Resolutive Results with Oral Corticosteroids for Patients with COVID-19 in Pulmonary Inflammatory Phase. Successful Outpatient Experience during the Collapse of Belem Do Para Health System—Brazil

In the face of new diseases, medicine needs to reinvent itself in order to contain and control epidemics, such as the one we have recently faced, COVID-19, a disease with a wide spectrum of clinical severity. A new moment has been established, since the application of well-known, effective and safe medications for other diseases, has shown high success rates in the treatment of COVID-19. Thereunto, studies with early intervention are needed, which can change the unfavorable outcome of patients. In this article, we report the successful experience using an oral strategy during the collapse of Belem (Para, Brazil) Health System. Two hundred and ten patients were diagnosed with respiratory failure due to COVID-19, with no option of hospital treatment due to lack of beds and resources. These patients were then started on therapeutic regimen consisting of 40 mg prednisolone, 40 mg enoxaparin and macrolides (500 mg clarithromycin, 500 mg axetylcefuroxime) associated and followed in outpatient facilities. Two hundred and eight patients had an excellent therapeutic response and there were only two fatalities. These results push research boundaries, valuing outpatient treatment with early use of prednisolone in the initial pulmonary phase, preventing severe COVID-19 pneumonitis. Adoption of the proposed treatment intends to reduce the need for hospitalization, as well as lethality, with social robust benefits and incalculable economic savings since involves the use of accessible, safe and not expensive medications.

How do altitude and soil properties influence the taxonomic and phylogenetic structure and diversity of Brazilian páramo vegetation?

Altitude and environmental variables such as edaphic properties are considered determinants of species distribution and community composition in mountain ecosystems.Here,we aimed to outline the effects of distinct mountain peaks,altitude and soil properties on community composition,species density,phylogenetic structure and diversity of angiosperm páramo communities from the Serra do Brigadeiro State Park,Minas Gerais,southeastern Brazil.For that,we identified all angiosperm species found in 300 plots(1 m×1 m)from three mountain peaks,measured soil depth and analyzed soil fertility and texture in each plot.To reduce the number of soil variables and species composition,we computed principal coordinates based on soil properties and principal coordinates based on species-plot matrix for each plot.Furthermore,we computed the standard effect sizes of the mean phylogenetic pairwise distance and the mean nearest phylogenetic taxon distance for each plot to investigate differences in the degree of relatedness among coexisting species.We compared differences in response variables between peaks and modelled them in function of altitude and principle components of soil properties using mixed effect models.Species density and phylogenetic diversity differed between peaks,but,contrary to the previous findings,no relationships between species richness or phylogenetic diversity and altitude or soil properties were found,indicating that further investigations are necessary to understand the altitude-biodiversity relationship in Brazilian páramo vegetation.Community composition differed between peaks and depended on altitude,soil properties and interactions between them,indicating that upward shifting of bioclimatic conditions due to climate changes may alter communities of this ecosystem.Phylogenetic structure differed between peaks and was influenced by altitude and soil properties.As phylogenetic clustering increased with altitude,eventual upward movements of species in Brazilian páramo vegetation due to climate change may alter community composition and the degree of relatedness among coexisting species,increasing the risk of species from higher altitudes to disappear.Therefore,conservation priorities arise for higher landscape portions,where these high altitude species may find refuges.

A Structure and Antioxidant Activity Study of Paracetamol and Salicylic Acid

The paracetamol has more antioxidant properties than the salicylic acid on the several oxidative stress-forced models and one possible mechanism is due to electron or hydrogen transfer by the evaluated hydroxyl radicals. The antioxidant mechanism for the compounds studied here was performed by molecular modeling using quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP level of theory. Our results show that the paracetamol has more antioxidant properties than the salicylic acid in experimental and theoretical studies. The theoretical mechanism show that the hydrogen transfer is more favorable than the electron transfer. From the study it was concluded that the electron abstraction for paracetamol is more favored than salicylic acid.

