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We report the case of a 47-year-old woman who experienced multiple recurrences of acinic cell carcinoma, lung metastasis, and intracranial extension of the tumor during a 32-year period. In this report, the clinical, microscopic, histochemical, and electron microscopy features of this acinic cell carcinoma are described, and a review of published information about this neoplasm is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple method set for assessing biochemical changes associated with osmotic stress responses was developed using coffee (Coffea arabica L.) leaf disks. Stress was induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) exposure. Quantitative evaluation of tissue physiological stress parameters was carried out using analytical methods to validate the conversion of classic qualitative histochemical tests for localizing lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide, and total xanthine alkaloids into semi-quantitative assays. Relative electrolyte leakage (EL%) and chlorophyll content (SPAD index) were also recorded. EL% levels of treated disks were higher than those of control ones, whereas SPAD indexes were comparable. Histochemical localization indicated that levels of lipid peroxidation, H 2 O 2 , and total xanthines were also higher under osmotic stress than in control conditions. Semi-quantitative data obtained by image processing of histochemical staining consistently matched quantitative evaluations. Chromatographic analyses revealed that theophylline and caffeine concentrations increased in the presence of PEG, whereas theobromine remained constant in relation to the control. The methods herein described can be useful to rapidly acquire initial data regarding biochemical osmotic stress responses in coffee tissues based on simple staining and imaging steps. Moreover, it is likely that the same method may be applicable to other types of stresses and plant species upon minor adjustments., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: This study evaluated the impact of functional training (FT) on the ambulatory blood pressure and physical fitness of resistant hypertensive older adults., Method: This randomized clinical and controlled rehearsal involved 15 participants from Juazeiro do Norte-CE divided into two groups: a control group (CG), n = 7, without physical training, and an experimental group (EG), n = 8, subjected to 24 sessions of FT. The comparative analysis included ambulatory blood pressure (24 h mapping) and physical fitness (Senior Fitness Test), using an ANOVA of two factors, an alpha of 0.05, and a post hoc by Bonferroni where necessary. The dimension of the intervention effect was verified using Eta Squared., Results: The results show that FT promoted a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SAP) during the day and at night, as well as improving physical fitness, including the force/resistance of the lower and upper limbs, physical mobility, and aerobic resistance. The flexibility of the upper and lower limbs was not affected., Conclusion: It is concluded that FT is effective in reducing SAP and improving physical fitness in resistant older adults. However, this type of training may positively influence general physical fitness of older adults with resistant hypertension.

Cuniculus paca, commonly known as the paca, is a rodent of the Cuniculidae family that is widely distributed throughout the Americas, including all Brazilian territories, and is abundant in the Amazon region. It is one of the most hunted species and faces significant predation in the extreme western Amazon region of Brazil because it constitutes a staple in the diet of local communities, for subsistence and commercial purposes. Understanding the helminthic fauna of these animals is of paramount importance, given that some nematodes have zoonotic potential and may pose risks to consumer health. This study aimed to contribute to the records of the nemtodes of this highly consumed species in the Amazon region, highlighting the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in free-living pacas intended for human subsistence consumption. The study was conducted in the Paranã da Floresta community, located in the municipality of Guajará, Amazonas from 2022 to 2023. The community members hunted this rodent for consumption and voluntarily provided the viscera for analysis. Nematodes were extracted from each organ. The organs were opened, and the contents were processed using a sieve (0.15 mm) and subsequently evaluated separately. In total, 10,157 nematodes were found in the 14 pacas. Based on morphological analyses, the nematodes were identified as Heligmostrongylus sedecimradiatus (n = 10,068), Trichuris sp. (n = 85), and Physaloptera sp. (n = 4). This study provides insights into the nematodes diversity of free-living pacas in the extreme Western Amazon region, emphasizing the importance of sanitary surveillance and public awareness of the risks associated with bushmeat consumption., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Encouraging healthy aging in postmenopausal women involves advocating for lifestyle modifications, including regular physical exercise like combined training (CT) and functional training (FT). Regarding this population, age-related alterations in body composition, such as decreased muscle mass and heightened adipose tissue, impact health. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of FT and CT on body recomposition in postmenopausal women. About the methods, we randomly allocated 96 post-menopausal women to the FT, CT, or control group (CG). We measured body composition by bioimpedance and lower limb muscle strength by sit-to-stand test in five repetitions, respectively. The training protocol lasted 16 weeks, and we measured body composition and lower limb muscle strength every 4 weeks, totaling five assessments. Regarding results, we notice that both training groups increased lean mass from the 8th week of training. In addition, a reduction was observed in total fat percentage and an increase in appendicular lean mass from the 12th week of intervention. No differences were found for body mass. Furthermore, only the experimental groups increase muscle strength, starting from the 4th week of training. The conclusion was that FT and CT promote similar adaptations in body recomposition without affecting body mass in postmenopausal women.

Background: The objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of plasma-based liquid biopsy for the detection of the BRAF V600E mutation in circulating cell-free DNA from patients with ameloblastoma., Methods: This is a prospective diagnostic accuracy study conducted based on the Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy recommendations. The index test was the plasma-based liquid biopsy, whereas the reference standard was the conventional tissue biopsy. The target condition was the detection of BRAF V600E mutation. The study population consisted of individuals with ameloblastoma recruited from three tertiary hospitals from Brazil. A negative control group composed of three individuals with confirmed wild-type BRAF lesions were included. The participants underwent plasma circulating cell-free DNA and tumor tissue DNA isolation, and both were submitted to using competitive allele-specific TaqMan™ real-time polymerase chain reaction technology mutation detection assays. Sensitivity and specificity measures and positive and negative predictive values were calculated., Results: Twelve patients with conventional ameloblastoma were included. BRAF V600E mutation was detected in 11/12 (91.66%) ameloblastoma tissue samples. However, the mutation was not detected in any of the plasma-based liquid biopsy circulating cell-free DNA samples in both ameloblastomas and negative control group. The sensitivity and specificity of plasma-based liquid biopsy for the detection of the BRAF V600E mutation in circulating cell-free DNA was 0.0 and 1.0, respectively. The agreement between index test and reference standard results was 26.66%., Conclusion: Plasma-based liquid biopsy does not seem to be an accurate method for the detection of the BRAF V600E mutation in circulating circulating cell-free DNA from patients with ameloblastoma, regardless of tumor size, anatomic location, recurrence status, and other clinicopathological features., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A review on planar printed structures that are based on Matryoshka-like geometries is presented. These structures use the well-known principle of Matryoshka dolls that are successively nested inside each other. The well-known advantages of the planar printed technology and of the meandered nested Matryoshka geometries are combined to generate miniaturized, multi-resonance, and/or wideband configurations. Both metal and complementary slot structures are considered. Closed and open configurations were analyzed. The working principles were explored in order to obtain physical insight into their behavior. Low-cost and single-layer applications as frequency-selective surfaces, filters, antennas, and sensors, in the microwave frequency region, were reviewed. Potential future research perspectives and new applications are then discussed.

