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BACKGROUND: There are different types of exercises, but the circuit weight training is less prescribed for the elderly in order to corroborate the control of glycaemia and hypertension. OBJECTIVE: To compare the acute and chronic effects of circuit weight training or walking exercises on capillary glucose, physical fitness, and arterial blood pressure of the elderly women. METHODS: Twelve weeks of circuit weight (n = 14) or walking (n = 9) were performed 3 times a week at the intensity of 40 to 60% heart rate, 11 to 13 in the Borg Scale. The elderly patients with medicated hypertension and diabetes (users of ß-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and oral hypoglycemic) were selected. RESULTS: The capillary glucose decreased in both groups in acute and chronic effects of exercise (p ≤ 0.05). The systolic blood pressure increased in acute moment only in the circuit weight (+6 mmHg, p ≤ 0.05) without differences in the diastolic blood pressure. The right handgrip, the balance of right and left legs, the sitting and standing test were improved in walking (p ≤ 0.05), and flexibility in circuit weight (p ≤ 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the left handgrip, subscapularis, lumbar back, and abdominal circumference, three-meters walking under line. There was no difference in the comparison between groups. CONCLUSION: The two types of exercises improve metabolic rehabilitation. Only 12 weeks of the circuit weight training seems to be a short period to induce higher physical performance in elderly women.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the major cause of premature death and disability; effective cardiovascular (CV) risk prevention is fundamental. The World Heart Federation (WHF) Cholesterol Roadmap provides a framework for national policy development and aims to achieve ASCVD prevention.At the invitation of the WHF, a group of experts from the Portuguese Society of Cardiology (SPC), addressed the cholesterol burden at nationally and discussed possible strategies to include in a Portuguese cholesterol roadmap. The literature review showed that the cholesterol burden in Portugal is high and especially uncontrolled in those with the highest CV risk. An infographic scorecard was built to include in the WHF collection, for a clear idea about CV risk and cholesterol burden in Portugal, which would also be useful for health policy advocacy.The expert discussion and preventive strategies proposal followed the five pillars of the WHF document: awareness improvement; population-based approaches for CV risk and cholesterol; risk assessment/population screening; system-level approaches; surveillance of cholesterol and ASCVD outcomes. These strategies were debated by all the expert participants, with the goal of creating a national cholesterol roadmap to be used for advocacy and as a guide for CV prevention.Several key recommendations were outlined: include all stakeholders in a multidisciplinary national program; create a structured activities plan to increase awareness in the population; improve the quality of continuous CV health education; increase the interaction between different health professionals and non-health professionals; increment the referral of patients to cardiac rehabilitation; screen cholesterol levels in the general population, especially high-risk groups; promote patient self-care, engage with patients’ associations; use specific social networks to spread information widely; create a national database of cholesterol levels with systematic registry of CV events; redefine strategies based on the evaluation of results; create and involve more patients’ associations – invert the pyramid order.In conclusion, ASCVD and the cholesterol burden remain a strong global issue in Portugal, requiring the involvement of multiple stakeholders in prevention. The Portuguese cholesterol roadmap can provide some solutions to help urgently mitigate the problem. Population-based approaches to improve awareness and CV risk assessment and surveillance of cholesterol and ASCVD outcomes are key factors in this change. A call to action is clearly needed to fight hypercholesterolemia and ASCVD burden. Resumo: A doença aterosclerótica cardiovascular (DACV) mantém-se a maior causa de morte prematura e de incapacidade, sendo uma prevenção eficaz de risco cardiovascular (CV) fundamental. O WHF Cholesterol Roadmap fornece enquadramento para o desenvolvimento de políticas nacionais, tendo como objetivo a prevenção de DACV. A convite da WHF, um grupo de peritos da Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia (SPC) avaliou a carga do colesterol a nível nacional e discutiu possíveis estratégias para um Roadmap português.A revisão da literatura mostrou uma carga elevada de colesterol em Portugal, sobretudo em pessoas de alto risco CV. Uma infografia, Scorecard, foi construída pela WHF, para mostrar claramente o risco CV e o peso do colesterol em Portugal, sendo útil para advocacia em políticas de saúde.A discussão de peritos e proposta das estratégias preventivas seguiram os cinco pilares do documento da WHF: Melhoria da consciencialização; Abordagens do risco CV e do colesterol nas populações; Avaliação de risco/screening das populações; abordagens a nível do sistema; Seguimento do colesterol e complicações da DACV.Várias recomendações chave foram definidas: incluir todos os stakeholders em programa multidisciplinar nacional; criar plano de atividades estruturadas para aumentar a consciencialização da população; aumentar qualidade da educação contínua em saúde CV; aumentar interação entre profissionais de saúde e outros profissionais; aumentar referenciação de doentes para reabilitação cardiovascular; avaliar níveis de colesterol na população geral, especialmente em alto risco; promover autocuidado dos doentes, envolvendo associações de doentes; usar redes sociais específicas para disseminar informação; criar base nacional de níveis de colesterol com registo sistemático de eventos CV; redefinir estratégias baseadas na avaliação de resultados; criar e envolver mais doentes em associações – inverter a ordem da pirâmide!Em conclusão, a DACV e o peso de colesterol permanecem uma questão global forte em Portugal, necessitando o envolvimento de múltiplos stakeholders na prevenção. O Roadmap de colesterol português pode fornecer algumas soluções para urgentemente mitigar o problema. Abordagens a nível das populações para melhorar a consciencialização e avaliar o risco CV, seguimento do colesterol e das complicações de DACV são fatores chave nesta mudança. Uma call to action é claramente necessária para combater a carga da hipercolesterolemia e DACV.

Abstract Background Cutaneous melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, responsible for most skin cancer-related deaths. Recent advances in artificial intelligence, jointly with the availability of public dermoscopy image datasets, have allowed to assist dermatologists in melanoma identification. While image feature extraction holds potential for melanoma detection, it often leads to high-dimensional data. Furthermore, most image datasets present the class imbalance problem, where a few classes have numerous samples, whereas others are under-represented. Methods In this paper, we propose to combine ensemble feature selection (FS) methods and data augmentation with the conditional tabular generative adversarial networks (CTGAN) to enhance melanoma identification in imbalanced datasets. We employed dermoscopy images from two public datasets, PH2 and Derm7pt, which contain melanoma and not-melanoma lesions. To capture intrinsic information from skin lesions, we conduct two feature extraction (FE) approaches, including handcrafted and embedding features. For the former, color, geometric and first-, second-, and higher-order texture features were extracted, whereas for the latter, embeddings were obtained using ResNet-based models. To alleviate the high-dimensionality in the FE, ensemble FS with filter methods were used and evaluated. For data augmentation, we conducted a progressive analysis of the imbalance ratio (IR), related to the amount of synthetic samples created, and evaluated the impact on the predictive results. To gain interpretability on predictive models, we used SHAP, bootstrap resampling statistical tests and UMAP visualizations. Results The combination of ensemble FS, CTGAN, and linear models achieved the best predictive results, achieving AUCROC values of 87% (with support vector machine and IR=0.9) and 76% (with LASSO and IR=1.0) for the PH2 and Derm7pt, respectively. We also identified that melanoma lesions were mainly characterized by features related to color, while not-melanoma lesions were characterized by texture features. Conclusions Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of ensemble FS and synthetic data in the development of models that accurately identify melanoma. This research advances skin lesion analysis, contributing to both melanoma detection and the interpretation of main features for its identification.

