Endogenous retrotransposition activates oncogenic pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma.

LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements comprising ~17% of the human genome. New L1 insertions can profoundly alter gene function and cause disease, though their significance in cancer remains unclear. Here, we applied enhanced retrotransposon capture sequencing (RC-seq) to 19 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) genomes and elucidated two archetypal L1-mediated mechanisms enabling tumorigenesis. In the first example, 4/19 (21.1%) donors presented germline retrotransposition events in the tumor suppressor mutated in colorectal cancers (MCC). MCC expression was ablated in each case, enabling oncogenic ß-catenin/Wnt signaling. In the second example, suppression of tumorigenicity 18 (ST18) was activated by a tumor-specific L1 insertion. Experimental assays confirmed that the L1 interrupted a negative feedback loop by blocking ST18 repression of its enhancer. ST18 was also frequently amplified in HCC nodules from Mdr2(-/-) mice, supporting its assignment as a candidate liver oncogene. These proof-of-principle results substantiate L1-mediated retrotransposition as an important etiological factor in HCC.

Genetic risk factors and COVID-19 severity in Brazil: results from BRACOVID study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the paradigms for disease surveillance and rapid deployment of scientific-based evidence for understanding disease biology, susceptibility and treatment. We have organized a large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected individuals in Sao Paulo, Brazil, one of the most affected areas of the pandemic in the country, itself one of the most affected in the world. Here, we present the results of the initial analysis in the first 5233 participants of the BRACOVID study. We have conducted a GWAS for COVID-19 hospitalization enrolling 3533 cases (hospitalized COVID-19 participants) and 1700 controls (non-hospitalized COVID-19 participants). Models were adjusted by age, sex and the 4 first principal components. A meta-analysis was also conducted merging BRACOVID hospitalization data with the Human Genetic Initiative (HGI) Consortia results. BRACOVID results validated most loci previously identified in the HGI meta-analysis. In addition, no significant heterogeneity according to ancestral group within the Brazilian population was observed for the two most important COVID-19 severity associated loci: 3p21.31 and Chr21 near IFNAR2. Using only data provided by BRACOVID, a new genome-wide significant locus was identified on Chr1 near the genes DSTYK and RBBP5. The associated haplotype has also been previously associated with a number of blood cell related traits and might play a role in modulating the immune response in COVID-19 cases.

Neuromodulation with aerobic exercise reduces fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus: a randomised, sham-controlled, double-blind study.

OBJECTIVES: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with aerobic exercise (tDCS-AE) effectively reduces fatigue in patients with fibromyalgia. However, no study has assessed this method in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with significant fatigue. Therefore, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of tDCS-AE for significant fatigue symptoms in adult female SLE patients. METHODS: This randomised, sham-controlled, double-blind study included 25 patients with SLE in remission or low disease activity (SLEDAI-2K £4) and with significant fatigue [≥36 points on the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) or ≥38 points on the Modified Fatigue Scale (MFIS)]. The patients received sham or tDCS for five consecutive days. The anode and cathode were positioned at M1 and Fp2, respectively (international 10-20 EEG system). tDCS was applied at an intensity of 2mA, and density of 0.057mA/cm2 in the tDCS-AE group. Both groups underwent combined low-intensity treadmill exercise. FSS, MFIS, pain visual analogue scale, physical activity, and sleep quality were evaluated at baseline and on days 7, 30, and 60. Adherence and safety were assessed using a standardised questionnaire. RESULTS: Improvement in fatigue levels was observed in both groups. However, a sustained reduction in fatigue levels on days 30 and 60 occurred only with tDCS-AEs (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed in pain level, sleep quality, or physical activity. No disease flares occurred and the adverse effects were mild and transient. Finally, the patient's adherence to the treatment was satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: Despite isolated AEs, there was an improvement in fatigue, however, only tDCS-AE maintained significant and sustained improvement.

Electric fields near undulating dielectric membranes.

