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Abstract Objectives To identify the prevalence and associated factors of cognitive dysfunction, 1 year after ICU discharge, among adult patients, and it´s relation with quality of life. Methods Multicenter, prospective cohort study including ICUs of 10 tertiary hospitals in Brazil, between May 2014 and December 2018. The patients included were 452 adult ICU survivors (median age 60; 47.6% women) with an ICU stay greater than 72 h. Results At 12 months after ICU discharge, a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (tMOCA) telephone score of less than 12 was defined as cognitive dysfunction. At 12 months, of the 452 ICU survivors who completed the cognitive evaluation 216 (47.8%) had cognitive dysfunction. In multivariable analyses, the factors associated with long-term (1-year) cognitive dysfunction were older age (Prevalence Ratio–PR = 1.44, P

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most frequent mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, usually arising in the stomach or in the small bowel. Most GISTs are diagnosed early due to the presence of symptoms (e.g., abdominal discomfort/pain, anemia, etc.); at times, diagnosis could be incidental (e.g., ultrasound or endoscopic examinations performed for other reasons, surgical intervention for a different disease, etc.). Diagnosis occurs when the tumor is already metastatic in 10-20% of cases. The most common metastatic sites are liver, peritoneum, and loco-regional lymph nodes. Here, we present the case of a male patient with an atypical presentation of disease: as a matter of fact, during his oncological history, he developed metastases in unlikely sites, such as penis, scrotum, myocardium, and soft tissues.

Abstract Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) or the continuation of COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) symptoms past 12 weeks may affect as many as 30% of people recovering from a SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2) infection. The mechanisms regulating the development of PASC are currently not known; however, hypotheses include virus reservoirs, pre-existing conditions, microblood clots, immune dysregulation, as well as poor antibody responses. Importantly, virus neutralizing antibodies are essential for COVID-19 recovery and protection from reinfection but there is currently limited information on these immune regulators and associated cytokines in PASC patients. Understanding the key drivers of general and specific symptoms associated with Long COVID and the presence of virus neutralizing antibodies in PASC will aid in the development of therapeutics, diagnostics, and vaccines which currently do not exist. We designed a cross-sectional study to investigate systemic antibody and cytokine responses during COVID-19 recovery and PASC. In total, 195 participants were recruited in one of four groups: (1) Those who never had COVID-19 (No COVID); (2) Those in acute COVID-19 recovery (Acute Recovery) (4–12 weeks post infection); (3) Those who recovered from COVID-19 (Recovered) (+ 12 weeks from infection); and (4) those who had PASC (PASC) (+ 12 weeks from infection). Participants completed a questionnaire on health history, sex, gender, demographics, experiences with COVID-19 acute and COVID-19 recovery/continuing symptoms. Serum samples collected were evaluated for antibody binding to viral proteins, virus neutralizing antibody titers, and serum cytokine levels using Ella SimplePlex Immunoassay™ panels. We found participants with PASC reported more pre-existing conditions (e.g. such as hypertension, asthma, and obesity), and PASC symptoms (e.g. fatigue, brain fog, headaches, and shortness of breath) following COVID-19 than COVID-19 Recovered individuals. Importantly, we found PASC individuals to have significantly decreased levels of neutralizing antibodies toward both SARS-CoV-2 and the Omicron BA.1 variant. Sex analysis indicated that female PASC study participants had sustained antibody levels as well as levels of the inflammatory cytokines GM-CSF and ANG-2 over time following COVID-19. Our study reports people experiencing PASC had lower levels of virus neutralizing antibodies; however, the results are limited by the collection time post-COVID-19 and post-vaccination. Moreover, we found females experiencing PASC had sustained levels of GM-CSF and ANG-2. With lower levels of virus neutralizing antibodies, this data suggests that PASC individuals not only have had a suboptimal antibody response during acute SARS-CoV-2 infection but may also have increased susceptibility to subsequent infections which may exacerbate or prolong current PASC illnesses. We also provide evidence suggesting GM-CSF and ANG-2 to play a role in the sex-bias of PASC. Taken together, our findings maybe important for understanding immune molecular drivers of PASC and PASC subgroups.

Conhecer a opinião de médicos sobre internação compulsória como estratégia de resgate da saúde mental e autonomia de pacientes dependentes químicos. Um estudo descritivo e exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa, realizado em um hospital especializado em psiquiatria. Os sujeitos da pesquisa foram constituídos por sete médicos. Utilizou-se um instrumento para a caracterização dos participantes e roteiro de entrevista semiestruturado. Da convergência entre as categorias iniciais obtidas a partir da análise de conteúdo originaram-se duas categorias finais. Na primeira, denominada “Internação Compulsória: a autonomia, os direitos dos pacientes e os direitos e deveres dos profissionais”, emergiram duas subcategorias: Internação compulsória: é necessária pelo risco à sociedade, e as questões éticas e técnicas desta prática; e Internação Compulsória: perda da liberdade ou recomeço? A segunda categoria intitulada “Equipe multiprofissional: processo de inserção social”. Os resultados apontaram que a internação compulsória é benéfica desde que tenha finalidade terapêutica, prezando pela preservação da sua integridade.

