derived ALL and on some solid cancer cell lines. The in vivo assays were performed in mice to identify toxicological effects, to evoke immunological response and to study the enzymes pharmacokinetics. From these tests, none of the enzymes was toxic; however, S206C evoked lower physiological changes and immune responses. In relation to pharmacokinetic profile, S206C has two-fold higher activity than WT and P40S two hours after injection. In conclusion, we present bioengineered E. coli asparaginases with high specific enzyme activity and lesser side effects.

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

The increased number of buildings in urban areas limits the creation of vegetated areas, leading to the search for alternatives to create spaces to promote contact with nature. In this context, green roofs have been increasingly studied. These structures have specific microclimatic condi-tions requiring an accurate study of the most appropriate vegetation to use. This study aims to analyze the long-term viability of vegetation installed on an experimental green roof open-air lab. This analysis was done through images obtained from photographic records and later in-serted into the ImageJ program, to identify species and evaluate the area covered by vegetation. Only a few of the species that were planted in the test beds over the years have persisted to the present, while other species have spontaneously appeared. Also, surveys were used to learn about people's preferences for the vegetation on these test beds. These showed that people favor recognizable plants with plenty of vibrantly colored blossoms. It was feasible to choose the best plants for green roofs in the studied conditions as a result of the analysis, taking into account the ground cover percentage by vegetation, its persistence, and the preferences of the respondents.

Behavior analysis is a widely used non-invasive tool in the practical production routine, as the animal acts as a biosensor capable of reflecting its degree of adaptation and discomfort to some environmental challenge. Predominantly, conventional statistics use occurrence data for behavioral evaluation and well-being estimation, disregarding the temporal sequence of events. The Generalized Sequential Pattern (GSP) algorithm is a data mining method that identifies recurrent sequences that exceed a user-specified support threshold, whose potential has not yet been investigated for broiler chickens in enriched environments. Enrichment aims to increase environmental complexity with promising effects on animal welfare, stimulating priority behaviors and potentially reducing the deleterious effects of heat stress. The objective was to validate the application of the GSP algorithm to identify temporal correlations between heat stress and the behavior of broiler chickens in enriched environments through proof of concept. Video image collection was carried out automatically for 48 continuous hours, analyzing a continuous period of seven hours, from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, during two consecutive days of tests for chickens housed in enriched and non-enriched environments under comfort and stress temperatures. Chickens at comfort temperature showed high motivation to perform the behaviors of Preening (P), Foraging (F), Lying down (Ld), Eating (E), and Walking (W) whose sequences &lt;{Ld,P}&gt;; &lt;{Ld,F}&gt;; &lt;{P,F,P}&gt;; &lt;{Ld,P,F}&gt; and &lt;{E,W,F}&gt; were the only ones observed in both treatments. All other sequential patterns (comfort and stress) were distinct, suggesting that environmental enrichment alters the behavioral pattern of broiler chickens. Heat stress drastically reduced the sequential patterns found at the 20% threshold level in the tested environments. The behavior of lying laterally "Ll" is a strong indicator of heat stress in broilers and was only frequent in the non-enriched environment, which may suggest that environmental enrichment provides the animal with better opportunities to adapt to stress-inducing challenges, such as heat.

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study is the operationalization of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in the rehabilitation care performed at the Institute of Cancer of the State of São Paulo through structuring a goal-oriented tool with relevant categories of evaluation and follow-up for cancer outpatients to be applied by physiatrists, physiotherapists, physical educators, occupational therapists, and psychologists. Methods: A qualitative study based on a literature review and a modified Delphi exercise, Estimate-Talk-Estimate (ETE) technique, was performed with the service’s rehabilitation experts. Consensus was obtained after four rounds under the 80% agreement threshold. Results: Forty categories were identified for neuropsychological evaluation and thirty-three for psychoaffective support, with 12 goals. Thirty-five categories with 13 goals were accounted for physiotherapy. Physical educators identified 18 categories, with 7 goals. Occupational therapists selected 54 categories, with 10 goals. A referral for personal factors was established. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) was the quality of life tool chosen to be applied. Conclusions: A set of relevant ICF categories was structured, tailored by a clinically meaningful routine of assessment and follow-up of cancer outpatients based on specialists’ clinical practice and scientific literature. It will contribute for analyzable and more specific and quantifiable institutional health data. Its implementation and future discussion may promote the instrument’s refinement for its use in this population.

Sword-duels are interesting, from a game-theoretical perspective, as they correspond to sudden-death interactions between players (i.e., defeat means removal from the game), and where victory/defeat depend on not just skill, but also luck. Analyzing probabilities of victory streaks, given a certain level of self and others' skill, is thus relevant for any application domain that can be modeled in the same way. This paper takes inspiration from Miyamoto Musashi, famously undefeated for 61 duels, and implements a Markov-chain Monte-Carlo simulation approach to evaluate this scenario. Results suggest that a 61 victory streak can be probabilistically observed when skill level is roughly 6.5 times that of the average duelist, and with 95\% confidence when skill level is roughly 1000 times that of the average duelist. More generally, this paper provides a method for determining chances of victory streaks in game-theoretical sudden-death encounters, when both "skill" and "luck" contribute to the outcome of the encounter. Specific scenarios can be modeled by modifying the utilized Markov chain and adjusting sampled distributions as required.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a stealthy and progressive neurological disorder that is a leading cause of dementia in the global elderly population, imposing a significant burden on both the elderly and society. Currently, the condition is treated with medications that alleviate symptoms. Nonetheless, these drugs may not consistently produce the desired results and can cause serious side effects. Hence, there is a vigorous pursuit of alternative options to enhance the quality of life for patients. Ginkgo biloba (GB), an herb with historical use in traditional medicine, contains bioactive compounds such as terpenoids (Ginkgolides A, B, and C), polyphenols, organic acids, and flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin). These compounds are associated with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties, making them valuable for cognitive health. A systematic search across three databases using specific keywords GB in AD and dementia yielded 1702 documents, leading to the selection of 15 clinical trials for synthesis. In eleven studies, GB extract/EGb 761® was shown to improve cognitive function, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and functional abilities in both dementia types. In four studies, however, there were no significant differences between the GB-treated and placebo groups. Significant improvements were observed in scores obtained from the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Short Cognitive Performance Test (SKT), and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). While the majority of synthesized clinical trials show Ginkgo biloba has promising potential in these conditions, more research is needed to determine optimal dosages, effective delivery methods, and appropriate pharmaceutical formulations. Furthermore, a thorough assessment of adverse effects, exploration of long-term use implications, and investigation into potential drug interactions are critical aspects that must be carefully evaluated in future studies.

