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This paper proposes the Set-Membership sign-NLMS (SM-sign-NLMS) adaptive filter, which combines the ability for data censoring (offered by Set-Membership schemes) with robustness against impulsive noise (provided by signed schemes). The algorithm can present a much lower steady-state probability of update than the standard SM-NLMS algorithm when impulsive noise is present in the system. It is derived from a local deterministic optimization problem modulated by a minimum disturbance cost function combined with a bounded error criterion. Several stochastic models are proposed in order to extract insights and a time-variant step size extension of the algorithm. The first of them, based on energy conservation arguments, leads to a fixed-point analytic equation whose solution predicts the asymptotic performance of the algorithm. Further, a transient analysis based on a statistical decoupling of the radial and (discrete) angular distributions of the input vector is derived. Based on such an analysis, an efficient time-variant step-size version of the algorithm is proposed. Additionally, such an analysis is also utilized to obtain a fixed-point formula whose solution describes the asymptotic performance when the unknown plant that the filter intends to match varies according to a first-order Markovian model. Lastly, a novel stochastic model is advanced for the description of the algorithm learning behavior under a deficient-length scenario for a white input signal, which provides some insights about the asymptotic performance of the algorithm. The findings are confirmed by extensive simulations.

In applications where large-order filters are needed, the computational load of adaptive filtering algorithms can become prohibitively expensive. In this paper, a comprehensive analysis of a selective partial-update least mean squares, named SPU-LMS-M-min, is developed. By employing the partial-update strategy for a non-normalized adaptive scheme, the designer can choose an appropriate number of update blocks considering a trade-off between convergence rate and computational complexity, which can result in a more than 40% reduction in the number of multiplications in some configurations compared to the traditional LMS algorithm. Based on the principle of minimum distortion, a selection criterion is proposed that is based on the input signal’s blocks with the lowest energy, whereas typical Selective Partial Update (SPU) algorithms use a selection criterion based on blocks with highest energy. Stochastic models are developed for the mean weights and mean and mean squared behaviour of the proposed algorithm, which are further extended to accommodate scenarios involving time-varying dynamics and suboptimal filter lengths. Simulation results show that the theoretical predictions are in good agreement with the experimental outcomes. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the proposed selection criterion can be easily extended to active noise cancellation algorithms as well as algorithms utilizing variable filter length. This allows for the reduction of computational costs for these algorithms without compromising their asymptotic performance.

Abstract In this study, we investigated the effects of the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) in an agrisystem located in the Brazilian Midwest. This PES benefits the owners of rural properties that encompass springs that feed the Abóbora River microbasin which supplies water for consumption in the city of Rio Verde, Goiás. We evaluated the percentage of native vegetation cover around the springs of the watercourses and also estimated its change over time (2005, 2011 and 2017). The vegetation cover of the Areas of Permanent Preservation (APP) increased by 2.24% on average, seven years after the implantation of the PES. There was little difference in the change of vegetation cover maintained over the study years (2005, 2011, and 2017), however, the vegetation cover increased for 17 springs, decreased for 11 springs, and was completely degraded for other two. To improve the performance of this PES, we recommend (1) expanding the program to include the APPs surrounding the springs, together with the legal reserves of each property, (2) implementing measures to ensure that properties are environmentally adequate, (3) including the properties in the Brazilian Rural Environment Register (CAR), and (4) obtaining environmental licensing for the activities undertaken within the Abóbora River basin.

THE USE OF FREE SOFTWARES IN PRACTICAL CLASS ABOUT THE MOLECULAR FILTERS OF ORAL BIOAVAILABILITY OF DRUGS. The study of the physical chemical properties to predict the oral bioavailability of drugs is a widely tool used by researches on the Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry field. Even though it is a deeply studied subject, it is a complex task to teach to pharmacy students. Lipinski stablished that molecular weight, lipophilicity, hydrogen bond donors and acceptors are of great importance for oral bioavailability. In addition, Veber and Lovering added other properties, such as number of rotatable bonds, fraction of sp3 hybridized carbon and polar surface area that amplified the Lipinski Rule of 5. In this sense, the access to chemical databases and the comprehension of this information is an important task to undergraduate and graduate students. Thus, this work aims a new teaching methodology that values the critical interpretation of data and that favors the students comprehension beyond stablished rules.

