Distribution of gamma-ray elements in Cerro do Jarau impact structure and a proposal of geothermal modeling.

Large meteorite impacts release kinetic energy that induces rock deformation, high temperatures and fluid circulation during the cratering process. To understand the correlation between rock deformation and fluid circulation, it is relevant to investigate post-impact hydrothermal flux and its relation to the local geology. The Cerro do Jarau impact structure is a ~13.5 km diameter impact structure located in southern Brazil and formed on Cretaceous continental flood basalts of the Serra Geral Formation and underlying sedimentary strata. This study collected ground gamma-ray data over the structure and produced K, eTh and eU concentrations, eTh/K ratio and F-factor maps to characterize it in terms of its radiometric signatures and their respective spatial distribution. A general decrease in the concentration of the three elements was observed from the outer-rim towards the center of the crater. The central area is defined by very low radiometric values, with relatively high K values, thus indicating the occurrence of K-bearing rocks. Numerical simulations using the HYDROTHERM 3 code showed the fluid circulation pattern over the impact structure. Data interpretation resulted in a scenery consistent with potential fluid remobilization within the impact structure related to hydrothermal processes in the late stages of the crater formation process.

Lack of interactions between prenatal immune activation and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol exposure during adolescence in behaviours relevant to symptom dimensions of schizophrenia in rats.

The causality in the association between cannabis use and the risk of developing schizophrenia has been the subject of intense debate in the last few years. The development of animal models recapitulating several aspects of the disease is crucial for shedding light on this issue. Given that maternal infections are a known risk for schizophrenia, here, we used the maternal immune activation (MIA) model combined with THC exposure during adolescence to examine several behaviours in rats (working memory in the Y maze, sociability in the three-chamber test, sucrose preference as a measure, prepulse inhibition and formation of incidental associations) that are similar to the different symptom clusters of the disease. To this end, we administered LPS to pregnant dams and when the offspring reached adolescence, we exposed them to a mild dose of THC to examine their behaviour in adulthood. We also studied several parameters in the dams, including locomotor activity in the open field, elevated plus maze performance and their response to LPS, that could predict symptom severity of the offspring, but found no evidence of any predictive value of these variables. In the adult offspring, MIA was associated with impaired working memory and sensorimotor gating, but surprisingly, it increased sociability, social novelty and sucrose preference. THC, on its own, impaired sociability and social memory, but there were no interactions between MIA and THC exposure. These results suggest that, in this model, THC during adolescence does not trigger or aggravate symptoms related to schizophrenia in rats.

Acompanhamento Interdisciplinar de Servidores em Tratamento Oncológico: O Caso do Programa Ressignificar / Interdisciplinary Monitoring of Civil Servants in Cancer Treatment: The Case of the Ressignificar Program

Os números de adoecimento oncológico são crescentes, e o câncer é o principal problema de saúde pública no mundo. O trabalho é uma das dimensões da vida que se alteram no processo de adoecimento e tratamento oncológico. O servidor público municipal com diagnóstico oncológico passa por perícia e pode ter restrições médicas, readaptação profissional e até mesmo aposentadoria por incapacidade permanente. Este artigo é um estudo de caso com abordagem qualitativa e seu objetivo é descrever e problematizar o Programa Ressignificar, criado e implantado em um Departamento de Gestão de um município da Baixada Santista, que proporciona acompanhamento interdisciplinar dos servidores com diagnóstico de neoplasia em tratamento. Foram realizadas análise documental e construção de narrativas baseadas nas experiências de seis servidores participantes do Programa. As estatísticas apresentam alta prevalência do câncer de mama na população feminina. Dentre os acompanhados, 66,07% realizam o monitoramento por meio de exames periódicos, tornando possível o retorno ao trabalho, e 33,92% seguem em tratamento, afastados das atividades laborais. Os afastamentos são longos. As narrativas revelam vivências do adoecimento, relação com o trabalho, impacto do afastamento e apreciação do Ressignificar. Os resultados evidenciam a necessidade de dedicação ao tratamento, a centralidade do trabalho (identidade, socialização e sustento) e o medo da inutilidade. A readaptação representa desafio que pode ser oportunidade. O programa tem sido bem aceito, se mostrado eficiente e pertinente, proporcionando aos servidores um tratamento ao mesmo tempo institucional e personalizado. Espera-se que outras municipalidades, instituições públicas e privadas criem programas semelhantes.

