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Despite the abundant evidence of impairments to plant performance and survival under hotter-drought conditions, little is known about the vulnerability of reproductive organs to climate extremes. Here, by conducting a comparative analysis between flowers and leaves, we investigated how variations in key morphophysiological traits related to carbon and water economics can explain the differential vulnerabilities to heat and drought among these functionally diverse organs. Due to their lower construction costs, despite having a higher water storage capacity, flowers were more prone to turgor loss (higher turgor loss point; Ψ TLP ) than leaves, thus evidencing a trade-off between carbon investment and drought tolerance in reproductive organs. Importantly, the higher Ψ TLP of flowers also resulted in narrow turgor safety margins (TSM). Moreover, compared to leaves, the cuticle of flowers had an overall higher thermal vulnerability, which also resulted in low leakage safety margins (LSM). As a result, the combination of low TSMs and LSMs may have negative impacts on reproduction success since they strongly influenced the time to turgor loss under simulated hotter-drought conditions. Overall, our results improve the knowledge of unexplored aspects of flower structure and function and highlight likely threats to successful plant reproduction in a warmer and drier world., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Although banned in food-producing animals, residues of malachite green (MG) and its primary metabolite, leucomalachite green (LMG), have been found in fish due to illegal use in aquaculture and the release of industrial wastewater, which represent a serious risk to food and environmental securities. This study aimed to investigate the residue depletion profile of MG and LMG in edible tissues of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) cultured simultaneously under the same environmental conditions to support control measures in case of abuse. An analytical method involving QuEChERS sample preparation and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was developed, validated, and applied to quantify MG and LMG residues in fish fillets from two depletion experiments after treatment by immersion bath (MG at 0.10 mg L -1 for 60 min). During the experiment, the average water temperature was 30 ºC, while the pH was 6.9. The method is selective, precise (CV = 0.4 - 22%) and accurate (recovery 92 - 114%). The limits of detection and quantification are 0.15 and 0.5 ng g -1 , respectively. In both species, the sum of MG and LMG residues were quantified up to the 32nd day post-exposure, and the concentrations were significantly higher in the pacu fillets (up to 3284 ng g -1 ) than in Nile tilapia (up to 432 ng g -1 ). The sums of MG and LMG residues were below 2 ng g -1 at 44 days and 342 days for Nile tilapia and pacu, respectively - the Minimum Required Performance Limit (MRPL) for analytical methods intended to monitor forbidden substances in food according to old European Commission guidelines. The persistence of MG residues in pacu may be attributed to its higher lipid content, which favors the accumulation of the non-polar metabolite LMG. These results provide insights into the concern about human, animal, and environmental health risks resulting from unauthorized use or aquatic contamination by industrial wastewater containing MG residues., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The study of brain connectivity has been a cornerstone in understanding the complexities of neurological and psychiatric disorders. It has provided invaluable insights into the functional architecture of the brain and how it is perturbed in disorders. However, a persistent challenge has been achieving the proper spatial resolution, and developing computational algorithms to address biological questions at the multi-cellular level, a scale often referred to as the mesoscale. Historically, neuroimaging studies of brain connectivity have predominantly focused on the macroscale, providing insights into inter-regional brain connections but often falling short of resolving the intricacies of neural circuitry at the cellular or mesoscale level. This limitation has hindered our ability to fully comprehend the underlying mechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders and to develop targeted interventions. In light of this issue, our review manuscript seeks to bridge this critical gap by delving into the domain of mesoscale neuroimaging. We aim to provide a comprehensive overview of conditions affected by aberrant neural connections, image acquisition techniques, feature extraction, and data analysis methods that are specifically tailored to the mesoscale. We further delineate the potential of brain connectivity research to elucidate complex biological questions, with a particular focus on schizophrenia and epilepsy. This review encompasses topics such as dendritic spine quantification, single neuron morphology, and brain region connectivity. We aim to showcase the applicability and significance of mesoscale neuroimaging techniques in the field of neuroscience, highlighting their potential for gaining insights into the complexities of neurological and psychiatric disorders., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Caznok Silveira, Antunes, Athié, da Silva, Ribeiro dos Santos, Canateli, Fontoura, Pinto, Pimentel-Silva, Avansini and de Carvalho.)

St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) is a neglected mosquito-borne Flavivirus that may cause severe neurological disease in humans and other animals. There are no specific treatments against SLEV infection or disease approved for human use, and drug repurposing may represent an opportunity to accelerate the development of treatments against SLEV. Here we present a scalable, medium-throughput phenotypic cell culture-based screening assay on Vero CCL81 cells to identify bioactive compounds that could be repurposed against SLEV infection. We screened eighty compounds from the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) COVID Box library to identify nine (11%) compounds that protected cell cultures from SLEV-induced cytopathic effects, with low- to mid-micromolar potencies. We validated six hit compounds using viral plaque-forming assays to find that the compounds ABT-239, Amiodarone, Fluphenazine, Posaconazole, Triparanol, and Vidofludimus presented varied levels of antiviral activity and selectivity depending on the mammalian cell type used for testing. Importantly, we identified and validated the antiviral activity of the anti-flavivirus nucleoside analog 7DMA against SLEV. Triparanol and Fluphenazine reduced infectious viral loads in both Vero CCL81 and HBEC-5i cell cultures and, similar to the other validated compounds, are likely to exert antiviral activity through a molecular target in the host.

