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A 40‐year old female chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) developed hyporexia, weight loss, followed by progressive and complete blindness. Tomography demonstrated an intracranial mass in the rostroventral brain involving the optic chiasm, with a presumptive diagnosis of neoplasm. However, histopathology revealed a granulomatous meningoencephalitis, and tissue samples tested positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractControl rods and elements manage the power distribution in nuclear reactors through the motion of banks of rods distributed throughout the core. These positional changes are achieved through the actuation of fine motion control rod drive (FMCRD) mechanisms. In the BWRX-300 design by GE-Hitachi, this mechanism is electrically driven by a servomotor that allows for high-precision control of power outputs. Under operational transients, such as load-following, accurate and precise operation of these servomotors is necessary over long periods of time, so they are key maintenance targets to maintain availability and operational flexibility. Swiftly and precisely identifying faults in the drive mechanisms will support predictive maintenance and reduced costs. This paper used three different types of simulated faults to test the fault detectability of principal component analysis (PCA) when considering the simulated operations of banks of control rods and their associated servomotors. These faults were stator short-circuit faults, ball screw jam faults, and ball screw wear faults. Torque and position were monitored in the simulation. The position signal was insufficient to detect mechanical faults. Torque signals for each servomotor in the bank of rods undergoing multiple position demand changes were projected to a reduced dimensional space via PCA. Q and T2 statistics were employed for anomaly detection. Using this approach, all faults were detected, and the anomalies were isolated to the faulty FMCRD mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identifying hereditary parkinsonism is valuable for diagnosis, genetic counseling, patient prioritization in trials, and studying the disease for personalized therapies. However, most studies were conducted in Europeans, and limited data exist on admixed populations like those from Latin America. Objectives: This study aims to assess the frequency and distribution of genetic parkinsonism in Latin America. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the frequency of parkinsonian syndromes associated with genetic pathogenic variants in Latin America. We defined hereditary parkinsonism as those caused by the genes outlined by the MDS Nomenclature of Genetic Movement Disorders and heterozygous carriers of GBA1 pathogenic variants. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and LILACS in August 2022. Researchers reviewed titles and abstracts, and disagreements were resolved by a third researcher. After this screening, five researchers reanalyzed the selection criteria and extracted information based on the full paper. The frequency for each parkinsonism‐related gene was determined by the presence of pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants among screened patients. Cochran's Q and I2 tests were used to quantify heterogeneity. Meta‐regression, publication bias tests, and sensitivity analysis regarding study quality were also used for LRRK2‐, PRKN‐, and GBA1‐related papers. Results: We included 73 studies involving 3014 screened studies from 16 countries. Among 7668 Latin American patients, pathogenic variants were found in 19 different genes. The frequency of the pathogenic variants in LRRK2 was 1.38% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52–2.57), PRKN was 1.16% (95% CI: 0.08–3.05), and GBA1 was 4.17% (95% CI: 2.57–6.08). For all meta‐analysis, heterogeneity was high and publication bias tests were negative, except for PRKN, which was contradictory. Information on the number of pathogenic variants in the other genes is further presented in the text. Conclusions: This study provides insights into hereditary and GBA1‐related parkinsonism in Latin America. Lower GBA1 frequencies compared to European/North American cohorts may result from limited access to gene sequencing. Further research is vital for regional prevalence understanding, enabling personalized care and therapies. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structured reporting in radiology continues to hold substantial potential to improve the quality of service provided to patients and referring physicians. Despite many physicians' preference for structured reports and various efforts by radiological societies and some vendors, structured reporting has still not been widely adopted in clinical routine. While in many countries national radiological societies have launched initiatives to further promote structured reporting, cross-institutional applications of report templates and incentives for usage of structured reporting are lacking. Various legislative measures have been taken in the USA and the European Union to promote interoperable data formats such as Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) in the context of the EU Health Data Space (EHDS) which will certainly be relevant for the future of structured reporting. Lastly, recent advances in artificial intelligence and large language models may provide innovative and efficient approaches to integrate structured reporting more seamlessly into the radiologists' workflow. The ESR will remain committed to advancing structured reporting as a key component towards more value-based radiology. Practical solutions for structured reporting need to be provided by vendors. Policy makers should incentivize the usage of structured radiological reporting, especially in cross-institutional setting. Critical relevance statement Over the past years, the benefits of structured reporting in radiology have been widely discussed and agreed upon; however, implementation in clinical routine is lacking due—policy makers should incentivize the usage of structured radiological reporting, especially in cross-institutional setting. Key points 1. Various national societies have established initiatives for structured reporting in radiology. 2. Almost no monetary or structural incentives exist that favor structured reporting. 3. A consensus on technical standards for structured reporting is still missing. 4. The application of large language models may help structuring radiological reports. 5. Policy makers should incentivize the usage of structured radiological reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are amphizoic protozoans with a cosmopolitan distribution. Some strains of species are associated with infections in humans. They feed on microorganisms by phagocytosis; however, some of these can become endocytobionts by resisting this process and taking shelter inside the amoeba. The whole world is experiencing increasing shortage of water, and sewage is being reused, so the study of this environment is important in public health context. The objective of this work was to identify FLA present in sewage treatment plants in Porto Alegre, Brazil. About 1 L samples were collected from eight stations (raw and treated sewage) in January, February, July, and August 2022. The samples were sown in monoxenic culture, and the isolated amoebae were subjected to morphological and molecular identification. Polymerase chain reaction results indicated the presence of the genus Acanthamoeba in 100% of the samples. Gene sequencing showed the presence of Acanthamoeba lenticulata and Acanthamoeba polyphaga - T5 and T4 genotypes - respectively, which are related to pathogenicity. The environment where the sewage is released can be used in recreational activities, exposing individuals to potential interactions with these amoebae and their potential endocytobionts, which may pose risks to public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need of simple, inexpensive, and reliable noninvasive testing to predict coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), where the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) events