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Thiago Domingues Stocco,1 Tianyi Zhang,2 Edgar Dimitrov,2 Anupama Ghosh,3 Alessandro Marcio Hakme da Silva,1 Wanessa CMA Melo,4 Willian Gonçalves Tsumura,1 André Diniz Rosa Silva,5,6 Gustavo F Sousa,6 Bartolomeu C Viana,6 Mauricio Terrones,2 Anderson Oliveira Lobo6 1Bioengineering Program, Scientific and Technological Institute, Brazil University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; 2Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; 3Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering (DEQM), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 4FTMC, State Research institute Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Department of Functional Materials and Electronics, Vilnius, Lithuanian; 5FATEC, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; 6Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Advanced Materials (LIMAV), BioMatLab Group, Materials Science and Engineering Graduate Program, Federal University of Piauí (UFPI), Teresina, PI, BrazilCorrespondence: Anderson Oliveira Lobo, Tel +55 86 981115013, Email lobo.aol@gmail.com; lobo@ufpi.edu.brAbstract: Carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) are a category of nanomaterials with various systems based on combinations of sp2 and sp3 hybridized carbon bonds, morphologies, and functional groups. CBNs can exhibit distinguished properties such as high mechanical strength, chemical stability, high electrical conductivity, and biocompatibility. These desirable physicochemical properties have triggered their uses in many fields, including biomedical applications. In this review, we specifically focus on applying CBNs as scaffolds in tissue engineering, a therapeutic approach whereby CBNs can act for the regeneration or replacement of damaged tissue. Here, an overview of the structures and properties of different CBNs will first be provided. We will then discuss state-of-the-art advancements of CBNs and hydrogels as scaffolds for regenerating various types of human tissues. Finally, a perspective of future potentials and challenges in this field will be presented. Since this is a very rapidly growing field, we expect that this review will promote interdisciplinary efforts in developing effective tissue regeneration scaffolds for clinical applications.Keywords: carbon, biomaterial, nanotechnology, tissue engineering, scaffold

The importance of veteran trees is well recognised nowadays. The sudden breakage of some of these plants in Trentino (Italy), mainly due to Kretzschmaria deusta, prompted a survey of the veteran beeches reported in this area. Visual tree assessment was carried out in 40 sites with either single trees or groups of beeches, for a total of 115 trees evaluated. Most trees showed serious defects or problems in need of management and 19 had a high level of risk of breakage because of the presence of several structural problems. The presence of K. deusta was recorded on 50.4% of the examined trees. The pathogen was also identified in the proximity of investigated trees at 29 sites. Laboratory tests confirmed the identity of K. deusta by microbiological and molecular approaches and also identified Cosmopora berkeleyana as mycoparasite on K. deusta fruiting bodies. Isolates obtained from declining trees and old stumps showed the same pattern of growth at different temperatures. The risk evaluation emphasised how the fungus could affect the survival and safety of these veteran trees; this was confirmed by the collapse of four of the investigated trees in the last years. Therefore, K. deusta, which has been considered as a facultative parasite up to now, could play a more incisive role both in the decline of old beech trees and the natural evolution of aging beech woods.

Fungi are the principal wood decomposers in forest ecosystems and their activity provides wood necromass to other living organisms. However, the wood decay mechanisms and the associated microbial community are largely unknown, especially in Alpine areas. In this study, the culturable fraction of fungal communities associated with the decomposition of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst) deadwood in subalpine forest soils were determined using microbiological methods coupled with molecular identification. Fungal communities were evaluated using in-field mesocosms after one year of exposition of P. abies wood blocks along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 1200 up to 2000 m a.s.l. comprising eight subalpine sites, four of them located at north- and other four at south-facing slopes. Although many saprotrophic species were isolated from the wood blocks, several white-rot species as the pathogenic fungi Armillaria cepistipes and Heterobasidion annosum, along with soft-rot fungi such as Lecytophora sp. were identified. Our results further indicated that the wood-inhabiting fungal community was mainly influenced by topographic features and by the chemical properties of the wood blocks, providing first insights into the effect of different slope exposure on the deadwood mycobiome in the subalpine forest ecosystem.

The spread of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus has been causing great concern regarding the survival of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) throughout Europe since the 1990s. The disease was first recorded in Trentino (southern Alps, Italy) in 2012 and has spread throughout the mountain landscape, where ash trees are scattered in small and isolated stands in different valleys. The status of the disease was checked by monitoring the damage to natural regeneration and adult trees in 90 sites spread over the whole region. The survey confirmed the complete colonization by the pathogen of the whole investigated area, with high levels of damage to both young and adult ash trees. Regeneration (both seedlings and saplings) was observed to be affected by the fungus in 88 plots out of 90. Out of 4486 examined young European ashes, 2261 (50.4%) were affected and 789 (17.6%) were already dead. Ten of the 384 assayed flowering ashes (Fraxinus ornus) showed symptoms on branches and apical stems, similar to those observed for European ash. Isolation and molecular analysis proved the presence of the fungus on both symptomatic European and flowering ashes. The examined 386 adult trees showed different levels of damage, sometimes reaching more than 75% of the crown. Some individual trees (42) growing close to severely damaged trees appeared fully healthy, which suggests the possible existence of some resistant/tolerant individuals in the examined populations.

The quality and quantity of nut production are fundamental to the economic viability of chestnut cultivation, yet recent reports indicate that severe damage due to moulds represents a significant problem for growers. We carried out an investigation of the agents of chestnut rot and internal fruit damage in three orchards in Italy. Black and brown rot, as well as insect damage, were found in all the areas examined. Brown rot appeared to be the main cause of damage, affecting 8% to 49% and 2% to 24% of nuts collected from the ground and from burrs, respectively. With respect to morphology and DNA sequencing analyses, fungal isolates obtained from brown rot were homologous with Gnomoniopsis sp. obtained from Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Yasumatsu) galls and with Gnomoniopsis castanea and Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi described on chestnut in Italy and Australia, respectively. The same fungus was also isolated from the bark of one- and two-years-old healthy shoots at each site, supporting the endophytic behaviour of this rot agent. Brown rot symptoms on nuts associated with Gnomoniopsis sp. corresponded with those previously described by several authors and referred to as Phoma or Phomopsis endogena, suggesting a relationship between these fungi and Gnomoniopsis sp. It is to notice that the escalation of brown rot damage in Italy followed several periods of drought and probably the recent invasion of D. kuriphilus, both stress factors for chestnut trees.