Background: Dysregulation of the MAPK pathway appears to exert a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of ameloblastomas, since BRAF p.V600E has been reported in over 65% of the tumors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether the BRAF p.V600E is related to biological behavior and disease-free survival in patients with conventional ameloblastomas., Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study based on the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) recommendations. The study population consisted of individuals treated for conventional ameloblastomas. Clinical, imaging, histomorphological, immunohistochemical (Ki67 and CD138/syndecan-1), and molecular BRAF p.V600E mutation analyses were performed. Bivariate statistical analysis was performed through chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to identify predictors of disease-free survival, with a significance level of 5%., Results: Forty-one individuals were included, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.15:1. BRAF p.V600E mutation was identified in 75.6% of the tumors. No association between the BRAF mutational status and other clinical, imaging, histomorphological, and immunohistochemical variables was observed. Only the initial treatment modality was significantly associated with a better prognosis in univariate (p = 0.008) and multivariate (p = 0.030) analyses, with a hazard ratio of 9.60 (95%IC = 1.24-73.89), favoring radical treatment., Conclusion: BRAF p.V600E mutation emerges as a prevalent molecular aberration in ameloblastomas. Nevertheless, it does not seem to significantly affect the tumor proliferative activity, CD138/syndecan-1-mediated cell adhesion, or disease-free survival outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Bacterial infections are increasingly difficult to combat, which makes them a threat to public health on a global level. Staphylococcus aureus is considered one of the main causes of infections in hospitals, as it has a variety of virulence factors, as well as is able to produce bacterial biofilms, which, consequently, bring numerous damages to public health as a result of increased resistance to conventional antibiotics and a longer hospital stay. Therefore, the use of compounds extracted from medicinal plants is a potential pharmaceutically acceptable target, as they do not have toxicity and the potential to disrupt biofilms produced by Staphylococcus aureus already evidenced, thus revealing their relevance to our study., Objective: The objective of this work was to perform a critical analysis of a patent with natural extracts against bacterial biofilms found in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database, to map the possible bioactive compounds that may serve as potential future antimicrobial drugs., Methods: A technological survey was carried out to verify existing patents using natural extracts with anti-biofilm potential. For this, it was searched with the keywords: Botanical extracts AND biofilms; which were performed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database. Thus, the selected patent used a non-aqueous extract partitioned and vacuum-contracted, subsequently lyophilized for assays with antimicrobial potential. Because of this, a patent was analyzed regarding its chemistry, and biological activity, followed by a critical analysis of the technology proposed in the invention., Results: When using the keywords Botanical extracts AND biofilms in the USPTO, it was possible to find twenty-two inventions; however, only four patents in the USPTO were in agreement with the proposal of the natural extract having antimicrobial activity and an anti-biofilm potential, of which two belonged to the same applicant with similar proposals. The key point of this invention was to enable the compounds of the Castanea sativa plant and its methods of obtaining the extract to present a significant antimicrobial action associated or not with antibiotics, promoting the development of new therapies against bacterial infections capable of disrupting biofilms. The invention developed a methodology for extracting Castanea sativa , in which pentacyclic triterpene compounds were found mostly in its leaves. Whereas for the extraction, the crude methanol extracts called extracts 224 from the ground leaves were made by maceration, filtered, combined, concentrated under pressure in rotary evaporators, and lyophilized. After that, they were resuspended in water and partitioned in succession with hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol. The most active refined partition was the 224C extract with the solvent ethyl acetate, which was subjected to further fractionation using silica column chromatography. Resulting in the most refined extract, which was 224C-F2, capable of acting directly on the quorum sensing of bacteria, mainly Staphylococcus aureus , blocking the translation of RNAIII, including a series of exotoxins. Regarding the antimicrobial capacity against Staphylococcus aureus , it presented Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) of 1.56 μg/mL -1 and > 100 μg/mL -1 , respectively., Conclusion: Given the analyzed patent, it was possible to verify the importance of alternatives to reduce the impact of bacterial biofilms, which causes damage to industries in general and to health. From this, the invention analyzed has a promising proposal with antimicrobial potential focusing on the great impact of bacterial biofilms. Therefore, natural extracts with antibiofilmic potential can help to minimize the economic losses caused to health due to these multidrug-resistant microorganisms with different virulence mechanisms., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Postinfantile giant cell hepatitis (PIGCH) is a rare hepatitis pattern in adults with variable etiologies and clinical outcomes. We conducted a multi-institutional retrospective study to define the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with PIGCH. A total of 70 PIGCH cases were identified and reviewed for pathological features, including fibrosis, cholestasis, inflammation, steatosis, necrosis, and apoptosis, as well as the distribution of giant cells and the maximum number of giant cells per high-power field. Demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, laboratory results, etiologies, and follow-up results, were recorded. Among the 70 cases, 40% (28/70) were associated with autoimmune liver diseases, followed by 9 (13%) with unknown etiology, 8 (11%) with viral infection, 5 (7%) with medications, 5 with combined etiologies, and 4 (6%) with malignancies (mostly chronic lymphocytic leukemia). Notably, another 16% were de novo PIGCH in liver allografts, most of which occurred after a rejection event. During follow-up, 26 (37%) patients died of the disease and 44 (63%) were alive. Deceased patients were characterized by older age (mean age, 54.9 vs 45.5 years; P = .02), higher alkaline phosphatase level (mean value, 253.3U/L vs 166.3 U/L; P = .03), higher fibrosis stage (stage 3-4 vs stage 0-2, 57.7% vs 29.6%; P = .03), being more likely to have de novo PIGCH after transplantation (23.1% vs 11.4%; P = .04), and being less likely to have primary autoimmune liver disease etiology (26.9% vs 47.7%; P = .04). These results indicate that PIGCH is a rare pattern of liver injury associated with different etiologies and variable clinical outcomes. Autoimmune liver disease with PIGCH is associated with better survival, whereas de novo PIGCH in allografts is associated with poorer survival. Older age, higher alkaline phosphatase level, and advanced fibrosis are adverse prognostic factors., (Copyright © 2023 United States & Canadian Academy of Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

