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The synthesis and differential allocation of reserve compounds is an important adaptive mechanism that enables species to resprout in fire-prone ecosystems. The analysis of compound allocation dynamics (differential accumulation of compounds between plant organs) provides insights into plant responses to disturbances. The aim was to quantify reserves in eight legume species from Cerrado open savannas with high fire frequency in order to investigate the patterns of allocation and distribution of compounds between leaves and underground organs, drawing ecophysiological inferences. The species were collected in 'campo sujo' areas of the Cerrado. Leaves and underground organs (xylopodium, taproot tubers) were subjected to physiological analyses. Overall, underground organs were characterised by greater deposits of carbohydrates, mainly soluble sugars, and also with the accumulation of proteins and amino acids. This suggests that nitrogen reserves, as well as carbohydrates, may have an ecophysiological function in response to fire, being allocated to the underground organs. Phenols were mainly evident in leaves, but a morphophysiological pattern was identified, where the two species with taproot tubers tended to concentrate more phenols in the underground portion compared to species with xylopodium, possibly due to functional differences between these organs. Such data allow inferring relevant ecophysiological dynamics in legumes from open savannas. In this paper, we explore the intricate world of savanna plant dynamics. Studying reserve allocation in these plants is crucial for understanding their response to disturbances. Our research quantifies reserves in savanna legumes, examining compound distribution between leaves and underground organs. Discoveries reveal the role of underground organs as carbohydrate depots and nitrogen reserves, shedding light on the diverse accumulation patterns across different organ types. These insights offer invaluable knowledge for understanding species survival in fire-prone savannas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazilian soils are predominantly rich in aluminum, which becomes mobile at pH < 5, affecting sensitive plants; however, some species have developed aluminum tolerance mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to compare the physiological responses of Crotalaria genus species, family Fabaceae, which have the ability to associate with nitrogen-fixing bacteria under the influence of Al3+ in the soil. The soil used was Oxisol; the experimental design was in randomized blocks in a factorial scheme (2 × 3): soil factor (available toxic aluminum content; correction of dolomitic limestone—MgCO3) and species factor (C. juncea; C. spectabilis; C. ochroleuca); cultivated within 43, 53, and 53 days, respectively, with five replications; 30 experimental samples. Mass and length, pigments, gas exchange, and changes in nitrogen metabolism were evaluated. C. juncea showed a higher concentration of amino acids in the leaves, internal carbon, and stomatal conductance in soil with Al3+, as well as higher production of ureides, allantoinic acid, allantoic acid, proteins, and amino acids in the nodules, with 78% of the Al3+ accumulation occurring in the roots. C. ochroleuca demonstrated greater shoot length and nodule number production in limed soil; in soil with Al3+, it showed a 91% increase in chlorophyll a content and 93% in carotenoids. C. spectabilis showed a 93% increase in ureide production in the leaves in soil with Al3+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leishmania amazonensis causes a clinical form called diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) with challenges to treatment, like low efficiency and drug toxicity. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate new therapies using less toxic leishmanicidal compounds, such as flavonoids like naringenin, and their combination with conventional drugs, such as miltefosine. Antileishmanial dose/response activity, isobologram, calculation of dose reduction index (DRI), and fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) tests were performed on in vitro assays using reference promastigote forms of L. amazonensis (IFLA/BR/67/PH8) to assess the combinatorial effect between naringenin and miltefosine. The in vitro results of isobologram, DRI, and FICI calculations showed that the combination of the compounds had an additive effect and was able to reduce the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of miltefosine in the promastigote forms of the parasite compared to the treatment of the drug alone. This study demonstrated in vitro the viability of a combination action of the flavonoid with the treatment with miltefosine, opening space for further investigations on the association of natural compounds with the drugs used for the treatment of L. amazonensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil contamination by trace elements is a worldwide concern that can result from several sources, such as mining, smelting, car traffic exhaust, agriculture plant protection products such as fungicides, and fertilizers. Among the metals involved, copper can cause alterations in the photosynthetic, respiratory, and enzymatic processes of plants, leading to reduced growth of roots and shoots. An alternative to dealing with metals present in the soil is phytoremediation, which consists of using plants to extract or stabilize these elements. The leguminous Crotalaria juncea is widely used as a green manure and may be advantageous due to its capacity for biological nitrogen fixation and biomass accumulation. This research aimed to evaluate the growth and physiological behaviour of C. juncea in copper-contaminated soil and its potential use as a phytoremediation plant. For the fresh and dry mass of shoots and roots, compared with 30 mg.dm−3 of Cu, there was a decrease in values with the increase in concentrations up to a dose of 480 mg.dm−3. The roots were less sensitive to increased Cu concentrations than the shoots. The tolerance index decreased as copper concentrations in the soil increased. From 60 mg.dm−3, its vegetative growth decreased, but C. Juncea was able to tolerate and accumulate copper in the root system, presenting high potential as a phytostabilizing species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unclear whether muscle blood flow (MBF) is altered in long-term Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors. We tested the hypothesis that 1) MBF response during mental stress (MS) is impaired in long-term HL survivors and 2) aerobic exercise training combined with local strength exercise (ET) restores MBF responses during MS in these survivors. Eighteen 5-year HL survivors and 10 aged-paired healthy subjects (HC) were studied. Twenty HL survivors were randomly divided into two groups: exercise-trained (HLT, n = 10) and untrained (HLUT, n = 10). Maximal aerobic capacity was evaluated by a cardiopulmonary exercise test and forearm blood flow (FBF) by venous occlusion plethysmography. MS was elicited by Stroop color and word test. ET was conducted for 4 mo, 3/wk for 60 min each session. The aerobic exercise intensity corresponded to anaerobic threshold up to 10% below the respiratory compensation point. The strength exercises consisted of two to three sets of chest press, pulley and squat exercises, 12–15 repetitions each exercise at 30–50% of the maximal voluntary contraction. Baseline was similar in HL survivors and HC, except peak oxygen consumption (peak V̇ o 2, P = 0.013) and FBF (P = 0.006) that were lower in the HL survivors. FBF responses during MS were lower in HL survivors (P < 0.001). ET increased peak V̇ o 2 (11.59 ± 3.07%, P = 0.002) and FBF at rest (33.74 ± 5.13%, P < 0.001) and during MS (24 ± 5.31%, P = 0.001). Further analysis showed correlation between the changes in peak V̇ o 2 and the changes in FBF during MS (r = 0.711, P = 0.001). In conclusion, long-term HL survivors have impaired MBF responses during MS. ET restores MBF responses during MS. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Long-term Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors have impaired muscle blood flow responses during mental stress and decreased maximal aerobic capacity. Supervised aerobic exercise training combined with local strength exercises restores muscle blood flow responses during mental stress and maximal aerobic capacity in these survivors. These findings provide evidence of safety and effectiveness of exercise training in HL survivors. Moreover, they highlight the importance of exercise training in the treatment of this set of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) is an endocrine system composed of two main axes: the classical and the counterregulatory, very often displaying opposing effects. The classical axis, primarily mediated by angiotensin receptors type 1 (AT1R), is linked to obesity‐associated metabolic effects. On the other hand, the counterregulatory axis appears to exert antiobesity effects through the activation of two receptors, the G protein‐coupled receptor (MasR) and Mas‐related receptor type D (MrgD). The local RAS in adipose organ has prompted extensive research into white adipose tissue and brown adipose tissue (BAT), with a key role in regulating the cellular and metabolic plasticity of these tissues. The MasR activation favors the brown plasticity signature in the adipose organ by improve the thermogenesis, adipogenesis, and lipolysis, decrease the inflammatory state, and overall energy homeostasis. The MrgD metabolic effects are related to the maintenance of BAT functionality, but the signaling remains unexplored. This review provides a summary of RAS counterregulatory actions triggered by Mas and MrgD receptors on adipose tissue