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Introduction: Weakened facial movements are early-stage symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is generally detected based on changes in facial expressions, but large differences between individuals can lead to subjectivity in the diagnosis. We have proposed a computerized analysis of facial expression videos to detect ALS. Methods: This study investigated the action units obtained from facial expression videos to differentiate between ALS patients and healthy individuals, identifying the specific action units and facial expressions that give the best results. We utilized the Toronto NeuroFace Dataset, which includes nine facial expression tasks for healthy individuals and ALS patients. Results: The best classification accuracy was 0.91 obtained for the pretending to smile with tight lips expression. Conclusion: This pilot study shows the potential of using computerized facial expression analysis based on action units to identify facial weakness symptoms in ALS.

Abstract Vast amounts of pathogen genomic, demographic and spatial data are transforming our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 emergence and spread. We examined the drivers of molecular evolution and spread of 291,791 SARS-CoV-2 genomes from Denmark in 2021. With a sequencing rate consistently exceeding 60%, and up to 80% of PCR-positive samples between March and November, the viral genome set is broadly whole-epidemic representative. We identify a consistent rise in viral diversity over time, with notable spikes upon the importation of novel variants (e.g., Delta and Omicron). By linking genomic data with rich individual-level demographic data from national registers, we find that individuals aged 75 years had a lower contribution to molecular change (i.e., branch lengths) compared to other age groups, but similar molecular evolutionary rates, suggesting a lower likelihood of introducing novel variants. Similarly, we find greater molecular change among vaccinated individuals, suggestive of immune evasion. We also observe evidence of transmission in rural areas to follow predictable diffusion processes. Conversely, urban areas are expectedly more complex due to their high mobility, emphasising the role of population structure in driving virus spread. Our analyses highlight the added value of integrating genomic data with detailed demographic and spatial information, particularly in the absence of structured infection surveys.

ABSTRACT: Cattle lameness remains a significant concern, causing economic losses and compromising animal welfare. Claw horn lesions have been identified as a major cause of lameness in dairy cows, but their correlation with high-energy diets and ruminal acidosis remains unclear. Hence, the primary objective of this study was to assess the effects of a high-starch diet and a conventional diet on the rumen environment, acute-phase proteins, and metabolic alterations, with a particular focus on insulin resistance and the consequent implications for the histology of the hooves in Holstein steers. A total of 16 animals were divided into the high-starch (HS; 37% starch) and conventional (CON; 16.8% starch) groups. Glucose tolerance tests (GTT), blood analyses, rumen fluid analyses, and histological evaluations of the hoof tissue were conducted over a 102-d experimental period. The HS group showed a lower ruminal pH than the CON group, and with values indicating SARA. The plasma glucose and IGF-1 concentrations were higher in the HS group, suggesting an anabolic state. Both groups exhibited an increase in the insulin area under the curve (AUC) after the GTT on d 102. Histological analysis of the hooves showed a reduction in the length and width of the epidermal lamella in both groups. We found a significant negative correlation between the insulin AUC and the length and width of the epidermal lamella. Because both groups were similarly affected, the hypothesis that histological alterations were caused by the experimental diets still needs confirmation. Additionally, the development of SARA was not essential for the observed histological changes in the hoof. Further studies are warranted to thoroughly investigate the role of insulin and IGF-1 imbalances in claw health.

Abstract Background Clinical practice guidelines recommend spinal manipulation for patients with low back pain. However, the effects of spinal manipulation have contradictory findings compared to placebo intervention. Therefore, this study investigated the immediate effects of lumbar spinal manipulation on pressure pain threshold (PPT) and postural stability in people with chronic low back pain (cLBP). Second, we investigated the immediate effect of lumbar spinal manipulation on pain intensity and the interference of the participant beliefs about which treatment was received in the PPT, postural stability, and pain intensity. Methods A two-arm, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial was performed. Eighty participants with nonspecific cLPB and a minimum score of 3 on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale received one session of lumbar spinal manipulation (n = 40) or simulated lumbar spinal manipulation (n = 40). Primary outcomes were local and remote PPTs and postural stability. Secondary outcomes were pain intensity and participant’s perceived treatment allocation. Between-group mean differences and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) estimated the treatment effect. One-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to assess whether beliefs about which treatment was received influenced the outcomes. Results Participants had a mean (SD) age of 34.9 (10.5) years, and 50 (62.5%) were women. Right L5 [between-group mean difference = 0.55 (95%CI 0.19 to 0.90)], left L5 [between-group mean difference = 0.45 (95%CI 0.13 to 0.76)], right L1 [between-group mean difference = 0.41 (95%CI 0.05 to 0.78)], left L1 [between-group mean difference = 0.57 (95%CI 0.15 to 0.99)], left DT [between-group mean difference = 0.35 (95%CI 0.04 to 0.65)], and right LE [between-group mean difference = 0.34 (95%CI 0.08 to 0.60)] showed superior treatment effect in the spinal manipulation group than sham. Neither intervention altered postural stability. Self-reported pain intensity showed clinically significant decreases in both groups after the intervention. A higher proportion of participants in the spinal manipulation group achieved more than two points of pain relief (spinal manipulation = 90%; sham = 60%). The participants’ perceived treatment allocation did not affect the outcomes. Conclusion One spinal manipulation session reduces lumbar pain sensitivity but does not affect postural stability compared to a sham session in individuals with cLPB. Self-reported pain intensity lowered in both groups and a higher proportion of participants in the spinal manipulation group reached clinically significant pain relief. The participant’s belief in receiving the manipulation did not appear to have influenced the outcomes since the adjusted model revealed similar findings.

Abstract Background Colorectal cancers (CRCs) in the Lynch syndromes have been assumed to emerge through an accelerated adenoma-carcinoma pathway. In this model adenomas with deficient mismatch repair have an increased probability of acquiring additional cancer driver mutation(s) resulting in more rapid progression to malignancy. If this model was accurate, the success of colonoscopy in preventing CRC would be a function of the intervals between colonoscopies and mean sojourn time of detectable adenomas. Contrary to expectations, colonoscopy did not decrease incidence of CRC in the Lynch syndromes and shorter colonoscopy intervals have not been effective in reducing CRC incidence. The prospective Lynch Syndrome Database (PLSD) was designed to examine these issues in carriers of pathogenic variants of the mis-match repair (path_MMR) genes. Materials and methods We examined the CRC and colorectal adenoma incidences in 3,574 path_MLH1, path_MSH2, path_MSH6 and path_PMS2 carriers subjected to regular colonoscopy with polypectomy, and considered the results based on sojourn times and stochastic probability paradigms. Results Most of the path_MMR carriers in each genetic group had no adenomas. There was no association between incidences of CRC and the presence of adenomas. There was no CRC observed in path_PMS2 carriers. Conclusions Colonoscopy prevented CRC in path_PMS2 carriers but not in the others. Our findings are consistent with colonoscopy surveillance blocking the adenoma-carcinoma pathway by removing identified adenomas which might otherwise become CRCs. However, in the other carriers most CRCs likely arised from dMMR cells in the crypts that have an increased mutation rate with increased stochastic chaotic probabilities for mutations. Therefore, this mechanism, that may be associated with no or only a short sojourn time of MSI tumours as adenomas, could explain the findings in our previous and current reports.

