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Abstract Background There has been growing interest in using unstable devices in training protocols. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of two multimodal exercise interventions (i.e., on stable and unstable surfaces) on dynamic balance control and lower limb strength in older adults. Methods Sixty-two older adults were randomly assigned to two intervention groups (N = 20, stable group; N = 19, unstable group), and to a control group (N = 18). In this single-blinded randomized controlled study, the two intervention groups underwent a 12-week training program twice a week for 45 min, consisting of strength and balance exercises. The stable (ST) group performed the training program over stable surfaces, while the unstable (UNST) group over unstable surfaces. Dynamic balance was assessed by computing the center of pressure (CoP) trajectory while a driven movable platform induced an unexpected perturbation of the base of support. Specifically, we considered the following CoP-related parameters within a 2.5-s temporal window from the beginning of the perturbation: displacement (Area95), mean velocity (Unit Path), anterior–posterior first peak (FP), post perturbation variability (PPV), and maximal oscillations (ΔCoPMax). The dominant quadriceps strength was measured through an isometric maximal voluntary contraction on an instrumented chair. Results Four out of five CoP-related parameters (i.e., Area95, Unit Path, ΔCoPMax, and PPV) significantly improved in the UNST group from a minimum of 14.28% (d = 0.44) to a maximum of 52.82% (d = 0.58). The ST group significantly improved only in two (i.e., ΔCoPMax, and PPV) out of five CoP-related parameters with an enhancement of 12.48% (d = 0.68) and 19.10% (d = 1.06). Both intervention groups increased the maximal isometric quadriceps strength (UNST:17.27%, d = 0.69; ST:22.29%, d = 0.98). The control group did not show changes in any of the parameters considered. Conclusions Stable surfaces promoted faster increments of muscular strength. Unstable surfaces were more effective in enhancing dynamic balance efficiency. These findings suggested the employment of multimodal training on unstable rather than stable surfaces to potentially lower the incidence of falls in older adults. Trial registration NCT 05769361, retrospectively registered 13 March 2023, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05769361?lat=45.3661864&lng=11.8209139&locStr=Padova,%20Italy&distance=50&page=11&rank=107 .

Diarrhoea is a serious cause of mortality worldwide that can lead to dehydration, gut barrier function impairment, nutrient malabsorption, and alterations of the gut microbiota (dysbiosis). The current solutions for its management, such as oral rehydration salts (ORS), inhibitors of gut motility, antibiotics, and living probiotics, only partially counteract the mechanisms of the disease and do not provide a full coverage of the problem. The potential risks of the use of living probiotic strains, particularly in immunocompromised patients, can be eliminated with the use of tyndallized (heat-killed) postbiotic bacteria and yeast. ABB C22® is a postbiotic combination of three tyndallized yeasts, namely Saccharomyces boulardii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Kluyveromyces marxianus. To assess the action of the postbiotic combination on diarrhoea, immune and gut epithelial cell signalling assays, the gut barrier formation assay, and the rotavirus gene expression assay were performed. ABB C22® showed a strong anti-inflammatory effect, an induction of the build-up of the gut epithelium, and a degree of protection against rotavirus infection. These experimental studies support the use of the postbiotic ABB C22® as a solution for the management of diarrhoea and gastrointestinal conditions, alone or in combination with existing but incomplete treatments.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a driving force in scientific development, influencing areas such as Administration and Public Administration, which are central themes of the publication of the Brazilian Administration Review (BAR). Despite transformative promises, AI’s appropriate and ethical use in academia still presents substantial challenges, especially for researchers who require specific skills to understand, critique, and utilize these technologies (Dwivedi et al., 2023; Susarla et al., 2023). Even though it is an important support tool to improve texts, the risks of hallucination (generating wrong information) and transformation of already written texts (plagiarism) worry the academic community. In addition, the continuous advancement of generative language models (LLMs) makes AI-written text detection tools often unreliable. AI literacy emerges, in this context, as an essential competence for researchers to deal with AI tools critically, ethically, and effectively. This editorial discusses the growing need to promote AI literacy as a fundamental prerequisite for researchers. It reflects on the impacts of this competence on the training of scientists capable of exploring AI’s potential while understanding its limitations and ethical implications. We argue that research on AI literacy should be a priority, not only as an emerging field of study but also as a central axis in preparing the next generation of researchers, ensuring the responsible use of AI in advancing knowledge.

