Eco-Friendly Biocomposites from Chestnut Waste: Production, Optimization, Characterization, and Application.

This study explores the valorization of non-commercial chestnut waste from the Portuguese chestnut industry to develop biocomposites. The composites were obtained by hot compression molding, and a Box-Behnken Design model was employed to optimize the mechanical, thermal, and water resistance properties of the chestnut-based composite, using fruit and shell fibers, respectively, as the polymeric matrix and reinforcement agent. The optimal formulation, comprising 70% chestnut, no glycerol, a molding temperature of 120 °C, and applying a pressure of 2.

Historic manioc genomes illuminate maintenance of diversity under long-lived clonal cultivation.

Manioc-also called cassava and yuca-is among the world's most important crops, originating in South America in the early Holocene. Domestication for its starchy roots involved a near-total shift from sexual to clonal propagation, and almost all manioc worldwide is now grown from stem cuttings. In this work, we analyze 573 new and published genomes, focusing on traditional varieties from the Americas and wild relatives from herbaria, to reveal the effects of this shift to clonality.

A systematic review of adolescent alcohol-related harm trends in high-income countries with declines in adolescent consumption.

Background And Aims: Adolescent alcohol consumption decreased in high-income countries during the 2000s and 2010s. While evidence for declining consumption is clear, there has been less research tracking trends in alcohol-related harms. This article reviewed trends in adolescent alcohol-related harms in high-income countries where a decline in consumption had occurred and investigated sex-based differences in trends.

Toward Enhancing the Thermoelectric Properties of BiTe and SbTe Alloys by Co-Evaporation of BiTe:Bi and SbTe:Te.

In this work, we developed nanostructured BiTe and SbTe thin films by thermal co-evaporation of their alloys with corresponding pure elements (Bi, Sb, and Te). The films were fabricated on borosilicate glass at different substrate temperatures and deposition rates. At 300 °C, enhanced thermoelectric performance was demonstrated for -type BiTe:Bi and -type SbTe:Te, with Seebeck coefficients of 195 µV K and 178 μV K, along with electrical conductivities of 4.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance of TiO@Er-Hydroxyapatite Composite for Cationic Dye and Drug Removal.

Photocatalysis heterogeneous is an essential method for water treatment. In this study, a novel photocatalytic erbium-doped hydroxyapatite-decorated titanium dioxide (TiO@Er-Hap) was obtained using the sol-gel method and applied to remove ciprofloxacin (CIP) drug and methylene blue (MB) dye contaminants. The sample's structural, physical, morphological, and photocatalytic properties were investigated.

Strength Training can Modulate Urinary Adipokine Levels in Healthy Young Males.

Adipose tissue stores energy in fat-rich adipocytes, which can produce and release several adipokines and modulate body metabolism. Exercise may induce adipokine production in adipocytes; however, the relationship between the two remains unclear. Few studies have shown the relationship between adipokines and strength training.

Mineral profile of cow's milk and plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA).

Some consumers are replacing cow's milk by plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA), however the current knowledge regarding the mineral profile of PBMA is limited. This study aimed to characterize the mineral profile of commercial milk (n = 80) and PBMA types (n = 60; soya, rice, oat, almond, coconut, and hazelnut) by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectroscopy, along with a modification of the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction (iodine determination). A single fixed effect statistical model considering the type of beverage as an independent variable was applied.

Development and characterization of farnesol complexed in β- and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and their antibacterial activity.

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.

Enhancing Post-Training Muscle Recovery and Strength in Paralympic Powerlifting Athletes with Cold-Water Immersion, a Cross-Sectional Study.

(1) Background: The recovery method is important and decisive in the training system. This study aimed to assess the effects of various post-training recovery methods on muscle damage and strength indicators in Paralympic powerlifting athletes. (2) Methods: A crossover study was conducted involving eleven male athletes (25.

Humic acid from vermicompost effectively regulates the redox status and mitigates the progression of experimental periodontitis.

The progression of periodontal disease (PD) involves the action of oxidative stress mediators. Antioxidant agents may potentially attenuate the development of this condition. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effects of different doses of humic acid (HA), extracted from biomass vermicomposting, on redox status and parameters related to PD progression in rats.

sp. nov., a Gram-Positive, Spore-Forming Rod Isolated from a Pharmaceutical Facility Production Environment and Added to the MALDI Biotyper Database.

A Gram-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped and spore-forming bacterium strain designation, B190/17, was isolated from an air monitoring sample of a Brazilian immunobiological production facility in 2017. The strain was not identifiable by biochemical methodology VITEK 2 or by MALDI-TOF MS with VITEK MS RUO and MALDI Biotyper. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing results showed 98.