ABSTRACT Acoustic communication plays an important role in the social behavior of anurans. Acoustic signals, which can be used in different contexts such as mate attraction and territory defense, may mediate social interactions among individuals. Herein, we used playback experiments to test whether males of Hypsiboas goianus (Lutz, 1968) change their vocal behavior in response to conspecific advertisement calls. Specifically, we used different field playback experiments in which we modified the time interval between advertisement calls to simulate males with distinct states of motivation (Sequence A and B). We did not observe differences in the acoustic response of males of H. goianus between the two types of field playback experiments. On the other hand, we observed that H. goianus males reduce the dominant frequency of the advertisement call and increase the rate of aggressive calls in response to a conspecific competitor. Our results suggest that the acoustic plasticity observed in males of H. goianus represents an aggressive response that allows repelling conspecific individuals.

Background: Globally alcohol consumption is a leading risk factor for premature death and disability and is associated with crime, social and economic consequences. Local communities may be able to play a role in addressing alcohol-related issues in their area., Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and cost-benefit of an asset-based community development approach to reducing alcohol-related harm and understand the context and factors that enable or hinder its implementation., Design: A mixed-methods evaluation. Area-level quasi-experimental trial analysed using four different evaluation methods (a stepped-wedge design where each area was a control until it entered the intervention, comparison to matched local/national controls and comparison to synthetic controls), alongside process and economic evaluations., Setting: Ten local authorities in Greater Manchester, England., Participants: The outcomes evaluation was analysed at an area level. Ninety-three lay persons representing nineareas completed questionnaires, with 12 follow-up interviews in five areas; 20 stakeholders representing ten areas were interviewed at baseline, with 17 follow-up interviews in eight areas and 26 members of the public from two areas attended focus groups., Interventions: Professionals in a co-ordinator role recruited and supported lay volunteers who were trained to become alcohol health champions. The champion's role was to provide informal, brief alcohol advice to the local population and take action to strengthen restrictions on alcohol availability., Main Outcome Measures: Numbers of alcohol-related hospital admissions, accident and emergency attendances, ambulance call-outs, street-level crime and antisocial behaviour in the intervention areas (area size: 1600-5500 residents). Set-up and running costs were collected alongside process evaluation data exploring barriers and facilitators., Data Sources: Routinely collected quantitative data on outcome measures aggregated at the intervention area and matched control and synthetic control areas. Data from policy documents, licensing registers, meeting notes, invoices, time/cost diaries, training registers, questionnaires, interviews, reflective diaries and focus groups., Results: The intervention rolled out in nine out of ten areas, seven of which ran for a full 12 months. Areas with better-established infrastructure at baseline were able to train more champions. In total, 123 alcohol health champions were trained (95 lay volunteers and 28 professionals): lay volunteers self-reported positive impact. Champions engaged in brief advice conversations more readily than taking action on alcohol availability. There were no consistent differences in the health and crime area-level indicators between intervention areas and controls, as confirmed by using three different analysis methods for evaluating natural experiments. The intervention was not found to be cost-beneficial., Limitations: Although the sequential roll-out order of the intervention was randomised, the selection of the intervention areas was not. Self-reported impact may have been subject to social desirability bias due to the project's high profile., Conclusions: There was no measurable impact on health and crime outcomes. Possible explanations include too few volunteers trained, volunteers being unwilling to get involved in licensing decisions, or that the intervention has no direct impact on the selected outcomes., Future Work: Future similar interventions should use a coproduced community outcomes framework. Other natural experiment evaluations should use methodological triangulation to strengthen inferences about effectiveness., Trial Registration: This trial is registered as ISRCTN81942890., Funding: This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme (NIHR award ref: 15/129/03) and is published in full in Public Health Research ; Vol. 12, No. 9. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

