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Background: Despite the existence of physical activity policies across many countries, insufficient physical activity remains a major global public health problem. Physical inactivity is an emergent feature of complex systems; it results from a wide range of factors at multiple levels that interact to influence behavior. Traditional approaches to public policy often fail within complex systems, largely due to unpredictability in how the system will respond. Adaptive policies, which are designed to allow for uncertainty about future system behavior and to change over time, may offer a promising solution. In this paper, we introduce the concept of adaptive policies and illustrate how this innovative approach to policy making may be beneficial for reducing physical inactivity. Design: Drawing on existing literature and guiding principles for policy making, we provide 3 examples to illustrate how the concept of adaptive policies can be applied to address physical inactivity. Discussion: The examples illustrate how changes to the way policies and interventions are developed, implemented, and evaluated could help to overcome some of the limitations in existing practices. A key challenge will be engaging policymakers to take a broader perspective of the physical activity system, develop policies that are designed to be adaptable across a range of different future scenarios, and embrace uncertainty and long-term adaptability. Conclusion: Adaptive policies may support decision makers globally to achieve the widespread and sustained changes necessary to increase population levels of physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are the consequences of upward socioeconomic mobility for disenfranchised individuals? This article examines this question in the context of a business training program offered to residents of Brazilian urban slums, known as "favelas." The study employs a randomized controlled trial complemented by quantile regressions, field visits, and interviews. The results show that training improves favela dwellers' economic outcomes, such as by increasing income and participation in entrepreneurship, and some socio-psychological outcomes, such as by improving self-efficacy and optimism. However, these income improvements were accompanied by participants' enhanced experiences of favela stigma, an adverse socio-psychological outcome related to their residential segregation. Both quantitative and qualitative findings demonstrate the multifaceted nature of socioeconomic mobility, through which favela dwellers who prosper economically become more exposed to prejudice from people living outside favelas. The study illustrates, through the "allegory of the favela," the bittersweet process of socioeconomic mobility. This abductive research contributes to the literature by showing that while interventions designed to enfranchise individuals may effectively achieve economic inclusion in terms of income gains, they may simultaneously lead participants into discriminatory systems that further stigmatize people based on the same characteristics of their prior exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: National physical activity (PA) policy processes are only beginning to be studied in Latin America, and little attention has focused at the subnational level. This study examined national–subnational relations in the policy process (agenda setting, policy formulation, adoption, implementation, and evaluation) in selected Latin American countries. Methods: The Global Observatory for Physical Activity's (GoPA!) INTEGRATE-PA-Pol tool was applied in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Mexico. Data were collected in matched pairs of the capital plus one noncapital city among national and subnational policymakers (n = 27), previously identified by the GoPA! Country Contacts. PA policy development and implementation were assessed using descriptive statistics. Results: Twenty-three (response rate = 85.2%) informants provided data, mainly from the health sector (52.2%), followed by the sport (26.1%), transport (13.0%), and education (8.7%) sectors. Most informants reported that their countries had a current PA policy embedded within noncommunicable diseases prevention plans (46.2%), other plans (46.2%), or obesity prevention/management/control plans (7.7%). Respondents at the subnational level rated PA promotion as central (64.3%), while the national-level role was important but not central (75.0%). National and subnational policymakers indicated low-to-little involvement in the other level's PA policy processes across the 5 policy stages. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that collecting national and subnational PA policy data across countries with the active collaboration of the GoPA! network was feasible. We also successfully identified governmental interactions throughout the PA policy process, suggesting suboptimal engagement between national and subnational levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research which assessed the extent of publication delay of systemic reviews (SR) or original research articles in dentistry. Findings indicate the top domains of SR including oral medicine, orofacial pain and oral pathology, as well as the importance of recency of primary studies concerning the publication time of an SR. Data shows the descriptive statistics of included SRs and the duration of publication intervals. Potential solutions for SR production flow are offered.

Surgical site infections are the most common infections acquired at hospitals, with Staphylococcus aureus being the main agent due to its ability to adhere to surgical instruments. This study aimed to develop a hydrodynamic system associating ozonated water and ultrasound to disinfect surgical instruments. The equipment consists of a reservoir with sinuous internal geometry to accommodate instruments, from where ozonated water comes out and flows through the circuit with the aid of a pump. To assess its efficacy, microbiological evaluation was performed on scalpel handles experimentally contaminated with S. aureus. The hydrodynamic system promoted effective disinfection, obtaining 3-log of bacterial reduction with an applied ozone dosage of 3 mg O3/cm2 in seven minutes. The FEG-SEM images showed that the ultrasound (40 KHz, 50W) associated with the hydrodynamic circuit was sufficient to remove almost all bacteria adhered to the instrument´s surface, enabling ozone to perform high-level disinfection of the material. Based on this preliminary study, it can be concluded that the hydrodynamic system developed was effective in disinfecting surgical instruments, demonstrating the synergy of the two techniques. In addition, it is a system that does not produce harmful chemical waste to the environment and can be utilized for thermo-sensitive materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sous vide meat is an emerging food category, the consumption of which has increased owing to greater convenience, sensory traits, elderly consumers acceptance, and low‐cost cuts use. However, required prolonged thermal treatment to achieve desired tenderness, impact energy‐consumption besides triggering lipid oxidation, undesired off‐flavors, and cooked meat profiles. Using a response surface methodology (RSM), this study evaluated the effects of the vegetal proteolytic papain (0 to 20 mg/kg) and low‐temperature sous vide cooking (SVC) time (1 to 8 h at 65°C) in low‐value marinated M. semitendinosus beefsteaks on technological characteristics associated with tenderness, and lipid oxidation. Additionally, the sensory profile traits of the pre‐selected treatments were described using check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA) and preference mapping. Shear force (WBsSF) was reduced with greater papain addition, whereas higher cooking losses (CL) were observed with longer SVC cooking times. Both the released total collagen and TBARS