Levamisole, an anthelmintic and immunostimulant drug, has been studied as a promising alternative for aquaculture use. While oral administration through feeding is the main route of administration in fish farming, no studies evaluating methods of levamisole incorporation into the feed have been reported so far. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate potential procedures for levamisole incorporation in extruded fish feed using ethyl cellulose, gelatin, or vegetable oil, to avoid drug leaching to the water during the animal's medication. A suitable LC-MS/MS method was optimized (full factorial design), validated, and applied to evaluate the efficiency of the process, the homogeneity of the drug concentration, and the leaching rate. The method has been demonstrated to be selective, precise (RSD < 4.9%), accurate (recovery > 98.4%), and linear ( r  > 0.99, 125-750 mg kg -1 ). The incorporation procedures using the three coating agents showed high incorporation efficiency (70%) and a homogeneous drug concentration among the extruded feed pellets. A low levamisole leaching rate was verified in the feed prepared using the ethyl cellulose coating procedure (4.3% after 15 min of immersion in the water). On the other hand, fish feed coated with gelatin and oil resulted in a high leaching rate (30-35% after 15 min). Thus, this study shows that coating ethyl cellulose may be a promising procedure for levamisole incorporation in fish feed and with the potential to enhance its use in animal production while reducing environmental contamination.

Sulfadimethoxine (SDM) and ormetoprim (OMP) are antimicrobials used in combination to treat bacterial infections in fish farming. The use of this drug combination is not yet regulated in some countries, such as Brazil. Due to the lack of regulated drugs for aquaculture in Brazil, this study investigated the residue depletion profile of SDM and OMP in Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis sp.) after oral administration. Fish were treated with medicated feed containing a 5:1 ratio of SDM:OMP at the dose of 50 mg kg BW -1 for five consecutive days with an average water temperature of 28 °C. The drugs were incorporated into the feed by using a gelatin coating process which promoted homogeneity in drug concentration and prevented the drug leaching into the water during medication. The SDM and OMP determination in fish fillets (muscle plus skin in natural proportions) was performed using the QuEChERS approach followed by LC-MS/MS quantification. The analytical method was validated according to Brazilian and selected international guidelines. A withdrawal period of 9 days (or 252 °C days) was estimated for the sum of SDM and OMP residues at concentration levels below the maximum residue level of 100 µg kg -1 .

Zika virus (ZIKV) has re-emerged in recent decades, leading to outbreaks of Zika fever in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. Despite its drastic re-emergence and clinical impact, no vaccines or antiviral compounds are available to prevent or control ZIKV infection. This study evaluated the potential antiviral activity of quercetin hydrate against ZIKV infection and demonstrated that this substance inhibits virus particle production in A549 and Vero cells under different treatment conditions. In vitro antiviral activity was long-lasting (still observed 72 h post-infection), suggesting that quercetin hydrate affects multiple rounds of ZIKV replication. Molecular docking indicates that quercetin hydrate can efficiently interact with the specific allosteric binding site cavity of the NS2B-NS3 proteases and NS1-dimer. These results identify quercetin as a potential compound to combat ZIKV infection in vitro.

The first symptom of aluminum (Al) toxicity is the inhibition of root growth, which has been associated with low leaf hydration, with negative consequences for leaf gas exchange including stomatal conductance (gs) observed in many plant species. Here we asked whether low leaf hydration occurs before or after the inhibition of root growth of Citrus × limonia Osbeck ('Mandarin' lime) cultivated for 60 days in nutrient solution with 0 and 1480 μM Al. The length, diameter, surface area and biomass of roots of plants exposed to Al were lower than control plants only at 30 days after treatments (DAT). Until the end of the study, estimated gs (measured by sap flow techniques) was lower than in control plants from 3 DAT, total plant transpiration (Eplant) and root hydraulic conductivity (Lpr) at 7 DAT, and midday leaf water potential (Ψmd) and relative leaf water content at 15 DAT. Abscisic acid (ABA) in leaves was twofold higher in Al-exposed plants 1 DAT, and in roots a twofold higher peak was observed at 15 DAT. As ABA in leaves approached values of control plants after 15 DAT, we propose that low gs of plants exposed to Al is primarily caused by ABA, and the maintenance of low gs could be ascribed to the low Lpr from 7 DAT until the end of the study. Therefore, the low leaf hydration in 'Mandarin' lime exposed to Al does not seem to be caused by root growth inhibition or by a simple consequence of low water uptake due to a stunted root system., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Ilhéus virus (ILHV) is a neglected mosquito-borne flavivirus. ILHV infection may lead to Ilhéus fever, an emerging febrile disease like dengue fever with the potential to evolve into a severe neurological disease characterized by meningoencephalitis; no specific treatments are available for this disease. This study assessed the antiviral properties of caffeic acid, an abundant component of plant-based food products that is also compatible with the socioeconomic limitations associated with this neglected infectious disease. The in vitro activity of caffeic acid on ILHV replication was investigated in Vero and A549 cell lines using plaque assays, quantitative RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence assays. We observed that 500 µM caffeic acid was virucidal against ILHV. Molecular docking indicated that caffeic acid might interact with an allosteric binding site on the envelope protein.