Advances in gastric cancer research will light the way to control this cancer

Gastric adenocarcinoma(GC)is one of the most heterogeneous cancers,posing challenges to wide applications of the discoveries when compared to other cancers.Nevertheless,the benefits of research in the fight against GC are extraordinary,and even taking in mind the immense complexity of this disease,optimism is a great message to take home.Recent advances in GC research will pave the way for GC effective control,helping to save lives,together with permitting sustainable real-life support for those needing complex and high-expense interventions.

Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 molecular mechanisms in gastric cancer progression

Gastric cancer(GC)remains among the most common cancers worldwide with a high mortality-to-incidence ratio.Accumulated evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)are involved in gastric carcinogenesis.These transcripts are longer than 200 nucleotides and modulate gene expression at multiple molecular levels,inducing or inhibiting biological processes and diseases.Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1(MALAT1)is one of the best-studied lncRNAs with comprehensive actions contributing to cancer progression.This lncRNA regulates gene expression at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels through interactions with microRNAs and proteins.In the present review,we discussed the molecular mechanism of MALAT1 and summarized the current knowledge of its expression in GC.Moreover,we highlighted the potential use of MALAT1 as a biomarker,including liquid biopsy.

Dipole (hyper)polarizabilities of neutral silver clusters

At the Douglas-Kroll-Hess （DKI4） level, the B3PW91 functional along with the all-eleclron relativistic basis sets of valence triple and quadruple zeta qualities are used to determine the structure, stability, and electronic properties of the small silver clusters （Agn, n ≤ 7）. The results presented in this study are in good agreement with the experimental data and theoretical values obtained at a higher level of theory from the literature. Static polarizability and hyperpolarizability are also reported. It is verified that the mean dipole polarizability per atom exhibits an odd-even oscillation and that the polarizability anisotropy is directly related to the cluster shape. In this article, the first study of hyperpolarizabilities of small silver clusters is presented. Except for the monomer, the second hyperpolarizabilities of the silver clusters are significantly larger than those of the copper clusters.

Anti-promastigote Activity of the Amazon Plants

This study evaluated in vitro activity of ethanol extract, fractions, and isolated substance from Amazon species against promastigotes of L. amazonensis. The ethanol extracts were concentrated and fractionation. The anti-promastigote activity was evaluated through the cell viability assessment method （MTT）. The ethanol extract, fractions, and isolated substance from Himatanthus articulatus and Parahancorniafasciculata were inactive in promastigote ofL. amazonensis, as the ethanol extract ofPhysalis angulata. The hexane fractions from different parts ofMontrichardia linifera showed anti-promastigote activity probably due to the presence of steroids and terpenes. All species in studies were inactive, except ofM. linifera. The few polar constituents can be responsible for the activity. Therefore, the isolation and purification of the active on L. amazonensis promastigotes are urgently required.

Bench for Vibration Study in an Unbalanced Motor Using Arduino

Part of the difficulty in engineering education is to achieve aggregate theoretical knowledge to practice what therefore discourages the student. Trying to alleviate this difficulty, practical problems are created to encourage students to apply their knowledge in different ways; these problems can be computational order, resolved by programs through simulation, or physical, with the realization of models, prototypes, benches or interactive platforms with visual practical approach. From this, it was proposed to students of the Federal University of Pardi--Campus Tucurui through the Electric Power Systems and Mechanics Research Group, in order to apply knowledge arising from multidisciplinary fields of engineering in the construction of a prototype with reused materials and low cost enabling studies and analysis of vibrations in unbalanced motors. This system features an open source prototyping embedded platform Arduino to read values from the sensors used： accelerometers and potentiometers coupled to the engine, aiming to collect values and vary the supply voltage. The results are read by Arduino and computationally processed to be printed on an LCD display. Therefore, the aim of this is to provide an accessible way using simple techniques a prototype linking the theoretical and practical knowledge as the system of the bench that performs vibration analysis in an unbalanced motor interactively, and encourage research and development technologies in the Amazon region.