Antibiotic Resistance in Fermented Foods Chain: Evaluating the Risks of Emergence of as an Emerging Pathogen in Raw Milk Cheese.

Fermented foods, particularly fermented dairy products, offer significant health benefits but also present serious concerns. Probiotic bacteria, such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), found in these foods have been strongly linked to the selection and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This study aims to examine the potential risks associated with fermented foods, despite their importance in human nutrition, by analyzing the entire production chain from raw material acquisition to storage.

Effects of Nicotine on the Thermodynamics and Phase Coexistence of Pulmonary Surfactant Model Membranes.

Phase separation is essential for membrane function, and alterations in phase coexistence by membrane-interacting molecules, such as nicotine, can impair membrane stability. With the increasing use of e-cigarettes, concerns have arisen about the impact of nicotine on pulmonary surfactants. Here, we used differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and electron spin resonance (ESR) to examine nicotine's effect on the phase coexistence of two surfactant models: pure DPPC and a DPPC/POPC/POPG mixture.

Depoliticization of Violence: Critical Limits of Risk Environment Frameworks in Drug Use Research.

The risk environment framework (REF) is a widely-accepted tool in policy research related to drug use. Its prevalence warrants a critical exploration of its strengths and weaknesses. This critical appraisal is a comprehensive analysis of the REF by definition and through relevant examples of its use within the context of public health evaluations, social science research, and epidemiological strategies in substance use-related policy.

Self-assembly of ZnO-Biochar/Kaolinite/Chitosan/GO with 1D/2D/3D heterojunctions for enhanced removal of estrogens and triclosan in water.

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.

Nonlinear van't Hoff Behavior in the Interaction of Two Water-Soluble Porphyrins with Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA).

Thermodynamic analysis of the binding process of water-soluble negatively charged -tetrakis(-sulfonatophenyl) (TPPS) and positively charged -tetrakis(4-methylpyridyl) (TMPyP) porphyrins with bovine serum albumin (BSA) at different temperatures was carried out based on the data of BSA quenching fluorescence by porphyrins. The comparison of binding constants ( ) shows that negatively charged TPPS possesses higher affinity to BSA than positively charged TMPyP. Thermodynamic characteristics of the binding process were obtained in accordance with the van't Hoff theory by processing nonlinear dependences of ln on inverse absolute temperature within the framework of two models: taking into account the dependence or independence of the change in the standard heat capacity (Δ ) on temperature.

Pollution affects even oceanic marine protected areas in Southwestern Atlantic.

Reefs are facing a global decline with sewage pollution emerging as a significant and poorly understood threat. Inadequate wastewater management and disorderly urbanization contribute to water pollution globally. Tropical Southwestern Atlantic comprises a set of oceanic Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) including the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago in Brazil, which has experienced significant population growth without expanding the sewage infrastructure.

Metagenomics insights into bacterial diversity and antibiotic resistome of the sewage in the city of Belém, Pará, Brazil.

Introduction: The advancement of antimicrobial resistance is a significant public health issue today. With the spread of resistant bacterial strains in water resources, especially in urban sewage, metagenomic studies enable the investigation of the microbial composition and resistance genes present in these locations. This study characterized the bacterial community and antibiotic resistance genes in a sewage system that receives effluents from various sources through metagenomics.

Optimizing seedling production for the conservation of the threatened Dyckia rariflora (Bromeliaceae).

Objectives: In vitro seed propagation can enhance plant species growth and enable the rapid production of seedlings while preserving genetic variability. This study aimed to develop in vitro seed propagation and acclimatization protocols for Dyckia rariflora to support conservation efforts of this bromeliad endemic to ferruginous campos rupestres. Seed germination and plant growth were tested using MS (Murashige & Skoog) culture medium with varying salt concentrations, sucrose levels, and the presence or absence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP).

[Individual, family, and community factors associated with the use of emergency contraception by Brazilian adolescent students].

This study aimed to estimate the proportion of use of emergency contraception at least once in life among Brazilian adolescent students, as well as the association of individual, family, and community factors with use. A cross-sectional study was carried out, including 38,779 Brazilian adolescent students, aged 13 to 17 years, participating in the Brazilian National Survey of School Health (PeNSE) in 2019, who declared sexual initiation. The proportion of emergency contraception use at least once in life and the form of access to the method were estimated.

Effects of a worksite labor gymnastics program on novice and experienced workers.

Introduction: Worksite labor gymnastics programs are interventions that can positively affect industrial workers. Studies show that experienced and novice workers perceive their working conditions differently. Our premise is that labor gymnastics programs affect these two groups diversely.

Effects of deforestation on multitaxa community similarity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

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.