Search

Abstract The physical, chemical and sensory characteristics of pollen and honey from stingless bees (SLB) are quite different when compared to those produced by Apis mellifera. Meliponine honey has a high moisture content (23–37.5%); reducing sugars (12.65–77.11%); and total acidity (11.23 to 124.2 mEq kg-1). Pollen also has fiber (0.87–13.65%); a high moisture content (23–53.93%); lipids (1.8–10.81%) and proteins (8–37.63%). The presence of yeasts, fungi and bacteria can be observed through fermentation (ethanolic and acid) that occurs during the maturation of pollen and honey from stingless bees. Among the microorganisms most associated with stingless bees are yeasts: Pichia, Zygosaccharomyces, Starmerella, Metschnikowia, Candida, Debaryomyces, Dekkera and Kloeckera; bacteria: Streptomyces, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Neisseria, Bacillus, Ralstonia, Staphylococcus, Enterobacter, Lysinibacillus Pantoea, Fructobacillus Pseudomonas, and Clostridium; and fungal filaments Aspergillus, Talaromyces and Penicillium. This review corroborates the differences that exist in the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of stingless bee products and honeybee (Apis melifera) products. These differences not only challenge established standards of quality and identity in apicultural products but also pave the way for new perspectives in biotechnology and nutrition, as well as for new bioactive compounds. The unique properties of pollen and honey from Meliponini, such as high moisture content, acidity, and microbial diversity, can be a distinguishing factor that enhances their applications in various technological fields. The valorization of these unique characteristics may stimulate the creation of specific standards for these products and promote the sustainable use of stingless bee biodiversity. Graphical Abstract

ABSTRACTRhinovirus causes respiratory tract infections in children and is found in co-infections. The objective of this research was to study the clinical profile of rhinovirus infection and co-infection in children with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) during the COVID-19 pandemic period. We included 606 children ranging in age from 0.1 to 144 months of age from March 2020 to December 2021, hospitalized in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The samples were collected by secretion from the nasopharynx region. A total of 259 children were tested positive for viral infection, 153 (59.07%) of them had a single rhinovirus infection and, 56 (36.6%) were aged between 60.1 and 144 months. Nine types of co-infections were identified and were found coinfection with three or more viruses (22/104, 21.15%). Observing the seasonality, the number of cases was similar between 2020 (49.53%) and 2021 (51.47%). Patients with a single infection (86.88%) and coinfection (67.30%) were more likely to have coughed. Patients with co-infection required the use of O2 for longer than those with a single rhinovirus infection. Hemogram results obtained from individuals with a single infection had higher levels of urea when compared to patients with co-infection with and other respiratory viruses. Multiple correspondence analyses indicated different clinical symptoms and comorbidities in patients with co-infection compared to those with single infection. The results found that the rhinovirus was much prevalent virus during the pandemic period and was found in co-infection with other virus types, what is important to diagnostic for the correct treatment of patients.

Introdução O Ministério da Saúde, MS, vem adquirindo inovações promissoras e controvertidas e as testando mediante estudos controlados em polos de referência da Rede SUS. Apresenta-se o exemplo da aquisição de um robô cirúrgico visando avaliar segurança, efetividade e sua relação de custo-efetividade em um UNACON. Métodos Estudo controlado randomizado por blocos conforme os tipos de cirurgia de câncer contratualizados pelo MS nas especialidades de gastroenterologia, ginecologia, cirurgias de cabeça e pescoço, urologia e pneumologia. Casuística: portadores de neoplasias com indicação cirúrgica e elegíveis para as três técnicas cirúrgicas em estudo, i.e., cirurgia aberta, videolaparoscopia e videolaparoscopia robótica, informados e concordaram com o protocolo assinando o TCLE, foram randomizados. O protocolo delineado (NCT02292914/ ClinicalTrials.gov) foi executado segundo as Diretrizes Metodológicas/Avaliação Econômica do MS, com micro-custeio operacional. Os custos de treinamento, de aquisição de capital, de manutenção etc. e custos indiretos, foram excluídos. Instrumentos validados foram usados para comparar benefícios funcionais e qualidade de vida por 36 a 60 meses. Resultados Oito cirurgias de câncer foram avaliadas em 783 pacientes randomizados, (4 de gastroenterologia, 1 ginecologia, 1 de cabeça e pescoço, 1 urologia, e 1 pneumologia) nos 3 Grupos: Robô (n = 421), Videolaparoscopia (n = 173) e Convencional-Aberta (n = 189), Idade Média±DP de 62±9 anos e IMC 27,6±5,4 kg/m2, no ICESP/HCFMUSP entre 2014 e 2021, com impacto da pandemia COVID no seguimento. A distribuição absoluta dos custos dos controles (laparoscópicos, exceto prostatectomias vs. cirurgia aberta) e das diferenças médias incrementais pela robótica e desvios de dias de internação no período pós-operatório e de custos totais foi de Esofagectomias (R*n=21) -3,6 dias de internação e incremento de R$ 15.691,08± R$ 4.252,56 comparado aos 22/lap internados por 20,3±7,4 dias e custo de R$ 50.998,44± R$ 14.601,45; Gastrectomias (*n=20) -0,2 dias e incremento de R$ 14.644,03± R$ 1.758,44 vs. 24/ lap com 11,5±4,1 dias e custaram R$ 22.303,28± R$ 5.526,34; Reto (*n=24) -1,1 dias e mais R$ 7.642,08± R$ 1.959,34 vs. 24/lap com 10,0±2,5 e custo R$ 24.997,87± R$ 5.296,93; Pancreatectomias (*n=29) com 7,8±1,2 dias de internação e custaram R$ 23.901,79± R$ 3.785,65 sem controles; Histerectomias (R*n=43) com +0,1 dia adicionou R$ 9.141,37± R$ 744,27 vs. 42/lap com 3,3±1,3 dias e custo de R$ 22.025,58± R$ 10.054,45; Cabeça & Pescoço (*n=36) -2,5 e incrementou R$ 1.631,66± R$ 1.530,95 vs. 55/videolap com 7,3±5,4 dias e custo R$ 18.463,00± R$ 8.872,60; Prostatectomias (*n=169) -0,7 dias e mais R$ 9.660,99± R$ 3.305,69 que as 167/abertas com 3,7±0,9 dias e custo de R$ 8.989,73± R$ 1.909,38; e, Lobectomias pulmonares (R*n=43) -0,3 dia economizaram -R$ 420,60± R$ 2.602,66 vs. 40/lap que permaneceram 6,0±3,1 dias e custaram R$ 34.103,60± R$ 2.112,03, respectivamente. Não houve complicações maiores ou mortalidade relacionadas às cirurgias nos braços estudados. A qualidade de vida e escores funcionais tenderam a ser melhores até 12 meses e foram similares no seguimento extendido. Discussão e conclusões Embora com ganhos estruturais, trabalhistas, ensino e pesquisa, este estudo corroborou a controvérsia internacional sobre os modestos benefícios da robótica no local para os pacientes. Atualmente, o custo de materiais descartáveis e monopólio da empresa o tornam pouco sustentáveis no SUS.