The demand for continuous monitoring of biochemical markers for diagnostic purposes is increasing as it overcomes the limitations of traditional intermittent measurements. This study introduces a method for long-term, continuous plasmonic biosensing of oligonucleotides with high temporal resolution. Our method is based on a regeneration-based reversibility approach that ensures rapid reversibility in less than 1 minute, allowing the sensor to fully reset after each measurement. We investigated label-free and AuNP enhancements for different dynamic ranges and sensitivities, achieving a limit of detection down to pM levels. We developed a regeneration-based reversibility approach for continuous biosensing, optimizing buffer conditions using the Taguchi method to achieve rapid, consistent reversibility, ensuring reliable performance for long-term monitoring. We detected oligonucleotides in buffered and complex solutions, including undiluted and unfiltered human serum, for up to 100 sampling cycles in a day. Moreover, we showed the long-term stability of the sensor for monitoring capabilities in buffered solutions and human serum, with minimal signal value drift and excellent sensor reversibility for up to 9 days. Our method opens the door to new prospects in continuous biosensing by providing insights beyond intermittent measurements for numerous analytical and diagnostic applications., (© 2024 The Author(s). Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

There are more than 200 species of Macronyssidae parasitizing reptiles, birds, and mammals worldwide. While most species are found on wild animals, show some degree of geographic, and host group specificity, Ophionyssus natricis thrives on captive snakes and lizards and as a result of the pet trade, has a cosmopolitan distribution. In this study, we are providing new host records for this species for the state of São Paulo, as well as SEM images and the first partial sequences of Brazilian specimens., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval: Not applicable. Consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Tropical estuarine systems play several ecological roles, such as acting as a nursery for biodiversity and cycling nutrients and greenhouse gases. However, the phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of estuarine microbiomes is not completely known. Furthermore, it is unclear how seasonal patterns may affect microbial diversity in these systems. The aim of the present study was to determine the metagenomic diversity and its major drivers in a large tropical estuarine system dominated by a mangrove forest in the South Atlantic around the Paraiba do Sul River. In total, 12.16 million shotgun sequences were generated (dry season: n = 8; wet season: n = 5), and water-quality parameters were evaluated for all locations. Metagenomic sequences were distributed between two patterns: (1) the dry season, in which the families Rhodobactereaceae and Flavobactereaceae increased, and (2) the wet season, in which Moraxellaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Pseudoalteromonadaceae were more abundant. The dry season was characterized by higher salinity, nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and photosynthetic potential. In contrast, the wet season had higher carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) production and a higher abundance of methanogenic, methylotrophic, and chemoorganotrophic bacteria in samples with low salinity. These findings suggest a possible relationship with the production of greenhouse gases during the wet period., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Older adults are more likely to acquire the severe manifestation of COVID-19 and the hospitalised survivors experience significant functionality loss. Thus, we aimed to identify the level of functionality in older adults hospitalised due to COVID-19, and the effect of inpatient rehabilitation upon functional recovery., Methods: A search was performed on July 2024, across five databases to retrieve studies assessing functionality in patients during COVID-19 hospitalisation, with or without rehabilitation., Results: At admission, higher functionality was significantly higher for survivors than non survivors (standardized mean difference (SMD): 0.83 [0.56; 1.09]). The effect of inpatient rehabilitation on functionality was tested among 38 arms across studies. Inpatient rehabilitation improved functionality SMD across all indexes (1.47 [1.18; 1.77], P ≤ 0.001), with greatest effect in the patients >70 years (2.84 [1.74, 3.93], P = 0.006), compared to their counterparts., Conclusion: Hospitalisation due to COVID-19 reduced functionality to a higher extent in older adults above 70 years. Inpatient rehabilitation was effective to improve functionality in both age groups., Protocol Registration: PROSPERO CRD42021278619., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: University students experienced significant changes in their routines with the implementation of remote learning during Covid-19 pandemic, including increase in sedentary behavior (SB) time and ultra-processed foods (UPF's) consumption, which may have influenced changes in body mass index (BMI)., Objective: To evaluate the association between the variation in SB time and UPF's consumption with the variation in BMI, before and during the pandemic, in university students., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, conducted between November 2020 and February 2021, with students from a public university of Southeast of Brazil, who answered an online questionnaire with questions regarding to the period before and during the pandemic. SB was assessed through questions about time spent on TV and electronic devices. A score of the frequency of UPF's consumption was estimated based on the Brazilian Food Guide. Self-reported information on height and body mass was used to calculate BMI., Results: The sample comprised 3390 university students, with an average age of 28.7 (± 10.0) years. Among them, 65.4% were undergraduates, and 66.9% were women. SB time, UPF score, and BMI increased significantly during the pandemic, compared to the previous period. In this population, there was a significant association between increased SB time (β = 0.06; SE = 0.01; p < 0.001) and UPF score (β = 0.08; SE = 0.01; p < 0.001) with an increase in BMI., Conclusion: Changes in SB time and UPF score were associated with an increase in BMI before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in students from a Brazilian University., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Increasing evidence suggests that environmental exposures can modify epigenetic marks in the germline, leading to the transmission of abnormal post-fertilization sperm epigenetic indicators and affecting embryonic development. Given the pivotal role of sperm cells in determining embryo quality, there is growing interest in understanding the potential effects of sperm sex sorting on embryo quality. This study aimed to investigate the impact of bovine sperm sexing on in vitro embryo production (IVP) and to associate molecular aspects of embryos analysis. Frozen semen samples from five Nellore bulls were used, with each bull contributing unsexed sperm (conventional semen - CV treatment) and female and male sexed sperm pooled after thawing (SX treatment). First, semen quality was assessed, including motility, morphology, acrosome integrity, and chromatin integrity to denaturation. Then, IVP was carried out, focusing on embryonic production and developmental kinetics. In the third experiment, embryo quality was evaluated by examining the gene expression of key markers (OCT4, NANOG, DNMT3A, TET1, and Fematrin-1) and the methylation pattern of the Satellite-1 and α-Satellite genes in blastocysts. Differences between CV and SX semen were only observed in motility, which was lower in SX compared with CV (P < 0.05). Although cleavage was similar, the SX groups showed lower blastocyst production than CV (P < 0.05). Of the genes evaluated, only NANOG showed high expression in the CV blastocysts compared with the SX blastocysts, but the methylation pattern revealed no differences. In conclusion, sex sorting markedly affects sperm motility and in vitro embryo production but showed no significant impact on embryo quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Soil salinization is a widespread environmental problem that impacts agriculture. Potassium fertilization is often associated with stress mitigation. Aiming to identify the ability of Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana Kunth) to cope with high salt as well as to investigate the potential of K + fertilization to alleviate stress symptoms, we investigated the combined effects of NaCl and KCl on photosynthesis, ion distribution, and growth of two Rhodes grass cultivars, Callide and Reclaimer. Plants were grown under different regimes (0, 200, 400, and 600 mM NaCl + 1 or 10 mM KCl). For Reclaimer, 10 mM KCl induced positive effects in photochemistry under 0 and 200 mM NaCl, as illustrated by fluorescence transients OJIP-bands and JIP-test parameters. However, such improvements did not lead to superior biomass accumulation nor net photosynthesis compared to the corresponding treatments under 1 mM KCl, which may not justify KCl application. In Callide 10 mM KCl induced deleterious effects on photochemistry of plants under low NaCl levels. High salinity (600 mM) induced stress-triggered biomass reduction of up to 70% in both cultivars, but all plants remained photosynthetically active. Exposure of both cultivars to NaCl concentrations equal to or higher than 200 mM triggered response mechanisms such as the ability to accumulate inorganic solutes accounting to osmotic potential, stomata closure, and excretion (up to 70%) of the retained Na + onto the leaf surface irrespective of KCl. Our data reinforce that Rhodes grass is an auspicious forage crop for saline environments and, therefore, in revegetation programs for saline soils pasture in subtropical regions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The genus Haemagogus (Diptera: Culicidae) includes species that are important vectors of pathogens such as the yellow fever virus. The accurate identification of these species is essential for the control of zoonoses. Females of Hg. capricornii and Hg. janthinomys are morphologically indistinguishable, which makes the use of alternative identification techniques desirable. This study aimed to obtain sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene, in the region widely used for DNA barcoding, of Haemagogus specimens from the state of São Paulo, Brazil, to evaluate the effectiveness of these sequences in the molecular identification of the species. A total of 37 female and 2 male mosquitoes were collected in various locations in the state of São Paulo, using methods such as hand-nets, Shannon traps, CDC light traps with CO 2 bait and Nasci aspirators. The sequences of a 710 bp fragment of the COI gene were amplified by PCR and sequenced. A phylogenetic tree reconstruction was conducted using the Bayesian approach implemented in MrBayes v3.2.2, providing support values for taxa where genetic clusters may indicate the presence of new or cryptic species. We obtained 39 COI sequences representing three species: Haemagogus capricornii, Haemagogus leucocelaenus, and Haemagogus janthinomys. Bayesian analysis of the sequences produced clades that corroborate the morphological identification of the species. The separation of Hg. capricornii and Hg. janthinomys received 100 % statistical support and the Hg. capricornii was very well supported (91 %). The two sequences from male specimens, morphologically identified as Hg. capricornii, were grouped in the same clade, a sister clade of Hg. janthinomys. It is important to highlight that the Hg. janthinomys were positioned in several subclades, showing a polymorphism of this species within the state, a situation not observed for Hg. capricornii. For the first time, sequences of the mtCOI gene from Hg. capricornii were obtained and related to morphologically identified specimens. COI sequences proved effective in the molecular identification of Haemagogus species. This study contributes to the expansion of the GenBank database, providing the first sequences of Hg. capricornii and new sequences for Hg. janthinomys and Hg. leucocelaenus., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Vera Lucia Fonseca de Camargo-Neves reports financial support, article publishing charges, and equipment, drugs, or supplies were provided by State of Sao Paulo Research Foundation. Dr. Karin Kirchgatter is Guest Editor to the special issue Ecological and Socioeconomic Drivers of Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Deforestation, Defaunation, and Social Disparities. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Comparing post-radical prostatectomy erectile function rates among different techniques has always been a challenge in urology. This difficulty is due to the heterogeneity of studies, mainly in relation to the type of erectile function classification criteria used. The aim is to apply a new evidence-gathering methodology, called reverse systematic review, to compare erectile function rates among retropubic radical prostatectomy, laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy, considering the diversity of classification criteria., Methods: A search was carried out in eight databases between 2000 and 2020 through systematic review studies referring to retropubic radical prostatectomy, laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, or robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (80 systematic reviews). All references used in these systematic reviews were captured by referring to 910 papers in a global database called EVIDENCE. A total of 268 studies related to post-prostatectomy erectile function rates were selected for the final analysis, totaling 465 cohorts or reports referring to 131,350 patients., Results: Note that, 119 (25.6%) reports for retropubic radical prostatectomy, 143 (30.7%) reports for laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and 203 (43.7%) reports for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy were found. Mean overall erectile function rates, respectively for retropubic radical prostatectomy, laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy, were: 16%, 12%, and 35% at 1 month, 22%, 26%, and 42% in 3 months; 30%, 44%, and 54% at 6 months, 41%, 55%, and 59% at 12 months, and 58%, 52%, and 67% at more than 18 months. The most used erectile function criterion was Erection Sufficient for Intercourse (74.1%), followed by Sexual Health Inventory for Men > 21 (5.5%), and Sexual Health Inventory for Men > 16 (3.7%). Erection Sufficient for Intercourse showed the lowest discrepancy in erectile function rates in each period compared to the global average, for each technique, demonstrating less ability to influence the final results, favoring any of the techniques., Conclusions: The reverse systematic review demonstrated that the robot-assisted radical prostatectomy showed higher rates of erectile function recovery at all times analyzed (1->18 months), in relation to the retropubic radical prostatectomy and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The Erection Sufficient for Intercourse criterion was the most used in the literature and showed the lowest bias capable of influencing the results and favoring any of the techniques and might be the fairest option for future comparisons., (© 2024 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.)

