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This study was designed to evaluate different doses of hypobaric 0.15% bupivacaine administered to achieve unilateral orthopaedic surgery under subarachnoid block. Using a randomised, double-blinded protocol, 150 ASA I to II patients scheduled for elective unilateral orthopaedic surgery were allocated to received a subarachnoid block with hypobaric bupivacaine 0.15% 4.5 mg (3 ml) (Group 1), 6.0 mg (4 ml) (Group 2) or 7.5 mg (5 ml) (Group 3). Measurements included cardiovascular and haemodynamic stability, incidence of unilateral anaesthesia, time to recover from motor block, postoperative urinary retention, transitory neurological symptoms and postdural puncture headache. There was a dose-dependent increase in the duration of the block, from 1:55 +/- 00:20 hours (4.5 mg) to 2:15 +/- 00:22 hours (6.0 mg) and 3:15 +/- 00:31 hours (7.5 mg). The sensory block in the operated limb was significantly higher than that in the non-operated limb at all times. The increasing dose resulted in an increase of the motor block score. Seventy percent of patients had unilateral block. It was concluded that the spinal anaesthesia in all groups was suitable for single limb orthopaedic surgery. The smallest dose (4.5 mg) of hypobaric 0.15% bupivacaine resulted in more unilateral blocks, with narrower distribution and shorter duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined aspects of male sexuality in São Paulo using both qualitative and quantitative methods. It commences with an outline of some key tenets of emerging perspectives on male sexuality in Brazil and contemporary issues such as sexual orientation, first intercourse, perception of male sexual nature, sexual philosophies (with particular reference to gender and the double standard) and number of sexual partners. The findings show evidence for some aspects of traditional stereotypes, but also evidence of more gender-liberal and sexually monogamous traits among many men in São Paulo. Care needs to be taken against over-generalization regarding male sexuality in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farnesol (FAR) belongs to terpenes group and is a sesquiterpene alcohol and a hydrophobic compound, which can be extracted from natural sources or obtained by organic chemical or biological synthesis. Recent advances in the field of nanotechnology allow the drawbacks of low drug solubility, which can improve the drug therapeutic index. Therefore, this study aimed to prepare the FAR inclusion complexes with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) through freeze-drying method, proposing their physicochemical characterization, comparing their toxicity, and evaluating their in vitro antibacterial activity. Initially, physical mixture and freeze-dried inclusion complexes of FAR/β-CD and FAR/HP-β-CD were obtained in the molar ratio (1:1). The samples were characterized by DSC, TG/DTG, FTIR, PXRD, SEM, pH PZC , and the complexation efficiency were performed by HPLC. In vivo toxicity assay was performed using Tenebrio molitor larvae to determine the LD50 and toxic dose of the samples. Also, it was proposed that the evaluation of the fluorescence suppression of Bovine Serum Albumin and the antibacterial activity. The complexation of FAR was evidenced with β-CD and HP-β-CD by the characterization techniques analyzed. The complexation efficiency of FAR/β-CD and FAR/HP-β-CD were 73,53 % and 74.12 %, respectively. The inclusion complexes demonstrated a reduction in toxicity, as evidenced by lower toxic and LD50 doses compared to the free FAR. The inclusion complexes induced conformational changes in BSA, suggesting that they reached the subdomains containing tryptophan residues. In terms of antibacterial activity, FAR/β-CD and FAR/HP-β-CD did not exhibit significant MIC results compared to free FAR, except for FAR/HP-β-CD against S. aureus ATCC 25923., 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 © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This Study focuses on the preparation of sustainable and efficient Chitosan catalyst for the removal of three organic pollutants, 17β-Estradiol (E2), 17α-ethynyl estradiol (EE2) and triclosan (TCS) from water. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized by different techniques which confirmed the presence of the key components Chitosan, Carica Papaya seed and Kaolinite. The optical characterization proved the nanocomposite is photoactive with a band gap of 1.81 eV and 1.77 eV for Chitosan/kaolinite biochar (CS/KBC) and Chitosan/kaolinite biochar/GO (CS/KBC/GO) respectively, confirming the ability of the nanocomposite to be active in the visible light region of the spectrum. The degradation experiment using CS/KBC/GO was observed better with 100% removal for 5 mg/L E2 and EE2 over 60 min and 97.8% over 120 min for 10 mg/L TCS at optimum conditions (pH 3 for E2, and EE2 and pH 7). It was observed that the superoxide radical played a major role in the degradation of the contaminants. Furthermore, the CS/KBC/GO was efficient over four cycles without any decrease in performance, which rules out the question of catalyst deactivation proving the sustainability of the catalyst. The toxicity test shows that the water is safe as it does not harm cerio daphnia silvestrii organism.; CS/KBC/GO efficiently removed the micropollutants from real-life waste samples and the performance was very good with a slight decrease in performance for the wastewater due to the complex matrix of the water sample that competes for the active site., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Habitat loss can lead to biotic homogenization (decrease in β diversity) or differentiation (increase in β diversity) of biological communities. However, it is unclear which of these ecological processes predominates in human-modified landscapes. We used data on vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants to quantify β diversity based on species occurrence and abundance among communities in 1367 landscapes with varying amounts of habitat (<30%, 30-60%, or >60% of forest cover) throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Decreases in habitat amount below 30% led to increased compositional similarity of vertebrate and invertebrate communities, which may indicate a process of biotic homogenization throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. No pattern was detected in plant communities. We found that habitat loss was associated with a deterministic increase in faunal community similarity, which is consistent with a selected subset of species being capable of thriving in human-modified landscapes. The lack of pattern found in plants was consistent with known variation between taxa in community responses to habitat amount. Brazilian legislation requiring the preservation of 20% of Atlantic Forest native vegetation may be insufficient to prevent the biotic homogenization of faunal communities. Our results highlight the importance of preserving large amounts of habitat, providing source areas for the recolonization of deforested landscapes, and avoiding large-scale impacts of homogenization of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest., (© 2024 Society for Conservation Biology.)

