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The focus on building energy efficiency using alternative materials in structures, especially concrete, and the main technical and environmental challenges therein, aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This study proposes a review that analyzes structures made with recycled concrete, relating to the energy efficiency of buildings. A classification structure was proposed, addressing the following questions: (i) What are the various dimensions in which research into energy-efficient recycled concrete is concentrated? (ii) What are the themes and classes of research associated with these dimensions? (iii) What are the main shortcomings of current approaches, and what would be a good research agenda for the future development of energy-efficient recycled concrete? A bibliometric analysis was carried out, presenting geographical and cluster maps to understand different research trends and refine future research. This was followed by a bibliographic analysis, reviewing the most relevant studies from the last five years (2019–2024). The results showed some residual alternative materials (around 45 types from five different industries) used in the production of energy-efficient concrete. And, as a negative effect, as substitution rates increase, porosity is the property with the greatest impact on energy efficiency. The greater the number of pores and the greater their interconnection, the lower the material's thermal insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water deficit significantly affects the growth and survival of young plants following transplantation. We performed morphophysiological and biochemical analyses on young yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) plants under well-watered and water-deficit irrigation regimes and pre-treated with three plant growth regulators (PGRs) application—an agrochemical composed of auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinins; salicylic acid (SA); and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide donor—and a control group with no PGRs. Results showed significant damage by water restriction on biometric attributes; however, the application of PGRs mitigated these effects, reducing growth inhibition processes. In terms of water stress mitigation, differences were observed between PGRs, depending on the morphophysiological or biochemical characteristic. The effectiveness of SNP was higher than the other PGRs in preventing stomatal conductance reduction and maintaining CO2 assimilation, while the agrochemical was the most effective in preventing photosynthetic pigments content decrease. All PGRs promoted osmoregulation in plants subjected to water deficit, thus helping to preserve cell turgor. Furthermore, PGRs application attenuated oxidative stress, either by increasing antioxidant enzymes activity, or by preventing or decreasing the content of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, thus preventing lipid peroxidation. These findings suggest that the application of PGRs can be a useful strategy to improve young passion fruit plants tolerance to water restriction following transplantation. The multiple beneficial effects do not allow us to indicate the only one most effective PGR; however, a chemical constituents-related principal component analysis suggests that the agrochemical and SA are the most effective PGRs on mitigating water deficit stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomedical signal acquisition devices (e.g., Electrocardiography—ECG) are relevant for diagnosing and monitoring persons who have developed a variety of diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases. These devices comply with regulatory requirements before being marketed to prevent misleading measures, and they should also pass through corrective and preventive maintenance to keep them working correctly. We designed and implemented a simulation-based system to support these needs and assist manufacturers and healthcare facilities. This article focuses on demonstrating the effectiveness of our system for validating ECG devices. Our system comprises software in a computing device and a biomedical signals transducer. The system relies on coloured Petri nets modeling language, a frequency-based filtering method, and publicly available databases. We validated the system using the PhysioNet database and comparison tests to verify the expected signal and outputs based on MATLAB filters and the commercial ECG device ENGC901448 from Instramed. The system was proven reliable, low-cost, and portable. Our proposal is relevant to providing evidence for certification and assisting healthcare facilities in conducting testing and corrective and preventive maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the smart grids establishment, where the presence of nonlinear loads and new power generation sources become increasingly expressive, there is a potential for unknown disturbances occurrence. Besides, given the huge amount of data coming from smart meters, it is important to preserve the relevant information and promote efficient storage of the data. Novelty Detection (ND) techniques can be used to address these challenges. The Stockwell Transform (ST) is a time–frequency distribution that has shown a great ability to detect novelties related to stationarity changes in signals. It can be applied to voltage and current signals from the grid. Therefore, the main contribution of this paper is to provide an FPGA real-time implementation of an ST-based novelty detector. Novelty detection goes beyond classic electrical disturbances well known in the area of power quality, as it relates any novelty event to a stationarity change in the analyzed signal. To perform the implementation in FPGA platform, the use of a soft-core processor is proposed to optimize the hardware resources of the FPGA. In addition, a strategy of voice selection is proposed to reduce the complexity and execution time of the algorithm in real-time implementation, while maintaining the detection capability. The proposed ND technique was implemented in a low-cost FPGA-based functional prototype, where synthesized and field-recorded real signals were applied, attesting the ND performance. The reported tests show that the