«Se il punto non differisce dal corpo, il centro da la circonferenza, il finito da l'infinito, il massimo dal minimo, sicuramente possiamo affermare che l’universo è tutto centro, o che il centro de l'universo è per tutto, e che la circonferenza non è in parte alcuna per quanto è differente dal centro, o pur che la circonferenza è per tutto, ma il centro non si trova in quanto che è differente da quella» (Bruno 1584). Se l’infinito è fatto di infiniti punti, ogni punto ne è anche il centro. In ogni “mito di fondazione” vi è infatti l’affermazione della centralità di un determinato luogo. Così il tema del monumento viene qui interpretato come imago mundi, o anche axis mundi: esso consiste in un approdo galleggiante a simboleggiare la ricucitura tra “arcaico” e “moderno”, “razionale” e “irrazionale”.

Background: Poxviruses comprise a group of large double-stranded DNA viruses and are known to cause diseases in humans, livestock animals, and other animal species. The Mpox virus (MPXV; formerly Monkeypox), variola virus (VARV), and volepox virus (VPXV) are among the prevalent poxviruses of the Orthopoxviridae genera. The ongoing Mpox infectious disease pandemic caused by the Mpox virus has had a major impact on public health across the globe. To date, only limited repurposed antivirals and vaccines are available for the effective treatment of Mpox and other poxviruses that cause contagious diseases. Methods: The present study was conducted with the primary goal of formulating multi-epitope vaccines against three evolutionary closed poxviruses i.e., MPXV, VARV, and VPXV using an integrated immunoinformatics and molecular modeling approach. DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (DdRp), a potential vaccine target of poxviruses, has been used to determine immunodominant B and T-cell epitopes followed by interactions analysis with Toll-like receptor 2 at the atomic level. Results: Three multi-epitope vaccine constructs, namely DdRp_MPXV (V1), DdRp_VARV (V2), and DdRp_VPXV (V3) were designed. These vaccine constructs were found to be antigenic, non-allergenic, non-toxic, and soluble with desired physicochemical properties. Protein-protein docking and interaction profiling analysis depicts a strong binding pattern between the targeted immune receptor TLR2 and the structural models of the designed vaccine constructs, and manifested a number of biochemical bonds (hydrogen bonds, salt bridges, and non-bonded contacts). State-of-the-art all-atoms molecular dynamics simulations revealed highly stable interactions of vaccine constructs with TLR2 at the atomic level throughout the simulations on 300 nanoseconds. Additionally, the outcome of the immune simulation analysis suggested that designed vaccines have the potential to induce protective immunity against targeted poxviruses. Conclusions: Taken together, formulated next-generation polyvalent vaccines were found to have good efficacy against closely related poxviruses (MPXV, VARV, and VPXV) as demonstrated by our extensive immunoinformatics and molecular modeling evaluations; however, further experimental investigations are still needed.

Os deslocamentos migratórios internacionais constituem um fenômeno social que impacta na vida de milhares de pessoas, especialmente as crianças em idade escolar. A vida em outro país implica em mudanças, adaptações, aprendizados, na busca por direitos e ao mesmo tempo na preservação de sua história de vida. Para garantir a dignidade humana e um mínimo de qualidade de vida dos migrantes, documentos supranacionais foram sendo elaborados. A bioética com sua Declaração Universal sobre Bioética e Direitos Humanos também se empenhou em garantir a dignidade e o respeito de todos em situação de vulnerabilidade. A rede Municipal de Educação de Curitiba, objeto desse estudo, conta com a presença de muitos estudantes migrantes de países que estão em guerra, ou de países com sérias dificuldades políticas e econômicas. Frente a esse cenário, essa pesquisa pretende investigar como a bioética pode contribuir com o processo de educação dos migrantes de modo a garantir-lhes um contexto humanitário com a proteção da dignidade humana? A metodologia da pesquisa é de caráter teórico documental com análise e comparação dos documentos e diretrizes internacionais referentes aos direitos dos imigrantes à educação com os documentos da rede Municipal de Educação de Curitiba. A discussão do corpus documental será realizada em perspectiva interdisciplinar. O estudo permite concluir que para que os princípios da bioética possam ser eficazes, de modo a preservar a dignidade e o respeito do estudante migrante, é preciso criar condições adequadas de inclusão escolar.