Purpose: Turmeric has renop rotective effects that can act to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Piperine has been indicated as a bioavailability enhancer of turmeric and consequently of its biological effects. However, data on the efficacy of the turmeric/piperine combination in HD patients are limited. We aimed to verify whether turmeric supplementation in combination with piperine has a superior effect to turmeric alone in increasing antioxidant capacity and reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in HD patients., Methods: This randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted in HD patients (age 20-75 years). Patients were supplemented with turmeric (3 g/day) or turmeric/piperine (3 g turmeric + 2 mg piperine/day) for 12 weeks. Malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and ferritin were evaluated at baseline and the end of the study., Results: There was a reduction in the MDA and ferritin levels in the turmeric/piperine group and in the comparison between groups at the end of the study [MDA: -0.08(-0.14/0.01) nmol/mL versus -0.003(-0.10/0.26) nmol/mL, p = 0.003; ferritin: -193.80 ± 157.29 mg/mL versus 51.99 ± 293.25 mg/mL, p = 0.018]. In addition, GPx activity reduced in the turmeric group (p = 0.029). No changes were observed for CAT, GR, and hs-CRP., Conclusion: Turmeric plus piperine was superior to turmeric alone in decreasing MDA and ferritin levels. The use of a combination of turmeric and piperine as a dietary intervention may be beneficial for modulating the status oxidative and inflammation in HD patients., Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials Number: RBR-2t5zpd; Registration Date: May 2, 2018., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate if the diet quality and its components are associated with breast cancer risk., Methods: A case-control study was conducted with 332 women, 114 who were diagnosed with breast cancer, and 218 control individuals. Groups were matched for age, body mass index, and menopausal status. The quality of diet was assessed using Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised (BHEI-R) and its components. Food consumption was measured through three 24-h dietary recalls and assessed using the NDS-R software. For statistical analyses, it was performed an adjusted logistic regression, estimation of the Odds Ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (95%CI), with a p-value <0.05., Results: The BHEI-R score, classified into quartiles, did not differ between groups in the lowest quartile of diet quality (p=0.853). The components total cereals (p=0.038), saturated fat (p=0.039) and Gord&#95;AA (fat, alcohol, and added sugar) (p=0.023) had higher scores among the case group. The scores for total fruits (p=0.010) and milk and dairy products (p=0.039) were higher among the control group. The BHEI-R components and the quality of diet were not associated with the outcome., Conclusion: Diet quality, assessed by the BHEI-R and its components, was not associated with breast cancer.

