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Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate, through histomorphometric analysis, the effect that different loading times would have on the bone response around implants. Materials and Methods: Three Replace Select implants were placed on each side of the mandible in eight dogs (n = 48 implants). One pair of implants was selected for an immediate loading protocol (IL). After 7 days, the second pair of implants received prostheses for an early loading protocol (EL). Fourteen days after implant placement, the third pair of implants received prostheses for advanced early loading (AEL). Following 12 weeks of prosthetics, counted following the positioning of the metallic crowns for the AEL group, the animals were sacrificed and the specimens were prepared for histomorphometric analysis. The differences between loading time in the following parameters were evaluated through analysis of variance: bone-to-implant contact, bone density, and crestal bone loss. Results: The mean percentage of bone-to-implant contact for IL was 77.9% +/- 1.71%, for EL it was 79.25% +/- 2.11%, and for AEL it was 79.42% +/- 1.49%. The mean percentage of bone density for IL was 69.97% +/- 3.81%, for EL it was 69.23% +/- 5.68%, and for AEL it was 69.19% +/- 2.90%. Mean crestal bone loss was 1.57 +/- 0.22 mm for IL, 1.23 +/- 0.19 mm for EL, and 1.17 +/- 0.32 mm for AEL. There was no statistical difference for any of the parameters evaluated (P > .05). Conclusion: Different early loading times did not seem to significantly affect the bone response around dental implants. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 2010;25:473-481. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate, through fluorescence analysis, the effect that different interimplant distances, after prosthetic restoration, will have on bone remodeling in submerged and nonsubmerged implants restored with a 'platform switch.' Materials and Methods: Fifty-six Ankylos implants were placed 1.5 mm subcrestally in seven dogs. The implants were placed so that two fixed prostheses, with three interimplant contacts separated by 1-mm, 2-mm, and 3-mm distances, could be fabricated for each side of the mandible. The sides and the positions of the groups were selected randomly. To better evaluate bone remodeling, calcein green was injected 3 days before placement of the prostheses at 12 weeks postimplantation. At 3 days before sacrifice (8 weeks postloading), alizarin red was injected. The amounts of remodeled bone within the different interimplant areas were compared statistically before and after loading in submerged and nonsubmerged implants. Results: Statistically significant differences existed in the percentage of remodeled bone seen in the different regions. Mean percentages of remodeled bone in the submerged and nonsubmerged groups, respectively, were as follows: for the 1-mm distance, 23.0% ± 0.05% and 23.1% ± 0.03% preloading and 27.0% ± 0.03% and 25.2% ± 0.04% postloading; for the 2-mm distance, 18.2% ± 0.05% and 18.1% ± 0.04% preloading and 21.3% ± 0.07% and 19.9% ± 0.03% postloading; for the 3-mm distance, 18.3% ± 0.03% and 18.3% ± 0.03% preloading and 18.8% ± 0.04% and 19.8% ± 0.04% postloading; for distal-extension regions, 16.6% ± 0.02% and 17.4% ± 0.04% preloading and 17.0% ± 0.04% and 18.4% ± 0.04% postloading. Conclusions: Based upon this animal study, loading increases bone formation for submerged or nonsubmerged implants, and the interimplant distance of 1 mm appears to result in more pronounced bone remodeling than the 2-mm or 3-mm distances in implants with a 'platform switch.' INT J ORAL MAXILLOFAC IMPLANTS 2009;24:257-266 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hopeless retained primary teeth without permanent successors represent a restorative challenge for clinicians, along with esthetic and functional problems for patients. While various treatment approaches for congenitally missing teeth have been proposed, the replacement of a missing tooth with a dental implant offers specific advantages, such as preservation of the alveolar crest and elimination of the need to restore the adjacent teeth, over other options for tooth replacement. The aim of this article was to illustrate the surgical and prosthetic treatment with implants of a patient with primary teeth without permanent successors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immediate loading of dental implants shortens the treatment time and makes it possible to give the patient an esthetic appearance throughout the treatment period. Placement of dental implants requires precise planning that accounts for anatomic limitations and restorative goals. Diagnosis can be made with the assistance of computerized tomographic scanning, but transfer of planning to the surgical field is limited. Recently, novel CAD/CAM techniques such as stereolithographic rapid prototyping have been developed to build surgical guides in an attempt to improve precision of implant placement. The aim of this case report was to show a modified surgical template used throughout implant placement as an alternative to a conventional surgical guide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of bone condensation and crestal preparation on the bone response of implants designed to promote osseocompression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the first phase, the mandibular premolars of 6 dogs were extracted bilaterally. After 8 weeks, each dog received 8 Xive implants (4 per hemimandible). One hemimandible was randomly assigned to the experimental group and the other to the control group. The implant site was prepared using conventional standard drills. Prior to implant placement the crestal drill was used in the experimental group but not in the control group. After 12 weeks, the animals were sedated and sacrificed. The hemimandibles were removed and prepared for histomorphometric analysis of bone-implant contact (BIC) and bone density of areas adjacent to and further from the implant surface. RESULTS: The mean +/- SD percentages of BIC attained were 71.1% +/- 11.8% and 45.1% +/- 16.1% for the experimental and control groups, respectively. The bone density analysis revealed that in the control group, percentage BIC was a mean of 55.6% +/- 11.3% adjacent to the implant and 50.7% +/- 17.9% distant from the implant. In the experimental group, percentage BIC was a mean of 71.1% +/- 8.6% adjacent to the implant and 55.6 +/- 11.3 distant from the implant. The difference between the experimental and control groups was statistically significant for both parameters, BIC and bone density, in the adjacent areas (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: Crestal preparation is of fundamental importance for this implant system, since it led to better bone response, represented by the improved BIC and bone density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Asthma prevalence and severity are high among underserved minorities, including those of African descent. The Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines is the receptor for Plasmodium vivax on erythrocytes and functions as a chemokine-clearing receptor. Unlike European populations, decreased expression of the receptor on erythrocytes is common among populations of African descent, and results from a functional T-46C polymorphism (rs2814778) in the promoter. This variant provides an evolutionary advantage in malaria-endemic regions, because Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines-negative erythrocytes are more resistant to infection by P. vivax.Objectives: To determine the role of the rs2814778 polymorphism in asthma and atopy as measured by total serum IgE levels among four populations of African descent (African Caribbean, African American, Brazilian, and Colombian) and a European American population.Methods: Family-based association tests were performed in each of the five populations to test for association between the rs2814778 polymorphism and asthma or total IgE concentration.Measurements and Main Results: Asthma was significantly associated with the rs2814778 polymorphism in the African Caribbean, Colombian, and Brazilian families (P < 0.05). High total IgE levels were associated with this variant in African Caribbean and Colombian families (P < 0.05). The variant allele was not polymorphic among European Americans.Conclusions: Susceptibility to asthma and atopy among certain populations of African descent is influenced by a functional polymorphism in the gene encoding Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines. This genetic variant, which confers resistance to malarial parasitic infection, may also partially explain ethnic differences in morbidity of asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Evidence of genetic control for total serum IgE (tIgE) level has been reported in multiple populations, although populations with substantial exposure to helminths have yielded lower estimates of heritability, despite evidence suggesting that genes also control a significant portion of the variation in the number of Schistosoma mansoni eggs per gram of fecal matter. METHODS: By use of a whole-population ascertainment scheme, 822 individuals were enrolled from a schistosomiasis-endemic area in Conde, Bahia, in Brazil. Heritability was estimated by using an additive polygenic model, and segregation analysis was performed for 2 quantitative traits, tIgE level and egg count. RESULTS: After adjusting for nongenetic covariates, the heritability of log-transformed tIgE level and log-transformed egg count was estimated at 60% and 31%, respectively. No evidence for a single major gene controlling tIgE level or egg count was observed in segregation analysis for 781 individuals and 403 individuals, respectively, in 318 families, however, which suggests complex biological control. CONCLUSIONS: The high heritability of tIgE level indicates that genetic factors are likely to control tIgE level even in the presence of helminthic infection. Substantial heritability for the burden of S. mansoni infection was confirmed in these Brazilian families. Further genetic studies will be needed to dissect the specific genetic factors that underlie these traits. Copyright © 2008 Infectious Diseases Society of America [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cationic species, previously detected from ion-induced desorption of solid methane by plasma desorption mass spectrometry (PDMS), and neutral species, are investigated using high-level ab-initio approaches. From a set of 25 cationic and 26 neutral structures belonging to C n H 2 (n = 2-6) families, it was obtained the energy, rotational constants, harmonic vibrational frequency, charge distribution and excitation energies. The ZPVE-corrected energies, at CCSD(T)-F12; CCSD(T)-F12/RI/(cc-pVTZ-F12, cc-pVTZ-F12-CABS, cc-pVQZ/C) (n = 2-5) and CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ (n = 6) levels, reveal that the topology of the most stable isomer vary with n and the charge. Out of 674 harmonic frequencies, those with maximum intensity are generally in the 3000-3500 cm -1 range. Analysis of 169 vertical transition energies calculated with the EOM-CCSD approach, suggest three C 6 H 2 species as potential carriers of the diffuse interstellar bands (DIB). Systematic comparison of properties between neutral and cationic species can assist in the structural description of complex matrices., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