Abstract Background Deciphering the genetic architecture of drought tolerance could allow the candidate genes identification responding to water stress. In the Andean Patagonian forest, the genus Nothofagus represents an ecologically relevant species to be included in different genomic studies. These studies are scarce in South American ecosystems however represent an important source of genomic data in order to interpret future climate-change environment scenarios of these emblematic forests. Here, we achieved the assemblage of the transcriptome of N. alpina while searching for key genes of activated or suppressed metabolic pathways in response to drought stress. Results De novo transcriptome assembly resulted in 104,030 transcripts. Following confirmation of drought conditions, based on reduction of leaf water potential and stomatal conductance, a differential gene expression analysis resulted in 2720 significantly expressed genes (1601 up-regulated and 1119 down-regulated). Enrichment analysis (over-representation analysis and gene set enrichment analysis) resulted in more than one hundred stress-responsive term ontologies (i.e. biological processes) and pathways. Terms such as response to abscisic acid and pathways such as plant hormone signal transduction or starch and sucrose metabolism were over-represented. Protein–protein interaction assessment resulted in networks with significantly expressed top common hub gene clusters (e.g. plant-type cell wall biogenesis among down-regulated or ABA-signalling among up-regulated). These networks evidenced important regulators at gene expression such as transcriptional factors. Conclusions Responses of N. alpina seedlings to drought stress were evidenced by the activation of several genes linked to GO biological processes and KEGG pathways, which were mainly based on over-expression of specific protein kinases, phosphatases, synthases and transcription factors. This suggests an up-regulation of signalling pathways, triggered through plant hormones such as abscisic acid or auxin, which could counteract the osmotic stress created as a probable immediate response to drought. On the other hand, groups of carbon fixation genes related to the galactose metabolism, photosynthesis, secondary wall biogenesis, and fatty acid biosynthesis degradation were down-regulated under drought. Overall, our results provide new genomic data for understanding how non-model long-lived trees of Patagonian forests would acclimate to environmental changes.

La obtención de ADN genómico de alta calidad es fundamental para la preservación de los recursos genéticos, especialmente, en especies de valor importante en la economía popular; sin embargo, la presencia de contaminantes, como polisacáridos, polifenoles y metabolitos secundarios en árboles frutales, dificulta la extracción de ADN puro. En este trabajo, se compararon dos métodos de extracción de ADN en tejido seco: un kit comercial y el método modificado de Doyle & Doyle. La cantidad y calidad del ADN extraído se evaluaron utilizando un espectrofotómetro y mediante electroforesis en gel de agarosa. Es importante señalar que el ADN obtenido con el kit comercial mostró presencia de compuestos aromáticos y proteínas, mientras que el método modificado de Doyle y Doyle logró obtener ADN de alta calidad, sin contaminantes, lo cual, se corroboró por la posterior amplificación, mediante PCR del ADN obtenido con cebadores SSR, mostrando bandas nítidas y bien definidas.

O objetivo deste artigo foi analisar a associação entre os fatores sociodemográficos, as características maternas e neonatais e o tempo de introdução da alimentação complementar em recém-nascidos pré-termo e com baixo peso. Trata-se de um estudo de coorte prospectivo feito com 79 recém-nascidos pré-termo com peso menor ou igual a 1.800g. Os dados foram coletados no momento da alta hospitalar e ao 6º, 9º e 12º mês de idade gestacional corrigida (IGC), com auxílio de um questionário estruturado para analisar o tempo de introdução da alimentação complementar e texturas dos alimentos introduzidos. Além disso, para avaliar o risco de atraso de desenvolvimento, utilizou-se o Survey of Well-being of Young Children (SWYC-BR). Para análise das variáveis, aplicou-se regressão de riscos proporcionais de Cox. A introdução da alimentação complementar foi observada nos recém-nascidos pré-termo, com a mediana de idade de introdução de alimentos líquidos (3,50; IQ: 2,50-5,00), seguido por sólidos (4,70; IQ: 3,20-5,20) e pastosos (5,00; IQ: 4,50-5.50). Ainda, verificou-se associação da idade gestacional (RR = 1.25; IC95%: 1,02-1,52) em todo o processo da introdução alimentar. Para os alimentos sólidos e pastosos, aqueles com o maior tempo de internação (RR = 1,03; IC95%: 1,10- 1,05) e em amamentação mista (RR = 2,97; IC95%: 1,24-7,09) adiaram mais o tempo para introduzir a alimentação complementar. Para alimentos líquidos, recém-nascidos pré-termo menos graves (Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology and Perinatal Extension - SNAPPE II [RR = 0,96; IC95%: 0,94-0,98]) e mães que estavam amamentando na alta hospitalar (RR = 11,49; IC95%: 1,57-84,10) postergaram a introdução alimentar. Diretrizes para melhor orientação de profissionais e pais e/ou responsáveis sobre o momento ideal de introdução alimentar se faz necessário.

ABSTRACT: Quercetin (QUE), tannic acid (TA) and ascorbic acid (AA) are among the antioxidants that have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment and prevention of cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the optimal method of administering these compounds for therapeutic purposes is not well understood, especially when considering their differences in size and solubility. In this context, nanoencapsulation rises as a promising strategy, since this technology could protect active ingredients and maximize their absorption. In this study, the aforementioned antioxidants were encapsulated in a lipid mixture with the objective of developing nontoxic and effective materials for antitumor therapy. The results demonstrated that the compounds were satisfactorily encapsulated in Large Unilamellar Vesicles (LUVs) composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). The formulations exhibited good homogeneity in average size as well as stability, as investigated by dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements. The encapsulation efficiency was as follows: QUE (78.76%) > TA (61.93%) > AA (47.13%). The Korsmeyer-Peppas model was employed to analyze the release kinetics, illustrating that the delivery of antioxidants follows Fick's law. Biological tests using bioactive-loaded LUVs demonstrated that the encapsulation of these antioxidants resulted in low-toxicity formulations. Quercetin-loaded LUVs (QUE-LUVs) stood out among the formulations studied, as tumor cell viability was significantly reduced after treatment with QUE-LUVs when compared to untreated cells. Furthermore, QUE-LUVs exhibited a differential cytotoxic effect between tumor cells and non-tumor cells, suggesting potential applications in anticancer therapy. Aligned with the demand for innovative treatments as well as drug delivery methods that show less toxicity and adverse effects, the approach developed in the present study resulted in formulations with significant potential and versatility, and could serve as a potential mixed lipid-based delivery system in tumor management using antioxidant therapy.

