Efficacy of vaccines based on chimeric or multiepitope antigens for protection against visceral leishmaniasis: A systematic review.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an infectious parasitic disease caused by the species Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum in the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East, Central Asia, South America, and Central America, and Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani in Asia and Africa. VL represents the most severe and systemic form of the disease and is fatal if left untreated. Vaccines based on chimeric or multiepitope antigens hold significant potential to induce a highly effective and long-lasting immune response against infections by these parasites.

Placentas From SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Pregnancy Exhibit Foci of Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage.

Problem: COVID-19 during pregnancy is linked to increased maternal morbidity and a higher incidence of preterm births (PTBs), yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Cellular senescence, characterized by the irreversible cessation of cell division, is a critical process in placental function, and its dysregulation has been implicated in pregnancy complications like PTB. Senescence can be induced by various stressors, including oxidative stress, DNA damage, and viral infections.

Comparison of the spatial and temporal distribution of cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis in the state of Rio de Janeiro between 2001 and 2011.

Objective: To compare the spatio-temporal distribution of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) cases with mucosal leishmaniasis (ML) cases in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) between 2001 and 2011.

Method: The incidence rates (IR) of CL and ML were calculated for the cases notified between 2001-2011 in the Information System of Notifiable Diseases for Rio de Janeiro (RJ, and for the municipalities of Rio de Janeiro and Angra dos Reis, with georeferencing and construction of thematic maps. A negative binomial regression model was used to assess the temporal dependency between CL and ML.

Comparison of principal component analysis algorithms for imputation in agrometeorological data in high dimension and reduced sample size.

Meteorological data acquired with precision, quality, and reliability are crucial in various agronomy fields, especially in studies related to reference evapotranspiration (ETo). ETo plays a fundamental role in the hydrological cycle, irrigation system planning and management, water demand modeling, water stress monitoring, water balance estimation, as well as in hydrological and environmental studies. However, temporal records often encounter issues such as missing measurements.

Lifetime Use of Dental Services and Dental Caries in Adolescents in 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort.

Objective: To examine the association between the lifetime utilisation of dental services and dental caries experience in mixed dentition among adolescents participating in the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort, Southern Brazil.

Methods: This longitudinal study analysed a sample of 996 adolescents aged 12-13 years. Dental caries experience and untreated dental caries were the outcomes, assessed by the mean of decayed, missed and filled in deciduous (dmfs index) and in permanent (DMFS index) teeth, based on World Health Organization criteria.

Relative abrasive potential of silica-based conventional and tablet dentifrices on enamel and dentin.

Objectives: This in vitro study aimed to investigate the toothbrushing wear on both enamel and dentin surfaces of reference and commercially available dentifrices.

Methods: Bovine enamel and dentin blocks were initially polished and embedded within a resin composite in square shapes (10×8×6 mm3). Employing toothbrushes equipped with nylon bristles, a toothbrushing machine was utilized, subjecting dentin specimens (n = 36) to 500 brush cycles and enamel samples to 5000 brush cycles (n = 36).

Performance of indirect adherence measures for daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV among adolescent men who have sex with men and transgender women in Brazil.

Background: Consistent monitoring of PrEP adherence with accurate measurement tools at point-of-care could greatly contribute to reaching adolescents with poor adherence. We aimed to assess the performance of indirect adherence measures to oral PrEP among adolescent men who have sex with men (AMSM) and adolescent transgender women (ATGW).

Methods: PrEP15-19 is a prospective, multicenter, PrEP demonstration cohort study that includes AMSM and ATGW aged 15-19 in three Brazilian cities.

Potential of Bacillus thuringiensis isolates to manage Gonipterus platensis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) larvae populations.

The growing expansion of eucalyptus plantations in Brazil and the impact of exotic pests, such as Gonipterus platensis, demand effective, and sustainable biological control strategies. The aim of this study was to assess the pathogenicity of 10 Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolates to neonate Gonipterus platensis larvae, commonly known as the eucalyptus weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) with the specific focus of evaluating their potential to manage this pest while preserving its egg parasitoid, Anaphes nitens. To achieve this, the genomic DNA of the 10 Bt isolates was extracted using the thermal lysis method for molecular characterization of their Cry and Vip proteins.

Germinative dynamic, seasonality, and polyandry: A dive in neotropical point-belly frog reproduction.

Complexity and reproductive plasticity are very well-known characteristics of anurans. The group is being continuously explored taxonomically and phylogenetically, which leads to a great potential diversity not yet uncovered. This is particularly evident due to the lack of investigation regarding species-specific traits, even the ones well distributed in the lineages as polyandry.

Gaps in Evidence-Based Recommendations for Low Back Pain: Analysis of the Accuracy of the Care Pathway in Primary Care.

Background: Primary health care is the gateway to low back pain (LBP) management. Effective management of LBP can reduce disability and socioeconomic burden. Standardised, accurate, and evidence-based information for assertive decision-making in care pathways for LBP has the potential to improve health service efficiency.

Lack of Association between Vitamin D Genetic Polymorphism and Virological Characteristics of Hepatitis B Infection.

Background: Exploring polymorphisms in vitamin D-related genes (VDR) within the Brazilian population provides a valuable model to contribute to the influence of the host genetic variants on chronic viral hepatitis B (CHB).

Methods: 126 CHB patients were enrolled in the current study and clinical, laboratory, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OD)D] level data were obtained. Four VDR (rs7975232, rs1544410, rs10735810, rs731236) and 2 vitamin D-binding protein/carrier globulin (GC) polymorphisms (rs4588 and rs7041) were determined using TaqMan assays and nucleotide sequencing.

Protective Effects of Spondias mombin L. Juice Alone or in Combination With Lactobacillus acidophilus in 5-Fluorouracil-Induced Experimental Intestinal Mucositis.