Abstract Honey is a natural food derived from nectar and other natural plant secretions, collected, and processed by bees. To be safely consumed, it must be free of chemical contamination and have quality and identity parameters following established standards. The continuous search for agricultural productivity has increased the use of pesticides, widely used in crops. Residues of these compounds have been found in honey samples. This work aimed to determine the physicochemical parameters and verify the presence of pesticides in Apis mellifera bee honey sold in the regions of Pelotas and Rio Grande/in Rio Grande do Sul state (RS)/ Brazil. The honey samples presented values for the physicochemical parameters within the acceptable limits established by Brazilian legislation. Among the 100 pesticides investigated, the insecticide λ-cyhalothrin was detected in 50% of the samples in concentrations between 5.95 and 25.30 µg/kg. The calculated estimated daily intake was 1.0×10-4 µg/kg bw/day, below the maximum limits Brazilian and European legislation recommended. The results contribute to the generation of data on the quality of honey produced in the region, thus ensuring safe consumption, however, it causes an alert about the environmental contamination by the pollinators bee’s exposure to pesticides in regions with intense agricultural activity.

Este artigo apresenta o processo de identificação, análise e caracterização de perguntas feitas por internautas nos comentários do vídeo “Alquimia e como fazer ouro”, do canal Nerdologia do YouTube. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa que utiliza como método o levantamento de dados online. Foram consideradas todas as perguntas realizadas desde a inserção do material na plataforma até março de 2023. Entre as 316 perguntas identificadas, 140 foram analisadas por terem relação com o vídeo e sua produção. A classificação das questões levou em conta dois aspectos, denominados pressuposto e demanda. O sistema de categorização dos pressupostos, estabelecido a posteriori, identificou 11 temas distintos, sendo Geoquímica o mais abordado nas perguntas. Entre as demandas, propostas a priori nos referenciais teóricos que embasaram o estudo, houve predomínio da categoria informativa. Ao mesmo tempo, as perguntas investigativas do tipo predição representaram quase um terço do total analisado. Tais resultados indicam que o vídeo de divulgação científica analisado tem potencial para suscitar questões simples e diretas, porém importantes na fundamentação do conhecimento sobre ciências, assim como para provocar interrogações que demandam maior ordem cognitiva do indagador. Ademais, a proposta de análise apresentada neste artigo viabilizou a classificação da natureza das perguntas relacionadas a um vídeo de divulgação científica que segue o modelo de edutenimento.

Student engagement allows educational institutions to make better decisions regarding teaching methodologies, methods for evaluating the quality of education, and ways to provide timely feedback. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying cognitive student engagement in distance learning has been a challenge in higher education institutions. In this study, we implemented a non-self-report method assessing students' heart rate data to identify the cognitive engagement during active learning activities. Additionally, as a supplementary tool, we applied a previously validated self-report method. This study was performed in distance learning lessons on a group of university students in Bogota, Colombia. After data analysis, we validated five hypotheses and compared the results from both methods. The results confirmed that the heart rate assessment had a statistically significant difference with respect to the baseline during active learning activities, and this variance could be positive or negative. In addition, the results show that if students are previously advised that they will have to develop an a new task after a passive learning activity (such as a video projection), their heart rate will tend to increase and consequently, their cognitive engagement will also increase. We expect this study to provide input for future research assessing student cognitive engagement using physiological parameters as a tool.

The paradigm of Industry 5.0 pushes the transition from the traditional to a novel, smart, digital, and connected industry, where well-being is key to enhance productivity, optimize man–machine interaction and guarantee workers’ safety. This work aims to conduct a systematic review of current methodologies for monitoring and analyzing physical and cognitive ergonomics. Three research questions are addressed: (1) which technologies are used to assess the physical and cognitive well-being of workers in the workplace, (2) how the acquired data are processed, and (3) what purpose this well-being is evaluated for. This way, individual factors within the holistic assessment of worker well-being are highlighted, and information is provided synthetically. The analysis was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 statement guidelines. From the sixty-five articles collected, the most adopted (1) technological solutions, (2) parameters, and (3) data analysis and processing were identified. Wearable inertial measurement units and RGB-D cameras are the most prevalent devices used for physical monitoring; in the cognitive ergonomics, and cardiac activity is the most adopted physiological parameter. Furthermore, insights on practical issues and future developments are provided. Future research should focus on developing multi-modal systems that combine these aspects with particular emphasis on their practical application in real industrial settings.