This cross-sectional study investigated the influence of attentional focus verbal instructions on test results for return to sport (RTS) after ACL-R. Sixty subjects (53 male and 7 female, age 27.52 ± 7.63 years, body mass 77.56 ± 12.41 kg, height 162.04 ± 43.90 cm, and surgery time 11.15 ± 4.55 months) were evaluated in the single hop test (SHT), 6 m timed hop test (6mTHT), and "T" agility test. Participants performed the tests following randomly determined verbal instructions that induced neutral focus (NF), internal focus (IF), and external focus (EF). EF increased hop distance in SHT compared to NF ( p  = 0.001, effect size = 0.57) and IF ( p  = 0.037, effect size = 0.57) and there was no difference between IF and NF ( p  = 0.418). In 6mTHT, NF and EF increase velocity compared to IF ( p  = 0.001, effect size = 0.49, p  = 0.001, effect size = 0.49, respectively). In the "T" agility test, the NF increased velocity when compared to the EF ( p  = 0.001, effect size = 0.62) and the IF ( p  = 0.001, effect size = 0.62), without difference between IF and EF ( p  = 0.071). In summary, attentional focus in patients under ACL-R can influence hops and agility.

Introduction: The majority of orthodontic patients present with plaquebiofilm and related manifestations in the early stages of active fixed orthodontic appliance use., Aims: To evaluate the effects of a slow-delivery chlorhexidine:beta-cyclodextrin (Cx:β-Cd) gel compared with those of free Cx free formulations on clinical parameters in patients undergoing treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances., Methods: Patients aged 12-18 years received prophylaxis and scaling and were randomised to treatment groups in a double-blinded manner. They were treated with Cx:β-Cd, Cx, or placebo gel for 15 or 30 days. Bleeding on probing and the visible plaque index were recorded, and gingival crevicular fluid samples were collected for the assessment of cytokine expression., Results: At 15 days, the Cx:β-Cd group exhibited significantly less BOP than did the Cx and control groups (P < 0.001; n = 116). At 15 days, notable decreases in tumour necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ expression, as well as a substantial increase in interleukin-10 expression, were observed in the Cx:β-Cd and Cx groups relative to the control group (P < 0.05). The molecular encapsulation gel resulted in greater saliva Cx concentrations than did the free Cx gel released concentrations of 800 ng g -1 ., Conclusion: Cx:β-Cd gel is effective for the slow delivery of Cx, improving the gingival health of adolescents undergoing orthodontic treatment., Clinical Relevance: A single application of encapsulated Cx gel, was a more effective antiseptic than a free Cx application in fixed orthodontice appliance wearers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Familial amyloid polyneuropathy type I is a rare neurodegenerative disease characterised by early-onset and progressive peripheral sensorimotor and autonomic polyneuropathy. A pregnant woman with familial amyloid polyneuropathy type I presented with mild gastrointestinal, cardiac involvement and peripheral neuropathy, aggravated during the pregnancy. The caesarean delivery was performed under uneventful epidural anaesthesia. Anaesthesia of a pregnant woman with this condition can be challenging due to its multisystemic involvement and the possibility of further neurologic injury. This is one of the few cases of anaesthesia for caesarean section described in familial amyloid polyneuropathy type I patients. Given the possibility of similar cases, it is essential to disclose the anaesthetic management., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Oliveira et al.)