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a β-galactoside-binding lectin expressed in cells of the placental microenvironment. This lectin is involved in various biological processes, such as modulation of the immune system and control of parasitic illness. Toxoplasma gondii infection can lead to congenital transmission and cause miscarriages, prematurity and fetal anomalies. However, little is known about the role of Gal-3 in T. gondii infection in the placental microenvironment. This study aimed to unravel the underlying mechanisms of Gal-3 during T. gondii infection. For this purpose, we promoted the knockdown of Gal-3 expression by using RNA interference (RNAi) in BeWo cells or by using a synthetic inhibitor (GB1107) in human villous explants. We showed that the decreased Gal-3 expression in BeWo cells and human villous explants increases the invasion and proliferation of T. gondii probably by downregulating MIF and IL6 levels, highlighting thus the role of this lectin in modulating the immune response. Collectively, our study reveals Gal-3 as a promising target protein during congenital toxoplasmosis.

RESUMO Objetivo: A Oftalmologia é a área médica dedicada a cuidar da saúde ocular dos indivíduos e está presente em todos os meios de atenção à saúde. Sua correta compreensão é imprescindível para o correto manejo das afecções oculares e visuais. O objetivo do estudo foi analisar o nível do conhecimento oftalmológico geral dos acadêmicos de Medicina que já cursaram a disciplina de Oftalmologia de uma universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina. Métodos: O estudo foi do tipo transversal. A coleta de dados se deu por meio da plataforma Formulários Google. Foram coletados 242 formulários de acadêmicos do 6° ao 12° semestre. Resultados: Verificou-se uma média geral de acerto de 32,7%, nenhuma questão obteve mais de 80% de acerto, e não houve relação entre o semestre do acadêmico com seu desempenho. O percentual de acerto entre o gênero feminino foi de 34,1% (143), contra 30,6% (99) do gênero masculino. Conclusões: Concluiu-se que o nível de conhecimento oftalmológico dos acadêmicos foi insatisfatório em todos os semestres analisados, e que medidas para subsidiar melhorias curriculares podem ser empregadas, visando um melhor conhecimento em Oftalmologia aos futuros médicos.

Objective: To evaluate the factors associated with the fear of dental students infecting their relatives with COVID-19 as a result of clinical practice. Material and Methods: Online questionnaires were sent by e-mail and social media to dental students from a Brazilian School of Dentistry. The outcome was "fear of infecting the family." The independent variables were sociodemographic data, personal protective equipment use, adoption of infection control measures, and knowledge and feelings about the pandemic and the future of Dentistry. Data analysis used Pearson's Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests (p≤0.05). Results: With 65 participants, the prevalence of fear was 61.5%. Measures to prevent COVID-19, such as frequent hand cleansing (p=0.028) and avoiding the use of aerosol-generating instruments (p=0.027), not having or not knowing if they have been infected by the disease (p=0.038), and feelings of more significant anxiety during the pandemic period (p=0.047), and that Dentistry will undergo major post-pandemic changes (p=0.020) were associated with fear. Conclusion: Changes in behavior about biosafety and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty about the disease were associated with the dental students' fear of infecting their relatives with COVID-19 as a result of clinical practice.

The taxonomic treatment of the species of Melastomataceae occurring in the Parque Estadual de Utinga, Pará, is presented. Twenty-seven species distributed in 13 genera were recorded, with five new records for the study area: Leandra micropetala, M. affinis, M. argyrophylla, M. punctata, and Pterolepis glomerata; the latter is also a new record for the state of Pará. Miconia was the largest genus with 9 species, followed by Clidemia (four species), Aciotis (three species), and Tococa (two species). The remaining genera were all represented by a single species (Adelobotrys, Bellucia, Henriettea, Leandra, Maieta, Mouriri, Nepsera, Pterolepis, and Tibouchina). Identification keys, morphological descriptions, information on phenology, habitat, geographical distribution, taxonomic comments, and illustrations of the species are provided. The Melastomataceae figure among the largest plant families in the area of the state capital, Belém, the data presented herein may be useful for habitat restoration.