Dielectric interfaces are crucial to the behavior of charged membranes, from graphene to synthetic and biological lipid bilayers. Understanding electrolyte behavior near these interfaces remains a challenge, especially in the case of rough dielectric surfaces. A lack of analytical solutions consigns this problem to numerical treatments. We report an analytic method for determining electrostatic potentials near curved dielectric membranes in a two-dimensional periodic "slab" geometry using a periodic summation of Green's functions. This method is amenable to simulating arbitrary groups of charges near surfaces with two-dimensional deformations. We concentrate on one-dimensional undulations. We show that increasing membrane undulation increases the asymmetry of interfacial charge distributions due to preferential ionic repulsion from troughs. In the limit of thick membranes, we recover results mimicking those for electrolytes near a single interface. Our work demonstrates that rough surfaces generate charge patterns in electrolytes of charged molecules or mixed-valence ions.

Assessment of knee instability in ACL-injured knees using weight-bearing computed tomography (WBCT): a novel protocol and preliminary results.

OBJECTIVE: To propose a protocol for assessing knee instability in ACL-injured knees using weight-bearing computed tomography (WBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled five patients with unilateral chronic ACL tears referred for WBCT. Bilateral images were obtained in four positions: bilateral knee extension, bilateral knee flexion, single-leg stance with knee flexion and external rotation, and single-leg stance with knee flexion and internal rotation. The radiation dose, time for protocol acquisition, and patients' tolerance of the procedure were recorded. A blinded senior radiologist assessed image quality and measured the anterior tibial translation (ATT) and femorotibial rotation (FTR) angle in the ACL-deficient and contralateral healthy knee. RESULTS: All five patients were male, aged 23-30 years old. The protocol resulted in a 16.2 mGy radiation dose and a 15-min acquisition time. The procedure was well-tolerated, and patient positioning was uneventful, providing good-quality images. In all positions, the mean ATT and FTR were greater in ACL-deficient knees versus the healthy knee, with more pronounced differences observed in the bilateral knee flexion position. Mean lateral ATT in the flexion position was 9.1±2.8 cm in the ACL-injured knees versus 4.0±1.8 cm in non-injured knees, and mean FTR angle in the bilateral flexion position was 13.5°±7.7 and 8.6°±4.6 in the injured and non-injured knees, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our protocol quantitatively assesses knee instability with WBCT, measuring ATT and FTR in diverse knee positions. It employs reasonable radiation, is fast, well-tolerated, and yields high-quality images. Preliminary findings suggest ACL-deficient knees show elevated ATT and FTR, particularly in the 30° flexion position.

A robust evaluation of 49 high-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy treatment plans including all major uncertainties.

BACKGROUND: Uncertainties in radiotherapy cause deviation from the planned dose distribution and may result in delivering a treatment that fails to meet clinical objectives. The impact of uncertainties is unique to the patient anatomy and the needle locations in HDR prostate brachytherapy. Evaluating this impact during treatment planning is not common practice, relying on margins around the target or organs-at-risk to account for uncertainties. PURPOSE: A robust evaluation framework for HDR prostate brachytherapy treatment plans was evaluated on 49 patient plans, measuring the range of possible dosimetric outcomes to the patient due to 14 major uncertainties. METHODS: Patient plans were evaluated for their robustness to uncertainties by simulating probable uncertainty scenarios. Five-thousand probabilistic and 1943 worst-case scenarios per patient were simulated by changing the position and size of structures and length of dwell times from their nominal values. For each uncertainty scenario, the prostate D90 and maximum doses to the urethra, D0.01cc , and rectum, D0.1cc , were calculated. RESULTS: The D90 was an average 1.16 ± 0.51% (mean ± SD) below nominal values for the probabilistic scenarios; the D0.01cc metric was 2.24 ± 0.90% higher; and D0.1cc was greater by 0.48 ± 0.30%. The D0.01cc and D90 metrics were more sensitive to uncertainties than D0.1cc , with a median of 79.0% and 84.9% of probabilistic scenarios passing the constraints, compared to 96.5%. The median pass-rate for scenarios that passed all three metrics simultaneously was 63.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Assessing treatment plan robustness improves plan quality assurance, is achievable in less than 1-min, and identifies treatment plans with poor robustness, allowing re-optimization before delivery.

