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Background: The role of nitric oxide (NO) in plant stress tolerance, as well as in increasing post-harvest quality, has been extensively demonstrated in several fruits and vegetable crops; however, the effects of its pre-harvest application on post-harvest quality are still poorly documented. Therefore, the pre-harvest application of NO in red beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) plants cultivated under well-watered and drought conditions was evaluated to assess whether it improves the post-harvest quality of their storage roots. Red beet plants cultivated under well-watered (80% of water holding capacity) or drought condition (15% of water holding capacity) were sprayed weekly with water (control) or 100 μmol L -1 sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an NO donor. Sixty-six days after sowing, red beet roots were harvested, and root yield, total sugar yield, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, proteins, lipids, root ashes, root moisture, soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, vitamin C, total phenolics, total betalains, betacyanins, betaxanthins and antioxidant capacity were determined., Results: While drought led to a reduction in root yield, sugars, lipids and titratable acidity, it increased phenolic compounds, betalains and the antioxidant capacity of beets. SNP reversed the negative effects of drought on sugar, lipid and organic acid contents and increased antioxidant capacity independent of stress., Conclusion: Pre-harvest SNP treatment reversed drought-induced yield reductions in beets, while boosting bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity. It also enhanced vitamin C content independently, indicating its dual role in stress mitigation and beet quality improvement. Future research should explore other crops and stress conditions. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Salicylic acid (SA) is a bioregulator well-known for mitigating salinity damage in plants. However, no studies have examined the interaction between SA and salinity in Dizygostemon riparius , a species rich in bioactive molecules. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of SA application on Dizygostemon riparius under different salinity levels. A completely randomized experiment was conducted in a 2 × 3 factorial design (two SA concentrations of 0 and 100 µM and three salinity concentrations of 0, 200, and 400 mM NaCl) with five replicates. At 400 mM NaCl, leaf temperature increased by 11%, while relative water content and total soluble carbohydrates decreased by 30% and 35%, respectively, leading to reduced biomass accumulation. Notably, the SA application mitigated these effects by restoring relative water content under 400 mM NaCl and improving carboxylation efficiency and intrinsic water-use efficiency under 200 mM NaCl. Additionally, dry biomass was maintained under both 200 and 400 mM NaCl with SA treatment. These findings suggest that SA has a promising potential to alleviate salt stress in Dizygostemon riparius . Our results could inform cultivation practices, opening new perspectives on the use of SA as an attenuator of salinity stress.

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) plays a central role in responses to salt stress, a major abiotic stress that impacts crop yield worldwide. Despite the evidence that H 2 O 2 mitigates salt stress and improves post-harvest quality on several species, its effects on radish were not investigated so far. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the exogenous application of H 2 O 2 on salt stress mitigation of radish growth, physiology, and post-harvest quality. For this, radish plants were grown in pots for 30 days, being watered with non-saline (0.31 dS m -1 ) or saline water (120 mM NaCl, 12.25 dS m -1 ). Plants were leaf-sprayed weekly with water (control - 0 µM H 2 O 2 ) or H 2 O 2 (150 or 1500 µM) solutions. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 3 × 2 factorial scheme (H 2 O 2 treatments × salt stress conditions). The growth, physiology (gas exchanges, photochemical efficiency, relative water content, electrolyte leakage, and the contents of chlorophylls and carotenoids), and post-harvest attributes of globular roots (color, anthocyanins, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, and soluble solids) were determined. Salt stress decreased gas exchanges and increased electrolyte leakage, which resulted in stunted radish growth, and increased the contents of antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, soluble solids, and vitamin C, improving globular root quality. Conversely, H 2 O 2 did not mitigate salt stress effects on radish growth, photosynthetic capacity, and oxidative damages. Although H 2 O 2 increased vitamin C under non-stressed condition, it was decreased under salt stress. Thus, we conclude that H 2 O 2 did not mitigate salt stress on radish growth and quality., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-024-01476-z., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article., (© Prof. H.S. Srivastava Foundation for Science and Society 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Background: In patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), refractory to medical therapy, lung transplantation emerges as an option. This study describes the outcomes of 8 PAH patients who underwent lung transplantation., Methods: A retrospective, single-center study was conducted among patients with PAH who underwent lung transplantation in our center., Results: Patients had a median age of 46 years, with female sex predominance (75%). Causes of HAP were pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (n = 5, 62.5%), idiopathic PAH (n = 2, 25%), and heritable PAH (n = 1, 12.5%). Pre-transplant hemodynamics revealed a median mean pulmonary artery pressure of 58.5 mm Hg (48-86). All patients received bilateral lung transplants with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, displaying immediate post-transplant hemodynamic improvement. Primary graft dysfunction grade 3 (PGD 3) was observed in 75% of patients. Five patients (62.5%) died, with a 72.9% survival at 12 months and 29.2% at 24 months post-transplantation., Conclusion: Our study reveals the complexity and challenges of lung transplants in patients with PAH. Despite notable immediate hemodynamic improvements, high rates of PGD 3 and the survival rate remain a concern. Further research to define optimal peri and post-transplant management to improve survival is required., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper, (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The shortage of donors for lung transplants is the main limitation of the preceding. Lobar transplantation is an alternative especially useful in patients with short stature and small thoracic cavities. The aim of this study was to perform a descriptive analysis of Portuguese patients who underwent lobar lung transplantation., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, and patients submitted to lobar lung transplantation from January 2012 to December 2023 were evaluated. A descriptive analysis was made, including demographic data, lung diseases, waiting list dynamics, pre-transplant evaluations, and post-transplant outcomes., Results: Sixteen lobar transplants were performed with a predominance of female patients and a median age of 47 years. Most patients had interstitial lung disease or bronchiectasis either due to cystic fibrosis or non-cystic fibrosis. The median predicted total lung capacity (pTLC) ratio was 0.73. The median waiting list time was 6 months with 9 urgent transplants and 1 emergent lobar retransplant. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was used in pre-, intra-, and postoperative periods. Most transplanted lobes were the median lobe (ML) + right upper lobe (RUL) and left upper lobe (LUL). The median length of stay was 58 days, with complications such as PDG grade 3, bronchial tree ischemia, and concentrical stenosis of bronchial anastomosis. Six patients died in this period, 1 in the immediate postoperative period and 5 during the post-transplant hospitalization, with a median survival of 20.7 months and a 1-year and 5-year survival rate of 60%., Conclusion: Our results show a population with an increased waiting list converging in many urgent cases, with an early mortality and high primary graft dysfunction rate. Nevertheless, mid- and long-term survival are promising., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The exogenous application of bioregulators, such as salicylic acid (SA), has exhibited promising outcomes in alleviating drought stress. Nevertheless, its impact on culantro ( Eryngium foetidum L.) remains unexplored. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess how SA impacts the growth, morphophysiology, and essential oil composition of culantro when subjected to drought. To achieve this, culantro plants were grown under three different watering regimes: well-watered, drought-stressed, and re-watered. Additionally, they were either treated with SA (100 µM) or left untreated, with water serving as the control. SA application did not mitigate the effects of drought in biomass production but increased biomass, leaf number, leaf area, and photosynthetic pigments under well-irrigated and re-watered conditions. After a drought period followed by re-watering, plants recovered membrane integrity independently of SA application. Water stress and the exogenous application of SA also modulated the profile of essential oils. This is the first report about SA and drought affecting growth and essential oil composition in culantro.

Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

An efficient procedure for in vitro propagation of Herreria salsaparrilha Martius was established from single-node explants (fourth and fifth nodes from apex to the base) derived from donor plants maintained under shading-house conditions. After surface sterilization, explants are inoculated in test tubes containing 15 mL of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium without growth regulators. Cultures are maintained under 35 μmol m -2  s -1 irradiance, a 16/8-h light/dark light regime, at 26 ± 2 °C. The subcultures are carried out under the same conditions, adding 6-benzyladenine 1.0 mg/L and Phytagel ® 2.8 g/L. Shoots are elongated and rooted by transferring individual shoots to half-strength MS medium without growth regulators. After 25-30 days, elongated rooted shoots are transferred to plastic pots containing 25-30 mL of sterile distilled water, covered with a transparent plastic bag, and kept under the same growth room conditions for 2 days. Plants are transferred to cups containing autoclaved and washed sand and kept in a shading house (50% light interception) for acclimatization. True-to-type adult plants were successfully recovered under ex vitro conditions., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Mandacaru is a cactus with great socioeconomic potential, but lack of information about its cultivation hinders its domestication. Here, we aimed to evaluate the acclimatization and vegetative development of mandacaru under different substrates and irrigation levels. For this, seeds inoculated in vitro were grown for 120 days, being transplanted to pots containing four types of substrate (S1-caatinga soil + gravel; S2-washed sand + organic matter + soil + charcoal; S3-washed sand + cattle manure + soil + sand; S4-commercial organic substrate). Pots were irrigated with 100% of the field capacity (FC) once-a-week, or with 50% FC twice-a-week, and kept in a greenhouse for six months. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, with six replications. Plant height and diameter, axial and radial growth rate, fresh and dry mass of stem and root, water content, and photosynthetic pigments were determined. Growth was affected mainly by the substrate, with S4 resulting in higher growth and pigment content, while S1 was impaired and S2 and S3 resulted in intermediate growth. The use of S4 and 100% FC once per week was the best condition for mandacaru., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: There is no conflict of interest to declare.

Water stress influences plant growth and metabolism. Carnitine, an amino acid involved in lipid metabolism, has been related to responses of plants to abiotic stresses, also modulating their metabolites. Culantro ( Eryngium foetidum L.) is a perennial herb, rich in essential oils, native to Latin America, commonly used due to its culinary and medicinal properties. Here, we investigated the effect of exogenous carnitine on morphophysiology and the essential oil profile of culantro plants under water stress. For this, plants were grown under three water conditions: well-watered, drought stress, and re-watered; and sprayed with exogenous carnitine (100 µM) or water (control). Culantro growth was impaired by drought and enhanced by re-watering. Carnitine, in turn, did not reverse drought effects on growth, and impaired the growth of re-watered plants, also improving photosynthetic pigment content. Water conditions and carnitine application changed the essential oil profile of the plants. Drought and re-watering improved the production of eryngial, which was even increased with exogenous carnitine in re-watered plants. In addition, hydroquinone was only produced with the combination of re-watering and carnitine application. The application of exogenous carnitine can be a strategy to induce the production of essential oil compounds with cosmetic and pharmaceutical importance in culantro., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03757-y., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article., (© King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis have postural balance impairments due to uremic syndrome and hemodialysis complications. This study evaluated the factors associated with postural balance in patients on hemodialysis., Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients on hemodialysis [n = 93, 62.0 (16.0) years]. Postural balance was evaluated using a force plate in a static position with eyes opened and eyes closed on a firm surface and with eyes opened on a foam surface to register the center of pressure path length. Physical function was assessed by isometric handgrip force, the 5-repetition sit-to-stand test, and gait speed. The level of physical activity and quality of life were evaluated by accelerometry and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, respectively., Findings: After adjustment for potential confounders, the multiple linear regression analysis showed that the presence of diabetes mellitus and neurological disease and gait speed were significantly associated with the center of pressure path length in the eyes opened test (R 2  = 0.263; p < 0.001). The center of pressure path length in the eyes closed test was significantly associated with the presence of neurological disease (R 2  = 0.177; p = 0.002). The center of pressure path length in the eyes opened on a foam surface test was significantly associated with the presence of diabetes mellitus (R 2  = 0.223; p < 0.001)., Interpretation: Poor postural balance was associated with the presence of diabetes mellitus and neurological disease and a slower gait speed in patients on hemodialysis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Drought is the major abiotic stress limiting crop production worldwide, with drought events being expected to be harsher and more frequent due to the global warming. In this context, the development of strategies to mitigate the deleterious effects of drought, such as the use of biostimulants, is imperative. Radish is a globally cultivated root vegetable, with high nutritional and phytochemical value. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of exogenous carnitine application in the mitigation of drought stress on radish morphophysiology. For this, radish plants were grown for 30 days, being irrigated with 80% (well-watered) or 15% (drought stress) of water holding capacity and sprayed with carnitine (5, 50, and 500 µM) or water (0 µM-no carnitine). The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme (carnitine concentrations × water conditions) with six replicates, and each experimental unit consisted of one plant. The gas exchanges, chlorophyll a fluorescence, photosynthetic pigments, electrolyte leakage, relative water content, and biomass production and allocation were evaluated. Drought reduced the photosynthetic capacity of plants by impairing water balance and membrane integrity, decreasing biomass accumulation, mainly in globular roots. The application of low carnitine (5 µM) mitigated these negative effects caused by drought, increasing membrane integrity and water balance of plants, while higher carnitine concentration (50 and 500 µM) aggravated drought stress. This study highlights the potential of carnitine in the mitigation of drought stress on radish plants, supporting its role as a biostimulant., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-023-01308-6., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article., (© Prof. H.S. Srivastava Foundation for Science and Society 2023, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Background: Few studies have investigated the association between vertebral fragility fractures and lower limb muscle strength and physical performance in women with low bone mass., Objectives: To explore whether the presence of vertebral fracture is independently associated with poor physical performance and decreased lower limb muscle strength. To understand whether lower limb muscle strength is associated with physical performance in women with vertebral fracture., Methods: Older women with low bone mass were divided into 2 groups: no vertebral fracture (NF) and presence of vertebral fragility fracture (VFF). Physical performance was evaluated using the Five Times Sit to Stand (5TSS) test, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and a 5m walk test (5MWT). Lower limb muscle strength was assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer., Results: We included 94 women with low bone mass (mean age 71.6 [SD 5.7] years, time since menopause 24.4 [7.1] years, mean BMI 27.5 [5.1] kgm -2 ). VFF was only associated with low peak hip abductor torque (p = 0.001) after adjustments. In the VFF group (n= 47), each 1 Nmkg -1 increase: in knee extensor torque was associated with improved 5MWT (p = 0.005), TUG (p = 0.002) and 5TSS (p = 0.005) performances; in knee flexor torque was associated with improved 5MWT speed (p = 0.003) and TUG time (p = 0.006); in hip abductor torque was associated with improved 5MWT speed (p = 0.003); and in hip extensor torque with improved TUG time (p = 0.046)., Conclusion: VFF was associated with reduced hip abductor strength in older women. However, the number of vertebral fractures influenced the association. Additionally, lower limb muscle strength was associated with physical performance, regardless of the clinical characteristics of the fractures. Therefore, strength and power training programs for the lower limbs could improve physical performance., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