Background: Evaluate the impact of Spondias mombin L. juice (SM), alone and in combination with Lactobacillus acidophilus, in an experimental model of intestinal mucositis.

Methods: Swiss mice were orally administered with saline, SM, or SM combined with L.

Coefficients in Taylor's law increase with the time scale of water clarity measurements in a global suite of lakes.

Identifying the scaling rules describing ecological patterns across time and space is a central challenge in ecology. Taylor's law of fluctuation scaling, which states that the variance of a population's size or density is proportional to a positive power of the mean size or density, has been widely observed in population dynamics and characterizes variability in multiple scientific domains. However, it is unclear if this phenomenon accurately describes ecological patterns across many orders of magnitude in time, and therefore links otherwise disparate observations.

Expression of a periplasmic β-glucosidase from Yarrowia lipolytica allows efficient cellobiose-xylose co-fermentation by industrial xylose-fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains.

This study aimed to compare the effects of cellobiose hydrolysis, whether occurring inside or outside the cell, on the ability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains to ferment this sugar and then apply the most effective strategy to industrial S. cerevisiae strains. Firstly, two recombinant laboratory S.

A tension system for angular correction of bent intramedullary nails: in vitro analysis.

Purpose: Although several techniques have been described for bent intramedullary nail removal, there is no universally accepted strategy. We hypothesized that a device based on the action principle of a three-point bend fixture could facilitate extraction of bent intramedullary nails; this paper describes its design and experimental testing.

Methods: Five large synthetic left femurs and five steel intramedullary nails were used.

Lacustrine sedimentation patterns at the Northern Antarctic Peninsula and surroundings as a response to late Holocene and Modern Climate changes.

The Northern Antarctic Peninsula (NAP) and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) are likely to respond rapidly to climate changes by increasing the collapse of peripheral ice shelves and the number of days above 0 °C. These facts make this region a representative hotspot of the global sea level rise and the location of one of the global climate tipping points (thresholds in the Earth system whose changes may become irreversible, if exceeded). Understanding the climate evolution of the NAP, based on past evidences, may help infer its future scenario.

What Should We Teach to Promote Bee Conservation Awareness? Insights from the Perception of Brazilian Middle School Students.

Pollination service is a global issue with significant impacts on ecosystem maintenance and food production. The decline of bees has highlighted the importance of public awareness and conservation policies to ensure food security and the sustainable use of such services. In this study, we investigated the awareness about bee diversity and pollination services among young students in a medium-sized city in the Cerrado region, the main agricultural frontier in Central Brazil.

Preoperative CT-Scan Angiography Reconstruction Before Right Colectomy with Complete Mesocolon Excision: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Complete mesocolon excision (CME) and central vascular ligation for right colonic cancers have been developed to improve oncological outcomes. However, it has been linked with a higher risk of morbidity and technical difficulties in operating near major vessels. This study investigated the impact of preoperative surgical planning utilizing CT reconstruction on surgical outcomes in right colectomy with CME.

Metastatic sites and clinical outcomes in renal cell carcinoma patients receiving immune-based combinations: the MOUSEION-08 study.

Immune-based combinations have significantly improved the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC); however, immunotherapy has reported varying degrees of efficacy across different metastatic sites, with liver and bone metastases traditionally considered more challenging to treat. In MOUSEION-08 study, we aimed to investigate the association between lung, liver, and bone metastases and clinical outcomes such as Overall Survival (OS) and Progression- Free Survival (PFS) in mRCC patients receiving immune-based combinations. The present systematic review and study-level meta-analysis was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA).

A Closer Look at the Giant with Feet of Clay: Analyzing and Refining Neff´s Theory of Self-Compassion.

In this article, the authors aim to offer a perspective on self-compassion capable of becoming part of a unified psychology; however not "from scratch", but based on what Neff (2003a, b) proposed. This is through the analysis and refinement of her theory in two stages. First, they check whether the supposed six factors exist in the constitution of self-compassion using the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) technique in a collected sample for this study (249 participants, 69.

Bio-based plasticizer Babassu oil for custom-made conductive additive-manufacturing filaments: towards 3D-printed electrodes applied to cocaine detection.

Babassu (Atallea sp.), a native palm tree from South America's Amazon produces bio-oil and biochar with significant potential for industrial applications. Babassu oil as a bio-based plasticizer is reported here for the first time to replace petrochemical alternatives in the production of conductive filaments for additive manufacturing purposes.

Efficacy and safety of tirofiban in acute ischemic stroke due to intracranial atherosclerotic disease for patients undergoing endovascular treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Tirofiban has emerged as an adjunct therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients undergoing endovascular treatment (EVT). However, its benefits for AIS patients with intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) remains unclear. This meta-analysis evaluates its efficacy and safety in ICAD-related AIS patients undergoing EVT.

Adaptive dynamics of dairy goats in a temperate region.

Physiological and hematological traits and productive performance of Spanish Majorera and Palmera goats reared on the Island of Tenerife-Spain were assessed. 50 adult, clinically healthy, multiparous female goats were studied for 18 months. The data were analyzed in a two (breeds) x four (season) factorial scheme.

Biotechnological advances in plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for sustainable agriculture.

The rhizosphere, the soil zone surrounding plant roots, serves as a reservoir for numerous beneficial microorganisms that enhance plant productivity and crop yield, with substantial potential for application as biofertilizers. These microbes play critical roles in ecological processes such as nutrient recycling, organic matter decomposition, and mineralization. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) represent a promising tool for sustainable agriculture, enabling green management of crop health and growth, being eco-friendly alternatives to replace chemical fertilizers and pesticides.