strategies adopted for real-time implementation provided an optimization of hardware resources and enabled the execution of the ST algorithm and determination of the novelties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article evaluates the presence of innovative technologies and maturity levels in an eco-industrial park focused on energy and material recovery. The park comprises four entities as follows: a central company and three manufacturing units specializing in energy and material waste recovery. This study proposes a measurement model supported by following four constructs: innovative technologies, maturity level, energy recovery, and materials recovery. Each construct is evaluated through four categorical indicators. The assessment involved five managers and practitioners using a five-point Likert scale. The primary findings highlight a notable deficiency in the application of innovative technologies and a need for digital maturity in the park management body. Furthermore, the study reveals that material recovery holds greater significance and exhibits higher performance compared with energy recovery in the park's operational strategy. In conclusion, the study suggests a series of strategic actions to enhance the application of innovative technologies and elevate the maturity level of management, thereby addressing the identified deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses aspects of multilingual and multimodal narratives employed during the COVID-19 lockdown, attempting to identify how they were used in professional and public environments. More specifically, the paper looks at editing choices, photography, design, drawing, colour, and writing to get a better understanding of multimodal communication, semiotics, image analysis, and their correlation with the written text and the way it has been perceived and interpreted, be it in online or print-based contexts. Methodologically, this is a contrastively inspired research project, looking specifically at Portuguese-speaking contexts of the Island of Madeira and English-speaking contexts of the United Kingdom, taking into account instructions about the COVID-19 pandemic. These are mainly bilingual English–Portuguese and multilingual texts, multimodal manifestations, and communicative and semiotic effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feed additives such as monensin (MON) and virginiamycin (VM) are commonly utilized in feedlot diets to enhance rumen fermentation. Nevertheless, the precise effects of combining MON and VM during specific feedlot periods and the advantages of this combination remain unclear. This study was designed to investigate the effects of withdrawal of MON when associated with VM during the adaptation and finishing periods on ruminal metabolism, feeding behavior, and nutrient digestibility in Nellore cattle. The experimental design was a 5 × 5 Latin square, where each period lasted 28 days. Five rumen-cannulated Nellore yearling bulls were used (414,86 ± 21,71 kg of body weight), which were assigned to five treatments: (1) MON during the entire feeding period; (2) VM during the entire feeding period; (3) MON + VM during the adaptation period and only VM during the finishing period 1 and 2; (4) MON + VM during the entire feeding period; (5) MON + VM during the adaptation and finishing period 1 and only VM during the finishing period 2. For the finishing period 1, animals fed T3 had improved potential degradability of dry matter (p = 0.02). Cattle fed T3 and T5 had the highest crude protein degradability when compared to animals receiving T2 (p = 0.01). Animals fed T2 and T3 had reduced the time (p < 0.01) and area under pH 6.2 (p = 0.02). Moreover, animals fed T4 had greater population of protozoa from the genus Diplodinium (p = 0.04) when compared to those from animals fed T2, T3 and T5. For the finishing period 2, animals fed T3 had greater starch degradability when compared to animals receiving T4 and T5 (p = 0.04). Animals fed T3, T4 and T5 had increased the duration of time in which pH was below 5.6 (p = 0.03). The area under the curve for ruminal pH 5.2 and pH 5.6 was higher for the animals fed T3 (p = 0.01), and the area under pH 6.2 was higher for the animals fed T3 and T5 (p < 0.01) when compared to animals receiving T2. There is no substantial improvement on the rumen fermentation parameters by the concurrent utilization of MON and VM molecules, where the higher starch and protein degradability did not improve the rumen fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown spot, caused by Bipolaris oryzae, is a very important disease of rice. This study investigated the effect of potassium (K) on rice resistance to brown spot. The working hypothesis tested was that higher foliar K concentration could allow plants to respond more efficiently against fungal infection. Plants were grown in nutrient solution amended with three K rates (0.5, 1.0 and 2.5 mM) and noninoculated or inoculated with B. oryzae. The photosynthetic performance of plants, activities of defence and antioxidant enzymes and the concentrations of reactive oxygen species, phenolics and lignin were determined. Foliar K concentration was significantly higher by 38% and 91% for plants supplied with 1.0 and 2.5 mM K, respectively, compared to plants supplied with 0.5 mM K. Brown spot severity was significantly higher (≥20%) for plants supplied with 1.0 and 2.5 mM K than those supplied with 0.5 mM K (≤15%). Higher brown spot severity for plants supplied with 2.5 mM K resulted in changes in the photosynthetic apparatus, reduced chlorophyll a + b and carotenoids concentrations, and higher production of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion radical. In contrast, higher activities of defence and antioxidant enzymes and more production of phenolics for plants supplied with 0.5 mM K helped them to cope with B. oryzae infection more efficiently. In conclusion, rice resistance against brown spot was achieved by keeping a lower foliar K concentration linked to more active defence reactions, a robust antioxidative system and less damage to the photosynthetic apparatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to microencapsulate porcine liver hydrolysate using different coat materials (arabic gum, maltodextrin, whey protein, a combination of