In the last seven years, Kaniadakis statistics, or κ-statistics, have been applied in reactor physics to obtain generalized nuclear data, which can encompass, for instance, situations that lie outside thermal equilibrium. In this sense, numerical and analytical solutions were developed for the Doppler broadening function using the κ-statistics. However, the accuracy and robustness of the developed solutions contemplating the κ distribution can only be appropriately verified if applied inside an official nuclear data processing code to calculate neutron cross-sections. Hence, the present work inserts an analytical solution for the deformed Doppler broadening cross-section inside the nuclear data processing code FRENDY, developed by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. To do that, we applied a new computational method called the Faddeeva package, developed by MIT, to calculate error functions present in the analytical function. With this deformed solution inserted in the code, we were able to calculate, for the first time, deformed radiative capture cross-section data for four different nuclides. The usage of the Faddeeva package brought more accurate results when compared to other standard packages, reducing the percentage errors in the tail zone in relation to the numerical solution. The deformed cross-section data agreed with the expected behavior compared to the Maxwell-Boltzmann.

Background: SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is constantly mutating, leading to new variants that culminate in a temporal lineages fluctuation. B.1.1.28 lineage has been evolving in Brazil since February 2020 and originated P.1 (VOC), P.2 (VOI) and other P.Xs proposed as new variants., Methods and Results: In this study, through the Illumina platform, we performed the whole-genome sequencing of 26 positive samples of SARS-CoV-2. Employing variant calling analysis on FASTQ reads and phylogenetic inference, we report a brief dispersion of a potentially new B.1.1.28-derived variant detected between 2021 May and June in individuals crossing the border between Brazil and Argentina, and local spread to inpatients from hospitals at the Rio Grande do Sul state capital (Porto Alegre). Besides, the Rio Grande do Sul State SARS-CoV-2 genomic epidemiological data was analyzed and showed an important B.1.1.28 peak in RS at the same period (May-June), even in the presence of a major Gamma wave., Conclusions: The emergence of a putative B.1.1.28-derived lineage was identified in travelers crossing Brazil-Argentina border representing an important peak of B.1.1.28 in RS State with a decreased in Gamma variant frequency in the same period of time., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Water deficit is the most critical factor limiting plant growth and production and salicylic acid (SA) has potential for stress mitigation in plants; therefore, we evaluated the effect of SA on radish (Raphanus sativus L.) growth and ecophysiology under water deficit. Plants were sprayed with SA (100μM) or water (control), and irrigated at 80% (W80), 60% (W60), 40% (W40), and 20% (W20) of field capacity. The SA treatments and drought stress started 7days after sowing and lasted until the end of the cycle (30days after sowing). The morphophysiological analyses showed that radish plants had impaired growth at the lower water supply levels, but the treatment with SA reversed these growth restraints under moderate stress, leading to increases in shoot mass at W40 and storage root mass at W60 and W40. SA treatment also reversed the reduction of storage root volume at W60. The tendency of water deficit to increase F O and reduce F V /F M suggests possible damage to the photosystem II of drought-stressed plants. The parameters of gas exchange and photosynthetic pigments showed maintained photosynthetic efficiency, but total photosynthesis decreased due the lower shoot dry mass. Overall, exogenously applied SA reversed the growth restraints at W60 and W40, which revealed that SA was effective in mitigating the effects of moderate water deficit on biomass accumulation and partitioning in radish plants.

Hereditary cancer risk syndromes are caused by germline variants, commonly in tumor suppressor genes. Most studies on hereditary cancer have been conducted in white populations. We report the largest study in Brazilian individuals with multiple ethnicities. We genotyped 1682 individuals from all country regions with Next-generation sequencing (NGS) panels. Most were women with a personal/family history of cancer, mostly breast and ovarian. We identified 321 pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in 305 people (18.1%) distributed among 32 genes. Most were on BRCA1 and BRCA2 (129 patients, 26.2% and 14.3% of all P/LP, respectively), MUTYH (42 monoallelic patients, 13.1%), PALB2 (25, 7.8%), Lynch syndrome genes (17, 5.3%), and TP53 (17, 5.3%). Transheterozygosity prevalence in our sample was 0.89% (15/1682). BRCA1/BRCA2 double heterozygosity rate was 0.78% (1/129) for BRCA variants carriers and 0.06% (1/1682) overall. We evaluated the performance of the genetic testing criteria by NCCN and the Brazilian National Health Agency (ANS). The inclusion criteria currently used in Brazil fail to identify 17%-25% of carriers of P/LP variants in hereditary cancer genes. Our results add knowledge on the Brazilian spectrum of cancer risk germline variants, demonstrate that large multigene panels have high positivity rates, and indicate that Brazilian inclusion criteria for genetic testing should be improved., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to European Society of Human Genetics.)

