Search

The present study evaluated the effects of biochar derived from sugarcane straw on the physicochemical and biological properties of soil and the initial development of sugarcane. Microcosm and pot experiments were conducted over 60 days to monitor variables such as pH, water retention capacity, microbial activity, initial growth, and the metabolomic profile of the plant leaves. The results indicated that biochar increased the soil water retention capacity without significantly affecting the pH. The biochar significantly promoted root length and mass and favored the growth of the soil microbiota, as reflected by an increase in the amount of microbial biomass carbon. Metabolomic analysis of sugarcane leaves revealed that soil conditioning with biochar at application rates of 3 and 5% w/w led to increased concentrations of the amino acids isoleucine and valine, accompanied by a reduction in galactose, maltose, and glucose levels. Furthermore, biochar treatment resulted in a decrease in aconitic acid and an increase in acetic and succinic acid concentrations. These findings suggest that biochar may be a promising strategy for enhancing the productivity and sustainability of sugarcane cultivation., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) mutations and fusions are relevant biomarkers in metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). However, the prevalence of genomic alterations and their impact on clinical outcomes in a Latin American population remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of FGFR mutations and/or fusions in patients with mUC in Latin America (LATAM) and its association with clinicopathological characteristics, Bellmunt's prognostic model, and survival outcomes., Patients and Methods: A multicenter retrospective cohort study from 2016 to 2019 of patients with mUC from several LACOG LATAM institutions. FGFR alterations were analyzed by real-time PCR and/or next-generation sequencing in tumor samples and clinicopathologic characteristics and survival outcomes data were collected. The prevalence of FGFR, patient characteristics, and treatment in real-world settings were summarized. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations of FGFR mutation and/or fusion status with median overall survival (mOS), median time to treatment failure (mTTF), and clinicopathological characteristics., Results: In total, 222 patients were screened. Of these, 196 patients were considered eligible and were included in the analysis. FGFR mutations and/or fusions were found in 35 (17.9%) patients. There was no statistical difference in mOS and mTTF in FGFR-altered and non-altered patients (13.1 vs. 16.8 months, P = .20 and 3.9 vs. 4.1 months, P = .96, respectively). Bellmunt's prognostic model correctly predicted overall survival (P = .049)., Conclusions: This is the largest study evaluating the prevalence of FGFR alterations in patients with mUC in the LATAM population. FGFR alterations in mUC were found in 17.9% of the patients, and the presence of this biomarker was not associated with OS. We validated Bellmunt's prognostic model in this cohort., Competing Interests: Disclosure Dr. Gustavo Werutsky reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Beigene, Daiichi Sankyo, Genentech/Roche, GSK, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Seattle Genetics outside the submitted work. All remaining authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Integrating diverse measurement platforms can yield profound insights. This study examined Brazilian Canephora coffees from Rondônia (Western Amazon) and Espírito Santo (southeast), hypothesizing that geographical and climatic differences along botanical varieties significantly impact coffee characteristics. To test this, capixaba, indigenous, and non-indigenous Amazonian canephora coffees were analyzed using nine distinct platforms, including both spectroscopic techniques and sensory evaluations, to obtain results that are more informative and complementary than conventional single-method analyses. By applying multi-block Path-ComDim analysis to the multiple data sets, we uncovered crucial correlations between instrumental and sensory measurements. This integrated approach not only confirmed the hypothesis but also demonstrated that combining multiple data sets provides a more nuanced understanding of coffee profiles than traditional single-method analyses. The results underscore the value of multiplatform approaches in enhancing coffee quality evaluation, offering a more detailed and comprehensive view of coffee characteristics that can drive future research and improve industry standards., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Savannas and grasslands have lost almost 50% of their original cover worldwide. Therefore, the development of methods and information on open-canopy ecosystem restoration is urgent for the inclusion of these ecosystems into global and regional priorities. In the Brazilian savanna, the most diverse savanna in the world, restoration efforts focused on open ecosystems have been virtually absent, but have increased in the last 10 years. Such efforts are frequently threatened by invasive exotic grasses (IEG) that invade and dominate areas excluding native species, oftentimes aided by altered soil conditions. Long-term studies of savanna restoration trajectories are rare. In this study, we surveyed 22 savanna restoration areas established two to ten years before the study with similar restoration methods to assess their current status. We show that the current restoration methods are successful in establishing native species and allowing species turnover but they are threatened by IEG. Restoration success varies and is affected by soil conditions, IEG landscape cover and post-sowing weeding. Despite that, the simultaneous introduction of different plant functional groups allows turnover from fast to slow-growing plants. Establishing savanna native species is possible at an operational scale with current knowledge and techniques. However, native species establishment fails to prevent IEG reinfestation, which needs to be managed in restoration efforts in the Brazilian savanna., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Early identification and management are crucial, especially in economically challenged regions with limited healthcare access., Aims: To develop nomograms for individualized risk estimation for metabolic syndrome in young people from low-income regions., Methods: We assessed 496 college students from two Brazilian cities with Gini indices ≤0.56. Of these, 69.9% were female, 65.1% were younger than 20 years, 71.8% were non-white, and 64.3% were enrolled in health-related courses. For external validity, we assessed metabolic syndrome in a subset of 375 students., Results: We found 10 variables associated with abdominal obesity by logistic regression: age, biological sex, physical education facilities, enrollment in sports competitions during elementary school, grade retention, physical education as the preferred subject, physical education classes per week, and enrollment in sports training in secondary school (score A); adherence to 24 h movement behaviors (B score); and body weight (score C). We designed three nomograms (for scores A, B, and C), all of which showed acceptable performance according to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (≥0.70) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, p > 0.05). In the external validation, we observed higher predictive capability for the A and B scores, while the C score had lower but still acceptable predictive ability., Conclusions: User-friendly self-reported data accurately predict metabolic syndrome among youths from economically challenging areas.

