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OBJECTIVE: The aim is to examine whether the addition of Virtual Reality (VR) meditation training to a standard 8-week Mindfulness-Based Health Care Program (MBHC-VR) results in a significantly increased improvement in occupational, mental health, and psychological functioning versus MBHC-only in university students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized controlled clinical trial with three arms (MBHC, MBHC-VR, Control Group), four assessment time points (pre-intervention, inter-session, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up), and mixed methodology will be proposed. University students (undergraduate, master, or doctoral) interested in participating and who meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria will be included over two years. Data will be collected from different ad hoc questionnaires, several standardized tests, and an Ecological Momentary Assessment. We will use R software to carry out descriptive analyses (univariate and bivariate), multilevel modeling, and structural equation models to respond to the proposed objective. The qualitative analysis will be carried out using the MAXQDA program and the technique of focus groups. DISCUSSION: It is expected that with the proposed intervention university students will learn to relate in a healthier way with their mental processes, so as to improve their occupational balance (OB) and their psychological well-being. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT05929430.

BackgroundAlthough physical activity (PA) has been recognized as a favourable factor in the prevention of various diseases, including certain forms of cancer, the relationship between PA and gastric cancer (GC) is not yet fully understood. This study aims to provide data from a pooled analysis of case-control studies within the Stomach cancer Pooling (StoP) Project to estimate the association between leisure-time PA and the occurrence of GC.MethodsSix case-control studies from StoP project collected data on leisure-time PA, for a total of 2,343 cases and 8,614 controls. Subjects were classified into three leisure-time PA categories, either none/low, intermediate or high, based on study-specific tertiles. We used a two-stage approach. Firstly, we applied multivariable logistic regression models to obtain study-specific odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) then, we used a random-effect models to obtain pooled effect estimates. We performed stratified analyses according to demographic, lifestyle and clinical covariates.ResultsThe meta-analysis showed ORs of GC with no significant differences between intermediate vs low and high vs low PA level (OR 1.05 [95%CI 0.76-1.45]; OR 1.23 [95%CI 0.78-1.94], respectively). GC risk estimates did not strongly differ across strata of selected covariates except for age ≤ 55 years old (high vs low level: OR 0.72 [95%CI 0.55-0.94]) and for control population-based studies (high vs low level: OR 0.79 [95%CI 0.68-0.93]).ConclusionsNo association was found between leisure time PA and GC, apart from a slight suggestion of decreased risk below age 55 and in control population-based studies. These results may reflect specific characteristics of GC at a younger age, or the presence of a cohort effect mediating and interacting with socioeconomic determinants of GC The different distribution of PA levels among hospitalized controls could have led to an underestimated effect of PA on GC risk.

The number and popularity of backyard poultry and livestock farming have rapidly increased in California as well as other states in the United States following consumers' preference for local and organic products in the last few years. This study aimed to investigate current on-farm management and farmers' understanding of Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) and California Senate Bill (SB) 27 implications for disease prevention, biosecurity procedures, and antimicrobial use in small-scale and backyard farms in California. The survey consisted of 38 questions. The responses of 242 backyard and small-scale livestock owners were investigated in this study. Descriptive statistics summarized survey responses, and multivariable logistic regression evaluated the association of antibiotics purchase and use, and the impact of VFD and SB27 on antibiotic use with demographics and on-farm management. Backyard and small-scale farmers in California mostly raised chickens or small ruminants with small herd sizes kept for personal use. Antibiotics were generally used for individual treatment of a sick animal with the guidance of a veterinarian. VFD and SB27 implementation promoted the judicious use of antibiotics, specifically, by enhancing the relationship between backyard and small-scale farmers with veterinarians and treating fewer animals with antibiotics under veterinary oversight. Therefore, better access to veterinary service in backyard and small-scale farms will improve the farmer's knowledge of good husbandry practices with judicious antimicrobial use in livestock and finally contribute to reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance in California.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species contains 175 Brazilian bat species that are threatened by extinction in some degree. From this perspective, it is essential to expand the knowledge about the genetic diversity of vulnerable bats. Genomic sequencing can be useful to generate robust and informative genetic references, increasing resolution when analyzing relationships among populations, species, or higher taxonomic levels. In this study, we sequenced and characterized in detail the first complete mitochondrial genomes of Furipterus horrens, Lonchorhina aurita, and Natalus macrourus, and investigated their phylogenetic position based on amino acid sequences of protein-coding genes (PCGs). The mitogenomes of these species are 16,516, 16,697, and 16,668 bp in length, respectively, and each comprises 13 PCGs, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a putative control region (CR). In the three species, genes were arranged similarly to all other previously described bat mitogenomes, and nucleotide composition was also consistent with the reported range. The length and arrangement of rrnS and rrnL were also consistent with those of other bat species, showing a positive AT-skew and a negative GC-skew. Except for trnS1, for which we did not observe the DHU arm, all other tRNAs showed the cloverleaf secondary structure in the three species. In addition, the mitogenomes showed minor differences in start and stop codons, and in all PCGs, codons ending in adenine were more common compared to those ending in guanine. We found that PCGs of the three species use multiple codons to encode each amino acid, following the previously documented pattern. Furthermore, all PCGs are under purifying selection, with atp8 experiencing the most relaxed purifying selection. Considering the phylogenetic reconstruction, F. horrens was recovered as sister to Noctilio leporinus, L. aurita and Tonatia bidens shared a node within Phyllostomidae, and N. macrourus appeared as sister to Molossidae and Vespertilionidae.

PurposeTo culturally adapt the Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ) to European Portuguese and evaluate its reliability in individuals with musculoskeletal conditions.Materials and methodsThe study was carried out in two phases. In the first phase, the MSK-HQ was translated and culturally adapted. In the second phase, a longitudinal observational study was carried out with a convenience sample of participants with musculoskeletal conditions. Data collection began at the start of physiotherapy treatments by filling in the MSK-HQ and Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). After 4-7 days, the participants were asked to fill out the MSK-HQ once again, as well as the Patient Global Improvement Change (PGIC) scale. The data collected was used to study internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and measurement error. Floor and ceiling effects were also analysed.ResultsThe MSK-HQ was successfully translated and adapted into European Portuguese. The second phase of the study had a sample of 191 participants. This study demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.885) and excellent test-retest reliability (ICC(2,1) = 0.908). The analysis of measurement error resulted in an SEM of 2.818 and an SDC at 7.811. No floor or ceiling effect was observed.ConclusionsThe MSK-HQ-PT is a reliable instrument for measuring musculoskeletal health. Further studies on its validity and responsiveness are needed.

The Level of Personality Functioning Scale-Self-Report (LPFS-SR) operationalizes Criterion A of the DSM-5 Alternative Model for Personality Disorders. The current study aimed 1) to examine the internal consistency of the Portuguese version of the LPFS-SR in a community sample and a clinical sample, 2) to compare non-clinical participants (N = 282, Mage = 48.01, SD = 10.87) with two samples of clinical participants, one composed of patients with a personality disorder diagnosis (PD sample, n = 40, Mage = 46.18, SD = 13.59) and the other of patients with other psychiatric diagnoses (OD sample, n = 148, Mage = 49.49, SD = 11.88), with respect to LPFS-SR dimensions and total score, 3) to examine the capacity of the LPFS-SR to discriminate between samples through the ROC curve analyses, and 4) to examine the factor structure of the Portuguese version of the LPFS-SR. The Portuguese version of the LPFS-SR revealed adequate internal consistency results, akin to the original data, in the community and clinical samples. The community sample differed significantly from both clinical samples in all the LPFS-SR dimensions and total score. The ROC curve analysis indicated an optimal cut-off for the total score of 272.00, corresponding to a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 89%, in the PD vs. community samples. The LPFS-SR total score discriminative capacity between the PD and OD samples was lower, albeit also significant (area-under-the-curve of .63; p = .027; 95% CI: .52-.74). The current study provided evidence of the LPFS-SR's unidimensionality in both community and clinical samples. Although this study has limitations, its findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the LPFS-SR construct, as well as to its cross-cultural validation.

