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Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the suitability of emergency remote education (ERE) during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently during the return to in-person education (IPE), investigating aspects of perceived quality differences in these transitions that may have impacted the students' learning process. Design/methodology/approach: This study applied a 41-item instrument to undergraduate students in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Brazil. For the suitability group, 493 responses were collected, and for the return to IPE group, 187 responses were collected. Three calibration approaches were performed using item response theory, with the first two adjusting data independently, and the third one involving a multigroup estimation. Findings: During ERE, students perceived an increase in course offerings, better organization of classes and more study materials. However, the larger volume of content posed challenges in class monitoring, content comprehension and concentration. Upon returning to IPE, students noticed more organized assessments and activities. They found favorable test environments and collaborative tasks with peers, but they experienced difficulties in accessing professors and with class/content organization. Practical implications: By identifying the most suitable items for both teaching formats, HEIs can enhance teaching practices that are more satisfactory from the students' perspective. Originality/value: This study provides an item ranking procedure inspired by differential item functioning and differential test functioning statistics. In an atypical situation, the item ranking procedure demonstrated its ability to generate useful information for identifying and quantifying the longitudinal effects of perceived quality on students.

O objetivo do presente artigo é o de apresentar um estudo avaliativo que teve como objeto o Programa Esporte e Lazer da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), que integra sua Política de Assistência Estudantil. O estudo, em seus procedimentos metodológicos, utilizou a abordagem centrada nos participantes. Ademais, realizou-se estudo exploratório do campo, pesquisas bibliográfica e documental, objetivando o estabelecimento das dimensões, indicadores e padrões de julgamento. Concluiu-se que o programa avaliado favorece o acesso às atividades físicas, esportivas e de lazer pelo corpo discente da UFRJ, atendendo quanto aos fatores que envolvem seu funcionamento e às contribuições para o bem-estar e/ou para a melhoria da qualidade de vida de seus participantes. Entre as principais recomendações, constatou-se que o fortalecimento dos laços do programa com outros projetos e iniciativas da própria UFRJ que dialoguem com a atenção integral do corpo discente, pode suscitar melhorias mútuas.

Phenolic phytometabolites are promising bioactive compounds for management of genomic instability related diseases. Formononetin (FMN) and arbutin (ARB) are found in several plant sources. Our goal was to investigate the safety and efficacy of FMN and ARB using in vitro both standardized and alternative toxicogenetic methods. FMN and ARB were evaluated through the OECD’S guidelines No. 471 (Bacterial Reverse Mutation Test –Salmonella/microsome) and No. 487 (In vitro Mammalian Micronucleus Test – CBMN assay), accordingly to the mentioned recommendations. Also, antimutagenicity of FMN and ARB was assessed in S. Typhimurium strains TA98, TA100 and TA1535, following pre-, co- and post- treatment protocols. Liver human lineages HepG2 and F C3H were assayed for cytotoxicity after exposure to FMN and ARB (24, 48 and 72 h) using in vitro WST-1 test. ARB showed no mutagenicity in the Salmonella/microsome test under both metabolic conditions (in presence or absence of 4 % S9 mix), but FMN was cytotoxic to the TA97 and TA100 strains after metabolic activation. Under this same condition, FMN induced an increase in the mutagenic index of strain TA1535 at two of the highest tested concentrations. Even so, ARB and FMN exhibited protection against the induced alkylation of DNA in multiple action modes. In the antimutagenicity assay, FMN reached the maximum of 80 % of oxidative-provoked mutagenicity reduction in TA98 strain in co-treatment with known mutagen, besides 69 % of reduction in TA100 in the same exposure condition. ARB showed up to reduce induced mutagenicity in strains TA100 and TA1535, reaching percentages from 55 % to 100 % of antimutagenicity in all of the tested exposure models against alkylating agent. In the CBMN assay, no increase in micronuclei formation was observed. The results suggest that FMN and ARB prevent DNA from mutation using multi-targeted antimutagenic roles. Finally, our data suggests that FMN and ARB are not genotoxic and presented encouraging antimutagenicity action in vitro, being promising compounds for use in genomic instability-related diseases therapeutics.