whey protein with maltodextrin, xanthan gum, and soy protein isolate) by two different encapsulating methods (spray drying and freeze-drying) to obtain capsules with controlled release and resistant to the passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The thermogravimetric analysis of the microcapsules evidenced good thermal stability. All microparticles presented low water activity, being considered biologically and biochemically stable. In the gastrointestinal simulation, the antioxidant activity was evaluated, and all the coat materials were adequate to protect the biopeptides against gastrointestinal conditions, except for xanthan gum, which presented low efficiency. The antimicrobial activity was also evaluated in the in vitro digestion for 4 h, the microcapsules produced with Gum Arabic, Soy Protein Isolate and Whey+Malto (only those produced in a lyophilizer) showed an inhibitory action against Candida albicans and the microcapsules produced with Whey Protein, Whey+Malto and Soy Protein Isolate (only those produced in spray drying) showed inhibition for Staphylococcus aureus. The results obtained for gastrointestinal simulation demonstrated that microencapsulation preserved the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the pork liver hydrolyzate, confirming its importance for the maintenance of biopeptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The utilization of biochar's as soil amendments for enhancing nutrient retention in subsoils present potential limitations. To address this issue, we conducted a greenhouse experiment to assess the effects of various biochar's derived from animal manures (swine manure, poultry litter, cattle manure) and plant residues (rice straw, soybean straw, corn straw) when applied to surface of an acidic soil. Our study focused on wheat crops under a no-tillage system, with a subsequent evaluation of the residual impacts on soybeans. The experimental design involved the application of biochar's at different rates i.e. 10 and 20 Mg ha−1, followed by the assessment of their influence on NPK levels, pH, and exchangeable Al in stratified soil layers (0–5, 5–10, 10–15, and 15–25 cm). Furthermore, we investigated the interplay between biochar doses and the application of nitrogen (N) in the top 5 cm of soil, specifically examining NO 3 - , NH 4 + , P and K levels. Our findings revealed that in the top 5 cm of soil, biochar doses and N application significantly affected NO 3 - , NH 4 + , P and K concentrations. However, in deeper soil layers, no significant differences were observed among biochar doses with or without N application. Interestingly, K levels were impacted throughout all soil depths, regardless of the presence or absence of N application. Moreover, biochar application up to a 5 cm depth induced favorable changes in soil pH and reduced exchangeable Al. In contrast, deeper layers experienced a decrease in soil pH and an increase in exchangeable Al following biochar treatment. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that biochar's can effectively retain NPK nutrients, enhance soil pH, and decrease exchangeable Al, independent of the type and dosage of application under a no-tillage system. Nonetheless, the efficacy of biochar amendments may vary with soil depth and type of nutrient, warranting careful consideration for maximizing their benefits in sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria can have severe long-term effects. Even after treatment with antimalarial drugs eliminates the parasite, survivors of cerebral malaria may suffer from irreversible brain damage, leading to cognitive deficits. Angiotensin II, a natural human peptide hormone that regulates blood pressure, has been shown to be active against Plasmodium spp., the etiologic agent of malaria. Here, we tested two Ang II derivatives that do not elicit vasoconstriction in mice: VIPF, a linear tetrapeptide, which constitutes part of the hydrophobic portion of Ang II; and Ang II-SS, a disulfide-bridged derivative. The antiplasmodial potential of both peptides was evaluated with two mouse models: an experimental cerebral malaria model and a mouse model of non-cerebral malaria. The latter consisted of BALB/c mice infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA. The peptides had no effect on mean blood pressure and significantly reduced parasitemia in both mouse models. Both peptides reduced the SHIRPA score, an assay used to assess murine health and behavior. However, only the constrained derivative (Ang II-SS), which was also resistant to proteolytic degradation, significantly increased mouse survival. Here, we show that synthetic peptides derived from Ang II are capable of conferring protection against severe manifestations of malaria in mouse models while overcoming the vasoconstrictive side effects of the parent peptide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Health & Society is the property of Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa Periodicojs and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal Public Administration & Social Management / Administração Pública e Gestão Social is the property of Administracao Publica e Gestao Social and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Using N -body simulations, we explore the effects of growing a supermassive black hole (SMBH) prior to or during the formation of a stellar bar. Keeping the final mass and growth rate of the SMBH fixed, we show that if it is introduced before or while the bar is still growing, the SMBH does not cause a decrease in bar amplitude. Rather, in most cases, it is strengthened. In addition, an early-growing SMBH always either decreases the buckling amplitude, delays buckling, or both. This weakening of buckling is caused by an increase in the disk vertical velocity dispersion at radii well beyond the nominal black hole sphere of influence. While we find considerable stochasticity and sensitivity to initial conditions, the only case where the SMBH causes a decrease in bar amplitude is when it is introduced after the bar has attained a steady state. In this case, we confirm previous findings that the decrease in bar strength is a result of scattering of bar-supporting orbits with small pericenter radii. By heating the inner disk both radially and vertically, an early-growing