and death is elevated. We analyzed the association between peripheral artery disease (PAD) and CAD in 201 patients with stage 5 CKD on dialysis using a prospective observational cohort. Diagnosis of PAD by both palpation and USD were significantly correlated. In patients with PAD diagnosed by palpation, CAD was observed in 80%, while in those diagnosed by USD, CAD was present in 79.1%. The absence of a pulse by palpation predicted CAD with a sensitivity of 55% and a specificity of 76%; USD showed a sensitivity of 62% and specificity of 60% to predict CAD. The risk of combined serious CV events and death was significantly higher in subjects with PAD diagnosed by palpation, but not by USD. PAD assessed by palpation also correlated with the occurrence of multivessel CAD and with the probability of coronary intervention. Both methods are moderately useful for predicting CAD, but PAD diagnosis by palpation was a better predictor of combined CV events and death and was also associated with CAD severity and likelihood of intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the topic of structured reporting in radiology and its slow adoption in daily practice. It highlights the need for harmonization of reporting templates and incentives for radiologists to adopt structured reporting. The article also mentions the potential use of large language models (LLMs) to structure unstructured reports and the challenges and potential biases associated with relying on commercial AI-based solutions. Overall, the article emphasizes the importance of structured reporting in transforming radiology practice and leveraging the valuable data contained in radiological reports. [Extracted from the article]

The aim of this paper is to investigate the professional context of Portuguese as a foreign language teachers at Região Metropolitana de Campinas (RMC) through an analysis of geopolitical outlines which concern on democratic management of an initial education undergraduate course. Based on an exploratory cartography, I intended to select and organize data groups considering migration demographic aspects at RMC, official documents and pedagogical projects as well as other data compilation through bibliographical research. By means of that database, I have proposed some potentially relevant movements concerning democratic management theories aiming to promote a forward-looking vision to Portuguese as a foreign language teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Northern Cerrado, increasing pressure from Society on Nature has intensified existing problems, such as the loss of soil in productive areas. This article evaluates the spatial and temporal variability of soil loss in the periurban area of São Desidério (BA), one of the largest grain producers in the country, and its relationship with the land tenure structure and the consolidation of agribusiness in the region. For this purpose, the Revised Universal Land Loss Equation – RUSLE – was calculated for the years 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020, for each rural property, classified by rural module size. Small properties have higher soil loss rates, followed by micro, medium and large properties. During the period, there was a general trend towards an increase in soil loss around 50%. The micro and small properties had average rates twice as high compared to the medium and large ones, showing the need to improve soil management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a case of lethal acute diarrhea associated with a mild neutrophilic enteritis in a buffy‐tufted‐ear marmoset (Callithrix aurita) with detection of A/B toxins and isolation of a toxigenic clade 3 Clostridioides difficile strain (A+B+CDT+, ST5), which should be considered as a potential cause of enteritis in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occurrences of young and immature individuals, relatively rare in the fossil record, are important due to the great amount of morphological and evolutionary information they reveal about a lineage's development. Although crocodylomorphs are the most abundant terrestrial vertebrates found in the Bauru Basin, southeastern Brazil, even outnumbering dinosaurian materials, much remains to be understood about their anatomy, ecology, and ontogeny. Egg fragments, nests and nesting sites attributed to Baurusuchus have been previously described, but unfortunately none of these yielded embryonic or hatchling remains. Here, we describe, for the first time, skeletal material of a small notosuchian yearling, recovered from the Adamantina Formation, with osteological features consistent with a baurusuchid affinity. We provide and discuss osteological and histological evidence of its ontogenetic stage, revealing morphological characters distinct from most adult forms, including conspicuous centro-parapophyseal laminae and developed ventral keels. Computerised tomography data also allowed for the identification of incipient ossification and a novel ontogenetic feature in the diminishing volume of the frontal´s internal recesses. Similar materials will increase our understanding of notosuchian ontogeny and diversity, thus requiring growth characters to be integrated into future phylogenies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an exponential rise in artificial intelligence (AI) research in imaging in recent years. While the dissemination of study data that has the potential to improve clinical practice is welcomed, the level of detail included in early AI research reporting has been highly variable and inconsistent, particularly when compared to more traditional clinical research. However, inclusion checklists are now commonly available and accessible to those writing or reviewing clinical research papers. AI-specific reporting guidelines also exist and include distinct requirements, but these can be daunting for radiologists new to the field. Given that pediatric radiology is a specialty faced with workforce shortages and an ever-increasing workload, AI could help by offering solutions to time-consuming tasks, thereby improving workflow efficiency and democratizing access to specialist opinion. As a result, pediatric radiologists are expected to be increasingly leading and contributing to AI imaging research, and researchers and clinicians alike should feel confident that the findings reported are presented in a transparent way, with sufficient detail to understand how they apply to wider clinical practice. In this review, we describe two of the most clinically relevant and available reporting guidelines to help increase awareness and engage the pediatric radiologist in conducting AI imaging research. This guide should also be useful for those reading and reviewing AI imaging research and as a checklist with examples of what to expect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether simple 2D measurements in axial slices of head and neck CT examinations correlate with generally established measurements of body composition in abdominal CT at the height of the third lumbar vertebra and thus allow for an estimation of muscle and fat masses. Methods: One hundred twenty-two patients who underwent concurrent CT of the head and neck and the abdomen between July 2016 and July 2020 were retrospectively included. For a subset of 30 patients, additional bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was available. Areas of paraspinal muscles at the height of the third (C3) and fifth cervical vertebrae (C5) as well as the total cross-sectional area at the height of C3 and at the submandibular level were correlated with the results of abdominal measurements and BIA. Furthermore, intra- and interreader variabilities of all measurements were assessed. Results: Regarding adipose tissue, good correlations were found between the total cross-sectional area of the patient's body at the submandibular level and at the height of C3 between both abdominal measurements and BIA results (r = 0.8–0.92; all p < 0.001). Regarding muscle, the total paraspinal muscle area at the height of C3 and C5 showed strong correlations with abdominal measurements and moderate to strong correlations with