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ABSTRACTEstablishing native forest tree species in degraded areas is a considerable challenge for forestry. Adverse ecological filters can compromise the sustainability of ecosystems undergoing restoration. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to verify the effects of three silvicultural practices on the allocation of aboveground biomass, nutrient content, and control of invasive plants in a mixed plantation of native forest species in the extreme south of the Atlantic Forest Biome. The experiment was conducted in an area belonging to the Quarta Colônia State Park. It was conducted in a randomized block design with four replications. The treatments consisted of three silvicultural practices (intensive silviculture, conventional silviculture, and low-input silviculture). At 36 months after planting, assessments of the biomass allocation of tree species, weed biomass, and nutrient content in the leaf tissue were conducted. The greater input of nutrients and the use of glyphosate to control weeds in the initial periods after planting led to higher biomass values for all the species studied. However, the use of silvicultural practices with low intervention levels has increased the number of invasive plants. We also verified that native forest species had higher levels of nutrients, that is, mainly N and K, in plots managed with intensive silviculture compared with other silvicultural practices.

Grid-forming (GFM) control has been considered a promising solution for accommodating large-scale power electronics converters into modern power grids thanks to its grid-friendly dynamics, in particular, voltage source behavior on the AC side. The voltage source behavior of GFM converters can provide voltage support for the power grid, and therefore enhance the power grid (voltage) strength. However, grid-following (GFL) converters can also perform constant AC voltage magnitude control by properly regulating their reactive current, which may also behave like a voltage source. Currently, it still remains unclear what are the essential differences between the voltage source behaviors of GFL and GFM converters, and which type of voltage source behavior can enhance the power grid strength. In this paper, we will demonstrate that only GFM converters can provide effective voltage source behavior and enhance the power grid strength in terms of small signal dynamics. Based on our analysis, we further study the problem of how to configure GFM converters in the grid and how many GFM converters we will need. We investigate how the capacity ratio between GFM and GFL converters affects the equivalent power grid strength and thus the small signal stability of the system. We give guidelines on how to choose this ratio to achieve a desired stability margin. We validate our analysis using high-fidelity simulations.

Recent studies in forest canopies have revealed new findings on species interactions and diversity; hitherto poorly understood. This glaring gap results from the challenges of recording arboreal and scansorial species and their interactions in the vertical strata. We present a new methodology that allows installing camera-traps at multiple forest strata to detect species and record ecological interactions. We have developed wooden support to place the environmental monitoring equipment at the forest canopy, evaluating and testing its cost-effectiveness by monitoring six fruiting plant species across a triple ecotone of the Cerrado, Amazon, and Pantanal biomes. Our structure to install camera-traps in the forest canopy had a total cost of US$ 50.00, whereas a tree-climbing kit reaches US$ 1,248.00. After 11 months of using camera-traps coupled with our wood structure, we recorded 137 mammal-plant interaction events and identified 11 mammal species. Our approach recorded 47.8% of mammal species that potentially can both occur in the area and use the forest canopy. Our findings indicate that our approach to documenting arboreal ecological dynamics is both efficient and innovative, offering researchers a cost-effective tool for future studies in several vegetation types.

This article presents a flexible strain sensor based on a coplanar microstrip antenna designed to detect strain by measuring changes in resonant frequency within the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band. The design integrates a Y-shaped monopole antenna with an open-ring resonator, which enhances sensitivity. The design process utilized a computational methodology grounded in a multiphysics approach, which effectively coupled mechanical and electromagnetic phenomena. Additionally, the sensor was manufactured using the screen-printing technique and subsequently validated through experimental testing. The results indicate that the proposed sensor achieves sensitivities of 20.788 and 17.42 kHz/ $\mu \varepsilon $ for convex and concave deformations, respectively. The computational simulations closely matched the experimental outcomes, further verifying the efficiency of the proposed design and the robustness of the computational model. The study also explored the impact of the polylactic acid (PLA) support’s thickness on sensor performance, demonstrating that maximum sensitivity (106 kHz/ $\mu \varepsilon $ ) is achieved in the absence of the PLA support. This indicates that the support material significantly limits sensor mobility, thereby reducing sensitivity. The proposed antenna sensor is cost-effective and exhibits high strain-detection capabilities, presenting promising applications for structural health monitoring (SHM) systems.