ABSTRACT In this work, the population dynamics and reproductive aspects of two sympatric Hyalella species in a river spring were analyzed in the northwestern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The samplings were performed by one person, for ten minutes and using a hand net for one-year period (March 2018 to April 2019) and transported to the laboratory. All individuals sampled were sexed, measured, and separated by cephalothorax length (CC) size classes. Hyalella gauchensis Streck & Castiglioni, 2017 was 22.7 times more frequent and showed significantly greater mean cephalothorax when compared to Hyalella longipropodus Limberger, Graichen & Castiglioni, 2021. Males had a larger body size (CC) than females, although they occur in smaller numbers in both species. The total frequency distribution in CC size classes was bimodal in males and juveniles, and polimodal in females of H. gauchensis. In H. longipropodus the distribution as bimodal in males, females and juveniles. Both H. gauchensis and H. longipropodus had their breeding season and recruitment during the colder seasons of the year (fall and winter, respectively). However, there was a seasonal temporal separation of the intensity peaks between the two species, which could indicate different strategies and/or evolutionary adaptations for their coexistence.

Abstract Background The overall goal of this survey was to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Rwanda. Methods This mixed-method cross-sectional survey was conducted in five selected districts of Rwanda. Quantitative data were collected from 1,010 participants using Kobo Collect Software and the analysis was performed using SPSS and Python software. Qualitative data were specifically collected from 98 participants through Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussion (FGDs). Interview transcripts were imported into NVIVO 8 for coding and subsequent analysis. Results As per our quantitative findings, we report that from the 1,010 respondents, 99.6% reported having previously heard of Ebola, 97.2% believed that vaccination is important in combatting the disease and 93.3% of individuals reported a willingness to receive vaccination should one become available. Around 54% of the respondents were correct in identifying that the disease is of a viral origin which originates from wild animals (42.1%). When asked if they believed that Rwanda is at risk of an EVD outbreak, 90% of the respondents believe that the country is at risk of an EVD outbreak, and the cofactors *gender* and *whether people dwell in Rubavu/Rusizi* were found to significantly impact their perception of threat. As per our qualitative findings, the respondents mentioned that both geographical proximity and relations with the Democratic Republic of Congo place Rwanda at risk of developing an internal outbreak. Although the respondents seemed to be aware of the Ebola prevention behaviours, it was noted that some of them will require significant time before reintegrating into the community an EVD survivor, as they will first need assurance that the patient has fully recovered. Therefore, the qualitative findings reinforce what we originally reported in the quantitative approach to this study. Conclusion Our results show that there was high EVD-related knowledge and awareness among the general population in Rwanda. However, for strong public health awareness, preparedness, and protection, a massive investment should always be made in education about EVD with a special focus on districts neighboring countries where the disease is consistently being reported.

Objective: An eucalyptus essential oil-based nanoemulsion was produced and evaluated for its antimicrobial properties against Streptococcus mutans and its cytotoxicity in the surface mucous cells of rabbits. Methods: The essential oil-based nanoemulsion was synthesized with two species of eucalyptus—Eucalyptus citriodora and Eucalyptus globulus—followed by physicochemical characterization and the determination of antimicrobial activity and cell viability. Subsequently, the mouthwash formulations (fluoride and fluoride-free) were functionalized with the nanoemulsion, and their in vitro antimicrobial actions were evaluated against S. mutans. Results: The nanoemulsion presented an average particle size of around 100 nm, a polydispersity index close to 0.3, a zeta potential between −19 and −30 mV, a pH close to 7, a spherical shape, and a cell viability above 50%. The antimicrobial activity analysis showed that the nanoemulsion was effective in the control of S. mutans. The mouthwashes functionalized with the nanoemulsion also presented bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties. Conclusions: The bio-based material produced with eucalyptus essential oil presented adequate physicochemical characteristics, with the potential to be used as an innovative material in preventive dentistry, contributing to the maintenance of oral and systemic health.

Diante da pandemia de COVID-19, muitas ações foram realizadas pelas universidades: identificação e caracterização do agente infeccioso; divulgação científica; formação dos profissionais de saúde; estudos sobre o tratamento, vacinas, diagnóstico; entre outros. No início da pandemia, isolar os portadores do SARS-Cov-2 a partir do diagnóstico rápido e preciso era a única forma de conter a disseminação do vírus. Neste contexto, o programa de extensão universitária denominado UFSM-Detecta, foi desenvolvido como parte de uma força tarefa institucional para minimizar os impactos da pandemia em uma região do Rio Grande do Sul. O programa teve como principal objetivo realizar a análise molecular do SARS-CoV-2 em uma região do estado distante da capital e com difícil acesso aos laboratórios de referência. O presente artigo tem como objetivo relatar a organização e vivências do referido programa. Para tal, foi realizado um estudo descritivo do tipo relato de experiência sobre uma ação extensionista ocorrida entre 2020 e 2023. Além de dados epidemiológicos e científicos gerados a partir da análise de 50.000 amostras vindas de 50 municípios parceiros, as ações de educação e divulgação científica realizadas neste período mostram a importância da integração da universidade com a sociedade. A extensão realiza, por excelência, o real sentido da universidade, integrando a ciência e o ensino, promovendo a democratização dos saberes num contexto interdisciplinar que contribui para o bem-estar e saúde da população. Palavras-chave: Ações extensionistas; Pandemia; Universidade; Vírus; Saúde Coletiva UFSM-Detecta University extension program: Health education and molecular diagnosis actions to face COVID-19 Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many actions were carried out by universities: identification and characterization of the infectious disease agent, scientific divulgation, training of health professionals, studies on treatment, vaccines, and diagnosis, among others. At the beginning of the pandemic, the isolation of positive cases after a rapid and accurate diagnosis was the only way to contain the pandemic. In this context, the university extension program called UFSM-Detecta was developed at UFSM as part of an institutional task force to minimize the pandemic's impacts in the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. The program's main objective was to carry out the molecular analysis of SARS-CoV-2 in a region of the state far from the capital and with difficult access to reference laboratories. This article seeks to report the transformation of a scholar/research laboratory into a laboratory to identify the positive cases of the virus for the COVID-19 diagnosis. The report was based on the perceptions regarding the service of the professors involved in the project, describing the stages and difficulties, as well as the outcomes of the task force. In addition to epidemiological and scientific data generated from the analysis of 50,000 samples from almost 50 partner municipalities, the education and scientific dissemination actions carried out during this period showed the importance of the university's insertion in the community, exercising its role as a protagonist in science, teaching, and services in an interdisciplinary context that contributes to the well-being and health of the population. Keywords: Outreach Actions; Pandemic; University; Virus; Collective Health

