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After mass production and then mass customization, the time is almost ripe for mass personalization. The goal is to offer unique products designed for the needs of each customer. However, production in larger series of products also has its advantages, and the promise of "lot size one" is still far from being the norm in several sectors of the economy. As a result of an action research project in a small household ceramic producer, this paper explores the potential of a hybrid strategy. Augmented digital engineering is adopted to (1) ensure customer participation along the entire product design lifecycle, (2) maintain the benefits of modularization and low cost, (3) minimize the waste of time and materials during product design, and (4) seek a minimum trade‐off between customer desires and engineering strategy. For theory, our work describes Industry 4.0 technology's role in achieving individual customer interaction and value co‐creation in hybrid strategies of mass customization and mass personalization. For practice, we present an example of technological architecture to implement augmented digital engineering in Industry 4.0, accessible to scenarios of hand‐intensive work and creative design processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the association between difficulties in emotion regulation and problematic pornography use (PPU) and test the mediating effect of loneliness. All 339 participants (M = 28.53 years, SD = 10.32) completed online self-report scales assessing difficulties in emotion regulation, PPU, and loneliness. Difficulties in emotion regulation are positively correlated with PPU. Loneliness partially mediates the relationship between difficulties in emotion regulation and PPU. Gender and intimate relationship status had moderating effects on the tested mediation model. Greater difficulties in emotion regulation have a significant indirect effect on PPU through loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Aquaculture has been one of the fastest‐growing food industry sectors, expanding at the pace of consumers' demands. To promote safe and effective fish growth performance strategies, and to stimulate environmentally friendly solutions to protect fish against disease outbreaks, new approaches are needed to safeguard fish welfare, as well as farmers and consumers interests. Here, we tested the use of cyanobacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a novel nanocarrier system of heterologous proteins for applications in fish. We started by incubating zebrafish larvae with Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 EVs, isolated from selected mutant strains with different cell envelope characteristics. Results show that Synechocystis EVs are biocompatible with fish larvae, regardless of their structural composition, as EVs neither induced fish mortality nor triggered significant inflammatory responses. We establish also that cyanobacteria are amenable to engineering heterologous protein expression and loading into EVs, for which we used the reporter sfGFP. Moreover, upon immersion treatment, we successfully demonstrate that sfGFP‐loaded Synechocystis EVs accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract of zebrafish larvae. This work opens the possibility of using cyanobacterial EVs as a novel biotechnological tool in fish, with prospective applications in carrying proteins/enzymes, for example for modulating their nutritional status or stimulating specific adaptive immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is not a recent phenomenon. However, it increased visibility in Portugal in 2002, when a news piece raised suspicions about numerous public figures. Since then, there has been an upward trend in complaints and has stabilized in recent years. Nevertheless, even though the research emerging, it presents gaps in the characteristics and modus operandi of the child sex offenders in the Portuguese context. This article presents an exploratory study, where 66 case reports of inmates in Portugal (Lisbon District) were convicted for CSA crimes recorded in the last ten years. We used the Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Cluster Analysis as statistical procedures, focusing on the dynamics of the offense, context, number of victims, relationship, and characteristics of the offense. With this analysis, we identified four distinct profiles, which occurs with both techniques. In addition, we found differences regarding the use of aggressivity and/or treating during or after the offense, nature of abuse and introduced the crime admission as an active variable, with contributions to the model definition. According to these results and international literature, we defined our groups in four types: Regressed, Indiscriminate, Inadequate, and Violent. We discuss our results based on the international models and demonstrate affinities with them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic (PV) electricity is widely used because of its positive environmental impact. To properly feed this energy into the grid, an electronic power converter, known as a PV inverter, is needed, which may or may not use a transformer. This article details the analysis and design of a transformerless photovoltaic inverter topology for grid-connected applications. This converter offers high efficiency, a low number of elements, and negligible leakage current, which makes it a good alternative for this application. The converter has been validated through an experimental prototype and compared with other topologies with similar characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleasure-seeking reasons are the main drivers of pornography use (PU), but the regulation of unpleasant states, namely distraction from or suppression of negative emotions and stress relief, are other potential predictors of this behavior. Our main objective is to develop an explanatory model of problematic PU, assessing difficulties in emotion regulation, loneliness, perceived stress, as well as age and gender as predictors. A cross-sectional study was conducted that included a total of 340 participants (M = 28.50 years, SD = 10.32). Self-report inventories were administered that measured problematic PU (PPCS), difficulties in emotion regulation (DERS-SF), loneliness (UCLALS-3), and perceived stress (PSS-10). The findings were indicative of recreational PU, with only a small number of participants (4.6%) reporting a possible problematic PU. There were statistically significant gender differences (F (1,337) = 33.306, P ≤.001), namely that men were more likely to report problematic PU (M = 36.03, SD = 21.30) than women (M = 25.32, SD = 9.24). Problematic PU was significantly and positively correlated either with difficulties in emotion regulation, loneliness, perceived stress and age. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that difficulties in emotion regulation (β = 0.259, P ≤.001), loneliness (β = 0.209, P =.001), and gender (β = -0.377, P ≤.001) define the best subset of predictors of problematic PU. Age and perceived stress were not selected as predictors in this subset. The promotion of better emotion regulation abilities and strategies for adaptive coping with loneliness must be taken into consideration, namely in cases of problematic PU or compulsive sexual behavior disorder. Being a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample and the fact that these variables explain only a part of the explained variance of the problematic PU are the main limitations. Despite the limitations, the principal contribution of this study is the understanding that gender, difficulties in emotion regulation, and loneliness remain as main predictors of problematic PU, even when combined in the explanatory model. The current study provides a better understanding of the predictors of problematic PU related with the reduction or avoidance of unpleasant states. Emotion regulation, loneliness, and perceived stress, studied simultaneously, provide a better understanding of the complex relationships between these factors and problematic PU. Difficulties in emotion regulation and loneliness are predictors of higher problematic PU, as well as the expected gender effect. Cardoso J, Ramos C, Brito J, et al. Predictors of Pornography Use: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Loneliness. J Sex Med 2022;19:620–628. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern society is increasingly moving toward complex and distributed computing systems. The increase in scale and complexity of these systems challenges O&M teams that perform daily monitoring and repair operations, in contrast with the increasing demand for reliability and scalability of modern applications. For this reason, the study of automated and intelligent monitoring systems has recently sparked much interest across applied IT industry and academia. Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations (AIOps) has been proposed to tackle modern IT administration challenges thanks to Machine Learning, AI, and Big Data. However, AIOps as a research topic is still largely unstructured and unexplored, due to missing conventions in categorizing contributions for their data requirements, target goals, and components. In this work, we focus on AIOps for Failure Management (FM), characterizing and describing 5 different categories and 14 subcategories of contributions, based on their time intervention window and the target problem being solved. We review 100 FM solutions, focusing on applicability requirements and the quantitative results achieved, to facilitate an effective application of AIOps solutions. Finally, we discuss current development problems in the areas covered by AIOps and delineate possible future trends for AI-based failure management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the exponential increase in heterogeneous wireless networks today, there has been a growing interest from the academic community for issues related to handover problems. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the quality of service and performance of a device with a dual interface that connects simultaneously to two heterogeneous networks with no competition in the exchange of packets between them. It is a proposal to solve the mitigation of handover impacts. The tool used for evaluation was the Network Simulator 2. The results showed a better use of the band in comparison to the scenario using a traditional mobile device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceived stress is strongly associated with sleep problems. Despite the evidence linking these variables, research examining the reciprocal relationships between them using non-recursive models, which include feedback loop between endogenous variables, is lacking. The main objective was to analyse if there is a bidirectional relation between perceived stress and insomnia symptoms with a model using coping and quality of life as predictors of both variables. This is a cross-sectional study with a sample of 987 adults with insomnia symptoms (M = 40.90 years old; SD = 17.17). An exploratory Canonical Correlation Analysis assessed the interrelationships between a set of perceived stress and insomnia symptoms and a set of coping and quality of life variables. Structural Equation Modelling was used to explore the bidirectional relationships between perceived stress and insomnia symptoms, using coping strategies and quality of life as covariates. The first correlation (0.562), dominated by perceived stress, suggested a direct association with insomnia symptoms. The second correlation (0.146), dominated by insomnia symptoms, suggested a reverse association with perceived stress. The model showed good model fit indices (χ2(6) = 4.505, GFI = 0.999; RMSEA = 0.000 [CI 90% 0.000–0.035]). Self-blame, positive reframing, denial, self-distraction, social relationships, and environment were significant predictors of perceived stress; Denial and environment significantly predicted insomnia symptoms. Regarding the bidirectional relationship only perceived stress was a predictor of insomnia symptoms (β = 0.42, p ≤ 0.001). Insomnia symptoms depend on perceived stress, but no evidence of the direct effect of insomnia symptoms on perceived stress was observed. Although the bidirectional relationship has not been confirmed, this study supports the role of perceived stress in the management of insomnia symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Our survey investigated real locomotion for HMD-based Virtual Reality. • Our focus is on the interaction techniques - the combination of devices, user's actions and system's feedback. • We categorize the resulting real locomotion interaction techniques as Unmediated, Warnings, reorientation/resetting, Scaling, Redirection, and Dynamic VE. • We describe each category with different parameters that distinguish individual interaction techniques. Locomotion is a fundamental activity in Virtual Reality (VR) and has been the focus of a large body of research since the implementation of the first systems. In real locomotion techniques, users physically move in the real world to affect movement in the Virtual Environment (VE). Real locomotion has been found to perform better than other forms of locomotion for many tasks. To overcome the challenges imposed by restricted physical space, researchers have devised ingenious interaction techniques for real locomotion. In this paper, we present a survey of interaction techniques for real locomotion in VR. Our analysis is focused on the interaction techniques – the combination of devices, user's actions, and system's responses. We categorize interaction techniques for real locomotion in VR into: unmediated, warnings, reorientation/resetting, scaling, redirection, and dynamic VE. These categories represent fundamentally different approaches to real locomotion and user action feedback. We further characterize techniques in each of these categories according to category-specific parameters. Finally, it is important to state that this paper was developed with the aim of helping newcomers to the field to understand and implement the techniques here presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to analyze the factor structure and the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Cyber Pornography Use Inventory-9 (CPUI-9) and to verify the invariance between men and women. A total sample of 257 university students (153 women and 104 men) participated through a web survey. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the three-factor structure of the original version of the CPUI-9 has a good model fit and good convergent and discriminant validities. The findings of the multigroup confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated non-invariance on factor structure across both genders, suggesting that the CPUI-9 should be applied with caution to men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there is a tendency to develop materials that have an increasingly specific purpose for a particular application and the composites can be part of these types of materials. In addition, there is a search for replacement of synthetic fibers with natural ones, because of concerns about the environment. Hybridization of glass fiber composites with sisal fibers can result in improved performance by combining the benefits of each fiber with various applications. Many studies are developed on these types of composites, sisal/glass hybrids, varying certain parameters, such as matrix, orientation of fibers, treatment of fibers, stacking of layers, composition of elements, method of manufacture, among others, characterizing the various types of properties. The present work organizes the researches on the hybrid composites of sisal/glass, in chronological order, highlighting the specifications and parameters used and the main results obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to characterize and predict sex offenders' pornography consumption at the time of the index offense. Participants were 146 male sex offenders incarcerated in a Portuguese prison establishment. A semi-structured interview and the Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire were administered. While for some individuals pornography did not appear to play a role in their offenses, there were others whose prolonged use led to more sex fantasies and urges to enact the visualized contents. As pornography does not have the same effects on all people, management officials should bear this in mind when tailoring specific treatment programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the prior austenite grain sizes in hydrogen embrittlement of Co-containing 18Ni 300 maraging steel were studied employing Slow Strain Rate Testing (SSRT) in 0.6 M NaCl electrolyte under simultaneuos cathodic polarization. The material was susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement in all investigated conditions. In addition, the examination of the fractured surface revealed that the presence of hydrogen in steel promotes the formation of quasi-cleavage regions and hydrogen-induced cracks along the grain boundaries. However, the refining of the prior austenite grain allowed an improvement in the HE resistance. Moreover, EBSD analysis showed that intergranular cracks propagated along to grain boundaries orientated to {001} planes parallel to normal direction, whereas they were deflected on {101} and {111} crystallographic planes. • The control of the prior austenite grain leads to the improvement of the HE resistance. • Intergranular cracks propagated along the grain boundaries orientated to {001} planes. • The cracks were deflected on grain boundaries {110} and {111} crystallographic planes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the current study was to analyze the mediating role of perceived stress on the relationship between childhood trauma and sleep disturbances among the adult population. The sample of this cross-sectional study was composed of 987 Portuguese adults with sleep disturbances, who completed a self-administered questionnaire about childhood trauma, sleep disturbances, and perceived stress. The results of analyses found that in the model that included the variables childhood trauma and perceived stress, both variables were predictors of sleep disturbances; however, perceived stress was the strongest predictor. Regarding the model with the subtypes of maltreatment, only Emotional Abuse predicted sleep problems. Results of the Path Analysis model showed that perceived stress partly mediates the effect of childhood trauma on adult sleep disturbances. This study has clinical implications, supporting the importance of taking into account childhood trauma and perceived stress during the assessment and intervention of sleep disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working with urgency and emergency on the field of health can be a source of suffering, because the professionals tend to handle life and death situations constantly. This paper aims to investigate the relation between mental health and work conditions of professionals of a Brazilian emergency health service called SAMU (Service for Mobile Urgency Support). The objectives are to know in which ways the work conditions may affect the skills of the individual performing the services of rescue and support during urgencies and emergencies. The bibliographic research was conducted using samples of papers, data banks, magazines, books which covered the topics of "mental health", "urgency" and "emergency". The findings suggest that more thorough research is necessary on this topic and also that mental health and psychological intervention programs may be helping those professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal homeostasis is fundamental for optimal performance of cell metabolic pathways. Over the course of evolution, several systems emerged to warrant an intracellular metal equilibrium. When exposed to growth-challenging copper concentrations, Gram-negative bacteria quickly activate copper-detoxification mechanisms, dependent on transmembrane-protein complexes and metallochaperones that mediate metal efflux. Here, we show that vesiculation is also a common bacterial response mechanism to high copper concentrations, and that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a role in transporting copper. We present evidence that bacteria from different ecological niches release copious amounts of EVs when exposed to copper. Along with the activation of the classical detoxification systems, we demonstrate that copper-stressed cells of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 release EVs loaded with the copper-binding metallochaperone CopM. Under standard growth conditions, CopM-loaded EVs could also be isolated from a Synechocystis strain lacking a functional TolC-protein, which we characterize here as exhibiting a copper-sensitive phenotype. Analyses of Synechocystis tolC -mutant's EVs isolated from cells cultivated under standard conditions indicated the presence of copper therein, in significantly higher levels as compared to those from the wild-type. Altogether, these results suggest that release of EVs in bacteria represent a novel copper-secretion mechanism, shedding light into alternative mechanisms of bacterial metal resistance. [Display omitted] • Extracellular vesicles (EVs): overlooked metal resistance mechanism in bacteria. • Vesiculation is a common response mechanism to copper-induced stressful conditions. • Cyanobacterial EVs are packaged with metal binding proteins. • Cyanobacterial EVs work as copper-secreting nanocapsules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open Display Networks have the potential to allow many content creators to publish their media to an open-ended set of screen displays. However, this raises the issue of how to match that content to the right displays. In this study, we aim to understand how the perceived utility of particular media sharing scenarios is affected by three independent variables, more specifically: (a) the locativeness of the content being shared; (b) how personal that content is and (c) the scope in which it is being shared. To assess these effects, we composed a set of 24 media sharing scenarios embedded with different treatments of our three independent variables. We then asked 100 participants to express their perception of the relevance of those scenarios. The results suggest a clear preference for scenarios where content is both local and directly related to the person that is publishing it. This is in stark contrast to the types of content that are commonly found in public displays, and confirms the opportunity that open displays networks may represent a new media for self-expression. This novel understanding may inform the design of new publication paradigms that will enable people to share media across the display networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field trial was conducted