BIA results (r = 0.44–0.80; all p < 0.001), with the muscle area on C5 yielding slightly higher correlations. Conclusions: Body composition information can be obtained with comparable reliability from head and neck CT using simple biplanar measurements as from abdominal CT. Key Points: • The total paraspinal muscle area at the height of C3 and C5 correlates strongly with abdominal muscle mass. • The total cross-sectional area at the submandibular level and at the height of C3 shows good correlations with abdominal fat mass. • The described measurements facilitate a rapid, opportunistic assessment of relevant body composition parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Implementing BGI measures alone does not guarantee a more sustainable environment. • The UWU model simulated the effectiveness index by involving stakeholders. • Simulation results show higher effectiveness of BGI measures combined with IUWM. • The community participated in the application of the UWU model for the first time. Addressing urban water management challenges requires a holistic view. Sustainable approaches such as blue-green infrastructure (BGI) provide several benefits, but assessing their effectiveness demands a systemic approach. Challenges are magnified in informal areas, leading to the combination of integrated urban water management (IUWM) with BGI as a proposed solution by this research. We employed the Urban Water Use (UWU) model to assess the effectiveness index (EI) of BGI measures in view of IUWM after stakeholder consultation. The procedure in this novel assessment includes expert meetings for scenario building and resident interviews to capture the community's vision. To assess the impact of IUWM on the effectiveness of BGI measures, we proposed a simulation with BGI only and then three simulations with improvements to the water and sewage systems. The results of the EI analysis reveal a substantial improvement in the effectiveness of BGI measures through IUWM combination. Moreover, we offer insights into developing strategies for UWU model application in informal settlements, transferrable to diverse urban areas. The findings hold relevance for policymakers and urban planners, aiding informed decisions in urban water management. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of nurses in Primary Health Care is associated with the creation of the Unified Health System. Among the possibilities of action there is the Nursing Consultation, which is performed privately by the nurse, supported by the Ministry of Health and by the Law of the Professional Practice. National studies show that advances in Nursing Consultation, specifically in prenatal care. To know the scientific production about the role of nurses in prenatal consultations. This is an integrative qualitative review. Potentialities of the role of nurses in prenatal consultations and Weaknesses in the role of nurses in prenatal care. There are nurses who work and perform in prenatal consultations, as recommended by the Ministry of Health, however others work with weaknesses, which directly affect the good performance of care, which permeate all spheres of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To know the national scientific literature regarding nursing care for children in ABS. This is a literature review of the narrative type and the search sources were the Virtual Health Library in integrated mode and, later, the Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS) databases were selected and Database in Nursing (BDENF). Two thematic categories emerged: potentialities in child nursing care; and weaknesses in child nursing care. This research allowed to add knowledge in the ABS area, specifically in child health care, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of nursing care for this population according to the national literature. It is observed that there are still areas to be explored and improved, such as guidelines aimed at the reality of each child/family and the realization of a holistic and comprehensive care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glomalin produced by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi has beneficial effects on soils. We studied the vertical profile of glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) in pasturelands grown under saline soils and exposed to different management practices. Treatments included haying and grazing of Chloris gayana subject to either N-fertilization or not. We measured mycorrhizal colonization, spores, root biomass, total GRSP, GRSP-carbon (GRSP-C), organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (TN). In the meanwhile, we also developed a mathematical procedure to fit continuous power functions to binned soil data. Power decay functions adjusted excellently well the measured data across the 1-meter soil profile. Meaningful increases of root biomass, OC, TN, GRSP and GRSP-C values were associated with grazing and fertilization. Particularly, GRSP-C averaged 1,134 kg C ha−1 at the beginning experiments and increased significantly up to 1,261 kg C ha−1 in grazed and fertilized pastures at the end of the study period. Carbon accounted for between 17% and 50% of GRSP, representing in turn 0.52–1.62% of SOC stock. So, a tropical perennial grass can contribute to the carbon stock in saline soils by promoting production of GRSP. This contribution increases when inputs and cycling of nutrients are enhanced (grazing and N-fertilization). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of digital documents, associated with their usage in several knowledge areas requires computational resources for its comprehension and analysis. The literature proposes distinguishing authors by their writing style and keywords. However, these studies mainly involve journalistic and literary contexts written in English. This research is unique because it explores authorship analysis within a dataset composed of school activities written by undergraduate students in Portuguese. Such a scenario is challenging because it contains fewer documents per author, homogeneous authors, and fewer research and tools in Portuguese. Due to the insufficient number of samples, we used robust journalistic datasets as reference. The experiments verified that stylometric representations are superior to textual representations in restricted domains, which suffer from the topic's broader corpora. Furthermore, we found out that the ensemble of extremelly randomized decision trees associated with the proposed stylometric features overcome every other model tested, in allthe datasets, reaching an average accuracy of 0.71 and 0.81 AUC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to describe the experience of training the nursing team on the prevention of pressure injuries in patients with COVID-19 submitted to prone positioning. This is an experience report on the training of the nursing team in an Intensive Care Unit of a large private hospital in São Paulo. 