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Recently, this Journal published an interesting case study about the Moersch-Woltman syndrome that affected a middle-aged female, who had not an early diagnosis of this uncommon condition and was longtime submitted to polypharmacy without any improvement of the relentless course of this disease. The authors commented on the importance of a high index of suspicion to get an early correct diagnosis and prompt effective management that is indispensable to result in the best outcomes. The additional short comments on novel literature data aim to emphasize the exemplifying role of reported cases, mainly by enhancing the awareness of non-specialists and primary healthcare workers.

Resumo Fundamento: A fibrilação atrial (FA) é a arritmia cardíaca sustentada mais frequente, mas ainda é subdiagnosticada especialmente em pacientes assintomáticos. Objetivo: Avaliar uma estratégia simples para otimizar a identificação da FA. Métodos: Avaliados indivíduos assintomáticos com 65 anos ou mais, portadores de hipertensão arterial (HA) ou insuficiência cardíaca (IC). Os dados foram inseridos e armazenados em plataforma REDCap. Inicialmente foram realizadas análise de risco de FA com o algoritmo matemático Stroke Risk Analysis (SRA) aplicado em eletrocardiograma (ECG) de 1 hora. Todos os pacientes de alto risco de FA foram orientados a realizar o protocolo de ECG domiciliar por sete dias com o equipamento portátil Kardia 6L OMRON, AliveCor®. O teste de Kolmogorov-Smirnov foi usado para verificar a normalidade da distribuição das variáveis quantitativas; aquelas com distribuição normal foram expressas em média e desvio-padrão. Adotou-se como significativo o valor de p

The ear tissue of vulnerable felines, such as the puma, holds potential biological material for creating biobanks. However, skin composition can differ significantly between individuals of the of the same species and even between sexes, based on different environments. Therefore, identifying morphological similarities across these populations is crucial for developing accurate protocols. This study aimed to characterize and evaluate the structure and composition of ear skin in both a male and a female puma using histological techniques. Histomorphometric analysis revealed a total thickness of 304.65 µm and 238.95 µm for the male and the female, respectively. The epidermis was notably thinner in the female compared to the male. Specifically, the thickness of the basal, spinous, and corneum layers in the female was 2.62 µm, 10.07 µm, and 3.15 µm, respectively, compared to 3.49 µm, 13.94 µm, and 3.66 µm in the male, respectively. Melanocytes, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts totaled 26, 24, and 50 cells in the male and 21, 25, and 54 cells in the female. Moreover, chondrocytes (male: n=33 and female: n=41) and perichondrium (male=13.99 µm and female=9.05 µm) were observed in the cartilage. These results demonstrate the histomorphometric differences and similarities between a male and a female puma, consistent with observation in other felines. This information is relevant for a targeted approach for establishing biobanks for this species.

The Manhiça Health Research Centre (Manhiça HDSS) was established in 1996 in Manhiça, a rural district at Maputo Province in the southern part of Mozambique with approximately 49,000 inhabited households, a total population of 209.000 individuals, and an annual estimated birth cohort of about 5000 babies. Since 2016, Manhiça HDSS is implementing the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program aiming to investigate causes of death (CoD) in stillbirths and children under the age of 5 years using an innovative post-mortem technique known as Minimally Invasive Tissue sampling (MITS), comprehensive pathogen screening using molecular methods, clinical record abstraction and verbal autopsy. Both in-hospital and community pediatric deaths are investigated using MITS. For this, community-wide socio-demographic approaches (notification of community deaths by key informants, formative research involving several segments of the community, availability of free phone lines for notification of medical emergencies and deaths, etc.) are conducted alongside to foster community awareness, involvement and adherence as well as to compute mortality estimates and collect relevant information of health and mortality determinants. The main objective of this paper is to describe the Manhiça Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site and the CHAMPS research environment in place including the local capacities among its reference hospital, laboratories, data center and other relevant areas involved in this ambitious surveillance and research project, whose ultimate aim is to improve child survival through public health actions derived from credible estimates and understanding of the major causes of childhood mortality in Mozambique.

The Manhiça Health Research Centre (Manhiça HDSS) was established in 1996 in Manhiça, a rural district at Maputo Province in the southern part of Mozambique with approximately 49,000 inhabited households, a total population of 209.000 individuals, and an annual estimated birth cohort of about 5000 babies. Since 2016, Manhiça HDSS is implementing the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program aiming to investigate causes of death (CoD) in stillbirths and children under the age of 5 years using an innovative post-mortem technique known as Minimally Invasive Tissue sampling (MITS), comprehensive pathogen screening using molecular methods, clinical record abstraction and verbal autopsy. Both in-hospital and community pediatric deaths are investigated using MITS. For this, community-wide socio-demographic approaches (notification of community deaths by key informants, formative research involving several segments of the community, availability of free phone lines for notification of medical emergencies and deaths, etc.) are conducted alongside to foster community awareness, involvement and adherence as well as to compute mortality estimates and collect relevant information of health and mortality determinants. The main objective of this paper is to describe the Manhiça Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site and the CHAMPS research environment in place including the local capacities among its reference hospital, laboratories, data center and other relevant areas involved in this ambitious surveillance and research project, whose ultimate aim is to improve child survival through public health actions derived from credible estimates and understanding of the major causes of childhood mortality in Mozambique.

