Universidade Federal de São Carlos

We present an extensive investigation on the properties of Eu 3+ optical emissions associated with deformation of ZnO host applying an external hydrostatic pressure, combining in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence spectroscopy with first-principles calculations. A pressure-induced phase transition from the hexagonal wurtzite to the cubic rocksalt structure near 10 GPa is accompanied by complete quenching of the 5 D 0 → 7 F J emissions near the threshold, followed by a partial but reproducible recovery at higher pressures, likely associated with the emergence of structural disorder. Concurrently, as the crystal field strength increases, the Stark components of the emissions exhibit a systematic redshift (∼0.40 ± 0.02meV/GPa) and pressure-induced broadening (∼0.55 ± 0.02 meV/GPa). The first-principles calculations support the observed pressure-induced shifts in the Eu-4f states and emphasize the influence of lattice symmetry on their electronic environment. These findings establish hydrostatic pressure as a powerful tool for tuning rare-earth optical emissions through symmetry-driven and local-environment modifications, laying the foundation for pressure-engineered photonic functionalities and luminescent devices. • Pressure-driven wurtzite-to-rocksalt transition modulates Eu 3+ luminescence in ZnO. • The structural transition initiates at ∼5.8 GPa, with cubic dominance above 10GPa. • Redshift and Stark splitting due to enhanced lattice symmetry and crystal field. • DFT reveals symmetry-dependent reshaping of electronic states under compression. • Lattice symmetry control governs RE optical activity under extreme conditions.

Gonçalves Dias, W, Benvenutti Bueno de Camargo, J, Volpi Braz, T, Rodrigues Batista, D, Oenning Col, L, Prestes, J, and Ricardo Lopes, C. A comparison between synergist and nonsynergist resistance training schemes in recreationally trained men. J Strength Cond Res 40(4): 377-385, 2026-The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of 2 different resistance training (RT) schemes (synergist [SN] and nonsynergist [NS]) on both muscle strength and hypertrophy outcomes in recreationally trained subjects. The sample included 22 men that were assigned to 2 experimental groups: NS (push/pull and pull/push exercises, n = 12; age: 20.5 ± 2.3 years; total body mass: 75.1 ± 8.2 kg; height: 179.8 ± 7.8 cm; experience in RT: 2.4 ± 1.4 years) and SN (pull/pull and push/push exercises, n = 10; age: 22.1 ± 3.2 years; total body mass: 82.7 ± 11.7 kg; height: 175.0 ± 7.0 cm; experience in RT: 3.2 ± 1.5 years). Muscle thickness assessments of the triceps brachialis, biceps brachialis, pectoralis major, and one repetition-maximum testing in the bench press and lat pull-down exercises were performed before and after the 8-week intervention period. The total load lifted during each week also was calculated. Both groups displayed significant increases in muscle strength and thickness (NS and SN, p < 0.05), with no significant difference observed between the groups for the dependent variables assessed (all p > 0.05). Therefore, the present study suggests that individuals aiming to increase muscle strength and size may benefit from both training schemes, taking into account personal preferences.

Fertilization is crucial for agriculture, and phosphorus (P) is a key macronutrient for plant development. However, traditional phosphate minerals used in fertilizer production are becoming scarce, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives. Thus, this study evaluated the effectiveness of hydroxyapatite (HAp) derived from Nile tilapia scales as a promising phosphorus source, comparing it to chemically precipitated HAp. Structural analyses confirmed that fish scale waste is a viable and sustainable material for HAp synthesis, offering controlled phosphorus release over time. Germination assays using lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) seeds showed a high germination rate and enhanced root and shoot development in seedlings treated with HAp derived from fish scales, suggesting that HAp could be an effective alternative fertilizer without adversely affecting seed germination.

This paper is concerned with the existence of normalized solutions for the following class of Hamiltonian elliptic systems: \begin{align*}\left\{\begin{array}{ll}- \Delta u = \lambda u + |v|^{q-2}v \quad \text{in } \mathbb{R}^{N}, \\ - \Delta v = \lambda v + |u|^{p-2}u \quad \text{in } \mathbb{R}^{N}, \\ \displaystyle\int_{\mathbb{R}^N}(|u|^2 + |v|^2) = m,\end{array}\right.\end{align*} where $m \gt 0$ and $2 \lt p,q \lt 2^{*}=2N/(N-2)$ . We prove that a normalized solution exists for different ranges of $p,q$ . A typical feature of this class of problems is that the associated energy functionals are strongly indefinite; that is, the domain has a saddle-point geometry in which both positive and negative subspaces of the quadratic form are infinite-dimensional. Another difficulty is the lack of the compact embedding $H^{1}(\mathbb{R}^N) \hookrightarrow L^{2}(\mathbb{R}^N)$ , which persists also if we restrict ourselves to a radial setting. Our main result is novel for this class of systems.

