Complete phylogeny of Micrathena spiders suggests multiple dispersal events among Neotropical rainforests, islands and landmasses, and indicates that Andean orogeny promotes speciation.

The Neotropical region is the most diverse on the planet, largely owing to its mosaic of tropical rainforests. Multiple tectonic and climatic processes have been hypothesized to contribute to generating this diversity, including Andean orogeny, the closure of the Isthmus of Panama, the GAARlandia land bridge and historical connections among currently isolated forests. Micrathena spiders are diverse and widespread in the region, and thus a complete phylogeny of this genus allows the testing of hypotheses at multiple scales. We estimated a complete, dated phylogeny using morphological data for 117 Micrathena species and molecular data of up to five genes for a subset of 79 species. Employing eventc-based approaches and biogeographic stochastic mapping while considering phylogenetic uncertainty, we estimated ancestral distributions, the timing and direction of dispersal events and diversification rates among areas. The phylogeny is generally robust, with uncertainty in the position of some of the species lacking sequences. Micrathena started diversifying around 25 Ma. Andean cloud forests show the highest in-situ speciation, while the Amazon is the major dispersal source for adjacent areas. The Dry Diagonal generated few species and is a sink of diversity. Species exchange between Central and South America involved approximately 23 dispersal events and started ~20 Ma, which is consistent with a Miocene age for the Isthmus of Panama closure. We inferred four dispersal events from Central America to the Antilles in the last 20 Myr, indicating the spiders did not reach the islands through the GAARlandia land bridge. We identified important species exchange routes among the Amazon, Andean cloud forests and Atlantic forests during the Plio-Pleistocene. Sampling all species of the genus was fundamental to the conclusions above, especially in identifying the Andean forests as the area that generated the majority of species. This highlights the importance of complete taxonomic sampling in biogeographic studies.

In-shoe plantar pressure measurement technologies for the diabetic foot: A systematic review.

Introduction: Loss of cutaneous protective sensation and high plantar pressures increase the risk for diabetic foot patients. Trauma and ulceration are imminent threats, making assessment and monitoring essential. This systematic review aims to identify systems and technologies for measuring in-shoe plantar pressures, focusing on the at-risk diabetic foot population. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across four electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Oxford Journals) using PRISMA methodology, covering articles published in English from 1979 to 2024. Only studies addressing systems or sensors exclusively measuring plantar pressures inside the shoe were included. Results: A total of 87 studies using commercially available devices and 45 articles proposing new systems or sensors were reviewed. The prevailing market offerings consist mainly of instrumented insoles. Emerging technologies under development often feature configurations with four, six or eight resistive sensors strategically placed within removable insoles. Despite some variability due to the inherent heterogeneity of human gait, these devices assess plantar pressure, although they present significant differences between them in measurement results. Individuals with diabetic foot conditions appears exhibit elevated plantar pressures, with reported peak pressures reaching approximately 1000 kPa. The results also showed significant differences between the diabetic and non-diabetic groups. Conclusion: Instrumented insoles, particularly those incorporating resistive sensor technology, dominate the field. Systems employing eight sensors at critical locations represent a pragmatic approach, although market options extend to systems with up to 960 sensors. Differences between devices can be a critical factor in measurement and highlights the importance of individualized patient assessment using consistent measurement devices.

Driving pressure, as opposed to tidal volume based on predicted body weight, is associated with mortality: results from a prospective cohort of COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between driving pressure and tidal volume based on predicted body weight and mortality in a cohort of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by COVID-19. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study that included patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome due to COVID-19 admitted to two intensive care units. We performed multivariable analyses to determine whether driving pressure and tidal volume/kg predicted body weight on the first day of mechanical ventilation, as independent variables, are associated with hospital mortality. RESULTS: We included 231 patients. The mean age was 64 (53 - 74) years, and the mean Simplified Acute and Physiology Score 3 score was 45 (39 - 54). The hospital mortality rate was 51.9%. Driving pressure was independently associated with hospital mortality (odds ratio 1.21, 95%CI 1.04 - 1.41 for each cm H2O increase in driving pressure, p = 0.01). Based on a double stratification analysis, we found that for the same level of tidal volume/kg predicted body weight, the risk of hospital death increased with increasing driving pressure. However, changes in tidal volume/kg predicted body weight were not associated with mortality when they did not lead to an increase in driving pressure. CONCLUSION: In patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by COVID-19, exposure to higher driving pressure, as opposed to higher tidal volume/kg predicted body weight, is associated with greater mortality. These results suggest that driving pressure might be a primary target for lung-protective mechanical ventilation in these patients.