With the development of genomic technologies, the isolation of genomic DNA (gDNA) from clinical samples is increasingly required for clinical diagnostics and research studies. In this study, we explored the potential of utilizing various leftover blood samples obtained from routine clinical tests as a viable source of gDNA. Using an automated method with optimized pre-treatments, we obtained gDNA from seven types of clinical leftover blood, with average yields of gDNA ranging from 3.11 ± 0.45 to 22.45 ± 4.83 μg. Additionally, we investigated the impact of storage conditions on gDNA recovery, resulting in yields of 8.62-68.08 μg when extracting gDNA from EDTA leftover blood samples stored at 4 °C for up to 13 weeks or -80 °C for up to 78 weeks. Furthermore, we successfully obtained sequenceable gDNA from both Serum Separator Tube and EDTA Tube using a 96-well format extraction, with yields ranging from 0.61 to 71.29 μg and 3.94-215.98 μg, respectively. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of using automated high-throughput platforms for gDNA extraction from various clinical leftover blood samples with the proper pre-treatments., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

Carvacrol is an antimicrobial agent that shows potential for eliminating microorganisms in vegetables, increasing food safety. However, intense odor and low water solubility of carvacrol are limiting factors for its application for fresh vegetables sanitization, which can be overcome by nanotechnology. Two different nanoemulsions containing carvacrol (11 mg/mL) were developed by probe sonication: carvacrol-saponin nanoemulsion (CNS) and carvacrol-polysorbate 80 nanoemulsion (CNP). Formulations presented appropriate droplet sizes (from 74.7 nm to 168.2 nm) and high carvacrol encapsulation efficiency (EE) (from 89.5 % to 91.5 %). CNS showed adequate droplet size distribution (PDI < 0.22) and high zeta potential values (around -30 mV) compared to CNP, with saponin chosen for the following experiments. Carvacrol nanoemulsions presented Bacterial Inactivation Concentration (BIC) against the Salmonella cocktail from 5.51 to 0.69 mg/mL and for the E. coli cocktail from 1.84 to 0.69 mg/mL. Among all tested nanoemulsions, CNS1 presented the lowest BIC (0.69 mg/mL) against both bacterial cocktails. Damage to bacterial cells in lettuce treated with nanoemulsion was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. For lettuce sanitization, CNS1 showed a similar effect to unencapsulated carvacrol, with a high bacterial reduction (>3 log CFU/g) after lettuce immersion for 15 min at 2 × BIC. Using the same immersion time, the CNS1 (2 × BIC) demonstrated equal or better efficacy in reducing both tested bacterial cocktails (>3 log CFU/g) when compared to acetic acid (6.25 mg/mL), citric acid (25 mg/mL), and sodium hypochlorite solution (150 ppm). Lettuce immersed in CNS1 at both concentrations (BIC and 2 × BIC) did not change the color and texture of leaves, while the unencapsulated carvacrol at 2 × BIC darkened them and reduced their firmness. Consequently, carvacrol-saponin nanoemulsion (CNS1) proved to be a potential sanitizer for lettuce., 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. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Healthcare workers present an increased risk of contagion for the SARS-CoV-2 virus due to their labor exposure. Here, we describe the clinical, laboratory, and immunological characteristics of healthcare workers, before vaccine application, exposed to SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. We collected sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory information from 50 professionals who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic at the Clinical Hospital of the Northwest in Brazil. The results showed that most workers are women, over 50 years old, and worked as nursing technicians. Approximately 56% of workers were positive for a previous infection by RT-PCR and/or anti-SARS-CoV-2-immunoglobulin tests. Increased levels of hematocrit, neutrophils, NK lymphocytes, and fibrinogen, were found in positive healthcare workers, suggesting a light inflammatory status. The immunological findings showed an increase in IL-17 production and a Th2/Th17/Th22 profile followed by high serology for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG. Those data reveal the importance of studies with healthcare workers to investigate if the continuous exposition to the virus may result in chronic activation of the immune system and/or pulmonary inflammation in this target group.

Under natural conditions plants are generally subjected to complex scenarios of combined or sequential environmental stresses. Among the various components of plant biochemistry modulated by abiotic variables, a pivotal role is played by antioxidant systems, including specialized metabolites and their interaction with central pathways. To help address this knowledge gap, a comparative analysis of metabolic changes in leaf tissues of the alkaloid accumulating plant Psychotria brachyceras Müll Arg. under individual, sequential, and combined stress conditions was carried out. Osmotic and heat stresses were evaluated. Protective systems (accumulation of the major antioxidant alkaloid brachycerine, proline, carotenoids, total soluble protein, and activity of the enzymes ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) were measured in conjunction with stress indicators (total chlorophyll, ChA/ChB ratio, lipid peroxidation, H 2 O 2 content and electrolyte leakage). Metabolic responses had a complex profile in sequential and combined stresses compared to single ones, being also modified over time. Different stress application schemes affected alkaloid accumulation in distinct ways, exhibiting similar profile to proline and carotenoids, constituting a complementary triad of antioxidants. These complementary non-enzymatic antioxidant systems appeared to be essential for mitigating stress damage and re-establishing cellular homeostasis. The data herein provides clues that may aid the development of a key component framework of stress responses and their appropriate balance to modulate tolerance and yield of target specialized metabolites., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Botanical Society of Japan.)

This work studied the formation of aggregates used for wastewater treatment in high-rate algal ponds (HRAP). For this, the establishment of microalgae-bacteria aggregates in these systems was evaluated, considering strategies for the inoculation and start-up. Two HRAP were operated in parallel, at first in batch mode and then in continuous flow. The wastewater treatment was efficient, with removal rates around 80% for COD and N-ammoniacal. Volatile suspended solids and chlorophyll for the culture grew continuously reached a concentration of 548 ± 11 mg L -1 and 7.8 mg L -1 , respectively. Larger photogranules were observed when the system was placed in a continuous regime. The protein fraction of extracellular polymeric substances was identified as a determinant in photogranules formation. During the continuous regime, more than 50% of the biomass was higher than 0.2 mm, flocculation efficiency of 78 ± 6%, and the volumetric sludge index of 32 ± 5 mL g -1 . The genetic sequencing showed the growth of cyanobacteria in the aggregate and the presence of microalgae from the chlorophytes and diatoms groups in the final biomass.