The presenting pattern of celiac disease (CD) at diagnosis in children has changed over time, with a reduction of malabsorption-related phenotypes and an increase in regular or even excessive growth patterns. We retrospectively reviewed the body mass index (BMI) distribution of all patients with a new diagnosis of CD made in a Pediatric Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic in 1990–2011, compared to those diagnosed in 2012–2022, according to their clinical and serological characteristics. The 1990–2011 and 2012–2022 cohorts included 250 (M:F = 90:160, mean age 7.3 ± 6.1 years) and 243 children (M:F = 81:162, mean age 7.1 ± 3.7 years, NS), respectively. The prevalence of underweight (UW) was higher in the 1990–2011 cohort (61/250, 24.4% in 1990–2011 vs. 31/243, 12.7% in 2012–2022, p = 0.0001), whereas that of overweight (OW) and obese (OB) subjects was significantly higher in 2012–2022 (10/250, 4% in 1990–2011 vs. 24/243, 9.9% in 2012–2022, p = 0.012, and 1/250, 0.4% in 1990–2011 vs. 8/243, 3.3% in 2012–2022, p = 0.018, respectively). In both cohorts, gastrointestinal symptoms were more frequent in OW/OB than in UW children (6/11, 54.5% vs. 5/61, 8.2% in 1990–2011, p < 0.0001, and 24/32, 75% vs. 10/31, 32.3%, p < 0.0001 in 2012–2022), and the extent of anti-transglutaminase antibody increase was similar in OW/OB and UW subjects. The prevalence of children with a normal or even high BMI at CD diagnosis has increased in the past three decades; therefore, CD should be suspected regardless of BMI status.

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate whether athletes (ATHL) and non-athletes (NON-ATHL) individuals had similar accuracy in matching intended to actual force during ballistic (BAL) and tonic (TON) isometric contractions. In this cross-sectional study, the subjects were divided into ATHL (n = 20; 22.4 ± 2.3 yrs; 73.2 ± 15.7 kg; 1.76 ± 0.08 m) and NON-ATHL (n = 20; 24.6 ± 2.4 yrs; 68.2 ± 15.0 kg; 1.73 ± 0.1 m) groups. The isometric quadriceps strength was measured with a load cell applied to a custom-built chair. For each condition, subjects performed at first three maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) as reference. Then, subjects had to match three intended force intensities expressed in percentage of the MVIC (i.e., 25%, 50%, and 75%) without any external feedback. Subjects performed three trials for each force intensity. The accuracy (AC) was calculated as the absolute difference in percentage between the intended and the actual force. A Likert scale was administered for each trial to assess the subjective matching between the intended and the actual force. Statistical analysis showed that the ATHL group was more accurate (p

This article examines the issue of heterogeneity in relation to workers' representation within digital platforms. Specifically, the research analyses the regulatory process that took place within the food-delivery sector in Italy, investigating how the heterogeneity of couriers is reflected in the Just Eat Takeaway agreement signed in 2021. The novel contribution of this paper is to relate two perspectives – those of workers and unions – that have rarely been considered together in the literature on digital labour platforms. Based on extensive qualitative research in Milan, the heterogeneity of riders is synthesized into a threefold typology identified by three metaphors: the explorer, the entrepreneur and the labourer. It is argued that the introduction of a standard employment contract has led to an increase in workers’ rights and social protection. However, the current form of the agreement favours less vulnerable riders – the explorer – at the expense of those who are more numerous and dependent on platform income – the entrepreneur and the labourer. We conclude that this agreement can be interpreted mainly as a means for trade unions to legitimise their institutional role in the socio-economic arena and strengthen their power resources for future negotiations.

Purpose: Considering the role of community outreach of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in promoting sustainable regional development, based on the objectives of the UN 2030 Agenda, the present study aims to verify, with the usage of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool, the alignment of community outreach actions of an HEI to the SDGs and identify its actions with the greatest impact. Design/methodology/approach: The study is descriptive through a case study at a university in Brazil. Documentary analysis was carried out using data on more than 15,000 community outreach projects developed from 2009 to 2022, using natural language processing (NLP). In addition to the descriptive aspects, combining NLP with statistical techniques allowed us to discuss the alignment between community outreach projects and the SDGs from a longitudinal perspective. Findings: The results demonstrated that the main SDGs in community outreach actions are SDG 17: Partnerships and Means of Implementation; SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. These results are prominent because community outreach aims to establish a dialogical relationship between society and the university, conceiving the exchange of knowledge based on the actions developed and sharing knowledge with those involved in community extension. Originality: The use of AI technologies to identify and monitor data on community outreach actions in HEI towards the SDGs, and to propose ways to share this information with internal and external stakeholders of the institution.

