Kelp carbon sink potential decreases with warming due to accelerating decomposition.

Cycling of organic carbon in the ocean has the potential to mitigate or exacerbate global climate change, but major questions remain about the environmental controls on organic carbon flux in the coastal zone. Here, we used a field experiment distributed across 28° of latitude, and the entire range of 2 dominant kelp species in the northern hemisphere, to measure decomposition rates of kelp detritus on the seafloor in relation to local environmental factors. Detritus decomposition in both species were strongly related to ocean temperature and initial carbon content, with higher rates of biomass loss at lower latitudes with warmer temperatures. Our experiment showed slow overall decomposition and turnover of kelp detritus and modeling of coastal residence times at our study sites revealed that a significant portion of this production can remain intact long enough to reach deep marine sinks. The results suggest that decomposition of these kelp species could accelerate with ocean warming and that low-latitude kelp forests could experience the greatest increase in remineralization with a 9% to 42% reduced potential for transport to long-term ocean sinks under short-term (RCP4.5) and long-term (RCP8.5) warming scenarios. However, slow decomposition at high latitudes, where kelp abundance is predicted to expand, indicates potential for increasing kelp-carbon sinks in cooler (northern) regions. Our findings reveal an important latitudinal gradient in coastal ecosystem function that provides an improved capacity to predict the implications of ocean warming on carbon cycling. Broad-scale patterns in organic carbon decomposition revealed here can be used to identify hotspots of carbon sequestration potential and resolve relationships between carbon cycling processes and ocean climate at a global scale.

Annotating for Artificial Intelligence Applications in Digital Pathology: A Practical Guide for Pathologists and Researchers.

Training machine learning models for artificial intelligence (AI) applications in pathology often requires extensive annotation by human experts, but there is little guidance on the subject. In this work, we aimed to describe our experience and provide a simple, useful, and practical guide addressing annotation strategies for AI development in computational pathology. Annotation methodology will vary significantly depending on the specific study's objectives, but common difficulties will be present across different settings. We summarize key aspects and issue guiding principles regarding team interaction, ground-truth quality assessment, different annotation types, and available software and hardware options and address common difficulties while annotating. This guide was specifically designed for pathology annotation, intending to help pathologists, other researchers, and AI developers with this process.

Convergent Cortistatin losses parallel modifications in circadian rhythmicity and energy homeostasis in Cetacea and other mammalian lineages.

The ancestors of Cetacea underwent profound morpho-physiological alterations. By displaying an exclusive aquatic existence, cetaceans evolved unique patterns of locomotor activity, vigilant behaviour, thermoregulation and circadian rhythmicity. Deciphering the molecular landscape governing many of these adaptations is key to understand the evolution of phenotypes. Here, we investigate Cortistatin (CORT), a neuropeptide displaying an important role in mammalian biorhythm regulation. This neuropeptide is a known neuroendocrine factor, stimulating slow-wave sleep, but also involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and hypomotility inducement. We assessed the functional status of CORT in 359 mammalian genomes (25 orders), including 30 species of Cetacea. Our findings indicate that cetaceans and other mammals with atypical biorhythms, thermal constraints and/or energy metabolism, have accumulated deleterious mutations in CORT. In light of the pleiotropic action of this neuropeptide, we suggest that this inactivation contributed to a plethora of phenotypic adjustments to accommodate adaptive solutions to specific ecological niches.

Functional or Vestigial? The Genomics of the Pineal Gland in Xenarthra.