Background and Aim: Drinking alcohol may cause harm to an individual's health and social relationships, while a drinking culture may harm societies as it may increase crime rates and make an area feel less safe. Local councils in Greater Manchester, UK, developed the Communities in Charge of Alcohol (CICA) intervention, in which volunteers were trained to give alcohol-related advice to the public and taught how to influence policies to restrict when, where and how alcohol is sold. As part of a larger study, the aim of the current project is to measure the impact of CICA on health and crime outcomes at the lower super output (LSOA) geographical aggregation., Design: Quantitative evaluation using four time series analytic methods (stepped-wedge design, and comparisons to local controls, national controls and synthetic controls) with findings triangulated across these methods. A cost-benefit analysis was carried out alongside the effectiveness analysis., Setting and Participants: The general public in Greater Manchester, UK, between 2010 and 2020., Measurements: The primary outcome of interest was alcohol-related hospital admissions. Secondary outcomes were accident and emergency (A&E) attendances, ambulance callouts, recorded crimes and anti-social behaviour incidents., Findings: Triangulation of the results did not indicate any consistent effect on area-level alcohol-related hospital admissions, A&E attendances, ambulance callouts, reported crimes or anti-social behaviour associated with the implementation of CICA. The primary stepped-wedge analysis indicated an increase in alcohol-related hospital admissions following the implementation of CICA of 13.4% (95% confidence interval -3.3%, +30.1%), which was consistent with analyses based on other methods with point estimates ranging from +3.4% to 16.4%., Conclusion: There is no evidence of a measurable impact of the Communities in Charge of Alcohol (CICA) programme on area-level health and crime outcomes in Greater Manchester, UK, within 3 years of the programme start. The increase in alcohol-related hospital admissions was likely the result of other temporal trends rather than the CICA programme. Possible explanations include insufficient follow-up time, too few volunteers trained, volunteers being unwilling to get involved in licensing decisions or that the intervention has no direct impact on the selected outcomes., (© 2023 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.)

BACKGROUND:  The World Health Organization's End TB (tuberculosis) Strategy advocates social and economic support for TB-affected households but evidence from low-income settings is scarce. We will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a locally-appropriate socioeconomic support intervention for TB-affected households in Nepal. METHODS:  We will conduct a pilot randomised-controlled trial with mixed-methods process evaluation in four TB-endemic, impoverished districts of Nepal: Pyuthan, Chitwan, Mahottari, and Morang. We will recruit 128 people with TB notified to the Nepal National TB Program (NTP) and 40 multisectoral stakeholders including NTP staff, civil-society members, policy-makers, and ASCOT (Addressing the Social Determinants and Consequences of Tuberculosis) team members. People with TB will be randomised 1:1:1:1 to four study arms (n=32 each): control; social support; economic support; and combined social and economic (socioeconomic) support. Social support will be TB education and peer-led mutual-support TB Clubs providing TB education and stigma-reduction counselling. Economic support will be monthly unconditional cash transfers during TB treatment with expectations (not conditions) of meeting NTP goals. At 0, 2, and 6 months following TB treatment initiation, participants will be asked to complete a survey detailing the social determinants and consequences of TB and their feedback on ASCOT. Complementary process evaluation will use focus group discussions (FGD), key informant interviews (KII), and a workshop with multi-sectoral stakeholders to consider the challenges to ASCOT's implementation and scale-up. A sample of ~100 people with TB is recommended to estimate TB-related costs. Information power is estimated to be reached with approximately 25 FGD and 15 KII participants. CONCLUSIONS:  The ASCOT pilot trial will both generate robust evidence on a locally-appropriate, socioeconomic support intervention for TB-affected households in Nepal and inform a large-scale future ASCOT trial, which will evaluate the intervention's impact on catastrophic costs mitigation and TB outcomes. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN ( ISRCTN17025974)., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2022 Rai B et al.)