Background: Surgical clipping and endovascular coiling are well-established treatments for acutely ruptured intracranial aneurysms leading to acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). However, these modalities have limitations, particularly in cases involving wide-necked, bifurcating, or dissecting aneurysms. Flow diverter (FD) devices, initially used for unruptured aneurysms, have emerged as an alternative treatment for ruptured aneurysms despite concerns about hemorrhagic complications., Aims: This study aimed to perform a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of parental artery FD devices in treating ruptured intracranial aneurysms., Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases from inception to July 2024. The inclusion criteria focused on studies involving patients with acutely ruptured aneurysms treated with parental artery FDs, with or without adjunctive coiling. Studies were required to report clear, stratified data specific to the population of interest, and include more than five patients. Exclusion criteria included studies on non-ruptured aneurysms, intrasacular flow diversion devices, or previously clipped aneurysms treated with FD. Data extraction was performed independently by two authors, and statistical analysis included single proportion analysis with 95% confidence intervals under a random-effects model, using R Studio. The primary outcome was the rate of aneurysm occlusion at follow-up., Summary of Review: Sixty studies encompassing 1300 patients were included. The primary outcome analysis revealed a 90% (95% CI: 87% - 92%; I2= 51%) rate of total occlusion at follow-up. Subgroup analysis indicated an occlusion rate of 89% for anterior circulation aneurysms and 96% for posterior circulation aneurysms. Intraoperative complications occurred in 6% of cases, while postoperative complications were observed in 13%. Rebleeding rates were low at 1%, with a 2% need for retreatment. Good functional outcomes (mRS ≤ 2) were achieved in 82% of patients, and the overall mortality rate was 4%., Conclusions: FD devices demonstrated high rates of aneurysm occlusion and favorable functional outcomes in patients with acutely ruptured intracranial aneurysms. However, the low mortality rate and favorable outcomes observed may reflect selection bias toward patients with less severe SAH. Despite a modest complication rate, the overall safety and efficacy of FD devices suggest they may be a viable alternative to traditional treatments for specific aneurysm types. Further studies, including a broader spectrum of SAH severities, are warranted to optimize their use in clinical practice.

The shift in dietary habits has reshaped the population's health profile, leading to a rise in overweight individuals and a subsequent decline in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study evaluated the correlations between demographic, social, and health-related factors and HRQoL in rural and urban areas of Bahia, Brazil. The cross-sectional study included 124 participants aged 18-60 who underwent interviews, anthropometric measurements, and laboratory tests. The WHOQol-BREF instrument assessed the HRQoL. The results showed that rural participants had lower educational levels, income, and access to sanitation. Despite these challenges, rural residents reported better HRQoL in psychological, social relations, and health satisfaction domains, although differences diminished after age adjustment. Urban participants, who had higher rates of obesity and related metabolic risks experienced a negative correlation between BMI and HRQoL, especially in the social relationships domain. The study highlights that environmental and social factors, such as weight-related stigma and social connections, significantly influence HRQoL in urban areas, emphasizing the need for public health interventions that address both nutritional status and urban-specific challenges., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Five-membered heterocyclic compounds containing nitrogen atoms are important biomolecule building blocks. In addition to their fundamental biological importance, these molecular structures are used in several technological applications. Consequently, it is essential to develop techniques that allow the characterization of these fundamental systems. We address this issue by performing simulations of K-edge NEXAFS spectra by applying a time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) and an inner-shell multiconfigurational self-consistent field (IS-MCSCF) of selected molecules. Also, vibronic coupling simulations were considered for the TDDFT computations. Surprisingly, molecular orbital binding energies do not reproduce the order of the transition energies obtained by IS-MCSCF, indicating a possible breakdown of the orbital picture concerning the NEXAFS spectrum. In general, the TDDFT and IS-MCSCF results are compatible and are in close agreement with experimental data. Moreover, vibronic coupling and vertical transition results were very similar. Finally, it is important to mention that, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the IS-MCSCF method has been applied to molecular systems of this size., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Lippia alba (erva-cidreira) is often mentioned in Brazilian ethnopharmacological studies. Although its leaves have been used to treat hypertension, few studies have evaluated its hypotensive effects. This work aimed to evaluate the haemodynamic effects of Lippia alba methanolic extract and to characterise its chemical composition. Normotensive rats received an intravenous injection of L. alba extract. Systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressures, and electrocardiographic data were analysed. 1 H-qNMR and LC-MS were used to assess the chemical composition. L. alba extract had significant hypotensive effects on systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure. Acteoside was identified as major compound (292.6 ± 2.7 mg/g). Sixty-one other compounds were tentatively identified, mainly phenylethanoids, flavonoids, and iridoids. L. alba extract reduces systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure, and appears to be associated with a reduction in heart rate. Acteoside, a known hypotensive compound, may be responsible for these effects, but other structurally similar minority compounds may also contribute.

