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

Several plant species produce mixtures of odorous and volatile compounds known as essential oils (EOs). These mixtures play important roles in nature and have been utilized by man for pharmaceutical and agrochemical purposes. There are more than 3000 EOs reported in the literature with approximately 300 having commercial use, including the oils from Eucalyptus species. Such oils are rich in monoterpenes and have found applications as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, food flavorants and in the perfume industry. Such applications are related to their diverse biological and organoleptic properties. In view of their importance, we review in this article up to date information concerning chemical composition and biological activities of essential oils from different species of Eucalyptus. Among the 900 species and subspecies of the Eucalyptus genus¸ we examined 68 species. The studies associated with these species were conducted in 27 countries. We have focused on the antimicrobial, acaricide, insecticide and herbicide activities, hoping that such information will contribute in the advances of the research in this field. It is also intended that the information herein described can be useful in the rationalization of the use of Eucalyptus EOs as components for new pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications as well as food preservatives and flavorants.

Tributyltin (TBT) is an environmental contaminant present on all continents, including Antarctica, with a potent biocidal action. Its use began to be intensified during the 1970s, being effectively banned in 2003, but remaining in the environment to this day due to several factors that increase its half-life and misuse despite the bans. In addition to the endocrine disrupting effect of TBT, that may lead to imposex induction in some invertebrate species, there are several studies that demonstrated that TBT also has an immunotoxic effect. The immunotoxic effects that have been observed experimentally in vertebrates using in vitro and in vivo models involve different mechanisms, but mainly alterations in the expression and/or secretion of cytokines. In this review, we summarize and update the literature on the impacts of TBT on the immune system, as well as discuss what still needs to be done to fill the knowledge gaps regarding the impact of this endocrine disrupting-chemical on immune system homeostasis.

Currently, some non-conventional therapies (NCT), such as acupuncture, homeopathy, osteopathy, naturopathy, herbology, and Traditional Chinese Medicine are structured and well-regulated for a market of teaching and clinical practice in Portugal, among which acupuncture has become one of the most appealing and functional branches. Through investigation of acupuncture laws, field surveys, teaching work and interviews with people from NCT field in Portugal, we showed the current acupuncture education in Portugal and found that according to the academic norms and rules of education in Portugal, there is a gradual difficulty in the progression and maintenance of the degree training dynamics, due to the lack of more tolerant transitional measures and also, a timid commitment on the part of the institutions that embark on these complementary programs. Therefore, it will be necessary to promote additional programs and measures that avoid a total emptiness of the teaching of acupuncture and at the same time losses of clinicians, competencies and quality of information that are difficult to recover. It could be very meaningful and thought-provoking to the future development and improvement of acupuncture in Portugal and in other countries that welcome acupuncture and intend to have a better legislation and application.

This work presents an analytical methodology to predict meat juiciness (discriminant semi-quantitative analysis using groups of intervals of intramuscular fat) and intramuscular fat (regression analysis) in Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle of Bísaro pigs using as independent variables the animal carcass weight and parameters from color and image analysis. These are non-invasive and non-destructive techniques which allow development of rapid, easy and inexpensive methodologies to evaluate pork meat quality in a slaughterhouse. The proposed predictive supervised multivariate models were non-linear. Discriminant mixture analysis to evaluate meat juiciness by classified samples into three groups—0.6 to 1.1%; 1.25 to 1.5%; and, greater than 1.5%. The obtained model allowed 100% of correct classifications (92% in cross-validation with seven-folds with five repetitions). Polynomial support vector machine regression to determine the intramuscular fat presented R2 and RMSE values of 0.88 and 0.12, respectively in cross-validation with seven-folds with five repetitions. This quantitative model (model’s polynomial kernel optimized to degree of three with a scale factor of 0.1 and a cost value of one) presented R2 and RSE values of 0.999 and 0.04, respectively. The overall predictive results demonstrated the relevance of photographic image and color measurements of the muscle to evaluate the intramuscular fat, rarther than the usual time-consuming and expensive chemical analysis.

Breast cancer has become the most diagnosed cancer in women globally with 2.3 million new diagnosis each year. Accurate early staging is essential for improving survival rates with metastatic spread from loco regional to distant metastasis decreasing rates by 50%. Current guidelines do not advice the routine use of Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-Computed Tomography (CT) in staging of early breast cancer in the absence of symptoms. However, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that PET-CT used in this early stage can benefit the patient by improving staging and as a result treatment and outcome as well as psychological burden without increasing costs to the health service. Ongoing research in PET radiomics and artificial intelligence is showing promising future prospects in its use in diagnosis, staging, prognosticatication and assessing response to treatment in breast cancer. Furthermore ongoing research to address current limitations of PET-CT by improving techniques and tracers is encouraging.

Among the many Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) that would benefit from the establish-ment of novel cell models, either patient-derived or genetically engineered, is Mucopolysaccha-ridosis type II (MPS II). In fact, even though a specific therapeutic approach does exist for this disorder (Enzyme Replacement Therapy, ERT, with recombinant human IDS) and haematopoiet-ic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) may also hold promise whenever the disorder is diagnosed soon enough, both approaches have their own drawbacks. Here we present our results on the establishment and characterization of two MPS II pa-tient-derived stem cell line(s) from deciduous baby teeth. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a stem cell population is isolated from LSD patient samples obtained from the oral cavity. Taking into account our results on the molecular and biochemical characterization of those cells and our first insights on their subcellular MPS phenotype, we consider these cells will be a valuable tool for both pathophysiological assessments and drugs screenings. Ultimately, we believe patient-derived dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) may represent a feasible alternative to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) in many labs with standard cell culture con-ditions and limited (human and economic) resources.

Introduction: CT perfusion (CTP) is an alternative tool to assess cerebral hemodynamics in brain trauma. As traumatic acute subdural hematomas (ASH) are severe lesions commonly associated with poor outcome, we aimed to evaluate the brain hemodynamics in this population. Methods: Five patients admitted at the emergency department sustaining traumatic acute subdural hematoma were evaluated. Preoperative CTP was performed immediately after nonenhanced head CT scan. Postoperative CTP was performed in four patients. The outcome was assessed 6 months after surgery using the extended Glasgow Outcome Scale. Results: 4 male and 1 female were evaluated. Mean age was 46y (SD: 8.1). Mean preoperative midline brain shift was 10.1 mm (SD: 1.8). The main mechanism of trauma was falling (four patients). There was a general improvement in cerebral blood flow (CBF) after surgery from 23.9 (SD: 6.1) to 30.7 ml/100g/min, (SD: 5.1) and in mean transit time (MTT) from 7.3 (SD: 1.3) to 5.8s (SD:1.0), although it is not statistically significant (p=0.06 and p=0.06, respectively). There was still a reduction in the cerebral blood volume (CBV) media when compared to the value after surgery, from 2.63 (SD: 1.10) to 2.34 ml/100g (SD: 0.67), which is not statistically significant (p=0.31). Spearman correlation test of postoperative and preoperative CBF ratio with outcome was 0.94 (p=0.054). Only one patient died (three days after surgery). This patient was victim of car crash and had the highest preoperative MTT (9.97 seconds) and CBV (4.51 ml/100 g). Conclusion: Post-operative improvement of hemodynamic CTP parameters may be correlated with outcomes after ASH. Further studies with larger samples are required to confirm this hypothesis.

Background: Morphological alterations in intracranial pressure pulse waveform (ICPPW) secondary to intracranial hypertension (ICP >20 mmHg) and reduction in intracranial compliance (ICC) are well known indicators of neurological severity. To date, no studies have documented the ICPPW modifications after intracranial hypertension resolution with decompressive craniectomy (DC). The present study aimed to assess the morphological alterations in ICPPW among neurocritical care patients with and without DC, by comparing the variations of ICPPW features according to elevations in mean ICP values. Methods: Patients requiring ICP monitoring because of severe traumatic or spontaneous conditions were included. Mean ICP values were compared with ICPPW features (P2/P1 ratio, TTP and pulse amplitude). Elevation in ICP was produced by means of ultrasound-guided manual internal jugular veins compression. Results were distributed for three groups: intact skull (exclusive burr hole for ICP monitoring), craniotomy/large fractures (group 2) or DC (group 3). Results: 57 patients were analyzed. 21 (36%) presented no skull defects, whereas 15 (26%) had DC. ICP was not significantly different between groups: ±13.59 for intact and ±17.66 mmHg for DC, with ICP induced elevation also similar between groups (p= 0.56). Significant elevation was observed for P2/P1 ratio for groups 1 and 2, whereas reduction was observed in group 3 (elevation of ±0.09 for groups 1 and 2, whereas reduction of 0.03 for group 3, p=0.01). Conclusion: In the present study, intracranial pressure pulse waveform analysis indicated that intracranial compliance was significantly more impaired among decompressive craniectomy patients, although ICPPW indicated DC to be protective for further influences of ICP elevations over the brain. Analysis of ICPPW seems to be an alternative to real time ICC assessment.

We validated a new noninvasive tool (B4C) to assess intracranial pressure waveform (ICPW) morphology in a set of neurocritical patients, correlating the data with ICPW obtained from invasive catheter monitoring. Materials and Methods: Patients undergoing invasive intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring were consecutively evaluated using the B4C sensor. Ultrasound-guided manual internal jugular vein (IJV) compression was performed to elevate ICP from the baseline. ICP values, amplitudes, and time intervals (P2/P1 ratio and time-to-peak [TTP]) between the ICP and B4C waveform peaks were analyzed. Results: Among 41 patients, the main causes for ICP monitoring included traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and stroke. Bland-Altman’s plot indicated agreement between the ICPW parameters obtained using both techniques. The strongest Pearson’s correlation for P2/P1 and TTP was observed among patients with no cranial damage (r = 0.72 and 0.85, respectively) in detriment of those who have undergone craniotomies or craniectomies. P2/P1 values of 1 were equivalent between the two techniques (area under the receiver operator curve [AUROC], 0.9) whereas B4C cut-off 1.2 was predictive of intracranial hypertension (AUROC 0.9, p < 000.1 for ICP > 20 mmHg). Conclusion: B4C provided biometric amplitude ratios correlated with ICPW variation morphology and is useful for noninvasive critical care monitoring.

Beach sand may act as a reservoir for numerous micro-organisms, including enteric pathogens. Several of these pathogens originate in human or animal feces, which may pose a public health risk. In August 2019, high levels of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) were detected in the sand of the Azorean beach Prainha, Terceira Island, Portugal. Remediation measures were promptly implemented, including sand removal and the spraying of chlorine to restore the beach sand quality. To determine the biological source of the contamination, during the first campaign, supratidal sand samples were collected from several sites along the beach, followed by microbial source tracking (MST) analyses of Bacteroides markers for five animal species, including humans. Some of the sampling sites revealed the presence of marker genes from dogs, seagulls, and ruminants. Making use of the information on biological sources originating partially from dogs, the municipality enforced restrictive measures for dog-walking at the beach. Subsequent sampling campaigns detected low FIB contamination due to the mitigation and remediation measures that were undertaken, thereby no longer requiring MST marker-gene analysis. This is the first case study where the MST approach was used to determine the contamination sources in the supratidal sand of a coastal beach. Our results show that MST can be an essential approach to determine sources of fecal contamination in the sand. This study shows the importance of holistic management of beaches that should go beyond water quality monitoring for FIB, putting forth evidence for the need for sands also to be monitored.

Academic publishing is undergoing a highly transformative process, and many rules and value systems that were in place for years are being challenged in unprecedented forms leading to the evolution of novel ways of dealing with new pressures. One of the most important aspects of an integrated and valid academic literature is the ability to screen publications for errors during peer review to weed out mistakes, fraud and inconsistencies, such that the final published product represents a product that has value, intellectually, and otherwise. It is difficult to claim the existence of perfect manuscripts. The level of errors that exist in a manuscript will depend on the rigor of the research group and of the peer review process that was used to screen that paper. When errors slip into a final published paper, either through honest error or misconduct, and are not detected during peer review and editorial screening, but are spotted during post-publication peer review, an opportunity is created to set the record straight, and to correct it. To date, the most common forms of correcting the literature have been errata, corrigenda, expressions of concern, and retractions. Despite this range of corrective measures, which represent artificially created corrals around pockets of imperfect literature, certain cases do not quite fit this mold, and new suggested measures for correcting the literature have been proposed, including manuscript versioning, amendments, partial retractions and retract and replace. In this commentary, a discussion of the evolving correction of the literature is provided, as are perspectives of the risks and benefits of such new measures to improve it.