We investigated the occurrence and the environmental risk of eight contaminants of emerging concern (CECs; acetaminophen, naproxen, diclofenac, methylparaben, 17β-estradiol, sulfathiazole, sulfadimethoxine, and sulfamethazine) in three Brazilian water bodies, namely, the Monjolinho River Basin (São Paulo State), the Mogi Guaçu River (São Paulo State), and the Itapecuru River (Maranhão State) in three sampling campaigns. The CECs were only quantified in surface water samples collected at the Monjolinho River Basin. Acetaminophen, naproxen, and methylparaben were detected in the range of <200 to 575.9 ng L -1 , <200 to 224.7 ng L -1 , and <200 to 303.6 ng L -1 , respectively. The detection frequencies of the three measured compounds were between 33% and 67%. The highest concentrations of CECs were associated with intense urbanization and untreated sewage discharge. Furthermore, CEC concentrations were significantly correlated with total organic carbon, electrical conductivity, and dissolved oxygen levels, suggesting that domestic pollution from urban areas is an important source in the distribution of CECs in the Monjolinho River Basin. The environmental risk assessment indicated a high risk for acetaminophen (risk quotient [RQ] values between 2.1 and 5.8), a medium risk for naproxen (RQs between 0.6 and 0.7), and a low risk for methylparaben (RQs < 0.1) to the freshwater biota of the Monjolinho River Basin. Our findings show potential threats of CECs in Brazilian water bodies, especially in vulnerable areas, and reinforce the need for improvements in environmental regulations to include monitoring and control of these compounds in aquatic systems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:2199-2210. © 2024 SETAC., (© 2024 SETAC.)

Background: The senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) is a biomarker index based on the profile of 22 blood proteins associated with cellular senescence. The SASP index has not been assessed in older patients with bipolar disorder (BD). We hypothesized that older adults with BD will have elevated cellular senescence burden as measured by the SASP index., Methods: We measured the 22 SASP proteins to calculate the SASP index in 38 older patients with BD and 34 non-psychiatric comparison individuals (HC)., Results: The SASP index scores were significantly higher in BD than HC after controlling for age, sex, psychopathology, and physical health (F(1,8) = 5.37, p = 0.024, η2 = 0.08). SASP index scores were also associated with higher age, more severe depressive symptoms, and physical illness burden (p < 0.05) in the whole sample., Limitation: Cross-sectional study and small sample size., Conclusion: This is the first report of increased SASP index scores in older adults with BD. Our results suggest that dysregulation of age-related biological processes may contribute to more severe depressive symptoms and worse physical health in older adults with BD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Dr. Diniz receives research support from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Mulsant holds and receives support from the Labatt Family Chair in Biology of Depression in Late-Life Adults at the University of Toronto. He currently receives or has received within the past five years research support from Brain Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the CAMH Foundation, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), Capital Solution Design LLC (software used in a study founded by CAMH Foundation), and HAPPYneuron (software used in a study founded by Brain Canada). He has also been an unpaid consultant to Myriad Neuroscience. Dr. Blumberger receives research support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), National Institutes of Health – US (NIH), Brain Canada Foundation and the Temerty Family through the CAMH Foundation and the Campbell Family Research Institute. He received research support and in-kind equipment support for an investigator-initiated study from Brainsway Ltd. and he was the site principal investigator for three sponsor-initiated studies for Brainsway Ltd. He received in-kind equipment support from Magventure for investigator-initiated studies. He received medication supplies for an investigator-initiated trial from Indivior. He has participated in an advisory board for Janssen. He has participated in an advisory board for Welcony Inc. Dr. Husain receives research support from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), CAMH Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada, the PSI Foundation, and the University of Toronto. He has provided consultancy to Mindset Pharma, PsychEd Therapeutics, and Wake Network. Dr. Voineskos currently receives funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada Foundation for Innovation, CAMH Foundation, the University of Toronto, and Brain Canada. Dr. Rajji has received research support from Brain Canada, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, BrightFocus Foundation, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canada Research Chairs, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation, National Institutes of Health, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, and the Weston Brain Institute. Dr. Rajji also received for an investigator-initiated study in-kind equipment support from Newronika, and in-kind research online accounts from Scientific Brain Training Pro, and participated in 2021 and 2022 in an advisory activity for Biogen Canada Inc. Dr. Rajji is also an inventor on the United States Provisional Patent No. 17/396,030 that describes cell-based assays and kits for assessing serum cholinergic receptor activity. The other authors do not report any conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the mean post-test probability (PTP) of the Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) calculator in a multiethnic cohort of patients previously diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1DM)., Materials and Methods: The MODY probability calculator proposed by Shields and colleagues (2012) was applied to 117 patients from a T1DM outpatient clinic at a tertiary hospital in Brazil. Additionally, two exons of the HNF1A gene were sequenced in eight patients who hadn't received insulin treatment within six months after the diagnosis., Results: 17.1 % of patients achieved PTP >10 %; 11.1 % achieved PTP >25 % (and all patients >30 %), and 7.7 % achieved PTP >40 %. Among the patients who were selected for genetic sequencing, 100 % presented PTP >30 %, with 66.6 % achieving PTP >40 % and 41.6 % achieving PTP >75 %. These cutoffs are as suggested for the Brazilian population, according to previous investigations. No mutation was observed in the sequenced exons., Conclusion: Considering that only around 10 % of the evaluated cases achieved PTP >30 %, it is highly probable that the most suitable cutoff to select patients for genetic sequencing in a Brazilian cohort of T1DM is higher than the cutoff used in Caucasian populations., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Objective: to understand the experiences with diabetes mellitus management of people who use insulin, in order to identify possible factors that may influence adherence to self-care and thus define their learning demands for diabetes self-management., Method: this is a qualitative study carried out using individual semi-structured interviews online. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and evaluated using Atlas.ti® software by means of Thematic Content Analysis, using the Health Beliefs Model as a theoretical framework., Results: 11 people living with diabetes and using insulin took part in the study. Four categories were identified: understanding diabetes, how to deal with diabetes, difficulties related to insulin use and emotional adaptation., Conclusion: the perception of the severity of the disease, its complications and the benefits of adhering to treatment positively influences adherence to self-care behaviors. Although the study participants have lived with diabetes for many years, they are not exempt from difficulties related to insulin use and disease management, reinforcing the importance of continuing health education. In this sense, the findings of this study guide important educational themes to be worked on by health professionals to promote autonomy in diabetes self-management., Background: (1) Perceived severity of diabetes positively influences self-care. (2) Continued health education for people who use insulin is essential. (3) The importance of recognizing the benefits of insulin in adherence to treatment. (4) Emotional aspects in diabetes management should be considered in health education.