The United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) champion responsible management education and research globally by instilling social responsibility values in students through teaching, research, and service. As investment capital shifts toward sustainable opportunities and companies recognize the limitations of an exclusive focus on shareholders (to the exclusion of broader stakeholders), the demand for social responsibility focused students has increased. How can business schools meet the dual challenge of recognizing those students with strong global sustainability perceptions, while encouraging those without those perceptions to shift? Our empirical approach uses a freed measurement model to offer a holistic understanding of the precursors of students' perceptions of ethics and social responsibility. We provide actionable steps for business schools in implementing new pedagogical interventions that provide individualized approaches for increasing students' perceptions of social responsibility. For students without strong prosocial values, we propose improving their perceptions of social responsibility indirectly through changing attitudes or directly via value system rank order change.

Abstract Food banks have played a crucial role in mitigating food insecurity in affluent countries for over four decades. Throughout the years, academics have researched food banks for a variety of operational problems, resulting in several research papers on the topic. However, despite significant academic interest, the operational challenges and optimization of food bank operations remain under-researched. This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review on food bank operations and provide evidence-based recommendations for addressing prevalent challenges, and provide decision-makers with practical recommendations. In addition, this investigation seeks to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food bank operations. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of academic publications on food bank operations using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) in order to get a deeper comprehension of the problems confronting food bank operations. Using a keyword search strategy with the logical operators “AND” and “OR,” two search methods were utilized to identify relevant articles on food bank operations management, supply chain, distribution, and production in our first search. In our second search, we discovered articles in the “Operations Research & Management Science” (OR &MS) category of Web of Science containing food bank-related keywords such as food charity, food donation, and food aid. The database searches yielded 246 hits, and the article content was scanned to eliminate irrelevant articles by removing non-English articles and duplicated studies, leaving 55 articles for further examination. Our extensive examination of Operations Research (OR) methodologies reveals that Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) models are the most commonly used methodology, followed by Linear Program (LP), Dynamic Program (DP), and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) techniques. The key findings of this study emphasize the operational challenges food banks encountered during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, including supply chain disruptions, increased demand, and volunteer shortages. To address these issues, effective solutions, including the management of food donations and volunteer scheduling, were proposed. Our findings have practical implications for decision-makers in food bank management, highlighting the importance of adopting evidence-based solutions. Finally, Limitations and prospective research directions in food bank management are discussed, with an emphasis on the need for ongoing research in this crucial area.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the performance of Intergrowth-21 st (INT) and Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) curves in predicting perinatal and neurodevelopmental outcomes in newborns weighing below the 3rd percentile. Methods Pregnant women with a single fetus aged less than 20 weeks from a general population in non-hospital health units were included. Their children were evaluated at birth and in the second or third years of life. Newborns (NB) had their weight percentiles calculated for both curves. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the ROC curve (ROC-AUC) for perinatal outcomes and neurodevelopmental delay were calculated using birth weight < 3rd percentile as the cutoff. Results A total of 967 children were evaluated. Gestational age at birth was 39.3 (± 3.6) weeks and birth weight was 3,215.0 (± 588.0) g. INT and FMF classified 19 (2.4%) and 49 (5.7%) newborns below the 3rd percentile, respectively. The prevalence of preterm birth, tracheal intubation >24 hours in the first three months of life, 5th minute Apgar

Abstract Background Interactive videogames, virtual reality, and robotics represent a new opportunity for multimodal treatments in many rehabilitation contexts. However, several commercial videogames are designed for leisure and are not oriented toward definite rehabilitation goals. Among the many, Playball® (Playwork, Alon 10, Ness Ziona, Israel) is a therapeutic ball that measures both movement and pressure applied on it while performing rehabilitation games. This study aimed: (i) to evaluate whether the use of this novel digital therapy gaming system was clinically effective during shoulder rehabilitation; (ii) to understand whether this gaming rehabilitation program was effective in improving patients’ engagement (perceived enjoyment and self-efficacy during therapy; attitude and intention to train at home) in comparison to a control non-gaming rehabilitation program. Methods A randomized controlled experimental design was outlined. Twenty-two adults with shoulder pathologies were recruited for a rehabilitation program of ten consecutive sessions. A control (CTRL; N = 11; age: 62.0 ± 10.9 yrs) and an intervention group (PG; N = 11; age: 59.9 ± 10.2 yrs) followed a non-digital and a digital therapy, respectively. The day before (T0) and after (T1) the rehabilitation program, pain, strength, and mobility assessments were performed, together with six questionnaires: PENN shoulder Score, PACES-short, Self-efficacy, Attitudes to train at home, Intention to train at home, and System usability scale (SUS). Results MANOVA analysis showed significant improvements in pain (p