Tourism is critical in driving socioeconomic progress, particularly in regions like Africa. Despite its growth trajectory, Africa must catch up to other continents in tourism development. Nonetheless, the sector holds immense potential to advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the extent to which tourism impacts SDGs, especially concerning labour market dynamics such as access to resources, decent work, and gender equality, remains underexplored at a global level and within the context of the global South. This paper addresses this gap by analysing statistical indicators and employing a cluster analysis to categorise these countries based on tourism's significance in the labour market, decent work and gender equality. The results reveal three different clusters with distinct levels of reliance on tourism, job creation, and achievement of decent work for all. There are also challenges in gender equality and suboptimal youth employment. Through this exploration, the paper contributes to a deeper understanding of how tourism intersects with sustainable development imperatives, particularly in the context of labour dynamics and gender equality in Africa.

Abstract Background The presence of potato cyst nematodes (PCN) causes a significant risk to potato crops globally, leading to reduced yields and economic losses. While the plant Solanum sisymbriifolium is known for its resistance to PCN and can be used as a trap crop, the molecular mechanisms behind this resistance remain poorly understood. In this study, genes differentially expressed were identified in control and infected plants during the early stages of the S. sisymbriifolium - G. pallida interaction. Results Gene expression profiles were characterized for two S. sisymbriifolium cultivars, Melody and Sis6001, uninfected and infected by G. pallida. The comparative transcriptome analysis revealed a total of 4,087 and 2,043 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to nematode infection in the cultivars Melody and Sis6001, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis provided insights into the response of the plant to nematode infection, indicating an activation of the plant metabolism, oxidative stress leading to defence mechanism activation, and modification of the plant cell wall. Genes associated with the jasmonic and salicylic acid pathways were also found to be differentially expressed, suggesting their involvement in the plant’s defence response. In addition, the analysis of NBS-LRR domain-containing transcripts that play an important role in hypersensitive response and programmed cell death led to the identification of ten transcripts that had no annotations from the databases, with emphasis on TRINITY_DN52667_C1_G1, found to be upregulated in both cultivars. Conclusions These findings represent an important step towards understanding the molecular basis underlying plant resistance to nematodes and facilitating the development of more effective control strategies against PCN.

Abstract Background African mahogany species (Khaya sp.) have been introduced to Brazil gaining increasing economic interest over the last years, as they produce high quality wood for industrial applications. To this date, however, the knowledge available on the genetic basis of African mahogany plantations in Brazil is limited, which has driven this study to examine the extent of genetic diversity and structure of three cultivated species (Khaya grandifoliola, Khaya senegalensis and Khaya ivorensis) and their prospects for forest breeding. Results In total, 115 individuals were genotyped (48 of K. grandifoliola, 34 of K. senegalensis and 33 of K. ivorensis) for 3,330 filtered neutral loci obtained from genotyping-by-sequencing for the three species. The number of SNPs varied from 2,951 in K. ivorensis to 4,754 in K. senegalensis. Multiloci clustering, principal component analysis, Bayesian structure and network analyses showed a clear genetic separation among the three species. Structure analysis also showed internal structure within each species, highlighting genetic subgroups that could be sampled for selecting distinct genotypes for further breeding, although the genetic distances are moderate to low. Conclusion In our study, SNP markers efficiently assessed the genomic diversity of African mahogany forest plantations in Brazil. Our genetic data clearly separated the three Khaya species. Moreover, pairwise estimates of genetic distances among individuals within each species showed considerable genetic divergence among individuals. By genotyping 115 pre-selected individuals with desirable growth traits, allowed us not only to recommend superior genotypes but also to identify genetically distinct individuals for use in breeding crosses.

Abstract Background The invasive pest Spotted-Wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), causes extensive damage and production losses of soft-skinned fruits. Native to Asia, the species has now spread worldwide, with first reports in Portugal in 2012. In this study, we focus on the genomic signatures of the recent Portuguese invasion, in the context of worldwide patterns established in previous works. We analyzed whole genome pool sequencing data from three Portuguese populations (N = 240) sampled in 2019 and 2021. Results The correlation of allele frequencies suggested that Portuguese populations are related to South European ones, indicating a Mediterranean invasion route. While two populations exhibited levels of genetic variation comparable to others in the invasive range, a third showed low levels of genetic diversity, which may result from a recent colonization of the region. Genome-wide analyses of natural selection identified ten genes previously associated with D. suzukii’s invasive capacity, which may have contributed to the species’ success in Portugal. Additionally, we pinpointed six genes evolving under positive selection across Portuguese populations but not in European ones, which is indicative of local adaptation. One of these genes, nAChRalpha7, encodes a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, which are known targets for insecticides widely used for D. suzukii control, such as neonicotinoids and spinosyns. Although spinosyn resistance has been associated with mutations in the nAChRalpha6 in other Drosophila species, the putative role of nAChRalpha7 in insecticide resistance and local adaptation in Portuguese D. suzukii populations encourages future investigation. Conclusions Our results highlight the complex nature of rapid species invasions and the role of rapid local adaptation in determining the invasive capacity of these species.

Abstract Ichthyoplankton monitoring is crucial for stock assessments, offering insights into spawning grounds, stock size, seasons, recruitment, and changes in regional ichthyofauna. This study evaluates the efficiency of multi-marker DNA metabarcoding using mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA gene markers, in comparison to morphology-based methods for fish species identification in ichthyoplankton samples. Two transects with four coastal distance categories were sampled along the southern coast of Portugal, being each sample divided for molecular and morphological analyses. A total of 76 fish species were identified by both approaches, with DNA metabarcoding overperforming morphology—75 versus 11 species-level identifications. Linking species-level DNA identifications with higher taxonomic morphological identifications resolved several uncertainties associated with traditional methods. Multi-marker DNA metabarcoding improved fish species detection by 20–36% compared to using a single marker/amplicon, and identified 38 species in common, reinforcing the validity of our results. PERMANOVA analysis revealed significant differences in species communities based on the primer set employed, transect location, and distance from the coast. Our findings underscore the potential of DNA metabarcoding to assess ichthyoplankton diversity and suggest that its integration into routine surveys could enhance the accuracy and comprehensiveness of fish stock assessments.