between 2006 and 2009 in order to quantify the effect of boron (B) application on the yield and quality of chestnuts. The trial was established in an acid soil derived from siliceous schist and two levels of B were applied. Fruit abortion and nut yield per tree were measured, and nut quality parameters and chemical composition of the kernel were determined. Foliar B concentration was 8.6 mg kg−1 in the control trees and 48.4 mg kg−1 in fertilized chestnuts. Boron improved fruit setting and promoted nut production by 77%. In 2008, the occurrence of cold temperatures enhanced the effect of B on fruit setting, which was four-fold, whereas with the normal temperatures of 2009 the increase was lower. The drought of 2009 was responsible for the ruinous chestnut caliber and shell cracking. Boron induced a significant increase in the crude fat of chestnut kernel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of photodynamic therapy using methylene blue on Candida strains. Were studied: 5 C. albicans, 4 C. tropicalis, 4 C. glabrata 2 C. parapsilosis, 2 C. kefyr, 1 C. stellatoidea, 1 C. krusei and 1 C. lipolytica. Each strain was underwent to four experimental conditions: methylene blue laser (L+P+) irradiation with laser (L+P-), treatment with methylene blue (L-P+), and treatment with saline as control group (L-P-). After treatment of each strain and plating serial dilutions on Sabouraud dextrose agar were performed. The data from colony forming units per milliliter (CFU/ml) were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey test (p <0.05). The results suggest that the groups treated with laser (L+ P+ and L+P-) showed average CFU/ml (Log) lower than without laser treatment groups (L-F- e L-F+). The group with photodynamic therapy (L+P+) showed an average CFU/ml (Log) similar to the group (L+P-). It was concluded that the strains of Candida analyzed were sensitive to laser irradiation of low power in the presence or absence of methylene blue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The choice of the most appropriate restoration for anterior teeth is often a difficult decision. Numerous clinical and technical factors play an important role in selecting the treatment option that best suits the patient and the restorative team. Experienced clinicians have developed decision processes that are often more complex than may seem. Less experienced professionals may find difficulties making treatment decisions because of the widely varied restorative materials available and often numerous similar products offered by different manufacturers. The authors reviewed available evidence and integrated their clinical experience to select relevant factors that could provide a logical and practical guideline for restorative decisions in anterior teeth. The presented concept of restorative volume is based on structural, optical, and periodontal factors. Each of these factors will influence the short- and long-term behavior of restorations in terms of esthetics, biology, and function. Despite the marked evolution of esthetic restorative techniques and materials, significant limitations still exist, which should be addressed by researchers. The presented guidelines must be regarded as a mere orientation for risk analysis. A comprehensive individual approach should always be the core of restorative esthetic treatments. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The complex decision process for anterior esthetic restorations can be clarified by a systematized examination of structural, optical, and periodontal factors. The basis for the proposed thought process is the concept of restorative volume that is a contemporary interpretation of restoration categories and their application. (J Esthet Restor Dent ••:••-••, 2012) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acceptance of sexuality and its manifestations has changed in recent decades to being considered a normal feature of the identity of each individual. However, the person with intellectual disability have not benefited from this change in attitude. Their sexuality remains shrouded in myths and prejudices. The study population consisted of 454 students from the University of Beira Interior, from the Medicine, Psychology and Architecture majors. The data was collected using a questionnaire specifically drafted for this research. Most surveyed students consider sexuality an important part of life for every human being. From the responses to the questionnaire, psychology students were those with a more positive attitude towards sexuality and affectivity of the individual with intellectual disability, but the variability of the distribution of student responses from the three majors did not differ significantly. A positive attitude is characteristic of those who have acquired sufficient knowledge, females and of those who have frequent contact with individuals with intellectual disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: XML-based standards have been widely used to enable and ease Business-to-Business (B2B) integration. Examples of standards include cXML, CIDX and ebXML. While these XML-based standards are syntactic, contemporary organizations have available new means to structure their internal data representations using semantic descriptions, such as RDF(S) and OWL. This scenario poses an interesting challenge: “How to reconcile external XML-based standards and internal OWL-based representations in B2B integration scenarios?” In this paper, we present a conceptual approach, and its implementation, to integrate external syntactic data representations with organizational internal semantic data representations by using the notion of heterogeneous mappings which are established between the two types of representations. The application developed, B2BISS, enables an effective management of mappings. As the number of mappings stored in the repository increases over time, organizations can gradually rely on a semi-automatic to automatic B2B integration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: The effect of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) on normal liver regeneration was examined in the Wistar rat. The model used is clinically relevant to a novel technique proposed for the treatment of multifocal non-resectable liver metastases in man. The success of the technique also requires that BNCT should not significantly impair regeneration of normal hepatocytes. Materials and methods: The effect of therapeutic doses of boronophenylalanine (BPA), GB-10 (Na210B10H10) and (GB-10 + BPA) and of BNCT mediated by these boron delivery agents on normal liver regeneration and liver function in the Wistar rat was examined using partial hepatectomy as the regenerative stimulus. The end-points evaluated were body weight, liver weight/body weight ratio, DNA synthesis in terms of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation, hemogram, kidney function in terms of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels, liver function in terms of serum albumin, total and direct bilirubin and liver enzymes (alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase) and liver histology/architecture. Results: BNCT mediated by BPA, GB-10 or (GB-10 + BPA) did not cause alterations in the outcome of normal liver regeneration, regenerated liver function/proliferation or histology/architecture. Conclusion: The BNCT protocols, at the physical doses selected, did not impair the capacity of normal liver hepatocytes to regenerate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two important classes of information systems, Workflow Management Systems (WfMSs) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, have been used to support e-business process redesign, integration, and management. While both technologies can help with business process automation, data transfer, and information sharing, the technological approach and features of solutions provided by WfMS and ERP are different. Currently, there is a lack of understanding of these two classes of information systems in the industry and academia, thus hindering their effective applications. In this paper, we present a comprehensive comparison between these two classes of systems. We discuss how the two types of systems can be used independently or together to develop intra- and inter-organizational application solutions. In particular, we also explore the roles of WfMS and ERP in the next generation of IT architecture based on Web Services. Our findings should help businesses make better decisions in the adoption of both WfMS and ERP in their e-business strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the stage play "Los Condenados," by Jorge Emilio Cardoso.