IntroductionPlant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have been primarily studied for atmospheric nitrogen (N) fixation but they also have the capacity to improve nutrition and yield of crop plants.MethodsTherefore, the objective of this research was to investigate the effects of inoculation with PGPB in association with different N rates on N uptake, grain yield, and oil concentration of dwarf castor beans in succession to legumes and grasses in Ilha Solteira, Brazil. The treatments consisted of N rates (0 to 180 kg ha−1 of N) and inoculation with three plant growth-promoting bacteria (Azospirillum brasiliense, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas fluorescens, applied by leaf) and a control with no-inoculation.ResultsThe grain and oil yields of castor beans were increased by 20 and 40% at a rate of 103 kg ha−1 of N in succession to grasses as compared to without N application. In addition, the grain yield of castor bean after legumes was increased by 28, 64, and 40% with estimated rates of 97, 113, and 92 kg ha−1 of N in combination with inoculations of A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and P. fluorescens as compared to without N application, respectively. Shoot, grain, and total N uptake were improved with foliar inoculation of A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and P. fluorescens at the N rates of 45, 90, and 135 kg ha−1, respectively.Discussion and conclusionsTopdressing of N at the rate of 103 kg ha−1 and foliar inoculation in succession to grasses and 180 kg ha−1 of N without the effect of foliar inoculation in succession to legumes are recommended for higher grain and oil yield of castor beans. Foliar inoculations with A. brasilense, B. subtilis, and P. fluorescens increased grain yield under reduced use of N fertilizer by 44, 37, and 49% in dwarf castor cultivation in succession to legumes, potentially contributing to sustainable agriculture.

Abstract The objective of this work was to select experimental corn lines genetically resistant to the bacterial leaf streak caused by Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum, in two growing seasons. The treatments were carried out in an experimental randomized block design in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 growing seasons, under a covered environment, with open ventilation, with four replicates. Seven lines resistant to and seven susceptible to foliar diseases were evaluated, in addition to two commercial hybrids used as checks. At the corn flowering stage, an artificial inoculation containing 3.78x1010 CFU mL−1 of bacterial suspension was performed, and disease incidence and severity were assessed, based on a diagrammatic scale, every seven days. From these evaluations, the areas under the disease progress curve for each line were calculated, and individual and joint analyses of variance were performed. There is genetic variability among the corn genotypes for reaction to bacterial leaf streak, with a significant effect for the areas under the disease progress curve for incidence (AUDPCI) and severity (AUDPCS) between genotypes and between growing seasons, and for the genotype x season interaction. Lines LV1 and L14 are possible source genotypes for genetic resistance to the bacterial leaf streak.

Abstract Computational fluid dynamics is both a thriving research field and a key tool for advanced industry applications. However, the simulation of turbulent flows in complex geometries is a compute-power intensive task due to the vast vector dimensions required by discretized meshes. We present a complete and self-consistent full-stack method to solve incompressible fluids with memory and run time scaling logarithmically in the mesh size. Our framework is based on matrix-product states, a compressed representation of quantum states. It is complete in that it solves for flows around immersed objects of arbitrary geometries, with non-trivial boundary conditions, and self-consistent in that it can retrieve the solution directly from the compressed encoding, i.e. without passing through the expensive dense-vector representation. This framework lays the foundation for a generation of more efficient solvers of real-life fluid problems.

Abstract Background The burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Latin America is high. Little is known about healthcare workers’ (HCWs) knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of antimicrobial stewardship (AS), AMR, and antibiotic use (AU) in the region. Methods HCWs from 42 hospitals from 5 Latin American countries were invited to take an electronic, voluntary, anonymous survey regarding knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of AS, AMR, and AU between March–April 2023. Findings Overall, 996 HCWs completed the survey (52% physicians, 32% nurses, 11% pharmacists, 3% microbiologists, and 2% “other”). More than 90% of respondents indicated optimizing AU was a priority at their healthcare facility (HCF), 69% stated the importance of AS was communicated at their HCF, and 23% were unfamiliar with the term “antibiotic stewardship”. Most (> 95%) respondents acknowledged that appropriate AU can reduce AMR; however, few thought AU (

Abstract This paper discusses the through-wall detection of targets behind walls using an ultra-wideband radar operating in the 2 to 15 GHz frequency range. Tests were conducted to verify its use with static and moving targets. Two real-world cases were tested: a laboratory with students sitting on benches, and an adult person standing behind a door. A fast method, based on the standard deviation, was used to transform the time-domain data matrix into a simpler waveform. This method has the potential to quickly detect the presence of human targets behind physical obstacles.

Leishmania infantum is responsible for visceral leishmaniasis, the most severe form of the disease. The treatments currently used are pentavalent antimonials and amphotericin B, but they present serious side effects and resistant species that already exist. Therefore, it is necessary to find new compounds to avoid those acute problems. In vitro, this study evaluated the effects of fifteen digoxin derivative compounds on promastigotes and two of these compounds on amastigotes of L. infantum. We also assess the impact of these compounds on mitochondrial metabolism. The results showed that two of the fifteen compounds tested showed a high anti-Leishmania effect. Compounds 3 and 15 showed no toxicity across the cell lines RAW 264.7. Compound 15 inhibited macrophage infection and reduced the number of amastigotes. The two compounds showed a reduction in oxygen consumption by promastigotes. In this way, compounds 3 and 15 appear to be promising anti-leishmanial. Therefore, we checked both compounds in vivo also evaluating the toxicity by measuring ALT, AST, urea, and creatinine. Our results may contribute in the future to the development and application of new anti-Leishmania drugs.

El presente trabajo describe cómo se incorporan imágenes presidenciales disruptivas, en contraposición a imágenes continuistas, en los relatos políticos del presidente Santiago Peña (Paraguay) y Bernardo Arévalo (Guatemala). El análisis de ambos casos permite, a pesar de sus respectivas relaciones políticas de oficialista y opositor con sus antecesores, seguir sosteniendo la tendencia actual en las estrategias de comunicación política de la región: prima la proyección de imágenes disruptivas. La unidad de análisis es la comunicación gubernamental presidencial de cada gobierno. Las unidades de observación consisten en 79 videos publicados en los perfiles oficiales de Facebook de la sede de cada gobierno. La estrategia de investigación es cualitativa con objetivos descriptivos. Para realizar el análisis comparado se utilizó la técnica de análisis de contenido.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Brazilian medical schools equitably divide their medical education assessments into five content areas: internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and public health. However, this division does not follow international patterns and may threaten the examinations’ reliability and validity. OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability indices of the content areas of serial, cross-institutional progress test examinations. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: This was an analytical, observational, and cross-sectional study conducted at nine public medical schools (mainly from the state of São Paulo) with progress test examinations conducted between 2017 and 2023. METHODS: The examinations covered the areas of basic sciences, internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and public health. We calculated reliability indices using Cronbach’s α, which indicates the internal consistency of a test. We used simple linear regressions to analyze temporal trends. RESULTS: The results showed that the Cronbach’s α for basic sciences and internal medicine presented lower values, whereas gynecology, obstetrics, and public health presented higher values. After changes in the number of items and the exclusion of basic sciences as a separate content area, internal medicine ranked highest in 2023. Individually, all content areas except pediatrics remained stable over time. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining an equitable division in assessment content may lead to suboptimal results in terms of assessment reliability, especially for internal medicine. Therefore, content sampling of medical knowledge for general assessments should be reappraised.