Abstract In structural design practice and scientific research on flat slabs, estimating the punching shear resistance of slab-column connection with shear reinforcement involves checking the shear stress acting on a control perimeter outside the shear-reinforced zone. Depending on the arrangement chosen for the shear reinforcement, the design codes` recommendations can lead to different interpretations of the geometry of the external control perimeter, which are, in some cases, also complex to formulate into closed-form equations. Thus, it is common that, especially in hand-made estimates, the slab-column connections are drawn, and dimensions of the external control perimeters are individually measured and applied to the design equations. This paper presents equations developed for ABNT NBR 6118, Eurocode 2 and ACI 318 to account for the length of the control perimeter outside the shear-reinforced zone, allowing the automated calculation for different shear reinforcement arrangements. The different interpretations of the geometry of the external control perimeter of these design codes are discussed and clarified. The proposed equations were validated by comparing their results with those obtained from individual drawing analysis of 62 slab-column connections with varied geometries and shear reinforcement arrangements, and the maximum error was up to 0.1%. This paper significantly contributes to the automation and optimisation of the punching shear strength estimates of slab-column connections with shear reinforcement, clarifying obscure points and automating the definition of the geometry of the external control perimeter.

Hansenula polymorpha is a methylotrophic yeast widely employed in biotechnology as a ''protein factory''. Most promoters used for heterologous protein expression, like MOX (methanol oxidase) and DAS (di-hydroxy acetone synthase), are involved in the peroxisomal methanol metabolism (C1 metabolism) and are under strong glucose repression. Interestingly, the MOX promoter is subjected to glucose regulation also in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a non-methylotrophic yeast in which this phenomenon is well studied. In this species, the transcription factor Tup1p plays an essential role in glucose repression of several genes. This effect is counteracted by the activator Snf1p when glucose is exhausted from medium. Therefore, to test whether this regulatory circuit has been conserved in H. polymorpha, HpTUP1 and HpSNF1 were partially cloned and disrupted. Deletion of HpTUP1 did not affect glucose repression of the major C1 metabolism genes (MOX, DAS). Thus, though conserved, HpTUP1 does not seem to take part in a general glucose repression in H. polymorpha. In contrast, the deletion of HpSNF1 led to significant decreases in the activation of these genes in the absence of glucose. Therefore, the effect of HpSNF1 in transcriptional activation may be through an HpTUP1- independent circuit.

Hydromedusa maximiliani is a vulnerable neotropical freshwater turtle endemic to mountainous regions of the Atlantic rainforest in southeastern Brazil. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used to estimate the gene flow and dispersal for individuals inhabiting rivers and streams within a drainage. Nine primers generated 27 scoreable bands, of which 9 (33%) were polymorphic and produced 12 RAPD phenotypes. The gene flow estimates (Nm) among turtles inhabiting different rivers and streams were variable, ranging from 0.09 to 3.00 (mean: 0.60). For some loci, the rates of gene flow could offset population differentiation (Nm > 1), whereas for others random genetic drift could result in population divergence (Nm < 1). Since the genetic variation of this turtle seems to be structured according to the natural hierarchical system of rivers and streams within drainages, management programs involving translocations between different regions across the geographical range of H. maximiliani should be viewed with caution.

Territorial planning must be carried out with the objective of organizing human activities so to promote sustainable development, reconciling human well-being with environmental preservation. In this context, this study was developed with an initial proposal for the spatial planning of the municipality of Bueno Brandão (MG), using the hydrographic sub-basins as environmental planning units. For this purpose, the Geographic Information System software QGIS was used to structure a database composed of hydrographic, altimetric information, municipal limits and spatial distribution of rural clusters and the urban area of the municipality. The Digital Elevation Model, obtained from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission project, was also used. Google Earth images were used to verify that the areas of population concentration coincided with the limits of the sub-basins. The initial proposal for Bueno Brandão spatial planning resulted in the identification of 43 rural clusters and the delimitation of the urban area, distributed in 12 hydrographic sub-basins.

The reduction in energy consumption through the energy performance improvement in the use of artificial lighting system found in all sectors of the economy is one of the very important strategies of achieving sustainable energy development. In contrast to conventional lighting, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) provide better energy efficiency. To effectively optimize the performance and efficiency of the LED lighting, the LED heat needs to be dissipated adequately. In the present work, the cooling performance of a radial heat sink with trapezoidal fins is numerically investigated under the consideration of natural convection and radiation. The study investigated the influence of the number of fins (20≤Nf≤36), the height of the fins (15mm≤hfH≤35mm) and the applied heat flux (300W/m2≤q˙≤1100W/m2) on the thermal resistance (Rth) and heat transfer coefficient (havg) of the heat sink. The numerical results obtained from this work were validated with literature, and an excellent agreement was established. The results found that both the Rth and the havg of the heat sink decreased as the number of fins (Nf) and fin height (hfH) increased. Meanwhile, the number of fins (Nf) has an optimal value for achieving the heat sink's effective cooling performance.

A versatile strategy for synthesizing tailored peptide based biradicals is presented. By labeling the protected amino acid hydroxyproline with PROXYL via the OH functionality and using this building block in solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), the obtained peptides become polarization agents for DNP enhanced solid-state NMR in biotolerant media. To analyze the effect of the radical position on the enhancement factor, three different biradicals are synthesized. The PROXYL spin-label is inserted in a collagen inspired artificial peptide sequence by binding through the OH group of the hydroxyproline moieties at specific position in the chain. This labeling strategy is universally applicable for any hydroxyproline position in a peptide sequence since solid-phase peptide synthesis is used to insert the building block. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analyses show the successful introduction of the spin label in the peptide chain and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy confirms its activity. Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) enhanced solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments performed on frozen aqueous glycerol-d8 solutions containing these peptide radicals show significantly higher enhancement factors of up to 45 in 1H→13C cross polarization magic angle spinning (CP MAS) experiments compared to an analogous mono-radical peptide including this building block (ε ≈ 14). Compared to commercial biradicals such as AMUPol for which enhancement factors > 100 have been obtained in the past and which have been optimized in their structure, the obtained enhancement up to 45 for our biradicals presents a significant progress in radical design.