A magnetic graphite-epoxy composite (m-GEC) electrochemical sensor is presented based on magnetic imprinted polymer (mag-MIP) to determine homocysteine (Hcy). Mag-MIP was synthesized via precipitation polymerization, using functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 ) together with the template molecule (Hcy), the functional monomer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and the structural monomer trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM). For mag-NIP (magnetic non-imprinted polymer), the procedure was the same in the absence of Hcy. Morphological and structural properties of the resultant mag-MIP and mag-NIP were examined using TEM, FT-IR, and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer. Under optimized conditions, the m-GEC/mag-MIP sensor showed a linear range of 0.1-2 µmol L -1 , with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.030 µmol L -1 . In addition, the proposed sensor responded selectively to Hcy compared to several interferents present in biological samples. The recovery values determined by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were close to 100% for natural and synthetic samples, indicating good method accuracy. The developed electrochemical sensor proves to be a suitable device for determining Hcy, with advantages related to magnetic separation and electrochemical analysis., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Aging can be associated with reduced muscle power, functional decline, and increased plasma concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines. Functional training (FT) can improve muscle power, functional fitness and reduce plasma cytokines. However, the functional training optimal volume required to produce these adaptations must be clarified. Our study analyzed the effects of multiple-set functional training (MSFT) and single-set functional training (SSFT) on postmenopausal women's muscle power, functional fitness, and inflammatory profile. Methods: Forty-three women were randomly allocated into three groups: multiple-set functional training ( n = 16, age 64.13 ± 5.17), single-set functional training ( n = 14, age 63.79 ± 4.88), and control group (CG, n = 13, age 64.62 ± 5.44). The bench press and squat exercises evaluated upper and lower limb muscle power. The following tests assessed functional fitness: putting on and taking off a T-shirt, gallon-jug shelf-transfer, standing up and walking around the house, five times sit-to-stand, and 400-m walk. Plasma cytokine (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL 10) concentrations were measured by flow cytometry. Results: Single-set functional training and multiple-set functional training increased upper and lower limbs muscle power and improved functional fitness, except for the putting on and taking off a T-shirt test. Multiple-set functional training reduced TNF-α and IL-6, while single-set functional training reduced only TNF-α. IL-10 was unaffected by exercise. Discussion: Single-set functional training and multiple-set functional training, therefore, promoted similar muscle power and functional fitness improvements over 24 weeks. Multiple-set functional training was more effective than single-set functional training, reducing both TNF and IL-6, while single-set functional training only decreased TNF-α., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Rocha, Vasconcelos, Aragão-Santos, de Resende–Neto, Monteiro, Nogueira, Cardoso, Corrêa, Moura and Da Silva-Grigoletto.)

Every year more than 150,000 tons of resin used in a myriad of industrial applications are produced by Brazilian plantations of Pinus elliottii Engelm. (slash pine), which are also used for timber. A pine tree can be tapped for resin over a period of several years. Resin is a complex mixture of terpenes, which are carbon-rich molecules, presumably influencing pine plantation carbon budgets. A total of 270 trees (overall mean DBH of 22.93 ± 0.11 cm) of 14-, 24-, and 26-year-old stands had their C content measured. Three different treatments (intact, wounded panels, and wounded + chemically stimulated panels, 30 trees each) were applied per site. Above- and belowground biomass, as well as resin yield, were quantified for two consecutive years. Data were statistically evaluated using normality distribution tests, analyses of variance, and mean comparison tests ( p ≤ 0.05). The highest resin production per tree was recorded in the chemically stimulated 14-year-old stand. Tree dry wood biomass, a major stock of carbon retained in cell wall polysaccharides, ranged from 245.69 ± 11.73 to 349.99 ± 16.73 kg among the plantations. Variations in carbon concentration ranged from 43% to 50% with the lowest percentages in underground biomass. There was no significant difference in lignin concentrations. Soils were acidic (pH 4.3 ± 0.10-5.83 ± 0.06) with low C (from 0.05% to 1.4%). Significantly higher C stock values were recorded in pine biomass compared to those reported for temperate zones. Resin-tapping biomass yielded considerable annual increments in C stocks and should be included as a relevant component in C sequestration assessments of planted pine forests.

Objective: Identify the one-year survival rate and major complications in patients submitted to pneumonectomy for infectious disease., Methods: Retrospective data from all cases of infectious disease pneumonectomy over the past 10 years were collected from two reference centers. The authors analyzed: patient demographics, etiology, laterality, bronchial stump treatment, presence of previous pulmonary resection, postoperative complications in the first 30 days, the treatment used in pleural complications, and one-year survival rate., Results: 56 procedures were performed. The average age was 44 years, with female predominance (55%). 29 cases were operated on the left side (51%) and the most frequent etiology was post-tuberculosis (51.8%). The overall incidence of complications was 28.6% and the most common was empyema (19.2%). Among empyema cases, 36.3% required pleurostomy, 27.3% required pleuroscopy and 36.3% underwent thoracoplasty for treatment. Bronchial stump fistula was observed in 10.7% of cases. From all cases, 16.1% were completion pneumonectomies and 62.5% of these had some complication, a significantly higher incidence than patients without previous surgery (p = 0.0187). 30-day in-hospital mortality was (7.1%) with 52 cases (92.9%) and 1-year survival. The causes of death were massive postoperative bleeding (1 case) and sepsis (3 cases)., Conclusions: Pneumonectomy for benign disease is a high-risk procedure performed for a variety of indications. While morbidity is often significant, once the perioperative risk has passed, the one-year survival rate can be very satisfying in selected patients with benign disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 HCFMUSP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Weeds are major threats to the integrity of agricultural and natural environments due to their invasive and competing potential. Bioherbicides are substances based on natural compounds that are biodegradable and often have low residual effects. Plant species able to produce and release phytotoxic compounds may represent effective bioherbicide sources. Leaves of Quillaja lancifolia D.Don (formerly Q. brasiliensis (A.St.-Hil. & Tul.) Mart.) produce water-soluble specialized metabolites of the saponin class that could be evaluated for phytotoxic activity and potential as natural herbicides. This study was conducted to examine the impacts of Q. lancifolia total saponins aqueous extract (AE) at 4 and 10% ( w / v ) and of two combined reverse-phase chromatography purified saponin fractions (QB) at 1 and 2% ( w / v ) on morpho-physiological parameters of Lactuca sativa (lettuce) and Echinochloa crus-galli (barnyardgrass) in pre- and post-emergence bioassays. QB was only tested in pre-emergence assays. In pre-emergence bioassays, the germination rate and germination kinetics were determined. Post-emergence evaluations included effects on seedling morphology, root and shoot length, dry mass, and chlorophyll content. Osmotic potential and pH analyses ruled out roles for these factors in the observed responses. AE had a high inhibitory impact on the germination of both lettuce and barnyardgrass. QB at 1% and 2% ( w / v ) significantly decreased the growth of lettuce seedlings germinated in its presence by more than 10-fold. Phytotoxic effects on the post-emergence growth of lettuce, especially at the highest concentration tested of AE (10% w / v ), was also observed. The presence of quillaic acid-based triterpene saponins in AE and QB was confirmed using different analytical methods. Therefore, both saponin-enriched fraction and aqueous extracts of Q. lancifolia inhibited tested plant growth and development. The water solubility of saponins and the availability of a sustainable source of these molecules from the leaves of cultivated young Q. lancifolia plants make them attractive candidates for use as bioherbicides.