Sodium alginate is used in wound care because of its hydrogel-forming properties and ability to protect the wound. Copper nanoparticles have properties that inhibit the growth of microorganisms and mediate the production of essential biomolecules for the healing process, making them an excellent choice for constructing nanocomposites for wound treatment. This work aimed to synthesize copper nanoparticles using an aqueous extract of Turnera subulataSm. and incorporate them into sodium alginate to obtain films with healing potential. The proposed system was characterized by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), x-ray crystallography, and biocompatibility verified by hemolysis test. The UV–vis analysis showed that CuO NPs absorb at 280 and 404?nm. The FTIR spectra revealed stretching and folding modes of the functional groups present in the aqueous extract of T. subulataresponsible for the reduction/stabilization of the copper ion, as well as signals at 780 and 618?cm-1originating from the Cu?O bond. Size estimation using DLS revealed 564.5 and 394.2?nm. AFM data showed that adding copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) changed alginate roughness, and surface imaging revealed a material with a uniform appearance. The hemolysis test showed hemocompatibility of CuO NPs at all tested concentrations. Histology showed that CuO?NP-loaded alginate films accelerated the healing process. Illustration of the process of obtaining CuO NPs using the aqueous extract of T. subulata.

Fetal cardiac intervention consists of a novel and evolving technique for the intrauterine treatment of a subset of patients with congenital heart diseases, which aims to improve hemodynamics, reduce secondary damage, and achieve better postnatal outcomes. Nevertheless, the risks and benefits of this therapy remains subject to controversy. This review describes the rationale, selection criteria, and technical features for the most frequently performed fetal cardiac interventions. In addition, we provide a comprehensive overview of the medical literature, exploring the clinical implications of each therapy.

Cassava root cortex (CRC), which represents 10–12% of the weight of the cassava root, is a residue rich in pectin, a heteropolysaccharide with potential for food and pharmaceutical applications. This study aimed to develop optimal conditions for pectin extraction from CRC using hydrochloric acid and water, aiming to observe the behavior and characteristics acquired in each extraction. For this purpose, a central composite rotational design (CCRD) was used to observe the action of dependent variables (solvent: CRC flour proportion, temperature, and time) on the dependent variables (yield, degree of esterification, and galacturonic acid content). CRC flour presented significant levels of phenolic compounds (2088.78 mg GAE/100 g), anthocyanins (71.86 mg/100 g), and flavonoids (49.99 mg/100 g), besides low water content (4.91%). Aqueous and acidic extraction assays showed that acidic extraction resulted in higher yields (71.83%), with pectins of low (< 50%) and high (> 50%) methoxylation. Furthermore, it was observed that the interaction of time and temperature variables had greater weight in the regression coefficients, presenting significant effects in all treatments. Therefore, our results highlighted the best conditions for aqueous extraction (70 °C, 60 min, and proportion of 1:40) and acidic extraction (70 °C, 60 min, and proportion of 1:20), showing that the optimized pectin from CRC has good potential for use in various industrial applications.

El balón de dilatación uretral Optilume® es una alterativa a los tratamientos endoscópicos convencionales, combinando la dilatación mecánica con la liberación local de paclitaxel.

The primary analysis (median follow-up 34.9 mo across all arms) of the phase 3 POSEIDON study revealed a statistically significant overall survival (OS) improvement with first-line tremelimumab plus durvalumab and chemotherapy (T+D+CT) versus CT in patients with EGFRand ALKwild-type metastatic NSCLC (mNSCLC). D+CT had a trend for OS improvement versus CT that did not reach statistical significance. This article reports prespecified OS analyses after long-term follow-up (median >5 y).

