Search

Maria da Graca-Tarragó,1,2 Mateus Lech,2 Letícia Dal Moro Angoleri,2 Daniela Silva Santos,2 Alícia Deitos,1,2 Aline Patrícia Brietzke,1,2 Iraci LS Torres,1,3 Felipe Fregni,4 Wolnei Caumo1,2,5,6 1Post-Graduate Program in Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; 2Laboratory of Pain and Neuromodulation, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil; 3Pharmacology Department, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; 4Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; 5Surgery Department, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; 6Pain and Palliative Care Service, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil Background: Neuroplastic changes in nociceptive pathways contribute to severity of symptoms in knee osteoarthritis (KOA). A new look at neuroplastic changes management includes modulation of the primary motor cortex by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Objectives: We investigated whether tDCS combined with intramuscular electrical stimulation (EIMS) would be more efficacious than a sham (s) intervention (s-tDCS/s-EIMS) or a single active(a)-tDCS/s-EIMS intervention and/or s-tDCS/a-EIMS in the following domains: pain measures (visual analog scale [VAS] score and descending pain modulatory system [DPMS], and outcomes, and analgesic use, disability, and pain pressure threshold (PPT) for secondary outcomes. Registration: The trial is registered in Clinical trials.gov: NCT01747070. Methods: Sixty women with KOA, aged 50–75 years old, randomly received five sessions of one of the four interventions (a-tDCS/a-EIMS, s-tDCS/s-EIMS, a-tDCS/s-EIMS, and s-tDCS/a-EIMS). tDCS was applied over the primary motor cortex (M1), for 30 minutes at 2 mA and the EIMS paraspinal of L1–S2. Results: A generalized estimating equation model revealed the main effect of the a-tDCS/a-EIMS in the VAS pain scores at end treatment compared with the other three groups (P

Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-limited bacterium responsible for important plant diseases, like citrus-variegated chlorosis (CVC) and grapevine Pierce's disease (PD). Interestingly, in vitro growth of X. fastidiosa in chemically defined media that resemble xylem fluid has been achieved, allowing studies of metabolic processes used by xylem-dwelling bacteria to thrive in such nutrient-poor conditions. Thus, we performed microarray hybridizations to compare transcriptomes of X. fastidiosa cells grown in 3G10-R, a medium that resembles grape sap, and in Periwinkle Wilt (PW), the complex medium traditionally used to cultivate X. fastidiosa. We identified 299 transcripts modulated in response to growth in these media. Some 3G10R-overexpressed genes have been shown to be upregulated in cells directly isolated from infected plants and may be involved in plant colonization, virulence and environmental competition. In contrast, cells cultivated in PW show a metabolic switch associated with increased aerobic respiration and enhanced bacterial growth rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of studies on cost in the nursing practice allows the nurse to measure the available resources and to make decisions based on the best scientific evidence, ensuring the quality of assistance. Objectives: Identify knowledge on cost analysis related to nursing practice. Method: Integrative literature review, using LILACS, MEDLINE and SCIELO to select Brazilian articles. After reading the full texts, the data referred to: identification of the article, type of study, evidence level obtained, categories related to the cost analysis: nursing practice (material, medication and hours worked), methods to obtain the costs and human resource development. Results: 29 publications were analyzed, most of them recent, using the descriptive method (72.5%), offering level 6 evidence (100%) and addressing costs related to clinical practice (59%), mainly in terms of material and hours worked, in the hospital environment. The evidence point to the lack of knowledge on costs among nursing professionals and students, few reference to the classification of cost variables, worry of nurses in relation to the quality of care provided by technical staff, and lack of cost management by nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, about 2.5 million people are victims of snakebites annually. In Brazil, the most clinically relevant snake is the Bothrops jararaca. The symptoms of envenomation are acute inflammation at the bite site and bleeding disorders. Despite kidney failure being the main cause of death after envenomation, kidney damage is not completely understood, and there are no clinically representative in vivo models. This work aimed to characterize the acute kidney injury (AKI) induced by intramuscular injection (IM) of Bothrops jararaca (Bjc) venom in male Wistar rats. The control group received 0.9% saline solution. Three doses of venom (3.5, 6.0, and 8.0 mg/kg) were administered IM into the posterior region of the right knee. After the injection, the rats were kept in metabolic cages. The following parameters were analyzed after 24 h: the extent of muscle damage and kidney damage (urinary creatinine, proteinuria, plasma creatinine, and renal tissue histology). All rats presented a hemorrhagic lesion at the injection site in a dose-dependent manner. Biochemical parameters indicated kidney damage: plasma creatinine accumulation, decreased glomerular filtration rate, albuminuria and proteinuria, and disturbance in Na + homeostasis. Histological analyses showed glomerular injury, tissue discontinuity more evident in the cortex and tubular dilatation, and collagen deposition. The decline in renal function and tissue damage indicated the occurrence of AKI. Therefore, a Bjc venom-induced in vivo model of renal injury has been established for future studies., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Dronedarone (DRN) is a clinically used drug to mitigate arrhythmias with multichannel block properties, including the sodium channel Na v 1.5. Extracellular acidification is known to change the pharmacological properties of several antiarrhythmic drugs. Here, we explore how modification in extracellular pH (pHe) shapes the pharmacological profile of DRN upon Na v 1.5 sodium current (I Na ) and in the ex vivo heart preparation. Embryonic human kidney cells (HEK293T/17) were used to transiently express the human isoform of Na v 1.5 α-subunit. Patch-Clamp technique was employed to study I Na . Neurotoxin-II (ATX-II) was used to induce the late sodium current (I NaLate ). Additionally, ex vivo Wistar male rat preparations in the Langendorff system were utilized to study electrocardiogram (ECG) waves. DRN preferentially binds to the closed state inactivation mode of Na v 1.5 at pHe 7.0. The recovery from I Na inactivation was delayed in the presence of DRN in both pHe 7.0 and 7.4, and the use-dependent properties were distinct at pHe 7.0 and 7.4. However, the potency of DRN upon the peak I Na , the voltage