On the IUCN Red List the saltwater crocodile Crocodylus porosus is categorized globally as Least Concern, with national populations ranging from fully recovered to extinct. The saltwater crocodile population of the Southeast Asian island nation of Timor-Leste was severely depleted by colonial hunting but has recovered since independence in 2002. During 2007–2014 there was a 23-fold increase in reported crocodile attacks (104 documented attacks), concomitant with a 2% annual increase in the human population. Public tolerance to attacks and the reluctance to harm crocodiles are entwined with reverence of crocodiles as sacred beings by most but not all Timorese people. In 2022, 7–8 years after our previous assessment, we visited five sites on the south coast of Timor-Leste in Lautém, Viqueque, Manufahí and Cova Lima municipalities. High rates of crocodile attacks continue. We obtained 35 records of attacks for 2015–2022 (34% fatal). In the municipalities where crocodile attacks occurred (Lautém, Viqueque, Cova Lima), the sacred status of crocodiles prevented inhabitants from harming them in retribution. In Manufahí, where no attacks were reported, such traditional values never existed and crocodiles were hunted for subsistence and to improve safety. The design of a context-specific crocodile management programme that respects the reverence attributed to crocodiles by most people but reduces the risk of people being attacked by crocodiles is a conservation management challenge for the government of Timor-Leste. The developing tourism industry, which relies on coastal beaches and reefs, is jeopardized by the risk of crocodile attacks.

The impact of climate change has made weather events more extreme, unpredictable and frequent. In the last 4 years, Mozambique has been devastated by 8 major cyclones, resulting in material and human damage and affecting the functioning of basic local services, such as in the water and health sectors. In this study, we explored the environmental components of the climate–water quality–disease relationship that could drive the dynamics of waterborne diseases. Statistical models and geospatial information technologies (GITs) were used to analyse water quality and the relationship with waterborne diseases between 2016 and 2023. Results indicate that water quality is the main element, between precipitation natural disasters and waterborne diseases, on which a relevant public health intervention can act to ameliorate the future negative impacts of climate change and disease incidence. The results of this study also showed that the quality of water affected mainly by heavy rain events varies in different regions and in different seasons.

Abstract In higher eukaryotes, a single DOT1 histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79) methyltransferase processively produces H3K79me2/me3 through histone H2B mono-ubiquitin interaction, while the kinetoplastid Trypanosoma brucei di-methyltransferase DOT1A and tri-methyltransferase DOT1B efficiently methylate the homologous H3K76 without H2B mono-ubiquitination. Based on structural and biochemical analyses of DOT1A, we identify key residues in the methyltransferase motifs VI and X for efficient ubiquitin-independent H3K76 methylation in kinetoplastids. Substitution of a basic to an acidic residue within motif VI (Gx6 K) is essential to stabilize the DOT1A enzyme-substrate complex, while substitution of the motif X sequence VYGE by CAKS renders a rigid active-site loop flexible, implying a distinct mechanism of substrate recognition. We further reveal distinct methylation kinetics and substrate preferences of DOT1A (H3K76me0) and DOT1B (DOT1A products H3K76me1/me2) in vitro, determined by a Ser and Ala residue within motif IV, respectively, enabling DOT1A and DOT1B to mediate efficient H3K76 tri-methylation non-processively but cooperatively, and suggesting why kinetoplastids have evolved two DOT1 enzymes.

AbstractBackground: Fungi are a major component of the human microbiome that only recently received attention. The imbalance of indigenous fungal communities and environmental fungi present in the oral cavity may have a role in oral dysbiosis, which could exacerbate oral inflammatory diseases.Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study and recruited 88 participants aged 21 to 49 from sexually transmitted infection clinics in Puerto Rico. A full-mouth periodontal examination following the NHANES protocol defined periodontal severity (CDC/AAP). ITS2 (fungal) genes were amplified and sequenced for mycobiota characterization of yeast and environmental fungi. Environmental outdoor spore levels were measured daily by the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology San Juan station and defined by quartiles as spore scores.Results: Our data indicate polymicrobial colonization of yeast and environmental fungi in the oral cavity. Dominant taxa associated with periodontal disease included Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rigidoporus vinctus, and Aspergillus penicilloides, while Candida albicans were found to be ubiquitous. Fungal aerosols were found to impact the oral cavity biofilm, likely due to competition and neutralization by inhaled outdoor and indoor fungal spores.Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report showcasing the ecological competition of measured outdoor environmental fungi with the human oral mycobiota.