Bees play a crucial role as natural pollinators, ensuring the maintenance and stability of the world's biodiversity and agricultural crops. Native bees in neotropical regions belong to the Meliponini tribe, a larger group that differs significantly in behavior and biology from honeybees (e.g., Apis mellifera) and solitary bees (e.g., Osmia spp.). Hence, the exposure and effects of pesticides is also likely to vary among these different species. The aim of this study was to develop an analytical method to determine the presence of the neonicotinoid clothianidin in the Brazilian native stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula (local common name: Jataí). The method used for the chemical analysis involved a QuEChERS technique combined with UHPLC-MS/MS analysis. The developed method was subsequently used to analyze collected field samples. In addition, the acute toxicity of the pesticide to T. angustula was evaluated in a laboratory bioassay evaluating both lethal and sublethal endpoints. The analytical method was successfully developed with detection and quantification limits of 1.55 and 5 μg L -1 , respectively, along with a linear range of 1-5 ng mL -1 . Clothianidin was detected in environmental samples (9.2-32.9 ng g -1 ), and the exposure experiments demonstrated acute oral toxicity to adults of T. angustula, (24 h-LD 50 of 0.16 ng a.i./bee), as well as no significative interference in acetylcholinesterase activity. Considering the obtained toxicity endpoints for T. angustula and those reported in the literature for other bee species, this study revealed that T. angustula is more (lethally) sensitive to clothianidin than other bee species, including those commonly used in environmental risk assessment studies. This thus also supports the call for using native test species in (regional) risk assessment evaluations., 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. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: To evaluate the factorial structure of the instrument measuring university administrators' knowledge of gender-based violence., Methods: This cross-sectional methodological study was conducted from August to November 2020 with 101 university administrators. Data on demographic and functional characteristics were collected, and the "QUEST VBG UNIV" instrument was applied. Descriptive analysis was performed, the structure of the questionnaire was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and the stability of the factors was verified through ORION and FDI tests., Results: Of the original 38 items across the 4 sections of the questionnaire, 19 were retained within 2 factors, with appropriate factor loadings. Factor 1 had an explained variance of 15.69%, and Factor 2 had an explained variance of 9.10%. The reliability was deemed satisfactory (ORION > 0.900, FDI > 0.900)., Conclusions: The questionnaire presented a valid and reliable factorial structure for measuring knowledge about gender-based violence, thereby representing a suitable option for situational assessments in universities.

Parabens, a group of preservatives with a wide industrial range, threaten human and aquatic biota health due to their toxicity and endocrine disruption potential. As conventional wastewater treatment may not be enough to keep natural environments safe, toxicity studies are useful tools for supporting ecological risk assessments. Here, we focused on assessing ethylparaben's, one of the most common kinds of paraben, toxicity in the cladocerans Daphnia similis and Ceriodaphnia silvestrii. The EC 50 sensitivity for D. similis and C. silvestrii was 24 (21-28) mg L - 1 and 25 (19-33) mg L - 1 , respectively. Inhibition of reproduction and late development of females were observed in C. silvestrii exposed to 8 mg L - 1 . Furthermore, species sensitivity distribution was used to assess ecological risk, and ethylparaben demonstrated low potential risk for aquatic biota., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Knowledge regarding the influence of individual traits on interaction patterns in nature can help understand the topological role of individuals within a network of intrapopulation interactions. We tested hypotheses on the relationships between individuals' positions within networks (specialization and centrality) of 4 populations of the mouse opossum Gracilinanus agilis and their traits (i.e., body length, body condition, tail length relative to body length, sex, reproductive condition, and botfly parasitism) and also seasonal effects in the Brazilian savanna. Individuals with lower body length, better body condition, and relatively shorter tail were more specialized (i.e., less connected within the network). Individuals were also more specialized and less connected during the warm-wet season. The relationship between individuals' position in the network and body traits, however, was independent of season. We propose that specialization may arise not only as a result of preferred feeding strategies by more capable individuals (i.e., those with better body condition and potentially prone to defend and access high-quality food resources) but also because of morphological constraints. Smaller/younger individuals (consequently with less experience in foraging) and short-tailed individuals (less skilled to explore the vertical strata of the vegetation) would feed only on a subset of the available food resources and consequently become more specialized. Moreover, individuals are more specialized during the warm-wet season because of high competition (population-dense period) and higher ecological opportunities (resource-rich period). Therefore, our study reveals the relevance of individual traits in shaping interaction patterns and specialization in populations., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Editorial Office, Current Zoology.)

The increase in agricultural productivity associated with the emergence and the extensive use of pesticides is undeniable. However, strong evidence indicates that this continuous demand is causing serious environmental impacts and bringing toxic effects to associated biota as pollinating insects. The present work aims the determination of the insecticide abamectin (ABA) and the fungicide difenoconazole (DIF) in strawberry flowers (Fragaria x ananassa DUCH.) and pollen sampled from beehives of the stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) located nearby strawberry fields. For analysis, QuEChERS method was optimized, and the analytical performance of those two pesticides was verified. Then, the method was applied to strawberry flowers and the pollen was sampled during three field campaigns. While abamectin was not detected, the systemic fungicide difenoconazole was determined in almost all flowers and pollen samples, demonstrating the major persistence of this pesticide in investigated matrices. The results were then discussed about the difenoconazole application rate and transport to colonies to estimate a preliminary environmental risk assessment for stingless native bees. All calculations were proceeded considering exposure rates and toxicity data from the literature, adapted from Apis mellifera studies. In this sense, the determination, application, and discussion about risk assessment figure out as an important tool to the knowledge about the preliminary risks of native bees exposed to pesticides., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In healthcare professionals, musculoskeletal complaints are the most frequent health disorders with the greatest potential for productivity losses. The teamwork developed by these professionals can be a coping strategy, but it can also be one more demand for the maintenance of performance. For this reason, this research aimed to investigate the relationship between team workload and performance in healthcare workers with different intensities of musculoskeletal symptoms. A survey was conducted with health professionals from 24 institutions of the Brazilian public health system, recruited by stratified probability sampling. Through non-hierarchical cluster analysis, the sample was allocated into three groups based on the intensity of musculoskeletal symptoms. We analyzed the approximation between the variables of "team workload" and "performance" of the groups formed in the previous phase through multiple correspondence analysis. In the group with higher musculoskeletal symptom scores, there was lower performance and a worse team workload. As the intensity of symptoms decreased, team workload and performance became closer variables in a two-dimensional space, indicating that the relationship between team workload and performance is improved in situations of low musculoskeletal symptom intensity.