Resumo Fundamento O SHARPEN foi o primeiro escore desenvolvido especificamente para a predição de mortalidade hospitalar em pacientes com endocardite infecciosa (EI), independentemente da realização de cirurgia cardíaca. Objetivos Analisar a capacidade do escore SHARPEN na predição de mortalidade hospitalar e mortalidade após a alta e compará-la à do Índice de Comorbidade de Charlson (ICC). Métodos Estudo retrospectivo do tipo coorte incluindo internações por EI (segundo os critérios de Duke modificados) entre 2000 e 2016. A área sob a curva ROC (AUC-ROC) foi calculada para avaliar a capacidade preditiva. Curvas de Kaplan-Meier e regressão de Cox foram realizadas. Um valor de p < 0,05 foi considerado estatisticamente significativo. Resultados Estudamos 179 internações hospitalares. A mortalidade hospitalar foi 22,3%; 68 (38,0%) foram submetidos à cirurgia cardíaca. Os escores SHARPEN e ICC (mediana e intervalo interquartil) foram, respectivamente, 9(7-11) e 3(2-6). O escore SHARPEN mostrou melhor predição de mortalidade hospitalar em comparação ao ICC nos pacientes não operados (AUC-ROC 0,77 vs. 0,62, p = 0,003); não foi observada diferença no grupo total (p=0,26) ou nos pacientes operados (p=0,41). Escore SHARPEN >10 na admissão foi associado a uma menor sobrevida hospitalar no grupo total (HR 3,87; p < 0,001), nos pacientes não operados (HR 3,46; p = 0,006) e de pacientes operados (HR 6,86; p < 0,001) patients. ICC > 3 na admissão foi associada a pior sobrevida hospitalar nos grupos total (HR 3,0; p = 0,002), de pacientes operados (HR 5,57; p = 0,005), mas não nos pacientes não operados (HR 2,13; p = 0,119). A sobrevida após a alta foi pior nos pacientes com SHARPEN > 10 (HR 3,11; p < 0,001) e ICC > 3 (HR 2,63; p < 0,001) na internação; contudo, não houve diferença na capacidade preditiva entre esses grupos. Conclusão O SHARPEN escore foi superior ao ICC na predição de mortalidade hospitalar nos pacientes não operados. Não houve diferença entre os escores quanto à mortalidade após a alta.

ABSTRACT Background: Celiac disease is defined as a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the small intestine in genetically predisposed people, triggered by exposure to gluten. The only treatment for celiac disease to date is a lifelong gluten-free diet. Eating habits of celiacs play an important role in their nutritional status. Objective: To evaluate the eating habits and nutritional status of patients with celiac disease in Rio Grande do Sul. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with patients diagnosed with celiac disease residing in Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) over 18 years of age. An online questionnaire was applied with calls through social networks and also by the Associação dos Celíacos do Brasil - Rio Grande do Sul Section. Sociodemographic data, history of celiac disease, general medical history, reported weight and height and food consumption data (SISVAN food frequency questionnaire and general questions) were collected. Results: The sample consisted of 142 individuals with a mean age of 39.75±11.5 years, 94.4% were women and 93% were white. The patients showed care regarding a gluten-free diet, with the majority not ingesting gluten (82.2%) and being careful regarding cross-contamination by gluten in their homes (85.9%) and in restaurants (62, 4%). Most patients also had good eating habits, with frequent consumption of fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs and low frequency of processed foods and fats. Body weight before and after the diagnosis of celiac disease did not show significant changes (62.3±13.8 versus 63.6±11.7 kg; P=0.147); however, there was an improvement in the classification of nutritional status by body mass index (malnourished: 11.6% before versus 2.3% after; P=0.016). Conclusion: Most celiac disease patients in this study have good eating habits with a balanced gluten-free diet and improved nutritional status after diagnosis according to body mass index classification.