Ultraviolet (UV) light can inactivate SARS-CoV-2. However, the practicality of UV light is limited by the carcinogenic potential of mercury vapor-based UV lamps. Recent advances in the development of krypton chlorine (KrCl) excimer lamps hold promise, as these emit a shorter peak wavelength (222 nm), which is highly absorbed by the skin's stratum corneum and can filter out higher wavelengths. In this sense, UV 222 nm irradiation for the inactivation of virus particles in the air and surfaces is a potentially safer option as a germicidal technology. However, these same physical properties make it harder to reach microbes present in complex solutions, such as saliva, a critical source of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. We provide the first evaluation for using a commercial filtered KrCl excimer light source to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in saliva spread on a surface. A conventional germicidal lamp (UV 254 nm) was also evaluated under the same condition. Using plaque-forming units (PFU) and Median Tissue Culture Infectious Dose (TCID 50 ) per milliliter we found that 99.99% viral clearance (LD 99.99 ) was obtained with 106.3 mJ/cm 2 of UV 222 nm for virus in DMEM and 2417 mJ/cm 2 for virus in saliva. Additionally, our results showed that the UV 254 nm had a greater capacity to inactivate the virus in both vehicles. Effective (after discounting light absorption) LD 99.99 of UV 222 nm on the virus in saliva was ∼30 times higher than the value obtained with virus in saline solution (PBS), we speculated that saliva might be protecting the virus from surface irradiation in ways other than just by intensity attenuation of UV 222 nm. Due to differences between UV 222/254 nm capacities to interact and be absorbed by molecules in complex solutions, a higher dose of 222 nm will be necessary to reduce viral load in surfaces with contaminated saliva., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Considering evidence on competency-based curricula and the benefits of volunteering, this study highlights innovative ideas to improve medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the motivations and perceptions of competencies developed as leadership and management skills in medical students who joined the COVID-19 Volunteering Program in a Brazilian medical school., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional, qualitative study involving medical students from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. They were invited to participate in an institutional Volunteering Program during the pandemic and filled out online application forms, including sociodemographic fields and two open-ended questions about their motivation to volunteer and perceptions of their own competencies. At the end of the program, students who were involved in management-related activities were also invited to participate in focus group interviews to track their perceptions about volunteering in this area. Data were submitted to descriptive and content analysis methods. All participants provided informed consent with electronic signatures., Results: A total of 286 medical students subscribed to the Volunteering Program: 171 (60%) were men, 152 (53%) were enrolled in their 5th year of medical school, and 158 (55%) were 23-25 years old. One hundred and twelve (44%) students reported that they were motivated by altruistic reasons, 95 (37%) reported duty and 47 (19%) prioritized academic interests. Concerning CanMEDS competencies, 91 (36%) students' responses matched the Scholar component, followed by 51 (20%) with Collaborator, 49 (20%) with Professional, 32 (13%) with Communicator, 17 (7%) with Leader and 11 (4%) with Health Advocate. In focus groups, students reported the importance of management and leadership skills as a curricular component, motivations to volunteer, and acquired skills from volunteering in management and leadership-related activities, thereby indicating the development of resilient attitudes., Conclusions: Students who participated in the School of Medicine of University of Sao Paulo (FMUSP) Volunteering Program reported being motivated to help others (altruistic reasons) and to serve society as future health professionals (duty). Knowledge and work-related competencies prevailed over leadership or soft skills, emphasizing the importance of including such activities in the curriculum. Participating in management-related activities could help develop a more resilient attitude toward medical training. Volunteering programs offer students opportunities to develop competencies essential for their roles as future health professionals. Thus, we should think about including such activities in the curricular structure., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Single-leg squat (SLS) is a test commonly used to assess lower limb function in rehabilitation. Increased hip adduction and internal rotation (IR) is associated with dynamic knee valgus, which is related to hip and knee overload. Proximal and distal factors, such as hip passive stiffness, poor hip muscle strength and excessive foot misalignment may influence hip movement. However, previous studies focus on how proximal and distal factors affected knee joint movement and did not reported the influence on hip joint., Objective: This study investigated the association of hip external rotators (ER) strength, hip passive stiffness and shank-forefoot alignment (SFA) with hip adduction and IR during SLS., Design: Cross-sectional study., Method: Forty-six health participants of both sexes (23.47 ± 4.29 years, 60.40 ± 11.28 kg, 1.67 ± 8.9 m) had SFA, hip ER torque, hip passive stiffness and hip kinematics assessed. Multiple linear regressions were performed to identify the factors which associated with mean and peak hip adduction and IR movement during SLS., Results: Only hip passive stiffness was associated with mean (R 2  = 0.164; Confidence Interval (CI) 95% = [-0.250, -0.048]; p = 0.005) and peak (R 2  = 0.116; CI 95% = [-0.223, -0.210]; p = 0.019) hip IR movement., Conclusion: Hip passive stiffness was associated with mean and peak hip IR movement during the SLS. These results suggest that individuals with reduced hip passive stiffness may demonstrate increased hip IR movement during SLS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sepsis results in elevated adenosine in circulation. Extracellular adenosine triggers immunosuppressive signaling via the A2a receptor (A2aR). Sepsis survivors develop persistent immunosuppression with increased risk of recurrent infections. We utilized the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model of sepsis and subsequent infection to assess the role of adenosine in post-sepsis immune suppression. A2aR-deficient mice showed improved resistance to post-sepsis infections. Sepsis expanded a subset of CD39 hi B cells and elevated extracellular adenosine, which was absent in mice lacking CD39-expressing B cells. Sepsis-surviving B cell-deficient mice were more resistant to secondary infections. Mechanistically, metabolic reprogramming of septic B cells increased production of ATP, which was converted into adenosine by CD39 on plasmablasts. Adenosine signaling via A2aR impaired macrophage bactericidal activity and enhanced interleukin-10 production. Septic individuals exhibited expanded CD39 hi plasmablasts and adenosine accumulation. Our study reveals CD39 hi plasmablasts and adenosine as important drivers of sepsis-induced immunosuppression with relevance in human disease., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: Hemodialysis (HD) patients are vulnerable to malnutrition and cardiovascular complications due to many factors, including oxidative stress and inflammation. Curcumin supplementation is associated with attenuation of proinflammatory cytokines and increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, but its effects in HD patients are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of curcumin supplementation on oxidative stress and inflammation in HD patients., Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 43 HD patients and divided them into two groups: supplemented with curcumin (1 g/day) or placebo (corn starch) for 12 weeks. Demographic information and blood samples were taken at the start and the end of the study to determine serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, antioxidant enzyme activity, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)., Results: The curcumin group showed a significant increase in catalase activity [Δ = 1.13 ± 2.87 versus Δ = -1.08 ± 2.68; p = 0.048] and preserved glutathione peroxidase activity [Δ = -4.23 ± 11.50 versus Δ = -14.44 ± 13.96; p < 0.01] compared with the placebo group. However, no significant changes were found in MDA concentrations, glutathione reductase activity, and hs-CRP concentrations after the intervention., Conclusion: Curcumin supplementation for 12 weeks had potential effects on antioxidant response, but it was not enough to reduce oxidative stress markers and inflammation in HD patients. This trial was registered at EnsaiosClínicos.gov.br under registration number RBR-2t5zpd., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there were no conflicts of interest, and all authors participated sufficiently in the work and take public responsibility for the content of the paper. The final manuscript has been seen and approved by all authors., (Copyright © 2021 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Neutrophils are first-line responders to infections and are recruited to target tissues through the action of chemoattractant molecules, such as chemokines. Neutrophils are crucial for the control of bacterial and fungal infections, but their role in the context of viral infections has been understudied. Flaviviruses are important human viral pathogens transmitted by arthropods. Infection with a flavivirus may result in a variety of complex disease manifestations, including hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis or congenital malformations. Our understanding of flaviviral diseases is incomplete, and so is the role of neutrophils in such diseases. Here we present a comprehensive overview on the participation of neutrophils in severe disease forms evolving from flavivirus infection, focusing on the role of chemokines and their receptors as main drivers of neutrophil function. Neutrophil activation during viral infection was shown to interfere in viral replication through effector functions, but the resulting inflammation is significant and may be detrimental to the host. For congenital infections in humans, neutrophil recruitment mediated by CXCL8 would be catastrophic. Evidence suggests that control of neutrophil recruitment to flavivirus-infected tissues may reduce immunopathology in experimental models and patients, with minimal loss to viral clearance. Further investigation on the roles of neutrophils in flaviviral infections may reveal unappreciated functions of this leukocyte population while increasing our understanding of flaviviral disease pathogenesis in its multiple forms.