Purpose: To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP) behavior after applying a standardized protocol to induce psychological stress in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG)., Design: Randomized controlled trial., Participants: A total of 39 patients with POAG were included: 18 in the stress group and 21 in the control group., Methods: Patients were randomized to undergo the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) or to be included in the control group. All participants were submitted to a modified diurnal tension curve (DTC) 1-4 weeks before randomization, with 3 IOP measurements performed between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm. We evaluated the response to the TSST by measuring the levels of salivary cortisol, salivary amylase, IOP, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate before, immediately after, and 40 minutes after the TSST. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was applied to evaluate the levels of anxiety at the same time intervals., Main Outcome Measures: Changes in IOP (mmHg), salivary cortisol and amylase, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and STAI scores., Results: At baseline, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding age (P = 0.661), sex (P = 0.669), salivary cortisol (P = 0.104), and mean DTC IOP for the right (P = 0.439) and left (P = 0.576) eyes. We observed a significant mean IOP increase of 3.8 mmHg (right eye; P < 0.001) and 4.1 mmHg (left eye; P < 0.001) when we compared IOP measurements obtained during the DTC and immediately after TSST. Salivary cortisol (5.9 nmol/L; P = 0.004), salivary amylase (323 388 UL; P = 0.004), mean arterial pressure (10.1 mmHg; P < 0.001), and heart rate (12.9 bpm; P < 0.001) also increased significantly after the TSST. In addition, 61.1% (11 of 18) of the patients in the TSST group showed an IOP increase > 4 mmHg following the test. The STAI-state score significantly increased after the TSST compared to baseline (P < 0.001) and decreased from poststress to the recovery period (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Patients with POAG present significant elevations of IOP, salivary cortisol and amylase, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and STAI scores after psychological stress induced by the TSST., Financial Disclosures: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Alterations in micro-RNAs, p53, and sphingolipid metabolism have been associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the role of sphingosine kinase (SK)-2, an enzyme crucial for sphingolipid metabolism, is poorly understood in HNSCC. The aim of this study was to investigate how SK2 and p53 interact to regulate miRNAs miR-205 and miR-296. Analysis of small-RNA sequencing data from nontumor oral keratinocytes with SK2 overexpression (NOK-SK2) compared to controls (NOK-Ø) revealed differential expression of >100 miRNAs being half-regulated by p53. The expression of miR-205 was down-regulated, and miR-296 was up-regulated, in NOK-SK2 cells; however, cells with SK2 knockdown and p53 overexpression showed an opposite profile. Proteins involved in miRNA biogenesis were increased in NOK-SK2 cells, while levels were decreased in NOK-SK2 cells with p53 overexpression. Transfection with miR-205 mimic and miR-296 inhibitor decreased the aggressiveness and cancer stem-like cells in oral keratinocytes and oral carcinoma cells with SK2 deregulation. Overexpression of miR-205 in HN12-SK2 cells decreased tumor-formation capacity, and NOK-SK2 cells abrogated tumor growth in mice. The results indicate crosstalk between SK2 and p53 in regulating miRNAs 205 and 296, which could be potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of HNSCC., Competing Interests: Disclosure Statement None declared., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are preventable complications that overwhelm the healthcare system. The implementation of multifaceted control intervention actions in the intensive care setting modifies clinical outcomes, but its effectiveness has not been specifically investigated for high-risk patients, such as kidney transplant recipients (KTRs)., Methods: This observational retrospective natural experiment evaluated the effectiveness of multifaceted control interventions (bundles) in reducing HAIs in a KTR intensive care unit. We also measured the bundle adherence rate during 16 mo in the after era., Results: We included 1257 KTRs, 684 before and 573 in the postintervention period. After the bundle implementation, the incidence density of device-associated HAIs decreased from 8.5 to 3.9 per 1000 patient-days (relative risk [RR] = 0.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25-0.85; P  = 0.01), primarily because of the reduction in central line-associated bloodstream infection from 8.0 to 3.4 events per 1000 catheter-days (RR = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.22-0.83; P  = 0.012). Reductions in catheter-associated urinary tract infection (2.5 versus 0.6 per 1000 catheter-days; RR = 0.22; 95% CI, 0.03-1.92; P  = 0.17) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (3.4 versus 1.0 per 1000 ventilator-days; RR = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.03-2.63; P  = 0.27) were not significant. Central venous ( P  = 0.53) and urinary catheter ( P  = 0.47) insertion adherence were stable during 16 mo, whereas central venous ( P  < 0.001) and urinary catheter ( P  = 0.004) maintenance gradually increased. Finally, ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle adherence slightly decreased over time ( P  = 0.06)., Conclusions: The implementation of comprehensive multifaceted control intervention actions in an intensive care unit dedicated to KTR care was effective in significantly reducing device-associated infections. The impact was in line with the reductions observed in populations that have not undergone transplantation, underscoring the effectiveness of these interventions across different patient groups., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Transplantation Direct. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Context: Taxing unhealthy foods and drinks is an essential measure against the double burden of malnutrition that affects every nation worldwide. In turn, subsidizing the consumption of healthy foods can also be a critical measure for changing the population's behavior and improving health indicators., Objective: A systematic review was conducted of food subsidies and their potential impact on food purchases, consumption, overweight/obesity, and changes in body mass index (BMI)., Data Sources: The PubMed, Embase, LILAC, Scientific Electronic Library Online, and Google Scholar databases were searched to identify studies investigating the effects of subsidies on the amount of food purchased, food consumption, caloric intake, nutrient intake, and their impact on overweight, obesity, and BMI changes. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist., Data Extraction: Two investigators independently performed data screening, extraction, and quality assessment., Results: Of the 6135 studies screened, 149 were read in full and 18 were included in this systematic review. Most studies investigated the effects of subsidy scenarios on food purchases and observed increases in fruit and vegetable (F&V) purchases when these were subsidized. In randomized controlled studies, subsidized healthy foods were purchased more often. However, when the subsidy was suspended, F&V consumption decreased. Although quasi-experimental studies have demonstrated increased F&V consumption due to subsidies, some studies showed increased saturated fat and sodium intake. Only 2 studies evaluated the relationship between subsidies and obesity, yielding conflicting results., Conclusion: Although the subsidies appear to encourage purchase and consumption of healthier foods, enhancing the quality and diversity of dietary choices, the removal of subsidies can lead to a decline in the consumption of healthier foods. Additionally, their impact on obesity and BMI remains uncertain and requires further research., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO registration by the number CRD42023442122., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

