Speech perception in patients submitted to cochlear reimplantation. / Percepção auditiva da fala após o reimplante coclear.

PURPOSE: To analyze the performance of auditory speech perception (PF) after cochlear implant (CI) replacement surgery and associations with age, times of use of the first CI, deprivation, recovery and use of the second device. METHODS: The retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 68 participants reimplanted from 1990 to 2016, and evaluated with PF performance tests, considering as a reference, the greater auditory capacity identified during the use of the first CI. Also analyzed were: Etiology of hearing loss; the reasons for the reimplantation; device brands; age range; sex; affected ear; age at first implant; time of use of the first CI, deprivation, recovery and use of the second device. The analyzes followed with the Chi-Square and Spearman, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests (CI=95%; p≤0.05; Software SPSS®.v22). RESULTS: Most were children with hearing loss due to idiopathic causes and meningitis. Abrupt stoppage of operation was the most common cause for device replacement. Most cases recovered and maintained or continued to progress in PF after reimplantation. Adults have the worst recovery capacity when compared to children and adolescents. The PF capacity showed a significant association (p≤0.05) with: age at first implant; time of use of the first and second CI. CONCLUSION: Periodic programming and replacement of the device when indicated are fundamental for the maintenance of auditory functions. Being young and having longer use of implants represent advantages for the development of speech perception skills.

OBJETIVO: Analisar o desempenho da percepção auditiva da fala (PF) após cirurgia de substituição do implante coclear (IC) e identificar associações com a idade, tempos de uso dos dispositivos, privação e recuperação. MÉTODO: O estudo retrospectivo analisou os prontuários de 1990 a 2016 e considerou como referência o maior escore da capacidade auditiva identificada ao longo do uso do primeiro IC. Foram coletados dados epidemiológicos; etiologia; causas da substituição e marca dos dispositivos; classificação etária; idades no primeiro e segundo implante; tempos de utilização, privação e de recuperação da capacidade auditiva. Os dados foram avaliados por meio de testes estatísticos não paramétricos (IC=95%; p<0.05). RESULTADOS: Foram avaliados 68 participantes (31 adultos e 37 crianças), sendo 52,9% do sexo feminino e as principais etiologias da perda auditiva foram: idiopática (48,5%), infecciosa (33,8%) e outras causas não infecciosas (17,6%). A idade média verificada na implantação do primeiro e do segundo IC, foram: 102±143,4 e 178,9±173,4 meses. Os tempos médios de uso do primeiro IC, privação, recuperação e uso do segundo IC, foram respectivamente: (76,1±63,3); (2,8±2,4); (6,5±7,1); (75,6±48,3) meses. A substituição foi motivada principalmente pela parada abrupta de funcionamento (77,9%) e 85,3% dos participantes recuperaram a PF, que esteve significativamente associada à idade no primeiro IC, e os tempos de utilização dos dispositivos (p<0.05). CONCLUSÃO: A maior parte dos indivíduos submetidos ao reimplante conseguem recuperar e/ou continuar o desenvolvimento das habilidades auditivas. A idade mais jovem e o tempo de uso dos dispositivos são fatores que influenciam na capacidade de recuperação da PF em reimplantados.

Influence of Speech Rate on Auditory Recognition in Cochlear Implant Users.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to verify the influence of speech stimulus presentation and speed on auditory recognition in cochlear implant (CI) users with poorer performance. METHODS: The cross-sectional observational study applied auditory speech perception tests to fifteen adults, using three different ways of presenting the stimulus, in the absence of competitive noise: monitored live voice (MLV); recorded speech at typical speed (RSTS); recorded speech at slow speed (RSSS). The scores were assessed using the Percent Sentence Recognition Index (PSRI). The data were inferentially analysed using the Friedman and Wilcoxon tests with a 95% confidence interval and 5% significance level (p < 0.05). RESULTS: The mean age was 41.1 years, the mean duration of CI use was 11.4 years, and the mean hearing threshold was 29.7 ± 5.9 dBHL. Test performance, as determined by the PSRI, was MLV = 42.4 ± 17.9%; RSTS = 20.3 ± 14.3%; RSSS = 40.6 ± 20.7%. There was a significant difference identified for RSTS compared to MLV and RSSS. CONCLUSION: The way the stimulus is presented and the speed at which it is presented enable greater auditory speech recognition in CI users, thus favouring comprehension when the tests are applied in the MLV and RSSS modalities.