The numbers on oncological illnesses are growing, and cancer is the main public health problem in the world. Work is one of the dimensions of life that change in the process of illness and cancer treatment. The municipal public servant with cancer diagnosis undergoes forensic medical evaluation and may have medical restrictions, professional rehabilitation and even retirement due to permanent disability. This article is a case study with a qualitative approach and its objective is to describe and problematize the Ressignificar Program, created and implemented in a Management Department of a municipality in Baixada Santista, which provides interdisciplinary monitoring of civil servants diagnosed with neoplasia under treatment. Documentary analysis and construction of narratives based on the experiences of six civil servants participating in the Program were carried out. Statistics show a high prevalence of breast cancer in the female population. Among those monitored, 66,07% perform monitoring through periodic examinations, making it possible to return to work, and 33,92% remain in treatment, away from work activities. The medical leaves are long. The narratives reveal experiences of illness, relationship with work, impact of medical leaves and appreciation of the Ressignificar Project. The results show the need for dedication to treatment, the centrality of work (identity, socialization and sustenance) and the fear of uselessness. Readaptation represents a challenge that can be an opportunity. The program has been well accepted, shown to be efficient and relevant, providing civil servants with both institutional and personalized treatment. Other municipalities, public and private institutions are expected to create similar programs.

Sex differences in the progression to Alzheimer's disease: a combination of functional and structural markers.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been frequently interpreted as a transitional phase between healthy cognitive aging and dementia, particularly of the Alzheimer's disease (AD) type. Of note, few studies explored that transition from a multifactorial perspective, taking into consideration the effect of basic factors such as biological sex. In the present study 96 subjects with MCI (37 males and 59 females) were followed-up and divided into two subgroups according to their clinical outcome: "progressive" MCI (pMCI = 41), if they fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for AD at the end of follow-up; and "stable" MCI (sMCI = 55), if they remained with the initial diagnosis. Different markers were combined to characterize sex differences between groups, including magnetoencephalography recordings, cognitive performance, and brain volumes derived from magnetic resonance imaging. Results indicated that the pMCI group exhibited higher low-frequency activity, lower scores in neuropsychological tests and reduced brain volumes than the sMCI group, being these measures significantly correlated. When sex was considered, results revealed that this pattern was mainly due to the influence of the females' sample. Overall, females exhibited lower cognitive scores and reduced brain volumes. More interestingly, females in the pMCI group showed an increased theta activity that correlated with a more abrupt reduction of cognitive and volumetric scores as compared with females in the sMCI group and with males in the pMCI group. These findings suggest that females' brains might be more vulnerable to the effects of AD pathology, since regardless of age, they showed signs of more pronounced deterioration than males.

An interdisciplinary therapy for lifestyle change is effective in improving psychological and inflammatory parameters in women with grade I obesity.

Obesity and depression, disorders associated with inflammation, have high incidences in women. Understanding the derangements present in the initial phase of obesity may point to factors that could help avoiding disease aggravation. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of a 6-months interdisciplinary therapy for weight loss in women with grade I obesity. Before and after the therapy, 37 middle-aged women donated blood and responded to questionnaires for depression and anxiety symptoms. Inflammatory parameters were evaluated in serum and a preliminary screening of the plasma proteome was performed. The therapy decreased anthropometric, psychological scores, and serum levels of inflammatory parameters. Depression and anxiety scores correlated positively with some inflammatory parameters. The proteomic analysis showed changes in proteins related to cholesterol metabolism and inflammatory response. Interdisciplinary therapy improves anthropometric and inflammatory statuses and ameliorating psychological symptoms. The decrease of MCP-1 levels after interdisciplinary therapy has not been reported so far, at the best of our knowledge. The present demonstration of positive associations of inflammatory markers and psychological scores indicate that these mediators may be useful to monitor psychological status in obesity. The present proteome data, although preliminary, pointed to plasma alterations indicative of improvement of inflammation after interdisciplinary therapy.