100 nursing professionals participated in the educational activities in March 2020. The training addressed the following topics: prone position and its benefits, use of multilayer dressings (face and bony prominences) and cushions for pressure relief and redistribution, circuit management and swimmer repositioning devices and technique. Conducting training to prevent pressure injuries in pronated patients represented an important tool for training and improving the nursing team in the face of the challenges of critically ill patients with COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the in vitro anthelmintic activity of eugenol, thymol and tannic acid against the acanthocephalan endoparasite Neoechinorhynchus buttnerae. Tambaqui fish Colossoma macropomum intestines were collected and dissected for parasite removal. The anthelmintic activity of the compounds studied was tested in vitro using minimum essential medium (MEM) to maintain parasite viability. One control group and from 8 to 10 treatments were carried out in triplicate. Ten N. buttnerae specimens were introduced to each MEM plate, and after exposure to the compounds, parasite motility was observed every 15 min. The LC50 value of eugenol after 2, 6 and 24 h exposure was 1.01, 0.79 and 0.41 mg.mL-1, respectively; to thymol the values were 1.97, 0.96 and 0.92 mg.mL-1, and to tannic acid were 4.68, 1.79 and 1.30 mg.mL-1. Among the compounds tested, eugenol was the most efficient against N. buttnerae, eliminating 100% of the parasites after 15 min exposure to the three highest concentrations tested (1.56, 3.125 and 6.25 mg.mL-1). Thymol eliminated over 90% of the parasites after 2h exposure to the three highest levels tested (0.78, 1.56 and 3.125 mg.mL-1), and tannic acid showed the lowest activity, eliminating 100% of parasites after 6h exposure to doses between 6.25 and 50 mg.mL-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to evaluate knowledge and attitudes about the control of Aedes aegypti of quilombolas in the state of Sergipe according to socioeconomic, sanitary and environmental conditions. Quantitative cross-sectional study with 389 quilombolas, proportionally distributed in 15 communities. Quilombolas reported having internet access (78.9%), mobile phones (84.4%) and running water (p < 0.0001). The attitudes of cleaning the gutter (p = 0.014), the water tank (p < 0.0001) and the care required with yard debris (p = 0.045) are adequate. Knowledge about vector control (58.1%) and which arboviruses are transmitted by it (69.2%) were adequate, 60.8% said they had knowledge about vector proliferation and, therefore, perform attitudes to combat lo. It is concluded that the quilombolas had adequate knowledge and perform attitudes that can lead to vector control. However, it is necessary to incorporate continuous educational measures for the permanence of these good practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the relative importance of wind intensity and direction in explaining wetland invertebrate metacommunity organization. Location: Seventy‐eight wetland ponds in Patagonia (Argentina) covering a study area of 3.5 × 105 km2. Time period: Ponds were sampled once between 2006 and 2014. Major taxa studied: One hundred and fifty‐eight taxa of wetland aquatic invertebrates. Methods: We generated two beta diversity matrices (based on flying and non‐flying invertebrates) and six predictor matrices, including three environmental distance matrices, a topographic distance between ponds, and two wind pairwise matrices differing in wind speed. Using Moran spectral randomization of Mantel (MSR‐Mantel) tests (which account for spatial autocorrelation), we assessed the relationship between the response and the predictor matrices. We used a network‐constrained version of the nestedness metric based on overlap and decreasing fill (NODF), to assess if wind anisotropy (i.e., direction‐dependent) affected community nestedness among ponds. Results: Flying dispersers' dissimilarity was significantly explained by environmental variables, whereas non‐flying invertebrates' dissimilarity was not significantly explained by any of the distances tested. When wind direction was ignored, wind speed had a negligible effect on both types of communities, whereas when it was considered a consistent nested pattern emerged, with the eastern ponds (downwind) communities being subsets of those from the western ponds (upwind). Main conclusions: We found that the invertebrate communities were mainly assembled by a combination of environmental factors and wind directionality, although this depended on the dispersal ability of the organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Points: • Although radiomics is potentially a promising approach to analyze medical image data, many pitfalls need to be considered to avoid a reproducibility crisis. • There is a translation gap in radiomics research, with many studies being published but so far little to no translation into clinical practice. • Going forward, more studies with higher levels of evidence are needed, ideally also focusing on prospective studies with relevant clinical impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of die wall lubrication on the green strength and the tensile properties of a 1.5%Mo and 0.5%C steel, both as sintered and sinterhardened at 1250°C was investigated. Samples compacted using die wall lubrication had green strengths more than 100% higher than samples compacted at the same pressure using bulk lubrication, and a sintered density up to 98% of the pore-free ones may be achieved, compared to a maximum of 95% with bulk lubrication. Pore morphology and the matrix microstructure and microhardness were not affected. The tensile properties of both sintered and sinterhardened materials were much better for die wall lubrication than for bulk lubrication. Tensile strength increased up to 20%, tensile elongation up to 60%. The effectiveness of the system that delivers the lubricant on the die wall surface every stroke was verified successfully in the production of tensile specimens that do not have an axisymmetric geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the structure of bird communities throughout the South American Gran Chaco determining the effects of climate, geography and land use/land cover in bird beta diversity, as well as to understand the beta diversity processes underlying land use changes across broad spatial ranges. Location: South American Gran Chaco. Taxon: Birds. Methods: We constructed a site‐by‐species matrix with occurrence probabilities of 293 bird species across 2,669 spatial units tiling completely the study area. Based on this matrix, we calculated pairwise dissimilarities scores and performed a hierarchical cluster analysis for describing the spatial configuration of dissimilarities. The clustering result was spatially represented through an original venation map with boundaries between sites widened in the function of their distance in the dendrogram. We used the Generalized Dissimilarity Modelling approach to model beta diversity, using geographic distance, climatic and land use/land cover information as predictors. We mapped beta diversity patterns using colour theory and the HSV colour model. Results: We identified two main clusters of sites across the Gran Chaco, which represent environmentally different sites and harbour very distinct assemblages of species. These main groups are separated by two natural delimiters: The Bermejo‐Pilcomayo interfluvium and the Lower Paraná floodplain. Overall, we observed that the percentage of cropland and climatic variables were important shapers of bird beta diversity. Main conclusions: We provide the first area‐wide assessment of land use/land cover effects on bird beta diversity for the Gran Chaco. The distribution of croplands has a marked influence on bird beta diversity at regional scale highlighting the role of anthropic changes in reshaping bird beta diversity within the ecoregion. Taking into account the global increasing conversion of forests into croplands, a growing footprint of land use changes over geographical patterns of bird diversity in forest biomes can be anticipated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the limitations of bone reconstruction surgeries using autologous grafts as a gold standard, tissue engineering is emerging as an alternative, which permits the fabrication and improvement of scaffolds to stimulate osteogenesis and angiogenesis, processes that are essential for bone repair. Polymers are used to mimic the extracellular bone matrix and support cell growth. In addition, bone neoformation can be induced by external factors such as laser irradiation, which stimulates bone metabolism. The objective of this study was to evaluate the regeneration of bone defects using collagen and elastin membranes derived from intestinal serosa and bovine auricular cartilage combined with low-level laser application. Thirty-six Wistar rats were operated to create a 3-mm defect in the distal metaphysis of the left femur and divided into six groups: G1 (control, no treatment); G2 (laser); G3 (elastin graft), G4 (elastin+laser); G5 (collagen graft); G6 (collagen+laser). The animals were sacrificed 6 weeks after surgery and the femurs were removed for analysis of bone repair. Macroscopic and radiological results showed the absence of an infectious process in the