A formação em Educação Física para atuação na educação infantil: uma análise da produção científica da FEFD-UFG (1996-2020) / Physical Education training for working in early childhood education: an analysis of the scientific production of FEFD-UFG (1996-2020) / Formación en Educación Física para trabajar en educación infantil: un análisis de la producción científica de la FEFD-UFG (1996-2020)

Este estudo tem por objetivo mapear e analisar a produção científica, em formato de Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (TCC), da graduação em Educação Física da Universidade Federal de Goiás sobre a Educação Infantil no período de 1996 a 2019. Por meio do Estado da Arte, foram identificadas as produções relacionadas à Educação Infantil. A categorização dos dados é sustentada pelo quadro teórico de Bracht et al. (2011) nas categorias Fundamentação e Intervenção. Os resultados indicam uma proeminência de estudos que buscam fundamentação teórica nas abordagens crítico/progressistas da Educação Física, bem como da investigação acerca da prática pedagógica da área na Educação Infantil na licenciatura. Observou-se um interesse crescente nos últimos anos pelo trato investigativo do tema na graduação analisada (AU).

The study aims to map and analyze the scientific production in the format of final graduation papers in Physical Education at the Federal University of Goiás on Early Childhood Education from 1996 to 2019. Through the State of the Art, the productions related to Early Childhood Education were identified. The data categorization is supported by the theoretical framework of Bracht et al. (2011) in the categories Foundation and Intervention. The results indicate a prominence of studies that seek theoretical foundation in the critical/progressive approaches of Physical Education, as well as the investigation about the pedagogical practice of the area in Early Childhood Education in the undergraduate course. A growing interest was observed in recent years for the investigative treat-ment of the theme in the undergraduate course analyzed (AU).

El estudio tiene como objetivo mapear y analizar la produc-ción científica en formato de trabajo de conclusión de grado en Educación Física de la Universidad Federal de Goiás sobre la Educación Infantil de 1996 a 2019. A través del Estado del Arte, se identificaron las produc-ciones relacionadas con la Educación Infantil. La categorización de los datos se basa en el marco teórico de Bracht et al. (2011) en las categorías Fundamentación e Intervención. Los resultados indican una preeminen-cia de estudios que buscan fundamentación teórica en los enfoques crí-ticos/ progresistas de la Educación Física, así como la investigación sobre la práctica pedagógica del área en la Educación Infantil en el grado. Se bservó un interés creciente en los últimos años por el tratamiento in-vestigativo del tema en el grado analizado (AU).

How diverse a monocentric chromosome can be? Repeatome and centromeric organization of Juncus effusus (Juncaceae).

Juncus is the largest genus of Juncaceae and was considered holocentric for a long time. Recent findings, however, indicated that 11 species from different clades of the genus have monocentric chromosomes. Thus, the Juncus centromere organization and evolution need to be reassessed. We aimed to investigate the major repetitive DNA sequences of two accessions of Juncus effusus and its centromeric structure by employing whole-genome analyses, fluorescent in situ hybridization, CENH3 immunodetection, and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing. We showed that the repetitive fraction of the small J. effusus genome (~270 Mbp/1C) is mainly composed of Class I and Class II transposable elements (TEs) and satellite DNAs. Three identified satellite DNA families were mainly (peri)centromeric, with two being associated with the centromeric protein CENH3, but not strictly centromeric. Two types of centromere organization were discerned in J. effusus: type 1 was characterized by a single CENH3 domain enriched with JefSAT1-155 or JefSAT2-180, whereas type 2 showed multiple CENH3 domains interrupted by other satellites, TEs or genes. Furthermore, while type 1 centromeres showed a higher degree of satellite identity along the array, type 2 centromeres had less homogenized arrays along the multiple CENH3 domains per chromosome. Although the analyses confirmed the monocentric organization of J. effusus chromosomes, our data indicate a more dynamic arrangement of J. effusus centromeres than observed for other plant species, suggesting it may constitute a transient state between mono- and holocentricity.