This research aimed to characterize the tolerance to flooding and alterations in pectic and hemicellulose fractions from mesocotyl of maize tolerant to flooding when submitted to hypoxia. In order to characterize tolerance seeds from maize cultivars Saracura BRS-4154 and BR 107 tolerant and sensitive to low oxygen levels, respectively, were set to germinate. Plantlet survival was evaluated during five days after having been submitted to hypoxia. After fractionation with ammonium oxalate 0.5% (w/v) and KOH 2M and 4M, Saracura BRS-4154 cell wall was obtained from mesocotyl segments with different damage intensities caused by oxygen deficiency exposure. The cell wall fractions were analyzed by gel filtration and gas chromatography, and also by Infrared Spectrum with Fourrier Transformation (FTIR). The hypoxia period lasting three days or longer caused cell lysis and in advanced stages plant death. The gelic profile from pectic, hemicellulose 2M and 4M fractions from samples with translucid and constriction zone showed the appearance of low molecular weight compounds, similar to glucose. The main neutral sugars in pectic and hemicellulose fractions were arabinose, xilose and mannose. The FTIR spectrum showed a gradual decrease in pectic substances from mesocotyl with normal to translucid and constriction appearance respectively.

IntroductionPhosphate-solubilizing bacteria that function through acidification (organic acid synthesis) or mineralization (production of enzymes such as phytase and phosphatases) have been explored as a biotechnological alternative to enhance plant access to phosphorus (P) retained in organic and inorganic forms in agricultural soils. This study tested the hypothesis that applying a biofertilizer composed of a recognized phosphate-solubilizing bacterium (Bacillus velezensis – endophytic strain BVPS01) and an underexplored plant growth-promoting bacterium (Lysinibacillus fusiformis – endophytic strain BVPS02) would improve the growth and grain yield of Glycine max L. plants.MethodsInitial in vitro tests assessed the functional traits of these bacteria, and a mix of strains BVPS01 and BVPS02 was produced and tested under field conditions to evaluate its agronomic efficiency.ResultsThe results confirmed the hypothesis that the tested biofertilizer enhances the agronomic performance of G. max plants in the field. The B. velezensis strain (BVPS01) was found to be more effective than the L. fusiformis strain (BVPS02) in solubilizing phosphates via the phosphatase enzyme production pathway, indicated by the expression of the phoC and phoD genes. In contrast, L. fusiformis was more effective in solubilizing phosphates through organic acid and phytase-related pathways, in addition to synthesizing indole-3-acetic acid and increasing the mitotic index in the root meristem of G. max plants. These strains exhibited biological compatibility, and the formulated product based on these rhizobacteria enhanced root development and increased the number of nodules and flowers, positively affecting 1000-grain weight, grain yield, and grain P content.DiscussionThus, the tested biofertilizer demonstrated potential to improve root growth and increase both the yield and quality of soybean crops, making it a sustainable and low-cost strategy.

Introdução: As complicações vasculares, urológicas e clínicas podem ocorrer em pacientes submetidos ao transplante renal. Diversos fatores podem influenciar a ocorrência desses eventos, frequentemente demandando reinternações hospitalares. Os serviços de transplantes geralmente se encontram em grandes centros urbanos. No sul do estado de Minas Gerais (MG), há uma cidade com população menor que 100 mil habitantes que dispõe de serviço de transplante. Não há disponível na literatura a prevalência de complicações pós-operatórias em pacientes operados em pequenos centros populacionais. Objetivos: O objetivo do estudo foi descrever as complicações pós-operatórias de pacientes submetidos ao transplante renal em serviço de uma pequena cidade do sul de MG. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo e descritivo. Utilizaram-se os prontuários digitalizados de pacientes submetidos ao transplante renal (n = 55) no período de 2015 a 2020. Resultados: Dos 55 pacientes analisados, 28 (50,9%) estavam na faixa etária de 40 a 59 anos. A maioria era de indivíduos brancos [41 (74,5%)]. A principal etiologia da doença renal crônica foi de caráter indeterminado (40%). As complicações ocorreram em 61,8% dos pacientes, sendo a maioria de causa cirúrgica (52,9%), especialmente de origem vascular. Não houve diferença significativa na taxa de complicações em relação às variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas (p > 0,05), exceto quanto à variável hemodiálise (p < 0,001). Conclusão: As complicações cirúrgicas vasculares apresentaram maior prevalência no pós-operatório de pacientes submetidos ao transplante renal em serviço situado em pequena cidade do sul de MG.

Introdução: O presente estudo visa descrever as condições de saúde mental mais prevalentes na população de rua em um grande centro urbano brasileiro. Objetivo: Descrever as condições de saúde mental mais prevalentes na população de moradores de rua em um grande centro urbano brasileiro. Métodos: Este é um estudo transversal realizado nas regiões centrais e periferias da cidade de São Paulo (SP), Brasil. Para a descrição dos transtornos psiquiátricos utilizamos o Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) para sintomas depressivos, item 9 do Inventário de Depressão de Beck para ideação suicida, pergunta autorreferida para uso de álcool e drogas ilícitas e item 3 do PHQ-9 para qualidade do sono. Resultados: A média de idade dos participantes foi de 44,54 (desvio padrão — DP=12,63) anos, e a maioria era do sexo masculino (n=342; 75%). Quanto à frequência de transtornos psiquiátricos identificados, 49,6% (n=226) dos participantes apresentaram sintomas depressivos, 29,8% (n=136) exibiram ideação suicida, 55,7% (n=254) informaram uso de álcool semanalmente, 34,2% (n=156) informaram usar drogas ilícitas semanalmente e 62,3% (n=284) tinham problemas com sono. Conclusões: A prevalência de condições que afetam a saúde mental entre os participantes é alta. Estes resultados poderão auxiliar profissionais de saúde na elaboração de estratégias de prevenção e tratamento nessa população, pouco estudada.