ERP29 gene encodes a chaperone protein critical for protein folding and secretion. Previous study linked ERP29 inhibition to an elevated risk of pharynx squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) and reduced patients' survival. However, ERP29 role in PSCC progression remains unknown. Here, we investigated ERP29 impact on PSCC progression in cisplatin (CDDP)-sensitive (FaDu and LAU-2063), CDDP-treated (FaDu-CDDP), and CDDP-resistant (FaDu-R) cells. ERP29 silencing decreased necrosis and increased migration in CDDP-sensitive, treated, and resistant cells; and reduced E-cadherin and increased vimentin immunoexpression in CDDP-sensitive 3D-spheroids. During CDDP treatment, ERP29 silencing enhanced proliferation. In CDDP-sensitive cells, ERP29 silencing upregulated genes associated with WNT, MAPK, and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways while downregulating CASP9 expression. During CDDP treatment, ERP29 silencing downregulated MDM2 and CASP9 expression. In CDDP-resistant cells, ERP29 silencing upregulated SOS1, MAPK1, AKT1, ITGAV, and CCNE1, while downregulating KRAS, JUN, MDM2, and CASP9 expression. In addition, inhibition of microRNA miR-4421 increased ERP29 expression and decreased MAPK1, AKT1, and JUN expression in CDDP-sensitive cells, as well as SOS1, MAPK1, AKT1, and ITGAV in CDDP-resistant cells. Lower ERP29 and higher miR-4421 expressions were predictive of poor survival, suggesting a potential therapeutic use for miR-4421 inhibitors. Upon validation, these findings may contribute to targeted therapies for PSCC based on ensuring ERP29 expression., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Lead poisoning is a global public health concern. Maternal exposure during intrauterine and lactational periods can present a higher susceptibility of harm to the offspring. Thus, pregnant female Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were randomly divided in two experimental groups: control group and Lead group. The animals were exposed to 50 mg/kg of Lead Acetate daily for 42 days (21 days of gestational period + 21 days of lactational period). After the exposure period, the mandibles of the offspring were collected for lead quantification, Raman spectroscopy analysis, micro-CT, morphometric e histochemical analysis. Lead exposure altered the physical-chemical composition of alveolar bone and caused histological damage associated with a reduction in osteocyte density and collagen area fraction, increase in collagen maturity, as well as a reduction in bone volume fraction. An increase in trabecular spaces with anatomical compromise of the vertical dimensions of the bone was observed. Thus, the results suggest that developing alveolar bone is susceptible to toxic effects of lead when organisms are exposed during intrauterine and lactation periods., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The study investigated the influence of mental fatigue on older people's enjoyment during a series of physical exercises. Using a randomized cross-over design, participants ( n  = 35) completed a 6-minute walking test - 6MWT, a Timed Up and Go-TUG test and three sets of knee extension exercise (first set: KE1, second set: KE2, third set: KE3) under two experimental conditions (control or mental fatigue). The Nonparametric Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Factorial Experiments was used to compare the number of repetitions performed during three sets of resistance exercise between conditions. The same analysis method was applied to compare the perception of effort and enjoyment across five moments (Post-6MWT, Post-TUG, Post-KE1, Post-KE2, Post-KE3) and two conditions and the Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) across four moments (baseline, Pre-6MWT, Pre-TUG, Pre-KE) and two conditions. Mental fatigue did not affect the physical function, perception of effort and enjoyment of exercise in older people. Participants, however, reported higher enjoyment for walking and dynamic balance compared to strength exercise. Mental fatigue had no effect on the physical function, perception of effort and enjoyment of exercise of older people. Participants presented a higher enjoyment for walking and dynamic balance compared to strength exercise. Given the importance of resistance exercises for health, clinicians should prioritize resources to education programs emphasizing the benefits of resistance exercise in both short- and long-term health. Including social interaction opportunities in physical exercise programs and prescribing activities appropriate to participants' ability levels could enhance engagement and adherence.