IntroductionThe onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant burden on healthcare systems worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan regions where healthcare resources are limited. The transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is facilitated by the movement of people from place to place. Therefore, implementing measures that restrict movement of people and contacts is crucial in controlling the spread of the disease. Following the identification of the first COVID-19 case in Rwanda, the government implemented stringent measures, including a complete nationwide lockdown, border closures, curfews, reduced capacity in public transportation and businesses, and mandatory testing. This study aims to assess epidemiological trends in COVID-19 cases in relation to changes in population mobility within the public transportation system.MethodsA descriptive analysis using publicly available data on COVID-19 epidemiological indicators (cases, deaths, vaccinations, and stringency index) and mobility data was conducted.ResultsThe results reveal a strong correlation between mobility in public transportation and other activities, underscoring Rwanda’s reliance on its public transportation system. The study also identifies a pattern where increases in transit station mobility preceded spikes in COVID-19 cases, suggesting that the subsequent rise in public transportation usage may contribute to higher infection rates.DiscussionTherefore, this study emphasizes the importance of ongoing vigilance and regulatory measures regarding public transportation during infectious disease outbreaks.

Resumo Objetivo Analisar a percepção de pessoas idosas em relação a sua imagem corporal e autoestima. Método Pesquisa qualitativa, exploratória, descritiva realizada com 28 pessoas idosas nos Centros de Referência de Assistência Social de Araucária, Paraná, Brasil. Foi aplicada entrevista com roteiro estruturado composto por 10 questões que abordavam os sentimentos em relação à estética no envelhecimento e às repercussões na autoestima. A análise dos dados foi realizada utilizando o software IRAMUTEQ®. Resultados A análise da percepção em relação à estética e autoestima no envelhecimento resultou em 5 classes: classe 1 (19,8%) “Relação autoestima x autoimagem”, classe 2 (20,7%) “Sentimentos e sensações experimentadas”, classe 3 (20,7%) “Aspectos além da aparência que influenciam a autoestima”, classe 4 (18,1%) “Motivos para realizar cuidados estéticos” e classe 5 (20,7%) “Tipos de intervenções e cuidados estéticos”. Elevada autoestima foi encontrada em uma população vulnerável economicamente. Muitas pessoas idosas relataram que com o envelhecimento houve mudanças na forma como são tratadas, entretanto, isso não foi percebido somente de forma negativa. Conclusão Embora a sociedade promova um padrão de beleza, as pessoas idosas conseguem viver de forma satisfatória, com elevada autoestima, sem serem influenciadas negativamente.

In most industries that generate consumer products the main source of electrical energy comes from burning wood or fossil fuels in boilers. However, the use of these non-renewable fuels poses a huge problem for the current energy matrix and for the environment, which makes new alternatives necessary for a more environmentally friendly scenario. In view of this, our study evaluated the application of brewers’ spent grains (BSG) as an alternative biomass for energy generation in an industrial cogeneration system. For this, different blends of BSG and eucalyptus wood chips were used for steam generation. In addition, the effect of two different dehydration conditions on the drying kinetics of BSG were evaluated. The BSG presented an initial moisture content of 77.68%, 0.52% ash, mean particle size of 0.28 mm, density of 113 kg m–3, and lower calorific value of 17.84 MJ kg–1, making it suitable for energy recovery in a cogeneration system. Outdoor drying under external conditions can be applied to remove the moisture content from BSG, which is a low-cost strategy for further application in the drying process. From the biomass blends, the use of 80% BSG and 20% wood chips promoted better characteristics for application as fuel in a cogeneration system. The use of BSG promoted a reduction in the use of wood chips as fuel and generated a savings of approximately 9 thousand USD annually for the simulated system (80% BSG and 20% wood chips), a reduction of 82% of the cost, when comparing with a system using only wood chips. Therefore, the biomass by-product generated from beer production can be used to produce renewable energy in a cogeneration system, replacing the use of wood chips. The waste-to-energy strategy evaluated in this study can be a promising alternative for a circular economy transition, reducing the waste generated in breweries and promoting the recovery of renewable energy that can be applied in situ, making the entire industrial system become a biorefinery, using its main waste as biofuel to generate clean energy, promoting an energy transition to an increasingly cleaner energetical matrix.