values increased with increasing papain concentrations and SVC times. Combining high levels of papain (>10 mg/kg) and SVC time (>6 h) resulted in lower WBsSF values (<20 N) but higher CL (>27%) and the CATA descriptors "aftertaste" and "mushy." The optimized conditions (14 mg/kg papain; 2 h SVC) also reduced WBsSF values (<26 N) with lower CL (<20%) and were most preferred and described as "juicy" and "tender" by consumers. Observed results suggest that combined mild SVC and papain may potentiate tenderness, conjointly favor juiciness and oxidation, further representing a promising tool for reducing SVC time without compromising valued sous vide sensory traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive genetic and neutral variations are essential for maintaining population viability in changing environmental conditions. Habitat loss and fragmentation can be reflected in the patterns of genetic variation in the populations. White-lipped peccaries (WLPs, Tayassu pecari) are wide-ranging Neotropical ungulates with important ecological roles in the ecosystem suffering local extinctions worldwide. Here, we used a RAD-seq protocol to genotype 192 individuals. After filtering, we identified sets of SNP markers (ranging from 147 to 151,792 SNPs) to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of WLPs from Pantanal, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest in Brazil. We found signals of loss (θw < θπ) and lower genetic diversity (allelic richness, nucleotide diversity, and observed and expected heterozygosities) in the Central Cerrado and Atlantic Forest populations. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and admixture analyses (NGSAdmix) using genome-wide and neutral SNP data sets showed three major genetic clusters according to the biomes. Multiple matrix regression with randomization (MMRR) analysis found an isolation-by-distance pattern explaining the neutral genetic differentiation. We used Latent Factor Mixed Models (LFMM) and Redundancy Analysis (RDA) to identify candidate SNPs involved in different biological processes, such as metabolism and immune and neuronal responses, mainly associated with temperature and precipitation variables. We found an adaptive population genetic structure, suggesting three adaptive units with significant patterns of isolation-by-distance and isolation-by-environment. Our results highlighted the importance of conservation strategies for maintaining the genetic diversity of WLP populations. Furthermore, conservation plans and translocation programs should preserve and consider the adaptive variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immobilization of Re(I) complexes onto metal oxide surfaces presents an elegant strategy to enhance their stability and reusability toward photocatalytic CO2 reduction. In this study, the photocatalytic performance of fac-[ClRe(CO)3(dcbH2)], where dcbH2 = 4,4′-dicarboxylic acid-2,2′-bipyridine, anchored onto the surface of 1%m/m CuO/Nb2O5 was investigated. Following adsorption, the turnover number for CO production (TONCO) in DMF/TEOA increased significantly, from ten in solution to 370 under visible light irradiation, surpassing the TONCO observed for the complex onto pristine Nb2O5 or CuO surfaces. The CuO/Nb2O5 heterostructure allows for efficient electron injection by the Re(I) center, promoting efficient charge separation. At same time CuO clusters introduce a new absorption band above 550 nm that contributes for the photoreduction of the reaction intermediates, leading to a more efficient CO evolution and minimization of side reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the growing demand for miniaturization and energy efficiency in modern electronic devices, there is a renewed interest for optoelectronic memories and sensors based on 2D materials. In particular, the molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe 2) is one of the most promising materials for applications in nonvolatile phase-change memory devices, as its properties can be controlled by visible-light illumination. Among the several ways to synthesize MoTe 2 , the molybdenum oxide tellurization through isothermal close space sublimation (CSS) annealing in gas atmosphere is a simple and low-cost effective method for large-scale production of devices based on this layered material. Therefore, the understanding of the physical properties of MoTe 2 thin films produced by this technique is crucial for future applications. Surprisingly, our results indicate that there is a photoinduced growth of the crystalline phase of tellurium on the 1T ′ -MoTe 2 matrix even when the power density of the laser is low. From Raman spectroscopy investigations, we were able to show that nanometer-sized tellurium crystallites work as seed sites for the photocrystallization of tellurium. By assuming that the overall crystallization process is described by a kinetic approach that is based on the Kolmogorov–Johnson–Mehl–Avrami theory, our results indicate that the process is governed by an anisotropic organization of the tellurium atoms in helical structures during the crystal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first-order molecular hyperpolarizability (β) dispersion was measured in seven chalcone-based molecules utilizing the tunable femtosecond hyper-Rayleigh scattering (tHRS) technique. Additionally, a theoretical model based on photophysical parameters was employed to better understand β dispersion. Due to the distinct substitution patterns of the aryl/heteroaryl rings within the chalcone structure, varying profiles of one- and two-photon absorption spectra and β dispersion were observed. The applied model highlighted two important factors contributing to achieving high β values: (i) the presence of red-shifted one-photon and two-photon absorption bands; and (ii) the number of discernible absorption bands. To contextualize these results with other molecular structures, we employed the HRS figure of merit (FOM). Remarkably, it was revealed that chemically engineered small chalcone molecules exhibit a FOM comparable to larger quadrupolar and octupolar ones. This underscores the significance of tHRS scattering measurements and their correlation with absorptive parameters in the design and characterization of nonlinear optical materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are known for supporting healthcare services in dealing with adverse situations. However, little is known on the contribution of ICTs in a prolonged crisis involving a new disease, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we carry out an exploratory investigation of which ICTs contribute the most to the emergency care of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 according to healthcare technology experts and how physicians perceive these contributions. Initially, we applied an online survey to 109 healthcare technology experts. Then, we conducted 16 in-depth follow-up interviews with emergency medicine professionals from 10 countries to identify the ICTs contributing the most to treat COVID-19 patients. Results from the survey indicated four ICTs as the most useful to support the treatment of COVID-19 patients; they are remote consultations, digital platforms for data sharing, digital non-invasive care, and interconnected medical decision support. The interviews provided insight into the applicability of those ICTs for the studied context. The four main ICTs were also found to be logically compatible with the complexity of the pandemic, reducing undesirable complexity attributes (e.g. physical proximity between caregivers and infected patients) and amplifying desirable ones (e.g. interactions that support collaborative work and knowledge sharing). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-fullerene electron acceptors have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional electron-acceptors in the active layers of organic photovoltaics. This is due to their tunable energy levels, optical response in the visible light spectrum, high electron mobility, and photochemical stability. In this study, the electronic properties of two representative non-fullerene acceptors, ITIC and Y5, have been calculated within the framework of density functional theory using a range of hybrid and non-hybrid density functionals. Screened range-separated hybrid (SRSH) approaches were also tested. The results are analyzed in light of the previously reported experimental outcomes. Specifically, we have calculated the oxidation and reduction potentials, fundamental and optical gaps, the highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies, and exciton binding energies. Additionally, we have investigated the effects of the medium dielectric constant on these properties employing a universal implicit solvent model. It was found that hybrid functionals generally perform poorly in predicting oxidation potentials, while non-hybrid functionals tend to overestimate reduction potentials. The inclusion of a large Hartree–Fock contribution to the global or long range was identified as the source of inaccuracy for many hybrid functionals in predicting both redox potentials and the fundamental and optical gaps. Corroborating with the available literature, ∼50% of all tested functionals predicted very small exciton binding energies, within the range of ±0.1 eV, that become even smaller by increasing the dielectric constant of the material. Finally, the OHSE2PBE and tHCTHhyb functionals and the optimal tuning SRSH approach emerged as the best-performing methods, with good accuracy in the description of the electronic properties of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To verify the association between exercise and free time sport types and binge drinking in a large sample of adults. Methods: Data of 718,147 adults from the "Surveillance of Risk and Protection Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey" were used. We described the demographic and behavioral variables, and negative binomial regression analyzed the association between exercise and free time sport types and binge drinking adjusted by demographics variables, body mass index status, and television time. Results: Outdoor walking/running was the most common exercise reported (20.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 19.8%–20.2%), followed by team sports (8.1%; 95% CI, 8.0%–8.2%) and strengthening (8.0%; 95% CI, 7.9%–8.1%). The prevalence of binge drinking for each exercise and free time sport type ranged from 6.9% (water aerobics) to 31.9% (team sports). Participants engaging in strengthening (prevalence ratio = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04–1.21, P =.002) and team sports (prevalence ratio = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.07–1.17, P <.001) were more likely to binge drink more frequently in the past 30 days than inactive participants. Conclusions: It appears that the participants' profile plays an important role in the underlying social context of this association. Participants with more frequent strengthening and less frequent team sports practice, who were primarily younger and single, were more likely to binge drink frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the interference effects of various resistance-training (RT) protocols on rowing ergometer performance. Methods: Fourteen semiprofessional male rowers randomly completed 5 protocols in separate sessions: (1) control—no RT session was performed, (2) upper-body high-fatigue—4 sets to failure during the bench pull exercise, (3) upper-body low-fatigue—4 sets of 6 repetitions during the bench pull exercise, (4) lower-body high-fatigue—4 sets to failure during the leg-press exercise, and (5) lower-body low-fatigue—4 sets of 6 repetitions during the leg-press exercise. All sets were performed against the 12-repetition-maximum load with 2 minutes of interset rest. Following the completion of the protocols, subjects performed an all-out 1000-m rowing ergometer test. Results: Compared with the control condition, rowing ergometer performance was not significantly affected after the low-fatigue RT protocols (upper body: P ≥.487; Δ = 0.0%–0.2%; lower body: P ≥.200; Δ = −0.2%–0.5%), while it significantly declined following high-fatigue RT protocols (upper body: P ≤.001; Δ = 1.0%–2.0%; lower body: P ≤.002; Δ = 2.1%–2.5%). The average heart rate was significantly lower for the control condition compared with all RT protocols (P ≤.043; Δ = 1.0%–1.5%). Conclusions: To minimize interference on rowing performance, coaches should prioritize the level of effort in RT protocols over specific exercises, specifically avoiding high-fatigue protocols that lead to failure before rowing practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Insects are one of the least studied taxa, with most species lacking basic ecological and biogeographical information. This problem is particularly acute in the tropics, where low sampling effort hampers accurate estimates of species richness at scale and potentially confounds efforts to identify the drivers of biogeographical gradients. Here, we evaluate the quality of the data on the distribution and diversity of odonate species in the Neotropics, while also examining the influence of sampling completeness on climate–richness relationships using a comprehensive database of odonates. Location: The Neotropics. Taxon: Odonata. Methods: Using 56,535 records collected from 1970 to 2021, we assess whether climate–species richness models vary under different scenarios of survey completeness. Results: Our survey compilation revealed that most Neotropical diversity of Odonata likely remains unknown. Only 1% of the one‐degree cells covering the Neotropics held reliable information on odonate species richness, with particularly severe gaps in the Caribbean, Central America, northeastern Brazil and northern Chile. Temperature, precipitation and potential evapotranspiration exert consistent effects on Odonata richness across the entire Neotropics, regardless the level of survey completeness. Whereas seasonality‐related variables are less important predictors of species richness at the biogeographical scale. Main Conclusions: By highlighting areas where inventories are more reliable and identifying regions that require increased data collection efforts and mobilization, our assessment offers a roadmap for improving the reliability of odonate inventories in the Neotropics. Furthermore, our findings underscore the importance of accounting for varying levels of survey completeness in macroecological models to reveal robust climate–species richness relationships. Simultaneously, they highlight strong climatic predictors of species richness, irrespective of survey effort intensity. These predictors provide a solid foundation for modelling and predicting odonate species richness in the Neotropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Coding and noncoding RNA molecules participate in many important biological processes. Noncoding RNAs fold into well-defined secondary structures to exert their functions. However, the computational prediction of the secondary structure from a raw RNA sequence is a long-standing unsolved problem, which after decades of almost unchanged performance has now re-emerged due to deep learning. Traditional RNA secondary structure prediction algorithms have been mostly based on thermodynamic models and dynamic programming for free energy minimization. More recently deep learning methods have shown competitive performance compared with the classical ones, but there is still a wide margin for improvement. Results In this work we present sincFold, an end-to-end deep learning approach, that predicts the nucleotides contact matrix using only the RNA sequence as input. The model is based on 1D and 2D residual neural networks that can learn short- and long-range interaction patterns. We show that structures can be accurately predicted with minimal physical assumptions. Extensive experiments