Background: This study stands as a pioneer in the histological evaluation of the biological behavior of a novel implant design featuring decompressive cervical blades. Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the healing outcome in cortical regions at where decompressive protocols were adopted using implants equipped with blades. Materials and methods: Blades with varying diameters were integrated into the coronal portion of the implant to prepare the cortical region of rabbit tibiae. The blade diameters differed from the implant collar by the following amounts: control group (0 µm), +50 µm, and +200 µm. Results: No marginal bone loss was detected. Instead, all implants exhibited new bone formation in the coronal region. Complete closure was observed in the CG-0 group, as well as in the TG-50 and TG-200 groups, despite the presence of marginal gaps without primary bone contact at installation. In the apical region, most implants breached the cortical layer. Nevertheless, new bone formation in this region completely closed the osteotomy, effectively isolating the internal environment of the tibia from the external. Conclusions: The use of a blade attached to the implant body enabled precise preparation of the cortical layer, allowing for controlled decompression in the targeted area. This technique resulted in optimal osseointegration with no loss of marginal bone, and complete restoration of marginal gaps ranging from 0 µm to 200 µm.

Vascular impairment, muscle atrophy, and cognitive decline are important age-related conditions that have a significant impact on health. Vascular impairment directly disrupts the flow of blood, leading to the decline of muscle mass associated with aging (sarcopenia) and the decline of neuronal functions (neurodegeneration). Our inadequate understanding of the complex relationships between these conditions impedes precise diagnosis and effective treatment. This review analyzes the interrelated mechanisms that contribute to these conditions, with a specific focus on oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and impaired nutrient delivery. The aim is to understand the common pathways involved and to suggest comprehensive therapeutic approaches. Vascular dysfunctions hinder the circulation of blood and the transportation of nutrients, resulting in sarcopenia characterized by muscle atrophy and weakness. Vascular dysfunction and sarcopenia have a negative impact on physical function and quality of life. Neurodegenerative diseases exhibit comparable pathophysiological mechanisms that affect cognitive and motor functions. Preventive and therapeutic approaches encompass lifestyle adjustments, addressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and integrated therapies that focus on improving vascular and muscular well-being. Better understanding of these links can enhance therapeutic strategies and lead to better outcomes for patients. Here, we highlight the intricate relationship among vascular dysfunction, degenerative muscle, and cognitive decline, underscoring the need for multidisciplinary approaches to treatment. Progress in this field can result in improved diagnosis, more potent therapeutic options, and enhanced preventative measures, all of which can contribute to an improved quality of life for the aging population.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe and incurable neurodegenerative disease, char-acterized by the progressive death of motor neurons, leading to paralysis and death. It is a rare disease distinguished by high patient-to-patient heterogeneity, making its study arduous and complex. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) emerged as an important player in ALS development. Thus, ALS phenotype-expressing cells can spread their abnormal bioactive cargos through the secretion of EVs, even at far distant tissues. Importantly, due to their nature and composition, EVs’ formation and cargo can be exploited for the better comprehension of this elusive disease and identification of novel biomarkers, as well as for potential therapeutic applications, such as those based on stem cell-derived exosomes. This review highlights the recent advances in the identification of the role of EVs in ALS etiopathology and how EVs can be promising new approaches for therapeutic strategies.

Several studies have shown that non-pharmacologic treatments such as photobiomodulation (PBMT) and swimming (SW) have been increasingly used as adjuncts to clinical practice. The aim of this work is to evaluate whether SW associated or not with PBMT has its effects potentialized on different kind of pain and motor aspects in a model of chronic constriction injury and if the treatments have any improvement on morphometry of the skeletal striated muscle. Our results have demonstrated a beneficial effect on pain and motor response for animals treated with the therapies isolated, and an even better response when we associate them. Regarding muscle tissue, we observed an improvement in inflammatory cells quantification and on the collagen expression on the muscle after each isolated treatment or in combination. These findings contribute to enhancing for individuals suffering from neuropathic pain conditions, offering a promising avenue for integrated care approaches that prioritize both symptom alleviation and functional recovery. Such insights are crucial for advancing treatment strategies in pain management since the currently available treatments are not completely effective to treat all the pain and also promotes several side effects on the patients’ health.

Smartphone-based fundus camera and telemedicine are an opportunity for accessing ocular health inequalities in underresourced areas. The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of retinal findings in a community in the Amazon and propose strategies to enhance ocular health. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a river side community. Retinal photos from the posterior pole and optic disc were captured using a portable fundus camera. All photos and data were analyzed remotely by a retina specialist. The final sample was 107 participants, aged 52±17. Retinal findings were detected in 37.4% (95%CI 28.7–46.8) of the sample, the three main retinal findings were epithelial changes (10.3%, 95%CI 5.6–17.1), chorioretinal scars (8.4%, 95%CI 4.2–14.8), and dry Age-related Macular Degeneration (7.5%, 95%CI 3.6–13.6). This study detected retinal alterations in similar prevalence of other underresourced areas. Telemedicine is an opportunity to address health inequities, especially in ophthalmology, through relatively low-cost portable devices, supporting clinical decisions in areas with low health access, however, maintaining assistance after implementation is a challenge. Enhancing medical education and training local non-specialized health professionals for risk assessment, device handling, and data base use is reasonable to ensure follow-up.

Proteases represent common targets in combating infectious diseases including COVID-19. The 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) is a validated molecular target for COVID-19 and it is key for developing potent and selective inhibitors for inhibiting viral replication of SARS-CoV-2. In this review, we discuss structural relationships and diverse subsites of 3CLpro, shedding light on the pivotal role of dimerization and active site architecture in substrate recognition and catalysis. Our analysis of bioinformatics and other published studies unveil a proposal of a novel catalytic mechanism for the SARS-CoV-2 polyprotein cleavage by 3CLpro, centering on the triad mechanism involving His41-Cys145-Asp187 and its indispensable role in viral replication. Recognizing Asp187 as a crucial component in the catalytic process underscores its significance as a fundamental pharmacophoric element in drug design. Next, we provide an overview of both covalent and non-covalent inhibitors, elucidating advancements in drug development observed in preclinical and clinical trials. By highlighting various chemical classes and their pharmacokinetic profiles, our review aims to guide future research directions toward the development of highly selective inhibitors, underscore the significance of 3CLpro as a validated therapeutic target, and propel the progression of drug candidates through preclinical and clinical phases.

Aging-related disorders pose significant challenges due to their complex interplay of physiological and metabolic factors, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Curcumin, a natural compound with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has emerged as a promising candidate for mitigating these age-related processes. However, gaps in understanding the precise mechanisms of curcumin's effects and the optimal dosages for different conditions necessitate further investigation. This systematic review synthesizes current evidence on curcumin's potential in addressing age-related disorders, emphasizing its impact on cognitive function, neurodegeneration, and muscle health in older adults. By evaluating the safety, efficacy, and mechanisms of action of curcumin supplementation, this review aims to provide insights into its therapeutic potential for promoting healthy aging. A systematic search across three databases using specific keywords yielded 2,256 documents, leading to the selection of 15 clinical trials for synthesis. Here we highlight the promising potential of curcumin as a multifaceted therapeutic agent in combating age-related disorders. The findings of this review suggest that curcumin could offer a natural and effective approach to enhancing the quality of life of aging individuals. Further research and well-designed clinical trials are essential to validate these findings and optimize the use of curcumin in personalized medicine approaches for age-related conditions.