Milk thistle seed oil is still not a well-known edible oil. Silybum marianum (milk thistle), is present in several countries and is the only known representative of the genus Silybum. However, Silybum eburneum, which is an endemic plant in Spain, Kenya, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, is considered a marginalized species. The present work is the first report that gives information on the lipid and phenolic profiles of Tunisian S. eburneum seed oil compared to those of Tunisian S. marianum seed oil. In addition, the antioxidant properties of these oils were determined with DPPH, FRAP, and KRL assays, and their ability to prevent oxidative stress was determined on human monocytic THP-1 cells. These oils are characterized by high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids; linoleic acid and oleic acid are the most abundant. Campesterol, sitosterol, stigmasterol, and β-amyrin were the major phytosterols identified. α-tocopherol was the predominant tocopherol found. These oils also contain significant amounts of phenolic compounds. The diversity and richness of Silybum marianum and Silybum eburneum seed oils in unsaturated fatty acids, phenolic compounds, and tocopherols are associated with high antioxidant activities revealed by the DPPH, FRAP, and KRL assays. In addition, on THP-1 cells, these oils powerfully reduced the oxidative stress induced by 7-ketocholesterol and 7β-hydroxycholesterol, two strongly pro-oxidant oxysterols often present at increased levels in patients with age-related diseases. Silybum marianum and Silybum eburneum seed oils are therefore important sources of bioactive molecules with nutritional interest that prevent age-related diseases, the frequency of which is increasing in all countries due to the length of life expectancy.

ObjectiveThe aim is to examine whether the addition of Virtual Reality (VR) meditation training to a standard 8-week Mindfulness-Based Health Care Program (MBHC-VR) results in a significantly increased improvement in occupational, mental health, and psychological functioning versus MBHC-only in university students.Materials and methodsA randomized controlled clinical trial with three arms (MBHC, MBHC-VR, Control Group), four assessment time points (pre-intervention, inter-session, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up), and mixed methodology will be proposed. University students (undergraduate, master, or doctoral) interested in participating and who meet the inclusion/exclusion criteria will be included over two years. Data will be collected from different ad hoc questionnaires, several standardized tests, and an Ecological Momentary Assessment. We will use R software to carry out descriptive analyses (univariate and bivariate), multilevel modeling, and structural equation models to respond to the proposed objective. The qualitative analysis will be carried out using the MAXQDA program and the technique of focus groups.DiscussionIt is expected that with the proposed intervention university students will learn to relate in a healthier way with their mental processes, so as to improve their occupational balance (OB) and their psychological well-being.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT05929430.

IntroductionScientific Initiation (SI) is an educational activity that allows students to begin their scientific training and research under the guidance of an experienced researcher. While several studies have examined students' perceptions of SI, research on the perspective of researchers working in this field is currently lacking. Thus, this study's aim is to describe the protocol design for conducting a systematic review. At the same time, the review aims also to identify factors influencing the work of researchers in SI and explore the motivations leading researchers to engage in research projects within institutions and their respective impacts.Method and analysesLiterature search will be done using the bibliographic databases, including Academic Search Premier, APA PsycNet, CINAHL Plus, ERIC, SocINDEX, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search strategy was guided by the PICo framework (Population, phenomenon of Interest, and Context). The preparation and development of this protocol following guidelines were employed: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Protocols 2015 (PRISMA-P 2015), Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies 2015 (PRESS 2015), and PRISMA-Search (PRISMA-S). Original, peer-reviewed articles that examine the factors related to the work of researchers in SI will be included without any language or publication date restrictions. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies will be screened by two independent researchers. The included studies will be analyzed to identify factors, policies, and their impacts obtained analytically. Findings will be objectively categorized and synthetically represented through figures, diagrams, and graphic models. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) and the Downs and Black checklists. A third senior reviewer will resolve any discrepancies.DiscussionWe aim to understand the factors that drive researchers to engage in SI research through the dissemination of the findings of this systematic review. This may aid the development of institutional strategies and actions that can support the enhancement of SI programs and encourage greater researcher participation.

Whole mitogenome sequences (mtDNA) have been exploited for insect ecology studies, using them as molecular markers to reconstruct phylogenies, or to infer phylogeographic relationships and gene flow. Recent Anopheles phylogenomic studies have provided information regarding the time of deep lineage divergences within the genus. Here we report the complete 15,393 bp mtDNA sequences of Anopheles aquasalis, a Neotropical human malaria vector. When comparing its structure and base composition with other relevant and available anopheline mitogenomes, high similarity and conserved genomic features were observed. Furthermore, 22 mtDNA sequences comprising anopheline and Dipteran sibling species were analyzed to reconstruct phylogenies and estimate dates of divergence between taxa. Phylogenetic analysis using complete mtDNA sequences suggests that A. aquasalis diverged from the Anopheles albitarsis complex ~28 million years ago (MYA), and ~38 MYA from Anopheles darlingi. Bayesian analysis suggests that the most recent ancestor of Nyssorhynchus and Anopheles + Cellia was extant ~83 MYA, corroborating current estimates of ~79-100 MYA. Additional sampling and publication of African, Asian, and North American anopheline mitogenomes would improve the resolution of the Anopheles phylogeny and clarify early continental dispersal routes.

BackgroundAlthough physical activity (PA) has been recognized as a favourable factor in the prevention of various diseases, including certain forms of cancer, the relationship between PA and gastric cancer (GC) is not yet fully understood. This study aims to provide data from a pooled analysis of case-control studies within the Stomach cancer Pooling (StoP) Project to estimate the association between leisure-time PA and the occurrence of GC.MethodsSix case-control studies from StoP project collected data on leisure-time PA, for a total of 2,343 cases and 8,614 controls. Subjects were classified into three leisure-time PA categories, either none/low, intermediate or high, based on study-specific tertiles. We used a two-stage approach. Firstly, we applied multivariable logistic regression models to obtain study-specific odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) then, we used a random-effect models to obtain pooled effect estimates. We performed stratified analyses according to demographic, lifestyle and clinical covariates.ResultsThe meta-analysis showed ORs of GC with no significant differences between intermediate vs low and high vs low PA level (OR 1.05 [95%CI 0.76-1.45]; OR 1.23 [95%CI 0.78-1.94], respectively). GC risk estimates did not strongly differ across strata of selected covariates except for age ≤ 55 years old (high vs low level: OR 0.72 [95%CI 0.55-0.94]) and for control population-based studies (high vs low level: OR 0.79 [95%CI 0.68-0.93]).ConclusionsNo association was found between leisure time PA and GC, apart from a slight suggestion of decreased risk below age 55 and in control population-based studies. These results may reflect specific characteristics of GC at a younger age, or the presence of a cohort effect mediating and interacting with socioeconomic determinants of GC The different distribution of PA levels among hospitalized controls could have led to an underestimated effect of PA on GC risk.

Background Post-tuberculosis bronchiectasis (PTBB) is gaining recognition as an important chronic lung disease, representing a neglected condition with a significant burden for the individual. Recently, the Glittre-ADL test (TGlittre) has been proposed for the assessment of functional capacity, which incorporates tasks of daily living demanding the upper and lower extremities. This study used TGlittre to compare patients with PTBB to patients with non-post-tuberculosis bronchiectasis (NPTBB) and evaluate the determinants of performance during TGlittre. Methods This is a cross-sectional study in which 32 patients with PTBB and 29 with NPTBB underwent TGlittre. In addition, they completed Short Form-36 (SF-36), handgrip strength, quadriceps muscle strength (QMS) and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Results Both PTBB and NPTBB required much more time to perform the TGlittre compared to the predicted values, although they did not differ statistically from each other [152 (124–200) vs. 145 (117–179)% predicted, p = 0.41]. Regarding the PFTs, the PTBB participants showed significantly lower values than the NPTBB participants in forced vital capacity (FVC, 60 ± 14.5 vs. 78.2 ± 22.2% predicted, pConclusions PTBB patients have lower than expected performance on TGlittre, though similar to NPTBB patients. The PTBB patients had a greater reduction in lung volume than NPTBB patients. Furthermore, the performance on TGlittre in PTBB patients is largely explained by lung volume and QMS.

