Universidade Federal de Pelotas

This study assesses the performance of a regional WRF configuration used operationally by SIMEPAR (SIWRF) and a set of MPAS experiments at 5-km grid spacing over southern Brazil to predict four recent severe weather events. MPAS is tested using a 200-5 km global variable-resolution (VR) mesh with two physics suites—Mesoscale Reference (MR) and Convection-Permitting (CP)—and two sources of initial conditions — NCEP-GFS and ECMWF-IFS forecasts. Skill is evaluated with respect to 48-h accumulated precipitation (correlation, bias, RMSE), hourly precipitation (fractions skill score; FSS, and QPF measures), radar reflectivity (FSS), near-surface variables (MAE, Taylor diagrams), and vertical soundings (bias, RMSE). Across events, MPAS generally outperforms SIWRF for precipitation, with CP physics suite often reducing positive bias relative to MR, while SIWRF tends to underestimate totals during the heaviest events. Notably, MR-IFS achieves the highest correlation for the event dominated by a long-lived, organized convective system, whereas CP-IFS provides the most balanced metrics in two other cases, including the coastal event, consistent with improved placement and intensity of convection. SIWRF exhibits the lowest skill for radar reflectivity, while MPAS shows event-dependent gains, particularly for MR-IFS and CP-GFS. Analysis of convective parameters reveal that MR configurations produce higher median CAPE and 0–3-km SRH than CP and SIWRF, implying more favorable storm environments. These results highlight event-dependent sensitivity to physics and initial conditions and suggest that tailoring MPAS configuration to event features (e.g., favoring CP physics for coastal/diurnally forced convection and MR physics for strongly forced organized systems) may improve forecasts, but this inference is preliminary and requires broader testing (larger case set, data assimilation, ensemble and operational-runtime evaluation) before operational adoption. • First comparison of MPAS and operational WRF for severe weather in southern Brazil. • MPAS with 200-5 km global VR mesh often outperformed 5-km regional WRF. • MPAS precipitation skill and biases strongly depend on physical options and IC source. • MPAS forecasts improved when initialized with ECMWF-IFS ICs rather than NCEP-GFS.

ABSTRACT The Australian cattle dog (ACD) is very popular due to its working function, being used mainly for work in the management of cattle and sheep. However, there are few studies on the orthopedic conditions that affect these animals. Thus, this study aimed to radiographically evaluate and describe the elbow joints of ACDs. Radiographic images of 100 elbows were used. Joint incongruence, fragmentation of the coronoid process (FCP), non-union of the anconeal process (NUAP), presence of osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD), and osteoarthrotic signs were evaluated. As a result, 83% of the evaluated elbows present no radiographic alteration, while 16% showed alterations compatible with elbow dysplasia, the presence of joint incongruence, or osteoarthrotic signs. No primary alteration of FCP, NUAP, or OCD elbow dysplasia was observed. Thus, the radiographic images of ACD elbows showed few radiographic alterations and a low prevalence of elbow dysplasia.

Background/Objectives: Sizeable between- and within-country inequalities in childhood immunization impair progress towards the goals set by the global Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) of achieving universal coverage of all persons with essential life-saving vaccines. Monitoring global trends in immunization inequalities helps to identify population subgroups that are less likely to benefit from vaccines and provides evidence for tracking progress on regional and global goals and informing equity-oriented interventions. This paper assesses the state of within-country inequality in childhood immunization across low- and middle-income study countries. Methods: Using data from household health surveys, the analysis quantifies within-country inequality across up to 92 countries, areas and territories, for nine childhood immunization indicators (seven coverage indicators and two indicators of non-receipt of vaccines) by five dimensions of inequality (child sex, mother's age, mother's education, household economic status and place of residence). Absolute and relative summary measures of inequality (difference, ratio, slope index of inequality, relative index of inequality and population attributable risk) were calculated to assess the latest situation of inequality (i.e., using the most recent survey from 2014 to 2023) and change over time (i.e., comparisons with data from 2004 to 2013). Results: The latest situation of inequality revealed overall low or no inequality by child sex, mother's age and place of residence, with more pronounced inequality related to mother's education and household economic status. The median differences between the most and least educated subgroups ranged between 9 and 14 percentage points for immunization coverage indicators, and between 6 and 9 percentage points for non-receipt of vaccines indicators. The extent of inequality in childhood immunization tended to remain about the same as the previous decade, with modest reductions in absolute economic-related and place of residence inequality in DTP3 immunization, as well as place of residence inequality in full immunization (declining by 3.25, 2.42, and 2.16 percentage points over 10 years, respectively). Distinct patterns of economic-related inequality were evident across country income groups, with low-income countries reporting larger inequality than lower- and upper-middle-income countries; there was substantial variation at the country level. Conclusions: Economic- and education-related inequalities in childhood immunization within low- and middle-income countries have persisted over the past decade.