Vestigial organs are historical echoes of past phenotypes. Determining whether a specific organ constitutes a functional or vestigial structure can be a challenging task, given that distinct levels of atrophy may arise between and within lineages. The mammalian pineal gland, an endocrine organ involved in melatonin biorhythmicity, represents a classic example, often yielding contradicting anatomical observations. In Xenarthra (sloths, anteaters, and armadillos), a peculiar mammalian order, the presence of a distinct pineal organ was clearly observed in some species (i.e., Linnaeus's two-toed sloth), but undetected in other closely related species (i.e., brown-throated sloth). In the nine-banded armadillo, contradicting evidence supports either functional or vestigial scenarios. Thus, to untangle the physiological status of the pineal gland in Xenarthra, we used a genomic approach to investigate the evolution of the gene hub responsible for melatonin synthesis and signaling. We show that both synthesis and signaling compartments are eroded and were probably lost independently among Xenarthra orders. Additionally, by expanding our analysis to 157 mammal genomes, we offer a comprehensive view showing that species with very distinctive habitats and lifestyles have convergently evolved a similar phenotype: Cetacea, Pholidota, Dermoptera, Sirenia, and Xenarthra. Our findings suggest that the recurrent inactivation of melatonin genes correlates with pineal atrophy and endorses the use of genomic analyses to ascertain the physiological status of suspected vestigial structures.

Gloeothece sp.-Exploiting a New Source of Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antitumor Agents.

Bioactive lipidic compounds of microalgae, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and carotenoids, can avoid or treat oxidation-associated conditions and diseases like inflammation or cancer. This study aimed to assess the bioactive potential of lipidic extracts obtained from Gloeothece sp.-using Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) solvents like ethanol, acetone, hexane:isopropanol (3:2) (HI) and ethyl lactate. The bioactive potential of extracts was assessed in terms of antioxidant (ABTS•+, DPPH•, •NO and O2•assays), anti-inflammatory (HRBC membrane stabilization and Cox-2 screening assay), and antitumor capacity (death by TUNEL, and anti-proliferative by BrdU incorporation assay in AGS cancer cells); while its composition was characterized in terms of carotenoids and fatty acids, by HPLC-DAD and GC-FID methods, respectively. Results revealed a chemopreventive potential of the HI extract owing to its ability to: (I) scavenge -NO• radical (IC50, 1258 ± 0.353 µg·mL-1); (II) inhibit 50% of COX-2 expression at 130.2 ± 7.4 µg·mL-1; (III) protect 61.6 ± 9.2% of lysosomes from heat damage, and (IV) induce AGS cell death by 4.2-fold and avoid its proliferation up to 40% in a concentration of 23.2 ± 1.9 µg·mL-1. Hence, Gloeothece sp. extracts, namely HI, were revealed to have the potential to be used for nutraceutical purposes.

Management of laryngeal candidiasis: an evidence-based approach for the otolaryngologist.

PURPOSE: The authors aim to review available reports regarding laryngeal candidiasis and describe the existing evidence on the demographics, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, therapeutic options, and outcomes of this infection. METHODS: A review of articles on laryngeal candidiasis was conducted using PubMed® database from its inception through July 2019. RESULTS: Patients were mainly females presenting with complaints of dysphonia and associated gastroesophageal reflux history or inhaled corticosteroids use; although local predisposing factors were common, most patients were immunocompetent. The main anatomical affected subsite was the glottis with the presence of leukoplastic lesions. The diagnostic approach remains controversial, since some authors recommend prompt lesion biopsy and others rely on empirical antifungal treatment that showed effective results regarding symptoms and lesions resolution. CONCLUSION: Laryngeal Candida infection is thought to be a rare condition, with limited available literature. The correct diagnosis is difficult for the otolaryngologist and a high level of suspicion is required. The authors emphasize the need to include this condition into the differential diagnosis in patients with predisposing factors presenting with suspected lesions. In addition, the conservative diagnostic approach with antifungal treatment seems to provide effective outcomes, although comparative clinical studies between diagnostic options are lacking.

Global patterns of kelp forest change over the past half-century.