The role of computed tomography with external rotation and dorsiflexion in decision making for acute isolated non-displaced posterior malleolar fractures Bartonícek and Rammelt type II: a prospective study.

PURPOSE: Our objective was to evaluate the syndesmotic and fracture instability using conventional ankle computed tomography (CT) with stress maneuvers. METHODS: A consecutive sample of 123 individuals with an ankle sprain was assessed for eligibility. In total, 33 patients met the inclusion criteria. All patients underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT scan with stress maneuvers (CTSM). The patterns of ligament tears f were classified using West Point grades I, IIA, IIB, III. Mann-Whitney test was used to test the differences in the numerical variables between injured and uninjured syndesmoses. The Spearman correlation tested the strength of the association between the tibial joint surface involved in posterior malleolus fracture and syndesmotic instability. RESULTS: In MRI, two patterns of syndesmotic ligament injury predominated. A completely torn anterior inferior tibiofibular (AITFL) and interosseous tibiofibular ligaments (ITFL) and a completely torn AITFL were combined with a partially torn ITFL. In the neutral phase CTSM and during the stress phase the median difference of the narrowest tibiofibular distance between injured and uninjured syndesmoses was 0.2 mm (P = 0.057) and 2.3 mm (P < 0.0001), respectively. There was no association between the percentage of involvement of the posterior tibial joint surface in the posterior malleolar fracture and syndesmotic instability as measured with CTSM. CONCLUSION: The conventional computed tomography with external rotation and dorsiflexion represents a reproducible and accurate diagnostic option for detecting syndesmosis instability and fracture instability in acute isolated non-displaced posterior malleolar fractures Bartonícek and Rammelt type II. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective study among consecutive patients (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

In-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer as a promising tool for optical nose and odor prediction during the fermentation process.

In this paper, we present an in-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) applied to coffee bean fermentation monitoring. Two MZIs, based on a combination of a fiber taper cascaded by a micro-tapered long-period fiber grating, were installed in a fermentation barrel to monitor the liquids and gases released during the fermentation process. During this process, a variety of odors arise due to the yeast activity and their classification is important to decide when to stop the fermentation process. In this work, we show that the in-fiber MZIs are good candidates for optical noses in this scenario.

Spiers Memorial Lecture: Towards understanding of iontronic systems: electroosmotic flow of monovalent and divalent electrolyte through charged cylindrical nanopores.

In many practical applications, ions are the primary charge carrier and must move through either semipermeable membranes or through pores, which mimic ion channels in biological systems. In analogy to electronic devices, the "iontronic" ones use electric fields to induce the charge motion. However, unlike the electrons that move through a conductor, motion of ions is usually associated with simultaneous solvent flow. A study of electroosmotic flow through narrow pores is an outstanding challenge that lies at the interface of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics and fluid dynamics. In this paper, we will review recent works that use dissipative particle dynamics simulations to tackle this difficult problem. We will also present a classical density functional theory (DFT) based on the hypernetted-chain approximation (HNC), which allows us to calculate the velocity of electroosmotic flows inside nanopores containing 1 : 1 or 2 : 1 electrolyte solution. The theoretical results will be compared with simulations. In simulations, the electrostatic interactions are treated using the recently introduced pseudo-1D Ewald summation method. The zeta potentials calculated from the location of the shear plane of a pure solvent are found to agree reasonably well with the Smoluchowski equation. However, the quantitative structure of the fluid velocity profiles deviates significantly from the predictions of the Smoluchowski equation in the case of charged pores with 2 : 1 electrolyte. For low to moderate surface charge densities, the DFT allows us to accurately calculate the electrostatic potential profiles and the zeta potentials inside the nanopores. For pores with 1 : 1 electrolyte, the agreement between theory and simulation is particularly good for large ions, for which steric effects dominate over the ionic electrostatic correlations. The electroosmotic flow is found to depend very strongly on the ionic radii. In the case of pores containing 2 : 1 electrolyte, we observe a reentrant transition in which the electroosmotic flow first reverses and then returns to normal as the surface change density of the pore is increased.