Factors associated with the lifestyle of state basic education teachers of state during the pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prevalence and factors associated with the lifestyle profile of public basic education teachers in Minas Gerais during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: Epidemiological websurvey carried out with public basic education teachers in Minas Gerais. Data collection took place from August to September2020 via digital form. Anthropometric, sociodemographic, work, and lifestyle characteristics were evaluated. Poisson Regression was used. RESULTS: 15,641 teachers participated and 31.1% had inadequate health habits. There was a higher prevalence among men (PR=1.38; 95%CI:1.31;1.45), older age (PR=1.20; 95%CI: 1.07;1.34), greater weekly workload (RP=1.10; 95%CI:1.03;1.17) and those dissatisfied with work (RP=1.21; 95%CI:1.15;1.27). As a protective factor, professors with longer teaching experience (RP=0.92; 95%CI:0.87;0.98) and those hired or appointed (PR=0.89; 95%CI:0.85) ;0.94). CONCLUSION: Lifestyle inadequacy was found among older male teachers, with longer working hours and job dissatisfaction.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CLINICAL DATA COLLECTION THROUGH ONLINE AND PHYSICAL ELECTRONIC QUESTIONNAIRE IN ORTHOPEDIC PATIENTS.

The collection of clinical data is an essential step for the development of any scientific research. Online digital data collection can optimize this step. Objective: To compare the response rate and the accuracy of the clinical data collection date through the online and physical digital questionnaire in orthopedic patients. Methods: Comparative study, level III of evidence, with forty patients who had ankle sprains were evaluated, followed up for a period of 12 weeks with the application of physical and digital Visual Analogue Scale, Foot Function Index and Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool questionnaires, and data were collected about the moment of collection of each questionnaire. Results: We obtained a response rate of 83.3% in the digital collection group and 60% in the physical collection group (p < 0.05), and the response rate in the digital collection group was higher at all times of collection (3, 6 and 12 weeks). Analysis of the time of collection shows greater variability in the larger physical collection group at all times of the study (2.8 vs 1.5; 4.0 vs 2.4; 8.6 vs 1.5). Conclusion: Digital data collection is effective for obtaining clinical data in patients with ankle sprains. Level of Evidence III, Comparative, Prospective, Longitudinal Study in Parallel Groups.

A coleta de dados clínicos é etapa essencial para o desenvolvimento de qualquer pesquisa científica, e a coleta de dados digital online pode otimizá-la. Objetivo: Comparar o índice de resposta e a precisão da data de coleta de dados clínicos por meio de aplicação de questionário digital online e físico a pacientes ortopédicos. Métodos: Estudo comparativo realizado com 40 pacientes que apresentaram entorse de tornozelo, acompanhados pelo período de 12 semanas, com aplicação dos questionários escala visual analógica, foot function index e Cumberland ankle instability tool físicos e digitais. Além disso, foram recolhidos dados sobre o momento da coleta dos questionários. Resultados: Obtivemos índice de resposta de 83,3% no grupo de coleta digital e 60% no grupo de coleta física (p < 0,05), sendo que o índice de resposta no grupo de coleta digital foi maior em todos os momentos de coleta (3, 6 e 12 semanas). A análise do momento da coleta apresenta maior variabilidade no grupo de coleta física em todos os momentos do estudo (2,8 vs 1,5; 4,0 vs 2,4; 8,6 vs 1,5). Conclusão: A coleta de dados digital é efetiva para a obtenção dos dados clínicos de pacientes que apresentam entorse do tornozelo. Nível de Evidência III, Estudo Comparativo, Prospectivo, Longitudinal em Grupos Paralelos.