O mito Robin Hood existe há mais de seiscentos anos, espalhando-se pelo mundo por meio da cultura medieval inglesa. Medievais ou modernas, as referências de Robin Hood têm o mesmo foco: a resistência de princípios à autoridade ilícita: laica ou eclesiástica. A balada The Gest of Robin Hode (1510-1515) é uma das referências mais antigas do herói ela reúne um conjunto de suas aventuras que dá a sensação de que os seus feitos estão sendo narrados, além disso, há uma xilogravura de um arqueiro na primeira página da balada que materializa essa criação mental de Robin Hood. Nessa perspectiva, o objetivo da pesquisa é analisar a construção do personagem Robin Hood na mentalidade popular por meio da balada The Gest of Robyn Hode e a sua materialização na xilogravura Here begynne a Gest of Robyn Hode (1510-1515). O estudo foi desenvolvido por meio de duas etapas, o estudo bibliográfico e imagético. A pesquisa bibliográfica permite conhecer e analisar referenciais teóricos já elaborados e, a análise iconográfica segue a metodologia de Martine Joly (2007), a qual refere-se a análise dos signos icônicos, plásticos e linguísticos. Desse modo, a pesquisa possibilitará ampliar o conhecimento sobre Robin Hood, bem como o entendimento das questões políticas, sociais e educacionais do período.

Resumo As secas podem acarretar crise hídrica, que pode afetar a produção de alimento e causar impactos socioambientais. Esta pesquisa objetiva analisar o comportamento das secas meteorológica e hidrológica por meio do emprego de índices de seca padronizados, calculados a partir de projeções climáticas dos cenários RCP4.5 e RCP8.5. Foram utilizados os índices SPI e SPEI para secas meteorológica e o SSFI para secas hidrológica, a partir de vazões simuladas pelos modelos hidrológicos SWAT e VIC. Para o clima presente (1961a 2005) os índices SPEI e SPI apresentaram resultados semelhantes com relação a eventos extremos de seca. Para o clima futuro (2005 a 2099) o SPI apresentou resultados semelhantes de seca quando considerado os cenários RCP4.5 e RCP8.5. O SPEI apresentou resultados mais divergentes quando considerado cada cenário. No clima futuro o SSFI simulou secas extremas para os cenários, RCP4.5 e RCP8.5. Levando em consideração o comportamento dos índices de seca para uma mesma escala de tempo, a seca meteorológica pode ter influenciado a seca hidrológica, gerando redução das vazões do rio quase simultaneamente devido à pequena área da bacia considerada. Estes resultados podem ser utilizados no planejamento de políticas e estratégias que visem minimizar os impactos das secas na região.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of body image accuracy/distortion in Brazilian men and women and to investigate sociodemographic and lifestyle-related factors, and the presence of chronic diseases associated with body image distortion.Methods: Data from 6,357 men and 7,657 women participating in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) were collected using a multidimensional questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, heath conditions and body image perception.Results: Most participants (53.5% of the women and 54.7% of the men) were found to have an accurate self-perception of their body. When the factors associated with the perception of being heavier than reality were investigated, adopting weight loss measures and not being hypertensive proved protective against this distortion, both in women and men. Conversely, the perception of being lighter than reality was associated, in both women and men, with better education, being black or of mixed race, adopting weight loss measures and not being hypertensive or diabetic. Additional factors associated with underestimating weight were not consuming alcohol (only in women) and belonging to a lower social class (only in men).Conclusion: These findings may contribute to the implementation of public health policies and interventions to promote health and well-being in the Brazilian population.

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) is an autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the ataxin-3 protein, which initiates a cascade of pathogenic events, including transcriptional dysregulation. Genotype-phenotype correlations in MJD are incomplete, suggesting an influence of additional factors, such as epigenetic modifications, underlying the MJD pathogenesis. DNA methylation is known to impact the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders through gene expression regulation and increased methylation has been reported for other SCAs. In this work we aimed to analyse global methylation in MJD carriers. Global 5-mC levels were quantified in blood samples of 33 MJD mutation carriers (patients and preclinical subjects) and 33 healthy controls, matched by age, sex, and smoking status. For a subset of 16 MJD subjects, a pilot follow-up analysis with two time points was also conducted. No differences were found in median global 5-mC levels between MJD mutation carriers and controls and no correlations between methylation levels and clinical or genetic variables were detected. Also, no alterations in global 5-mC levels were observed over time. Our findings do not support an increase in global blood methylation levels associated with MJD.

Chromoblastomycosis, an implantation mycosis, is a neglected tropical disease that causes decreased quality of life, stigma, and disability. The global burden of disease is unknown and data on disease epidemiology and outcomes are severely limited by a lack of access to needed diagnostic tools and therapeutics. The World Health Organization outlined targets for chromoblastomycosis in the Road Map for Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021-2030, but little progress has been made in initiating and implementing an effective control program globally. This lack of guiding policy and progress led to the recent formation of a Global Chromoblastomycosis Working Group which has developed a global chromoblastomycosis strategy. We describe this strategy, which outlines specific steps needed to improve technical progress, strategy and service delivery, and enablers. Clinicians, researchers, public and government officials, patients, and policy makers can align their time, expertise, and resources to improve the lives of communities affected by chromoblastomycosis through this strategy.

O objetivo desta investigação é apresentar a relevância da criação do Programa Stricto Sensu Profissional em Ensino de História, em rede nacional, para os professores do ensino público brasileiro. O Programa Nacional ProfHistória completa 10 anos em 2024 e abrange 23 estados brasileiros, com 39 universidades participantes. Para cumprir o objetivo da análise, um recorte foi realizado sobre o cenário geral de um dos ProfHistória, sediado pela Universidade Estadual do Paraná – Unespar – campus de Campo Mourão, região que abrange 25 municípios do Estado do Paraná. A justificativa do estudo está pautada na importância da disciplina de História para a formação humana e do professor saber trabalhar o ensino, agregando a teoria e a prática como elementos inseparáveis. Para fundamentar essas questões, faz-se uma retomada histórica da conscientização dos ensinos teórico e prático, unificados para a realização do aprendizado dos alunos.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignancy affecting women worldwide, including Portugal. While the majority of BC cases are sporadic, hereditary forms account for 5-10% of cases. The most common inherited mutations associated with BC are germline mutations in the BReast CAncer (BRCA) 1/2 gene (gBRCA1/2). They are found in approximately 5-6% of BC patients and are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, primarily affecting younger women. Pathogenic variants within BRCA1/2 genes elevate the risk of both breast and ovarian cancers and give rise to distinct clinical phenotypes. BRCA proteins play a key role in maintaining genome integrity by facilitating the repair of double-strand breaks through the homologous recombination (HR) pathway. Therefore, any mutation that impairs the function of BRCA proteins can result in the accumulation of DNA damage, genomic instability, and potentially contribute to cancer development and progression. Testing for gBRCA1/2 status is relevant for treatment planning, as it can provide insights into the likely response to therapy involving platinum-based chemotherapy and poly[adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribose] polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). The aim of this review was to investigate the impact of HR deficiency in BC, focusing on BRCA mutations and their impact on the modulation of responses to platinum and PARPi therapy, and to share the experience of Unidade Local de Saúde Santa Maria in the management of metastatic BC patients with DNA damage targeted therapy, including those with the Portuguese c.156_157insAlu BRCA2 founder mutation.