Brakes play a vital role in vehicles, converting kinetic energy into heat and vibration. Brake squeal, an uncomfortable noise phenomenon, has been thoroughly researched in both drum and disc brakes. Many studies have explored how factors such as material, temperature, and operations impact brake instability and noise. Yet, commercial drum brake linings often contain hazardous asbestos. This poses health risks, exposing individuals to harmful airborne particles, particularly affecting lung health. Hence, current research aims to develop asbestos-free alternative linings, prioritizing reduced wear rates while maintaining effectiveness comparable to traditional ones. These alternatives primarily use organic materials for reinforcement. However, few studies have evaluated the performance of these biomaterial-based linings against commercial counterparts. This study aims to bridge this gap by analyzing a rear-axle drum brake from a heavy vehicle, comparing two linings: One commercially available and the other specially made with coconut shell reinforcement, in a finite element software. Five similar simulation stages were set for both linings in the ANSYS software. Each stage comprises transient thermal and static simulations. The input parameters were chosen to simulate a real braking situation, and the resulting pre-stress state was used to conduct complex modal analysis, which extracted the eigenvalues and values responsible for stability. The results proved that biomaterials such as coconut shells can be used for industrial purposes, such as the manufacture of a brake pad or lining, creating a cheaper, less polluting, and less brake squeal-inducing material.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting dichalcogenides hold exceptional promise for next-generation electronic and photonic devices. Despite this potential, the pervasive presence of defects in 2D dichalcogenides results in carrier mobility and photoluminescence (PL) that fall significantly short of theoretical predictions. Although defect passivation offers a potential solution, its effects have been inconsistent. This arises from the lack of chemical understanding of the surface chemistry of the 2D material. In this work, we uncover new binding chemistry using a sequence-specific chemical passivation (SSCP) protocol based on 2-furanmethanothiol (FSH) and bis(trifluoromethane) sulfonimide lithium salt (Li-TFSI), which demonstrates a synchronized 100-fold enhancement in both carrier mobility and PL in WS2monolayers. We propose an atomic-level synergistic defect passivation mechanism of both neutral and charged sulfur vacancies (SVs), supported by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy (TA), Hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our results establish a new semiconductor quality benchmark for 2D WS2, paving the way for the development of sustainable 2D semiconductor technologies.

Bone drilling is a critical procedure in orthopedic surgery, essential for bone fixation. However, achieving consistently high-quality, damage-free holes remains a challenge, even with advanced drilling tools and techniques, as the process is conventionally performed manually using axial drilling units. This study introduces orbital drilling, a robot-assisted technique, as a novel approach in orthopedic applications to enhance the quality of drilled holes by addressing and mitigating drilling-induced mechanical damage. A comparative analysis of orbital and axial drilling techniques is conducted to elucidate the kinematics of both methods and assess the improvements in hole quality parameters achieved through orbital drilling. For the first time, forces generated during orbital drilling in bones are systematically monitored, and delamination damage at both the entry and exit points of the drilled bone tissue is comprehensively analyzed using advanced digital image processing techniques. Additionally, hole geometry is characterized using Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM). Results demonstrate that orbital drilling reduces average forces by approximately 85% compared to axial drilling, due to improved load distribution and a reduced contact area. Using a multi-criteria decision-making approach (AHP-TOPSIS), the study reveals that orbital drilling significantly improves machining accuracy, including circularity, cylindricity, and aperture, while minimizing delamination damage, enhancing surface quality, and mitigating microcracks. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) further indicates that, in orbital drilling, cutting speed has a lower impact, whereas feed rate-related parameters play a more significant role compared to axial drilling. These findings represent a substantial advancement in addressing the current challenges associated with bone drilling and provide key insights into the mechanical failure mechanisms involved.

Concerns about sexual misconduct by health care professionals have been highlighted by recent high-profile cases. Professional health monitoring programs (PHPs) offer an additional layer of protection when health care professionals with a history of unprofessional sexual behavior (USB) return to practice; however, little is known about the characteristics or outcomes of clinicians referred to a PHP because of USB. Data were extracted from over 35 years of PHP records involving USB-related referrals (N 5 570). The majority of cases were deemed ineligible for PHP monitoring and handled by other entities (e.g., licensing board, legal system). Of the 232 monitored cases (46.84 6 9.42 years; 95.7% male), most were physicians (n = 156, 67.2%), with 75.9 percent of monitored cases involving USB with at least one patient. Most (74.9%) PHP monitoring outcomes were classified as "successful" or "very successful." Only three individuals (1.3%) who completed their monitoring were rereferred to the PHP. Monitored professionals exhibited less severe USB and were less likely to experience legal or disciplinary consequences (57.3% versus 69.8%, Cramer's V 5 .174, p < .0001) compared with unmonitored professionals. Findings enhance transparency of the PHP process and highlight its utility in safely returning clinicians to practice. Results may inform policies to prevent USB by health care professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia is a world leader in providing valuable resources that support multilingual access to healthcare services. However, the COVID‐19 pandemic revealed that these resources are not always effective in ensuring that linguistically diverse citizens have access to information in a crisis. In this paper, we consider whether authorities around the world have implemented effective approaches that might be adapted to enhance multilingual communications in public health crises in the Australian context. Using a systematic literature review, we identify strategies implemented by governments and public health authorities to effectively support communication in a range of languages during public health emergencies. Four databases were searched and resulting studies analysed. We found that substantial bodies of the literature document the communication needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities and the role of community and religious organisations in providing that support. However, there is almost no attention to the role that governments or public health authorities might play in implementing strategies to address those needs. Analysis of the studies suggests that public health authorities could benefit from working more collaboratively with community organisations to establish communication strategies that are timely, trustworthy, efficient and capable of cultural and linguistic nuance in public health emergencies.