In bone tissue engineering, ceramics have been the choice due to their excellent biological properties. But the paradigm changed with the discovery of bioactive glasses (BGs) in 1969 by Larry Hench and co-workers, due to their ability to bond to living tissues through the formation of an interfacial bone-like hydroxyapatite layer when the bioglass was put in contact with biological fluids in vivo. Among a number of tested compositions, the one exhibiting the highest bioactivity index is the well-known trademarked 45S5 Bioglass®. The topic received increasing attention particularly after 1985 when this material entered in the market of biomedical devices, inspiring many other investigations aiming at further exploring the in vitro and in vivo performances of this BG, or developing other related BG compositions. The research efforts gradually revealed a number of shortcomings of 45S5 Bioglass®, mostly derived from its high sodium content, initially intended to decrease the melting temperature and accelerating the degradation of the silicate network over time. But the extensive release of sodium from 45S5 Bioglass® in the biological fluids creates a high pH cytotoxic environment. Other serious drawbacks include a fast degradation rate, and a poor sintering ability, which hinders the reliable fabrication of porous scaffolds. Therefore, sol-gel was regarded as an attractive alternative to prepare alkali-free BG compositions. The process uses inorganic and/or organic precursors, which undergo hydrolysis and condensation at room-temperature, being less costly. When properly conducted, the sol-gel process might result in amorphous structures with all the components intimately mixed at the atomic scale. Moreover, developing new better performing materials for bone tissue engineering is a growing concern, as the ageing of the world’s population leads to lower bone density and osteoporosis. This work describes the sol-gel synthesis of a novel quaternary silicate-based BG with the composition 60 SiO2 – 34 CaO – 4 MgO – 2 P2O5 (mol%) was prepared using acidified distilled water as single solvent. By controlling the kinetics of the hydrolysis and condensation steps, an amorphous glass structure could be obtained. The results of XRD of samples calcined within the temperature range from 600-900 ºC demonstrated that amorphous nature was maintained until 800 ºC, followed by partial crystallization at 900 ºC. The specific surface area, an important factor in osteoconduction, was also evaluated over different temperatures, ranging from 160.6 ± 0.8 m2/g at 600 ºC down to 2.2 ± 0.1 m2/g at 900 ºC, being accompanied consistent changes in average pore size and agreeing pore size distribution. The immersion of the BG particles in simulated body fluid (SBF) led to the formation of an extensive apatite layer on its surface. These overall results indicate the proposed material is very promising for biomedical applications in bone regeneration and tissue engineering.

Worldwide, the cesarean section rate has steadily increased from 6.7% in 1990 to 21.1% in 2018 and is expected to rise even more. World Health Organization propose the adoption of the Robson classification system as a global standard for monitoring, evaluating, and comparing delivery rates. The purpose of the current study is to use the Robson classification system to investigate how, independently of medical factors, the day of the week and time of delivery may affect the mode of birth. In the sample analysis, we included the records of 8572 women giving birth in one private health facility in Greece. Over 60% of deliveries during the study period were performed by a cesarean section and 8.5% of deliveries were performed by operative vaginal delivery. The results of this study indicate that the lowest birth rates are observed on Monday, Saturday, and Sunday. In Robson category 1 women are 73% more likely to deliver by cesarean section between 08:00 a.m. - 03:59 p.m. compared to those who give birth between 12:00 a.m. - 07:59 a.m. Also, women in group 5.1 are 16.7 times more likely to deliver by cesarean section in the morning compared to overnight deliveries. These result point out two non-clinical variables that influences the CS rate. The Robson classification system was a useful tool for the above comparisons.

Tree condition, pruning and orchard management practices within intensive horticultural tree crop systems can be determined via measurements of tree structure. Multi-spectral imagery acquired from an unmanned aerial system (UAS) has been demonstrated as an accurate and efficient platform for measuring various tree structural attributes, but research in complex horticultural environments has been limited. This research established a methodology for accurately estimating tree crown height, extent, plant projective cover (PPC) and condition of avocado tree crops, from a UAS platform. Individual tree crowns were delineated using object-based image analysis. In comparison to field measured canopy heights, an image-derived canopy height model provided a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.65 and relative root mean squared error of 6%. Tree crown length perpendicular to the hedgerow was accurately mapped. PPC was measured using spectral and textural image information and produced an R2 value of 0.62 against field data. A random forest classifier was applied to assign tree condition into four categories in accordance with industry standards, producing out-of-bag accuracies >96%. Our results demonstrate the potential of UAS-based mapping for the provision of information to support the horticulture industry and facilitate orchard-based assessment and management.

The molecular evolution of medulloblastoma is more complex than was previously imagined as emerging evidence suggests that multiples interactions between the tumor cells and components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) are important for tumor promotion and progression. The identification of several molecular networks within the TME, which interact with tumoral cells, has provided new clues to understand the tumorigenic roles of many TME components as well as potential therapeutic targets. In this review, we discuss the most recent studies regarding the roles of astrocytes in supporting the sonic hedgehog (SHH)–activated medulloblastoma molecular subgroup, and provide an overview of medulloblastoma progression through SHH expression and signal transduction mechanisms into the complex tumor microenvironment. In addition, we highlight the associations between tumor and stromal cells as possible prognostic markers and new therapeutic strategies.

This study involved a comprehensive examination of sensory attributes in Bísaro dry-cured loins, including odor, androsterone, scatol, color, fat color, hardness, juiciness, chewiness, flavor intensity, and flavor persistence. Analysis of 40 samples revealed a wide variation in these attributes, ensuring a robust margin for multivariate calibration purposes. The respective near-infrared (NIR) spectra unveil distinct peaks associated with significant components such as protein, lipid, and water. Support Vector Regression (SVR) models were methodically calibrated for all sensory attributes, with optimal results using multiplicative scattering correction pre-treatment, MinMax normalization, and radial base kernel (non-linear SVR model). The predictive models exhibited acceptable results, characterized by R-squared values close to 1 (0.9616 - 0.9955) and low RMSE values (0.0400 – 0.1031). The prediction set's relative standard deviation (RSD) remained under 5%. Comparisons with prior research revealed significant improvements in prediction accuracy, particularly when considering attributes like pig aroma, hardness, fat color, and flavor intensity. This research underscores the potential of advanced analytical techniques to improve the precision of sensory evaluations in food quality assessment.

Cancer patients may experience significant distress. The “Emotion Thermometers” (ETs) are a short visual analogue scale used to screen patients for psychosocial risk. This study aimed to assess emotional distress in a large sample of cancer patients attending psychological services at an NGO, and to explore factors that may contribute to it. The ETs were answered by 899 cancer patients. They were, on average, 59.9 years old, the majority were female, had breast cancer, were under treatment or were disease-free survivors, and reported high levels of emotional distress, above the cut-off (≥5). A Generalized Linear Model was used to measure the association between the level of Distress and 33 items of the problem list. Four items - sadness, depression, sleep and breathing - were found to be significantly related to a higher level of Distress. Additionally, women and those who were in the palliative phase also had significantly higher levels of Distress. Conclusions: The results confirm the need for early emotional screening in cancer patients, as well as the relevance of attending to the characteristics of each patient. Additionally, they highlight the utility of the ETs for the clinical practice, allowing to optimize the referral to specialized psy-chosocial services.

This paper provides a comparative study between microwave tomography and synthetic time-reversal imaging techniques as applied to ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys. The comparison is carried out by processing experimental data collected at a controlled test site, with various types of buried targets at given subsurface depths and representative soil conditions. It is shown that the two techniques allow us to obtain complementary information about position, depth and size of the targets from a single GPR survey.

The study presented here, through the use of GIS and physical variables, generate a new meth-odology for the calculation of erosivity (Factor R) for the qualitative evaluation of soil loss po-tential (laminar erosion) in the Northwest margin of the municipality of São Francisco, mostly located in the Pardo-MG river basin. The results obtained were statistically correct when com-pared to the traditional R calculation and the laminar erosion methodology. It is worth noting that the new proposal presented here indicated sites of qualitative loss of soil in the same places where there are closed-loop satellite signals of degraded Cerrado, something not identified in the traditional model. As conclusion it can be said that the obtained results were extremely sat-isfactory, being advised more studies to verify this new method proposed here in more places beyond the study area elaborated here

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

UAS-based multi-spectral imagery is becoming increasingly popular for the improved monitoring and managing of various horticultural crops. However, for UAS data to be used as an industry standard for assessing tree structure and condition as well as production parameters, it is imperative that the appropriate data collection and pre-processing protocols are established to enable multi-temporal comparison. There are several UAS-based radiometric correction methods commonly used for precision agricultural purposes. However, their relative accuracies have not been assessed for data acquired in complex horticultural environments. This study assessed the variations in estimated surface reflectance values of different radiometric corrections applied to multi-spectral UAS imagery acquired in both avocado and banana orchards. We found that inaccurate calibration panel measurements, inaccurate signal-to-reflectance conversion, and high variation in geometry between illumination, surface, and sensor viewing produced significant radiometric variations in at-surface reflectance estimates. Potential solutions to address these limitations included appropriate panel deployment, site-specific sensor calibration, and appropriate BRDF correction. Future UAS based horticultural crop monitoring can benefit from the proposed solutions to radiometric corrections to ensure they are using comparable image-based maps of multi-temporal biophysical properties.

The use of nitrogen fertilizers can be a source of environmental pollution; the use of or-ganomineral fertilizers can become a nutritional source for crops, ensuring sustainability in the production system. Another alternative approach is through the inoculation and co-inoculation of microorganisms. The objective was to evaluate the development, nutrition, and agronomic yield of common bean through fertilization with organomineral formula "FMO" derived from sewage sludge biosolids, combined with Rhizobium tropici inoculation and co-inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense techniques. Three bean cultivars from different commercial groups, Pérola, BRS Esteio, and BRS Pitanga, were tested. They were subjected to organomineral fertilizer application, orga-nomineral fertilizer application combined with seed inoculation with R. tropici and re-inoculation; seed co-inoculation with R. tropici + A. brasilense prior to sowing, and foliar re-inoculation with R. tropici + A. brasilense. Seed inoculation, combined with foliar re-inoculation at the V4 stage, resulted in higher productivity of common bean. The combination of R. tropici with co-inoculation with A. brasilense generally led to increased productivity compared to mineral nitrogen fertilization. The use of organomineral fertilizer alone enabled gains in development, as well as productivity. The Pérola bean cultivar showed better adaptation to the applied treatments.

In the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the 3CL or nsp5 protease plays a pivotal role as the most important viral protease required for the maturation of viral proteins during host infection. Herein, we simulated for 500 ns 3CLproWT, 3CLproH41A, , 3CLproBeta, and 3CLproOmicron, in complex with the substrates nsp 4|5 and nsp 5|6. Our results show that mutations in the 3CLpro present in the SARS-CoV-2 variant of concerns (VOCs) did not lead to significant conformational changes or changes in substrate binding affinities. However, significantly high cleavage rates for the boundary between nsp4 and nsp5 were obtained for 3CLproBeta and 3CLproOmicron and may play a key role in the viral replication and virus fitness gain. Our molecular dynamics data suggest that the cleavage rate of nsp4|5 may be related to the increased amount of viral load observed for these VOCs, releasing more nsp4 than other non-structural proteins. Based on our hydrogen bonding analyses, we also discovered that Gly143 and Glu166 are key residues in substrate recognition, suggesting that these residues may be incorporated as pharmacophoric centers for Beta and Omicron variants in drug design. Our results suggest that Gly143 and Glu166 are essential residues to interact with Gln6 of the different substrates and, therefore, are potential broad-spectrum pharmacophoric centers of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro.