Kelp forests (Order Laminariales) form key biogenic habitats in coastal regions of temperate and Arctic seas worldwide, providing ecosystem services valued in the range of billions of dollars annually. Although local evidence suggests that kelp forests are increasingly threatened by a variety of stressors, no comprehensive global analysis of change in kelp abundances currently exists. Here, we build and analyze a global database of kelp time series spanning the past half-century to assess regional and global trends in kelp abundances. We detected a high degree of geographic variation in trends, with regional variability in the direction and magnitude of change far exceeding a small global average decline (instantaneous rate of change = -0.018 y-1). Our analysis identified declines in 38% of ecoregions for which there are data (-0.015 to -0.18 y-1), increases in 27% of ecoregions (0.015 to 0.11 y-1), and no detectable change in 35% of ecoregions. These spatially variable trajectories reflected regional differences in the drivers of change, uncertainty in some regions owing to poor spatial and temporal data coverage, and the dynamic nature of kelp populations. We conclude that although global drivers could be affecting kelp forests at multiple scales, local stressors and regional variation in the effects of these drivers dominate kelp dynamics, in contrast to many other marine and terrestrial foundation species.

How to Achieve Facial Balance by Mandibular Contouring Ostectomy in Hemimandibular Hyperplasia.

Hemimandibular hyperplasia is a rare type of condylar hyperplasia which leads to facial asymmetry. Its surgical correction may be challenging since it usually requires complex mandibular osteotomies. Mandibular inferior border ostectomy is poorly described in the literature. The aim of this report is to present a new surgical technique guided by a customized surgical splint manufactured using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing technology. Very good aesthetic results are achieved as it is very precise.

Implementing Laboratory Quality Management Systems in Mozambique: The Becton Dickinson-US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Public-Private Partnership Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Mozambique's ministry of health (MOH) recognized the need to establish a national laboratory quality assurance (NLQA) program to improve the reliability and accuracy of laboratory testing. The Becton Dickinson-US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Public-Private Partnership (PPP) was used to garner MOH commitment and train a cadre of local auditors and managers to support sustainability and country ownership of a NLQA program. METHODS: From January 2011 to April 2012, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist and the Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) curriculum were used in 6 MOH laboratories. PPP volunteers provided training and mentorship to build the capacity of local auditors and program managers to promote institutionalization and sustainability of the program within the MOH. RESULTS: SLIPTA was launched in 6 MOH laboratories, and final audits demonstrated improvements across the 13 quality system essentials, compared with baseline. Training and mentorship of MOH staff by PPP volunteers resulted in 18 qualified auditors and 28 managers/quality officers capacitated to manage the improvement process in their laboratories. CONCLUSIONS: SLIPTA helps laboratories improve the quality and reliability of their service even in the absence of full accreditation. Local capacity building ensures sustainability by creating country buy-in, reducing costs of audits, and institutionalizing program management.

Thrombosed Aneurysm of the External Jugular Vein: A Rare Cause of Cervical Mass.

BACKGROUND: External jugular vein aneurysm is a rare condition with few cases described in the literature. Complications include thrombus formation, thrombophlebitis, pulmonary embolism, rupture, and cosmetic complaint. METHODS AND RESULTS: The authors present a clinical case and treatment of thrombosed aneurysm of the external jugular vein in a 47-year-old man. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its rarity, external jugular vein aneurysm should be remembered in the differential diagnosis of a cervical mass. Surgical excision is indicated in symptomatic aneurysms and for aesthetic reasons. Excision eliminates the risk of complications and allows for histopathologic diagnosis.

Trade-offs between life-history traits at range-edge and central locations.

The allocation of resources to different life-history traits should represent the best compromise in fitness investment for organisms in their local environment. When resources are limiting, the investment in a specific trait must carry a cost that is expressed in trade-offs with other traits. In this study, the relative investment in the fitness-related traits, growth, reproduction and defence were compared at central and range-edge locations, using the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum as a model system. Individual growth rates were similar at both sites, whereas edge populations showed a higher relative investment in reproduction (demonstrated by a higher reproductive allocation and extended reproductive periods) when compared to central populations that invested more in defence. These results show the capability of A. nodosum to differentially allocate resources for different traits under different habitat conditions, suggesting that reproduction and defence have different fitness values under the specific living conditions experienced at edge and central locations. However, ongoing climate change may threaten edge populations by increasing the selective pressure on specific traits, forcing these populations to lower the investment in other traits that are also potentially important for population fitness.

Alternative chelating agents: evaluation of the ready biodegradability and complexation properties.