Depression is a complex and multifactorial disease, affecting about 6.5% of the elderly population in what is referred to as late-life depression (LLD). Despite its public health relevance, there is still limited information about the molecular mechanisms of LLD. We analyzed the blood plasma of 50 older adults, 19 with LLD and 31 controls, through untargeted mass spectrometry, and used systems biology tools to identify biochemical pathways and biological processes dysregulated in the disease. We found 96 differentially expressed proteins between LLD patients and control individuals. Using elastic-net regression, we generated a panel of 75 proteins that comprises a potential model for determining the molecular signature of LLD. We also showed that biological pathways related to vesicle-mediated transport and voltage-dependent calcium channels may be dysregulated in LLD. These data can help to build an understanding of the molecular basis of LLD, offering an integrated view of the biomolecular alterations that occur in this disorder. SIGNIFICANCE: Major depressive disorder in the elderly, called late-life depression (LLD), is a common and disabling disorder, with recent prevalence estimates of 6.5% in the general population. Despite the public health relevance, there is still limited information about the molecular mechanisms of LLD. The findings in this paper shed light on LLD heterogeneous biological mechanisms. We uncovered a potential novel biomolecular signature for LLD and biological pathways related to this condition which can be targets for the development of novel interventions for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of LLD., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors have read the journal's policy on disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. All authors have disclosed any financial or personal relationship with organizations that could potentially be perceived as influencing the described research., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In the present study, a method for the determination of residues of the neonicotinoid insecticides thiamethoxam and imidacloprid in the stingless bee Melipona scutellaris Latreille (1811) was optimized through a factorial design, tested using green metrics, and then applied to exposed bees. It combines the extraction with a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method and the determination by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Different parameters such as the mass of the sample, dispersive sorbents, and elution solvents were assessed. Method validation parameters were checked and include sensitivity, specificity, and linearity. The limit of quantification of 0.0025 μg g -1 was obtained for both insecticides, where accuracy was 94%-100% with satisfactory intraday and interday precisions (relative standard deviation <10%). The qualified method was applied to orally and topically exposed bee samples, and the results indicated that it is suitable for the determination and quantification of neonicotinoid pesticide residues in this species. Moreover, green analytical metrics like the National Environmental Methods Index, Eco Scale score, high-performance liquid chromatography with an environmental assessment tool (HPLC-EAT), waste generation, and amount of sample were compared with methods described in the literature involving neonicotinoid analysis in honeybees. As a result, the present study displayed the highest Eco Scale score and HPLC-EAT score and the second smallest amount of sample and waste generated. Thus, the method meets green analytical metrics more than other methods. In this sense, besides the application, the multicriteria decision analysis tool employed suggests that this is a good option as a green analytical method. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2365-2374. © 2022 SETAC., (© 2022 SETAC.)

The placenta is a temporary organ that plays critical roles at the maternal-fetal interface. Normal development and function of the placenta is dependent on hormonal signaling pathways that make the placenta a target of endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) action. Studies showing association between prenatal exposure, hormone disruption, and reproductive damage indicate that EDCs are developmentally toxic and can impact future generations. In this context, new placental models (trophoblast-derived cell lines, organotypic or 3D cell models, and physiologically based kinetic models) have been developed in order to create new approach methodology (NAM) to assess and even prevent such disastrous toxic harm in future generations. With the widespread discouragement of conducting animal studies, it has become irrefutable to develop in vitro models that can serve as a substitute for in vivo models. The goal of this review is to discuss the newest in vitro models to understand the maternal-fetal interface and predict placental development, physiology, and dysfunction generated by failures in molecular hormone control mechanisms, which, consequently, may change epigenetic programming to increase susceptibility to metabolic and other disorders in the offspring. We summarize the latest placental models for developmental toxicology studies, focusing mainly on three-dimensional (3D) culture models., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Amazon forest has the highest biodiversity on Earth. However, information on Amazonian vertebrate diversity is still deficient and scattered across the published, peer-reviewed, and gray literature and in unpublished raw data. Camera traps are an effective non-invasive method of surveying vertebrates, applicable to different scales of time and space. In this study, we organized and standardized camera trap records from different Amazon regions to compile the most extensive data set of inventories of mammal, bird, and reptile species ever assembled for the area. The complete data set comprises 154,123 records of 317 species (185 birds, 119 mammals, and 13 reptiles) gathered from surveys from the Amazonian portion of eight countries (Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela). The most frequently recorded species per taxa were: mammals: Cuniculus paca (11,907 records); birds: Pauxi tuberosa (3713 records); and reptiles: Tupinambis teguixin (716 records). The information detailed in this data paper opens up opportunities for new ecological studies at different spatial and temporal scales, allowing for a more accurate evaluation of the effects of habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change, and other human-mediated defaunation processes in one of the most important and threatened tropical environments in the world. The data set is not copyright restricted; please cite this data paper when using its data in publications and we also request that researchers and educators inform us of how they are using these data., (© 2022 The Authors. Ecology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Ecological Society of America.)