Introduction: Tremor-dominant Parkinson's Disease (TDPD) has a slower neurological decline compared to other phenotypes of the disease, but significantly impacts daily activities and is often less responsive to standard medications. Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) lesioning of the Ventral Intermediate (VIM) nucleus of the thalamus may alleviate symptoms for these patients., Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of English-language studies from PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase were conducted, assessing the efficacy and safety of MRgFUS VIM thalamotomy in TDPD patients. Tremor scores were evaluated using the Clinical Scale Rating for Tremor and the Movement Disorders Society - Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRSIII). Neuropsychological outcomes were measured using the Parkinson Disease Questionnaire (PDQ) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. This analysis adhered to Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines., Results: Thirteen studies with 211 patients were included. MDS-UPDRSIII scores showed significant improvement at 1, 6, and 12 months post-MRgFUS, respectively: (MD -8.92 points, 95% CI: -15.44 to -2.40, p < 0.01; MD -7.39 points, 95% CI: -11.47 to -3.30, p < 0.01; MD -10.66 points, 95% CI: -16.89 to -4.43, p < 0.01). PDQ scores at baseline compared to 6 months post-treatment also indicated a significant improvement (SMD - 0.86, 95% CI: -1.21 to -0.50, p < 0.01). Neurological adverse events were generally mild and transient, with gait instability and sensory deficits being the most common., Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrates significant improvements in tremor and neuropsychological outcomes following MRgFUS VIM thalamotomy in TDPD patients, with adverse events being typically mild and transient., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

EUV and soft X-ray-induced photofragmentation of the halothane (CF 3 CHBrCl) molecule has been investigated using time-of-flight mass spectrometry in the coincidence mode (PEPICO) covering the valence region and vicinity of the bromine 3d, chlorine 2p, and carbon 1s edges. Total and partial ion yields have been recorded as a function of photon energy. At lower photon energies, the heavier singly charged molecular fragments predominate in the mass spectra. On the other hand, there is a strong tendency to the atomization of the molecule at higher photon energies. Despite the different chemical environments experienced by the two carbon atoms, weak site-specific fragmentation is observed. In addition, ab initio quantum mechanical calculations at the MP2 level and a series of computations with multiconfigurational self-consistent field have been performed to describe the inner-shell states.

Objectives: to evaluate the factors associated with COVID-19 death in pregnant women hospitalized in Intensive Care Units in Brazil., Methods: this ecological study was conducted using secondary data from Brazilian pregnant women with COVID-19 hospitalized in Intensive Care Units between March 2020 and March 2022. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were employed., Results: out of 3,547 pregnant women with COVID-19 hospitalized in Intensive Care Units, 811 died (22.8%). It was found that lack of COVID-19 vaccination (OR: 2.73; 95% CI: 1.83; 4.04), dyspnea (OR: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.17; 2.56), obesity (OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.05; 2.17), chronic cardiovascular disease (OR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.14; 2.38), and non-white race/color (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.00; 1.66) were independently and significantly associated with death., Conclusions: it is concluded that vaccination status, presence of comorbidities, and clinical and ethnic-racial characteristics are associated with COVID-19 death in pregnant women hospitalized in Intensive Care Units in Brazil.

Projected to impact 310 million children by the next decade, childhood obesity is linked to serious health issues like metabolic disturbance and cardiovascular diseases. This study introduces a novel approach for the integrated assessment of inflammatory, glycemic and lipid disorders in obese children in resources-limited settings and also identifies key factors contributing to these changes. Conducting a cross-sectional analysis of 231 children aged 5-12 years from public schools in Brazil's semi-arid region, the research involved collecting medical history, anthropometric measurements, and blood samples to analyze glycemic and lipid profiles, along with C-reactive protein levels. We used an adapted the Molecular Degree of Perturbation model to analyze deviations in metabolic markers from a healthy control group. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney and Fisher exact tests, backward logistic regression, and hierarchical cluster analysis. The study identified a direct and independent association between elevated Metabolic Disturbance Degree and both overweight and obesity in children, with significant differences in CRP, Triglycerides, and HDL levels noted between obese and healthy-weight groups. The findings highlight the critical need for early detection and comprehensive understanding of obesity-related changes to mitigate the severe health risks associated with childhood obesity., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study evaluated the photoactivation of hydrogen peroxide gels at different concentrations using blue or violet LED in terms of whitening efficacy and tooth sensitivity. Forty patients were randomly divided into 4 groups: HP6V (violet LED and 6% hydrogen peroxide), HP6B (blue LED and 6% hydrogen peroxide), HP35V (violet LED and 35% hydrogen peroxide), and HP35B (blue LED and 35% hydrogen peroxide). The L*, a* and b* values were measured before, 1 week and 3 months after treatment, and the ΔE and ΔW ID values were calculated. Tooth sensitivity was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS) before, immediately after, and 24 h after bleaching. The ΔE, ΔW ID and bleaching sensitivity values were subjected to the ANOVA test and Bonferroni post-test. HP35V and HP35B showed higher whitening efficacy than HP6VL, while HP6V did not show statistical differences compared to the other groups. Regarding bleaching-related sensitivity, the HP6V and HP6B groups presented the lowest values when compared to HP35V and HP35B. HP6V showed whitening efficacy comparable to HP35V and HP35B but with reduced tooth sensitivity. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT06165458; registration date: 12/09/2023., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

The persistence of symptoms for more than three months following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is referred to as "Long COVID". To gain a deeper understanding of the etiology and long-term progression of symptoms, this study aims to analyze the prevalence of Long COVID and its associated factors in a cohort of Brazilian adults and elders, twelve months after hospital discharge. An observational, prospective, and follow-up study was performed with a cohort of adults and older adults diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020 in the State of Paraná, Brazil. Twelve months after hospital discharge, patients answered a phone questionnaire about the persistence of symptoms after three levels of exposure to COVID-19's acute phase (ambulatory, medical ward, and intensive care unit). According to the characteristics of participants, the prevalence of Long COVID-19 was calculated, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. We analyzed data from 1822 participants (980 adults [≥18-<60 years] and 842 older people [≥60 years]) across three exposure levels. The overall Long COVID prevalence was 64.2%. Long COVID was observed in 646 adults (55%; of which 326 were women) and 523 older people (45%; of which 284 were women). Females had a higher prevalence of long-term symptoms (52%) compared with men. The most common post-COVID-19 conditions in the 12-month follow-up were neurological (49.8%), followed by musculoskeletal (35.1%) and persistent respiratory symptoms (26.5%). Male individuals were less likely to develop Long COVID (aOR = 0.50). Other determinants were also considered risky, such as the presence of comorbidities (aOR = 1.41). Being an adult and having been hospitalized was associated with the development of Long COVID. The risk of developing Long COVID was twice as high for ward patients (aOR = 2.53) and three times as high for ICU patients (aOR = 3.56) when compared to non-hospitalized patients. Presenting clinical manifestations of digestive (aOR = 1.56), endocrine (aOR = 2.14), cutaneous (aOR = 2.51), musculoskeletal (aOR = 2.76) and psychological systems (aOR = 1.66) made adults more likely to develop Long COVID. Long COVID was present in a large proportion of people affected by the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Presence of Long COVID symptoms displayed a dose-response relationship with the level of disease exposure, with a greater prevalence of symptoms associated with the severe form in the acute period.