were conducted on several benchmark datasets, considering sequence homology and cross-family validation. sincFold was compared with classical methods and recent deep learning models, showing that it can outperform the state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the primary challenges in biodiversity conservation is the limited knowledge of the taxonomy and geographical distribution of species, particularly in megadiverse regions such as the AmazonIn this context, the present study aimed to mitigate the Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls within the Family Leptophlebiidae (Ephemeroptera: Insecta) in the Brazilian Amazon, identify priority areas for conducting faunal inventories and enhance taxonomic knowledge of this group.Utilizing both primary Leptophlebiidae data collected in the state of Pará, and secondary data compiled from the literature on species occurring in the Amazon, we employed Species Distribution Modelling to identify areas with higher potential species richness and priority areas for faunal inventories in the Brazilian Amazon of the family.For the primary data, 2,120 specimens were identified, representing 16 genera and 28 species. Among the 28 species analysed, 7 constitute new records for the state of Pará. Additionally, two new genera, five new species and six morphospecies were identified, significantly expanding the taxonomic landscape of the family in the state. Maps depicting potential species richness and priority areas for faunal inventories in the Brazilian Amazon generated from the Modelling indicated that the states of Pará and the western region of Maranhão exhibit high potential species richness, with overlapping areas identified as priorities for Leptophlebiidae faunal inventories.In this context, this study represents a substantial advancement in the taxonomic knowledge of Leptophlebiidae in the state of Pará and the Amazon, underscoring the urgency of research and biodiversity conservation efforts for the group in the region. Furthermore, the identification of new taxa emphasizes the need for ongoing collaborative efforts to mitigate Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the optimisation of Mixed-model assembly lines with continuous paced line control. The two minimisation goals have a mixed-integer linear multi-objective dispute. The paper proposes a criterion-space method to define the Pareto front for this class of problems. The method combines Pareto fronts obtained from integer solutions and gradually refines them until the instance's global front is determined. Comparing paced to unpaced line controls can be challenging, since they can produce the same cycle time given sufficiently long line lengths or buffers. Hence, determining Pareto fronts between cycle time and line length for paced lines allows meaningful comparisons between line controls. An industrial case study shows that line length acts as continuously distributable buffers for paced lines, leading to weaker diminishing returns. This result suggests that paced lines are more efficient than unpaced ones for lower cycle time ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a theoretical study on the structural and electronic properties of the p-dimethylamino-cinnamaldehyde (DMACA) merocyanine molecule in solvents of different polarities by combining the free energy gradient and the average solvent electrostatic configuration methods via an iterative procedure based on the sequential quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics hybrid methodology. Studying such a system in solution is a crucial step for understanding the solvent effects on its properties, which can have implications in fields such as optoelectronics and biophysics. We found that the DMACA molecule presents different geometries in nonpolar and polar solvents, changing from a polyene-like structure with a pyramidal dimethylamino group (in gas phase or nonpolar solvents) to a cyanine-like structure with a planar dimethylamino group in water due to the stabilizing effect of hydrogen bonds between DMACA and water. The molecular absorption spectrum showed a significant change, increasing solvent polarity with a large shift of the lower energy band, while the other two low lying bands did not shift significantly. The study accurately described the solvatochromic shift of the lowest-energy band and analyzed the structure of the excited states in terms of the one-electron transition density matrix, which showed that the dominant excited state (associated with the first lower energy band) is characterized by a local excitation on the benzene ring with charge transfer character to the carbon conjugated segment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of GeSec: Revista de Gestao e Secretariado is the property of Sindicato das Secretarias e Secretarios do Estado de Sao Paulo (SINSESP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of GeSec: Revista de Gestao e Secretariado is the property of Sindicato das Secretarias e Secretarios do Estado de Sao Paulo (SINSESP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Food waste is considered a potential source for biofuel production, with gaps in the processes that need to be addressed and a necessity to evaluate the environmental, economic, and social impacts of these processes comprehensively to assess their sustainability fully. The aim was to conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) of bioethanol derived from banana, potato, and papaya waste across three process stages (pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and fermentation). Methods: The process was assessed in two additional stages: one considering energy consumption and the other excluding energy consumption of the equipment used, referred to as non-energy processes. This distinction was made because a laboratory-scale process was utilized, which does not accurately reflect energy costs on a large scale. The study employed Ecoinvent database 3.4 and the ReCiPe 2016 method (midpoint and endpoint) to evaluate impacts, along with Monte Carlo simulation in SimaPro 8.5.0.0 software for uncertainty analysis. Results: The LCA revealed that the fermentation stage accounted for the most significant number of impacts and environmental damages in all categories in the complete processes. In the non-energy processes, the pretreatment stage for waste from evaluated foods exhibited the highest impacts and damages. The most significant environmental impacts and damages across all scenarios were global warming potential (GWP) and resources, respectively. Conclusions: Banana waste has higher impact than potatoes and papaya. Optimizing processes, using renewable energy, sustainable pH adjustment, and enzyme reuse can enhance sustainability. No studies were found that conducted an LCA of bioethanol production from papaya waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs) are protein domains that typically reside near catalytic domains, increasing substrate-protein proximity by constraining the conformational space of carbohydrates. Due to the flexibility and variability of glycans, the molecular details of how these protein regions recognize their target molecules are not always fully understood. Computational methods, including molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, have been employed to investigate lectin-carbohydrate interactions. In this study, we introduce a novel approach that integrates multiple computational techniques to identify the critical amino acids involved in the interaction between a CBM located at the tip of bacteriophage J-1's tail and its carbohydrate counterparts. Our results highlight three amino acids that play a significant role in binding, a finding we confirmed through in vitro experiments. By presenting this approach, we offer an intriguing alternative for pinpointing amino acids that contribute to protein-sugar interactions, leading to a more thorough comprehension of the molecular determinants of protein-carbohydrate interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Knee pain is a major cause of disability worldwide, particularly among the elderly. Current treatments, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics, often lead to adverse effects. Krill oil is being explored as a potential alternative, however its efficacy in managing knee symptoms remains unclear. Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched until May 2024 for studies comparing krill oil and placebo in knee pain patients. Endpoints included knee pain, stiffness, physical function, and lipid profiles (HDL-C, LDL-C, triglycerides, and total cholesterol). A restricted maximum likelihood random-effects model with standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used. A trial sequential analysis was conducted to evaluate further research implications. Results: We included five trials with 700 patients using krill oil for knee pain. Results showed no significant difference between krill oil and placebo for knee pain, knee stiffness, and lipid profiles. However, krill oil demonstrated a significant small effect in improving knee physical function (SMD -0.24, 95% CI [-0.41; -0.08], I2 = 0%).Trial sequential analysis provided certainty that krill oil enhances knee physical function compared to placebo and indicated no improvement in knee pain, but the findings for knee stiffness need to be confirmed by further research. Conclusion: This study found that krill oil supplementation did not significantly improve knee pain, stiffness, or lipid profile, although it may help knee physical function. Based on these findings, krill oil supplementation is not yet justified for knee pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgery to expose the anterior occiptocervical junction (OCJ) is exacting, and optimal approaches are debatable. The close proximity of vital structures and difficult surgical access present a unique challenge to treat lesions in this area. Routine access to the upper anterior cervical spine remains limited. The authors present a modified retropharyngeal approach and instrumentation in order to resect an exceptionally rare atypical rhabdoid teratoid tumor involving the craniovertebral junction. The technical aspects of this approach in anatomical perspectives are discussed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latin American countries have been at the forefront of pension privatization and since 2008 they have also pioneered reform reversals. Previous studies have focused on single cases or a small number of them, given that pension reform is a complex phenomenon arising from the combination of different causes. Using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), the article analyzes a set of 32 pension reform cases in eight countries from the early 1990s until 2021. It finds four different pathways that combine institutional, structural and policy legacy conditions. It demonstrates that fsQCA is a useful tool for broader comparative policy work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel code, named SIESTA (Statistical matchIng between rEal and Synthetic sTellar popuLations), designed for performing statistical isochrone fitting to colour–magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of single stellar populations by leveraging comparisons between the observed stellar distribution and predictions from synthetic populations, simulated on top of a grid of isochrones. These synthetic populations encompass determinant factors such as the cluster's initial mass function (IMF), the presence of non-resolved binaries, as well as the expected photometric errors, and observational completeness (or the observed luminosity function). Employing Markov Chain Monte Carlo within a Bayesian framework, SIESTA allows for the determination of a cluster's age, metallicity, distance, colour excess, and binary fraction (with masses exceeding a certain ratio). In this study, we rigorously benchmark the SIESTA code utilizing synthetic populations and evaluate its performance against observations from the VISCACHA Survey in the Small Magellanic Cloud, focusing on five star clusters: Lindsay 114, NGC 152, Lindsay 91, Lindsay 113, and NGC 121. These clusters were chosen for their diverse age range, spanning from 0.04 to 10 Gyr. Our findings demonstrate the capability of the SIESTA code to accurately represent the observed CMDs of these clusters. Furthermore, we compare the results obtained with SIESTA to previous characterizations of these clusters, highlighting the consistency between the derived metallicity and spectroscopic determinations from various sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The prevalence of diabetes and hypertension according to body mass index (BMI) status in Brazilian adults has not been described yet. Herein, we aimed to identify the time trends in hypertension and diabetes, individually and combined (multimorbidity), by BMI in Brazilian adults. Methods: In this time series cross‐sectional study, we retrieved self‐reported data from 806 169 adults between 2006 and 2023, using the Surveillance System of Risk and Protective Factors from Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey (Vigitel). Weight and height were used to classify participants into normal/underweight (<25 kg/m2), pre‐obesity (25 to 29.9 kg/m2), and obesity (≥ 30 kg/m2). We calculated the prevalence of medical diagnoses of hypertension and diabetes, individually and combined, by BMI categories, and by sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age group, educational attainment) for participants with obesity. We performed Prais‐Winsten linear regression models to identify temporal trends. Results: The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes increased between 2006 and 2023. Among adults with obesity, we observed a slight decrease in the prevalence of hypertension (from 44.5% in 2006 to 41.7% in 2023) and the prevalence of either hypertension or diabetes (47.1% to 45.5%); an increase in the prevalence of diabetes (12.8% to 15.13) and both conditions combined (10.2% to 11.2%). Participants with obesity had more than twice the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes compared with those who were normal/underweight. We observed a differential time trend by sex, age group, and educational attainment. Conclusion: Our findings indicate the need for differentiated approaches for interventions for hypertension and diabetes, considering variations over time by sociodemographic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk of the use of toxic chemicals for unlawful acts has been a matter of concern for different governments and multilateral agencies. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which oversees the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), considering recent events employing chemical warfare agents as means of assassination, has recently included in the CWC "Annex on Chemicals" some organophosphorus compounds that are regarded as acting in a similar fashion to the classical G- and V-series of nerve agents, inhibiting the pivotal enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Therefore, knowledge of the activity of the pyridinium oximes, the sole class of clinically available acetylcholinesterase reactivators to date, is plainly justified. In this paper, continuing our research efforts in medicinal chemistry on this class of toxic chemicals, we synthesized an A-230 nerve agent surrogate and applied a modified Ellman's assay to evaluate its ability to inhibit our enzymatic model, acetylcholinesterase from Electrophorus eel, and if the clinically available antidotes are able to rescue the enzyme activity for the purpose of relating the findings to the previously disclosed in silico data for the authentic nerve agent and other studies with similar A-series surrogates. Our experimental data indicates that pralidoxime is the most efficient compound for reactivating acetylcholinesterase