An attractive alternative for drinking water production is ecological filtration. Previous studies have reported high removal levels of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) by this technology. Algae and cyanobacteria play an important role in the biological activity of ecological filters. The aim of this study was to characterize and identify the community of algae and cyanobacteria in relation to its composition, density and biovolume from 22 ecological filters that received spikings of 2 μg L -1 PPCPs. For algae and cyanobacteria species, triplicate samples were collected before and 96 h after each spiking from the interface between the top sand layer of the ecological filters and the supernatant water. Results show that Chlorophyceae and Cyanobacteria were present in high numbers of taxa and abundance. The specie Lepocinclis cf. ovum (Euglenophyceae) had the highest percentage occurrence/abundance and frequency into the filters, indicating a possible tolerance by Lepocinclis cf. ovum to the concentration of selected PPCPs. Although the concentration of PPCPs did not affect the treated water quality, they did affect the algae and cyanobacteria community. No differences were detected between filters that received a single PPCP and filters that received a mixture of the six compounds. Also, changes in the composition of algae and cyanobacteria communities were observed before and 96 h after the spikings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Caroline Moco Erba Pompei reports financial support was provided by São Paulo Research Foundation, Brazil (FAPESP)., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The historic contamination of water and soils by arsenic (As) is an extremely alarming environmental and public health issue worldwide. This study investigated the relationship between As sorption and physicochemical properties of composts and biochars derived from the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (OFMSW) towards the development of promising sorbents with value-added solid wastes management solutions. The sorbents were characterized and their effectiveness on the As sorption was tested. Several isothermal and kinetic sorption models were used for the prediction of sorption. Composts did not show promising sorption capacities, and in some cases, the As immobilization was practically null. In contrast, biochars achieved higher sorption performance, and the experimental data fitted well on Dubinin-Rabushkevich and Langmuir models, with higher R 2 values. The maximum sorption capacities of BC700 estimated by such models were 6.495 and 170.252 mg g -1 , respectively, whereas those of BC500 estimated by D-R and Langmuir models were only 0.066 and 0.070 mg g -1 , respectively. In sorption kinetics, As was retained onto biochars at a faster first stage, reaching equilibrium after approximately 1 h and 2 h for initial concentrations of 10 and 100 mg L -1 . The pseudo-second-order, Ritchie's second-order, Ritchie's, and Elovich models more adequately described the sorption kinetics of As onto biochars with high R 2 values. Overall, the complexation and precipitation were predominant mechanisms for As sorption by OFMSW-derived biochars. Furthermore, the mathematical models indicated contributions arise from physisorption and external and internal diffusion mechanisms. Although BC700 can immobilize large As amounts, the gastric phase of the oral bioaccessibility test revealed more than 80% of the sorbed As could be released under conditions similar to a human stomach (pH~1.2). Such conclusions have given important insights about the refining of effective and eco-friendly remediation technologies for the management and rehabilitation of As-contaminated soil and water, particularly in developing countries., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Parabens are preservatives widely used by industry since these compounds have antifungal properties, relative low cost, and stability over a wide pH range. This study aims to quantify and assess the environmental risks of methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP), and butylparaben (BP) in surface water from a Brazilian River, Mogi Guaçu. The State of São Paulo, including the Mogi Guaçu River region, suffered from a period of intense drought and high temperatures, which caused anomalies in river flows and water supply problems. The water samples were collected from 14 locations, along 300 km of river extension, at four different seasons. Samples were previously extracted and pre-concentrated by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) and later analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization in tandem with mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) detector. During the sampling period, PP was detected in 89.3% of the water samples, MP in 87.5%, EP in 73.2%, and BP in 48.2%. The sum of parabens' average levels was 42.2 μg L -1 in Winter, 41.5 μg L -1 in Summer, 36.6 μg L -1 in Autumn, and 31.5 μg L -1 in Spring. These levels can be attributed to the smaller dilution effect caused by the drought period. Also, ecological risk assessment indicated that parabens could take a low, medium, and high risk for target organisms in the measured aquatic environments, especially considering Pimephales promelas where 15% of the samples do not present potential risk, 84% of samples can present medium risk and only 1% have low risk. Besides, the risks for BP are also considerably higher, when almost 40% presents for high risks and 60% for medium risks. The present study indicates worrisome threats to the water source and to allegedly protected biodiversity and, therefore, urgent actions are needed to effectively protect., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study investigated the factors associated with serious maternal morbidity (SMM) in women seen at public maternity hospitals in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil. This was a cross-section analytical quantitative study. Participation included 1,098 postpartum women who had given birth at one of the four maternity hospitals in the municipality. Data were collected from August 3, 2015, to February 2, 2016, using face-to-face interviews and data obtained from patient records and prenatal cards. The dependent variable for data analysis was the serious maternal morbidity, that is, when the woman was classified as maternal near miss or potentially life-threatening condition based on WHO eligibility criteria. The study calculated the maternal near miss ratio, odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (95%CI), and multiple logistic regression. The maternal near miss ratio was 3.6 cases per 1,000 live births. Complications occurred mainly during pregnancy (53.8%), and hypertensive disorders were the most frequent (49.4%). Multiple regression analysis showed an association between serious maternal morbidity and high-risk pregnancy (OR = 4.5, 95%CI: 2.7-7.7) and induced labor (OR = 2.1, 95%CI: 1.2-3.9). The occurrence of serious maternal morbidity mainly during pregnancy, featuring hypertensive syndromes, points to the need for better screening and management of high blood pressure in the prenatal period. The association between serious maternal morbidity and high-risk pregnancy also calls attention to prenatal care, for the demand for greater care for women classified as having gestational risk. Quality of care is a key point for dealing with maternal morbidity and mortality in Brazil.

A miniaturized QuEChERS extraction method followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was developed to analyze thiamethoxam and imidacloprid in 0.3 g of lyophilized Africanized honey bees ( Apis mellifera L.). The work aimed to estimate honey bees' exposure to pesticides at the nanogram/gram (ng g -1 ) levels, using small sample and reagent quantities. Low amounts of solvents and salts were employed - 15× less than used in traditional methods. Average recoveries ranged from 64.5% to 99.7%, with repeatability below 20% for samples spiked at 3 and 167 ng g -1 . LOD and LOQ were 0.7, and 3 ng g -1 for both pesticides. Applying the proposed approach, honey bee samples from different apiaries from the State of São Paulo (Brazil) were analyzed. The pesticides were detected in concentrations between 7.0 and 27.0 ng g -1 . Thus, the proposed method can be used as a greener alternative to analyze the two neonicotinoids at trace levels in small quantities of bees, consequently saving chemicals and waste.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the preventive effect of ozonated oil on the development of MRONJ-like lesions at tooth extraction sites in rats submitted to zoledronic acid treatment., Materials and Methods: Twelve rats were divided into two groups. Each rat received an injection of zoledronic acid solution once a week for 5 weeks before having its upper first molar extracted. In group 1, the clotted socket was maintained, while in the group 2, the socket was treated with ozonated oil for 10 min/day during 3 days. After euthanasia, block resection was performed for histological analysis. Necrotic bone was defined as the area of the bone with empty osteocyte lacunae and vital bone as the area with osteocyte-occupied lacunae., Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in the average area of vital bone (p = 0.2248) and the average area of necrotic bone (p = 0.1208). However, the average area of vital bone in group 1 was smaller (24.1 ± 2.9 cells/cm 2 ) than in group 2 (26.8 ± 4.2 cells/cm 2 ), and the average area of necrotic bone in group 1 was higher (7.0 ± 2.5 cells/cm 2 ) than in group 2 (4.0 ± 1.1 cells/cm 2 ), indicating that ozonated oil may reduce the development of osteonecrosis., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that ozonated oil might prevent MRONJ-like lesions at tooth extraction sites in rats submitted to a disease induction protocol. Further research should be conducted to confirm this hypothesis., Clinical Relevance: MRONJ has been reported as a complication of surgical dental procedures, and there are currently no predictable preventive therapies., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: To evaluate whether characteristics related to mother's oral health, trajectory of family income, and maternal education are associated with the incidence of caries in dentin in preschool children., Materials and Methods: One hundred fifty-eight mothers and their children were evaluated at baseline and re-evaluated after 3 years. Sociodemographic variables, dental caries, and biofilm of the mothers and children and daily sugar intake of the children were evaluated. Poisson regression was used to evaluate what factor represents risk for the incidence of caries in dentin at four to 6 years of age., Results: The risk of the incidence of caries in dentin was 54% higher in children whose mothers had a low level of education at both baseline and follow-up. Children from families with an income lower at baseline and follow-up (RR 2.49; 95% CI 1.62-3.83) and those whose families experienced a reduction in income in this period (RR 2.05; 95% CI 1.29-3.26) had a greater risk of the incidence of caries in dentin. Moreover, children who increased their daily sugar intake (RR 1.67; 95% CI 1.09-2.52), those that maintained high sugar intake (RR 1.81; 95% CI 1.14-2.87), and those with cavitated caries at baseline (RR 1.53; 95% CI 1.19-1.97) had a greater risk of the incidence of caries in dentin., Conclusions: Low mother's education, a lower family income, a reduction in family income, a high frequency of daily sugar intake, and a history of cavitated caries were risk factors for the incidence of caries in dentin., Clinical Relevance: The results could help in the targeting of improved prevention and control strategies for dental caries., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: The biological mechanisms linking mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and major depressive disorder are not well understood. We investigated whether molecular senescence changes in older adults are associated with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD) or MCI., Methods: We included 371 participants: 167 with MCI; 62 cognitively normal with a history of MDD; 97 with MDD+MCI; and 45 cognitively unimpaired (CU) without a history of MDD. The candidate Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP) biomarkers were measured in the plasma using a customized LUMINEX assay., Results: The MDD+MCI group had a higher SASP index than the other groups ( P  < .001). A higher SASP index was significantly associated with worse global cognitive performance, executive dysfunction, slower processing speed, and episodic memory deficits., Discussion: Our study suggests that increased molecular changes are associated with cognitive impairment in older adults with MDD and indicate that accelerated biological aging is an underlying feature of MDD., Competing Interests: Dr. Mulsant reports non‐financial support from HAPPYneuron (free use of software) and a grant from Brain Canada related to the PACt‐MD study. In the past 3 years, he has also received non‐financial support from Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Capital Solutions Design LLC, all outside the submitted work. The other contributors do not have a conflict of interest to report., (© 2020 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data., (© 2020 The Authors. Ecology © 2020 The Ecological Society of America.)

