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OBJECTIVES: To test the interrater agreement of photogrammetry used to assess postural alignment among children. METHODS: Thirtythree variables were measured from images of 122 healthy children aged seven to ten years, that is, 58 boys (8.39±0.97 years) and 64 girls (8.42±1.06 years). A digital camera (Sony® 6.0 MP DSC-T9) was positioned on a tripod (Vanguard VT-131) at a height of 90 cm and at a distance of 300 cm from the child. The anatomical points of interest were marked with colored adhesives (Pimaco®) on polystyrene spheres of 1 cm in diameter. The children were photographed wearing a bathing suit, in the upright position, in the anterior, posterior, lateral right and lateral left views. Each photograph was analyzed by three previously trained raters using the postural assessment software SAPo. The statistical software SASS/STAT v. 9 was used to obtain the interclass correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: The results showed excellent interrater agreement (ICC>0.90) for 28 variables (84.85%) and good agreement (0.80>ICC>0.89) for five variables (15.15%), even with rigorous classification. CONCLUSION: This method was shown to be viable and to have the potential to generate reference data on postural alignment among children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: in scientific literature there are not published researches which have used a validated assessment method of adherence to dietary counseling capable of being reproduced. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the adherence of pregnant women to dietary counseling during the prenatal period using a validated instrument according to the outcome of total gestational weight gain. METHODS: two hundred and eight adult pregnant women participated in the research. The instrument for adherence classification to dietary counseling was elaborated according to four evaluation criteria: food quantity and quality, meal pattern and adjustment to weekly weight gain. We classified as poor adherence when zero-one criterion was observed, good adherence when 2-3 aspects were observed and excellent when the amount was 4 aspects. RESULTS: Pregnant women with good or excellent adherence had a higher adjustment proportion of the total gestational weight gain in comparison to those who presented poor adherence in the second and fourth visits, respectively (p < 0.006; p < 0.007). Women with poor adherence to dietary counseling in the second visit presented about three times more chances of having poor adherence in the fourth visit (OR = 3.11; CI = 1.46-6.36). CONCLUSION: Adherence of pregnant women to dietary counseling had a positive association with the adjustment of total gestational weight gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feature of Candida tropicalis is its ability to undergo phenotypic switching that can affect antifungal sensitivity and virulence traits. Here, we investigated the effect of switching on alterations at the cellular structure level of C. tropicalis morphotypes and whether exposure to fluconazole (FLC) in vitro could be associated with these alterations in a morphotype-dependent manner. Candida tropicalis morphotypes included clinical isolate (Parental) and two switch strains (Crepe variant and revertant of Crepe-RC). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) of fluconazole was determined according to EUCAST. Cell wall porosity, quantification of cell wall components, cell size/complexity, and expression of ERG11 and CDR1 genes in morphotypes pre- and post-exposure to fluconazole were determined. Crepe and RC showed an eightfold higher MIC50 (1 µg/ml) than the Parental (0.125 µg/ml). Exposure to FLC resulted in twofold higher MIC50 for Parental and RC. The Crepe variant exhibited a fourfold higher expression of ERG11, and the RC showed 10-fold higher expression of CDR1 than the clinical isolate. Switch strains showed reduced cell wall porosity compared to Parental, and exposure to FLC resulted in a significant reduction in the porosity of Parental and RC cells. Furthermore, phenotypic switching affected cell wall β-1,3-glucan and chitin contents in a morphotype-dependent manner. Our findings indicate that switching affects cellular structure in C. tropicalis and the occurrence of differential alterations between the clinical isolate and its switched states in response to fluconazole exposure., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology.)

The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug naproxen (NPX) is among the most consumed pharmaceuticals worldwide, being detected in surface waters within the ng to μg/L range. Considering the limited chronic ecotoxicity data available for NPX in aquatic ecosystems, the present study aimed at evaluating its impact in the model organism Danio rerio , following a full life-cycle exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1 to 5.0 μg/L). An integration of apical endpoints, i.e., survival, growth, and reproduction, with gonad histopathology and gene transcription (RNA-seq) was performed to provide additional insights into the mode of action (MoA) of NPX. NPX decreased zebrafish growth and reproduction and led to histopathological alterations in gonads at concentrations as low as 0.1 μg/L. At the molecular level, 0.7 μg/L of NPX led to a disruption in gonads transcription of genes involved in several biological processes associated with reproduction, mainly involving steroid hormone biosynthesis and epigenetic/epitranscriptomic machineries. Collectively, these results show that environmentally realistic concentrations of NPX affect zebrafish reproduction and associated signaling pathways, indicating that current hazard and risk assessment data for NPX underestimate the environmental risk of this pharmaceutical.