Despite the abundant evidence of impairments to plant performance and survival under hotter-drought conditions, little is known about the vulnerability of reproductive organs to climate extremes. Here, by conducting a comparative analysis between flowers and leaves, we investigated how variations in key morphophysiological traits related to carbon and water economics can explain the differential vulnerabilities to heat and drought among these functionally diverse organs. Due to their lower construction costs, despite having a higher water storage capacity, flowers were more prone to turgor loss (higher turgor loss point; Ψ TLP ) than leaves, thus evidencing a trade-off between carbon investment and drought tolerance in reproductive organs. Importantly, the higher Ψ TLP of flowers also resulted in narrow turgor safety margins (TSM). Moreover, compared to leaves, the cuticle of flowers had an overall higher thermal vulnerability, which also resulted in low leakage safety margins (LSM). As a result, the combination of low TSMs and LSMs may have negative impacts on reproduction success since they strongly influenced the time to turgor loss under simulated hotter-drought conditions. Overall, our results improve the knowledge of unexplored aspects of flower structure and function and highlight likely threats to successful plant reproduction in a warmer and drier world., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Selenium-containing compounds have emerged as promising treatment for redox-based and inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of a novel diselenide named as dibenzyl[diselanediyIbis(propane-3-1diyl)] dicarbamate (DD). DD reacted with HOCl ( k  = 9.2 x 10 7 M -1 s -1 ), like glutathione ( k  = 1.2 x 10 8 M -1 s -1 ), yielding seleninic and selenonic acid derivatives, and it also decreased HOCl formation by activated human neutrophils (IC 50 =4.6 μM) and purified myeloperoxidase (MPO) (IC 50 =3.8 μM). However, tyrosine, MPO-I and MPO-II substrates, did not restore HOCl formation in presence of DD. DD inhibited the oxidative burst in d HL-60 cells with no toxicity up to 25 µM for 48h. Next, an intraperitoneal administration of 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg DD decreased total leukocyte, neutrophil chemotaxis, and inflammation markers (MPO activity, lipid peroxidation, albumin exudation, nitrite, TNF-α, IL-1β, CXCL1/KC, and CXCL2/MIP-2) on a murine model of carrageenan-induced peritonitis. Likewise, 50 mg/kg DD (i.p.) decreased carrageenan-induced paw edema over 5h. Histological and immunohistochemistry analyses of the paw tissue showed decreased neutrophil count, edema area, and MPO, carbonylated, and nitrated protein staining. Furthermore, DD treatment decreased the fMLP-induced chemotaxis of human neutrophils (IC 50 =3.7 μM) in vitro with no toxicity. Lastly, DD presented no toxicity in a single-dose model using mice (50 mg/kg, i.p.) over 15 days and in Artemia salina bioassay (50 to 2000 µM), corroborating findings from in silico toxicological study. Altogether, these results demonstrate that DD attenuates carrageenan-induced inflammation mainly by reducing neutrophil migration and the resulting damage from MPO-mediated oxidative burst.

Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to address the Ponseti method in arthrogrypotic clubfoot treatment and evaluate the success, complication, and recurrence rates., Method: A systematic review was performed in the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases on 9 January 2023, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Success, recurrence, and complication rates were evaluated and analyzed. Risks of bias and the quality of the studies were also evaluated., Results: Five case series, including 53 patients (102 feet), were identified. According to this model, the initial success rate was 91% (95% confidence interval = 0.79-0.96) with I 2  = 43%, and the final success was 68% (at 5.8 years of follow-up). Recurrence rate was 30% (95% confidence interval = 0.14-0.52)., Conclusion: Ponseti method is indicated in the initial treatment of arthrogrypotic clubfeet, as it is a minimally invasive method with a high correction rate (91%). However, a high recurrence rate (30%) requires early detection and adequate treatment., Level of Evidence: Level III., Prospero Protocol: CRD42020210373., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Purpose: This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of cancer patients with COVID-19, exploring factors associated with adverse outcomes., Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study methodically extracted and curated data from electronic medical records (EMRs) of numerous healthcare institutions on cancer patients diagnosed with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between May 2020 and August 2021, to identify risk factors linked to extended hospitalization and mortality. The retrieved information encompassed the patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, including the incidence of prolonged hospitalization, acute complications, and COVID-19-related mortality., Results: A total of 1446 cancer patients with COVID-19 were identified (mean [Standard deviation] age, 59.2 [14.3] years). Most patients were female (913 [63.1%]), non-white (646 [44.7%]), with non-metastatic (818 [56.6%]) solid tumors (1318 [91.1%]), and undergoing chemotherapy (647 [44.7%]). The rate of extended hospitalization due to COVID-19 was 46% (n = 665), which was significantly impacted by age (p = 0.012), sex (p = 0.003), race and ethnicity (p = 0.049), the presence of two or more comorbidities (p = 0.006), hematologic malignancies (p = 0.013), metastatic disease (p = 0.002), and a performance status ≥ 2 (p = 0.001). The COVID-19-related mortality rate was 18.9% (n = 273), and metastatic disease (<0.001), performance status ≥2 (<0.001), extended hospitalization (p = 0.028), renal failure (p = 0.029), respiratory failure (p < 0.001), sepsis (p = 0.004), and shock (p = 0.040) significantly and negatively influenced survival., Conclusion: The rate of extended hospitalization and COVID-19-specific death in cancer patients was notably high and could be influenced by comorbidities, cancer treatment status, and clinical fragility. These observations may aid in developing risk counseling strategies regarding COVID-19 in individuals diagnosed with cancer., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 da Silva et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Exploring alternative fertilizers is crucial in agriculture due to the cost and environmental impact of inorganic options. This study investigated the potential of sewage-derived biofertilizers on the growth and physiology of Amaranthus cruentus plants. Various treatments were compared, including control treatments with inorganic fertilizer and treatments with biofertilizers composed of microalgae, biosolids and reclaimed water. The following traits were investigated: photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange, growth, and leaf nutrient concentrations. The results showed that the concentrations of N, P, Cu, Fe Zn and Na nutrients, in the dry microalgae and biosolids, were quite high for the needs of the plants. The wet microalgae presented high concentration of Cu, Fe and Zn nutrients while reclaimed water contained high concentration of N, K, Ca and S. Na and Zn nutrients increased in the leaf of plants treated with dry microalgae and biosolid, respectively. At the beginning of the flowering phase, total chlorophyll and carotenoids contents were lower for plants grown with wet microalgae while for plants grown with higher doses of biosolid or reclaimed water total chlorophyll was increased, and carotenoids were not affected. Lower photosynthetic pigments under wet microalgae resulted in lower photosynthetic rates. On the other hand, amendments with dry microalgae and biosolid increased photosynthetic rates with the biosolid being the most effective. Higher applications of biosolid, wet and dry microalgae produced a considerable increase in shoot biomass of amaranth, with the dry microalgae being the most effective. Additionally, reclaimed water obtained after tertiary treatment of sewage with microalgae and biosolids applied alone showed promising effects on plant growth. Overall, these findings suggest that organic fertilizers derived from sewage treatment have the potential to enhance plant growth and contribute to sustainable agricultural practices., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Ferreira et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background and Aims: Whole-plant performance in water-stressed and disturbance-prone environments depends on a suitable supply of water from the roots to the leaves, storage of reserves during periods of shortage, and a morphological arrangement that guarantees the maintenance of the plants anchored to the soil. All these functions are performed by the secondary xylem of roots. Here, we investigate whether different growth forms of Fabaceae species from the seasonally dry Neotropical environment have distinct strategies for water transport, mechanical support and non-structural carbon and water storage in the root secondary xylem., Methods: We evaluated cross-sections of root secondary xylem from species of trees, shrubs and subshrubs. We applied linear models to verify the variability in secondary xylem anatomical traits among growth forms., Key Results: Secondary xylem with larger vessels and lower vessel density was observed in tree species. Vessel wall thickness, vessel grouping index, potential hydraulic conductivity and cell fractions (vessels, fibres, rays and axial parenchyma) were not statistically different between growth forms, owing to the high interspecific variation within the groups studied., Conclusion: Our results showed that the variability in anatomical traits of the secondary xylem of the root is species specific. In summary, the cellular complexity of the secondary xylem ensures multiple functional strategies in species with distinct growth forms, a key trait for resource use in an environment with strong water seasonality., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Betaglycan, also known as the TGFβ type III receptor (Tgfbr3), is a co-receptor that modulates TGFβ family signaling. Tgfbr3 is upregulated during C2C12 myoblast differentiation and expressed in mouse embryos myocytes., Results: To investigate tgfbr3 transcriptional regulation during zebrafish embryonic myogenesis, we cloned a 3.2 kb promoter fragment that drives reporter transcription during C2C12 myoblasts differentiation and in the Tg(tgfbr3:mCherry) transgenic zebrafish. We detect tgfbr3 protein and mCherry expression in the adaxial cells concomitantly with the onset of their radial migration to become slow-twitch muscle fibers in the Tg(tgfbr3:mCherry). Remarkably, this expression displays a measurable antero-posterior somitic gradient expression., Conclusions: tgfbr3 is transcriptionally regulated during somitic muscle development in zebrafish with an antero-posterior gradient expression that preferentially marks the adaxial cells and their descendants., (© 2023 The Authors. Developmental Dynamics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association for Anatomy.)

Green manure decomposition and nutrient recycling improve soil quality and productivity of different crops, but information on irrigated fruit orchards in the Brazilian semi-arid region is still scarce. Decomposition and nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium release from the cut biomass of three green manure legumes (sunn hemp, pigeon pea and jack bean) placed in litterbags, and spontaneous vegetation grown for 90 days in the rows of a passion fruit orchard were followed for 150 days. Biomasses decreased exponentially, reaching 12 (sunn hemp) to 25% (jack beans and spontaneous vegetation) after 150 days. K was rapidly released (< 21 and 4% of the original content remaining after 7 and 150 days, respectively), contrasting with more than half of the P and one third of the N remaining after 150 days. The amounts released were more influenced by the amounts of biomass produced (sunn hemp, 1583); (Jack bean 5152 kg ha -1 ); (Pigeon pea 822 kg ha -1 ); (Spontaneous plants 3175 kg ha -1 ); (spontaneous legumes 744 kg ha -1 ) than by variation in decomposition proportions among species. N release represented a liquid input to the soil, since more than 80% of the green manure and spontaneous vegetation contents came from N 2 -symbiotic fixation. Therefore, green manure is an effective technique to incorporate N and recycle K and P in irrigated orchards in the Brazilian semi-arid region., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Background: Influenza infection is a highly preventable transmissible viral disease associated with mild upper respiratory symptoms and more severe conditions such as lethal pneumonia. Studies have shown that a broader spectrum influenza vaccine could reduce influenza's burden of disease in low- and middle-income countries. A considerable number of systematic reviews reported that quadrivalent influenza vaccines are considered more effective compared to trivalent vaccines, hence, there is a need for an overview in order to synthesize the current evidence pertaining to the comparison between quadrivalent and trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines., Objective: The aim was to summarize the evidence from systematic reviews that investigated the immunogenicity and safety of the Influenza's inactivated quadrivalent vaccine (QIV) compared to the trivalent vaccine (TIV), in the general population., Methods: We searched articles up to December 2022 at: Web of Science, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and SCOPUS. The search strategy was conducted following the PICO model. We included systematic reviews comparing the primary outcomes of immunogenicity (seroprotection rate and seroconversion rate) and adverse events using risk ratios. The AMSTAR 2 and ROBIS were used for quality assessments, and GRADE was used for evidence certainty assessments., Findings: We included five systematic reviews, totalling 47,740 participants. The Quadrivalent Inactivated Influenza Vaccine (QIV) exhibited enhanced immunogenicity in the context of B-lineage mismatch when compared to the Trivalent Inactivated Influenza Vaccine (TIV). While the safety profile of QIV was found to be comparable to that of TIV, the QIV showed a higher incidence of solicited local pain among children and adolescents, as well as an increased frequency of local adverse events within the adult population., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the QIV provides a superior immunogenicity response compared to the TIV in all age groups evaluated, especially when a lineage mismatch occurred. The safety of QIV was considered similar to the TIV, with no serious or systemic solicited or unsolicited adverse events; tough pain at the injection site was greater for QIV. We recommend caution owing to the high risk of bias in the selection process and no protocol registration., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Fatty acids (FAs) stored as triacylglycerols (TAGs) are an important source of carbon and energy for germination and seedling development, particularly for plants with small wind-dispersed seeds, allowing greater efficiency in storing both energy and carbon. These plants should be under strong selection to produce seeds rich in FAs and with large amounts of saturated FAs. Their closely packed single-chain configuration allows greater packing, more carbon and energy per unit mass, and are less costly to produce. Efficient carbon storage would be less crucial for zoochorous species, which can reach much larger seed sizes (mass). We analysed the transesterified FA profile from seeds of 22 anemochorous and zoochorous tree species from the Cerrado savannas of Central Brazil. We tested if seed FA content covaried with seed mass and if anemochorous and zoochorous seeds differed in FA contents and distribution. Fatty acids were an important seed source of carbon and energy for most species. Fifteen different FAs were identified. Oleic, linoleic and linolenic tended to be the predominant unsaturated FAs. Oleic acid corresponded to more than 60 % of the total transesterified FAs in seeds of Kielmeyera coriacea, Qualea dichotoma and Triplaris americana . Linoleic acid corresponded to more than 50 % of total FA in Dalbergia miscolobium, Parkia platycephala and Ferdinandusa elliptica while linolenic acid was the dominant component in Inga cylindrica . Across species, palmitic and stearic were the dominant saturated FAs. The only exception was lauric acid (68 % of total FA) in seeds of Qualea grandiflora . On a log 10 scale, as the seed increased in mass, accumulation of FAs tends to proceed at a faster rate in anemochorous species than in zoochorous species. They also became increasingly richer in saturated FAs. Zoochorous species had seed TAGs with higher proportion of polyunsaturated FAs., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.)