ABSTRACTPenile squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare and aggressive tumour mainly related to lifestyle behaviour and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Environmentally induced loss of imprinting (LOI) at the H19 differentially methylated region (H19DMR) is associated with many cancers in the early events of tumorigenesis and may be involved in the pathogenesis of penile SCC. We sought to evaluate the DNA methylation pattern at H19DMR and its association with HPV infection in men with penile SCC by bisulfite sequencing (bis-seq). We observed an average methylation of 32.2% ± 11.6% at the H19DMR of penile SCC and did not observe an association between the p16INK4a+ (p = 0.59) and high-risk HPV+ (p = 0.338) markers with methylation level. The average methylation did not change according to HPV positive for p16INK4a+ or hrHPV+ (35.4% ± 10%) and negative for both markers (32.4% ± 10.1%) groups. As the region analysed has a binding site for the CTCF protein, the hypomethylation at the surrounding CpG sites might alter its insulator function. In addition, there was a positive correlation between intense polymorphonuclear cell infiltration and hypomethylation at H19DMR (p = 0.035). Here, we report that hypomethylation at H19DMR in penile SCC might contribute to tumour progression and aggressiveness regardless of HPV infection.

ABSTRACT This study aims to verify whether the inequalities by education level found in the population as a whole are also confirmed among those who subscribed to personal insurance and/or open private pension plans in Brazil between 2012 and 2017. This study is a trailblazer in estimating mortality differentials by education level in populations with personal insurance and open private pensions in Brazil. The research contributes to the understanding of socioeconomic factors related to living conditions and, consequently, mortality. The results show that, even in a population that records lower mortality rates and higher life expectancies when compared to the Brazilian population as a whole, education level plays a major role as a protective factor. Population and death data were provided by 23 insurance groups. Through an agreement with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the Applied Mathematics Laboratory of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (LabMA/UFRJ) provided the list of insured people to this ministry, data was cross-referenced with government information and returned to the LabMA/UFRJ with identification of education level, when available, as well as indication of deceased, completing company records. Mortality tables were then drawn up for the insured population by education level. To obtain smoothed tables, Heligman and Pollard’s law was applied using a Bayesian approach, via Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation. In the period from 2012 to 2017, among Brazilians who took advantage of personal insurance and open supplementary pensions, men with a high education level had, at the age of 60, a life expectancy of 5.6 and 6.6 years greater than those with a lower education level, in mortality and survival coverage, respectively. In the case of women, the comparison between the most educated and the least educated shows a difference of 2.7 years in mortality coverage and 5.4 years in survival coverage.

Resumo Crajubar é a região formada pelos municípios Crato, Juazeiro do Norte e Barbalha situados ao sul do estado do Ceará. A expansão urbana desordenada com a retirada de parte significativa da vegetação, mudança da topografia local e aterro de corpos hídricos tem contribuído para a formação de ilhas de calor e consequentemente afetando negativamente a qualidade de vida da população local. Desta forma, o objetivo deste trabalho, foi realizar uma análise temporal da temperatura de superfície em função do uso e ocupação do solo, relacionando com a cobertura do solo por meio do índice de Vegetação por Diferença Normalizada (NDVI). Foi considerada uma série histórica dos anos de 2000, 2010 e 2020, utilizando imagens do Landsat 5, sensor TM nas bandas 3, 4 e 6 e Landsat 8, sensor OLI, nas bandas 4, 5 e 10 adquiridas da United States Geological Survey (USGS). Os resultados evidenciaram a formação de ilhas de calor nos bairros intensamente edificados e com classes de solos expostos, enquanto as ilhas de frescor compõem os corpos hídricos e a vegetação que os margeiam. A arborização da cidade com plantas perenifólias pode favorecer a redução da temperatura local principalmente nos meses de estiagem.

This research aimed to isolate Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains from Amazonian fruits for potential utilization in beer production. Yeast strains were derived from the spontaneous fermentation of Arazá (Eugenia stipitata MacVaught), cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), and cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum Wild. Ex Spreng. Schum) fruits. Identification of the isolated strains was achieved through biochemical assays and ITS rDNA (Internal Transcribed Spacer ribosomal DNA), sequencing, with emphasis on determining their affiliation to S. cerevisiae and assessing phylogenetic ties. Out of the 76 colonies isolated from the fruit fermentations, seven were distinctly identified as S. cerevisiae. Phylogenetic assessments unveiled significant parallels between regional isolates and commercial strains. Notably, beer brewed with the S. cerevisiae AR 03 isolate exhibits physical-chemical attributes characteristics similar to those found in American ale commercial beers. These findings underscore the untapped potential of leveraging Amazonian yeasts in brewing, a step forward for the region's burgeoning bioeconomy.

