Materials, focuses, mainly, on the applications and key processing aspects of materials, collecting a set of 48 original papers focused on the field of manufacturing engineering and materials processing.Research in the field of materials is very broad, ranging from studies on the structure and properties at the atomic or molecular level to the most complex or sophisticated applications that can be done with them, as well as studies about other aspects related to their processing, use or management. The Special Issue of the Manufacturing Engineering Society (MES), published in the Section “Manufacturing Processes and Systems” of the journal  Materials, was born as an initiative from the Manufacturing Engineering Society of Spain, with the aim to spread outstanding works in which the latest cutting-edge advances in the field of manufacturing engineering and materials processing have been presented.The Special Issue of the Manufacturing Engineering Society (MES), published in the Section “Manufacturing Processes and Systems” of the journal This Special Issue explored the evolution of traditional manufacturing models towards the new requirements of the Manufacturing Industry 4.0; publishing, finally, 48 papers (47 research papers and one concept paper) in the main topics covered by this Special Issue, concretely in: additive manufacturing and 3D printing; advances and innovations in manufacturing processes; manufacturing systems: machines, equipment and tooling, metrology and quality in manufacturing; product lifecycle management (PLM) technologies; and manufacturing engineering and society. Likewise, in some of them, without being the main or most outstanding subjects of the work, the following topics have been also addressed: sustainable and green manufacturing; manufacturing of new materials; manufacturing automation; design, modeling and simulation in manufacturing engineering; and production planning.Contributions on emerging methods and technologies, such as those related to additive manufacturing and 3D printing ,12,13,14The number of contributions in the “advances and innovations in manufacturing processes” field has been very remarkable as well, where outstanding works have been presented in the following areas: machining ,22,23,24No less important, as a whole, are the works on: manufacturing systems: machines, equipment and tooling ,40,41,42The Special Issue has been an excellent means of exposing some of the main current lines of research of members and collaborators of the MES, promoting the internationalization of their results and the presence of the MES itself in the international scientific-technical landscape, widely fulfilling the aims initially proposed.Materials; particularly topics related to the processing of materials.It is remarkable how many readings and downloads of papers belonging to this Special Issue have been done, after only three months since the publication of the first work, showing the great interest that all these topics arouse in readers of the journal We want this Special Issue to serve as a posthumous tribute to our colleague and friend Mariano Marcos Bárcena, who participated very actively in the genesis of this thrilling project, and whose contribution to manufacturing engineering is present in this Special Issue, both explicitly, in a concrete work, and implicitly, in several papers by his research group from the University of Cadiz who have kept working on the investigation lines promoted by him.


The Joseph T. Freeman Award is a lectureship in geriatrics awarded to a prominent physician in the field of aging, both in research and practice. The award was established in 1977 through a bequest from a patient’s estate as a tribute to Dr. Joseph T. Freeman. The Joseph T. Freeman Award lecture will feature an address by the 2019 Freeman Award recipient, Anne Newman, MD, MPH, of the University of Pittsburgh. The Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Award is designed to acknowledge outstanding contributions in the field of the rehabilitation of aging individuals. The Excellence in Rehabilitation of Aging Persons Award lecture will feature an address by the 2019 Excellence in Rehabilitation Award recipient, Neil Alexander, MD, of the University of Michigan.