This study aimed to validate a food frequency questionnaire for foods high in sodium (FFQ-FHS) in a population aged ≥18 years and to test its reproducibility. This cross-sectional study included 50 individuals (≥18 years) of both sexes. In addition to the FFQ-FHS, four 24-h dietary recalls (24hRs) were conducted and a socioeconomic and lifestyle questionnaire was administered. Two 24-h urinary excretions were collected for sodium analysis, and anthropometry was performed. For validation, the triad method was applied using the validity coefficient (ρ). For reproducibility, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), 95% confidence interval, kappa coefficient, and Bland-Altman plots were used to check for agreement. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to verify the data distribution. The validity coefficients for daily energy-adjusted sodium intake were high for the 24hR (ρRAI = 0.85) and weak for the FFQ-FHS (FFQAI = 0.26) and biomarker (ρBAI = 0.20). The ICC values were 0.68 for unadjusted sodium and 0.54 for energy-adjusted sodium intake. The weighed Kappa scores were 0.49 (p

AimThis study aimed to i) determine the load-velocity relationship in the seated chest press in older adults, ii) compare the magnitude of the relationship between peak and mean velocity with the relative load, and iii) analyze the differences between sexes in movement velocity for each relative load in the chest press.Material and methodsThirty-two older adults (17 women and 15 men; 79.6±7.7 years) performed a chest press progressive loading test up to the one-repetition maximum (1RM). The fastest peak and mean velocity reached with each weight were analyzed. Quadratic equations were developed for both sexes and the effectiveness of the regression model was analyzed through a residual analysis. The equations were cross-validated, considering the holdout method. The independent samples t-test analyzed i) the differences in the magnitude of the relationship between peak and mean velocity with the relative load and ii) the differences between sexes in the peak and mean velocity for each relative load.ResultsIt was possible to observe very strong quadratic load-velocity relationships in the seated chest press in women (peak velocity: r2 = 0.97, standard error of the estimate (SEE) = 4.5% 1RM; mean velocity: r2 = 0.96, SEE = 5.3% 1RM) and men (peak velocity: r2 = 0.98, SEE = 3.8% 1RM; mean velocity: r2 = 0.98, SEE = 3.8% 1RM) without differences (p>0.05) in the magnitude of the relationship between peak and mean velocity with the relative load. Furthermore, there was no overfitting in the regression models due to the high and positive correlation coefficients (r = 0.98-0.99). Finally, men presented higher (p0.05).ConclusionMeasuring repetition velocity during the seated chest press is an objective approach to estimating the relative load in older adults. Furthermore, given the velocity differences between older women and men at submaximal loads, it is recommended to use sex-specific equations to estimate and prescribe the relative loads in older adults.

The present research objective was to analyze the offensive phase from Complex I in high-level male volleyball teams in a macro- and micro-level view, through the inter e intra-team variability analysis of eight best teams of the 2018 Men's Volleyball World Championship over the social network analysis and eigenvector centrality. The sample consisted of 22 matches and 2,743 offensive actions, resulting in 8 sub-networks with 368 nodes and 6221 edges. The results showed from macro view the variables that presented highest centrality values were Attack Zone 4 (range 0.56-0.90), Attack Tempo 2 (0.65-0.87), Power Attack (0.62-0.94), No Touch Block (0.61-1), Attack Effect Continuity (0.59-0.94), and Middle Blocker Centralized (0.60-0.95). In a micro view, Reception Effect, Play Position, Reception Zone, and Block Composition showed high variability in each sub-network. The intra- and inter-team variability presented the importance of to respect each team idiosyncrasies and to consider the different approaches to the game and success.

BackgroundThe World Health Organization declared a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), on March 11, 2020. The standardized approach of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) allows for quantifying the combined impact of morbidity and mortality of diseases and injuries. The main objective of this study was to estimate the direct impact of COVID-19 in France in 2020, using DALYs to combine the population health impact of infection fatalities, acute symptomatic infections and their post-acute consequences, in 28 days (baseline) up to 140 days, following the initial infection.MethodsNational mortality, COVID-19 screening, and hospital admission data were used to calculate DALYs based on the European Burden of Disease Network consensus disease model. Scenario analyses were performed by varying the number of symptomatic cases and duration of symptoms up to a maximum of 140 days, defining COVID-19 deaths using the underlying, and associated, cause of death.ResultsIn 2020, the estimated DALYs due to COVID-19 in France were 990 710 (1472 per 100 000), with 99% of burden due to mortality (982 531 years of life lost, YLL) and 1% due to morbidity (8179 years lived with disability, YLD), following the initial infection. The contribution of YLD reached 375%, assuming the duration of 140 days of post-acute consequences of COVID-19. Post-acute consequences contributed to 49% of the total morbidity burden. The contribution of YLD due to acute symptomatic infections among people younger than 70 years was higher (67%) than among people aged 70 years and above (33%). YLL among people aged 70 years and above, contributed to 74% of the total YLL.ConclusionsCOVID-19 had a substantial impact on population health in France in 2020. The majority of population health loss was due to mortality. Men had higher population health loss due to COVID-19 than women. Post-acute consequences of COVID-19 had a large contribution to the YLD component of the disease burden, even when we assume the shortest duration of 28 days, long COVID burden is large. Further research is recommended to assess the impact of health inequalities associated with these estimates.

Nontyphoidal Salmonella infections contribute to approximately 1.2 million annual illnesses in the United States. Historical and recent outbreaks have been associated with dairy products, ground beef, and direct contact with cattle. Salmonella antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious concern that can reduce successful treatment of infections, increasing recovery time, medical costs, and mortality rates in humans and animals. This highlights the need to track AMR in Salmonella isolated from cattle to improve treatment plans, manage trends in AMR, and prevent future AMR development. A total of 242 Salmonella isolates were retrieved from 9,162 cattle fecal samples submitted to the University of California, Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital from 2002 to 2016. These isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using a standardized broth dilution panel. Multidrug resistance (MDR) to three or more classes of antimicrobials was observed in 50.8% of isolates, and the most common MDR pattern was amoxicillin-ampicillin-cefoxitin-ceftiofur-ceftriaxone-chloramphenicol-streptomycin-tetracycline (23.2%). There were significantly greater odds for antimicrobial resistance to aminoglycosides (OR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.1-3.7), penicillins (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.007-3.5), and tetracyclines (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.017-3.4) for the 2002-2009 period when compared to the 2010-2016 period. The most prevalent MDR serotypes were Newport (100% MDR, n = 52), Typhimurium (100%, n = 20), and Dublin (71% MDR, n = 46). Risk factors associated with higher odds for isolating MDR Salmonella included isolates from calves when compared to adult cattle (OR: 22.0; 95% C.I.: 3.9-125.7), and isolates obtained from cattle suspect of having salmonellosis versus from the infectious disease control surveillance program (OR:13.7; 95%C.I.: 2.8-66.8). Despite a temporal trend for reduced AMR to most antimicrobial drug classes, a lack of this observed in the 2002-2009 period when compared to the 2010-2016 period for important drug classes such as cephalosporins (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 0.87-3.1), and a trend for temporal increase in resistant to quinolones drugs (P value 0.004) highlight the relevance of AMR surveillance in cattle with Salmonella infections with the aim of targeting future prophylactic interventions.

Amazonian mammal diversity is exceptionally high, yet new taxonomic discoveries continue to be made and many questions remain for understanding its diversification through time and space. Here we investigate the diversification of spiny rats in the genus Makalata, whose species are strongly associated with seasonally flooded forests, watercourses and flooded islands. We use a biogeographical approach based on a mitochondrial cytochrome b gene through divergence time estimation and reconstruction of ancestral areas and events. Our findings indicate an ancient origin of Makalata for the Guiana Shield and Eastern Amazonia as ancestral area. A first cladogenetic event led to a phylogeographic break into two broader clades of Makalata through dispersal, implying a pattern of western/Eastern Amazonian clades coinciding with the Purus Arch (middle Miocene). Most of subclades we infer originated between the late Pliocene to the early Pleistocene, with few recent exceptions in the early Pliocene through dispersal and vicariant events. The hypothesis of rivers as dispersal barriers is not corroborated for Makalata, as expected for mammalian species associated with seasonally flooded environments. We identify two key events for the expansion and diversification of Makalata species: the presence of geologically stable areas in the Guiana and Brazilian shields and the transition from lacustrine conditions in western Amazonia (Acre system) to a river system, with the establishment of the Amazon River transcontinental system and its tributaries. Our results are congruent with older geological scenarios for the Amazon basin formation (Miocene), but we do not discard the influence of recent dynamics on some speciation events and, mainly, on phylogeographic structuring processes.

