Contamination of water and sediments from spring areas under intense influence of soybean monoculture and the risks to aquatic biota.

Springs are essential for water resources; therefore, it was imperative to investigate the occurrence of inorganic and emerging organic contaminants in water and sediment samples collected from three spring areas located in the Dourados River Basin (DRB), Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) State, under direct influence of soybean monoculture. Water and sediment samples were collected monthly from October (2021) to March (2022), throughout the soybean production period. The quantification of inorganic elements (Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, and Zn) was conducted using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), while the quantification of organic emerging contaminants (ECs) was performed using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Uptake of 2,4-D and fipronil by green manure species: an ecotoxicological assessment of soil phytoremediation.

Pesticides such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and fipronil pose potential risks in agricultural soils, and phytoremediation is a promising alternative to mitigate their ecotoxicity. In this study, the potential of three green manure species, , , and , was assessed in terms of their ability to reduce soil ecotoxicity by examining the uptake of 2,4-D and fipronil, both individually and in a mixture. The experiments were performed with 20 µg kg of each pesticide, lasting 30 days, and the contaminants were quantified in soil and plant biomass (shoots and roots).

Review of the Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Consumption, Occurrence, Potential Impacts on Environmental Health, and Insights into Regulatory Decision-Making Brazilian Aquatic Ecosystems.

The ubiquitous presence of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in aquatic compartments has been described, and recent studies reported several adverse biological effects on nontarget species after short- and long-term exposures. Despite the recent reports, integrated information related to the measurements and effects of NSAIDs on Brazilian water ecosystems is still limited, given the importance of Brazilian aquatic biodiversity. Thus, to fill these gaps, after a close literature search using scientific databases, this review aims to summarize the main scientific efforts concerning the occurrence of NSAIDs in Brazilian aquatic environments, the multiple physiological effects on native species, and the different protocols used in the research laboratories.

Neighborhood green space and diabetes mellitus in Brazil.

Diabetes mellitus is a global public health concern, yet its association with neighborhood green space remains unexplored at a national scale in Brazil. This study analyzed the relationship between green space, measured via the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and diabetes-related hospitalizations from 2008 to 2018. Using quasi-Poisson regression models, we assessed hospitalization data by sex and age group, incorporating air pollution, weather, and socioeconomic factors as covariates.

Telehealth Support From Cardiologists to Primary Care Physicians in Heart Failure Treatment: Mixed Methods Feasibility Study of the Brazilian Heart Insufficiency With Telemedicine Trial.

Background: Heart failure is a prevalent condition ideally managed through collaboration between health care sectors. Telehealth between cardiologists and primary care physicians is a strategy to improve the quality of care for patients with heart failure. Still, the effectiveness of this approach on patient-relevant outcomes needs to be determined.

Construction and validation of an instruction manual of nutritional care for severely obese people in the Unified Health System.

This article describes the construction and validation of an instruction manual geared toward nutritional care (NC) for people with severe obesity in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). In the production of this instruction manual, a broad literature review was conducted for the identification and discussion of topics to be treated. The content and appearance validity were conducted according to the Delphi technique and to focus groups, respectively, with evaluators who were nutritionists and practitioners, from different regions of Brazil.

Pesticides in rainwater: A two-year occurrence study in an unexplored environmental compartment in regions with different land use in the State of São Paulo - Brazil.

Brazil's extensive agricultural area makes it the world's leading soybeans and sugarcane producer. Therefore, the use of large amounts of pesticides directly impacts all environmental compartments, including rainwater. We analyzed 14 pesticides and 5 degradation products in rainwater from three cities in the State of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, with distinct land uses.

New insights about the toxicity of 2,4-D: Gene expression analysis reveals modulation on several subcellular responses in Chironomus riparius.

Herbicides are the main class of pesticides applied in crops and are capable of polluting the surrounding freshwater system; thus, understanding their impact on non-target species, whose mechanism of action is not described, helps to elucidate the real risks of these pollutants to the environment. 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is frequently detected in water and, due to its persistence, poses a risk to wildlife. In this way, the present work aimed to describe the implication of exposure to concentrations of 2,4-D already reported in aquatic environments in several physiological mechanisms of C.

Optimized Synthesis of Poly(Lactic Acid) Nanoparticles for the Encapsulation of Flutamide.

Biopolymeric nanoparticles (NPs) have gained significant attention in several areas as an alternative to synthetic polymeric NPs due to growing environmental and immunological concerns. Among the most promising biopolymers is poly(lactic acid) (PLA), with a reported high degree of biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this work, PLA NPs were synthesized according to a controlled gelation process using a combination of single-emulsion and nanoprecipitation methods.

Organellar-genome analyses from the lycophyte genus L. show one of the highest frequencies of RNA editing in land plants.

RNA editing is a post-transcriptional process that challenges the central dogma of molecular biology by modifying RNA sequences, introducing nucleotide changes at specific sites, and generating functional diversity beyond the genomic code, especially when it concerns organellar transcripts. In plants, this phenomenon is widespread, but its extent varies significantly among species and organellar genomes. Among land plants, the heterosporous lycophytes (i.

