Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

This study seeks to investigate and analyze how coaches of Brazilian social projects think and act with respect to teaching life skills to young people living in areas at risk of social exclusion. We interviewed six soccer and other sports coaches from different kinds of education through sport projects. A qualitative analysis was implemented by identifying and organizing meaning units, which resulted in the creation of four major dimensions: Teamwork, Discipline, Performance and Bonding, and Integral Education, formed by 28 categories that reflect the philosophies and practices of the educators. The results indicate that all the coaches interviewed have a profile analogous to (Gould et al., J Appl Sport Psychol 1:16–37, 2007) model of life skills training, using strategies for teaching life skills, such as encouraging autonomy, stimulating effort, and giving feedback, although they lack a systematic approach and have precarious resources to carry out such a model.

Background Bony inner ear malformations (IEMFs) account for ~20% of congenital sensorineural hearing loss, often requiring cochlear or auditory brainstem implants. To ensure safe cochlear implantation in patients with IEMFs, understanding their anatomical features, particularly related to the facial nerve (FN), is crucial. Methods We examined 28 TBs obtained from donors with bony IEMFs. We classified cochlear and vestibular malformations and analyzed several anatomical features, including the diameter of the internal auditory canal (IAC), the angle of the first genu, the relationship of FN with the oval window (OW), the facial recess (FR), and the overall development of the FN. Results Among the TBs, 5 (17.8%) were cochlear hypoplasia‐type II, 20 (71.4%) were cochlear hypoplasia‐type III, 2 (7.1%) were incomplete partition‐type II, and 1 (3.5%) had an isolated vestibular malformation. The IAC diameter was narrow in 2 of 26 TBs (7.7%). The first genu angle was obtuse or perpendicular in 14 of 20 TBs (70.0%). The FN was abnormally located in 8 of 27 TBs (29.6%). The FR was narrow (< 2.5 mm) in 16 of 27 TBs (59.3%). Additionally, the FN was hypoplastic in 18 of 28 TBs (64.3%). Conclusion Our study revealed a high prevalence of FN abnormalities among patients with IEMFs. Some of these abnormalities could pose significant challenges when using the traditional FR approach for cochlear implantation. Our findings underscore the importance of thoroughly evaluating the FN course preoperatively to mitigate the risks of surgical complications. Evidence Level N/A.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are multipotent cells that can modulate immune cells, affecting macrophages, monocytes, and lymphocytes. Neutrophils are circulating leucocytes responsible for the first line of defense and can assume different phenotypes depending on their environment: N0, the naïve form, N1 (inflammatory), N2 (anti-inflammatory). This study explores the potentially protective roles of chorionic membrane MSCs and their products—conditioned medium and pre-conditioned cMSC-derived membrane microparticles (MP-cMSC)—on neutrophils. Conditioned medium treatment reduced the rate of apoptosis and enhanced the immunosuppressive potential consistent with an anti-inflammatory profile. MP-cMSC are a noteworthy cell-free therapy, consisting of artificially generated circular lipid bilayer structures with no cargo and approximately 200 nm in size. When added to neutrophil culture, MPs increased neutral red uptake, suggesting an enhanced phagocytic activity. In the MSC co-culture group, a reduced rate of apoptosis, increased neutral red uptake, and elevated programed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression were observed. These findings suggest that the distinct effects elicited by conditioned media, microparticles, and co-culture are likely influenced by the specific nature of the interactions involved—whether purely paracrine, mediated through direct cell-to-cell contact, or a combination of both.

The present protocol provides general recommendations based on the best evidence currently available for physiotherapists to use as a guide for the care of stroke patients during hospitalization. The Brazilian Early Stroke Rehabilitation Task Force, comprising physical therapy experts and researchers from different Brazilian states, was organized to develop this care protocol based on a bibliographical survey, including meta-analyses, systematic reviews, clinical trials, and other more recent and relevant scientific publications. Professionals working in stroke units were also included in the task force to ensure the practicality of the protocol in different contexts. This protocol provides guidance on assessment strategies, safety criteria for the mobilization of patients with stroke, recommendations for mobilization and proper positioning, as well as evidence-based practices for treatment during hospitalization, including preventive measures for shoulder pain and shoulder-hand syndrome. The protocol also provides information on the organization of the physiotherapy service at stroke units, guidelines for hospital discharge, and quality indicators for physiotherapy services. We have included detailed activities that can be performed during mobilization in the supplementary material, such as postural control training, sensory and perceptual stimulation, task-oriented training, and activities involving an enriched environment. The protocol was written in a user-friendly format to facilitate its application in different social and cultural contexts, utilizing resources readily available in most clinical settings.