SMBH increases the fraction of stars that can be captured by the inner Lindblad resonance (ILR) and the vertical ILR, thereby strengthening both the bar and the boxy-peanut-shaped bulge. Using orbital frequency analysis of star particles, we show that when an SMBH is introduced early and the bar forms around it, the bar is populated by different families of regular bar-supporting orbits than when the bar forms without an SMBH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the through-wall detection of targets behind walls using an ultra-wideband radar operating in the 2 to 15 GHz frequency range. Tests were conducted to verify its use with static and moving targets. Two real-world cases were tested: a laboratory with students sitting on benches, and an adult person standing behind a door. A fast method, based on the standard deviation, was used to transform the time-domain data matrix into a simpler waveform. This method has the potential to quickly detect the presence of human targets behind physical obstacles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is one of the biggest problems affecting large urban areas. Better monitoring of regions suffering from this type of pollution is in the interest of public health. Although many cities employ sensors to monitor air pollution, a current concern is how to establish the ideal number of sensors to monitor a given geographical region. To address this concern, this research proposes a method to optimize the number of sensors in an air pollution monitoring network to cover a given region efficiently and precisely and uses the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil, and CO sensors as an example. The model of Fragmentation into Groups via Routes is proposed to distribute sensors within micro-regions that display similar air pollution characteristics. A network of virtual sensors is created, and the output of each sensor is established using a method of spatial interpolation called IDW. To identify the optimum sensor configuration, a genetic algorithm is used to assess the topology with the lowest variance of data spread. A lesser number of sensor stations to be treated leads to faster responses to sudden changes in urban conditions. Therefore, municipality authorities can take quick measures to improve the population's wellness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arquivos de Ciências da Saúde da UNIPAR is the property of Associacao Paranaense de Ensino e Cultura and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In real-world scenarios, deviations in the frequency response of instrumentation transformers can lead to distorted harmonic measurements, highlighting the critical role harmonic measurement plays in assessing power quality. The blind channel equalization technique offers a potential solution to improve the frequency response of a large number of instrumentation transformers already installed in substations. These transformers were designed to accurately measure only the fundamental phasor component. Therefore, in order to use them for harmonic phasor measurement, methodologies for reducing frequency distortion must be applied. In this work, we propose a novel approach to improve the frequency response of the instrument transformer using adaptive blind equalization. The blind technique can compensate for distortions caused by voltage and current transducers without requiring prior knowledge of input signals or circuit characteristics. The proposed methodology uses a Linear Prediction Filter to convert the colored noise present at the channel output into white noise. Furthermore, a genetic algorithm is used to find a pole to cancel possible zeroes present in the frequency response of some transducers. The main advantage of blind equalization with the genetic algorithm is its independence, operating without clear information about the channel or the input signal. Through extensive experimentation, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in significantly reducing the absolute error in ratio and phase caused by current and voltage transformers. Simulated and laboratory experiments are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS) is a destructive disease that causes substantial yield losses in South and North America. Whereas four Fusarium species were identified as the causal agents, F. virguliforme is the primary SDS-causing pathogen in North America and it also contributes substantially to SDS in Argentina. In this study, we comparatively analyzed genome assemblies of four F. virguliforme strains and identified 29 informative microsatellite markers. Sixteen of the 29 markers were used to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of this pathogen in a collection of 90 strains from Argentina and the USA. A total of 37 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) were identified, including 10 MLGs in Argentina and 26 in the USA. Only MLG2, the most dominant MLG, was found in both countries. Analyses with three different approaches showed that these MLGs could be grouped into three clusters. Cluster IA consisting of four MLGs exclusively from the USA has much higher genetic diversity than the other two clusters, suggesting that it may be the ancestral cluster although additional data are necessary to support this hypothesis. Clusters IB and II consisted of 13 and 21 MLGs, respectively. MLGs belonging to these two clusters were present in all four sampled states in Argentina and all five sampled states in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the performance of machine learning models for selecting COVID-19 and influenza tests during coexisting outbreaks in Brazil, avoiding the waste of resources in healthcare units. We used COVID-19 and influenza datasets from Brazil to train the Decision Tree (DT), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), Random Forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), K-Nearest Neighbors, Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Logistic Regression algorithms. Moreover, we tested the models using the 10-fold cross-validation method to increase confidence in the results. During the experiments, the GBM, DT, RF, XGBoost, and SVM models showed the best performances, with similar results. The high performance of tree-based models is