Abstract Fish parasites are an important part of aquatic biodiversity and knowing these species and their interactions with their hosts helps in monitoring the aquatic biota. The present study investigated the ectoparasite crustacean fauna of ten fish species from the upper Araguari River, in the state of Amapá, northern Brazil. A total of 508 fish were collected and analyzed from July to November 2014, of which 82.6% (109) were parasitized by one or more crustacean ectoparasite species. In the ten host fish species, a total of 308 ectoparasite specimens were collected, from 12 taxa, such as Argulus multicolor Stekhoven, 1937, Argulus spinulosus Silva, 1980, Argulus sp.1, Argulus sp.2, Argulus sp.3, Dipteropeltis sp., Dipteropeltis hirundo Calman, 1912, Dolops bidentata Bouvier, 1899, Dolops striata Bouvier, 1899 (Argulidae), Braga fluviatilis Richardson, 1911, Braga amapaensis Thatcher, 1996 (Cymothoidae) and Excorallana berbicensis Boone, 1918 (Corallanidae). Higher levels of prevalence and abundance were recorded for Hoplias aimara (Valenciennes, 1847) and Tometes trilobatus Valenciennes, 1850, respectively. These ectoparasites were found in the fins, integument, mouth, and anus of the host fish. Argulus sp.2 and D. bidentata were the most abundant parasites (65.1%), and had the highest species richness. This study registered 36 novel host-parasite interactions, and thus represents a new record for all host species here examined.

Abstract Biodiesel serves as a biodegradable, non-toxic, and renewable fuel option that offers an alternative to traditional fossil fuels. This study aimed to examine the impact of elevating biodiesel content to 20% and 50% within regular diesel, with a focus on comprehending how these fuel mixtures influence variations in soot composition using Raman spectroscopy. The soot samples under analysis originated from commercial S10 diesel, as well as fuel blends containing 20% and 50% portions of sunflower and macaúba biodiesel, whereupon the use of this methodology for these fuels characterizes the novelty of this work. The outcomes derived from analyzing the soot samples revealed distinct characteristics in the G, D1, D3, and D4 bands. The ratio between the intensities of these D and G bands is closely indicative of the soot's structure. Consequently, this ratio was analyzed in this investigation to assess the effects of biodiesel concentration and engine rotation speed on soot characteristics. The conclusions found in this study indicated that there was minimal variation in the spectral characteristics of the soot samples across the different fuels and varying engine speeds. As a result, it is inferred that increasing the proportion of biodiesel in commercial diesel S10 did not have a significant impact on the structural composition of soot.

Abstract This study investigated the spatial distribution, parasite interactions, and affinities of Branchiura parasites according to macrohabitat and surface type on fish from the Araguari River, Amapá State, in the Brazilian Amazon. This study presents novel information on the interactions of branchiuran species with host fish, and how the morphology of their attachment structures is associated with different host surface morphologies, with and without scales. A total of 558 fish specimens of 26 species were collected, of which 109 fish (10 species) were parasitized by at least one branchiuran parasite; these were selected for further study. The parasites were collected from the buccal cavity, gills, fins, and integument of the host fish. Parasites with suction discs (Argulus) were mainly associated to hosts with small scales and no scales, while parasites with hooks (Dolops) were mainly associated to hosts with large scales. Overall, parasites with suction discs were more specialized per site than those with hooks.

RESUMO Em um ambiente de sistemas de informações geográficas, analisou-se o impacto econômico decorrente da aplicação do Código Florestal Brasileiro, tendo-se por base a delimitação das áreas de preservação permanente (APPs) na bacia do Rio Alegre, Alegre - ES. Identificaram-se os conflitos de uso da terra, determinaram-se o valor econômico das terras e a anuidade equivalente às atividades produtivas em APPs. Verificou-se que a exploração econômica dessas áreas gera, aproximadamente, R$ 1 milhão por ano, o que equivale a uma contribuição mensal líquida de R$ 11 por ha de APP desmatado. Concluiu-se que a implementação de políticas de estímulo à preservação ambiental é viável e necessária.

EMC1 is part of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane protein complex, whose functions include the insertion of transmembrane proteins into the ER membrane, ER–mitochondria contact, and lipid exchange. Here, we show that the Drosophila melanogaster EMC1 gene is expressed in the somatic musculature and the protein localizes to the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) network. Muscle-specific EMC1 RNAi led to severe motility defects and partial late pupae/early adulthood lethality, phenotypes that are rescued by co-expression with an EMC1 transgene. Motility impairment in EMC1-depleted flies was associated with aberrations in muscle morphology in embryos, larvae, and adults, including tortuous and misaligned fibers with reduced size and weakness. They were also associated with an altered SR network, cytosolic calcium overload, and mitochondrial dysfunction and dysmorphology that impaired membrane potential and oxidative phosphorylation capacity. Genes coding for ER stress sensors, mitochondrial biogenesis/dynamics, and other EMC components showed altered expression and were mostly rescued by the EMC1 transgene expression. In conclusion, EMC1 is required for the SR network’s mitochondrial integrity and influences underlying programs involved in the regulation of muscle mass and shape. We believe our data can contribute to the biology of human diseases caused by EMC1 mutations.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar os efeitos do benefício previdenciário do segurado especial na dinâmica socioeconômica do Quilombo de Saracura, localizado no município de Santarém-Pa. Trata-se de uma pesquisa empírica de caráter quali-quanti com base na análise descritiva. Pelo referencial teórico, verificou-se que o sistema de previdência social brasileiro passou por diversas mudanças, tanto institucionais, quanto normativas, e ainda existe um amplo debate em torno das externalidades geradas a partir da expansão do sistema de previdência ao setor rural. Do estudo empírico, constatou-se que o benefício representa, em média, 91% da renda familiar dos beneficiários. Do valor do benefício, em média, 71% são gastos no consumo com alimentação, saúde, vestuário e transporte. Observou-se que 88% dos entrevistados acessaram o crédito consignado, em média 2 vezes. Em geral, o valor obtido com o crédito é destinado ao consumo de bens duráveis, como: casas, embarcações, terrenos e reformas. Assim, o benefício, garante qualidade na alimentação, cuidados com a saúde, melhorias nas moradias, promovendo bem-estar social para o segurado. Por outro lado, aumenta o consumo, movimenta as mercearias locais, permite o acesso a crédito e melhora o meio de transporte marítimo no quilombo, fomentando a economia local. Como resultados verificou-se que os benefícios previdenciários dos segurados especiais do INSS no Quilombo Saracura geram efeitos positivos sobre a dinâmica socioeconômica local. Para além dos efeitos de renda no aumento do consumo, essa mesma renda contribui para manter parte da comunidade no território sem a necessidade de mudança de moradia para os centros urbanos.