Bees are considered as important providers of ecosystem services, acting via pollination process in crops and native plants, and contributing significantly to the maintenance of biodiversity. However, the decrease of bee's population has been observed worldwide and besides other factors, this collapse is also related to the extensive use of pesticides. In this sense, studies involving the assessment of adverse effects and the uptake of pesticides by bees are of great concern. This work presents an analytical method for the determination of the insecticide abamectin and the fungicide difenoconazole in the stingless bee Melipona scutellaris exposed via oral and topic to endpoints concentrations of active ingredients (a.i.) alone and in commercial formulations and the discussion about its mortality and uptake. For this purpose, QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Efficient, Rugged and Safe) acetate modified method was used for extraction and pesticides were determined by LC-MS/MS. The validation parameters have included: a linear range between 0.01 and 1.00 μg mL -1 ; and LOD and LOQ of 0.038 and 0.076 μg g -1 for abamectin and difenoconazole, respectively. The uptake of tested pesticides via oral and topic was verified by the accumulation in adult forager bees, mainly when the commercial product was tested. Mortality was observed to be higher in oral exposure than in topic tests for both pesticides. For abamectin in a commercial formulation (a.i.) no differences were observed for oral or topic exposure. On the other hand, for difenoconazole, topic exposure had demonstrated higher accumulation in bees, according to the increase of received dose. Through the results, uptake and the possible consequences of bioaccumulated pesticides are also discussed and can contribute to the knowledge about the risks involving the exposure of bees to these compounds., 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 © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The toxicity of the insecticide carbofuran and herbicide diuron (individually and in mixture) to the invertebrates Paramecium caudatum and Ceriodaphnia silvestrii was evaluated. Acute and chronic toxicity tests were carried out with the diuron and carbofuran active ingredients and their commercial products, Diuron Nortox® 500 SC and Furadan® 350 SC, respectively. Individual toxicity tests showed that C. silvestrii was more sensitive to both carbofuran and diuron than P. caudatum. In single exposures, both pesticides caused adverse effects to C. silvestrii in environmentally relevant concentrations (48 h EC 50  = 0.001 mg L -1 and 8 d LOEC = 0.00038 mg L -1 for formulated carbofuran; 8 d LOEC < 0.05 mg L -1 for formulated diuron). For P. caudatum, carbofuran and diuron in single exposures were only slightly toxic (24 h IC 50  = 5.1 mg L -1 and 6.9 mg L -1 for formulated carbofuran and diuron, respectively). Acute and chronic exposures to diuron and carbofuran mixtures caused significant deviations of the toxicity predicted by the Concentration Addition and Independent Action reference models for both test species. For the protozoan P. caudatum, a dose-dependent deviation was verified for mortality, with synergism caused mainly by carbofuran and antagonism caused mainly by diuron. For protozoan population growth, however, an antagonistic deviation was observed when the active ingredient mixtures were tested. In the case of C. silvestrii, antagonism at low concentrations and synergism at high concentrations were revealed after acute exposure to active ingredient mixtures, whereas for reproduction an antagonistic deviation was found. Commercial formulation mixtures presented significantly higher toxicity than the active ingredient mixtures. Our results showed that carbofuran and diuron interact and cause different toxic responses than those predicted by the individually tested compounds. Their mixture toxicity should therefore be considered in risk assessments as these pesticides are likely to be present simultaneously in edge-of-field waterbodies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The partner has an important role when he participates of the prenatal care as showed in the positive results relate to the mother and the child health. For this reason it is an important strategy to bring future fathers closer to health services and to improve their link with paternity., Aim: To evaluate whether the implementation of SMS technology, through the PRENACEL program for the partner as a health education program, is a useful supplement to the standard prenatal monitoring., Methods: A parallel cluster randomized trial was carried out, with the clusters representing primary care health units. The 20 health units with the largest number of pregnant women in 2013 were selected for the study. There was a balance of the health units according to the size of the affiliated population and the vulnerability situation and these were allocated in intervention and control health units by the randomization. The partners of the pregnant women who started prenatal care prior to the 20th week of gestation were the study population of the intervention group. The participants received periodic short text messages via mobile phone with information about the pregnancy and birth. In the control group units the partners, together with the women, received the standard prenatal care., Results: One hundred eighty-six partners were interviewed, 62 from the PRENACEL group, 73 from the intervention group that did not opt ​​for PRENACEL and 51 from the control group. A profile with a mean age of 30 years was found and the majority of respondents (51.3%) declared themselves as brown race/color. The interviewees presented a mean of 9.3 years of study. The majority of the men (95.2%) cohabited with their partner and 63.7% were classified as socioeconomic class C. The adherence to the PRENACEL program was 53.4%. In relation to the individual results, there was a greater participation of the PRENACEL partners in the prenatal consultations, as well as a greater presence of them accompanying the woman at the moment of the childbirth when compared to the other groups., Conclusion: The study showed that a health education strategy using communication technology seems to be a useful prenatal care supplement; the intervention had a good acceptability and has a promising role in men's involvement in prenatal, labour and postpartum care of their partners., Trial Registration: Clinical trial registry: RBR-54zf73, U1111-1163-7761.