Background: There is a lack of consensus regarding the optimal method of assessing health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) among patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). This study explored the perceived relevance of items that make up the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Kidney Symptom Index-19 (FKSI-19), as judged by patients with mRCC., Methods: This was a multinational cross-sectional survey. Eligible patients responded to a questionnaire composed of 18 items that assessed the perceived relevance of each item in the FKSI-19 questionnaire. Open-ended questions assessed additional issues deemed relevant by patients. Responses were grouped as relevant (scores 2-5) or nonrelevant (score 1). Descriptive statistics were collated, and open-ended questions were analyzed and categorized into descriptive categories. Spearman correlation statistics were used to test the association between relevance and clinical characteristics., Results: A total of 151 patients were included (gender: 78.1 M, 21.9F; median age: 64; treatment: 38.4 immunotherapy, 29.8 targeted therapy, 13.9 immuno-TKI combination therapy) in the study. The most relevant questions evaluated fatigue (77.5), lack of energy (72.2), and worry that their condition will get worse (71.5). Most patients rated blood in urine (15.2), fevers (16.6), and lack of appetite (23.2) as least relevant. Qualitative analysis of open-ended questions revealed several themes, including emotional and physical symptoms, ability to live independently, effectiveness of treatment, family, spirituality, and financial toxicity., Conclusion: There is a need to refine widely used HR-QOL measures that are employed among patients diagnosed with mRCC treated with contemporary therapies. Guidance was provided for the inclusion of more relevant items to patients' cancer journey., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether performing bedside ultrasound impacts the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the immediate postoperative period (POP) of high-risk surgery patients., Methods: POP patients were randomly assigned to two groups: (i) ultrasound (US) group, in which hemodynamic management was guided with clinical parameters supplemented with the bedside US findings; (ii) control group, hemodynamic management based solely on clinical parameters. Two exams were performed in the first 24 h of admission., Results: Fifty-one patients were randomized to the US group and 60 to the control group. There was no significant difference for incidence of AKI in both groups assessed 12 h (31.4% vs 35.0%, P = 0.84), 24 h (27.5% vs 23.3%, P = 0.66), or 7 days (17.6 vs 8.3%, P = 0.16) after surgery. No difference was found in the amounts of volume administered over the first 12 h (1000 [500-2000] vs. 1000 [500-1500], P = 0.72) and 24 h (1000 [0-1500] vs. 1000 [0-1500], P = 0.95) between the groups. Patients without AKI in the control group received higher amounts of volume during the ICU stay., Conclusion: The use of bedside US in the immediate postoperative period of high-risk surgery did not show benefits in reducing AKI incidence., (© 2022. Società Italiana di Ultrasonologia in Medicina e Biologia (SIUMB).)

Background: Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus that causes severe diseases, such as aggressive cancer or progressive neurological disease. HTLV-1 affects mainly people in areas with low human development index and can be transmitted from mother to child, primarily through breastfeeding. Refraining from breastfeeding is an effective intervention to reduce the risk of infection in infants. However, HTLV-1 antenatal screening is not offered globally. According to WHO, the scarcity of cost-effectiveness studies is considered one of the major barriers to the implementation of policies to prevent HTLV-1 infection. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of antenatal screening and postnatal interventions to prevent HTLV-1 mother-to-child transmission in Brazil and to develop an open-access, editable, mathematical model that can be used by other countries and regions to assess different scenarios., Methods: In this cost-utility analysis, we constructed a decision tree and a Markov model to assess the cost-effectiveness of HTLV-1 antenatal screening and postnatal interventions (ie, avoidance of breastfeeding, by suppression of lactation with cabergoline, and provision of formula feed) to reduce transmission. For our model, we used data from Brazil and we took the perspective of the public health-care system to estimate costs., Findings: The implementation of both screening and interventions would result in the prevention of 1039 infections in infants every year in Brazil with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of US$11 415 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). 88% of all probabilistic sensitivity analysis simulations had ICER values lower than the Brazilian cost-effectiveness threshold ($18 107·74 per QALY). HTLV-1 prevalence in pregnant women, the risk of HTLV-1 transmission when breastfeeding lasts for 6 months or more, and the cost of screening tests were the variables with the largest effect on ICER., Interpretation: HTLV-1 antenatal screening is cost-effective in Brazil. An open-access model was developed, and this tool could be used to assess the cost-effectiveness of such policy globally, favouring the implementation of interventions to prevent HTLV-1 mother-to-child transmission worldwide., Funding: None., Translations: For the Portuguese and Spanish translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests LC reports receipt of funding from AbbVie, Roche, and AstraZeneca for participation in advisory boards, outside of the submitted work. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