dependence for activation, and the steady-state inactivation curves were not altered in both pHe tested. Also, the pHe did not change the ability of DRN to block I NaLate . Lastly, DRN in a concentration and pH dependent manner modulated the QRS complex, QT and RR interval in clinically relevant concentration. Thus, the pharmacological properties of DRN upon Na v 1.5 and ex vivo heart preparation partially depend on the pHe. The pHe changed the biological effect of DRN in the heart electrical function in relevant clinical concentration., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests, conflict of interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant increase in psychiatric symptoms was found among essential service professionals (professionals or interns from the health and educational sector) who were exposed to high-risk contamination areas. These symptoms impair functionality, impacting quality of life, work, autonomy, and relationships. Recent data show that brief interventions are effective; however, between 20 and 30% of those individuals often do not attend their scheduled appointments. This study aimed to identify variables related to non-attendance for remote telepsychotherapy among participants with COVID-19-related emotional distress compared to those who initiated treatment. We included 2097 essential service professionals with PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) T-scores ≥70 for anxiety, depression, or irritability who scheduled a remote mental health appointment. Participants completed clinical and sociodemographic data, mental health risk and protective factors, and PROMIS subscales. We conducted a binary logistic regression, using attendance vs. non-attendance as the dependent variable and these demographic and clinical characteristics as independent variables. Of the 2097 participants, 230 (11%) did not attend the first session despite three rescheduling attempts. Non-attendance was associated with the presence of irritability and seeking treatment during the second COVID-19 wave. In contrast, anxious symptoms, older age, and coping mechanisms that typically include intellectual and reading activities were associated with attendance. Our findings shed light on non-attendance patterns in mental health services, revealing that personal characteristics and environmental factors significantly contribute to missed appointments. Understanding these dynamics can improve patient engagement and adherence to mental health treatments, particularly in the context of telepsychotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The association between aural plaques, Equus caballus papillomavirus (EcPV), and the different breeds of horses and risk factors is poorly described. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical prevalence of aural plaques in Mangalarga Marchador (MM) and Quarter Horse (QH) horses in Brazil, to evaluate the association of this prevalence with some risk factors, and to detect the presence of EcPV DNA (types 1-10) in aural plaques biopsies. A total of 400 MM and 425 QH horses, were clinically evaluated. For each horse, an identification form was completed, containing information on breeding, sex, age, presence, and classification of aural plaque lesions, presence of ectoparasites, management type, ear clipping performed, and sensitivity to ear palpation. Biopsies of the lesions were taken from 30 horses and assessed for the presence of EcPV DNA using PCR. Among the MM and QH horses evaluated, 41.5% and 33.6%, respectively, had aural plaques. The MM horses showed a higher frequency of plaques than QH (p = 0.02). At least one viral type was identified in 90% of all aural plaque biopsies, with EcPV4 being the most frequently detected in both breeds, followed by EcPV6, EcVP5, EcVP3 and EcPV1 respectively. In one sample, EcPV1 was detected alone, although it had previously been described only in copresence. The copresence of viral DNA the MM 73% (11/15) QH 27% (4/15) horses. Aural plaques are widely distributed, with a higher prevalence of EcPV4. Additionally, MM horses have higher susceptibility and frequency of the disease than QH horses., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics statement All procedures were approved by the Ethics Committee for the Use of Animals in Research (CEUA) of the School of Veterinary Medicine of Uberlândia Federal University– UFU (nº 23117.041869/2022-16). All methods were performed in accordance with the guidelines and regulations of the CEUA. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Volatile profile of fresh, whole 'Rama Forte' persimmons treated with CO 2 or ethanol (EtOH) vapor for astringency removal, and the relationship of the main volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with the loss of astringency were investigated. Persimmons were harvested at the commercial maturity stage and treated with 70 % CO 2 , 18 h, or 1.70 mL kg -1 EtOH, 6 h. Headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry allowed the tentative identification of 34 VOCs, 15 of them are reported for the first time on persimmons. Ethanol was the relevant compound common to CO 2 and EtOH-treated samples in the first days after treatment, while acetoin, hexanal, and trans-2-hexenal ((E)-hex-2-enal) were the relevant VOCs in samples from the last days after treatment. As the astringency reached its lowest levels, some of the main VOCs had their relative intensity increased. Pentadecanal, ethyl acetate, acetoin, and ethanol may be potential predictors of astringency loss in fresh, whole 'Rama Forte' persimmons., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The benefits and potential risks of oral minoxidil therapy versus topical minoxidil therapy in patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) are controversial. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing the use of oral minoxidil and minoxidil topical solution in patients with AGA. Statistical analyses were performed using R Studio 4.3.2. Standard mean difference (SMD) and risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled across trials. This meta-analysis included four RCTs reporting data on 279 patients. Follow-up ranged from 24 to 39 weeks. There were no differences in hair density (SMD 0.02; 95% CI -0.25 to 0.29; P = 0.88; I 2  = 0%) or hair diameter (SMD -0.25; 95% CI -0.75 to 0.26; P = 0.34; I 2  = 36%). The incidence of hypertrichosis was statistically significantly higher in the oral minoxidil group when compared to the topical minoxidil group (RR 2.01; 95% CI 1.18-3.41; P = 0.01; I 2  = 0%). There was no statistically significant difference between groups for the incidence of hypotension (RR 2.42; 95% CI 0.26-22.46; P = 0.44; I 2  = 0%). In patients with AGA, oral minoxidil and minoxidil topical solution have similar efficacy and safety, with equivalent improvements in hair density, hair diameter, and incidence of adverse events, such as hypotension., (© 2024 the International Society of Dermatology.)

