Search

ABSTRACT Tifton 85 bermudagrass has been widely used in tropical and subtropical regions. Owing to its high forage yield, the fertilizer requirement of Tifton 85 is also high. Inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense is an alternative to reduce the use of nitrogen fertilizers and decrease their environmental impact. However, the effects of inoculation in tropical grasses remain poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the productivity, pasture characteristics, and nutritive value of Tifton 85 bermudagrass inoculated with A. brasilense in association with nitrogen fertilization. The study evaluated four nitrogen levels (0, 100, 200, and 300 kg ha-1 ), inoculated and uninoculated, under cutting conditions. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a factorial arrangement, with two qualitative (inoculated with A. brasilense or uninoculated) and four quantitative levels (nitrogen doses) with three replications (24 plots). Botanical composition and morphological characteristics, leaf blade/stem+sheath ratio, nutritive value, and forage yield were evaluated. The inoculation increased the leaf blade/stem+sheath ratio and forage yield of Tifton 85, but did not affect crude protein concentration, neutral detergent fiber content, and total digestible nutrient content of the forage constituted by Tifton 85 leaf blades. The protein concentration and forage production corresponded linearly to the nitrogen dose increase.

Abstract Background There is a relationship among hypercholesterolemia, oxidative stress and inflammation in the atherogenesis. Thus, the objective of the present study was to assess paraoxonase (PON1), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR-1) activities and their relationship with lipids, oxidative stress and inflammation in subjects with different low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL) levels. Methods Serum lipids, highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), lipid and protein oxidation, oxidized LDL (LDLox) and LDLox autoantibodies (LDLoxAB) levels and enzymes activities were measured in a total of 116 subjects that were divided into the following groups according to their LDL levels: low-LDL group (LDL 160 mg/dL, n = 43). Results The LDLox and hs-CRP levels increased in the high-LDL group (2.7- and 3.7- fold, respectively), whereas the intermediate and high-LDL groups had higher LDLoxAB (2.2- and 3.1-fold) when compared to low-LDL group (p Conclusions Some oxidative events initiate when LDL levels are clinically acceptable. Moreover, hypercholesterolemic patients have an imbalance in SOD and TrxR-1 activities that is positively associated to LDL oxidation.

The essential oil of Aniba canelilla (Kunth) Mez (EOAC), an Amazon plant composed of a rare nitro compound, has shown scientific evidence of antifungal activity but is still unexplored against dermatophytes. The antifungal susceptibility of EOAC and its main compound, 1-nitro-2-phenylethane (NP), was evaluated against dermatophytes (Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis), evidencing antifungal activity with an inhibitory concentration lower than 256 μg/mL. The mechanism of action was also evaluated, and it is suggested that EOAC and NP have fungicidal action in the fungal membrane, since the antifungal activity occurs through a modification of the shape of the conidial structures of the fungus, showing the permeability of the intracellular content due to the visually observed plasmolysis and cytosolic extravasation through an osmotic process. These results suggest the essential oil and its main compound are promising plant-derived alternatives for treating ungual dermatophytosis.

Yellow- and red-colored berry varieties of araçá (Psidium cattleianum Sabine) ethanolic extracts have excellent antioxidant capacity in vitro and in vivo. Extracts were not toxic to Caenorhabditis elegans up to the highest concentration tested (5 mg CAE/mL), as demonstrated by the survival and reproduction assays. The different colors of the fruits showed different responses to the stressors used (hydrogen peroxide and juglone), probably due to the different bioactive compounds prevalent in each color. We observed that the yellow araçá extract showed a greater capacity to remove free radicals, although both extracts prolonged the worms’ lifespan and alleviated oxidative stress. Additionally, our findings showed that changes in hsp-16.2 expression may be related to the results obtained.