Effectiveness of a two-component nutritional strategy for blood pressure control in individuals with hypertension users of a public health system: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a nutritional strategy based on two components and adapted for the public health system on blood pressure, cardiometabolic features, self-care, qualify of life and diet quality in individuals with hypertension. METHODS: NUPRESS was an open-label, parallel-group, superiority randomized controlled clinical trial in which participants at least 21 years with hypertension and poorly controlled blood pressure were randomly assigned (1 : 1 allocation ratio) to either an individualized dietary prescription according to nutritional guidelines (control group, n  = 205); or a two-component nutrition strategy, including a goal-directed nutritional counseling and mindfulness techniques (NUPRESS [intervention] group, n  = 205). Primary outcomes were SBP (mmHg) after 24 weeks of follow up and blood pressure control, defined as either having SBP more than 140 mmHg at baseline and achieving 140 mmHg or less after follow-up or having SBP 140 mmHg or less at baseline and reducing the frequency of antihypertensive drugs in use after follow-up. RESULTS: In total, 410 participants were randomized and submitted to an intention-to-treat analysis regarding primary outcomes. Both groups decreased blood pressure, but after adjusting for baseline values, there was no significant difference between them on SBP [intervention-control difference: -0.03 (-3.01; 2.94); P  = 0.98] nor blood pressure control [odds ratio 1.27 (0.82; 1.97); P  = 0.28]. No differences between groups were also detected regarding secondary and tertiary outcomes. CONCLUSION: There was no difference between a two-component nutritional strategy and an established dietary intervention on blood pressure in participants with hypertension.

PhDs - Portugal has Doctors: A Visualization of Academia Achievements in Portugal from 1970 to 2022.

PhDs - Portugal has Doctors is an interactive installation presenting Portuguese doctoral theses from 1970 to 2022, tracking their historical evolution and distribution across universities and research sectors. This work resulted in an installation that served a dual purpose: to raise awareness and value the work of national doctorates and to reduce the communication gap on this topic, encouraging a public engagement with the subject, fostering discussions beyond the data and prompting reflection on how this lesser-known reality has impacted Portugal with its significantly growing presence. Drawing from recent research on aesthetics and its impact on data perception, we integrated these insights to make the visualization approach accessible to the general public, emphasizing a visually minimalist narrative. The story initially prompts viewers to reflect on the temporal evolution of the academic landscape over the last decades. The visualization then encourages viewers to actively engage with the data, facilitating a more in-depth exploration. The installation garnered positive feedback, provoking amazement and surprise, and revealed an unknown reality, even within the scientific community further justifying the need for this type of dissemination works.

Development and validation of a SCORing systEm for pre-thrombectomy diagnosis of IntraCranial Atherosclerotic Disease (Score-ICAD).