Amlodipine is a widely prescribed calcium channel blocker for hypertension, exhibiting two enantiomers with distinct activities and adverse effect profiles. In this study, the potential of two macrocyclic glycopeptide antibiotic chiral columns based on teicoplanin and vancomycin (Chirobiotic T and Chirobiotic V, respectively) using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the separation of amlodipine enantiomers was investigated. Subsequently, several parameters, including mobile phase composition, flow rate and temperature, were systematically explored to optimize the enantioseparation selectivity, efficiency, and resolution. The use of triethylamine, a potential deterioration agent, was avoided. The results demonstrated the inability of Chirobiotic T to resolve the enantiomers of amlodipine. In contrast, the results demonstrated the potential of Chirobiotic V in the enantioseparation of amlodipine enantiomers while analyzing the effects of the previously mentioned parameters on the enantioseparation obtained in Chirobiotic V. Notably, mobile phase composition and flow rate were found to exert expressive influence in the enantioseparation. The best results were achieved with Chirobiotic V in polar ionic mode, using isocratic elution at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min, a mobile phase containing methanol and ammonium nitrate (100:0.1, v/v), and a column temperature of 12°C.

Several studies have linked low levels of testosterone with increased symptoms of cardiac disease and cardiovascular mortality; however, the effects of testosterone deficiency on cardiac systolic function and morphology are still not completely elucidated. The present study aims to evaluate the influence of testosterone deprivation on cardiac systolic function and morphology. Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: Sham operation group (Sham): animals underwent sham operation and Orchiectomized group (Orchiec): animals underwent bilateral orchiectomy. The experimental protocol lasted 60 days after the surgery. All animals were weighted and blood samples collected to serum testosterone analysis, determined by chemiluminescence, on first (before orchiectomy) and on 60th days. One day before euthanasia (on the 59th day) echocardiographic parameters were assessed to evaluate left ventricle (LV) systolic function and morphology. Statistical significant difference was set at≤0.05. Orchiec rats presented reduced LV fractional shortening (p=0.032), increased myocardial performance index (MPI) (p=0.043), prolonged mitral valve closure time (p=0.013) and decreased heart rate (p=0.049) when compared to Sham. No statistically significant difference was found in the ejection fraction (p=0.666) between groups. Besides that, heart weight was lower in Orchiec group (p=0.035) when compared to Sham group. Testosterone deprivation reduced cardiac systolic function, changing contraction and relaxation parameters. Testosterone deficiency also changed heart rate and heart weight. The present study demonstrated for the first time that castrated levels of testosterone could alter parameters such as mitral valve closing time and MPI.

In this paper, we provide necessary and sufficient conditions on a triple of weights (u, v, w) so that the t-Haar multipliers $T^t_{w,\sigma }$, $t\in \mathbb {R}$, are uniformly (on the choice of signs $\sigma$) bounded from $L^2(u)$ into $L^2(v)$. These dyadic operators have symbols $s(x,I)=\sigma _I\,(w(x)/\langle w\rangle _I)^t$ which are functions of the space variable $x\in \mathbb {R}$ and the frequency variable $I\in \mathcal {D}$, making them dyadic analogues of pseudo-differential operators. Here $\mathcal {D}$ denotes the dyadic intervals, $\sigma _I=\pm 1$, and $\langle w\rangle _I$ denotes the integral average of w on I. When $w\equiv 1$ we have the martingale transform and our conditions recover the known two-weight necessary and sufficient conditions of Nazarov, Treil and Volberg. We also show how these conditions are simplified when u=v. In particular, the martingale one-weight and the t-Haar multiplier unsigned and unweighted (corresponding to $\sigma _I\equiv 1$ and $u=v\equiv 1$) known results are recovered or improved. We also obtain necessary and sufficient testing conditions of Sawyer type for the two-weight boundedness of a single variable Haar multiplier similar to those known for the martingale transform.

One option for tailings disposal is filtering and compacting them following specified compaction degree and moisture content to form a dry stack structure. However, the moisture content varies in the filtering plant due to the tailings’ characteristics, operational features, and weather conditions. Also, the compaction characteristics are influenced by the gradation and mineralogy of tailings, which are highly dependent on the original ores and the beneficiation processes. This paper investigates the influence of grain size distribution and molding moisture content on the undrained behavior of iron ore tailings. Two materials with different fine contents were molded with distinct water contents and compacted at specific dry unit weights to reflect the diverse range of materials in a dry stack. The geotechnical behavior was investigated by simple shear tests to represent the in situ conditions regarding the dry stacks’ stability more realistically. When considering a unique dry unit weight in the field, materials with different grain size distributions will be compacted in different states. Moreover, the variation in moisture content can affect the strength and compressibility due to changes in fabric. When compacted with the same effort (optimum condition), mixtures with distinct gradings produce different grain arrangements that affect the behavior. Also, an increase in friction angle at the critical state with the fines content was found to be related to the particle characteristics (iron minerals and morphology). The results demonstrate the importance of appropriate field compaction control based on the material’s characteristics, being essential to consider the differences arising from the fabric for lower strains in dry stack design.