Humulus lupulus, or hops, is a vital ingredient in brewing, contributing bitterness, flavor, and aroma. The female plants produce strobiles rich in essential oils and acids, along with bioactive compounds like polyphenols, humulene, and myrcene, which offer health benefits. This study examined the aromatic profiles of five hop varieties grown in Brazil versus their countries of origin. Fifty grams of pelletized hops from each strain were collected and analyzed using HS-SPME/GC-MS to identify volatile compounds, followed by statistical analysis with PLS-DA and ANOVA. The study identified 330 volatile compounds and found significant aromatic differences among hops from different regions. For instance, H. Mittelfrüher grown in Brazil has a fruity and herbaceous profile, while the German-grown variety is more herbal and spicy. Similar variations were noted in Magnum, Nugget, Saaz, and Sorachi Ace varieties. The findings underscore the impact of terroir on hop aromatic profiles, with Brazilian-grown hops displaying distinct profiles compared to their counterparts from their countries of origin, including variations in aromatic notes and α-acid content.

The aging of the global population has increased the prevalence of neurodegenerative conditions. Bacopa monnieri (BM), an herb with active compounds, such as bacosides A and B, betulinic acid, loliolide, asiatic acid, and quercetin, demonstrates the potential for brain health. Limited research has been conducted on the therapeutic applications of BM in neurodegenerative conditions. This systematic review aims to project BM's beneficial role in brain disorders. BM has anti-apoptotic and antioxidant actions and can repair damaged neurons, stimulate kinase activity, restore synaptic function, improve nerve transmission, and increase neuroprotection. The included twenty-two clinical trials demonstrated that BM can reduce Nuclear Factor-κB phosphorylation, improve emotional function, cognitive functions, anhedonia, hyperactivity, sleep routine, depression, attention deficit, learning problems, memory retention, impulsivity, and psychiatric problems. Moreover, BM can reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers and oxidative stress. Here, we highlight that BM provides notable therapeutic benefits and can serve as a complementary approach for the care of patients with neurodegenerative conditions associated with brain disorders. This review adds to the growing interest in natural products and their potential therapeutic applications by improving our understanding of the mechanisms underlying cognitive function and neurodegeneration and informing the development of new therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.

Latin America and the Caribbean offer the most favorable natural and social conditions for the emergence of cattle ranching that regenerate and maintains the ecosystem services on which life on Earth depends, that is energy efficient and that contributes to meeting fundamental human food needs. Unlike other major global producers, cattle farming in Latin America and the Caribbean is fundamentally based on pasture. Therein lies both its strength (due to the regenerative potential of well-managed pastures) and its vulnerability (due to the pervasive link between deforestation and pasture formation, especially in the Amazon, where 40% of the Brazilian herd is concentrated). The diversification of pastures (today marked by impressive monotony, with brachiaria accounting for 85% of the species in Brazil), the introduction of legumes and tree plantations within them, and the proper management of herds, open the way to the possibility of drastically reducing the area currently occupied by the activity (especially in the Amazon) while maintaining the supply of its products. Agricultural research has disseminated forms of moderate intensification of cattle ranching, which represent a low opportunity cost of animal feed and, at the same time, regeneration of ecosystem services that have so far been destroyed by the prevailing methods of farming.

Background: The skin prick test (SPT) is used to diagnose sensitization to antigens. This study proposes a deep learning approach to infer wheal dimensions, aiming to reduce dependence on human interpretation. Methods: A dataset of SPT images (n=5844) was used to infer a convolutional neural network for wheal segmentation (ML model). Three methods for inferring wheal dimensions were evaluated: the ML model; the standard protocol (MA1); and approximation of the area as an ellipse using diameters measured by an allergist (MA2). The results were compared with assisted image segmentation (AIS), the most accurate method. Bland-Altman, distribution analyses, and correlation tests were applied to compare the methods. The study also compared the percentage deviation among these methods in determining the area of wheals with regular geometric shapes (n = 150) and with irregular shapes (n=150). Results: The Bland-Altman analysis showed that the difference between methods was not correlated with the absolute area. The ML model achieved a segmentation accuracy of 85.88% and a strong correlation with the AIS method (ρ=0.88), outperforming all other methods. Additionally, MA1 showed significant error (13.44±13.95%) for pseudopods. Conclusions: The ML protocol can potentially automate the reading of SPT, offering greater accuracy than the standard protocol.

Anxiety in older individuals is understudied despite its prevalence. Investigating its occurrence can be challenging, yet understanding the factors influencing its recurrence is important for improved management. This study aimed to model the recurrence of anxiety symptomatology in an older population within a five-month timeframe. Data included baseline socio-demographic and general health information for older adults aged 60 years or older with at least mild depressive symptoms. A Bayesian network model explored the relationship between baseline data and recurrent anxiety symptomatology. Model evaluation employed the Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC). The Bayesian model was also compared to three machine learning models. The model achieved an AUC of 0.821 on the test data, using a threshold of 0.367. This result surpassed both the Logistic Regression and XGBoost models, but slightly behind SGDClassifier. Key factors associated with recurrence of anxiety symptomatology were: “Not being able to stop or control worrying”; “Becoming easily annoyed or irritable”; “Trouble relaxing”; and “depressive symptomatology severity”. The model demonstrated generalisation abilities and outperformed some machine learning models while being less complex and more explainable. These findings indicate a prioritised sequence of predictors to identify individuals most likely to experience recurrent anxiety symptomatology.

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.

Despite the need for a sustainable energy resource, bioenergy gained its spotlight in the 2000s. Sugarcane is a significant crop in terms of sugar and energy capacity, and it can be an alternative energy source to mitigate the effects of climate change. Bioenergy production from sugarcane in Brazil is one of the most efficient. This production lends a centrality to biofuels' importance in confronting the effects of climate change. The present article reviews the Brazilian history of this crop as a biofuel source. We highlight the historical changes related to scientific, technological, industrial, and environmental advances since the beginning of the 20th century. We describe how creating governmental institutes and disseminating scientific knowledge strengthened public policies that led Brazil to occupy leadership positions in producing, distributing, and using bioenergy throughout the country. The compiled data shows the improvement and the new approaches needed in ethanol sugarcane. We developed a bibliometric analysis to evaluate Brazilian science's contribution to this process compared to other countries. Brazil's history of science and investments in sugarcane biofuel development for transportation may be divided into two phases: ethanol-only and flex-fuel cars. A third phase is starting, which is the ethanol-to-hydrogen era.