plasticity. Focus on the effects related to the morphology and function of adipose tissue, especially from animal studies, will be given targeting new avenues for treatment of obesity‐associated metabolic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity over‐activates the classical arm of the renin‐angiotensin system (RAS), impairing skeletal muscle remodeling. We aimed to compare the effect of exercise training and enalapril, an angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor, on RAS modulation in the skeletal muscle of obese animals. Thus, we divided C57BL/6 mice into two groups: standard chow (SC) and high‐fat (HF) diet for 16 weeks. At the eighth week, the HF‐fed animals were divided into four subgroups—sedentary (HF), treated with enalapril (HF‐E), exercise training protocol (HF‐T), and combined interventions (HF‐ET). After 8 weeks of treatment, we evaluated body mass and index (BMI), body composition, exercise capacity, muscle morphology, and skeletal muscle molecular markers. All interventions resulted in lower BMI and attenuation of overactivation in the classical arm, while favoring the B2R in the bradykinin receptors profile. This was associated with reduced apoptosis markers in obese skeletal muscles. The HF‐T group showed an increase in muscle mass and expression of biosynthesis markers and a reduction in expression of degradation markers and muscle fiber atrophy due to obesity. These findings suggest that the combination intervention did not have a synergistic effect against obesity‐induced muscle remodeling. Additionally, the use of enalapril impaired muscle's physiological adaptations to exercise training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of Eucalyptus globulus plantations to timber production for pulp, paper and energy production may be hampered by climate change. It is expected that Eucalyptus productivity may be affected through drought stress and changes to both pathogen distribution/pathogenicity and host–pathogen interactions. The impact of the fungal pathogen Neofusicoccum kwambonambiense on E. globulus, causing cankers and dieback, is well known but the impact of drought on disease development is still understudied. Our aim was to study the effect of drought on N. kwambonambiense infection by inoculating E. globulus plants under well‐watered conditions or with water limitation. Non‐infected plants for both water regimes were also analysed. Morphophysiological, biochemical and hormonal parameters were assessed 65 days post‐inoculation. Inoculation under conditions of water stress decreased water potential and photosynthetic efficiency and increased abscisic acid, jasmonic acid and lipid peroxidation. Water‐stressed infected plants also showed higher fungal colonization and external lesion length in comparison with well‐watered inoculated plants. Our results indicate that drought increased E. globulus predisposition to N. kwambonambiense infection and may also have promoted a change in the lifestyle of the fungus. Identifying host–pathogen interaction responses under different stress conditions is necessary to provide knowledge for decision‐making in the management of forest systems in general and of Eucalyptus production in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of the autonomic nervous system on cardiovascular function during the first 35 days of life in different types of delivery, using heart rate variability indices. Thirty newborns were equally divided into two groups based on delivery type: eutocic delivery and emergency cesarean section. Electrocardiographic evaluation was performed at birth (T0), 24 h postpartum (T1), and at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days of life (T2 to T6). Physical parameters, neonatal reflexes, and Apgar scores were recorded. Over 35 days, newborns from the emergency cesarean section group presented lower heart rate variability than those born from eutocic delivery group, it was shown that the type of delivery should be considered for the assessment of autonomic nervous system activity in neonates. Thus, as predictive factors of vitality, heart rate variability and Apgar scores can help in the face of neonatal depression, demonstrating that delivery by emergency cesarean section can predispose newborns to delays in the autonomic influence on the heart. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of the autonomic nervous system on cardiovascular function during the first 35 days of life in different types of delivery, using heart rate variability (HRV) indices. Thirty newborns were equally divided into two groups based on delivery type: eutocic delivery (EG) and emergency cesarean section (CG). Electrocardiographic evaluation was performed at birth (T0), 24 h postpartum (T1), and at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days of life (T2 to T6). Physical parameters, neonatal reflexes, and Apgar scores were recorded. Over 35 days, the values of the time domain indices were higher in the GE group and increased with age. In the frequency domain, the low frequency (LF) index was higher in the CG, and the opposite occurred for the high frequency (HF) index. Since the CG presented lower HRV than the EG, it was shown that the type of delivery should be considered for the assessment of autonomic nervous system activity in neonates. Thus, as predictive factors of vitality, HRV and Apgar scores can help in the face of neonatal depression, demonstrating that delivery by emergency cesarean section can predispose newborns to delays in the autonomic influence on the heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the attachment theory, early experiences with primary caregivers are the foundation of the expectations and beliefs about the self, others, and the world. It becomes particularly relevant in youth living in Residential Care (RC) settings, due to their past adversities. In this context, care workers can provide emotional healing experiences by acting as secure base figures and fostering conditions for youth's revision of their internal working models. The main aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between youth attachment dimensions and satisfaction with the residential caregiving environment, as well as, to analyze the potential mediator effect of the relationship quality with care workers in RC settings in the prior association. The sample was composed of youth, aged 12 to 18 (M = 15.54; SD = 1.66) living in RC settings in Porto district, Portugal (N = 248), that responded to three self-report measures. Results showed that attachment dimensions were associated with youth satisfaction with their caregiving environment, being this association mediated by the relationship quality with care workers. This study highlights the importance of investing in good relational experiences for youth satisfaction with the RC caregiving environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening relies primarily on stool analysis to identify occult blood. However, its sensitivity for detecting precancerous lesions is limited, requiring the development of new tools to improve CRC screening. Carcinogenesis involves significant alterations in mucosal epithelium glycocalyx that decisively contribute to disease progression. Building on this knowledge, we examined patient series comprehending premalignant lesions, colorectal tumors, and healthy controls for the T-antigen—a short-chain O-glycosylation of proteins considered a surrogate marker of malignancy in multiple solid cancers. We found the T-antigen in the secretions of dysplastic lesions as well as in cancer. In CRC, T-antigen expression was associated with the presence of distant metastases. In parallel, we analyzed a broad number of stools from individuals who underwent colonoscopy, which showed high T expressions in high-grade dysplasia and carcinomas. Employing mass spectrometry-based lectin-affinity enrichment, we identified a total of 262 proteins, 67% of which potentially exhibited altered glycosylation patterns associated with cancer and advanced pre-cancerous lesions. Also, we found that the stool (glyco)proteome of pre-cancerous lesions is enriched for protein species involved in key biological processes linked to humoral and innate immune responses. This study offers a thorough analysis of the stool glycoproteome, laying the groundwork for harnessing glycosylation alterations to improve non-invasive cancer detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal 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.)

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) remains a pressing health concern due to conventional treatment failure and significant molecular heterogeneity, hampering the development of novel targeted therapeutics. In our quest for novel targetable markers, recent glycoproteomics and bioinformatics data have pinpointed (glucose transporter 1) GLUT1 as a potential biomarker due to its increased expression in tumours compared to healthy tissues. This study explores this hypothesis in more detail, with emphasis on GLUT1 glycosylation patterns and cancer specificity. Immunohistochemistry analysis across a diverse set of human bladder tumours representing all disease stages revealed increasing GLUT1 expression with lesion severity, extending to metastasis, while remaining undetectable in healthy urothelium. In line with this, GLUT1 emerged as a marker of reduced overall survival. Revisiting nanoLC-EThcD-MS/MS data targeting immature O-glycosylation on muscle-invasive tumours identified GLUT1 as a carrier of short glycosylation associated with invasive disease. Precise glycosite mapping uncovered significant heterogeneity between patient samples, but also common glycopatterns that could provide the molecular basis for targeted solutions. Immature O-glycosylation conferred cancer specificity to GLUT1, laying