The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal, and topological properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and gelatin (GL) films after incorporating three different fractions of blueberry extract: crude extract (EB, without purification), phenolic portion (EF), and concentrated anthocyanins (EA). Additionally, the study aimed to analyze the efficiency of these colorimetric indicator films in monitoring the freshness quality of shrimp. The experiment followed a completely randomized design with one factor—different types of films—studied at six levels: film incorporated with crude blueberry extract (FB), film incorporated with phenolic extract (FF), and film incorporated with anthocyanin extract (FA), in addition to the control films: the plasticized blend containing glycerol, PVA, and GL (FC), the pristine gelatin film (FG), and the pristine PVA film (FPVA). To evaluate the colorimetric sensitivity of the indicators applied to shrimp, storage time was studied at two levels: T0 (before storage—on the day of collection) and T7 (after 7 days of storage at 6.5 ± 1 °C) for the FB and FA films. Regarding thermal properties, the degradation profile occurred in three stages, with the FC film being the most thermally stable. In terms of mechanical behavior, the isolated anthocyanin content increased the elasticity of FA, while the crude extract and other phenolic compounds contributed to the stiffness of FB (Young’s modulus, YM = 22.52) and FF (YM = 37.33). Structurally, the FC film exhibited a smooth and well-blended polymeric surface, whereas FF, FB, and FA displayed heterogeneous and discontinuous phases. The incorporation of blueberry extracts reduced water absorption, leading to decreased swelling and solubility. FF showed the lowest solubility (S = 16.14%), likely due to hydrogen bonding between phenolic compounds and the polymer matrix. Notably, FB demonstrated superior physical, chemical, and mechanical performance, as well as the highest thermal stability among the extract-containing films. It also showed a visible color change (from purple to green/brown) after 7 days of shrimp storage, corresponding with spoilage and pH values unsuitable for consumption. Both FA and FB effectively monitored shrimp freshness, offering a sustainable approach to quality assurance and food waste reduction. Among them, FB was the most practical for visual detection. Overall, these films demonstrated strong potential as pH-sensitive indicators for evaluating the freshness of shrimp.

Background and Objective: International guidelines emphasise the importance of objective cough assessment for evaluating therapeutic efficacy. Cough negatively impacts quality of life and generates high costs for healthcare systems. However, the accuracy of cough frequency monitors remains unclear. This study aimed to identify tools developed to monitor cough frequency and evaluate their accuracy. Methods: Observational studies involving adults, children, or infants who used cough frequency monitors were included from the Pubmed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases published up to 24 November 2024. Two independent reviewers performed the screening, data extraction, and quality assessment of the studies using QUADAS‐2. Summary estimates of diagnostic accuracy were calculated with meta‐analysis using bivariate mixed effects regression. Results: Nineteen studies were included in the review. In the 16 studies included in the meta‐analysis with 52,612 events, sensitivity was 89% (95% CI 0.84–0.93, I ² 89.3%) and specificity was 99% (95% CI 0.98–1.00, I ² 88.2%). The area under the curve (AUC) of 0.96 indicated excellent discriminative capacity. In the 11 devices and 4 applications identified, individual accuracy was > 0.9. Conclusion: The tools are accurate in distinguishing between cough and non‐cough sounds, but their clinical application still presents technical challenges and requires investment. Future research should improve the monitors, maintaining high accuracy but allowing for agile, cost‐effective assessment.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for congenital toxoplasmosis in neonates treated in the public health network of the eastern region of the Brazilian Amazon, northern Tocantins state. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with neonates born to mothers with gestational toxoplasmosis who received care between 2017 and 2024. The outcome under analysis was positivity for immunoglobulin M in the electrochemiluminescence assay (CLIA). We estimated the prevalence of transplacental infection and respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) and its association with risk factors using the odds ratio (or) with a p-value < 0.05 in infected neonates before and after 16 gestational weeks at maternal infection diagnosis. Results: A total of 1142 neonates were surveyed, in which 496 were diagnosed with congenital toxoplasmosis (IgM positive), thus obtaining a prevalence of vertical transmission of 45.4%. The main risk factors for vertical transmission were the mother’s education level equal to or less than eight years, (OR = 1.5; 95% CI 1.2; 2.0) and having less than six prenatal consultations (OR = 22.8; 95% CI 3.0; 172.6). Conclusions: A high prevalence of congenital toxoplasmosis was observed, with higher rates of infection in neonates born to mothers with lower levels of education.

The corn leafhopper (Dalbulus maidis), vector of the corn stunt complex (Spiroplasma kunkelii, Phytoplasma, and MRFV) in corn (Zea mays L.), causes losses of up to 100% in the crop. This review aimed to analyze the limitations of current control methods and the potential of integrated strategies. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, selecting 8 articles (N=8) published between 2021 and 2025 to evaluate the effectiveness of chemical and biological control tactics against D. maidis. The review reveals that chemical control, such as seed treatment, has limited effectiveness (persisting up to stage V2) and fails to prevent transmission by already infected insects. Strategies focused solely on vector mortality have been proven insufficient. In contrast, biocontrol with entomopathogenic fungi (e.g., Cordyceps javanica) has proven to be more effective, as it disrupts the feeding behavior of D. maidis and directly interrupts pathogen transmission. In the field, the combination of these fungi with resistant hybrid seeds has achieved efficacy equivalent to that of insecticides. It is concluded that effective management requires a paradigm shift: from population control to interruption of transmission. Integrated Pest Management (IPM), integrating resistant hybrids, monitoring, and behavioral biocontrol, is consolidating itself as the most sustainable and resilient strategy.

Lettuce is a staple vegetable in the Brazilian diet. This crop is an excellent source of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Due to its short growth cycle, lettuce requires high levels of nutrients. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate lettuce production as affected by foliar application of lithium and zinc in combination with humic substances. Two simultaneous experiments were conducted during two seasons (spring/summer and autumn/winter) with the cultivar SVR 2005Ⓡ, and two experiments were conducted with the cultivar RubinelaⓇ. The experimental design was a randomized block design with 11 treatments plus one control (no application), each replicated four times. For each cultivar, two sources of micronutrients (Zn and Li) and two sources of humic substances (HS1 and HS2), plus a control, were evaluated. Agronomic assessed traits included stem length, head diameter, fresh leaf mass, dry leaf mass, number of marketable leaves, head volume, and yield. No significant interaction was observed between seasons and treatments; however, significant effects were found for treatments within each cultivar. The control treatment had the lowest values for all evaluated traits, while the highest means were observed in treatments combining a micronutrient source with humic substances.