Background: The shank-forefoot alignment (SFA) measurement has been previously developed to enhance the applicability of foot alignment measurement in sports preseason assessment because it is reliable and less time consuming. The use of SFA measurements in the clinical context, usually done with photogrammetry, may be simplified by using the universal goniometer and no longer requiring the image processing step that takes additional time and equipment., Objective: Investigate the correlation between the goniometric and photogrammetric assessment of shank-forefoot alignment in athletes., Participants: Thirty volleyball athletes were recruited during a preseason assessment., Methods: SFA measurements were assessed with a universal goniometer and photogrammetry. For both assessments the participants were positioned in prone with the rearfoot facing up and the ankle actively maintained in 90° of dorsiflexion. The examiner did not have access to the SFA outcome values from both measurements. A second examiner did the bi-dimensional analysis with SIMI MOTION (photogrammetric measure) and read the goniometer measures during the other SFA assessment. Data normality was tested using Shapiro-Wilk test and Pearson was used to determine the correlation between both measurements., Results: A reliability study determined the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC3,3) for intra-rater reliability of 0.93 for photogrammetry and of 0.81 for goniometry assessment. The correlation (p < 0.001) between these two measurements was 0.71, which indicates a moderate relationship., Conclusions: This study describes a reliable and practical measurement procedure for shank-forefoot alignment using the universal goniometer that can be easily applied in clinical context., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention based on the Transtheoretical Model of Change on anthropometric, metabolic and motivational outcomes in obese adolescents. A total of 135 male and female adolescents were randomized to two groups: intervention group ( n  = 65) and control group ( n  = 70). The adolescents were evaluated 1 week before the interventions began and at the end of 12 weeks. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in the outcome variables. Intervention group reported magnitude of effect more expressive on body mass index percentile, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, readiness to change diet and readiness to start exercise.

Background: In self-regulated learning, learning is defined as metacognitively guided, intrinsically motivated and strategic. In the context of medical education, the development of self-regulated learning can be associated with better academic and clinical performance. Hence, this report focuses on demonstrating the association between metacognitive awareness and motivation to learn among medical students in the clinical sciences portion of their education (3rd and 4th years of the medical programme) and characterizing medical students' motivational factors., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study with a qualitative and quantitative approach involving medical students from the University of Sao Paulo (USP) in Brazil. We have selected validated self-report questionnaires for the evaluation of metacognition (the Schraw and Dennison Metacognitive Awareness Inventory - MAI) and motivation to learn (the Baranik, Barron and Finney Achievement Goals for a Work Domain - AGWD). MAI has two domains: knowledge about cognition and regulation of cognition. AGWD divides achievement goals into mastery approach, mastery avoidance, performance approach and performance avoidance goal orientations. We also performed a qualitative analysis based on an open-ended question: "What motivates me the most in medical training?", Results: One hundred eighty-five students completed the questionnaires: 103 (55.67%) were men, 110 (59.45%) were in their fourth year of the medical programme, and 152 (82.16%) were up to 24 years old. Only the knowledge about cognition domain of MAI was significantly associated with motivation to learn. We found that higher scores on the knowledge about cognition domain of MAI was associated with the mastery approach goal orientation (p = 0.003, median 0.71, IQR 0.23) and that lower scores on this same domain was associated with a mastery avoidance goal orientation (p = 0.034, median 0.65, IQR 0.14). The open-ended question showed that altruism, personal satisfaction, financial feedback, personal and supportive networks and graduating were motivational factors., Conclusions: Metacognitive awareness and motivation to learn are closely related. This association may represent a potential target for the educational process, as deans and faculty can adopt strategies focused on promoting self-regulated learning concerning students' motivational factors. This could enhance academic outcomes and promote more enjoyable learning.