The ready biodegradability of four chelating agents, N,N'-(S,S)-bis[1-carboxy-2-(imidazol-4-yl)ethyl]ethylenediamine (BCIEE), N'-ethylenedi-L-cysteine (EC), N,N'-bis (4-imidazolymethyl)ethylenediamine (EMI) and 2,6-pyridine dicarboxylic acid (PDA), was tested according to the OECD guideline for testing of chemicals. PDA proved to be a readily biodegradable substance. However, none of the other three compounds were degraded during the 28 days of the test. Chemical simulations were performed for the four compounds in order to understand their ability to complex with some metal ions (Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) and discuss possible applications of these chelating agents. Two different conditions were simulated: (i) in the presence of the chelating agent and one metal ion, and (ii) in the simultaneous presence of the chelating agent and all metal ions with an excess of Ca. For those compounds that were revealed not to be readily biodegradable (BCIEE, EC and EMI), applications were evaluated where this property was not fundamental or even not required. Chemical simulations pointed out that possible applications for these chelating agents are: food fortification, food process, fertilizers, biocides, soil remediation and treatment of metal poisoning. Additionally, chemical simulations also predicted that PDA is an efficient chelating agent for Ca incrustations removal, detergents and for pulp metal ions removal process.

Fucus spiralis as monitoring tool of metal contamination in the northwest coast of Portugal under the European Water Framework Directives.

Metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) in coastal seawaters and soft tissues of macroalga Fucus spiralis from the northwest coast of Portugal were determined to assess spatial variations of metal bioavailabilities and bioaccumulation factors to compare different ecological quality classifications. Both coastal seawaters and soft tissues of F. spiralis showed significant spatial variations in their metal concentrations along the coast. The macroalgae F. spiralis accumulated more efficiently Cd, Mn and Zn and showed low bioaccumulation factors to Cr, Cu and Fe. Regarding the metal guidelines of the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority, the entire northwest (NW) coast of Portugal in April 2013 should be classified as 'class I--unpolluted' for all metals, except in Ave for Cu ('class II--moderately polluted') and Cavado for Cd and Cu ('class II-moderately polluted'), revealing the low metal bioavailabilities of these seawaters. As there were always significant positive correlations between all metals in seawaters and F. spiralis, this macroalga species was considered a suitable monitoring tool of metal contamination in the NW coast of Portugal and a useful aquatic organism to be included in the European Environmental Specimen Banks in order to establish a real-time environmental monitoring network under the European Water Framework Directives.

Cervical cytology and HPV distribution in Cape Verde: A snapshot of a country taken during its first HPV nation-wide vaccination campaign.

Cervical cancer ranks as the third most common female cancer in Cape Verde and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the country. While Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, which started in 2021, is anticipated to significantly reduce disease incidence, cervical screening remains crucial for non-vaccinated women. We retrospectively reviewed gynecologic cytology exams and HPV tests performed in Cape Verde between 2017 and April 2023 and processed at IMP Diagnostics. For this study, we considered 13035 women with cytology examinations performed and, 2013 of these, also with an HPV molecular test. Cytology diagnostics comprised 83 % NILM cases; 12 % ASC-US; 2.7 % LSIL; 1.2 % ASC-H; 0.5 % HSIL and 0.1 % SCC. In 505 (25.1 %) high-risk HPV infection was detected. Prevalence of HPV infection varied with age, peaking at young ages - ≤24 years old (55.5 %) and 25-35-year-old women (31.5 %) - and the lowest after 66 years old (9.7 %). Herein we present a comprehensive study regarding Cape Verde's cervical cytology and HPV distribution, aiming to provide a snapshot of the country's cervical cytology results and HPV distribution in recent years. Moreover, these data may contribute to establish a baseline to assess, in the future, the vaccination impact in the country.

Towards detection of structurally-diverse glycated epitopes in native proteins: Single-chain antibody directed to non-A1c epitope in human haemoglobin.