Therapeutic advances in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have increased the number of survivors but have promoted the development of long-term side effects, the best documented of which is obesity. The present retrospective case series analyzed data collected at diagnosis, end of treatment, and last follow-up visit of 210 ALL survivors treated between August 2005 and October 2014. Clinical and anthropometric data were collected from medical records. The nutritional diagnosis was based on z -scores of height-for-age (H/AZ) and body mass index-for-age (BMI/AZ) for males and females provided by the World Health Organization. H/AZ decreased and BMI/AZ increased between baseline and end of treatment, followed by H/AZ catch-up at follow-up. The prevalence of excess weight on the three occasions was 24.3%, 38.3, and 43.3%, respectively. Baseline excess weight (adjusted OR: 12.2; 95% CI: 5.5-27.0) and the ALL risk group (adjusted OR: 2.89; 95% CI: 1.1-7.6) were independently associated with excess weight at the end of treatment, whereas baseline excess weight (adjusted OR: 8.50; 95% CI: 3.93-18.40) and linear growth (adjusted OR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.05-3.88) were independently associated with excess weight at follow-up. The frequency of excess weight had increased significantly by the end of treatment and persisted at follow-up. Baseline excess weight was the main factor associated with excess weight at the end of treatment and follow-up.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing dosages of a commercial product composed by Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast (YAM), with active metabolites, which are beta glucans, nucleotides, organic acids, polyphenols, amino acids, vitamins and minerals (Original XPC tm , Diamond V, IOWA, USA) added to a commercially available dry cat food. Apparent digestibility of dietary nutrients, fecal microbiota, fecal fermentation products and immunological parameters were evaluated. Twenty-seven healthy cats of mixed sexes, with a mean body weight of 4.19 ± 0.83 kg and a mean age of 9.44 ± 5.35 years were distributed by age in an unbalanced randomized block design, consisting of three experimental treatments: CD (control diet), YAM 0.3 (control diet with 0.3% yeast with active metabolites) and YAM 0.6 (control diet with 0.6% yeast with active metabolites)., Results: The inclusion of the additive elevated the apparent digestibility of crude fiber (p = 0.013) and ash (p < 0.001) without interfering feed consumption, fecal production and fecal characteristics. Regarding fermentation products present in the feces, prebiotic inclusion increased lactic acid concentration (p = 0.004) while reducing isovaleric acid (p = 0.014), only in the treatment YAM 0.3. No differences were noticed on biogenic amines (BA), fecal pH, ammonia concentration, total and individuals short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and total and individuals branched-chain fatty acids (BCFA) (except isovaleric acid in YAM 0.3). As regards to fecal microbiota, prebiotic inclusion has resulted in the reduction of Clostridium perfringens (p = 0.023). No differences were found in the immunological parameters evaluated., Conclusion: It can be concluded that the additive, at the levels of inclusion assessed shows prebiotic potential and it has effects on fecal fermentation products and microbiota without interfering on crude protein and dry matter digestibility. More studies evaluating grater inclusion levels of the prebiotic are necessary to determine optimal concentration., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many countries opted for strict public health measures, including closing schools. After some time, they have started relaxing some of those restrictions. To avoid overwhelming health systems, predictions for the number of new COVID-19 cases need to be considered when choosing a school reopening strategy. Using a computer simulation based on a stochastic compartmental model that includes a heterogeneous and dynamic network, we analyse different strategies to reopen schools in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, including one similar to the official reopening plan. Our model allows us to describe different types of relations between people, each type with a different infectiousness. Based on our simulations and model assumptions, our results indicate that reopening schools with all students at once has a big impact on the number of new COVID-19 cases, which could cause a collapse of the health system. On the other hand, our results also show that a controlled school reopening could possibly avoid the collapse of the health system, depending on how people follow sanitary measures. We estimate that postponing the schools' return date for after a vaccine becomes available may save tens of thousands of lives just in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area compared to a controlled reopening considering a worst-case scenario. We also discuss our model constraints and the uncertainty of its parameters.

Chlamydoconidium-producing Trichophyton tonsurans strains isolated in Northeastern Brazil have morphological features different from the classic description of this dermatophyte species. This study investigated the phylogenetic relationship of chlamydoconidium-producing T. tonsurans strains isolated in Northeastern Brazil. Also, the effect of terbinafine and farnesol on mature biofilms of T. tonsurans strains was evaluated. The mass spectra of T. tonsurans strains were investigated by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The ITS and LSU loci regions of rDNA and the partial β-tubulin gene were sequenced and the phylogenetic tree was analysed. The effects of terbinafine and farnesol on mature T. tonsurans biofilms were evaluated through the analysis of metabolic activity, quantification of biomass and observation by scanning electron microscopy. MALDI-TOF MS spectra of the chlamydoconidium-producing T. tonsurans strains differed from the spectrum of the control strain (ATCC 28942), presenting an intense ion peak at m/z 4155 Da. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the chlamydoconidium-producing strains isolated in Northeastern Brazil are allocated to a single cluster, differing from strains isolated from other countries. As for mature T. tonsurans biofilms, farnesol reduced biomass and metabolic activity by 64.4 and 65.9 %, respectively, while terbinafine reduced the biomass by 66.5 % and the metabolic activity by 69 %. Atypical morphological characteristics presented by chlamydoconidium-producing T. tonsurans strains result from phenotypic plasticity, possibly for adaptation to environmental stressors. Also, farnesol had inhibitory activity against T. tonsurans biofilms, demonstrating this substance can be explored for development of promising anti-biofilm drugs against dermatophytes.