There is growing recognition of the adverse effects of body image dissatisfaction (BID) and eating disorder (ED) symptoms on adolescent health. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of ED symptoms, BID, and their relationship in adolescents from public schools in Southern Brazil. A total of 782 schoolchildren (male: n=420, female: n=362); age: 15 ± 0,4 years) answered a self-administrated questionnaire to identify sociodemographic data. Children´s Figure Rating Scale was adopted to identify body image and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was applied to investigate ED symptoms. Inferential statistics and hierarchical model-controlled logistic regression were used for association between variables. Most of the schoolchildren reported being satisfied with their bodies. However, we observed a higher prevalence of dissatisfaction among girls for being overweight and thinness among boys. Female students and students from schools located in the central area of the city showed higher chances of developing ED symptoms, and the absence of symptoms of ED appeared to act as a protective factor against BID in schoolchildren. Results of this study show the need to reflect on these factors that influence the development of ED and non-acceptance of their own body in a population concerned with their physical appearance.

Whilst prior works have characterised the affordances of prototyping methods in terms of generating knowledge about a product or process, the types, or ‘dimensions’ of knowledge towards which they contribute are not fully understood. In this paper we adapt the concept of ‘design domains’ as a method to interpret, and better understand the contributions of different prototyping methods to design knowledge in new product development. We first synthesise a set of ten dimensions for design knowledge from a review of literature in design-related fields. A study was then conducted in which participants from engineering backgrounds completed a Likert-type questionnaire to quantify the perceived contributions to design knowledge of 90 common prototyping methods against each dimension. We statistically analyse results to identify patterns in the knowledge contributions of different methods. Results reveal that methods exhibit significantly different contribution profiles, suggesting different methods to be suited to different knowledge generation. Thus, this paper indicates potential for new methods, methodology and processes to leverage such characterisations for better selection and sequencing of methods in the prototyping process.

Metallic masters can be used as a metallic mold to replicate polymeric pieces with high resolution. Metallic masters with high resolution were created by photolithography technique and nickel electrodeposition technique. AZ 9260 photoresists and SPR 220-7.0 photoresists were used to coat metallic substrates and to compare results. Steel substrate and nickel substrate were used as the metallic substrate to compare results. Two different nickel electrodeposition protocols were used to compare results. In the conclusion section, was determined the best photoresist, metallic substrate, and nickel electrodeposition protocol to fabricate metallic masters.

Solid waste management is challenging in many countries, especially developing economies. The impacts of the pandemic continue to be felt and have indicated secondary impacts on waste management. This work draws on data on household solid waste (HSW), healthcare waste (HCW), and recyclables collected in the Rio de Janeiro municipality, analyzed from January 2018 to December 2022. As expected, the collection of HCW in Rio de Janeiro municipality experienced a noticeable increase in 2020 and 2021, with an average of 46.9 tons and 54.3 tons collected, respectively. Notably, 2021 saw a significant 30% increase compared to 2019 (p-value<0.001). No significant difference was observed in recyclables collected from 2018 to 2021. The average recyclable amount was 3,638 and 3,747 tons per month in 2020 and 2021. In contrast, the monthly amount was equal to 4,819.5 tons in 2022, representing an increase higher than 32% compared to previous years (p-value<0.05). Our findings can be used to adapt and improve waste systems to cope with similar emergency scenarios in the future, serving as a template for municipalities with similar challenges.

The main objective of this investigation was to study the effect of organizational competencies development practices on turnover intentions and whether affective commitment explains this relationship. Another of the study's objectives was to test whether these relationships vary ac-cording to the generation to which the participant belongs. The study sample consisted of 2123 participants working in Portuguese organizations. The results indicate that organizational com-petencies development practices (training, individualized support, and functional rotation) nega-tively and significantly affect turnover intentions and that affective commitment mediates this re-lationship. However, these relationships vary according to the participant's generation. For Gen-eration Y and Generation X, this mediating effect is found in all dimensions of organizational competencies development practices. For the baby boomer generation, there is only a mediating effect of affective commitment in the relationship between individualized support and turnover intentions. These results indicate that human resources should consider the generation to which the participant belongs when implementing competencies development practices.

Photonic integrated circuits (PIC) devices are impacted by fabrication tolerances and therefore, prior knowledge of such variation could improve the PIC fabrication process and overall yield. This paper presents a method for predicting the fabrication impacts on a telecommunication optical digital to analog converter (oDAC) based pulse amplitude modulator level four (PAM-4) transmitter. Our findings allow us to estimate the production yield in fabrication scenario using symbol error rate (SER) benchmark.

Welded structures are subjected to internal residual stress after manufacturing that may affect the structural strength and normally are associated with an increase on initial geometrical imperfections. This study presents a simplified method to generate an adequate representation of residual stresses on Finite Element models for structural analysis of thin-walled structures and other applications. The results obtained shown that the methodology proposed to introduce residual stresses is simple, accurate and efficient on the modulation of post-welding stresses and their pattern, thus it may be used for simulation of the thermal process.

G‐quadruplexes (G4) are structures formed at the ends of the telomere, these are rich in guanines and were stabilized by molecules that bind to specific sites. TMPyP4 and Thymoquinone (TQ) are small molecules that bind to the G4, they have drawn attention because of their role as telomerase inhibitors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of telomerase inhibitors on cellular proliferation, senescence, and death. Two cell lines LC‐HK2 (NSCLC) and RPE‐1 were treated with TMPyP4 (5μM) and TQ (10μM). Both inhibitors were effective in decreasing telomerase activity. TMPyP4 increased the percentage of cells with membrane damage associated with cell death and decreased the frequency of cells in the S‐phase. TMPyP4 changed the cell adhesion ability and modified the pattern of focal adhesion. TQ acted in a dose‐dependent manner, increasing the frequency of senescent cells, and inducing cell cycle arrest in the G1. In conclusion, the effects of both drugs on LC-HK2 and RPE-1 cell lines were different although both are telomerase inhibitors, because TMPyP4 decreased proteins of cell adhesion and TQ induces a decrease in cell viability.

Considering the importance of assessing the impacts resulting from a sport career, this study aimed at developing and validating a semi-structure interview guide suitable for quantifying the socio-demographic and epidemiological profile of former professional football players. Based on the theoretical frameworks and several methodological procedures, an interview guide was de-veloped, consisting of 3 areas of conceptual organization (A1. Biographical data; A2. Career data; and A3. Post-Career Transition data) and 8 data collection categories (C1. Personal data; C2. Pro-fessional data; C3. Socio-demographic pathway in the post-career; epidemiological pathway; C4. Epidemiological pathway; C5. Moment of leaving the career; C6. Socio-demographic pathway in post-career; C7. Epidemiological pathway in the post-career; and C8. Perceptions on post-career planning). The construction and validation of the interview guide following 4 steps: Ad hoc con-struction of the interview guide (step 1); Review of the interview guide by a panel of experts (step 2); Definition of procedures and protocol for the application of the interview (step 3); Application of the pilot study for face validation of the interview guide (step 4). Thus, in procedural terms, four stages were considered for the construction and validation of the interview guide, namely the Ad hoc construction of the interview guide (i), the review of the in-terview guide by a panel of experts (ii), definition of procedures and protocol for the application of the interview (iii), and the application of the pilot study for the face validation of the interview guide (iv). The results showed that the interview guide for the study of the impacts of the sports careers on the quality of life of Portuguese former football players shows reliability for the collec-tion of qualitative and quantitative information from the respective content analysis. The use of the interview guide characterizes the path of former player, providing information and knowledge on the socio-demographic and epidemiological impact factors resulting from their post-career (sports retirement).

Besides the Lagrangian and the Eulerian descriptions, the motion of a body can also be expressed relative to the present configuration of the body, known as the relative motion description. It is interesting to consider such a relative motion description in general to formulate the basic system of field equations for solid bodies. In doing so, when the time increment from the present state is small enough, the nonlinear constitutive equations can be linearized relative to the present state so that the resulting system becomes linear. This will be done for thermoelastic materials with a brief comment on the exploitation of entropy principle in general. Relative Lagrangian formulation is based on the well-known ``small-on-large'' idea, and can be implemented for solving problems with large deformation in successive incremental manner. Some applications of such a formulation in numerical simulations are briefly reviewed.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among all ages; despite the advances, understanding pathophysiological responses after TBI is still complex, involving multiple mechanisms. Previous reviews have focused on potential targets; however, the research on potential targets has continuously grown in the last five years, bringing even more alternatives and elucidating previous mechanisms. Knowing the key and updated pathophysiology concepts is vital for adequate management and better outcomes. This article reviews the underlying molecular mechanisms, the latest updates, and future directions for pathophysiology-based TBI management.

Effective waste elimination is critical for the success of construction projects. Although several studies have focused on various aspects of construction waste, limited efforts have investigated the dynamic effect of Making-Do (MD) practices on productivity, rework, defects, and materials wastage. From a lean construction perspective, this study aims to address MD waste using the Last Planner System (LPS) and BIM. First, the casual structure that can cause MD in construction projects was expressed in a casual loop diagram (CLD), and thematic analysis uncovered the strategies of LPS-BIM to eliminate MD identified by reviewing the literature. Secondly, twenty-five strategies from the LPS and BIM strategies to address MD using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were assessed. Subsequently, a system dynamics model (SDM) for investigating LPS-BIM strategies on MD decisions in a construction project was formulated based on the underlying causal loop diagrams and the mathematical relations among the variables. Finally, the model was applied to three projects, and simulations for four LPS-BIM scenarios were carried out. The findings show that dynamic interactions among diverse production planning and control factors are critical in evaluating MD impacts on a construction project. The results demonstrate that the LPS-BIM approach resulted in an average 43.8% reduction in the tasks performed with MD, 45.3% of constraints, 66.5% of construction waste, increasing 13.7% completion rate, and 29.3% cost reduction, demonstrating that LPS-BIM as a more efficient solution for MD mitigation and construction planning.

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.

The regulation of multiple bacterial phenotypes was found to depend on different cyclic di-nucleotides (CDNs) that constitute intracellular signalling second messenger systems. Most notably, c-di-GMP, along with proteins related to its synthesis, sensing and degradation, was identified as playing a central role in the switching from biofilm to planktonic modes of growth. Recently, this world has been under expansion, with the discoveries of other signalling CNDs in bacteria (c-di-AMP and cGAMP) and also in eukaryotes, novel protein and RNA receptors of CDNs, and the numerous functions related to these molecules. In this work, we comprehensively review and analyse the structural biology data about the systems that bacteria use to synthesise and recognise CDNs, detailing their interactions at molecular level with their products/ligands. Additional interesting observations were made, including that different receptor types can bind CDNs in similar conformations and that, based on genomic data, different CDN second messenger systems may coexist in many organisms. The large amount of sequence and structural data available allows a broad view of the importance of CDNs in bacteria, but how cells coordinate these molecules to ensure adaptation to changing environmental conditions is still open for much further exploration.

Background: Porteirinha is endemic for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), with intense disease transmission of the disease. We evaluated the impact of canine euthanasia as a single control measure on the incidence of VL in humans and canines. Methods: A prospective observational cohort study was carried out over four years (1998–2002) in eight of the 12 neighborhoods of the city. The dynamics of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) transmission were evaluated for 2 years, before beginning the screening-culling intervention. The comparative morbidity index (CMI) was used to stratify areas with the greatest risk of CVL, and the spatial distribution of human and canine VL cases was compared using univariate and bivariate K functions. Results: Human cases conglomerated in three neighborhoods. Spatial clusters were detected for CVL in 1998, 2000, and 2001, but not in 1999, when greater spatial dispersion occurred. The screening and culling intervention reduced the number of human VL cases and decreased the incidence of CVL, mainly in neighbor-hoods with a high CMI. Conclusions: The systematic euthanasia of seropositive dogs was shown to be an effective control action of the Program for Control of Visceral Leishmaniasis (PCLV) in Brazil. The fundamental role of domestic dogs in the epidemiological chain of VL was reaffirmed.