Introduction: Selaginellins are specialized metabolites and chemotaxonomic markers for Selaginella species. Despite the growing interest in these compounds as a result of their bioactivities, they are accumulated at low levels in the plant. Hence, their isolation and chemical characterization are often difficult, time consuming, and limiting for biological tests. Elicitation with the phytohormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) could be a strategy to increase the content of selaginellins addressing their low availability problem, that also impairs pharmacological investigations., Matherials and Methods: In this study, we examined MeJA elicitation in Selaginella convoluta plants, a medicinal plant found in northeastern Brazil, by treating them with two different concentrations (MeJA: 50 and 100 µM), followed by chemical profiling after 12, 24 and 48 h after application. Samples were harvested and analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)., Results and Discusscion: MeJA treatment significantly impacted the chemical phenotype. Regarding shoots differences in the time-dependent increased accumulation of all metabolites when plants were subjected to 100 µM MeJA were observed while in roots, most metabolites had their concentrations decreased in a time-dependent fashion at the same conditions. Results support organ, MeJA concentration and time post-treatment dependence of specialized metabolite accumulation, mainly the flavonoids and selaginellins. The amount of Selaginellin G in shoots of MeJA-treated specimens increased in 5.63-fold relative to control. The molecular networking approach allowed for the putative annotation of 64 metabolites, among them, the MeJA treatment followed by targeted metabolome analysis also allowed to annotate seven unprecedented selaginellins. Additionally, the in silico bioactive potential of the annotated selaginellins highlighted targets related to neurodegenerative disorders, antiproliferative, and antiparasitic issues. Taken together, data point out MeJA exposure as a strategy to induce potentially bioactive selaginellins accumulation in S. convoluta, this approach could enable a deep investigation about the metabolic function of these metabolites in the genus as well as regarding pharmacological exploration of the undervalued potential., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Melasma is a recurrent hypermelanosis disorder characterized by the appearance of brownish and symmetrical spots on the skin. It affects the quality of life and is resistant to available treatment approaches. Cysteamine has been reported as a promising depigmenting agent for melasma treatment and following formulation enhancement, its use is being reported. This review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the use of depigmenting formulations containing 5% cysteamine in the treatment of patients with melasma. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Science Direct, and Scielo databases until December 27, 2021, based on criteria selected by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Statistical analysis was performed with Review Manager 5.4 software. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Trials. A total of six studies containing 120 melasma patients treated with 5% cysteamine were included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis demonstrated that 5% cysteamine is effective for the treatment of patients with melasma (MD 6.26 [95% CI 3.68-8.83], p < 0.0001, I 2  = 86%). In this review, through meta-analysis allows concluding that 5% cysteamine is effective in the treatment of melasma and presents a low probability of side or adverse effects., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Clonal Eucalyptus propagation is essential for various industry sectors. It requires cuttings to successfully develop adventitious roots (ARs). Environmental conditions are influential on AR development and may be altered to modulate the productivity of hard-to-root clones. The current knowledge gap in research on the physiological patterns underlying commercial-scale propagation results hinders the design of novel strategies. This study aimed to identify patterns of variation in AR-relevant parameters in contrasting seasons and species with distinct rooting performances. E. dunnii and E. × urograndis (hard- (hardR) and easy-to-root (easyR), respectively) mini-stumps were subjected to light modulation treatments and to mini-tunnel use (MT) for a year. The treatment impact on the branching and rooting rates was recorded. The carbohydrate content, AR-related gene expression, and mineral nutrition profiles of cuttings from the control (Ctrl) and treated mini-stumps were analyzed. Light treatments were often detrimental to overall productivity, while MTs had a positive effect during summer, when it altered the cutting leaf nutrient profiles. Species and seasonality played large roles in all the assessed parameters. E. × urograndis was particularly susceptible to seasonality, and its overall superior performance correlated with changes in its gene expression profile from excision to AR formation. These patterns indicate fundamental differences between easyR and hardR clones that contribute to the design of data-driven management strategies aiming to enhance propagation protocols.

This study investigated the effects of functional (FT) and combined (CT) training on memory T cells and functional fitness of postmenopausal women. 108 participants were randomly allocated to the control (CG), FT and CT groups. Functional fitness was assessed through physical tests similar to daily activities, such as dressing on and taking off a t-shirt (DTTS), 10-meter walking and countermovement jump. The CCR7 and CD45RA surface markers were used to characterize the memory T cells. Regarding the frequency of memory T cells, both training protocols reduced the percentage of CD4 + Terminally Differentiated Effector Memory T Cells Re-Expressing CD45RA (T EMRA ) (FT: -38.73 %, p = 0.0455; CT: -30.43 %, p = 0.0036) and CD8 + T EMRA cells (FT: -22.24 %, p < 0.0013; CT: -13.13 %, p = 0.0051). Also, both FT and CT increased the percentage of central memory (T CM ) CD4 + (FT: +55.22 %, p = 0.0104; CT: +68.03 %, p = 0.0167) and CD8 + (FT: +142.00 %, p < 0.0001; CT: +83.76 %, p = 0.0001) T cells. Furthermore, FT and CT increased the percentages of CD8 + effector memory T cells (T EM ) (FT: +63.58 %, p < 0.0001; CT: +14.12 %, p = 0.0041). Regarding functional fitness, both training protocols reduced the time required to perform the DTTS (FT: -19.71 %, p < 0.0001; CT: -14.69 %, p < 0.0001) and 10-m walk tests (FT: -13.05 %, p < 0.0001; CT: -12.83 %, p < 0.0001), in addition to improving jumping ability (FT: +29.97 %, p < 0.0001; CT: +20.00 %, p < 0.0001), both compared to the pre-test or to the CG. Therefore, both FT and CT seem to be equally effective alternatives for promoting the reduction of CD4 + and CD8 + T EMRA cells, increasing the frequency of T CM and T EM cells, and improving functional fitness of postmenopausal women., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Exercise is an important tool against the deleterious effects of aging. Among the possibilities of exercise, bodyweight training (BWT) has been highlighted in the last years as a safe option to improve the health of older people. We compared the effects of 24 weeks of BWT and combined training (CT) on low-grade systematic inflammation and functional fitness in postmenopausal women. For this, 40 women were allocated and submitted to CT (n = 20, 64.43 ± 3.13 years, 29.56 ± 4.80 kg/m²) and BWT (n = 20, 65.10 ± 4.86 years, 28.76 ± 4.26 kg/m²). We measured inflammation by the interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) assessments. For functional fitness, we used tests similar to activities of daily living. At the end of the 16 weeks, data from 24 women were analyzed, CT (n = 14) and BT (n = 10). Both groups reduced TNF-α and IL-6 levels, without differences in IL-10. Regarding functional fitness, both groups demonstrated improvements in all tests after 24 weeks, except for rise from prone position and the 400-meter walk test for CT. In summary, CT and BWT are effective in reducing the plasma concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines and improving functional fitness in postmenopausal women.