Intestinal mucositis, characterized by inflammatory and/or ulcerative processes in the gastrointestinal tract, occurs due to cellular and tissue damage following treatment with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Rutin (RUT), a natural flavonoid extracted from Dimorphandra gardneriana , exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, and gastroprotective properties. However, the effect of RUT on inflammatory processes in the intestine, especially on mucositis promoted by antineoplastic agents, has not yet been reported. In this study, we investigated the role of RUT on 5-FU-induced experimental intestinal mucositis. Swiss mice were randomly divided into seven groups: Saline, 5-FU, RUT-50, RUT-100, RUT-200, Celecoxib (CLX), and CLX + RUT-200 groups. The mice were weighed daily. After treatment, the animals were euthanized and segments of the small intestine were collected to evaluate histopathological alterations (morphometric analysis); malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and glutathione (GSH) concentrations; mast and goblet cell counts; and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity, as well as to perform immunohistochemical analyses. RUT treatment (200 mg/kg) prevented 5-FU-induced histopathological changes and reduced oxidative stress by decreasing MDA concentrations and increasing GSH concentrations. RUT attenuated the inflammatory response by decreasing MPO activity, intestinal mastocytosis, and COX-2 expression. These results suggest that the COX-2 pathway is one of the underlying protective mechanisms of RUT against 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis.

Due to the lack of drugs regulated for aquaculture, we have evaluated the use of albendazole (ABZ) - a potential drug to be regulated for fish - under food safety perspectives assessing the depletion profile of ABZ and its main metabolites (albendazole sulphoxide - ABZSO, albendazole sulphone - ABZSO 2 and albendazole amino sulphone - ABZ-2-NH 2 SO 2 ) in fish fillets (muscle and skin) after single dose oral administration of 10 mg ABZ kg -1 body weight. For the drug administration, a suitable procedure for ABZ incorporation into fish feed was employed, obtaining good homogeneity of ABZ concentration among feed pellets (CV<4.1%) and low drug leaching when medicated feed remained in the water for up to 60 min (<2.7%). After medication, fish were euthanised at 8, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h and fillets collected. Depletion studies in various fish species (patinga and tilapia) were conducted simultaneously, under water temperature at 30.4 ± 0.3 °C and pH 6.8 ± 0.1. The highest concentrations for the sum of residues (ABZ, ABZSO, ABZSO 2 and ABZ-2-NH 2 SO 2 ) in fish fillet were 1210 ng g -1 in patinga and 637 ng g -1 in tilapia. Under the employed rearing conditions, the obtained results did not indicate a requirement for a minimum withdrawal period to be proposed for tilapia considering the maximum residue limit of 100 µg g -1 , since the determined residual concentration was -1 ) from 24 h post medication treatment. For patinga, the estimated minimum withdrawal period was 3 days. With the well-recognised demands for new alternative veterinary drugs for aquaculture use by fish farmers, this study offers important evidence for consideration of ABZ use in tilapia and patinga taking into account food safety issues.

The study assessed the effects of dietary L-arginine supplementation from days 85 to 115 of gestation on sow performance, litter quality, piglet physiology and survival variables in the first 24 hr of life. Twenty multiparous sows, with a history of hyperprolificacy (more than 14 piglets per litter), were used. A completely randomized experimental design was used, consisting of two treatments: feed supplemented or not with 1% L-arginine from days 85 to 115 of gestation. The experimental unit consisted of the sow and its respective litter, using 10 replicates per treatment. The sows were distributed into the treatments based on body condition and parity. Supplementation with L-arginine reduced the within-litter standard deviation and the within-litter coefficient of variation of piglet weight at 24 hr by 54 g and 4.14 percentage points respectively (p = .029; p = .035). Supplementation with 1.0% L-arginine decreased the percentages of piglets weighing less than 800 g by 5.60 and 5.08 points at birth and at 24 hr of life respectively. Piglets from sows supplemented with L-arginine had higher (p = .088) average rectal temperatures at birth and lower (p = .030) rectal temperature at 24 hr of life in comparison with control piglets. No significant differences in placental weight or estimated colostrum production and intake were observed in the first 24 hr of life. At 24 hr of life, piglets weighing less than 1,000 g and from supplemented sows had lower (p = .048) surface/mass ratios and higher body mass index (p = .070). Piglets from supplemented sows and who weighed 1601 to 1,800 g had lower body mass index and ponderal index (p = .002; p = .003). Supplementation with L-arginine during the final third of gestation reduces the incidence of unviable piglets (<800 g) and improved litter uniformity and piglets' body conformation within the first 24 hr of life., (© 2020 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Background: Obesity-induced inflammation is frequently associated with higher oxidative stress. In vitro and experimental studies have considered baru almonds (Dipteryx alata Vog) as a legume seed with high antioxidant capacity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether baru almonds are capable of improving the inflammatory and antioxidant status in overweight and obese women., Methods: In a parallel-arm, randomized placebo-controlled trial, 46 overweight and obese women (age: 40 ± 11 years; body mass index: 33.3 ± 4.3) were randomly assigned to receive advice to follow a normocaloric and isoenergetic diet with placebo (PLA, n = 22) or similar advice plus 20 g baru almonds (BARU, n = 24) for 8 wk. Malondialdehyde (MDA), adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, antioxidant enzymes activities (catalase-CAT; glutathione peroxidase-GPx; superoxide dismutase-SOD), and minerals were analyzed in plasma samples., Results: At baseline, groups were similar regarding the body composition, oxidative, and inflammatory parameters. The BARU group increased the activity of GPx (+0.08 U/mg, 95%CI + 0.05 to +0.12 vs. -0.07, 95%CI -0.12 to -0.03, p < 0.01) and plasma copper concentration ( p = 0.037) when compared to the PLA group. No differences were observed between groups in CAT and SOD activity or MDA and cytokines concentrations., Conclusions: Baru almond supplementation increased the GPx activity in overweight and obese women.