La inteligencia artificial (IA) está transformando las finanzas y los negocios con análisis avanzados, automatización de procesos y predicciones precisas. Aunque mejora la eficiencia y la toma de decisiones, requiere supervisión humana para mantener la ética. La implementación de IA es costosa, demanda capacitación, proporciona mejoras significativas en la gestión de riesgos y en la toma de decisiones financieras, mejora la operación, el servicio al cliente, optimiza carteras e identifica oportunidades de inversión. Sin embargo, surgen desafíos como preocupaciones éticas y de privacidad, la necesidad de interpretar adecuadamente los resultados, asegurar la ciberseguridad y cumplir las regulaciones. La IA automatiza tareas financieras, reduce costos y errores, personaliza servicios al analizar el comportamiento del cliente. No obstante, la dependencia de datos plantea problemas de privacidad y seguridad, los sesgos en los datos pueden afectar la equidad, y complejidad de los algoritmos puede dificultar la transparencia y comprensión de las decisiones automatizadas.

A avaliação da acurácia de mapeamentos da cobertura da terra é essencial para os usos científico, prático e político dos mapas. No Brasil, o projeto MapBiomas vem mapeando anualmente a cobertura da terra em todo o território via classificação automática de imagens Landsat de média resolução espacial (30 m) desde 1985. Cada nova versão do algoritmo de classificação gera uma nova coleção de mapas que são sujeitos a uma avaliação da acurácia em nível nacional. Entretanto, é cada vez mais frequente o uso do MapBiomas para estudos regionais, municipais ou locais para os quais a avaliação da acurácia em nível nacional da não é adequada. Aqui avaliamos a acurácia e a evolução da acurácia das principais categorias de cobertura do MapBiomas para o estado de São Paulo (SP), o mais urbanizado do país e objeto de muitos estudos e políticas públicas relacionadas à cobertura da terra. Analisamos as coleções 3.1, 4.1, 5.0, 6.0 e 7.0 para o ano de 2017, o mais recente com coincidência de classes em todas as coleções, considerando as classes: Formação Florestal, Floresta Plantada, Pastagem, Cana de Açúcar, Infraestrutura Urbana e Rio, Lago e Oceano. A acurácia global teve seu menor valor na coleção 4.1 e maior na 7.0. As acurácias do produtor (AP) e do usuário melhoraram da coleção 3.0 para a 7.0, com exceção das AP para Floresta Plantada, que praticamente permaneceu inalterada, e de Infraestrutura Urbana que vem mostrando tendência de piora ao longo das coleções, atingindo o seu menor valor na 7.0

Neste artigo são analisadas as repercussões das reformas educacionais paulistas na organização da escola e na autonomia docente. Considerando o sistema de avaliação como elemento persistentemente presente nas reformas e sua articulação com a dimensão curricular, buscou-se verificar de que forma alteraram o âmbito da escola. Considera-se na análise a política educacional paulista no período de 1995-2018, expressa em diferentes programas e projetos. Para tanto, apresentam-se alguns elementos documentais em diálogo com a produção bibliográfica. O artigo decorre de pesquisa mais ampla que investigou diversas dimensões da política educacional paulista no referido período. Neste estudo, buscou-se compreender como os pressupostos da Nova Gestão Pública se manifestam nas políticas educacionais, estabelecendo maior controle sobre as escolas e produzindo uma precariedade subjetiva nas condições de trabalho do magistério, especialmente na autonomia docente, com perda do controle sobre os meios e os fins do processo de ensino. Observou-se que a implementação do sistema de avaliação, instrumento central das reformas educacionais que permaneceu ao longo dos anos, associado à exigência de um currículo oficial, trouxe uma nova lógica nas escolas e refletiu-se na redução significativa da autonomia didática pedagógica dos professores e em maior controle do trabalho e das organizações escolares.

