Aerial urination suggests undescribed sensory modality and social function in river dolphins.

Scent marking through urine spraying is known to aid mate selection, territory marking and chemical communication in terrestrial, but not in aquatic mammals. We quantify an unusual aerial urination behaviour in botos (Inia geoffrensis) and discuss its potential functions. Between 2014 and 2018, we conducted land-based behavioural surveys on wild botos in central Brazil, recording the sequence, duration and social context of aerial urination.

Efficacy and safety of peroxide-based mouthrinse on whitening treatment: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Objectives: This randomized controlled clinical trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of peroxide-based mouthrinse on whitening treatment. The patient's satisfaction and treatment longevity were also assessed.

Material And Methods: Participants (N=45) were randomly allocated to three different groups: WM (Whitening mouthrinse - 2.

Describing the landscape of nutrition- and diet-related randomized controlled trials: meta-research study of protocols published between 2012 and 2022.

Background: Publishing protocols promotes transparency and reproducibility. The scope and methods of protocols for nutrition- and diet-related randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have not been investigated yet.

Objective: Map the landscape of nutrition- and diet-related interventions research.

Lung cancer screening program quality indicators - review & recommendations - An International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Delphi process study.

Introduction: Lung cancer screening (LCS) using low-dose-computed tomography reduces lung cancer mortality in high-risk individuals. Evaluating and monitoring LCS programs are important to ensure and improve quality, efficiency and participant outcomes. There is no agreement on LCS quality indicators (QIs).

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Staging Project: The Database and Proposal for the Revision of the Staging of Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma in the Forthcoming Ninth Edition of the TNM Classification for Lung Cancer.

Introduction: Pulmonary high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) includes small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). The seventh and eighth editions of the TNM classification for lung cancer confirmed the applicability of this staging system for SCLC. With the proposal of N2 and M1c subcategories for the ninth edition classification, we assessed the applicability to NECs.

Development and applications of a machine learning model for an in-depth analysis of pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure-like behaviors in adult zebrafish.

Epilepsy, a neurological disorder causing recurring seizures, is often studied in zebrafish by exposing animals to pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), which induces clonic- and tonic-like behaviors. While adult zebrafish seizure-like behaviors are well characterized, manual assessment remains challenging due to its time-consuming nature, potential for human error/bias, and the risk of overlooking subtle behaviors. Aiming to circumvent these issues, we developed a machine learning model for automating the analysis of subtle abnormal and seizure-like behaviors in PTZ-exposed adult zebrafish.

Global impact of 10- and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on pneumococcal meningitis in all ages: the PSERENADE project.

Background: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) introduced in childhood national immunization programs lowered vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), but replacement with non-vaccine-types persisted throughout the PCV10/13 follow-up period. We assessed PCV10/13 impact on pneumococcal meningitis incidence globally.

Methods: The number of cases with serotyped pneumococci detected in cerebrospinal fluid and population denominators were obtained from surveillance sites globally.

Covered Versus Bare Metal Stents in Chronic Mesenteric Ischaemia Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Introduction: The main treatment for Chronic Mesenteric Ischemia (CMI) is revascularization, typically achieved through stent angioplasty of the superior mesenteric artery, and in certain cases, the celiac trunk. However, long-term outcomes using bare-metal stents have been less than satisfactory. Therefore, we aimed to compare the performance of covered stents (CS) versus bare-metal stents (BMS) in patients treated for CMI.

Outcomes of Acute Limb Ischemia at a Large Public Hospital in Brazil: insights before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: This study compared outcomes of patients with acute limb ischemia (ALI) before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, hypothesizing that poor outcomes observed during the pandemic have not yet been resolved.

Methods: This retrospective, observational, single-center study analyzed ALI patients from 2019 to 2023.

Results: Over five years, 298 patients underwent surgery for ALI at our hospital: 35 had COVID-19 (COVID Group), 132 tested negative (Non-COVID Group), 71 were treated before the pandemic (Pre-COVID Group), and 60 after (Post-COVID Group).

Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up in Children with Intrauterine and Perinatal Exposure to Chikungunya Virus.

Objective: To investigate the effects of intrauterine and perinatal exposure to chikungunya virus (CHIKV) on neurodevelopment in infants and toddlers.

Study Design: We conducted a cohort study comparing children with intrauterine or perinatal exposure to maternal CHIKV infection with unexposed controls in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Neurodevelopment was assessed with General Movement Assessments (GMA) in the first six months of life, and the Bayley-III Scales of Infant and Toddler Development and Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) for older children.

Diet quality components and gut microbiota of patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Objective: To evaluate the associations between the quality of the diet and its components and microbial diversity and composition in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Design And Methods: This crossectional study included PD patients for at least 3 months, aged 18-75 years and clinically stable. The Diet Quality Index (DQI), validated for the Brazilian population, is based on the energy density of 11 components ("sugar and sweets"; "beef, pork and processed meat"; "refined grains and breads"; "animal fat"; "poultry, fish and eggs"; "whole cereals, tubers and roots"; "fruits"; "non-starch vegetables"; "legumes and nuts"; "milk and dairy products"; "vegetable oil").

Handheld dynamometry testing during dialysis: intra and inter-rater reliability study.

Objective: The aim was to assess the intra and inter-rater reliability of the handheld dynamometry testing of lower limb muscles during hemodialysis.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including subjects undertaking hemodialysis for at least 3 months. Handheld dynamometer measurements of hip and ankle muscle strength (N) were registered on 4 different occasions, 2 trials by raters A and 2 by raters B, to evaluate the intra and inter-rater reliability.