This dataset contains extensive results on micromechanical behavior and microstructure of alkali-activated materials (AAM) with biomass ash (B) and silica fume (S) precursors. The data were collected at the laboratories of the Federal Center for Technological Education of Minas Gerais (CEFET-MG) in Brazil. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), optical microscopy (OM), and nanoindentation with instrumented penetration (NI) were performed from AAM in the hardened state and advanced age (1000 days). Data include loading curves, hardness, module of elasticity, and microstructure. Data may be useful for researchers and engineers in designing new alternative binders with improved durability., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

An easy and fast strategy to compare functionally the metabolic maps is described. The KEGG metabolic maps are transformed into linear Enzymatic Step Sequences (ESS) using the Breadth First Search (BFS) algorithm. To do this, the KGML files are retrieved, and directed graph representations are created; where the nodes represent enzymes or enzymatic complexes, and the edges represent a compound, that is the 'product' from one reaction and a 'substrate' for the next. Then, a set of initialization nodes are selected, and used as the root for the construction of the BFS tree. This tree is used as a guide to the construction of the ESS. From each leaf (terminal node), the path is traced backwards until it reaches the root metabolic map and with two or fewer neighbors in the graph. In a second step, the ESS are compared with a Dynamic Programing algorithm, considering an "ad hoc" substitution matrix, and minimizing the global score. The dissimilarity values between two EC numbers ranged from 0 to 1, where 0 indicates similar EC numbers, and 1 indicates different EC numbers. Finally, the alignment is evaluated by using the normalized entropy-based function, considering a threshold of ≤ 0.27 as significant.•The KEGG metabolic maps are transformed into linear Enzymatic Step Sequences (ESS) using the Breadth First Search (BFS) algorithm.•Nodes represent enzymes or enzymatic complexes, and the edges represent a compound, that is 'product' from one reaction and a 'substrate' for the next.•The ESS are compared with a Dynamic Programing algorithm, considering an "ad hoc" substitution matrix, and minimizing the global score., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is the most common clinical course of multiple sclerosis (MS), characterized by a chronic inflammatory state and elevated levels of oxidative markers. Food supplements with potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective effects have been tested as possible adjuvants in the treatment of MS. In this sense, this pilot study was carried out with the aim of verifying whether a minimum daily dose of a guarana, selenium and l-carnitine (GSC) based multi supplement, mixed in cappuccino-type coffee, administered for 12 weeks to 28 patients with RRMS could differentially modulate oxidative blood markers (lipoperoxidation, protein carbonylation and DNA oxidation) and inflammatory blood markers (protein levels of cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-10, gene expression of these cytokines, and NLRP3 and CASP-1 molecules, and C-reactive protein levels). The results indicate that a low concentration of GSC is capable of decreasing the plasma levels of oxidized DNA and pro-inflammatory cytokines of RRMS patients. The results support further research into the action of GSC on clinical symptoms, not only in patients with MS, but also with other neurological conditions., Competing Interests: Declarations of Competing Interest none., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Understanding the effect of the HIV, HTLV-1, and HCV viruses on cognitive aspects can help in the better characterization of dementia, as well as the best conducts to be suitable for rehabilitation. Thus, the present study aimed to characterize and compare the neuropsychological profile of 3 groups of patients with infectious diseases: HIV, HTLV, and HCV. The results of neuropsychological assessments and depression assessment of 325 people treated at a referral hospital for infectious diseases were analyzed, being 120 HIV carriers (74 (61.7%) men) with an average age of 47.5 years (SD = 10.3), 65 patients with HTLV-1 (16 (24.6%) men) with a mean age of 49.9 years (SD = 12.9), and 87 HCV patients (47 (54%) men) with a mean age of 55.5 years (SD = 11.2). In addition, 54 people (26 (48.1%) men) with negative serology who made up the control group were evaluated. The results of the statistical evaluation of the sociodemographic factors of the four groups (HIV, HTLV-1, HCV, and control) showed that in addition to age, schooling was a significant factor among them and may have a strong influence on the performance of cognitive tests. The HTLV-1 group had the lowest neurocognitive performance and also the highest rate of depressive symptoms., (© 2022. Journal of NeuroVirology, Inc.)

Objective: To test the reliability and validity of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) in an online format in university students from low-income regions., Methods: We applied the questionnaire to a sample of 195 and 117 university students from a low-income region (Gini index of 0.56) to study validity and reliability, respectively. The DEBQ consists of 33 items on eating behavior in three dimensions/factors: emotional eating, restrained eating and external eating. The questionnaire was administered twice at 2-week intervals. We tested the reliability via temporal stability and internal consistency and construct validity via exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis., Results: For reliability, we identified an acceptable Spearman correlation coefficient (rho > 0.30 and p  < 0.05) and Cronbach's alpha ( α  ≥ 0.70) for all DEBQ items. In the exploratory analysis, we identified 6 factors representing a mix of original and additional factors, with an explained variance of 69.1%. In the confirmatory analysis with structural equation modeling, we observed better global model adjustment for the 6-factor model with the Tucker-Lewis index and comparative fit index closer to one, as well as root mean square error of approximation closer to zero than the original (3-factor) model. Using generalized structural equation modeling, we also observed a better fit in latent class modeling for the 6-factor model (AIC: 16990.67; BIC. 17874.38) than for the 3-factor model (AIC: 17904.09; BIC: 18342.67)., Conclusion: The online format of the DEBQ has acceptable reliability and validity for measuring eating behavior in university students from low-income regions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2023 de Carvalho, Cardoso, Feuerstein, Sousa, Collese, Torres-Leal, Nascimento-Ferreira and De Moraes.)