Face à elevada prevalência de crianças portuguesas com perturbações da comunicação, são necessários instrumentos válidos para a deteção precoce destas perturbações. Neste sentido, o objetivo deste estudo é determinar a eficácia do Early Communication Indicator-Portugal (ECI-Portugal) na identificação do risco de crianças portuguesas desenvolverem uma perturbação da comunicação. A amostra do estudo foi constituída por 480 crianças de todo o país, com idades compreendidas entre os 6 e os 42 meses, 40 das quais foram identificadas como tendo perturbações da comunicação. Os resultados revelaram que as crianças com perturbações da comunicação apresentam um desenvolvimento comunicativo expressivo significativamente mais lento do que as crianças com desenvolvimento típico, incluindo o uso mais prolongado de vocalizações e o aparecimento mais tardio de palavras e frases. Estes resultados demonstram a utilidade da ECI-Portugal na identificação de diferenças entre crianças com e sem perturbações da comunicação desde tenra idade, e a sua potencial importância como instrumento de avaliação e monitorização de problemas relacionados com a comunicação em crianças portuguesas desde tenra idade.

Objective: To understand the susceptibility to single nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter region of Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and Interleukin-13 (IL-13) in patients with and without periodontal disease. Thus, a systematic review of available studies on the subject was performed. Material and Methods: A protocol was conducted for registration in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under CRD42021246646. For this search, studies were selected from the Scopus, Web of Science, Virtual Health Library, Embase, Cochrane Library, and PubMed databases. The selection criteria consisted of case-control and cohort studies published in English that had data on IL-4 and IL-13 genetic polymorphisms in patients with and without periodontal disease in the same study. The obtained studies were managed by EndNote Program™ X7 version and the Rayyan Platform. Regarding the risk of bias, we used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, which classified the studies using high-quality methodology. Results: After the selection process, three studies presented the eligibility criteria. No relation between IL-13 and susceptibility to periodontal disease was found. IL-4 gene (IL-4 -590C/T; IL-4-34C/T; rs2243248) was associated with susceptibility to the development of periodontitis. Conclusion: An association between IL-4 and the susceptibility of periodontitis was verified. Further case-control studies are needed to create more concrete conclusions on the subject.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with dental caries in Brazilian preschool children aged 2 to 5 years. Material and Methods: The following independent variables were evaluated: dental caries, dental trauma, and malocclusions. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test and Poisson regression (p

Este artigo analisa o fenômeno da evasão em dois cursos técnicos em informática integrados ao ensino médio em dois campi do Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de São Paulo. A escolha do objeto investigado se deu porque tal fenômeno, sobretudo no ensino médio, configura-se como tema de forte tensão de debates em diferentes âmbitos educacionais e políticos. O objetivo é identificar as características da evasão em dois diferentes contextos colocando em evidência os principais fatores/aspectos e atributos que acometem adolescentes e jovens. A investigação se caracteriza como um estudo de caso múltiplo ancorado na abordagem qualiquantitativa, cujos dados estudados compreendem os anos de 2016 a 2018. A pesquisa utilizou documentos oficiais produzidos no âmbito dos campi investigados, contou com observação participante nos Conselhos Pedagógicos bimestrais e a análise dos dados ocorreu por meio da técnica de triangulação de dados. No período analisado, os índices da evasão nos dois campi são decrescentes, sendo as turmas de primeiros anos aquelas em que a incidência da evasão é maior, diminuindo nos anos subsequentes. Os resultados apontam para uma multicausalidade do fenômeno da evasão e uma correlação com a retenção. A falta de identificação com o curso e um processo frágil de escolarização no ensino fundamental também acabam por dificultar a adaptação do estudante ao modelo de ensino integral. Ainda, foi possível perceber que existe uma sensibilização de docentes e equipe técnico-pedagógica para o fenômeno da evasão, já que se têm investido em ações que visam combatê-lo.

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the association between clinical and imaging with surgical and pathological findings in patients with suspected neuroendocrine tumor of appendix and/or appendix endometriosis. Methods: Retrospective descriptive study conducted at the Teaching and Research Institute of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, in which medical records and databases of patients with suspected neuroendocrine tumor of appendix and/or endometriosis of appendix were analyzed by imaging. Results: Twenty-eight patients were included, all of which had some type of appendix alteration on the ultrasound examination. The pathological outcome of the appendix found 25 (89.3%) lesions compatible with endometriosis and three (10.7%) neuroendocrine tumors. The clinical findings of imaging and surgery were compared with the result of pathological anatomy by means of relative frequency. Conclusion: It was possible to observe a higher prevalence of appendix endometriosis when the patient presented more intense pain symptoms. The image observed on ultrasound obtained a high positive predictive value for appendicular endometriosis.

El cultivo de pejerrey, Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes, 1835), desarrollado en Argentina, permite la obtención de huevos y larvas provenientes de reproductores criados en tanques. No obstante, su acuicultura masiva aún no se ha consolidado, entre otras cosas, por el crecimiento lento de la especie. El objetivo de este trabajo es comparar mediante meta-análisis, el crecimiento de O. bonariensis en acuicultura intensiva con el de poblaciones silvestres para conocer en qué medida la especie expresa su potencial en cautiverio. Los datos de longitud estándar por edad, compilados de publicaciones sobre crecimiento en cultivo y en ambientes naturales, fueron ajustados al modelo de crecimiento de von Bertalanffy y convertidos a peso promedio en gramos (W) utilizando la ecuación de peso estándar del pejerrey. Se calcularon los incrementos anuales en W (IW) y la ganancia anual de peso (SAIW) como la diferencia entre los IW en años sucesivos. En el cultivo, el crecimiento en talla y peso por edad se ubicó por encima de la media registrada para los ambientes naturales. Tanto en cultivo como en ambientes naturales, la SAIW presentó valores negativos a partir del tercer año y la máxima ganancia se obtuvo entre el primer y segundo año. Si bien el crecimiento en cautiverio fue superior al de la mayoría de los ambientes considerados, la existencia de valores de tallas superiores por edad en algunas poblaciones silvestres sugiere la posibilidad de alcanzar mejoras en el crecimiento en cultivo.

Cercospora leaf blight (CLB), caused by Cercospora cf. flagellaris, C. kikuchii, and C. cf. sigesbeckiae, is a significant soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] disease in regions with hot and humid conditions causing yield loss in the United States and Canada. There is limited information regarding resistant soybean cultivars, and there have been marginal efforts to identify the genomic regions underlying resistance to CLB. A Genome-Wide Association Study was conducted using a diverse panel of 460 soybean accessions from maturity groups III to VII to identify the genomic regions associated to the CLB disease. These accessions were evaluated for CLB in different regions of the southeastern United States over 3 years. In total, the study identified 99 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) associated with the disease severity and 85 SNPs associated with disease incidence. Across multiple environments, 47 disease severity SNPs and 23 incidence SNPs were common. Candidate genes within 10 kb of these SNPs were involved in biotic and abiotic stress pathways. This information will contribute to the development of resistant soybean germplasm. Further research is warranted to study the effect of pyramiding desirable genomic regions and investigate the role of identified genes in soybean CLB resistance.