With modern technology, only a small percentage of the overall mass of a launch vehicle, usually less than 5%, can be used as payload mass. To achieve any acceptable performance, a key aspect that is exhaustively analyzed during vehicle design is the definition of the number and sizes of its stages. The problem of finding the best vehicle configuration for a given mission is called staging optimization. This work presents the formulation and a resolution method for the staging optimization of a launch vehicle. The problem is formulated as an optimal control problem (OCP) and, for its solution, a direct approach, employing a gradient-based algorithm as solver, is proposed. An application is performed for the Brazilian microsatellite launcher VLM-1. This vehicle has a notable characteristic that, in its nominal configuration, the first and second stages are very similar to each other (same solid rocket motor with the same quantity of propellant). Different vehicle configurations are investigated which result in an improvement in its performance. The obtained results show good agreement with those from a commercial optimization tool.

Abstract Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive types of cancer. Despite decades of intense investigation, treatment options remain limited, and rapid recurrence with distant metastases remains a significant challenge. Cancer cell-intrinsic production of cytokines such as type I interferons (IFN-I) is a known potent modulator of response to therapy in many cancers, including TNBC, and can influence therapeutic outcome. Here, we report that, in TNBC systems, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) suppresses IFN-I expression via inhibition of STImulator of Interferon Genes (STING), a key mediator of interferon production. Intratumoral STING activity is essential in mediating the efficacy of PARP inhibitors (PARPi) which are used in the treatment of cancers harboring BRCA1 deficiency. We find that, in TNBC cells, PARPi treatment activates AhR in a BRCA1 deficiency-dependent manner, thus suggesting the presence of a negative feedback loop aimed at modulating PARPi efficacy. Importantly, our results indicate that the combined inhibition of PARP and AhR is superior in elevating IFN-I expression as compared to PARPi-alone. Thus, AhR inhibition may allow for enhanced IFN-I production upon PARPi in BRCA1-deficient breast cancers, most of which are of TNBC origin, and may represent a therapeutically viable strategy to enhance PARPi efficacy.

Introduction: To access the common bile duct in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), needle-knife fistulotomy (NKF) can be associated with a shorter sphincterotomy compared to standard cannulation. We aimed to compare the success and safety of NKF versus standard cannulation in the treatment of choledocholithiasis. Methods: A cohort of 379 naïve patients with choledocholithiasis who underwent ERCP between 2005 and 2022 was retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: group A (179 consecutive patients) underwent NKF, while group B (180 patients) received standard biliary access and were matched for stone characteristics and ERCP year. Results: Stone removal success rate for group A was significantly lower than that for group B in the initial ERCP (82.0% vs. 92.1%, p = 0.003). In group A, success rates for stone removal were 90.2%, 80%, and 29.4% for stone sizes 15 mm, respectively (p < 0.001). In contrast, group B showed success rates of 99.2%, 81.5%, and 71.4% for the same stone size categories (p < 0.001). Pancreatitis occurred in 3.7% of group A and 5.8% of group B patients (p = 0.340). Regression analysis revealed that NKF cannulation, stone size (>10 mm), and having 4 or more stones were associated with lower stone removal success compared to standard cannulation in the initial ERCP (OR 0.34, p = 0.015; stone size 10–15 mm: OR 0.20, p < 0.001; stone size >15 mm: OR 0.05, p < 0.001; 4 or more stones: OR 0.4, p = 0.040). Conclusions: The removal of common bile duct stones after NKF access, although safe and effective, is less successful than after a standard cannulation, especially at the baseline ERCP.