A 57-year-old male presented with a 6-month history of blisters and painful erosions on the right buccal mucosa. No skin or other mucosal involvement was seen. The findings of histopathological and direct immunofluorescence examinations were sufficient for the diagnosis of oral mucous membrane pemphigoid in the context of adequate clinical correlation. No response was seen after topical therapies and oral corticosteroids or dapsone. Intravenous immunoglobulin was started and repeated every three weeks. Complete remission was achieved after three cycles and no recurrence was seen after two years of follow-up. The authors report a rare unilateral presentation of oral mucous membrane pemphigoid on the right buccal and hard palate mucosa, without additional involvement during a period of five years. Local trauma or autoimmune factors are possible etiologic factors for this rare disorder, here with unique presentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The piriform cortex (PC) occupies both banks of the endorhinal sulcus and has an important role in the pathophysiology of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). A recent study showed that resection of more than 50% of PC increased the odds of becoming seizure free by a factor of 16. We report the feasibility of manual segmentation of PC and application of the Geodesic Information Flows (GIF) algorithm to automated segmentation, to guide resection. Manual segmentation of PC was performed by two blinded independent examiners in 60 patients with TLE (55% Left TLE, 52% female) with a median age of 35 years (IQR, 29–47 years) and 20 controls (60% Women) with a median age of 39.5 years (IQR, 31–49). The GIF algorithm was used to create an automated pipeline for parcellating PC which was used to guide excision as part of temporal lobe resection for TLE. Right PC was larger in patients and controls. Parcellation of PC was used to guide anterior temporal lobe resection, with subsequent seizure freedom and no visual field or language deficit. Reliable segmentation of PC is feasible and can be applied prospectively to guide neurosurgical resection that increases the chances of a good outcome from temporal lobe resection for TLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kaposi-like acroangiodermatitis or pseudo-Kaposi's sarcoma is a reactive angiodysplasia of the cutaneous blood vessels that resembles true Kaposi's sarcoma, both clinically and histologically. We report a 17-year-old girl with congenital spina bifida and myelomeningocele and cutaneous lesions localized on the lower Limbs. ClInical, functional and histological investigation led to a diagnosis of Kaposi-tike acroangiodermatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In bacteria, the active transport of material from the interior to the exterior of the cell, or secretion, represents a very important mechanism of adaptation to the surrounding environment. The secretion of various types of biomolecules is mediated by a series of multiprotein complexes that cross the bacterial membrane(s), each complex dedicated to the secretion of specific substrates. In addition, biological material may also be released from the bacterial cell in the form of vesicles. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are bilayered, nanoscale structures, derived from the bacterial cell envelope, which contain membrane components as well as soluble products. In cyanobacteria, the knowledge regarding EVs is lagging far behind compared to what is known about, for example, other Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we present a summary of the most important findings regarding EVs in Gram-negative bacteria, discussing aspects of their composition, formation processes and biological roles, and highlighting a number of technological applications tested. This lays the groundwork to raise awareness that the release of EVs by cyanobacteria likely represents an important, and yet highly disregarded, survival strategy. Furthermore, we hope to motivate future studies that can further elucidate the role of EVs in cyanobacterial cell biology and physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to understand how were the social-affective relations and interactions in emergency remote teaching in the state education system of Santa Catarina, based on a context experienced in a polo school in Tubarão city, southern region of Santa Catarina. The research was conducted during the period of pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. It is a qualitative research, classified as a field study, whose data collection instrument were two questionnaires, available in Google Forms tool, having as subjects teachers, parents and students of that school unit; the empirical data were analyzed considering the basic theoretical referential. It is concluded that relations and interactions constitute the pedagogical practice, which must be planned and developed with intentionality, sensitivity and affection, given the right of access, freedom, autonomy and integral ducation that must be guaranteed by the school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low power grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) generation systems increasingly use transformerless inverters. The elimination of the transformer allows smaller, lighter and cheaper systems, and improves the total efficiency. However, a leakage current may appear, flowing from the grid to the PV panels through the existing parasitic capacitance between them, since there is no galvanic isolation. As a result, electromagnetic interferences and security issues arise. This paper presents a novel transformerless single-phase Current Source Inverter (CSI) topology with a reduced inductor, compared to conventional CSIs. This topology directly connects the neutral line of the grid to the negative terminal of the PV system, referred as common mode configuration, eliminating this way, theoretically, the possibility of any leakage current through this terminal. The switches control is based on a hysteresis current controller together with a combinational logic circuitry and it is implemented in a digital platform based on National Instruments Technology. Results that validate the proposal, based on both simulations and tests of a low voltage low power prototype, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent work by Shelmerdine et al. was published in the Christmas edition of the BMJ. The authors were inspired by George Hinton's statement that artificial intelligence (AI) would supersede radiologists, and ventured to investigate whether the AI software Milvue Suite which had been trained on a few hundred thousand