Treatment techniques for facial paralysis have evolved significantly over the past few decades, offering a variety of options to improve facial symmetry and muscle function. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel static treatment technique for the surface of the nasolabial fold (NLF) in patients with chronic facial nerve paralysis, aged between 40 and 80 years, who are not candidates for dynamic rehabilitation and present with NLF erasure. The surgical marking process was initiated by determining the projection of the nasolabial fold on the paralyzed side, through measurement of the NLF on the non-paralyzed side. Subsequently, a line was drawn around the nasal ala, and a second line was demarcated in the medial region of the sulcus. In the region close to the nasal ala, along this second line, a notch was planned. The procedure was conducted under local anesthesia. In this study, four procedures were performed without any complications. Comparatively, the outcomes demonstrated an improvement in facial symmetry, the creation of a new NLF, elevation of the ipsilateral lip commissure, and correction of nasal deviation. The proposed technique is straightforward, reproducible, and can be performed in an outpatient setting.

Over a period of nearly one hundred years, Raul Lino da Silva (1879-1974) experienced the profound political, social and economic changes that marked the twentieth century in Portugal. Having been born during the Constitutional Monarchy (1822-1910), he lived through the First Republic (1910-1926), the Military Dictatorship (1926-1933) and the Second Republic, or Estado Novo (New State, 1933-1974), and died shortly after the Carnation Revolution of 25 April 1974, at the dawning of the Third Republic. Raul Lino was the architect who published the most in Portugal, having become known through his advocacy of the “Campanha da casa portuguesa” (“Portuguese house campaign”), which provoked a great deal of controversy among his peers. He is less known for the transversal quality of his synthesis between architecture, the decorative arts and territory, and its underlying affirmation of an idea of the city, which we conjecture from a diagonal reading of his theoretical and plastic narrative. We limit the analysis to the first half of the 20th century, concentrating on ten case studies, that encompass architectural projects, urbanistic plans and reports. The above expound the broad conception which he defended in the same year as was held the First National Architecture Congress (1948), whose proposals ratified in Portugal the orthodoxy established in 1933 by the International Congresses of Modern Architecture (CIAM). Quoting Aristotle Raul Lino conceived the city as the locus of happiness, shaping the possibilities of consensus between tradition and modernity by means of architecture, which is both envelope and stage for our collective existence. In fact, Raul Lino anticipated themes to be found in the narratives of authors like Aldo Rossi (1966), Paul Virilio (2004, 2009) or Peter Zumthor (2006), and his thought proves particularly relevant and timely in the present day.

The use of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) in the interaction with the oocyte and in the temporary postponement of spontaneous meiosis resumption has already been well described. However, its action in pre-implantation developmental stage embryos remains to be understood. Thus, our study aimed to detect the presence of the canonical CNP receptor (natriuretic peptide receptor, NPR2) in germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase II (MII), presumptive zygotes (PZ), morula (MO), and blastocyst (BL) stage embryos and, later, to observe possible modulations on the embryos when co-cultured with CNP. In the Experiment I, we detected and quantified the NPR2 on the above-mentioned embryo stages. Following, Experiment II, intended to test different concentrations (100, 200, or 400 nM of CNP) at different times of inclusion in the in vitro culture (IVC; inclusion from the beginning, i.e. day 1, or from day 5). In Experiment III, it was used 400 nM of CNP on day 1 (D1) in the IVC, which did no demonstrate to be embryotoxic, and it showed potentially promising results in blastocyst production rate, when compared to the control. Thus, we analyzed the embryonic development rates of bovine embryos (D7) and hatching kinetics (D7, D8, and D9). Subsequently, morula and blastocyst were collected and evaluated for transcript abundance to competence and quality (apoptosis, oxidative stress, proliferation and differentiation) and lipid metabolism. Differences with probabilities less than P < 0.05, and/or Foldchange (FC) ˃1.5 were considered significant. We demonstrate the presence of NPR2 until the blastocyst development stage when there was a significant decrease in membrane receptors. There was no statistical difference in production rate after co-culture with 400 nM CNP. However, when we evaluated the abundance of morula transcripts, there was an upregulated transcription in ADCY6 (P=0.057), and downregulated transcripts, in BMP15 (P= 0.013), ACAT1 (P= 0.040), CASP3 (P=0.082). In addition, a total of 12 transcriptions in morula presented variation FC ˃1.5. In blastocysts, the treatment with CNP induced upregulation in BID, CASP3, SOX2, HSPA5 transcripts, and downregulation in BDNF, NLRP5, ELOVL1, ELOVL4, IGFBP4, and FDX1 transcripts (FC >1.5). Thus, our study identified and quantified the presence of NPR2 in bovine pre-implantation embryos. Furthermore, 400 nM of CNP in IVC, a concentration not previously described in the literature, modulated some transcripts related to embryonic metabolism and it was not embryotoxic morphologically.

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

Background/Objectives: Periodontitis (P), a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the supportive tissues around the teeth, is 3 to 4 times more prevalent in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM), with a direct correlation between its severity and the levels of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c). This study aimed to evaluate the periodontal clinical parameters following non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) in patients with and without type 2 DM and P. Methods: Forty patients with P were divided into two groups: Group DM/P and Group P. All patients were assessed at baseline, and 90 and 180 days after receiving NSPT. The parameters evaluated included HbA1c levels, plaque index (PI), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and bleeding on probing (BoP). Statistical analysis was performed with a significance level set at α = 5%. Results: There were significant differences in HbA1c levels between the DM/P and P groups at baseline, 90, and 180 days, as expected. Importantly, HbA1c levels did not change after NSPT. Group P showed a significant reduction in both PI and BoP values at 90 and 180 days (p &lt; 0.05). In contrast, group DM/P demonstrated a significant increase in the percentage of sites with PPD ≥ 5mm at 180 days (p &lt; 0.05). Additionally, group P exhibited an increase in sites with PPD ≤ 4mm and a decrease in sites with PPD ≥ 5mm at both 90 and 180 days (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that DM may compromise the effectiveness of NSPT, potentially hindering favorable outcomes during the follow-up period.

Tumor entities of the Central Nervous System (CNS) are defined by the WHO classification and range from benign neoplasms to highly malignant tumors, making histopathological classification challenging. This diverse spectrum complicates clinical decision-making and the interpretation and validation of clinical trial results. The methodology based on DNA methylation profiling of CNS tumors offers greater diagnostic precision compared to traditional morphological methods. In this study, we analyzed 16 DNA samples from medulloblastomas and ependymomas, obtained from paraffin-embedded blocks from the Pathology Division archives of HCFMUSP, and with prior histological analysis. The samples were processed using the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip (Illumina®) and methylation data analysis tools in R Studio. The data were submitted to the MolecularNeuropathology.org platform for methylation based classification and CNV chart generation. The classifier was consistent with the previous diagnosis in all cases, refining the diagnosis in 54% of cases to subclass, 38% to subtype, and 8% to family. The platform also provided CNV estimates for 87% of cases, revealing crucial information on genetic alterations such as gains, losses, amplifications, and gene fusions. Despite the challenges of implementation within the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS), the results demonstrate the method's robustness and reproducibility, promising invaluable support for precise diagnoses and the development of more effective therapeutic strategies.