Construction of Mechanized Claw as a Teaching Method in Engineering

The labor market requires, increasingly, an updated and more professional preparation, mainly due to the rapid pace of scientific technical advancement means in the industry. From this point, it is important to encourage the development of the basic techniques of control systems, electronics and communication in order to produce knowledge in the mechatronic field and so apply them to industry. Considering the relevance of this subject, the students of Federal University of Para-Campus Tucumi through the Research Group of Electrical and Mechanical Systems apply their knowledge in multidisciplinary engineering fields in order to generate knowledge from creative techniques using low cost materials, together with the encouragement of social and environmental responsibility which is very important nowadays. At the same time, targeting the needs of the labor market, this work aims to foster in students the skills and requirements through team projects and innovative methods. Therefore, this paper presents a mechanical manipulator, where their operating characteristics are based on industrial robots in the literature, powered by DC （direct current） motors and fully developed from reusable materials. By adding a developed control from the Arduino, prototyping platform with an electronic strategic offers through the internet the long-distance control convenience.

Scalp Melanoma Treated with Ipilimumab in Elderly Patient： A Complete Response to Treatment--Case Report

Melanoma is a malignant neoplasm that affects the melanocytes. Its treatment is based on cancer staging. In immunotherapy, it can be pointed out the ipilimumab, used in the systemic therapy for unresectable and/or metastatic melanoma in the first or the second line treatment with increased survival. However, limiting toxicity and the low complete response discourage its use in the elderly patients. The aim of this study is to report the case of an 83-year-old man, white, with scalp melanoma measuring 3.5 cm in its major axis. After two resections was verified that the deep margin was involved, making the lesions unresectable. The evaluation of distant metastasis, by skull, chest and abdomen CT-scan （computed tomography-scan）, was performed and did not detect the presence of any metastatic loci. The patient underwent the first cycle of chemotherapy with DTIC （dacarbazine） protocol. After the first cycle, the medication was discontinued due to significant myelotoxicity and Grade 3 thrombocytopenia. Underwent second line treatment with ipilimumab by four cycles. After this, the patient follow with complete local response, asymptomatic, with no signs of local recurrence or distant metastasis site, and no limiting toxicity during and after a year of treatment with ipilimumab. Thus, it is possible to suggest that the use of ipilimumab isolatedly as a second line treatment may have a good response even in elderly patients.

Surface Modification of Commercial Activated Carbon (CAG) for the Adsorption of Benzene and Toluene

In this work, we determined the surface characteristics of natural (CA-1) and HNO3 treated (CA-2) CAG. Equilibrium, kinetics and breakthrough for adsorption of benzene and toluene by CA-1 and CA-2 were studied. Concentrations of benzene and toluene (mg/L) were determined by gas chromatography with headspace extraction. The data of adsorption kinetic and equilibrium were best fitted by pseudo-second order model and Langmuir isotherm, respectively. The best results of benzene and toluene adsorption from fixed bed were obtained at volumetric flow rate (Q1 = 70 mL/min) using adsorbent CA-2. The study of inferential statistics revealed that CA-1 and CA-2 adsorbents are statistically different at a 5% significance level.

Pervious Concrete as an Alternative for Non-structural Drainage to the Amazon Region:From Properties to Applications in Watersheds

The urbanization process of the urban centers in the Amazon occurred quickly and without planning. Belém, one of the main cities in the region, suffers from intense flooding due to urbanization growth and the disorderly occupation of floodplains. The objective was to evaluate the producing of pervious concrete that meets the mechanical and hydraulic performance criteria for permeable pavement molded on site and to simulate the replacement of the entire public walkway system of a hydrographic basin in Belém in order to verify if this measure would alter the permeability of the basin and meet minimum requirements of at least 25% permeable area. The properties of three mixtures of pervious concrete with aggregates of different grading were evaluated. The permeability and flexural strength of all blends were higher than the minimum required for use as a permeable pavement for light vehicle traffic. The simulation showed that replacement of the public walkway by permeable pavement increased the permeable area of the watershed from 19 to 23%, changing from a poor condition to an acceptable level. The results indicate the potential to improve the performance of drainage systems through the wider use of permeable pavement associated with traditional structural measures.