Objective: To apprehend the family's perception of the care provided by home care services to children and adolescents with special health needs., Method: Qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study, carried out with 15 family members of children and adolescents with special health needs served by Home Care Services in seven municipalities in Paraíba, in 2021, selected from nine municipalities identified by previous studies. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews carried out remotely through telephone calls. The empirical material was subjected to Inductive Thematic Analysis and interpreted in light of the concept of health vulnerability., Results: The Home Care Services facilitate minimize the health vulnerabilities of these children and adolescents and their families as they facilitate access to the actions and services of the Health Care Network, provide humanized care focused on promoting health and strengthening bonds, as well as how, they facilitate family decision-making at home regarding users' health needs., Final Considerations: The actions of these services permeate family daily life, enabling the expansion of care practices for family members/caregivers considering their limitations and improving the coordination of Health Care Networks to guarantee comprehensive care.

Aim: To compare caregiver-reported current and desired home participation of infants with and without biological risk in the first year of life., Method: Observational, cross-sectional and comparative study. Caregivers of 48 infants with (mean corrected age = 5.6(±2.3) months) and 32 without (mean corrected age = 5.8(±1.9) months) biological risk completed the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure home section. Caregivers reported on their infant's current participation (frequency and involvement) in 13 activities within the domains of basic care routines, household chores, interactive and organized play, and socializing with friends and family, as well as their desire for change(s) in their infant's home participation. We compared groups using comparative tests (Bonferroni's correction for multiple comparisons; p  < 0.0125)., Results: Infants with biological risk participated less frequently in the domain household chores ( U  = 383.000; p  < 0.001); and were less involved in the domain household chores ( U  = 407.000; p  < 0.001). No significant group differences were found in desire for change., Conclusion: Results suggest that home participation restriction can be identified for infants with biological risk in one out of four domains, which may allow health professionals to develop strategies to intervene early in the participation of children at risk in this specific area of household chores.

Low oral bioavailability is a common feature in most drugs, including antibiotics, due to low solubility in physiological media and inadequate cell permeability, which may limit their efficacy or restrict their administration in a clinical setting. Cefuroxime is usually administered in its prodrug form, cefuroxime axetil. However, its preparation requires further reaction steps and additional metabolic pathways to be converted into its active form. The combination of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) with biocompatible organic molecules as salts is a viable and documented method to improve the solubility and permeability of a drug. Herein, the preparations of five organic salts of cefuroxime as an anion with enhanced physicochemical characteristics have been reported. These were prepared via buffer-assisted neutralization methodology with pyridinium and imidazolium cations in quantitative yields and presented as solids at room temperature. Cell viability studies on 3T3 cells showed that only the cefuroxime salts combined with longer alkyl chain cations possess higher cytotoxicity than the original drug, and while most salts lost in vitro antibacterial activity against E. coli, P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis , one compound, [PyC 10 Py][CFX] 2 , retained the activity. Cefuroxime organic salts have a water solubility 8-to-200-times greater than the original drug at 37 °C. The most soluble compounds have a very low octanol-water partition, similar to cefuroxime, while more lipophilic salts partition predominantly to the organic phase.

Background: Healthcare systems are currently ill-equipped to diagnose arboviruses rapidly and efficiently or to differentiate between various viruses., Methods: Utilizing molecular techniques, this study examined arbovirus infections in 459 patients from a public health unit in Goiânia-Goiás, Brazil, a region where arbovirus infection poses a significant public health challenge., Results: Nearly 60% of the analyzed samples tested positive for at least one arbovirus, and over 10% of the patients were co-infected with more than one virus., Conclusions: Fast and accurate diagnostic tools are essential for informing public health policy and enhancing epidemiological surveillance.

The aim of this study was to compare a traditional fronto-orbital remodeling and advancement (FORA) with the dynamic cranioplasty for trigonocephaly (DCT). The authors analyzed patients who underwent surgery for trigonocephaly. Perioperative data were compared. Parents were asked to use a visual analog scale to evaluate the pre- and postoperative distance between the eyes, the forehead shape, and the global appearance of the face. A panel of observers was asked to grade pre- and postoperative photographs using a similar visual analog scale. Pre- and postoperative anthropometric data were collected and analyzed in a subset of the study population aged 9 years or older. The total sample size was 51 patients (DCT n = 39; FORA n = 12). Durations of surgery and anesthesia were shorter in the DCT group (115 vs 194 min, p = 0.001; 226 vs 289 min, p = 0.001). Patients in the DCT group received similar preoperative ratings to those in the FORA group, but significantly higher postoperative ratings by parents for all three questions. There were no significant differences in postoperative ratings by the panel or postoperative anthropometric data. DCT is safe and effective. It is preferred over FORA because it is associated with shorter durations of surgery and anesthesia, while providing higher degrees of parental satisfaction and similar aesthetic and anthropometric outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare in relation to the content of this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Emerging and persistent contaminants (EPC) pose a significant challenge to water quality monitoring efforts. Effect-based monitoring (EBM) techniques provide an efficient and systematic approach in water quality monitoring, but they tend to be resource intensive. In this study, we investigated the EPC distribution for various land uses using target analysis (TA) and non-target screening (NTS) and in vitro bioassays, both individually and integrated, in the upper Ping River Catchment, northern Thailand. Our findings of NTS showed that urban areas were the most contaminated of all land use types, although agriculture sites had high unexpected pollution levels. We evaluated the reliability of NTS data by comparing it to TA and observed varying inconsistencies likely due to matrix interferences and isobaric compound interferences. Integrating NTS with in vitro bioassays for a thorough analysis posed challenges, primary due to a scarcity of concentration data for key compounds, and potentially additive or non-additive effects of mixture samples that could not be accounted for. While EBM approaches place emphasis on toxic sites, this study demonstrated the importance of considering non-bioactive sites that contain toxic compounds with antagonistic effects that may go undetected by traditional monitoring approaches. The present work emphasizes the importance of improving NTS workflows and ensuring high-quality EBM analyses in future water quality monitoring programs., 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.)