IntroductionIn recent decades, Caribbean coral reefs have lost many vital marine species due to diseases. The well-documented mass mortality event of the long-spined black sea urchin Diadema antillarum in the early 1980s stands out among these collapses. This die-off killed over 90% of D. antillarum changing the reefscape from coral to algal-dominated. Nearly 40 years later, D. antillarum populations have yet to recover. In early 2022, a new mortality event of D. antillarum was reported along the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico.MethodsThis study identifies the gut microbiota changes associated with the D. antillarum during this mortality event. It contrasts them with the bacterial composition of gut samples from healthy individuals collected in 2019 by using 16S rRNA sequencing analyses.ResultsNotably, the die-off group’s core microbiome resembled bacteria commonly found in the human skin and gut, suggesting potential anthropogenic contamination and wastewater pollution as contributing factors to the 2022 dysbiosis. The animals collected in 2022, especially those with signs of disease, lacked keystone taxa normally found in Diadema including Photobacterium and Propionigenium.DiscussionThe association between human microbes and disease stages in the long-spined urchin D. antillarum, especially in relation to anthropogenic contamination, highlights a complex interplay between environmental stressors and marine health. While these microbes might not be the direct cause of death in this species of sea urchins, their presence and proliferation can indicate underlying issues, such as immune depletion due to pollution, habitat destruction, or climate change, that ultimately compromise the health of these marine organisms.

Gut microbial communities are shaped by a myriad of extrinsic factors, including diet and the environment. Although distinct human populations consistently exhibit different gut microbiome compositions, variation in diet and environmental factors are almost always coupled, making it difficult to disentangle their relative contributions to shaping the gut microbiota. Data from discrete animal populations with similar diets can help reduce confounds. Here, we assessed the gut microbiota of free-ranging and captive rhesus macaques with at least 80% diet similarity to test the hypothesis that hosts in difference environments will have different gut microbiomes despite a shared diet. Although we found that location was a significant predictor of gut microbial composition, the magnitude of observed differences was relatively small. These patterns suggest that a shared diet may limit the typical influence of environmental microbial exposure on the gut microbiota.

Cattle ranching is the largest driver of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. The rainforest-to-pasture conversion affects the methane cycle in upland soils, changing it from sink to source of atmospheric methane. However, it remains unknown if management practices could reduce the impact of land-use on methane cycling. In this work, we evaluated how pasture management can regulate the soil methane cycle either by maintaining continuous grass coverage on pasture soils, or by liming the soil to amend acidity. Methane fluxes from forest and pasture soils were evaluated in moisture-controlled greenhouse experiments with and without grass cover (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu) or liming. We also assessed changes in the soil microbial community structure of both bare (bulk) and rhizospheric pasture soils through high throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and quantified the methane cycling microbiota by their respective marker genes related to methane generation (mcrA) or oxidation (pmoA). The experiments used soils from eastern and western Amazonia, and concurrent field studies allowed us to confirm greenhouse data. The presence of a grass cover not only increased methane uptake by up to 35% in pasture soils, but also reduced the abundance of the methane-producing community. In the grass rhizosphere this reduction was up to 10-fold. Methane-producing archaea belonged to the genera Methanosarcina sp., Methanocella sp., Methanobacterium sp., and Rice Cluster I. Further, we showed that soil liming to increasing pH compromised the capacity of forest and pasture soils to be a sink for methane, and instead converted formerly methane-consuming forest soils to become methane sources in only 40-80 days. Liming reduced the relative abundance of Beijerinckiacea family in forest soils, which account for many known methanotrophs. Our results demonstrate that pasture management that maintains grass coverage can mitigate soil methane emissions, compared to bare (bulk) pasture soil.

Abstract Inadequate disposal of hazardous waste results risks to the environment and human health. Although the use of hazardous waste in new processes and/or products has received limited attention in the literature, there is still significant potential to be investigated. Reducing the usage of natural resources and waste management are important for sustainable practices during concrete production. This study investigated the mechanical and leaching behavior of paint booth waste (PBW) as a partial substitute (10, 20, 30 and 40%) of coarse aggregate in concrete mixtures for the manufacture of interlocking blocks. A sample of PBW used in this research differs from those in the literature due to its granulometry characterized by aggregates of different sizes. Concrete consistency, compressive strength, water absorption, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and leaching tests were carried out. The PBW did not influence the consistency in the fresh state of the concrete. The blocks with smaller substitutions (10 and 20%) presented denser structures and with greater strengths, surpassing 35 MPa after 28 days. Higher levels of PBW resulted in more porous concrete blocks with greater water absorption. The concrete-PBW mixtures showed no metal toxicity, i.e., the incorporation of this waste in the construction material avoided metal leaching. Concrete blocks with up to 20% PBW demonstrated satisfactory mechanical and environmental performance.