relevant for the classification of COVID-19 and influenza because they are usually easier to interpret, positively impacting the decision-making of health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work compares the behaviour between epoxy and novel bio-based castor oil matrix composites reinforced with glass and aramid fibres manufactured by vacuum infusion. A full factorial design is applied to statistically identify the effects of polymer and fibre-type factors on the physical, tensile, flexural, and impact properties of these composites. Aramid fibre composites have lower apparent density but higher porosity and water absorption, especially if combined with a castor oil polymer. The tensile properties of aramid fibre composites are approximately 76% greater than glass fibre composites, while the epoxy matrix outperforms (up to 39%) bio-based castor oil polymer composites. In three-point bending, the epoxy system provides an increase of up to 46% in flexural properties; in contrast, the type of fibre used is not statistically significant. Regarding the impact test, the main factors and their interaction significantly affect energy properties, and castor oil glass fibre-reinforced composites have 78% more impact resistance than the other combinations. Finally, the low bulk density of castor oil polymer combined with aramid fibres provides a specific performance equivalent or superior to other synthetic composites commonly used for secondary structural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Veterinaria Brasilica is the property of Acta Veterinaria Brasilica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) may significantly impact the well-being of patients and their families. The therapeutic use of cannabis for ASD has gained interest due to its promising results and low side effects, but a consensus on treatment guidelines is lacking. In this study, we conducted a retrospective analysis of 20 patients with autistic symptoms who were treated with full-spectrum cannabis extracts (FCEs) in a response-based, individually-tailored dosage regimen. The daily dosage and relative proportions of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were adjusted based on treatment results following periodic clinical evaluation. Most patients (80%) were treated for a minimum of 6  months. We have used a novel, detailed online patient- or caregiver-reported outcome survey that inquired about core and comorbid symptoms, and quality of life. We also reviewed patients’ clinical files, and no individual condition within the autistic spectrum was excluded. This real-life approach enabled us to gain a clearer appraisal of the ample scope of benefits that FCEs can provide for ASD patients and their families. Eighteen patients started with a CBD-rich FCE titrating protocol, and in three of them, the CBD-rich (CBD-dominant) FCE was gradually complemented with low doses of a THC-rich (THC-dominant) FCE based on observed effects. Two other patients have used throughout treatment a blend of two FCEs, one CBD-rich and the other THC-rich. The outcomes were mainly positive for most symptoms, and only one patient from each of the two abovementioned situations displayed important side effects one who has used only CBD-rich FCE throughout the treatment, and another who has used a blend of CBD-Rich and THC-rich FCEs. Therefore, after FCE treatment, 18 out of 20 patients showed improvement in most core and comorbid symptoms of autism, and in quality of life for patients and their families. For them, side effects were mild and infrequent. Additionally, we show, for the first time, that allotriophagy (Pica) can be treated by FCEs. Other medications were reduced or completely discontinued in most cases. Based on our findings, we propose guidelines for individually tailored dosage regimens that may be adapted to locally available qualified FCEs and guide further clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the lipid‐lowering and antiplatelet combined strategies on the expression of the receptors CCR2, CCR5, and CX3CR1 and the percentage of CCR2, CCR5, and CX3CR1 cells in monocyte subtypes after acute myocardial infarction. Methods: Prospective, randomized, open‐label study, with blinded analyses of endpoints (PROBE, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02428374, registration date: April 28, 2015). Participants were treated with rosuvastatin 20 mg or simvastatin 40 mg plus ezetimibe 10 mg, as well as ticagrelor 90 mg or clopidogrel 75 mg. The chemokine receptors CCR2, CCR5, and CX3CR1 were analyzed by real‐time polymerase chain reaction as well as the percentages of CCR2, CCR5, and CX3CR1 cells in the monocyte subtypes (classical, intermediate, and non‐classical), which were quantified by flow cytometry, at baseline, and after 1 and 6 months of treatment. Results: After comparisons between the three visits, regardless of the treatment arm, there was an increase in CCR2 expression after treatment, as well as an increase in intermediate monocytes CCR2+ and a reduction in non‐classical monocytes CCR2+ at the end of treatment. There was also a lower expression of CCR5 after treatment and an increase in classical and non‐classical monocytes CCR5+. Concerning CX3CR1, there were no differences in the expression after treatment; however, there were reductions in the percentage of intermediate and non‐classical monocytes CX3CR1+ at the end of treatment. Conclusions: The results suggest the persistence of the inflammatory phenotype, known as trained immunity, even with the highly‐effective lipid‐lowering and antiplatelet therapies. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 700–707. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Yield and grain quality of wheat have been negatively affected by the occurrence of blast, caused by the fungus Pyricularia oryzae, epidemics. Therefore, alternatives for blast management need to be explored and plant nutrition becomes a promising option. The hypothesis that wheat plants with higher foliar concentrations of silicon (Si) and magnesium (Mg) could have their resistance increased against blast was investigated in this study at the physiological and biochemical levels. Methods: Wheat plants were grown in nutrient solution and given the following treatments: -Si (0 mM) + Mg (0.25 mM), -Si (0 mM) + Mg (0.6 mM), + Si (2 mM) + Mg (0.25 mM), and + Si (2 mM) + Mg (0.6 mM). Plants were non-inoculated (NI) or inoculated (I) with P. oryzae and used for an in-depth analysis of their photosynthetic apparatus (determination of chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence parameters and pool of photosynthetic pigments) and quantification of defense-related and antioxidant enzymes activities as well as some metabolites [soluble phenolics, lignin, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide anion radical (O2−)]. Results: Blast symptoms were reduced for Si-supplied plants due to higher foliar Si concentration. The Mg itself or its possible synergism with Si did not contribute to lowering blast severity even considering the greater foliar Mg concentration for plants supplied with 0.6 mM Mg compared to 0.25 mM Mg. Higher values of Chl a fluorescence parameters (variable-to-maximum chlorophyll a fluorescence ratio, photochemical yield, and yield for dissipation by down-regulation), great concentration of chlorophyll a + b, and less production of MDA, H2O2, and O2− were obtained for Si-supplied and infected plants due to reduced blast symptoms. The Si-supplied and infected plants, regardless of Mg rate, displayed higher activities of defense (chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, peroxidase, and polyphenoloxidase) and antioxidant (ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase) enzymes as well as more lignin concentration. Four clusters (C) [C1 (NI plants for 0.25 mM Mg -Si, 0.6 mM Mg -Si, 0.25 mM Mg + Si, and 0.6 mM Mg + Si treatments), C2 (I plants for 0.25 mM Mg -Si and 0.6 mM Mg -Si treatments), C3 (I plants for 0.25 mM Mg + Si treatment), and C4 (I plants for 0.6 mM Mg + Si treatment)] were obtained with the principal component analysis. Conclusion: No evidence of synergism between Si and Mg or a possible effect of higher foliar Mg concentration to maximize wheat resistance to blast, linked to a more robust antioxidative metabolism, was obtained. The fact that Mg could not reduce blast symptoms cannot discard its indirect effect on wheat defense reactions considering the key functions it plays in plant metabolism, especially at the photosynthetic level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Milky Way (MW) stellar disk has both a thin and a thick component. The thin disk is composed mostly of younger stars (≲8 Gyr) with a lower abundance of α -elements, while the thick disk contains predominantly older stars (≳8–12 Gyr) with a higher α abundance, giving rise to an α -bimodality most prominent at intermediate metallicities. A proposed explanation for the bimodality is an episode of clumpy star formation, where high- α stars form in massive clumps that appear in the first few billion years of the MW's evolution, while low- α stars form throughout the disk and over a longer time span. To better understand the evolution of clumps, we track them and their constituent stars in two clumpy MW simulations that reproduce the α -abundance bimodality, one with 10% and the other with 20% supernova feedback efficiency. We investigate the paths that these clumps take in the chemical space ([O/Fe]–[Fe/H]) as well as their mass, star formation rate (SFR), formation location, lifetime, and merger history. The clumps in the simulation with lower feedback last longer on average, with several lasting hundreds of millions of years. Some of the clumps do not reach high- α, but the ones that do on average have a higher SFR, longer lifetime, greater mass, and form closer to the Galactic center than the ones that do not. Most clumps that reach high- α merge with others and eventually spiral into the Galactic center, but shed stars along the way to form most of the thick-disk component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) helps prevent cancer caused by this virus. Determining which viral genotypes should be included is key for developing successful vaccination strategies. Low-risk genotypes, especially HPV6 and HPV11, are associated with benign warts. However, some studies also report their presence in cancers. We reviewed the scientific literature to estimate the proportion of cancers that bear single or dual HPV6/11 infections. HPV6 and HPV11 have been reported in up to 5.5% of penile and 87.5% of laryngeal cancers; however, they have not been reported in vulvar, vaginal or oral cancers. Next, we compared the HPV6/11 genomes with HPV16, the most common high-risk HPV genotype, and observed that the similarities mainly involved the E7 gene, suggesting a limited ability to interfere with the differentiation of the host cells. These findings support the use of HPV vaccines that cover HPV6/11 not only for preventing genital warts but also for preventing specific types of cancers. High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is etiologically related to cervical cancer, other anogenital cancers and oropharyngeal carcinomas. Low-risk HPV, especially HPV6 and HPV11, cause genital warts and laryngeal papillomas. However, the accumulating data suggests that HPV6 and HPV11 may cause malignant lesions at non-cervical anatomic sites. This review aims to estimate the proportions of single and dual HPV6/11 infections in multiple cancers reported in the last 10 years in the Cochrane, Embasa and PubMed databases. Secondly, the genomes of HPV6/11 were compared with the most common high-risk genotype, HPV16, to determine the similarities and differences. A total of 11 articles were selected, including between one and 334 HPV+ cancer patients. The frequencies of single or dual HPV6/11 infections ranged between 0–5.5% for penile and 0–87.5% for laryngeal cancers and were null for vulvar, vaginal and oral cancers. The genomic similarities between HPV6/11 and HPV16 mainly involved the E7 gene, indicating a limited ability to block cell differentiation. The presence of single or dual HPV6/11 infections in variable proportions of penile and laryngeal cancers support the vaccination strategies that cover these genotypes, not only for preventing genital warts but also for cancer prevention. Other risk factors and co-carcinogens are likely to participate in epithelial carcinogenesis associated with low-risk HPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The cutaneous toxicity of MEK inhibitors