Rates of compliance and adherence to high-intensity interval training: a systematic review and Meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: To determine rates of compliance (i.e., supervised intervention attendance) and adherence (i.e., unsupervised physical activity completion) to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) among insufficiently active adults and adults with a medical condition, and determine whether compliance and adherence rates were different between HIIT and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT). METHODS: Articles on adults in a HIIT intervention and who were either insufficiently active or had a medical condition were included. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched. Article screening and data extraction were completed by two independent reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2.0 or ROBINS-I. Meta-analyses were conducted to discern differences in compliance and adherence between HIIT vs. MICT. Sensitivity analyses, publication bias, sub-group analyses, and quality appraisal were conducted for each meta-analysis. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-eight unique studies were included (n = 8928 participants). Compliance to HIIT interventions averaged 89.4% (SD:11.8%), while adherence to HIIT averaged 63% (SD: 21.1%). Compliance and adherence to MICT averaged 92.5% (SD:10.6%) and 68.2% (SD:16.2%), respectively. Based on 65 studies included in the meta-analysis, compliance rates were not different between supervised HIIT and MICT interventions [Hedge's g = 0.015 (95%CI: - 0.088-0.118), p = .78]. Results were robust and low risk of publication bias was detected. No differences were detected based on sub-group analyses comparing medical conditions or risk of bias of studies. Quality of the evidence was rated as moderate over concerns in the directness of the evidence. Based on 10 studies, adherence rates were not different between unsupervised HIIT and MICT interventions [Hedge's g = - 0.313 (95%CI: - 0.681-0.056), p = .096]. Sub-group analysis points to differences in adherence rates dependent on the method of outcome measurement. Adherence results should be interpreted with caution due to very low quality of evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Compliance to HIIT and MICT was high among insufficiently active adults and adults with a medical condition. Adherence to HIIT and MICT was relatively moderate, although there was high heterogeneity and very low quality of evidence. Further research should take into consideration exercise protocols employed, methods of outcome measurement, and measurement timepoints. REGISTRATION: This review was registered in the PROSPERO database and given the identifier CRD42019103313.

Effects of electrostatic coupling and surface polarization on polyelectrolyte brush structure.

In this work, we perform molecular dynamics simulations to study a spherical polyelectrolyte brush. We explore the effects of surface polarization and electrostatic coupling on brush size and distribution of counterions. The method of image charges is considered to take into account surface polarization, considering a metallic, an unpolarizable, and a dielectric nano-core. It is observed that, for all cases, a moderate shrinking-swelling effect appears with an increase in the electrostatic coupling parameter. This effect occurs under high Manning ratios. The curves relating the average size of polyelectrolyte brush as a function of coupling show a minimum. The results show that the grafting density of polyelectrolytes on the nano-core surface plays an important role in the polarization effect. We consider a modified Poisson-Boltzmann theory to describe the counterion profiles around the brush in the case of unpolarizable nano-cores and weak electrostatic coupling.

Identification of external media using a long-period grating and optical time-domain reflectometry.

The application of signal processing and feature extraction to reflectometry traces aiming at sensor interrogation is not sufficiently explored. In this work, traces produced by an optical time-domain reflectometer in experiments using a long-period grating in different external media are analyzed using signal processing techniques inspired by audio processing. The objective is to demonstrate that, using this type of analysis, it is possible to correctly identify the external medium through the characteristics of the reflectometry trace. Results show that the features extracted from the traces were able to produce good classifiers, one of them achieving 100% correct classification for the data set presently considered. This technology could be applied in scenarios where it is necessary to distinguish among a given set of gases or liquids nondestructively.