the molecular groundwork for enhanced targeted therapeutics in bladder cancer. Future studies should focus on a comprehensive mapping of GLUT1 glycosites for highly specific cancer-targeted therapy development for bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between vitamin D status and hypertriglyceridemic‐waist (HTW) phenotype and cardiometabolic markers in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) living in regions with high solar incidence (10° south). Methods: An observational, cross‐sectional study, with 122 individuals with T2DM, of both sexes, aged between 19 and 59 years, residing in Sergipe/Brazil. Measurements included serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, LDL‐c, HDL‐c, triacylglycerols, blood pressure, body mass index, %body fat, and waist circumference. Participants were classified by the presence or absence of the HTW phenotype, according to increased waist circumference and triacylglycerols concentrations. Logistic and linear regression models were applied to verify the association among the concentration of 25(OH)D, HTW phenotype, and lipid profile variables. Results: Triacylglycerols concentrations (p =.013) and %body fat (p =.011) were higher in women with serum 25(OH)D insufficient/deficient than in those with adequate 25(OH)D levels. Individuals with serum 25(OH)D insufficiency/deficiency were 2.595 times more likely to present the HTW phenotype than those with adequate 25(OH)D levels (p =.021). Additionally, a negative association was observed between the concentration of 25(OH)D and total cholesterol (Beta = −0.204, p =.049). Conclusion: Insufficiency/deficiency of serum 25(OH)D in individuals with T2DM increases the chances of developing the HTW phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with lifestyle changes, reduced access to care and potential impacts on medication self-management. Our main objectives are to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on patient adherence and access to care and long-term medications and determine its association with sociodemographic and clinical factors. This study is part of the Specchio-COVID-19 longitudinal cohort study in Geneva, Switzerland, conducted through an online questionnaire. Among the 982 participants (median age: 56; 61% female), 827 took long-term medications. There were 76 reported changes in medication dosages, of which 24 (31%) were without a physician's recommendation, and 51 delays in initiation or premature medication interruptions, of which 24 (47%) were without a physician's recommendation. Only 1% (9/827) of participants faced medication access issues. Participants taking a respiratory medication had a four-times greater odds of reporting more regular medication (OR = 4.27; CI 95%: 2.11–8.63) intake, whereas each year increase in age was significantly associated with 6% fewer relative risks of discontinuation (OR = 0.94; CI 95%: 0.91–0.97) and 3% fewer relative risks of changes in medication dosage (OR = 0.97; CI 95%: 0.95–1.00). Despite the limited impact of the pandemic on adherence and access to medications, our results emphasize the need for understanding patient challenges when self-managing their long-term medication, notably during public health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity has been associated with better health outcome, like low risk of many diseases and low mortality, while sedentary behaviour has been considered a risk factor to health. The aim of this systematic review is to analyse the association between physical activity and sedentary behaviour (objectively measured) with cardiovascular risk and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults without previous cardiovascular disease (CVD). Additionally, we intend to analyse the impact of the intensity of the physical activity in this association. This systematic review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines (Page et al., 2021). The search will be carried in three electronic databases (Web of Science, SCOPUS and PubMed) in order to find studies with an observational design, that investigated the association between physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour (objectively measured) and cardiovascular risk and/or HRQoL in adults without history of cardiovascular disease. For quality assessment we will use The National Institute of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies (National Heart Lung & Institute, 2019). This review will clarify the impact of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the cardiovascular risk and HRQoL of adults, especially the impact of physical activity intensity. The results of this review will influence the promotion of behavioural change in population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Ciencias Agroveterinarias is the property of Revista de Ciencias Agroveterinarias 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.)