Background and Objectives: Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal disorder in the world. It is caused by the imbalance of the chromosomal constitution of 21, by free trisomy, translocation or mosaicism. Children and adolescents with Down syndrome have immune dysregulation and are more susceptible to infections. This study aims to evaluate hospitalizations of children and adolescents with DS in the pediatric ward of Botucatu Clinics Hospital (HCFMB), to classify the population of children included in the study regarding age, diagnosis, outpatient follow-up, length of stay and need for Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Thus, it will be possible to improve care for these children, aiming to reduce these hospitalizations. Materials and Methods: It was an observational, cross-sectional study, with retrospective data collection from the last 10 years of hospitalization, from January 2013 to December 2021, of children and adolescents with DS, in the pediatric ward, emergency room and ICU of HCFMB. Children hospitalized in this period in the pediatric ward and ICU, in the age range of 30 days to 15 years (age of acceptance for admission to this service) were included in this study. Those who at some point had the exclusion of the diagnosis of DS were excluded. The evaluation of comorbidities that culminated in the need for hospitalization in this population can be the focus of actions to improve diagnoses and conducts for this population, to prevent worsening and hospitalizations in future populations. Results: The statistical analysis of the data was performed. In this analysis, 80 children with DS were evaluated, with a total of 283 hospitalizations and it was noticed that 46 of them had more than one hospitalization in this period. The most prevalent age group was 1 to 3 years, and the main cause was due to problems in respiratory system (99 cases). Among respiratory causes, the main cause of hospitalization was due to pneumonia, in 50% of cases, followed by acute respiratory failure, in 14%. The average hospitalization time was 8 days and in 49 hospitalizations the children required the ICU. The main cause of hospitalization in the ICU was due to respiratory causes (36%), followed by cardiac malformations (14%). During the ICU hospitalizations, there were 13 deaths, and we observed a higher prevalence of heart conditions and, in some cases, positive urine cultures in these children. Conclusions: preventive actions, such as vaccinations and improved monitoring of these children, without outpatient follow-up or during hospitalization, should be carried out. Thus, it has been developed a proposal for a risk score for mortality in children and adolescents with DS admitted to the ICU, and those patients with five or more points should be monitored more closely. A meeting will be held with the genetics, cardiology, and pediatric ICU teams to discuss this score and propose a surveillance plan for these patients at the HCFMB and potentially for the pediatric community in the future.

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

This work presents the study of a reproducible acoustic emission method based on the launching of a metallic sphere and low-cost piezoelectric diaphragm. For this purpose, tests were first conducted on a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer structure, and then on an aluminum structure for comparative analysis. The Pencil Lead Break (PLB) tests were also conducted for comparisons with the proposed method. Different launching heights and elastic deformations of the structures were investigated. The results show higher repeatability for the sphere impact method, as the PLB is more affected by human inaccuracy, and it was also effective in damage detection.

The advancement of mechanization in forestry has increased productivity in the forestry sector, bringing positive and negative impacts that require a deeper understanding for sustainable forest management. This study aimed to apply a simplified instrument for assessing damage and environmental impacts in forest harvesting of commercial eucalyptus plantations, using a combination of methodologies. The methodology used combined interaction networks and impact assessment matrices, carrying out field surveys, transposing them to interaction networks and weighting them through assessment matrices, resulting in environmental indices (ES) for prioritizing actions. The study was conducted on a commercial eucalyptus plantation in the municipality of São Pedro, São Paulo, Brazil. The mechanized harvesting of the area consists of the structure of a module with a mobile unit consisting of a harvester and forwarder. The results indicated that wood transport presented the highest ES, both positive and negative. The most significant negative impacts (ES) were the depletion of water resources and erosion, while the positive impacts included regional development and job creation. The most notable changes, positive and negative, were observed in the physical and anthropic environment, with a lesser impact on the biotic environment.

(1) Background: São Paulo, Brazil, exhibits high mortality rates from pediatric solid tumors. This study analyzed the survival trends of patients aged 0-19 diagnosed with the state's five most prevalent solid tumors between 2000-2022. (2) Methods: An epidemiological, descriptive study utilized data from the Oncocentro Foundation of São Paulo, classified according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer. The time between the first consultation and diagnosis, between diagnosis and treatment initiation, and patient survival were assessed using the Pe-to-Peto test. (3) Results: Analysis involved 11,067 cases: 53.5% male, with 89.6% diagnosed via microscopic confirmation. Tumor distribution comprised 34.3% central nervous system, 21.1% bone, 18.6% soft tissue, 14.2% germ cell, and 11.9% retinoblastomas. Main treatments included surgery with chemotherapy (26.5%), surgery alone (20.5%), and chemotherapy alone (15.6%). The average time between consultation and diagnosis was 22.94 ± 69.93 days, significant for treatments and recurrences, except for germ cell tumors (p=0.0178). The time between diagnosis and treatment was 25.46 ± 39.71 days, not significant for germ cell tumor treatments (p=0.0793). (4) Conclusions: Survival curves varied among neoplasm groups, with patients experiencing delays beyond recommended times, despite advanced healthcare services in the state.

2019-n-CoV is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans and cause serious illness, and due to its lethality there was a worldwide mobilization for the development of new drugs and new vaccines for Covid-19. Therefore, the present work aims to carry out a virtual screening of terpenes with potential anti SARS-CoV-2 activity. To perform the ligand-based virtual, a model was constructed regarding the compounds which already showed inhibitory activity of the SARS-CoV-2. The test series corresponded to terpenes isolated in the Fabaceae Family. The compounds that were most likely to activity were subjected to Molecular Docking and the best poses obtained were subjected to Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations carried. The molecules under study were submitted to in vitro evaluation to assess inhibitory activity of compounds against SARS-CoV-2 in a phenotypic screening model of the virus. The compounds selected by in silico screening corresponded to triterpenoids from the lupane series. In the in vitro test, both demonstrated activity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virtual screening performed managed to identify the compounds with the highest probability of activity, as well as the most stable compounds, and the method used was validated by the in vitro study carried out.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) represents a distinctive technique for non-invasive brain stimulation. Recent advancements in image processing have enabled the enhancement of TMS by integrating magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities with TMS via a neuronavigation system. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of navigated TMS for cortical mapping in comparison to surgical mapping using direct electrical stimulation (DES). The study involved 30 neurosurgical procedures for tumors located in or adjacent to the precentral gyrus. The DES points were compared with TMS responses based on the original distances of vectorial modules. There was a notable similarity in the points obtained from the two mapping methods. The distances between the geometric centers of TMS and DCS were 4.85 ± 1.89 mm. A strong correlation was identified between these vectorial points (r = 0.901, p < 0.001). The motor threshold in TMS was highest in the motor cortex adjacent to the tumor compared to the normal cortex (p < 0.001). Patients with deficits exhibited excellent accuracy in both methods. In view of this, TMS demonstrated reliable and precise application in brain mapping, which is a promising method for preoperative functional mapping in motor cortex tumor surgery.