Fusarium wilt is one of main phytopathology attacking tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plantations in Brazil. Plant rhizosphere and endophytic beneficial microorganism are well known as plant growth promoters and biocontrol agents. The present study aims to evaluate the potential of different Bacillus strains as biocontrol agent to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici Race 3 strains; and also as plant growth promoting bacteria on Solanum lycopersicum cv Perinha. Different in vitro and greenhouse experiments were carried out to evaluate the direct and indirect bacterial-fungus antagonism, and they inoculation effects on plant traits. In vitro direct, metabolites, and volatile antagonism analysis demonstrated that B. toyonensis BR 10491(FORT 02) presented a broad antagonism to all tested race 3 FOL strains while B. megaterium BR 10466 (FORT 12), B. aryabhattai BR 10494 (FORT 25), B. stratosphericus BR 10438 (FORT 29) and B. cereus BR 10493 (FORT 113.1) strains showed significant antagonistic activity for at least two applied methods. Greenhouse pot experiments demonstrated a significant BCA effect of FORT 113.1 and FORT 02 against FOL Race 3 Fus 1302 strain during different tomato development stages (seedling, vegetative, and reproductive). Bacillus cereus (FORT 113.1) showed significantly higher shoot and height fresh weight, Chlorophyll a and Chlorophyll b content, stomata conductance, water use efficiency, and also a lower xylem infection percentage during vegetative and reproductive stages. Antioxidant enzymatic components analysis demonstrated a synergic effect of Fusarium and Bacillus inoculation, leading to a higher superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity. In conclusion, the results suggest that strain FORT113.1 could be considered as a good candidate for production of new biofungicide with high potential to augment the existing biocontrol strategies., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Objective: To investigate the effects of quercetin (QU), hesperetin (HT), and taxifolin (TX) on human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) chronically exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)., Methods: First, the cytotoxicity (alamarBlue) and bioactivity (biomineralization, Alizarin Red) of QU, HT, and TX concentrations were evaluated on healthy hDPCs. Then, the effects of non-cytotoxic and bioactive concentrations were investigated on hDPCs after previous stimulation with E. coli LPS (10 µg/mL) for 7 days. Cell culture media with and without LPS were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Cell viability (alamarBlue), NF-κB activation (immunofluorescence), reactive oxygen species production (ROS, H2DCFDA probe), cell migration (Transwell), inflammation-related gene expression (RT-qPCR), and odontogenic differentiation (RT-qPCR and alizarin red) were evaluated (n = 8). Data were analyzed using confidence intervals and ANOVA (α = 5 %)., Results: The concentrations of 20 µM QU, 20 µM HT, and 200 µM TX reduced cell viability by more than 30 %. The 5 µM QU, 10 µM HT, and 100 µM TX concentrations were cytocompatible and stimulated biomineralization by healthy hDPCs. These concentrations were tested under the LPS challenge, and cell viability and odontogenic differentiation were significantly increased, while ROS production and inflammatory response were significantly decreased. In addition, the flavonoids significantly stimulated cell migration, reduced NF-κB activation, and increased biomineralization by LPS-challenged hDPCs compared to cells exposed to LPS alone and without any other treatment., Conclusion: Flavonoids can modulate the metabolism of hDPCs chronically exposed to LPS in vitro, stimulating cellular events compatible with stem cell-based regenerative processes., Clinical Significance: Flavonoids may be explored as adjuvant therapeutic agents during pulp capping to counteract chronic inflammatory conditions and stimulate regeneration of the dentin-pulp complex in caries-affected teeth, thereby preserving tooth vitality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: Substance abuse is a major public health problem. In recent years, ketamine, which is a parenteral anesthetic, has been consumed increasingly as an illicit drug together with alcohol, although little is known of how this association alters brain activity. The present study investigated the influence of progressive doses of ketamine, associated with alcohol, on electrophysiological activity., Methods: For this, 72 late-adolescent (8-10-week-old) male Wistar rats received either ketamine only, at low (10 mg/kg), intermediate (20 mg/kg) or high (30 mg/kg) doses via intraperitoneal injection, or alcohol (2 mL/100 g) via oral gavage followed by ketamine (at low, intermediate, and high doses). Electroencephalograms (EEG) and electromyographic recordings were obtained 5 min after the final application of the drug., Results: When administered alone, ketamine resulted in an increase in delta, theta, beta, and gamma brainwaves, with a more pronounced effect being detected at the highest dose (30 mg/kg) in the case of the delta, beta, and gamma waves. The amplitude of the alpha brainwaves was reduced at all doses of ketamine, but less intensively at the highest dose. When administered alone, alcohol reduced all the brainwaves, with the reduction in the alpha waves being exacerbated by ketamine at all doses, and that of the theta and beta waves being boosted at the lowest dose. The intermediate dose of ketamine (20 mg/kg) reverted the alcohol-induced reduction in the theta and gamma waves, whereas the high dose increased delta, theta, beta, and gamma bandpower., Discussion: Overall, then, while ketamine enhances the depressant effects of alcohol on the alpha brainwave at all doses, a low dose intensified this effect on the theta and beta 175 waves, whereas a high dose produces neuronal hyperexcitability in the theta and 176 gamma bandpower., 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 © 2024 Ferreira, Padilha da Silveira, Paz, Otake Hamoy, Barbosa, Santos, Conceição, Amaral, Resende, Favacho Lopes and Hamoy.)

This study aimed to evaluate the ability of pentoxifylline when compared to lovastatin and chlorpromazine as nephroprotective substances in cases of renal ischemia and reperfusion syndrome (IRI). A total of 36 adult male animals were randomly allocated into four groups (untreated control group, pentoxifylline group, lovastatin group, and chlorpromazine group), each consisting of nine animals. All groups were submitted to experimental ischemia and reperfusion procedures. The animals were evaluated 24, 72 and 120 hours after IRI, including physical examinations, serum urea and creatinine measurements, as well as histopathological, morphometric, and stereological analyses of the renal tissue. Results indicated that 24 hours after IRI, only chlorpromazine was effective in controlling azotemia. At the 72-hour mark, both chlorpromazine and pentoxifylline exhibited efficacy. After 120 hours, all three substances demonstrated renal protective qualities. Pentoxifylline was the most effective in preserving the structural integrity of kidney tissue, followed by chlorpromazine. In conclusion, all three treatments (pentoxifylline, chlorpromazine, and lovastatin) were effective. Pentoxifylline proved to be promising in the response against acute tubular necrosis, although chlorpromazine presented earlier renoprotective effects in terms of maintaining renal function., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Pereira 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.)

The aim of this study is to investigate the inflammasome dysregulation in peripheral blood leukocytes of VEXAS patients. The constitutive and in vitro triggered activation of inflammasome in PBMC and neutrophils was analyzed in two Brazilian patients with typical UBA1 mutations, and compared with healthy donors. Our findings highlight the constitutive activation of caspase-1 in VEXAS leukocytes, accompanied by increased plasma levels of IL-18. Furthermore, upon stimulation of isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and neutrophils, we observed not only the exhaustion of NLRP3 and NLRP1/CARD8 pathways in VEXAS PBMC but also a significant increase in NLRP3-mediated NETs release in VEXAS neutrophils. These findings support previous studies on the contribution of the inflammasome to VEXAS pathogenesis, identifying at least two profoundly affected pathways (NLRP3 and NLRP1/CARD8) in VEXAS peripheral blood., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Immunology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The increased incidence of breast cancer implies the appearance of frequent symptoms associated with disease and treatments, such as pain. For the management of this issue, auricular therapy has been used in a complementary manner, especially for its safety and analgesic action., Objective: This systematic review aims to summarize available evidence on the effects of auricular therapy on pain in women undergoing breast cancer treatment., Methods: This is a systematic review that includes randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of auricular therapy on pain in women with breast cancer, as compared with other interventions (sham or placebo auricular therapy, other nonpharmacological interventions, and routine pain treatments) during the treatment of the disease. Pain, whether induced or not by cancer treatments, is the main outcome to be evaluated. The search for the studies was performed in the following databases: MEDLINE through PubMed, CINAHL, CENTRAL, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, VHL, TCIM Americas Network, CNKI, and Wanfang Data. The reviewers have independently evaluated the full texts, and in the near future, they will extract the data and assess the risk of bias in the included studies. The certainty of the evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE), and a meta-analysis will be carried out to evaluate the intervention, considering the homogeneity of the results, using the Cochran Q test and quantified by the Higgins inconsistency index. The guidelines of the PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols) have been respected in the elaboration of this protocol., Results: The records screening stage has been completed, and the synthesis and meta-analysis were conducted in February 2024. We hope to have finished the preparation of the paper for publication by September 2024. Review reporting will follow standard guidelines for reporting systematic reviews. The results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals., Conclusions: This review will compile the strength of evidence for the use of auricular therapy in the management of pain in women with breast cancer during the treatment of the disease, identifying gaps in the available evidence as well as assisting health professionals in indicating the intervention for clinical practice., Trial Registration: PROSPERO CRD42022382433; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display&#95;record.php?RecordID=382433., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/55792., (©Ludmila Oliveira Ruela, Caroline de Castro Moura, Bianca Shieu, Yu-Min Cho, Chao Hsing Yeh, Franklin Fernandes Pimentel, Juliana Stefanello. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 15.10.2024.)