Health and wellness tourism should be particularly valued in the post-pandemic phase, as a stra-tegic product to enhance the population's well-being and quality of life indicators, at social, phys-ical, and environmental dimensions, with different proposals for specialized experiences that complement the destination's offer, positioning regions as health and wellness destinations. Thermal tourism should be encouraged, as a specific product, due to the innovation and diversi-fication observed in the services made available and the benefits recognized at different age levels of tourists and destinations communities. Considering the relevance of thermal springs and thermal tourists for tourism destinations image, positioning, and development, this research aims to identify the specific motivations of tourists to the practice of thermal tourism, to understand how the benefits that thermal tourists search for, and their sociodemographic profile influence the motivations, and how the motivations determine the travel characteristics. This research was de-veloped on the North and Centre of Portugal, for their relevance in the context of thermal springs and related tourism activities. To achieve the research objectives, a questionnaire survey was ap-plied to thermal tourists, through a non-probability by convenience sampling, using bivariate tests, such as Pearson’s chi-squared test, one-way ANOVA, and t-student. The results highlight that most respondents practiced thermal tourism due to leisure and relaxation benefits, such as the escape from daily stress, spend time with family, and being "pampered"; relaxation is the most valued motivation, followed by the search for psychological and physical wellbeing. The research found relations between the benefits expected by thermal tourists, and their travel characteristics such as the composition of the group, the general travel motivation, the thermal destination cho-sen, and the number of nights spent. In thermal tourism, new challenges emerge, demanding the development of strategies, products, and services responding to the needs of specific market segments.

This study investigates the relationship between clean and dirty energy markets, specifically focusing on clean energy stock indexes and their potential as hedging assets and safe havens during periods of global economic uncertainty. The research analyzes five clean energy indexes and five dirty energy indexes from May 2018 to May 2023, considering events like the global pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The main objective is to examine the causal relationship among different stock indexes pertaining to dirty and clean energy by using the Granger causality test (VAR Granger Causality/Block Exogeneity Wald Test) to determine whether clean energy indexes can predict future prices of dirty energy indexes. However, the findings reveal that clean and dirty energy indexes do not exhibit hedging characteristics or serve as safe havens during times of economic uncertainty, rejecting the research question. These results have important implications for investment strategies, as assets lacking safe haven characteristics may not preserve portfolio efficiency in uncertain times. The study's insights provide valuable guidance for investors, poli-cymakers, and participants in energy financial markets. It highlights the need to adapt investment approaches and seek alternative options to navigate uncertain economic conditions effectively.

The effects of the solvent used for the active layer materials of an OLED based on TADF emitters plays a fundamental role in solution-deposited devices. This work focuses the effects on the performance of different solvents employed to fabricate a very simple two organic layer OLED based on a green TADF emitter, under the concept of host:guest matrix. From the different results of the main figures of merit, it was possible to conclude that the OLED that used toluene as solvent for the active layer reached a maximum EQE of 14%, almost the maximum already obtained for this emitter in more complex device structures. With the analysis of the charge transport processes, it was possible to establish an explanatory model for the obtained results. Through impedance spectroscopy, additional characterization about the nature of charge transport processes was carried out. With these results, it was possible to corelate the relaxation times, with the electrical properties of the active layer, and infer about the interaction between the electrical charges and the defect levels opening new possibilities to further development in the printed OLEDs.

The microorganisms able of accumulating lipids in high percentages, known as oleaginous microorganisms, have been widely studied as an alternative for producing oleochemicals and biofuels. Microbial lipid, so called Single Cell Oil (SCO), production depends on several growth parameters, including the nature of the carbon substrate, which must be efficiently taken up and converted into storage lipid. Οn the other hand, substrates considered for large scale applications must be abundant and of low acquisition cost. Among others, lignocellulosic biomass is a promising renewable substrate containing high percentages of assimilable sugars (hexoses and pentoses). However, it is also highly recalcitrant and therefore it requires specific pretreatments in order to release its assimilable components. The main drawback of lignocellulose pretreatment is the generation of several by-products that can inhibit the microbial metabolism. In this review, we discuss the main aspects related to the cultivation of oleaginous microorganisms using lignocellulosic biomass as substrate, hoping to contribute to the development of a sustainable process for SCO production in the near future.

The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the closure of schools at every level, globally, forcing education to move online. Meeting the needs of students online for Science Lab classes, in particular, is a challenge since the physical labs are not available to the teachers or students. OLabs is a virtual Science Lab providing a complete learning environment of theory, experimental procedures, videos, animations, simulations, and assessments that capture real lab experiences with the relevant pedagogy. This study looks at the acquisition and behaviors of users, on the OLabs platform, during pre and Covid-19 times. Using Google Analytics, we observe that, during the pandemic time, users increasingly adopted OLabs as a new learning pedagogy for performing experiments as indicated by parameters like the number of users; the number of unique pages viewed per session; time spent on viewing content; bounce rate; and preference for content types such as theory, simulations, videos, and animations.

Background. Until now, cost of allergy treatment in insured public health care system and non-insured self-financing private health care system in Indonesia has not been well documented and published, as well as the cost of allergy treatment with subcutaneous immunotherapy. Objective. To evaluate the clinical and cost benefits of allergic rhinitis treatment in children with subcutaneous immunotherapy in non-insured self-financing private health care system. Methods. A retrospective cohort study conducted from 2015 until 2020, compared clinical improvement and health care costs over 18 months in newly diagnosed AR children who received SCIT versus matched AR control subjects who did not receive SCIT, with each group consisting of 1,098 subjects Results. Decrease of sp-HDM-IgE level (kU/ml) from 20.5 + 8.75 kU/ml to 12.1 + 3.07 kU/ml had been observed in the SCIT group. To reduce the symptom score of allergic rhinitis by 1.0 with SCIT it costs IDR 21,753,062.7 per child, for non SCIT it costs IDR 104,147,878.0 per child. Meanwhile, to reduce the medication score (MS) by 1.0 with SCIT it costs Rp. 17,024,138.8 while with non SCIT it costs Rp. 104,147,878.0. Meanwhile, to lower combination symptoms and medication score (CSMS) by 1.0, with SCIT it costs IDR 9,550,126.6, while with non SCIT it costs IDR 52,073,938.9. Conclusion. In conclusion, this first Indonesia-based study demonstrates substantial health care cost savings associated with SCIT for children with AR in an uninsured private health care system and provides strong evidence for the clinical benefits and cost-savings benefits of AR treatment in children.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of different types of olive cake (five treatments) in the diet of Bísaro pigs on the volatile compounds and sensory characteristics in the dry-cured loin and dry-cured “cachaço” (2 processed meat products). The treatments applied are based on the type of extraction and this may imply differences in their water and fat content. Eighty com-pounds were identified, and grouped into eight chemical classes: hydrocarbons, aldehydes, es-ters, alcohols, ketones, acids, furans, and other compounds. Aldehydes and alcohols were the ma-jor groups of compounds, representing 57.06-66.07 % and 68.67-75.61 % for the loin and “cacha-ço”, respectively. There were no significant differences between treatments for any of the volatile compounds identified. The major aldehydes were hexanal, heptanal, pentanal, and propanal. These compounds were significantly higher (p<0.001) in “cachaço”. This significant difference be-tween the two types of dry-cured products is directly related to the amount of total fat content. The major alcohols were 2.3-butanediol, 1-octen-3-ol, 1-butanol, 3-methyl, 1-hexanol, benzyl-alcohol and glycidol. Except for compounds 2,3-butanediol and benzyl-alcohol, the majority in this group are significantly different in terms of the type of dry-cured product. As for the sensory evaluation, for both dry-cured products, the trained tasters did not detect significant differences between the different treatments, which is in line with the results obtained for volatile compounds.

This research work uses a simplified approach to combine location information from beacons propagation signal interaction with a mobile device with local building information to give real-time location and guidance to a user inside a building. This is an interactive process with visualisation information that can help user’s orientation inside unknown buildings and the data stored from different users can provide useful information about users movements inside a public building. Beacons installed on the building at specific pre-defined position emit signals that give a geographic position with an associated imprecision, related with Bluetooth’s range. This uncertainty is handled by building layout and users’ movement in a developed system that maps users’ position, gives guidance and store user movements. This system is based on an App (Find Me!) for Android OS (Operating System) which captures the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal coming from the beacon(s) and shows, through a map, the location of the user ‘s smartphone and guide him to the desired destination. Also, the beacons can deliver relevant context information. The application was tested by a panel of new and habitual campus users against traditional wayfinding alternatives yielding navigation times about 30% smaller, respectively.

Water footprint has been widely used to illustrate the consumption of water in many situations; for instance, in products, processes or regions of interest. In this work, we analyzed – using a sensitivity analysis approach – the effect of some variables in the calculation of the water footprint in the viticulture in Brazilian Serra Gaúcha (the major producing region of Brazilian Wine).The classical Penman-Monteith model for evapotransporation was considered, with uncertainties in some parameters (dead mulch covering fraction in the vineyard, maximum temperatures for some months, altitudes and latitudes of the site). The sensitivity analysis was conducted using the SAFE toolbox under Octave framework. The results indicated that the the portion of the water footprint corresponding to the evapotranspiration is more sensitive to the values of mulch covering fraction and the altitude of the site in comparison with the latitude and the maximum temperatures.

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.

Although rRT-PCR is the gold standard method for SARS-CoV-2 detection, some factors, such as amplification inhibitors presence, lead to false-negative results. Here we describe differences between rRT-PCR results for SARS-CoV-2 infection in normal and diluted samples, simulating the need for dilution due to amplification inhibitors presence. Viral RNA extraction of nasopharyngeal swabs samples from 20 patients previously detected as 'Negative' and 21 patients detected as 'Positive' for SARS-CoV-2 was realized with the EasyExtract DNA-RNA (Interprise®). rRT-PCR was realized with OneStep/COVID-19 (IBMP) kit with normal and diluted (80µl of H₂O RNAse free) samples, totaling 82 tests. The results indicate that there is an average variation (ɑ < 0.05) delaying Cq between the amplification results of internal control (IC), N Gene (NG), and ORF-1ab (OF) of 1.811 Cq, 3.840 Cq, and 3.842 Cq, respectively. The extraction kit does not completely purify the inhibitor compounds, therefore non-amplification by inhibitors may occur. In this study, we obtained a 19.04% false-negative diagnosis after sample dilution, and this process reduces the efficiency of rRT-PCR to 29.80% for detecting SARS-CoV-2. Knowing the rRT-PCR standards of diluted samples can help in the identification of false-negative cases, and consequently avoid a wrong diagnosis.

We consider an $N$ fermion system at low temperature $T$ in which we encounter special particle number values $N_m$ exhibiting special traits. These values arise in focusing attention upon the degree of mixture (DM) of the pertinent quantum states. Given the coupling constant of the Hamiltonian, the DMs stay constant for all $N$-values, but experience sudden jumps at the $N_m$. For a quantum state described by the matrix $\rho$, its purity is expressed by $Tr \rho^2$ and then the degree of mixture is given by $1 - Tr \rho^2$, a quantity that coincides with the entropy $S_q$ for $q=2$. Thus, Tsallis entropy of index two faithfully represents the degree of mixing of a state, that is, it measures the extent to which the state departs from maximal purity . Macroscopic manifestations of the degree of mixing can be observed through various physical quantities. Our present study is closely related to properties of many-fermion systemsn that are usually manipulated at zero temperature. Here we wish to study the subject at finite temperature. Gibbs' ensemble is appealed to. Some interesting insights are thereby gained.