Limnonectes leporinus, the endemic giant river frog, is a riparian (stream dwelling) species that lives along streams with moderate to steep gradients. The most serious threats to the species are deforestation caused by severe clear cutting, which fragments its distribution, and overhunting for local consumption. Excessive landscape modification alters habitat, making it critical for an organism to maintain heterozygozity for the population to be fit to adapt to a changing environment. The goal of this research was to project suitable habitats and predict the potential for habitat connectivity to allow gene flow across the Sarawak landscape. The presence data file and environmental layers were converted into ASCII format using ArcGIS and then used in MaxEnt modelling to generate the map of suitable habitats. To perform the connectivity model, the potential habitat model and genetic attributes of haplotype data were computerised in Circuitscape software. The findings revealed that suitable habitats corresponded to species distribution in lowland areas with sustainable stream networks as breeding sites, while higher elevations were identified as unsuitable habitats. Gene flow data, on the other hand, revealed that connectivity circuits are mostly found in unprotected forest, which includes development areas and private lands. As a result, prioritising conservation areas should include local governments and landowners in proper landscape management as well as species management strategies. This indirectly sustains and protects Borneo's forests, flora and fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The competitiveness brought by application companies, such as Uber, to the individual transport market is often emphasized. However, an important question remains unanswered: what are the strategies implemented by taxi companies, in terms of improvements and innovations, to remain competitive in this market? This study sought to answer this question by identifying how uberization causes a break in the path dependence of taxi companies, according to the assumptions of the Path Dependence Theory and the Competitive Strategy. In this regard, this research is a case study from the Federal District state, one of the pioneers in uberization, from Brazil. For this purpose, secondary qualitative data were collected via documentary research in local newspapers of great circulation. In total, 178 reports were collected, covering the period from 2008 to 2017, which were analyzed through the Content Analysis and Procedural Data Analysis. The results suggest that, before the entrance of application companies, taxi companies implemented self-sustaining innovations. After uberization, taxis started to adopt disruptive innovations aimed at passengers, breaking the dependence of the current trajectory.

National research and education networks (NRENs), such as ESnet, GéANT, and RNP, currently promote the employment of dynamic circuit networks (DCNs) to improve scientific communications beyond the capabilities of today's Internet. In spite of their alleged benefits to materialize user-initiated, ad hoc dedicated end-to-end circuits for high-demanding applications, DCNs also pose important challenges. Two examples are dealing with the end-user's lack of ability or willingness to understand low-level technicalities of virtual circuit establishment, and accommodating NRENs' local policies throughout the life-cycle of DCN. In this article, we seek to improve the usability of DCN services with a focus on the inexperienced end-user and the skilled network operator alike. We introduce MEICAN, a platform to manage the life-cycle of DCN from definition to provisioning of virtual circuits. We also present a case study of inter-domain circuit reservation with mixed manual and automated policy checking, and discuss lessons learned, relevant challenges, and open issues still to be overcome.

Os cruzamentos entre indivíduos com alto grau de parentesco geram, com frequência, deformidades aos fetos. A endogamia propicia formação de genes recessivos que ocasionam defeitos acrossomais responsáveis por malformações que podem trazer riscos à vida do neonato. O objetivo foi relatar o acompanhamento e atendimento a um parto de uma cadela da raça pug cujo cruzamento deu-se com o avô, gerando consanguinidade e ocasionando dois neonatos que apresentaram malformações congênitas. O animal chegou à Clínica Veterinária Tolevet, localizada em Toledo – Paraná, em trabalho de parto, apresentando contrações uterinas e aumento de volume na região do útero no abdômen. Ao exame físico, parâmetros vitais apresentavam-se normais. No parto nasceram sete filhotes que receberam os cuidados de retirada da bolsa placentária, desobstrução das vias aéreas e ligadura umbilical. Dois filhotes apresentaram deformidade congênita, um apresentou lábio leporino concomitante com fenda palatina (palatosquise), o segundo, já em estado de óbito, apresentou acúmulo anormal de líquido em tecido fetal totalmente edemaciado, definido como hidropisia fetal. Este trabalho demonstra a importância de que se evitem acasalamentos consanguíneos de ancestrais comuns, a fim de minimizar a incidência de defeitos congênitos em neonatos incompatíveis com a vida ou que trazem risco à saúde e à qualidade de vida do animal.