Propolis is a natural resinous mixture produced by honeybees with numerous biological activities. Considering the recently reported potential of propolis as an adjuvant in COVID-19 treatment, a methodology for the fractionation of the hexane extract of Brazilian green propolis (HEGP) was developed for the obtention of prenylated biomarkers by countercurrent chromatography. The inhibition of the interaction between the receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike and ACE2 receptor was evaluated by the Lumitᵀᴹ immunoassay. Fractionation of HEGP was performed by both normal (CCC1 and CCC2, with extended elution) and reversed (CCC3) phase elution-extrusion modes with the solvent system hexane-ethanol-water 4:3:1. The normal elution mode of CCC1 (471 mg HEGP in a 80 mL column volume, 1.6 mm id) was scaled-up (CCC5, 1211 mg HEGP in a 112 mL column volume, 2.1 mm id), leading to the isolation of 89.9 mg of artepillin C, 1; 52.7 mg of baccharin, 2; and 26.6 mg of chromene, with purities of 93 %, 83 % and 88 %, respectively, by HPLC-PDA. Among the isolated compounds, artepillin C, 1, and baccharin, 2, presented the best results in the Lumitᵀᴹ immunoassay, showing 67% and 51% inhibition, respectively, at the concentration of 10 μM. This technique proved to be of low operational cost and excellent reproducibility., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Various sensory perceptions drive the quality and typicality of wines, with the volatile profile playing a fundamental role in the characteristics of odor, aroma and consequently flavor, which combines the smell (odor and aroma), taste, and trigeminal sensations. Efforts have been made in both the field of instrumental and sensory analysis to understand the relationship of volatile compounds with sensory attributes in omics approaches. Gas chromatography (monodimensional and two-dimensional (heartcutting and comprehensive)) associated with mass spectrometry (GC/MS, GC-GC/MS and GCxGC/MS) and chemometric tools have contributed to foodomics analyses, specifically those linked to metabolomics/volatilomics. These tools, along with the elucidation of sensory properties (sensomics), lead to advanced results in the field of flavoromics. They also help to define the best practices in both vineyard management and winemaking that enable the production of high-quality wines. The objective of this review is to report the challenges of determining the volatile profile of wines, pointing out the ways that can be followed in successful identification and quantification of volatile compounds. The state of the art of sensory evaluation methods is also addressed, providing information that helps in choosing the most appropriate sensory method to be conducted with chromatographic analysis to achieve more in-depth results in the field of flavoromics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Juliane Elisa Welke reports financial support was provided by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. Juliane Elisa Welke reports financial support was provided by Foundation for Research Support of Rio Grande do Sul State. Aline Telles Biasoto Marques reports financial support was provided by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. Karolina Cardoso Hernandes, Laura Oliveira Lago, Rafaela Diogo Silveira reports financial support was provided by Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study provides the first report of metazoan parasites in Crenicichla strigata. From 31 hosts caught in the Jari River basin, in the eastern Amazon region of Brazil, a total of 1454 parasites were collected: Sciadicleithrum araguariensis, Sciadicleithrum joanae, Sciadicleithrum satanopercae, Posthodiplostomum sp., Genarchella genarchella, Contracaecum sp., Spirocamallanus peraccuratus, Acarina gen. sp. and Dolops geayi. However, the community was dominated by the three species of Sciadicleithrum (Monogenea) and there was similar presence of parasites in the larval and adult stages. The total prevalence was 100% and each of the hosts was parasitized by two or three species, which presented random dispersion. Brillouin diversity, parasite species richness, Berger-Parker dominance index and evenness were low. There was positive correlation between the abundance of Posthodiplostomum sp. the hosts' length, while the abundance of S. peraccuratus showed negative correlation with the body weight of fish. The abundance of S. araguariensis, S. joanae and S. satanopercae showed negative correlation with the hosts' length. The parasite community of C. strigata was characterized by low diversity, low richness, low intensity and low abundance of species.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of minocycline on the alveolar bone in experimental periodontitis in rats. Thirty Wistar rats were randomly assigned to three groups: control without periodontitis; experimental periodontitis induced by ligature; experimental periodontitis + intraperitoneal administration minocycline for seven days. Ligatures remained in place in both periodontitis groups for 14 days. At the end of the experiment, the animals were euthanized and one hemimandible underwent micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis to assess vertical bone loss and alveolar bone quality. Histopathological analysis was performed on the other hemimandible. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA with Tukey's post-test (p<0.05). The results showed a significant reduction in vertical bone loss in the animals treated with minocycline compared with untreated animals. Minocycline also preserved the alveolar bone thickness, number, spacing, and bone volume to tissue volume ratio. Histopathological analysis indicated that minocycline reduced bone resorption, decreased inflammatory response, and maintained the bone collagen fibers. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of minocycline in reducing vertical bone loss and preserved bone quality in rats with experimental periodontitis. The results of this study indicate that minocycline has the potential to serve as an additional treatment option for periodontitis. However, further research is warranted to assess the efficacy and safety of minocycline use in patients with periodontitis., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Frazão 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.)