BackgroundSince the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, health professionals have been working under extreme conditions, increasing the risk of physical and mental illness. We evaluated the prevalence of burnout and its associated factors among postgraduate student residents in health professions during the global health crisis.MethodsHealthcare residents were recruited from all across Brazil between July and September 2020 through digital forms containing instruments for assessing burnout (Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI)), resilience (brief resilient coping scale (BRCS)) and anxiety, stress and depression (depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS-21) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)). Additionally, the relationships between burnout and chronic diseases, autonomy and educational adequacy in the residency programme, personal protective equipment (PPE), workload and care for patients with COVID-19 were evaluated. The chi-square test, Student's t test, Pearson's correlation test and logistic regression were performed.ResultsA total of 1,313 participants were included: mean (standard deviation) age, 27.8 (4.4) years; female gender, 78.1%; white race, 59.3%; and physicians, 51.3%. The overall prevalence of burnout was 33.4%. The odds (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) of burnout were higher in the presence of pre-existing diseases (1.76 [1.26-2.47]) and weekly work > 60 h (1.36 [1.03-1.79]) and were lower in the presence of high resilience (0.84 [0.81-0.88]), autonomy (0.87 [0.81-0.93]), and educational structure (0.77 [0.73-0.82]), adequate availability of PPE (0.72 [0.63-0.83]) and non-white race (0.63 [0.47-0.83]). Burnout was correlated with anxiety (r = 0.47; p < 0.05), stress (r: 0.58; p < 0.05) and depression (r: 0.65; p < 0.05).ConclusionsWe observed a high prevalence of burnout among residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Individual characteristics and conditions related to the work environment were associated with a higher or lower occurrence of the syndrome.

The number and popularity of backyard poultry and livestock farming have rapidly increased in California as well as other states in the United States following consumers' preference for local and organic products in the last few years. This study aimed to investigate current on-farm management and farmers' understanding of Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) and California Senate Bill (SB) 27 implications for disease prevention, biosecurity procedures, and antimicrobial use in small-scale and backyard farms in California. The survey consisted of 38 questions. The responses of 242 backyard and small-scale livestock owners were investigated in this study. Descriptive statistics summarized survey responses, and multivariable logistic regression evaluated the association of antibiotics purchase and use, and the impact of VFD and SB27 on antibiotic use with demographics and on-farm management. Backyard and small-scale farmers in California mostly raised chickens or small ruminants with small herd sizes kept for personal use. Antibiotics were generally used for individual treatment of a sick animal with the guidance of a veterinarian. VFD and SB27 implementation promoted the judicious use of antibiotics, specifically, by enhancing the relationship between backyard and small-scale farmers with veterinarians and treating fewer animals with antibiotics under veterinary oversight. Therefore, better access to veterinary service in backyard and small-scale farms will improve the farmer's knowledge of good husbandry practices with judicious antimicrobial use in livestock and finally contribute to reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance in California.

Bipolar Disorder (BD) has recently been related to a process of accelerated aging, with shortened leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in this population. It has also been observed that the suicide rate in BD patients is higher than in the general population, and more recently the telomere length variation has been described as shorter in suicide completers compared with control subjects. Objectives The aim of the present study was to investigate if there is an association between LTL and BD in families where two or more members have BD including clinical symptomatology variables, along with suicide behavior. Methods Telomere length and single copy gene ratio (T/S ratio) was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction in a sample of 143 relatives from 22 families, of which 60 had BD. The statistical analysis was performed with a polygenic mixed model. Results LTL was associated with suicidal ideation (p = 0.02) as that there is an interaction between suicidal ideation and course of the disorder (p = 0.02). The estimated heritability for LTL in these families was 0.68. In addition, covariates that relate to severity of disease, i.e. suicidal ideation and course of the disorder, showed an association with shorter LTL in BD patients. No difference in LTL between BD patients and healthy relatives was observed. Conclusion LTL are shorter in subjects with familial BD suggesting that stress related sub-phenotypes possibly accelerate the process of cellular aging and correlate with disease severity and suicidal ideation.

The US is currently experiencing a return to raising domestic pigs outdoors, due to consumer demand for sustainably-raised animal products. A challenge in raising pigs outdoors is the possibility of these animals interacting with feral pigs and an associated risk of pathogen transmission. California has one of the largest and widest geographic distributions of feral pigs. Locations at greatest risk for increased contact between both swine populations are those regions that contain feral pig suitable habitat located near outdoor-raised domestic pigs. The main aim of this study entailed identifying potential high-risk areas of disease transmission between these two swine populations. Aims were achieved by predicting suitable feral pig habitat using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt); mapping the spatial distribution of outdoor-raised pig operations (OPO); and identifying high-risk regions where there is overlap between feral pig suitable habitat and OPO. A MaxEnt prediction map with estimates of the relative probability of suitable feral pig habitat was built, using hunting tags as presence-only points. Predictor layers were included in variable selection steps for model building. Five variables were identified as important in predicting suitable feral pig habitat in the final model, including the annual maximum green vegetation fraction, elevation, the minimum temperature of the coldest month, precipitation of the wettest month and the coefficient of variation for seasonal precipitation. For the risk map, the final MaxEnt model was overlapped with the location of OPOs to categorize areas at greatest risk for contact between feral swine and domestic pigs raised outdoors and subsequent potential disease transmission. Since raising pigs outdoors is a remerging trend, feral pig numbers are increasing nationwide, and both groups are reservoirs for various pathogens, the contact between these two swine populations has important implications for disease transmission in the wildlife-livestock interface.

Keloid scars are characterized by the excessive proliferation of fibroblasts and an imbalance between the production and degradation of collagen, leading to its buildup in the dermis. There is no “gold standard” treatment for this condition, and the recurrence is frequent after surgical procedures removal. In vitro studies have demonstrated that photobiomodulation (PBM) using the blue wavelength reduces the proliferation speed and the number of fibroblasts as well as the expression of TGF-β. There are no protocols studied and established for the treatment of keloids with blue LED. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the effects of the combination of PBM with blue light and the intralesional administration of the corticoid triamcinolone hexacetonide on the quality of the remaining scar by Vancouver Scar Scale in the postoperative period of keloid surgery. A randomized, controlled, double-blind, clinical trial will be conducted involving two groups: 1) Sham (n = 29): intralesional administration of corticoid (IAC) and sham PBM in the preoperative and postoperative periods of keloid removal surgery; and 2) active PBM combined with IAC (n = 29) in the preoperative and postoperative periods of keloid removal surgery. Transcutaneous PBM will be performed on the keloid region in the preoperative period and on the remaining scar in the postoperative period using blue LED (470 nm, 400 mW, 4J per point on 10 linear points). The patients will answer two questionnaires: one for the assessment of quality of life (Qualifibro-UNIFESP) and one for the assessment of satisfaction with the scar (PSAQ). The team of five plastic surgeons will answer the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS). All questionnaires will be administered one, three, six, and twelve months postoperatively. The keloids will be molded in silicone prior to the onset of treatment and prior to excision to assess pre-treatment and post-treatment size. The same will be performed for the remaining scar at one, three, six, and twelve months postoperatively. The removed keloid will be submitted to histopathological analysis for the determination of the quantity of fibroblasts, the organization and distribution of collagen (picrosirius staining), and the genic expression of TGF-β (qPCR). All data will be submitted to statistical analysis. Trial registration: This study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT04824612).

Ipomoea is a large pantropical genus globally distributed, which importance goes beyond the economic value as food resources or ornamental crops. This highly diverse genus has been the focus of a great number of studies, enriching the plant genomics knowledge, and challenging the plant evolution models. In the Carajás mountain range, located in Eastern Amazon, the savannah-like ferruginous ecosystem known as canga harbors highly specialized plant and animal populations, and Ipomoea is substantially representative in such restrictive habitat. Thus, to provide genetic data and insights into whole plastome phylogenetic relationships among key Ipomoea species from Eastern Amazon with little to none previously available data, we present the complete plastome sequences of twelve lineages of the genus, including the canga microendemic I. cavalcantei, the closely related I. marabaensis, and their putative hybrids. The twelve plastomes presented similar gene content as most publicly available Ipomoea plastomes, although the putative hybrids were correctly placed as closely related to the two parental species. The cavalcantei-marabaensis group was consistently grouped between phylogenetic methods. The closer relationship of the I. carnea plastome with the cavalcantei-marabaensis group, as well as the branch formed by I. quamoclit, I. asarifolia and I. maurandioides, were probably a consequence of insufficient taxonomic representativity, instead of true genetic closeness, reinforcing the importance of new plastome assemblies to resolve inconsistencies and boost statistical confidence, especially the case for South American clades of Ipomoea. The search for k-mers presenting high dispersion among the frequency distributions pointed to highly variable coding and intergenic regions, which may potentially contribute to the genetic diversity observed at species level. Our results contribute to the resolution of uncertain clades within Ipomoea and future phylogenomic studies, bringing unprecedented results to Ipomoea species with restricted distribution, such as I. cavalcantei.