Environmental changes, particularly in agriculture, contribute significantly to biodiversity loss, with habitat fragmentation hindering dispersal and reducing biological diversity. Specific land uses can confine evolutionary groups to certain areas, decreasing local genetic and phylogenetic diversity but potentially increasing them at a larger spatial scale. Utilising genetic information at the population level, along with richness, phylogenetic and composition data at the community level, offers a comprehensive understanding of agriculture’s impact on biodiversity. In this study, we compared the effects of conventional and agroforestry banana plantations on butterflies’ dispersal and diversity relative to native forests. Analysing ddRAD genomic data from Heliconius ethilla narcaea at the population level and assessing richness, abundance, phylogenetic and species diversity of the Nymphalidae family at the community level, we found that agroforestry plantations exhibited the highest butterfly abundance and maintained the rarest genetic groups from H. ethilla narcaea. These genetic groups appeared in both native forests and agroforestry areas, more often in native forests, but were absent in conventional plantations despite evidence for extensive genetic dispersal. Regarding species composition, both banana plantations shared similar species but differed from the native forest, which contained a distinct and phylogenetically clustered group of species, possibly due to its unique microhabitat conditions and more complex structure. The presence of the rarest genetic groups in the population and the occurrence of distinct biological species emphasise the critical role of native forests within an anthropogenic landscape. Agroforestry demonstrates the potential to sustain biodiversity alongside food production.

Aims Trichoderma asperellum is notable for promoting growth and enhancing the health of rootstocks, presenting a promising strategy for optimizing seedling development and orchard productivity. Identifying such strategies is essential for producing high-quality seedlings. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of T. asperellum application, in combination with different types and doses of fertilizer, on the chlorophyll content and growth of the Prunus persica rootstock selection “NR0170302”. Methods A completely randomized bifactorial design was used with fertilizer sources [Controlled Release Fertilizer (CRF) and Nutrient Solution (NS)] either with or without T. asperellum (CRF, CRF + T. asperellum, NS and NS + T. asperellum) and at varying fertilizer doses (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 g dm⁻³). Growth parameters assessed included plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf area, chlorophyll a, b and a + b content. Results Significant increases in leaf number and leaf area were observed at doses of 4 to 8 g dm⁻³, with the combination of T. asperellum and NS proving most effective. Chlorophyll a, b, and a + b contents were enhanced by fertilizer doses, particularly with NS and CRF combined with T. asperellum at doses 2 to 8 g dm⁻³. Conclusions T. asperellum inoculation allowed a reduction in the CRF dose from 6.67 to 5.33 g dm⁻³ without compromising growth in peach rootstocks until grafting. Nutrient supply through NS (5 to 6 g dm⁻³), with or without T. asperellum, proved more effective than CRF in enhancing the production of rootstocks, contributing to improved morphological quality and standardization in pre-grafting.

Introduction Recent research in Parkinson’s disease (PD) has highlighted the potential therapies of continuous subcutaneous infusions (CSCI) of levodopa/carbidopa (ND0612) and foslevodopa/foscarbidopa (ABBV-951). This systematic review aims to explore their effectiveness and safety for PD. Methods Guided by the PRISMA statement, we systematically searched 3 electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central. We combined quantitative and qualitative data for synthesis and descriptive analysis. Quality assessment and risk of bias were evaluated by ROBINS-1 and Rob-2 criteria. Results We included 6 records with a total of 698 patients. CSCI therapies reduced motor symptoms in PD patients with levodopa-related motor fluctuations and clinical improvements. Infusions-site reactions were the main adverse event recorded. Conclusions ND0612 and ABBV-951 are promising options for enhancing motor control and quality of life in PD patients. However, further research is needed to assess long-term efficacy, safety, and comparisons with oral levodopa and device-aided treatments.

Background Individuals living with long COVID experience a range of symptoms that affect their ability to carry out daily activities or participate in social and community life. This study aimed to analyze association between functional disability and the occurrence of long COVID symptoms, as well as to analyze the effect of symptom persistence time on functional disability. Methods This is a cross-sectional study using data from the SulCovid-19 study, which interviewed individuals who had COVID-19 between December 2020 and March 2021. The functional disability outcome was assessed using the Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scales, while the exposures were the symptoms of long COVID. Adjusted analyses between outcomes and exposures, stratified by time after the acute phase of infection, were performed using Poisson regression with robust variance adjustment. Results The prevalence of BADL disability was 4.8% (95%CI 4.0;5.6), and for IADL disability, it was 8.4% (95%CI 7.4;9.4). The main symptoms associated with BADL disability were dyspnea, dry cough and sore throat, while for IADL, they were joint pain, muscle pain, loss of sensation, nasal congestion, sore throat and runny nose. When stratified by tertiles of time after the acute phase of infection, a relationship was found between BADL disability and dyspnea, ageusia and, nasal congestion in the 3rd tertile, while only ageusia was found to be related to IADL disability in the 3rd tertile. Conclusions Long COVID symptoms were associated wiht limitations in the functional capacity of adults and the seniors. The findings can be used to guide the care and rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities who have had COVID-19, particularly for referral to appropriate health professionals.