In people with TB, co-existence of long-term conditions (e.g., depression, diabetes and HIV) and risk factors (e.g.,alcohol misuse, malnutrition, and smoking) are associated with increased mortality and poor treatment outcomes including delayed recovery, TB treatment failure and relapse. However, it is unclear as to what extent these comorbidities are addressed in TB policy and practice. Between August and October 2021, we conducted an online cross-sectional survey in high-TB burden countries. We recruited a purposive sample of TB health workers, managers, policy makers, advisors and advocates from these countries. The survey enquired about the extent to which various comorbid conditions are: (a) mentioned in TB policies, plans, and guidelines; (b) screened, diagnosed, treated or referred to specialist services by TB healthcare workers. We summarised using descriptive analysis. Of the 1100 potential respondents contacted in 33 countries, 543 responded but only 446 (41%) from 27 countries provided sufficient data for inclusion in the study. We found no notable differences between these providing insufficient data and those completing the survey. HIV, diabetes mellitus, depression and tobacco and alcohol use disorders were identified as the most common and concerning comorbid conditions in TB. HIV was screened for and managed by TB services in most countries. Screening for diabetes and/or tobacco and alcohol use disorders was offered by almost half of all TB services but only a few offered relevant treatments. Depression was rarely screened for, almost never treated, and only infrequently referred to specialist services. Most respondents felt confident in screening/diagnosing these comorbid conditions but not in treating these conditions. With the exception of HIV, chronic comorbid conditions are only partially screened for and rarely managed within TB services. Mental health conditions are for the most part neglected. Given their adverse impact on TB outcomes, integrating screening and management of these comorbidities within TB programmes offers a significant opportunity to meet TB targets, address non-communicable diseases and improve patient well-being., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2022 Jarde et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract and can have a major impact on the patient's quality of life. Asymptomatic patients, or those with mild symptoms, experience the active disease with subclinical manifestation. A systematic review (SR) was performed to look for evidence for the role of chemokines and adipokines as markers for CD activity., Methods: This SR was conducted by searching published studies in international and regional databases up to July 2020. CD patients were adults with the disease in activity or remission. All adipokines and chemokines were considered for the analysis and the Rayyan QCRI system was used. The selection of articles published in the Rayyan system was carried out by two reviewers, autonomously and independently, and a third reviewer was responsible for analysing and deciding on the inclusion or exclusion of the article, especially in relation to those who presented a contradictory and conflicting decision. The search for articles was carried out in the databases PUBMED, PUBMED PM C, BVSBIREME, SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE, EMBASE, COCHRANE, EBSCOHOST, PROQUEST and ENDNOTE WEB. The keywords "Crohn's disease", "chemokines", "adipokines", "biomarkers" and "inflammation" were chosen after reading material related to the researched topic. To expand and guide the search, an association of the descriptors was carried out by means of Boolean operators "OR" and "AND". The Boolean operators "OR" and "AND" were used to add or restrict the search, as follows: "Crohn Disease AND Biomarkers AND (Chemokines OR Adipokines) AND Inflammation". Only studies with human samples were considered., Results: In total, 20 studies were included from 344 which were found in the databases. Six addressed chemokines and eight adipokines as potential biomarkers of CD activity. CXCL8 was the most studied chemokine (8 studies) and the results were controversial, with 62.5% showing a significant association with CD activity. CXCL10 was investigated by 4 studies and 50% identified it as a potential biomarker. CCL2, CCL11, CCL26 and CXCL1 were examined by 2 articles each. CXCL8 (P=0.002/P=0.001) and CXCL1 (P < 0.001) presented the lowest P value, which qualifies them as potential markers of disease activity. All the adipokines were tested in peripheral blood but 44.4% were also tested in intestinal mucosa, while the percentage in the chemokines' studies was 76.9% in peripheral blood, 46.1% in intestinal mucosa and 7.6% in urine sample respectively., Conclusion: Despite the limitations and the small number of studies found in the literature that followed the criteria of this SR, some chemokines (CCL2, CCL20, CXCL1, CXCL3, CXCL8, CXCL10 and CXCL1) and adipokines (leptin, IL-6 and TNF-α) have unveiled promising results that may enable us to distinguish active versus in remission forms of CD based on objective criteria of inflammation such as endoscopic, histologic or radiological criteria. The development of disease activity biomarkers for CD is becoming relevant for clinical practice, and chemokines and adipokines have the potential to signalize CD activity. However, validation in larger cohorts of patients, preferable multicenter studies are still needed., (Copyright © 2021 by The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Background: Adequate dentofacial growth is an objective of unilateral cleft lip and palate treatment. No study exists, comparing the dental arch of 5-year-old relationship after 2 treatment protocols: one with single-stage palatoplasty and another with delayed hard palate closure (DHPC). The authors hypothesized that the DHPC protocol provides better dentofacial growth., Methods: A single-center, single-surgeon Randomized Clinical Trial was performed to evaluate the maxillomandibular relationships in 2 groups. The intervention group (GI) underwent palatoplasty with DHPC between ages 3 and 4 years; the control group (CG) underwent complete palatoplasty between 9 and 15 months. The authors evaluated oronasal fistulae rates.The dental arch relationship was evaluated via blinded panels using the Five Year Old Index.Kappa statistics were calculated to assess reliability. Trials were statistically tested with the t test and chi-squared test., Results: Sixty-four patients constituted the study sample. The incidence of oronasal fistulae was 9.4% (GI) and 6.7% (CG). Sixty-two models with an average age of 55 months were available for analysis. Good intra- and inter-rater reliabilities (0.73-0.93 and 0.60-0.94, respectively) were obtained. Average index scores ranging from 2.04 (GI) to 2.76 (CG) were significantly different (P = 0.007). Significant between-group differences (P = 0.006) were found in scores, 1 and 2 in the GI (74%) and CG (52%). When the distributions were compared by the median, a difference was found (P = 0.024) in score, 1 between the GI (31.2%) and CG (3.3%)., Conclusions: Although the DHPC protocol yielded better outcomes relating to dentofacial growth, other protocols should be investigated and findings verified by other researchers.