Erythrina velutina is a Brazilian native tree of the Caatinga (a unique semiarid biome). It is widely used in traditional medicine showing anti-inflammatory and central nervous system modulating activities. The species is a rich source of specialized metabolites, mostly alkaloids and flavonoids. To date, genomic information, biosynthesis, and regulation of flavonoids remain unknown in this woody plant. As part of a larger ongoing research goal to better understand specialized metabolism in plants inhabiting the harsh conditions of the Caatinga, the present study focused on this important class of bioactive phenolics. Leaves and seeds of plants growing in their natural habitat had their metabolic and proteomic profiles analyzed and integrated with transcriptome data. As a result, 96 metabolites (including 43 flavonoids) were annotated. Transcripts of the flavonoid pathway totaled 27, of which EvCHI, EvCHR, EvCHS, EvCYP75A and EvCYP75B1 were identified as putative main targets for modulating the accumulation of these metabolites. The highest correspondence of mRNA vs. protein was observed in the differentially expressed transcripts. In addition, 394 candidate transcripts encoding for transcription factors distributed among the bHLH, ERF, and MYB families were annotated. Based on interaction network analyses, several putative genes of the flavonoid pathway and transcription factors were related, particularly TFs of the MYB family. Expression patterns of transcripts involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and those involved in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses were discussed in detail. Overall, these findings provide a base for the understanding of molecular and metabolic responses in this medicinally important species. Moreover, the identification of key regulatory targets for future studies aiming at bioactive metabolite production will be facilitated., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Chacon, Santos, Bonilauri, Vilasboa, da Costa, da Silva, Torres, de Araújo, Roque, Pilon, Selegatto, Freire, Reginaldo, Voigt, Zuanazzi, Scortecci, Cavalheiro, Lopes, Ferreira, Santos, Fontes, Sousa, Carvalho, Fett-Neto and Giordani.)

UV radiation can cause damages, such as erythema, skin photoaging, and carcinogenesis. The adoption of protective measures against sun exposure is essential to prevent these damages, and the interest in using natural substances as an alternative for photoprotection is growing. Thus, hesperetin with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties is a promising substance to be used with photochemopreventive action and to protect the skin from damage induced by UV radiation. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a topical formulation based on AAMVPC gel containing hesperetin and evaluate its photoprotective effect on the skin of rats exposed to UVA-UVB radiation. The animals were submitted to the irradiation protocol UVA-UVB, and at the end, erythema, lipid peroxidation, and activity of the antioxidant enzyme catalase and superoxide dismutase were evaluated. Additionally, it evaluated the activity of myeloperoxidase and histological changes. The formulation presented a rheological and spreadability profile suitable for cutaneous application. In vivo results demonstrated that the topical formulation of AAMVPC gel containing hesperetin at a concentration of 10% protected the skin from damage induced by UVA-UVB radiation, with the absence of erythema, lipid lipoperoxidation, and inflammation (low myeloperoxidase activity), and increased catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. The morphology and architecture of the dermo-epidermal tissue of these animals were like those observed under normal conditions (non-irradiated animals). Thus, the results showed that hesperetin was able to protect the animals' skin against UV radiation-induced skin damage and the protection mechanisms may be related to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of this natural product., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.)

Telemedicine had a significant increase during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which is still on course. In different parts of the world, healthcare units had to adapt their practice, and several assistance services were remotely delivered. The present study is a systematic review of studies that had applied telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and had assessed its effects on the delivered care. We have covered a 1-year period in order to assess the initiatives developed during the pandemic time and that had already evaluated the effects of the telemedicine program that had been implemented. All the analyzed studies evidenced a positive effect of telemedicine in the treatment of different conditions, including chronic diseases, mental disorders and oncologic diseases. The real impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the healthcare sector is still to be fully understood, and telemedicine implementation in different areas is one of its positive legacies.