We describe the geographical variation in tree species composition across Amazonian forests and show how environmental conditions are associated with species turnover. Our analyses are based on 2023 forest inventory plots (1 ha) that provide abundance data for a total of 5188 tree species. Within-plot species composition reflected both local environmental conditions (especially soil nutrients and hydrology) and geographical regions. A broader-scale view of species turnover was obtained by interpolating the relative tree species abundances over Amazonia into 47,441 0.1-degree grid cells. Two main dimensions of spatial change in tree species composition were identified. The first was a gradient between western Amazonia at the Andean forelands (with young geology and relatively nutrient-rich soils) and central-eastern Amazonia associated with the Guiana and Brazilian Shields (with more ancient geology and poor soils). The second gradient was between the wet forests of the northwest and the drier forests in southern Amazonia. Isolines linking cells of similar composition crossed major Amazonian rivers, suggesting that tree species distributions are not limited by rivers. Even though some areas of relatively sharp species turnover were identified, mostly the tree species composition changed gradually over large extents, which does not support delimiting clear discrete biogeographic regions within Amazonia., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Trilostane is the current treatment of choice for managing pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) in dogs. While prescribing higher initial doses may elevate the risk of iatrogenic hypocortisolism, opting for more conservative approach could result in delayed disease control, since most individuals end up requiring dosage increases. The adrenocorticotrophin stimulation test (ACTHst), a widely recognized hormonal test for assessing adrenal function, is an essential tool for monitoring the pharmacological treatment of canine hypercortisolism (CH) that can also be used for diagnostic purposes. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between post-ACTH cortisol (cpACTH) at PDH diagnosis and the required trilostane dose for sign control and endogenous cortisol regulation in dogs, considering a hypothesis that higher serum cpACTH concentration would necessitate a higher trilostane dosage for disease management. Data for 43 dogs with PDH had their diagnostic cpACTH recorded and correlated to the trilostane dosage necessary to control clinical signs and achieve satisfactory cortisol levels (ideally 2-7 μg/dL). The odds ratio (p=0.042) suggests that dogs with cpACTH ≥ 27 μg/dL at diagnosis are 96% more likely to need a higher trilostane dosage for achieving satisfactory control of PDH. Thus, cpACTH was found to be associated with the final trilostane dose for controlling PDH in dogs., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Essential oils (EOs) have antimicrobial properties, but their low solubility in water and strong flavor pose challenges for direct incorporation into food, as they can negatively impact organoleptic properties. To overcome these issues, strategies such as oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions have been developed to improve EO dispersion and protection while enhancing antimicrobial efficacy. The objective of this study was to create sodium alginate-pink pepper essential oil (PPEO) nanoemulsions using microfluidization. Various formulations were assessed for physicochemical, physical, and antimicrobial properties to evaluate their potential in food applications. The microfluidized emulsions and nanoemulsions had droplet sizes ranging from 160 to 443 nm, polydispersity index (PdI) ranging from 0.273 to 0.638, and zeta potential (ζ) ranging from -45.2 to 66.3 mV. The nanoemulsions exhibited Newtonian behavior and remarkable stability after 20 days of storage. Antimicrobial testing revealed effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes , with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 200 µg/mL for both microorganisms and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of 800 µg/mL and 400 µg/mL, respectively, proving that encapsulation of PPEO in nanoemulsions significantly increased its antibacterial activity. These results present the possibility of using PPEO nanoemulsions as a more effective natural alternative to synthetic preservatives in food systems., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Objectives: The Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde-SUS) is the universal public healthcare system of Brazil that maintains a nationwide database of its patients. Our primary objective was to analyze regional and temporal trends, while our secondary goal was to establish correlations between states' health economy status and their prostate cancer (PCa) epidemiology., Methods: We analyzed Brazil's nationwide data on prostate cancer (PCa) incidence, mortality, and care gathered between 2013 and 2021 by the Information Technology Department of SUS (DATA-SUS), updated monthly using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) code., Results: In the period, 273,933 new cases of PCa and 135,336 PCa deaths were reported in men aged 50 years or over in Brazil. The median annual PCa-specific incidence rate (PCSIR) ranged from 14.7 in the Southeast to 6.9 in the North region and the median annual PCa-specific mortality rate (PCSMR) ranged from 7.7 in the Northeast to 6.0 in the South region (per 10,000 men >50). The median annual mortality to incidence ratio (MIR) was highest in the North (0.88) and lowest in the Southeast region (0.44). There were significant regional differences in PCa treatment rates (per new cases); the Midwest region had the highest median annual surgery rate (0.63) while the North region had the highest median annual systemic therapy rate (0.75) and the lowest radiation therapy rate (0.06). Temporal analysis of the data showed significant change in annual rate trends after the year 2018 for PCSIR (coefficient [ β ] = +3.66, p < 0.001), any treatment ( β = -0.06, p = 0.016), surgery ([SR] β = +0.05, p = 0.017) radiation therapy ([RTR] β = -0.06, p = 0.005) and systemic therapy ([STR] β = -0.10, p = 0.002). After the 2020 pandemic, annual PCSIR decreased ( β = -2.15, p = 0.002) but annual PCSMR, MIR, and treatment rates remained stable. Correlation studies showed that the PCSIR was strongly negatively correlated with STR ( p < 0.001) and positively correlated with RTR ( p = 0.004). MIR was positively correlated with STR ( p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with the number of robotic surgical systems per million population ( p = 0.003)., Conclusion: Our data shows that PCa care is dependent on the region and is likely influenced by access to treatment options. Furthermore, changes after the year 2018 underscore the influence of international guidelines on Brazilian clinicians' decision-making especially concerning population screening which in turn affected incidence and treatment rates. Limitation of our study includes limited patient-related information and data on private practices as well as an unknown impact of traveling patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to report regarding the present study., (© 2024 The Authors.)

We developed a study to determine the ideal level of inclusion of soybean oil (SBOil) in the diet without affecting the quantitative and qualitative parameters of the carcass and meat of lambs in a feedlot system; therefore, determining the ideal level of inclusion. Forty male lambs (Santa Inês breed) were used. The initial body weight and age averaged 34.88 ± 3.19 kg and 5 months, respectively. Experimental units (lambs) were randomly distributed in 5 different diets: inclusion levels of SBOil: 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 g/kg of dry matter (DM). The SOil inclusion reduced the DM intake (P < 0.001), Total digestible nutrients (P = 0.004), and crude protein (P < 0.001). Total weight gain (P < 0.001) decreased with the SBOil inclusion and subcutaneous fat thickness (P = 0.017) showed the same behaviour. The final body weight decreased by 42.9 g/kgDM until the inclusion level of 30 g/kgDM; from this level it was reduced by 145 g/kgDM. The hot and cold carcass weights (P = 0.013) decreased by 36.6 g/kgDM after including 30 g/kgDM of SBOil. Meat physicochemical composition was not altered (P > 0.05). Lower meat tenderness values ​​were obtained at the levels of 60 and 90 g/kgDM. The inclusion above 30 g/kgDM decreased meat tenderness. It is concluded that soybean oil should be included up to 30 g/kgDM in diets. It is important to note that with diets with 60% concentrate, SBOil levels greater than 30 g/kgDM promote yield losses., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

This study aimed to assess the fatigue resistance of molars lacking a coronary remnant, using zero, one, two, or three fiberglass posts. Forty caries/crack-free human molars with coronal portions removed at the pulp chamber floor were randomly allocated into four groups (n=10). Following endodontic treatment, posts (Whitepost DC/DC.E 0.5, 1.0, FGM) were silanized (silane agent, Angelus) and cemented with a resin cement (RelyX U200, 3M ESPE). Resin composite cores (Z350, 3M ESPE) were built, and metal crowns were fabricated and cemented using the same luting system. Samples underwent cyclic fatigue testing at 45°, applying load in the occlusal surface at 10 Hz and 100 N initial load for 10,000 cycles, with 50 N increments every 10,000 cycles until failure. Fatigue failure load and cycles for failure data were recorded and subjected to survival analysis through Kaplan-Meier and Mantel-Cox post hoc tests, and Weibull analysis. Fractography patterns of failed crowns were qualitatively analyzed. The group without posts exhibited the lowest fatigue performance (p < 0.05) for both fatigue failure load and cycles to failure. Superior fatigue performance was observed in the three-post group, followed by groups with one or two posts, corroborated by the Weibull characteristic strength parameter. Weibull moduli were similar among conditions. All specimens exhibited failure involving detachment of the restorative set (posts/core/crown) with a portion of the dental remnant, without tooth fracture. Thus, when restoring mandibular molars without crown remnants, the use of fiberglass posts promotes greater fatigue resistance to oblique loads.