Assessing dietary inadequacies can contribute to understanding the nutritional vulnerabilities of a country. This study aimed to investigate nutrient intakes and micronutrient inadequacies in the Brazilian adult population, with an interest in different age subgroups. Cross-sectional study with 1812 individuals aged 19 to 65 years from a population-based study with a representative sample of Brazilian adults. Dietary intake was assessed by two 24-hour food recalls, and the probabilities of inadequate intake were estimated using the Dietary Reference Intake targets. Adequate macronutrient intake was over 99% for proteins, 84.7% for carbohydrates, and 80.7% for total fats. There was a high probability of inadequacy (above 90%) for vitamins D and E, but vitamin D inadequacy was very similar between sexes. In contrast, vitamin E was more likely to be inadequately consumed among women. A high probability of inadequacy (above 85%) of calcium and magnesium was found in the population, regardless of age group. Except for iron, the probability of inadequacy of other minerals increased with age. The results showed a relevant proportion of nutrient inadequacies, with those most at risk being women and older individuals, helping with better targeting and monitoring of public health policies that address nutritional problems in the population.

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

The split of the brain into two hemispheres is pivotal to human existence, enabling incompatible versions of the world, with quite different priorities and values, to exist concomitantly. Neuroimaging techniques are usually the adopted methods to assess hemispherical bias. However, can differences in thinking orientation, behavioural style, and personality emerging from laterality be observed without the use of neuroimaging techniques? This paper investigates whether a personality test based on the Five-factor model (FFM) is also able to identify hemispherical bias. It does so by testing five hypotheses on personality differences related to handedness. The aim is to contribute to the instantiation of the FFM in neuroscience by testing its validity against the neuroscientific literature on brain laterality. The findings pointed to no statistically significant differences due to handedness in three out of five personality traits (namely, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness and Extraversion). As to the other two traits – Openness and Agreeableness – the hypotheses were only partially confirmed by the data, as the relevant difference found was not between left-handed and right-handed groups, but between ambidextrous and the others.

Upon the outbreak of the COVID-19, countries worldwide developed policies with the goal to introduce restrictive measures geared towards mitigating the spread of the virus. Although these health initiatives were put in place through top-down public directives, they relied heavily on the cooperation of citizens who had to be willing to carry them out. As a consequence, we could observe differences in compliance with governmental restrictions within and between countries. Increasing policy stringency was the method adopted overall to promote people’s compliance. This article used survey data from 10308 participants in Brazil to examine whether there was a positive correlation between policy stringency and compliance with restrictive measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The results revealed, however, that there was no direct influence of policy stringency on people’s health behaviors. Accordingly, I hypothesized that individual differences in personality traits were one of the drivers behind policy compliance, as they would support self-interests such as the duty to support authorities as well as the perceived health risks of certain behaviors and ultimately motivate compliance. The findings’ implications for both compliance research and for authorities wanting to nurture voluntary compliance with public health orders are discussed and suggestions are provided.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by spreading rapidly a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has imposed a unique situation for the humanity. Sao Paulo has reported 124,105 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 5,623 deaths up to June 14th, being considered the epicenter of the pandemic in Brazil and in South America. Due to the measures for social distancing, there was a drop in the air pollution concentration in Sao Paulo. Starting on March 16th, 2020, we broke 90 days of social distancing into 13 weeks and compared to an equivalent period in 2019. We investigated the air quality improvement during the quarantine period and compared the associated avoided deaths to COVID-19 burden deaths. Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) was the best indicator of air quality in the analyzed weeks, since its reduction reached 58 %. Our study showed that the 5,623 deaths occurred during the analyzed weeks of quarantine represents an economic health loss of US$ 10.5 billion. In opposite, we observed a significant air quality improvement due to pollutants concentrations’ reductions during the analyzed weeks. Considering PM₁₀, PM_2.5 and NO₂, the decrease of concentration levels respectively avoided 78, 337 and 387 premature deaths and prevented up to US$ 1.5 billion on health costs. These results highlight the importance of continuing to enforce existing air pollution regulations and measures to protect human health both during and after COVID-19 pandemic.

Almost four years after COVID-19 was declared a global health emergency, equitable distribution of the vaccine remains a challenge, especially among homeless people, the fastest growing population in Brazil. Therefore, we sought to identify the factors associated with completion of the COVID-19 vaccination schedule among homeless people in Brazil. Materials and Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study in the capital cities of Brazil's Federative Units, considering people living on the streets as the target population. We used a sequential inclusion approach, with individual interviews conducted by trained professionals, using a validated questionnaire. We used descriptive statistics to analyze the data and a binary logistic regression model to identify factors associated with homeless individuals who completed the COVID-19 vaccination schedule. Results: It was identified that the highest density of homeless people and indicators related to COVID-19 is located in the Northeast, Southeast and South regions of Brazil. The primary data sample consisted of 1,392 participants, predominantly male (n: 961; 69.0%), with an average age of 38.3±15.2 years, belonging to the black/brown race/color (n: 1,097; 78.8%), with an elementary school education (n: 1,060; 76.1%). The factors associated with completing the vaccination schedule were: receiving government aid (OR: 1.58; 95%CI: 1.09 - 2.30), visits from Health Agents from the Street Clinic (OR: 3.19; 95%CI: 1.95 - 5.36), history of COVID-19 (OR: 5.77; 95%CI: 3.17 - 11.15), support for mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 (OR: 3.76; 95%CI: 2.48 - 5.76), trust in the efficacy of vaccines (OR: 3.92; 95%CI: 2.63 - 5.89), seeking information from NGOs, street clinics, community leaders (OR: 1.91; 95%CI: 1.01 - 3.88) and trust in the Federal Government's statements on vaccines (OR: 1.57; 95%CI: 1.06 - 2.31).Conclusion: The study advances knowledge by highlighting the completeness of the COVID-19 vaccination schedule among the homeless population. The source of information proved to be one of the determinants of completeness, and the Unified Health System played a leading role in raising awareness among homeless people, notably through its strategy of street clinics, when available. The evidence points to the importance of affirmative and inclusive actions that guarantee access to the vaccine for homeless people.

Background: Diet is a risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). There are few studies on women´s diet and glucose tolerance test (GTT) results. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between previous diet and the number of abnormal values on the diagnostic GTT in women with GDM. We hypothesized there would be an inverse relation between antioxidant micronutrient consumption and the number of abnormal GTT values. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 60 women diagnosed with GDM (2-hours, 75g-GTT). Shortly after diagnosis, participants answered a validated food frequency questionnaire to assess food consumption in the last 6 months. Mann-Whitney´s test was used to compare the dietary intake of participants with one (group 1) versus two-three (group 2) abnormal GTT values. Results: Participant characteristics were similar. There were no significant differences between groups in median intake of total calories, carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Participants in group 1 had significantly higher intakes of fiber (11.9 vs. 11.0 g/day p= 0.049), vitamin D (40.6 vs. 40.4 mcg/day p= 0.049) and vitamin C (180.0 vs. 151.0 mg/day p= 0.008) than those in group 2. Conclusion: Results suggest a possible association between consumption of fiber and some antioxidant micronutrients and GDM severity at the time of diagnosis.