Altered mental status can have many causes ranging from emergent intracranial pathologies to more insidious, systemic toxic aetiologies. We report a rare case of dermato-neuro syndrome in a 71-year-old man with a known history of scleromyxoedema. The patient initially presented with encephalopathy which quickly progressed to generalised tonic-clonic seizures and coma. While his presentation fits with other, although rare, cases of dermato-neuro syndrome, it is imperative to rule out lethal, more common causes of altered mentation. Due to the rarity and difficulty in diagnosis of dermato-neuro syndrome, there is a significant debate regarding the optimal management as there are no standardised treatment protocols. In our case, the patient was successfully treated with plasmapheresis resulting in improved neurologic function., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Despite the clinical importance, it has remained unclear which changes in the trunk muscle function parameters are more associated with the presence of vertebral fracture (VF)., Aims: The aim of this study was to verify the association between the trunk muscle function performance and the presence of VF in older women with low bone mass. The secondary aim was to evaluate the correlation between trunk muscle function and both fall history and muscle mass., Methods: This cross-sectional study was composed by 94 women over 60 years within value of T-Score lumbar spine BMD  <- 1.0 DP. Multidimensional evaluations were performed: appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) was determined by the total body DEXA; the radiographic evaluations measured the degree of thoracic kyphosis and classification of VF. The trunk muscle function parameters, such as peak torque (PT), rate of torque development (RTD) and torque steadiness (TS) were evaluated by isokinetic dynamometer. The trunk muscle endurance was evaluated by the timed loaded standing test. The adjusted multivariate logistic regression model and multivariate linear regression were performed to verify the association between the variables studied., Results: The results showed that the trunk muscle function parameter with greater association with the presence of VF is TS extensors (OR = 1.70; p < 0.001). The other two significant muscle parameters were: RTD 30 flexors (OR = 0.31; p = 0.033) and PT extensors (OR = 0.13; p = 0.009). No statistical association was found between the presence of VF and the ASMI and trunk muscle endurance. No correlation between trunk muscle function and fall history was observed. There was a weak correlation between ASMI and extensor PT (R 2  = 0.21; p = 0.027) and extensor RTD 30 (R 2  = 0.21; p = 0.026)., Conclusions: This study demonstrated that deficit in trunk muscle function has shown a strong association with the presence of VF, highlighting issues heretofore unexplored regarding the association between VF with muscle power and motor control.

This study aimed to evaluate the yeast biofilm growth kinetics and ultrastructure of Sporothrix schenckii complex and assess their mature biofilm susceptibility in filamentous and yeast forms to potassium iodide (KI) and miltefosine (MIL). Yeast biofilms were evaluated by crystal violet staining, XTT reduction assay and microscopic techniques. Susceptibility of planktonic and sessile cells was analyzed by broth microdilution. S. schenckii complex in yeast form produced biofilms, with an optimum maturation at 96 h, showing multilayered blastoconidia embedded in extracellular matrix. KI and MIL minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges against planktonic cells were 62,500-250,000 μg/ml and 0.125-4 μg/ml, respectively. KI and MIL reduced biofilm metabolic activity by 75.4% and 67.7% for filamentous form and 55.1% and 51.6% for yeast form, respectively. This study demonstrated that S. schenckii complex forms biofilms in vitro, and potassium iodide and miltefosine inhibit Sporothrix spp. biofilms in both filamentous and yeast forms., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

Introduction: Excessive portal venous pressure in the liver remnant is an independent factor in the occurrence of posthepatectomy liver failure and small-for-size syndrome. The baseline portal pressure prior to hepatectomy was not considered previously. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of portal pressure change during hepatectomy on the patient outcome., Material and Methods: Prospective observational study including 30 patients subjected to intraoperative measurement of portal pressure before and after hepatectomy. This variation was related to the patient outcome. Control group evaluation was assessed. Patient, disease and procedure features were considered. The optimal cut-off of portal pressure variation was determined. Linear regression or logistic regression was applied to identify predictors of the outcome., Results: The univariate analysis showed that portal pressure increase after hepatectomy was associated with coagulation impairment in the first 30 postoperative days (p < 0.05), and with the occurrence of major complications (p = 0.01), namely hepatic failure (p = 0.041). The multivariate analysis showed that portal venous pressure increase ≥ 2 mmHg is an independent factor for worse outcomes., Discussion: As in previous studies, this study concludes that, after hepatectomy, in addition to the functional liver remnant, other factors are responsible for deterioration of liver function and patient outcome, such as the portal pressure increase and the exposure to chemotherapy prior to hepatectomy. This work may influence the definition of future indications for portal influx modulation., Conclusion: Patient outcomes are influenced by the portal venous pressure increase: an increment ≥ 2 mmHg after hepatectomy seems to increase the risk of major complications.

A two-dimensional class of mean-field models serving as a minimal frame to study long-range interaction in two space dimensions is considered. In the case of an anisotropic mixed attractive-repulsive interaction, an initially spatially homogeneous cold fluid is dynamically unstable and evolves towards a quasi-stationary state in which the less energetic particles get trapped into clusters forming a Bravais-like lattice, mimicking a crystalline state. Superimposed to this, one observes in symplectic numerical simulations a flux of slightly more energetic particles channeling through this crystalline background. The resultant system combines the rigidity features of a solid, as particles from a displaced core are shown to snap back into place after a transient, and the dynamical diffusive features of a liquid for the fraction of channeling and free particles. The combination of solid and liquid properties is numerically observed here within the classical context. The quantum transposition of the model may be experimentally reached using the latest ultracold atoms techniques to generate long-range interactions.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sugarcane neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD), conservation method, and concentrate level on the ruminal microbial population of steers. Eight ruminal-cannulated Nellore steers were distributed in two contemporary 4 × 4 Latin Square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Experiment 1: diets were formulated with 60% of concentrate level, and two sugarcane genotypes (high or low NDFD) either freshly cut or as silage. Experiment 2: diets were formulated with two levels of concentrate (60 or 80%), and two sugarcane genotypes (high or low NDFD) offered as freshly cut. Each experimental period lasted for 14 d, with the last 4 d used for ruminal fluid collection. Three cellulolytic bacteria (Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens), two amylolytic (Streptococcus bovis, Ruminobacter amylophilus), and a lactate fermenting microorganism (Megasphaera elsdenii) were quantified by qPCR. Experiment 1: diets with fresh sugarcane increased the population of S. bovis, and M. elsdenii. Sugarcane with high NDFD increased F. succinogenes population only when sugarcane was offered as freshly cut. Experiment 2: increasing concentrate in the diet decreased S. bovis population, and increased R. amylophilus. Sugarcane with high NDFD increased the population of cellulolytic bacteria only at the 60% concentrate diet. Providing sugarcane with high NDFD favored the growth of fibrolytic bacteria, and this effect were dependent on the conservation method and on diet concentrate level. In addition, sucrose appears to have great effect on the composition of ruminal microflora, especially S. bovis.