According to the attachment theory, the establishment of emotional bonds with significant figures is an important process in human development throughout life. The quality of the relationships between adolescents and their caregivers in residential care (RC) may act as a protective factor for internal reorganisation and the development of emotional regulation skills. The present study aims to analyse the effect of insecure attachment orientation and the quality of relationships developed with caregivers in RC settings and adolescent emotion regulation. It also aims to assess the mediating role of emotion regulation in the association between attachment and the quality of the relationship with caregivers. The sample consisted of 249 adolescents, aged between 12 and 18 years old, living in RC facilities in Porto (Portugal). The results suggest that perceived insecurity of attachment to significant figures has a negative effect on emotional regulation and on the quality of the relationship with caregivers. We also found a negative mediating effect of the differentiating emotions dimension on the association between attachment and the quality of the relationship with caregivers. It is relevant to highlight the importance of close affective relationships in developing adolescents' ability to regulate their emotions and particularly the impact of caregivers and their work in residential care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of an attachment-based intervention on care workers’ reflexive functioning (RF), analyzing 212 professionals in a randomized control trial. The study employed a multi-group latent difference score model to investigate changes in professionals’ certainty (i.e., hypermentalizing) while controlling for attachment-related anxiety and avoidance at T0. Furthermore, it examined whether these changes predicted the professionals’ ability to foster children’s autonomy. Results showed reduced hypermentalizing in the experimental group over time, correlating with higher levels of children’s autonomous/secure support. The role of RF processes in enhancing professionals’ capabilities to support the autonomy of children will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This systematic review analysed the association between objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour with cardiovascular risk and HRQoL in adults without previous CVD. Additionally, we analysed the impact of the intensity of the physical activity in this association., Methods: The search was carried out in three electronic databases with access until February 2023 to find studies with an observational design. For quality assessment, we used The National Institute of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies., Results: We identified 5819 references, but only five studies were included. One study shows a positive association between physical activity and HRQoL, while sedentary behaviour was negatively related to HRQoL. Another study showed an association between high-intensity physical activity with a better physical component of HRQoL and low-intensity physical activity with a better mental component of HRQoL. Three studies concluded that higher levels of physical activity are associated with lower levels of cardiovascular risk and higher levels of sedentary behaviour are associated with higher levels of cardiovascular risk., Conclusion: Our findings suggested that people who spend more time being active and spend less time being sedentary appear to have lower cardiovascular risk and higher HRQoL.

This study investigated the potential health benefits of spearmint, orange peel, and baby sage oleoresins extracted using supercritical CO 2 and subsequently emulsified. The oleoresins were incorporated into dark chocolate, and their impact on physicochemical properties was evaluated. Characterization revealed rich sources of phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and volatile compounds in these oleoresins. In vitro studies demonstrated anti-obesogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties of the emulsified oleoresins. However, only physicochemical properties were determined for the formulations of dark chocolate with these emulsified oleoresins. Chocolate formulations fortified with these emulsions displayed a softer texture, lower water activity, and solid-like behavior. The findings suggest that these oleoresins could serve as nutraceutical agents for mitigating metabolic syndrome and associated pathologies. Incorporating them into chocolate matrices offers a practical approach to formulating functional foods. Further research is warranted to explore the preventive and therapeutic efficacy in an in vivo model., 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.)

Objective: To identify the epidemiological, spatial, and temporal pattern of TB-HIV coinfection in Brazil during the period from 2001 to 2020., Methods: Ecological study using space-time analysis techniques. It included cases of TB-HIV coinfection registered in Brazil from 2001 to 2020. The temporal trend analysis was performed using segmented regression by Joinpoint regression. For spatial analysis, Moran indices were calculated and choropleth maps were produced using TerraView and QGIS software., Results: A stable temporal trend was observed in the incidence rates of TB-HIV coinfection in Brazil during the analyzed period. In addition, high-risk areas for coinfection located in states in the North, Southeast, South, and Midwest regions were identified., Conclusion: There was stability in the incidence of TB-HIV coinfection in Brazil over the last 20 years and heterogeneous geographic distribution of risk areas for the condition.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether severity changes with colposcopic lesion size, regardless of age., Methods: This retrospective comparative study reviewed the records of 428 women with altered cytopathology reports who were directed by primary health care. Only those women with colposcopic alterations were evaluated (n=411). Histopathological analyses were restricted to patients who underwent excisional treatment (n=345). According to their age, they were grouped into the following: <21, 21-24, 25-35, and >35 years, and also, ≤24 and ≥25 years. The cytopathological, colposcopic, and histopathological findings were grouped according to severity. Lesion size was subjectively assessed from the colposcopic drawing recorded in the chart and according to the number of quadrants of the total cervical surface affected by colposcopic alterations in the transformation zone. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05., Results: The evaluations suggested that the lesion size was directly related to the severity of the cytopathology, colposcopy, and histopathology reports for the age groups ≤24 or ≥25 years. We observed associations between lesion size and severity of the cytopathology (≤24 years, p=0.037) and histopathology (≥25 years, p=0.003) findings., Conclusion: The size of the lesion was directly related to the severity of the histopathological lesion in patients aged ≥25 years and cytopathological in patients aged ≤24 years.