Carbon cycling in the Amazon fundamentally depends on the functioning of ecosystems and atmospheric dynamics, which are highly intricate. Few studies have hitherto investigated or measured the radiative effects of aerosols on the Amazon and Cerrado. This study examines the effects of atmospheric aerosols on solar radiation and their effects on net ecosystem exchange (NEE) in an area of semideciduous tropical forest in the north of Mato Grosso. Our results show that for a relative irradiance (f) 1.10–0.67, a decrease in incident solar radiation is associated with a reduction in the NEE. However, an average increase of 25 %–110 % in NEE was observed when pollution levels and aerosol optical depth (AOD) were above ≈ 1.25 and f < 0.5. The increase NEE was attributed to the increase of up to 60 % in the diffuse fraction of photosynthetically active radiation. The change in AOD and f was mainly attributable to biomass burning organic aerosols from fires. Important influences on vapor pressure deficit (VPD) as well as air temperature (Tair) and canopy (LCT), induced by the interaction between solar radiation and high aerosol load in the observation area, were also noticed. On average, a cooling of about 3–4 ∘C was observed for Tair and LCT, and a decrease of up to 2–3 hPa was observed for VPD. Given the long-distance transport of aerosols emitted by burning biomass, significant changes in atmospheric optical properties and irradiance will impact the CO2 flux of semideciduous forests distributed in the region.

Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that adjunctive rosiglitazone treatment would reduce levels of circulating angiopoietin-2 (Angpt-2) and improve outcomes of Mozambican children with severe malaria. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of rosiglitazone vs placebo as adjunctive treatment to artesunate in children with severe malaria was conducted. A 0.045 mg/kg/dose of rosiglitazone or matching placebo were administered, in addition to standard of malaria care, twice a day for 4 days. The primary endpoint was the rate of decline of Angpt-2 over 96 hours. Secondary outcomes included the longitudinal dynamics of angiopoietin-1 (Angpt-1) and the Angpt-2/Angpt-1 ratio over 96 hours, parasite clearance kinetics, clinical outcomes, and safety metrics. Results: Overall, 180 children were enrolled; 91 were assigned to rosiglitazone and 89 to placebo. Children who received rosiglitazone had a steeper rate of decline of Angpt-2 over the first 96 hours of hospitalization compared to children who received placebo; however, the trend was not significant (P = 0.28). A similar non-significant trend was observed for Angpt-1 (P = 0.65) and the Angpt-2/Angpt-1 ratio (P = 0.34). All other secondary and safety outcomes were similar between groups (P >0.05). Conclusion: Adjunctive rosiglitazone at this dosage was safe and well tolerated but did not significantly affect the longitudinal kinetics of circulating Angpt-2.

A investigação busca responder: pelas percepções de professores e estudantes brasileiros de uma rede educacional privada, a sala de aula virtual e suas implicações estimularam o adensamento de experiências e episódios de ação, de modo a impactar a organização pessoal do tempo? A partir da teoria da Aceleração Social e por meio de um Survey inédito, com registros de validade e confiabilidade, objetiva indicar, em 25 estados brasileiros e no Distrito Federal, as percepções de 32.326 estudantes e 6.423 professores do 5.º ano do Ensino Fundamental ao 3.º ano do Ensino Médio acerca da organização pessoal do tempo no contexto da sala de aula virtual durante a pandemia da Covid-19. Categorizada como uma pesquisa emoldurada pela experimentação educacional, indicou que os participantes não adensaram episódios de ação ‒ portanto, não tiveram dificuldades quanto a organizar o tempo no contexto escolar pandêmico ‒ e mostrou algumas evidências de que o tempo da escola é diferente do tempo fora dela.

Both the Dualistic Model of Passion and Self-Determination Theory suggest that the persistence of a behaviour over time derives from the internalisation of the passion or motivation that the individual feels about the activity. However, the integration of these theoretical assumptions may lead to a better understanding of related outcomes, in particular on subjective well-being (SWB). In this context, this study aimed at systematically reviewing the relation between passion, behaviour regulation (i.e., self-determined motivation), and SWB in sport. The PRISMA 2020 protocol was used to guide the systematic review. Electronic searches were conducted in the Web of Science database and Pubmed. The following descriptors were used: SWB; passion; motivation; behavioural regulation; and sport. After the search, 12 studies were retrieved for analysis that show us the following results tendencies: harmonious passion (HP) and autonomous motivation (AM) (i.e., more self-determined forms of behaviour regulation) are positively related to SWB (i.e., life satisfaction and positive affect), while obsessive passion (OP) and controlled motivation (CM) (i.e., less self-determined forms of behaviour regulation) are negatively associated with SWB. However, no studies were found to simultaneously analyse the three theoretical constructs. These results show us the importance of developing conditions in sport contexts that promote positive feelings that take into account athletes’ development of harmonious passion and self-determined behaviour regulation, in order to achieve higher levels of well-being. Nevertheless, these results also lead us to the necessity for more studies to highlight the theoretical link between passion and motivation in the context of sport, especially regarding the mediating role of motivation in the relationship between passion and well-being.