BACKGROUND: Early identification of intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) may impact the management of patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy (MT). We sought to develop and validate a scoring system for pre-thrombectomy diagnosis of ICAD in anterior circulation large vessel/distal medium vessel occlusion strokes (LVOs/DMVOs). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of two prospectively maintained comprehensive stroke center databases including patients with anterior circulation occlusions spanning 2010-22 (development cohort) and 2018-22 (validation cohort). ICAD cases were matched for age and sex (1:1) to non-ICAD controls. RESULTS: Of 2870 MTs within the study period, 348 patients were included in the development cohort: 174 anterior circulation ICAD (6% of 2870 MTs) and 174 controls. Multivariable analysis ß coefficients led to a 20 point scale: absence of atrial fibrillation (5); vascular risk factor burden (1) for each of hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and hyperlipidemia; multifocal single artery stenoses on CT angiography (3); absence of territorial cortical infarct (3); presence of borderzone infarct (3); or ipsilateral carotid siphon calcification (2). The validation cohort comprised 56 ICAD patients (4.1% of 1359 MTs): 56 controls. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.88 (0.84-0.91) and 0.82 (0.73-0.89) in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. Calibration slope and intercept showed a good fit for the development cohort although with overestimated risk for the validation cohort. After intercept adjustment, the overestimation was corrected (intercept 0, 95% CI -0.5 to -0.5; slope 0.8, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.1). In the full cohort (n=414), ≥11 points showed the best performance for distinguishing ICAD from non-ICAD, with 0.71 (95% CI 0.65 to 0.78) sensitivity and 0.82 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.87) specificity, and 3.92 (95% CI 2.92 to 5.28) positive and 0.35 (95% CI 0.28 to 0.44) negative likelihood ratio. Scores ≥12 showed 90% specificity and 63% sensitivity. CONCLUSION: The proposed scoring system for preprocedural diagnosis of ICAD LVOs and DMVOs presented satisfactory discrimination and calibration based on clinical and non-invasive radiological data.

Endovascular Versus Medical Management in Distal Medium Vessel Occlusion Stroke: The DUSK Study.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular treatment (EVT) is part of the usual care for proximal vessel occlusion strokes. However, the safety and effectiveness of EVT for distal medium vessel occlusions remain unclear. We sought to compare the clinical outcomes of EVT to medical management (MM) for isolated distal medium vessel occlusions. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from seven comprehensive stroke centers. Patients were included if they had isolated distal medium vessel occlusion strokes due to middle cerebral artery M3/M4, anterior cerebral artery A2/A3, or posterior cerebral artery P1/P2 segments. Patients treated with EVT or MM were compared with multivariable logistic regression and inverse probability of treatment weighting. The primary outcome was the shift in the degree of disability as measured by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days. Secondary outcomes included 90-day good (mRS score, 0-2) and excellent (mRS score, 0-1) outcomes. Safety measures included symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and 90-day mortality. RESULTS: A total of 321 patients were included in the analysis (EVT, 179; MM, 142; 40.8% treated with intravenous thrombolysis). In the inverse probability of treatment weighting model, there were no significant differences between EVT and MM in terms of the overall degree of disability (mRS ordinal shift; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.25 [95% CI, 0.95-1.64]; P=0.110), rates of good (mRS score, 0-2; aOR, 1.32 [95% CI, 0.97-1.80]; P=0.075) and excellent (aOR, 1.32 [95% CI, 0.94-1.85]; P=0.098) outcomes, or mortality (aOR, 1.20 [95% CI, 0.78-1.85]; P=0.395) at 90 days. The multivariable regression model showed similar findings. Moreover, there was no difference between EVT and MM in rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage in the multivariable regression model (aOR, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.21-1.58]; P=0.277), but the inverse probability of treatment weighting model showed a lower likelihood of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (aOR, 0.46 [95% CI, 0.24-0.85]; P=0.013) in the EVT group. CONCLUSIONS: This multicenter study failed to demonstrate any significant outcome differences among patients with isolated distal medium vessel occlusions treated with EVT versus MM. These findings reinforce clinical equipoise. Randomized clinical trials are ongoing and will provide more definite evidence.

Joint environmental and social benefits from diversified agriculture.

Agricultural simplification continues to expand at the expense of more diverse forms of agriculture. This simplification, for example, in the form of intensively managed monocultures, poses a risk to keeping the world within safe and just Earth system boundaries. Here, we estimated how agricultural diversification simultaneously affects social and environmental outcomes. Drawing from 24 studies in 11 countries across 2655 farms, we show how five diversification strategies focusing on livestock, crops, soils, noncrop plantings, and water conservation benefit social (e.g., human well-being, yields, and food security) and environmental (e.g., biodiversity, ecosystem services, and reduced environmental externalities) outcomes. We found that applying multiple diversification strategies creates more positive outcomes than individual management strategies alone. To realize these benefits, well-designed policies are needed to incentivize the adoption of multiple diversification strategies in unison.