Resumo Este estudo investigou os efeitos de um programa de intervenção para casais na transição para a parentalidade sobre a saúde mental da mulher e a conjugalidade avaliada pelo casal. Um casal com baixa escolaridade foi submetido a uma adaptação para o contexto brasileiro, em modalidade domiciliar, do programa Bases da Família, com avaliação piloto por um delineamento experimental de caso único com medidas repetidas. O Self-Reporting Questionnaire e o Inventário Beck de Depressão avaliaram a saúde mental da mulher, e a Escala de Ajustamento Diádico e observações da comunicação do casal foram as medidas da conjugalidade. Houve aprimoramento da comunicação do pai e aumento da satisfação diádica autorrelatada pela mãe. O programa não foi eficaz para o favorecimento da saúde mental materna. O foco do programa em dimensões individuais e conjugais da transição para a parentalidade beneficia o relacionamento do casal, entretanto, parece não favorecer a saúde mental materna.

Abstract A continuous increase in levels of atmospheric pollution and emission restrictions has forced scientists and engineers to adopt new strategies to improve and develop internal combustion engines. One strategy is based on the development of new simulation methodologies using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) techniques, proposed in the present article. In this study,the dynamic loop methodology with ANSYS Fluent code is proposed to perform the numerical simulation ofa four-stroke spark ignition engine. The complexity of the real case was first simplified with three-dimensional CAD geometry, which was then discretized in ANSYS Meshing, whereby a hybrid mesh was created using prismatic and tetrahedral elements. Simulations for in-cylinder analyses were performed in cold flow and employing common flow parameters, such as swirl and tumble. The mesh quality results were classified as good or excellent, being higher than 0.79 for orthogonal quality criteria and lower than 0.36 for skewness criteria. Turbulent effects were introduced concerning the opening and closing of the valves. It was found that the turbulence increases during the intake stroke up to 90°, and during the power stroke, wherein the of the piston bowl, had a great contributionthat can be seen from the swirl and tumble profile for the engine cycle. In the case of the turbulence intensity, a sharp increase was registered during the admission step up to 90°, at which point the turbulence intensity was 4.0. It canbe concluded that this is an innovative approach, capable of simulating the engine motion profile in cold flow.

Modeling the steel-concrete interface is a constant research topic in structural engineering. Several studies have explored advanced modeling methods, including cohesive models. This article fits into this context by investigating the bond strength at the steel-concrete interface based on a cohesive model. The numerical parameters considered in the software ABAQUS 2019 are investigated. The experimental and numerical results of pullout and beam tests were used as references for the parameters fitting process. With the Concrete Damaged Plasticity model (CDP), the physical non-linearity of the concrete was considered. The contact was described as a surface-to-surface interaction. The pullout tests’ cohesive parameters were fitted with experimental tests. Regarding the beam models, an analysis was carried out verifying the use of pullout fitting parameters in the beam models, aiming to compensate for the eventual absence of these data. For the pullout models, the cohesive parameters fitting process yielded better results than those obtained with the recommended values. Improvements were especially significant regarding slippage at the maximum pullout force. The use of pullout test-fitted parameters in the beam models had a smaller influence on the ultimate load predictions. However, the slippage predictions and beam deflection were more affected by the change in cohesive parameters. The bond modeling using a surface-based technique performed well at a low computational cost, considering the materials’ physical nonlinearities and 3D geometries. The results, also in general, did not significantly change the load predictions, which indicates a possibility of use in numerical simulations when the pullout data is available.

This paper presents a study on the influence of inlet radial angle in a multi-inlet cyclone separator using Eulerian-Lagrangian (EL) fluid dynamics approach. The investigation focuses on the behavior of air and solid particles within the cyclone. Air circulation was simulated at velocities ranging from 2 to 6 m/s, with inlet radial angles of 15°, 32°, 45°, 61°, and 72°. To model the turbulent flow, the Reynolds stress model (RSM) and renormalization group k-model (RNG) were employed, while the particle trajectories were simulated using the discrete phase model (DPM) in ANSYS Fluent. The purpose of this study was to determine how the inlet radial angle impacts various parameters: collection efficiency, pressure drop, cut-off diameter, axial velocity, and tangential velocity. The numerical data obtained from the simulations were validated and found to be consistent with the existing literature. The results revealed interesting findings. In the case of an inlet velocity of 6 m/s, the highest pressure drop of 84.5 Pa was observed for the 15° inlet radial angle, while the lowest pressure drop of 77.42 Pa was observed for the 32° inlet radial angle. It was found that the collection efficiency varied according to the radial angle of the inlet, with values of 89.00%, 91.70%, 92.50%, 94.77%, and 94.83% for 32°, 45°, 15°, 72°, and 61°, respectively. Additionally, at an inlet velocity of 2 m/s and a radial angle of 72°, 61°, 15°, 45°, and 32°, the corresponding cut-off sizes were determined to be 1.17 μm, 1.19 μm, 1.25 μm, 1.33 μm, and 1.38 μm, respectively. At an inlet velocity of 6 m/s, the peak tangential velocities were found to be approximately 1.48, 1.44, 1.44, 1.39, and 1.34 times the inlet velocity for the 15°, 72°, 61°, 45°, and 32° radial angles, respectively, within the axial location range of z = 1.5D to z = 3.4D. The peak axial velocity values for the 32°, 72°, 45°, 15°, and 61° radial angles, were reported as 0.85, 0.89, 0.92, 0.94, and 0.96 times the inlet velocity respectively.

