Abstract The application of plant growth regulators and protectants in seed treatment has the potential to significantly increase tolerance to saline stress. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of seed treatment with plant growth regulators and protectants on the emergence, establishment, growth, and quality of Crimson Sweet watermelon seedlings cultivated under biosaline water (BW) conditions. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 7 factorial arrangement. The first factor included two water types (drinking water and biosaline water), whereas the second factor included three plant growth regulators (salicylic acid, putrescine, and gibberellic acid), three protectants (naphthalic anhydride, thiamethoxam, and acibenzolar-S-methyl), and a control treatment. The seedlings were assessed 14 days after sowing. Fresh plant material was collected to analyze the levels of sugars and proteins in the tissues. Water salinity influences the development of watermelon seedlings, but certain treatments help mitigate stress-induced damage. Compared with those in the control group, seedlings in the thiamethoxam treatment group presented greater vigor, even under biosaline water conditions, when grown in normal water. Therefore, seed treatment with thiamethoxam enhances the quality of Crimson Sweet watermelon seedlings grown in biosaline water.

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effect of packaging material, storage methods, and duration on the functional properties of red pepper powder during a ten-month storage period. Samples were packed in Low-density, high-density, black low-density polyethylene, and aluminum pouches and kept at ambient and refrigerated conditions. A significant (p<0.001) interaction of effect of the three factors was observed for all parameters except for MC and PI. The percentage of TCC lost was 8.41%, 14.19%, 21.23%, and 30.68% in ALP, HDPE, LDPE, and BLDPE under refrigerated storage, and 10.91%, 17.65%, 25.01%, and 52.02%, respectively, in the same bags at ambient. The loss in Oleoresin content was 44.34%, 37.82%, 37.25%, and 20.77% at ambient, and 32.27%, 27.25%, 28.16%, and 13.42% under refrigeration in ALP, HDPE, BLDPE, and LDPE, respectively. The percentage of TAOC lost was 46.76%, 56.40%, 66.22%, and 61.52%, under refrigeration; and 57.29%, 67.45%, 68.50%, and 66.36%, respectively, at ambient storage, for ALP, HDPE, BLDPE, and LDPE. AlP maintained high qualities during the storage, due to the lower permeability of the AlP outer environment. Finally, further study on the safety and other nutritional qualities of the product is needed.

Abstract Liraglutide plays a crucial role in managing weight and regulating glucose levels, but it can have adverse effects, particularly on the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we assessed the impact of liraglutide on the viability, cell death, morphology, reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton, and migration of rat intestinal epithelial cells. There was no change in the viability of cells treated with liraglutide at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, and 1 μM, however, high concentrations of the drug reduced IEC- 6 cell viability. Additionally, the treatment with low doses of liraglutide decreased the rate of apoptosis of IEC-6 cells relative to the control. Also, the treated cells showed a modified actin cytoskeleton, with prominent stress fibers. Regarding cell migration, there was a decrease in the percentage of closure of the cell-free area over 24 h, relative to the untreated cells. This study revealed the direct effects of liraglutide on intestinal cells, including reduced apoptosis rates, actin cytoskeleton alterations, and inhibited cell migration.

Abstract Knowledge and understanding of the dielectric properties of food and biological materials are of great relevance for the research and development of new methods of characterization, quality assessment and process monitoring of these materials using non-destructive techniques. This study developed an easily available instrumentation set-up which was used for dielectric characterization of gelatin films. The effect of frequency, moisture content and plasticizer type (glycerol or sorbitol) on their dielectric characteristic (ɛ´) was evaluated. The films were produced by casting. The circuit used consisted of a very simple astable oscillator with operation based on the operational amplifier (741) switched by the load of a parallel plate capacitor whose dielectric was the film under study. From the values of oscillation frequency and capacitor geometry, it was possible to calculate the capacitance and obtain the dielectric characteristics using basic relations. Such an instrumentation proposal was able to accurately measure the dielectric constant of gelatin films in the frequency range 5-50 kHz. The results demonstrated a decrease of ɛ´ with increasing frequency. Such influence on dielectric characteristic of the films (∆ɛ´/∆f ≈ 22%) is stronger at low frequencies. The analysis of influence of plasticizers on the films dielectric characteristics showed that the sorbitol results in higher values for the permittivity when compared with the use of glycerol as a thickener. In this frequency range, effect of moisture on ɛr´ was observed on films with sorbitol only, below 20 kHz.

Abstract Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease, affects approximately 10 million individuals worldwide. The disease is characterized by both motor and non-motor symptoms, and clinical aspects are pivotal for diagnosis. Vocal abnormalities can be identified in about 90% of PD patients in the early stages of the condition. Machine Learning (ML), a prominent subfield of Artificial Intelligence (AI), holds significant promise in the medical domain, particularly for early disease detection, enabling effective preventive measures and treatments. In this paper, we considered the unique characteristics of each ML algorithm. Seventeen ML algorithms were applied to a dataset of voice recordings from Healthy Control and PD individuals, sourced from a publicly available repository. We leveraged the PyCaret Python library's ML algorithms and functions, which were introduced in this article, to demonstrate their simplicity and effectiveness in dealing with real-world data. Among these algorithms, Extra Trees Classifier (ETC), Gradient Boosting Classifier (GBC), and K Neighbors Classifier (KNN) exhibited the best performance for the given dataset. Furthermore, to enhance the models' performance, we employed various techniques, including Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) to address class imbalance, feature selection based on correlation, and hyperparameter tuning. Our findings highlight the potential of the PyCaret ML library demonstrated in this article as a valuable tool for applying ML to the classification of Parkinson's disease through voice analysis. The application of ML in this context can greatly support clinical decision-making, leading to more informed and precise interventions.