Physiological responses on the reproductive, metabolism and stress endpoints of Astyanax lacustris females (Teleostei: Characiformes) after diclofenac and ibuprofen exposure.

Diclofenac (DCF) and ibuprofen (IBU) are pharmaceutical compounds frequently detected in aquatic compartments worldwide. Several hazard effects including developmental abnormalities and redox balance impairment have been elucidated in aquatic species, but multiple endocrine evaluations are scarce. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the disruptive physiological effects and toxicity of DCF and IBU isolated and combined, using females of the native freshwater teleost Astyanax lacustris.

Ecological Implications on Aquatic Food Webs Due to Effects of Pesticides on Invertebrate Predators in a Neotropical Region.

Predation presents specific behavioral characteristics for each species, and the interaction between prey and predator influences the structuring of the food web. Concerning insects, predation can be affected in different ways, such as exposure to chemical stressors, e.g.

The Healthy and Diseased Retina Seen through Neuron-Glia Interactions.

The retina is the sensory tissue responsible for the first stages of visual processing, with a conserved anatomy and functional architecture among vertebrates. To date, retinal eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, and others, affect nearly 170 million people worldwide, resulting in vision loss and blindness. To tackle retinal disorders, the developing retina has been explored as a versatile model to study intercellular signaling, as it presents a broad neurochemical repertoire that has been approached in the last decades in terms of signaling and diseases.

rAAV-compatible human mini promoters enhance transgene expression in rat retinal ganglion cells.

Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV) are the safest and most effective gene delivery platform to drive the treatment of many inherited eye disorders in well-characterized animal models. The use in rAAV of ubiquitous promoters derived from viral sequences such as CMV/CBA (chicken β-actin promoter with cytomegalovirus enhancer) can lead to unwanted side effects such as pro-inflammatory immune responses and retinal cytotoxicity, thus reducing therapy efficacy. Thus, an advance in gene therapy is the availability of small promoters, that potentiate and direct gene expression to the cell type of interest, with higher safety and efficacy.

Systematic review of reverse vaccinology and immunoinformatics data for non-viral sexually transmitted infections.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are a public health burden rising in developed and developing nations. The World Health Organization estimates nearly 374 million new cases of curable STIs yearly. Global efforts to control their spread have been insufficient in fulfilling their objective.

Probiogenomics of Leuconostoc Mesenteroides Strains F-21 and F-22 Isolated from Human Breast Milk Reveal Beneficial Properties.

Bacteria of the Leuconostoc genus are Gram-positive bacteria that are commonly found in raw milk and persist in fermented dairy products and plant food. Studies have already explored the probiotic potential of L. mesenteroides, but not from a probiogenomic perspective, which aims to explore the molecular features responsible for their phenotypes.

How natural and anthropogenic factors should drive microplastic behavior and fate: The scenario of Brazilian urban freshwater.

Brazil maintains its position at the top of the global ranking of plastic producers, yet recycling efforts have been incipient. Recent data reveals an annual production of approximately 14 million tons of plastic waste, not accounting for the surge in the usage of plastic masks and related materials due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, what remains largely unreported is that over half of post-consumer plastic packaging in Brazil is managed without any monitoring, and it remains unclear how this will contribute to the occurrence of plastic waste and microplastics in Brazilian freshwaters.

Impact of yarn compositions, loop length, and float stitches on the mechanical behavior of knitted fabrics via full factorial design and RSM.

This article presents a study on the tensile properties of knitted fabrics commonly employed in polymeric matrix textile composites. The key mechanical parameters investigated include stress (Pa), strain, Young's modulus (Pa), and work of rupture (J). The knitted fabrics were developed using the Cixing Knitting System software and subsequently manufactured using a double jersey (electronic) flat knitting machine.

Telemedicine Support for Primary Care Providers versus Usual Care in Patients with Heart Failure: Protocol of a Pragmatic Cluster Randomised Trial within the Brazilian Heart Insufficiency with Telemedicine (BRAHIT) Study.

Heart failure is a prevalent condition and a frequent cause of hospital readmissions and poor quality of life. Teleconsultation support from cardiologists to primary care physicians managing patients with heart failure may improve care, but the effect on patient-relevant outcomes is unclear. We aim to evaluate whether collaboration through a novel teleconsultation platform in the Brazilian Heart Insufficiency with Telemedicine (BRAHIT) project, tested on a previous feasibility study, can improve patient-relevant outcomes.

Predictors of Long-COVID-19 and its Impact on Quality of Life: Longitudinal Analysis at 3, 6 and 9 Months after Discharge from a Portuguese Centre.

Introduction: Long-COVID-19 impacts health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) but data is scarce. The aim of this study was to describe and prospectively assess the prevalence and risk factors for long-COVID-19 after hospital discharge, and to evaluate its impact on patient HR-QoL.

Material And Methods: Single-centre longitudinal study including all COVID-19 patients discharged between December 2020 and February 2021.