Em escala global, estudos têm dado considerável atenção aos aspectos psicossociais do trabalho e à forma como eles impactam nos trabalhadores da saúde dos diferentes níveis de atenção, com resultados que indicam a necessidade de melhorias nas condições gerais de trabalho e no fornecimento de suporte social aos profissionais da saúde, e alertam para o paradoxo do adoecimento de profissionais, cujo objetivo do trabalho é o cuidado de si e do outro. O artigo foi motivado pelas demandas psíquicas enfrentadas pelos profissionais, incluindo longas e intensas jornadas de trabalho, desvalorização profissional, conflitos interpessoais e sobrecarga emocional decorrente do cuidado de pacientes, com o objetivo de analisar ações e estratégias de promoção, prevenção, rastreio e cuidado em saúde mental entre profissionais de saúde. Trata-se de uma revisão de escopo sobre a saúde mental de profissionais da saúde, com foco na promoção, prevenção, rastreio e cuidado, através da identificação e apresentação dos dados disponíveis, na literatura nacional e internacional. Foi empregado o método do Joanna Briggs Institute, encontrados 1211 artigos, sendo 157 incluídos, no período de 2007 a 2022. Considerando a totalidade dos artigos, 94 textos identificaram a necessidade de intervenções em saúde mental e/ou física com os profissionais da saúde, sendo que, dentre eles, 60 (63,83%) se dão em contextos de desastres e catástrofes. A baixa quantidade de artigos interventivos (14,28%) se torna preocupante quando consideramos pesquisas que demonstram o receio dos trabalhadores da saúde em buscar ajuda em saúde mental no ambiente de trabalho. Destaca-se a importância de intervenções durante pandemias, incluindo apoio e acolhimento, bem como o uso de tecnologias. Conclui-se que há escassez de estudos anteriores a 2020 e de pesquisas de intervenção voltadas à compreensão e enfrentamento aos impactos na saúde mental, bem-estar e qualidade de vida dos profissionais de saúde. Entende-se que o uso de tecnologias da informação assume destaque e importância para pesquisas futuras, bem como para orientar as ações na gestão em saúde.

To elucidate the influence of oxidative stabilization on structural evolution and functional performance, electrospun PAN-based nanofiber mats reinforced with CNTs (1–2 wt %), GNPs (5–10 wt %), and CNT/GNP hybrids containing 1–2 wt % CNTs combined with 3–9 wt % GNPs were systematically investigated. After stabilization, FT-IR and DSC analyses confirmed enhanced cyclization in the presence of nanofillers, reflected by the increase in conjugation index from 0.76 (neat PAN) to 0.90 for CNT/GNP (2/3 wt %) fibers. The DSC results confirm this through the disappearance of the exothermic peak typically associated with the cyclization reaction. Thermogravimetric results showed a significant rise in char yield, reaching up to 70.2% for the 10 wt % GNP mat at 700 °C. Electromagnetic shielding performance was strongly influenced by the porous architecture of the electrospun mats, resulting in predominantly absorptive attenuation behavior. Nanoparticle incorporation, fiber orientation, and thermal treatment directly influenced the dielectric response, leading to higher thickness-averaged specific shielding effectiveness (TASSET). The best performance was achieved for stabilized sPAN/C2 in the orientation parallel to the incident electromagnetic field (0°), reaching εr = 18.90, TASSET = 407.37 dB·cm2·g–1. Under perpendicular alignment (90°), stabilized sPAN/C2/G8 exhibited εr = 8.64 and reached TASSET = 198.48 dB·cm2·g–1, outperforming single-filler systems in this configuration.

Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) is a promising material for developing the next generation of multifunctional electronic devices. However, the production of high-quality BiFeO3 thin films is compromised by the tendency for structural and electronic defects to form during synthesis, which degrades their functional properties. In this work, BiFeO3 thin films were prepared by chemical solution deposition to determine optimal conditions for minimizing oxygen vacancies and to evaluate the impact of these point defects on their physical properties. The films were pyrolyzed at 300 °C for 60 min and 360 °C for 10 min, and crystallized in air and in an O2 atmosphere, at 600 °C and 640 °C for 40 min. High oxygen vacancies were observed in films prepared at low pyrolysis temperatures and crystallized in air, whereas oxygen vacancies were minimized in the film pyrolyzed and crystallized at high temperatures in an O2 atmosphere. The oxygen vacancies markedly affected the films' physical properties, leading to increased dielectric loss, dielectric dispersion, dc conductivity, and leakage current, with consequent degradation of photovoltaic and magnetic performance. These findings highlight the critical importance of controlling synthesis parameters to suppress oxygen vacancy formation and achieve high-quality BiFeO3 thin films.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of intervention strategies for primary and secondary prevention of knee osteoarthritis (OA). DESIGN: Intervention systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). DATA SOURCES: The Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PEDro, and The Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to June 10, 2025. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: RCTs evaluating interventions for primary/secondary knee OA prevention. Eligible trials targeted populations at-risk of developing knee OA or population with knee OA, and the outcome of interest must not have been present at study entry. Primary outcomes were self-reported knee pain and associated disability. Secondary outcomes included imaging features of knee joint structure and the incidence of knee arthroplasty. Data were synthesized narratively and reported as relative risks (RRs) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Five published reports from three RCTs (1481 participants) were included. We found evidence that a self-management lifestyle program for community-based women with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 may reduce the risk of developing pain associated with knee OA at 12-months, when compared to a single education session (RR: 0.27, 95%CI: 0.16-0.46). There was uncertain evidence from four reports to draw conclusions about the effects of diet &amp; exercise, glucosamine supplements, diet &amp; exercise plus glucosamine supplements, and intra-articular sprifermin interventions for preventing or reducing Knee OA progression or arthroplasty. CONCLUSION: A self-management lifestyle program may be effective for reducing the risk of developing pain associated with knee OA in women with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 . Evidence for other preventive interventions remains uncertain.