Gênero e violência nos relacionamentos afetivo-sexuais entre adolescentes / Gender and violence in affective-sexual relationships among adolescents

O objetivo deste estudo foi compreender as relações entre gênero e violência nos relacionamentos afetivo-sexuais de adolescentes. Para tanto, foram realizados grupos focais com 29 adolescentes, estudantes do 9o ano do ensino fundamental e EJA de três escolas públicas de uma cidade no interior do Rio Grande do Sul. Os participantes tinham entre 13 e 17 anos de idade. Os dados coletados foram submetidos à Análise Temática Reflexiva, o que possibilitou a elaboração de dois temas. No primeiro, a violência apresentou-se como ferramenta para a construção das masculinidades. A violência física ocupa um lugar central no imaginário desses jovens, sendo uma via de descarga para agressividade, bem como uma prática sujeita a sanções legais. No segundo tema, a violência evidenciou-se como um dispositivo de coerção e amedrontamento das meninas adolescentes. Foi possível observar que as situações de violência são onipresentes nas vivências das adolescentes, sendo mais intensas no contexto dos relacionamentos e após o término. Conclui-se que a violência é um importante marcador das desigualdades de gênero nos relacionamentos entre adolescentes, colocando as meninas adolescentes em situação de desvantagem em relação aos meninos.

The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between gender and violence in adolescents' affective-sexual relationships. Focal groups were carried out with 29 adolescents, students of the 9th year of elementary school and EJA from three public schools in a city in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul. The participants were between 13 and 17 years old. The collected data were submitted to Reflexive Thematic Analysis, which allowed the elaboration of two themes. In the first theme, violence was a tool for the construction of masculinities. Physical violence particularly occupies a central place in the imagination of these adolescents, being a way of discharge for aggression, as well as a practice subject to legal sanctions. In the second theme, violence was a tool of coercion and intimidation of adolescent girls. It was possible to observe that situations of violence are omnipresent in the experiences of adolescents, being more intense in the context of relationships and after the breakup. We conclude that violence is an important marker of gender inequalities in relationships between adolescents, placing adolescent girls at a disadvantage compared to boys.

Analysis of aided thresholds in children who have undergone cochlear reimplantation: a ten-year follow-up. / Análise de limiares tonais de crianças submetidas ao reimplante: seguimento de 10 anos.

PURPOSE: To characterize hearing thresholds at frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz in children undergoing reimplantation with a follow-up of at least 10 years. METHODS: Retrospective review of medical records of children who underwent reimplantation surgery for at least 10 years. The auditory thresholds obtained in free-field pure tone audiometry with the cochlear implant were evaluated at frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz at four different times: 1 (before failure), 2 (activation), 3 (five years after reimplantation) and 4 (ten years after reimplantation, regardless of the time of use of the 2nd CI) in patients with a follow-up of at least 10 years. RESULTS: Evaluating patients who underwent reimplantation, it was observed that the thresholds of 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz were similar in the long term to those obtained in patients who were implanted only once, thus not presenting damage in the detection of sounds. CONCLUSION: Reimplantation had no long-term effect on the hearing thresholds obtained in children who underwent this surgery due to internal component failure.