Background In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic paralyzed the world and exposed the fragility of health systems in the face of mass illness. Health professionals became protagonists, fulfilling their mission at the risk of physical and mental illness. The study aimed to evaluate absenteeism indirectly related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in a large population of health care professionals. Methods An observational longitudinal repeated measures study was performed, including workers linked to 40 public university hospitals in Brazil. All causes of absenteeism were analyzed, focusing on those not directly attributed to COVID-19. Results for the same population were compared over two equivalent time intervals: prepandemic and during the pandemic. Findings A total of 32,691 workers were included in the study, with health professionals comprising 82.5% of the sample. Comparison of the periods before and during the pandemic showed a 26.6% reduction in work absence for all causes, except for COVID-19 and mental health-related absence. Concerning work absence related to mental health, the odds ratio was 39.0% higher during the pandemic. At the onset of the pandemic, there was an increase in absenteeism (all causes), followed by a progressive reduction until the end of the observation period. Interpretation Work absence related to mental illness among health care professionals increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for health care managers to prioritize and implement support strategies to minimize absenteeism.

Studies leveraging gene-environment (GxE) interactions within Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses have prompted the emergence of two similar methodologies: MR-GxE and MR-GENIUS. Such methods are attractive in allowing for pleiotropic bias to be corrected when using individual instruments. Specifically, MR-GxE requires an interaction to be explicitly identified, while MR-GENIUS does not. We critically examine the assumptions of MR-GxE and MR-GENIUS in the absence of a pre-defined covariate, and propose sensitivity analyses to evaluate their performance. Finally, we explore the effect of body mass index (BMI) upon systolic blood pressure (SBP) using data from the UK Biobank, finding evidence of a positive effect of BMI on SBP. We find both approaches share similar assumptions, though differences between the approaches lend themselves to differing research settings. Where a suitable gene-by-covariate interaction is observed MR-GxE can produce unbiased causal effect estimates. MR-GENIUS can circumvent the need to identify interactions, but as a consequence relies on either the MR-GxE assumptions holding globally, or additional information with respect to the distribution of pleiotropic effects in the absence of an explicitly defined interaction covariate.

Cacao is a globally important crop with a long history of domestication and selective breeding. Despite the increased use of elite clones by cacao farmers, worldwide plantations are established mainly using hybrid progeny material derived from heterozygous parents, therefore displaying high tree-to-tree variability. The deliberate development of hybrids from advanced inbred lines produced by successive generations of self-pollination has not yet been fully considered in cacao breeding. This is largely due to the self-incompatibility of the species, the long generation cycles (3-5 years) and the extensive trial areas needed to accomplish the endeavor. We propose a simple and accessible approach to develop inbred lines based on accelerating the buildup of homozygosity based on regular selfing assisted by genome-wide SNP genotyping. In this study we genotyped 90 clones from the Brazilian CEPEC´s germplasm collection and 49 inbred offspring of six S1 or S2 cacao families derived from self-pollinating clones CCN-51, PS-13.19, TSH-1188 and SIAL-169. A set of 3,380 SNPs distributed across the cacao genome were interrogated on the EMBRAPA multi-species 65k Infinium chip. The 90 cacao clones showed considerable variation in genome-wide SNP homozygosity (mean 0.727± 0.182) and 19 of them with homozygosity ≥90%. By assessing the increase in homozygosity across two generations of self-pollinations, SNP data revealed the wide variability in homozygosity within and between S1 and S2 families. Even in small families (

BackgroundIn oncology, the prevalence of symptoms is preferentially analyzed in isolation instead of being considered in clusters. However, clinical practice shows that symptoms rarely occur separately but rather form clusters that share common underlying mechanisms in terms of intensity and severity, creating a synergistic effect among them, which can even help predict the development of future symptoms.ObjectiveTo identify and gather evidence on the prevalence, composition, severity, and predictors of cancer symptom clusters in adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.MethodsThis systematic review and meta-analysis protocol was developed in compliance with PRISMA-P. Observational and experimental study designs will be included. MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, LILACS, clinical trials.gov-NIH, the British Library, Google Scholar, and preprints [medRXiv] will be searched with no restrictions on idioms, dates, or settings. Two investigators will independently select the studies, perform data extraction, and critically appraise the risk of bias of the included studies. Heterogeneity among the studies will be assessed using the I2 statistic. If meta-analysis was feasible, a random-effect model analysis will be carried out. For data analysis, the pooled effect will be estimated considering 95% confidence interval and α = 5%. In addition, the certainty of evidence will be rated based on Cochrane methods in accordance with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE).DiscussionTo the best of our knowledge, this systematic review and meta-analysis will be the first to identify and critically assess evidence regarding the prevalence, composition, severity, and predictors of cancer symptom clusters in adult cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. We intend to provide health professionals with subsidies to reflect on a better understanding of symptom clusters in adult cancer patients, with the aim of contributing to the development of evidence-based therapeutic interventions and success in clinical practice.Prospero registration numberCRD42021248406.

To gain insights into the molecular interactions of an intracellular pathogen and its host cell, we studied the gene expression and chromatin states of human fibroblasts infected with the Apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. We show a striking activation of host cell genes that regulate a number of cellular processes, some of which are protective of the host cell, others likely to be advantageous to the pathogen. The simultaneous capture of host and parasite genomic information allowed us to gain insights into the regulation of the T. gondii genome. We show how chromatin accessibility and transcriptional profiling together permit novel annotation of the parasite's genome, including more accurate mapping of known genes and the identification of new genes and cis-regulatory elements. Motif analysis reveals not only the known T. gondii AP2 transcription factor-binding site but also a previously-undiscovered candidate TATA box-containing motif at one-quarter of promoters. By inferring the transcription factor and upstream cell signaling responses involved in the host cell, we can use genomic information to gain insights into T. gondii's perturbation of host cell physiology. Our resulting model builds on previously-described human host cell signalling responses to T. gondii infection, linked to induction of specific transcription factors, some of which appear to be solely protective of the host cell, others of which appear to be co-opted by the pathogen to enhance its own survival.

IntroductionRheumatoid arthritis (RA) composite disease activity indices have become handy tools in daily clinical practice and crucial in defining remission or low disease activity, the main target of the RA treatment. However, there is no definition of the best index to assess disease activity in clinical practice.ObjectivesTo compare the residual activity among the indices with the ACR/EULAR remission criteria (Boolean method) to identify the most feasible for assessing remission in daily practice, also considering correlation and concordance, sensibility, and specificity.Patients and methodsWe selected 1116 patients with established RA from the real-life rheumatoid arthritis study database-REAL. The composite disease activity indices-DAS28-ESR, DAS28-CRP, SDAI, and CDAI-and their components were compared to the Boolean method to identify residual activity using binomial regression. The indices were analyzed for correlation and agreement using the Spearman index and weighted kappa. The chi-square test evaluated sensibility and specificity for remission based on the Boolean method.ResultsDAS28-CRP overestimated remission and confirmed higher residual activity than SDAI and CDAI. The indices showed good correlation and agreement, with a better relationship between SDAI and CDAI (k:0,88). CDAI and SDAI showed higher sensitivity and specificity for remission based on the Boolean method. CDAI was performed in 99% of patients, while DAS28 and SDAI were completed in approximately 85%.ConclusionsAlthough all composite indices of activity can be used in clinical practice and showed good agreement, CDAI and SDAI have better performance in evaluating remission based on the Boolean method, showing less residual activity and higher sensibility and specificity. In addition, CDAI seems to be more feasible for disease activity evaluation in daily clinical practice, especially in developing countries.