Abstract Background The nationally determined contribution (NDC) presented by Argentina within the framework of the Paris Agreement is aligned with the decisions made in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on the reduction of emissions derived from deforestation and forest degradation, as well as forest carbon conservation (REDD+). In addition, climate change constitutes one of the greatest threats to forest biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks of native forests have not been incorporated into the Forest Reference Emission Levels calculations and for conservation planning under climate variability due to a lack of information. The objectives of this study were: (i) to model SOC stocks to 30 cm of native forests at a national scale using climatic, topographic and vegetation as predictor variables, and (ii) to relate SOC stocks with spatial–temporal remotely sensed indices to determine biodiversity conservation concerns due to threats from high inter-annual climate variability. Methods We used 1040 forest soil samples (0–30 cm) to generate spatially explicit estimates of SOC native forests in Argentina at a spatial resolution of approximately 200 m. We selected 52 potential predictive environmental covariates, which represent key factors for the spatial distribution of SOC. All covariate maps were uploaded to the Google Earth Engine cloud-based computing platform for subsequent modelling. To determine the biodiversity threats from high inter-annual climate variability, we employed the spatial–temporal satellite-derived indices based on Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and land surface temperature (LST) images from Landsat imagery. Results SOC model (0–30 cm depth) prediction accounted for 69% of the variation of this soil property across the whole native forest coverage in Argentina. Total mean SOC stock reached 2.81 Pg C (2.71–2.84 Pg C with a probability of 90%) for a total area of 460,790 km2, where Chaco forests represented 58.4% of total SOC stored, followed by Andean Patagonian forests (16.7%) and Espinal forests (10.0%). SOC stock model was fitted as a function of regional climate, which greatly influenced forest ecosystems, including precipitation (annual mean precipitation and precipitation of warmest quarter) and temperature (day land surface temperature, seasonality, maximum temperature of warmest month, month of maximum temperature, night land surface temperature, and monthly minimum temperature). Biodiversity was influenced by the SOC levels and the forest regions. Conclusions In the framework of the Kyoto Protocol and REDD+, information derived in the present work from the estimate of SOC in native forests can be incorporated into the annual National Inventory Report of Argentina to assist forest management proposals. It also gives insight into how native forests can be more resilient to reduce the impact of biodiversity loss.

A large number of vision sensors has been proposed for enabling self-driving vehicles to perceive their surroundings. Among them, Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) presents the unique advantage of acquiring a high resolution 3D representation of the vehicle surroundings, in the form of point clouds, which enables accurate 3D object detection. The success of the first (and current) generation LiDARs has motivated the development of a second generation of this sensor, now based on coherent detection. Second generation LiDARs thus enable not only estimating radial distance, but also radial velocity for each point of the point cloud. The objective of this work is to investigate which benefits can be obtained by considering such an additional information – radial velocity – in 3D object detection. Results show that considering object velocity is particularly helpful in objects represented by a small number of points.

Objetivo: Investigar as influências dos estilos de liderança na capacidade de aprendizado e nos tipos do uso do orçamento empresarial em cooperativas agroindustriais. Metodologia: Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, quanto aos objetivos, de levantamento de campo ou survey, no tocante aos procedimentos, é quantitativa com aplicação da técnica estatística modelagem de equações estruturais com estimação por mínimos quadrados parciais por meio do SmartPLS. Resultados: Foi possível constatar que (i) a liderança transacional apresentou influência positiva com relação ao uso diagnóstico do orçamento; (ii) a capacidade de aprendizagem organizacional como mediadora da liderança transformacional no uso interativo do orçamento apresentou o resultado esperado; (iii) a liderança transformacional apresentou significância positiva na aprendizagem organizacional; (iv) a capacidade de aprendizagem organizacional teve significância positiva no uso interativo do orçamento. Contribuições do Estudo: Esta pesquisa contribuiu para evidenciar que o papel do gestor vai além de elaborar, aplicar e acompanhar o orçamento; ele precisa canalizar esforços ou demandar tempo para o processo de gestão, uma vez que os colaboradores percebem a sua importância e contribuem de forma efetiva quando engajados com a organização em que trabalham, foi possível verificar que o estilo do líder tem influência significativa na utilização da referida ferramenta e que esta pode ser uma grande aliada dos gestores se bem desenvolvida.

The application of humic substances (HSs) promotes bioactive effects in plants, stimulating growth and development, promoting against biotic and abiotic stresses and increasing agricultural productivity. There are countless examples of fertilizers and biostimulants made from HSs that are capable of being used to form state-of-the-art intelligent agricultural technologies with increased efficiency due to their versatility and structural richness. In recent years, the phytotechnics associated with HS application to foliage have improved, and the applications have been expanded to all plant groups; however, the studies are disaggregated and still scarce, hindering the integration of data and the implementation of this technology for researchers, technicians, and specialists. The objective of this review was to gather all possible evidence related to the ability of HSs to stimulate plant metabolism when applied to foliage. This review first addressed the characteristics of foliar application and HSs. Subsequently, studies were organized by plant groups: vegetables, grasses, legumes, fruit, oilseeds, and medicinal and ornamental plants. Regardless of the plant group, HS foliar application stimulated parameters such as biomass and plant height and increased levels of photosynthetic pigments and agricultural productivity. Foliar application promoted protection against stress events, increasing the activity of peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), and phenyl alanine ammonium lyase (PAL) enzymes. Fruit quality also improved with HS foliar application, especially the total sugar content and the amount of oil, protein, and fiber, among others. Based on this review, we propose studies that integrate new forms and technologies of HS foliar application to plants. Experiments with various sources of origin, plant types, and environments are necessary to standardize the application forms of these compounds. Thus, we conclude that HSs are a viable technology that is environmentally friendly and highly accessible to small farmers and family farmers.

Domain Generation Algorithms (DGAs) are algorithms present in most malware used by botnets and advanced persistent threats. These algorithms dynamically generate domain names to maintain and obfuscate communication between the infected device and the attacker’s command and control server. Since DGAs are used by many threats, it is extremely important to classify a given DGA according to the threat it is related to. In addition, as new threats emerge daily, classifier models tend to become obsolete over time. Deep neural networks tend to lose their classification ability when retrained with a dataset that is significantly different from the initial one, a phenomenon known as catastrophic forgetting. This work presents a computational scheme composed of a deep learning model based on CNN and natural language processing and an incremental learning technique for class increment through transfer learning to classify 60 DGA families and include a new family to the classifier model, training the model incrementally using some examples from known families, avoiding catastrophic forgetting and maintaining metric levels. The proposed methodology achieved an average precision of 86.75%, an average recall of 83.06%, and an average F1 score of 83.78% with the full dataset, and suffered minimal losses when applying the class increment.