Although yeasts of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae species are industrially significant, few studies have investigated their presence in environmental samples from the Amazon rainforest. This study aimed to isolate S. cerevisiae yeasts associated with trees of the Amazon Forest and investigate their thermotolerance, alcohol tolerance, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) characteristics, along with those of regional strains from previous research and reference strains from the industry. We collected fruits, bark and decaying plant material from Theobroma grandiflorum, Spondias mombin L., Mangifera indica L., and Eugenia stipitata, and isolated yeasts using the culture media. To identify the yeasts, we conducted morphological and biochemical analyses, including sugar assimilation and fermentation, and sequencing analyses of the rDNA (ITS and LSU (D1 and D2)). We also performed fermentation tests to determine the optimum temperature, thermotolerance and ethanol tolerance. Finally, we subjected the selected strains to SNP analysis to study the reported genes that are important for alcohol tolerance in S. cerevisiae: FPS1 (farnesyl diphosphate synthase1) and ASR1/YPR093 (alcohol sensitive RING/PHD finger1) genes. As a result, we isolated 53 yeasts, and 10 of which exhibited a sugar assimilation and fermentation profile that was similar to that of S. cerevisiae. These ten isolates were identified using sequencing of the ITS and LSU regions, which revealed the species to be Wickerhamomyces anomalus (n = 4), Torulaspora pretoriensis (n = 3), Debaryomyces hansenni (n = 1), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (n = 2). Through the analysis of the ASR1 and FPS1 regions, we found an SNP at nucleotide 1552 A > G (FPS1), which was associated with ethanol tolerance under our experimental conditions. This work is significant because it is one of the first studies to focus specifically on the isolation of S. cerevisiae from samples in the Amazon region. Furthermore, the SNP analysis allowed us to differentiate isolates that showed greater tolerance to ethanol.

IntroductionLynch syndrome (LS) is an inherited cancer predisposition syndrome characterized by a high risk of colorectal and extracolonic tumors. Germline pathogenic variants (GPV) in the PMS2 gene are associated with

A crise desencadeada mundialmente no ano de 2020 decorrente da pandemia do Coronavírus (SARS-CoV-2) desafiou os gestores municipais a traçarem estratégias que amenizassem os choques recebidos e os fizessem despertar para ações imediatas a fim de inibir os impactos financeiros, tendo como importante instrumento os princípios da Resiliência Financeira. Sendo assim, o presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar a Resiliência Financeira nos municípios de Capitão Poço/PA e Mariana/MG em contexto de crise do covid-19, considerando a volatilidade dos gastos públicos na área da Assistência Social e da Saúde nos anos de 2019 e 2020, e em período eleitoral. Para tanto foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica acerca do tema em estudo e pesquisa documental nos sites eletrônicos dos municípios analisados, partindo de uma abordagem qualitativa e caracterizando-se como descritiva, os municípios foram escolhidos intencionalmente pela similaridade no quantitativo populacional, por estarem localizados em regiões distintas e por possuírem diferentes IDH’s. Os dados coletados foram separados e analisados conforme suas classificações. Como resultado obteve-se que houve aumento nas despesas com pessoal, na área da saúde e na área da assistência social, podendo esses dois últimos serem justificados pelo período pandêmico. Concluiu-se que apenas o município de Mariana apresentou quesitos resilientes, porém ambos foram de acordo com a Teoria do Ciclo Político, que aborda que os gastos públicos são direcionados com base na manutenção do poder, principalmente os gastos com pessoal.

Abstract Background Migration is a phenomenon worldwide, with older migrants, particularly those with fewer socioeconomic resources, having an increased risk of developing adverse cognitive and health outcomes and social isolation. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to validate interventions that promote healthy aging in this population. Previous studies have shown a positive impact of mindfulness based-stress reduction (MBSR) on outcomes such as cognition and sleep. However, only a few studies verified its potential in older adults, especially with vulnerable populations such as migrants. This article presents the protocol of the MEDITAGING study, which is the first to investigate the MBSR effects in migrants aged ≥55 in comparison to a health promotion program. Methods MEDITAGING is a two-arm randomized, double-blinded, controlled study, which will include older Portuguese-speaking migrants (n = 90). Participants are randomized to the MBSR or a health promotion program. Both interventions are conducted in groups over a total of 8 weeks, incorporating weekly meetings, an additional 4-hour class, and extra at-home tasks. The health promotion program has the same structure as the MBSR but comprises different activities related to dementia prevention, healthy habits, cognitive stimulation, sleeping, nutrition, watercolor painting, and physical activity. The assessment of executive functioning, physiological stress measures, self-reported questionnaires, and qualitative interviews are conducted at baseline, after 8 weeks (post-intervention), and at a follow-up session (from one to 3 months thereafter). Analyzes will be conducted using a modified intention-to-treat approach (all participants with at least 3 days of participation in the group-sessions and one post-intervention observation). Discussion This study will test effects of a mindfulness-based intervention against an active control condition in older adult migrants, which few studies have addressed. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05615337 (date of registration: 27 September 2022; date of record verification: 14 November 2022).