The acetic acid-catalyzed reaction between 5-chloro-isatin and 4-methyl-thio-semicarbazide yields the title compound, C 10 H 9 ClN 4 OS (I) (common name: 5-chloro-isatin-4-methyl-thio-semicarbazone). The mol-ecule is nearly planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.047 Å for all non-H atoms), with a maximum deviation of 0.089 (1) Å for the O atom. An S (6) ring motif formed by an intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bond is observed. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains propagating along the a -axis direction. The chains are linked by N-H⋯S hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional supra-molecular structure. The three-dimensional framework is reinforced by C-H⋯π inter-actions. The absolute structure of the mol-ecule in the crystal was determined by resonant scattering [Flack parameter = 0.006 (9)]. The crystal structure of the same compound, measured at 100 K, has been reported on previously [Qasem Ali et al. (2012 ▸). Acta Cryst. E 68 , o964-o965]. The Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are the H⋯H (23.1%), H⋯C (18.4%), H⋯Cl (13.7%), H⋯S (12.0%) and H⋯O (11.3%) inter-actions. A mol-ecular docking evaluation of the title compound with the ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase (RDR) enzyme was carried out. The title compound (I) and the active site of the selected enzyme show Cl⋯H-C (LYS140) , Cg (aromatic ring)⋯H-C (SER71) , H⋯O-C (GLU200) and Fe III ⋯O⋯Fe III inter-molecular inter-actions, which suggests a solid theoretical structure-activity relationship.

The reaction between 5-nitro-isatin and phenyl-hydrazine in acidic ethanol yields the title compound, C 14 H 10 N 4 O 3 , whose mol-ecular structure deviates slightly from a planar geometry (r.m.s. deviation = 0.065 Å for the mean plane through all non-H atoms). An intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bond is present, forming a ring of graph-set motif S (6). In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter-actions into a two-dimensional network along (120), and rings of graph-set motif R 2 2 (8), R 2 2 (26) and R 4 4 (32) are observed. Additionally, a Hirshfeld surface analysis suggests that the mol-ecules are stacked along [100] through C=O⋯ Cg inter-actions and indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal structure are O⋯H (28.5%) and H⋯H (26.7%) inter-actions. An in silico evaluation of the title compound with the DHFR enzyme (di-hydro-folate reductase) was performed. The isatin-hydrazone derivative and the active site of the selected enzyme show N-H⋯O( ASP29 ), N-H⋯O( ILE96 ) and Cg ⋯ Cg ( PHE33 ) inter-actions.

Mauritia flexuosa L. (Arecaceae) is a popular Brazilian fruit known as "buriti" and belonging to the category of functional foods. This work reviewed the phytochemistry profile, nutritional and pharmacological activities of M. flexuosa. The main bioactive compounds reported to buriti were carotenoids, tocopherols, ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, fiber, phytosterols, and mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids. These compounds were mainly related to antioxidant, hypolipemiant, photoprotector, antiaggregant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemiant, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities. Furthermore, some compounds present in buriti fruit and its properties were tested in vitro and in vivo and showed biotechnology applications, especially for extraction of fiber, polysaccharides, pigments, antioxidants, and oil. Howerer, the buriti fruit shows great relevance to the development of new products in food, pharmaceutical and chemical industry, this fruit is still underexploited and it has need to expand its production chain and processing to encourage their consumption and utilization., (© 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®.)

It was reported that prevention of acute portal overpressure in small-for-size livers by inflow modulation results in a better postoperative outcome. The aim is to investigate the impact of portal blood flow reduction by splenic artery ligation after major hepatectomy in a murine model. Forty-eight rats were subjected to an 85% hepatectomy or 85% hepatectomy and splenic artery ligation. Both groups were evaluated at 24, 48, 72 and 120 post-operative hours: liver function, regeneration and viability. All methods and experiments were carried out in accordance with Coimbra University guidelines. Splenic artery ligation produces viability increase after 24 h, induces a relative decrease in oxidative stress during the first 48 hours, allows antioxidant capacity increment after 24 h, which is reflected in a decrease of half-time normalized liver curve at 48 h and at 72 h and in an increase of mitotic index between 48 h and 72 h. Splenic artery ligation combined with 85% hepatectomy in a murine model, allows portal inflow modulation, promoting an increase in hepatocellular viability and regeneration, without impairing the function, probably by inducing a less marked elevation of oxidative stress at first 48 hours., Competing Interests: The authors who have taken part in this study declare that they do not have anything to disclose regarding funding or conflict of interest with respect to this manuscript.

Liver cancer is the sixth most commonly occurring cancer globally, and the main histological type is hepatocellular carcinoma. This type of neoplasia has a poor prognosis due to a high rate of recurrence and intrahepatic metastasis, which are closely are closely associated with the angiogenic process. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is under the control of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), stimulates the proliferation of endothelial cells and increases cell permeability, promoting the growth, spread and metastasis of tumors. Melatonin, the main hormone secreted by the pineal gland, may have a significant role in tumor suppression and has demonstrated antiangiogenic and antimetastatic effects. The aim of the present study was to analyze the cell viability, migration and invasion, as well as the expression of proangiogenic proteins VEGF and HIF-1α, in HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells, following treatment with melatonin. Cells were cultured and cell viability was investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The expression of proangiogenic proteins VEGF and HIF-1α, under conditions of normoxia and hypoxia, was verified using immunocytochemistry and quantified by densitometry. The analysis of the processes of cell migration and invasion was performed in a Boyden chamber. The MTT assay revealed a reduction in cell viability (P=0.018) following treatment with 1 mM melatonin for 24 h. The expression of proangiogenic proteins VEGF and HIF-1α was reduced in cells treated with 1 mM melatonin for 24 h in normoxic (P<0.001) and hypoxic (P<0.001) conditions, compared with the control group and with induced hypoxia alone. The rate of cell migration and invasion was additionally reduced in cells treated with 1 mM melatonin for 48 h when compared with the control group (P=0.496). The results of the present study suggest that melatonin may have an antiproliferative, antiangiogenic and antimetastatic role in hepatocarcinoma cells and may present a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of liver cancer.

The title mol-ecule, C9H7ClN4OS, is almost planar, with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.034 (2) Å for the mean plane through all the non-H atoms. Intra-molecular N-H⋯O and N-H⋯N hydrogen bonds form S(6) and S(5) ring motifs, respectively. In the crystal, mol-ecules are assembled into inversion dimers through pairs of co-operative N-H⋯Cl inter-actions. These dimers are connected along the b axis by N-H⋯O and N-H⋯S hydrogen bonds, generating layers parallel to (103). The layers are further connected along the a axis into a three-dimensional network, through weak π-π stacking inter-actions [centroid-centroid distance = 3.849 (2) Å].