surgical area. This was confirmed by histological analysis, which revealed no inflammatory infiltrate. Histomorphometry showed that the formation of new bone started from the margins of the bone defect and its volume was greater in elastin+laser and collagen+laser. We conclude that newly formed bone in the graft area was higher in the groups that received the biomaterials and laser. The collagen and elastin matrices showed biocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water supply systems (WSS) in developing countries present high water loss and energy consumption rates, thus strategies for conservation of these resources are needed. The challenge is to define which strategies offer better results based on multiple criteria and on the different interests of the stakeholders involved. The objective of this study is to apply the decision support tool, named Water Supply Systems Management (WSSM), which uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process, to establish a hierarchy between the strategies. A case study was carried out in Curitiba, Brazil. Three strategies were selected: leak detection and correction, rational use of water, and the replacement of old water mains. These strategies were evaluated according to implementation cost, flow rate, energy consumption, and population coverage criteria. The leak detection and correction was ranked as the best option. The results of this study show this tool helps to devise guidelines for the efficient use of water and energy in the WSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Light touch effects on postural sway with additional cognitive task were assessed. • The performance of suprapostural tasks remained similar while postural sway reduced. • Light touch affected supraspinal (Rambling) and peripheral (Trembling) mechanisms. • The cognitive task affected mostly the supraspinal mechanism of postural control. • Light touch with cognitive task reduced both components of postural sway. The light touch (LT) of the fingertip on a rigid surface and the performance of a cognitive task (CT) affect the postural control. The current study examined the mechanisms involved in the control of postural sway (i.e., Rambling and Trembling components of the center of pressure) with the LT and CT performed individually or simultaneously. Thirteen adults stood on a force plate for 70 s while performed the LT, CT (visual searching of specific letters) or both tasks simultaneously. COP, Rambling , and Trembling mean amplitude and speed were computed. COP and Rambling trajectories were highly and Trembling moderately reduced with LT. The CT affected mainly the Rambling component, supporting the role of supraspinal control of postural sway. These findings suggested that while LT influences both supraspinal and peripheral control mechanisms, CT influences mostly the supraspinal mechanisms involved in postural sway. The combined effects of LT and CT improve the postural control with no negative consequences on CT performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents: The information of twin pregnancy frequencies in buffaloes is scarce in the literature. Evidence even indicates that twin pregnancies are not carried to term, but it does not seem to be the case. In this case report, the event of twin pregnancy in buffaloes is reported as well as its frequency. Twin birth is the presence of two or more embryos in a single gestation. Multiple births are uncommon in buffaloes since the species is uniparous. We studied a population of Murrah buffaloes in which slightly more than 13,000 births were observed. In this study, the frequency of occurrence of twin births in Murrah buffaloes was 0.14%. This low incidence impaired the estimation of genetic parameters. Twins can have advantages and disadvantages depending on the production system, which are discussed in this case report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A landscape is a portion of space resulting from the combination of physical, biological, and anthropic elements that interact and are constantly evolving. The landscape of the municipalities that are insert in the hydrographic basin of the Forqueta river, RS, most emancipated in the last twenty years, have been undergoing constant changes. The aim of the study was to determine how the land use and coverage in the basin had been evolved, and what were the main determining factors in this process over a period of 28 years. Images of the Sensor TM of the Landsat satellites 5 and 8 of September 1986, 1996 and 2006 and one image of October 2014 were used. For the delimitation of the hydrographic basin was used, the SRTM database (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission), and extracted the Forqueta river basin for each image of each year, and classified the land use. Along the 28 years, the agriculture area was gradually decreasing, reaching a percentage of 13.19% reduction in 2014, representing an area of approximately 18600 hectares. This is due to the new automated agriculture techniques, which make it impossible to plant with machinery on steeper terrain, with consequent abandonment of the areas, as well as, more recently, due to the intensification of environmental inspection. The field area also decreased by 66.49%, and occurred occupation of these areas by FOM and FED, and by forestry, the latter increased in the period 1233.92%, becoming the second source of income of the municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Web applications are the target of many well-known exploits and also a fertile ground for the discovery of security vulnerabilities. Yet, the success of an exploit depends both on the vulnerability in the application source code and the environment in which the application is deployed and run. As execution environments are complex (application servers, databases and other supporting applications), we need to have a reliable framework to test whether known exploits can be reproduced in different settings, better understand their effects, and facilitate the discovery of new vulnerabilities. In this paper, we present TESTREX—a framework that allows for highly automated, easily repeatable exploit testing in a variety of contexts, so that a security tester may quickly and efficiently perform large-scale experiments with vulnerability exploits. It supports packing and running applications with their environments, injecting exploits, monitoring their success, and generating security reports. We also provide a corpus of example applications, taken from related works or implemented by us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: ergogenic nutritional resources (REN's) are substances used by physical exercise practitioners and athletes to improve performance. Among the various types of Ren's, thermogenic and weight loss supplements have been widely used due to their effects on the increase of oxidation of lipid metabolism that impact on the reduction of body composition, but it contains substances that act on the central nervous system and can cause effects collaterals and are being widely used indiscriminately and without guidance. Objective: to describe in brief the main effects of the ergogenic resources, identifying the main consequences in human health. Methodology: a literature review was carried out by accessing scientific articles found in the Scielo, Google Academic and Pubmed databases, the following descriptors were used: supplementation, weight loss, ergogenic effects, side effects. Development: Thermogenic weight loss supplements that act on the central nervous system; ephedrine, 1,3-dimethylamylamine promote many side effects and heart risk. While well-administered caffeine has desirable effects, however, it has individual variations and L-Carnitine has demonstrated metabolic effects on lipid oxidation, but they are not fully understood. Conclusion: However, it is suggested not to consume these thermogenic and weight loss supplements with action in the nervous system because they are at risk of death. On the other hand, adopting a healthy lifestyle can contribute to weight loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data used for training of