Bioenergy recovery from biomass by-products is a promising approach for the circular bioeconomy transition. However, the management of agri-food by-products in stand-alone treatment facilities is a challenge for the low-capacity food processing industry. In this study, the techno-economic assessment of a small-scale anaerobic digestion process was evaluated for the management of jabuticaba by-product and the production of biomethane, electricity, heat, and fertilizer. The process was simulated for a treatment capacity of 782.2 m3 y−1 jabuticaba peel, considering the experimental methane production of 42.31 L CH4 kg−1 TVS. The results of the scaled-up simulated process demonstrated the production of biomethane (13,960.17 m3 y−1), electricity (61.76 MWh y−1), heat (197.62 GJ y−1), and fertilizer (211.47 t y−1). Economic analysis revealed that the process for biomethane recovery from biogas is not profitable, with a net margin of −19.58% and an internal rate of return of −1.77%. However, biogas application in a heat and power unit can improve project feasibility, with a net margin of 33.03%, an internal rate of return of 13.14%, and a payback of 5.03 years. In conclusion, the application of small-scale anaerobic digestion can prevent the wrongful open-air disposal of jabuticaba by-products, with the generation of renewable energy and biofertilizer supporting the green economy toward the transition to a circular economy.

Abstract Archaea are a vast and unexplored cellular domain that thrive in a high diversity of environments, having central roles in processes mediating global carbon and nutrient fluxes. For these organisms to balance their metabolism, the appropriate regulation of their gene expression is essential. A key momentum in regulating genes responsible for the life maintenance of archaea is when transcription factor proteins bind to the promoter element. This DNA segment is conserved, which enables its exploration by machine learning techniques. Here, we trained and tested a support vector machine with 3935 known archaeal promoter sequences. All promoter sequences were coded into DNA Duplex Stability. After, we performed a model interpretation task to map the decision pattern of the classification procedure. We also used a dataset of known-promoter sequences for validation. Our results showed that an AT rich region around position − 27 upstream (relative to the start TSS) is the most conserved in the analyzed organisms. In addition, we were able to identify the BRE element (− 33), the PPE (at − 10) and a position at + 3, that provides a more understandable picture of how promoters are organized in all the archaeal organisms. Finally, we used the interpreted model to identify potential promoter sequences of 135 unannotated organisms, delivering regulatory regions annotation of archaea in a scale never accomplished before ( https://pcyt.unam.mx/gene-regulation/ ). We consider that this approach will be useful to understand how gene regulation is achieved in other organisms apart from the already established transcription factor binding sites.

Introdução: Exercícios físicos aprimoram em diversos aspectos a saúde. No entanto, poucos estudos investigaram os efeitos de programas de exercícios físicos em servidores de instituições de ensino superior. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar os impactos de um programa de exercícios físicos em desfechos relacionados à composição corporal e desempenho físico de servidores de uma universidade federal. Materiais e métodos: Estudo quase-experimental com a participação de 11 voluntários que avaliou a composição corporal e desempenho físico após aproximadamente 20 semanas de intervenção. Resultados: Em relação aos desfechos antropométricos, houve redução significativa nas circunferências da cintura e quadril, soma de dobras cutâneas e percentual de gordura corporal (p

Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) foi um professor e pesquisador que contribuiu para o campo da ecologia da vida selvagem, destacando-se no ambientalismo norte-americano do século XX. O objetivo deste artigo é discutir sob uma perspectiva filosófica a conservação da biodiversidade adotada por Aldo Leopold a partir de análise de trechos da sua última obra A sand county almanac and sketches here and there (1949). O livro, elaborado em seus anos de experiência na fazenda da família, apresenta uma série de ensaios com uma abordagem ecológica da relação do ser humano com a natureza. As duas primeiras partes contêm ensaios resultantes da leitura da paisagem, adotando a perspectiva de elementos bióticos e abióticos do ambiente, assim como, ponderações resultantes de sua experiência profissional. A terceira parte da obra traz reflexões de caráter filosófico a respeito da estética da conservação e ética da Terra promovendo uma reinterpretação da identidade humana e do relacionamento com a terra.

Abstract This is a reply to the letter titled “Understanding lactate and its clearance during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for supporting refractory cardiogenic shock patients” by Eva Rully Kurniawati et al. In response to the concerns raised about our paper published in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, titled “Association between serum lactate levels and mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock receiving mechanical circulatory support: a multicenter retrospective cohort study,“ we have addressed the confounding bias on the population included and the use of VA-ECMO and Impella CP. Furthermore, we have provided new data on the correlation of oxygen supply and lactate levels at admission of cardiogenic shock.

Resumo Ao longo da história, a ética médica assumiu diferentes perspectivas. Na atualidade, parece haver indiscutível supremacia do entendimento de que a ética normativa é aquela que melhor atende às necessidades da relação de profissionais da medicina com seus pacientes. Nesse contexto, esta pesquisa buscou investigar como a ética das virtudes pode contribuir para que a deontologia médica possa ser eficaz e virtuosa com vistas ao bem do paciente. Para buscar essa compreensão, realizou-se pesquisa bibliográfica de caráter teórico-conceitual narrativa e crítica. A hipótese levantada é de que, embora a deontologia seja o guia mais aceito e praticado na relação do profissional com o paciente, se não for acompanhada de uma ética das virtudes para orientar a ação médica, não há garantias de que o mero cumprimento da regra seja virtuoso no que tange ao bem do paciente.