OBJETIVO: Caracterizar os limiares auditivos nas frequências de 500, 1000, 2000 e 4000 Hz em crianças submetidas ao reimplante com follow-up de no mínimo 10 anos. MÉTODO: Revisão retrospectiva de prontuários de crianças submetidas a cirurgia de reimplante há pelo menos 10 anos. Foram avaliados os limiares auditivos obtidos na audiometria tonal liminar em campo livre com o implante coclear nas frequências de 500, 1000, 2000 e 4000 Hz em quatro momentos distintos: 1 (antes da falha), 2 (ativação), 3 (cinco anos após o reimplante) e 4 (dez anos após o reimplante, independentemente do tempo de uso do uso do 2o IC) em pacientes com follow-up de no mínimo 10 anos. RESULTADOS: Avaliando-se pacientes submetidos ao reimplante, observou-se que os limiares de 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz apresentaram-se a longo prazo semelhante àqueles obtidos nos pacientes implantados somente uma única vez, não apresentando prejuízo assim na detecção dos sons. CONCLUSÃO: O reimplante não teve efeito de longo prazo sobre os limiares auditivos obtidos em crianças que se submeteram a esta cirurgia por falha do componente interno.

Evaluation of plasma cortisol during fasting test in patients with endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. Fifteen years experience.

BACKGROUND: Endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (EHH) is a rare clinical condition. The aim of this study was to evaluate baseline plasma cortisol concentration and its concentration during hypoglycemic crisis in fasting tests (FT) performed in our center. Secondarily, the aim was to establish the relationship between baseline cortisol and the time of evolution of EHH. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective, observational, descriptive study was carried out which included patients with hypoglycemic disorder with positive FT. RESULTS: Of a total of 21 patients, 16 presented insulinoma, 1 nesidioblastosis, 2 malignant insulinoma and 2 EHH without pathological diagnosis. The time from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 2 years (Q1=1.5-Q2=5.5). The comparison between median baseline cortisol (BC)=11.8 mcg/dl (nmol/L 340.68) (Q1=9-Q3=14.1) and median cortisol during hypoglycemic episode (HC)=11.6 mcg/dl (nmol/L: 303.44) (Q1=7.8-Q3=16.1) showed no differences (Z=-0.08; P>.05). When correlating BC with HC, no significant relationship was observed (r=0.16; P>.05). When correlating the glycemic value in the crisis and the HC, a slight negative trend was found (r=-0.53; P=.01). In addition, we found that recurrent hypoglycemic disorder is associated with lower baseline cortisol values ​​the longer the time of its evolution. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that cortisol values ​​remain low during hypoglycemic episodes, reinforcing the hypothesis of lack of response of this counterregulatory hormone in cases of recurrent hypoglycemia.

Silencing of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) inhibits proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma is characterized by high rates of morbidity and mortality. Evidence obtained for different types of cancer shows that tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance are regulated by heat shock factor 1. This research aimed to analyze the effects of heat shock factor 1 on the biological behavior of oral squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Clinicopathological and immunoexpression study of heat shock factor 1 in 70 cases of oral tongue SCC and functional assays by gene silencing of this factor in an oral tongue SCC cell line. RESULTS: Heat shock factor 1 was overexpressed in oral tongue SCC specimens compared to normal oral mucosa (p < 0.0001) and in the SCC15 line compared to immortalized keratinocytes (p < 0.005). No significant associations were observed between overexpression of heat shock factor 1 and clinicopathological parameters or survival rates of the oral tongue SCC cases in the present sample. In vitro experiments showed that heat shock factor 1 silencing inhibited cell proliferation (p < 0.005) and cell cycle progression, with the accumulation of cells in the G0/G1 phase (p < 0.01). In addition, heat shock factor 1 silencing reduced cell invasion capacity (p < 0.05) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, characterized by a decrease in vimentin expression (p < 0.05) and an increase in E-cadherin expression (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Heat shock factor 1 may exert several functions that help maintain cell stability under the stressful conditions of the tumor microenvironment. Thus, strategies targeting the regulation of this protein may in the future be a useful therapeutic tool to control the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Macroevolutionary trends of the Neotropical genus Ameroglossum (Linderniaceae) in rocky outcrop environments.