This work evaluates the impact of air renewal on energy consumption for indoor environments. For this purpose, an analysis of the problem of air renewal at a Brazilian level was carried out, as well as research into the energy impact of air renewal without energy recovery and the different existing technologies for recovering energy from renewed air. On the other hand, the influence of heat-recovery systems was analyzed in three Brazilian cities (Manaus, São Paulo, and Brasília) for different environments, where a classroom in Manaus has an approximately 50% external air factor and a 42% sensible heat factor. However, classrooms in São Paulo and Brasília have a lower external air factor (27% and 8%, respectively) and a higher sensible heat factor (61% and 78%, respectively). Considering a system with heat recovery, the external air factor decreases to 23%, 10%, and 3% for Manaus, São Paulo, and Brasília, respectively. This allows us to understand the influence of heat-recovery systems, which reduce the external air factor and increase the sensible heat factor.

The G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) has been described to exert several cardioprotective effects. However, the exact mechanism involved in cardiac protection remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of GPER activation on excitation–contraction coupling (ECC) and the possibility that such effect participates in cardioprotection. The cardiac myocytes of male Wistar rats were isolated with a digestive buffer and loaded with Fura-2-AM for the measurement of intracellular calcium transient (CaT). Sarcomere shortening (SS) and L-type calcium current (ICaL) were also registered. The confocal technique was used to measure nitric oxide (NO) production in cells loaded with DAF-FM-diacetate. Cardiac myocytes exposed to 17-β-estradiol (E2, 10 nM) or G-1 (1 μM) for fifteen minutes decreased CaT, SS, and ICaL. These effects were prevented using G-36 (antagonist of GPER, 1 μM), L-Name (NO synthase -NOS- inhibitor, 100 nM), or wortmannin (phosphoinositide-3-kinase -PI3K- inhibitor, 100 nM). Moreover, G1 increased NO production, and this effect was abolished in the presence of wortmannin. We concluded that the selective activation of GPER with E2 or G1 in the isolated cardiac myocytes of male rats induced a negative inotropic effect due to the reduction in ICaL and the decrease in CaT. Finally, the pathway that we proposed to be implicated in these effects is PI3K-NOS-NO.

Accumulating evidence suggests that interactions between the brain and gut microbiota significantly impact brain function and mental health. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether young, healthy adults without psychiatric diagnoses exhibit differences in metabolic stool and microbiota profiles based on depression/anxiety scores and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. Untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics was used to identify fecal metabolic profiles. Results were subjected to multivariate analysis through principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and the metabolites were identified through VIP score. Metabolites separating asymptomatic and symptomatic groups were acetate, valine, and glutamate, followed by sugar regions, glutamine, acetone, valerate, and acetoacetate. The main metabolites identified in high vagal tone (HVT) and low vagal tone (LVT) groups were acetate, valerate, and glutamate, followed by propionate and butyrate. In addition to the metabolites identified by the PLS-DA test, significant differences in aspartate, sarcosine, malate, and methionine were observed between the groups. Levels of acetoacetate were higher in both symptomatic and LVT groups. Valerate levels were significantly increased in the symptomatic group, while isovalerate, propionate, glutamate, and acetone levels were significantly increased in the LVT group. Furthermore, distinct abundance between groups was only confirmed for the Firmicutes phylum. Differences between participants with high and low vagal tone suggest that certain metabolites are involved in communication between the vagus nerve and the brain.

The increasing need for sustainable agricultural practices, combined with the demand for enhanced crop productivity, has led to a growing interest in utilizing microorganisms for biocontrol of diseases and pests, as well as for growth promotion. In Brazilian agriculture, the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF) has become increasingly prevalent, with a corresponding rise in the number of registered microbial inoculants each year. PGPR and PGPF occupy diverse niches within the rhizosphere, playing a crucial role in soil nutrient cycling and influencing a wide range of plant physiological processes. This review examines the primary mechanisms employed by these microbial agents to promote growth, as well as the strategy of co-inoculation to enhance product efficacy. Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the microbial inoculants currently available in Brazil, detailing the microorganisms accessible for major crops, and discuss the market’s prospects for the research and development of novel products in light of current challenges faced in the coming years.

El ser humano hoy, ahogado por el consumo y a la vez, asfixiado por sus agendas repletas de actividades y exigencias, suele evitar discernir en su interior la fragilidad de su existencia para confrontarlas con sus impulsos y deseos. Se suelen desoír las intuiciones profundas que vienen de lo más íntimo del corazón y son las que despiertan el deseo de Dios, generalmente, porque se considera no disponer de tiempo, o más bien, porque se lo ve como una pérdida. En el libro de Qohélet, entre tantos temas y asuntos de discusión que iluminan la existencia humana, se presenta para el lector contemporáneo un desafío en 3,11 ¿Qué fue lo que puso Dios en nuestro corazón? Se trata de una crux interpretum misteriosa, no es fácil dilucidar a los lectores e intérpretes en que consiste aquello dado. Al igual que hizo el sabio, nos propusimos investigar… (cf. Qo 1,13) en detalle estas palabras de 3,11, poder pensarlas con acierto y mirar ‒en nuestra era‒ hacia adentro de nosotros.

Agriculture is a vital human activity that contributes to sustainable development. A few decades ago, the agricultural sector adopted the Internet of Things (IoT), which has played a relevant role in precision and smart farming. The IoT developments in agriculture require that numerous connected devices work cooperatively. This increases the vulnerability of IoT devices, mainly because they lack the necessary built-in security because of their context and computational capacity. Other security threats to these devices are related to data storage and processing connected to edge or cloud servers. To ensure that IoT-based solutions meet functional and non-functional requirements, particularly those concerning security, software companies should adopt a security-focused approach to their software requirements specification. This paper proposes a method for specifying security scenarios, integrating requirements and architecture viewpoints into the context of IoT for agricultural solutions. The method comprises four steps: (i) describe scenarios for the intended software, (ii) describe scenarios with incorrect uses of the system, (iii) translate these scenarios into security scenarios using a set of rules, and (iv) improve the security scenarios. This paper also describes a prototype application that employs the proposed algorithm to strengthen the incorrect use scenario based on the correct use scenario. Then, the expert can complete the information for the analysis and subsequent derivation of the security scenario. In addition, this paper describes a preliminary validation of our approach. The results show that the proposed approach enables software engineers to define and analyze security scenarios in the IoT and agricultural contexts with good results. A survey administered to five security experts found that the proposed security scenario method is generally useful for specifying agricultural IoT solutions but needs improvement in different areas.

Successful software development requires good specifications, that is, correct, consistent, and unambiguous requirements. Natural language artifacts are the most used tools for writing specifications; nevertheless, the use of natural language can introduce many defects such as ambiguity, vagueness, and generality. In light of this, the purpose of this paper is to propose an approach for writing good specifications and extracting knowledge from them. The proposed approach uses a particular lexicon, the Language Extended Lexicon (LEL) glossary, and suggests rules for extracting knowledge (concepts, attributes, and relationships) from it. This paper also presents a prototype that implements and supports the proposed approach, as well as a preliminary evaluation of the approach. In conclusion, the proposed approach represents a theoretical contribution, which was evaluated using the System Usability Scale, and its evaluation results are promising, as it obtained the maximum score.