Gas and power networks are tightly coupled and interact with each other due to physically interconnected facilities. In an integrated gas and power network, a contingency observed in one system may cause iterative cascading failures, resulting in network wide disruptions. Therefore, understanding the impacts of the interactions in both systems is crucial for governments, system operators, regulators and operational planners, particularly, to ensure security of supply for the overall energy system. Although simulation has been widely used in the assessment of gas systems as well as power systems, there is a significant gap in simulation models that are able to address the coupling of both systems. In this paper, a simulation framework that models and simulates the gas and power network in an integrated manner is proposed. The framework consist of a transient model for the gas system and a steady state model for the power system based on AC-Optimal Power Flow. The gas and power system model are coupled through an interface which uses the coupling equations to establish the data exchange and coordination between the individual models. The bidirectional interlink between both systems considered in this studies are the fuel gas offtake of gas fired power plants for power generation and the power supply to LNG terminals and electric drivers installed in gas compressor stations and underground gas storage facilities. The simulation framework is implemented into an innovative simulation tool named SAInt (Scenario Analysis Interface for Energy Systems) and the capabilities of the tool are demonstrated by performing a contingency analysis for a real world example. Results indicate how a disruption triggered in one system propagates to the other system and affects the operation of critical facilities. In addition, the studies show the importance of using transient gas models for security of supply studies instead of successions of steady state models, where the time evolution of the line pack is not captured correctly.

Evaluating mutation testing behavior can help decide whether refactoring successfully maintains the expected initial test results. Moreover, manually performing this analytical work is both time-consuming and prone to errors. This paper extends an approach to assess test code behavior and proposes a tool called MeteoR. This tool comprises an IDE plugin to detect issues that may arise during test code refactoring, reducing the effort required to perform evaluations. A preliminary assessment was conducted to validate the tool and ensure the proposed test code refactoring approach is adequate. By analyzing not only the mutation score but also the generated mutants in the pre- and post-refactoring process, results show that the approach is capable of checking whether the behavior of the mutants remains unchanged throughout the refactoring process. This proposal represents one more step toward the practice of test code refactoring. It can improve overall software quality, allowing developers and testers to safely refactor the test code in a scalable and automated way.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis affects approximately 12 million people worldwide. Current existing drugs cause several side effects and resistance, the identification of new therapeutic targets for the development of new drugs is necessary. The vesicular trafficking in the parasite flagellar pocket is essential for parasite survival and proliferation, but little is known about the proteins involved in the endocytic/secretory pathways. In this work, we are describing the characterization of a transporter cargo protein SFT-2/Got-1 like in Leishmania infantum. Material and Methods: Using bioinformatics tools, the putative Got-1 protein A4HSK3 was characterized structurally and phylogenetically. Molecular biology was used to clone and express the protein and confocal fluorescence to determine its subcellular localization. Results: The Got-1 like protein presents four alpha helix TM conserved domains (aa38-aa147) characteristics of the Got-1/SFT-2 family proteins and an important Pen-2 conserved motif LGDYXXF located in the extracellular loop. Confocal microscopy suggests that Got-1/SFT-2 like is localized in the flagellar pocket, and is partially co-localized with the L. infantum presenilin-like protein. Phylogenetically, the Leishmania sp Got-1 like is contained in a subgroup of proteins clearly detached from the other Trypanosomatidae, such as T. cruzi and T. brucei. Conclusions: Our data show the presence of an important transported proteins, and its colocalization with the presenilin aspartyl protease in the flagellar pocket of the L. infantum open new perspectives to identify novel targets, which can be an alternative therapeutic strategy against leishmaniasis.

India is ranked 5th in world in terms of Covid-19 publications accounting for 6.7% of the total. About 60% of the Covid-19 publications in the year 2020 are from United States, China, UK, Italy, and India. We present a bibliometrics analysis of the publi-cation trends and citation structure along with identification of major research clusters. By performing network analysis of authors, citations, institutions, key-words, and countries, we explore semantic associations by applying visualization techniques. Our study shows lead taken by United States, China, UK, Italy, India in Covid-19 research may be attributed to the high prevalence of Covid-19 cases in those countries witnessing the first outbreak and also due to access to Covid-19 data, access to labs for experimental trials, immediate funding, and overall support from the govt. agencies. Large number of publications and citations from India are due to co-authored publications with countries like United States, UK, China, and Saudi Arabia. Findings show health sciences with highest the number of publications and citations, while physical sciences and social sciences and humanities counts were low. A large proportion of publications fall into the open access category. With India as focus, by comparing three major pandemics SARS, MERS, Covid-19 from biblio-metrics perspective, we observe much broader involvement of authors from multiple countries for Covid-19 studies as compared to SARS and MERS. Finally, by applying bibliometric indicators, we see an increasing number of sustainable develop-ment-related studies from the Covid-19 domain, particularly concerning the topic of good health and well-being. This study allows for a deeper understanding on how the scholarly community from a populous country like India pursued research in the midst of a major pandemic which resulted in closure of scientific institutions.

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

In this study, using information theory tools, we investigate the quantum degree of mixedness, particle number fluctuations, and temperature variations in the paradigmatic Lipkin model, focusing on the interplay between these factors in a system of many fermions. Our analysis reveals intriguing dependencies of quantum mixedness on the total fermion number, showcasing distinct behaviors at different temperatures. Notably, we find that the degree of quantum mixedness exhibits a strong dependence on the total fermion number, with varying trends observed across different temperature regimes. Remarkably, this dependence remains unaffected by the strength of the fermion-fermion interaction (if it does not vanish, of course), underscoring the robustness of the observed phenomena. Through comprehensive numerical simulations, we provide illustrative graphs that depict these dependencies, offering valuable insights into the fundamental characteristics of many-fermion systems. Our findings shed light on the intricate dynamics of quantum degree of mixedness and particle number fluctuations in fermionic systems, with potential implications for diverse fields ranging from condensed matter physics to quantum information science.

In recent years, the advances in sperm morphology and genetic analyses in Perumytilus purpuratus allowed to suggest two evolutionary scenarios for this mussel: 1) the scenario of cryptic species and 2) the scenario of incipient or in progress speciation. To a better understanding of the evolutionary history of P. purpuratus, we performed an extensive sampling effort along a latitudinal gradient of ca. 7,180 km of coastline, from Southern Pacific to Atlantic Oceans and, we have also gone deeper in sperm morphology in P. purpuratus, exploring its association with phylogeny and population genetics to contrast if variability in sperm traits between northern and southern regions are signals of cryptic or incipient species. Overall, our results showed three sperm morphotypes and genetic structure in males of P. purpuratus strongly correlated. Additionally, we found evidence of a genetic admixture between lineages suggesting an introgressive hybridization zone at 38°S. These findings suggest the hypothesis that P. purpuratus is under incomplete reproductive isolation, with the presence of mechanisms of postzygotic isolation between lineages and, therefore, under an incipient or in fraganti speciation process. Finally, we discovered a new long morphotype for this species restricted to southern localities. Overall, our results support the hypothesis of historical events and postglacial recolonization as causal phenomena for the observed divergences.

This paper introduces a theory for the evolution of corporates in which the growth and sustainability strategies are developed simultaneously. Since the introduction of corporate sustainability, it has been an extra cost for risk mitigation and making ‘compensating’ positive impact. The world has reached a tipping point of volatility, mainly due to climate change but also by emergence of COVID-19, so that the applicability of existing corporate structures is under question and these poses high risk to the existence of our planet. On the other hand, the technology cost for sustainable investment has reached a parity in comparison with non-sustainable alternatives. Therefore, our proposed Organic Grow Theory introduces a step-by-step approach so that corporates can grow and be profitable without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It is concluded that, a new structure for corporate, called Founcorp, would be needed to direct corporates to evolve being a responsible legal entity.

In this research, the photocatalytic degradation of cypermethrin using Fe-TiO2 nanoparticles supported in a biomaterial was evaluated. The nanoparticles of TiO2 were synthesized by the green chemistry method assisted by ultrasound and doped by chemical impregnation using molar ratios Fe:Ti of 0, 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1, to make efficient use of direct sunlight (λ>310 nm). All nanoparticles were immobilized on the surface of spathe of coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). The degradation was carried out at room temperature and natural pH in a flat plate solar reactor, on which the composite material was subjected. The concentration of cypermethrin was determined after 12000 J/m2 of accumulated radiation from GC-MS and the resulting material was characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image and selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-Vis spectrophotometry of diffuse reflectance and BET surface area BET surface area. The best results were achieved with the use of Degussa TiO2 P-25, Fe:Ti=0 and Fe:Ti=0.05 in suspension, with percentages of degradation of cypermethrin of 99.84, 99.62, and 100%, respectively. However, the materials supported on the biomaterial of coconut, they allowed to reach degradation percentages higher than 80% with the advantage that it minimizes operating costs, since they are not necessary filtering or centrifuging processes to separate the catalyst.

Thermal comfort is extremely important in architecture, especially in environments with more people spending longer on studies or intellectual activities. This research describes a case study to investigate university buildings' energy and thermal performance as a part of the ANEEL program. Due to this importance, and the need to save energy in Brazilian public buildings, the ANEEL-the Brazilian Energy Electricity Regulatory Agency, launched 2016 a national program focusing on energy efficiency in public universities around the country. University offices and classrooms require high intellectual effort; thus, environmental comfort is critical for maintaining its users' physical and mental health. This study included a pre-diagnosis of the performance of the envelope, lighting, and air conditioning systems and a survey about the quality of the environments from the users' point of view. The Prescriptive Method of the Brazilian Labeling Program (PBE) for Commercial, Service, and Public Buildings (RTQ-C) assessed the building performance. Statistical analysis was applied to correlate the quality and thermal preference of the users from the PMV/PPD. The results showed a high rate of thermal discomfort in both environments of the studies, even when using air conditioning.

Green investors have expressed concerns about the environment and sustainability due to the high energy consumption involved in cryptocurrency mining and transactions. This article investigates the safe haven characteristics of clean energy stock indexes in relation to 3 cryptocurrencies, taking into account their respective levels of "dirty" energy consumption from May 16, 2018, to May 15, 2023. By virtue of analyzing a tumultuous era in the global economy, the level of integration between clean energy stock indexes and cryptocurrencies will be inferred by using Gregory and Hansen's methodology. Furthermore, to assess the presence of a volatility spillover effect between clean energy stock indexes and “dirty-classified” cryptocurrencies, the ?-test of heteroscedasticity of two samples from Forbes and Rigobon will be employed. The empirical findings show that clean energy stock indexes may offer a viable safe haven for dirty energy cryptocurrencies. However, the precise associations differ depending on the cryptocurrency under examination. The implications of the study's results are significant for investment strategies, this knowledge can inform decision-making procedures and facilitate the adoption of sustainable investment practices. Investors and policymakers can gain a deeper understanding of the interplay between investments in renewable energy and the cryptocurrency market.

With the rising trends in elderly populations around the world, there is a growing interest in understanding how climate sensitivity is related to their thermal perception. Therefore, we analyzed the associations between mortality in the elderly due to cardiovascular (CVD) and respiratory diseases (RD) and meteorological variables, for three cities in the State of São Paulo, Brazil: Campos do Jordão, Ribeirão Preto and Santos, from 1996 to 2017. We applied the Autoregressive Model Integrated with Moving Average (ARIMA) and the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in order to evaluate statistical associations. Results showed CVD as a major cause of mortality, particularly in the cold period, when a high mortality rate is also observed due to RD. The mortality rate was higher in Campos do Jordão and lower in Santos (and intermediate values in Ribeirão Preto). Campos do Jordão results indicate an increased probability of mortality from CVD and RD due to lower temperatures. In Ribeirão Preto, the lower relative humidity may be related to the increase in CVD and RD deaths. This study emphasizes that, even among subtropical climates, there are significant differences. Therefore, this can assist decision makers in the implementation of mitigating and adaptive measures.

