Enhanced physicochemical and antifungal properties of starch bionanocomposites reinforced with nanocellulose and functionalized with AgNPs derived from cocoa bean shell.

This study explored the synergistic combination of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), eucalyptus-derived nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and cassava starch to develop bionanocomposites with advanced properties suitable for sustainable and antifungal packaging applications. The influence of AgNPs synthesized through a green method using cocoa bean shell combined with varying concentrations of NFC were investigated. Morphological (scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy), optical (L*, C*, °hue, and opacity), chemical (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), mechanical (puncture force, tensile strength, and Young's modulus), rheological (flow curve and frequency sweeps, strain, and stress), barrier, and hydrophilicity properties (water vapor permeability, solubility, wettability, and contact angle), as well as the antifungal effect against pathogens (Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium expansum, Colletotrichum musae, and Fusarium semitectum), were analyzed.

Association between vaccination and persistent COVID-19-related symptoms among patients with mild Omicron infection: A prospective cohort study.

Background: While COVID-19 vaccination has been shown to reduce the risk of severe illness, its impact on the occurrence of persistent symptoms in patients with mild Omicron infection remains uncertain. Our objective was to investigate whether COVID-19 vaccination reduces the occurrence of persistent COVID-19-related symptoms 3 months after mild Omicron infection.

Methods: Multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted in Brazil between January 2022 and June 2023 when Omicron was predominant.

Improving the microbiological diagnosis of fracture-related infection and prosthetic joint infection through culturing sonication fluid in Bactec blood culture bottles.

Background: Sonication of surgically removed implants appears to optimize the microbiological diagnosis in orthopedic implant-associated infections (OIAI). However, reports of infection with negative cultures can still reach high rates. A study evaluating the inoculation of sonication fluid into blood culture bottles (SFBCB) in patients with fracture-related infection (FRI) and prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is necessary.

Comparative in vitro activity of Delafloxacin and other antimicrobials against isolates from patients with acute bacterial skin, skin-structure infection and osteomyelitis.

The aim of this study was to compare the in vitro activity of delafloxacin with other fluoroquinolones against bacterial pathogens recovered from inpatients with osteomyelitis, Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin-Structure Infections (ABSSSI). In total, 100 bacterial isolates (58 % Gram-negative and 42 % Gram-positive) recovered from inpatients between January and April 2021, were reidentified at species level by MALDI-TOF MS. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted using the broth microdilution method and the detection of biofilm formation was assessed through the microtiter plate assay.

Impact of gastrointestinal inoculation and benznidazole treatment on infection by Trypanosoma cruzi (Y strain, DTU TcII) in Swiss mice.

In Brazil, where Chagas disease is endemic, the most frequent form of transmission of the parasite is the oral route, associated with greater severity and worse response to benznidazole (BZ), the drug used in its treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of gastrointestinal infection (GI) and BZ treatment on the parasitological and histopathological parameters in mice inoculated with a strain of T. cruzi II.

Repeatability and intra and interrater reproducibility of the DIPA-S eHealth© capture and analysis system for clinical assessment of scoliosis.

Purpose: To assess the repeatability, intra and interrater reproducibility of the DIPA-S eHealth© system for capturing and measuring clinical variables of scoliosis, including frontal trunk imbalance (FTI), sagittal trunk imbalance (STI), and angle of trunk rotation (ATR).

Methods: Patients were photographed using the DIPA-S eHealth Capture© mobile application by family members, physiotherapists, or surgeons. Three photos were taken in each position: standing in the frontal and sagittal planes and in the axial plane in forward bending position of the trunk.

Histopathological findings and diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis, confirmed by PCR, in an endemic region of Brazil.

Introduction: Diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is difficult, and the correct use of histopathological criteria can be useful in clinical practice. The present study evaluates the association between histopathological findings and the results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in clinically suspected cases of CL.

Methodology: Skin samples were received in a laboratory from an endemic region of Brazil for over nine years.