'Neither here nor there'? Meiofauna as an effective tool to evaluate the impacts of the 2019 mysterious oil spill in a Northeast Brazil coral reef.

During the last half of 2019, the Northeast coast of Brazil suffered from an extensive oil spill of unknown origin, and marine organisms in those areas were subjected to significant impacts. In situations like this, the contaminant effects can persist for varying periods. Oil contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), generally reduce taxa's abundance and diversity in benthic communities in areas with greater exposure to chemical components.

Comparison between the fluid-structure interaction approach and the finite element method approach to analyze the leaflet flutter in bioprosthetic aortic valve.

The low durability of bioprosthetic heart valves (BHV), between 10-15 years, is associated with the development of leaflets flutter. Despite increasing calcification and structural damage of the BHV, leaflets flutter is an understudied condition. Therefore, the objective of this study is compare the oscillation characteristics of BHV leaflets obtained by the finite element method (FEM) technique and by the fluid-structural interaction (FSI) technique.

Knowledge and attitude of deaf women in relation to contraceptive methods: A systematic review.

Background: Communication barriers make it difficult for deaf women to access information about contraceptive methods, making them vulnerable to unplanned pregnancies.

Objective: To identify knowledge and attitudes of deaf women in relation to contraceptive methods.

Method: The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature, PROSPERO registry (CRD42021277635), conducted from August 2021 to April 2024.

Evaluation of corneal incision in femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and quality of healing of main corneal incisions in femtosecond laser procedures in cataract surgery.

Methods: It was a prospective, non-randomized, investigator-masked study. A total of 37 eyes of 37 patients with indication for cataract surgery were separated into two groups in this prospective, nonrandomized study: Femto group, with incisions automated by femtosecond laser (18 eyes), and Phaco group, with incisions made using a keratome (19 eyes).

OSVE or multiple-choice test: Is that a relevant question?

Introduction: The OSCE has been a robust tool for assessing clinical skills in medical education, adaptable across various clinical domains and stages. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, posed significant challenges to traditional assessment methods. This led to the development of the OSVE as an alternative.

Phylogeography of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages detected in asymptomatic blood donors during third epidemiological wave in Mato Grosso, Midwestern Brazil.

Emerging infectious disease agents represent pathogens that may evade current screening protocols while posing significant transfusion transmission risks regionally. This study investigated the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses among 633 blood donors at the MT-Hemocentro from November 2021 to February 2023. Nucleic acid obtained from nasopharyngeal swabs were tested by RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2, RSV, FLU-A, and FLU-B.

Ascorbic acid on the induction of salt stress tolerance in guava in the seedling formation phase.

Guava is a fruit crop widely exploited in the Northeast region of Brazil. However, its exploitation is limited by water scarcity and, in many cases, producers are forced to use water with high levels of salts in irrigation. Thus, it is necessary to develop techniques to induce plant tolerance to salt stress, and the foliar application of a non-enzymatic compound such as ascorbic acid is a promising alternative to mitigate the deleterious effects on plants.

Mastering rectal cancer MRI: From foundational concepts to optimal staging.

MRI plays a critical role in the local staging, restaging, surveillance, and risk stratification of patients, ensuring they receive the most tailored therapy. As such, radiologists must be familiar not only with the key MRI findings that influence management decisions but also with the appropriate MRI protocols and structured reporting. Given the complexity of selecting the optimal therapy for each patient-which often requires multidisciplinary discussions-radiologists should be well-versed in relevant treatment strategies and surgical terms, understanding their significance in guiding patient care.

Hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HILIC-LC-HRMS): An approach to study natural peptides in Viperidae snake venom.

Although proteins in snake venoms have been extensively studied and characterized, low-mass molecules remain relatively unexplored, mainly due to their low abundance, secondary role in envenomation, and some analytical technique limitations. However, these small molecules can provide new important data related to venom toxins' molecular structure, functions, and evolutionary relationships. This research aimed to characterize molecules below 10 kDa in the venoms of snakes from the Viperidae families (Bothrops, Agkistrodon, and Bitis) and compare two chromatographic approaches: reverse-phase chromatography (RP), a classic technique, and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), an alternative technique, both coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS).

Assessing diapocynin's different effects on osteosarcoma and breast cancer cells: An in vitro study.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone cancer, accounting for approximately 5 % of new cancer cases globally. In contrast, breast cancer remains the most prevalent malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women. Given the limitations of current therapies, novel treatment strategies are urgently needed.

Resilience in adversity: Exploring adaptive changes in cancer cells under stress.

Objective: Cancer cells undergo adaptive processes that favor their survival and proliferation when subjected to different types of cellular stress. These changes are linked to oncogenic processes such as genetic instability, tumor proliferation, therapy resistance, and invasion. Therefore, this study aimed to review studies that discuss possible morphological and genetic changes acquired by neoplastic cells under stressful conditions.

Nitrogen removal from multi-electrolyte saline wastewater via mainstream anammox in warm climate conditions.

High salts concentrations in wastewater hinder its biological treatment. Recent research has investigated the inhibitory effect of salinity on the anammox process, mainly focusing on NaCl. Thus, the inhibition caused by multi-electrolytes salinity on freshwater anammox bacteria remains unclear.

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.