Identifying and counting fish are crucial for managing stocking, harvesting, and marketing of farmed fish. Researchers have used convolutional networks for these tasks and explored various approaches to enhance network learning. Batch normalization is one technique that improves network stability and accuracy. This study aimed to evaluate machine learning for identifying and counting pirapitinga Piaractus brachypomus fry with different batch sizes. The researchers used one thousand photographic images of Pirapitinga fingerlings, labeled with bounding boxes. They trained the adapted convolutional network model with batch normalization layers added at the end of each convolution block. They set the training to one hundred and fifty epochs and tested batch sizes of 5, 10, and 20. Furthermore, they measured network performance using precision, recall, and mAP@0.5. Models with smaller batch sizes performed less effectively. The training with a batch size of 20 achieved the best performance, with a precision of 96.74%, recall of 95.48%, mAP@0.5 of 97.08%, and accuracy of 98%. This indicates that larger batch sizes improve accuracy in detecting and counting pirapitinga fry across different fish densities.

Due to the rising prevalence of polypharmacy, pharmacists face more challenges in ensuring patient safety and optimizing medication management. This paper introduces PharmiTech, a Clinical Decision Support System that leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tackle the growing need for efficient tools to assist pharmacists. The primary focus of the tool is to identify possible herb-drug interactions and instances of prescription drug abuse, combining an expert knowledge base with a supervised classification model and providing user-friendly alerts to pharmacists. To demonstrate the capabilities of the developed tool, this paper presents its functionalities through a case study involving simulated scenarios using de-identified information to maintain the confidentiality of real patients’ personal data. Tested in Portuguese pharmacies, PharmiTech enhances pharmaceutical care, safeguards patient data, and aids pharmacists in informed decision-making, making it a valuable resource for healthcare professionals.

High-throughput omics technologies have dramatically changed biological research, providing unprecedented insights into the complexity of living systems. This review presents a comprehensive examination of the current landscape of high-throughput omics pipelines, covering key technologies, data integration techniques and their diverse applications. It looks at advances in next-generation sequencing, mass spectrometry and microarray platforms and highlights their contribution to data volume and precision. In addition, this review looks at the critical role of bioinformatics tools and statistical methods in managing the large datasets generated by these technologies. By integrating multi-omics data, researchers can gain a holistic understanding of biological systems, leading to the identification of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets, particularly in complex diseases such as cancer. The review also looks at the integration of omics data into electronic health records (EHRs) and the potential for cloud computing and big data analytics to improve data storage, analysis and sharing. Despite significant advances, there are still challenges such as data complexity, technical limitations and ethical issues. Future directions include the development of more sophisticated computational tools and the application of advanced machine learning techniques, which are critical for addressing the complexity and heterogeneity of omics datasets. This review aims to serve as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners, highlighting the transformative potential of high-throughput omics technologies in advancing personalized medicine and improving clinical outcomes.

The gut microbiota is one of the most critical factors in human health. It involves numerous physiological processes impacting host health, mainly via immune system modulation. A balanced microbiome contributes to the gut’s barrier function, preventing the invasion of pathogens and maintaining the integrity of the gut lining. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance in the gut microbiome’s composition and function, disrupts essential processes and contributes to various diseases. This narrative review summarizes key findings related to the gut microbiota in modern multifactorial inflammatory conditions such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. It addresses the challenges posed by antibiotic-driven dysbiosis, particularly in the context of C. difficile infections, and the development of novel therapies like fecal microbiota transplantation and biotherapeutic drugs to combat these infections. An emphasis is given to restoration of the healthy gut microbiome through dietary interventions, probiotics, prebiotics, and novel approaches for managing gut-related diseases.

Globally, the increasing cost of university education, growing student enrolments and weak economic of nations have caused a reduction in public funding for university education. This decline in public funding seems to have increased tuition fees, caused deterioration of infrastructure, thereby affecting student access to university education. In the Global South particularly, Ghana and South Africa, there is the quest for universities to widen access. This is as a result of the perceived association of the activities of universities to socio-economic development. However, funds allocated by these governments to the sector is woefully inadequate. The study reveals that public universities in South Africa and Ghana rely on alternative sources such as fees of international students and non-traditional learners to enhance their fiscal strength but this seems inadequate owing to the financial strain that comes with the growth in domestic student numbers.