Abstract Background Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality; its multifactorial causes are an obstacle to understanding etiology and pathogenesis. The importance of cytokines and inflammation in its etiology and association with the short cervix is nowadays well-proven. To date, there are no reliable biological or biochemical markers to predict preterm birth; even though the length of the cervix has high specificity, its sensitivity with the cervix below 2.5 cm is low. Objective We study the association of plasma cytokine levels and cervical length in search of predictors of preterm birth. Study design We evaluated a total of 1400 pregnant women carrying a single fetus between 20 and 25 weeks of gestation, and 1370 of them after childbirth in a nested case–control study of a prenatal cohort. Eligible pregnant women were interviewed and submitted to obstetric morphological and transvaginal ultrasound with cervical length measurement, gynecological examination, and blood collection. Preterm birth occurred in 133 women, 129 included in the study, and a control group randomly selected at a 2:1 ratio. A total of 41 cytokines with a higher probability of being associated with preterm birth or being of significance during labor were determined. Results Cytokine and cervical length analysis by multivariate analysis of the conditional interference tree revealed that growth-related oncogene values of less than 2293 pg/mL were significantly associated with a cervical length of less than 2.5 cm. Conclusions As well as a cervical length shorter than 2.5 cm, growth-related oncogene levels of less than 2293 pg/ml may be associated with an increased risk of PB. Analysis based on the association of biomarkers and of the interaction between cytokines is a promising pathway in search of a predictor of preterm birth.

Concurrent activation potentiation (CAP) increases athletic performance by activating muscles not involved in the performed activity. Among the CAP strategies, jaw clenching is the most practical to implement in sports contexts. Muscle strength and balance control are essential among rugby players to cope tackles. Besides combat sports, mouthguard has become mandatory also in rugby. Therefore, this study aimed to understand whether mouthguard jaw-clenching could improve rugby players’ dynamic balance and quadriceps isometric strength. Thirteen rugby players were tested under maximal-bite (MB) and no-bite (NB) conditions. During standing balance tests, an electro-actuated platform with a force plate screwed on it allowed for the perturbation of the support base of the rugby players. A verbal signal warned the subject that the perturbation was coming, mentally recalling an in-field expected collision. In the first 2.5 s window after the perturbation, the center of pressure (CoP) displacement and mean velocity were measured. The first peak, the maximal oscillations, and the standard deviation of the anterior-posterior CoP trajectory were calculated within the same time window. In the isometric leg-extension test, a custom-built chair instrumented with a uni-axial load cell allowed to collect the maximal strength and rate of force development (RFD). Mouthguard jaw-clenching did not affect CoP-related parameters but increased maximal strength (p < 0.05) and RFD (0–50 ms: p < 0.01; 50–100 ms: p < 0.001; 100–150 ms: p < 0.05) in the isometric leg-extension test. Mouthguard jaw-clenching alone could be useful to increase lower-limb maximal isometric strength and RFD but did not improve dynamic balance performance in a sport-oriented postural balance test.

Abstract Background In palliative care, the relief of discomfort is sought by an overall approach, combining prescribed medication and additional therapies, such as foot reflexology (FR). The main objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of FR in a population of inpatients in a palliative care unit (PCU).The precariousness of the patients led us to perform a feasibility study and not a cohort study from the outset. Its secondary objective was to assess the impact of an FR session on some symptoms of discomfort (anxiety, pain, troubled sleep, and psychological distress). Methods This is a feasibility study designed as a randomized controlled two-arm therapeutic trial. One arm tested FR, the other an active control, massage therapy (MT). The evaluators were blinded. Results FR was feasible for 14 patients out of the 15 included in the FR group (95% CI [68%; 100%]). These patients were in the palliative care phase of cancer, motor neuron disease, or terminal organ failure. Concerning the symptoms of discomfort, ESAS sleep quality score was on average 3.9 (± 2.5) before a session in the FR group. It was improved to an average of 3 (± 2.3) on the day after the session (effect-size = 0.38 [0.03; 0.73]). Conclusion This study confirms the feasibility of an FR session for patients hospitalized in a PCU. It resulted in a slight improvement in sleep quality. For other discomfort symptoms such as anxiety, pain and distress, FR yielded a non-significant improvement. Significant results would have needed a larger cohort.