Mimosine is a nonprotein amino acid biosynthesized from OAS (O-acetylserine) and 3H4P (3-hydroxy-4-pyridone or its tautoisomer 3,4-dihydroxypyridine). This amino acid constitutively occurs in all parts of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit plants and is found at higher concentrations in seeds and leaves. This metabolite has several useful activities, such as antioxidant, allelochemical, insecticidal, antimicrobial, metal chelating, and antitumor. Mimosine is well studied in biomedical research due its ability to inhibit cells in the late G1 phase and to induce cell apoptosis. Two simple methods of mimosine extraction from leucaena leaves, pulverized and whole maceration, are described herein in detail., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Among the main features of plant specialized metabolism are cell- and tissue- specific expression and responsiveness to oxidative stress conditions. Although quantitative techniques have significantly improved over time, allowing higher levels of resolution in plant metabolic studies, such analyses are often expensive and/or require relatively large amounts of starting material. The following protocols offer a relatively simple way to survey specialized and related metabolites (total phenolics, flavonoids, lignins), as well as reactive oxygen species (superoxide and hydrogen peroxide), using light and fluorescence microscopy. Also, a step-by-step guide on how to quantify stained areas is provided. Through the association of qualitative and quantitative data, general patterns of molecule distribution across plant tissues may be inferred, allowing for the solving of biological questions, and contributing to hypothesis refinement. Eucalyptus microcuttings were chosen as plant material to exemplify how these protocols can provide useful data for the understanding of complex developmental processes, such as adventitious root formation, which may be influenced by specialized metabolites and redox conditions., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of functional and concurrent training on immune function and functional fitness in postmenopausal women., Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was performed on 108 women aged 60 or older who were randomly assigned among the groups: control group (CG: n = 40; 63.88 ± 3.64 years); functional training (FT: n = 32; 63.88 ± 3.79 years); and concurrent training (CT: n = 36; 64.83 ± 4.00 years). Immune function was measured by the expression of the T-lymphocyte function-related surface markers (CD28 and CD57). Functional fitness was assessed using physical tests similar to daily activities, i.e., five times sit to stand, timed up and go, and gallon-jug shelf-transfer., Results: Regarding immune function, there was only a time effect, without between-group differences. Specifically, FT and CT show a reduction and increase in CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, respectively, without impairment in the subpopulations analyzed, while CG showed a reduction in naive T cells (CD8 + CD28 + ). For functional fitness tests, there was a time × group interaction effect for all tests, the FT and CT were superior to the CG, with FT showing differences after the fourth week, while the CT showed this effect after the eighth week of intervention., Conclusion: FT and CT do not impair immune function and similarly improve functional fitness in postmenopausal women., Clinical Trials Registry: RBR-2d56bt., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Stromal fibrosis activates prosurvival and proepithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In patient tumors treated with neoadjuvant stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), we found upregulation of fibrosis, extracellular matrix (ECM), and EMT gene signatures, which can drive therapeutic resistance and tumor invasion. Molecular, functional, and translational analysis identified two cell-surface proteins, a disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) and ephrinB2, as drivers of fibrosis and tumor progression after radiation therapy (RT). RT resulted in increased ADAM10 expression in tumor cells, leading to cleavage of ephrinB2, which was also detected in plasma. Pharmacologic or genetic targeting of ADAM10 decreased RT-induced fibrosis and tissue tension, tumor cell migration, and invasion, sensitizing orthotopic tumors to radiation killing and prolonging mouse survival. Inhibition of ADAM10 and genetic ablation of ephrinB2 in fibroblasts reduced the metastatic potential of tumor cells after RT. Stimulation of tumor cells with ephrinB2 FC protein reversed the reduction in tumor cell invasion with ADAM10 ablation. These findings represent a model of PDAC adaptation that explains resistance and metastasis after RT and identifies a targetable pathway to enhance RT efficacy. SIGNIFICANCE: Targeting a previously unidentified adaptive resistance mechanism to radiation therapy in PDAC tumors in combination with radiation therapy could increase survival of the 40% of PDAC patients with locally advanced disease. See related commentary by Garcia Garcia et al., p. 3158 GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/81/12/3255/F1.large.jpg., (©2021 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Monoterpenes are non-polar secondary metabolites widely used by industry due to their excellent therapeutic, food-ingredient and cosmetic properties. However, their low solubility in water limits their use. In this sense, cyclodextrins (CDs) have been widely used to solve these technological challenges. Thus, this study aims to use (-)-borneol as a monoterpene model to prepare inclusion complexes between β-CD and hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HP-β-CD) through different ways and characterize them in order to choose the best inclusion method to improve physicochemical properties of monoterpenes. To achieve this goal, the samples were prepared by physical mixture (PM), paste complex (PA) and freeze-drying complex (FD) and then, extensively characterized by thermal analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, size particle, X-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance. The physicochemical results showed that freeze-drying was more effective to form inclusion complexes between (-)-borneol with both CDs. This research highlights the importance of recognizing the best method to prepare inclusion complexes, including food additives as (-)-borneol, to achieve better results in food preparations., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Natural products of pharmaceutical interest often do not reach the drug market due to the associated low yields and difficult extraction. Knowledge of biosynthetic pathways is a key element in the development of biotechnological strategies for plant specialized metabolite production. Erythrina species are mainly used as central nervous system depressants in folk medicine and are important sources of bioactive tetracyclic benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs), which can act on several pathology-related biological targets., Objectives: In this sense, in an unprecedented approach used with a non-model Fabaceae species grown in its unique arid natural habitat, a combined transcriptome and metabolome analyses (seeds and leaves) is presented., Methods: The Next Generation Sequencing-based transcriptome ( de novo RNA sequencing) was carried out in a NextSeq 500 platform. Regarding metabolite profiling, the High-resolution Liquid Chromatography was coupled to DAD and a micrOTOF-QII mass spectrometer by using electrospray ionization (ESI) and Time of Flight (TOF) analyzer. The tandem MS/MS data were processed and analyzed through Molecular Networking approach., Results: This detailed macro and micromolecular approach applied to seeds and leaves of E. velutina revealed 42 alkaloids, several of them unique. Based on the combined evidence, 24 gene candidates were put together in a putative pathway leading to the singular alkaloid diversity of this species., Conclusion: Overall, these results could contribute by indicating potential biotechnological targets for modulation of erythrina alkaloids biosynthesis as well as improve molecular databases with omic data from a non-model medicinal plant, and reveal an interesting chemical diversity of Erythrina BIA harvested in Caatinga., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Cairo University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Annona muricata L. is used in folk medicine for treatment of diseases related to inflammatory and oxidative processes. This study investigated the effect of the aqueous extract of A. muricata leaves (AEAM) on TPA-induced ear inflammation and antioxidant capacity, both in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro antioxidant capacity of AEAM was measured by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) and lipoperoxidation assays. Cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) release were evaluated in the L929 fibroblasts. Swiss mice were submitted to TPA application and were topically treated with AEAM (0.3, 1 or 3 mg/ear). After 6 h, inflammatory and oxidative parameters were evaluated. Quercetin 3-glucoside, rutin, chlorogenic acid, catechin and gallic acid were identified in AEAM. It also presented antioxidant activity in all in vitro assays used. Incubation with AEAM did not cause cell cytotoxicity but reduced ROS release from fibroblasts. Compared with the control group, treatment with AEAM significantly reduced ear oedema and mieloperoxidase activity in inflamed ears, as well as histological parameters of inflammation. These results were associated with the reduction of total hydroperoxides and modulation of catalase, but not superoxide dismutase activity. These findings show the anti-inflammatory effect of AEAM is associated with antioxidant capacity.