RESUMO Este trabalho investiga a relação entre enunciação aderente e objetos arquitetônicos, discutindo os efeitos de sentido depreendidos pelos dispositivos discursivos de cenografia e ethos na arquitetura residencial paulistana. Com base nos princípios teóricos e metodológicos da análise do discurso e pesquisas na área da toponímia, é estruturada uma pesquisa de recorte geográfico com foco numa área central da cidade de São Paulo sujeita a diversas etapas de construção e em processo de transformação imobiliária crescente, com recorte temático-temporal definido pela afirmação da arquitetura moderna ao lançamento de novos imóveis na atualidade. Após considerações sobre os enunciados aderentes na paisagem urbana e a relação de aderência entre o enunciado e seu suporte, passa-se ao detalhamento do corpus delimitado para análise. Estabelecem-se, em seguida, os parâmetros de observação para o estudo dos enunciados aderentes, analisando-os e caracterizando-os de acordo com a área e a linguagem arquitetônica delimitada. Finalmente, as considerações sobre cenografia e relações interdiscursivas permitem concluir que os enunciados aderentes constituem um lugar privilegiado de observação da arquitetura, das transformações urbanas e dos discursos sobre tais transformações, na área central da cidade de São Paulo.

Introduction Depression is a major concern among homeless individuals. Studies link religiosity and spirituality (RS) with lesser depressive symptoms, but evidence is scarce among the homeless. Objectives This study aims to assess the association between RS and depressive symptoms in homeless individuals in Brazil. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 456 homeless individuals in São Paulo, Brazil. It received approval from the Ethics and Research Committee of the Faculty of Medicine of Itajubá, Brazil. We used adjusted linear regression models to analyze the association between RS and participants’ depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). We used the P-DUREL to measure religiosity, FACIT-Sp12 for spirituality, and the Brief-RCOPE scale for religious-spiritual coping strategies. Results Out of 482 invited participants, 456 (94.6%) completed all questionaries, mostly males (75%) with an average age of 44.53 (SD 12.62) years. About 49.6% had depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥10 points). After controlling for sociodemographic and health variables, factors such as temple/church attendance (≥ 3 times per month), increased religiousness (both organizational and intrinsic), positive religious/spiritual coping, and peace, faith and meaning were inversely related to depressive symptoms. Conversely, dysfunctional use of RS, such as in negative spiritual-religious coping strategies, correlated with heightened depressive symptoms. Conclusions High depressive symptom prevalence was found among Brazilian homeless individuals. Functional use of RS was negatively linked to depressive symptoms, while dysfunctional RS, like negative spiritual-religious coping strategies, correlated with higher depressive symptoms. These findings can aid healthcare professionals, particularly psychologists and psychiatrists, in addressing RS in the homeless population. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Introduction Alcohol and illicit drug use are highly prevalent among the homeless population. Religiosity and spirituality (RS) have been widely associated with lower substance use. However, evidence of this relationship among the homeless is still scarce. Objectives To assess the association between RS and the use of alcohol and illicit drugs among the homeless population of a large Brazilian urban center. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in São Paulo, Brazil. Aspects such as spirituality (FACIT-Sp12), religiosity (P-DUREL), religious-spiritual coping (Brief-RCOPE), and self-applied questions about current substance use (alcohol and illicit drugs) were evaluated. Adjusted Logistic Regression models were performed. Results A total of 456 homeless individuals were included, with an average age of 44.5 (SD=12.6) years. More than half of the participants used alcohol (55.7%) weekly and 34.2% used illicit drugs weekly. The adjusted Logistic Regression models identified that aspects of RS were associated with a lower propensity for alcohol and illicit drug use, whereas negative religious-spiritual coping strategies were associated with a higher propensity for the use of both. Conclusions The prevalence of alcohol and illicit drug use among participants was high. Positive RS and religious-spiritual coping were significant protective factors against the use of these substances. Conversely, negative religious-spiritual coping strategies were associated with risk factors. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

O artigo compara três casos em que houve uma Justiça de Transição negociada: Chile, África do Sul e Brasil. Quais são as diferenças e semelhanças entre eles? O que eles podem nos ensinar particularmente sobre o caso brasileiro? Argumentamos que o fato de a justiça transicional brasileira ter sido negociada não explica inteiramente o chamado esquecimento do país em relação à ditadura, defendendo uma análise que vá além de fatores envolvendo a punição dos responsáveis. Sublinhamos a importância da instalação de comissões da verdade logo após o fim das ditaduras, como meio de formulação de um trauma cultural, o que ocorreu tardiamente no caso brasileiro.