Resumo Vida e morte são compreendidas de maneiras distintas em diferentes culturas, religiões e sociedades, portanto padronizar o entendimento dos significados desses termos em sociedades multiculturais torna-se desafiador e complexo. Diante dessa realidade, esta pesquisa busca descobrir como a morte foi compreendida na história e quais valores eram associados a ela. Para isso, realizou-se revisão da literatura analítico-narrativa, com seleção de 69 publicações para leitura na íntegra. A sociedade e a medicina adquiriram uma visão dualista que considera a morte da função cerebral como irreversibilidade de existência de um eu psicológico. Diante da possibilidade de coletar órgãos e tecidos a partir de um corpo mantido vivo e operado, o suporte de vida deve sempre visar o benefício, mas sem causar danos a terceiros. Para que esses avanços sejam possíveis, a legislação deve ser clara e atualizada.

Esta pesquisa objetiva analisar como o contexto da pandemia afetou estudantes com deficiência em uma universidade pública do interior do Paraná. Para tanto, exploramos as políticas públicas e documentos elaborados sobre ensino remoto em nível local, estadual e nacional. Tomamos como referencial a perspectiva teórico-metodológica da Psicologia Histórico-Cultural. A coleta de dados deu-se nas etapas de levantamento de documentos e na pesquisa de campo, com entrevistas a acadêmicos/as com deficiência e a gestores/as responsáveis pelas políticas de inclusão da universidade. Conclui-se que se produziu poucos recursos para amparar as pessoas com deficiência durante o ensino remoto na pandemia, de maneira que os/as discentes precisaram, de forma autônoma, desenvolver estratégias de estudo a fim de superar as adversidades do contexto.

BackgroundThe higher movement of people was one of the variables that contributed to the spread of the infectious agent SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments worldwide responded to the virus by implementing measures that would restrict people’s movements, and consequently, the spread of the disease. During the onset of the pandemic, the technology companies Apple, Google, and Meta used their infrastructure to anonymously gather mobility reports from their users. ObjectiveThis study aims to compare mobility data reports collected by Apple, Google, and Meta (formerly Facebook) during the COVID-19 pandemic and a major winter storm in Texas in 2021. We aim to explore the hypothesis that different people exhibit similar mobility trends during dramatic events and to emphasize the importance of this type of data for public health measures. The study also aims to promote evidence for companies to continue releasing mobility trends data, given that all 3 companies have discontinued these services. MethodsIn this study, we collected mobility data spanning from 2020 to 2022 from 3 major tech companies: Apple, Google, and Meta. Our analysis focused on 58 countries that are common to all 3 databases, enabling us to conduct a comprehensive global-scale analysis. By using the winter storm that occurred in Texas in 20201 as a benchmark, we were able to assess the robustness of the mobility data obtained from the 3 companies and ensure the integrity of our findings. ResultsOur study revealed convergence in the mobility trends observed across different companies during the onset of significant disasters, such as the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the winter storm that impacted Texas in 2021. Specifically, we observed strong positive correlations (r=0.96) in the mobility data collected from different tech companies during the first year of the pandemic. Furthermore, our analysis of mobility data during the 2021 winter storm in Texas showed a similar convergence of trends. Additionally, we found that periods of stay-at-home orders were reflected in the data, with record-low mobility and record-high stay-at-home figures. ConclusionsOur findings provide valuable insights into the ways in which major disruptive events can impact patterns of human mobility; moreover, the convergence of data across distinct methodologies highlights the potential value of leveraging mobility data from multiple sources for informing public health decision-making. Therefore, we conclude that the use of mobility data is an asset for health authorities to consider during natural disasters, as we determined that the data sets from 3 companies yielded convergent mobility patterns. Comparatively, data obtained from a single source would be limited, and therefore, more difficult to interpret, requiring careful analysis.

The Brazilian cerrado has a range of unexplored plant species with high technological potential for the food industry. The edible fraction of baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) is the nut, while agro-industrial by-products (endocarp, mesocarp, and epicarp) are still rarely used in human nutrition. This study evaluated the nutritional composition, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity of baru nuts and its agro-industrial by-product (mesocarp or pulp). Hence, to determine the nutritional enrichment, cookies were produced with different concentrations of baru pulp powder, and the proximate composition, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity were investigated. The results obtained demonstrate that the baru nut presented a high lipid (31.80 ± 0.65 g 100 g−1) and protein (22.38 ± 0.37 g 100 g−1) content. The baru agro-industrial by-product was rich in phenolic compounds (276.56 ± 13.16 mg 100 g−1), flavonoids (19.59 ± 0.30 mg 100 g−1), and tannins (137.21 ± 31.21 mg 100 g−1), which reflected its high antioxidant capacity. The replacement of wheat flour by baru agro-industrial by-product in the formulation of cookies improved the protein, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, and antioxidant activity. Therefore, the application of baru agro-industrial by-product is a viable alternative as a cookie ingredient, while the use of baru in foods can contribute to the exploration of regional products to promote the sustainable development of unexplored plant species.