Incidence of Bacteriobilia and the Correlation with Antibioticoprophylaxis in Low-Risk Patients Submitted to Elective Videolaparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Cholelithiasis has a major impact on global health and affects an average of 20% of the Western population. The main risk factors are females, age over 40 years, obesity and pregnancy. Most of the time it is asymptomatic, but when there are symptoms, they are generally nonspecific. Bile was considered sterile, but today it is known that it contains a complex bacterial flora, which causes biofilm in the gallbladder and gallstones. Among the main bacteria associated with cholelithiasis are Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, species of Enterococcus spp. and Acinetobacter spp. Antibiotic prophylaxis is used in an attempt to reduce postoperative infections, especially at the surgical site. However, some authors found no relationship between the use of antibiotic prophylaxis and a lower risk of surgical site infection. Thus, the aim of this double-blind randomized clinical trial was to compare the existence or not of bacteriobilia in patients at low anesthetic risk who underwent videolaparoscopic cholecystectomy, and its correlation with the use of prophylactic antibiotics. This study included 40 patients between 18 and 65 years old, diagnosed with cholelithiasis, symptomatic or not, with low anesthetic risk classified by the American Society of Anesthesiology in ASA I or ASA II, without complications or previous manipulation of the bile duct, who underwent elective video cholecystectomy, divided into two groups: Experimental Group A (n = 20), which received 2 g of Cephalotin (first-generation Cephalosporin, Keflin®, ABL antibiotics, Cosmópolis, Brazil) during anesthetic induction, and Control Group B (n = 20), where no antibiotics were administered until bile collection. After the procedure, a bile sample was collected and culture and antibiogram were performed. In the sample, 22 (55%) were classified as ASA I and 18 (45%) as ASA II. It was observed that 81.8% of the patients who had a positive culture did not use antibiotics, against 18.2% of those who used prophylaxis. When comparing patients regarding anesthetic risk, ASA I patients had a positive culture in 9.1% of cases, against 90.9% in patients classified as ASA II. It was concluded that patients with higher anesthetic risk (ASA II) have a higher chance of bacteriobilia and benefit from antibiotic prophylaxis when compared to patients with lower anesthetic risk (ASA I).

Multiple Primary Melanoma: A Five-Year Prospective Single-Center Follow-Up Study of Two MC1R R/R Genotype Carriers.

BACKGROUND: Multiple primary melanoma (MPM) is a diagnostic challenge even with ancillary imaging technologies available to dermatologists. In selected patients' phenotypes, the use of imaging approaches can help better understand lesion characteristics, and aid in early diagnosis and management. METHODS: Under a 5-year prospective single-center follow-up, 58 s primary melanomas (SPMs) were diagnosed in two first-degree relatives, with fair skin color, red hair, green eyes, and personal history of one previous melanoma each. Patients' behavior and descriptive demographic data were collected from medical records. The information on the first two primary melanomas (PMs) were retrieved from pathology reports. The characteristics of 60 melanomas were collected from medical records, video dermoscopy software, and pathology reports. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) was performed prior to excision of 22 randomly selected melanomas. RESULTS: From February 2018 to May 2023, two patients underwent a pooled total of 214 excisional biopsies of suspect lesions, resulting in a combined benign versus malignant treatment ratio (NNT) of 2.0:1.0. The number of moles excised for each melanoma diagnosed (NNE) was 1.7:1.0 and 6.9:1.0 for the female and male patient respectively. The in-situ melanoma/invasive melanoma ratio (IIR) demonstrated a higher proportion of in-situ melanomas for both patients. From June 2018 to May 2023, a total of 58 SPMs were detected by the combination of total body skin exam (TBSE), total body skin photography (TBSP), digital dermoscopy (DD), and sequential digital dermoscopy imaging (SDDI) via comparative approach. The younger patient had her PM one month prior to the second and third cutaneous melanomas (CMs), characterizing a case of synchronous primary CM. The male older relative had a total of 7 nonsynchronous melanomas. CONCLUSIONS: This CM cohort is composed of 83.3% in-situ melanoma and 16.7% invasive melanoma. Both patients had a higher percentage of SPM with clinical nevus-like morphology (84.5%), global dermoscopic pattern of asymmetric multiple component (60.3%) and located on the lower limbs (46.6%). When RCM was performed prior to excision, 81% of SPM had features suggestive of malignancy. As well, invasive melanomas were more frequent in the lower limbs (40%). In the multivariate model, for the two high-risk patients studied, the chance of a not associated with nevus ("de novo") invasive SPM diagnosis is 25 times greater than the chance of a diagnosis of a nevus-associated invasive SPM.