Polycystic echinococcosis, caused by the larval stage (metacestode) of the small-sized tapeworm, Echinococcus vogeli, is an emerging parasitic zoonosis of great public health concern in the humid tropical rainforests of South and Central America. Because morphological and morphometric characteristics of the metacestode are not well known, hydatid cysts from the liver and the mesentery were examined from patients following surgical procedures. Whole mounts of protoscoleces with rostellar hooks were examined under light and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Measurements were made of both large and small hooks, including the total area, total length, total width, blade area, blade length, blade width, handle area, handle length and handle width. The results confirmed the 1:1 arrangement of hooks in the rostellar pad and indicated, for the first time, that the morphometry of large and small rostellar hooks varies depending upon the site of infection. Light and confocal microscopy images displayed clusters of calcareous corpuscles in the protoscoleces. In conclusion, morphological features of large and small rostellar hooks of E. vogeli are adapted to a varied environment within the vertebrate host and such morphological changes in calcareous corpuscles occur at different stages in the maturation of metacestodes.

The helminth fauna of Agouti paca (Linnaeus, 1766) has seldom been studied. In this paper, we report an unusual mixed infection of Echinococcus vogeli Rausch & Bernstein, 1972 and Calodium hepaticum (syn. Capillaria hepatica Bancroft, 1863) in free-ranging paca from a forested region in Acre (Brazil). Gross morphological examination revealed that paca liver contained multiple spherical to subspherical white or translucent lesions, which were isolated or frequently contiguous and partially covered by Glisson's capsule. Microscopic examination revealed unilocular cystic structures that contained abundant brood capsules in which numerous protoscolices budded from the inner surface. The protoscolices possessed rostellar hooks (33-41 μm in length), a morphological characteristic of the blade and calcareous corpuscles that is consistent with the metacestode E. vogeli. The diagnosis of C. hepaticum infection was based on the morphology and morphometry of the egg-shaped ellipsoids with bipolar plugs (44.8 ± 1.9 μm (length) × 24.4 ± 2.0 μm (width)) and liver histopathology. This finding expands the known range of C. hepaticum hosts in South America and, to the best of our knowledge, it is the first case of a mixed infection of E. vogeli and C. hepaticum. Furthermore, our data provide evidence that wild animal meat may be a source of C. hepaticum infection.