Abstract To investigate de effect of PAb gel on the bone tissue of rats submitted to Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (BRONJ). Initially, 54 animals were submitted to BRONJ model by Zoledronic Acid (ZA) (0.1 mg/kg 3x/wk for 9 wk, ip), followed by the 1st upper left molar extraction at the 8th wk. After tooth removal, the animals were divided into 3 groups, ZA that received placebo gel or PAb gel that received 1% PAb gel, inside the dental alveolus. The control Group (CONTROL) received 0.1 mg/kg of 0.9% saline and then placebo gel. Three weeks after tooth extraction, the animals were euthanized, and maxillae were colleted for macroscopic, radiographic, histological and Raman spectomery assays. Additionally, GSK3b, beta-catenin, and Runx2 mRNA expressions were determined. Blood samples were collected for the analysis of Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) levels. PAb gel improved mucosal healing, increased the number of viable osteocytes, while it reduced the number of empty lacunae, as well as the amount of bone sequestration. Furthermore, PAb gel positively influenced the number and functionality of osteoblasts by stimulating Wnt signaling, thereby inducing bone remodeling. Additionally, PAb gel contributed to improved bone quality, as evidenced by an increase in bone mineral content, a decrease in bone solubility, and an enhancement in the quality of collagen, particularly type I collagen. PAb gel mitigated bone necrosis by stimulating of bone remodeling through Wnt signaling and concurrently improved bone quality. PAb gel emerges as a promising pharmacological tool for aiding in BRONJ therapy or potentially preventing the development of BRONJ.

IntroductionBeing one of the “big three” most cultivated cereals in the world, wheat plays a crucial role in ensuring global food/nutrition security, supplying close to 20% of the global needs for calories and proteins. However, the increasingly large fluctuations between years in temperatures and precipitation due to climate change cause important variations in wheat production worldwide. This fact makes wheat breeding programs a tool that, far from going out of fashion, is becoming the most important solution to develop varieties that can provide humanity with the sufficient amount of food it demands without forgetting the objective of quality.Material and methodsThe National Institute of Agricultural and Veterinary Research in Portugal has carried out a long-term experiment (9 years) in different locations to test four different bread-making wheat cultivars, each representing important variations in germplasm. Wheat yield and quality traits obtained by official methods were recorded in 18 different environments regarding temperature and precipitation.Results and discussionAccording to the ANOVA and PCA, protein content, wet gluten, dough tenacity, and extensibility were found to be highly affected by the environment. Paiva cultivar presented a higher yield in almost all the tested environments, but its quality traits varied enormously. Contrary behavior was recorded for Valbona cultivar. Antequera cultivar, with a production ranging between 4.7 and 9.3 tons/ha and a protein content between 11 and 16.8%, seems to be the most resilient cultivar regarding both productivity and quality of the flour with reference to changes in the main climate traits. The most ancient cultivar, Roxo, released in 1996, showed the worst results in this experiment, supporting the need to continue working in wheat breeding to meet the unavoidable changes in the environment.

Since its onset, scholars have characterized social media as a valuable source for data collection since it presents several benefits (e.g. exploring research questions with hard-to-reach populations). Nonetheless, methods of online data collection are riddled with ethical and methodological challenges that researchers must consider if they want to adopt good practices when collecting and analyzing online data. Drawing from our primary research project, where we collected passive online data on Reddit, we explore and detail the steps that researchers must consider before collecting online data: (1) planning online data collection; (2) ethical considerations; and (3) data collection. We also discuss two atypical questions that researchers should also consider: (1) how to handle deleted user-generated content; and (2) how to quote user-generated content. Moving on from the dichotomous discussion between what is public and private data, we present recommendations for good practices when collecting and analyzing qualitative online data.

Introduction: Bloom syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by chromosomal instability caused by mutations in the BLM gene that increase the risk of developing neoplasia, particularly at an early age. Bloom syndrome is typically characterized by short stature, photosensitivity, telangiectatic erythema, learning difficulties, immunodeficiency, and malignancy. Case report: We report a case of an adolescent girl with short stature and recurrent infections, who does not present typical erythematous sun-sensitive skin lesions to the face and whose high-pitched voice led to the diagnosis of BS caused by a novel L753X mutation. Discussion: To date, she has not presented with any malignancy or characteristic malar rash.

The Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) is an instrument widely used to assess volunteers’ motivation based on the Functionalist Model of Omoto and Snyder. It assesses six factors that reflect several motivational functions. The VFI has been translated into various languages and validated in different cultural contexts, but some studies have reported different factor structures (e.g., five or four factors). In the Portuguese context, previous studies have also shown inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the VFI for Portuguese volunteers, testing several alternative models (nine models) using confirmatory factor analysis. The sample comprised 468 volunteers (76.3% women), aged from 13 to 81 years (M = 36.66, SD = 14.93). The results support the original interrelated six-factor model as the best-fitting one. The VFI showed good internal consistency and convergent validity. Significant correlations were found between the VFI factors, organizational commitment, and volunteers’ satisfaction. Overall, the six-factor VFI is a valid and reliable tool for measuring the motivational functions of Portuguese volunteers, with implications for practice and research in the volunteering field.

this text aims to reflect on the stories of six women victims of subalternity narrated in New Portuguese Letters, a novel written by the three Marias – Maria Isabel Barreno, Maria Teresa Horta and Maria Velho da Costa. The starting point is Cartas Portuguesas of Mariana Alcoforado, a portuguese nun who lived in the 17th century in Beja. The three Marias construct an innovative novel that dialogues with that of the nun, but while Cartas Portuguesas was edited in Paris, anonymously; New Portuguese Letters was published in Lisbon, in 1972, and present a declared collective authorship, but there is no identification on what each of the three Marias wrote. Each new “different letter” shows that female subalternity presents itself in different ways, which have in common the power used to inferiorize women and take away their freedom and self-esteem. This study is based in theorists such as Pierre Bourdieu (1999, 2001), Michelle Perrot (2005), Gayatri Spivak (2010) and Virginia Woolf (2014).

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and diabetes are the most prevalent NCDs, causing 1.9 and 1.5 million deaths yearly. Individuals diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are at high risk of developing CVDs. Machine learning (ML) models have provided outstanding results in different domains, including healthcare, allowing to obtain models with high predictive performance. The aim of this study was to develop an interpretable data-driven approach to predict the 10-year CVD risk for T1D older individuals, aiming to provide both reasonable predictive performance and the identification of risk factors associated with CVDs. Data from T1D individuals at the Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen were used. Different ML-based models were considered, including KNN, decision tree, random forest, and multilayer perceptron (MLP). To enhance the predictive performance of ML models, the conditional tabular generative adversarial network (CTGAN) was used to create synthetic data and increase the size of the training data. Several filter and wrapper feature selection (FS) techniques were considered for identifying the most relevant features involved in CVD risk and enhancing the performance of the ML-based models used. To gain interpretability on predictive models, we used the post-hoc methods: SHAP and accumulated local effects. The experimental results showed a great performance of FS and ML-based models for predicting CVD risk. In particular, the MLP obtained the best results, with a mean absolute error of 0.0088 and mean relative absolute error of 0.0817. Regarding risk factors, age, Hba1c, and albuminuria were identified as crucial in CVD risk prediction, which is in line with recent clinical evidence. Our study contributes to identifying CVD risk and associated risk factors in a data-driven manner, helping to make early interventions and adequate treatments to prevent CVDs.