Untargeted metabolomic study by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in brain tissues on the effects of combined cocaine and ethanol self-administration in male and female young rats.

The combined use of ethanol and cocaine is frequent among drug-abuse users and leads to further exacerbation of health consequences compared to individual consumption and this is of special concern during the transition to adulthood. Despite its high prevalence, the effect of combined consumption of cocaine and ethanol has been scarcely studied. In this work, we report the first untargeted metabolomic study in brain tissues to contribute to the advancement in the knowledge of the possible neurobiological effects of this polysubstance dependence. Liquid Chromatography coupled to high resolution Mass Spectrometry was employed to analyze three different brain tissues samples, prefrontal cortex, striatum and hippocampus, from male and female young rats exposed intravenously to a self-administration of these drugs. After optimizing the best sample treatment and selecting the chromatographic and detection conditions to find the maximum number of significant features (possible biomarker metabolites), the high resolution of the Orbitrap analyzer used in this work has made it possible to find up to 761 significant features with assigned molecular formula, of which up to 190 were tentatively identified and 44 unequivocally confirmed. The results demonstrated that the altered metabolic pathways are involved in multiple functions: receptor systems, such as the Glutamine-Glutamic acid-GABA axis or the catecholamine pathway, purinergic and pyrimidine pathways, fatty acids or oxidative stress, among others.

Interaction between maternal immune activation and peripubertal stress in rats: impact on cocaine addiction-like behaviour, morphofunctional brain parameters and striatal transcriptome.

Substance use disorders are more prevalent in schizophrenia, but the causal links between both conditions remain unclear. Maternal immune activation (MIA) is associated with schizophrenia which may be triggered by stressful experiences during adolescence. Therefore, we used a double-hit rat model, combining MIA and peripubertal stress (PUS), to study cocaine addiction and the underlying neurobehavioural alterations. We injected lipopolysaccharide or saline on gestational days 15 and 16 to Sprague-Dawley dams. Their male offspring underwent five episodes of unpredictable stress every other day from postnatal day 28 to 38. When animals reached adulthood, we studied cocaine addiction-like behaviour, impulsivity, Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning, and several aspects of brain structure and function by MRI, PET and RNAseq. MIA facilitated the acquisition of cocaine self-administration and increased the motivation for the drug; however, PUS reduced cocaine intake, an effect that was reversed in MIA + PUS rats. We found concomitant brain alterations: MIA + PUS altered the structure and function of the dorsal striatum, increasing its volume and interfering with glutamatergic dynamics (PUS decreased the levels of NAA + NAAG but only in LPS animals) and modulated specific genes that could account for the restoration of cocaine intake such as the pentraxin family. On its own, PUS reduced hippocampal volume and hyperactivated the dorsal subiculum, also having a profound effect on the dorsal striatal transcriptome. However, these effects were obliterated when PUS occurred in animals with MIA experience. Our results describe an unprecedented interplay between MIA and stress on neurodevelopment and the susceptibility to cocaine addiction.

Saturated and unsaturated triglyceride-enriched diets modify amino acid content in the mice hippocampus.