Multi-residue determination of biocides in dairy products and slurry feed using QuEChERS extraction and liquid chromatography combined with high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QOrbitrap™-MS).

Given that the determination of biocides in food and feed is currently not routinely done, more information on these compounds is useful for consumer's safety. This work describes a sensitive and reliable method for quantitative analysis of a wide range of biocides in dairy products and slurry feed. The method comprises acetate-buffered QuEChERS extraction without clean-up.

Co-resistance to methicillin and clindamycin among coagulase-negative staphylococci isolates recovered from pet food in Brazil.

Pet food have been considered as possible vehicles of bacterial pathogens. The sudden boom of the pet food industry due to the worldwide increase in companion animal ownership calls for pet food investigations. Herein, this study aimed to determine the frequency, antimicrobial susceptibility profile, and molecular characteristics of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) in different pet food brands in Brazil.

Could Teledentistry Be a Solution in the Diagnosis of Oral Lesions?

In recent years, teledentistry has gained visibility, especially because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerning oral medicine, there is great expectation, particularly about its potential to promote early diagnosis of oral lesions. In southern Brazil, two initiatives have shown a positive influence on each other and have led to greater awareness of oral cancer and more access to qualified advice on diagnosing and managing oral lesions.

The role of habitat heterogeneity and timescales on the recovery of reef epifaunal communities affected by a massive oil spill in the tropics.

From August 2019 to January 2020 the Brazilian Coast was impacted by the largest oil spill in the Tropical oceans ever since. Paiva Beach, one of the most preserved sandy beaches in the northeast tropical Brazilian coast, was among the most affected regions by the oil spill in October 2019. This area has important reef systems that harbor abundant macroalgal assemblages with very diverse epifaunal communities.

Videofeedback-guided teleintervention for the family of a child with a cochlear implant: a case study.

Interventions for parental training for families of hard of hearing children, including cochlear implant users, are identified as optimizing their developmental outcomes. In this single-case intervention study, we aim to describe the use of videofeedback in a remote environment, as well as to identify its effectiveness, based on the analysis of mother-child interaction, both for the mother's communicative behaviors and for the behaviors of the mother, receptive and expressive language of the child. Pre- and post-intervention measurements were performed, based on video analysis of the mother's interaction with the child, by blind judges, as well as through the application of assessment instruments for the child and the mother.

Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Isolated from Shoulder Surgery Reveals Insights into Genetic Diversity.

Specific virulence factors that likely influence invasion into deep tissues remain to be elucidated. Herein, we describe the frequency of identification in deep tissue specimens of patients undergoing clean shoulder surgery and assess its phenotypic and genetic traits associated with virulence and antibiotic resistance patterns, compared with isolates from the skin of healthy volunteers. Multiple deep tissue specimens from the bone fragments, tendons, and bursa of 84 otherwise healthy patients undergoing primary clean-open and arthroscopic shoulder surgeries were aseptically collected.

Chemical composition, antifungal activity, antibiofilm and citotoxicity of the essential oil of tenore.

The leaves of Tenore were collected in southern Brazil, dried, and subjected to the hydrodistillation process to obtain the essential oil. The extraction of essential oil yielded 0.97% ± 0.

Exergames in Older Adult Community Centers and Nursing Homes to Improve Balance and Minimize the Risk of Falls in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

There is a substantial gap in our knowledge regarding the efficacy of exergames on the reduction of fall risk in older adults. This systematic review analyzes the findings of clinical trials describing the efficacy of exergames to improve balance or reduce the risk of falls in individuals above 60 years of age who are residents in community centers or nursing homes. We searched Google Scholar, PubMed, and Embase up to January 2023.

Fractal dimension, lacunarity, and cortical thickness in the mandible: Analyzing differences between healthy men and women with cone-beam computed tomography.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the fractal dimension, lacunarity, trabecular microarchitecture parameters, and cortical linear measurements in the mandibles of male and female individuals to identify differences between them.