Wildfire risk has been exacerbated across Europe by climate change favoring more damaging and severe wildfire events. This evolving wildfire risk context interacts with a broad landscape of EU policies including those on nature conservation, forestry, bioeconomy or climate and energy, all of which may increase or reduce fire hazard and the level of exposure and vulnerability of the values at risk. Coherently addressed, policies may support wildfire disaster risk management synergistically while reducing potential dysfunctions. This research conducts a content analysis of EU policies and initiatives under the European Green Deal with respect to integrated wildfire risk management and related nature-based solutions. The results show that a consistent EU policy framework to address wildfire risk reduction in a synergic way exists, with no major conflicts in the policy design. Nevertheless, better guidance on fire-smart land management practices and the conceptualization of wildfire-related nature-based solutions may enhance a more coherent policy implementation. Additional suggestions around the legal status of wildfire protection and ‘whole of government’ governance frameworks are discussed. Notably, within the laws, policies and initiatives analyzed, the beneficial side of fire addressed by integrated fire management is either missing or not explicitly mentioned, although it is considered in policy-related supporting guidelines.

Fire blight is a highly destructive plant disease that affects the pome fruit value chain, with high economic impacts. Its etiological agent is the Gram-negative bacterium Erwinia amylovora. The origin of fire blight goes back to the late 1700s in North America, and the disease since then has spread to New Zealand, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Due to its worldwide dissemination, advances have been made to identify and characterize E. amylovora strains from different regions and understand their evolutionary adaptation. Additionally, many efforts have been made in recent decades to stop the occurrence and impacts of fire blight, but in many countries, only preventive measures have been applied, as the application of antibiotics and copper-based compounds has become more restricted. Thus, new sustainable methods to control the pathogen are constantly required. This article presents a comprehensive review of the pathogen, from the phenotypic and molecular characterization methods applied to advances in comparative genomics and the development of new compounds for sustainable control of E. amylovora.

The olive tree is well adapted to the Mediterranean climate, but how orchards based on intensive practices will respond to increasing drought is unknown. This study aimed to determine if the application of a commercial biostimulant improves olive tolerance to drought. Potted plants (cultivars Arbequina and Galega) were pre-treated with an extract of Ascophyllum nodosum (four applications, 200 mL of 0.50 g/L extract per plant), and were then well irrigated (100% field capacity) or exposed to water deficit (50% field capacity) for 69 days. Plant height, photosynthesis, water status, pigments, lipophilic compounds, and the expression of stress protective genes (OeDHN1—protective proteins’ dehydrin; OePIP1.1—aquaporin; and OeHSP18.3—heat shock proteins) were analyzed. Water deficit negatively affected olive physiology, but the biostimulant mitigated these damages through the modulation of molecular and physiological processes according to the cultivar and irrigation. A. nodosum benefits were more expressive under water deficit, particularly in Galega, promoting height (increase of 15%) and photosynthesis (increase of 34%), modulating the stomatal aperture through the regulation of OePIP1.1 expression, and keeping OeDHN1 and OeHSP18.3 upregulated to strengthen stress protection. In both cultivars, biostimulant promoted carbohydrate accumulation and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE). Under good irrigation, biostimulant increased energy availability and iWUE in Galega. These data highlight the potential of this biostimulant to improve olive performance, providing higher tolerance to overcome climate change scenarios. The use of this biostimulant can improve the establishment of younger olive trees in the field, strengthen the plant’s capacity to withstand field stresses, and lead to higher growth and crop productivity.

Objetivo: Estimar os anos potenciais de vida perdidos por doenças do aparelho circulatório (DAC) de residentes no Recife, Pernambuco. Métodos: Estudo descritivo com abordagem quantitativa dos óbitos por DAC de residentes no Recife de 1 a 74 anos de idade, ocorridos em 2017. Os dados foram obtidos do Sistema de Informações sobre Mortalidade. Calcularam-se os anos potenciais de vida perdidos (APVP) e sua taxa. Resultados: No ano estudado, ocorreram 12.038 óbitos de residentes no Recife; destes, 1.363 (20,2%) foram por doença arterial coronariana. No sexo masculino, a taxa de APVP foi de 16,27 anos/1.000 habitantes. A faixa etária entre 60 e 64 anos apresentou maior taxa de APVP (53,20 anos/1.000 habitantes). O tipo de DAC que apresentou maiores APVP (9.853 anos) foram as doenças isquêmicas do coração em ambos os sexos, com 6.701 anos perdidos nos homens (taxa de APVP = 9,24 anos/1.000 habitantes) e 3.152 anos nas mulheres (taxa de APVP = 3,78 anos/1.000 habitantes). Em todos os tipos de DAC, os homens apresentaram aproximadamente duas vezes mais chances de morrer comparado às mulheres (RC = 1,8). Conclusão: Os APVP e as taxas de APVP são indicadores pouco utilizados para análise do padrão de mortalidade. Contudo, as informações apresentadas desses indicadores poderão servir para nortear ações que visam a promoção da saúde e a prevenção das DAC.

Objetivo: Descrever o impacto da vacina contra o papilomavírus humano nos casos de câncer cervical em mulheres de 15 a 24 anos, residentes em Pernambuco, comparando os períodos de 2006 a 2013 e 2015 a 2022. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo retrospectivo, de corte transversal, comparando o número de casos de câncer cervical antes (intervalo 1 = 2006 a 2013) e após (intervalo 2 = 2015 a 2022) a implementação da vacina contra o papilomavírus humano no Brasil e a quantidade de doses aplicadas entre 2014 e 2022. Os dados foram obtidos do Sistema de Informação de Câncer, do Sistema de Informação de Câncer de Colo de Útero e do Sistema de Informação do Programa Nacional de Imunização. Resultados: Foram registrados 55 casos desse câncer entre 2006 e 2022, excluindo-se o ano de 2014, com média de 3,4 ± 1,9 casos/ano. No intervalo 1 (39 casos), 46,2% foram do carcinoma epidermóide invasivo e 41,0%, do adenocarcinoma invasor. No intervalo 2 (16 casos), a maioria (62,5%) também foi do carcinoma epidermóide invasivo. Comparando-se os intervalos, houve redução de 59%, sendo maior na faixa etária de 15 a 19 anos (83,3%) e no adenocarcinoma invasor (75%). Também houve queda nas doses da vacina aplicadas, destacando-se 2016 e a partir de 2020, ano de início da pandemia da covid-19. Conclusão: Este estudo denota a importância da vacinação contra o papilomavírus humano e sua associação com a diminuição dos casos de câncer cervical em mulheres jovens. É necessário maior tempo para avaliação dos efeitos desse imunizante na população, pois ele só foi implementado no Brasil em 2014.