Introduction: Scytalidium and Fusarium are opportunistic saprophytic fungi commonly found in subtropical areas, being responsible for several cases of onychomycoses caused by non-dermatophytic filamentous fungi in these regions. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of onychomycoses caused by these pathogens, which population and site of infection are most affected, and which morphological characteristics should be considered for the culture method. Methods: A 5-year retrospective analysis was performed with data collected from mycological examinations at a clinical analysis laboratory located in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Results: Of the 2479 cases of onychomycosis studied, Scytalidium and Fusarium had a prevalence of 3% and 7%, respectively. About 57% of these infections affected women aged 30-69 years. In 78% of the cases of onychomycosis, toenails were affected. Positive reports of Scytalidium spp. exhibited chain-shaped arthroconidia, while Fusarium spp., fusiform, elongated or canoe-shaped macroconidia, and elongated ovoid microconidia were observed. Conclusion: This retrospective study revealed that Fusarium spp. has a higher prevalence than Scytalidium spp. The feet are the most affected body region. Elderly women are the most affected population by these fungi. For diagnosis, the main findings of Scytalidium spp. and Fusarium spp. are the cylindrical chain arthroconidia and the canoe-shaped, fusiform, or half-moon-shaped macroconidia, respectively.

Pollination is crucial for oil palm yield, and its efficiency is influenced by multiple factors, including the effectiveness of Elaeidobius kamerunicus weevils as pollinators in Southeast Asia. Weevils transfer pollen between male and female flowers, leading to successful fertilization and fruit development, which contributes to higher oil palm yields and increased production of valuable oil. Understanding and conserving the weevil population is important for sustainable oil palm cultivation practices. The interaction between pollinators, including weevils, and environmental factors is complex, involving aspects such as pollinator behavior, abundance, diversity, and effectiveness, which are influenced by weather, landscape composition, and pesticide use. Understanding these interactions is critical for promoting sustainable pollination practices, including effective pest management and maintaining optimal pollinator populations. This review discusses various abiotic and biotic factors that affect pollination and pollinators in oil palm plantations, with a particular focus on weevils as primary pollinators. Factors such as rainfall, humidity, oil palm species, temperature, endogamy, parasitic nematodes, insecticides, predators, and proximity to natural forests can impact the weevil population. Further research is recommended to fill knowledge gaps and promote sustainable pollination practices in the oil palm industry.

O objetivo deste artigo é discutir como o cinema contemporâneo vem evidenciando o tensionamento dos limites entre ficção e não ficção por meio do emprego estratégico de recursos metanarrativos. A metanarrativa expõe e problematiza os inevitáveis processos de ficcionalização da narrativa, ao pretender ofertar provas de autenticação do real, suposta e dialeticamente construído nas relações limítrofes da interferência subjetiva de uma instância enunciadora. No caso da cinematografia do diretor iraniano Jafar Panahi, marcada pela autorreflexão, a proposta é que a arte olhe para dentro e reconheça a si mesma enquanto discurso. Metodologicamente, analisa-se o filme Táxi Teerã (2015), cuja eleição de linguagem e discurso é resultante dos constrangimentos operacionais a que está submetido Panahi, por conta de ter sido proibido pela justiça iraniana de fazer cinema. Buscando apresentar situações ordinárias da vida em Teerã, o diretor liga uma câmera dentro de um táxi, onde desempenha a função de motorista enquanto conversa com os passageiros. Conclui-se que Panahi faz cinema para, metanarrativamente, problematizar e posicionar esse fazer enquanto um ato político, ao mostrar a impossibilidade de limitar a natureza do audiovisual e ao mostrar, por extensão, a natureza dos próprios princípios reguladores da produção audiovisual no país, denunciando o aparato repressivo que age sobre a produção cinematográfica.