In the 21st century, we still need to talk about gender inequality in science. Even with the sharp growth of studies on this theme over the last decades, we are still trying to convince our peers that diversity matters and, if embraced, makes better science. Part of this drawback can be related to the need for data to support effective proposals to change the academic scenario. In order to close some of those gaps, we here analyze 1) the profile of Brazilian researchers based on production, impact, and membership to the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, 2) participation in the Editorial boards of Brazilian journals dedicated to Entomology, and, 3) the academic scenario of Brazilian Entomology focusing on the sex of the first and last authors in peer-reviewed international publications related to Entomology. We aimed to provide a deeper look on the Brazilian Entomology scenario and to expand the amount of data availability to stimulate and foster a mind-change in the current academic structure. We performed scientometric searches and analysis using different platforms and found that the number and impact of the publications by female researchers, as observed by relative numbers, are not less than that of males. Despite that, female researchers are less represented at the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and editorial boards, reinforcing the lack of women recognition in science. Thus, we observe that some narratives related to the productivity gap can be misleading to a perpetuation of our internal and structural biases. We here expanded data from a previous paper where we scrutinized the Brazilian Entomology scenario and discussed the patches and systems that maintain gender gap in science.

IntroductionPart of the patients infected by COVID-19 have at least one lasting sequel of the disease and may be framed in the concept of long Covid. These sequelae can compromise the quality of life, increase dependence on other people for personal care, impair the performance of activities of daily living, thus compromising work activities and harming the health of the worker. This protocol aims to critically synthesize the scientific evidence on the effects of Covid-19 among workers and its impact on their health status and professional life.MethodSearches will be performed in MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library Central, Web of Science, Scopus, LILACS and Epistemonikos. Included studies will be those that report the prevalence of long-term signs and symptoms in workers and/or the impact on their health status and work performance, which may be associated with Covid-19 infection. Data extraction will be conducted by 3 reviewers independently. For data synthesis, a results report will be carried out, based on the main outcome of this study.DiscussionThis review will provide evidence to support health surveillance to help decision makers (i.e. healthcare providers, stakeholders and governments) regarding long-term Covid.Trial registrationPROSPERO registration number: CRD42021288120. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021288120.

The preservative effect of the addition of different essential oils (copaiba and oregano) on meat quality parameters and sensorial acceptability was analyzed for fresh ground beef patties over 21 days of display. Five treatments were assessed: control (CON) without antioxidants; addition of the synthetic additive butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT); addition 0.05% of copaiba essential oil (CEO); 0.05% of oregano essential oil (OEO); or blend of 0.025% copaiba and 0.025% oregano essential oils (BEO). The lowest cooking losses and greatest tenderness (P

This study aimed to compare the effects of different levels of cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) and castor oil (CNSL-castor oil) with growth-promoting antibiotics associated with anticoccidials in broiler chickens challenged with coccidiosis. In this work, 2520 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Cobb) were randomly assigned to 84 pens, containing 30 birds each. The experimental design was completely randomized, with seven treatments: enramycin (8 ppm), virginiamycin (16.5 ppm), and tylosin (55 ppm); different doses of CNSL-castor oil (0.5, 0.75, and 1.00 kg/t); and a control diet (without additives). All treatments received semduramicin + nicarbazin (500 g/t; Aviax® Plus) from 0 to 28 d and monensin sodium (100 ppm; Elanco) from 29 to 35 days of age, when the feed was without antibiotics. The challenge was introduced at 14 days of age by inoculating broiler chickens with sporulated Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina, and Eimeria maxima oocysts via oral gavage. In addition to performance parameters, intestinal contents were collected at 28 and 42 days of age for microbiota analysis by sequencing the 16s rRNA in V3 and V4 regions using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Taxonomy was assigned using the SILVA database (v. 138) with QIIME2 software (v. 2020.11). After one week of challenge, the broilers that received tylosin had a higher body weight gain (BWG) than those in the control group (p < 0.05), while the other treatments presented intermediate values. At 28 d, the BWG was lower for the control, CNSL-Castor oil 0.5 kg/t, enramycin, and virginiamycin treatments than that in the tylosin treatment. The inclusion of CNSL-Castor oil at concentrations of 0.75 and 1 kg/t acted as an intermediate treatment (p < 0.05). For alpha diversity, using the Shannon index, it was possible to observe the effect of age, with substantial diversity at 42 d. The Firmicutes phylum had the highest abundance, with values between 84.33% and 95.16% at 42 d. Tylosin showed better performance indices than other treatments. CNSL-castor oil treatments with concentrations of 0.75 and 1 kg/t showed similar results to those of enramycin and virginiamycin. Furthermore, CNSL-castor oil acted as a modulator of intestinal microbiota, reducing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria.

Brucella ovis is a major cause of reproductive failure in rams and it is one of the few well-described Brucella species that is not zoonotic. Previous work showed that a B. ovis mutant lacking a species-specific ABC transporter (ΔabcBA) was attenuated in mice and was unable to survive in macrophages. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of this ABC transporter during intracellular survival of B. ovis. In HeLa cells, B. ovis WT was able to survive and replicate at later time point (48 hpi), whereas an ΔabcBA mutant was attenuated at 24 hpi. The reduced survival of the ΔabcBA mutant was associated with a decreased ability to exclude the lysosomal marker LAMP1 from its vacuolar membrane, suggesting a failure to establish a replicative niche. The ΔabcBA mutant showed a reduced abundance of the Type IV secretion system (T4SS) proteins VirB8 and VirB11 in both rich and acid media, when compared to WT B. ovis. However, mRNA levels of virB1, virB8, hutC, and vjbR were similar in both strains. These results support the notion that the ABC transporter encoded by abcEDCBA or its transported substrate acts at a post-transcriptional level to promote the optimal expression of the B. ovis T4SS within infected host cells.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236592.].

The pathological interaction between oak trees and Phytophthora cinnamomi has implications in the cork oak decline observed over the last decades in the Iberian Peninsula. During host colonization, the phytopathogen secretes effector molecules like elicitins to increase disease effectiveness. The objective of this study was to unravel the proteome changes associated with the cork oak immune response triggered by P. cinnamomi inoculation in a long-term assay, through SWATH-MS quantitative proteomics performed in the oak leaves. Using the Arabidopis proteome database as a reference, 424 proteins were confidently quantified in cork oak leaves, of which 80 proteins showed a p-value below 0.05 or a fold-change greater than 2 or less than 0.5 in their levels between inoculated and control samples being considered as altered. The inoculation of cork oak roots with P. cinnamomi increased the levels of proteins associated with protein-DNA complex assembly, lipid oxidation, response to endoplasmic reticulum stress, and pyridine-containing compound metabolic process in the leaves. In opposition, several proteins associated with cellular metabolic compound salvage and monosaccharide catabolic process had significantly decreased abundances. The most significant abundance variations were observed for the Ribulose 1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase small subunit (RBCS1A), Heat Shock protein 90-1 (Hsp90-1), Lipoxygenase 2 (LOX2) and Histone superfamily protein H3.3 (A8MRLO/At4G40030) revealing a pertinent role for these proteins in the host-pathogen interaction mechanism. This work represents the first SWATH-MS analysis performed in cork oak plants inoculated with P. cinnamomi and highlights host proteins that have a relevant action in the homeostatic states that emerge from the interaction between the oomycete and the host in the long term and in a distal organ.