The present dataset refers to the research article entitled "A multiscale investigation on the performance improvement of fiber-reinforced cementitious composites after exposure to high temperatures" [1]. Supplementary data on raw materials characterization, temperature recording, mass loss, water absorption, compressive strength, flexural behavior, pull-out response, fiber-matrix interface, and surface, microstructure and hardness of fibers are presented here. The continuous matrix was produced from cementitious grout containing Portland cement, sand, silica fume, superplasticizer, and water. The heating was carried out in an electric oven up to 260 °C. The bending tests was performed for fiber-reinforced cementitious composite (FRCC) with steel fiber contents of 1%, 3%, and 5% by volume, and for non-fibrous matrix. The pull-out test was performed using single fiber embedded in the matrix. The water absorption and axial compression tests was performed for non-fibrous matrix. The fiber-matrix analysis was performed from polished sections of fibers embedded in cementitious matrix. The fiber analysis was performed from steel fibers. The data refer to the residual properties after heating and slow cooling or to the reference condition without heating. The data can help in understanding residual performance of FRCC after exposure to high temperatures and may be useful for developing resilient building materials., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Background: To assess the financial impact of incorporating a new (reciprocal) technology into endodontic treatments in the public health system (SUS)., Methods: This was a economic evaluation study (comparing the 3 different endodontic instrumentation techniques-manual, rotary and reciprocating), allocative efficiency analysis to optimize existing resources in the SUS, and financial contribution impact analysis of incorporation of a new technology. Thirty-one (31) 12 years-old volunteers were evaluated., Results: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated at R$1.34/min, - R$0.60/min and BRL 0.10/min for the single-rooted, bi-rooted and tri-rooted teeth, respectively, when the rotary technique was compared with the manual type. In turn, the ICER was R$ 21.04/min, - R$ 0.73/min and - R$ 2.81/min for the 3 types of teeth, respectively, when the reciprocating technique was compared with the manual type. The incremental financial impact of replacing manual endodontic with rotary endodontic treatments would be - R$ 2060963.66 in the case of single-rooted teeth, but the number of treatments would also be reduced (- 19,379). In the case of two-rooted teeth, the incremental financial impact would be BRL 34921540.62 with the possibility of performing an additional 204,110 treatments. In turn, BRL 11523561.50 represented the incremental financial impact for teeth with 3 or more roots and with an increase of 72,545 procedures. When we analyzed the incremental financial impact of replacing manual endodontic with reciprocating endodontic treatments, it would be - R$ 730227.80 in the case of single-rooted teeth, allowing for an additional 2538 treatments. In turn, R$ 21674853.00 represented the incremental financial impact for bi-radicular teeth, with an increase of 121,700 procedures. In the case of two-rooted teeth, the incremental financial impact would be BRL 13591742.90 with the possibility of performing an additional 40,670 treatments., Conclusions: The reciprocating technique could improve access to endodontic treatment in the SUS as it allowed a simultaneous reduction in clinical time and associated costs. However, the higher number of endodontic treatments performed would have a financial impact., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Bladder exstrophy (BE) is a rare, complex malformation. There are three major approaches to closure. Despite this choice, abdominal wall closure in such patients is usually a challenging procedure specially in large defects and redo cases., Objective: Our aim is to present our ten first cases' results, using Anterior Component Separation (ACS) to abdominal wall closure in BE patients., Study Design: Ten male patients with BE (median age 7 months, range from 3 to 24 months) were operated from March 2020 to March 2021 by a multi-institutional Brazilian group using the Kelly technique. In addition to BE correction, anterior component separation was performed for abdominal closure., Results: Postoperative suprapubic fistulae occurred in two of ten patients, but both closed spontaneously. No evisceration, abdominal wall dehiscence, or herniation was observed at a mean follow-up time of 14 months (range from 10 to 22 months). A 3 cm extent of advancement is achievable upon traction in each side (Fig. 3)., Conclusion: We proposed the use of anterior component separation as an alternative for abdominal closure after BE correction using the Kelly procedure. This new technique avoids mesh usage, loosens the abdominal wall tension, and reduces complications. Even However, further studies are required., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None., (Copyright © 2022 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication during the postoperative period following liver transplantation. Occurrence of AKI in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is associated with increased mortality and higher costs., Objective: To evaluate occurrences of moderate or severe AKI among patients admitted to the ICU after liver transplantation and investigate characteristics associated with this complication., Design and Setting: Single-center retrospective cohort study in a public hospital, Belo Horizonte, Brazil., Methods: Forty-nine patients admitted to the ICU between January 2015 and April 2017 were included. AKI was defined from a modified Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) score (i.e. based exclusively on serum creatinine levels)., Results: Eighteen patients (36.7%) developed AKI KDIGO 2 or 3; mostly KDIGO 3 (16 out of the 18 patients). Lactate level within the first six hours after ICU admission (odds ratio, OR: 1.3; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.021-1.717; P = 0.034) and blood transfusion requirement within the first week following transplantation (OR: 8.4; 95% CI: 1.687-41.824; P = 0.009) were independently associated with development of AKI. Patients with AKI KDIGO 2 or 3 underwent more renal replacement therapy (72.2% versus 3.2%; P < 0.01), had longer hospital stay (20 days versus 15 days; P = 0.001), higher in-hospital mortality (44.4% versus 6.5%; P < 0.01) and higher mortality rate after one year (44.4% versus 9.7%; P = 0.01)., Conclusion: Need for blood transfusion during ICU stay and hyperlactatemia within the first six postoperative hours after liver transplantation are independently associated with moderate or severe AKI. Developing AKI is apparently associated with poor outcomes.