Tropane alkaloids are specialized plant metabolites mostly found in the Erythroxylaceae and Solanaceae families. Although tropane alkaloids have a high degree of structural similarity because of the tropane ring, their pharmacological actions are quite distinct. Brazil is one of the main hotspots of Erythroxylum spp. diversity with 123 species (almost 66% of the species catalogued in tropical America). Erythroxylum pungens occurs in the Caatinga, a promising biome that provides bioactive compounds, including tropane alkaloids. As part of our efforts to investigate this species, 15 alkaloids in specimens harvested under different environmental conditions are presented herein. The occurrence of 3-(2-methylbutyryloxy)tropan-6,7-diol in the stem bark of plants growing in their natural habitat, greenhouse controlled conditions, and after a period of water restriction, suggests that it is a potential chemical marker for the species. This alkaloid was evaluated for several parameters in zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) as a model organism. Regarding toxicity, teratogenic effects were observed at 19.5 µM and the lethal dose for embryos was 18.4 µM. No mortality was observed in adults, but a behavioral screen showed psychostimulatory action at 116.7 µM. Overall, the alkaloid was able to cause zebrafish behavioral changes, prompting further investigation of its potential as a new molecule in the treatment of depression-like symptoms. In silico , targets involved in antidepressant pathways were identified by docking., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Selaginella convoluta is a desiccation tolerant plant native to the Brazilian semiarid region (Caatinga), endowed with an effective drought resistance mechanism. As part of our research efforts to understand the chemical diversity of S. convoluta, dehydrated (harvested in their natural habitat in the dry season) and hydrated (plant acclimated in a laboratory after rehydration) specimens were analyzed by HR-LC-ESI-MS/MS followed by a structural annotation on the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking Web platform. The molecular networking approach allowed for putative annotation of 39 metabolites, mainly selaginellins and flavonoids. Based on MS/MS data, three unprecedented selaginellins were annotated: 29-hydroxy selaginellin O, 29-hydroxy selaginellin A, and 4-{[2-(4-hydrophenyl)-6-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethynyl]phenyl](4-oxocyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ylidene)methyl}benzaldehyde. Th results pointed out that valuable scientific knowledge can be obtained from studies conducted with plants in their natural habitat by allowing a more realistic profile of chemical diversity. The present study adds new information on specialized metabolites of S. convoluta , mainly flavonoids and selaginellins, and highlights the species as an untapped source of chemobiodiversity from Caatinga., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Histology, the microscopic study of normal tissues, is a crucial element of most medical curricula. Learning tools focused on histology are very important to learners who seek diagnostic competency within this important diagnostic arena. Recent developments in machine learning (ML) suggest that certain ML tools may be able to benefit this histology learning platform. Here, we aim to explore how one such tool based on a convolutional neural network, can be used to build a generalizable multi-classification model capable of classifying microscopic images of human tissue samples with the ultimate goal of providing a differential diagnosis (a list of look-alikes) for each entity., Methods: We obtained three institutional training datasets and one generalizability test dataset, each containing images of histologic tissues in 38 categories. Models were trained on data from single institutions, low quantity combinations of multiple institutions, and high quantity combinations of multiple institutions. Models were tested against withheld validation data, external institutional data, and generalizability test images obtained from Google image search. Performance was measured with macro and micro accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and f1-score., Results: In this study, we were able to show that such a model's generalizability is dependent on both the training data source variety and the total number of training images used. Models which were trained on 760 images from only a single institution performed well on withheld internal data but poorly on external data (lower generalizability). Increasing data source diversity improved generalizability, even when decreasing data quantity: models trained on 684 images, but from three sources improved generalization accuracy between 4.05% and 18.59%. Maintaining this diversity and increasing the quantity of training images to 2280 further improved generalization accuracy between 16.51% and 32.79%., Conclusions: This pilot study highlights the significance of data diversity within such studies. As expected, optimal models are those that incorporate both diversity and quantity into their platforms.s., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Pathology Informatics.)

Adventitious root (AR) development takes place in an intricate cellular environment. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defenses, triggered by wounding in cuttings, can modulate this process. A comparative assessment of biochemical and anatomical parameters at critical rooting stages in hard- ( Eucalyptus globulus Labill.) and easy- ( Eucalyptus grandis W.Hill ex Maiden) to-root species was carried out. Microcuttings from seedlings were inoculated in auxin-free AR induction medium and, after 96 h, transferred to AR formation medium for a period of 24 h. Samples were collected upon excision (Texc) and at the 5th day post excision (Tform). Delayed xylem development, with less lignification, was recorded in E. globulus , when compared to E. grandis , suggesting lower activity of the cambium layer, an important site for AR development. Superoxide was more densely present around the vascular cylinder at both sampled times, and in greater quantity in E. globulus than E. grandis , declining with time in the former. Hydrogen peroxide was localized primarily along cell walls, more intensely in the primary xylem and phloem, and increased significantly at Tform in E. globulus . Ascorbate peroxidase (APX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities were generally higher in E. grandis and varied as a function of time in E. globulus . Soluble guaiacol peroxidase (GPRX) activity increased from Texc to Tform in both species, whereas cell wall-bound GPRX activity increased with time in E. grandis , surpassing E. globulus . Flavonoid content increased with time in E. grandis and was higher than E. globulus at Tform. Principal component analysis showed that species- and time-derived differences contributed to almost 80% of the variance. Overall, data indicate that E. grandis shows higher cambium activity and tighter modulation of redox conditions than E. globulus . These features may influence ROS-based signaling and phytohormone homeostasis of cuttings, thereby impacting on AR development. Besides being players in the realm of AR developmental differences, the specific features herein identified could become potential tools for early clone selection and AR modulation aiming at improved clonal propagation of this forest crop., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Vilasboa, da Costa, Ransan, Mariath and Fett-Neto.)

In autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), there are only scarce data on the effect of salt and protein intake on disease progression. Here we studied association of these dietary factors with the rate of disease progression in ADPKD and what the mediating factors are by analyzing an observational cohort of 589 patients with ADPKD. Salt and protein intake were estimated from 24-hour urine samples and the plasma copeptin concentration measured as a surrogate for vasopressin. The association of dietary intake with annual change in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and height adjusted total kidney volume (htTKV) growth was analyzed with mixed models. In case of significant associations, mediation analyses were performed to elucidate potential mechanisms. These patients (59% female) had a mean baseline age of 47, eGFR 64 mL/min/1.73m 2 and the median htTKV was 880 mL. The mean estimated salt intake was 9.1 g/day and protein intake 84 g/day. During a median follow-up of 4.0 years, eGFR was assessed a median of six times and 24-hour urine was collected a median of five times. Salt intake was significantly associated with annual change in eGFR of -0.11 (95% confidence interval 0.20 - -0.02] mL/min/1.73m 2 ) per gram of salt, whereas protein intake was not (-0.00001 [-0.01 - 0.01] mL/min/1.73m 2 ) per gram of protein). The effect of salt intake on eGFR slope was significantly mediated by plasma copeptin (crude analysis: 77% mediation, and, adjusted analysis: 45% mediation), but not by systolic blood pressure. Thus, higher salt, but not higher protein intake may be detrimental in ADPKD. The substantial mediation by plasma copeptin suggests that this effect is primarily a consequence of a salt-induced rise in vasopressin., (Copyright © 2020 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Myrtenol has gained wide interest because of its pharmacological profiles, mainly for treatment of chronic diseases. To improve the solubility of myrtenol, the formation of inclusion complexes with β-cyclodextrin was performed by physical mixture, kneading process or slurry complexation (SC) methods and characterized using thermal analysis, XRD, SEM and NMR. From these results, myrtenol complexed by SC was successfully complexed into β-cyclodextrin cavity. The interaction between myrtenol and β-cyclodextrin was confirmed by molecular docking. Hence, the SC β-cyclodextrin-myrtenol complex was evaluate for its anti-hyperalgesic, anxiolytic and antioxidant activity in a fibromyalgia model. Results show that myrtenol and β-cyclodextrin form a stable complex and have anti-hyperalgesic effect, improve the cognitive impairment caused and have an anxiolytic-like effect. Furthermore, the β-cyclodextrin/myrtenol complex decrease lipoperoxidation, increased catalase activity and a reduce SOD/CAT ratio. Therefore, β-cyclodextrin/myrtenol complex reduce painful behavior, improves motor skills and emotional behavior and decreases oxidative stress in a fibromyalgia model., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors have conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)