Augmented and Virtual Reality have been experiencing a rapidly growth in recent years, but there is not still a deep knowledge on their capabilities and where they could be explored. In that sense, this paper presents a study on the accuracy and repeatability of the Microsoft's HoloLens 2 (Augmented Reality device) and HTC Vive (Virtual Reality device) using an OptiTrack system as ground truth. For the HoloLens 2, the method used was hand tracking, while in HTC Vive, the object tracked was the system's hand controller. A series of tests in different scenarios and situations were performed to explore what could influence the measures. The HTC Vive obtained results in the millimetre scale, while the HoloLens 2 revealed not so accurate measures (around 2 centimetres). Although the difference can seem to be considerable, the fact that HoloLens 2 was tracking the user's hand and not an inherit controller made a huge impact. The results were considered a significant step for the on going project of developing a human-robot interface to program by demonstration an industrial robot using Extended Reality, which shows great potential to succeed based on this data.

The augmenting commitment in the entrepreneurial learning process, both at academic and industry level, has led to new mechanisms and methodologies. Entrepreneurship literature has shown evidence of raising interest in the problem-based learning (PBL) methodology with regard to upcoming events from the surrounding learning context. This paper presents a Systematic Bibliographic Literature Review (SBLR) with respect to the application of PBL throughout distinct entrepreneurial processes either in higher education, or in industry. It aimed to identify relevant entrepreneurial opportunities for PBL. Bibliographic databases were searched for documents published between 2002 and May 2024 to categorize key topics discussed in the literature on PBL and entrepreneurship. The review process identified 142 empirical and non-empirical papers on entrepreneurship related PBL. Data analysis revealed diverse subthemes for PBL uses in entrepreneurship in both higher education institutions and industry. The research questions “What is the interplay of problem-based learning methodology with entrepreneurship?” guided the study. The central output of the research is the discovery of the varying uses of PBL to cope with diverse events arising within entrepreneurship context. Future research directions are suggested.

The importance of shifting to a sustainable economy, based on new capabilities that enable to cope with the current turbulent changes is paramount. Entrepreneurs with sustainable concerns are considered to play a key role in the process by creating innovative, proactive and risk assumption solutions, both with environmental and economic value. To date, there is no consensus on what capabilities education should provide to create sustainable entrepreneurs to cope with sustainability challenges. The aim of this piece of literature is to identify relevant factors for sustainable entrepreneurship education. Bibliographic databases were searched for documents published between 2012 and June 2023 to categorize central issues discussed in the literature on sustainable entrepreneurship education. The review process specifies 59 empirical and non-empirical papers at sustainable entrepreneurship education (SEE). Data analysis revealed diverse models for sustainable entrepreneurship education (SEE) developed for use in both higher education institutions and secondary schools. Future research directions are underscored.

The importance of transforming to a sustainable economy to protect against global crises such as climate change is widely recognized. Sustainable entrepreneurs are seen as playing a key role in this transformation process by creating innovative market solutions with environmental, social, and economic value. To date, there is no consensus on the skills education should deliver to create sustainable entrepreneurs to solve sustainability challenges. The goal of this article is to identify sustainable entrepreneurship education factors that enable effective education of future sustainable entrepreneurs. An academic search engine and bibliographic database were searched for documents written in English and published between 2012 and April 2023 to identify existing educational models discussed in the current literature in sustainable entrepreneurship education (SEE). The review process resulted in a set of 59 empirical and non-empirical papers on SEE. The data analysis revealed different educational frameworks for sustainable entrepreneurship (SE), both developed for use in higher education institutions and secondary schools.

Nowadays, people live amidst the smart home domain, business opportunities in the industrial smart city and health care, though, along with concerns about security. Security is central for IoT systems to protect sensitive data and infrastructure, whilst security issues become increasingly expensive, in particular in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) domains. Nonetheless, there are some key challenges for dealing with those security issues in IoT domains: Applications operate in distributed environments such as Blockchain, varied smart objects are used, and sensors are limited in what comes to machine resources. In this way, traditional security does not fit in IoT systems. In this vein, the issue of cyber security has become paramount to the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in mitigating cyber security risk for organizations and end users. New cyber security technologies / applications present improvements for IoT security management. Nevertheless, there is a gap on the effectiveness of IoT cyber risk solutions. This review article discusses the, trends around opportunities and threats in cyber security for IIoT.

Diverse forms of artificial intelligence (AI in further text) are at the forefront of triggering digital security innovations, based on the threats that are arising in this post COVID world. On the one hand, companies are experiencing difficulty in dealing with security challenges with regard to a variety of issues ranging from system openness, decision making, quality control and web domain, just to mention a few. On the other hand, in the last decade, research has focused on security capabilities based on tools such as platform complacency, intelligent trees, modeling methods and outage management systems, in an effort to understanding the interplay between AI and those issues. The dependence on the emergence of AI in running industries and shaping the education, transports and health sectors is now well known in literature. AI is increasingly employed in managing data security across economic sectors. Thus, a literature review of AI and system secu-rity within the current digital society is opportune. This paper aims at identifying research trends in the field through a Systematic Bibliometric Literature Review (LRSB) of research on AI and system security. The review entails 77 articles published in Scopus® database, presenting up-to-date knowledge on the topic. The LRSB results were synthesized across current research subthemes. Findings are presented. The originality of the paper relies on its LRSB method, together with extant review of articles that have not been categorized so far. Implications for future re-search are suggested.

Many neurodegenerative diseases are directly related to the formation of toxic protein aggregates, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, which are associated with the aggregation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) and beta-amyloid (Aβ ), respectively. In this context, protein fibrils are the hallmark of these neurodegenerative diseases. In this sense, planning or designing compounds that are capable of preventing or reducing the formation of protein aggregation in the brain can be of fundamental importance for the curative treatment of these diseases. This work presents an in silico and experimental study to investigate the inhibitory potential of the ligands Octovespin (bioinspired by the wasp venom Polybia Occidentalis) and Fraternine-10 (bioinspired by the wasp venom Parachartergus fraternus wasp) against the aggregation of fibrils of the peptides Aβ(17-42) and α-syn, respectively. Using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations with 100 ns, the disaggregation capacity of these ligands was studied. The results obtained indicate that Octovespin and Fraternine-10 interact with the Aβ and α-syn protein fibrils throughout the simulation time. The RMSD values and the interactions with amino acids responsible for fibril aggregation demonstrate that both Octovespin and Fraternine-10 have a significant disaggregation potential, which corroborates the observations in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, experimental results of Fraternine-10 demonstrate an anti-aggregation effect, indicating that it can promote the disaggregation of fibrils and prevent them from aggregating again to form oligomers. These discoveries qualify these molecules as potential candidates to become medicines against Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Since people spend most of their time in indoor environments, the objective of this work was to study indoor air quality perception and its effects on users’ thermal comfort. Based on previous data from a building with a central air-conditioning system and two mixed-mode buildings located in the humid subtropical climate of Florianópolis, southern Brazil, statistical analyses were performed. Each user subjective answer obtained through a questionnaire was combined with the corresponding environmental conditions – measured using microclimate stations, a portable thermo-anemometer and a CO2 analyser. Results showed that improvement in air quality was associated with the reduction of air temperature and humidity ratio. Also, there was a significant influence of thermal, air movement and humidity sensation and acceptability of air quality perception. Users felt more satisfied or neutral with air quality for being in thermal comfort, and not because of the CO2 level – which means that air quality perception is influenced by factors other than CO2. This study recommends the implementation of an air exchange device in split air-conditioners with air recirculation used in mixed-mode buildings in Brazil. It is important to provide suitable indoor ventilation to reduce pollutants concentration, ensure good air quality and prevent respiratory diseases.

This research focused on the perception of visually impaired individuals regarding tactile image creation using 3D printing. We developed and applied an experiment with 28 participants with visual impairments. They performed tasks based on skills whose foundations are needed and used in their daily lives, such as scanning, tactile discrimination, picture and spatial comprehension. The tactile images used in this study were developed by additive manufacturing and printed over 180 g/m² sulphite paper. The best performances were obtained when (1) the tactile image contour line heights were between 0.2 mm and 0.4 mm; and (2) the texture presented densities between 10% and 50%, when alone, or between 10% and 90%, when combined with another texture. The tested line widths (0.8 mm and 1.2 mm) did not present statistically significant differences in the results. Vision status (low vision or blindness) and moment of vision loss (congenital or late blind) did not influence the results. Schooling affected the activities of identifying objects and locating their copies. In the Conclusion section, there is a detailed recommendation list for the production and application of tactile materials, which range from simplifying forms to encouraging the use of both hands during content assimilation.

Beef dry aging consist in a selection of unpackaged primal cuts that are placed in a refrigerator room with controlled environment for several weeks. The goals are the concentration of flavor, like nutty and beefy and tenderness improvement. In this study it was intended verify the microbiological and physicochemical behavior and the meat sensorial perception during a process example of meat dry aging. Twelve beef loins were selected for 90 days of dry aging and placed in a refrigerator room with average temperature, relative humidity and forced air 3.17 ± 0.68 °C, 60.65 ± 4.23 % and 0.5-2 m/s, respectively. On 1, 14, 21, 35, 60 and 90 days of dry aging, were taken two samples, crust and lean meat for microbiological counts, pH, aw, color L*a*b* and sensorial analysis. During drying, there weren´t any pathogenic bacteria counts and the average counts were higher for the crust. The aw and pH had an average of 0.98 ± 0.02 and 5.77± 0.015, with a slightly decrease and increase respectively (P&lt;0.05) along aging days. The dry aging process practices, with room refrigeration at RH&lt;65.00% and temperature &lt;4.00 °C can be the reason for aw&lt;0.98 and meat pH&lt;6.00 and therefore for the absence of pathogenic bacteria. The lower microbial counts on the lean meat and the overall acceptability assessed by the sensory panel confirm the importance of the good trimming and storage practices for the dry aged beef.

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

The supply of mental health processes in primary care has gaps. This study aims to analyze the association of agreement criteria and flows between primary care teams and the Family Health Support Center (NASF) for mental health collaborative care, considering the difference between capital and non-capital cities in Brazil. This cross-sectional study was conducted based on secondary data from the Primary Care Access and Quality Improvement Program. Agreement criteria and flows were obtained from 3883 NASF teams of the matrix support or collaborative care. The Chi-square test and multiple Poisson regression were used; p &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Prevalence ratios of negative associations demonstrated protective factors for support actions: follow-up at Psychosocial Care Center, management of psychopharmacotherapy, offer of other therapeutic actions, care process for users of psychoactive substances, and offer of activities to prevent the use of psychoactive substances. Collaborative care in primary care was effective, and capital cities were a protective factor compared with non-capital cities.

Drying grains in a fixed bed can be an interesting alternative to prevent undesirable breaks and fractures of solids due to mechanical shocks, something that cannot be avoided when drying in moving beds. A disadvantage of fixed bed drying is that there can be significant gradients in the critical variables if the layer of particulate solids is thick. This work shows that periodically changing the direction of drying air flow is an effective technique to reduce differences within the bed and allow better uniformity of the product. Drying in a thick layer of 10 cm of sorghum grains was carried out at 50 and 60oC for air flow velocity of 2.1 m.s-1. The results showed that despite increasing the total drying time, the technique actually allowed a significant decrease in the temperature gradients and moisture content of the sorghum grains. The change in direction of the air flow caused the drying front to be displaced, sometimes towards the top, sometimes towards the base of the bed. At 50oC, drying lasted a total of 240 min, bringing the sorghum grains to an average overall moisture content of 0.13 on a dry basis.

Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOC) are constantly threatening global public health. With no end date, the pandemic still persists with the emergence of novel variants that threaten the effectiveness of diagnostic tests and vaccines. Mutations in the Spike surface protein of the virus are regularly observed in the new variants, potentializing the emergence of novel viruses with different tropism from the current ones, which may change the severity and symptoms of the disease. Growing evidence has shown that mutations are being selected in favor of variants that are more capable of evading the action of neutralizing antibodies. In this context, the most important factor guiding the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is its interaction with the host’s immune system. Thus, as current vaccines cannot block the transmission of the virus, measures complementary to vaccination, such as the use of masks, hand hygiene, and keeping environments ventilated remain essential to delay the emergence of new variants. Importantly, in addition to the involvement of the immune system in the evolution of the virus, we highlight several chemical parameters that influence the molecular interactions between viruses and host cells during invasion and are also critical tools making novel variants more transmissible. In this review, we dissect the impacts of the Spike mutations on biological parameters such as (1) increase of Spike binding affinity to hACE2; (2) bound time for the receptor to be cleaved by the proteases; (3) how mutations associate with increase of RBD up-conformation state in the Spike ectodomain; (4) expansion of uncleaved Spike protein in the virion particles; (5) increment of Spike concentration per virion particles; and (6) evasion of the immune system. These factors play key roles in the fast spreading of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including the Omicron.

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

Strawberry is produced in tropical regions using imported cultivars adapted to temperate and subtropical climates. These cultivars, under tropical conditions, produce below their genetic potential. Through multivariate analyses, the objective was to evaluate and select short-day strawberry genotypes based on intraspecific crosses, product characteristics, and fruit quality. The genotypes were obtained from the cross between 'Camino Real' (female parent) and the first-generation genotypes RVCA16, RVCS44, RVFS06, RVFS07, and RVDA11 (male parent), obtained in previous selections. The experimental design consisted of augmented blocks with standard controls, consisting of first-generation genotypes and commercial cultivars. The fruits were harvested and evaluated for productivity and post-harvest characteristics: Total Fruit Mass (MTF); Total Number of Fruits (TFN); Average Fruit Mass (AFM); Commercial Fruit Mass (CFM); Fruit Commercial Number (CFN); Average Commercial Mass of Fruits (ACFM); Total Soluble Solids (TSS); Firmness (F); Brightness (L); Hue Angle (°Hue); Chroma (C). The selection index of Mulamba and Mock (1978) was used with an intensity of 3% to obtain superior genotypes and submitted to multivariate analysis for comparative purposes. Of the 1500 genotypes evaluated, it was possible to select 44 genotypes with characteristics superior to the 13 controls. The RVDA11CR59 genotype showed better values for the attributes of interest, but the RVCS44CR population, from the cross between 'Camino Real' × RVCS44 ('Camarosa' × 'Sweet Charlie'), obtained the highest number (16) of individuals among those selected. Significant traits had high heritability but were not necessarily reflected in high selection gain. Coefficients of genetic variation were high, indicating sufficient genetic variability to select genotypes for these traits. When multivariate analyses were used, it was possible to group the selected genotypes into the same cluster according to the similarity and balance in the responses to the evaluated variables, demonstrating that these analyses help other parameters choose superior genotypes. The multivariate analysis allowed the selection of more balanced genotypes for production and post-harvest traits for tropical climates.

Visible and near-infrared reflectance (Vis–NIR) techniques are a plausible method to soil analyses. The main objective of the study was to investigate the capacity to predicting soil properties Al, Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, pH, total carbon (TC), H and N, by using different spectral (350–2500 nm) pre-treatments and machine learning algorithms such as Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Random Forest (RF), Partial Least-squares Regression (PLSR) and Cubist (CB). The 300 soil samples were sampled in the upper part of the Itatiaia National Park (INP), located in Southeastern region of Brazil. The 10 K-fold cross validation was used with the models. The best spectral pre-treatment was the Inverse of Reflectance by a Factor of 104 (IRF4) for TC with CB, giving an averaged R² among the folds of 0.85, RMSE of 1.96; and 0.67 with 0.041 respectively for H. Into the K-folds models of TC, the highest prediction had a R² of 0.95. These results are relevant for the INP management plan, and also to similar environments. The good correlation with Vis–NIR techniques can be used for remote sense monitoring, especially in areas with very restricted access such as INP.

Mechanical recycling of solid plastic wastes on a small-scale level can be accomplished with the correct approaches. Thermoplastics are mostly considered for mechanical recycling because of their physical properties and ease of reprocessing. This paper reviews the mechanical reprocessing techniques of selected thermoplastics (polyethylene terephthalate and polyolefins) since they constitute a significant proportion of plastics used commercially. Furthermore, necessary considerations for effective operation of small-scale plants, including energy requirements of machinery and optimisation in order to improve efficiency and product quality, are discussed. A clearer understanding and addressing of the process-related challenges will lead to successful establishment and management of small-scale mechanical recycling facilities to benefit communities. Efficient small-scale mechanical reprocessing establishments have become essential in reducing the environmental impacts of solid plastic wastes and for energy conservation.

This work aims to investigate systematically the influence of process temperature, bio-mass-to-water ratio, and production scales (laboratory and pilot) on the chemical composition of aqueous and gaseous phases and mass production of chemical by hydrothermal processing of Açaí (Euterpe Oleraceae, Mart.) seeds. The hydrothermal carbonization carried out at 175, 200, 225, and 250 °C, 2 °C/min, biomass-to-water ratio of 1:10, and at 250 °C, 2 °C/min, and biomass-to-water ratios of 1:10, 1:15, and 1:20, in technical scale, as well as at 200, 225, and 250 °C, 2 °C/min, bio-mass-to-water ratio of 1:10, in laboratory scale. The elemental composition (C, H, N, S) of solid phase determined to compute the HHV. The chemical composition of aqueous phase determined by GC and HPLC and the volumetric composition of gaseous phase by using an infrared gas an-alyzer. For the experiments in pilot scale with constant biomass-to-water ratio of 1:10, the yields of solid, liquid, and gaseous phases varied between 53.39 and 37.01% (wt.), 46.61 and 59.19% (wt.), and 0.00 and 3.80% (wt.), respectively. The yield of solids shows a smooth exponential de-cay with temperature, while that of liquid and gaseous phases a smooth growth. By varying the biomass-to-water ratios, the yields of solid, liquid, and gaseous reaction products varied be-tween 53.39 and 32.09% (wt.), 46.61 and 67.28% (wt.), and 0.00 and 0.634% (wt.), respectively. The yield of solids decreases exponentially with increasing water-to-biomass ratio and that of liquid phase increases in a sigmoid fashion. For constant biomass-to-water ratio, the concentrations of Furfural and HMF decrease drastically with increasing temperature, reaching a minimum at 250 °C, while that of phenols increases. In addition, the concentrations of CH3COOH and total car-boxylic acids increase, reaching a maximum at 250 °C. For constant process temperature, the concentrations of aromatics vary smoothly with the temperature. The concentrations of furfural, HMF, and cathecol decrease with temperature, while that of phenols increases. The concentra-tions of CH3COOH and total carboxylic acids decrease exponentially with temperature. Finally, for the experiments with varying water-to-biomass ratios, the productions of chemicals (furfu-ral, HMF, phenols, cathecol, and acetic acid) in the aqueous phase is highly dependent on the biomass-to-water ratio. For the experiments in laboratory scale with constant biomass-to-water ratio of 1:10, the yields of solid ranged between 55.9 and 51.1% (wt.), showing not only a linear decay with tem-perature, but also a lower degradation grade. The chemical composition of main organic compounds (furfu-ral, HMF, phenols, cathecol, and acetic acid) dissolved in the aqueous phase in laboratory scale shows the same behavior of those in obtained in pilot scale.

In the field of embedded systems, energy efficiency is a critical requirement, particularly for battery-powered devices. RISC-V processors have gained popularity due to their flexibility and open-source nature, making them an attractive choice for embedded applications. However, not all RISC-V processors are equally energy-efficient, and it is important to evaluate their performance in specific use cases. This paper evaluates the energy consumption and resource utilization of a new RISC-V processor, RisCO2, and four existing processors - Zero-riscy, Micro-riscy, Ri5cy, and CV32E40P - in a signal demodulation application for NDIR CO2 sensors. The processors were implemented in the PULPino SoC and synthesized using Vivado IDE. The processor named RisCO2 is based on the RV32E_Zfinx instruction set and was designed from scratch by the authors specifically for low-power signal processing applications such as signal demodulation in CO2 NDIR sensors. The other processors are Ri5cy, Micro-riscy, and Zero-riscy, developed by the PULP Platform team, and CV32E40P (derived from Ri5cy) from the OpenHW Group, all of them widely used in the RISC-V community. Our experiments showed that RisCO2 had the lowest energy consumption among the five processors, with a 53.5% reduction in energy consumption compared to CV32E40P and a 94.8% reduction compared to Micro-riscy. Additionally, RisCO2 had the lowest FPGA resource utilization compared to the best-performing processors, CV32E40P and Ri5cy, with a 46.1% and a 59% reduction in LUTs, respectively. Our findings suggest that RisCO2 is a highly energy-efficient RISC-V processor for NDIR CO2 sensors that require signal demodulation. The results also highlight the importance of evaluating processors in specific use cases to identify the most energy-efficient option. This paper provides valuable insights for designers of energy-efficient embedded systems using RISC-V processors.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is recognized as the second most prevalent primary chronic neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Clinically, PD is characterized as a movement disorder, exhibiting an incidence and mortality rate that is increasing faster than any other neurological condition. In recent years, there has been a growing interest concerning the role of the gut microbiome in the etiology and pathophysiology of PD. The establishment of a brain-gut microbiome axis is now real, with evidence denoting a bidirectional communication between the brain and the gut microbiota through metabolic, immune, neuronal, and endocrine mechanisms and pathways. Among these, the vagus nerve represents the most direct form of communication between the brain and the gut. Given the potential interactions between bacteria and drugs, it has been observed that the therapies for PD can have an impact on the composition of the microbiome. Therefore, in the scope of the present review, we will discuss the current understanding of gut microbiome on PD and whether this may be a new paradigm for treating this devastating disease.

Aim: Child-to-parent offenders (CPOs) are commonly specialist offenders and with high rates of recidivism. Thus, a field study was designed to estimate the prevalence in the reference measures of recidivism i.e., dangerousness, risk factors and psychopathy, and compare CPOs with non-child-to-parent juvenile offenders. Method: 136 juvenile offenders (76.5% boys), 76 CPOs and 60 non-CPOs juvenile offenders, aged from 14 to 18 years old, were measured in dangerousness, risk of factors and psychopathic traits. Results: The results showed in CPOs a more than common prevalence (&gt; .50), 75.0%, 95% CI [.653, .847], of dangerousness (caseness); a significant prevalence (&gt; .05) of diagnostic of psychopathy, 25.0%, 95% CI [.150, .350]; and a common prevalence (= .50), 55.3%, 95% CI [.441, .665] of classification as high and very high risk by risk factors. Comparatively, no significant differences were observed between CPOs and non-CPOS juvenile offenders in mental health problems (dangerousness), meanwhile that CPOs exhibited significant more interpersonal and affective psychopathic traits and significant more risk in family circumstances, and personality and behaviour risk factors. Conclusions: The implications for prevention and intervention programs with CPOs are discussed

(1) Background: tuberculosis (TB) is considered one of the leading causes of death by a single in-fectious agent worldwide. This study aimed to identify hotspots of people diagnosed with tu-berculosis and abusive use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in communities through a geo-spatial intelligence application; (2) Methods: ecological study with a spatio-temporal approach. We considered tuberculosis cases diagnosed and registered in the Notifiable Diseases Information System, which presented information on alcoholism, smoking, and other drugs. Spatial Variations in Temporal Trends (SVTT) and scan statistics were applied for the identification of Hotspots; (3) Results: of 29.499 cases of tuberculosis were identified. And when we applied the STTT for al-coholism, three Hotspots were detected, one of which was protective (RR: 0.08 – CI95%: 0.02 – 0.32) and two at risk (RR:1.42 – CI95%: 1.11 – 1.73; RR: 1.39 - CI95%: 1.28 – 1.50). Regarding smoking, two risk clusters were identified (RR: 1.15 - CI95%: 1.01 – 1.30; RR: 1.68 - CI95%: 1.54 – 1.83). For other drugs, a risk cluster was found (RR: 1.13 - CI95%: 0.99 – 1.29) and two protections (RR: 0.70 - CI95%: 0.63 – 0.77; RR: 0.76 – CI95%: 0.65 – 0.89); (4) Conclusions: it was evidenced in the communities a problem of TB and drug addiction. Use disorder perhaps in a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to continue their treatment, putting the community at risk for TB.