Recent developments in extended reality (XR) are already demonstrating the benefits of this technology in the educational sector. Unfortunately, educators may not be familiar with XR technology and may find it difficult to adopt this technology in their classrooms. This article presents the overall architecture and objectives of an EU-funded project dedicated to XR for education, called Extended Reality for Education (XR4ED). The goal of the project is to provide a platform, where educators will be able to build XR teaching experiences without the need to have programming or 3-D modeling expertise. The platform will provide the users with a marketplace to obtain, for example, 3-D models, avatars, and scenarios; graphical user interfaces to author new teaching environments; and communication channels to allow for collaborative virtual reality (VR). This article describes the platform and focuses on a key aspect of collaborative and social XR, which is the use of avatars. We show initial results on a) a marketplace which is used for populating educational content into XR environments, b) an intelligent augmented reality assistant that communicates between nonplayer characters and learners, and c) self-avatars providing nonverbal communication in collaborative VR.

Context: Diet quality is directly related to glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The use of dietary indices can provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between diet quality and clinical outcomes., Objective: The aim was to evaluate the relationship between diet quality, measured using dietary indices, and its impact on improving glycemic control in individuals with T2DM through health interventions., Data Source: This study was conducted using 6 databases, including Web of Science, MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, Bireme, Scopus, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), as well as the gray literature (Google Academic)., Data Extraction: Randomized clinical trials that evaluated the effectiveness of health interventions in adult and older adult individuals with T2DM and presented data on diet quality evaluated using dietary indices and the percentage of glycated hemoglobin (%HbA1c) were included., Data Analysis: A total of 3735 articles were retrieved, 4 of which were included in the study selection stages. The quality indices assessed in the studies were the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I), and Diet Quality Index-Revised (DQI-R). A reduction in %HbA1c was observed in 2 studies, which correlated with the AHEI and DQI-I scores in the intervention groups. The approach of using food labels to improve diet quality reduced %HbA1c by 0.08% in the intervention group compared with the control group. Only 1 study found no significant association between the DQI-R index and %HbA1c. Additionally, negative correlations were observed between body weight and the AHEI and DQI-I scores., Conclusion: Health interventions improved diet quality, glycemic control, and weight loss in individuals with T2DM., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO no. CRD42023430036., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective : to evaluate the effect of prenatal care (PC) on perinatal outcomes of pregnant women with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods : systematic review developed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines and conducted through the population, intervention, control, and outcomes (PICO) strategy. Clinical trials and observational studies were selected, with adult pregnant women, single-fetus pregnancy, diagnosis of DM, or gestational DM and who had received PC and/or nutritional therapy (NT). The search was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, and BIREME databases. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the tools of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute-National Institutes of Health (NHLBI-NIH). Results : We identified 5972 records, of which 15 (n=47 420 pregnant women) met the eligibility criteria. The most recurrent outcomes were glycemic control (14 studies; n=9096 participants), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (2; n=39 282), prematurity (6; n=40 163), large for gestational age newborns (4; n=1556), fetal macrosomia (birth weight >4kg) (6; n=2980) and intensive care unit admission (4; n=2022). Conclusions : The findings suggest that PC interferes with the perinatal outcome, being able to reduce the risks of complications associated with this comorbidity through early intervention, especially when the NT is an integral part of this assistance., (Copyright ©2024, Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.)