Abstract The fabrication and characterization are two areas where the microlenses have been widely studied. The integration of microlenses into microdevices was the main slingshot to achieve the fabrication of compact optical microsystems with reduced sizes, low-cost and on a reproducible way. The main driver of cost reduction was the use of standard microfabrication techniques found on the microlectronics industry. The actual interest of microlenses is the light gathering/projection and focusing for optimizing the light acquisition/production and thus, to improve the sensitivity/efficiency of optical microsystems either working as sensor or as source. In this context, this paper makes a review of microlenses for application in optical sensors. This review describes fabrication technologies, characteristics and applications of microlenses. This review also gives special emphasis on a case study of polymeric microlenses obtained by thermal reflow and at the same time, it also demonstrates the feasibility to augment light into photodiodes.

Abstract Breast cancer (BC), the most prevalent cancer among women, necessitates the identification of effective early detection biomarkers. Reticulon 4 (RTN4), a neurite growth inhibitor primarily expressed in the central nervous system, has recently been implicated in cancer development. This study aimed to comprehensively examine the expression level, prognostic and immunological value, function and drug sensitivity of RTN4 in BC. Expression and survival analyses were performed using HPA, TIMER, GEPIA, UALCAN, and PROGgeneV2; immune-related features were explored via TISIDB, TIMER, and Sangerbox, while drug sensitivity analysis was conducted using the CellMiner database. RTN4 expression was observed significantly lower in BC compared to the normal tissues (p<0.05). Elevated mRNA expression levels of RTN4 were significantly associated with shorter overall survival in BC patients (p<0.05). Analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME) revealed significant correlations between RTN4 and immune cell infiltration, immune and molecular subtypes, and stromal components (p<0.05). Furthermore, microsatellite instability, most immunomodulatory genes, and nearly half of immune checkpoints in BC showed significant associations with RTN4 expression (p<0.05). In addition, its expression showed significant correlations with the drug sensitivities of lovastatin, simvastatin, and fluvastatin (p<0.05). Considering its differential expression and significant correlation with BC prognosis, TME, and immune-related genes, RTN4 shows promise as a potential biomarker candidate, offering guidance for innovative treatment approaches for BC.

Abstract Citrus canker, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, is responsible for significant economic losses of citrus in Brazil and elsewhere. The disease occurs in all regions of commercial production of sweet orange (C. sinensis L. Osbeck). Compared to chemical control, deploying canker-resistant cultivars is a viable and economical alternative for management of the disease. The objectives of this study were to compare the resistance to citrus canker of 14 genotypes of sweet orange, and to verify the levels of various enzymes involved in the canker resistance response, specifically peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. The 14 genotypes included were Hamlin, Vermelha, Pera EEL, Pera IAC, Pera Bianchi/CC, Pera Ipiguá, Pera IAC 2000/1, Pera Ovale Siracusa, Pera Ovale, Pera IAC 2000/2, Pera M5, Pera Arapongas, Pera 58 and Pera 59. The varieties were evaluated under greenhouse conditions, through inoculation of leaves with X. citri subsp. citri, strain Xcc 306. After inoculation, measurements of lesion diameter and biochemical analyses were performed. Significant differences in resistance to X. citri subsp. citri between the citrus genotypes were observed, with cultivars Pera IAC and Pera EEL having significantly or numerically the smallest diameter canker lesions. Cultivar Pera IAC showed elevated levels of peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase, enzymes known to be involved in resistance response to pathogen invasion. Cultivars with a strong resistance response to infection, and that produce smaller lesions are likely good candidates for commercial production or for use in breeding programs.

Abstract In the present study, a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach is being explored to remove the harmful dye Congo red from synthetic wastewater, using an equatorial strain of Rhodococcus biphenylivorans. The immobilized cells’ Congo red-decolorizing activity in calcium alginate showed an increase of 217% compared to the free cells. By improving the alginate concentration to 4% (w/v), the bead diameter to 3 mm and using 50 beads, a 67% decrease in the time required for complete decolorization was accomplished. Both free and immobilized cells followed first-order kinetics for the elimination of Congo red, with immobilized cells displaying a decolorization rate 3.2 times greater than that of free cells, resulting in an 84% reduction in half-life. The immobilized cells displayed the capability to remove 0.10 g/L Congo red without any significant decline in their efficiency for up to twelve cycles, offering an economic advantage due to their reusability. Examining the decolorized products of Congo red showed no hindrance in the germination of Triticum aestivum and Vigna radiata, indicating the effective removal of all toxic components from the original dye via the biological method. Therefore, this strain has significant potential as a biological agent to eliminate wastewater contaminated with Congo red efficiently.

Abstract Osteosynthesis of multifragmentary proximal ulna (PU) fractures often requires a second surgery to remove the implant due to discomfort. This in silico study presents a novel implant, the Y-plate, aimed at improving soft tissue protection, reducing costs, and simplifying the surgical procedure. The methodology involved the creation of 3D digital models of the PU along with four plate and screw fixation systems (LCP, Synthes®, A+B, and the Y-plate). This was followed by a stability comparison between the systems through simulations using the finite element method (FEM). Relative displacements were evaluated under maximum loads at different elbow flexion angles (0°, 45°, and 90°), applying forces of 50 N, 100 N, and 500 N. As a result, all systems showed satisfactory stability, with displacements below 2 mm with the A+B plate fixation demonstrating the greatest displacement under the maximum load of 500 N in all positions. We concluded that the Y-plate represents a promising proof of concept, combining the advantages of lateral and posterior fixations in a single implant, better soft tissue protection, and potential cost reductions. Despite the limitations of the in silico study, our findings provide a robust basis for developing a physical prototype. This will be used in future in vitro and clinical validations, aiming to improve the treatment of multifragmentary PU fractures.