Background: Physical inactivity induces insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic imbalances before any significant changes in adiposity. Recent studies suggest that the beneficial effects of exercise can be potentiated if performed while fasting. This work aimed to compare the subacute effects of fed- and fasted-state single-bout exercise on biochemical parameters and cellular signaling in the metabolism. Methods: The animals were allocated into fed rest (FER), fasting rest (FAR), fed exercise (FEE), and fasting exercise (FAE) groups. The exercise protocol was a 30 min treadmill session at 60% of V˙O 2max . The fasting groups fasted for 8 h before exercise and were killed after 12 h post-exercise. Results: Soleus glycogen concentration increased only in the fasting groups, whereas the triglyceride (TGL) content increased in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and liver in the FAE. The FAE showed decreased plasma total cholesterol concentration compared withthe FAR group. Immunocontent of HSP70, SIRT1, UCP-1, and PGC1-α did not change in any tissue investigated. Conclusions: Our results indicate that physical exercise while fasting can have beneficial metabolic effects on sedentary animals. Remarkably, in the FAE group, there was a reduction in total plasma cholesterol and an increase in the capacity of BAT to metabolize and store nutrients in the form of TGLs.

Countries within the tropics face ongoing challenges in completing or updating their national forest inventories (NFIs), critical for estimating aboveground biomass (AGB) and for forest-related greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting. While previous studies have explored the integration of map information with local reference data to fill in data gaps, limited attention has been given to the specific challenges presented by the clustered plot designs frequently employed by NFIs when combined with remote sensing-based biomass map units. This research addresses these complexities by conducting four country case-studies, encompassing a variety of NFI characteristics within a range of AGB densities. Examining four country case-studies (Peru, Guyana, Tanzania, Mozambique), we assess the potential of European Space Agency's Climate Change Initiative (CCI) global biomass maps to increase precision in (sub)national AGB estimates. We compare a baseline approach using NFI field-based data with a model-assisted scenario incorporating a locally calibrated CCI biomass map as auxiliary information. The original CCI biomass maps systematically underestimate AGB in three of the four countries at both the country and stratum level, with particularly weak agreement at finer map resolution. However, after calibration with country-specific NFI data, stratum and country-level AGB estimates from the model-assisted scenario align well with those obtained solely from field-based data and official country reports. Introducing maps as a source of auxiliary information fairly increased the precision of stratum and country-wise AGB estimates, offering greater confidence in estimating AGB for GHG reporting purposes. Considering the challenges tropical countries face with implementing their NFIs, it is sensible to explore the potential benefits of biomass maps for climate change reporting mechanisms across biomes. While country-specific NFI design assumptions guided our model-assisted inference strategies, this study also uncovers transferable insights from the application of global biomass maps with NFI data, providing valuable lessons for climate research and policy communities., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is a heterogeneous entity with either a monophasic or relapsing course. Well-established predictors of relapsing disease are lacking., Objective: Identifying predictors of relapsing MOGAD, particularly at disease onset., Methods: A multicentre observational retrospective study was conducted to characterise a cohort of Portuguese adult MOGAD patients. Patients were identified from participating centre databases. Clinical and demographic data were collected from medical records. Bivariate analysis was conducted to compare patients with relapsing and monophasic MOGAD. Significant variables were included in a stepwise multiple regression analysis to identify independent predictors of relapse., Results: Eighty-seven MOGAD patients from 8 public hospitals were included. Relapsing MOGAD was found in 35.6% (n = 31). Mean diagnostic delay was 3.2 (±6.2) years and time to relapse was 4.4 (±6.4) years. Multiple logistic regression showed that higher neutrophil count (p < 0.01), presence of oligoclonal bands (p = 0.025) and no bridging corticosteroids (p = 0.038) at first attack were predictive of relapsing MOGAD., Conclusion: Neutrophil count and oligoclonal bands at first attack may facilitate early decision-making regarding maintenance immunotherapy. Bridging corticosteroids may also influence the course of MOGAD. Further studies with prospective design are warranted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the results reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Palm fungi are a diverse and unique group mostly found on Arecaceae hosts. They have been studied for approximately 200 years resulting in a large number of known fungal species representing over 700 genera. The timeline of palm fungal studies could be roughly divided into three phases, based on the methods and frequency of reports. They are the "Historical palm fungi era", "Classical palm fungi era" and "Molecular palm fungi era". In the first two periods, the identification of palm fungi was based on morphology, which resulted in a considerable number of morphological species scattered across the data in books, monographs and papers. With the advancement of molecular techniques, studies on palm fungi accelerated. A large number of new species were introduced in the molecular era, especially from Asia, including China and Thailand. However, there is a necessity to link these three generations of studies into a single platform combining data related to host factors, geography and utilisation. Herein, we introduce the palm fungi website: https://palmfungi.org, an integrated data platform for interactive retrieval, based on palm and fungal species. This website is not only a portal for the latest, comprehensive species information on palm fungi, but also provides a new platform for fungal researchers to explore the host-specificity of palm fungi. Additionally, this study uses palmfungi.org and related data to briefly discuss the current status of research on the distribution of palm fungi populations, showing how palmfungi.org links fungi with their palm hosts. Furthermore, the website will act as a platform for collaboration amongst taxonomists, plant pathologists, botanists, ecologists and those who are interested in palms and their relationship with ecological sustainability., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest to declare Disclaimer: This article is (co-)authored by any of the Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editors or their deputies in this journal., (Yinru Xiong, Manawasinghe S. Ishara, Kevin D. Hyde, Joanne E. Taylor, Alan Phillips, Diana Santos Pereira, Li Lu, Sheng-Nan Zhang, Ausana Mapook, Biao Xu.)

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic biomolecules with promising tensoative and emulsifying properties that find application in the most varied industrial sectors: environment, food, agriculture, petroleum, cosmetics, and hygiene. In the current work, a 2 3 full-factorial design was performed to evaluate the effect and interactions of pineapple peel and corncob as substrates for biosurfactant production by Bacillus subtilis LMA-ICF-PC 001. In a previous stage, an alkaline pretreatment was applied to corncob samples to extract the xylose-rich hydrolysate. The results indicated that pineapple peel extract and xylose-rich hydrolysate acted as partial glucose substitutes, minimizing production costs with exogenous substrates. Biosurfactant I (obtained at 8.11% pineapple peel extract, 8.11% xylose-rich hydrolysate from corncob, and 2.8109 g/L glucose) exhibited a significant surface tension reduction (52.37%) and a promising bioremediation potential (87.36%). On the other hand, biosurfactant III (obtained at 8.11% pineapple peel extract, 31.89% xylose-rich hydrolysate from corncob, and 2.8109 g/L glucose) exhibited the maximum emulsification index in engine oil (69.60%), the lowest critical micellar concentration (68 mg/L), and the highest biosurfactant production (5.59 g/L). These findings demonstrated that using pineapple peel extract and xylose-rich hydrolysate from corncob effectively supports biosurfactant synthesis by B. subtilis, reinforcing how agro-industrial wastes can substitute traditional carbon sources, contributing to cost reduction and environmental sustainability., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