This paper deals with the determinants of education-job match for higher-education graduates, using a logistic regression model to identify explanatory variables related to sociodemographic, academic trajectory and institutional characteristics. The empirical analysis is based on an anonymous online questionnaire administered to a sample of graduates, from 2014 to 2019, in Portuguese institutions, of which about five hundred observations were made. Although the boundaries between universities and polytechnics are less obvious today, there are still some differences between the two higher-education subsystems regarding education-job match. The main ones are related to the field of study, gender, and the need to move away from home to study and work. Factors that improve the probability of education-job matching, common to both subsystems, were also found, such as having i) studied ‘social sciences, commerce, and law’ and ‘engineering, manufacturing and construction’, ii) attained good final grades, and iii) participated in extracurricular activities involving complementary training.

Este texto busca problematizar as rotas de escapes forjadas por professores e professoras que experimentam e são tocadas pelo exercício da docência que acontece em contexto educacional configurado pelas parcerias entre público e privado na região do agreste de Pernambuco. A fim de problematizarmos o setor privado empresarial e a sua atuação na educação pública, a qual concebe, sugere e orienta programas e projetos de formação de professores e gestores, bem como propostas curriculares, estabelecemos diálogos com Adrião; Pinheiro (2012), Adrião (2018), Peroni (2021), Laval (2019), dentre outros. Mobilizadas, principalmente, pelas noções de inventividade utilizada por Dias (2009;2012) e temporalidades, por Kohan (2018) e Ponce (2016), pudemos mapear os movimentos das professoras que se constituíram como possibilidades de escapes às prescrições e padronizações postas pelos projetos e programas do setor privado. A produção dos dados se deu por observações e conversas orientadas pela etnografia em escola da rede pública municipal da região agreste de Pernambuco. Os achados apontaram que as possibilidades de escapes se dão pelos movimentos inventivos das professoras - questionam, problematizam, escutam com sensibilidade e afetos e, assim, buscam resistir às tentativas de controles, prescrições e padronizações.

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to carry out a hydrological simulation of the Formoso River basin using WEAP and to model scenarios based on the rotating rules of the water pump in regions of conflict for the use of water. During July 2020, the influence of such rules on the remaining flow in these regions was assessed considering a collective grant context in which minimum environmental flows, determined from the seasonal Q90 (flexible) and monthly Q95 (conservative), should be preserved downstream from the critical sections. The results showed that the remaining flow exceeded the limit of the flexible environmental flow in 61% of the days in the middle stretch of the Formoso River and at the mouth of the Urubu River. In the lower section and mouth of the Formoso River, these values were above the conservative limit in 93% and 100% of the days, respectively. It was concluded that the application of the rules, coupled with the collective grant, could produce satisfactory results for water availability in the basin.

Resumo Valores do trabalho representam o que os indivíduos consideram importante no ambiente laboral, suas motivações, seus comportamentos e suas atitudes. Pesquisas sobre esse tema alcançam diversos grupos, inclusive os de economia criativa, cujos produtos e serviços refletem criatividade, talento e cultura local. Nesse cenário, o setor de cosmética natural artesanal, especificamente a saboaria, propõe uma produção pautada pela sustentabilidade social, ambiental e econômica. Assim, este artigo busca analisar como os valores do trabalho se manifestam entre as artesãs-empreendedoras do setor de cosmética natural. O lócus é Fortaleza, capital do Ceará, chancelada em 2019 como cidade criativa pela Organização das Nações Unidas para a Educação, a Ciência e a Cultura (Unesco). Na coleta de dados, foram realizadas entrevistas baseadas numa adaptação qualitativa da Escala Revisada de Valores Relativos ao Trabalho (EVT-R). O processo se deu por meio de análise de conteúdo, com auxílio do Atlas.ti. Os resultados mostram que valores de “realização profissional” e de “relações sociais” são os temas mais mencionados, em especialmente ter um trabalho criativo e colaborar para o desenvolvimento da sociedade. Evidenciou-se uma rede colaborativa e revelou-se que a inexistência de regulamentação específica é a principal barreira para o crescimento do trabalho. Ademais, emergiram sentidos diversos daqueles trazidos pela teoria para os valores de estabilidade e de realização, apontando outras configurações para atividades não inseridas em modelos econômicos hegemônicos.

Os desafios que os novos discursos educacionais estão gerando atualmente, em especial no trabalho docente e na sala de aula, convidam-nos a rever causas e conceções do bem-estar docente e relaçõesestabelecidas com a inovação em educação. O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar e sistematizar as condições profissionais que hodiernamente determinam o desenvolvimento desse sentimento nas escolas, por meio de uma análise das evidências empíricas relatadas na literatura científica. A metodologia consistiu em uma revisão sistemática de artigos científicos publicados a esse respeito nos últimos cinco anos, de acordo com as indicações da Declaração PRISMA 2020 e utilizando como base de dados o Scopus. Como resultado, dos 16 artigos analisados, apenas um deles aborda essa conexão entre bem-estar docente e inovação educacional. Os dados coligidos mostra-nos a necessidade de conduzir novas pesquisas que tenham como objeto heurístico a sala de aula e as práticas dos professores, uma vez que esta nos parece a única maneira de escapar do caráter anedótico e acrítico que predomina em grande parte da literatura recente sobre o bem-estar ou mal-estar dos professores.

Introduction: Percutaneous kidney biopsy (KB) is crucial to the diagnosis and management of several renal pathologies. National data on native KB in pediatric patients are scarce. We aimed to review the demographic and clinical characteristics and histopathological patterns in children who underwent native percutaneous KB over 24 years. Methods: Retrospective observational study of patients undergoing native percutaneous KB in a pediatric nephrology unit between 1998 and 2021, comparing 3 periods: period 1 (1998–2005), period 2 (2006–2013), and period 3 (2014–2021). Results: We found that 228 KB were performed, 78 (34.2%) in period 1, 91 (39.9%) in period 2, and 59 (25.9%) in period 3. The median age at KB was 11 (7–14) years. The main indications for KB were nephrotic syndrome (NS) (42.9%), hematuria and/or non-nephrotic proteinuria (35.5%), and acute kidney injury (13.2%). Primary glomerulopathies were more frequent (67.1%), particularly minimal change disease (MCD) (25.4%), IgA nephropathy (12.7%), and mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (GN) (8.8%). Of the secondary glomerulopathies, lupus nephritis (LN) was the most prevalent (11.8%). In group 1, hematuria and/or non-nephrotic proteinuria were the main reasons for KB, as opposed to NS in groups 2 and 3 (p < 0.01). LN showed an increasing trend (period 1–3: 2.6%–5.3%) and focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) showed a slight decreasing trend (period 1–3: 3.1%–1.8%), without statistical significance. Conclusions: The main indication for KB was NS, which increased over time, justifying the finding of MCD as main histological diagnosis. LN showed an increase in incidence over time, while FSGS cases did not increase.