AChE inhibitors enhance cholinergic neurotransmission and are used to treat neurological disorders. This study synthesized novel coumarin-based selenotriazole compounds by combining coumarin, organoselenium, and 1,2,3-triazole moieties, given their antioxidant, neuroprotective, and enzyme-inhibitory effects, with the aim of achieving a synergistic pharmacological profile. They were initially evaluated via in silico molecular docking studies against AChE, using rivastigmine as a reference compound. The most promising molecules were subsequently subjected to in vitro screening to assess their inhibitory activity against AChE from the brains of female Swiss mice. Further investigations included detailed binding interaction analyses and in silico ADMET predictions. Docking simulations showed the compounds had better binding affinities than rivastigmine. In vitro assays identified five potent AChE inhibitors (7b, 7h-j, 7l), with 7b and 7j as the top candidates. Docking revealed key interactions at the enzyme's catalytic site. ADMET predictions indicated good absorption, metabolism, moderate CNS permeability, and acceptable toxicity, though hepatotoxicity and hERG II inhibition remain concerns for future study. The combination of coumarin, organoselenium, and triazole pharmacophores proved effective in modulating AChE activity, suggesting a synergistic effect among these structural units. 7b and 7j stood out in terms of both biological activity and predicted pharmacokinetic properties, establishing them as promising lead candidates for further development. Toxicological concerns highlight the importance of future structural optimization to minimize potential adverse effects. Compounds 7b and 7j are promising AChE inhibitor lead compounds for treating cholinergic disorders like Alzheimer's disease. Further in vivo studies and optimization are needed.

Abstract Offshore wind energy conversion systems have an inherent control challenge due to the long transmission cables necessary to deliver the generated power to an energy station. Grid-tied power system with a transmission cable has dynamics that threaten system stability. In this sense, controlling this kind of system subject to exogenous disturbances is not trivial, requiring sophisticated control algorithms whose parameter tuning is not intuitive. Therefore, this work presents a robust adaptive current control approach optimized with a new improved chaotic stochastic fractal search algorithm with fitness-distance balance (SFS-FDB). This novel optimizer uses a stochastic selective strategy of ten chaotic maps to improve the SFS-FDB performance. The modification consists in replacing the random variables in the SFS-FDB algorithm with values generated by chaotic maps, independently, at each iteration, enhancing the diversity in the solution, which avoids premature convergence, stagnation, and biased solutions. Four scenarios are considered to evaluate the resulting optimized controller: current reference changes, two grid inductance variations (including up to ten times the nominal value of grid-side inductance), and grid frequency oscillations. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed intelligent control solution, making the tracking errors converge to residual values in steady state when the renewable energy system operates under weak grid conditions.

The purpose of this article is to present the Brazilian Physical Activity (PA) During Cancer Treatment Guidelines(PA) during cancer treatment, and discuss the adaptations made to align the recommendations with the Brazilian context and its distinctive peculiarities. The development of Brazilian Guidelines for recommending PA during cancer treatment consisted of identifying international guidelines and positions and adapting their recommendations and statements for the Brazilian context. For this, an expert working group including scientists, exercise specialists, and oncologists revised the international guidelines, selected outcomes, and created recommendations based on PA safety and efficacy on the selected adverse effects of cancer treatment and the regional context. After review of 14 PA oncology guidelines, two were selected. Drawing from the selected guidelines, the working group formulated the recommendations considering the scientific evidence extracted from the documents and the Brazilian contextualization. Although the guidelines were based on international recommendations, the expert working group introduced adaptations to better reflect the Brazilian context. These adaptations included translating the content into Portuguese and simplifying the language to improve accessibility for healthcare professionals. Safety information and contraindications were added, and recommendations were adjusted not only in terms of intensity, mode, and frequency but also to promote accessibility, motivation, and long-term adherence. Additionally, the guidelines took into consideration professional regulations, access to qualified staff, the structure of the health system, and regional sociocultural and economic disparities, particularly in underserved and rural areas. There is a clear need for context-specific exercise oncology research and policies that reflect the low and middle-income countries’ social, economic, and cultural characteristics. This Brazilian guideline represents a first and essential step toward aligning Brazil with the international agenda for establishing PA standards in oncology.

In this study, we conducted structural and comparative analyses of two recombinant banana lectins, rBanLec-like and H84T-BanLec, using both in silico and in vitro approaches. Sequence alignment showed 91.5% identity between the lectins, with differences in 12 amino acids. Structural modeling and secondary structure analysis indicated a high degree of structural similarity, with a root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 0.382 Å, suggesting that the sequence modifications did not lead to significant structural changes. Molecular docking experiments demonstrated a strong affinity of both lectins for mannose, with rBanLec-like exhibiting a lower binding free energy (− 6.6 kcal/mol) compared to H84T-BanLec (− 4.5 kcal/mol). Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the stability of both proteins, although rBanLec-like displayed greater conformational flexibility. Expression in Escherichia coli showed successful production of both lectins, but rBanLec-like was detected in both soluble and insoluble fractions, whereas H84T-BanLec was exclusively obtained in the soluble fraction. Both lectins significantly inhibited the growth of colorectal adenocarcinoma cells by 62.6% and 76%, respectively. These findings contribute to the structural and functional understanding of banana lectins, highlighting their potential for biotechnological and therapeutic applications.