Noncoding and coding RNAs are key regulators of plant growth, development, and stress responses. To investigate the types of transcripts accumulated during the vegetative to reproductive transition and floral development in the Coffea arabica L., we sequenced small RNA libraries from eight developmental stages, up to anthesis. We combined these data with messenger RNA and PARE sequencing of two important development stages that marks the transition of an apparent latent to a rapid growth stage. In addition, we took advantage of multiple in silico tools to characterize genomic loci producing small RNAs such as phasiRNAs, miRNAs, and tRFs. Our differential and co-expression analysis showed that some types of small RNAs such as tRNAs, snoRNAs, snRNAs, and phasiRNAs preferentially accumulate in a stage-specific manner. Members of the miR482/miR2118 superfamily and their 21-nucleotide phasiRNAs originating from resistance genes show a robust co-expression pattern that is maintained across all the evaluated developmental stages. Finally, the majority of miRNAs accumulate in a family stage-specific manner, related to modulated hormonal responses and transcription factor expression., (© 2024 Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Main Conclusion: The hop phenological cycle was described in subtropical condition of Brazil showing that flowering can happen at any time of year and this was related to developmental molecular pathways. Hops are traditionally produced in temperate regions, as it was believed that vernalization was necessary for flowering. Nevertheless, recent studies have revealed the potential for hops to flower in tropical and subtropical climates. In this work, we observed that hops in the subtropical climate of Minas Gerais, Brazil grow and flower multiple times throughout the year, independently of the season, contrasting with what happens in temperate regions. This could be due to the photoperiod consistently being inductive, with daylight hours below the described threshold (16.5 h critical). We observed that when the plants reached 7-9 nodes, the leaves began to transition from heart-shaped to trilobed-shaped, which could be indicative of the juvenile to adult transition. This could be related to the fact that the 5th node (in plants with 10 nodes) had the highest expression of miR156, while two miR172s increased in the 20th node (in plants with 25 nodes). Hop flowers appeared later, in the 25th or 28th nodes, and the expression of HlFT3 and HlFT5 was upregulated in plants between 15 and 20 nodes, while the expression of HlTFL3 was upregulated in plants with 20 nodes. These results indicate the role of axillary meristem age in regulating this process and suggest that the florigenic signal should be maintained until the hop plants bloom. In addition, it is possible that the expression of TFL is not sufficient to inhibit flowering in these conditions and promote branching. These findings suggest that the reproductive transition in hop under inductive photoperiodic conditions could occur in plants between 15 and 20 nodes. Our study sheds light on the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying hop floral development, paving the way for potential advancements in hop production on a global scale., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between psychosocial factors and the severity of Achilles tendinopathy, along with exploring their potential link to the pain's duration., Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 111 individuals with Achilles tendon pain was conducted., Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 111 individuals with Achilles tendon pain was conducted. Various psychological factors were assessed using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Chronic Pain Self-Efficacy Scale (CPSS), Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). Additionally, the severity of Achilles tendon pain was evaluated using the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles questionnaire (VISA-A-Br). Regression analyses were employed to determine the association of these psychosocial factors with pain severity and duration., Results: Self-efficacy for chronic pain showed a slight association with Achilles tendon pain severity (β = 0.42 [95% CI: 0.06 to 0.16], p = 0.001), explaining only 19% of the dependent variable. The other variables, including anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing, and fear of movement, did not exhibit significant associations., Conclusion: The study suggests that psychological factors demonstrate limited association with the severity of Achilles tendinopathy. While self-efficacy for chronic pain was weakly associated, its clinical relevance remains uncertain. Future research, particularly longitudinal studies, should explore the influence of psychosocial factors on treatment adherence and response to enhance management strategies for Achilles tendon pain., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We aimed to evaluate the bacterial growth and diversity in vacuum-packed beef bags stored at different temperatures and to monitor blown-pack spoilage. We used culture-based methods and high-throughput sequencing to study the development of the main bacterial groups naturally present in beef stored at 4 and 15 °C for 28 days. The growth of sulfite-reducing clostridium (SRC) was impaired in beef bags stored at 4 °C; significant differences among SRC counts were observed in beef bags stored at 4 and 15 °C on days 14, 21, and 28 (P = 0.001). Blown pack was observed in most beef bags stored at 15 °C, from day 14 to day 28, but not in beef bags stored at 4 °C. A storage temperature of 4 °C was able to maintain a stable bacterial microbiota (most prevalent: Photobacterium, Hafnia-Obesumbacterium, and Lactococcus). Remarkable changes in microbial abundance occurred at 15 °C from day 14 to day 28, with a predominance of strict anaerobes (Bacteroides) and the presence of Clostridium spp. The relative frequencies of strict anaerobes and Clostridium were statistically higher in the beef bags stored at 15 °C (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). The temperature influenced the microbial counts and relative abundance of spoilage bacteria, leading to blown pack spoilage., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the temporal trend in the incidence of tuberculosis-HIV coinfection in Brazil, by macro-region, Federative Unit, sex and age group, from 2010 to 2021., Methods: This was a time series study using surveillance data to estimate average annual percentage changes (AAPC), and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) via joinpoint regression., Results: 122,211 cases of tuberculosis-HIV coinfection were analyzed; a falling trend was identified for Brazil as a whole (AAPC = -4.3; 95%CI -5.1;-3.7), and in the country's Southern (AAPC = -6.2; 95%CI -6.9;-5.5) and Southeast (AAPC = -4.6; 95%CI -5.6;-3.8) regions, even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021); the greatest falling trend was seen in Santa Catarina (AAPC = -9.3; 95%CI -10.1;-8.5), while the greatest rising trend was found in Tocantins (AAPC = 4.1; 95%CI 0.1;8.6); there was a rising trend among males, especially in Sergipe (AAPC = 3.9; 95%CI 0.4;7.9), and those aged 18 to 34 years, especially in Amapá (AAPC = 7.9; 95%CI 5.1;11.5)., Conclusion: The burden and trends of tuberculosis-HIV coinfection were geographically and demographically disparate.