Elevated intake of fat modulates l-glutamate (l-Glu) turnover within the hippocampus (HIP). Our aim has been to investigate the effect of saturated vs unsaturated fat on the content of l-Glu and other amino acids involved in synaptic transmission within the HIP. The study was carried out in male mice fed (2 h or 8 weeks) with standard chow or with diets enriched either with saturated (SOLF) or unsaturated triglycerides (UOLF). An in vitro assay was performed in HIP slices incubated with palmitic (PA), oleic (OA), or lauric acid (LA). Amino acids were quantified by capillary electrophoresis. While both diets increased the amount of l-Glu and l-aspartate and decreased l-glutamine levels, only UOLF affected d-serine and taurine levels. γ-Aminobutyric acid was specifically decreased by SOLF. In vitro assays revealed that PA and OA modified l-Glu, glycine, l-serine and d-serine concentration. Our results suggest that fatty acids contained in SOLF and UOLF have an impact on HIP amino acid turnover that may account, at least partially, for the functional changes evoked by these diets.

Episodic memory dysfunction and hypersynchrony in brain functional networks in cognitively intact subjects and MCI: a study of 379 individuals.

Delayed recall (DR) impairment is one of the most significant predictive factors in defining the progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Changes in brain functional connectivity (FC) could accompany this decline in the DR performance even in a resting state condition from the preclinical stages to the diagnosis of AD itself, so the characterization of the relationship between the two phenomena has attracted increasing interest. Another aspect to contemplate is the potential moderator role of the APOE genotype in this association, considering the evidence about their implication for the disease. 379 subjects (118 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 261 cognitively intact (CI) individuals) underwent an extensive evaluation, including MEG recording. Applying cluster-based permutation test, we identified a cluster of differences in FC and studied which connections drove such an effect in DR. The moderation effect of APOE genotype between FC results and delayed recall was evaluated too. Higher FC in beta band in the right occipital region is associated with lower DR scores in both groups. A significant anteroposterior link emerged in the seed-based analysis with higher values in MCI. Moreover, APOE genotype appeared as a moderator between beta FC and DR performance only in the CI group. An increased beta FC in the anteroposterior brain region appears to be associated with lower memory performance in MCI. This finding could help discriminate the pattern of the progression of healthy aging to MCI and the relation between resting state and memory performance.

Infección osteoarticular multifocal en un recién nacido / Multifocal osteoarticular infection in a neonate / Infecção osteoarticular multi-focal num recém-nascido

Tanto la osteomielitis como la osteoartritis séptica en el período neonatal son patologías infrecuentes. La afectación ósea de la columna cervical es aún más rara, siendo excepcional en neonatos. Son patologías graves, con elevada morbimortalidad, donde el diagnóstico y tratamiento precoz agresivo son de suma importancia para el pronóstico vital y funcional. Presentamos el caso de un neonato que presentó una sepsis a S. Aureus multirresistente, asociada a una osteomielitis de la primera vértebra cervical y a una osteoartritis séptica de la cadera izquierda. Fue tratado precozmente de forma quirúrgica y con antibioticoterapia, presentando una buena evolución.

Both osteomyelitis and septic osteoarthritis in the neonatal period are infrequent pathologies. Bone involvement of the cervical spine is even rarer, being exceptional in neonates. These are serious pathologies, with high morbimortality, where early diagnosis and aggressive treatment are of utmost importance for the vital and functional prognosis. We present the case of a neonate who presented with sepsis due to multidrug-resistant S. Aureus, associated with osteomyelitis of the first cervical vertebra and septic osteoarthritis of the left hip. He was treated early surgically and with antibiotic therapy, presenting a good evolution

Tanto a osteomielite como a osteoartrose séptica no período neonatal são patologias raras. O envolvimento ósseo da coluna cervical é ainda mais raro, sendo excepcional nos recém-nascidos. Estas são patologias graves, com elevada morbimortalidade, onde o diagnóstico precoce e o tratamento agressivo são da maior importância para o prognóstico vital e funcional. Apresentamos o caso de um recém-nascido que apresentou sepse devido a S. Aureus multirresistente, associado a osteomielite da primeira vértebra cervical e osteoartrose séptica da anca esquerda. Foi tratado precocemente cirurgicamente e com terapia antibiótica, com uma boa evolução.

Towards an Efficient Method for Large-Scale Wi-SUN-Enabled AMI Network Planning.