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has become an invaluable tool for tracking the evolution of use or exposure of/to numerous substances. Bisphenols, commonly utilized in manufacturing plastic goods, have been categorized as endocrine disrupting chemicals, underscoring the critical need for real-time data on their local-level exposure to safeguard public health. In this study, we have developed a novel analytical method and WBE framework for the assessment of population-level exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and its most prominent substitutes, bisphenols F and S (BPF and BPS), through the determination their Phase II metabolites in wastewater by WBE. Stability and exclusivity tests denoted that glucuronides are not stable in sewage, whereas sulfate metabolites are good biomarkers. Therefore, a solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the bisphenols' monosulfates and BPA bissulfate. The analytical method was validated with three different wastewater matrices, providing trueness (as recovery) in the 79-112 % range with relative standard deviations < 12 %, and method quantification limits below 2 ng L -1 for monosulfates, but higher (35 ng L -1 ) for BPA bissulfate. Subsequently, the method was applied to 24h-composite raw wastewater samples collected over a week in 4 different locations in Spain and Portugal. BPA bissulfate was not detected, but the three monosulfate metabolites of each bisphenol were positively detected in the samples, being the metabolite of BPA the most prevalent, followed by those of BPF and BPS. Community-wide BPA intake was then estimated to be higher than the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 2 × 10 -4 µg kg -1 day -1 in all locations. In the case of BPF and BPS, there is not enough metabolism data or even established limit, but they would also surpass safe levels in several locations if a similar metabolism and TDI would be assumed. This innovative method could be used to a larger set of wastewater-treatment plants as an early-warning approach on human exposure to bisphenols., 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.)

The Orthoflavivirus ilheusense (ILHV) is an arbovirus that was first isolated in Brazil in 1944 during an epidemiologic investigation of yellow fever. Is a member of the Flaviviridae family and it belongs to the antigenic complex of the Ntaya virus group. Psorophora ferox is the primary vector of ILHV and this study presents the isolation and phylogenetic analysis of ILHV in a pool of Ps. ferox collected in the state of Goiás in 2021. Viral isolation tests were performed on Vero cells and C6/36 clones. The indirect immunofluorescence test (IFI) was used to confirm the positivity of the sample. The positive sample underwent RT-qPCR, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. This is the first report of ILHV circulation in this municipality and presented close relationship between this isolate and another ILHV isolate collected in the city of Belém (PA)., 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 B.V.)

Recently, social isolation measures were crucial to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. However, the lack of social interactions affected the population mental health and may have long-term consequences on behavior and brain functions. Here, we evaluated the behavioral, physiological, and molecular effects of a social isolation (SI) in adult zebrafish, and whether the animals recover such changes after their reintroduction to the social environment. Fish were submitted to 12 days of SI, and then reintroduced to social context (SR). Behavioral analyses to evaluate locomotion, anxiety-like and social-related behaviors were performed after SI protocol, and 3 and 6 days after SR. Cortisol and transcript levels from genes involved in neuronal homeostasis (c-fos, egr, bdnf), and serotonergic (5-HT) and dopaminergic (DA) neurotransmission (thp, th) were also measured. SI altered social behaviors in zebrafish such as aggression, social preference, and shoaling. Fish submitted to SI also presented changes in the transcript levels of genes related to neural activity, and 5-HT/DA signaling. Interestingly, most of the behavioral and molecular changes induced by SI were not found again 6 days after SR. Thus, we highlight that SR of zebrafish to their conspecifics played a positive role in social behaviors and in the expression of genes involved in different neuronal signaling pathways that were altered after 12 days of SI. This study brings unprecedented data on the effects of SR in the recovery from SI neurobehavioral alterations, and reinforces the role of zebrafish as a translational model for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms adjacent to SI and resocialization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly prevalent and is a major cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The incidence rate of CRC remains alarmingly high despite screening measures. The main curative treatment for CRC is a surgical resection of the diseased bowel segment. Postoperative complications usually involve a weakened gut barrier and a dissemination of bacterial proinflammatory lipopolysaccharides. Herein we discuss how gut microbiota and microbial metabolites regulate basal inflammation levels in the gut and the healing process of the bowel after surgery. We further elaborate on the restoration of the gut barrier function in patients with CRC and how this potentially impacts the dissemination and implantation of CRC cells in extracolonic tissues, contributing therefore to worse survival after surgery.