S-Limonene (s-Lim) is a monocyclic monoterpene found in a variety of plants and has been shown to present antioxidant and cardioprotective activity in experimental models of myocardial infarction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential mechanism by which s-Lim exerts its antiarrhythmic effect, focusing on the blockade of β-adrenoceptor (β-AR) and its effects on various in vivo and in vitro parameters, including electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements, left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), the β-adrenergic pathway, sarcomeric shortening and L-type calcium current (I Ca,L ). In isolated hearts, 10 μM of s-Lim did not alter the ECG profile or LVPD. s-Lim increased the heart rate corrected QT interval (QTc) (10.8%) at 50 μM and reduced heart rate at the concentrations of 30 (12.4%) and 50 μM (16.6%). s-Lim (10 μM) also inhibited the adrenergic response evoked by isoproterenol (ISO) (1 μM) reducing the increased of heart rate, LVDP and ECG changes. In ventricular cardiomyocyte, s-Lim antagonized the effect of dobutamine by preventing the increase of sarcomeric shortening, demonstrating a similar effect to atenolol (blocker β1-AR). In vivo, s-Lim antagonized the effect of ISO (agonists β1-AR), presenting a similar effect to propranolol (a non-selective blocker β-AR). In ventricular cardiomyocyte, s-Lim did not alter the voltage dependence for I Ca,L activation or the I Ca,L density. In addition, s-Lim did not affect changes in the ECG effect mediated by 5 μM forskolin (an activator of adenylate cyclase). In an in vivo caffeine/ISO-induced arrhythmia model, s-Lim (1 mg/kg) presented antiarrhythmic action verified by a reduced arrhythmia score, heart rate, and occurrence of ventricular premature beats and inappropriate sinus tachycardia. These findings indicate that the antiarrhythmic activity of s-Lim is related to blockade of β-AR in the heart., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Aims: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a type of chronic orofacial pain evoked by trivial stimuli that manifests as episodes of excruciating and sudden, recurrent paroxysmal pain. Most patients are refractory to pharmacological therapy used for the treatment of TN. Mononuclear cells (MNC) and mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) have shown therapeutic potential in painful neuropathies, but their mechanism of action is not fully understood. The present work aimed to investigate the antinociceptive effect and mechanism of action of MNC and MSC in experimental TN., Materials and Methods: Mice submitted to the chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve (CCI-ION) mouse model of TN received a single intravenous injection of saline, MNC, or MSC (1 × 10 6 cells/mouse). The effect of the treatments on the behavioral signs of painful neuropathy, morphological aspects of the infraorbital nerve, and inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in the infraorbital nerve were assessed., Key Findings: MNC and MSC improved behavioral painful neuropathy, activated key cell signaling antioxidant pathways by increasing Nrf2 expression, and reduced the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α. However, treatment with MSC, but not MNC, was associated with a sustained increase of IL-10 and with the re-establishment of the morphometric pattern of the infraorbital nerve, indicating a difference in the mechanism of action between MNC and MSC. In line with this result, in IL-10 knockout mice, MSC transplantation did not induce an antinociceptive effect., Significance: Importantly, these data suggest an IL-10-induced disease-modifying profile related to MSC treatment and reinforce cell therapy's potential in treating trigeminal neuralgia., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Monitoring yellow fever in non-human primates (NHPs) is an early warning system for sylvatic yellow fever outbreaks, aiding in preventing human cases. However, current diagnostic tests for this disease, primarily relying on RT-qPCR, are complex and costly. Therefore, there is a critical need for simpler and more cost-effective methods to detect yellow fever virus (YFV) infection in NHPs, enabling early identification of viral circulation. In this study, an RT-LAMP assay for detecting YFV in NHP samples was developed and validated. Two sets of RT-LAMP primers targeting the YFV NS5 and E genes were designed and tested together with a third primer set to the NS1 locus using NHP tissue samples from Southern Brazil. The results were visualized by colorimetry and compared to the RT-qPCR test. Standardization and validation of the RT-LAMP assay demonstrated 100% sensitivity and specificity compared to RT-qPCR, with a detection limit of 12 PFU/mL. Additionally, the cross-reactivity test with other flaviviruses confirmed a specificity of 100%. Our newly developed RT-LAMP diagnostic test for YFV in NHP samples will significantly contribute to yellow fever monitoring efforts, providing a simpler and more accessible method for viral early detection. This advancement holds promise for enhancing surveillance and ultimately preventing the spread of yellow fever., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy can lead to a set of congenital malformations known as Congenital ZIKV syndrome (CZS), whose main feature is microcephaly. The geographic distribution of CZS in Brazil during the 2015-2017 outbreak was asymmetrical, with a higher prevalence in the Northeast and Central-West regions of the country, despite the ubiquitous distribution of the vector Aedes aegypti, indicating that environmental factors could influence ZIKV vertical transmission and/or severity. Here we investigate the involvement of the most used agrochemicals in Brazil with CZS. First, we exposed human neuroblastoma SK-N-AS cells to the 15 frequently used agrochemical molecules or derivative metabolites able to cross the blood-brain barrier. We found that a derived metabolite from a widely used herbicide in the Central-West region, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4D), exacerbates ZIKV neurotoxic effects in vitro. We validate this observation by demonstrating vertical transmission leading to microcephaly in the offspring of immunocompetent C57BL/6J mice exposed to water contaminated with 0.025 mg/L of 2,4D. Newborn mice whose dams were exposed to 2,4D and infected with ZIKV presented a smaller brain area and cortical plate size compared to the control. Also, embryos from animals facing the co-insult of ZIKV and 2,4D exposition presented higher Caspase 3 positive cells in the cortex, fewer CTIP2+ neurons and proliferative cells at the ventricular zone, and a higher viral load. This phenotype is followed by placental alterations, such as vessel congestion, and apoptosis in the labyrinth and decidua. We also observed a mild spatial correlation between CZS prevalence and 2,4D use in Brazil's North and Central-West regions, with R 2  = 0.4 and 0.46, respectively. Our results suggest that 2,4D exposition facilitates maternal vertical transmission of ZIKV, exacerbating CZS, possibly contributing to the high prevalence of this syndrome in Brazil's Central-West region compared to other regions., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

This article introduces the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research Special Issue: Selected Papers From the 2022 Apraxia Kids Research Symposium. The field of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) has developed significantly in the past 15 years, with key improvements in understanding of basic biology including genetics, neuroscience, and computational modelling; development of diagnostic tools and methods; diversity of evidence-based interventions with increasingly rigorous experimental designs; and understanding of impacts beyond impairment-level measures. Papers in this special issue not only review and synthesize the some of the substantial progress to date but also present novel findings addressing critical research gaps and adding to the overall body of knowledge. A second aim of this prologue is to report the current research needs in CAS, which arose from symposium discussions involving researchers, clinicians, and Apraxia Kids community members (including parents of children with CAS). Four primary areas of need emerged from discussions at the symposium. These were: (a) What questions should we ask? (b) Who should be in the research? (c) How do we conduct the research? and (d) How do we move from research to practice? Across themes, symposium attendees emphasized the need for CAS research to better account for the diversity of people with CAS and improve the timeliness of implementation of high-level evidence-based practice across the lifespan. It is our goal that the articles and prologue discussion in this special issue provide an appreciation of advancements in CAS research and an updated view of the most pressing needs for future research.

Postictal paresis ("Todd's paralysis") is commonly observed as a unilateral, transient motor weakness, lasting minutes to hours, after focal or focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures, contralateral to the epileptogenic zone. Bilateral postictal paresis is exceedingly rare and could be misinterpreted, especially if the preceding convulsive phase was not witnessed. An 18-year-old right-handed male patient with refractory focal epilepsy with seizure onset at age 3 years, was admitted for presurgical video-EEG monitoring. His seizures were predominantly nocturnal, consisting of a laryngeal somatosensory aura, occasionally evolving to bilateral tonic or tonic-clonic seizures with occasional asymmetrical limb extension during the tonic phase (right arm extension). Postictally, consciousness recovery was fast, if ever lost. At that stage, we documented severe dysarthria and bilateral symmetrical arm paresis lasting several minutes. The ictal pattern and interictal epileptiform activity were projected on the fronto-central midline. Brain MRI was highly suggestive of a bottom-of-sulcus dysplasia with underlying transmantle sign on the left premotor, fronto-opercular region and an FDG-PET-CT showed a concordant left fronto-operculo-insular hypometabolism. A complete lesionectomy was performed, with the additional guidance of intraoperative electrocorticography, resulting in sustained seizure freedom. Anatomo-pathology confirmed a type 2b focal cortical dysplasia. We speculate that, in our patient, a left fronto-opercular ictal onset with an early spread to both primary motor cortices and relative sparing of consciousness networks allowed the emergence of a clinically detectable postictal bilateral paresis., (© 2024 International League Against Epilepsy.)