Choline chloride is used to provide choline in dog foods; however, in other domestic species, it has been replaced with a polyherbal containing phosphatidylcholine. A polyherbal containing Achyrantes aspera , Trachyspermum ammi , Citrullus colocynthis , Andrographis paniculata , and Azadirachta indica was evaluated in adult dogs through body weight changes, subcutaneous fat thickness, blood metabolites, and gene expression. Forty dogs (4.6 ± 1.6 years old) who were individually housed in concrete kennels were randomly assigned to the following treatments: unsupplemented diet (377 mg choline/kg), choline chloride (3850 mg/kg equivalent to 2000 mg choline/kg diet), and polyherbal (200, 400, and 800 mg/kg) for 60 days. Blood samples were collected on day 59 for biochemistry, biometry, and gene expression analysis through microarray assays. Intake, final body weight, and weight changes were similar for the two choline sources. Feed intake variation among dogs ( p = 0.01) and dorsal fat ( p = 0.03) showed a quadratic response to herbal choline. Dogs that received the polyherbal diet had reduced blood cholesterol levels (Quadratic, p = 0.02). The gene ontology analysis indicated that 15 biological processes were modified ( p ≤ 0.05) with implications for preventing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, cancer prevention, inflammatory and immune response, and behavior and cognitive process. According to these results that were observed in a 60 day trial, the polyherbal form could replace choline chloride in dog diets at a concentration of 400 mg/kg.

BFS-MK-based alkali-activated materials are well established as an alternative for sustainable and green construction. This work aims to collaborate and encourage the use of biomass ashes, such as sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA), as a precursor in alkali-activated materials (AAM). This ash is a rich source of aluminosilicate, which is a primary requirement for this application. In addition, this waste is still an environmental liability, especially in developing countries, and with a large volume of annual production. Thus, in this research, alkali-activated pastes (AA) were produced using sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA), granulated blast furnace slag (BFS) and metakaolin (MK) as precursors. In addition, environmental gains were encouraged with energy savings, with no extra reburn or calcination steps in the SCBA. Thus, the precursors were characterized by laser granulometry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The pastes were produced by mixing the precursors with the activator, composed of a mixture of sodium hydroxide 8 mol/L and sodium silicate. Aiming to study the incorporation of SCBA, all samples have a precursor/activator ratio and a BFS/(BFS + MK) ratio constant of 0.6. The compressive strength analysis, FTIR, XRD, TGA, SEM and isothermal calorimetry analyses pointed out the occurrence of alkaline activation in all proposed samples for curing times of 7, 28 and 91 days. The sample GM0.6-BA0 (15% SCBA) achieved the highest compressive strength among the samples proposed (117.7 MPa, at 91 days), along with a good development of strength throughout the curing days. Thus, this work presents the properties of alkaline-activated pastes using SCBA as a sustainable and alternative precursor, seeking to encourage the use of raw materials and alternative waste in civil construction.

The Human T-cell Leukemia Virus-1 (HTLV-1)-Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with no effective treatment, which affects an increasing number of people in Brazil. Immune cells from the adaptive compartment are involved in disease manifestation but whether innate cell functions participate in disease occurrence has not been evaluated. In this study, we analyzed innate cell responses at steady state and after blood cell stimulation using an agonist of the toll-like receptor (TLR)7/8-signaling pathway in blood samples from HTLV-1-infected volunteers, including asymptomatic carriers and HAM/TSP patients. We observed a lower response of IFNα+ DCs and monocytes in HAM/TSP compared to asymptomatic carriers, as a potential consequence of corticosteroid treatments. In contrast, a higher frequency of monocytes producing MIP-1α and pDC producing IL-12 was detected in HAM/TSP blood samples, together with higher IFNγ responsiveness of NK cells, suggesting an increased sensitivity to inflammatory response in HAM/TSP patients compared to asymptomatic carriers. This sustained inflammatory responsiveness could be linked or be at the origin of the neuroinflammatory status in HAM/TSP patients. Therefore, the mechanism underlying this dysregulations could shed light onto the origins of HAM/TSP disease., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Author Renaud Mahieux was unable to confirm their authorship contributions. On their behalf, the corresponding author has reported their contributions to the best of their knowledge.

Archolaemus , one of the five genera of Neotropical freshwater fish of the family Sternopygidae (Gymnotiformes), was long considered a monotypic genus represented by Archolaemus blax . Currently, it consists of six species, most of them occurring in the Amazon region. There are no cytogenetic data for species of this genus. In the present study, we used classical cytogenetics (conventional staining and C-banding) and molecular cytogenetics (probes of telomeric sequences and multigenic families 18S rDNA, 5S rDNA, and U2 snDNA) to study the karyotype of Archolaemus janeae from Xingu and Tapajós rivers in the state of Pará (Brazil). The results showed that the two populations have identical karyotypes with 46 chromosomes: four submetacentric and 42 acrocentric (2 n  = 46; 4m/sm + 42a). Constitutive heterochromatin occurs in the centromeric region of all chromosomes, in addition to small bands in the interstitial and distal regions of some pairs. The 18S rDNA occurs in the distal region of the short arm of pair 2; the 5S rDNA occurs in five chromosome pairs; and the U2 snDNA sequence occurs in chromosome pairs 3, 6, and 13. No interstitial telomeric sequence was observed. These results show karyotypic similarity between the studied populations suggesting the existence of a single species and are of great importance as a reference for future cytotaxonomic studies of the genus., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The Scientific Department of Neuroimmunology of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology (DCNI/ABN) and Brazilian Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunological Diseases (BCTRIMS) provide recommendations in this document for vaccination of the population with demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) against infections in general and against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19. We emphasize the seriousness of the current situation in view of the spread of COVID-19 in our country. Therefore, reference guides on vaccination for clinicians, patients, and public health authorities are particularly important to prevent some infectious diseases. The DCNI/ABN and BCTRIMS recommend that patients with CNS demyelinating diseases (e.g., MS and NMOSD) be continually monitored for updates to their vaccination schedule, especially at the beginning or before a change in treatment with a disease modifying drug (DMD). It is also important to note that vaccines are safe, and physicians should encourage their use in all patients. Clearly, special care should be taken when live attenuated viruses are involved. Finally, it is important for physicians to verify which DMD the patient is receiving and when the last dose was taken, as each drug may affect the induction of immune response differently.