Objective: Cognitive impairment is a common nonmotor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD). Individuals of Latino background are traditionally underrepresented in research on PD. Despite the fact that Latinos comprise 18% of the U.S. population, they commonly make up less than 5% of samples in studies of PD. Emerging evidence suggests that Latino individuals with PD may experience disparities relative to White non-Latinos in terms of having more severe motor symptoms, more severe depressive symptoms, and worse health-related quality of life. The purpose of the present study was to investigate differences in cognitive performance between Latino and White non-Latino individuals with PD and examine correlates of cognitive performance., Methods: Data were obtained from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative. Participants included 60 Latino individuals with PD and 1,009 White non-Latino individuals with PD, all of whom were followed annually for up to 5 years. Participants completed neuropsychological tests of attention and working memory, processing speed, visuospatial functioning, verbal fluency, and immediate and delayed memory and recall., Results: Relative to White non-Latino individuals with PD, Latino individuals with PD had significantly lower scores on the global measure of cognitive functioning, a test of processing speed, and tests of working memory and attention. Years of education was the strongest correlate of performance in these three cognitive domains among individuals in the Latino group., Conclusions: These findings provide initial evidence of disparities in cognitive functioning among Latino individuals with PD. Educational disadvantages may be one potential driver of these disparities., Competing Interests: The authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

A recently synthesized aminated 3,4-dioxygenated xanthone (Xantifoul2) was found to have promising antifouling (AF) effects against the settlement of the macrofouler Mytilus galloprovincialis larvae. Preliminary assessment indicated that Xantifoul2 has reduced ecotoxicological impacts: e.g., being non-toxic to the marine crustacea Artemia salina (<10 % mortality at 50 μM) and showing low bioconcentration factor in marine organisms. In order to meet the EU Biocidal Product Regulation, a preliminary hazard assessment of this new nature-inspired antifouling (NIAF) agent was conducted in this work. Xantifoul2 did not affect the swimming ability of the planktonic crustacean Daphnia magna, the growth of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and the cellular respiration of luminescent Gram-negative bacteria Vibrio fischeri, supporting the low toxicity towards several non-target marine species. Regarding human cytotoxicity, Xantifoul2 did not affect the cell viability of retinal human cells (hTERT-RPE-1) and lipidomic studies revealed depletion of lipids involved in cell death, membrane modeling, lipid storage, and oxidative stress only at a high concentration (10 μM). Accelerated degradation studies in water were conducted under simulated sunlight to allow the understanding of putative transformation products (TPs) that could be generated in the aquatic ecosystems. Both Xantifoul2 and photolytic-treated Xantifoul2 in the aqueous matrix were therefore evaluated on several nuclear receptors (NRs). The results of this preliminary hazard assessment of Xantifoul2, combined with the high degradation rates in water, provide strong evidence of the safety of this AF agent under the evaluated conditions, and provide the support for future validation studies before this compound can be introduced in the market., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Marta Correia-da-Silva has patent Xanthonic compounds and their use as antifouling agents issued to CN113226035. Emilia Sousa has patent Xanthonic compounds and their use as antifouling agents issued to CN113226035. 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 Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The prebiotic inulin has been vaunted for its potential to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Inulin fermentation resulting in the production of short-chain fatty acids, primarily butyrate, has been reported to be associated with properties that are beneficial for gut health and has led to an increased consumption of inulin in the Western population through processed food and over-the-counter dietary supplements. However, in clinical trials, there is limited evidence of the efficacy of inulin in preventing colorectal cancer. Moreover, recent data suggest that improper inulin consumption may even be harmful for gastro-intestinal health under certain circumstances. The main objective of this review is to provide insight into the beneficial and potentially detrimental effects of inulin supplementation in the context of colorectal cancer prevention and enhancement of treatment efficacy., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this study., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press and Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.)

Escherichia coli that harbor the polyketide synthase (pks) genomic island produce colibactin and are associated with sporadic colorectal cancer development. Given the considerable prevalence of pks+ bacteria in healthy individuals, we sought to identify strategies to limit the growth and expansion of pks+ E. coli. We found that culture supernatants of the probiotic strain E. coli Nissle 1917 were able to inhibit the growth of the murine pathogenic strain pks+ E. coli NC101 (EcNC101). We performed a nontargeted analysis of the metabolome in supernatants from several E. coli strains and identified putrescine as a potential postbiotic capable of suppressing EcNC101 growth in vitro. The effect of putrescine supplementation was then evaluated in the azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium mouse model of colorectal cancer in mice colonized with EcNC101. Putrescine supplementation inhibited the growth of pks+ E. coli, reduced the number and size of colonic tumors, and downmodulated the release of inflammatory cytokines in the colonic lumen. Additionally, putrescine supplementation led to shifts in the composition and function of gut microbiota, characterized by an increase in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and enhanced acetate production. The effect of putrescine was further confirmed in vitro using a pks+ E. coli strain isolated from a patient with colorectal cancer. These results suggest that probiotic-derived metabolites can be used as an alternative to live bacteria in individuals at risk of developing colorectal cancer due to the presence of pks+ bacteria in their colon., Significance: Putrescine supplementation inhibits the growth of cancer-promoting bacteria in the gut, lowers inflammation, and reduces colon cancer development. The consumption of healthy foods rich in putrescine may be a potential prophylactic approach for individuals at risk of developing colorectal cancer due to the presence of pks+ bacteria in their colon., (©2024 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