A meta-analysis was carried out to evaluate the effect of heat on the performance of lactating sows and their litters. The database containing information on the effects heat stress has on the productive and reproductive performance of lactating sows was composed by 20 articles published in international journals from 2000 to 2016, totalizing 2222 lactating sows. The duration of lactation was corrected to 21d. In the studies analyzed, the most representative variables were piglet weight at 21 days (kg) and litter weight at 21 days (kg). Daily ambient temperature (T°C) ranged from 15.0° to 32.0 °C. Rectal temperature and respiratory rate were higher in lactating sows maintained in hot conditions compared to those maintained in the thermal comfort range. The nutrient intake by the lactating sows was inversely proportional to the ambient temperature. The piglets weaned of lactating sows were kept in thermal comfort 90.84 heavier percentage point after 21 days of the piglets of lactating sows kept in heat stress environment. Piglet weight gain exhibited a high and negative correlation with ambient temperature. At 1 °C above the thermal comfort range (from 15° to 25°C) leads to a decrease in food intake (kg/d) and milk yield (kg/d), which represents a high and negative correlation with at room temperature, that is, as the ambient temperature increases, there is less consumption of nutrients, resulting in reduced milk production (less mobilization of nutrients to the mammary gland). Increased respiratory rate is an efficient parameter for evaluating the intensity of heat stress in lactating sows., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: John Cunningham virus (JCV) is a polyoma virus that infects humans, mainly in childhood or adolescence, and presents no symptomatic manifestations. JCV can cause progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in immunosuppressed individuals, including those undergoing treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO). PML is a severe and potentially fatal disease of the brain. The prevalence of JCV antibodies in human serum has been reported to be between 50.0 and 90.0%. The aim of the present study was to review worldwide data on populations of patients with MS and NMO in order to establish the rates of JCV seropositivity in these individuals., Methods: The present review followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and used the following search terms: "JCV" OR "JC virus" AND "multiple sclerosis" OR "MS" OR "NMO" OR "neuromyelitis optica" AND "prevalence." These terms were searched for both in smaller and in larger clusters of words. The databases searched included PubMed, MEDLINE, SciELO, LILACS, Google Scholar, and Embase., Results: After the initial selection, 18 papers were included in the review. These articles reported the prevalence of JCV antibodies in the serum of patients with MS or NMO living in 26 countries. The systematic review identified data on 29,319 patients with MS/NMO and found that 57.1% of them (16,730 individuals) were seropositive for the anti-JCV antibody (range, 40.0 to 69.0%)., Conclusions: The median worldwide prevalence of JCV among adults with MS or NMO was found to be 57.1%.

[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to evaluate the immediate effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) on activity of the tibialis anterior muscle (TA) and static balance of individuals with hemiparesis stemming from stroke. [Subjects and Methods] A randomized, double-blind, crossover, clinical trial conducted with 30 individuals with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis. Median frequency of electrical activity of the TA were determined using electromyography in five contractions concentrics and Static balance (body sway velocity and frequency), both before and immediately after the intervention. The participants were submitted to four 20-minute intervention protocols with 48-hour interval: anodal tDCS + sham FES; sham tDCS + active FES; anodal tDCS + active FES and sham tDCS + sham FES. Anodal tDCS was administered over C3 or C4, the cathode was positioned in the supraorbital region on the contralateral side and FES was administered to the affected TA. [ Results] No significant differences among the protocols were found regarding electrical activity of the TA and static balance. [Conclusion] The results demonstrate that tDCS alone or in combination with FES had no immediate effect on electrical activity of the TA and static balance of the 30 individuals analyzed.

Myostatin (MSTN) is a strong inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth in human and other vertebrates. Its transcription is controlled by a proximal promoter/enhancer (Mstn P/E) containing a TATA box besides CREB, NF-Y, MEIS1 and FXR transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs), which are conserved throughout evolution. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of these TFBSs on Mstn P/E activity and evaluate the potential of their putative ligands as Mstn trans regulators. Mstn P/E mutant constructs were used to establish the role of conserved TFBSs using dual-luciferase assays. Expression analyses were performed by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization in C2C12 myoblasts and E10.5 mouse embryos, respectively. Our results revealed that CREB, NF-Y and MEIS1 sites are required to balance Mstn P/E activity, keeping Mstn transcription within basal levels during myoblast proliferation. Furthermore, our data showed that NF-Y site is essential, although not sufficient, to mediate Mstn P/E transcriptional activity. In turn, CREB and MEIS1 binding sites seem to depend on the presence of NF-Y site to induce Mstn P/E. FXR appears not to confer any effect on Mstn P/E activity, except in the absence of all other conserved TFBS. Accordingly, expression studies pointed to CREB, NF-Y and MEIS1 but not to FXR factors as possible regulators of Mstn transcription in the myogenic context. Altogether, our findings indicated that CREB, NF-Y and MEIS1 conserved sites are essential to control basal Mstn transcription during early myogenesis, possibly by interacting with these or other related factors.