This study numerically evaluates the thermohydraulic performance of a circular tube consisting of semi-alternated twisted tape mounted with cylindrical baffles and ternary nanofluid (SiO2 + ZnO + CaO) as a working fluid. The circular tube wall was exposed to a sinusoidal temperature that axially varied along the wall. The investigation was performed in the laminar flow regime over the Reynolds number 500–2000 and for nanofluid volume fraction 0.01%-0.05%. The semi-alternated twisted tape has pitch ratio 1.77–5.77, width ratio 0.38–0.68 and thickness ratio 0.019–0.033. The performance was analyzed for Nusselt number, pressure drop, thermal performance factor and pumping power. The results indicate, no significant pressure drop increment with volume fraction of the ternary nanofluid. For a fixed volume fraction of 0.01%, width ratio of 0.48 and thickness ratio of 0.019, there is an improvement in Nusselt number by 35–107%, pressure drop increased from 0.26 Pa to 3.5 Pa, pumping power was found to increase by 40%, and thermal performance factor by 1.35–1.67 times that of the smooth tube, when the pitch ratio decreases from 5.77 to 1.77. For a fixed pitch ratio of 1.77 and width ratio 0.38–0.68, the Nusselt number increased by 50–114%, pressure drop increased from 0.207 Pa to 11.1 Pa and thermal performance factor by 1.18–1.76 times as compared with smooth tube. The Nusselt number increased by 100–115% and thermal performance factor increased from 1.08 to 1.16 times the performance of the smooth tube when the thickness ratio was increased from 0.019 to 0.033.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted great attention due to their tremendous mechanical, thermal, structural and electrical properties leading to many promising applications. The unique and interesting properties of CNTs, such as their mechanical and electrical features, have fascinated industries and researchers to implement CNTs for production of different electromechanical devices. However, it is established that the phenomenon of buckling often occurs when CNTs are subjected to compressive loads and their frequencies under vibration are in order of Tera-Hz and Giga-Hz. Moreover, the profound dynamic behaviours of nanotube under the influences of slip when conveying fluid and magnetic field require a serious and meticulous study. Therefore, this study focuses on the vibration analysis of nanofluid-conveying embedded multi-walled branched nanotubes resting on Winkler-Pasternak foundation in a thermal-magnetic environment. Using Euler-Bernoulli theory, Hamilton's principle and nonlocal elasticity theory, fully coupled equations of motion governing the transverse and longitudinal vibrations of the nanotube are developed. Also, the equation of the deformation of the nanotubes as well as the pressure variation in the tubes are developed. Additionally, Navier-Stoke's equation and energy equation for the fluid and nanotube are coupled with the vibration models. The dynamics of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes when coupled with Navier-Stokes and energy equations require meticulous study as it is different from the usual assumption of plug flow. Therefore, in this present work, the developed coupled systems of nonlinear partial differential equations are solved using multi-dimensional numerical PDEs solvers coupled with PDE-tools in MATLAB. With the aids of the solutions, parametric studies were performed. The results indicate that increasing the downstream angle decreases the stability of the system. Also, the results obtained from the dynamic behaviour of the system indicate that the magnetic effect has an attenuating or damping effect of about 20 %. Furthermore, the plug flow assumption deviates from actual working processes by over 11 %. The analytical solutions verified and validated with existing analytical, numerical and experimental results. It is envisaged that the present study will give better insight into nanotubes design and serve as an index for subsequent works in the research area.

Abstract The bi-axial hollow slab is the result of applying a technology that removes concrete from the least useful region and replaces it with hollow plastic spheres. This technique leads to material economy and self-weight saving, without considerable inertial loss, enabling larger and more flexible spans. Consequently, these spans are vulnerable to unwanted vibrations and dynamic acceleration caused by external actions, such as movements produced by human activity. This way, understanding the dynamic behavior of this technology and confronting it with normative limits on the project phase is essential for a good performance in the serviceability limit state, bringing comfort to the user. This paper studies the dynamic behavior of a bi-axial hollow slab submitted to human actions, such as jumping, dancing, clapping, moving the body, and moving and clapping at the same time. For that, this work made a numerical model of the structure and applied dynamic actions to it. The numerical results show that, for most of the actions, normative limits are satisfied, but the slab presents excessive accelerations in the case of jumping and dancing.