Peckoltia is widely distributed genus in the Amazon and Orinoco basins and the Guiana Shield, containing 18 valid species, and distinct morphotypes still needing description in the scientific literature due to its great taxonomic complexity. This study performed a comparative chromosomal analysis of two undescribed Peckoltia species ( Peckoltia sp. 3 Jarumã and Peckoltia sp. 4 Caripetuba) from the Brazilian Amazon using conventional chromosome bands methods and in situ localization of the repetitive DNA ( 5S and 18S rRNA and U1 snRNA genes and telomeric sequences). Both species presented 2n = 52 but differed in their karyotype formula, probably due to inversions or translocations. The nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) showed distal location on a probably homeologous submetacentric pair in both species, besides an extra signal in a subtelocentric chromosome in Peckoltia sp. 4 Caripetuba. Heterochromatin occurred in large blocks, with different distributions in the species. The mapping of the 18S and 5S rDNA, and U1 snDNA showed differences in locations and number of sites. No interstitial telomeric sites were detected using the (TTAGGG)n probes. Despite 2n conservationism in Peckoltia species, the results showed variation in karyotype formulas, chromosomal bands, and locations of repetitive sites, demonstrating great chromosomal diversity. A proposal for Peckoltia karyotype evolution was inferred in this study based on the diversity of location and number of chromosomal markers analyzed. A comparative analysis with other Peckoltia karyotypes described in the literature, their biogeography patterns, and molecular phylogeny led to the hypothesis that the derived karyotype was raised in the left bank of the Amazon River., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Santos da Silva, de Souza, Pety, Noronha, Vicari, Pieczarka and Nagamachi.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: GCR receives funding from the NHS National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research (SPCR), the Naji Foundation and the Rotary Foundation to study for a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) at the University of Oxford. She is a member of the EBMLive steering committee. PJG has received grant funding from the Canadian Paediatric Society and the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) in the past 5 years. He is on the CMAJ Editorial Advisory Board and the Institute Advisory Board for the CIHR Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH), where he has expenses reimbursed to attend meetings. He is on the editorial board of the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine. He is a member of the EBMLive steering committee, and he has expenses reimbursed to attend the conference. DU receives research productivity grant and support from the CNPq foundation. He integrates programmes that seek for global capacity in open science and research transparency (Center for Open Science and Berkeley Initiative for Transparency in the Social Sciences).

To describe the trends of HIV/AIDS metrics related to the burden of disease for Brazil between 1990 and 2017 we conducted a timeseries analysis for HIV/AIDS indicators by extracting data from the Global Burden of Disease study. We calculated traditional prevalence, incidence and mortality rates, the number of years lost by HIV-related deaths (YLL) and disability (YLD), and disability-adjusted life years (DALY). We estimated time series models and assessed the impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on the same indicators. In the set of disability-adjusted life years (DALY), the highest weight of its magnitude was due to YLL. There was a decline, especially after 1996, of DALY, mortality and YLL for HIV/AIDS. However, YLD, incidence, and prevalence increased over the same period. Also, the analysis of interrupted time series showed that the introduction of HAART into health policy had a significant impact on indicators, especially for DALY and YLL. We need to assess the quality of life of people living with HIV, especially among older adults. In addition, we need to focus on primary prevention, emphasizing methods to avoid infection and public policies should reflect this.

Supplementary cementitious materials interact chemically and physically with cement, influencing the formation of hydrate compounds. Many authors have analyzed the filler and pozzolanic effect. However, few studies have explored the influence of these effects on hydration, properties in the fresh and hardened states, and durability parameters of cementitious composites separately. This study investigates the influence of the replacement of 20% of Portland cement for silica fume (SF) or a 20-µm medium diameter quartz powder (QP) on the properties of cementitious composites from the first hours of hydration to a few months of curing. The results indicate that SF is pozzolanic and that QP has no pozzolanic activity. The use of SF and QP reduces the released energy at early times to the control paste, indicating that these materials reduce the heat of hydration. The microstructure with fewer pores of SF compounds indicates that the pozzolanic reaction reduced pore size and binding capability, resulting in equivalent mechanical properties, reduced permeability and increased electrical resistance of the composites. SF and QP increase the carbonation depth of the composites. SF and QP composites are efficient in the inhibition of the alkali-aggregate reaction. The results indicate that, unlike the filler effect, the occurrence of pozzolanic reaction strongly influences electrical resistance, reducing the risk of corrosion of the reinforcement inserted in the concrete.

In this research communication we describe the creation of an equation for the prediction of milk yield (MY) from udder volume (UV). A total of 280 measurements were collected between 5 and 15 d postpartum (pp) from 36 multiparous Pelibuey ewes. Study variables were measured between 2 and 9 weeks pp and MY was measured by manual milking, UV prior to and following milking was measured using the technique of making moulds from aluminium foil. The MY ranged from 0.09 to 0.83 kg/d, meanwhile UV prior and following milking ranged from 155 to 1940 and 90 to 1520 cm3, respectively. Measurements of UV had a moderate to high (P < 0.01; 0.58 ≤ r ≤ 0.78) correlation with MY. The UV prior to milking was the best prediction model for MY, which explained 62% of the variation in MY. This equation presented moderate precision (r2 = 0.61) and high accuracy (bias correction factor = 0.94), confirming a good reproducibility index (concordance correlation coefficient = 0.73). Modelling efficiency (MEF = 0.59) showed moderate concordance between observed and predicted values. In conclusion, MY in lactating Pelibuey ewes could be predicted in a moderate way using the predictor variable UV measured with the technique of moulds made with aluminium foil.