inhibited by A-230 surrogate, which is the opposite of the in silico data previously disclosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current diagnostic methods for leptospirosis diagnosis are technically complex and expensive, with limited applicability to specialized laboratories. Furthermore, they lack diagnostic accuracy in the acute stage of the disease, which coincides with a period when antibiotics are highly effective. New simple and accurate tests are mandatory to decentralize and improve diagnosis. Here, we introduced a new lateral flow immunoassay (Lepto-LF) for human leptospirosis. Methods: We conducted a double-blinded assay using 104 serum samples from patients with confirmed or discarded diagnosis for leptospirosis. The diagnostic performance of Lepto-LF was estimated across different ranges of days from onset of symptoms (dpo), considering the diagnostic algorithm as reference standard. Additionally, it was compared with the screening methods enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IgM-ELISA) and the slide agglutination test using temperature-resistant antigen (SATR). Results: Lepto-LF exhibited perfect diagnostic performance with a Youden´s index J = 1 from 6 dpo in the acute phase. IgM-ELISA gave slightly lower accuracy with J = 0.91 and 95.5% of both sensitivity and specificity; while SATR showed a markedly inferior yield (J = 0.41, sensitivity = 95.5%, specificity = 45.5%). The performances remained consistent in the convalescence phase of the disease (> 10 dpo). Conclusion: Lepto-LF was found to be a reliable test for simple, rapid and early diagnosis of leptospirosis, resulting a promising tool for decentralizing leptospirosis diagnosis and enabling timely treatment of patients. In addition, Lepto-LF may be employed as confirmatory test, especially in remote areas and vulnerable contexts where the standard MAT is not available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let sl (2) ⋉ h n , n ≥ 1 , be the Galilean Lie algebra over a field of characteristic zero, here h n is the Heisenberg Lie algebra of dimension 2 n + 1 , and sl (2) acts on h n so that, sl (2) -modules, h n ≃ V (2 n - 1) ⊕ V (0) (here V(k) denotes the irreducible sl (2) -module of highest weight k). In this paper, we study the tensor product of two uniserial representations of sl (2) ⋉ h n . We obtain the sl (2) -module structure of the socle of V ⊗ W and we describe the space of intertwining operators Hom sl (2) ⋉ h n (V , W) , where V and W are uniserial representations of sl (2) ⋉ h n . The structure of the radical of V ⊗ W follows from that of the socle of V ∗ ⊗ W ∗ . The result is subtle and shows how difficult is to obtain the whole socle series of arbitrary tensor products of uniserials. In contrast to the serial associative case, our results for sl (2) ⋉ h n reveal that these tensor products are far from being a direct sum of uniserials; in particular, there are cases in which the tensor product of two uniserial (sl (2) ⋉ h n) -modules is indecomposable but not uniserial. Recall that a foundational result of T. Nakayama states that every finitely generated module over a serial associative algebra is a direct sum of uniserial modules. This article extends a previous work in which we obtained the corresponding results for the Lie algebra sl (2) ⋉ a m where a m is the abelian Lie algebra of dimension m + 1 and sl (2) acts so that a m ≃ V (m) as sl (2) -modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translational research is commonly performed in the C57B6/J mouse strain, chosen for its genetic homogeneity and phenotypic uniformity. Here, we evaluate the suitability of the white-footed deer mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) as a model organism for aging research, offering a comparative analysis against C57B6/J and diversity outbred (DO) Mus musculus strains. Our study includes comparisons of body composition, skeletal muscle function, and cardiovascular parameters, shedding light on potential applications and limitations of P. leucopus in aging studies. Notably, P. leucopus exhibits distinct body composition characteristics, emphasizing reduced muscle force exertion and a unique metabolism, particularly in fat mass. Cardiovascular assessments showed changes in arterial stiffness, challenging conventional assumptions and highlighting the need for a nuanced interpretation of aging-related phenotypes. Our study also highlights inherent challenges associated with maintaining and phenotyping P. leucopus cohorts. Behavioral considerations, including anxiety-induced responses during handling and phenotyping assessment, pose obstacles in acquiring meaningful data. Moreover, the unique anatomy of P. leucopus necessitates careful adaptation of protocols designed for Mus musculus. While showcasing potential benefits, further extensive analyses across broader age ranges and larger cohorts are necessary to establish the reliability of P. leucopus as a robust and translatable model for aging studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study evaluates the feasibility of proposed simplifications of the universal simple aging test (USAT) to simulate the short-term aging of asphalt binders (STUSAT). Rutting and fatigue parameters of four neat and four modified binders (two asphalt-rubbers and two polymer-modified ones) were determined after aging the materials in both the STUSAT and the regular rolling thin-film oven test (RTFOT). Rheological tests included multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR) and linear amplitude sweep (LAS). The fatigue parameter (|G*|.sinδ) and the Glover–Rowe parameter were also determined. Overall, the findings of the MSCR and fatigue parameters for the STUSAT-aged binders are in close agreement with the ones derived from the RTFOT-aged ones. The same can be said for the high performance grades (PG) and the assigned traffic levels for each material. Moreover, STUSAT does not appear to mask the formulations that are overly stress sensitive in the MSCR tests, and it does not seem to penalize the binders that can withstand high traffic levels or modify the classification of the binder according to stress sensitivity. The mass loss for both procedures is equivalent, but STUSAT presented higher variations due to the small amount of sample. The ranking order based on the three fatigue indicators for both aging protocols converged in terms of which are the best and worst materials: polymer-modified binder C1 was the best one, followed by one of the two asphalt-rubbers (B1 or B2), with the neat binders A4, A1, and A2 as the worst materials. These findings suggest that STUSAT is a feasible alternative to regular RTFOT, once the procedure demands a simple set of equipment. Future studies are recommended to validate the applicability of STUSAT using a higher number of asphalt binders. Practical Applications: The findings of this paper may provide civil engineers and highway agencies with an easy-to-use, short-term aging test, designated as the short-term universal simple aging test (STUSAT), which is a simplified version of the universal simple aging test (USAT). The test described here is intended to be an alternative to the regular rolling thin-film oven test (RTFOT). It requires only a regular forced-air oven, silicone apparatuses, and aluminum plates to age the binder and simulate the actual aging the material experiences during plant production, hauling, and compaction. This method is especially useful for asphalt laboratories in developing countries, which typically do not have a rolling thin-film oven to conduct the regular short-term aging tests per the ASTM and AASHTO standards. Moreover, STUSAT demands a smaller mass of binder (only 3.0 g) and a lower test time (50 min) when compared with RTFOT. The test temperature (150°C) is also lower than the one in RTFOT (163°C), thereby saving energy and time during the regular operations in the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate the differences between generational groups (specifically Generations X, Y and Z) in terms of variables that influence organisational commitment and intention to stay within an organisation. The aim is to fill the research gap in understanding how different factors influence commitment and retention across different generations. Design/methodology/approach: This study follows a quantitative approach based on cross-sectional survey data. The respondents were employees of Generations X, Y and Z. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling and multigroup analysis. Findings: The results of the study indicate several relationships between variables and organisational commitment/intention to stay. Person-organisation fit is positively related to organisational commitment, and work-life balance is positively related to both organisational commitment and intention to stay. The mediation of organisational commitment shows a positive relationship with person-organisation fit and work-life balance. In addition, there are positive relationships between organisational culture and both organisational commitment and intention to stay, as well as a positive relationship between person-organisation fit and intention to stay. Furthermore, all three Generations (X, Y and Z) show positive relationships between organisational commitment and intention to stay. Research limitations/implications: The implications of the study are twofold. First, it provides theoretical contributions by uncovering the relationships between various variables and organisational commitment/retention. Second, it provides practical implications for organisations by highlighting the importance of person-organisation fit, work-life balance and organisational culture in fostering commitment and retention among employees of different generations. Originality/value: The originality and value of this study lies in its exploration of the differences between generational groups in terms of variables affecting organisational commitment and intention to stay. By addressing this research gap, the study contributes to the existing literature on organisational commitment and retention. The detailed presentation of theoretical contributions, practical implications, limitations and suggestions for future research enhances the overall value of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to enhance the design of an injection mold in order to minimize ejection time and increase temperature uniformity by repositioning cooling channels. For 3D transient thermal simulations, the ANSYS finite element method (FEM) program was employed, while the MATLAB program was used for optimization. It was discovered that the method could be used successfully to optimize the design of Conformal Cooling Channels (CCCs) in injection molds. The objective function value of the optimized model represents a near 40% improvement in relation to the initial model. The combined parameterization, simulation, and optimization method has proven beneficial for enhancing the arrangement of channels in an injection machine mold. The methodology is generalizable. As such, it can be employed in any industrial applications involving injection molding machines, for the improvement of the quality of the manufactured part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the evolution of graphics processors over recent decades it has now become possible to produce high-quality, realistic three-dimensional scenes. However, aliasing occurs during the sampling process performed during rasterization, which causes a serrated effect around the edges of the objects presented in the scene, highlighting an unreal aspect of the image and causing displeasure to the viewer. This paper aims to develop an anti-aliasing treatment based on rotated spatial filtering. It undertakes edge detection by applying spatial filtering with a simple linear regression technique. A smoothing spatial filter is then rotated to match the direction of the inspected edge and is applied to the affected regions. Testing was performed on an OpenGL application, processing the rendered image from the framebuffer, and Blender, a 3D modeling software that enables scenes with more complex graphics. The results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method in smoothing aliasing with good quality while preserving the details of the scene. Hence, the problem was managed effectively with a post-filtering approach and without oversampling. The running time of the algorithm is O(n), and the memory used is O(n). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite materials based on Nb2O5 nanoparticles dispersed over activated carbon (Nb/AC) obtained from PET waste were used as catalysts for wastewater treatment. These composites were synthesized by mechanical mixing of AC and commercial Nb2O5, followed by H2O2 treatment. The methylene blue dye (MB) was used as a model contaminant and the fungicide prothioconazole (PCZ) was the target molecule. Contaminant removal from water occurred mainly via adsorption by AC and via a combined process of adsorption/oxidation in the case of Nb/AC composites. The increase in the Nb amount in the catalysts reduced the BET surface area but increased the reaction rates due to the oxidation properties of Nb2O5. The reaction mechanism is Mars–Van Krevelen-like, driven by the peroxo groups (active sites) on the Nb2O5 surface. Moreover, the Nb/AC composites were highly efficient catalysts for PCZ oxidation and its main metabolite (prothioconazole-desthio) from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced oxidation processes (AOP) stood out as an efficient alternative for the treatment of organic contaminants. In this work, there were proposed syntheses of mixed catalysts of pyrite and graphene oxide and pyrite and zinc oxide to treat a mixture of the drugs atenolol and propranolol in aqueous solution through the photo-Fenton process with ultraviolet radiation. The efficiency of the methodologies used in the syntheses was confirmed through different characterization analyses. It was verified that the pyrite and zinc oxide catalyst led to the best contaminant degradation percentages with values equal to 88 and 84% for the groups monitored at the wavelengths (λ) of 217 and 281 nm. The degradation kinetics presented a good fit to the kinetic model proposed by Chan and Chu (2003) with R2 equal to 0.99, indicating a pseudo-first-order degradation profile. Finally, toxicity tests were carried out with two types of seeds, watercress and cabbage, for the solution before and after treatment. The cabbage seeds showed a reduction in germination percentages for the samples after treatments, while no toxicity was observed for watercress ones. This highlights the importance of evaluating the implications caused by products in relation to different organisms representing the biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we prove some splitting results for manifolds supporting a non-constant infinity harmonic function which has at most linear growth on one side. Manifolds with non-negative Ricci or sectional curvature are considered. In dimension |$2$|⁠ , we extend Savin's theorem on Lipschitz infinity harmonic functions in the plane to every surface with non-negative sectional curvature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) have been widely adopted as important metrics for guiding scientific and policy decisions, the Earth Observation (EO) and Land Surface and Hydrologic Model (LSM/HM) communities have yet to treat terrestrial ECVs in an integrated manner. To develop consistent terrestrial ECVs at regional and continental scales, greater collaboration between EO and LSM/HM communities is needed. An essential first step is assessing the LSM/HM simulation uncertainty. To that end, we introduce a new hydrological reference dataset that comprises a range of 19 existing LSM/HM simulations that represent the current state-of-the-art of our LSM/HMs. Simulations are provided on a daily time step, covering