O objetivo deste artigo foi o de aclarar as propostas epistemológicas de Donald Schön, dado a aceitação da categoria de práxis reflexiva, e a proposição de Paulo Freire, cuja categoria central é a práxis educativa. Trata-se de uma pesquisa bibliográfica, cuja abordagem analítica foi o Materialismo Histórico Dialético. A conclusão central aponta para a relevância das distinções epistemológicas, pois remetem para entendimentos do papel social da educação e do trabalho pedagógico realizado pelos professores. A sua clareza é fundamental para a qualificação de processos educativos, ampliando as possibilidades de colocar a educação no âmbito das transformações econômicas e socioculturais.

ABSTRACT Objective: Describe reliabilities evidence of the Phone Screening Interview (PSI), a telephone screening interview for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms, capable of investigating mild to moderate ASD symptoms. Moreover, the PSI also works for verbal and non-verbal children and is consistent with the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Methods: An interview was performed with sixty-eight parents of children between 2 and 15 years old attended by the Psychiatry Ambulatory of Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro through the PSI in person and by telephone. Results: No significant differences in comparison between averages of the total score of the face-to-face and telephone applications were observed. The agreement analysis between the items indicated three items with lower values, leading to the modification of some questions, culminating in a new interview version for further studies. Given the disagreement in the values found, the order of application of the interviews seems to not impact the results, demonstrating strong correlations between both interviews, even with a different order of application. Aiming to facilitate the use of the scale by different examiners, the interobserver reliability was investigated, which did not show significant differences in the means. Conclusion: The study suggests that the telephone interview can be used similarly to the face-to-face interview, by different evaluators, with no impact on its efficiency in detecting ASD symptoms.

Abstract Understanding the contribution of immune mechanisms to Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis is an important challenge, potentially of major therapeutic implications. To further elucidate the involvement of peripheral immune cells, we studied epigenome-wide DNA methylation in isolated populations of CD14+ monocytes, CD19+ B cells, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells from Parkinson’s disease patients and healthy control participants. We included 25 patients with a maximum five years of disease duration and 25 controls, and isolated four immune cell populations from each fresh blood sample. Epigenome-wide DNA methylation profiles were generated from 186 samples using the Illumina MethylationEpic array and association with disease status was tested using linear regression models. We identified six differentially methylated CpGs in CD14+ monocytes and one in CD8 + T cells. Four differentially methylated regions were identified in monocytes, including a region upstream of RAB32, a gene that has been linked to LRRK2. Methylation upstream of RAB32 correlated negatively with mRNA expression, and RAB32 expression was upregulated in Parkinson’s disease both in our samples and in summary statistics from a previous study. Our epigenome-wide association study of early Parkinson’s disease provides evidence for methylation changes across different peripheral immune cell types, highlighting monocytes and the RAB32 locus. The findings were predominantly cell-type-specific, demonstrating the value of isolating purified cell populations for genomic studies.

Background and Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasingly recognised in paediatric patients, presenting unique challenges in management due to its association with various underlying heart conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, management strategies, and outcomes of AF in this population. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted at a tertiary paediatric cardiology centre, including patients aged ≤18 years diagnosed with AF between January 2015 and December 2023. The study focused on demographic details, clinical presentations, treatments, and outcomes. Descriptive statistics were employed to assess treatment efficacy, recurrence rates, and complications. Results: The study included 36 paediatric patients (median age: 15 years, IQR: 13–17; 58% male). Of these, 52.8% had acquired heart disease, 16.7% had congenital heart anomalies, and 16.7% presented with lone AF. The initial management strategies involved electrical cardioversion in 53.3% of patients and pharmacological conversion with amiodarone in 46.7%. Rhythm control therapy was administered to over 80% of the cohort, and 63.9% were placed on oral anticoagulation, predominantly for rheumatic and congenital heart diseases. The overall success rate of rhythm control was 96.2%, with an AF recurrence rate of 3.8%. Ischemic stroke was the most common complication, occurring in three patients, all with underlying rheumatic heart disease. Conclusions: AF in paediatric patients is predominantly associated with rheumatic and congenital heart diseases, though a significant proportion of patients present with lone AF. Despite effective rhythm control in most cases, neurological complications, particularly ischemic strokes in patients with underlying heart disease, remain a critical concern. These findings underscore the need for more comprehensive studies to better understand the aetiology, risk factors, and optimal management strategies for paediatric AF.

The combination of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) with endocrine therapy (ET) is the standard-of-care for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-negative (ER+/HER2− advanced/metastatic breast cancer (mBC). However, the impact of CDK4/6i on circulating immune cells and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients receiving CDK4/6i and ET (CDK4/6i+ET) remains poorly understood. This was a prospective cohort study including 44 patients with ER+/HER2− mBC treated with CDK4/6i+ET in either first or second line. Peripheral blood samples were collected before (baseline) and 3 months (t2) after therapy. Immune cell’s subsets were quantified by flow cytometry, and microfluidic-captured CTCs were counted and classified according to the expression of cytokeratin and/or vimentin. Patients were categorized according to response as responders (progression-free survival [PFS] ≥ 6.0 months; 79.1%) and non-responders (PFS < 6.0 months; 20.9%). CDK4/6i+ET resulted in significant changes in the hematological parameters, including decreased hemoglobin levels and increased mean corpuscular volume, as well as reductions in neutrophil, eosinophil, and basophil counts. Specific immune cell subsets, such as early-stage myeloid-derived suppressor cells, central memory CD4+ T cells, and Vδ2+ T cells expressing NKG2D, decreased 3 months after CDK4/6i+ET. Additionally, correlations between the presence of CTCs and immune cell populations were observed, highlighting the interplay between immune dysfunction and tumor dissemination. This study provides insights into the immunomodulatory effects of CDK4/6i+ET, underscoring the importance of considering immune dynamics in the management of ER+/HER2− mBC.

This study investigates how grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) respond to shading induced by artificial nets, focusing on physiological and metabolic changes. Through a multidisciplinary approach, grapevines’ adaptations to shading are presented via biochemical analyses and hyperspectral data that are then combined with systems biology techniques. In the study, conducted in a ‘Moscatel Galego Branco’ vineyard in Portugal’s Douro Wine Region during post-veraison, shading was applied and predawn leaf water potential (Ψpd) was then measured to assess water stress. Biochemical analyses and hyperspectral data were integrated to explore adaptations to shading, revealing higher chlorophyll levels (chlorophyll a-b 117.39% higher) and increased Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels in unshaded vines (52.10% higher). Using a self-learning artificial intelligence algorithm (SL-AI), simulations highlighted ROS’s role in stress response and accurately predicted chlorophyll a (R2: 0.92, MAPE: 24.39%), chlorophyll b (R2: 0.96, MAPE: 17.61%), and ROS levels (R2: 0.76, MAPE: 52.17%). In silico simulations employing flux balance analysis (FBA) elucidated distinct metabolic phenotypes between shaded and unshaded vines across cellular compartments. Integrating these findings provides a systems biology approach for understanding grapevine responses to environmental stressors. The leveraging of advanced omics technologies and precise metabolic models holds immense potential for untangling grapevine metabolism and optimizing viticultural practices for enhanced productivity and quality.