Can In-Task Affect During Interval and Continuous Exercise Predict 12-Month Physical Activity Behavior? Findings from a Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: In-task affective responses to moderate-intensity continuous exercise training (MICT) have been shown to predict future physical activity behavior. However, limited research has investigated whether this affect-behavior relationship is similar for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and whether it holds true over the longer term. This study aims to determine (1) if in-task affect during 2 weeks of supervised MICT and HIIT predicted changes to unsupervised moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) behavior 12 months post-intervention and (2) if this predictive relationship was moderated by exercise type (MICT vs. HIIT). METHOD: Ninety-nine adults (69.7% female; 50.9 ± 9.4 years) who were low active and overweight were randomized to 2 weeks of exercise training of MICT (n = 52) or HIIT (n = 47), followed by 12 months of accelerometry-assessed free-living MVPA. RESULTS: The pooled moderation model was not significant, F(3, 94) = 2.54, p = .07 (R2 = 0.085), with a non-significant group by affect interaction (p = .06). The conditional effect for MICT was significant (B = 17.27, t = 2.17, p = .03), suggesting that 12-month change in MVPA increased by 17.27 min/week for every one-point increase in in-task affect. The conditional effect for HIIT was not significant (p = .85), suggesting that in-task affect was not predictive of 12-month change in MVPA. CONCLUSION: The current findings raise important questions about whether the affect-behavior relationship may vary depending on exercise type. For HIIT-based exercise in particular, additional psychological constructs beyond in-task affect should be considered when attempting to predict future physical activity behavior.

Environmental vulnerability evolution in the Brazilian Amazon.

Decision making and environmental policies are mainly based on propensity level to impact in the area. The propensity level can be determined through artificial intelligence techniques included in geotechnological universe. Thus, this study aimed to determine the areas of greatest vulnerability to human activities, in Amazon biome, through MODIS images of Land use and land cover (LULC) from the 2001 and 2013. Remote sensing, Euclidean distance, Fuzzy logic, AHP method and analysis of net variations were applied to specialize the classes of vulnerability in the states belonging to the Amazon Biome. From the results, it can be seen that the class that most evolved in a positive net gain during the evaluated period was "very high" and the one that most reduced was "high", showing that there was a transition from "high" to "very high" risk areas. The states with the largest areas under "very high" risk class were Mato Grosso (101,100.10 km2) and Pará (81,010.30 km2). It is concluded that the application of remote sensing techniques allows the determination and assessment of the environmental vulnerability evolution. Mitigation measures urgently need to be implemented in the Amazon biome. The methodology can be extended to any other area of the planet.

Use of machine learning as a tool for determining fire management units in the brazilian atlantic forest.

Geoprocessing techniques are generally applied in natural disaster risk management due to their ability to integrate and visualize different sets of geographic data. The objective of this study was to evaluate the capacity of classification and regression tree (CART) to assess fire risk. MCD45A1 product of the burnt area, relative to a 16-year period (2000-2015) was used to obtain a fire occurrence map, from center points of the raster, using a kernel density approach. The resulting map was then used as a response variable for CART analysis with fire influence variables used as predictors. A total of 12 predictors were determined from several databases, including environmental, physical, and socioeconomic aspects. Rules generated by the regression process allowed to of define different risk levels, expressed in 35 management units, and used to produce a fire prediction map. Results of the regression process (r = 0.94 and r² = 0.88) demonstrate the capability of the CART algorithm in highlighting hierarchical relationships among predictors, while the model's easy interpretability provides a solid basis for decision making. This methodology can be expanded in other environmental risk analysis studies and applied to any area of the globe on a regional scale.