Objective: To describe how smartphone applications can contribute to the management of epilepsy in children and adolescents., Data Source: This is an integrative review conducted on the Medline, PubMed, and SciELO databases, based on the descriptors "epilepsy" and "smartphone." Original studies published between 2017-2023 in Portuguese or English that addressed the research question were included. Theses and dissertations, duplicate studies, literature reviews, and studies that did not answer the research question were excluded., Data Synthesis: A total of 178 studies were located, of which six were selected for this review. The sample included 731 participants (631 children and adolescents with epilepsy and 100 caregivers). The applications allow for the collection of seizure frequency; timing and type of crisis; reminders for medication administration; and information about sleep quality. They can store these data for healthcare professionals, caregivers, and users to monitor the progress of the condition., Conclusions: The use of applications in managing seizures in children and adolescents with epilepsy shows promising results by promoting continuous and personalized monitoring. Further studies are needed to optimize beneficial outcomes and overcome challenges.

South American ecosystems host astonishing biodiversity, with potentially great richness in viruses. However, these ecosystems have not yet been the source of any widespread, epidemic viruses. Here we explore a set of putative causes that may explain this apparent paradox. We discuss that human presence in South America is recent, beginning around 14,000 years ago; that few domestications of native species have occurred; and that successive immigration events associated with Old World virus introductions reduced the likelihood of spillovers and adaptation of local viruses into humans. Also, the diversity and ecological characteristics of vertebrate hosts might serve as protective factors. Moreover, although forest areas remained well preserved until recently, current brutal, sudden, and large-scale clear cuts through the forest have resulted in nearly no ecotones, which are essential for creating an adaptive gradient of microbes, hosts, and vectors. This may be temporarily preventing virus emergence. Nevertheless, the mid-term effect of such drastic changes in habitats and landscapes, coupled with explosive urbanization and climate changes, must not be overlooked by health authorities.

Background: Chagas Disease (CD) can cause Chagas cardiomyopathy. The new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) also affects the cardiovascular system and may worsen Chagas cardiomyopathy. However, the cardiac evolution of patients with CD infected by COVID-19 is not known. Thus, the objective of this study is to assess, within one year, whether there was cardiac progression after COVID-19 in CD., Methods: Longitudinal study with CD patients. The outcome was cardiac progression, defined as the appearance of new major changes in the current ECG compared to the previous ECG considered from the comparison of electrocardiograms (ECGs) performed with an interval of one year. Positive Anti-SARS-CoV2 Serology was the independent variable of interest. For each analysis, a final multiple model was constructed, adjusted for sociodemographic, clinical, and pandemic-related characteristics., Results: Of the 404 individuals included, 22.8 % had positive serology for COVID-19 and 10.9 % had cardiac progression. In the final model, positive serology for COVID-19 was the only factor associated with cardiac progression in the group as a whole (OR = 2.65; 95 % CI = 1.27-5.53) and for new-onset cardiomyopathy in the group with normal previous ECG (OR = 3.50; 95 % CI = 1.21-10.13)., Conclusion: Our study shows an association between COVID-19 and progression of Chagas cardiomyopathy, evaluated by repeated ECGs, suggesting that COVID-19 accelerated the natural history of CD., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Blood transfusion is a life-saving procedure widely used in healthcare. However, complications such as transfusion reactions may occur. Knowledge of these reactions is essential for patient safety. Nurses play a crucial role in this process by identifying complications and adverse reactions early on. A lack of professional competence in blood transfusion can lead to errors and serious complications, such as death. The aim of this study was to present evidence of the content validity of a simulated clinical scenario on transfusion reactions for teaching and learning for nursing students. This methodological study was carried out in three phases: (1) development of the simulated scenario of a transfusion reaction; (2) analysis of evidence of content validity by experts ( n = 11); and (3) determination of satisfaction and self-confidence in the use of the simulated scenario by the nursing students ( n = 45). The Content Validity Index was 94%. After the scenario had been developed, the content was validated and approved by 100% of the experts. All the items in the simulated scenario obtained agreement scores above 0.90. The simulated scenario was validated in terms of content and can be used to teach the management of transfusion reactions.

Splenic tumors are very common in dogs, and canine hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is one of the most important malignant splenic tumors. Surgery followed by chemotherapy (anthracycline-based protocols) is recommended for treating canine HSA; however, patients still do not achieve long-term survival. Therefore, this research aimed to assess vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 ( VEGFR-2 ) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β ( PDGFR-β ) gene expression in formalin-fixed tissues, evaluate the quality of mRNA for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis and identify drug repositioning candidates based on VEGFR-2 and PDGFR-β. qPCR analysis identified the relative expression of heterogeneous VEGFR-2 and PDGFR-β, with samples showing no transcripts or very low expression and those with higher relative quantification for both genes. We then used immunohistochemistry to correlate the relative quantification of VEGFR-2 and PDGFR-β transcripts with respective higher protein expression to validate our results. In the next step, we evaluated drug repositioning candidates and identified small molecule inhibitors (i.e. sorafenib) and natural compounds (curcumin and resveratrol) with the ability to block VEGFR-2 and PDGFR-β genes. Overall, our results indicated that VEGFR-2 and PDGFR-β expression is highly variable among canine HSA samples and different drugs can block the expression of both genes. Therefore, a personalized approach could be useful for selecting anti-VEGFR-2 and PDGFR-β therapies and both genes are potential candidates for future oncological panels., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests: Two authors of this study are all current employees of VetPrecision Laboratory (I.S.T.V. and C.F.F-A) and Institute of Veterinary Oncology – IOVET (C.E.F-A), and hold vested or unvested equity in both companies. This does not alter the authors’ adherence to Cell Insight policies.