Efficient activity screening of new glucuronoyl esterases using a pNP-based assay.

Glucuronoyl esterases (CE15, EC 3.1.1.117) catalyze the hydrolysis of ester bonds between lignin and carbohydrates in lignocellulose. They are widespread within fungi and bacteria, and are subjects to research interest due to their potential applicability in lignocellulose processing. Identifying new and relevant glucuronoyl esterase candidates is challenging because available model substrates poorly represent the natural substrate, which leads to inefficient screening for the activity. In this study, we demonstrate how fifteen novel, fungal, putative glucuronoyl esterases from family CE15 were expressed and screened for activity towards a commercially available, colorimetric assay based on the methyl-ester of 4-O-methyl-aldotriuronic acid linked to para-nitrophenol (methyl ester-UX-ß-pNP) and coupled with the activity of GH67 (α-glucuronidase) and GH43 (ß-xylosidase) activity. The assay provides easy means for accurately establishing activity and determining specific activity of glucuronoyl esterases. Out of the fifteen expressed CE15 proteins, seven are active and were purified to determine their specific activity. The seven active enzymes originate from Auricularia subglabra (3 proteins), Ganoderma sinensis (2 proteins) and Neocallimastix californiae (2 proteins). Among the CE15 proteins not active towards the screening substrate (methyl ester-UX-ß-pNP) were proteins originating from Schizophyllum commune, Podospora anserina, Trametes versicolor, and Coprinopsis cinerea. It is unexpected that CE15 proteins from such canonical lignocellulose degraders do not have the anticipated activity, and these observations call for deeper investigations.

Malignant tumour in pregnancy: Ewing-like sarcoma of the gluteal region.

We report a case of an Ewing-like sarcoma of the gluteal region with ongoing growth during the second trimester of pregnancy and noted during the third trimester. This lesion was consequently studied to infer its malignant potential. Several examinations were conducted to characterise this lesion, such as ultrasound and MR, which showed signs of tumourous invasion of the deep tissues of the gluteal region.Given that the pregnancy was at the end of the third trimester, the decision was made to schedule the delivery at 37 weeks of gestation and treat the tumour afterwards to balance maternal and fetal health.This case illustrates the need for a detailed investigation and guidance by a multidisciplinary team to provide prenatal counselling regarding a malignant tumour during pregnancy.

Early technique switch following failed passes during mechanical thrombectomy for ischemic stroke: should the approach change and when?

BACKGROUND: Fast and complete reperfusion in endovascular therapy (EVT) for ischemic stroke leads to superior clinical outcomes. The effect of changing the technical approach following initially unsuccessful passes remains undetermined. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between early changes to the EVT approach and reperfusion. METHODS: Multicenter retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data for patients who underwent EVT for intracranial internal carotid artery, middle cerebral artery (M1/M2), or basilar artery occlusions. Changes in EVT technique after one or two failed passes with stent retriever (SR), contact aspiration (CA), or a combined technique (CT) were compared with repeating the previous strategy. The primary outcome was complete/near-complete reperfusion, defined as an expanded Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (eTICI) of 2c-3, following the second and third passes. RESULTS: Among 2968 included patients, median age was 66 years and 52% were men. Changing from SR to CA on the second or third pass was not observed to influence the rates of eTICI 2c-3, whereas changing from SR to CT after two failed passes was associated with higher chances of eTICI 2c-3 (OR=5.3, 95% CI 1.9 to 14.6). Changing from CA to CT was associated with higher eTICI 2c-3 chances after one (OR=2.9, 95% CI 1.6 to 5.5) or two (OR=2.7, 95% CI 1.0 to 7.4) failed CA passes, while switching to SR was not significantly associated with reperfusion. Following one or two failed CT passes, switching to SR was not associated with different reperfusion rates, but changing to CA after two failed CT passes was associated with lower chances of eTICI 2c-3 (OR=0.3, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.9). Rates of functional independence were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Early changes in EVT strategies were associated with higher reperfusion and should be contemplated following failed attempts with stand-alone CA or SR.

An estimation of the biomechanical properties of the continent and incontinent woman bladder via inverse finite element analysis.