Materials And Methods: In total, 116 cone-beam computed tomography scans of healthy individuals of different ages (57 men and 59 women, aged between 20 and 60 years) were selected. The following bone parameters were measured: 1) buccal, lingual, and basal cortical bone thickness in 5 standard parasagittal sections (the midline, the left and right sides of the lower lateral incisors, and the left and right sides of the lower canines); 2) the bone volume fraction of 10 sequential axial sections from each patient by creating a volume of interest in the area between the lower canines; and 3) fractal dimension and lacunarity using grayscale images of the same region of the volume of interest in the anterior mandible.

Metabolomic Profile and Its Correlation with the Plasmatic Levels of Losartan, EXP3174 and Blood Pressure Control in Hypertensive and Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.

Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide and, when dysregulated, may cause serious complications. Losartan (LOS) blocks relevant physiological aspects of hypertension, acting mainly on the reduction of peripheral vascular resistance. Complications of hypertension include nephropathy, in which diagnosis is based on the observation of functional or structural renal dysfunction.

Higher CO during controlled atmosphere storage of unshelled 'Barton' pecans or carnauba wax coating: Effect on the quality after long-term storage at two temperatures.

Pecan nuts, a healthy food, have shown an increased demand for consumption. Therefore, there must be a certain level of care to avoid quality losses, which are primarily influenced by storage conditions and time. This study evaluates the effects of long-term controlled atmosphere (CA) storage with low O partial pressure (pO - 2 kPa), combined or not with high CO (pCO - 40 or 80 kPa), carnauba wax coating (CW), and ambient atmosphere (AMB; control) at 10 and 20 °C, on unshelled 'Barton' pecan nut quality.

Detection of in Tissue Samples from Clean Primary Shoulder Surgeries - Part II.

 Research and identification of ( ) and other microorganisms in deep tissue samples collected in clean shoulder surgeries of patients who did not undergo any previous invasive joint procedure and who had no clinical history of infection.  We analyzed the results of cultures of intraoperative deep tissue samples from 84 patients submitted to primary clean shoulder surgery. Tubes containing culture medium were used for storage and transport of anaerobic agents, prolonged incubation time, and mass spectrometer for diagnosis of bacterial agents.

Development of the dairy products incorporated with co-product bioactive compounds-rich as an alternative ingredient in the food industry.

The objective was to optimize the phenolic compounds extraction from cocoa shells using the simplex-centroid design with a mixture of solvents (water, methanol, and acetone) as its components, to prove the presence of these compounds and antioxidant activity. Also, the development of dairy products, such as milk beverages and dairy desserts, with bioactive compounds, through the replacement of cocoa powder by cocoa shell was studied and evaluated sensorially. The extraction optimization indicated that a solvent with 56.

Providing environmental enrichments can reduce subclinical spondylolisthesis prevalence without affecting performance in broiler chickens.

Environmental enrichment can increase the occurrence of natural behavior and improve leg health and other animal welfare outcomes in broiler chickens. This study aimed to assess the effects of three environmental enrichments, specifically hay bales, step platforms, and laser lights, on subclinical spondylolisthesis prevalence, productivity, behavior, and gait of broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus). Twenty-four hundred day-old male Ross® AP95 chicks from a commercial hatchery were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replicate pens per treatment.

In vitro elution characteristics of antibiotic-loaded polymethylmethacrylate cement and a calcium sulfate bone substitute using staphylococci isolated from orthopedic implant-associated infections.

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) remains the gold standard antibiotic carrier in the management of osteomyelitis. However, biodegradable ceramic carriers may exhibit more efficient antibiotic elution properties. Through zone of inhibition (ZOI) testing and biofilm killing assays, we assessed the in vitro elution efficacy of vancomycin released from calcium sulfate (PG-CSH) and PMMA beads as carriers on clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, which were isolated from sonication fluid of orthopedic implant-associated infections.