Using Machine Learning on V2X Communications Data for VRU Collision Prediction.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs) are systems that aim to provide innovative services for road users in order to improve traffic efficiency, mobility and safety. This aspect of safety is of utmost importance for Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs), as these users are typically more exposed to dangerous situations, and their vehicles also possess poorer safety mechanisms when in comparison to regular vehicles on the road. Implementing automatic safety solutions for VRU vehicles is challenging since they have high agility and it can be difficult to anticipate their behavior. However, if equipped with communication capabilities, the generated Vehicle-to-Anything (V2X) data can be leveraged by Machine Learning (ML) mechanisms in order to implement such automatic systems. This work proposes a VRU (motorcyclist) collision prediction system, utilizing stacked unidirectional Long Short-Term Memorys (LSTMs) on top of communication data that is generated using the VEINS simulation framework (coupling the Simulation of Urban MObility (SUMO) and Network Simulator 3 (ns-3) tools). The proposed system performed well in two different scenarios: in Scenario A, it predicted 96% of the collisions, averaging 4.53 s for Average Prediction Time (s) (APT) and with a Correct Decision Percentage (CDP) of 41% and 78 False Positives (FPs); in Scenario B, it predicted 95% of the collisions, with a 4.44 s APT, while the CDP was 43% with 68 FPs. The results show the effectiveness of the approach: using ML methods on V2X data allowed the prediction of most of the simulated accidents. Nonetheless, the presence of a relatively high number of FPs does not allow for the usage of automatic safety features (e.g., emergency breaking in the passenger vehicles); thus, collision avoidance must be achieved manually by the drivers.

Does metatarsus primus elevatus really exist in hallux rigidus? A weightbearing CT case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Elevated first metatarsal, Metatarsus primus elevatus (MPE), has been a topic of controversy. Recent studies have supported a significantly elevated first metatarsal in hallux rigidus on weight-bearing radiographs (WBR). However, conventional radiographs have limitations for accurate measurement. Our objective was to comparatively assess MPE and other variables which can affect the spatial relationship of the forefoot in the HR group compared to controls using weight-bearing CT (WBCT). METHODS: In this single-center, retrospective, case-control study, 25 patients (30 feet) with symptomatic HR and 30 controls were selected. WBCT parameters were measured by two independent investigators. Inter-observer reliabilities were assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). MPE was evaluated by measuring the direct distance between 1st and 2nd metatarsals. Independent t tests were performed to compare the two groups. A threshold of MPE to diagnose HR was calculated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: HR groups had increased hallux valgus angle (HVA) (8.52° in control vs 11.98° in HR) and MPE (2.92 vs 5.09 mm), decreased 1st metatarsal declination angle (21.09° vs 19.07°) 1st/2nd metatarsal declination ratio (87.45 vs 79.71) indicating elevated first metatarsal compared to controls. Dorsal translation of the first metatarsal at the first tarsometatarsal joint was observed in 21 (70%) patients of the HR group when defined as a step-off or discontinuation of the curvature along the first TMT joint. The threshold of MPE for diagnosis of HR was 4.19 mm with 77% sensitivity and 77% specificity. CONCLUSION: Our results confirmed a significantly elevated first metatarsal in the HR group compared to controls on WBCT. A MPE greater than 4.19 mm was found to be diagnostic for symptomatic HR. Significant number of patients in the HR group (70%) had dorsal translation of the first metatarsal at the first TMT joint which can contribute to increased MPE. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The present study demonstrated significantly increased MPE in HR on WBCT and MPE greater than 4.19 mm on WBCT can be used as a diagnostic threshold for HR.