chest and musculoskeletal x-rays, could pass the rapid reporting section of the FRCR – an exam which must be passed in order to practice as a consultant radiologist in the UK. This brief comment sums up the company's opinions and perspective from the practical AI developmental angle and also its translation into a commercially viable and clinically useful tool. Hoping this will provide a fair and balanced view of the role of AI in radiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a pilot project—the creation of a Student and Family Office to reduce school violence—and suggests the benefits of the combined use of different strategies to decrease peer aggression and victimisation. The programme was implemented over a two-and-a-half-year period and included 132 Portuguese adolescents attending the third cycle of basic education. A considerable number of problematic situations, previously reported by students, changed after SFO intervention.. The results suggest that the local (universal and multimodal) intervention programme contributed to a decrease in harassment, coercion and aggressiveness, victimisation and reactive overt aggression rates, and also promoted the social and personal skills essential for successful interpersonal dynamics and peer conflict interventions. The implications for practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for healthy products rises the pressure on the chestnut production due to their nutritional qualities and beneficial health effects. Martaínha chestnut variety is most well-adapted with great economic importance due to its precocity and technological properties. The exogenous application of Silicon has an important role in agriculture because of improvement of plants nutrition. Nevertheless, the knowledge of impact of Silicon application in the production, sensory quality and chemical composition of chestnut fruits is limited. The application of Si in leaves (SL) and soil (SS) have important action on the prophylactic properties and the promotion of chestnuts health. Moreover, higher number of healthy fruits, caliber, fruits without rotten and tortrix infection and lower water loss in post-harvest chestnuts, in SL and SS samples, highlights the Si positive action. Additionally this study emphasizes some positive effects of Silicon on the chemical and sensory profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adolescents interactive processes at school, peers and family contexts presents considerable weight in the study of risk and protective factors associated with the development of aggressive behavior. Given this premise we intend to analyze the relationship between the perception that young people have of their social support and the school climate and the development of different forms and functions of aggressive behavior. Participated in the study 851 adolescents aged between 11 and 19 years, attending elementary and high school grades. Using hierarchical regression, 2 models are presented that capture significant risk and protective factors for reactive overt aggression, reactive relacional aggression, instrumental overt aggression, and instrumental relacional aggression. Results reveal several insteresting patterns of risk and protection for each subtipe of aggressive behavior. Relationships with parents and school climate are key predictors for this sample, representing both risk and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prediction of long-term mortality following acute illness can be unreliable for older patients, inhibiting the delivery of targeted clinical interventions. The difficulty plausibly arises from the complex, multifactorial nature of the underlying biology in this population, which flexible, multimodal models based on machine learning may overcome. Here, we test this hypothesis by quantifying the comparative predictive fidelity of such models in a large consecutive sample of older patients acutely admitted to hospital and characterise their biological support. Methods: A set of 804 admission episodes involving 616 unique patients with a mean age of 84.5 years consecutively admitted to the Acute Geriatric service at University College Hospital were identified, in whom clinical diagnoses, blood tests, cognitive status, computed tomography of the head, and mortality within 600 days after admission were available. We trained and evaluated out-of-sample an array of extreme gradient boosted trees-based predictive models of incrementally greater numbers of investigational modalities and modelled features. Both linear and non-linear associations with investigational features were quantified. Results: Predictive models of mortality showed progressively increasing fidelity with greater numbers of modelled modalities and dimensions. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve rose from 0.67 (sd = 0.078) for age and sex to 0.874 (sd = 0.046) for the most comprehensive model. Extracranial bone and soft tissue features contributed more than intracranial features towards long-term mortality prediction. The anterior cingulate and angular gyri, and serum albumin, were the greatest intracranial and biochemical model contributors respectively. Conclusions: High-dimensional, multimodal predictive models of mortality based on routine clinical data offer higher predictive fidelity than simpler models, facilitating individual level prognostication and interventional targeting. The joint contributions of both extracranial and intracranial features highlight the potential importance of optimising somatic as well as neural functions in healthy ageing. Our findings suggest a promising path towards a high-fidelity, multimodal index of frailty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There has been a significant advance in the understanding of the pathophysiology of bullous pemphigoid, particularly after demonstrating a pathogenic role for anti-BP180 IgE autoantibodies. Omalizumab is a monoclonal antibody that blocks free IgE and, in the last years, several cases of omalizumab-treated bullous pemphigoid have been published. This paper aims to clarify the pathogenic mechanisms of IgE autoantibodies in bullous pemphigoid and to discuss the clinical use of omalizumab based on the published clinical experience. Methods: Review of published articles in Medline/PubMed indexed journals using "bullous pemphigoid omalizumab" as search terms. Results: We review and discuss nine publications and related papers, when considered relevant by authors. In most cases, omalizumab seems to be an effective and safe drug in the treatment of bullous pemphigoid, being used more often as adjunct to other immunosuppressive agents. The role of biomarkers such as total IgE and eosinophil count in the selection of patients or treatment monitoring is still unknown. Conclusions: The use of omalizumab for the treatment of bullous pemphigoid is supported by the thoroughly studied pathogenicity of specific IgE autoantibodies. The published clinical experience is scarce, pointing omalizumab as a safe and effective option in bullous pemphigoid resistant to corticosteroids/immunosuppression. Because it is not an immunossupressive drug, omalizumab may be a valuable option in the treatment of bullous pemphigoid. Prospective randomized trials are warranted, particularly comparative studies with oral prednisolone in monotherapy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the new applications of dermoscopy, five main fields can be distinguished: dermoscopy of skin infections and infestations (entomodermoscopy), inflammatory skin diseases (inflammoscopy), hair disorders (trichoscopy), nailfold cappilaries (capillaroscopy), and dermoscopy for treatment