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Abstract Objective Patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) frequently show spontaneous improvement of skin fibrosis. Our aim was to examine whether an improvement in skin fibrosis predicts lower likelihood of visceral organ progression and better survival. Methods Patients from the European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) cohort with dcSSc, baseline modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) ≥7, and valid mRSS at 12±3 months follow up were included. Regression/progression of skin fibrosis was defined as a decrease/increase in mRSS >5 points and ≥25% from baseline to follow up. The outcomes included progression of lung, renal, cardiac and gastrointestinal manifestations using consensus derived definitions and all-cause death. Regressive, stable and progressive patients were compared by univariate, Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox regression analysis. Results Of 1257 included patients, 883 (70.2%) were stable, 282 (22.4%) regressive, and 92 (7.3%) progressive. Regressive patients, adjusted for baseline mRSS, baseline immunosuppression, baseline FVC, and disease duration, showed a significantly lower probability of FVC decline ≥10% than progressive patients (p=0.00003), lower probability of all-cause mortality during follow up (p=0.035) compared to progressive patients. .Improvement of skin fibrosis was not associated with progression of other organ manifestations. Conclusion We found that regression of skin fibrosis is associated with a lower probability of lung progression and better survival at follow up. The link between the disease course of skin and lung fibrosis in SSc can help to better stratify patients in clinical practice and enrich for ILD progressive patients in clinical trials.

O presente artigo trata da utilização da Cota de Reserva Ambiental para compensação em imóvel rural na hipótese de não possuir Reserva Legal nos percentuais legalmente exigidos. A Constituição Federal determina que o desenvolvimento ocorra de forma sustentável e, para esse fim, a Lei nº 12.651/2012 definiu espaços territoriais especialmente protegidos, como a reserva legal. Se a reserva legal não possuir extensão de área determinada na legislação, deve ser regularizada por meio de recomposição, regeneração natural ou compensação. O objetivo geral é demonstrar a Reserva Legal como espaço territorialmente protegido em imóveis rurais destinado a promover desenvolvimento sustentável, contribuindo com a implementação do ODS15. Como objetivo específico pretende-se evidenciar a Cota de Reserva Ambiental como forma de compensação da Reserva Legal ausente ou insuficiente em imóveis rurais, facilitando a sua regularização. Como resultado tem-se a demonstração de como a tecnologia pode ser utilizada em favor do meio ambiente. O instituto da reserva legal contribui para a sustentabilidade e a utilização da análise por mapeamento georreferenciado possibilitou a análise mais eficiente do cumprimento da manutenção da reserva legal em propriedades rurais. Com relação às formas de regularização do passivo ambiental destaca-se a forma de compensação pela utilização da Cota de Reserva Ambiental e sua forma de transação por plataforma digital.

Abstract The study aims to examine how pandemic-induced income loss shaped fertility intentions at the pandemic’s onset, examining differences in this association between mothers and non-mothers, and whether effects are similar for intentions to postpone versus forgo childbearing. The research employs a mixed-method approach, combining population-level probabilistic survey data from 1,524 fecund partnered women aged 18-34 with qualitative insights gathered from 56 semi-structured interviews with women aged 18-39 in Pernambuco, Brazil. Multinomial regression models were utilized to distinguish between intentions to postpone, forgo, and get pregnant within six months, exploring associations with pandemic-induced income loss prior to the interview, motherhood status, and parity. We find that most women intended to avoid pregnancy at the onset of the pandemic, with key differences between intentions to postpone versus forgo between mothers versus non-mothers. Further, pandemic-induced income loss and motherhood/parity interacted to define fertility intentions. Whereas income loss did not affect non-mothers, mothers had different intentions depending on income loss, with those experiencing it more likely to postpone or forgo a pregnancy, and mothers of two or more children more likely to forgo a pregnancy altogether. Qualitative analysis corroborated these patterns and provided further nuanced sensitivity of fertility intentions to pandemic-induced income shocks.