Context: The study of molecular aggregation effects on the electronic spectrum is essential for the development of optoelectronic devices. However, investigating the entire valence absorption spectrum of aggregates using quantum mechanical methods is a challenging task. In this work, we perform systematic simulations of the absorption spectrum of benzene molecular clusters up to 35 eV applying two approaches based on time-dependent density functional theory. The results show that depending on the dimer packing, different energy shifts occur for the symmetry allowed [Formula: see text] transition, in comparison to the monomer. The transition intensity increases for the band around 6 eV for larger aggregates from the monomer to dimers and tetramer, indicating the occurrence of the symmetry forbidden (in [Formula: see text] point group) [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] transition. The benzene crystal exhibits a large redshift following the experimental spectrum. Also, the continuum regions of all spectra show a good agreement with the experiments both in gas and solid phases., Methods: Geometry optimization of the monomer was carried out with Gaussian 09 software using the PBE0/def2-TZVP level of theory. We used dimers and tetramer molecular geometries extracted from the experimental crystal structure. The absorption spectra were directly obtained by the Liouville-Lanczos TDDFT approach with plane waves basis set or indirectly by TDDFT pseudo-spectra calculated in a [Formula: see text] basis followed by analytic continuation procedure to obtain complex polarizability. The former is available at Quantum ESPRESSO, and the latter was calculated using Gaussian 09 with the post-processing performed with a code previously developed in our group., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The area of social skills is broad, in theory and in practice. For social skills training, various clinical practices have been applied in group sessions, as have motivational resources such as role-playing games (RPGs). In recent years, the need arose to assess the clinical impact of the pandemic. The objective of this study was to determine the impact that the pandemic has had on in-person and online social skills training., Methods: We evaluated six subjects with autism spectrum disorder, with or without another, similar disorder, each of whom attended a total of 12 two-hour RPG sessions over a 12-month period. The original (Portuguese-language) version of the Social Skills Inventory for Adolescents was applied at three different time points (pre-, mid-, and post-intervention)., Results: After six in-person tabletop RPG sessions, there was an increase in the mean frequency scores and a decrease in the mean difficulty scores. However, during the pandemic, the remaining six sessions were conducted online and the effect was the opposite., Conclusion: Our data indicate that there is a need for further studies assessing social skills training in online contexts., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Henning, de Oliveira, de Andrade, Gallo, Benevides, Gomes, Fukue, Lima, de Oliveira, de Oliveira, Werpp, Moraes and Neto.)

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes schistosomiasis as one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases targeted for global elimination in the 2030 Agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals. In Brazil, schistosomiasis mansoni is considered a public health problem, particularly prevalent among vulnerable populations living in areas with poor environmental and sanitary conditions. In 2022, the WHO published a Guideline encompassing recommendations to assist national programs in endemic countries in achieving morbidity control, eliminating schistosomiasis as a public health problem, and advancing towards interrupting transmission. The perspectives presented here, collectively prepared by members of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation's (Fiocruz) Schistosomiasis Translational Program (FioSchisto), along with invited experts, examine the feasibility of the WHO recommendations for the Brazilian settings, providing appropriate recommendations for public health policies applicable to the epidemiological reality of Brazil, and suggests future research to address relevant issues. In Brazil, the provision of safe water and sanitation should be the key action to achieve schistosomiasis elimination goals. The agencies involved in measures implementation should act together with the Primary Care teams for planning, executing, monitoring, and evaluating actions in priority municipalities based on their epidemiological indicators. Host snails control should prioritize judicious ecological interventions at breeding sites. The Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) strategy should be associated with water and sanitation and other control actions, actively involving school community. To identify infected carriers, FioSchisto recommends a two-stage approach of immunological and molecular tests to verify transmission interruption during the intervention and beyond. Praziquantel administration should be done under medical supervision at the Primary Care level. MDA should be considered in exceptional settings, as a measure of initial attack strategy in locations presenting high endemicity, always integrated with water and sanitation, IEC, and snail control. To assist decision-making, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of strategic actions, there is a need for an Information System. FioSchisto considers this systematization essential to make investments in strategic research to support the improvement of schistosomiasis control actions. Efforts toward schistosomiasis elimination in Brazil will succeed with a paradigm shift from the vertical prescriptive framework to a community-centered approach involving intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2023 Menezes, Montresor, Jangola, de Mattos, Domingues, Júnior, Silva, Barbosa, de Mendonça, Massara, Fonseca, de Oliveira, Gomes, da Silva, Bezerra, Silva, de Siqueira, Silva, Heller, Farias, Beck, Santos, Lima, Mourão, Enk, Fernandez, Katz, Carvalho, Parreiras, Neves, Gava, de Oliveira, Thiengo, Favre, Graeff-Teixeira, Pieri, Caldeira, da Silva-Pereira, Rocha and Oliveira.)