deep learning networks usually needs large amounts of accurate labels. These labels are usually extracted from reports using natural language processing or by time-consuming manual review. The aim of this study was therefore to develop and evaluate a workflow for using data from structured reports as labels to be used in a deep learning application. Materials and methods: We included all plain anteriorposterior radiographs of the ankle for which structured reports were available. A workflow was designed and implemented where a script was used to automatically retrieve, convert, and anonymize the respective radiographs of cases where fractures were either present or absent from the institution's picture archiving and communication system (PACS). These images were then used to retrain a pretrained deep convolutional neural network. Finally, performance was evaluated on a set of previously unseen radiographs. Results: Once implemented and configured, completion of the whole workflow took under 1 h. A total of 157 structured reports were retrieved from the reporting platform. For all structured reports, corresponding radiographs were successfully retrieved from the PACS and fed into the training process. On an unseen validation subset, the model showed a satisfactory performance with an area under the curve of 0.850 (95% CI 0.634–1.000) for detection of fractures. Conclusion: We demonstrate that data obtained from structured reports written in clinical routine can be used to successfully train deep learning algorithms. This highlights the potential role of structured reporting for the future of radiology, especially in the context of deep learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant technical advances have been made in radiology since the first discovery of X‐rays. Diagnostic techniques have become more and more complex, workflows have been digitized, and data production has increased exponentially. However, the radiology report as the main method for communicating examination results has largely remained unchanged. Growing evidence supports that more structured radiology reports offer various benefits over conventional narrative reports. Various efforts have been made to further develop and promote structured reporting. However, regardless of the potential benefits, structured reporting has still not seen widespread implementation into the clinical routine. With recent technical advances, especially new research topics such as big data and machine learning, structured reporting could prove essential for the future of radiology. New interoperable solutions are needed to facilitate the implementation of template‐based structured reporting into the clinical routine. Significant technical advances have been made in radiology, but the radiology report as the main method for communicating examination results has largely remained unchanged. Growing evidence supports that more structured radiology reports offer various benefits over conventional narrative. This article gives a brief overview regarding structured reporting in clinical radiology practice, and describes how to potentially implement it and the benefits it could hold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invasion paradox refers to the existence of biotic resistance and biotic acceptance hypotheses. According to the biotic resistance hypothesis, the higher the richness present in a community, the more resistant it is against invaders. In contrast, the biotic acceptance hypothesis states that if the environment is suitable for a high richness of native species, it will be similarly suitable for establishment of non-native species. Previous studies on terrestrial plant communities considered the scale-dependent nature of native and non-native relationships: the relationship tends to be negative at small scales (biotic resistance) and positive at broader scales (biotic acceptance). We tested the hypothesized role of spatial scale on the relationship between non-native and native species richness using a spatially nested design and a long-term dataset (146 communities sampled during 13 years) of fish species richness from the upper Paraná River floodplain, Brazil. Contrary to expectations, non-native fish species richness was positively correlated with native species richness at all spatial scales. Mobility of vertebrates, mode of invasion, and environmental disturbance may affect the role of spatial scale in potentially mediating relative importance of biotic acceptance versus resistance. In this context, the present study provides a unique contribution towards resolving the invasion paradox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: Traditionally, South American aquatic insects have been divided into cold and warm adapted forms. Cold‐adapted forms inhabit freshwater systems from higher latitudes, or higher altitudes even around the Equator. Warm‐adapted groups are defined as those found in lower latitudes and altitudes. This work aims to answer the questions: Are mayfly assemblages geographically segregated according to geographical (latitude) and topographical (altitude) surrogates of temperature? If so, where is this transition located? Location: South America. Methods: We compiled a data set about the relative incidence of 52 mayfly genera in 326 sampled communities. They span from 0 to 4,320 m and from 47.77° S to 5.74° N latitude. By virtue of the compositional nature of the data set, we applied the statistical procedures behind the Aitchison compositional data analysis. We delimited groups of assemblages based on their Aitchison distances and projected the data points onto a biplot obtained through Principal Component Analysis adjusted to compositions (Aitchison PCA). Results: A strong correspondence among biological and geographical information was detected, with mayfly assemblages clearly segregated in space. Andesiops and Meridialaris are typical cold‐adapted forms; Baetodes, Leptohyphes and Thraulodes represent the warm group. Thermal groups can be separated by a curved line of altitude in function of latitude expressed in terms of a superellipse arc. Main conclusions: The classical ecological bipartition of mayflies into warm and cold freshwater groups is formalized quantitatively. The dividing line between warm and cold assemblages levels off at high altitudes (c. 3,300 m) around the Equator and falls to sea level at southern latitudes. The community bipartition line is useful for tracking global change through records of altitudinal displacement below and above of the warm/cold line of involved ecological groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peptides ocellatin-LB1, −LB2 and −F1 have previously been isolated from anurans of the Leptodactylus genus and the sequences are identical from residue 1–22, which correspond to ocellatin-LB1 sequence (GVVDILKGAAKDIAGHLASKVM-NH 2 ), whereas ocellatin-LB2 carries an extra N and ocellatin-F1 extra NKL residues at their C-termini. These peptides showed different spectra of activities and biophysical investigations indicated a direct correlation between membrane-disruptive properties and antimicrobial activities, i.e. ocellatin-F1 > ocellatin-LB1 > ocellatin-LB2. To better characterize their membrane interactions, we report here the detailed three-dimensional NMR structures of these peptides in TFE- d 2 :H 2 O (60:40) and in the presence of zwitterionic DPC- d 38 and anionic SDS- d 25 micellar solutions. Although the three peptides showed significant helical contents in the three mimetic environments, structural differences were noticed. When the structures of the three peptides in the presence of DPC- d 38 micelles are compared to each other, a more pronounced curvature is observed for ocellatin-F1 and the bent helix, with the concave face composed mostly of hydrophobic residues, is consistent with the micellar curvature and the amphipathic nature of the molecule. Interestingly, an almost linear helical segment was observed for ocellatin-F1 in the presence of SDS- d 25 micelles and the conformational differences in the two micellar environments are possibly related to the presence of the extra Lys residue near the peptide C-terminus, which