ABSTRACT The study aimed to evaluate the influence of silver nitrate on the in vitro flowering of Capsicum frutescens cv. Cayenne associated with different light spectra and gas exchange. After 36 days of germination in MS medium, two seedlings previously germinated, were subjected to experiments in glass flasks containing two types of culture medium: I) MS culture medium; or II) Culture medium with the addition of 40 µM of AgNO3. The explants were maintained in a growth room with a 16-hour photoperiod, temperature of 25 ± 2 °C, light intensity (72 μmol m-2 s-1) from different light spectra. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, 4 x 2 factorial scheme, with eight replicates, and the experimental unit composed of two seedlings. After 74 days of in vitro cultivation, the following parameters were evaluated: number of bifurcations, number of oxidized buds, number of open buds, number of green buds, number of aborted buds, number of leaves, root length, shoot length, total fresh and dry mass of shoots, and total fresh and dry mass of root. Thus, the combination of light spectrum, addition of gas exchange and AgNO3 favors the growth and development of Capsicum frutescens cv. Cayenne.

Studying the combustibility and physical‒mechanical properties of wood is important for recommending its use in construction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the combustibility, as well as the physical and mechanical properties, of twelve Brazilian Amazonian woods. Species. For each species, the combustibility parameters, fire exposure test, residual mass, loss mass, intact mass, charred area, proximate analysis, basic density, compressive strength and modulus of elasticity were determined. All the evaluated properties were significant affected by the wood species. In the fire exposure test, ignition time ranged from 21 s to 55 s while flame time was between 108 s and 233 s. Residual mass ranged from 60,7% to 82,7%, and intact areas ranged from 28,13 % to 62,68 %. Basic density values ranged from 335 kg/m3 to 889 kg/m3, compressive strength ranged from 29 MPa to 82 MPa, and the modulus of elasticity ranged from 9 GPa to 33 GPa. The wood of Hymenaea courbaril (courbaril), Manilkara huberi (masaranduba), Handroanthus serratifolius (yellow lapacho) was identified as the most suitable for structural components, ensuring greater safety against possible fires. Short-term fire exposure tests, particularly the ignition time parameter combined with residual mass and intact area, are key for assessing wood resistence to fires.

The objective was to evaluate the initial performance of the bean genotypes grown in lowland soil in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The experiment was conducted in the 2015/2016 agricultural harvest, in a chapel greenhouse, arranged in the North-South direction, covered with polycarbonate and equipped with temperature controllers, located under the coordinates 31º 52'00 " South latitude and 52º 21'00 "west longitude with an altitude of 13 meters, this structure is located at the Federal University of Pelotas. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design with five bean genotypes (IPR Tuiuiú, Carioca, Mouro, BRS Guabiju and BRS Embaixador) and four initial collection periods (9 DAS, 13 DAS, 17 DAS and 21 DAS), arranged in five replicates. The different bean genotypes reveal dissimilar initial growth rates in the face of the adversities imposed by lowland soils. The BRS Guabiju genotype is superior to the others for initial growth and is more acclimatized to the soils of the extreme south of Rio Grande do Sul.

ABSTRACT In conventional orthodontics, the adhesive fixation of brackets plays an essential role in the success of the treatment. However, the removal of these devices at the end of the treatment can pose risks of excessive wear to the external surface of the enamel, especially when rotary instruments are indiscriminately used to remove the resin composite employed in cementation. Given that enamel is an inorganic tissue with no regenerative capacity, it becomes imperative to adopt conservative techniques to minimize unnecessary wear. This text aimed to discuss more conservative approaches, exploring the use of multilayered burs instead of diamond tips, and associating them with polishing rubbers, magnification, and consideration of the fluorescence characteristics of adhesive materials. These practices are intended to minimize impact and preserve the integrity of the enamel. Reflecting on the indiscriminate use of diamond tips for enamel polishing emerges as essential in modern dental practice.