Our aim was to evaluate musculoskeletal discomfort and the lifestyle of military police officers of administrative and tactical force departments. Military police officers were distributed into two groups: administrative (Adm, n = 15) and tactical force (TF, n = 16) departments. Their lifestyle was assessed using the Fantastic Lifestyle questionnaire. Moreover, physical activity quantification was assessed using the International Physical Activity questionnaire, and musculoskeletal discomfort was quantified using the Corlett diagram. The mean total time of physical activity was 546 ± 276 min per week. No differences ( p = 0.0832) were found between the Adm (454 ± 217 min) and TF (623 ± 301 min) groups. Concerning lifestyle, in general the sample presented very good (42%) and good (42%) style classification. For this parameter, no significant differences were found, but only a tendency was discovered (x 2 : 7.437; p = 0.0592); indeed, the TF presented a better classification (63%) of very good, compared to the Adm (53%) of good. No differences ( p > 0.05) were found in musculoskeletal perception of discomfort between the right and left sides ( p > 0.05) for all police officers and between the Adm and FT groups ( p > 0.05). Military police officers showed high and moderate risk for waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, respectively; however, lifestyle and total time of physical activity were considered adequate without differences between military administrative and tactical force sectors.

The gut microbiome has recently been the subject of considerable scientific interest due to its essential bodily functions. Several factors can change the composition and function of the gut microbiome, and dietary habits are one of the most important contributors. Despite the recognition of the probiotic effects related to the genus Bifidobacterium spp. (BIF) studies aiming to assess its relationship with metabolic outcomes show conflicting results, particularly in the child population. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the fecal abundance of BIF in a group of schoolchildren from public schools in Bahia, Brazil, and to investigate their relationship with food consumption and laboratory and anthropometric characteristics. A sample of 190 subjects aged 5 to 19y was randomly selected for dietary, laboratory, and anthropometric assessment. Fecal BIF abundance assessment was performed using the Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction assay. Fecal BIF abundance was higher among subjects who had lower intakes of meat. The abundance of BIF was also higher among subjects with lower Waist Circumference and Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR). Low BIF abundance was associated with a higher prevalence of hyperglycemia (PR 1.04, 95%CI 1.02-1.07, p = 0.001) and high WHtR (PR 1.04, 95%CI 1.01-1, 08, p = 0.015). These findings allow us to conclude that BIF fecal abundance is related to dietary and anthropometric parameters in schoolchildren, and its increase is associated with positive metabolic outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Menezes et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Over the centuries, human society has evolved based on the ability to select and use more adapted species for food supply, which means making plant species tastier and more productive in particular environmental conditions. However, nowadays, this scenario is highly threatened by climate change, especially by the changes in temperature and greenhouse gasses that directly affect photosynthesis, which highlights the need for strategic studies aiming at crop breeding and guaranteeing food security. This is especially worrying for crops with complex phenology, genomes with low variability, and the ones that support a large production chain, such as Coffea sp. L. In this context, recent advances shed some light on the genome function and transcriptional control, revealing small RNAs (sRNAs) that are responsible for environmental cues and could provide variability through gene expression regulation. Basically, sRNAs are responsive to environmental changes and act on the transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene silencing pathways that regulate gene expression and, consequently, biological processes. Here, we first discuss the predicted impact of climate changes on coffee plants and coffee chain production and then the role of sRNAs in response to environmental changes, especially temperature, in different species, together with their potential as tools for genetic improvement. Very few studies in coffee explored the relationship between sRNAs and environmental cues; thus, this review contributes to understanding coffee development in the face of climate change and towards new strategies of crop breeding.

The present study evaluated the role of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1)/carbon monoxide (CO) pathway in the cholera toxin-induced diarrhea and its possible action mechanism. The pharmacological modulation with CORM-2 (a CO donor) or Hemin (a HO-1 inducer) decreased the intestinal fluid secretion and Cl - efflux, altered by cholera toxin. In contrast, ZnPP (a HO-1 inhibitor) reversed the antisecretory effect of Hemin and potentiated cholera toxin-induced intestinal secretion. Moreover, CORM-2 also prevented the alteration of intestinal epithelial architecture and local vascular permeability promoted by cholera toxin. The intestinal absorption was not altered by any of the pharmacological modulators. Cholera toxin inoculation also increased HO-1 immunoreactivity and bilirubin levels, a possible protective physiological response. Finally, using fluorometric technique, ELISA assay and molecular docking simulations, we show evidence that CO directly interacts with cholera toxin, forming a complex that affects its binding to GM1 receptor, which help explain the antisecretory effect. Thus, CO is an essential molecule for protection against choleric diarrhea and suggests its use as a possible therapeutic tool., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The discovery of C 60 , C 60 + , and C 70 in the interstellar medium has ignited a profound interest in the astrochemistry of fullerene and related systems. In particular, the presence of diffuse interstellar bands and their association with C 60 + has led to the hypothesis that hydrogenated derivatives, known as fulleranes, may also exist in the interstellar medium and contribute to these bands. In this study, we systematically investigated the structural and spectroscopic properties of C 60 H n + q ( n = 0-4, q = 0,1) using an automated global minimum search and density functional theory calculations. Our results revealed novel global minimum structures for C 60 H 2 and C 60 H 4 , distinct from previous reports. Notably, all hydrogenated fullerenes exhibited lower ionization potentials and higher proton affinities compared to C 60 . From an astrochemical perspective, our results exposed the challenges in establishing definitive spectroscopic criteria for detecting fulleranes using mid-infrared and UV-Vis spectroscopies. However, we successfully identified distinct electronic transitions in the near-infrared range that serve as distinctive signatures of cationic fulleranes. We strongly advocate for further high-resolution experimental studies to fully explore the potential of these transitions for the interstellar detection of fulleranes.

The use of transcriptomic data to make inferences about plant metabolomes is a useful tool to help the discovery of important compounds in the available biodiversity. To unveil previously undiscovered metabolites of Coffea , of phytotherapeutic and economic value, we employed 24 RNAseq libraries. These libraries were sequenced from leaves exposed to a diverse range of environmental conditions. Subsequently, the data were meticulously processed to create models of putative metabolic networks, which shed light on the production of potential natural compounds of significant interest. Then, we selected one of the predicted compounds, the L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), to be analyzed by LC-MS/MS using three biological replicates of flowers, leaves, and fruits from Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora. We were able to identify metabolic pathways responsible for producing several compounds of economic importance. One of the identified pathways involved in isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis was found to be active and producing L-DOPA, which is a common product of POLYPHENOL OXIDASES (PPOs, EC 1.14.18.1 and EC 1.10.3.1). We show that coffee plants are a natural source of L-DOPA, a widely used medicine for treatment of the human neurodegenerative condition called Parkinson's disease. In addition, dozens of other compounds with medicinal significance were predicted as potential natural coffee products. By further refining analytical chemistry techniques, it will be possible to enhance the characterization of coffee metabolites, enabling a deeper understanding of their properties and potential applications in medicine.