This study aimed to identify behavioral and morphological traits of Nellore cattle that can influence calves’ survival and pre-weaning performance. It was performed in two units of a large-scale cow–calf operation farm located in the Central-West region of Brazil, with 975 cow–calf dyads, by scoring cows’ maternal protective behavior, body condition, horns, udder suspension (US), teat size (TS) and calves’ vigor. TS was used to determine teat symmetry (TSm). The production unit where calves were born, their birth date, sex, and birth (BW) and weaning weights were also recorded. Cow ages at calving and production units were used to categorize the cows into twelve classes (Cage). The Shapiro–Wilk test alongside tables of frequencies were used to determine if continuous and categorical variables followed a normal distribution, respectively. Two datasets were considered in statistical analyses: (i) 975 dyad records were used to identify potential factors influencing calf survivability and (ii) 936 records of weaned calves were used to assess pre-weaning performance. Generalized linear models were used to assess the effect of target traits on the calves’ weight adjusted for 210 days of age (W210, kg) and pre-weaning average daily gain (preADG, kg/day). Tukey’s test was used to compare W210 and preADG means. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were estimated between BW, W210 and preADG. Cage, US and the TSm significantly affected pre-weaning calf performance (p < 0.01). Older cows (independently of the production unit) and those with intermediate US and symmetrical teats weaned heavier calves. As expected, positive and significant correlation was observed between BW and preADG (r = 0.35), which, in turn, was highly correlated with W210 (r = 0.99). We concluded that none of the behavioral and morphological traits influenced calf survivability, but cow age, US and TSm impacted pre-weaning performance, with 8- to 11-year-old cows and those with intermediate US and symmetric teats leading to better calf performance at weaning.

Abstract CINAC-patients present renal proximal tubular cell lysosomal lesions which are also observed in patients experiencing calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) nephrotoxicity, suggesting that CINAC is a toxin-induced nephropathy. An alternative hypothesis advocates chronic dehydration as a major etiological factor for CINAC. Here, we evaluated histological and molecular changes in dehydrated versus toxin exposed rats. Wistar rats were divided in 3 groups. Group 1 (n = 6) had free access to drinking water (control group). Group 2 (n = 8) was water deprived for 10 h per 24 h, 5 days/week and placed in an incubator (37 °C) for 30 min/h during water deprivation. Group 3 (n = 8) underwent daily oral gavage with cyclosporine (40 mg/kg body weight). After 28 days, renal function, histopathology and proteomic signatures were analysed. Cyclosporine-treated rats developed focal regions of atrophic proximal tubules with associated tubulo-interstitial fibrosis. PASM staining revealed enlarged argyrophilic granules in affected proximal tubules, identified as lysosomes by immunofluorescent staining. Electron microscopy confirmed the enlarged and dysmorphic phenotype of the lysosomes. Overall, these kidney lesions resemble those that have been previously documented in farmers with CINAC. Dehydration resulted in none of the above histopathological features. Proteomic analysis revealed that dehydration and cyclosporine both induce injury pathways, yet of a clear distinct nature with a signature of toxicity only for the cyclosporine group. In conclusion, both cyclosporine and dehydration are injurious to the kidney. However, dehydration alone does not result in kidney histopathology as observed in CINAC patients, whereas cyclosporine administration does. The histopathological analogy between CINAC and calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity in rats and humans supports the involvement of an as-yet-unidentified environmental toxin in CINAC etiology.

Climate change is characterized by shifts in temperature and climate patterns. Constructing new high-rise environments using materials that incorporate agro-industrial waste can help mitigate this impact without compromising technological properties. This study produced vitreous foams intended to replace natural aggregates in lightweight concrete partially. These foams were sintered in a microwave oven at temperatures of 750 °C, 800 °C, and 850 °C, utilizing glass powder and sugarcane bagasse ash as raw materials. The homogenization and preparation of these materials were conducted through a mechanical pelletization process, employing a constant rotation engine at approximately 40 rpm. The efficacy of microwave sintering was assessed by comparing the outcomes with those from sintering in a conventional electric muffle furnace under identical conditions. The results indicated that the microwave-sintered vitreous foams exhibited the following values for apparent density (≤0.30 g/cm3), porosity (86% to 94%), and compressive strength (0.48 MPa to 0.58 MPa), which align with the global standards for commercial vitreous foams. The microwave sintering route proved to be economically feasible by reducing sintering time and, consequently, energy costs, without sacrificing technological properties. The materials produced in this study offer a promising solution to minimize the environmental impact associated with constructing new buildings, particularly tall structures. Additionally, they support the circular economy by converting waste into valuable by-products.