Abstract Drosophila melanogaster is undoubtedly one of the most useful model organisms in biology. Initially used in solidifying the principles of heredity, and establishing the basic concepts of population genetics and of the synthetic theory of evolution, it can currently offer scientists much more: the possibility of investigating a plethora of cellular and biological mechanisms, from development and function of the immune system to animal neurogenesis, tumorigenesis and beyond. Extensive resources are available for the community of Drosophila researchers worldwide, including an ever-growing number of mutant, transgenic and genomically-edited lines currently carried by stock centers in North America, Europe and Asia. Here, we provide evidence for the importance of stock centers in sustaining the substantial increase in the output of Drosophila research worldwide in recent decades. We also discuss the challenges that Brazilian Drosophila scientists face to keep their research projects internationally competitive, and argue that difficulties in importing fly lines from international stock centers have significantly stalled the progression of all Drosophila research areas in the country. Establishing a local stock center might be the first step towards building a strong local Drosophila community that will likely contribute to all areas of life sciences research.

ABSTRACT Insects are fundamental to biodiversity conservation in almost all ecosystems, and their population decline, and extinction directly result from environmental impacts. These facts are aggravated by the lack of knowledge of insect biodiversity, the so-called biodiversity deficits, especially the Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls. In freshwater ecosystems, biodiversity loss is higher among aquatic insects, and caddisflies comprise one of the most vulnerable orders. In this way, research focusing on describing new caddisfly species and understanding their distribution ranges will increase knowledge of caddisfly biodiversity. In the past 14 years, the team from the Laboratório de Entomologia Aquática “Prof. Dr. Claudio Gilberto Froehlich” (LEAq, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brazil) and collaborators have been addressing these issues, resulting in 55 described species of caddisflies. Taxa in other insect orders have also received attention and an additional 16 species have been described (eight mayflies, four stoneflies, four neuropteran spongillaflies, and antlions). Here, eight caddisfly species are described and illustrated (Atopsyche froehlichi sp. nov., Austrotinodes zeferina sp. nov., Cernotina kariri sp. nov., Neoathripsodes froehlichi sp. nov., Notalina claudiofroehlichi sp. nov., Oecetis marcus sp. nov., Phylloicus froehlichi sp. nov., and Polycentropus claudioi sp. nov.), five of them in honor of LEAq’s patron. In addition, new distributional data are presented for 10 known species. A checklist of the caddisfly fauna of Bahia state is also presented, with 138 species, around 75% and 30% of them recorded and described by the LEAq team, respectively. Currently, for caddisflies, Bahia is the fifth most species-rich state in Brazil, and the first in the Brazilian Northeast region.

El objetivo fue identificar los resultados de la investigación sobre gestión de centros de atención primaria de salud en la literatura científica, desde 2015 hasta 2020. Se trata de una Revisión Integradora de literatura en las bases de datos Biblioteca Virtual de Salud, PubMed, Scopus y Web of Science, con los descriptores: Gestión en Salud, Administración de los Servicios de Salud y Atención Primaria de Salud. Fueron incluidos trabajos que tratan del objetivo de esta investigación, publicados de 2015 hasta 2020, en cualquier idioma. Para análisis del material se utilizó el Análisis de Contenido. El corpus del trabajo está formado por 36 artículos. Resultaron siete categorías: caracterización de los profesionales, planeamiento del trabajo, gestión de cambios, gestión basada en el desempeño, democracia institucional, participación y control social, y formación. Se concluye que la literatura seleccionada indica que los encargados de la gestión de esos centros de salud presentan una baja cualificación técnica. A ello se suma una creciente influencia del mercado y del modelo de gestión empresarial sobre la administración de esos servicios, además de los contratos del sector público con proveedores privados que imponen desafíos a la participación social y a la atención de las necesidades locales de salud.

Abstract Background C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory protein used in clinical practice to identify and monitor inflammatory and infectious processes. Recent data suggest CRP might be useful in guiding antibiotic therapy discontinuation among critical care patients. This meta-analysis analyzed the benefits and risks of CRP-guided protocols to guide antibiotic therapy in hospitalized patients in comparison with standard treatment. Methods Studies were searched in four databases: CENTRAL, Medline, Embase and LILACS. The search was performed until Jan 25th, 2023. The reference lists of the articles retrieved and related review studies were hand-screened to find eligible trials that might have been missed. Primary endpoints included the duration of antibiotic therapy for the index episode of infection. The secondary endpoint was the all-cause hospital mortality and infection relapses. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Random effects were used to pool the mean differences and odds ratio of individual studies. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021259977). Results The search strategy retrieved 5209 titles, out of which three studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. 727 adult patients were analyzed, of whom 278 were included in the intervention group and 449 were included in the control group. 55,7% of all patients were women. Meta-analysis indicated that experimental groups (CRP-guided) had a lower duration of antibiotic therapy (days) [MMD = -1.82, 95%IC -3.23; -0.40]; with no difference in mortality [OR = 1.19 95%IC 0.67–2.12] or in the occurrence of infection relapse [OR = 3.21 95%IC 0.85–12.05]. Conclusion The use of CRP-guided protocol reduces the total amount of time required for antibiotic therapy when compared to standard protocols of treatment in hospitalized patients with acute bacterial infection. We did not observe statistical differences regarding mortality and infection relapse rates.

Photovoltaic (PV) systems face challenges in achieving maximum energy extraction due to the non-linear nature of their current versus voltage (IxV) characteristics, which are influenced by temperature and solar irradiation. These factors lead to variations in power generation. The situation becomes even more complex under partial shading conditions, causing distortion in the characteristic curve and creating discrepancies between local and global maximum power points. Achieving the highest output is crucial to enhancing energy efficiency in such systems. However, conventional maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques often struggle to locate the global maximum point required to extract the maximum power from the PV system. This study employs genetic algorithms (GAs) to address this issue. The system can efficiently search for the global maximum point using genetic algorithms, maximizing power extraction from the PV arrangements. The proposed approach is compared with the traditional Perturb and Observe (P&O) method through simulations, demonstrating its superior effectiveness in achieving optimal power generation.