BackgroundReturning to dialysis after kidney graft loss (GL) is associated with a high risk of mortality, mainly in the first 3-6 months. The follow-up of patients with GL should be extended to better understand crude patient outcomes, mainly in emerging countries, where the transplantation activity has increased.MethodsThis is a historical single-center cohort study conducted in an emerging country (Brazil) that included 115 transplant patients with kidney allograft failure who were followed for 44.1 (21.4; 72.6) months after GL. The outcomes were death or retransplantation after GL calculated by Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests. Proportional hazard ratios for death and retransplantation were assessed by Cox regression.ResultsThe 5-year probability of retransplantation was 38.7% (95% CI: 26.1%-51.2%) and that of death was 37.7% (95% CI: 24.9%-50.5%); OR = 1.03 (95% CI: 0.71-1.70) and P = 0.66. The likelihood of retransplantation was higher in patients who resumed dialysis with higher levels of hemoglobin (HR = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.04-1.43; P = 0.01) and lower in blood type O patients (HR = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.25-0.93; P = 0.03), which was associated with a lower frequency of retransplantation with a subsequent living-donor kidney. On the other hand, the risk of death was significantly associated with Charlson comorbidity index (HR for each point = 1.37; 95% CI 1.19-1.50; PConclusionsThe 5-year probability of retransplantation was not less than that of death. Variables related to the probability of retransplantation were hemoglobin level before resuming dialysis and ABO blood type, while the risk of death was associated with comorbidities and residual eGFR.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of feed restriction on mammary miRNAs and coding gene expression in midlactation cows. Five Holstein cows and 6 Montbéliarde cows underwent 6 days of feed restriction, during which feed allowance was reduced to meet 50% of their net energy for lactation requirements. Mammary biopsies were performed before and at the end of the restriction period. Mammary miRNA and mRNA analyses were performed using high-throughput sequencing and microarray analyses, respectively. Feed restriction induced a negative energy balance and decreased milk production and fat and protein yields in both breeds. Feed restriction modified the expression of 27 miRNAs and 374 mRNAs in mammary glands from Holstein cows, whereas no significant miRNA change was observed in Montbéliarde cows. Among the 27 differentially expressed miRNAs, 8 miRNAs were associated with dairy QTL. Analysis of target genes indicate that the 8 most abundantly expressed miRNAs control transcripts related to lipid metabolism, mammary remodeling and stress response. A comparison between the mRNAs targeted by the 8 most strongly expressed miRNAs and 374 differentially expressed mRNAs identified 59 mRNAs in common. The bioinformatic analyses of these 59 mRNAs revealed their implication in lipid metabolism and endothelial cell proliferation. These effects of feed restriction on mammary miRNAs and mRNAs observed in Holstein cows suggest a potential role of miRNAs in mammary structure and lipid biosynthesis that could explain changes in milk production and composition.

N-fixing leguminous species can reach atmospheric dinitrogen gas (N2), having an advantage under N-limited degraded environments. These N-fixers are constantly used as facilitative species. Chlorophyll a fluorescence (ChF) acknowledges how different species take up and use light energy during photosynthesis. These techniques assess stress and performance responses to photosynthesis and are used for the selection of species with potential for reforestation. Six Fabaceae species were selected for this study: three nonfixing species (Cenostigma tocantinum, Senna reticulata and Dipteryx odorata) and three N-fixing species (Clitoria fairchildiana, Inga edulis and Acacia spp.). Variations in chlorophyll fluorescence under high vs. low water and nutrient conditions were studied. Multivariate analysis was performed to detect the effects of seasonality and fertilization on dark-adapted ChF two years after the experiment was established. The correlation among ChF variables and growth, photosynthesis and foliar nutrient concentrations was evaluated. Under high water- and nutrient-availability conditions, plants exhibited an enhanced performance index on absorption basis values correlated with electron transport fluxes. Under drought and nutrient-poor conditions, most species exhibit increased energy dissipation as photoprotection. High interspecific variation was found; therefore, species-specific responses should be considered in future ChF studies. Corroborating the ability to colonize high-light environments, N-fixers showed an increased performance index correlated with electron transport and Zn and N foliar concentrations. Negative correlations were found between photosynthesis and trapped fluxes. Diameter growth was positively correlated with electron transport fluxes. Given the different responses among species, ChF is an effective technique to screen for seasonality, fertilization and species effects and should be considered for use during forest restoration. Finally, the addition of fertilization treatments may facilitate tropical forest restoration due to the importance of nutrients in physiological processes. N-fixers showed high photochemical performance and tolerance to abiotic stress in degraded areas and therefore should be included to support ecosystem biomass restoration.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically shaped higher education and seen the distinct rise of e-learning as a compulsory element of the modern educational landscape. Accordingly, this study highlights the factors which have influenced how students perceive their academic performance during this emergency changeover to e-learning. The empirical analysis is performed on a sample of 10,092 higher education students from 10 countries across 4 continents during the pandemic’s first wave through an online survey. A structural equation model revealed the quality of e-learning was mainly derived from service quality, the teacher’s active role in the process of online education, and the overall system quality, while the students’ digital competencies and online interactions with their colleagues and teachers were considered to be slightly less important factors. The impact of e-learning quality on the students’ performance was strongly mediated by their satisfaction with e-learning. In general, the model gave quite consistent results across countries, gender, study fields, and levels of study. The findings provide a basis for policy recommendations to support decision-makers incorporate e-learning issues in the current and any new similar circumstances.

Insectivorous bats provide ecosystem services in agricultural and urban landscapes by consuming arthropods that are considered pests. Bat species inhabiting cities are expected to consume insects associated with urban areas, such as mosquitoes, flying termites, moths, and beetles. We captured insectivorous bats in the Federal District of Brazil and used fecal DNA metabarcoding to investigate the arthropod consumed by five bat species living in colonies in city buildings, and ascertained whether their predation was related to ecosystem services. These insectivorous bat species were found to consume 83 morphospecies of arthropods and among these 41 were identified to species, most of which were agricultural pests. We propose that bats may roost in the city areas and forage in the nearby agricultural fields using their ability to fly over long distances. We also calculated the value of the pest suppression ecosystem service by the bats. By a conservative estimation, bats save US$ 94 per hectare of cornfields, accounting for an annual savings of US$ 390.6 million per harvest in Brazil. Our study confirms that, regardless of their roosting location, bats are essential for providing ecosystem services in the cities, with extensive impacts on crops and elsewhere, in addition to significant savings in the use of pesticides.

The number of new cases of leprosy reported worldwide has remained essentially unchanged for the last decade despite continued global use of free multidrug therapy (MDT) provided to any diagnosed leprosy patient. In order to more effectively interrupt the chain of transmission, new strategies will be required to detect those with latent disease who contribute to furthering transmission. To improve the ability to diagnose leprosy earlier in asymptomatic infected individuals, we examined the combined use of two well-known biomarkers of M. leprae infection, namely the presence of M. leprae DNA by PCR from earlobe slit skin smears (SSS) and positive antibody titers to the M. leprae-specific antigen, Phenolic Glycolipid I (anti-PGL-I) from leprosy patients and household contacts living in seven hyperendemic cities in the northern state of Pará, Brazilian Amazon. Combining both tests increased sensitivity, specificity and accuracy over either test alone. A total of 466 individuals were evaluated, including 87 newly diagnosed leprosy patients, 52 post-treated patients, 296 household contacts and 31 healthy endemic controls. The highest frequency of double positives (PGL-I+/RLEP+) were detected in the new case group (40/87, 46%) with lower numbers for treated (12/52, 23.1%), household contacts (46/296, 15.5%) and healthy endemic controls (0/31, 0%). The frequencies in these groups were reversed for double negatives (PGL-I-/RLEP-) for new cases (6/87, 6.9%), treated leprosy cases (15/52, 28.8%) and the highest in household contacts (108/296, 36.5%) and healthy endemic controls (24/31, 77.4%). The data strongly suggest that household contacts that are double positive have latent disease, are likely contributing to shedding and transmission of disease to their close contacts and are at the highest risk of progressing to clinical disease. Proposed strategies to reduce leprosy transmission in highly endemic areas may include chemoprophylactic treatment of this group of individuals to stop the spread of bacilli to eventually lower new case detection rates in these areas.