The advantage of FPGAs lies in the ability to implement a fully hardware solution for interfacing with various input/output (I/O) devices. Each block can work in parallel with all the others, simplifying the satisfaction of timing constraints. However, this hardware utilization consumes FPGA resources that could otherwise be allocated to the primary project. An alternative involves employing a small "soft-core" processor implementing I/O in software. With the goal to design and evaluate a new tiny soft-core processor optimized for FPGA resources in I/O , a novel processor named Baby8 is developed. It is an 8-bit CISC soft-core processor optimized for reduced FPGA resources including program size for 8-bit applications. The number of instructions is not large but any instruction can access arbitrary memory locations. The performance and resource utilization of the newly designed processor are evaluated and compared with a variety of other soft-core processors. The results demonstrate its competitive performance, achieving an average maximum clock frequency of approximately 57 MHz and a power consumption of around 2mW. Furthermore, it conserves nearly half of the FPGA resources in implementation.

Chagas disease is a Neglected Tropical Disease with limited and ineffective therapy. In a search for new antitrypanosomal compounds, we investigated the potential of metabolites from bacteria living in corals and sediments of the Southeastern Brazilian coast. Three corals Tubastraea coccinea, Mussismilia hispida, Madracis decactis and sediments yielded 11 bacterial strains, that were fully identified by MALDI-ToF/MS or gene sequencing, resulting in six genera - Vibrio, Shewanella, Mesoflavibacter, Halomonas, Bacillus and Alteromonas. To conduct this study, EtOAc extracts were prepared and tested against Trypanosoma cruzi. Crude extracts showed IC50 values ranging from 15 to 51 μg/mL against trypomastigotes. The bacterium Mesoflavibacter zeaxanthinifaciens was selected for fractionation, resulting in an active fraction (FII) with IC50 values of 17.7 μg/mL and 23.8 μg/mL against the trypomastigotes and amastigotes, respectively, with neither mammalian cytotoxicity nor hemolytic activity. Using NMR and ESI-HRMS analysis, FII revealed the presence of unsaturated iso-type fatty acids. Its lethal action was investigated, leading to a protein spectral profile of the parasite altered after treatment. FII also induced a rapid permeabilization of the plasma membrane of the parasite, leading to cell death. These findings demonstrate these unsaturated iso-type fatty acids as possible new hits against T. cruzi.

Infection with the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) manifests as a febrile illness known as chikungunya fever (CHIKF). CHIKF is characterized by sudden-onset high fever, rash, polyarthritis, and polyarthralgia. Alt-hough the infection typically resolves within two weeks, many patients experience recurrent joint pain and inflammation that can outlast the other symptoms for many months. CHIKF has been previously linked to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) due to similar inflammatory processes. This study aimed to identify molecular markers in the blood of CHIKV-infected individuals associated with joint pain and chronicity of CHIKF. Sequencing of B and T cell receptors (BCR and TCR) revealed that CHIKV infection reduces CDR3 diver-sity. Lower BCR diversity was linked to increased expression of genes involved in osteoclast differentiation and activation through RANK/RANKL signaling. If osteoclast involvement in CHIKF pathogenesis is con-firmed, existing therapeutic approaches could be used as alternative treatments for CHIKF patients.

This article addresses the urbanization model in valley bottom areas in the city of São Paulo, an-alyzed in its urban planning and socio-environmental aspects, and examines the hydrological impacts triggered by its implementation. It argues that sustainable occupation of urbanized hy-drographic basins should be based on environmental criteria in order to attain a sustainable water management regime that can ensure urban and environmental resilience. In the “Introduction,” the article emphasizes that urbanization in São Paulo has neglected the natural features of river basins, promoting the channeling of watercourses, which resulted in floods and inundations. “Theoretical Basics” brings in key concepts related to the environmental approach of drainage infrastructure with gray and green-blue systems. “Methods” details our qualitative research, bibliographical analyzes, referential case studies, and cartographical analyzes (geoprocessing), focusing on a case study in the Jaguaré creek basin. “Results” includes guidelines and recom-mendations for an urbanization model adjusted to valley bottom areas, applicable to new patterns of urban occupation or to the adjustment of existing patterns. “Discussion” explores the concept of “local sustainable self-development,” and “Conclusions” highlights the importance of an inte-grated, multisectoral, and sustainable planning, adjusted to the characteristics of river basins in valley bottom areas, promoting a socially responsible urban occupation, especially in the face of climate change.

(1) Context: Cancer triggers significant changes in family dynamics. It is noteworthy that coping and problem-solving skills, particularly in situations involving cancer in children and adolescents, have not been adequately explored in the context of family adaptation. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of family interventions in coping to improve problem-solving skills in parents and/or caregivers of children and adolescents during and after oncological treatment. (2) Methods: This is a scoping review following the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR), from 2014 to 2024, in the databases LILACS, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PUBMED. (3) Results: Forty-five studies were eligible. Coping strategies were categorized as follows: (1) positive attitudes (including a sense of courage and hope, family support to enhance resilience, and future planning), (2) caregiver empowerment (involving acceptance of diagnosis, emotional distancing, and coping through religiosity), and (3) communication skills (encompassing professional communication, horizontal dialogue with healthcare teams, and sincere communication with friends and family). (4) Conclusions: Over time, families develop coping and problem-solving strategies that influence changes in family functioning patterns, aiding them in accepting, reinterpreting, and reframing ideas and feelings associated with neoplasia.

Quantum thermal engines are receiving much attention in recent years, due to their potential applications.~For a candidate group, harmonically trapped gases under Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC), we see little investigation on the energy transference around that transition.~Therefore, we present an empirical study with rubidium-87 gas samples in a magnetic harmonic trap.~We developed an empirical Equation of State model to fit to our experimental dataset, expressing the pressure parameter ($\mathcal{P}$) in terms of temperature ($T$) and six technical coeffcients ($\{a_i\}_{0,\dots,4}$, $T_\mathrm{th}$), functions of volume parameter ($\mathcal{V}$) and number of atoms ($N$).~For weakly interacting gases, the internal energy is $U\cong3\mathcal{P}\mathcal{V}$, thus we determine the entropy with $U = TS - \mathcal{P}\mathcal{V}$ for fixed $N$.~As expected, we show that the entropy at the BEC transition ($S_c$) is constant for varying $\mathcal{V}$.~Being isentropic makes BEC transition an energy source for non-mechanical work.~Hence, we observed that the enthalpy at the BEC transition $H_c = E_c + \mathcal{P}_c\mathcal{V} = T_cS_c$, at fixed values of $\mathcal{V}$ and varying $N$, grows fairly linearly with $N$.~We fitted $H_c=\eta{N}-H_c^0$ to that data, being $\eta$ the specific enthalpy of BEC transformation and $H_c^0$ an intrinsic enthalpic loss.~We deem this study to be a step closer to practical quantum-based engines.