We present a complex case of a patient diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer. The patient initially underwent bilateral skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate subpectoral implant-base breast reconstruction. She had an uncomplicated postoperative recovery. However, three months later, she developed a severe and persistent local infection during adjuvant chemotherapy, resulting in the loss of the breast implants and the formation of massive deforming scars in the chest area. To address this, the patient underwent a series of reconstructive procedures. Lipofilling was used on the chest wall to improve skin quality, followed by a late bilateral transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap for breast reconstruction. Additionally, the final aesthetic result was enhanced by applying a 3-D tattoo. This case highlights the use of a sequence of reconstructive procedures as a feasible alternative to manage complex and extensive scars after failure of primary breast reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Osteoid osteoma is a benign neoplasm commonly found in young men, but that can be found in every age, which affects mainly long bones, clinically characterized by continuous and limiting pain that is relieved by salicylates. It is a small lesion composed of immature osteoid tissue, central hypervascularization and surrounding sclerotic area. Its diagnosis is performed by the clinic and aided by imaging tests, such as common radiography and computed tomography. Radiography shows a central radiolucent lesion and peripheral sclerosis. The biopsy takes place only in cases of diagnostic doubt. Surgical treatment involves resection of the niche, providing greater symptomatic relief, as well as percutaneous techniques. The technique of radioisotope-guided resection has good acceptance in the scientific community for its fast surgical procedure directed to the lesion; however, the percutaneous technique that stands out is radiofrequency ablation. In the present study, all of the patients submitted to the technique presented total improvement of the pain.

Introduction. There is evidence that patients with posterior crossbite (PXB) have neuromuscular changes in the masticatory muscles. However, up to the present time, the relationship among these changes on the electromyographic activity of the masticatory muscles is still unclear. Objective. To systematic review the available literature on the electromyographic activity of masticatory muscles in adults with PXB. Methods. Between August 22 and September 9, 2020, we searched the following seven electronic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, SciELO, LILACS, and Scopus. No restrictions were applied regarding the language and year of publication. This systematic review was registered in the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO - CRD42020205057) database and conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. After data selection and extraction, the methodological quality of the selected studies was conducted independently by two reviewers, using two different evaluation tools. Results. 6957 records were initially located after the search process. In the end, eight papers were selected. Most studies were classified as having average to low methodological quality and moderate to high risk of bias. Based on the available evidence, adult patients with PXB have electromyographic activity changes in the masticatory muscles when compared with individuals without PXB. Moreover, adult patients with unilateral posterior crossbite (UPXB) have asymmetrical electromyographic activity when the crossbite side is compared with the noncrossbite side. Conclusion. Despite the lack of studies with high methodological quality, electromyographic evaluation of masticatory muscles should be considered in the diagnosis and in the orthodontic treatment plan of patients with PXB. Prospective studies with a higher sample size and follow-up time, conducted using a rigorous scientific methodology, are necessary to reach a more reliable conclusion.

Este artigo investiga como o sentimento nostálgico progressivamente passou a estar presente nas narrativas sociais. Ou seja, como um sintoma individual, observado cientificamente no século XVII, tornou-se uma estratégia narrativa na indústria cultural do século XX e se faz presente nas relações das mídias sociais. Principalmente na época da pandemia mundial do novo coronavírus, quando a memória idealizada de outros tempos aparece com maior recorrência nas expressões, em face do isolamento social para conter a disseminação do vírus. Para observar essa evolução, busca-se compreender, na revisão da literatura, o conceito de nostalgia e a forma como sua trama se constitui, na obra de Svetlana Boym (2017). Em seguida, discute-se como a queda do narrador arcaico, como apontado por Walter Benjamin (2012), o fim das metanarrativas altissonantes, como citado por François Lyotard (2020), cria condições para uma cultura que seduz pela memória, como afirma Andreas Huyssen (2000). Em seguida, aborda as condições sociais contemporâneas que possibilitam o surgimento da nostalgia de um lar acolhedor, perdido com o perpassar acelerado do tempo, nos conceitos de ‘Modernidade Líquida’ (2001) e ‘Retrotopia’ (2017) de Zigmunt Bauman. Por fim, torna possível compreender a emergência nostálgica nas expressões culturais midiáticas articuladas às angustias e às incertezas sanitárias, econômicas e sociais causadas pela pandemia