Complex permittivity measurements of murine melanoma tumors were performed via an open-ended coaxial probe technique for frequencies ranging from 500 MHz to 8.5 GHz. The measurements were conducted in five mice containing a melanoma tumor each while the animals were under anesthesia. Two different measurement methodologies were employed. Eighty-six in vivo measurements of melanoma's permittivity were collected with the open-ended coaxial probe placed directly on the tumors. A one-pole Cole–Cole model was fitted to the melanoma's median curve. The data were organized in a nested structure; hence, generalized linear mixed-effects models were employed over the entire frequency band to evaluate between-tumor and between-location variabilities. Results revealed a larger between-location variability, indicating intra-tumoral heterogeneity, which was visually confirmed. Additionally, generalized linear mixed-effect models were also employed to assess the measurement methodologies for 500 MHz, 4.5 GHz, and 8.5 GHz.

It is known that human adolescents often consume ethanol (EtOH) alone or mixed with energy drinks (ED), especially in noisy environments. Although these agents impact the developing brain, their effects after brief exposure or when presented together remain unclear. Given that few animal studies in this subject are available, this research aimed to study the effects of a brief exposure to these stimuli on the oxidative state and EAAT-1 glutamate transporter levels in the developing rat hippocampus (HC). Adolescent Wistar rats were subjected to a two-bottle choice, limited access to drinking in the dark paradigm, for EtOH and EtOH+ED intake, for 4 days, and subsequent acute noise exposure. Next, hippocampal catalase activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutaredoxin-1 (Grx-1) and glutamate transporter EAAT-1 levels were assessed. Results showed sex-dependent alterations after exposure to these stimuli: Females consuming EtOH had higher hippocampal ROS levels, which decreased when combined with noise; males showed reduced ROS levels only after noise exposure. No significant changes occurred in catalase activity, Grx-1, or EAAT-1 levels with EtOH and noise exposure in neither sex. Additionally, ED raised EtOH consumption in both sexes, normalizing ROS levels only in females when combined with EtOH. Finally, ED consumption altered Grx-1 and EAAT-1 levels in both sexes. In summary, brief exposure to these stimuli induced sex-dependent alterations, suggesting differentiated coping strategies between sexes. Whereas ED consumption may have antioxidant effects in some cases, it could also increase excitotoxicity risk. These novel findings raise questions for future research on the underlying corresponding mechanisms.

The study aimed to assess responsiveness to the effects of acute caffeine intake after 8 weeks of Pilates intervention in healthy older adults.

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of economic policies implemented by fiscal and monetary authorities against the Covid-19 pandemic in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). To that end, we employ a medium-scale DSGE model that regards WAEMU as a closed system, made up of a continuum of small open economies. Our simulations reveal that, while an ample battery of fiscal and monetary measures was deployed to counter the challenges posed by Covid-19 and support economic recovery, fiscal policy interventions proved more effective in the short run. Fiscal measures mitigated the pandemic’s economic fallout across all households, providing immediate relief and promoting a swift rebound.