As bioindicators, freshwater bivalves are crucial for the assessment of the contamination impact on different levels of biological integration. Escherichia coli is used as a bioindicator of water fecal contamination, representing a critical global concern, especially with the rise of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. Phylogenetic diversity, pathotypic characterization, and antibiotic resistance profiles of E. coli isolated from freshwater bivalves (Anodonta anatina) were assessed. Samples were collected from the Tua River in Northern Portugal, from two different sites, Chelas and Barcel, representing different degrees of contamination. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by the disk diffusion method, and characterizations of the phylogenetic groups and pathotypes were assessed by PCR-multiplex and real-time PCR-multiplex, respectively. Results showed that 60% of isolates were characterized as MDR, including resistance to carbapenems, considered the last resort against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Within this study, it was also possible to verify the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile differences between the two sampling sites, with bivalve isolates from the Chelas site showing a higher percentage of antibiotic resistance. Among the E. coli isolates, the highest prevalence (55%) was observed in group B1, followed by group D or E (15%), group A (10%), and group E or Clade I (10%). None of the isolates were classified as diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC). This work highlights the potential transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria through bivalves in the food chain. The ‘One Health’ approach is crucial for combating antimicrobial resistance, namely in edible freshwater species, emphasizing active surveillance to protect human, animal, and environmental health against the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in aquatic environments.

The commensal/pathogenic Escherichia coli affects humans and animals, being present in diverse environmental niches, possibly surviving due to its adaptation to transient plant hosts like crops, increasing the risk of foodborne diseases. E. coli interaction with the plant host remains unknown, particularly the impacts on photosynthesis. We hypothesize that E. coli influences the tomato transient host’s photosynthetic capacity. To validate this hypothesis, we exposed 57-day-old tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) to different inoculation conditions, namely, non-inoculated plants (negative control, C−); plants directly injected with E. coli SL6.1 (107 CFU/mL) (positive control, C+); plants irrigated one time with E. coli SL6.1 (107 CFU/mL); and plants chronically irrigated with E. coli SL6.1 (104 CFU/mL). No significant changes were observed in chlorophyll fluorescence, pigments’ contents, morphological aspects, and fruiting in all conditions. However, irrigated plants (chronically and one-time contaminated) had decreased stomatal conductance (gs, 31.07 and 34.42 mol m−2 s−1, respectively, vs. 53.43 and 48.08 mol m−2 s−1 in C− and C+, respectively), transpiration rate (E, 0.32 and 0.35 mol m−2 s−1 in chronically and one-time contaminated conditions vs. 0.57 and 0.48 mol m−2 s−1 in C− and C+, respectively), and a trend of increased intrinsic carboxylation (Ci, 384 and 361 ppm in chronically and one-time irrigated plants vs. 321 and 313 ppm in C− and C+, respectively). The one-time inoculated plants presented more severe effects than the remaining conditions, with lower net photosynthetic rate (PN, 0.93 vs. 3.94–5.96 μmol (CO2) m−2 s−1 in the other conditions), intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE, 33.1 vs. 74.51–184.40 μmol (CO2)/mmol (H2O) in the chronically irrigated and the control plants), and intrinsic carboxylation efficiency (iCE, 0.003 vs. 0.012–0.022 μmol (CO2)/ppm in the remaining conditions). Our data support that some observed effects are similar to those associated with phytopathogenic bacteria. Lastly, we propose that the decrease in some parameters of gas exchange requires direct contact with the leaf/stomata, and is mainly observed for high concentrations of E. coli.

Abstract Background Melioidosis is a serious disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei which affects humans and animals. It results in a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, mainly in the respiratory tract, progressing to septic shock and death. Case presentation Herein, we present a series of seven patients (median age: 41 years) with confirmed melioidosis, treated at a public hospital in Piauí State, Brazil between 2019 and 2021. The most common clinical presentations were fever, cough, pneumonia, and abdominal pain. The mean duration of antibacterial therapy with 1 g of meropenem was 28.6 ± 1.1 days. Six patients recovered and one died. The mean hospitalization time was 51.0 ± 39.2 days. Conclusions Melioidosis is an emerging infectious disease in Brazil. Health professionals in endemic areas need to be aware of the clinical presentation and appropriate clinical management of the disease because early diagnosis and early initiation of antibiotic therapy can be life-saving.

Early warning systems are an important tool for local authorities to detect emergency situations in advance and initiate the necessary safety measure. The To-SEAlert project has the aim of increasing the efficiency, robustness and reliability of the HIDRALERTA early warning system. This study shows a first intent to implement the SWASH model to simulate wave overtopping for the Ericeira prototype. SWASH was implemented for one breakwater profile used to simulate the overtopping discharge and evaluate the associated risk levels. It was compared to the current approach used in HIDRALERTA, which resorts to a neural network trained with a physical modelling database, NN_OVERTOPPING2. Finally, both approaches were compared with previously analyzed video images of the breakwater. The results showed that SWASH generally overestimates overtopping and is not in good agreement with the video images. NN_OVERTOPPING2 has a better agreement with the video images. A possible reason for the overestimation might be the wave direction, which cannot be included in one-dimensional simulations in SWASH.

The emergence of highly infectious pathogens with their potential for triggering global pandemics necessitate the development of effective treatment strategies, including broad-spectrum antiviral therapies to safeguard human health. This study investigates the antiviral activity of emetine, dehydroemetine (DHE), and congeneric compounds against SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43, and evaluates their impact on the host cell. Concurrently, we assess the potential cardiotoxicity of these ipecac alkaloids. Significantly, our data reveal that emetine and the (-)-R,S isomer of 2,3-dehydroemetine (designated in this paper as DHE4) reduce viral growth at nanomolar concentrations (i.e., IC50 ∼ 50–100 nM), paralleling those required for inhibition of protein synthesis, while calcium channel blocking activity occurs at elevated concentrations (i.e., IC50 ∼ 40–60 µM). Our findings suggest that the antiviral mechanisms primarily involve disruption of host cell protein synthesis and is demonstrably stereoisomer specific. The prospect of a therapeutic window in which emetine or DHE4 inhibit viral propagation without cardiotoxicity renders these alkaloids viable candidates in strategies worthy of clinical investigation.

Este texto emerge no contexto de produção da pesquisa realizada no Mestrado em Educação Contemporânea da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Centro Acadêmico do Agreste (CAA), com o objetivo de tecer reflexões acerca do currículo a partir dos achadouros da infância. Seguindo uma perspectiva filosófica, em diálogo com diversos autores da filosofia da diferença, hospedamos a infância em nosso pensar e em nossa escritura com toda sua potência de tensão; infâncias que como uma máquina de guerra nômade interrogam o currículo prescrito e planejado, abrindo fendas, fluxos, desvios no cotidiano das escolas. Um estudo de inspiração etnográfica, realizado em uma escola localizada na região da mata sul do estado de Pernambuco, que nos permite visibilizar o anseio das crianças por uma educação para a vida. Educação que se abre para a experiência, devir, acontecimentos, diferenças e criações infantis. Trazemos em nossa escrita a invencionice de uma produção curricular outra a partir dos dizeres das crianças e das diferentes perspectivas temporais que habitam o território escolar.