increases the affinity of ocellatin-F1 to anionic membranes in comparison with ocellatin-LB1 and -LB2, as proved by isothermal titration calorimetry. To our knowledge, this work reports for the first time the three-dimensional structures of ocellatin peptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: the prolonged practice of physical activity increases the heat dissipation causing the physiological process of dehydration. On the other hand, hydration is of paramount importance to avoid the negative effects of water loss. Objective: to review methods of evaluation of the dehydration process and hydration strategies in long-term physical activities. Methodology: an integrative literature review was carried out. Library books and articles were consulted in several databases (Google Scholar, Lilacs, Medline, Scielo and Bireme), using the following key words: hydration; dehydration; water replenishment; physical activity; Long term. The first part of the review was conducted in a narrative manner and raised information about body fluids, dehydration concepts, as well as, hydration strategies. In the systematic review, 15 articles were totalized, being 12 manuscripts with human model, 02 literature reviews and 01 work containing general guidelines on water replacement, after the survey the articles were discussed in their methods of evaluation of dehydration and intervention strategies for hydration in various prolonged modalities of physical activity. Conclusion: the method of assessing body mass is widely used as an indicator of dehydration and as a strategy of hydration intervention. It is also verified that the consumption of insulated water does not reduce the effects of dehydration. Most of the studies found were performed with athletes, thus suggesting that investigations with individuals practicing physical activity for health should be encouraged to create water replacement strategies for such population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pneumothorax is characterized by the accumulation of air in the pleural space, either due to trauma or secondary to other conditions. Typically, pneumothorax is correlated with blunt trauma of the pulmonary parenchyma or penetrating trauma of the thoracic cavity, such as on being trampled upon or bitten, respectively. The therapeutic approach of this condition is rarely described in wild animals; therefore, the present study aims to describe the clinical manifestations, diagnostic method, and therapeutic aproach in a specimen of Tamandua tetradactyla with closed pneumothorax received for emergency care after being hit by a vehicle. Case: A southern tamandua (T. tetradactyla) was received in our hospital after being hit by a vehicle. The patient presented with a state of stupor, nystagmus, a restrictive respiratory pattern, and muffling on auscultation of respiratory and cardiac sounds in the left antimer. Simultaneously with the physical examination, venous access was established, pain control was intravenously performed and oxygen therapy was started. After stabilization, the patient underwent abdominal ultrasound (abdominal-focused assessment with sonography for trauma) and thoracic radiographs. The abdominal ultrasound confirmed the presence of a small amount of free fluid in the evaluated recesses, i.e., hepatodiaphragmatic, splenorenal, cystocholic, and hepatorenal, suggesting the need for periodic ultrasonographic monitoring associated with the clinical evaluation of the patient because of suspicion of active hemorrhage. The thoracic radiographic image (ventrodorsal recumbency) revealed increased pulmonary opacity due to lobar retraction, marked by an enlarged gap between the pulmonary lobes and thoracic wall, and the formation of a radiolucent area between both structures. The lateral recumbency evidenced the dorsal displacement of the cardiac apex in relation to the sternum. In addition to the thoracic alterations, a transverse fracture in the middle third of the diaphysis of the left fibula was identified by radiographic examination. After extensive hair clipping and skin antisepsis of the left hemithorax, thoracentesis (an adapted technique from that used in domestic animals) was performed with access via the 8th intercostal space in its most dorsal presentation using a 21-gauge Butterfly needle attached to a three-way medical valve and 20-mL syringe. The procedure allowed 100 mL air to be drained until the negative pressure of the cavity was restored. At the end of the drainage, the patient showed a remarkable improvement in the respiratory pattern, and follow control radiographs showed full pulmonary expansion and no recurrence. The possibility of active abdominal hemorrhage was disregarded because ultrasound monitoring after 6 h revealed no change in the amount of free fluid in the suppressed recess. Discussion: Pneumothorax is an important condition that can be detected in injured domestic and wild animals that are run over. The association between a detailed clinical evaluation and radiographic examination was essential for the diagnosis and initiation of the appropriate therapy, contributing to the prognosis of the patient. The adaptation of the thoracocentesis technique used in domestic animals proved to be suitable for the treatment of this Tamandua tetradactyla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of medical-grade and calibrated consumer-grade digital displays for the detection of subtle bone fissures.Methods: Three experienced radiologists assessed 96 digital radiographs, 40 without and 56 with subtle bone fissures, for the presence or absence of fissures in various bones using one consumer-grade and two medical-grade displays calibrated according to the DICOM-Grayscale Standard Display Function. The reference standard was consensus reading. Subjective image quality was also assessed by the three readers. Statistical analysis was performed using receiver operating characteristic analysis and by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, and Youden's J for each combination of reader and display. Cohen's unweighted kappa was calculated to assess inter-rater agreement. Subjective image quality was compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.Results: No significant differences were found for the assessment of subjective image quality. Diagnostic performance was similar across all readers and displays, with Youden's J ranging from 0.443 to 0.661. The differences were influenced more by the reader than by the display used for the assessment.Conclusion: No significant differences were found between medical-grade and calibrated consumer-grade displays with regard to their diagnostic performance in assessing subtle bone fissures. Calibrated consumer-grade displays may be sufficient for most radiological examinations.Key Points: • Diagnostic performance of calibrated consumer-grade displays is comparable to medical-grade displays. • There is no significant difference with regard to subjective image quality. • Use of calibrated consumer-grade displays could cut display costs by 60-80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network analyses have been increasingly used in the context of comparative vertebrate morphology. The structural units of the vertebrate body are treated as discrete elements (nodes) of a network, whose interactions at their physical contacts (links) determine the phenotypic modules. Here, we use the network approach to study the organization of the locomotor system underlying the hindlimb of frogs. Nodes correspond to fibrous knots, skeletal and muscular units. Edges encode the ligamentous and monoaxial tendinous connections in addition to joints. Our main hypotheses are that: (1) the higher centrality scores (measured as betweenness) are recorded for fibrous elements belonging to the connective system, (2) the organization of the musculoskeletal network belongs to a non-trivial modular architecture and (3) the modules in the hindlimb reflect functional and/or developmental constraints. We confirm all our hypotheses except for the first one, since bones overpass the fibrous knots in terms of centrality. Functionally, there is a correlation between the