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is an important tropical fruit crop, and its nutritional status is directly associated with the quality and postharvest conservation of the fruits. Several agronomic events are involved with changes in the flavor and texture of the fruits, which are associated with the postharvest delay of fruit maturation, especially cell wall loosening. In this study, ‘Paluma’ guava trees were treated with three doses of potassium fertilization (50 [producer dose - control], 100, and 150 g K2O plant−1) during the phenological phase of fruit growth, and the fruits were evaluated in three maturity stages (green yellow, yellow greenish, and yellow). The completely randomized design and fruits from three plants were used as replicates per treatment. The fruits were evaluated by the changes in pectin content and cell wall enzyme activity (pectin methylesterase and polygalacturonase) and oxidative metabolism enzymes (polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase activity). The results demonstrate that fruits from plants fertilized with 100 g K2O plant−1 were firmer (59.24 N), in which the yellow-greenish stage presented higher total (3.69%) and insoluble pectin (2.58%) contents. Furthermore, fruits at yellow-greenish stage presented lower pectin methylesterase (370.9 mU g−1 FW) and polygalacturonase (110.1 mU g−1 FW) cell wall enzyme activity, reflecting the better resistance of the cell wall and possibly longer postharvest life. As a practical application, the use of 100 g of K2O plant−1 during production and harvesting of “Paluma” guava at the yellow-greenish stage can maintain fruit firmness, improve quality, and reduce postharvest losses.

Poxviridae is a family of large, complex, enveloped, and double-stranded DNA viruses. The members of this family are ubiquitous and well known to cause contagious diseases in humans and other types of animals as well. Taxonomically, the poxviridae family is classified into two subfamilies, namely Chordopoxvirinae (affecting vertebrates) and Entomopoxvirinae (affecting insects). The members of the Chordopoxvirinae subfamily are further divided into 18 genera based on the genome architecture and evolutionary relationship. Of these 18 genera, four genera, namely Molluscipoxvirus, Orthopoxvirus, Parapoxvirus, and Yatapoxvirus, are known for infecting humans. Some of the popular members of poxviridae are variola virus, vaccine virus, Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), cowpox, etc. There is still a pressing demand for the development of effective vaccines against poxviruses. Integrated immunoinformatics and artificial-intelligence (AI)-based methods have emerged as important approaches to design multi-epitope vaccines against contagious emerging infectious diseases. Despite significant progress in immunoinformatics and AI-based techniques, limited methods are available to predict the epitopes. In this study, we have proposed a unique method to predict the potential antigens and T-cell epitopes for multiple poxviruses. With PoxiPred, we developed an AI-based tool that was trained and tested with the antigens and epitopes of poxviruses. Our tool was able to locate 3191 antigen proteins from 25 distinct poxviruses. From these antigenic proteins, PoxiPred redundantly located up to five epitopes per protein, resulting in 16,817 potential T-cell epitopes which were mostly (i.e., 92%) predicted as being reactive to CD8+ T-cells. PoxiPred is able to, on a single run, identify antigens and T-cell epitopes for poxviruses with one single input, i.e., the proteome file of any poxvirus.

IntroductionAfter the initial onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the government of Canada and provincial health authorities imposed restrictive policies to limit virus transmission and mitigate disease burden. In this study, the pandemic implications in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia (NS) were evaluated as a function of the movement of people and governmental restrictions during successive SARS-CoV-2 variant waves (i.e., Alpha through Omicron).MethodsPublicly available data obtained from community mobility reports (Google), the Bank of Canada Stringency Index, the “COVID-19 Tracker” service, including cases, hospitalizations, deaths, and vaccines, population mobility trends, and governmental response data were used to relate the effectiveness of policies in controlling movement and containing multiple waves of SARS-CoV-2.ResultsOur results indicate that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic inflicted low burden in NS in the initial 2 years of the pandemic. In this period, we identified reduced mobility patterns in the population. We also observed a negative correlation between public transport (−0.78), workplace (−0.69), retail and recreation (−0.68) and governmental restrictions, indicating a tight governmental control of these movement patterns. During the initial 2 years, governmental restrictions were high and the movement of people low, characterizing a ‘seek-and-destroy’ approach. Following this phase, the highly transmissible Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant began circulating in NS at the end of the second year, leading to increased cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. During this Omicron period, unsustainable governmental restrictions and waning public adherence led to increased population mobility, despite increased transmissibility (26.41-fold increase) and lethality (9.62-fold increase) of the novel variant.DiscussionThese findings suggest that the low initial burden caused by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was likely a result of enhanced restrictions to contain the movement of people and consequently, the spread of the disease. Easing public health restrictions (as measured by a decline in the BOC index) during periods of high transmissibility of circulating COVID-19 variants contributed to community spread, despite high levels of immunization in NS.