The study aimed to assess the prevalence of COVID-19 and Klebsiella spp. coinfection across continents. Conducted following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review utilized PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases, searching for literature in English published from December 2019 to December 2022, using specific Health Sciences descriptors. A total of 408 records were identified, but only 50 were eligible, and of these, only 33 were included. Thirty-three references were analyzed to evaluate the correlation between COVID-19 and Klebsiella spp. infections. The tabulated data represented a sample group of 8741 coinfected patients. The findings revealed notable disparities in co-infection rates across continents. In Asia, 23% of individuals were infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae, while in Europe, the proportion of co-infected patients stood at 15%. Strikingly, on the African continent, 43% were found to be infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae, highlighting significant regional variations. Overall, the proportion of Klebsiella pneumoniae co-infections among COVID-positive individuals were determined to be 19%. Particularly concerning was the observation that 1 in 6 ICU coinfections was attributed to Klebsiella pneumoniae, indicating its substantial impact on patient outcomes and healthcare burden. The study underscores the alarming prevalence of co-infection between COVID-19 and Klebsiella pneumoniae, potentially exacerbating the clinical severity of patients and posing challenges to treatment strategies. These findings emphasize the importance of vigilant surveillance and targeted interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of bacterial coinfections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aims to determine the serological profile of high-yielding dairy cows for four main viruses (bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoAHV1), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV3), and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV)) related to bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in cattle herds worldwide. In this survey, 497 blood serum samples were collected from non-vaccinated dairy cows without clinical respiratory signs in 39 herds in the central-eastern mesoregion of Paraná State, South Brazil. The presence of neutralizing antibodies was determined by virus neutralization (VN) tests. VN antibodies against BoAHV1, BVDV, BPIV3, and BRSV were detected in 355 (71.4%), 280 (56.3%), 481 (96.8%), and 315 (63.4%) serum samples, respectively. The frequencies of seropositive herds for BoAHV1, BVDV, BPIV3, and BRSV were 79.5 (n = 31), 82.0 (n = 32), 100 (n = 39), and 84.6% (n = 33), respectively. The frequencies of seropositive cows varied according to the type of herd management and the number of cows in the herd. The detection of VN antibodies in unvaccinated dairy cattle herds demonstrated the endemic circulation of the four viruses in the herds evaluated. For BRD prevention, it is recommended to implement a vaccination program for cows that provides passive immunity in calves and active immunity in cows.

Objetivou-se identificar características indicadoras de precocidade sexual de fácil mensuração e que podem ser registradas em menor idade (idade à primeira concepção - IPC), além de estimar as correlações genéticas dessa característica com aquelas de crescimento e carcaça em bovinos Nelore. A IPC foi considerada a idade em que a fêmea apresentou o primeiro diagnóstico positivo de prenhez. A estimativa dos componentes de (co)variância e dos parâmetros genéticos foi realizada usando modelo animal linear em análises bicaracterísticas. As estimativas de herdabilidade foram moderadas, indicando viabilidade de seleção genética para características de crescimento, carcaça e precocidade sexual. As correlações genéticas obtidas entre o IPC e a idade ao primeiro parto (IPP) foram altas (0,88), indicando a viabilidade do uso de IPC como critério de seleção para parto em idade precoce de novilhas. As estimativas de correlações genéticas entre IPC e IPP com peso aos 120, 210, 365 e 450 dias de idade e características de carcaça foram moderadas e negativas (-0,33 a -0,62). Assim, a seleção genética para animais com IPC e IPP precoces aumentaria o rendimento de carcaça, a deposição de gordura e o peso corporal, embora não afete o peso ao nascer e o ganho de peso diário. Os resultados deste estudo encorajam o uso de IPC em bovinos Nelore, uma vez que esta característica apresentou variabilidade genética em bovinos Nelore, podendo ser utilizada como critério de seleção para melhorar a precocidade sexual. Quando o objetivo de seleção genética é aumentar a precocidade sexual das novilhas, indica-se o uso de IPC como critério, pois a mensuração desta característica ocorre em idade menor IPP.

ABSTRACT: The parasitic fauna of Podocnemididae species is of great relevance to understanding the ecological relationships of the organisms in this genus. The parasites can have a symbiotic relationship with their hosts; however, environmental imbalances may change this relationship. Therefore, these parasites may become agents that generate zoonoses, especially in animals used by parasites as a food source. The aim of this study was to investigate the gastrointestinal parasitic fauna of specimens of Podocnemis unifilis. The animals were collected from the Tocantins and Javaés Rivers, both of which flow in the State of Tocantins, predominantly in the Cerrado territory. Samples of stomach and intestinal contents were fixed in 10% formalin buffered with sodium phosphate, transferred to 70% alcohol for analysis, and separated after 72 hours. Parasites were isolated and identified according to morphology and identification key. Four species of parasites were observed in 100% of specimens of P. unifilis, namely Nematophila grandis (Trematoda) and Paratractis hystrix, Paraorientatractis semiannulata, and Orientatractis leiperi (Nematoda). N. grandis was the only parasite that was not observed in the intestine; it appeared to adhere to the inner wall of the stomach. All nematodes were observed both in the stomach and intestine. These data expand the knowledge related to the P. unifilis parasitic fauna and the geographic distribution of these parasites in P. unifilis from the Tocantins and Javaés Rivers.

Abstract Transradial access is associated with fewer access site-related complications, earlier patient mobilization, and greater postprocedural comfort. Pseudoaneurysms are an extremely rare complication after transradial procedures and the radial artery itself is the most atypical arterial site of occurrence. We report a case in which a non-surgical, non-invasive, simple, and effective solution (prolonged pneumatic compression) was used to manage a radial artery pseudoaneurysm, a very rare and challenging complication of transradial procedures.