The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) has been growing in veterinary oncology and in the past few years several TKI have been tested in dogs. However, different from human medicine, we lack strategies to select patients to be treated with each TKI. Therefore, this study aimed to screen different tumor subtypes regarding TKI target immunoexpression as a predictor strategy to personalize the canine cancer treatment. It included 18 prostatic carcinomas, 36 soft tissue sarcomas, 20 mammary gland tumors, 6 urothelial bladder carcinomas, and 7 tumors from the endocrine system. A total of 87 patients with paraffin blocks were used to perform immunohistochemistry (IHC) of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2), epidermal growth factor receptors 1 (EGFR1), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), platelet derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFR-β), c-KIT, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/ERK2). The immunohistochemical screening revealed a heterogeneous protein expression among histological types with mesenchymal tumors showing the lowest expression level and carcinomas the highest expression. We have demonstrated by IHC screening that HER2, EGFR1, VEGFR-2, PDGFR-β and ERK1/ERK2 are commonly overexpressed in dogs with different carcinomas, and KIT expression is considered relatively low in the analyzed samples.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) affected the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and its impact on well-being is not sufficiently understood yet. The worsening of HRQoL and symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, depression, chronic Headache, Myalgia, ageusia, olfactory disorders, and cognitive impairment can be seen in people of different ages and genders after COVID-19 infection, even mild infections without hospitalization. These issues generate a disease burden that can reduce work skills and cause social, psychological, and neuropsychiatric challenges., Objective: To evaluate the HRQoL of patients affected by COVID-19, the domains most affected, and their relationship with fatigue, anxiety, depression, chronic Headache and Myalgia, ageusia, olfactory disorders, and cognitive impairment., Methods: An analytical transverse was conducted with 143 patients after COVID-19 infection. The patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMS) were collected by the 36-item Short Form survey (SF-36), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Mini-Mental State Examination-2 (MMSE-2), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and a questionnaire regarding symptoms such as chronic Headache, myalgia, and olfactory disorders. Spearman's correlation test was used to correlate the performance of the patients on different PROMS., Results: Fatigue, depression, and anxiety were negatively correlated with all the SF-36 domains, and patients with subjective cognitive complaints had low scores in all SF-36 domains. Furthermore, those with chronic Headaches had low scores in physical functioning, role-physical functioning, and vitality. Regarding myalgia complaints, the worst scores were observed in the physical functioning and vitality domains. Patients with ageusia had low scores in general health perceptions, and those with olfactory dysfunction had low scores in the vitality and mental health domains., Conclusions: Although the acute phase of COVID-19 has resolved, knowledge about HRQoL after this period is essential since many individual and collective changes have been taking place until today-patients with neuropsychiatric manifestations that persisted after the acute phase showed lower overall quality of life., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: Chagas disease (CD) is an infectious disease that predominantly affects poor and vulnerable populations. The last estimate conducted by the World Health Organization in Latin America regarding the prevalence of CD occurred more than 10 years ago. However, there is a scarcity of data assessing the magnitude of CD in populations residing in considered high-risk regions. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of CD in an endemic region in Northern Minas Gerais through serologic screening., Methods: This is a prevalence study conducted in the municipalities of Catuti, Mato Verde, Mirabela, Montes Azul, and São Francisco, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data collection occurred between December 2021 and December 2022, involving a questionnaire with closed-ended questions. The variables analyzed included serologic test results, stratified age groups, health indicators, and housing conditions., Results: Of the 2978 participants, 272 individuals (9.1%) tested positive for CD serology. In the age group of 4 to 14 years, 15 to 49 years, and 50 years or older, the prevalence of positive serology was 0.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16-1.43), 5.5% (95% CI 4.20-6.83), and 18.8% (95% CI 16.48-21.11), respectively. Among the participating municipalities, Mato Verde had the highest prevalence of positive serology for CD (17%). For participants aged 4 to 14 years with positive serology for CD, first-degree relatives were invited to undergo serologic testing. It was possible to collect samples from relatives of all participants in this age group. However, none of the relatives tested positive., Conclusion: This study identified a 9.1% prevalence of individuals affected by CD who were unaware of their condition. In addition, having infected children in the 4 to 14 age group with mothers with negative serology would rule out congenital transmission of the disease., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Objective: To assess maternal mortality (MM) in Brazilian Black, Pardo, and White women., Methods: We evaluated the maternal mortality rate (MMR) using data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health public databases from 2017 to 2022. We compared MMR among Black, Pardo, and White women according to the region of the country, age, and cause. For statistical analysis, the Q2 test prevalence ratio (PR) and confidence interval (CI) were calculated., Results: From 2017 to 2022, the general MMR was 68.0/100,000 live births (LB). The MMR was almost twice as high among Black women compared to White (125.81 vs 64.15, PR = 1.96, 95%CI:1.84-2.08) and Pardo women (125.8 vs 64.0, PR = 1.96, 95%CI: 1.85-2.09). MMR was higher among Black women in all geographical regions, and the Southeast region reached the highest difference among Black and White women (115.5 versus 60.8, PR = 2.48, 95%CI: 2.03-3.03). During the covid-19 pandemic, MMR increased in all groups of women (Black 144.1, Pardo 74.8 and White 80.5/100.000 LB), and the differences between Black and White (PR = 1.79, 95%CI: 1.64-1.95) and Black and Pardo (PR = 1.92, 95%CI: 1.77-2.09) remained. MMR was significantly higher among Black women than among White or Pardo women in all age ranges and for all causes., Conclusion: Black women presented higher MMR in all years, in all geographic regions, age groups, and causes. In Brazil, Black skin color is a key MM determinant. Reducing MM requires reducing racial disparities.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of Pilates exercises on flexibility and performance in practitioners of an extreme conditioning program (ECP). The hypothesis adopted was that Pilates could activate deeper muscles and improve the stability of core muscles., Methods: This was an observational cross-sectional study with individuals practicing an ECP submitted to a Pilates method (PM) exercise session. The Wells bench test was used to assess flexibility, while performance was evaluated using the Wall Ball exercise commonly performed by ECP practitioners. The perception of effort was measured using the Borg scale., Results: A single session of PM exercises was able to significantly improve flexibility immediately after the exercises (p < 0.001) and performance in one of the movements of the ECP (p < 0.001), as well as decrease the perception of effort., Conclusion: An acute intervention with Pilates exercises promoted improvement in performance of the CrossFit Wall Ball exercise., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A heterogenized Mn(III) porphyrin-based catalyst was prepared for dye degradation. The new Mn(III) complex of 5,15-bis(4-aminophenyl)-10,20-diphenylporphyrin was immobilized, via covalent bond, in chloropropyl silica gel, generating the material (Sil-Cl@MnP) with a loading of 23 μmol manganese porphyrin (MnP) per gram of Sil-Cl. This material was used as a catalyst in degradation reactions of model dyes, a cationic dye [methylene blue (MB)] and an anionic dye (reactive red 120, RR120), using PhI(OAc) 2 and H 2 O 2 as oxidants. The oxidation reactions were carried out after the dye reached adsorption/desorption equilibrium with the catalytic material, with a much higher percentage of adsorption being observed for the cationic MB dye (20%) than for the anionic RR120 dye (3%), which may be associated with electrostatic attraction or repulsion effects, respectively, with the negatively charged surface of the silica (zeta potential measurement for Sil-Cl@MnP, ζ = -19.2 mV). In general, there was a higher degradation percentage for MB than for RR120, probably because the size and charge of RR120 would hinder its approach to the MnP active species on the silica surface. With respect to the oxidant, the PhI(OAc) 2 -based systems showed a higher degradation percentage than those of H 2 O 2 . It was observed that the increase in the oxidant concentration promoted a significant increase in the degradation of MB, with a degradation of approximately 65%. The efficiency of the catalyst was also evaluated after successive additions of the oxidant every 2 h, and it can be seen that the catalyst had no loss of efficiency, with a degradation percentage greater than 80% being observed after 8 h of reaction. The phytotoxicity of the products formed in the system was evaluated in a 1:23.5:188 molar ratio Sil-Cl@MnP: MB:PhI(OAc) 2 was used. In these studies, phytotoxicity was found for the germination of lettuce seeds when the original solution was used without dilution; however, when diluted (10% V/V), the results were close to the positive and negative controls. Thus, the material obtained proved to be a potential candidate for application in the degradation reactions of environmental pollutants., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Orthopedic procedures are associated with severe postoperative pain. In TPLO, the block commonly used is the sciatic nerve block associated with the femoral nerve block. In orthopedic surgeries in human medicine, the iPACK block associated with the adductor canal block has been used as alternatives that do not affect the strength of the quadriceps femoris muscle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the trans and postoperative analgesic effect of the association of iPACK block and adductor canal block, as well as to evaluate the patient's motor recovery after surgery. Four patients were selected, without distinction of breed and gender, weighing more than 22lb, referred to TPLO. All patients underwent the combination of iPACK block and adductor canal block with 0.5% bupivacaine. The intraoperative evaluation was carried out by measuring mean arterial pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate, and all patients were stable during the procedure. The postoperative evaluation was carried out based on the assessment of pain using the modified Glasgow scale, in which all patients scored less than 05/24, and assessment of ambulation through videos using the adapted Muzzi scale, presenting ambulation between grade 1 and 2. No patient required intraoperative or postoperative analgesic rescue., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests: DSR, IMO, LRRS, YSKS and GNSC – No conflict of interest