The neotropical rattlesnake Crotalus durissus occurs in South America, where it is generally associated to open areas in the dry diagonal of the continent, composed of xeric and savanna biomes. Since the 1950’s, however, the species started to be recorded in rainforest biomes. Land-use change, especially the conversion of forests to pasture, remains a widely believed but still untested hypothesis to explain this range expansion. An equally untested alternative hypothesis is ongoing climate change as a driver of this observed expansion. Here we modeled the current distribution of C. durissus using occurrence records prior to 1950 for model calibration. Model predictions were then evaluated using occurrence records post-1950. The sets of models considered (i) only bioclimatic predictors, (ii) only land-use land-cover predictors, and (iii) a combination of both. Our results indicated that since 1950’s the geographic range of C. durissus is expanding primarily due increase in pasture areas, and, secondarily due to ongoing changes in climate (changes in isothermality and precipitation). This range expansion encompasses the Argentinian Chaco and the arc of deforestation in the Amazon, which were unsuitable before the 1950’s. The ongoing range expansion of the neotropical rattlesnake can become a public health issue, given that it is a venomous snake of medical importance. The expansion of the neotropical rattlesnake range can be controlled through public policies aimed at restraining deforestation (especially in the Amazon and the Gran Chaco) and encouraging reforestation (especially in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest).

Objetivo: conhecer os fatores associados ao comprometimento da segurança do paciente. Método: trata-se de um artigo de revisão integrativa da literatura a partir das bases de dados Scientific Electrônic Library Online, PubMed e Literatura Latino-americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, realizada entre abril e maio de 2022. Resultados: foi visto os principais fatores que corroboram para o comprometimento da segurança, sendo a utilização inadequada dos equipamentos, falta de rotina e ausência de protocolo no setor. Foi detectado a problemática da carga exacerbada de trabalho. Conflitos na equipe também foi tido como um preditor para existência de evento adverso. E por fim, o quesito da subnotificação dos erros. Conclusão: é visto a necessidade da gestão reverter esses problemas, para que a assim a porcentagem de erros seja diminuída.

O fenômeno do envelhecimento é uma tendência mundial. Em todos os ciclos da vida este processo está presente, e medidas de conscientização sobre o envelhecer individual e coletivo devem ser valorizadas e desenvolvidas no contexto educacional. Este artigo se propôs a realizar uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o conteúdo do envelhecimento no ensino fundamental, através de uma pesquisa quali-quantitativa, e busca nas bases de dados selecionadas e pelos descritores educação, gerontologia, idoso e ensino fundamental, e suas combinações. Os critérios de inclusão foram publicações completas, de livre acesso, entre 2011-2021, nas línguas português, inglês e espanhol. Das produções encontradas, 63 delas apresentaram relevância baixa, e 2 altas que refletem experiências no Distrito Federal e no Estado de São Paulo, destacando a importância de introduzir temas sobre envelhecimento nas escolas de forma estruturada e alinhada ao currículo pedagógico, experiência indicada na política educacional do Estado de São Paulo. Essa abordagem alinha-se com a formação do cidadão e os movimentos participativos, que oportunizam ações e se articulam intersetorialmente, projetando medidas de envelhecimento saudável à comunidade. Este estudo se mostra relevante e destaca que medidas intergeracionais devem se propagar no contexto escolar para eliminação de preconceito e promoção de atitudes positivas sobre o envelhecimento.