Europe, notably the Rhine and Po river basins, alongside the Tugela river basin in Africa, and are uniformly formatted to allow comparisons across simulations. Furthermore, simulations are comprehensively validated with discharge, evapotranspiration, soil moisture and total water storage anomaly observations. Our dataset provides valuable information to support policy development and serves as a benchmark for generating consistent terrestrial ECVs through the integration of EO products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater macroinvertebrates can connect tropical forests and stream food webs by consuming both terrestrially and aquatically produced foods, but direct observations of nocturnal feeding behavior in these natural ecosystems are rare. Observational data on decapods feeding behavior are limited partly because they are cryptic and often forage at night to avoid predators and competitors. We hypothesized that freshwater decapods forage on riparian fruit fall based on its relatively high energy and nutrient content. We used underwater cameras to video record night-time foraging under dim red light. Palm fruits (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart.) were added to determine rates of feeding responses among crabs (Silviocarcinus australis Magalhães and Turkay, 1996) and shrimp (Macrobrachium amazonicum Heller, 1862) in a spring-fed, clear-water stream in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Within 30 min, shrimp located the fruit, and within 60 min, crabs began shredding the pulp of the palm fruit. Crabs fed on the palm fruits, on average five times longer than shrimp and produced pieces of palm fruit pulp that some shrimp consumed without aggressively interacting with the crab. Small fish also consumed some palm pulp particles. This interaction network is an example of fruit-fall processing based on indirect facilitation among different types of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production and evaluation of the Analysis Ready and Cloud Optimized (ARCO) data cube for continental Europe (including Ukraine, the UK, and Turkey), derived from the Landsat Analysis Ready Data version 2 (ARD V2) produced by Global Land Analysis and Discovery team (GLAD) and covering the period from 2000 to 2022 is described. The data cube consists of 17TB of data at a 30–meter resolution and includes bimonthly, annual, and long-term spectral indices on various thematic topics, including: surface reflectance bands, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR), Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Normalized Difference Tillage Index (NDTI), minimum Normalized Difference Tillage Index (minNDTI), Bare Soil Fraction (BSF), Number of Seasons (NOS), and Crop Duration Ratio (CDR). The data cube was developed with the intention of providing a comprehensive feature space for environmental modeling and soil, vegetation, and land cover mapping. To evaluate its effectiveness for this purpose, the quality of the produced time series was assessed by: (1) visual examination for artifacts and inconsistencies, (2) plausibility checks with ground survey data, and (3) predictive modeling tests, examples with soil organic carbon (SOC) and land cover (LC) classification. The results of visual examination indicate that the gap-filled product is complete and consistent, except for winter periods in northern latitudes and high-altitude areas where high cloud and snow density make gap-filling complex, and hence many artifacts remain. The plausibility results further show that the indices effectively help differentiate landscapes and crop types: the BSF index showed a strong negative correlation (-0.73) with crop coverage data, effectively detecting soil exposure. The minNDTI index had a moderate positive correlation (0.57) with the Eurostat tillage practices survey data, indicating valuable information on the intensity of the tillage. The detailed temporal resolution and long-term characteristics provided by different tiers of predictors in this data cube proved to be important for both soil organic carbon regression and LC classification experiments based on the 60,723 LUCAS observations: long-term characteristics (tier 4) were particularly valuable for predictive mapping of SOC and LC coming on the top of variable importance assessment. Crop-specific indices (NOS and CDR) provided limited value for the tested applications, possibly due to noise or insufficient quantification methods. The data cube is made available under a CC-BY license and will be continuously updated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have been primarily studied for atmospheric nitrogen (N) fixation but they also have the capacity to improve nutrition and yield of crop plants. Methods: Therefore, the objective of this research was to investigate the effects of inoculation with PGPB in association with different N rates on N uptake, grain yield, and oil concentration of dwarf castor beans in succession to legumes and grasses in Ilha Solteira, Brazil. The treatments consisted of N rates (0 to 180 kg ha-1 of N) and inoculation with three plant growth-promoting bacteria (Azospirillum brasiliense, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas fluorescens, applied by leaf) and a control with no-inoculation. Results: The grain and oil yields of castor beans were increased by 20 and 40% at a rate of 103 kg ha-1 of N in succession to grasses as compared to without N application. In addition, the grain yield of castor bean after legumes was increased by 28, 64, and 40% with estimated rates of 97, 113, and 92 kg ha-1 of N in combination with inoculations of A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and P. fluorescens as compared to without N application, respectively. Shoot, grain, and total N uptake were improved with foliar inoculation of A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and P. fluorescens at the N rates of 45, 90, and 135 kg ha-1, respectively. Discussion and conclusions: Topdressing of N at the rate of 103 kg ha-1 and foliar inoculation in succession to grasses and 180 kg ha-1 of N without the effect of foliar inoculation in succession to legumes are recommended for higher grain and oil yield of castor beans. Foliar inoculations with A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and P. fluorescens increased grain yield under reduced use of N fertilizer by 44, 37, and 49% in dwarf castor cultivation in succession to legumes, potentially contributing to sustainable agriculture. INSET: C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for maize (Zea mays L.) growth and development. Therefore, generating cultivars with upgraded P use efficiency (PUE) represents one of the main strategies to reduce the global agriculture dependence on phosphate fertilizers. In this work, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed to detect quantitative trait nucleotide (QTN) and potential PUE-related candidate genes and associated traits in greenhouse and field trials under contrasting P conditions. The PUE and other agronomy traits of 132 maize inbred lines were assessed in low and normal P supply through the greenhouse and field experiments and Multi-locus GWAS was used to map the associated QTNs. Wide genetic variability was observed among the maize inbred lines under low and normal P supply. In addition, we confirm the complex and quantitative nature of PUE. A total of 306 QTNs were associated with the 24 traits evaluated using different multi-locus GWAS methods. A total of 186 potential candidate genes were identified, mainly involved with transcription regulator, transporter, and transference activity. Further studies are still needed to elucidate the functions and relevance of these genes regarding PUE. Nevertheless, pyramiding the favorable alleles pinpointed in the present study can be considered an efficient strategy for molecular improvement to increase maize PUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]