Background: Amiodarone (AMIO) is an antiarrhythmic drug with the pKa in the physiological range. Here, we explored how mild extracellular pH (pHe) changes shape the interaction of AMIO with atrial tissue and impact its pharmacological properties in the classical model of sea anemone sodium channel neurotoxin type 2 (ATX) induced late sodium current (I Na-Late ) and arrhythmias., Method: Isolated atrial cardiomyocytes from male Wistar rats and human embryonic kidney cells expressing SCN5A Na + channels were used for patch-clamp experiments. Isolated right atria (RA) and left atria (LA) tissue were used for bath organ experiments., Results: A more acidophilic pHe caused negative inotropic effects on isolated RA and LA atrial tissue, without modification of the pharmacological properties of AMIO. A pHe of 7.0 changed the sodium current (I Na ) related components of the action potential (AP), which was enhanced in the presence of AMIO. ATXinduced arrhythmias in isolated RA and LA. Also, ATX prolonged the AP duration and enhanced repolarization dispersion in isolated cardiomyocytes in both pHe 7.4 and pHe 7.0. Pre-incubation of the isolated RA and LA and isolated atrial cardiomyocytes with AMIO prevented arrhythmias induced by ATX only at a pHe of 7.0. Moreover, AMIO was able to block I Na-Late induced by ATX only at a pHe of 7.0., Conclusion: The pharmacological properties of AMIO concerning healthy rat atrial tissue are not dependent on pHe. However, the prevention of arrhythmias induced by I Na-Late is pHe-dependent. The development of drugs analogous to AMIO with charge stabilization may help to create more effective drugs to treat arrhythmias related to the I Na-Late ., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences.)

The employment of single atoms (SAs), especially Pt SAs, as co-catalysts in photocatalytic H 2 generation has gained significant attention due to their exceptional efficiency. However, a major challenge in their application is the light-induced agglomeration of these SAs into less active nanosized particles under photocatalytic conditions. This study addresses the stability and reactivity of Pt SAs on TiO 2 surfaces by investigating various post-deposition annealing treatments in air, Ar, and Ar-H 2 environments at different temperatures. It is described that annealing in an Ar-H 2 atmosphere optimally stabilizes SA configurations, forming stable 2D rafts of assembled SAs ≈0.5-1 nm in diameter. These rafts not only resist light-induced agglomeration but also exhibit significantly enhanced H 2 production efficiency. The findings reveal a promising approach to maintaining the high reactivity of Pt SAs while overcoming the critical challenge of their stability under photocatalytic conditions., (© 2024 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Tebuconazole (TEB), a widely used pesticide in agriculture to combat fungal infections, is commonly detected in global food, potable water, groundwater, and human urine samples. Despite its known in vivo toxicity, its impact on heart function remains unclear. In a 28-day study on male Wistar rats (approximately 100 g), administering 10 mg/kg/day TEB or a vehicle (control) revealed no effect on body weight gain or heart weight, but an increase in the infarct area in TEB-treated animals. Notably, TEB induced time-dependent changes in in vivo electrocardiograms, particularly prolonging the QT interval after 28 days of administration. Isolated left ventricular cardiomyocytes exposed to TEB exhibited lengthened action potentials and reduced transient outward potassium current. TEB also increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in these cardiomyocytes, a phenomenon reversed by N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Furthermore, TEB-treated animals, when subjected to an in vivo dobutamine (Dob) and caffeine (Caf) challenge, displayed heightened susceptibility to severe arrhythmias, a phenotype prevented by NAC. In conclusion, TEB at the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) dose adversely affects heart electrical function, increases arrhythmic susceptibility, partially through ROS overproduction, and this phenotype is reversible by scavenging ROS with NAC., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of photobiomodulation with a 780 nm laser as an adjunct to surgical treatment in the regeneration of bone fractures. Twenty patients diagnosed with open fractures in the lower limbs were selected and randomly divided into two groups: control and LLLT. LLLT parameter: 780 nm, 0.04 cm 2 of light beam diameter, 40 mW of power, 10 s per point, 0.4 J of energy, fluence of 10 J/cm 2 and irradiance of 1 W/cm 2 . The evaluated data were: pain, using McGill scale, use of analgesics and anti-inflammatories, levels of cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-10, and IL-17, and bone level regeneration. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests (5%). We can conclude that LLLT was effective as an adjuvant in the bone fracture regeneration process, altered IL-1β levels, reduced the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatories, reducing the pain pattern throughout the sessions., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