This study analyzed the occurrence of severe maternal morbidity, the most frequent diagnostic criteria, and the quality of obstetric care in public hospitals in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil. A quantitative surveillance survey of severe maternal morbidity used World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for potentially life-threatening conditions and maternal near miss. Cases were identified from August 1, 2015, to February 2, 2016. The sample included 259 women with severe maternal morbidity (potentially life-threatening conditions/maternal near miss) during the gestational and postpartum cycle, hospitalized for childbirth in the four public institutions providing obstetric care in the city. The descriptive analysis was based on absolute and relative rates of diagnostic criteria for potentially life-threatening conditions and maternal near miss, besides description of the women in the sample (sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history, and prenatal and childbirth care). Quality of care indicators set by the WHO based on morbimortality were also calculated. There were 3,497 deliveries, 3,502 live births in all the hospitals in the city, two maternal deaths, and 19 maternal near miss. Maternal near miss ratio was 5.4 cases per 1,000 live births, and the maternal mortality ratio was 57.1 deaths per 100,000 live birth. The mortality rate among cases with severe maternal outcome (maternal near miss plus maternal death) was 9.5%. The study revealed important potentially life-threatening conditions and maternal near miss rates. The occurrence of deaths from hemorrhagic causes highlights the need to improve the quality of obstetric care. The findings can potentially help improve local policy for obstetric care.

PRENACEL is a study that incorporates two innovative approaches to maternal and perinatal health: the need to improve women's level of satisfaction with the birthing experience and an assessment of the impacts of information and communication technologies in health. The approaches involve a communication program via short cellphone text messages, developed for Brazilian pregnant women in prenatal care in the Brazilian Unified National Health System. The analysis aims to determine whether the program contributes positively to women's perceived preparedness for childbirth. A randomized cluster trial was performed in 20 primary care units in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, in 2015 and 2016. Data were collected for 1,210 women from interviews and patient charts. The data were submitted to two analytical models, per protocol and intention-to-treat. Women that had received information from the PRENACEL program during pregnancy were more likely to feel prepared for labor and delivery and to feel that prenatal care had helped them feel more prepared. There were also positive impacts on bonding with the newborn and breastfeeding in the delivery room and on knowledge of obstetric interventions. No differences were seen in the other maternal and perinatal outcomes, including women's satisfaction with the birthing care. PRENACEL can help expand women's access to strategic information for them to feel better prepared for the birthing experience.

The presence of PPCPs (Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products) in water sources and drinking water has concerned researchers in recent times. This study was carried out to evaluate the occurrence of 6 PPCPs (namely paracetamol, diclofenac, naproxen, ibuprofen, benzophenone-3 and methylparaben) in the Lobo reservoir, their degradation products, and how efficiently they were removed by 22 ecological filters, considering individual and mixture of compounds. There were 3 spiking events of PPCPs (2 μg L -1 ) in the ecological filter influents conducted with a lag period of 15 days between spikes. Water samples were collected from the influent and effluent of the filters at 3, 6 and 24 h after each spiking event. All target PPCPs were identified in the Lobo reservoir water in the range of μg L -1 . The personal care products were detected with 100% frequency in the samples, and in higher concentrations compared to the pharmaceuticals. Degradation products of diclofenac and benzophenone-3 were identified in the water samples. Results of this investigation show that ecological filtration was an effective process (70-99%) to remove 2 μg L -1 of the selected PPCPs, and demonstrated that the filters were resilient to individual compounds and to their mixtures., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Fragmented habitats generally harbour small populations that are potentially more prone to local extinctions caused by biotic factors such as parasites. We evaluated the effects of botflies (Cuterebra apicalis) on naturally fragmented populations of the gracile mouse opossum (Gracilinanus agilis). We examined how sex, food supplementation experiment, season and daily climatic variables affected body condition and haemoglobin concentration in animals that were parasitized or not by botflies. Although parasitism did not affect body condition, haemoglobin concentrations were lower in parasitized animals. Among the non-parasitized individuals, haemoglobin concentration increased with the increase of maximum temperature and the decrease of relative humidity, a climatic pattern found at the peak of the dry season. However, among parasitized animals, the opposite relationship between haemoglobin concentration and relative humidity occurred, as a consequence of parasite-induced anaemia interacting with dehydration as an additional stressor. We conclude that it is critical to assess how climate affects animal health (through blood parameters) to understand the population consequences of parasitism on the survival of individuals and hence of small population viability.

Xenarthrans-anteaters, sloths, and armadillos-have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data., (© 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of America.)

Changes in microRNAs (miRNAs) expression have been described in major depressive disorder in young and middle-aged adults. However, no study has evaluated miRNA expression in older adults with major depression (or late-life depression [LLD]). Our primary aim was to evaluate the expression of miRNAs in subjects with LLD. We first evaluated the miRNA expression using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and then we validated the miRNAs found in NGS in an independent sample of LLD patients, using RT-qPCR. Drosophila melanogaster model was used to evaluate the impact of changes in miRNA expression on behavior. NGS analysis showed that hsa-miR-184 (log 2 foldchange = -4.21, p = 1.2 × 10 -03 ) and hsa-miR-1-3p (log 2 foldchange = -3.45, p = 1.3 × 10 -02 ) were significantly downregulated in LLD compared to the control group. RT-qPCR validated the downregulation of hsa-miR-184 (p < 0.001), but not for the hsa-miR-1-3p. The knockout flies of the ortholog of hsa-miR-184 showed significantly reduced locomotor activity at 21-24 d.p.e (p = 0.04) and worse memory retention at 21-24 d.p.e (24h post-stimulus, p = 0.02) compared to control flies. Our results demonstrated that subjects with LLD have significant downregulation of hsa-miR-184. Moreover, the knockout of hsa-miR-184 in flies lead to depressive-like behaviors, being more pronounce in older flies., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Spatial and temporal variation in networks has been reported in different studies. However, the many effects of habitat structure and food resource availability variation on network structures have remained poorly investigated, especially in individual-based networks. This approach can shed light on individual specialization of resource use and how habitat variations shape trophic interactions.To test hypotheses related to habitat variability on trophic interactions, we investigated seasonal and spatial variation in network structure of four populations of the marsupial Gracilinanus agilis in the highly seasonal tropical savannas of the Brazilian Cerrado.We evaluated such variation with network nestedness and modularity considering both cool-dry and warm-wet seasons, and related such variations with food resource availability and habitat structure (considered in the present study as environmental variation) in four sites of savanna woodland forest.Network analyses showed that modularity (but not nestedness) was consistently lower during the cool-dry season in all G. agilis populations. Our results indicated that nestedness is related to habitat structure, showing that this metric increases in sites with thick and spaced trees. On the other hand, modularity was positively related to diversity of arthropods and abundance of fruits.We propose that the relationship between nestedness and habitat structure is an outcome of individual variation in the vertical space and food resource use by G. agilis in sites with thick and spaced trees. Moreover, individual specialization in resource-rich and population-dense periods possibly increased the network modularity of G. agilis . Therefore, our study reveals that environment variability considering spatial and temporal components is important for shaping network structure of populations., Competing Interests: None declared.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 (FGF-2) are growth factors involved neuronal growth and synaptic plasticity. These markers have been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders, including major depression. However, no particular studies of EGF and FGF-2 have been conducted in older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study, we aim to investigate the plasma levels of EGF and FGF-2 in elderly with MDD. We included 89 older adults with MDD and 51 older (healthy control, HC) adults. The cognitive performance was evaluated by the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS). The EGF and FGF-2 were measured by using multiplex assay for LUMINEX platform. There were also no significant differences between the patient group in terms of plasma levels of EGF and FGF-2 when compared to the HC group. There were not any significant correlations between plasma levels of EGF or FGF2 and MDRS total or individual scores in patient group and HC. There were significant correlations between plasma levels of EGF and FGF2 in both patient group and HC. Further study on plasma levels of EGF and FGF2 should be implemented in larger samples in elderly with MDD., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