Ameroglossum is a rare plant genus endemic to northeastern of Brazil, initially monospecific (A. pernambucense) and recently expanded by the description of eight new species and two related genera. The genus was initially placed in the family Scrophulariaceae, but this has never been phylogenetically tested. This group is ecologically restricted to rocky inselberg habitats that function as island-like systems (ILS) with spatial fragmentation, limited area, environmental heterogeneity, temporal isolation and low connectivity. Here we use a phylogenetic perspective to test the hypothesis that Ameroglossum diversification was related to island-like radiation in inselbergs. Our results support that Ameroglossum is monophyletic only with the inclusion of Catimbaua and Isabelcristinia (named here as Ameroglossum sensu lato) and this group was well-supported in the family Linderniaceae. Biogeographic analyses suggest that the ancestral of Ameroglossum and related genus arrived in South America c.a. 15 million years ago by long-distance dispersal, given the ancestral distribution of Linderniaceae in Africa. In rocky outcrop habitats, Ameroglossum s.l. developed floral morphological specialization associated with pollinating hummingbirds, compatible with an island-like model. However, no increase in speciation rate was detected, which may be related to high extinction rates and/or slow diversification rate in this ecologically restrictive environment. Altogether, in Ameroglossum key innovations involving flowers seem to have offered opportunities for evolution of greater phenotypic diversity and occupation of new niches in rocky outcrop environments.

A comunicação e o cuidado seguro e efetivo de enfermagem em centro cirúrgico e terapia intensiva: revisão integrativa / Communication and safe and effective nursing care in surgical center and intensive care: integrative review

Objetivo: Identificar a importância da comunicação para o cuidado seguro e efetivo de enfermagem em centro cirúrgico e terapia intensiva.Métodos: Revisão integrativa, com levantamento das produções em fevereiro de 2023 nas bases de dados Lilacs, MEDLINE, CINAHL e Scopus. Foram incluídos estudos primários, disponíveis na íntegra, em inglês, português e espanhol.Resultados: Das 1.904 produções inicialmente encontradas, 19 foram incluídos para análise. Os estudos apontaram que a comunicação é fundamental para a garantia da segurança do paciente e inserção da família no processo do cuidado. Essa habilidade vai além da expressão verbal, envolvendo outras formas de se comunicar. Contudo, necessita ser melhorada em algumas situações, evitando principalmente a ocorrência de danos ao cliente. Sugere-se ainda que algumas formas de comunicação requerem ser padronizadas.Conclusão: A comunicação é uma das ações prioritárias e fundamentais para a segurança e efetividade do cuidado de enfermagem, seja nos centros cirúrgicos ou nas unidades de terapia intensiva. Diante desse contexto, se faz necessário que as barreiras de comunicação sejam identificadas e que ações estratégicas organizacionais sejam colocadas em prática, entre elas a educação permanente dos profissionais, bem como a padronização de informações. Ações como essas minimizam os potenciais riscos que permeiam os cuidados críticos e tornam positivas as relações no ambiente de trabalho

Objective: To identify the importance of communication for safe and effective nursing care in the surgical center and intensive care. Methods: An integrative review with a survey of productions in February 2023 in the databases Lilacs, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Scopus. Primary studies, available in full in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, were included. Results: Of the 1,904 productions initially found, 19 were included for analysis. The studies pointed out that communication is essential to guaranty patient safety and to insert the family in the care process. This skill goes beyond verbal expression and involves other ways of communicating.However, it needs to be improved in some situations, mainly to avoid damage to the customer. It is also suggested that some forms of communication require to be standardized. Conclusion: Communication is one of the priorities and fundamental actions for the safety and effectiveness of nursing care, whether in surgical centers or intensive care units. Given this context, it is necessary that communication barriers are identified and that strategic organizational actions are put into practice, including the permanent education of professionals and the standardization of information. Actions like these minimize the potential risks that permeate critical care and positively impact relationships in the work environment

South American Plant Chromosome Numbers Databases: The Information We Have and the Information We Lack on the Most Plant-Diverse Continent.