Feed additives such as monensin (MON) and virginiamycin (VM) are commonly utilized in feedlot diets to enhance rumen fermentation. Nevertheless, the precise effects of combining MON and VM during specific feedlot periods and the advantages of this combination remain unclear. This study was designed to investigate the effects of withdrawal of MON when associated with VM during the adaptation and finishing periods on ruminal metabolism, feeding behavior, and nutrient digestibility in Nellore cattle. The experimental design was a 5 × 5 Latin square, where each period lasted 28 days. Five rumen-cannulated Nellore yearling bulls were used (414,86 ± 21,71 kg of body weight), which were assigned to five treatments: (1) MON during the entire feeding period; (2) VM during the entire feeding period; (3) MON + VM during the adaptation period and only VM during the finishing period 1 and 2; (4) MON + VM during the entire feeding period; (5) MON + VM during the adaptation and finishing period 1 and only VM during the finishing period 2. For the finishing period 1, animals fed T3 had improved potential degradability of dry matter (p = 0.02). Cattle fed T3 and T5 had the highest crude protein degradability when compared to animals receiving T2 (p = 0.01). Animals fed T2 and T3 had reduced the time (p

Objective: Dentistry from the Universidade Federal de Alfenas who were enrolled in the seventh period and who took the Integrated Clinic I Discipline (ICID) in the emergency remote learning model (ERLM). Material and Methods: This is a qualitative and descriptive study. The information was collected through questionnaires applied by the Professors during the ICID. Subsequently, the professor evaluated the treatment developed in virtual form by each student regarding its logical sequence and the most appropriate treatment for each case. The results of the answers were transcribed and submitted to lexicographical textual, Descending Hierarchical Classification, and Similitude analysis in the Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires(IRAMUTEQ) program. Results: The students described the online situational treatment planning in five essential steps: adequacy of the oral environment, restorative need, prosthetic need, rehabilitation by prosthesis on the implant, and corrective orthodontic treatment. Conclusion: It was observed that the students who enrolled in ICID presented well-integrated planning during ERLM, despite the COVID-19 pandemic hindering these students' contact between theoretical teaching and the integrated practices in dentistry offered by the educational institution.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency and capacity of the probiotic composed of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, in improving the zootechnical performance of broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria spp. and Clostridium perfringens. The broilers were distributed in a completely randomized design in poultry isolators (12 birds each), resulting in 3 treatments: T1 (control, no challenge and no Bacillus in diet), T2 (challenged with Eimeria spp., followed by Clostridium perfringens infection and no Bacillus in the diet), and T3 (challenged with Eimeria spp., Clostridium perfringens and treated with Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens). They were evaluated for a period of 29 d, divided into preinitial (1–7 d of age), initial (8–21 d), and growth (22–29 d) phases. Assessments of body weight, weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion were conducted, along with the classification of the scores and optical microscopy of the tract gastrointestinal. The animals challenged and treated with the probiotic containing Bacillus spp. showed improved indicators of zootechnical performance. Additionally, the animals challenged and treated (T3) had a better score for intestinal lesions compared to the other treatment groups. Therefore, the probiotic consisting of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens could be considered an effective option for disease prevention and improving the zootechnical performance of broiler chickens

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar as experiências avaliativas dos residentes de licenciatura em Educação Física no âmbito do Programa Residência Pedagógica. Com uma abordagem qualitativa de objetivo exploratório foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com estudantes de um curso de Licenciatura em Educação Física que participaram do programa em uma instituição federal de ensino. Utilizamos a análise temática com o auxílio do software Iramuteq. Duas categorias foram identificadas: a) Contribuições do PRP na formação em avaliação educacional e; Experiências formativas e práticas em avaliação educacional durante o PRP. Os estudantes do programa tiveram a percepção de que as experiências no programa ampliaram os seus conhecimentos teóricos e práticos sobre a avaliação educacional, assim como as formações sobre o tema, as trocas de conhecimento e experiências com os demais estudantes, a oportunidade de elaborar e desenvolver processos avaliativos, inclusive com o uso de ferramentas tecnológicas digitais permitiram uma sensação de segurança para realizar avaliação educacional.

Abstract Simulating quantum imaginary-time evolution (QITE) is a significant promise of quantum computation. However, the known algorithms are either probabilistic (repeat until success) with unpractically small success probabilities or coherent (quantum amplitude amplification) with circuit depths and ancillary-qubit numbers unrealistically large in the mid-term. Our main contribution is a new generation of deterministic, high-precision QITE algorithms that are significantly more amenable experimentally. A surprisingly simple idea is behind them: partitioning the evolution into a sequence of fragments that are run probabilistically. It causes a considerable reduction in wasted circuit depth every time a run fails. Remarkably, the resulting overall runtime is asymptotically better than in coherent approaches, and the hardware requirements are even milder than in probabilistic ones. Our findings are especially relevant for the early fault-tolerance stages of quantum hardware.

Abstract The recognition of dominantly inherited micro-satellite instable (MSI) cancers caused by pathogenic variants in one of the four mismatch repair (MMR) genes MSH2, MLH1, MSH6 and PMS2 has modified our understanding of carcinogenesis. Inherited loss of function variants in each of these MMR genes cause four dominantly inherited cancer syndromes with different penetrance and expressivities: the four Lynch syndromes. No person has an “average sex “or a pathogenic variant in an “average Lynch syndrome gene” and results that are not stratified by gene and sex will be valid for no one. Carcinogenesis may be a linear process from increased cellular division to localized cancer to metastasis. In addition, in the Lynch syndromes (LS) we now recognize a dynamic balance between two stochastic processes: MSI producing abnormal cells, and the host’s adaptive immune system’s ability to remove them. The latter may explain why colonoscopy surveillance does not reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer in LS, while it may improve the prognosis. Most early onset colon, endometrial and ovarian cancers in LS are now cured and most cancer related deaths are after subsequent cancers in other organs. Aspirin reduces the incidence of colorectal and other cancers in LS. Immunotherapy increases the host immune system’s capability to destroy MSI cancers. Colonoscopy surveillance, aspirin prevention and immunotherapy represent major steps forward in personalized precision medicine to prevent and cure inherited MSI cancer.

Abstract Objective To perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Parental Perceptions of Children’s Exposure to Tobacco Smoke (PPE) instrument to the Brazilian context. Results The cross-cultural adaptation process was performed in 10 stages. Four translators, eight specialists, and 35 primary care users participated in the study. Both translations were similar. The synthesis version that was back-translated was equivalent to the original. The committee of experts scored all items in the content validity index as 3 or 4, suggesting only small changes such as changing “photo” to “image” and “service balcony” to “service area”. After the completion of the first sequence of pretests, some adjustments were required by the committee of experts for the second round. The form of application of the self-administered questionnaire for the interview was changed, the Likert scale was reduced from 7 to 5 points, and the option “I don’t know” was added to questions 18, 19, and 20. After these adjustments, the instrument was well accepted by the study population and presented good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α score = 0.82). The PPE instrument, which assesses the perception of parents about their children’s exposure to cigarette smoke, was satisfactorily translated and adapted to the Brazilian context.