Purpose: We assessed long-term outcomes in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors with acute kidney injury (AKI) submitted to intermittent or continuous renal replacement therapy (RRT) for comparisons between groups. Methods: The multicenter prospective cohort study included 195 adult ICU survivors with an ICU stay >72 h in 10 ICUs that had at least one episode of AKI treated with intermittent RRT (IRRT) or continuous RRT (CRRT) during ICU stay. The main outcomes were mortality and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Hospital readmissions and physical dependence were also assessed. Results: Regarding RRT, 83 (42.6%) patients received IRRT and 112 (57.4%) received CRRT. Despite the similarity regarding sociodemographic characteristics, pre-ICU state of health and type of admission between groups, the risk of death (23.5% vs 42.7%; P  < .001), the prevalence of sepsis (60.7%) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (17%) were higher at ICU admission among CRRT patients. The severity of critical illness was higher among CRRT patients, regarding the need for mechanical ventilation (75.0% vs 50.6%, P  = .002) and vasopressors (91.1% vs 63.9%, P  < .001). One year after ICU discharge, 67 of 195 ICU survivors died (34.4%) and, after adjustment for confounders, there were no significant differences in mortality when comparing IRRT and CRTT patients (34.9% vs 33.9%; P =  .590), on HRQoL in both physical (41.9% vs 42.2%; P  = .926) and mental dimensions (57.6% vs 56.6%; P  = .340), and on the number of hospital readmissions and physical dependence. Conclusions: Our study suggests that among ICU survivors RRT modality (IRRT vs CRRT) in the ICU does not impact long-term outcomes after ICU discharge., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

While often undetected and untreated, persistent seasonal asymptomatic malaria infections remain a global public health problem. Despite the presence of parasites in the peripheral blood, no symptoms develop. Disease severity is correlated with the levels of infected red blood cells (iRBCs) adhering within blood vessels. Changes in iRBC adhesion capacity have been linked to seasonal asymptomatic malaria infections, however how this is occurring is still unknown. Here, we present evidence that RNA polymerase III (RNA Pol III) transcription in Plasmodium falciparum is downregulated in field isolates obtained from asymptomatic individuals during the dry season. Through experiments with in vitro cultured parasites, we have uncovered an RNA Pol III-dependent mechanism that controls pathogen proliferation and expression of a major virulence factor in response to external stimuli. Our findings establish a connection between P. falciparum cytoadhesion and a non-coding RNA family transcribed by Pol III. Additionally, we have identified P. falciparum Maf1 as a pivotal regulator of Pol III transcription, both for maintaining cellular homeostasis and for responding adaptively to external signals. These results introduce a novel perspective that contributes to our understanding of P. falciparum virulence. Furthermore, they establish a connection between this regulatory process and the occurrence of seasonal asymptomatic malaria infections., Competing Interests: GD, AC, AB, PN, FD, MS, DL, AC, AS No competing interests declared, (© 2024, Diffendall et al.)

The pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) involves mutations in genes such as FLT3 and NPM1, which are also associated with the prognosis of the disease. The immune system influences disease progression, but the mechanisms underlying the interaction between the immune system and AML are not clear. In this study, the profiles of lymphocytes and cytokines were described in individuals with AML stratified by molecular changes associated with prognosis. The participants included in this study were newly diagnosed AML patients (n = 43) who were about to undergo chemotherapy. Subtypes of lymphocytes in peripheral blood, including B cells, T cells, and natural killer cells, and serum concentrations of cytokines, including Th1, Th2, and Th17, were studied by flow cytometry assays (BD FACSCanto II). The correlations between lymphocyte subsets, cytokines, and genetic/prognostic risk stratification (based on the FLT3 and NPM1 genes) were analyzed. The differences in B lymphocytes (%), T lymphocytes (%), plasmablasts (%), leukocytes (cells/µl), and tumor necrosis factor (pg/ml) were determined between groups with FLT3-ITD+ and FLT3-ITD- mutations. The presence of mutations in NPM1 and FLT3-ITD and age suggested changes in the lymphocyte and cytokine profile in individuals with AML., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The e-cigarette market is large and diverse. Traditional smoking cessation trials involving a control group and a 6-month observation period are an inefficient methodology for testing the multiple treatment options e-cigarettes provide for harm reduction in cigarette smokers. We determined when product substitution occurred in the e-cigarette provision arm of an e-cigarette substitution trial for cigarette smokers who were not interested in quitting., Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of 120 cigarette smokers with severe mental illness (recruitment 2017-2020) who were given disposable e-cigarettes for 8 weeks and assessed at weeks 0 (t0), 2, 4, 6, and 8. We explored product substitution through visit-to-visit correlations in change in product use, then developed a dual process growth model for cigarette and e-cigarette use to test the association between increases in e-cigarette use and concurrent decreases in cigarettes smoked., Results: Mean age of the participants was 45.9 years, and 42.7% smoked ≥20 cigarettes per day. Almost all product substitution occurred between t0 and t2. For the average smoker (18 cigarettes per day), t2 cigarette frequency decreased by 0.39 (95% CI: -0.56 - -0.22) cigarettes for each additional e-cigarette session. There was effect modification (p=0.033), such that baseline light smokers (<10 cigarettes/day) had no significant decrease in t2 cigarette frequency, regardless of their initial increase in e-cigarette use, while heavy smokers (38 cigarettes/day) switched products nearly on a one-to-one basis., Conclusions: In this study, most product substitution occurred early, and heavier smokers had larger t2 decreases in cigarettes/day with increased e-cigarette use. If confirmed with replication studies, the findings could suggest establishment of a novel outcome for e-cigarette studies - early product substitution - and support the value of short-term comparative effectiveness trials that compare multiple potentially lower harm tobacco products., Clinical Trial Registration: The study was registered on the official website of ClinicalTrials.gov., Identifier: ID NCT03050853., Competing Interests: The authors have each completed and submitted an ICMJE form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. The authors declare that they have no competing interests, financial or otherwise, related to the current work. M. F. Brunette reports funding for this study from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, 1R01DA041416), and in the past 36 months received grants from NIAAA (75N94021D00005), NIDA (1UG1DA040309-01, 1R01DA049757-01A1), HRSA (T32HP32520-04-00) and PCORI (MAT-2017C2-7717). S. Pratt reports funding for this study from Prouty Fund, Dartmouth Cancer Center, and in the past 36 months received grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA, 1R01DA041416), and that the Trustees of Dartmouth College was the grantee for the R01, on which she received funding as PI., (© 2024 Sargent J.D. et al.)

The effects of conditioning on cardiac function in young horses is still unknown. For this reason, this study evaluated the left ventricular (LV) function of young horses by echocardiography after six weeks of conditioning. Fourteen untrained young purebred Arabian horses were evaluated at rest and after a stress test (ST) before and after a six-week conditioning program. There was an increase in V4 (p < 0.001) after conditioning, as well as a reduction in both heart rate (HR) at rest and peak HR during the ST (p < 0.001). There was also a reduction in internal diameter, along with an increase in interventricular septal, free wall and mean thicknesses and LV mass (p < 0.05). After the ST, the conditioned animals showed higher values of velocity time integral, stroke volume, systolic and cardiac indices, ejection (ET) and deceleration times (DT), end-diastolic volume, time to onset of radial myocardial velocity during early diastole and time to peak of transmitral flow velocity, in addition to reduced pre-ejection period (PEP), PEP/ET ratio and mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (p < 0.05). The conditioning protocol promoted physiological adaptations that indicate an improvement in the animals' aerobic capacity associated with an enhanced left ventricular function., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Ramos 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.)

Introduction: Remote assessment creates opportunities for monitoring child development at home. Determining the possible barriers to and facilitators of the quality of telemonitoring motor skills allows for safe and effective practices. We aimed to: (1) determine the quality, barriers and facilitators of Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) home videos made by mothers; (2) verify interrater reliability; (3) determine the association between contextual factors and the quality of assessments., Methods: Thirty infants at biological risk aged between three and ten months, of both sexes, and their mothers were included. Assessments were based on asynchronous home videos, where motor skills were evaluated by mothers at home according to AIMS guidelines. The following were analyzed: video quality; stimulus quality; camera position; and physical environment. The video characteristics were analyzed descriptively. The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to calculate interrater reliability and the regression model to determine the influence of contextual factors on the outcome variables. Significance was set at 5%., Results: Remote assessment of AIMS exhibited high image and stimulus quality, and a suitable physical environment. Interrater reliability was high for all domains: prone ( r  = 0.976); supine ( r  = 0.965); sitting ( r  = 0.987); standing ( r  = 0.945) and total score ( r  = 0.980). The contextual factors had no relation with assessment quality., Discussion: Assessments conducted remotely by the mothers showed high video quality and interrater reliability, and represent a promising assessment tool for telemedicine in at-risk infants in the first year of life., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Second generation biorefineries play an important role in the production of renewable energy and fuels, utilizing forest and agro-industrial residues and by-products as raw materials. The integration of novel bioproducts, such as: xylitol, β-carotene, xylooligosaccharides, and biopigments into the biorefinery's portfolio can offer economic benefits in the valorization of lignocellulosic materials, particularly cellulosic and hemicellulosic fractions. Fungal biopigments, known for their additional antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, are appealing to consumers and can have applications in various industrial sectors, including food and pharmaceuticals. The use of lignocellulosic materials as carbon and nutrient sources for the growth medium helps to reduce production costs, increasing the competitiveness of fungal biopigments in the market. In addition, the implementation of biopigment production in biorefineries allows the utilization of underutilized fractions, such as hemicellulose, for value-added bioproducts. This study deals with the potential of fungal biopigments production in second generation biorefineries in order to diversify the produced biomolecules together with energy generation. A comprehensive and critical review of the recent literature on this topic has been conducted, covering the major possible raw materials, general aspects of second generation biorefineries, the fungal biopigments and their potential for incorporation into biorefineries.