Klebsiella pneumoniaeis an important pathogen that causes several human infections, which is currently among the main bacterial species of clinical importance. Given the importance of understanding the characteristics of this pathogen and its evolutionary aspects, in this study, we sought to characterize strains of K. pneumoniaerecovered in the 1980s and 1990s in São Paulo, Brazil. Our analyses included 48 strains recovered from diarrheagenic stools and extraintestinal infections. These strains were submitted to screening for virulence and ESβL-encoding genes, antimicrobial susceptibility tests, biofilm formation, and hypermucosity and hemolytic activity tests. Our results revealed that among the studied virulence genes, the most frequent were entB(100%), followed by iutA(100%), mrkD(98%), and ycfM(72%). Phenotypic tests revealed that the strains were non- hemolytic, and two strains were positive for the hypermucoviscosity phenotype but did not have the genetic markers associated with this phenotype. Furthermore, 17% of the isolates proved to be strong biofilm producers. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing demonstrated that most strains were susceptible to the tested antimicrobials, with the exception of five isolates that produced CTX-M-2. Our findings indicate that the collection of strains studied showed variability in virulence factors, as well as biofilm production. Still, a minority of the strains showed clinically significant resistance mechanisms. As far as we know, this is the oldest collection of K. pneumoniaestudied in the country.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic heterogeneous autoimmune disease characterized by painful joint inflammation and causes destructive bone erosions. Most common deformities in the rheumatoid forefoot are hallux valgus and claw toes. Radiographs are helpful to show the deformity and the associated pathologies. Nonsurgical treatment is focused on pain reduction, function preservation, and prevention of further deformity, by relieving pressure and pain with shoe modification and use of insoles. Surgical procedures can address either soft tissue and bone deformities that can be performed by a percutaneous or open approach.

Purpose: Improved resistive plate chambers (iRPCs) will be installed in the challenging forward region of the compact muon solenoid (CMS) during its Phase-2 upgrade. The design target of iRPC time resolution is 1.5 ns. It will help the Level-1 trigger system distinguish the muons from high backgrounds and improve the trigger efficiency. Studying the time resolution after integrating the new backend electronics boards (BEB) is essential for ensuring timely performance. In this system, a time reference (Tref) signal is distributed by the BEB to several frontend electronics boards (FEB) to reset the time-to-digital converters (TDC). In the CMS experiment, the arrangement of the iRPC chambers and on-chamber FEBs is at different positions, resulting in varying Tref arrival times on the FEB side. This paper describes the measures taken to ensure the time resolution of the single path and adjust the time base for multi-paths. Method: Unique designs were implemented in the chamber, FEB, and BEB to ensure a satisfactory time resolution. Tref adjustments for different paths were performed in bunch crossing steps (24.950 ns) in the BEB using shift registers. And the sub-bunch crossing adjustment steps were performed in the FEB using the TDC correction module. Finally, the arrival time differences of Tref on different FEBs were less than 1.25 ns after adjustment. Results: The time resolution of the FEB–BEB system was observed to be 32 ps. The time resolution of the chamber FEB–BEB system was first measured and is 554 ps at an iRPC working point of 7200 V. In addition, the Tref arrival time differences of different paths were adjusted from − 99.923 (− 90.113) ns to 0.073 (− 0.141) ns. Conclusion: The test results revealed that the system time resolution and Tref adjustment performed by the BEB met the Phase-2 upgrade goals.

There is a growing importance of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), an emerging aspect of the Internet of Things (IoT), in smart healthcare. With the emergence of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare systems faced extreme pressure, leading to the need for advancements and research focused on IoMT. Smart hospital infrastructures face challenges regarding availability and reliability measures, especially in the event of local server failures or disasters. Unpredictable malfunctions in any aspect of medical computing infrastructure, from the power system in a remote area to local computing systems in a smart hospital, can result in critical failures in medical monitoring services. These failures can have serious consequences, including potentially fatal loss of life in the most serious cases. Therefore, we propose a disaster analysis and recovery measures using Stochastic Petri Nets (SPN) to resolve these critical issues. The proposed model aims to identify the system’s most critical components, develop strategies to mitigate failures and ensure system resilience. Our results show that the disaster recovery system demonstrated availability and reliability. The sensitivity analysis indicated the components that had the greatest impact on availability-for example, the failure time of the Standby Edge Server proved to be a very relevant component in the proposed architecture. The present work can help system architects develop distributed architectures considering points of failure and recovery measures.