The objectives of this study were (1) to systematically review the literature on the association between birth weight in children born in the first and second generation and (2) to quantify this association by performing a meta-analysis. A systematic review was carried out in six databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL and LILACS), in January 2021, for studies that recorded the birth weight of parents and children. A meta-analysis using random effects to obtain a pooled effect of the difference in birth weight and the association of low birth weight (LBW) between generations was performed. Furthermore, univariable meta-regression was conducted to assess heterogeneity. Egger's tests were used to possible publication biases. Of the 9878 identified studies, seventy were read in full and twenty were included in the meta-analysis (ten prospective cohorts and ten retrospective cohorts), fourteen studies for difference in means and eleven studies for the association of LBW between generations (twenty-three estimates). Across all studies, there was no statistically significant mean difference (MD) birth weight between first and second generation (MD 19·26, 95 % CI 28·85, 67·36; P = 0·43). Overall, children of LBW parents were 69 % more likely to have LBW (pooled effect size 1·69, 95 % CI (1·46, 1·95); I 2 :85·8 %). No source of heterogeneity was identified among the studies and no publication bias. The average birth weight of parents does not influence the average birth weight of children; however, the proportion of LBW among the parents seems to affect the offspring's birth weight.

Objective: Compare the breast cancer mortality rate and the rate of mammograms with socioeconomic factors, in Brazilian´s Federative Units, during the period of 2015 to 2021. Methods: This is an ecological study, of a descriptive nature, which covers the 27 Brazilian federative units, using secondary data extracted from the DATASUS System. The information analyzed was mammography data, breast cancer mortality, demographic and economic data of the resident population and women over 20 years of age. Results: There is a direct relationship between mortality rate and mammograms rates in the Federative Units. The data obtained for Brazil presents a total of 133,048 deaths from breast cancer and 17,324,526 mammography exams in the period from 2015 to 2021. In other words, Brazil presents a standardized mortality rate value, 19.25 deaths per 100,000 women. Regarding the mammography rate, the value of the exam-specific mammography rate was 2,506.55 per 100,000 women. In relation to socioeconomic data by mortality rate group, higher mortality rates from breast cancer present higher rates in the variables: income rate by State (2,594.86), people with income (63.5), average percentage of women with more over 50 years old (29.5%), women with average years of education (6.64), white population (55.1%) and mammography exam rate (2873.20). When analysing the highest rates of mammography exam rates, higher rates are observed income rate by State (2,161.47), people with income (62.5%), average percentage of women over 50 years old (28.6%), women with an average number of years of education (5.8). Conclusion: Brazil has a high mortality rate due to breast cancer, when compared to other countries. The reasons are diverse, such as the modern, industrialized and populous lifestyle. The Federative Units with the highest mortality rate also have high rates of mammograms, that is, in the Federative Units with "better" sociodemographic conditions, the South and Southeast.

Computer vision system (CVSs) are effective tools that enable large-scale phenotyping with a low-cost and non-invasive method, which avoids animal stress. Economically important traits, such as rib and loin yield, are difficult to measure; therefore, the use of CVS is crucial to accurately predict several measures to allow their inclusion in breeding goals by indirect predictors. Therefore, this study aimed (1) to validate CVS by a deep learning approach and to automatically predict morphometric measurements in tambaqui and (2) to estimate genetic parameters for growth traits and body yield. Data from 365 individuals belonging to 11 full-sib families were evaluated. Seven growth traits were measured. After biometrics, each fish was processed in the following body regions: head, rib, loin, R + L (rib + loin). For deep learning image segmentation, we adopted a method based on the instance segmentation of the Mask R-CNN (Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks) model. Pearson's correlation values between measurements predicted manually and automatically by the CVS were high and positive. Regarding the classification performance, visible differences were detected in only about 3% of the images. Heritability estimates for growth and body yield traits ranged from low to high. The genetic correlations between the percentage of body parts and morphometric characteristics were favorable and highly correlated, except for percentage head, whose correlations were unfavorable. In conclusion, the CVS validated in this image dataset proved to be resilient and can be used for large-scale phenotyping in tambaqui. The weight of the rib and loin are traits under moderate genetic control and should respond to selection. In addition, standard length and pelvis length can be used as an efficient and indirect selection criterion for body yield in this tambaqui population., (© 2023 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)

Objective: To describe perceptions and practices of physical therapists from elite men's football clubs on the management of athletes with hamstring strain injury (HSI)., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: Online survey., Participants: Physical therapists from clubs engaged in the two main divisions of Brazilian men's football., Main Outcome Measures: Practices for assessment and rehabilitation of athletes with HSI., Results: This survey had 62 physical therapists from 35 of the 40 eligible clubs (87.5% representativeness). Despite heterogeneity on assessment practices, all respondents use imaging exams, adopt injury classification scales, and evaluate aspects related to pain, range of motion, muscle strength, and functional status of athletes with HSI. Rehabilitation programs are usually divided into 3 to 4 phases. All respondents usually apply electrophysical agents and stretching in HSI rehabilitation programs, 98.4% apply strengthening exercises (93.5% include eccentrics), 96.8% manual therapy, 95.2% exercises that mimic the functional demands of football, and 93.5% lumbopelvic stabilization exercises. Muscle strength was the most reported return to play criterion (71% of respondents)., Conclusion: The present study allowed the sports physical therapy community to become aware of the approaches usually adopted for management of athletes with HSI who play in the highest level of Brazilian men's football., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declared no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)