Objetivos: Descrever a implementação de um Banco de Sangue Virtual (BSV) no Rio Grande do Sul (RS), bem como expor a relevância da criação de métodos com intuito de impulsionar doações sanguíneas. Material e métodos: Estudo transversal descritivo, com análise de dados da plataforma “Dinamize”- realiza envio de e-mails aos cadastrados no site do BSV. Também, foram realizadas entrevistas com os organizadores do projeto acerca dos objetivos, da motivação e da idealização da plataforma até a sua implementação. Posteriormente, realizou-se análise documental e busca na base de dados pubmed e em sites de órgãos governamentais, com descritores: “blood bank”, “blood donation”e “blood donation statistics”. Resultados: O BSV conecta pacientes e hospitais que necessitam de doação de sangue a doadores cadastrados na plataforma. Foi idealizado por um doador de sangue que visava ampliar o cenário de doação no Brasil. A primeira versão ficou disponível em junho de 2017 com 62 cadastros e, conforme aumentou a visibilidade e o auxílio financeiro, ultrapassou a marca de 16 mil cadastros em 2023. Ressalta-se, ainda, que toda a organização é voluntária e filantrópica. A funcionalidade do BSV depende dos doadores cadastrados no site, que podem residir em qualquer local do Brasil, sendo necessário apenas preencher um questionário sobre: tipo sanguíneo, informações de localização e de contato. Do outro lado, os pedidos de doação são realizados por meio do mesmo site, que, até o momento, é exclusivo do RS. Desse modo, assim que for aberto um pedido de doação de sangue, serão informados via Email e WhatsApp todos os cadastrados com o tipo sanguíneo solicitado e alocados na mesma cidade do paciente receptor. Ou seja, o banco conecta os doadores a quem precisa de doação. Discussão: O número estimado de doadores aptos no RS é de 8.583.752, conforme dados do tribunal regional eleitoral, já que a faixa etária do eleitorado é dos 16 aos 70 anos, equivalente à que é passível de doação sanguínea. Paralelamente, a OMS preconiza que 1 a 3% da população de um território doe sangue para suprir as demandas locais. Com isso, o BSV, dispondo do uso de mídias sociais para divulgação, pretende atingir ao menos 85 mil cadastros no RS. Sobre otimizações na captação de doadores, Sümnig et al. (2018), pontuam as mídias sociais como o 2ºfator mais importante para recrutar doadores de sangue, tornando-se cada vez mais importantes para os serviços de transfusão. Na mesma linha, Al-Hajri et al. (2021), demonstram que o WhatsApp desempenha um papel significativo na busca por doadores, consolidando-se como a mídia social mais relevante para receber os pedidos de doação. Desse modo, a grande relevância da plataforma dá-se pela facilidade e pela rapidez em reunir doadores em potencial com pacientes que necessitam de doação, em razão do uso de mídias digitais. Ademais, ela ultrapassa as barreiras geográficas, unindo desconhecidos, movidos pela solidariedade, para alcançar um objetivo em comum: ser a esperança de muitos. Conclusão: É necessário estimular a população, cada vez mais, a doar sangue, visto que recomenda-se que os estoques nunca estejam críticos nos hemocentros. Nesse ínterim, o BSV é capaz de estimular as doações e de suprir as demandas de transfusões sanguíneas, mantendo um saldo positivo no número de bolsas de sangue. A missão final é captar novos elos para essa corrente do bem.

Management of planted forests depends, among other information, on the knowledge of their extensions and spatial distribution. The current information about the area of planted forests in the state of Santa Catarina comes from sources without proper accuracy assessment. This work aimed to evaluate the use of random point sampling in estimating the planted forest area in the state of Santa Catarina. A minimum sample of 200 points per municipality was used, with a maximum standard error of 2%. The results indicated a total planted forest area of 1,135,481ha, with a standard error of 0.12%, in the state of Santa Catarina. The municipalities with the largest planted forest areas are in the mesoregions Serrana, Oeste Catarinense, and Norte Catarinense. The random point sampling methodology showed a precise result for the state of Santa Catarina in a simple and objective way, and may be effective for decision-making in planning.