In a smart grid communication network, positioning key devices (routers and gateways) is an NP-Hard problem as the number of candidate topologies grows exponentially according to the number of poles and smart meters. The different terrain profiles impose distinct communication losses between a smart meter and a key device position. Additionally, the communication topology must consider the position of previously installed distribution automation devices (DAs) to support the power grid remote operation. We introduce the heuristic method AIDA (AI-driven AMI network planning with DA-based information and a link-specific propagation model) to evaluate the connectivity condition between the meters and key devices. It also uses the link-received power calculated for the edges of a Minimum Spanning Tree to propose a simplified multihop analysis. The AIDA method proposes a balance between complexity and efficiency, eliminating the need for empirical terrain characterization. Using a spanning tree to characterize the connectivity topology between meters and routers, we suggest a heuristic approach capable of alleviating complexity and facilitating scalability. In our research, the interest is in proposing a method for positioning communication devices that presents a good trade-off between network coverage and the number of communication devices. The existing literature explores the theme by presenting different techniques for ideal device placement. Still rare are the references that meticulously explore real large-scale scenarios or the communication feasibility between meters and key devices, considering the detailed topography between the devices. The main contributions of this work include: (1) The presentation of an efficient AMI planning method with a large-scale focus; (2) The use of a propagation model that does not depend on an empirical terrain classification; and (3) The use of a heuristic approach based on a spanning tree, capable of evaluating a smaller number of connections and, even so, proposing a topology that uses fewer router and gateway positions compared to an approach that makes general terrain classification. Experiments in four real large-scale scenarios, totaling over 230,000 smart meters, demonstrate that AIDA can efficiently provide high-quality connectivity demanding a reduced number of devices. Additional experiments comparing AIDA's detailed terrain-based propagation model to the Erceg-SUI Path Loss model suggest that AIDA can reach the smart meter's coverage with a fewer router positions.

Psychometric validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Body Image Scale ­ HIV for people living with HIV/AIDS / Validação psicométrica da versão em português brasileiro da Body Image Scale ­ HIV para pessoas vivendo com HIV/AIDS

Introduction: Body Image can be defined as the mental representation of body identity. The surroundings, the gaze of the other, they emotions, they integrity, and our own fragility are elements of this representation. The social stigma caused by body changes in people living with HIV / AIDS may be more intense than the fear of death itself, being important to assess the impact of these changes in the course of treatment. Objective: To perform the psychometric validation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Body Image Scale - HIV for a sample of Brazilians, of both sexes, living with HIV / AIDS. Methods: The total of 450 patients were recruited from the São Bernardo do Campo HIV/AIDS program, aged between 18 and 78 years. Confirmatory factor analysis using the Unweighted Least Square and listwise deletion was used to determine the adherence of the data to the models tested. Results: Adequate coefficients of internal reliability and evidence of construct validity were established for the Brazilian version of BIS-HIV in the unifactorial model. Conclusion:This scale, with evidenced psychometric qualities, provides a useful tool for quantitative investigations of body image in people with HIV/AIDS in the Brazilian context and extends the possibility of future cross-cultural research.

Introdução: a Imagem Corporal pode ser definida como a representação mental da identidade corporal. O meio que cerca o sujeito, o olhar do outro, suas emoções, a integridade e a própria fragilidade do corpo são elementos próprios desta representação. O estigma social provocado pelas alterações corporais nas pessoas que vivem com HIV/AIDS pode ser mais intenso que o próprio medo da morte, sendo importante acompanhar o impacto dessas alterações do decurso do tratamento.Objetivo: realizar a validação psicométrica da versão em português brasileiro da Body Image Scale ­ HIV para uma amostra de brasileiros, de ambos os sexos, vivendo com HIV/AIDS.Método: foram recrutados 450 pacientes de um ambulatório de HIV/AIDS de São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brasil, com idades entre 18 e 78 anos. A análise fatorial confirmatória, utilizando o Unweighted Least Square e deleção listwise, foi usada para determinar a aderência dos dados aos modelos testados.Resultados: coeficientes adequados de confiabilidade interna e evidência de validade de construto foram estabelecidos para a versão brasileira da BIS-HIV no modelo unifatorial.Conclusão: a escala foi validada e com suas qualidades psicométricas evidenciadas, fornece uma ferramenta útil para investigações quantitativas da imagem corporal em pessoas com HIV/AIDS no contexto brasileiro e amplia a possibilidade de futuras pesquisas transculturais.