Purpose: Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) extract has several health benefits and anti-obesogenic effects. The aim of the present study was to assess whether the medicinal properties attributable to HS would prevent or mitigate bladder changes induced by obesity in an experimental model., Methods: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were submitted to one of four different dietary interventions (12 animals each): G1, standard diet and water (controls); G2, standard diet and HS tea; G3, a palatable high-fat diet and water; and G4, high-fat diet diet and HS tea. The animals were monitored for body weight, feed, and water and tea intake, according to the allocated group. After 16 weeks, the animals were euthanized, and the levels of creatinine, inflammatory cytokines, testosterone, cholesterol, triglycerides, and electrolytes were evaluated. In addition, histopathological analysis of the animals' bladder was performed., Results: Groups receiving HS (G2 and G4) showed decreased levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1α. HS tea was able to reduce low-density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels in the G2 group compared to other groups. Only in the G3 there was a significant increase in the body weight when it was compared the 12th and 16th weeks. Leptin was shown to be elevated in the groups that received a high-fat diet. There was a significant decrease in the muscle fibers thickness and in the total collagen count in G4 bladder when compared with G1 and G3., Conclusions: HS has an anti-inflammatory role, can reverse hyperlipidemia in rats, and reduced deleterious effects of obesity on these animals' bladder.

Introduction: Obesity aligned with quadriceps muscle weakness contributes to the high incidence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), which is prevalent in women. Although molecular signatures of KOA have been suggested, the association between biopsychosocial responses and the plasma metabolomic profile in overweight/ obese women with KOA remains in its early stages of investigation. This study aims to associate the plasma metabolome with biopsychosocial parameters of overweight/obese women diagnosed with KOA., Methods: Twenty-eight overweight/obese women (Control-n = 14; KOA-n = 14) underwent two visits to the laboratory. Functional tests and questionnaires assessing biopsychosocial parameters were administered during the first visit. After 48 h, the participants returned to the laboratory for blood collection. Specific to the KOA condition, the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) were applied., Results: Thirteen molecules were different between groups, and four correlated with KOA's biopsychosocial parameters. DG 22:4-2OH and gamma-Glutamylvaline were inversely associated with KOSS leisure and TSK score, respectively. LysoPE 18:0 and LysoPE 20:5 were positively associated with KOSS symptoms and TSK score, respectively., Discussion: While the correlations of LysoPE 18:0 and gamma-Glutamylvaline are supported by existing literature, this is not the case for DG 22:4-2OH and LysoPE 20:5. Further studies are recommended to better elucidate these correlations before dismissing their potential involvement in the biopsychosocial factors of the disease., 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 © 2024 Lisboa, Benevento, Kaneko, Bertolucci, Rosini Silva, Sardim, Ruiz, dos Reis, Porcari and Messias.)

Complete atrioventricular septal defect (CAVSD) can lead to the development of pulmonary obstructive vascular disease due to high pulmonary blood flow and pressures. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in pulmonary hemodynamics with aging and with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in children with CAVSD. We retrospectively evaluated 137 children (94% with trisomy 21, median age of 195 (25-2963) days, 58.4% female) with CASVD referred to cardiac catheterization from January 2000 to December 2020. Those with associated congenital heart disease, except PDA, had been excluded. They were divided into three age terciles (T1, T2, and T3). Aging was directly associated with higher mean (T1: 34.2 ± 9.1; T2: 37.1 ± 5.8; T3: 42 ± 10.6 mmHg, p < 0.001) and diastolic (T1: 19.4 ± 5.3; T2 21.6 ± 5.0; T3: 26.0 ± 9.5 mmHg, P < 0.001) pulmonary arterial pressures, and with higher pulmonary vascular resistance (T1: 3.24 ± 1.69, T2: 3.47 ± 1.19; T3: 4.49 ± 3.91 Wu.m 2 , p = 0.023). This resulted in a loss of eligibility for anatomical correction, which became evident only after 300 days of age. PDA was associated with a higher mean (37.2 [35.9; 38.5] vs. 41.3 [37.5; 45.0] mmHg, p = 0.049) and diastolic (21.7 [20.7; 22.6] vs. 26.4 [24.1; 29.0] mmHg, p = 0.001) pulmonary pressure, and resistor-compliance time (0.28 [0.26; 0.29] vs. 0.36 [0.31; 0.40], p = 0.001) after adjusting for age and sex. In children with CAVSD, aging was associated with worsening of pulmonary vascular hemodynamics, particularly when PDA was associated, resulting in loss of eligibility for anatomical correction after 10 months of age as the first surgical option., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

α-Bisabolol (α-BIS) is a sesquiterpene alcohol present in chamomile essential oil [Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert]. Despite its numerous pharmacological effects, its pharmacokinetics remain understudied. An analytical method capable of quantifying α-BIS in plasma is crucial to enable pharmacokinetic analysis. Presently, only one study has quantified it using mass spectrometry. Administering α-BIS requires a nanoemulsion for intravenous injection. This study aimed to develop and validate a bioanalytical method using high-performance liquid chromatography with an ultraviolet detector to quantify α-BIS in rat plasma. The method employed acetonitrile and ultrapure water (80:20, v/v) as the mobile phase, with a flow rate of 1 ml/min and concentrations ranging from 465 to 29.625 μg/ml. All US Food and Drug Administration-designated assays were successful, indicating the method's precision, accuracy, sensitivity and linearity in determining α-BIS in rat plasma. The developed nanoemulsion, assessed through dynamic light scattering analysis, the ensemble collection of particles and polydispersity index evaluation, proved safe and effective for intravenous administration. The pharmacokinetic parameters such as volume of distribution, clearance and half-life indicated that α-BIS tends to persist in the body. This study provides a foundation for further research to explore α-BIS's potential pharmaceutical applications in the future., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1) is a bottleneck that connects different DNA pathways during a DNA damage response. Interestingly, PARP1 has a dualist role in neurons, acting as a neuroprotector and inducer of cell death in distinct neurological diseases. Recent studies significantly expanded our knowledge of how PARP1 regulates repair pathways in neurons and uncovered new roles for PARP1 in promoting sleep to enhance DNA repair. Likewise, PARP1 is deeply associated with memory consolidation, implying that it has multiple layers of regulation in the neural tissue. In this review, we critically discuss PARP1 recent advances in neurons, focusing on its interplay with different DNA repair mechanisms, memory, and sleep. Provocative questions about how oxidative damage is accessed, and different hypotheses about the molecular mechanisms influenced by PARP1 in neurons are presented to expand the debate of future studies., (© 2024 International Society for Neurochemistry.)

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the carbon fiber obtained from textile PAN fiber, in its different forms, as a potential scaffolds synthetic bone. Thirty-four adult rats were used (Rattus norvegicus, albinus variation), two critical sized bone defects were made that were 5 mm in diameter. Twenty-four animals were randomly divided into four groups: control (C)-bone defect + blood clot, non-activated carbon fiber felt (NACFF)-bone defect + NACFF, activated carbon fiber felt (ACFF)-bone defect + ACFF, and silver activated carbon fiber felt (Ag-ACFF)-bone defect + Ag-ACFF, and was observed by 15 and 60 days for histomorphometric, three-dimensional computerized microtomography (microCT) and mineral apposition analysis. On histomorphometric and microCT analyses, NACFF were associated with higher proportion of neoformed bone and maintenance of bone structure. On fluorochrome bone label, there was no differences between the groups. NACFF has shown to be a promising synthetic material as a scaffold for bone regeneration., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)