Biliverdin Reductase B (BLVRB) is an NADPH-dependent reductase that catalyzes the reduction of multiple substrates and is therefore considered a critical cellular redox regulator. In this study, we sought to address whether both structural and dynamics changes occur between different intermediates of the catalytic cycle and whether these were relegated to just the active site or the entirety of the enzyme. Through X-ray crystallography, we determined the apo BLVRB structure for the first time, revealing subtle global changes compared to the holo structure and identifying the loss of a critical hydrogen bond that “clamps” the R78-loop over the coenzyme. Amide and Cα chemical shift perturbations were used to identify environmental and secondary structural changes between intermediates, with more distant global changes observed upon coenzyme binding compared to substrate interactions. NMR relaxation rate measurements provided insights into the dynamic behavior of BLVRB during the catalytic cycle. Specifically, the inherently dynamic R78-loop that becomes ordered upon coenzyme binding persists through the catalytic cycle while similar regions experience dynamic exchange. However, the dynamic exchange processes were found to differ through the catalytic cycle with several groups of residues exhibiting similar dynamic responses. Finally, both local and distal structural and dynamic changes occur within BLVRB that are dependent solely on the oxidative state of the coenzyme. Thus, through a comprehensive analysis here, this study revealed structural and dynamic alterations in BLVRB through its catalytic cycle that are not simply relegated to the active site, but instead, are allosterically coupled throughout the enzyme.

As a consequence of agricultural intensification and habitat fragmentation since the mid-20th century, biological diversity has declined considerably throughout the world, particularly in Europe. We assessed how habitat and landscape-scale heterogeneity, such as variation in fragment size (small vs. large) and landscape configuration (measured as connectivity index), affect plant and arthropod diversity. We focused on arthropods with different feeding behaviour and mobility, spiders (predators, moderate dispersal), true bugs (mainly herbivores and omnivores with moderate dispersal), wild bees (pollinators with good dispersal abilities), and wasps (pollinators, omnivores with good dispersal abilities). We studied 60 dry grassland fragments in the same region (Hungarian Great Plain); 30 fragments were represented by the grassland component of forest-steppe stands, and 30 were situated on burial mounds (kurgans). Forest-steppes are mosaics of dry grasslands with small forests in a matrix of plantation forests. Kurgans are ancient burial mounds with moderately disturbed grasslands surrounded by agricultural fields. The size of fragments ranged between 0.16–6.88 ha (small: 0.16–0.48 ha, large: 0.93–6.88 ha) for forest-steppes and 0.01–0.44 ha (small: 0.01–0.10 ha and large: 0.20–0.44 ha) for kurgans. Fragments also represented an isolation gradient from almost cleared and homogenous landscapes, to landscapes with relatively high compositional heterogeneity. Fragment size, connectivity, and their interaction affected specialist and generalist species abundances of forest-steppes and kurgans. Large fragments had higher species richness of ground-dwelling spiders, and the effect of connectivity was more strongly positive for specialist arthropods and more strongly negative for generalists in large than in small fragments. However, we also found a strong positive impact of connectivity for generalist plants in small kurgans in contrast to larger ones. We conclude that besides the well-known effect of enhancing habitat quality, increasing connectivity between fragments by restoring natural and semi-natural habitat patches would help to maintain grassland biodiversity.

Uma parte da história ambiental do noroeste paranaense está refletida na paisagem pela presença de paleovoçorocas de grande magnitude, ao norte do rio Ivaí, cuja gênese pode estar associada à condição climática distinta da atual, ao longo do Quaternário. Estudos na região têm apontado variações climáticas ao longo do Holoceno, indicando período mais seco que o atual nas transições Pleistoceno/Holoceno e Holoceno Médio/Holoceno Superior. Embora esses estudos indiquem que as taxas de denudação forneçam uma estimativa do período de início de formação dessas feições, as condições ambientais de clima e vegetação que permitiram o desenvolvimento de tais processos ainda são pouco conhecidas. Partindo da concepção do solo como um reservatório de registros ambientais, e adotando uma abordagem multiproxy, o presente estudo tem como objetivo reconstituir as condições paleaombientais holocênicas que favoreceram o desenvolvimento de uma paleovoçoroca no município de Loanda, noroeste paranaense. De acordo com os resultados, o desenvolvimento dessa feição está relacionado a um ambiente com vegetação mais aberta que a atual, sensivelmente mais seco e com temperatura mais amena, durante a transição Holoceno Médio/Superior. O aumento da umidade no Holoceno Superior favoreceu, incialmente, a ampliação da erosão e, posteriormente, já com dimensões quilométricas, sua estabilização com o avanço da floresta.

