Diversity patterns and knowledge gaps of Atlantic Forest epiphyllous bryophytes: a highly neglected group.

Background: Epiphyllous bryophytes are a group of plants with complex adaptations to colonize the leaves of vascular plants and are considered one of the most specialized and sensitive groups to environmental changes. Despite their specificity and ecological importance, these plants represent a largely neglected group in relation to scientific research and ecological data. This lack of information directly affects our understanding of biodiversity patterns and compromises the conservation of this group in threatened ecosystems.

L-carnitine protects against oxidative damage and neuroinflammation in cerebral cortex of rats submitted to chronic chemically-induced model of hyperphenylalaninemia.

Phenylketonuria is a genetic disorder characterized by high phenylalanine levels, the main toxic metabolite of the disease. Hyperphenylalaninemia can cause neurological impairment. In order to avoid this symptomatology, patients typically follow a phenylalanine-free diet supplemented with a synthetic formula that provides essential amino acids, including L-carnitine.

Teaching Spirituality in Nursing: A Bibliometric Analysis.

The study of spirituality in nursing education has become an emerging academic field, making it important to understand its evolution using bibliometric indicators. To achieve this, a search was conducted on July 8, 2024, using the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Titles and abstracts were screened in Rayyan, and data analysis was performed using Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny in the R language.

Adaptation and validation of a tool for the quality assessment of genetic counseling in Brazil: perspectives from clinical geneticists.

In 2018, Portuguese researchers proposed the "Tool for Quality Assessment of Genetic Counseling," a 5-point Likert scale comprising 50 items across five dimensions, designed to assess genetic counseling from the professional's perspective. This descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed to adapt this tool to Brazilian Portuguese, validate it among Brazilian clinical geneticists, and conduct a preliminary assessment of the quality of genetic counseling in Brazil. The adaptation process involved expert-driven content validation and calculation of the Content Validity Index (CVI) to ensure equivalence between the original and adapted versions.

Septicemic omphalophlebitis by Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus in a southern right whale calf (Eubalaena australis).

Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) are mysticete cetaceans commonly observed in the coastal waters of Brazil, particularly in Santa Catarina State. There is limited understanding of the causes of calf mortality in this species, particularly concerning infectious diseases. We report a case of omphalophlebitis caused by Streptococcus equi subsp.

Azathioprine and risk of non-melanoma skin cancers in organ transplant recipients: a systematic review and update meta-analysis.

Background: Immunosuppression might increase the risk of skin cancer in organ transplant recipients (OTRs), with azathioprine (AZA), exerting a fundamental role in the carcinogenesis of those tumors. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to address the risk of developing malignant skin neoplasms in OTRs undergoing immunosuppression with AZA.

Methods: PubMed, Cochrane and Embase were searched for studies with OTRs who have a treatment regimen involving Azathioprine therapy after transplantation and that analyzed the emergence of skin neoplasia.

Blue light-emitting diode therapy for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis: a Brazilian report.

Purpose: RVVC is defined as four or more episodes of candidiasis in a 12-month period. Conventional treatment is complex and often involves long-term medication use or multiple treatments. ABL therapy is a promising treatment option as it is acceptable to women and has only rare side effects.

Efficacy of birthing ball exercises to reduce labor pain and cesarean rates: an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: This updated systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the impact of a birthing ball (BB) exercises on low-risk parturients during labor, offering a more comprehensive understanding through a larger sample size, robust analysis, and focus on relevant endpoints that were underexplored in previous studies due to limited data.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Central for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing BB (also named Swiss ball) exercises with no intervention or standard care in parturients undergoing low-risk labor. Risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD) were calculated using a random-effects model.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma during pregnancy. Case report.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma during pregnancy is extremely rare. Overall, including our case, only 19 cases confirmed antepartum have been reported to date. We report the case of a 37 year-old woman at 24 weeks of pregnancy in whom a pancreatic adenocarcinoma was identified during investigation of a suspected acute pancreatitis.

Decreased childhood asthma hospitalizations linked to hotter, drier climate with lower wind speed in drylands.

Climate change poses a significant threat to human health. Long-term climate effects on childhood asthma hospitalizations depend on the population's geographic region. These effects in tropical drylands are not well understood.

Land use and cover changes and sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) assemblages in an emerging focus of leishmaniasis.

Land use and cover changes lead to fragmentation of the natural habitats of sand flies and modify the epidemiological profile of leishmaniasis. This process contributes to the infestation of adjacent rural settlements by vector sand fly species with different degrees of adaptation, promoting leishmaniasis outbreaks. This study aimed to assess land use and cover changes over a 12-year period and investigate the diversity and abundance of sand fly assemblages in the rural area of Codó, Maranhão State, Brazil.

Using Zebrafish Models to Study Epitranscriptomic Regulation of CNS Functions.

Epitranscriptomic regulation of cell functions involves multiple post-transcriptional chemical modifications of coding and non-coding RNA that are increasingly recognized in studying human brain disorders. Although rodent models are presently widely used in neuroepitranscriptomic research, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as a useful and promising alternative model species. Mounting evidence supports the importance of RNA modifications in zebrafish CNS function, providing additional insights into epitranscriptomic mechanisms underlying a wide range of brain disorders.

MPXV: Update on Morphological and Morphogenesis Aspects Through Transmission and Scanning Electron Microscopies and 3D Reconstruction.