La viande de volaille et les œufs sont des sources principales de protéines animales pour l'alimentation humaine dans le monde. Leur production a augmenté rapidement au cours des dernières décennies. Cependant, les productions avicoles sont vulnérables au changement climatique, en particulier au réchauffement de la planète et à ses conséquences directes et indirectes. Pour y faire face, il est nécessaire de mettre en place des stratégies d'adaptation des animaux, en particulier en améliorant leur résilience. Ces stratégies nécessitent d’une part de mieux comprendre la physiologie des oiseaux (thermorégulation, efficacité pour la production de viande et d'œufs…) et d’autre part de rechercher des innovations en lien avec la nutrition, la santé, la reprogrammation précoce ou encore la génétique (intégration de nouveaux caractères adaptatifs dans les stratégies de sélection). Il faut également trouver des solutions au niveau des systèmes de production, par exemple en prenant en compte les aires de répartition géographique des maladies liées au changement climatique et en introduisant des pratiques d'atténuation pour réduire les consommations d'énergie et les émissions de gaz à effet de serre. Des recherches interdisciplinaires axées sur la génétique, les méthodes techniques (telles que la programmation thermique précoce), les solutions d'ingénierie, des innovations nutritionnelles et de nouvelles stratégies d'élevage agroécologiques sont ainsi développées. Ces stratégies tiennent compte de la demande sociale croissante en faveur de productions animales éthiques dans les perspectives d’une seule santé (« One Health ») et d’un seul bien-être (« One Welfare ») et visent à limiter la concurrence entre l'homme et les animaux pour les ressources alimentaires. Cette revue illustre par quelques exemples les leviers d'amélioration et de stratégies adaptatives envisageables pour rendre les animaux et les systèmes de production avicole plus résilients dans le contexte du changement climatique.

Introduction/Justification: Glioblastomas (GBM) constitute the most prevalent malignant primary tumor in adults and rank as the third most frequent tumors in the central nervous system. The predominant alteration observed in GBM is associated with the tyrosine-kinase pathway, facilitating the connection of growth factors to receptors. Notably, in GBM the overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) has opened new treatment perspectives, including molecular targeted therapies, with peptides taking center stage. Recently, radiolabeled peptides with high affinity for EGFr have been employed as potential agents for molecular imaging or targeted radionuclide therapy as anti-tumor agents. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the interaction between [131I]I-DEDEYFELV peptide and human glioblastoma cells (U-87 MG), as well as with GBM tissue. Materiais e Métodos: The DEDEYFELV peptide was synthesized through solid-phase peptide synthesis using the Fmoc/tBut strategy. Peptide cleavage from the resin was performed using a mixture containing a high concentration of trifluoroacetic acid (reagent K). Subsequently, the peptides underwent a characterization and purification process employing high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry. The U-87 MG cell line was cultured in supplemented DMEM F-12 medium at 37°C and 5% CO2 until reaching 90% confluence. The neoplastic tissue was surgically removed, histopathologically analyzed, and preserved at -80°C, with its homogenate prepared using PBS buffer (pH 7.4) at 10 mg of tissue/mL. The DEDEYFELV (20 nmol) was radiolabeled with the [131I]NaI radionuclide (18.5 MBq), using the chloramine-T method. The radiochemical yield of the [131I]I-DEDEYFELV was carried out by on Whatmann 3MM strips using 95% MeOH / 5% H2O as eluent. Binding and internalization studies of the [131I]I-DEDEYFELV with tumorigenic cells (U-87 MG) and neoplastic tissue homogenate were evaluated at 1 and 3 h of incubation and measured in an automatic gamma counter. Results: The DEDEYFELV peptide was efficiently synthesized and characterized, with yield of approximately 92%. Chromatographic analyzes obtained by HPLC confirmed that the entire synthesis, cleavage, and characterization process of peptides were performed efficiently, as evidenced by the presence of only a single peak corresponding to the synthesized peptide with molecular mass of 1158.18 g/mol. The radiolabeling process was successful obtained with radiochemical yield > 95%. Binding and internalization studies of the [131I]I-DEDEYFELV conducted with U-87 MG cells showed values of 15.90% ± 1.67 and 54.57% ± 0.90 (n = 5), respectively. On the other hand, the binding percentage of 12.45% ± 0.90 and internalization of 28.41% ± 3.15 (n = 5) were achieved with neoplastic tissue homogenate within a 3-hour period. Conclusion: The proposed peptide was efficiently synthesized, and radiolabeling studies with [131I]NaI exhibited a high radiochemical yield. Binding and internalization studies revealed that the [131I]I-DEDEYFELV peptide has a good affinity for both U-87 MG and neoplastic tissue homogenate, demonstrating higher internalization of [131I]I-DEDEYFELV in human glioblastoma cells. Nevertheless, it is crucial to emphasize that additional in vivo investigations are necessary.

Introduction: Fungi usually are resistant to disinfection and has pathogenic potential; however, they are not legally controlled in hemodialysis water (HW). Objective: Filamentous fungi (FF) were evaluated in HW from a tertiary hospital in southeast of São Paulo state (Brazil) and is a reference medical center providing service to millions of people every year. Method: A total of 84 water samples were collected in seven hydraulic system points during a period of one year and FF was identified by macroscopic and microscopic features. Results: FF were detected in all points ranging from 1 to 334 CFU/100 mL. Nine genera along the hydraulic system were identified, including Acremonium, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Beltrania, Bipolaris, Cladosporium, Exophiala, Fusarium, and Penicillium. Conclusions: Most fungi are ubiquitous and some cause human infection and mycotoxins producers. The various genera found reveal possible failures in treatment and distribution system, either through inadequate hygiene practices or infusion of these microorganisms into the pipes. FF detection is needed bearing mind immunological vulnerability of patients under hemodialysis treatment requiring continuous health surveillance actions.