Over 500 million people worldwide are affected by diabetes mellitus, a chronic disease that leads to high blood glucose levels and causes severe side effects. The predominant biological marker for diagnosis of diabetes is glycated haemoglobin (GHb). In human blood the predominant reducing sugar, glucose, irreversibly conjugates onto accessible amine groups within Hb. Most methods for diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes selectively detect N-terminal glycation at Val-1 on the ß-globin chain, but not glycation at other sites. Detection of other glycated epitopes of GHb has the potential to provide new information on the extent, duration and timing of elevated glucose, facilitating personalised diagnosis and intelligent diabetic control. In this work, a new anti-GHb Fab antibody (Fab-1) specific for haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) with nanomolar affinity was discovered via epitope-directed immunisation and phage display. A single chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody derived from Fab-1 retained affinity and specificity for HbA1c, and affinity was enhanced tenfold upon addition of an enhanced green fluorescent protein tag. Both the scFv and Fab-1 recognised an epitope within HbA1c that was distinct from ß-Val-1, and our data suggest that this epitope may include glycation at Lys-66 in the ß-globin chain. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an scFv/Fab anti-glycated epitope antibody that recognises a non-A1c epitope in GHb, and confirms that fructosamine attached to different, discrete glycation sites within the same protein can be resolved from one another by immunoassay.

An interpretable machine learning system for colorectal cancer diagnosis from pathology slides.

Considering the profound transformation affecting pathology practice, we aimed to develop a scalable artificial intelligence (AI) system to diagnose colorectal cancer from whole-slide images (WSI). For this, we propose a deep learning (DL) system that learns from weak labels, a sampling strategy that reduces the number of training samples by a factor of six without compromising performance, an approach to leverage a small subset of fully annotated samples, and a prototype with explainable predictions, active learning features and parallelisation. Noting some problems in the literature, this study is conducted with one of the largest WSI colorectal samples dataset with approximately 10,500 WSIs. Of these samples, 900 are testing samples. Furthermore, the robustness of the proposed method is assessed with two additional external datasets (TCGA and PAIP) and a dataset of samples collected directly from the proposed prototype. Our proposed method predicts, for the patch-based tiles, a class based on the severity of the dysplasia and uses that information to classify the whole slide. It is trained with an interpretable mixed-supervision scheme to leverage the domain knowledge introduced by pathologists through spatial annotations. The mixed-supervision scheme allowed for an intelligent sampling strategy effectively evaluated in several different scenarios without compromising the performance. On the internal dataset, the method shows an accuracy of 93.44% and a sensitivity between positive (low-grade and high-grade dysplasia) and non-neoplastic samples of 0.996. On the external test samples varied with TCGA being the most challenging dataset with an overall accuracy of 84.91% and a sensitivity of 0.996.

[Comparison of strength of the handshake with anthropometric and subjective parameters at the patients' nutritional assessment with liver diseas]. / Comparação da força do aperto de mão com parâmetros antropométricos e subjetivos na avaliação nutricional de hepatopatas.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the nutritional status of patients with chronic liver disease by evaluating the strength of grip of non-dominant hand (SGNDH), correlating it with other methods and analyzing their contribution to this assessment. METHODS: This study was conducted with patients having chronic chronic disease at the outpatient hepatology service of the Instituto de Medicina Integral Professor Fernando Figueira--IMIP, Recife-PE, from February to October 2010. Clinical and demographic variables were collected. The evaluation was performed according to anthropometric, subjective and functional parameters. RESULTS: There were evaluated 49 individuals and 65.3% of them were men. The mean age was 51.3 years and individuals over 60 year predominated. The patients presented non-alcoholic liver disease in 61.2% of cases, MELD < or = 10 in 67.3%, some gastroenteropathy in 67.4%, jaundice in 66.7% and ascites in 63%. The global average SGNDH was higher among men with higher prevalence of malnutrition by arm muscle area (AMA), followed by arm muscle circumference (AMC) and SGNDH, and lower prevalence by body mass index (BMI) and adapted subjective global assessment (SGA). There were not statistically significant differences between the prevalence of malnutrition by SGNDH and arm circumference (AC), triceps skinfold (TS), AMC, AMA and Mendenhall score. The diagnosis of malnutrition by SGND was higher among men and 100% among elderly (P < 0.05). There was strong correlation between SGNDH and AMC, regular between SGNDU and height, and weak between SGDNH and AC (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It is noted that the SGNDH showed similar contribution than AMA and AMC and higher than BMI and adapted SGA. The strong correlation between SGNDH and AMC indicates a major relationship with muscle reserves. Thus, more studies are needed to clarify the application of SGNDH in this nutritional assessment. We point out that an association of different methods is necessary.