Stress urinary incontinence often results from pelvic support structures' weakening or damage. This dysfunction is related to direct injury of the pelvic organ's muscular, ligamentous or connective tissue structures due to aging, vaginal delivery or increase of the intra-abdominal pressure, for example, defecation or due to obesity. Mechanical changes alter the soft tissues' microstructural composition and therefore may affect their biomechanical properties. This study focuses on adapting an inverse finite element analysis to estimate the in vivo bladder's biomechanical properties of two groups of women (continent group (G1) and incontinent group (G2)). These properties were estimated based on MRI, by comparing measurement of the bladder neck's displacements during dynamic MRI acquired in Valsalva maneuver with the results from inverse analysis. For G2, the intra-abdominal pressure was adjusted after applying a 95% impairment to the supporting structures. The material parameters were estimated for the two groups using the Ogden hyperelastic constitutive model. Finite element analysis results showed that the bladder tissue of women with stress urinary incontinence have the highest stiffness (α1 = 0.202 MPa and µ1 = 7.720 MPa) approximately 47% higher when compared to continent women. According to the bladder neck's supero-inferior displacement measured in the MRI, the intra-abdominal pressure values were adjusted for the G2, presenting a difference of 20% (4.0 kPa for G1 and 5.0 kPa for G2). The knowledge of the pelvic structures' biomechanical properties, through this non-invasive methodology, can be crucial in the choice of the synthetic mesh to treat dysfunction when considering personalized options.

A 3D-Printed Portable UV and Visible Photoreactor for Water Purification and Disinfection Experiments.

Water scarcity and contamination are urgent issues to be addressed. In this context, different materials, techniques, and devices are being developed to mitigate contemporary and forthcoming water constraints. Photocatalysis-based approaches are suitable strategies to address water contamination by degrading contaminants and eliminating microbes. Photoreactors are usually designed to perform photocatalysis in a scalable and standardised way. Few or none have been developed to combine these characteristics with portability, flexibility, and cost effectiveness. This study reports on designing and producing a portable (490 g), low-cost, and multifunctional photoreactor that includes adjustable radiation intensity and two types of wavelengths (UV-A and visible), including combined agitation in a compact mechanism produced through 3D printing technology. The mechanical, electrical, and optical subsystems were designed and assembled into a robust device. It is shown that it is possible to apply radiations that can reach 65 mW/cm2 and 110 mW/cm2 using the installed visible and UV LEDs and apply mechanical agitation up to 200 rpm, all under a ventilated system. Regarding functionality, the photoreactor proof of concept indicated the ability to degrade ~80% and 30% ciprofloxacin under UV and visible irradiation of TiO2 and Ag/TiO2 nanoparticles. The device also showed the ability to eliminate E. coli bacteria, recurring to radiation set-ups and nanoparticles. Therefore, the originally designed and constructed photoreactor concept was characterised and functionally validated as an exciting and flexible device for lab-scaled or outdoor experiments, assuring standardised and comparable results.

In vitro neuronal and glial response to magnetically stimulated piezoelectric poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)/cobalt ferrite (CFO) microspheres.

Polymer biomaterials are being considered for tissue regeneration due to the possibility of resembling different extracellular matrix characteristics. However, most current scaffolds cannot respond to physical-chemical modifications of the cell microenvironment. Stimuli-responsive materials, such as electroactive smart polymers, are increasingly gaining attention once they can produce electrical potentials without external power supplies. The presence of piezoelectricity in human tissues like cartilage and bone highlights the importance of electrical stimulation in physiological conditions. Although poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is one of the piezoelectric polymers with the highest piezoelectric response, it is not biodegradable. Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a promising copolymer of poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) for tissue engineering and regeneration applications. It offers biodegradability, piezoelectric properties, biocompatibility, and bioactivity, making it a superior option to PVDF for biomedical purposes requiring biodegradability. Magnetoelectric polymer composites can be made by combining magnetostrictive particles and piezoelectric polymers to further tune their properties for tissue regeneration. These composites convert magnetic stimuli into electrical stimuli, generating local electrical potentials for various applications. Cobalt ferrites (CFO) and piezoelectric polymers have been combined and processed into different morphologies, maintaining biocompatibility for tissue engineering. The present work studied how PHBV/CFO microspheres affected neural and glial response in spinal cord cultures. It is expected that the electrical signals generated by these microspheres due to their magnetoelectric nature could aid in tissue regeneration and repair. PHBV/CFO microspheres were not cytotoxic and were able to impact neurite outgrowth and promote neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, PHBV/CFO microspheres led to microglia activation and induced the release of several bioactive molecules. Importantly, magnetically stimulated microspheres ameliorated cell viability after an in vitro ROS-induced lesion of spinal cord cultures, which suggests a beneficial effect on tissue regeneration and repair.