The analysis of gene expression patterns in cancers has improved the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the process of metastatic progression. However, the acquisition of invasive behavior in melanoma is poorly understood. In melanoma, components of the immune system can contribute to tumor progression, and inflammatory cells can influence almost all aspects of cancer progression, including metastasis. Recent studies have attributed an important role to B-1 cells, a subset of B lymphocytes, in melanoma progression. In vitro interactions between B16 melanoma cells and B-1 lymphocytes lead to increased B16 cell metastatic potential, but the molecular changes induced by B-1 lymphocytes on B16 cells have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we used a microarray approach to assess the gene expression profile of B16 melanoma cells following contact with B-1 lymphocytes (B16B1). The microarray analysis identified upregulation in genes involved with metastatic progression, such as ctss, ccl5, cxcl2 and stat3. RT-qPCR confirmed this increase in mRNA expression in B16B1 samples. As previous studies have indicated that the ERK1/2 MAPK cascade is activated in melanoma cells following contact with B-1 lymphocytes, RT-qPCR was performed with RNA from melanoma cells before and after contacting B-1 cells and untreated or treated with ERK phosphorylation inhibitors. The results showed that the expression of stat3, ctss and cxcl2 increased in B16B1 but decreased following ERK1/2 MAPK inhibition. Ccl5 gene expression increased after contacting B-1 cells and was maintained at the same level following inhibitor treatment. Stat3 was verified and validated at the protein level by Western blot analysis. STAT3 expression was also significantly increased in B16B1, suggesting that this pathway can also contribute to the increased metastatic phenotype observed in our model. These results indicated that B-1 cells induce important global gene expression changes in B16 melanoma cells. We also evaluated the relationship of some of the genes identified as differentially expressed and the ERK1/2 MAPK cascade. This work may have important implications for understanding the role of B-1 lymphocytes and the ERK/MAPK cascade in the metastatic process., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Light sources with three spectral bands in specific spectral positions are known to have high-color-discrimination capability. W. A. Thornton hypothesized that they may also enhance color discrimination for color-deficient observers. This hypothesis was tested here by comparing the Rösch-MacAdam color volume for color-deficient observers rendered by three of these singular spectra, two reported previously and one derived in this paper by maximization of the Rösch-MacAdam color solid. It was found that all illuminants tested enhance discriminability for deuteranomalous observers, but their impact on other congenital deficiencies was variable. The best illuminant was the one derived here, as it was clearly advantageous for the two red-green anomalies and for tritanopes and almost neutral for red-green dichromats. We conclude that three-band spectra with high-color-discrimination capability for normal observers do not necessarily produce comparable enhancements for color-deficient observers, but suitable spectral optimization clearly enhances the vision of the color deficient.

Objective: To assess the nutritional status of children submitted to ostomy for intestinal discharge., Methods: A descriptive case series was carried out including 30 children aged up to ten years old submitted to colostomy or ileostomy at the pediatric surgery unit of Institute of Medicine Professor Fernando Figueira, Recife, Pernambuco. Socioeconomic, clinical, anthropometric, and laboratorial (hemoglobin and hematocrit) data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Nutritional status was determined based on anthropometric indicators (height/age, weight/age, and body mass index/age), which were stratified by gender, with World Health Organization standards as reference. Arm circumference and triceps skinfold were measured for the evaluation of body composition. Chest and head perimeters were measured on children aged up to five years-old. The Student's t-test was applied to compare two independent groups, considering p<0.05 as significant., Results: All anthropometric indicators revealed nutritional deficit, especially in the height/age index, which revealed a frequency of 24.1% of short statue. Patients submitted to ileostomy presented lower mean Z score of anthropometric indicators, hemoglobin, hematocrit and ostomy time in comparison to those submitted to colostomy, with significant differences only for the Z score of body mass index/age (p=0.016), hemoglobin (p=0.025), and hematocrit (p=0.023)., Conclusions: There is a substantial frequency of nutritional deficit in the analyzed sample, especially based on the height/age index. Although ileostomized patients had less time of ostomy, they had higher nutritional deficit compared to the colostomized ones, likely due to greater risk of postoperative complications, with consequent nutritional impairment.

We propose a chromatic diversity index based on the Munsell set capable of predicting illuminant induced changes in chromatic diversity of complex scenes. The color differences between complex scenes derived from hyperspectral data under a test and under a reference CIE D65 illuminant were computed and compared with the corresponding differences for the Munsell set. It was found that the average color difference between the complex scenes correlates well with the color differences of the Munsell samples with an average correlation of about 0.94, a result indicating that the Munsell set can be used to predict chromatic changes in complex scenes., (© 2012 Optical Society of America)

This study is proposed to describe the supply and demand of Primary Health Care Service in thirteen municipalities of the southern half of Rio Grande do Sul State. For analysis, secondary data were obtained from the Data Processing Department of the Unified Health System (DATASUS). Data from appointments, procedures and structure of Primary Health Care Service were associated with concepts present in public policies and specific legal authorization. A quantitative study was carried out through the analyses of absolute frequencies of appointments and procedures from 2000 to 2005. Results showed diversified situations requiring primary health care service, which allowed different interpretations for the situations found. Among them, it can be cited the existence of a database with sub-notifications of appointments and procedures or even the absence of demand and/or supply for those within the municipalities researched. It is suggested the improvement of the mechanisms available for the analysis of primary health care services, which will enable the outlining of possible workflows, trajectories and therapeutic itineraries of users as well as the unveiling of likely local disparities regarding health.

We estimated the number of colors perceived by color normal and color-deficient observers when looking at the theoretic limits of object-color stimuli. These limits, the optimal color stimuli, were computed for a color normal observer and CIE standard illuminant D65, and the resultant colors were expressed in the CIELAB and DIN99d color spaces. The corresponding color volumes for abnormal color vision were computed using models simulating for normal trichromatic observers the appearance for dichromats and anomalous trichomats. The number of colors perceived in each case was then computed from the color volumes enclosed by the optimal colors also known as MacAdam limits. It was estimated that dichromats perceive less than 1% of the colors perceived by normal trichromats and that anomalous trichromats perceive 50%-60% for anomalies in the medium-wavelength-sensitive and 60%-70% for anomalies in the long-wavelength-sensitive cones. Complementary estimates obtained similarly for the spectral locus of monochromatic stimuli suggest less impairment for color-deficient observers, a fact that is explained by the two-dimensional nature of the locus.