Immediate dentoskeletal and periodontal effects of miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion: Comparison between young vs middle-aged adults.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare the dentoskeletal and periodontal changes after miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) in patients aged 18-29 and 30-45 years. METHODS: The sample comprised 28 subjects with transverse maxillary discrepancy successfully treated with MARPE. The young adult (YA) group comprised 14 subjects (mean age, 22.8 years; 3 male, 11 female). The middle adult (MA) group comprised 14 subjects (mean age, 36.8 years; 6 male, 8 female). All patients were treated with a 4-miniscrew MARPE expander. The activation protocol was one quarter turn twice a day until the midline diastema opening, followed by one quarter turn a day until overcorrection. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans taken before and immediately after the expansion was analyzed using OnDemand3D Dental software. Using CBCT coronal images, transversal dentoskeletal and periodontal variables were measured in the preexpansion and postexpansion. Intergroup comparisons of expansion changes were performed using t and Mann-Whitney tests (P <0.05). RESULTS: Groups were compatible at preexpansion for most CBCT measurements. A success rate of midpalatal suture opening of 100% and 81% was observed for YA and MA groups, respectively. No intergroup differences were found for the maxillary and dental arch widths increases. The buccal tip of anchorage teeth was observed similarly in both groups. The buccal bone thickness of posterior teeth decreased, and the palatal bone thickness increased after expansion with no difference between groups. CONCLUSIONS: After MARPE, the MA group showed similar dentoskeletal and periodontal changes compared to the YA group.

Geochemical soil dynamics on a bimodal post-collisional intrusive complex.

The importance of environmental quality for global social and ecological development, including soil degradation, cannot be overstated. Trace elements dispersed in the environment due to anthropogenic or geogenic activities can result in ecotoxicological impacts, negatively influencing environmental quality. The reference values for soil quality concerning trace elements are primarily based on geological, geomorphological, and pedological patterns. However, intrinsic geological factors may diverge some concentration levels from established norms. Therefore, conducting comprehensive surveys of environmental quality reference values becomes imperative, incorporating geological, geomorphological, and pedological patterns. A deeper understanding of the distribution of these elements is also required. Multivariate analysis proves crucial in compartmentalizing the most relevant factors, particularly in regions marked by bimodal magmatism arising from post-collisional distensional processes, such as the Santa Angélica intrusive suite in southeast Brazil. This study collected soil samples from pastures and natural grasslands with minimal anthropogenic intervention at two depths. These samples underwent various chemical and physical analyses. Statistical techniques such as correlation analysis, principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering, and geostatistics were utilized to interpret the data. The analysis revealed a correlation between the clay fraction and trace elements, demonstrating that clustering is an effective methodology for ascertaining landscape distribution patterns of these components. When compared to quality reference values, it was observed that most soil content levels exceeded both global and local standards. This study suggests that the presence of barium (Ba) in the soil might be due to the isomorphic replacement of feldspathic minerals in acidic and intermediate rocks, whereas molybdenum (Mo) seems to be associated with soils in the domain of porphyritic allanite granite. However, additional research is warranted to determine the concentration factor of Mo in this scenario accurately.

Simulating exposure-related human mobility behavior at the neighborhood-level under COVID-19 in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Modeling experts have been continually researching the interplay of human mobility and COVID-19 transmission since the outbreak of the pandemic. They tried to address this problem and support the control of the pandemic spreading at the national or regional levels. However, these modeling approaches had little success in producing empirically verifiable results at the neighborhood level due to a lack of data and limited representation of low spatial scales in the models. To fill this gap, this research aims to present an agent-based model to simulate human mobility choices in the context of COVID-19, based on social activities of individuals in the neighborhood. We apply the VIABLE model to the decision-making process of heterogeneous agents, who populate the system's environment. The agents adapt their mobility and activities autonomously at each iteration to improve their well-being and respond to exposure risks. The study reveals significant temporal variations in mobility choices between the groups of agents with different vulnerability levels under the Covid-19 pandemic. Agents from the same group with similar economic backgrounds tend to select the same mobility patterns and activities leading to segregation at this low scale. We calibrated the model with a focus on Porto Alegre in Brazil.