Examining Insula-Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity and Its Relationship with Heart Rate Variability.

Background: The Default Mode Network (DMN) is involved in self-referential and emotional processes, while the insula integrates emotional and interoceptive signals. Functional connectivity between the insula and the DMN is proposed to enhance these processes by linking internal bodily states with self-referential thoughts and emotional regulation. Heart Rate Variability (HRV), a measure of parasympathetic regulation of cardiac activity, has been associated with the capacity to regulate autonomic arousal.

Visual Noise Mask for Human Point-Light Displays: A Coding-Free Approach.

Human point-light displays consist of luminous dots representing human articulations, thus depicting actions without pictorial information. These stimuli are widely used in action recognition experiments. Because humans excel in decoding human motion, point-light displays (PLDs) are often masked with additional moving dots (noise masks), thereby challenging stimulus recognition.

Maternal touch in object- and nonobject-oriented play interactions: A longitudinal study at 7 and 12 months.

Social touch is a crucial part of how mothers interact with their infants, with different touch types serving distinct purposes in these exchanges. However, there is still a limited understanding of how mothers' touch behavior adapts to specific interactive tasks, particularly throughout infancy. To address this gap, we observed mother-infant dyads at 7 and 12 months during three structured social play tasks: (a) play with objects, (b) play without objects, and (c) play with a difficult object.

Impact of fitness coach behavior on exercise motivation, commitment, and enjoyment: A longitudinal study.

Fitness coaches seem to play an essential role in the field of exercise as they help prevent sedentary lifestyles and promote overall health, quality of life, and well-being. This study aimed to explore the effects of fitness coaches' behavior perceptions, intrinsic motivation, and enjoyment of exercisers on their long-term fitness and health, as well as their commitment to exercise. A total of 202 individuals participated in the study that was developed over three data gathering occasions (baseline, three months and six months).

Antihyperglycemic and antioxidant potential of a lectin from in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

This study aimed to evaluate the antihyperglycemic and antioxidant activities of the lectin isolated from (BTL). Diabetes was induced in Wistar rats through low-dose streptozotocin injections. Following the confirmation of hyperglycaemia, the animals were treated with 150 mM NaCl, glibenclamide, or BTL at 600 or 900 mg/kg.

Aflatoxin Contamination of Various Staple Foods from Angola and Mozambique.

Aflatoxins constitute a significant risk in staple foods produced in African countries. This research aimed to analyze the total aflatoxin (AFT) contamination of various staple foods in Angola and Mozambique. A total of 233 samples of corn, peanuts, beans, rice, and cassava flour collected from farmers or local markets from the province of Cuanza Sul, Angola, and the provinces of Gaza and Inhambane, South Mozambique, were analyzed for the presence of AFT using the lateral flow strip method via AgraStrip Pro WATEX (Romer).

Toward Enhanced Antibiotic Efficacy: Exploring the Synergistic Potential of Marine-Derived Lectins Against Human Pathogenic Bacteria.

This study aimed to assess the combined antibacterial effect of lectins and antibiotics on S. aureus ATCC 25923, multidrug-resistant E. coli ATCC 11303 and S.

Catalog of the Chrysomelinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) deposited in the entomological collections of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG) and the Universidade do Estado do Pará (UEPA), Belém, Brazil.

A comprehensive catalog is provided for most leaf beetles belonging to the Chrysomelinae subfamily, which are housed in the collections of two institutions in the state of Pará, located in northern Brazil: The Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG) and the Universidade do Estado do Pará (UEPA). The catalog includes detailed geographic distribution data for all species, along with new records and photographs (including two paratypes of Cryptostetha pereirai Bechyně, 1958, with descriptions of the aedeagus and spermatheca). Furthermore, information is provided on host plants, parasites, parasitoids, and predators associated with certain species.

Direct Discrimination and Growth Estimation of Foodborne Bacteria in Raw Meat Using Electronic Nose.

Evaluation concerning the presence of bacteria in meat products is mandatory for commercializing these goods. Although food bacteria detection is based on microbiological methods, these assays are usually laborious and time-consuming. In this paper, an electronic nose is used to differentiate spp.

Effects of Replacing Inorganic with Organic Glycinates Trace Minerals on Growth Performance, Gut Function, and Minerals Loss of Juvenile Nile Tilapia.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of replacing inorganic trace minerals (ITM) with organic trace minerals (OTM) on growth performance, body composition, gut histomorphometry, digestive enzyme activity, apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC), and mineral balance in juvenile Nile tilapia, . Fish ( = 432; 2.5 ± 0.

Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma May Prevent Oral Mucositis-Related Candidemia in Chemotherapy-Treated Rats.

Oral mucositis associated with candidiasis can causes systemic candidemia, posing a risk to cancer patients administered antineoplastic therapy. Cold atmospheric pressure plasma jets (CAPPJs) have antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. This study evaluated the effects CAPPJs in preventing systemic fungal dissemination in a murine model of oral mucositis associated with candidiasis.

Phosphodiesterase inhibitors and testicular torsion: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies.

Background: Testicular torsion is a common urological emergency in children and teenagers that, in most cases, requires surgical exploration and detorsion. However, even after a successful intervention, a high number of patients still develop irreversible damage.

Objectives: To investigate whether the administration of phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDE) in animal models of testicular torsion can reduce damages caused by the ischemia-reperfusion syndrome.

Buprenorphine Transdermal Delivery System: Bioequivalence Assessment and Adhesion Performance of Two Patch Formulations.

Buprenorphine is an opioid drug indicated for the management of severe and persistent pain. The buprenorphine transdermal patch provides a non-invasive method of rate-controlled drug release, ensuring constant and predictable drug plasma levels over an extended period. This study aimed to assess the bioequivalence, skin adhesion non-inferiority, and tolerability of two buprenorphine transdermal patches to meet the regulatory requirements for the registration of a generic product in Brazil.

Occurrence and Antimicrobial Resistance in a Swine Slaughtering Process.

The swine production chain can be a reservoir of antimicrobial-resistant , which transfers resistance genes to other bacteria, serving as an important biomarker in the One Health approach. This study aimed to identify the frequency and antimicrobial resistance profile of in the swine production chain, assess the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), and compare resistance profiles across different sample types. A total of 622 samples of swine carcasses from various points of the slaughter process (n = 400), swine feces (n = 100), commercial cuts (n = 45), environment (n = 67), and feces from employees (n = 10) of a pig slaughterhouse certified by the Federal Inspection Service, located in São Paulo state, Brazil, were collected.

Betulinic Acid Acts in Synergism with Imatinib Mesylate, Triggering Apoptosis in MDR Leukemia Cells.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disease, characterized by the presence of the oncogene BCR-ABL. Imatinib mesylate (IMA) is the first-line treatment for CML, and some treatment resistance has been reported. Natural products are rich sources of bioactive compounds with biological effects, opening a possibility to alter cell susceptibility to drugs such as imatinib.

Gender differences in the observation of gesture direction: a physiological study.

Intransitive gestures are expressive and symbolic, whereas pantomimes are object-related actions. These gestures convey different meanings depending on whether they are directed toward (TB) or away from the body (AB). TB gestures express mental states (intransitive) or hygiene/nutritional activities (pantomime), while AB gestures modify the behaviour of the observer (intransitive) or demonstrate tool use with an object (pantomime).

The biogeography of the Amazonian tree flora.

We describe the geographical variation in tree species composition across Amazonian forests and show how environmental conditions are associated with species turnover. Our analyses are based on 2023 forest inventory plots (1 ha) that provide abundance data for a total of 5188 tree species. Within-plot species composition reflected both local environmental conditions (especially soil nutrients and hydrology) and geographical regions.

Development of inhaled moxifloxacin-metformin formulation as an alternative for pulmonary tuberculosis treatment.

Resistant M. tuberculosis strains threaten pulmonary tuberculosis (P-TB) control since they limit drug options. Drug repositioning and new development strategies are urgently required to overcome resistance.

An Integrated Strategy of UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS Combined with Bioactivity-Based Molecular Networking for Identification of Antitumoral Withanolides from (Vell.) I.M.C. Rodrigues & Stehmann.

Background: , a Brazilian native species from the Solanaceae family, is recognized as a promising source of bioactive withanolides, particularly Aurelianolide A and B, which exhibit significant antitumoral activities. Despite its potential, research on the chemical constituents of this species remains limited. This study aimed to dereplicate extracts and partitions of to streamline the discovery of bioactive withanolides.

Detecting the Sigma Phase in Duplex Stainless Steel by Magnetic Noise and First Harmonic Analysis.

Non-destructive electromagnetic tests based on magnetic noise analysis have been developed to study, among others, residual stress, heat treatment outcomes, and harmful microstructures in terms of toughness. When subjected to thermal cycles above 550 °C, duplex stainless steels form an extremely hard and chromium-rich constituent that, if it is superior to 5%, compromises the steel's corrosion resistance and toughness. In the present work, a study was carried out concerning the interaction of excitation waves with duplex stainless steel.