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy characterized by the clonal proliferation of plasma cells within the bone marrow. Diagnosing MM presents considerable challenges, involving the identification of plasma cells in cytology examinations on hematological slides. At present, this is still a time-consuming manual task and has high labor costs. These challenges have adverse implications, which rely heavily on medical professionals' expertise and experience. To tackle these challenges, we present an investigation using Artificial Intelligence, specifically a Machine Learning analysis of hematological slides with a Deep Neural Network (DNN), to support specialists during the process of diagnosing MM. In this sense, the contribution of this study is twofold: in addition to the trained model to diagnose MM, we also make available to the community a fully-curated hematological slide dataset with thousands of images of plasma cells. Taken together, the setup we established here is a framework that researchers and hospitals with limited resources can promptly use. Our contributions provide practical results that have been directly applied in the public health system in Brazil. Given the open-source nature of the project, we anticipate it will be used and extended to diagnose other malignancies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of intraoperative tranexamic acid (TXA) administration in decreasing transfusion needs in patients undergoing modified pi-plasty. A retrospective study was performed using a population of 59 patients who underwent modified pi-plasty, wherein patients who received TXA during surgery (study group, n = 26) were compared with patients who did not receive TXA (control group, n = 33). The primary study endpoints were intraoperative red blood cell substitution (%), postoperative red blood cell substitution (%), total red blood cell substitution (%), and hematocrit variation. Perioperative administration of TXA significantly decreased the total red blood cell substitution (62.90% vs 86.70%; p = 0.002) and resulted in a higher postoperative hematocrit (29.47% vs 27.53%; p = 0.060). In conclusion, perioperative administration of TXA significantly decreased blood transfusion requirements in patients with sagittal craniosynostosis undergoing modified pi-plasty., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Orthoflavivirus ilheusense (ILHV) is a member of the Flaviviridae family. It was first isolated in 1944 from pools of Aedes serratus and Psorophora ferox mosquitoes; however, it has also been detected in species of the genus Culex , such as Cx . portesi and Cx . coronator . The objective of this study was to examine the vector competence of Cx . quinquefasciatus mosquitoes to ILHV infection and the subsequent transmission of the virus through their saliva during feeding on blood., Methods: F1 generation females of Cx . quinquefasciatus (Ananindeua/PA) were orally infected with goose blood infected with strain BeH7445, and body, head and saliva samples were analyzed at 7, 14, and 21 dpi using the techniques of virus isolation in cells and indirect immunofluorescence., Results: The presence of ILHV was not detected in the body and head samples of Cx . quinquefasciatus females at any of the three dpi's analyzed, indicating that the lineage of mosquitoes analyzed was resistant to ILHV., Conclusions: According to the results obtained in this study, the species Cx . quinquefasciatus proved resistant to ILHV, regardless of the virus titers to which it was exposed, which suggests the possibility that this species does not act as a vector in the ILHV transmission cycle.