El objetivo del estudio consistió en la obtención de indicadores de violencia y prácticas escolares de discriminación y normalización en población universitaria, como sustento para la construcción de un instrumento psicométrico que permita obtener información para la toma de decisiones en materia de prevención e intervención de la violencia escolar. La investigación es cuantitativa y corresponde a un estudio instrumental, mediante un diseño de dos fases: exploración de indicadores y de validez de construcción. La población participante fue seleccionada a través de un muestreo no probabilístico de tipo intencional. En la primera fase, participaron 30 personas de los cursos de formación ciudadana y formación en valores. En la segunda fase, fue seleccionado, mediante un muestreo no probabilístico de tipo intencional, un grupo de 502 participantes inscritos en el nivel medio superior y nivel superior de una universidad pública. La primera fase pretendió explorar indicadores de prácticas y disposiciones de discriminación y normalización con respecto a la violencia, mediante un cuestionario de opinión. Se seleccionaron las diez respuestas más representativas de cada categoría, con sustento en la información recabada por dicho cuestionario se diseñó un instrumento. En la segunda fase, se procedió a la obtención de evidencias de validez referidas a la estructura interna y confiabilidad/precisión del instrumento diseñado, mediante las técnicas estadísticas de análisis factorial exploratorio de rotación varimax de componentes principales y el alfa de Cronbach. Los resultados reportan una varianza acumulada de 50.695 %, explicada por cuatro factores denominados con sustento en el contenido de la agrupación de los reactivos: factor uno Prácticas escolares de acoso y violencia, comprende cinco indicadores; el factor dos explora las prácticas escolares de tolerancia de la violencia a través de cuatro reactivos; el tercer factor comprende las disposiciones personales a la discriminación de género, mediante cuatro reactivos y el factor cuatro explora, mediante tres reactivos, las prácticas personales de normalización de la violencia. El análisis de consistencia interna reportó un alfa de Cronbach .807. El instrumento reportó evidencias de validez referidas al constructo y de confiabilidad/ precisión. La estructura factorial es congruente con indicadores de antivalores que se configuran como prácticas de anticultura.

Abstract Background Enzymatic degradation mediated by beta-lactamases constitutes one of the primary mechanisms of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in gram-negative bacteria. This enzyme family comprises four molecular classes, categorized into serine beta-lactamases (Classes A, C, and D) and zinc-dependent metallo-beta-lactamases (Class B). Gram-negative bacteria producing beta-lactamase are of significant concern, particularly due to their prevalence in nosocomial infections. A comprehensive understanding of the evolution and dissemination of this enzyme family is essential for effective control of these pathogens. In this study, we conducted the prospecting, phylogenetic analysis, and in silico analysis of beta-lactamases and homologous proteins identified in 1827 bacterial genomes with phenotypic data on beta-lactam resistance. These genomes were distributed among Klebsiella pneumoniae (45%), Acinetobacter baumannii (31%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14%), Escherichia coli (6%), and Enterobacter spp. (4%). Using an HMM profile and searching for conserved domains, we mined 2514, 8733, 5424, and 2957 proteins for molecular classes A, B, C, and D, respectively. This set of proteins encompasses canonical subfamilies of beta-lactamases as well as hypothetical proteins and other functional groups. Canonical beta-lactamases were found to be phylogenetically distant from hypothetical proteins, which, in turn, are closer to other representatives of the penicillin-binding-protein (PBP-like) and metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) families. The catalytic amino acid residues characteristic of beta-lactamases were identified from the sequence alignment and revealed that motifs are less conserved in homologous groups than in beta-lactamases. After comparing the frequency of protein groups in genomes of resistant strains with those of sensitive ones applying Fisher’s exact test and relative risk, it was observed that some groups of homologous proteins to classes B and C are more common in the genomes of resistant strains, particularly to carbapenems. We identified the beta-lactamase-like domain widely distributed in gram-negative species of the ESKAPEE group, which highlights its importance in the context of beta-lactam resistance. Some hypothetical homologous proteins have been shown to potentially possess promiscuous activity against beta-lactam antibiotics, however, they do not appear to expressly determine the resistance phenotype. The selective pressure due to the widespread use of antibiotics may favor the optimization of these functions for specialized resistance enzymes.