High-Capacity, Cooperative CO2 Capture in a Diamine-Appended Metal-Organic Framework through a Combined Chemisorptive and Physisorptive Mechanism.

Diamine-appended Mg2(dobpdc) (dobpdc4- = 4,4'-dioxidobiphenyl-3,3'-dicarboxylate) metal-organic frameworks are promising candidates for carbon capture that exhibit exceptional selectivities and high capacities for CO2. To date, CO2 uptake in these materials has been shown to occur predominantly via a chemisorption mechanism involving CO2 insertion at the amine-appended metal sites, a mechanism that limits the capacity of the material to ∼1 equiv of CO2 per diamine. Herein, we report a new framework, pip2-Mg2(dobpdc) (pip2 = 1-(2-aminoethyl)piperidine), that exhibits two-step CO2 uptake and achieves an unusually high CO2 capacity approaching 1.5 CO2 per diamine at saturation. Analysis of variable-pressure CO2 uptake in the material using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) reveals that pip2-Mg2(dobpdc) captures CO2 via an unprecedented mechanism involving the initial insertion of CO2 to form ammonium carbamate chains at half of the sites in the material, followed by tandem cooperative chemisorption and physisorption. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis, supported by van der Waals-corrected density functional theory, reveals that physisorbed CO2 occupies a pocket formed by adjacent ammonium carbamate chains and the linker. Based on breakthrough and extended cycling experiments, pip2-Mg2(dobpdc) exhibits exceptional performance for CO2 capture under conditions relevant to the separation of CO2 from landfill gas. More broadly, these results highlight new opportunities for the fundamental design of diamine-Mg2(dobpdc) materials with even higher capacities than those predicted based on CO2 chemisorption alone.

Plantar pressure thresholds as a strategy to prevent diabetic foot ulcers: A systematic review.

Background: The development of ulcers in the plantar region of the diabetic foot originates mainly from sites subjected to high pressure. The monitoring of these events using maximum allowable pressure thresholds is a fundamental procedure in the prevention of ulceration and its recurrence. Objective: The aim of this review was to identify data in the literature that reveal an objective threshold of plantar pressure in the diabetic foot, where pressure is classified as promoting ulceration. The aim is not to determine the best and only pressure threshold for ulceration, but rather to clarify the threshold values most used in clinical practice and research, also considering the devices used and possible applications for offloading plantar pressure. Design: A systematic review. Methods: The search was performed in three electronic databases, by the PRISMA methodology, for studies that used a pressure threshold to minimize the risk of ulceration in the diabetic foot. The selected studies were subjected to eligibility criteria. Results: Twenty-six studies were included in this review. Seven thresholds were identified, five of which are intended for the inside of the shoe: a threshold of average peak pressure of 200 kPa; 25 % and 40-80 % reduction from initial baseline pressure; 32-35 mm Hg for a capillary perfusion pressure; and a matrix of thresholds based on patient risk, shoe size and foot region. Two other thresholds are intended for the barefoot, 450 and 750 kPa. The threshold of 200 kPa of pressure inside the shoe is the most agreed upon among the studies. Regarding the prevention of ulceration and its recurrence, the efficacy of the proposed threshold matrix and the threshold of reducing baseline pressure by 40-80 % has not yet been evaluated, and the evidence for the remaining thresholds still needs further studies. Conclusions: Some heterogeneity was found in the studies, especially regarding the measurement systems used, the number of regions of interest and the number of steps to be considered for the threshold. Even so, this review reveals the way forward to obtain a threshold indicative of an effective steppingstone in the prevention of diabetic foot ulcer.