AimTo evaluate prenatal care knowledge of Brazilian community health workers (CHWs)., Background: Routine prenatal care is critical for reducing health risks in women and their children. One of the responsibilities of primary healthcare providers is the provision of prenatal care. The CHWs, with their frequent contact with populations, work to improve health outreach efforts and therefore may be key role players in prenatal care., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was developed to ascertain the degree of knowledge regarding prenatal care of CHWs, including: (1) general responsibilities of CHWs; (2) the initial contact with a pregnant woman; (3) examinations and vaccinations recommended for pregnant women; (4) pregnancy complications and signs of labor; and (5) lifestyle considerations for pregnant women. Responses were categorized into levels for knowledge. Demographic data were also collected. Descriptive analyses were conducted. Proportions of subjects with different levels of knowledge were compared according to each demographic variable, separately for each block of knowledge, using the χ 2 and Fisher's exact tests.FindingsIn total, 194 CHWs were interviewed. Overall, the majority of the CHWs presented high levels of knowledge in blocks 1 (43%), 2 (59%) and 5 (83%). However, in block 3 the proportions of subjects with high levels of knowledge regarding examinations and vaccinations were 35 and 40%, respectively. Only 24% of the participants presented a high level of knowledge in block 4. Stratified data analyses suggest that females were statistically more likely to have high levels of knowledge, whereas no statistically significant differences were found for the other demographic variables. Health services are already routinely using the questionnaire., Conclusion: The results suggest that CHWs, especially female CHWs, have an important role in assisting pregnant women in the community. The study indicates the areas of knowledge that require more specific attention from training providers.

In this study, effects of parabens on antioxidant defenses and oxidative damages in gills and liver of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were evaluated. Adult Nile tilapia were exposed to methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl and benzylparaben and a mixture of methyl and propylparaben for 6 and 12 days. The biomarkers analyzed were superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), total glutathione (GSH-t) and lipid peroxidation measured by malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Results indicated that exposure to parabens caused biochemical changes in gill and liver cells, which in turn modulated enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants in Nile tilapia. SOD, GPx and GR activity significantly increased in gills and liver after exposure to most parabens. CAT activity had little (liver) or no alteration (gills) in this fish species after treatment with parabens. GSH-t content in liver decreased after 6 days of exposure to parabens, but after 12 days, GSH-t levels increased in liver in all treatments, indicating an antioxidant adaptation to exposure to sublethal doses of parabens. Regarding the MDA levels, no alterations were observed in gills compared to control and in liver the MDA content was reduced after 12d of exposure to ethylparaben, butylparaben and paraben mixture, indicating no lipid peroxidation in the analyzed tissues. Our results demonstrate parabens-induced adaptive responses in fish, which were important in the protection against oxidative damages., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Toxicities of bisphenol A (BPA) and nonylphenol (NP) to the neotropical freshwater cladocerans Ceriodaphnia silvestrii and Daphnia similis were studied under laboratory conditions. Acute exposures to BPA generated mean 48-h EC 50 values of 14.44 (6.02-22.85) mg L -1 for C. silvestrii and 12.05 (1.73-22.37) mg L -1 for D. similis. When the organisms were exposed to acute doses of NP, mean 48-h EC 50 values were 0.055 (0.047-0.064) mg L -1 (C. silvestrii) and 0.133 (0.067-0.200) mg L -1 (D. similis). Ceriodaphnia silvestrii was also tested in chronic bioassays, which resulted in mean 8-d IC 25 values of 2.43 (2.16-2.69) mg L -1 BPA [no observed effect concentration (NOEC): 1.38 mg L -1 ] and 0.020 (0.015-0.026) mg L -1 NP (NOEC: 0.015 mg L -1 ). These laboratory tests are valuable to broaden the understanding of the environmental threat posed by BPA and NP in aquatic ecosystems, and to increase the knowledge about the sensitivity of neotropical indigenous species to these contaminants. In addition to the laboratory bioassays, species sensitivity distributions were used to suggest protective concentrations of BPA and NP to prevent adverse effects on freshwater organisms. According to the obtained results, concentrations lower than 36.47 µg L -1 BPA and 1.39 µg L -1 NP are not expected to adversely impact aquatic organisms in natural ecosystems.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the eruption of impacted teeth in cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) after alveolar bone graft., Materials and Methods: Research was carried out through a cross-sectional study at the Craniofacial Rehabilitation Center of the University General Hospital of the University of Cuiaba, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Variables related to cleft, cleft side, gender, age, laterality of cleft, impacted teeth, and orthodontic traction were analyzed., Results: Forty-two patients treated at the institution from 2004 to 2011 were recruited. There were 54.76% males and 45.24% females. The age group between 9 and 11 years was most affected in 59.53% of cases. The unilateral cleft was the most prevalent (85.71%). A total of 57 impacted teeth were observed. Maxillary canine was the most prevalent impacted teeth (97.61%) and more frequent in transforamen incisor cleft (TIC) (76.3%). The orthodontic traction was needed in both maxillary canines and lateral incisor impacted teeth, 64.3 and 35.7% respectively. The orthodontic traction was needed only in TIC (p = 0.0101)., Conclusion: The canine teeth were the most prevalent, mainly related to the TIC and all impacted teeth erupted spontaneously in the preforamen incisor cleft (PIC) after placement of the bone graft., Clinical Significance: There was spontaneous eruption of impacted teeth after secondary alveolar bone graft in CLP.