Context: The endoscopic procedure safety depends on the use of an adequately reprocessed device which quality is related to each of its operational steps., Objective: To characterize the reprocessing of endoscopes using glutaraldehyde in endoscopy services, Methods: Study was conducted by observing the reprocessing of 60 endoscopes from 20 medical practices of the municipality of Goiânia, GO, central area of Brazil., Results: This study showed failure in all reprocessing steps. The pre-washing was performed in 24 (40.0%) of the endoscope. In the cleaning steps, was identify the improper use of enzymatic detergent, and in 27 (45.0%) cases, the brushing of internal channels was not performed. All 60 endoscopes were submitted to this disinfectant. However, for 33 (55.0%) of the cases the internal channels was not filled. The total immersion of endoscope in the glutaraldehyde was not performed in 39 (65.0%) cases. The recommended minimum total immersion time for exposure to 2% glutaraldehyde solution was followed only for 12 (20.0%) endoscopes. There was no filter for water treatment used in the rinse of most endoscopes 54 (90.0%) and to dry the internal channels only 6 (10.0%) of them used compressed air. Adequate storing conditions were identified., Conclusion: Considering the particularities of the endoscope and its reprocessing, it is imperative to establish protocols to ensure the quality of the disinfection and the prevention of cross-contamination.

The purpose of this research was to describe the overweight prevalence and factors potentially associated to it in adults residents in areas of social exclusion. The sample consisted of 3214 individuals, aged 20 to 69 years, in shanty town in Maceió-AL, northeast of Brazil. Body mass index (BMI) was used in the nutritional evaluation. Overweight prevalence of 41.2% was found (46.2% females vs. 32.6% males, p < 0.001). The analysis indicated there is higher chance of getting overweight, both for males and females, in higher age ranges (Prevalence Ratio [RP] = 1.62, CI 95% 1.37-1.90 and RP = 1.55, CI 95% 1.41-1.69, respectively), and among those from rural areas (RP = 1.27, CI 95% 1.07-1.51 and RP = 2.23, CI 95% 2.01-2.47, respectively). In males, the overweight risk is directly associated to the schooling level (RP = 0.78, CI 95% 0.63-0.97), whereas, in females it is inversely associated (RP = 1.40, CI 95% 1.17-1.66). A higher overweight risk was evidenced among men of higher income (RP = 1.29, CI 95% 1.09-1.53). In general, small improvements in variables related to housing conditions and consumption goods are associated to higher overweight risk. Even in populations of low socioeconomic level, improvement in housing conditions can become an overweight risk factor in adults for both genders, whereas education is a protective factor for women and the income a risk factor in men.

The number of colors discernible by normal trichromats has been estimated for the idealized object-color solid. How well these estimates apply to natural scenes is an open question, as it is unknown how much their colors approach the theoretical limits. The aim of this work was to estimate the number of discernible colors based on a database of hyperspectral images of 50 natural scenes. The color volume of each scene was computed in the CIELAB color space and was analyzed using the CIEDE2000 color-difference formula. It was found that the color volume of the set of natural scenes was about 30% of the theoretical maximum for the full object-color solid, and it corresponded to a number of about 2.3 million discernible colors. Moreover, when the lightness dimension was ignored, only about 26,000 (1%) could be perceived as different colors. These results suggest that natural stimuli may be more constrained than expected from the analysis of the theoretical limits.

There are few studies on liver function abnormalities in mice with schistosomiasis associated with malnutrition. In this study, animals were divided into four groups, according to their diet (normal or low protein) and whether they were infected with Schistosoma mansoni or not. All the groups grew slower than the control did (p < 0.0001). Mortality among the animals occurred because of the infection. High levels of aminotransferases in well-fed animals with infection suggested that there was an intensive inflammatory process (p < 0.0001). All the groups presented high levels of alkaline phosphatase. There were increases in aspartate transferase and alkaline phosphatase in infected well-fed animals. The diets modified the albumin levels (p > 0.001) and the serum proteins. Compared with the controls, the groups showed low levels of glucose (p < 0.001). This study found that both infection and malnutrition interfered with the biochemical indicator levels, but the most important liver function abnormalities occurred during the intense inflammation caused by schistosomiasis.

The visual effects of lighting on art paintings is an important aspect that should be considered by museum curators. The aim of this work was to determine the correlated color temperature (CCT) of daylight illumination preferred by observers when appreciating art paintings. Hyperspectral images of 11 oil paintings were collected at the museum, and the appearance of the paintings under daylight illuminants with CCT from 25,000 K to 3600 K was computed. In a psychophysical experiment using precise CRT reproductions of the paintings, observers had to adjust the CCT of the illuminant such that it produced the best visual impression. It was found that the distribution of observers' preferences had a maximum at a CCT of about 5100 K and that this value did not depend on whether the observers were undergraduate students or museum visitors or on the degree of adaptation to the color of the illumination. These results suggest that observers prefer a more bluish-white light than that normally used in museums.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are highly conserved among different organisms. A mycobacterial HSP65 DNA vaccine was previously shown to have prophylactic and immunotherapeutic effects against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice. Here, BALB/c mice were immunized with mycobacterial DNA-hsp65 or with DNA-hsp65 and trehalose dymicolate (TDM), both carried by biodegradable microspheres (MHSP/TDM), and challenged with Leishmania (Leishmania) major. MHSP/TDM conferred protection against L. major infection, as indicated by a significant reduction of edema and parasite loads in infected tissues. Although high levels of interferon-gamma and low levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 were detected in mice immunized with DNA-hsp65 or MHSP/TDM, only animals immunized with MHSP/TDM displayed a consistent Th1 immune response, i.e., significantly higher levels of anti-soluble Leishmania antigen (SLA) immunoglobulin G (IgG)2a and low anti-SLA IgG1 antibodies. These findings indicate that encapsulated MHSP/TDM is more immunogenic than naked hsp65 DNA, and has great potential to improve vaccine effectiveness against leishmaniasis and tuberculosis.

In this work we describe the development and characterization of a new formulation of insulin (INS). Insulin was complexed with cyclodextrins (CD) in order to improve its solubility and stability being available as a dry powder, after encapsulation into poly (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres. The complex INS : CD was encapsulated into microspheres in order to obtain particles with an average diameter between 2 and 6 microm. This system was able to induce significant reduction of the plasma glucose level in two rodent models, normal mice and diabetic rats, after intratracheal administration.