An extremely low stomatal density mutant overcomes cooling limitations at supra-optimal temperature by adjusting stomatal size and leaf thickness.

The impact of global warming on transpiration and photosynthesis would compromise plant fitness, impacting on crop yields and ecosystem functioning. In this frame, we explored the performance of a set of Arabidopsis mutants carrying partial or total loss-of-function alleles of stomatal development genes and displaying distinct stomatal abundances. Using microscopy and non-invasive imaging techniques on this genotype collection, we examined anatomical leaf and stomatal traits, plant growth and development, and physiological performance at optimal (22°C) and supra-optimal (30°C) temperatures. All genotypes showed thermomorphogenetic responses but no signs of heat stress. Data analysis singled out an extremely low stomatal abundance mutant, spch-5. At 22°C, spch-5 had lower transpiration and warmer leaves than the wild type. However, at 30°C, this mutant developed larger stomata and thinner leaves, paralleled by a notable cooling capacity, similar to that of the wild type. Despite their low stomatal density (SD), spch-5 plants grown at 30°C showed no photosynthesis or growth penalties. The behavior of spch-5 at supra-optimal temperature exemplifies how the effect of very low stomatal numbers can be counteracted by a combination of larger stomata and thinner leaves. Furthermore, it provides a novel strategy for coping with high growth temperatures.

Adoption and Impact of Kitchen Garden on Food and Nutritional Security of Farming Households in Tanzania.

This article analyzes factors influencing the adoption of kitchen gardens and food and nutrition security implications of kitchen gardens on farming households. For this, the Per Capita Kilocalorie Intake (PKCI) and Food Consumption Score (FCS) were applied as food and nutrition security indicators. This paper is based on cross-sectional data that include a sample of 825 households from two districts in Tanzania. Endogenous Switching Regression is employed to determine factors influencing the adoption of a kitchen garden and its impact on food and nutrition security of the involved farming households. The results of the analysis indicate that the adoption of a kitchen garden increased with the family size (adult equivalent), credit use, access to information, districts (location), and the usage of other water sources for agriculture in addition to rainfed. It decreased with total land size and TLU. While the adoption of a kitchen garden significantly increased adopters' FCS by 1.45 or 2.96% and non-adopters' FCS by 1.26 or 2.69%. In contrast, the adoption of a kitchen garden significantly reduced non-adopters' PKCI by 101.18 or 3.92% but it does not have significant impact for adopters. Therefore, policymakers and development organizations should further promote and scale-up the kitchen garden intervention in order to use it as a tool to enhance the household's food and nutrition security.

Gamma-ray spectrometry of the Araguainha impact structure, Brazil: Additional insights into element mobilization due to hydrothermal alteration.

We present the analysis of airborne and ground gamma-ray spectrometry signatures of the Araguainha impact structure, located in central Brazil, the largest impact structure in South America with ~ 40 km diameter. The airborne data are total gamma-ray counts per second collected along flight lines spaced 1 km apart. The ground gamma-ray data are concentrations of potassium, uranium, and thorium isotopes calculated from radiations measured in three individual channels. The objectives are to distinguish lithologies within the structure, which have naturally distinctive radiogenic signatures, and identify potential post-impact hydrothermal alteration zones, as indicated by high K concentrations. Based on results obtained by numerical modeling of the crater formation, we infer the locations of potential occurrences of target rocks that may have undergone hydrothermal alteration as a result of the impact. The deviations from the background potassium concentration show significant anomalous K values at the center and in the northwestern crater rim, where high concentrations of U are also observed. The numerical model shows that ideal temperature conditions for hydrothermal fluid circulation were attained right after pos-impact gravitational stabilization.

Investigating the antiproliferative activities of new CuII complexes with pyridine hydrazone derivatives of nalidixic acid.