Purpose Premature cellular senescence is a pivotal process in aging and age‐related diseases, triggered by various stressors. However, this is not a homogeneous phenotype, but a heterogeneous cellular state composed of multiple senescence programs with different compositions. Therefore, understanding the complex dynamics of senescence programs requires a systemic approach. We introduce PseudoCell, a multivalued logical regulatory network designed to explore the molecular intricacies of premature senescence. Methods PseudoCell integrates key senescence signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms, offering a versatile platform for investigating diverse premature senescence programs initiated by different stimuli. Results Validation through simulation of classical senescence programs, including oxidative stress‐induced senescence and oncogene‐induced senescence, demonstrates its ability to replicate molecular signatures consistent with empirical data. Additionally, we explore the role of CCL11, a novel senescence‐associated molecule, through simulations that reveal potential pathways and mechanisms underlying CCL11‐mediated senescence induction. Conclusions In conclusion, PseudoCell provides a systematic approach to dissecting premature senescence programs and uncovering novel regulatory mechanisms.

Investigating the developmental patterns of extinct species provides valuable insights into their anatomy, biology and ecomorphological adaptations. Research on the ontogeny of non‐mammaliaform cynodonts has offered significant contributions to our understanding of these aspects. Here, we aim to describe and discuss the intraspecific and ontogenetic variation of the skull of the Brazilian traversodontid Siriusgnathus niemeyerorum (Candelária Sequence, Upper Triassic). We evaluated an ontogenetic series of the species through qualitative comparison and allometric analyses using cranial measures. Our findings reveal several trends during skull growth, including a relative increase in rostrum length, a relative decrease in orbit size, and changes in the zygomatic arch and temporal fenestra proportions. These patterns, when analyzed in the context of the adductor musculature, may be correlated with changes in feeding behaviour, similar to those described for the gomphodontosuchine Exaeretodon argentinus . We also report changes in cranial ornamentation, bone fusion, and suture complexity throughout ontogeny. Overall, this study provides a greater understanding of the cranial ontogenetic patterns of S. niemeyerorum , contributing to the knowledge of its intraspecific variation. The possible ecological implications of these findings highlight the importance of ontogenetic studies for elucidating the biology of extinct taxa.

Ecological strategies reflect the mechanisms used for species to sustain a population. Predicting plant growth in ecological communities is crucial, especially with climate change impacting ecosystem functioning. By employing a large dataset for the subtropical Brazilian Atlantic Forest (BAF), we evaluated whether species' relative growth rates (RGR) are explained by their ecological strategies. Principal component analyses summarised the relationships among functional traits (leaf, wood and stature traits) to inform about ecological strategies of 121 tree species. We tested three principal components as predictors of RGR for all species collectively, and canopy and understory species separately. Species exhibiting larger stature with small and structured leaves have faster growth. Tall canopy trees, with small leaves and softer wood grew faster, whereas understory species with taller stature, denser wood, and more structured and nutrient‐rich leaves had higher RGR. Therefore, strategies that combine higher stature and smaller leaf area are key determinants of the higher relative grow rates of tree species from subtropical BAF, conferring a greater advantage in converting local resources into stem growth. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the coordination between trait‐based ecological strategies and tree growth, which is essential for ecosystem functioning in changing environments.

Since tungsten trioxide has a desirable band gap of 2.6–2.8 eV, which boosts its ability to absorb radiation in the visible range, which become the most researched transition metals of the modern era. It is a polymorphic n-type semiconductor that may take on various different shapes, including triclinic, monoclinic, hexagonal, orthorhombic, and tetragonal. Some of its uses include, among others, solar cells, gas sensors, electrochromic devices, and photocatalytic reactions. WO3 might usually be employed in the form of powder or immobilized. Numerous techniques are proposed by researchers for the synthesis of WO3, with the most popular ones being thermal evaporation, sol–gel, chemical vapor deposition, electrospinning, sputtering, and electron beam. An efficient and adaptable technique for creating nano- and ultrafine-fibers is electrospinning. Significant advancements have been achieved in the technology used to create these samples, such as the engineering of electrospun nanofibers to fulfill or permit their implementation in the widest range of applications. In this regard, our study aims to present a thorough understanding of the application of the electrospinning technology to the creation of WO3 nanostructures, which will be used as semiconductors in experiments involving heterogeneous photocatalysis.