An unprecedented global outbreak caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) prompted the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency of international concern on July 23, 2022. Therapeutics and vaccines for MPXV are not widely available, necessitating further studies, particularly in drug repurposing area. To this end, the standardization of in vitro infection systems is essential.

Coronavirus Cryptic Landscape and Draft Genome of a Novel CoV Clade Related to MERS From Bats Circulating in Northeastern Brazil.

We identified seven distinct coronaviruses (CoVs) in bats from Brazil, classified into 229E-related (Alpha-CoV), Nobecovirus, Sarbecovirus, and Merbecovirus (Beta-CoV), including one closely related to MERS-like CoV with 82.8% genome coverage. To accomplish this, we screened 423 oral and rectal swabs from 16 different bat species using molecular assays, RNA sequencing, and evolutionary analysis.

Differences and contributors to global cognitive performance in the underrepresented Latinx Parkinson's disease population.

Despite significant progress in understanding the factors influencing cognitive function in Parkinson's disease (PD), there is a notable gap in data representation for the Latinx population. This study aims to evaluate the contributors to and disparities in cognitive performance among Latinx patients with PD. A retrospective analysis was conducted based on cross-sectional data encompassing demographic, environmental, motor, and non-motor disease characteristics from the Latin American Research Consortium on the Genetics of PD (LARGE-PD) and the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) cohorts.

Effect of In Situ Acid Erosion on Structural and Optical Properties of Nanoparticulated Bisacrylic Resin With Different Surface Treatments.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of in situ acid erosion on the structural and optical properties of nanoparticulate bisacrylic resin with different surface treatments, evaluating surface roughness (Ra), knoop microhardness (KHN), color change (ΔE, ΔL, ΔC, ΔH), contrast (CR) and translucency (TP).

Methods: Eighty specimens were made (n = 10 per group) and the following surface treatments were applied: U-unpolished; A-polishing with Astropol rubber tips (Ivoclar); S-Biscover LV surface sealant (Bisco) and S-Palaseal surface sealant (kulzer). For the in situ experiment, 10 volunteers wore an intraoral appliance containing eight specimens (two specimens per experimental group), with only one specimen from each experimental group being subjected to the acid process.

The Impact of Genetic Polymorphisms on Genotoxicity (DNA Damage) Induced by Cigarette Smoke in Humans: A Systematic Review.

The present systematic review aims to put together human population studies that include some relationship between genetic polymorphisms and genotoxicity as well as to evaluate the quality of the published studies induced by cigarette smoke exposure in vivo. The present systematic review was built according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. Different genotoxicity assays were used by different authors, although the major goal was the genotoxicity assessment by means of micronucleus, comet, sister chromatid exchange, and chromosomal aberration assays.

The Effects of Hydrological Disasters on the Population's Health in the Northeast Region of Brazil.

The Northeast region of Brazil is characterized by long periods of drought. However, the region is also frequently affected by floods. The socioeconomic characteristics of the locality make the population more vulnerable to the impacts of these disasters.

Psychometric Examination of the Proposed Specifiers for Conduct Disorder Self-Report (PSCD) Among an Adult Community Sample From Brazil.

The Proposed Specifiers for Conduct Disorder (PSCD) is a promising novel scale that measures psychopathic traits and includes an additional conduct disorder factor that taps the antisocial dimension of psychopathy. The current study sought to broaden the application of PSCD by examining the factor structure, convergent and discriminant validity, and connections to delinquency in a young adult sample ( = 450;  = 31.91 years,  = 13.

Pollen-pistil interaction in Mauritia flexuosa: structural and cytological aspects provide insight into the reproductive success of a dioecious palm with supra-annual flowering in a semiarid environment.

The success of pollen-pistil interaction in Mauritia flexuosa (buriti), a palm adapted to the humid ecosystems, 'veredas', within the Cerrado, is influenced by intrinsic and environmental factors. Its supra-annual flowering, dioecy, and adverse climate conditions pose challenges for fertilization, therefore information on floral biology is essential. This study aimed to ascertain stigma receptivity, and elucidate structural, cytochemical, and ultrastructural aspects of the pollen-pistil relationship.

Social determinants of oral health in an indigenous community of Chile: preliminary data of a mixed qualitative and quantitative study.

Introduction: Certain aspects of indigenous communities, such as cultural practices and access to care, have been discussed as potential determinants of oral health. However, research on this topic remains limited. Understanding the factors influencing oral health and their perceptions is crucial for developing culturally appropriate interventions.

The effectiveness of non-exposure to incarceration in preventing COVID-19 and mitigating associated events: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: For a long time, the penalty of imprisonment has been studied and criticized as ineffective in achieving the goals of resocialization and rehabilitation of offenders, and studies have associated incarceration with increased prevalence of disease. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization recommended decarceration as a prevention measure. The aim of this review was to analyze the effectiveness of non-exposure to incarceration in preventing COVID-19 and mitigating associated events.

Harnessing the synergy of Urochloa brizantha and Amazonian Dark Earth microbiomes for enhanced pasture recovery.

Amazonian Dark Earths (ADEs) are fertile soils from the Amazon rainforest that harbor microorganisms with biotechnological potential. This study aimed to investigate the individual and potential synergistic effects of a 2% portion of ADEs and Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu roots (Brazil's most common grass species used for pastures) on soil prokaryotic communities and overall soil attributes in degraded soil.