Chromosome numbers have been used in plant taxonomy, and they are still fundamental for taxon delimitation and genome evolution studies. South America is one of the most diverse continents in terms of plant species and there is a considerable number of species not yet analyzed. Accumulated knowledge about plant chromosome numbers has been compiled from online databases, and here we present an overview. The CCDB is one of the largest plant cytological databases and includes data for around 18% of known vascular plants in the world. In this work, we review the information contained in CCDB and in three databases with exclusive information for South America. At present, the three existing databases comprise information on around 1800 plant taxa related to specific regions, countries, or biomes. Efforts are necessary to expand cytological knowledge and to collect all the available information in a plant chromosome database for this continent.

Macroevolutionary consequences of karyotypic changes in the neotropical Serrasalmidae fishes (Ostariophysi, Characiformes) diversification.

In the Neotropical region, one of the most diverse families of freshwater fishes is the monophyletic Serrasalmidae. Karyotypically, the family shows high diversity in chromosome numbers (2n = 54 to 64). However, little is discussed about whether the chromosomal changes are associated with cladogenetic events within this family. In the present study, we evaluated the role of chromosomal changes in the evolutionary diversification of Serrasalmidae. Our phylogenetic sampling included 36 species and revealed three main clades. The ancestral chromosome number reconstruction revealed the basic number 2n = 54 and a high frequency of ascending dysploid events in the most derived lineages. Our biogeographic reconstruction suggests an Amazonian origin of the family at 48-38 Mya, with independent colonization of other basins between 15 and 8 Mya. We did not find specific chromosomal changes or increased diversification rates correlated with the colonization of a new environment. On the other hand, an increase in the diversification rate was detected involving the genus Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus in the Miocene, correlated with the stasis of 2n = 60. Our data demonstrate that chromosomal rearrangements might have played an important evolutionary role in major cladogenetic events in Serrasalmidae, revealing them as a possible evolutionary driver in their diversification.

Insight toward inflammasome complex contribution to male infertility.

During the last decades, a wide range of factors involved in the physiopathology of male infertility disease have been discussed. The inflammation role in some of the main infertility-related diseases has been studied, such as varicocele, spinal cord injury and obesity. Inflammation is the main response of the immune system to infection or cell damage, leading to intense inflammatory cytokine release during the loss of homeostasis. One of the first steps toward pro-inflammatory cytokines release is the recognition of dangerous signals by the immune cells, including pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). These molecules can activate an important multiprotein complex, called inflammasome. Although these complexes have been studied during the last decades, their participation in male infertility has gained attention recently. Considering the inflammasome complex's high potential to be targeted for drug therapy, this review tries to shed light on current literature. Therefore, in the current review paper, we aimed to discuss the inflammasome complex activation, involvement in different male infertility conditions, and localization in the male reproductive tract.

Injuries and complaints in the Brazilian national volleyball male team: a case study.

BACKGROUND: The literature reports a vast amount of epidemiological information on injuries in volleyball athletes. However, little is known about the incidence of injuries in elite athletes of international level participating in major competitions, such as world championships and Olympic games. The objective of the study was to analyse the incidence of injuries in elite professional volleyball athletes, and the prevalence of complaints reported by athletes. METHODS: This is a case study in which data were collected between April 2018 and August 2021. All the athletes called to play for the Brazilian national male volleyball team during the analysis period participated. From the athletes' medical records, the occurrence of injuries (injurious events that lead to a time off from activities) and complaints (discomforts that did not lead to a time off from activities) were analysed. Frequency data were used to calculate incidence, prevalence and ratios. RESULTS: From 41 athletes who played for the team during the analysed period, 12 athletes had 28 injuries and 38 athletes reported 402 complaints. For injuries, an incidence of seven injuries/1,000 h of competition and two injuries/1,000 h of training was observed. The average recovery time of the athletes was 10 days. The regions with the highest prevalence of injuries were the knee (111/1,000 athletes) and ankle (69/1,000 athletes). For complaints, 402 complaints required 1,085 treatment sessions, with the regions with the highest prevalence of complaints being the knee (261/1,000 complaints) followed by the shoulders (236/1,000 complaints). Athletes aged above 23 years and those playing as middle blockers and outside hitters presented a higher prevalence of injuries and complaints. CONCLUSIONS: Almost one-third of the athletes had injuries and almost all athletes reported complaints during the study period. Injuries and complaints were more prevalent in the knees. Complaints caused a high demand for the healthcare team. To manage risk of injuries for overload, specific injury prevention strategies are needed and should be included as an essential component of the training plan for elite volleyball players.