Objective: This study aims to develop a predictive model using artificial intelligence to estimate the ICU length of stay (LOS) for Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) patients after surgery, improving care planning and resource management. Design: We analyze clinical data from 2240 CHD surgery patients to create and validate the predictive model. Twenty AI models are developed and evaluated for accuracy and reliability. Setting: The study is conducted in a Brazilian hospital's Cardiovascular Surgery Department, focusing on transplants and cardiopulmonary surgeries. Participants: Retrospective analysis is conducted on data from 2240 consecutive CHD patients undergoing surgery. Interventions: Ninety-three pre and intraoperative variables are used as ICU LOS predictors. Measurements and main results: Utilizing regression and clustering methodologies for ICU LOS (ICU Length of Stay) estimation, the Light Gradient Boosting Machine, using regression, achieved a Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 15.4, 11.8, and 15.2 days for training, testing, and unseen data. Key predictors included metrics such as “Mechanical Ventilation Duration'', “Weight on Surgery Date'', and “Vasoactive-Inotropic Score''. Meanwhile, the clustering model, Cat Boost Classifier, attained an accuracy of 0.6917 and AUC of 0.8559 with similar key predictors. Conclusions: Patients with higher ventilation times, vasoactive-inotropic scores, anoxia time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and lower weight, height, BMI, age, hematocrit, and presurgical oxygen saturation have longer ICU stays, aligning with existing literature.

Astaxanthin-pigmented oil from shrimp waste meal was nanoencapsulated by O/W emulsification using porcine gelatin (EAG) and a combination with soy protein (EAGS 2:2 and EAGS 3:1) to improve the solubility and antioxidant activity of the pigmented oil. The encapsulates presented spherical shape and smooth surface; particle size equal to 159.68 (14.42) nm for EAG, 192.72 (10.44) nm for EAGS 2:2, and 95.41 (17.83) nm for EAGS 3:1; amorphous structure; and chemical interactions. The oil incorporation efficiency ranged from 87.60-89.20%, the percentage of astaxanthin incorporated was approximately 68%, and the dispersibility in water around 50%. The antioxidant potential evaluation indicated that all formulations preserve or enhance the antioxidant activity of the oil up to three times than non-encapsulated oil. Therefore, porcine gelatin alone or in combination with soy protein was effective in promoting the solubility and enhancing the antioxidant activity of the astaxanthin-pigmented oil, demonstrating interesting characteristics for use in food.

BackgroundApproximately 10 to 20% of pregnant women worldwide experience perinatal depression (PND), a depressive episode with onset during pregnancy or after childbirth. We performed a systematic review to identify, summarize and discuss studies on inflammatory biomarkers described in relation to PND.MethodInclusion criteria defined the selection of observational studies written in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese, that evaluate analytical levels of inflammatory molecules (protein levels) in biological fluids in women, with a diagnosis of depression using ICD/DSM diagnostic criteria or depressive symptoms assessed by standardized psychometric instruments, during pregnancy and/or postpartum. Case reports, experimental studies, reviews, qualitative analysis, meta-analysis, gray literature or replicated data were excluded. Three electronic databases were used for search (Pubmed, Web of Science and PsychInfo) and quality assessment of selected studies were performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data extraction included study design; number of subjects; obstetric information; tools and timepoints of depression and inflammatory markers assessment.Results56 studies (sample size for cross-sectional and case-control studies ranging from 10 to 469; sample size for longitudinal studies ranging from 26 to 467), where the major aim was to analyze the association between depression and inflammatory biomarkers during pregnancy and postpartum period were included in this systematic review. Overall, the findings of our systematic review lend support to the hypothesis that several inflammatory markers may be associated with peripartum depressive symptoms. The associations were somewhat different looking at pregnancy compared to the delivery time-point and postpartum, and mainly referred to increased levels of IL-6, IL-8, CRP and TNF-α among depressed.DiscussionIn summary, our systematic review findings provide evidence supporting the hypothesis that several inflammatory markers may correlate with peripartum depressive symptoms. However, our work also highlighted notable differences in the timing of biological sampling for inflammatory markers and in the methodologies used to assess depression during the perinatal period. Additionally, variations were observed in how inflammatory biomarkers and depression were approached, including their classification as exposure or outcome variables, and the timing of assessments. It is essential for future research to investigate the influence of biological fluids and the timing of assessments for both inflammatory biomarkers and depression to gain a deeper understanding of their association. This comprehensive exploration is pivotal for elucidating the intricate relationship between inflammation and perinatal depression.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004749.].

DRESS syndrome is an idiosyncratic drug reaction and potentially life-threatening. The authors report a case of this syndrome presenting with fever, rash, mucosal involvement, liver and muscle involvement associated with moxifloxacin treatment.