This article introduces simulations of theoretical material with controlled properties for the evaluation of the effect of key parameters, as volumetric fractions, elastic properties of each phase and transition zone on the effective dynamic elastic modulus (Ed). The accuracy level of classical homogenization models was checked regarding the prediction of Ed. Numerical simulations were performed with finite element method (FEM) for evaluations of the natural frequencies and their correlation with Ed, through frequency equations. An acoustic test validated the numerical results and obtained the elastic modulus of concretes and mortars at 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 water-cement ratios (w/c). Hirsch calibrated according to the numerical simulation (x = 0.27) exhibited a realistic behavior for concretes of w/c = 0.3 and 0.5, with 5% error. Nevertheless, for w/c = 0.7, Ed approached Reuss model, similarly to theoretical triphasic materials. Hashin-Shtrikman bounds is not perfectly applied to theoretical biphasic materials under dynamic situations.

Diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN) is an electron-rich ligand which is commonly used in the synthesis of purines, amides and Schiff base ligands. In the last case lies the interest in this molecule, given its symmetry and apparent facility to form various ligands and complexes of interest in fields such as organic solar cells and catalysis among others. Nevertheless, its bisubstitution with aldehydes displays certain difficulty due to the double conjugated presence of the nitrile group (C≡N) in its structure, which significantly affect its coordination behavior by modulating the chemical reactivity of its amines. In addition to presenting a practical resume of guidelines for the preparation of different bisubstituted compounds from DAMN, this paper reviews the possibility of attaining a precise characterization by simple spectroscopic techniques. We provide an additional discussion for one of these techniques (commonly reported but often overlooked), given its potential to provide both the symmetry and E/Z configuration of the product. We hope the comprehensive evidence discussed and shown in this review will be helpful to further develop and understand the products derived of this interesting molecule in their broad applications.

Evidence on adult mammalian neurogenesis and scarce studies with human brains led to the idea that adult human neurogenesis occurs in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus and in the subventricular zone (SVZ). However, findings published from 2018 rekindled controversies on adult human SGZ neurogenesis. We systematically reviewed studies published during the first decade of characterization of adult human neurogenesis (1994–2004) – when the two-neurogenic-niche concept in humans was consolidated – and compared with further studies. The synthesis of both periods is that adult human neurogenesis occurs in an intensity ranging from practically zero to a level comparable to adult mammalian neurogenesis in general, which is the prevailing conclusion. Nonetheless, Bernier and colleagues showed in 2000 intriguing indications of adult human neurogenesis in a broad area including the limbic system. Likewise, we later showed evidence that limbic and hypothalamic structures surrounding the circumventricular organs form a continuous zone expressing neurogenesis markers encompassing the SGZ and SVZ. The conclusion is that publications from 2018 on adult human neurogenesis did not bring novel findings on location of neurogenic niches. Rather, we expect that the search of neurogenesis beyond the canonical adult mammalian neurogenic niches will confirm our indications that adult human neurogenesis is orchestrated in a broad brain area. We predict that this approach may, for example, clarify that human hippocampal neurogenesis occurs mostly in the CA1-subiculum zone and that the previously identified human rostral migratory stream arising from the SVZ is indeed the column of the fornix expressing neurogenesis markers.

Development of non-conventional hybrids (NCHs) responds to the demand for the Elotes Occidentales 'EO' race for production of pozole. The effect of: crop cycle (2019, 2020 and 2021) on physical characteristics, flowered grain quality and phytochemical content of two HNC (Pz1 and Pz2) of pozolero maize, as well as the effect of the presence or absence of pedicel, type of pollination (open and controlled, 2019), and progenitor lines (female and male, 2020) on flowered grain quality and content of phytochemical compounds were evaluated. Size, hardness, color, total phenols and anthocyanins in unprocessed grain were determined, and yield, volume and puncture strength in flowered grain. Results were analyzed with a factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. There were significant differences (p≤0.05) in most of the variables studied by effect of crop cycle and genotype. NCHs had large grains (40 g 100 grains-1), soft endosperm (IF&gt; 60), pink-purple color, and phenol and anthocyanin contents similar to those reported for the 'EO' race. The presence or absence of the pedicel did not affect flowered grain quality. Controlled pollination favored anthocyanin synthesis. The anthocyanin content of NCHs was determined by the female line. Thermal processing reduced anthocyanins by 60%; however, they leached into the flowering broth, so that the pozole made from NCHs improves the nutraceutical value of the pozole, relative to that of pozole made with Cacahuacintle maize.

The use of smartphones, coupled with different sensors, makes it an attractive solution for measuring different physical and physiological features, allowing for the monitoring of various parameters and even identifying some diseases. The BITalino device allows the use of different sensors, including Electroencephalography (EEG) and Electrocardiography (ECG) sensors, to study different health parameters. With these devices, the acquisition of signals is straightforward, and it is possible to connect them using a Bluetooth connection. With the acquired data, it is possible to measure parameters such as calculating the QRS complex and its variation with ECG data to control the individual's heartbeat. Similarly, by using the EEG sensor one could analyze the individual's brain activity and frequency. The purpose of this paper is to present a method for recognition of the diseases related to ECG and EEG data, with sensors available in off-the-shelf mobile devices and sensors connected to a BITalino device. The data were collected during the elderly's experiences, performing the Timed-Up and Go test, and the different diseases found in the sample in the study. The data were analyzed, and the following features were extracted from the ECG, including heart rate, heart rate variability, the average QRS interval, the average R-R interval, and the average R-S interval, and the EEG, including frequency and variability. Finally, the diseases are correlated with different parameters, proving that there are relations between the individuals and the different health conditions.

During 2010, at the Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (fmvz-unam) we analyzed the influence of metadata over its website according to the search engines used by the academic community. This document serves only the second specific objective of the research: to know the academic profile, the informative behavior and the veterinary information needs of the academic community of the fmvz-unam. The methodological tool was the design and implementation of an online survey. We received 215 responses, two thirds answered academic staff, the rest, undergraduate and postgraduate students. In relation to information behavior, an Internet-usage index was developed, with which it was determined that 64 % of this community uses four or five information services on the Internet, This means that the network is widely used to seek information and as communication media. This community search for more veterinary information related to dogs, dairy cattle and sheep, compared to other animal species; while animal welfare, zoonosis and molecular biology are the topics of greatest interest.

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

In this paper we establish information theoretical bridges between 1) Thermal Heisenberg uncertainties $\Delta x \Delta p$ (at temperature $T$), and 2) LMC structural quantifiers. After having achieved such purpose, we determine to what an extent our bridges can be extended to both the semi classical and classical realms. Also, we find a strict bound relating a special LMC structural quantifier to quantum uncertainties.

In this review we summarize existing trends of flow control used to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of wings. We first discuss active methods to control turbulence, starting with flat-plate geometries and building towards the more complicated flow around wings. Then, we discuss active approaches to control separation, a crucial aspect towards achieving high aerodynamic efficiency. Furthermore, we highlight methods relying on turbulence simulation, and discuss various levels of modelling. Finally, we thoroughly revise data-driven methods, their application to flow control, and focus on deep reinforcement learning (DRL). We conclude that this methodology has the potential to discover novel control strategies in complex turbulent flows of aerodynamic relevance.

The objective of this work is to evaluate and compare the levels of bioactive compounds in basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum), fresh and after thermal drying processing freeze-dried, using methodological procedures that follow internationally recommended and accepted standards. Fresh basil leaves had 9.50 -63.3 mg/100g (vitamin C), 1.8 -3.9 mg EAG/g (total polyphenols), 0.73-1.78 mg/g (flavonoids), 2287.8-1003,8 μg/100g (chlorophyll a), 2606-2287 μg/100g (chlorophyll b), 16.71-20.6 (total carotenoids).Regarding color, there was variation in the parameters L*, a* and b* of the dry sample, but maintained the tendency towards green e (a+) and yellow (b-). Infrared analysis (FTIR) demonstrated the presence of functional groups related to cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, confirmed by micrography (SEM) with visualization of plant parenchyma residues and fiber bundles. Thermogravimetry (TG/DTG) shows stability in the range of 234 °C, showing more intense mass loss at 294.6 °C. Given the data, it is possible to infer that basil is little affected by freeze-drying, with few changes in bioactive compounds, chemical groups and with good thermal stability. Thus, the application of the freeze-drying technique is a viable alternative to the commercialization of basil leaves, prolonging their useful life and increasing the forms of food applications.

A large share of the reinforced concrete (RC) building stock in Mediterranean countries faces a dual challenge of seismic vulnerability and energy inefficiency, calling for urgent renovation efforts. While energy upgrades have been the focus of previous renovation policies, recent research highlights the critical need for integrated retrofitting solutions that address both structural integrity and energy performance. Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches are a promising tool for optimizing the combined choice of these integrated interventions, considering various decision variables (DVs) of economic, social, environmental, and technical nature. To understand the impact of climate and seismic hazard conditions on multi-criteria-based retrofitting assessment, a case-study RC school building is selected and assumed to be located in three distinct climate conditions, cold, mild, and warm, and three seismic hazard levels, low, medium and high. Moreover, given the complexity and challenges of quantifying seismic performance metrics for practitioners, an available simplified (practice-oriented) approach is compared herein with a more thorough research-based one for quantifying the seismic performance of RC buildings within the MCDM framework. Both approaches are applied to the case-study building, considering twelve possible combinations of energy and seismic interventions. The accuracy of the practice-oriented approach and its impact on the retrofitting rankings is evaluated, emphasizing the importance of accessible and efficient evaluation methods in facilitating informed decision-making for building renovation

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

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are being increasingly viewed as valuable tools to aid the management of farms. This kind of technology can be particularly useful in the context of extensive cattle farming, as production areas tend to be expansive and animals tend to be more loosely monitored. With the advent of deep learning, and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) in particular, extracting relevant information from aerial images has become more effective. Despite the technological advancements in drone, imaging and machine learning technologies, the application of UAVs for cattle monitoring is far from being thoroughly studied, with many research gaps still remaining. In this context, the objectives of this study were threefold: 1) to determine the highest possible accuracy that could be achieved in the detection of animals of the Canchim breed, which is visually similar to the Nelore breed (\textit{Bos taurus indicus}); 2) to determine the ideal Ground Sample Distance (GSD) for animal detection; 3) to determine the most accurate CNN architecture for this specific problem. The experiments involved 1,853 images containing 8,629 samples of animals, and 15 different CNN architectures were tested. A total of 900 models were trained (15 CNN architectures * 3 spacial resolutions * 2 datasets * 10-fold cross validation), allowing for a deep analysis of the several aspects that impact the detection of cattle using aerial images captured using UAVs. Results revealed that many CNN architectures are robust enough to reliably detect animals in aerial images even under far from ideal conditions, indicating the viability of using UAVs for cattle monitoring.

Dietary protein quality plays a key role in maintaining intestinal mucosal integrity, but also modulates the growth of luminal microorganisms. This work assessed the effect of dietary protein sources on the performance, gut morphology, and microbiome in Nile tilapia. Four isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets comprising equivalent amounts of the protein supply derived from either PLANT, ANIMAL, INSECT, or MICROBIAL (bacterial biomass) sources were fed to triplicate groups of fish (IBW: 12 g) during 46 days. Fish fed ANIMAL and MICROBIAL diets showed significantly higher growth than those fed the PLANT and INSECT diets (P < 0.05). Relative abundance at the phylum level shows Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria and Proteobacteria as more abundant phyla in tilapia’s intestine, while Cetobacterium is the most representative genera in all treatments. Interesting patterns were observed in the correlation between amino acid intake and genus and species abundance. Metabolism prediction analysis showed that microbial amine and polyamine degradation pathways are modulated depending on diets. In conclusion, different protein sources interfere directly with the cross-talk of bacteria pathways and amino acid intake.