decisions or treatment monitoring. The term entomodermoscopy, from the words dermoscopy and entomology, has been introduced to describe the use of dermoscopy in the diagnosis of infectious skin disorders. Herein, we report several cases concerning its applicability in the diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum, scabies, lice infestations, viral warts and early cutaneous leishmaniasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Relapse of Hansen's disease refers to the appearance of new signs and symptoms in patients with a previous diagnosis and who completed the treatment regimen proposed by WHO. Objectives: To determine and characterize relapse cases of Hansen's disease within five years (2008-2012), in Hansen's disease consultation from Hospital Curry Cabral. Material and Methods: We conducted a retrospective and descriptive review of clinical records, identifying cases in a total of 89 patients seen in consultation in that period. The minimum follow-up time was 6 months. In all cases, clinical suspicion of relapse was confirmed by bacteriological and histopathological examination. Results: We identified 4 cases of relapse, which corresponded to 4.5% of patients observed, all with a previous diagnosis of borderline lepromatous clinical form, according to the Ridley-Jopling classification. Therapy has been established for multibacillar forms according to WHO scheme in all cases. Relapses occurred in a follow-up period between 7 and 16 months after treatment discontinuation. Discussion: The frequency of relapse in this population was higher than that observed in most studies. There was poor adherence to therapy in all cases, admitted as the cause of relapse, after excluded other factors. We emphasize the importance of regular monitoring of patients undergoing treatment, to ensure adherence and effectiveness of therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Erythroderma is a diffuse erythema that affects more than 90% of the body surface area that may be caused by a variety of underlying clinical entities. Material and Methods: We reviewed clinical, laboratory and histopathological data of all patients diagnosed with erythroderma admitted to our inpatient clinic over a 5-year period (2008-2012), identified on a digital database. Results: Nineteen cases were identified over the 5-year period, diagnosed on 15 patients, most being male (n = 13; 68.4%). Psoriasis was the most common etiology (n=10; 52,6%), followed by mycosis fungoides/cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (n=4; 21.0%) and drug reaction (n=3; 15.8%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: New therapies for resistant hypertension (RH), including renal denervation (RDN), have been studied.Access the safety and effectiveness of radiofrequency-based RDN vs pharmacological treatment for RH.A thorough literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane databases, focusing on studies that compared the effects of radiofrequency-based RDN versus pharmacological treatment for RH. Treatment effects for binary and continuous endpoints were pooled and used, respectively, odds-ratio (OR) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to analyze continuous outcomes.In the 10 included studies, involving 1.182 patients, 682 received radiofrequency-based RDN. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 84 months. Analysis revealed that the RDN group had a significant reduction in office systolic blood pressure (BP) (MD − 9.5 mmHg; 95% CI − 16.81 to − 2.29; P = 0.01), office diastolic BP (MD − 5.1 mmHg; 95% CI − 8.42 to − 2.80; P < 0.001), 24 h systolic BP (MD − 4.8 mmHg; 95% CI − 7.26 to − 2.42; P < 0.001). For 24 h diastolic BP RDN did not have a significant reduction (MD − 2.3 mmHg; 95% CI − 4.19 to − 0.52; P = 0.012). The heterogeneity between the studies was high, visible in the funnel and Baujat plots. The OR was non-significant for non-serious adverse events, but also clinically significant for hypertensive crises and strokes for the RDN group.While the pharmacological regimen of 3 or more anti-hypertensive, including a diuretic, still be the first-line option for RH treatment, our results support that radiofrequency-based RDN is superior in reducing global BP and is safe.Aim: New therapies for resistant hypertension (RH), including renal denervation (RDN), have been studied.Access the safety and effectiveness of radiofrequency-based RDN vs pharmacological treatment for RH.A thorough literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane databases, focusing on studies that compared the effects of radiofrequency-based RDN versus pharmacological treatment for RH. Treatment effects for binary and continuous endpoints were pooled and used, respectively, odds-ratio (OR) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to analyze continuous outcomes.In the 10 included studies, involving 1.182 patients, 682 received radiofrequency-based RDN. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 84 months. Analysis revealed that the RDN group had a significant reduction in office systolic blood pressure (BP) (MD − 9.5 mmHg; 95% CI − 16.81 to − 2.29; P = 0.01), office diastolic BP (MD − 5.1 mmHg; 95% CI − 8.42 to − 2.80; P < 0.001), 24 h systolic BP (MD − 4.8 mmHg; 95% CI − 7.26 to − 2.42; P < 0.001). For 24 h diastolic BP RDN did not have a significant reduction (MD − 2.3 mmHg; 95% CI − 4.19 to − 0.52; P = 0.012). The heterogeneity between the studies was high, visible in the funnel and Baujat plots. The OR was non-significant for non-serious adverse events, but also clinically significant for hypertensive crises and strokes for the RDN group.While the pharmacological regimen of 3 or more anti-hypertensive, including a diuretic, still be the first-line option for RH treatment, our results support that radiofrequency-based RDN is superior in reducing global BP and is safe.Methods: New therapies for resistant hypertension (RH), including renal denervation (RDN), have been studied.Access the safety and effectiveness of radiofrequency-based RDN vs pharmacological treatment for RH.A thorough literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane databases, focusing on studies that compared the effects of radiofrequency-based RDN versus pharmacological treatment for RH. Treatment effects for binary and continuous endpoints were pooled and used, respectively, odds-ratio (OR) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to analyze continuous outcomes.In the 10 included studies, involving 1.182 patients, 682 received radiofrequency-based RDN. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 84 months. Analysis revealed that the RDN group had a significant reduction in office systolic blood pressure (BP) (MD − 9.5 mmHg; 95% CI − 16.81 to − 2.29; P = 0.01), office diastolic BP (MD − 5.1 mmHg; 95% CI − 8.42 to − 2.80; P < 0.001), 24 h systolic BP (MD − 4.8 mmHg; 95% CI − 7.26 to − 2.42; P < 0.001). For 24 h diastolic BP RDN did not have a significant reduction (MD − 2.3 mmHg; 95% CI − 4.19 to − 0.52; P = 0.012). The heterogeneity between the studies was high, visible in the funnel and Baujat plots. The OR was non-significant for non-serious adverse events, but also clinically significant for hypertensive crises and strokes for the RDN group.While the pharmacological regimen of 3 or more anti-hypertensive, including a diuretic, still be the first-line option for RH treatment, our results support that radiofrequency-based RDN is superior in reducing global BP and is safe.Results: New therapies for resistant hypertension (RH), including renal denervation (RDN), have been studied.Access the safety and effectiveness of radiofrequency-based RDN vs pharmacological treatment for RH.A thorough literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane databases, focusing on studies that compared the effects of radiofrequency-based RDN versus pharmacological treatment for RH. Treatment effects for binary and continuous endpoints were pooled and used, respectively, odds-ratio (OR) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to analyze continuous outcomes.In the 10 included studies, involving 1.182 patients, 682 received radiofrequency-based RDN. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 84 months. Analysis revealed that the RDN group had a significant reduction in office systolic blood pressure (BP) (MD − 9.5 mmHg; 95% CI − 16.81 to − 2.29; P = 0.01), office diastolic BP (MD − 5.1 mmHg; 95% CI − 8.42 to − 2.80; P < 0.001), 24 h systolic BP (MD − 4.8 mmHg; 95% CI − 7.26 to − 2.42; P < 0.001). For 24 h diastolic BP RDN did not have a significant reduction (MD − 2.3 mmHg; 95% CI − 4.19 to − 0.52; P = 0.012). The heterogeneity between the studies was high, visible in the funnel and Baujat plots. The OR was non-significant for non-serious adverse events, but also clinically significant for hypertensive crises and strokes for the RDN group.While the pharmacological regimen of 3 or more anti-hypertensive, including a diuretic, still be the first-line option for RH treatment, our results support that radiofrequency-based RDN is superior in reducing global BP and is safe.Conclusions: New therapies for resistant hypertension (RH), including renal denervation (RDN), have been studied.Access the safety and effectiveness of radiofrequency-based RDN vs pharmacological treatment for RH.A thorough literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane databases, focusing on studies that compared the effects of radiofrequency-based RDN versus pharmacological treatment for RH. Treatment effects for binary and continuous endpoints were pooled and used, respectively, odds-ratio (OR) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to analyze continuous outcomes.In the 10 included studies, involving 1.182 patients, 682 received radiofrequency-based RDN. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 84 months. Analysis revealed that the RDN group had a significant reduction in office systolic blood pressure (BP) (MD − 9.5 mmHg; 95% CI − 16.81 to − 2.29; P = 0.01), office diastolic BP (MD − 5.1 mmHg; 95% CI − 8.42 to − 2.80; P < 0.001), 24 h systolic BP (MD − 4.8 mmHg; 95% CI − 7.26 to − 2.42; P < 0.001). For 24 h diastolic BP RDN did not have a significant reduction (MD − 2.3 mmHg; 95% CI − 4.19 to − 0.52; P = 0.012). The heterogeneity between the studies was high, visible in the funnel and Baujat plots. The OR was non-significant for non-serious adverse events, but also clinically significant for hypertensive crises and strokes for the RDN group.While the pharmacological regimen of 3 or more anti-hypertensive, including a diuretic, still be the first-line option for RH treatment, our results support that radiofrequency-based RDN is superior in reducing global BP and is safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The understanding of how individuals manage their emotional experiences has flourished dramatically over the last decades, including assessing of emotion (dys)regulation. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) is a well-validated and extensively used self-report instrument for emotion regulation problems. Despite the wide use of DERS in both clinical and research settings, its length potentially increases fatigue and frustration in respondents and limits its inclusion in brief research protocols. Consequently, a short-form version of the DERS (DERS-SF) was developed, which requires cross-cultural adaptations and the study of its reliability and validity. Objectives: In order to address this issue, this study aimed to analyze the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of DERS-SF and examine the DERS-SF factor structure invariance between men and women. Methods: The sample comprised 646 participants aged between 18 and 66 years (M = 29.93, SD = 11.71). Results: The correlated six-factor structure of the original version has an acceptable fit, good reliability, and convergent validity. Our results also suggested the invariance of the factor structure of the DERS-SF across genders. Conclusion: The DERS-SF has good psychometric properties, and it may be useful for future research and clinical work to use this six-factor brief version and improve emotion regulation assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The understanding of how individuals manage their emotional experiences has flourished dramatically over the last decades, including assessing of emotion (dys)regulation. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) is a well-validated and extensively used self-report instrument for emotion regulation problems. Despite the wide use of DERS in both clinical and research settings, its length potentially increases fatigue and frustration in respondents and limits its inclusion in brief research protocols. Consequently, a short-form version of the DERS (DERS-SF) was developed, which requires cross-cultural adaptations and the study of its reliability and validity. Objectives: In order to address this issue, this study aimed to analyze the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of DERS-SF and examine the DERS-SF factor structure invariance between men and women. Methods: The sample comprised 646 participants aged between 18 and 66 years (M = 29.93, SD = 11.71). Results: The correlated six-factor structure of the original version has an acceptable fit, good reliability, and convergent validity. Our results also suggested the invariance of the factor structure of the DERS-SF across genders. Conclusion: The DERS-SF has good psychometric properties, and it may be useful for future research and clinical work to use this six-factor brief version and improve emotion regulation assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is a disorder of porphyrin metabolism with associated skin photosensitivity, which presents with vesicolobullous lesions, atrophic scars and frequently signs of liver damage. Herditary hemochromathosis (HH) is the most frequent autosomic recessive genetic disease. We present the case of a previous healthy 38 years old patient that came to our office with blisters in face, extensor surfaces of arms and on the dorsum of his hands associated with hypertrichosis in zygomatic area and milia on the dorsum of the hands. Laboratory tests showed serum and urinary porphyrins level, serum iron level and ferritin exceeding the normal range. A diagnosis of porphyria cutanea tarda was reached based on clinical presentation, histopathological examination and laboratory results. Genetic studies on Hereditary Hemochromathosis mutations showed a compound heterozygote patient for the most common mutations: C282Y, H63D. Porphyria cutanea tarda can be an important cutaneous marker for patients with mutations of the HH gene. Skin signs can have a key role in early diagnosis, avoiding future complications, and requesting genetic counseling and genetic testing for the children of the affected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors describe the combination of simple techniques to correct a complex surgical defect of malar area, nasolabial fold and ala of nose. The subcutaneous hinge flap restores the anatomic contour and enables the use of a simple flap or graft for reconstruction of the skin surface. Hinge flaps are an excellent alternative to more complex interpolated flaps for reconstruction of central facial surgical wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]