Insights from Melipona bicolor hybrid genome assembly: a stingless bee genome with chromosome-level scaffold.

BACKGROUND: The highly eusocial stingless bees are crucial pollinators of native and agricultural ecosystems. Nevertheless, genomic studies within this bee tribe remain scarce. We present the genome assembly of the stingless bee Melipona bicolor. This bee is a remarkable exception to the typical single-queen colony structure, since in this species, multiple queens may coexist and share reproductive duties, resulting in genetically diverse colonies with weak kinship connections. As the only known genuinely polygynous bee, M. bicolor's genome provides a valuable resource for investigating sociality beyond kin selection. RESULTS: The genome was assembled employing a hybrid approach combining short and long reads, resulting in 241 contigs spanning 259 Mb (N50 of 6.2 Mb and 97.5% complete BUSCOs). Comparative analyses shed light on some evolutionary aspects of stingless bee genomics, including multiple chromosomal rearrangements in Melipona. Additionally, we explored the evolution of venom genes in M. bicolor and other stingless bees, revealing that, apart from two genes, the conserved repertoire of venom components remains under purifying selection in this clade. CONCLUSION: This study advances our understanding of stingless bee genomics, contributing to the conservation efforts of these vital pollinators and offering insights into the evolutionary mechanisms driving their unique adaptations.

Mpox severity and associated hospitalizations among people with HIV and related immunosuppression in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyze characteristics of mpox hospitalization in a Brazilian cohort, further exploring the impact of HIV on mpox-related outcomes and hospitalization. DESIGN: We conducted a descriptive analysis, comparing characteristics of individuals diagnosed with mpox according to hospitalization and HIV status, and described the mpox cases among those living with HIV. METHODS: This was a single-center, prospective cohort study conducted at a major infectious diseases referral center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that enrolled participants older than 18 years of age diagnosed with mpox. Information was collected on standardized forms, including data on sociodemographic, behavioral, clinical and laboratory characteristics. For comparisons, we used chi-squared, Fisher's exact and the Moods median tests whenever appropriate. RESULTS: From June to December, 2022, we enrolled 418 individuals diagnosed with mpox, of whom 52% were people with HIV (PWH). PWH presented more frequently with fever, anogenital lesions and proctitis. The overall hospitalization rate was 10.5% ( n  = 43), especially for pain control. Among hospitalized participants, PWH had more proctitis and required invasive support. Mpox severity was related to poor HIV continuum of care outcomes and low CD4 + cell counts. All deaths ( n  = 2) occurred in PWH with CD4 + less than 50 cells/µl. CONCLUSION: HIV-related immunosuppression likely impacts mpox clinical outcomes. This is of special concern in settings of poor adherence and late presentation to care related to socioeconomic inequalities, such as Brazil. The HIV continuum of care must be taken into account when responding to the mpox outbreak.

NAGPKin: Nucleation-and-growth parameters from the kinetics of protein phase separation.

The assembly of biomolecular condensate in eukaryotic cells and the accumulation of amyloid deposits in neurons are processes involving the nucleation and growth (NAG) of new protein phases. To therapeutically target protein phase separation, drug candidates are tested in in vitro assays that monitor the increase in the mass or size of the new phase. Limited mechanistic insight is, however, provided if empirical or untestable kinetic models are fitted to these progress curves. Here we present the web server NAGPKin that quantifies NAG rates using mass-based or size-based progress curves as the input data. A report is generated containing the fitted NAG parameters and elucidating the phase separation mechanisms at play. The NAG parameters can be used to predict particle size distributions of, for example, protein droplets formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) or amyloid fibrils formed by protein aggregation. Because minimal intervention is required from the user, NAGPKin is a good platform for standardized reporting of LLPS and protein self-assembly data. NAGPKin is useful for drug discovery as well as for fundamental studies on protein phase separation. NAGPKin is freely available (no login required) at https://nagpkin.i3s.up.pt.