Purpose: Verify the knowledge of teachers from public and private schools about stuttering and attest the effectiveness of the Teacher Training Program on Stuttering in the expansion of this knowledge., Methods: The study sample comprised 137 early-childhood teachers. Initially, the teachers responded to a questionnaire on stuttering. After that, 75 teachers attended a 4-hour Teacher Training Program on Stuttering. One month later, the teachers responded to the same questionnaire again., Results: The following points were observed after the training program: increased percentage of teachers who consider as low the prevalence of stuttering in the population; beginning of reports stating that stuttering is more frequent in males; increased number of teachers who consider stuttering hereditary; decreased incidence of teachers who believe stuttering is psychological; prevalence of those who believe stuttering is a consequence of multiple causes; decreased rate of teachers who believe stuttering is emotional; a better understanding of how educators should behave to help stutterers., Conclusion: Before the course, the teachers had some knowledge regarding stuttering, but it was insufficient to differentiate from other language disorders. The Program expanded their knowledge on stuttering. However, it proved to be more effective with respect to the characteristics of stuttering than to the attitudes of the teachers.

Purpose: The autonomic maneuvers are simple methods to evaluate autonomic balance, but the association between autonomic maneuvers and heart rate variability (HRV) in hemodialysis patients remains unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between HRV and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and Valsalva maneuver (VM) indexes in hemodialysis patients and to compare two methods for RSA indexes acquisitions., Methods: Forty-eight volunteers on hemodialysis (66.7 % men) were evaluated by VM, RSA, and 24 h Holter monitoring. At the VM, the Valsalva index (VI) was the variable considered. In the RSA, the ratio and difference between the RR intervals of inspiratory and expiratory phase (E:I and E-I, respectively) were considered by traditional form (average of respiratory cycles) and independent respiratory cycles (E:Iindep and E-Iindep). The HRV indexes evaluated were standard deviation of all normal RR intervals (SDNN), standard deviation of sequential 5-min RR interval means (SDANN), root mean square of the successive differences (rMSSD) and percentage of adjacent RR intervals with difference of duration greater than 50 ms (pNN50)., Results: The SDNN, SDANN showed significant correlation with all classic indexes of RSA (E:I: r = 0.62, 0.55, respectively, E-I: r = 0.64, 0.57, respectively), E:Iindep (r = 0.59, 0.54, respectively), E-Iindep (r = 0.47, 0.43, respectively) and VI (r = 0.42, 0.34, respectively). Significant correlation of rMSSD with E:I (r = 0.37), E-I (r = 0.41) and E:Iindep (r = 0.34) was also observed. There was no association of any variable with pNN50. Have been show high values for all variables of independent cycles method (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The autonomic maneuvers, especially RSA, are useful methods to evaluate cardiac autonomic function in hemodialysis patients. The acquisition of the RSA index by independent cycles should not be used in this population.

Objective: To implement genotyping for S, s and U antigens of the MNS blood group system at the Fundação Hemominas and to evaluate the occurrence of GYPB gene polymorphisms associated with the U- and U+var phenotypes and deletion of the GYPB gene for the first time in an admixed population of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The S, s and U antigens can cause transfusion reactions and perinatal hemolytic disease. Genotyping is a useful tool in immunohematology, especially when phenotyping cannot be performed., Methods: Ninety-six samples from blood donors and patients with sickle cell disease previously phenotyped for the S, s and U antigens were selected. Allele-specific primer polymerase chain reaction (ASP-PCR) and polymerase chain reaction -restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assays were employed to identify the GYPB*S and GYPB*s alleles and the GYPB(P2) and GYPB(NY) variants, as well as deletion of the GYPB gene., Results: The results of allele-specific genotyping (GYPB*S and GYPB*s) were totally in agreement with the phenotyping of S+ (n = 56), s+ (n = 60) and s- (n = 35) samples. However, the GYPB*S allele, in association with the GYPB(P2) variant, was detected in 17.5% of the S- samples (n = 40), which shows the importance of assessing this variant in the Brazilian population. Of the S-s- samples (n = 10), 60% had the deletion of the GYPB gene and 40% were homozygous or hemizygous for the GYPB(P2) variant., Conclusion: Genotyping was an effective strategy to infer the S, s, and U phenotypes in the admixed population from Minas Gerais (Brazil) and may contribute to transfusion safety.

Objective: To evaluate the impact that Family Health Program (FHP) team training and active surveillance have on the detection of TB cases in a low-income community in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil., Methods: The study was performed in an area with approximately 25,000 inhabitants, served by a health care center with five FHP teams, in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil. Although all of the teams were trained, active surveillance was carried out only in one of the areas (area 5). We compared the number of TB cases detected in each of the five areas prior to and after the intervention. We also compared the number of TB cases detected in area 5 to the number of those detected in the other areas, as well as to the citywide number of reported TB cases in Fortaleza, within the same period., Results: The number of TB cases detected in the area studied increased from 1 in 2002 to 22 in 2004 (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the number of TB cases in area 5 and that observed for each of the other four areas (p > 0.05). There was a significant increase in the number of TB cases detected in the area studied when compared to the city as a whole (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Training and sensitization of FHP professionals were effective in promoting an increase in the number of TB cases detected in a low-income community.