Living with or Eradicating Poisonous Snakes in Densely Populated Caribbean Islands—A Socio-Ecological Challenge for the French West Indies

The lancehead (Bothrops lanceolatus) is a poisonous snake endemic to Martinique, an island in the Lesser Antilles arc. Today, this snake is on the verge of extinction. The recorded number of snakes killed yearly between 1970 and 2002 decreased by 97%. Despite the production of an antivenom in 1993, the local authorities set up a financial reward to encourage the eradication of lancehead snakes. Today the local population still perceives the snake as a threat, due to its fatal venom and its fierce behaviour. The case study of the lancehead in Martinique highlights the need to develop integrated strategies to conserve species of poisonous snakes on densely populated islands. This requires innovative, cross-sectoral strategies that involve decision-makers working along with multi-disciplinary scientists. Approaching the complexity of ecosystems through the socio-ecological prism implies, conversely, linking up the domains of science and technology, life and environmental sciences, and human and social sciences, through interactions based on sharing common

Responsiveness of functional performance and muscle strength,power,and size to resistance training:A systematic review

There is a recent and growing interest in assessing differential responders to resistance training(RT)for diverse outcomes.Thus,the individual ability to respond to an intervention for a specific measurement,called responsiveness,remains to be better understood.Thus,the current study aimed to summarize the available information about the effects of RT on functional performance and muscle strength,power,and size in healthy adults,through the prevalence rate in different responsiveness classifications models.A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA)and was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews(PROSPERO,CRD42021265378).PubMed/MEDLINE,Scopus,and Embase databases were systematically searched in October 2023.A total of 13 studies were included,totaling 921 subjects.Only two studies presented a low risk of bias.Regarding the effectiveness of RT,the prevalence rate for non-responders ranged from 0%to 44%for muscle strength,from 0%to 84%for muscle size,and from 0%to 42%for functional performance,while for muscle power,the only study found showed a responsiveness rate of 37%.In conclusion,a wide range of differential responders is described for all variables investigated.However,the evidence summarized in this systematic review suggested some caution while interpreting the findings,since the body of evidence found seems to be incipient,and widely heterogeneous in methodological and statistical aspects.

Protein profile of leprosy patients with plantar ulcers from the Eastern Amazon region

Background:Studies investigating the nutritional status of patients with leprosy and plantar ulcers are sparse.Therefore,the objective of this study was to describe the protein profile of leprosy patients with plantar ulcers from the Eastern Amazon region.Methods:A case record form was created for 75 patients with leprosy(31 with plantar ulcers and 44 without plantar ulcers)with the following data:sociodemographic characteristics,clinical form of leprosy,presence or absence of plantar ulcers,and nutritional assessment using anthropometry consisting of the measurement of body mass index,arm circumference,arm muscle circumference,and triceps skinfold.Levels of blood albumin,transferrin,and C-reactive protein(CRP)were also measured.Data regarding protein intake were obtained using a Food Frequency Questionnaire.Results:Plantar ulcers occurred more frequently in male patients(67.7%),patients aged 40-49 years(mean±SD:47.3±8.0 years),and patients receiving 300 or 600 USD(71.0%).The mean weight and height of patients were 71.6±11.4 kg and 1.62±0.1 m,respectively.High levels of CRP were detected in 51.6%of leprosy patients with plantar ulcers and only 9.1%of patients without plantar ulcers(P<0.001).Nutritional depletion of transferrin was observed in 14.3%of patients with paucibacillary leprosy and 44.3%of patients with multibacillary leprosy(P=0.0447).Most patients had normal levels of serum albumin(74.2%with plantar ulcers and 77.3%without plantar ulcers).Conclusions:Most leprosy patients with plantar ulcers have normal levels of serum albumin and transferrin and high CRP levels,which indicates the presence of an inflammatory process.Our findings suggest the need to monitor patients with leprosy to prevent the occurrence of plantar ulcers and to provide adequate treatment for patients with existing plantar ulcers.