proximal-to-distal succession of modules and the progressive recruitment of elements involved with the motion of joints during jumping. From a developmental perspective, there is a correspondence between the order of the betweenness scores and the ontogenetic chronology of hindlimbs in tetrapods. Modular architecture seems to be a successful organization, providing of the building blocks on which evolution forges the many different functional specializations that organisms exploit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a new class of analysis problems, called Scenario Finding Problems (SFPs), for security-sensitive business processes that - besides execution constraints on tasks - define access control policies (constraining which users can execute which tasks) and authorization constraints (such as Separation of Duty). The solutions to SFPs are concrete execution scenarios that assist customers in the reuse and deployment of security-sensitive workflows. We study the relationship of SFPs to well-known properties of security-sensitive processes such as Workflow Satisfiability and Resiliency together with their complexity. Finally, we present a symbolic approach to solving SFPs and describe our experience with a prototype implementation on real-world business process models taken from an on-line library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Folkcomunicacionais actions and activities related to public policies are manifested in interaction territories. With the objective of observing and discussing the Escola de Cidadania “José de Souza Cândido” from the point of view of folkcomunicação and public policies, this study initially presents some considerations about education, citizenship, social movements, and communication, and in the sequence conducts a discussion from the folk-public perspective of public policies, with a view to characterizing it in a landscape that is configured as both a political space and a media activism. The School of Citizenship is configured as a space in which the convergence of both folkcomunicação and public policy aspects is observed. The conceptual approach of different areas of knowledge shows that the complexity of existing relationships in society, while reinforcing the need for these confluences for their understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the search for speed and flexibility in customer service, demand management has become a key process of organizations, leveraged by the current model of competition. In it demand management becomes critical to maximizing the performance of the entire chain. Given this reality, the present article aims to identify the main difficulties faced by the wholesale distributor in the management of demand. Through the semi-structured interviews and with the help of Tropes software in the content analysis, it was identified that the main challenges in the wholesale distributor demand management are: economic scenario, team, responsibility, variability, seasonality, confidence, failure, communication, leadership and goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To develop a platform that uses structured reporting templates according to the IHE Management of Radiology Report Templates (MRRT) profile, and to implement this platform into clinical routine.Methods: The reporting platform uses standard web technologies (HTML / JavaScript and PHP / MySQL) only. Several freely available external libraries were used to simplify the programming. The platform runs on a standard web server, connects with the radiology information system (RIS) and PACS, and is easily accessible via a standard web browser.Results: A prototype platform that allows structured reporting to be easily incorporated into the clinical routine was developed and successfully tested. To date, 797 reports were generated using IHE MRRT-compliant templates (many of them downloaded from the RSNA's radreport.org website). Reports are stored in a MySQL database and are easily accessible for further analyses.Conclusion: Development of an IHE MRRT-compliant platform for structured reporting is feasible using only standard web technologies. All source code will be made available upon request under a free license, and the participation of other institutions in further development is welcome.Key Points: • A platform for structured reporting using IHE MRRT-compliant templates is presented. • Incorporating structured reporting into clinical routine is feasible. • Full source code will be provided upon request under a free license. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brachial plexus neuropathies are common complaints among patients seen at orthopedic clinics. The causes range from traumatic to occupational factors and symptoms include paresthesia, paresis, and functional disability of the upper limb. Treatment can be surgical or conservative, but detailed knowledge of the brachial plexus is required in both cases to avoid iatrogenic injuries and to facilitate anesthetic block, preventing possible vascular punctures. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the topography of the infraclavicular brachial plexus fascicles in different upper limb positions adopted during some clinical procedures. A formalinpreserved, adult, male cadaver was used. The infraclavicular and axillary regions were dissected and the distance of the brachial plexus fascicles from adjacent bone structures was measured. No anatomical variation in the formation of the brachial plexus was observed. The metric relationships between the brachial plexus and adjacent bone prominences differed depending on the degree of shoulder abduction. Detailed knowledge of the infraclavicular topography of neurovascular structures helps with the diagnosis and especially with the choice of conservative or surgical treatment of brachial plexus neuropathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are protozoa dispersed in different environments and are responsible for different infections caused to humans and other animals. Microorganisms such as Acanthamoeba spp., Vermamoeba sp., and Naegleria sp. are associated with diseases that affect the central nervous system, in addition to skin infections and keratitis, as occurs in the genus Acanthamoeba and with Vermamoeba vermiformis. Due to the concerns of these FLA in anthropogenic aquatic environments, this work aimed to identify these microorganisms present in waters of Porto Alegre, Brazil. One litre sample was collected in two watercourses during the summer of 2022 and inoculated onto non-nutrient agar plates containing heat-inactivated Escherichia coli. Polymerase chain reaction results indicated the presence of FLA of the genera Acanthamoeba, Vermamoeba, and Naegleria in the study areas. Genetic sequencing indicated the presence of V. vermiformis and Naegleria gruberi. These aquatic and anthropogenic environments can serve as a means of spread and contamination by FLA, which gives valuable information on public health in the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the enthusiasm surrounding Deep Learning grows, both medical practitioners and regulatory bodies are exploring ways to safely introduce image segmentation in clinical practice. One frontier to overcome when translating promising research into the clinical open world is the shift from static to continual learning. Continual learning, the practice of training models throughout their lifecycle, is seeing growing interest but is still in its infancy in healthcare. We present Lifelong nnU-Net, a standardized framework that places continual segmentation at the hands of researchers and clinicians. Built on top of the nnU-Net—widely regarded as the best-performing segmenter for multiple medical applications—and equipped with all necessary modules for training and testing models sequentially, we ensure broad applicability and lower the barrier to evaluating new methods in a continual fashion. Our benchmark results across three medical segmentation use cases and five continual learning methods give a comprehensive outlook on the current state of the field and signify a first reproducible benchmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]