Influence of Curing Temperature on the Strength of a Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer.

The present work focuses on the further development of a new family of geopolymers obtained by the alkaline activation of a binder. The aim is to find a viable alternative to concrete that can be used in civil construction. Regarding the influence of the curing temperature on this type of mixture, the recommendations in the existing literature are different for fly ash, ground granulated blast-furnace slag, and metakaolin-based geopolymers. While for fly ash and slag, increasing the curing temperature above 60 °C is reported to be advantageous, for metakaolin geopolymers, the opposite is reported. In this context, the objective of this work is to evaluate the mechanical strength of several metakaolin-based geopolymer specimens subjected to different curing temperatures (10, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 50 °C). Furthermore, several stress-strain diagrams are also shown. Based on the results, we recommend using curing temperatures below 30 °C in order to avoid reducing the strength of metakaolin-based geopolymers. Curing at 50 °C, relative to room temperature, results in a reduction of more than 35% in flexural strength and a reduction of more than 60% in compressive strength. Regarding the behavior of the geopolymers, it was found that the strain, at the ultimate stress, is about 2 to 2.5 times the strain of an equivalent cement mortar.

Forecasting distributional shifts of Patella spp. in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean, under climate change.

Mapping species' geographical distribution is fundamental for understanding current patterns and forecasting future changes. Living on rocky shores along the intertidal zone, limpets are vulnerable to climate change, as their range limits are controlled by seawater temperature. Many works have been studying limpets' potential responses to climate change at local and regional scales. Focusing on four Patella species living on the rocky shores of the Portuguese continental coast, this study aims to predict climate change impacts on their global distribution, while exploring the role of the Portuguese intertidal as potential climate refugia. Ecological niche models combine occurrences and environmental data to identify the drivers of these species' distributions, define their current range, and project to future climate scenarios. The distribution of these limpets was mostly defined by low bathymetry (intertidal) and the seawater temperature. Independent of the climate scenario, all species will gain suitable conditions at the northern distribution edge while losing in the south, yet only the extent of occurrence of P. rustica is expected to contract. Apart from the southern coast, maintenance of suitable conditions for these limpets' occurrence was predicted for the western coast of Portugal. The predicted northward range shift follows the observed pattern observed for many intertidal species. Given the ecosystem role of this species, attention should be given to their southern range limits. Under the current upwelling effect, the Portuguese western coast might constitute thermal refugia for limpets in the future.

A CAD system for automatic dysplasia grading on H&E cervical whole-slide images.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common female cancer worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Nonetheless, it is also among the most successfully preventable and treatable types of cancer, provided it is early identified and properly managed. As such, the detection of pre-cancerous lesions is crucial. These lesions are detected in the squamous epithelium of the uterine cervix and are graded as low- or high-grade intraepithelial squamous lesions, known as LSIL and HSIL, respectively. Due to their complex nature, this classification can become very subjective. Therefore, the development of machine learning models, particularly directly on whole-slide images (WSI), can assist pathologists in this task. In this work, we propose a weakly-supervised methodology for grading cervical dysplasia, using different levels of training supervision, in an effort to gather a bigger dataset without the need of having all samples fully annotated. The framework comprises an epithelium segmentation step followed by a dysplasia classifier (non-neoplastic, LSIL, HSIL), making the slide assessment completely automatic, without the need for manual identification of epithelial areas. The proposed classification approach achieved a balanced accuracy of 71.07% and sensitivity of 72.18%, at the slide-level testing on 600 independent samples, which are publicly available upon reasonable request.