Queens remate despite traumatic mating in stingless bees

Males can control female reproduction using genital plugs to impede access by rivals.In social bees,ants,and wasps,plugging may involve traumatic mating,with females being harmed.In stingless bees,chances are that plugs may promote ovarian activan,and are thought to ensure single mating—a general tendency among the social Hymenoptera.However,understanding on relationships between mating plugs,traumatic mating,and mating systems in stingless bees remains limited.To address this,we(1)compared mated queens of 7 Neotropical species to understand the patterns of copulatory marks in females and(2)compared pre-and post-mating genitalia of males and females in Melipona fasciculata to depict plug functional morphology.Data revealed an unprecedented consequence of mating in stingless bees:the characteristic marks left by mating plugs on female abdomens and the inferences that can be made from them.To our surprise,in 1 species M.fasciculata we found that queens retain the plug long after mating,and may carry it for the rest of their lives.All the other 6 species retained the plug for only a short period.Remated queens were only found in M.seminigra,whose multiple copulatory marks match previous findings of polyandry in this species.Our study shows that queens can remate,and suggests that male genital morphology may determine in part the time persistence of plugs.We conclude that traumatic mating plugs do not fully prevent remating in stingless bees and that mating systems are not uniform in this group.Nonetheless,exceptional cases of facultative polyandry in social insects—for example,when mating plugs fail—may confirm a general tendency for single mating in close link with efficient mating plugs.

EFFECT OF IMPURITIES ON THE DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF OLEIC ACID

Temperature dependence of the dielectric constant of oleic acid with different degrees of puritywas measured in the 233-313 K range.It was observed that the presence of impurities(palmiticand linolenic acids)strongly influences the dielectric constant,melting point and dipole moment of the oleic acid.The values of apparent dipole moment and the Kirkwood correlation parameterswere evaluated using the Kirkwood's model and were estimated to be about 1.20,1.61 and 2.27 D,respectively for 60,90 and 97 wt%oleic acid.

Assessing physical habitat structure and biological condition in eastern Amazonia stream sites

The advance of agricultural frontiers and industrialization in Amazonia has increased natural resource deterioration,resulting in degraded physical habitat structure and reduced local aquatic biodiversity.We evaluated the relative sensitivities of the Biological Monitoring Working Party(BMWP)and Average Score Per Taxon(ASPT)biotic indexes based on EPT(Ephemeroptera,Plecoptera,Trichoptera)versus EPT taxa richness,EPT abundance,and Shannon-Wiener EPT diversity for evaluating anthropogenic impacts on Amazonian streams.We expected that EPT-BMWP and EPT-ASPT would be more sensitive in detecting environmental changes on stream biota than the other measures.We sampled 32 stream sites in eastern Amazonia distributed along an environmental gradient resulting from different land use intensities.All the biological metrics except EPT-ASPT were significantly responsive to anthropogenic pressures;however,EPT taxa richness was slightly more responsive.

Tropical and subtropical streams:A synthesis

Tropical and sub-tropical streams harbor great biodiversity and are responsible for crucial ecosystem services.Intending to contribute to the understanding of how anthropogenic stressors and pressures alter functional or taxonomic diversity in biotic assemblages or processes in these systems,Water Biology and Security published eight papers.The research originated from Cameroon(Central Africa),southeastern Brazil,eastern Amazonia,and eastern China,representing eight river basins:Huai,Sui and Yishusi from east Asia;São Francisco,Doce,Jequitinhonha,and Amazon from South America;and Congo from Africa.The last two are the most biodiverse on the planet.The studied biomes included tropical rainforest and savanna,neotropical savanna and rainforest,neotropical savanna mountains,and subtropical monsoon forest.The response variables included fish assemblages(3 papers),entire macroinvertebrate assemblages or sub-groups(4 papers),and stream physical habitat structure(1 paper).