may limit treatment adherence. The authors present a retrospective study of 41 paediatric patients with NF‐1 undergoing therapy with selumetinib and propose a treatment algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, software systems must be appropriately developed to support an amount of variability for accommodating different requirements. To support such development, a diversity of tools has already been designed for variability management (i.e., identification, modeling, evaluation, and realization). However, due to this diversity, there is a lack of consensus on what in fact software variability tools are and even what functionalities they should provide. Besides that, the building of new tools is still an effort- and time-consuming task. To support their building, we present VMTools-RA, a reference architecture that encompasses knowledge and practice for developing and evolving variability tools. Designed in a systematic way, VMTools-RA was evaluated throughout: a controlled experiment with software developer practitioners; and an instantiation of the VMTools-RA architecture to implement a software variability tool, named SMartyModeling. As a result, VMTools-RA is evidenced to be feasible and it can be considered an important contribution to the software variability and developers of variability-intensive software systems community, which require specific tools developed in a faster manner with less risk, what a reference architecture could provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Inovação, Projetos e Tecnologia is the property of Revista Inovacao, Projetos e Tecnologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The escalating demand for natural resources within the construction industry is progressing upward. At the same time, however, there is a great concern regarding the depletion of these resources. This review paper emphasizes the significance of utilizing alternative aggregate materials in concrete. Particularly, it aims to explore replacing natural sand with stone dust. On the one hand, the depletion of primary sources of natural sand worldwide, combined with environmental and ecological concerns, drives the adoption of alternative aggregate materials for sustainable concrete construction. On the other hand, stone dust, a waste from the quarrying industry, offers a cost-effective and practical solution for producing concrete. This article presents a comprehensive literature review of the main trends in utilizing stone dust in recycled aggregates in the past decade and its influence on concrete properties. It addresses critical research questions regarding the physical and chemical properties of stone dust aggregates compared to natural sand; the impact of stone dust on the workability, mechanical, physical, and durability properties of recycled concrete; and the potential reduction of environmental impacts in terms of energy consumption and emissions through the replacement of natural sand with stone dust. Ultimately, this paper proposes future investigative work based on identified research gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth retardants have been used as an anti-lodging to reduce shoot growth by blocking the gibberellins biosynthesis without decreasing yield. We hypothesized that the type and dosage of growth retardants vary in effectiveness on reducing vegetative growth and increasing seed yield, as well as that prohexadione calcium (Pro-Ca) may also be an effective growth retardant for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The goal of this study was to assess the effects of increasing rates of paclobutrazol (PBZ), mepiquat chloride (MC), and Pro-Ca on common bean morphophysiological and yield traits, based on a field experiment carried out in Vitória da Conquista, northeastern Brazil. Morphophysiological traits were assessed 14 and 38 days after application (DAA) of regulators, and yield traits were assessed at the end of the crop cycle. There was a positive relationship between increasing rates of regulators and decrease in stem length mainly up to 14 DAA, and Pro-Ca was more effective than the other regulators. At 38 DAA, increase in shoot dry mass was recorded when PBZ and MC were sprayed at rates from 100 to 400 g a.i. ha−1. Pro-Ca application increased the height of first pod insertion. Low rates of PBZ (25–50 g a.i. ha−1) increased, whereas high rates of Pro-Ca (200 and 400 g a.i. ha−1) tended to decrease the number of pods per plant. MC reduced the number of empty pods and increased the number of seeds per pod. The 100-seed weight increased up to a peak with an estimated rate of 162.5 g a.i. ha−1 for PBZ, 151.0 g a.i. ha−1 for MC, and 211.8 g a.i. ha−1 for Pro-Ca. PBZ and MC marginally increased seed yield with peaks at the estimated rates of 190.8 and 212.4 g a.i. ha−1, respectively, whereas rates of Pro-Ca greater than 50 g a.i. ha−1 decreased seed yield. The regulators were effective in reducing the plant size, thus mitigating lodging risks in common bean crop with highlight on Pro-Ca, but this regulator at high rates tended to reduce common bean yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate silicosis diagnosed through CT, with integration of clinical-occupational data, in silica-exposed workers presenting chest X-rays within International Labor Organization (ILO) category 0.Methods: Cross-sectional study with 339 former gold miners, with comparable exposures and X-rays classified as ILO subcategory 0/0 (n=285) and 0/1 (n=54) were submitted to volume-based CT. The findings were classified according to the International Classification of HRCT CT for Occupational and Environmental Respiratory Diseases.Results: A profusion degree of round opacities (RO)>1 was found in 22.4% (76/339) of the CT exams. After integrating the CT findings with clinical and occupational data, silicosis was diagnosed as follows: 43/285 (15.1%) and 14/54 (25.9%) in workers whose X-rays had been classified as 0/0 and 0/1, respectively. There was an upward trend towards longer exposures, reaching 38.9% when working more than 10 years underground and classified as 0/1 (p=0019). Those with presence of RO whose final diagnosis was not silicosis were mainly cases of tuberculosis or 'indeterminate nodules'. Emphysema was found in 65/339 (19.1%), only 5 being detected in the X-ray.Conclusion: Volume-based CT proved to be useful in the investigation of silicosis among individuals with a relevant exposure to silica, capturing diagnoses that had not been identified on X-rays. A response gradient of silicosis was showed by CT even in this population with ILO category 0 radiographs. It can be indicated based on quantitative and/or qualitative criteria of occupational exposure, especially considering the possibilities of low CT dosage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrimination and limited access to healthcare services in remote areas can affect vaccination coverage. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate vaccination coverage for children living in quilombola communities and rural settlements in the central region of Brazil during their first year of life and to analyze the factors associated with incomplete vaccination. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on children born between 2015 and 2017. The percentage of children who received all vaccines recommended by the National Immunization Program in Brazil by 11 months and 29 days was used to calculate immunization coverage. Children who received the following vaccines were considered as having a complete basic vaccination schedule: one dose of BCG; three doses of Hepatitis B, of Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DPT), of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and of Poliovirus (Polio); two doses of Rotavirus, of 10-valent pneumococcal (PCV10), and of Serogroup C meningococcal conjugate (MenC); and one dose of Yellow Fever (YF). Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and other doses recommended at or after 12 months were not included. Consolidated logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with incomplete vaccination coverage. Overall vaccination coverage was 52.8% (95% CI: 45.5–59.9%) and ranged from 70.4% for the Yellow Fever vaccine to 78.3% for the Rotavirus vaccine, with no significant differences between the quilombola and settler groups. Notably, the likelihood of incomplete general vaccination coverage was higher among children who did not receive a visit from a healthcare professional. Urgent strategies are required to achieve and ensure health equity for this unique and traditionally distinct group with low vaccination coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The present study aimed to analyse the behaviour of training loads and evaluate specific aspects of physical fitness during a period of 6 weeks in high-intensity functional training (HIFT) practitioners. Methods. The study included 12 practitioners (4 men and 8 women; age: 31.08 ± 4.80 years) of HIFT. The session rating of perceived exertion was routinely collected after each training session for 6 weeks. The sum and average of the weekly loads of training, strain, monotony, and acute/chronic workload ratio were recorded for analysis. In addition, the athletes underwent sprint, countermovement jump, and handgrip strength tests before and after the 6 weeks of HIFT. Results. A constant dynamic of the weekly internal training loads and the mean internal training loads was observed, with difference in the results from weeks 1 to 3 (F = 3.283; p = 0.02). In addition, the practitioners obtained superior results in countermovement jump (t = 3.573; p = 0.005) and lower limb muscle power (t = 3.536; p = 0.005) after the 6 weeks. Conclusions. The internal training load varied significantly only from weeks 1 to 3 over the 6 weeks. In addition, we observed that the 6-week HIFT was able to generate functional adaptations only in countermovement jump and lower limb muscle power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is related to new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has mobilized several scientifics to explore clinical data using soft-computing approaches. In the context of machine learning, previous studies have explored supervised algorithms to predict and support diagnosis based on several clinical parameters from patients diagnosed with and without COVID-19. However, in most of them the decision is based on a "black-box" method, making it impossible to discover the variable relevance in decision making. Hence, in this study, we introduce a non-supervised clustering analysis with neural network self-organizing maps (SOM) as a strategy of decision-making. We propose to identify potential variables in routine blood tests that can support clinician decision-making during COVID-19 diagnosis at hospital admission, facilitating rapid medical intervention. Based on SOM features (visual relationships between clusters and identification of patterns and behaviors), and using linear discriminant analysis , it was possible to detect a group of units of the map with a discrimination power around 83% to SARS-CoV-2-positive patients. In addition, we identified some variables in admission blood tests (Leukocytes, Basophils, Eosinophils, and Red cell Distribution Width) that, in combination had strong influence in the clustering performance, which could assist a possible clinical decision. Thus, although with limitations, we believe that SOM can be used as a soft-computing approach to support clinician decision-making in the context of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of anthropogenic radioisotopes in the environment may be due to inappropriate discards, nuclear tests and accidents, which requires and justifies constant monitoring to ensure the safety of nuclear applications. The radiometric analysis is a necessary condition for exporting sugar for world consumption. The investigation of 134Cs and 137Cs in a sugar matrix is required to predict radiometric anomalies. This work aimed to standardise a semi-empirical radiometric model to characterise and quantify caesium isotopes in sugar. The research was carried out with high-resolution gamma spectrometry, a non-destructive method. The results were applied to the analysis of different types of sugar for export. The models allowed us to determine with excellent resolution the minimum quantifiable activities of 0.74 Bq kg−1 and 0.48 Bq kg−1 for 134Cs and 137Cs, respectively, which are lower than 600 Bq kg−1, reference values adopted by the EU for isotopes in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]