Effective treatment of respiratory infections continues to be a major challenge. In high doses (≥160 ppm), inhaled Nitric Oxide (iNO) has been shown to act as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, including its efficacy in vitro for coronavirus family. However, the safety of prolonged in vivo implementation of high-dose iNO therapy has not been studied. Herein we aim to explore the feasibility and safety of delivering continuous high-dose iNO over an extended period of time using an in vivo animal model. Yorkshire pigs were randomized to one of the following two groups: group 1, standard ventilation; and group 2, standard ventilation + continuous iNO 160 ppm + methylene blue (MB) as intravenous bolus, whenever required, to maintain metHb

Despite the availability of highly effective and well-tolerated direct-acting antivirals, not all patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection receive treatment. This retrospective, multi-centre, noninterventional, case-control study identified patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection initiating (control) or not initiating (case) treatment at 43 sites in Germany from September 2017 to June 2018. It aimed to compare characteristics of the two patient populations and to identify factors involved in patient/physician decision to initiate/not initiate chronic hepatitis C virus treatment, with a particular focus on historical barriers. Overall, 793 patients were identified: 573 (72%) who received treatment and 220 (28%) who did not. In 42% of patients, the reason for not initiating treatment was patient wish, particularly due to fear of treatment (17%) or adverse events (13%). Other frequently observed reasons for not initiating treatment were in accordance with known historical barriers for physicians to initiate therapy, including perceived or expected lack of compliance (14.5%), high patient age (10.9%), comorbidities (15.0%), alcohol abuse (9.1%), hard drug use (7.7%), and opioid substitution therapy (4.5%). Patient wish against therapy was also a frequently reported reason for not initiating treatment in the postponed (35.2%) and not planned (47.0%) subgroups; of note, known historical factors were also common reasons for postponing treatment. Real-world and clinical trial evidence is accumulating, which suggests that such historical barriers do not negatively impact treatment effectiveness. Improved education is key to facilitate progress towards the World Health Organization target of eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030.

BackgroundHepatitis A is a fecal-oral infection caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV). Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW) have been reported as target groups for HAV infection. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence, risk factors, and circulating strains associated with HAV infection among MSM and TW in Central Brazil.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2011 to September 2013. Serum samples were collected from 425 individuals for anti-HAV antibody testing and HAV molecular characterization. Of them, 149 (35.1%) participants were self-identified as transgender women. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the risk factors of HAV seropositivity.ResultsThe seroprevalence of HAV exposure was 69.7% (95% Confidence Interval: 65.3-74.0%). Serological evidence of HAV was significantly higher in participants who self-identified as transgender women (83.2%) than MSM (62.3%). Increasing age, non-white race, and lower monthly household income were independently associated with HAV exposure among MSM. Only lower monthly household income was independently associated with HAV exposure among TW. One anti-HAV IgM positive sample, from a transgender woman (0.2%), was detected and classified as subgenotype IA.ConclusionsHigh HAV prevalence was observed, markedly among TW. Considering the risky sexual behaviors this population is exposed to, HAV vaccination and prevention programs targeting this population should be considered to prevent outbreaks and the burden of the disease.

Neonatal screening is essential for child health and has the following purposes: (1) pulse oximetry screening to evaluate congenital heart diseases; (2) red reflex examination to investigate eye diseases; (3) newborn hearing screening test to evaluate congenital hearing diseases; (4) tongue test to evaluate the lingual frenulum and identify communication and feeding problems; (5) the Guthrie test to screen for metabolic diseases. This study investigated the prevalence of the five neonatal screening tests and its associated institutional and socio-cultural factors using a cross-sectional study with 415 mother and baby binomials from public maternity hospitals in Natal, RN, Brazil in 2019. Pearson's chi-squared, Mann-Whitney and Poisson regression tests were used, with a significance of p ≤ 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval. The sample loss was 71 mothers (17%). The prevalence in the first week and at the end of 28 days was 93% and 99.5% (pulse oximetry screening), 60% and 97.6% (red reflex examination), 71.9% and 93.6% (Guthrie test), 35.5% and 68.2% (hearing screening test), and 19% and 48.9% (tongue test). Only 152 newborns (36.6%) underwent all five tests. The performance of the tests was associated in the final model (p ≤ 0.05) with the residence of the mothers in the state capital (PR = 1.36; 95% CI = 1.18-1.56) and the provision of guidance for mothers about the five tests in maternity hospitals (PR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.08-1.67). None of the tests met full coverage, and regional inequities were identified indicating the need to restructure the institutions, training and qualification procedures to improve of the work processes and longitudinal care.

Paralympic Powerlifting is a sport in which the strength of the upper limbs is assessed through bench press performance in an adapted specific bench. It is therefore essential to optimize training methods to maximize this performance. The aim of the present study was to compare force production and muscle activation involved in partial vs. full range of motion (ROM) training in Paralympic Powerlifting. Twelve male athletes of elite national level in Paralympic Powerlifting participated in the study (28.60 ± 7.60 years of age, 71.80 ± 17.90 kg of body mass). The athletes performed five sets of 5RM (repetition maximum), either with 90% of 1RM in full ROM or with a load of 130% 1RM in partial ROM. All subjects underwent both exercise conditions in consecutive weeks. Order assignment in the first week was random and counterbalanced. Fatigue index (FI), Maximum Isometric Force (MIF), Time to MIF (Time) and rate of force development (RFD) were determined by a force sensor. Muscle thickness was obtained using ultrasound images. All measures were taken pre- and post-training. Additionally, electromyographic signal (EMG) was evaluated in the last set of each exercise condition. Post-exercise fatigue was higher with full ROM as well as loss of MIF. Full ROM also induced greater. EMG showed greater activation of the Clavicular portion and Sternal portion of pectoralis major muscle and lower in the anterior portion of deltoid muscle when full ROM was performed. Muscle thickness of the pectoralis major muscle increased post-exercise. We concluded that training with partial ROM enables higher workloads with lower loss of muscle function.

Recent studies report seasonality in healthcare-associated infections, especially those caused by Acinetobacter baumannii complex. We conducted an ecologic study aimed at analyzing the impact of seasons, weather parameters and climate control on the incidence and carbapenem-resistance in A. baumannii complex bloodstream infections (ABBSI) in hospitals from regions with different climates in Brazil. We studied monthly incidence rates (years 2006-2015) of ABBSI from hospitals in cities from different macro-regions in Brazil: Fortaleza (Ceará State, Northeast region), Goiânia (Goiás State, Middle-west) and Botucatu (São Paulo State, Southeast). Box-Jenkins models were fitted to assess seasonality, and the impact of weather parameters was analyzed in Poisson Regression models. Separate analyses were performed for carbapenem-resistant versus carbapenem-susceptible isolates, as well as for infections occurring in climate-controlled intensive care units (ICUs) versus non-climate-controlled wards. Seasonality was identified for ABSSI ICUs in the Hospitals from Botucatu and Goiânia. In the Botucatu hospital, where there was overall seasonality for both resistance groups, as well as for wards without climate control. In that hospital, the overall incidence was associated with higher temperature (incidence rate ratio for each Celsius degree, 1.05; 95% Confidence Interval, 1.01-1.09; P = 0.006). Weather parameters were not associated with ABBSI in the hospitals from Goiânia and Fortaleza. In conclusion, seasonality was found in the hospitals with higher ABBSI incidence and located in regions with greater thermal amplitude. Strict temperature control may be a tool for prevention of A. baumanii infections in healthcare settings.

BackgroundHematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a potential cure for certain life-threatening malignant and nonmalignant diseases. However, experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated that pre-transplant myeloablative conditioning damages the gut leading to translocation of intestinal bacteria and the development of acute graft vs. host disease (aGVHD). The overall objective of this study was to determine whether administration of broad spectrum antibiotics (Abx) affects the onset and/or severity of aGVHD in lymphopenic mice that were not subjected to toxic, pre-transplant conditioning.ResultsWe found that treatment of NK cell-depleted recombination activating gene-1-deficient (-NK/RAG) recipients with an Abx cocktail containing vancomycin and neomycin for 7 days prior to and 4 weeks following adoptive transfer of allogeneic CD4+ T cells, exacerbated the development of aGVHD-induced BM failure and spleen damage when compared to untreated-NK/RAG recipients engrafted with syngeneic or allogeneic T cells. Abx-treated mice exhibited severe anemia and monocytopenia as well as marked reductions in BM- and spleen-residing immune cells. Blinded histopathological analysis confirmed that Abx-treated mice engrafted with allogeneic T cells suffered significantly more damage to the BM and spleen than did untreated mice engrafted with allogeneic T cells. Abx-induced exacerbation of BM and spleen damage correlated with a dramatic reduction in fecal bacterial diversity, marked loss of anaerobic bacteria and remarkable expansion of potentially pathogenic bacteria.ConclusionsWe conclude that continuous Abx treatment may aggravate aGVHD-induced tissue damage by reducing short chain fatty acid-producing anaerobes (e.g. Clostridium, Blautia) and/or by promoting the expansion of pathobionts (e.g. Akkermansia) and opportunistic pathogens (Cronobacter).