The broad global distribution of freshwater clams belonging to the genus Corbicula is driven by multiple hermaphroditic lineages. These lineages, characterized by shared morphological traits and phenotypic plasticity, pose challenges to morphological identification. Genetic markers, such as the mitochondrial COI gene, play a crucial role in delineating these lineages and their ranges. Morphotypes represent observed phenotypic variations, while lineages are defined based on genetic markers. Here, we comprehensively review Corbicula’s distribution in Argentina, discriminate extant lineages based on both morphological and genetic (COI) data, and describe variations in internal and external morphologies using 15 Argentine populations. Genetic analyses identified two mitochondrial lineages: the AR morphotype (FW5 haplotype) and CS morphotype (FW17 haplotype). Strikingly, despite having similar vectors, origins, and invasive stages, Corbicula lineages exhibit virtually segregated distributions. However, mitochondrial haplotypes are found in sympatry mainly in northeastern Argentina where individuals with intermediate morphotypes exist, suggesting the presence of hybrids due to maternal genome retention. These findings contribute to the clarification of the identity and distribution of Corbicula lineages in Argentina, where the genus has been found for over half a century. Similar studies are needed in other areas to better understand the invasion patterns of this successful and adaptable group.

Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) reduces latency, provides high-bandwidth applications with real-time performance and reliability, supporting new applications and services for the present and future Beyond the Fifth Generation (B5G). Radio Network Information Service (RNIS) plays a crucial role in obtaining information from the Radio Access Network (RAN). With the advent of 5G, RNIS requires improvements to handle information from the new generations of RAN. In this scenario, improving the RNIS is essential to boost new applications according to the strict requirements imposed. Hence, this work proposes a new RNIS as a service to the MEC framework in B5G networks to improve MEC applications. The service is validated and evaluated, and demonstrates the ability to adequately serve a large number of MEC apps (two, four, six and eight) and from 100 to 2000 types of User Equipment (UE).

In this paper, a deterioration model is created and used to simulate the life cycle of a water distribution network (WDN). Then, two strategies – leakage fixing and pipe cleaning – are evaluated to rehabilitate its capacity to attend the demand. In order to implement the deterioration model, the following parameters were considered: growth of the consumer population, increase in leakage rate, functional pipe deterioration and reduction of the hydraulic capacity of the pumps. For the leakage fixing, a fixed reduction rate in water losses was considered throughout the entire WDN until a minimum reference value was reached. For pipe rehabilitation, leaning was considered at a rate of 1% of the total length of the network per year. In each of the rehabilitation strategies, a cost–benefit analysis was carried out using the net present value. The results showed that both alternatives can restore the capacity of the WDN, with the pipe cleaning presenting a better economic impact. HIGHLIGHTS This study presents a methodology to understand the impact that the deterioration of a water distribution network (WDN) has on its operation.; This study brings an estimate of the time when a WDN should be rehabilitated as it deteriorates throughout its useful life.; This study presents two ways to rehabilitate a WDN and the economic impact of each of these implemented measures.;

Objetivo: O objetivo desta pesquisa é averiguar se o uso do orçamento diagnóstico ou interativo, moderado por comportamentos heurísticos, influencia às competências profissionais dos controllers. Metodologia: Trata-se de uma pesquisa de cunho quantitativo, realizada por meio de levantamento com 109 indivíduos que exercem a função de controller. Para atender ao objetivo de pesquisa, além do diagnóstico dos dados por meio de contagem das respostas, foi utilizado um modelo de regressão logística, escolhido pelo método Retroceder de Wald. Resultados: Os resultados encontrados na pesquisa, indicam que há predominância das competências atreladas ao perfil bean counter nas funções laborais dos controllers. Quanto ao uso do orçamento verificou-se que o uso do orçamento interativo para comunicar metas às suas equipes de trabalho é característico de controllers cujas competências profissionais pertencem ao perfil business partner e apresentam comportamento influenciado por heurísticas, e independentemente de serem influenciados por heurísticas, utilizam o orçamento interativo para discussão de ações; enquanto o uso do orçamento diagnóstico para o planejamento gerencial é característico dos bean counters. Constatou-se também que há presença de heurísticas no comportamento dos controllers, com destaque para as de Ancoragem e Disponibilidade, porém não puderam ser atreladas diretamente às competências profissionais destes indivíduos. Contribuições do estudo: As contribuições teóricas do estudo esclarecem a respeito da relação entre os usos específicos dos orçamentos diagnóstico ou interativo influenciados por comportamento heurístico e as competências profissionais da Controladoria. A pesquisa amplia o debate da função do controller que predomina no Brasil.

Abstract Adaptation to life in caves is often accompanied by dramatically convergent changes across distantly related taxa, epitomized by the loss or reduction of eyes and pigmentation. Nevertheless, the genomic underpinnings underlying cave-related phenotypes are largely unexplored from a macroevolutionary perspective. Here we investigate genome-wide gene evolutionary dynamics in three distantly related beetle tribes with at least six instances of independent colonization of subterranean habitats, inhabiting both aquatic and terrestrial underground systems. Our results indicate that remarkable gene repertoire changes mainly driven by gene family expansions occurred prior to underground colonization in the three tribes, suggesting that genomic exaptation may have facilitated a strict subterranean lifestyle parallelly across beetle lineages. The three tribes experienced both parallel and convergent changes in the evolutionary dynamics of their gene repertoires. These findings pave the way towards a deeper understanding of the evolution of the genomic toolkit in hypogean fauna.

Este artigo faz um diagnóstico da emolduração da cidade do Rio de Janeiro na escrita de Nelson Rodrigues como referência do pecado, revelando toda a fissura da modernidade no Brasil republicano. Nesse contexto, os valores da família carioca estão em processo de reformulação frente às mudanças dos anos dourados em contraposição à belle époque. Desse processo, emergem conflitos e problematizações nos espaços urbanos, os quais Nelson Rodrigues absorveu ou seja, o que se esperava dos habitantes da urbe pulsante e o que realmente se praticava nos ambientes de sociabilidades. Ainda é perceptível, nesse universo, um clima de intensa reconfiguração da cultura urbana moderna, o que ocasiona embates na esfera privada e atinge a esfera pública. Por fim, resta evidente que as fissuras do projeto de modernidade são sintomas de inconformismo do escritor no presente e de sua leitura íntima da cidade enquanto expiação do pecado.

Abstract The impressive pace of advance of quantum technology calls for robust and scalable techniques for the characterization and validation of quantum hardware. Quantum process tomography, the reconstruction of an unknown quantum channel from measurement data, remains the quintessential primitive to completely characterize quantum devices. However, due to the exponential scaling of the required data and classical post-processing, its range of applicability is typically restricted to one- and two-qubit gates. Here, we present a technique for performing quantum process tomography that addresses these issues by combining a tensor network representation of the channel with a data-driven optimization inspired by unsupervised machine learning. We demonstrate our technique through synthetically generated data for ideal one- and two-dimensional random quantum circuits of up to 10 qubits, and a noisy 5-qubit circuit, reaching process fidelities above 0.99 using several orders of magnitude fewer (single-qubit) measurement shots than traditional tomographic techniques. Our results go far beyond state-of-the-art, providing a practical and timely tool for benchmarking quantum circuits in current and near-term quantum computers.