Objective: Alpine skiing requires complex motor skills and fine adjustments to maintain balance in dynamic and challenging conditions. This study aimed to understand whether the balance ability in unspecific (UST) and sport-specific (SST) tasks could depend on the skiers’ ranking level. The balance performance of the dominant and non-dominant limbs in the SST was also investigated.Methods: Twenty-five skiers (14.96 ± 1.61 yrs; 1.69 ± 0.69 m; 59.9 ± 9.52 kg) were divided into high-ranking (position < 50) and low-ranking (position > 50) groups. Subjects performed three balance conditions: static (ST), dynamic UST, and dynamic SST. Subjects stood on an unstable board over a force platform during UST. During SST, subjects wore ski boots, grasped ski poles, and each foot was clipped to an unstable board over two force plates. From the center-of-pressure (CoP) trajectory the area of the 95th percentile ellipse and the CoP mean velocity were calculated. Angular displacements were recorded by a 12-camera system, to calculate the full balance (FB), fine (FiB), and gross (GB) balance in UST and SST.Results: Balance control was higher (p < 0.01) in high-ranking than low-ranking skiers only in the SST. Kinematic parameters (i.e., FB, FiB, and GB) showed a higher (p < 0.001) balance performance in SST than UST independently from the group. Dominant and non-dominant limbs motion was similar (Pearson correlation, r = 0.97) in SST independently from the skiers’ ranking.Conclusion: High-ranking skiers showed better balance control and performance than low-ranking skiers only when the task was sport-specific. Therefore, we suggest testing balance under sport-specific conditions to discriminate the youth skiers’ abilities.

Abstract Betamethasone (BET) is a synthetic glucocorticoid recommended for pregnant women at imminent risk of preterm birth before 34 weeks to reduce neonatal complications. There are different techniques to describe BET plasma quantification. However, none quantified the plasmatic concentration of BET in dichorionic (DC) twin pregnancies using LC-MS. Our objectives were to develop and validate a method for quantifying BET by LC-MS for pharmacokinetic (PK) and placental transfer studies in DC twin pregnancies. Blood samples were collected after intramuscular administration of a single BET dose containing 6 mg disodium phosphate + 6 mg acetate. BET was determined in plasma by liquid-liquid extraction. The method showed linearity in the range of 2-250 ng/mL, as well as precision and accuracy with a coefficient of variation and relative standard errors ≤ 15%. Additionally, the method presented selectivity and did not present matrix or carry-over effect. Stability tests also presented coefficient of variation and relative standard errors ≤ 15%. This is the first study which describe maternal and fetal plasma concentrations of BET in a DC twin pregnancy. The BET PK parameters were AUC0-∞, CL/F, Vd/F, Cmax, Tmax of 292.20 h*ng/mL, 39.08 L/h, 278.72 L, 25.55 ng/mL and 0.58 h, respectively. The placental transfer ratios of umbilical vein/maternal vein and intervillous space/maternal vein were 0.14 and 0.19 and 0.40 and 0.27 for both twins, respectively. However, a clinical study with more subjects is imperative to confirm this higher concentration of BET in the intervillous space.

Objective: Considered the second biggest tragedy with fatal victims caused by fire, the Kiss nightclub fire tragedy that occurred in the interior of southern Brazil brought several problems to survivors. It is reported that 30–40% of victims of disasters can develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has shown promising results in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Transcranial direct current stimulation similar to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, a neuromodulation technique, has shown promise in treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Method: A clinical trial was conducted from March 2015 to July 2016 in “KISS nightclub fire” disaster patients diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder without complete remission of symptoms, over 18 years, and who maintained pharmacological treatment. Treatment was given using electrodes as cathode (right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and anode (contralateral deltoid muscle); a current of 2 mA was used for 25 cm² area (0.08 mA/cm² current density); 30 min once a day for 10 days continuously. Patients assessed pre- and post-intervention, 30 days’ and 90 days’ post-intervention. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, Civilian version, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Rating Scale were used. Results: One hundred forty-five subjects were screened and eight analyzed; 87.5% were female; 30.88 ± 7.74 years were of mean age. Post-intervention results: no cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), 60% reduction in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (moderate depression turns normal) ( p