We report the findings of a multi-language and multi-lab investigation of young infants' ability to discriminate lexical tones as a function of their native language, age and language experience, as well as of tone properties. Given the high prevalence of lexical tones across human languages, understanding lexical tone acquisition is fundamental for comprehensive theories of language learning. While there are some similarities between the developmental course of lexical tone perception and that of vowels and consonants, findings for lexical tones tend to vary greatly across different laboratories. To reconcile these differences and to assess the developmental trajectory of native and non-native perception of tone contrasts, this study employed a single experimental paradigm with the same two pairs of Cantonese tone contrasts (perceptually similar vs. distinct) across 13 laboratories in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North-America testing 5-, 10- and 17-month-old monolingual (tone, pitch-accent, non-tone) and bilingual (tone/non-tone, non-tone/non-tone) infants. Across the age range and language backgrounds, infants who were not exposed to Cantonese showed robust discrimination of the two non-native lexical tone contrasts. Contrary to this overall finding, the statistical model assessing native discrimination by Cantonese-learning infants failed to yield significant effects. These findings indicate that lexical tone sensitivity is maintained from 5 to 17 months in infants acquiring tone and non-tone languages, challenging the generalisability of the existing theoretical accounts of perceptual narrowing in the first months of life. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: This is a multi-language and multi-lab investigation of young infants' ability to discriminate lexical tones. This study included data from 13 laboratories testing 5-, 10-, and 17-month-old monolingual (tone, pitch-accent, non-tone) and bilingual (tone/non-tone, non-tone/non-tone) infants. Overall, infants discriminated a perceptually similar and a distinct non-native tone contrast, although there was no evidence of a native tone-language advantage in discrimination. These results demonstrate maintenance of tone discrimination throughout development., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The botanical insecticide market is growing because of limitations placed on the use of certain synthetic chemical insecticides. In this sense, the lesser mealworm Alphitobius diaperius (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is the main poultry pest. The insect causes weight loss and damage to the digestive system of poultry, and it is a vector and reservoir of pathogens. Consequently, this study explored the following hypotheses: (i) essential oils (EOs) derived from Mentha spp. are toxic to A. diaperius; (ii) these EOs are compatible with Beauveria bassiana, the natural enemy of the poultry pest, that parasite A. diaperinus; (iii) these EOs also exhibit activity against bacteria that are pathogenic to poultry. In topical applications and ingestion tests, EOs from Mentha arvensis, Mentha spicata, and Mentha piperita were toxic to A. diaperinus. Chromatographic analyses revealed that menthol is the predominant compound in M. arvensis and M. piperita, whereas carvone is the major compound in M. spicata. Both (-)- and (+)-menthol, along with (-)- and (+)-carvone, underwent testing with A. diaperinus. Nevertheless, their activity was not as potent as those of the EOs, suggesting a possible synergistic and/or additive effect. The EOs did not have any adverse effects on the conidial germination, vegetative growth, or conidia production per colony of the entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana. Consequently, these EOs are compatible with this natural enemy. The EO extracted from M. spicata exhibited significant toxicity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), whereas the remaining EOs displayed moderate toxicity against this bacterium. The EOs derived from Mentha spp., as assessed in this study, hold promise for the development of botanical insecticides tailored for the control of A. diaperinus. These insecticides are selective in favor of the natural enemy B. bassiana and can also serve as effective sanitizers, thanks to their antibacterial properties., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Coffea arabica, an allotetraploid hybrid of Coffea eugenioides and Coffea canephora, is the source of approximately 60% of coffee products worldwide, and its cultivated accessions have undergone several population bottlenecks. We present chromosome-level assemblies of a di-haploid C. arabica accession and modern representatives of its diploid progenitors, C. eugenioides and C. canephora. The three species exhibit largely conserved genome structures between diploid parents and descendant subgenomes, with no obvious global subgenome dominance. We find evidence for a founding polyploidy event 350,000-610,000 years ago, followed by several pre-domestication bottlenecks, resulting in narrow genetic variation. A split between wild accessions and cultivar progenitors occurred ~30.5 thousand years ago, followed by a period of migration between the two populations. Analysis of modern varieties, including lines historically introgressed with C. canephora, highlights their breeding histories and loci that may contribute to pathogen resistance, laying the groundwork for future genomics-based breeding of C. arabica., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Soil quality monitoring in mining rehabilitation areas is a crucial step to validate the effectiveness of the adopted recovery strategy, especially in critical areas for environmental conservation, such as the Brazilian Amazon. The use of portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry allows a rapid quantification of several soil chemical elements, with low cost and without residue generation, being an alternative for clean and accurate environmental monitoring. Thus, this work aimed to assess soil quality in mining areas with different stages of environmental rehabilitation based on predictions of soil fertility properties through pXRF along with four machine learning algorithms (projection pursuit regression, PPR; support vector machine, SVM; cubist regression, CR; and random forest, RF) in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon. Sandstone and iron mines in different chronological stages of rehabilitation (initial, intermediate, and advanced) were evaluated, in addition to non-rehabilitated and native forest areas. A total of 81 soil samples (26 from sandstone mine and 55 from iron mine) were analyzed by both traditional wet-chemistry methods and pXRF. The available/exchangeable contents of K, Ca, B, Fe, and Al, in addition to H+Al, cation exchange capacity at pH = 7, Al saturation, soil organic matter, pH, sum of bases, base saturation, clay, and sand were accurately predicted (R 2 > 0.70) using pXRF data, with emphasis on the prediction of Fe (R 2 = 0.93), clay content (R 2 = 0.81), H+Al (R 2 = 0.81), and K + (R 2 = 0.85). The best predictive models were developed by RF and CR (86%) and when considering pXRF data + mining area + stage of rehabilitation (73%). The results highlight the potential of pXRF to accurately assess soil properties in environmental rehabilitation areas in the Amazon region (yet scarcely evaluated under this approach), promoting a more agile and cheaper preliminary diagnosis compared to traditional methods., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Biosurfactants are eco-friendly compounds with unique properties and promising potential as sustainable alternatives to chemical surfactants. The current review explores the multifaceted nature of biosurfactant production and applications, highlighting key fermentative parameters and microorganisms able to convert carbon-containing sources into biosurfactants. A spotlight is given on biosurfactants' obstacles in the global market, focusing on production costs and the challenges of large-scale synthesis. Innovative approaches to valorizing agro-industrial waste were discussed, documenting the utilization of lignocellulosic waste, food waste, oily waste, and agro-industrial wastewater in the segment. This strategy strongly contributes to large-scale, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly biosurfactant production, while the recent advances in waste valorization pave the way for a sustainable society., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)