This is the first study that investigates the effect of kefir with an emphasis on the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) during the fermentation process in food products. The products developed and characterized were an artisanal cream cheese without cream and with added cream and for the analysis of the fatty acid profile, both cream cheeses were compared with commercial cream cheese. The artisan cream cheese had a high amount of lactic acid bacteria characterizing the product formed by lactobacilli and a low concentration of lactose due to the fermentation process. Compared to commercial cream cheese, our products without and with added cream had a higher concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), especially butyric acid which is important for the health of the gastrointestinal tract and oleic fatty acid which has been associated with the prevention and control of some diseases. Overall, the artisan cream cheese cream with fermented cream with kefir grains is a functional product with an innovative character compared to current products on the market and was well accepted by the younger public. This new product comes as an option for those who need to change their eating habits and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

One of the main objectives of developing new anti-cancer vaccine strategies is to effectively induce CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity. Live recombinant vectors, notably Listeria mono-cytogenes, have been shown to elicit a robust in vivo CD8+ T cell response in preclinical settings. Significantly, it has been demonstrated that Listeria induces inflammatory/immunogenic cell death mechanisms such as pyroptosis and necroptosis in immune cells that favorably control immunological responses. Therefore, we postulated that the host's response to Listeria-based vec-tors and the subsequent induction of CD8+ T cell-mediated immunity would be compromised by the lack of regulatory or effector molecules involved in pyroptosis or necroptosis. To test our hy-pothesis, we used recombinant L. monocytogenes carrying the ovalbumin gene (LM.OVA) to vac-cinate wild-type (WT), caspase-1/11-/-, gsdmd-/-, ripk3-/-, and mlkl-/- C57Bl/6 mice. We performed an in vivo cytotoxicity assay to assess the efficacy of OVA-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes in eliminat-ing target cells in wild-type and genetically deficient backgrounds. Furthermore, we evaluated the specific anti-tumor immune response in mice inoculated with B16F0 and B16F0.OVA mela-noma cell lines. Our findings demonstrated that while caspase-1/11 and GSDMD deficiencies in-terfere with the rapid control LM.OVA infection, of the KO seems to contribute to the early acti-vation of OVA-specific CTL responses. In contrast, individual deficiency of each one of these pro-teins negatively impact the generation of long-lasting effector CD8+ T cells.

Antarctica is one of the most inhospitable continents on the planet, with lichens and mosses being the most common terrestrial organisms in ice-free areas. Antarctica is represented by only two species of Angiosperms, Deschampsia antarctica Desv. (Poaceae) and Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth) Bartl. (Caryophyllaceae). In this study, we characterized fungi isolated from the leaves of this grass species. The fungi were isolated from 4 individual plants from Half Moon Island (246 leave fragments investigated), and 7 from King George Island - Keller Peninsula (with 111 leave fragments investigated) Antarctica. Neoascochyta paspali, Phaeosphaeria elongata, Pyrenophora cf. chaetomioides and Alternaria sp. were associated with the plant and identified through analysis of the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of the rDNA and nuclear ribosomal large subunit rRNA gene (LSU) as well as macro and micro-morphological characteristics. The isolates showed a better growth rate ranging from 10–20°C. An interesting result was that the fungi are already recognize as both plant pathogens and endophytic fungi. The results demonstrate that D. antarctica is an interesting fungal source. Those species might provide important information about the relationship on the endemic Antarctic biota.

The real estate market is exposed to many fluctuations in prices, because of existing correlations with many variables, some of which cannot be controlled or might even be unknown. Housing prices can increase rapidly (or in some cases, also drop very fast), yet the numerous listings available online where houses are sold or rented are not likely to be updated that often. In some cases, individuals interested in selling a house (or apartment) might include it in some online listing, and forget about updating the price. In other cases, some individuals might be interested in deliberately setting a price below the market price in order to sell the home faster, for various reasons. In this paper we aim at developing a machine learning application that identifies opportunities in the real estate market in real time, i.e., houses that are listed with a price substantially below the market price. This program can be useful for investors interested in the housing market. We have focused in a use case considering real estate assets located in the Salamanca district in Madrid (Spain) and listed in the most relevant Spanish online site for home sales and rentals. The application is formally implemented as a regression problem, that tries to estimate the market price of a house given features retrieved from public online listings. For building this application, we have performed a feature engineering stage in order to discover relevant features that allows attaining a high predictive performance. Several machine learning algorithms have been tested, including regression trees, $k$-nearest neighbors, support vector machines and neural networks, identifying advantages and handicaps of each of them.

This cross-sectional, analytical, and observational study aimed to investigate the relationship between Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) and anthropometric, biochemical, and insulin resistance (IR) parameters in Brazilians at risk of CVD. Biochemical parameters and anthropometric measurements were evaluated. The Pearson test was used to assess the correlation between VAI and anthropometric, biochemical, and IR parameters, with a predefined significance level of 5%. The analyzed sample consisted of 88 men and 72 women, with an average age of 58.78±13.48. VAI revealed noteworthy and positive correlations with all anthropometric parameters assessed (p&lt;0.0001). Furthermore, significant positive associations were noted between VAI and total cholesterol in women (p=0.0064), glycemia in men (p=0.0105), and LDL-c (p&lt;0.01) and triglycerides in both genders (p˂0.0001). A significant negative association was observed between VAI and HDL-c in both genders (p&lt;0.0001). Notably, the correlation between VAI and total cholesterol in men, glycemia in women, and CRP in both genders was not found to be significant. However, a significant relationship between VAI and IR parameters was observed in both sexes (p&lt;0.05). The results obtained from our study suggest that VAI functions as a simple and non-intrusive instrument, demonstrating significant effectiveness in identifying metabolic changes primarily associated with adipose tissue dysfunction, particularly dyslipidemia.

The global population is at risk of vitamin D deficiency due to low exposure to sunlight and low intake of the vitamin through diet. The aim was to investigate in women the association between vitamin D status and parathyroid hormone (PTH), ultraviolet radiation, lifestyle, ethnicity, social conditions, and residential greenness. A 1-year longitudinal study assessed vitamin D status in 309 women, latitude 51° 14' N. Blood samples were taken four times throughout the year for analysis of 25(OH)D and serum PTH concentration. After each seasonal visit, the individuals completed 4-day diet diaries and used two dosimeter badges for 1 week to estimate weekly UVR exposure. A questionnaire was applied to provide information about lifestyle and their ethnicity. Residential greenness was measured by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), within a 1000 m radius around each participant’s home address. Women living in greener spaces were more likely to have improved vitamin D status (RR: 1.51; 95%CI: 1.13 – 2.02), as well as those who were more exposed to UVR (RR: 2.05; 95%CI: 1.44 – 2.92). Our results provided a first insight into the connection between vitamin D, residential greenness, and lifestyle in a region of temperate climate and with a high degree of urbanization.