To further explore the structural features and potential antibacterial and antitumor activities of polynuclear CuII coordination compounds with nalidixic acid (nx) derivatives, new complexes bearing nx hydrazones with N-pyridinyl moieties substituted at positions 2 and 3 (h2py and h3py) were synthesized. Complexes [Cu3(C18H16N5O2)2(C18H17N5O2)2(H2O)]4BF4∙H2O (1), and [Cu3(C18H16N5O2)2(C18H17N5O2)2(H2O)3]4BF4∙3H2O (%) (2) were synthesized using h2py and h3py with Cu(BF4)2∙nH2O as precursor, whereas the [Cu(C18H17N5O2)Cl2]∙0.5H2O complex (3) was synthesized with h2py and CuCl2∙2H2O. Crystallographic studies of complex 1, showed that coordination of hydrazones to CuII occurs by tridentate modes of type κ3(O,N,N') as well as bidentate modes of type κ2(O',N″). Complexes 1, 2 and 3 had their antiproliferative activities evaluated in vitro against a panel of tumor cells by the determination of GI50 values. Complexes 1 and 2 were more active than complex 3, suggesting an effect of the complex charge on their activities. The interactions of such complexes towards bovine serum albumin (BSA) and DNA plasmid (pGEX-4 T1) were investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy and gel electrophoresis. All complexes were shown to interact with the DNA model as metallonucleases, but no interaction with BSA was observed. DNA molecular docking of complex 1 encompassing both its trinuclear (TN) form and a possible mononuclear (MN) derivative suggests that naphthyridyl ring performs π-stacking interactions with DNA. The TN species were also shown to be possible minor groove binders.

Plasma Amino Acid Concentrations in Patients with Alcohol and/or Cocaine Use Disorders and Their Association with Psychiatric Comorbidity and Sex.

(1) Background: Co-occurrence of mental and substance use disorders (SUD) is prevalent, but complicates their clinical courses, and specific biomarkers are required. Amino acids are altered in primary mental disorders; however, little is known about SUD and psychiatric comorbidity. Because most psychiatric disorders and biomarkers show sex differences, we investigated amino acids in men and women with alcohol and/or cocaine use disorders (AUD and/or CUD) and psychiatric comorbidity. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 295 participants, who were divided into four groups (AUD, n = 60; CUD, n = 41; AUD + CUD, n = 64; and control, n = 130). Participants were clinically assessed, and plasma amino acid concentrations were analyzed in relation to sex, diagnosis of SUD and psychiatric comorbidity (3) Results: In the total sample, there were sex differences, and women showed lower Iso, Leu, Gln and Glu than men. While patients with CUD and AUD + CUD had higher Glu, Gly, Orn and Ser than controls, patients with AUD showed no differences. In SUD, patients with psychiatric comorbidity had lower Orn and higher Ala than non-comorbid patients in the AUD group. (4) Conclusions: There was a dysregulation of plasma amino acids in abstinent patients with SUD. However, our results suggest the importance of considering the clinical characteristics and sex in the validity of amino acids as potential biomarkers for SUD.

Gamma band functional connectivity reduction in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and epileptiform activity.

There is growing evidence for neuronal hyperexcitability in Alzheimer's disease. Hyperexcitability is associated with an increase in epileptiform activity and the disruption of inhibitory activity of interneurons. Interneurons fire at a high rate and are frequently associated with high-frequency oscillations in the gamma frequency band (30-150 Hz). It is unclear how hyperexcitability affects the organization of functional brain networks. A sample of 63 amnestic mild cognitive impairment patients underwent a magnetoencephalography resting-state recording with eyes closed. Twenty (31.75%) mild cognitive impairment patients had epileptiform activity. A cluster-based analysis of the magnetoencephalography functional connectivity revealed a region within the right temporal cortex whose global connectivity in the gamma frequency band was significantly reduced in patients with epileptiform activity relative to those without epileptiform activity. A subsequent seed-based analysis showed that this was largely due to weaker gamma band connectivity of this region with ipsilateral frontal and medial regions, and the upper precuneus area. In addition, this reduced functional connectivity was associated with higher grey matter atrophy across several cortical regions in the patients with epileptiform activity. These functional network disruptions and changes in brain physiology and morphology have important clinical implications as they may contribute to cognitive decline in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.