Correlation between natural microbial load and formation of ropy slime affecting the superficial color of vacuum-packaged cooked sausage.

The present study outlines a comprehensive correlation between the natural microbial load, which is predominantly composed of heat-resistant sporous-forming Bacillus, and the changes in the original properties related to the superficial color of vacuum-packaged cooked sausages. For this purpose, microbial growth curves were plotted by stimulating the growth of the natural microbiota in sausage packages at different temperatures. The correlations were investigated during sample incubation by the instrumental evaluation of color and the ropy slime detection on the sausage surface. The entrance of the natural microbiota into the stationary phase (ca. 9.3 log cfu/g) resulted in changes in the superficial color, which was demonstrated by the discoloration of vacuum-packaged cooked sausages. Therefore, it seems to be a suitable borderline for predictive models applied in durability studies that aim to estimate the period in which vacuum-packaged cooked sausages keep their typical superficial color, anticipating product refusal in markets.

Chirality of Alanine Molecules in Water Solvent: A Theoretical Perspective.

Sequential quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations combining the average solvent electrostatic configuration (ASEC) and the free energy gradient method are employed to locate minimum structures of α- and ß-alanine in a water environment. Herein, we study the solvation effects in the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy of dl-α-alanine and ß-alanine molecules. Our results point out that the ASEC-FEG (average solvent electrostatic configuration with the free energy gradient) method is a suitable approach for finding equilibrium structures of the alanine molecules in aqueous solution. Its accuracy is checked by comparing the optimized structures with those reached by the polarizable continuum model (PCM) and via experimental data. NMR parameters and vibrational and electronic UV-vis spectra are computed with a remarkable agreement with their corresponding experimental values.

Age-related accumulation of B-1 cell progenitors in mice reflects changes in miR15a/16-1 expression and radioresistance capacity.

Hyperproliferative diseases such as Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) are potentially related to some disturbance in the apoptosis pathway, specifically in B-1a cells (CD5+). Accumulation of B-1a cells in lymphoid organs, bone marrow or periphery is observed in some leukemia experimental murine models along aging. It is known that aging also increases the healthy B-1 cell population. However, it is not yet clear if it happens due to self-renewal of mature cells or proliferation of progenitor cells. Herein we demonstrated that the B-1 cell precursor population (B-1p) from bone marrow of middle-aged mice is higher than from young mice. Also, these aged cells are more resistant to irradiation and have downregulation of microRNA15a/16. Alterations in these microRNAs expression and in Bcl-2 regulation were already described in human hematological malignancies and new therapeutically approaches focus on that axis. This finding could explain the early events related to cell transformation during aging and correlate with beginning of symptoms in hyperproliferative diseases. Moreover, studies have already reported these pro-B-1 as a contributor to the origin of other leukemia (Acute Myeloid Leukemia - AML). Our results point to a possible relation between B-1 cell precursors and hyperproliferation during aging. We hypothesized that this population could be maintained until the mature status of the cell or reveal changes that result in re-activation of precursor in adult bone marrow, culminating in accumulation of B-1 cells later. Based on this, B-1 cell progenitor could represent an origin for B cell malignancies and a new candidate target to diagnose and treatments in the future.