This study aimed to contribute to the development of an embryo-test using the gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis , identified by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as a potential invertebrate test animal model. Together with the Potamopyrgus antipodarum , were the first mollusc models to be included in the organization testing guidelines. The focus was on validating an embryo toxicity test to cover the sensitive embryogenesis phase and on obtaining testing information on all of the model life cycle stages, contributing to close an identified gap within this context. Adhering to OECD guidelines, namely the L. stagnalis reproductive test, the study examined mortality rates, abnormality rates, development, growth, hatching rates, hearth rates, and pre-testing media suitability, during the embryogenesis, and the obtained dataset made available for further studies. Cadmium was chosen as the positive test compound due to its well-studied nature and the model's proven sensitivity to the compound, working as a reference compound for the test development. The data were collected in two 12-day assays under consistent conditions, each using 144 L. stagnalis embryos (<24 h old) from 6 egg masses (288 embryos total). Six 48-well microplates were utilized per assay, accommodating five different cadmium concentrations (32, 70, 155, 341, 750 µg/L) and a control group. Recorded parameters encompassed developmental stage, embryo position within the chorion, developmental abnormalities, hatchings, and mortality. Data analysis involved classifying embryos based on developmental stage and position, taking an exploratory approach to define the relevance of the different parameters in the compound hazard assessment during the embryogenesis. Measurements considered embryo area, perimeter, length, height, width, interocular distance, and heart rate. This dataset does not provide treated information but the raw data obtained during the proposed metodological development and toxicity testing process. The purpose of this article is to make the obtained raw data available, clearly defining the acquisition methodology to provide a comparison basis for future or existent works within this context., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The study investigated the protective effects of Hesperetin (HSP) and Hesperidin (HSD) on 1 methyl, 4 phenyl, 1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride (MPTP)-induced Parkinsonism in Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster). After a lifespan study to select exposure time and concentrations, flies were co-exposed to MPTP (0.4 mg/g diet), Hesperetin (0.2 and 0.4 mg/g diet), and Hesperidin (0.1 and 0.4 mg/g) for 7 days. In addition to in vivo parameters, we assayed some markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status (lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, thiol content, hydrogen peroxide, and nitrate/nitrite levels, mRNA expression of Keap-1 (Kelch-like ECH associated protein 1), /Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2), catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities), and cholinergic (acetyl cholinesterase activity (AChE) and dopaminergic signaling content and the mRNA expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), monoamine oxidase (MAO-like) activity). In addition to increasing the lifespan of flies, we found that both flavonoids counteracted the adverse effects of MPTP on survival, offspring emergence, and climbing ability of flies. Both flavonoids also reduced the oxidative damage on lipids and proteins and reestablished the basal levels of pro-oxidant species and activities of antioxidant enzymes in MPTP-exposed flies. These responses were accompanied by the normalization of the mRNA expression of Keap1/Nrf2 disrupted in flies exposed to MPTP. MPTP exposure also elicited changes in mRNA expression and content of TH as well as in MAO and AChE activity, which were reversed by HST and HSD. By efficiently hindering the oxidative stress in MPTP-exposed flies, our findings support the promising role of Hesperetin and Hesperidin as adjuvant therapy to manage Parkinsonism induced by chemicals such as MPTP., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest, (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Anxiety is among the most prevalent mental disorders present in the general population. Benzodiazepines are the most commonly prescribed drugs for the treatment of anxiety. Using zebrafish as a model organism, we investigated the anxiolytic activity of JM-20, a novel hybrid molecule with a 1,5-benzodiazepine ring fused to a dihydropyridine moiety. Firstly, we carried out some assays to analyze the possible toxicity mediated by JM-20. For this, zebrafish were exposed to different JM-20 concentrations (0-5 μM) for 96 h. Then, using the novel tank test, we evaluated both locomotor and anxiety-like behavior of the animals. Furthermore, brain, liver and plasma were removed to assess toxicity parameters. JM-20 exposure did not cause changes on novel tank, and also did not alter brain viability, hepatic LDH and plasma ALT levels. Afterward, we investigated whether a pre-exposure to JM-20 would prevent the anxiogenic effect evoked by caffeine. In the novel tank test, caffeine significantly decreased the time spent at the top, as well as the number of transitions to the top area. Moreover, caffeine decreased both the total and average time spent in the lit area, as well as increased the number of risk episodes evaluated by the light-dark test. Whole-body cortisol levels were also increased by caffeine exposure. Interestingly, pre-treatment with JM-20 abolished all alterations induced by caffeine. The anxiolytic effect profile of JM-20 was similar to those found for diazepam (positive control). Our findings show, for the first time, the anxiolytic effect of JM-20 in zebrafish, and its relationship with cortisol regulation., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

The MONITOOL project (2017-2023) was carried out to describe the relationships between total dissolved and labile metal concentrations measured in spot water samples and in concurrently deployed Diffusive Gradients in Thin-films (DGTs) passive samplers, respectively. The ultimate aim was to adapt existing marine metal Environmental Quality Standards (EQS marine water ) for DGTs, enabling their use in the context of the European Directives (the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)). Time-integrated metal concentrations provided by DGTs, representing several days, are an advantage compared to conventional spot sampling, especially in highly dynamic systems, such as transitional waters. Hence, the MONITOOL project aimed to provide a robust database of dissolved and labile metal concentrations in transitional and coastal waters, based upon co-deployments of DGTs and collection of spot water samples at several sampling sites (England, France, Ireland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain), followed subsequently by DGT and water metal analysis. Samplings were carried out in 2018 and 2022, following agreed protocols developed in the framework of the project. The MONITOOL dataset includes metal concentrations from DGTs, measured with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS: Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) and in concurrently collected spot water samples by ICP-MS (Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) and Anodic/Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV/CSV: Cd, Pb, Ni). Moreover, data on seawater physical-chemical parameters (salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, total suspended solids, dissolved organic carbon, and total organic carbon) is provided. This database presents the results obtained using, concurrently, different forms of sampling and analytical techniques, enabling the comparison of the results obtained by these strategies and allowing the adaptation of EQS in marine water (EQS marine water) to DGTs (EQS DGT ), in the context of the WFD. Moreover, due to the large number of sampling sites, it could also be used for other types of research, such as those dealing with metal speciation or the determination of baseline levels., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)