The aim of this work is to develop a software to calculate the economic parameters so as to determine the feasibility of a floating offshore renewable farm in a selected location. The software can calculate the economic parameters of several types of offshore renewable energies, as follows: one renewable energy , and spar; floating wave energy—Pelamis and AquaBuoy), hybrid offshore wind and wave systems (Wave Dragon and W2Power), and combined offshore wind and waves with different systems . The user can select several inputs, such as the location, configuration of the farm, type of floating offshore platform, type of power of the farm, life-cycle of the farm, electric tariff, capital cost, corporate tax, steel cost, percentage of financing, or interest and capacity of the shipyard. The case study is focused on the Galicia region (NW of Spain). The results indicate the economic feasibility of a farm of floating offshore renewable energy in a particular location in terms of its costs, levelized cost of energy (LCOE), internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), and discounted pay-back period. The tool allows for establishing conclusions about the dependence of the offshore wind resource parameters, the main distances , the parameters of the waves, and the bathymetry of the area selected. Floating offshore renewable energies are those that are installed in deep waters (more than 50 m). They are composed by several main components, namely: energy generators, floating offshore platforms, mooring, anchoring, and electric systems. The main difference between these floating platforms and the fixed platforms  is to calculate several economic parameters of a floating offshore renewable energy farm in a location. The formulation of costs has been previously developed . This soThe user can select the inputs wanted in order to calculate the economic maps of the location selected. The programming language is MATLAB® , and the software is compatible with Microsoft Windows® .Firstly, the software calculates the main costs of the life-cycle of the offshore renewable energy farm  generate a map of the energy produced in the specific location selected.In this context, the inputs of the software are see :Internal rate of return of the financed project .Net present value of the financed project .Discounted payback period of the financed project .Levelized cost of energy .The software calculates the economic parameters of the project, considering the energy produced and the total life-cycle cost such as input variables. The economic results obtained are as follows:Regarding the location, the user selects this input and he has three options . These choices condition the map files (in .mat) that the software selects for acting related to scale parameter of the offshore wind resource a, shape Regarding the type of floating platform, the criteria is that they are divided in wind , and matrix. The first consideration takes into account a general equation for the calculation of the energy generated by a wave energy converter considering the period of waves (tion (1) ). TherefThe second type considers the power matrix of the technology. On the other side, the power farm and the life-cycle of the farm are introduced by the user, depending on his needs. The electric tariff, capital cost, corporate tax, and steel cost are values that depend on the market being analyzed. The percentage of financing and the interest are determined by the financing company. Finally, the capacity of the shipyard depends on the shipyard where the platforms were built, mainly its size, and works in development in the moment of building the platforms.Finally, considering the outputs, the equations used are shown in The case of study of the present paper is the Galician region, located in the North-West of Spain  and the economic feasibility of the floating offshore renewable energy farm . Regarding case 1, results depends on the location and they go see : from 6.Regarding Case 2, the results depend on the location, and they go see  from 4.8Regarding case 2, results depends on the location and they go see : from 4.Regarding Case 4, the results depend on the location, and they go see  from 4.1Therefore, considering all of these results, the user can select what is the best technology depending on the location. In this sense, in terms of LCOE, the best technology for the case study is the Case 1 (offshore wind—WindFloat), because it has the smallest LCOE (100.31 €/MWh), and the worst technology is Case 3 (wave energy-AquaBuoy), with a minimum value of 756.39 €/MWh. On the other hand, in terms of IRR and NPV, the best value is also for Case 1 with 14.75% and 330.85 €, respectively, and the worst is Case 3, with values of −173.52% and −581.42 €, respectively.The objective of this work was to present a software to calculate the most important parameters of the feasibility of a floating offshore renewable farm in a selected location. This tool can be valuable for enterprises or public entities that want to know the best places where an offshore renewable energy farm can be located, because this can compile the software for the economic calculation of the most important types of offshore renewable energies existing in the world.The software can calculate the economic parameters of several types of offshore renewable energies, namely: one renewable energy , hybrid offshore wind and wave systems (Wave Dragon and W2Power), and combined offshore wind and waves with different systems . The user can select several inputs, namely: location, configuration of the farm, type of floating offshore platform, type of calculation of the wave’s energy, power of the farm, life-cycle of the farm, electric tariff, capital cost, corporate tax, steel cost, percentage of financing, interest, and capacity of the shipyard. The economic results are as follows: the cost of each phase of the life-cycle of the project, the total cost of the life-cycle of the farm, the internal rate of return (IRR), the net present value (NPV), the discounted payback period (DPBP), and the levelized cost of energy (LCOE).The case study considered here analysed the Galician region (North-West of Spain), using four alternatives depending on the technology, namely: one renewable energy  and two renewable energies installed separately in the same farm . The software gives the results for the case that the user selects. In this particular case study, the technology that is more economically feasible is the offshore wind (WindFloat) with the best value of LCOE (100.31 €/MWh), IRR , and the technology with the worst economic values is the wave energy (AquaBuoy), with results of 756.39 €/MWh (LCOE), −173.52% of IRR, and −581.42 € of NPV.The results depend on the shape and scale parameters of the offshore wind resources, the distance from farm to shore, distance from farm to shipyard, distance from farm to port, the height and the period of waves, and the bathymetry of the location of study. The results indicate the economic feasibility of a farm of floating offshore renewable energy in a particular location.


The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and AAAS/Science are proud to be publishing the first batch of articles in Research, the inaugural Science Partner Journal. Research will publish fundamental research in the life and physical sciences as well as important findings or issues in engineering and applied science. The journal will initially publish original research, reviews, and editorials. Topics of particular interest include, but are not limited to, biology and life sciences, micro- and nano-science, artificial intelligence and information science, new energy studies, mechanical science and engineering, environmental science, emerging materials research, and robotics and advanced manufacturing.The goal of Research is to publish high-quality papers on cutting-edge topics and to establish an international platform for academic exchange, collaboration, and innovation. We expect these published papers to make significant impact in the research community. Outside of the pages of this journal, CAST is also planning to organize an annual international conference on topics relevant to Research, first occurring in China and then moving to other countries in future years. With leading experts invited to be keynote speakers, scientists from all over the world will gather together at this conference to disseminate and exchange their new research achievements. Research, led by Professor Tianhong Cui from the University of Minnesota as the international Editor in Chief, was established together with fifty-five experts from ten countries spread across the disciplines that the journal hopes to cover. The editorial board members are all leading experts in their research domain, including Charles Lieber from Harvard University, John A. Rogers and Yonggang Huang from Northwestern University. The Editor in Chief and the editorial board members will be responsible for a high-quality peer review of submitted articles. A group of four managing editors from CAST in Beijing along with individuals from the AAAS/Science Office of Publishing aid in the daily peer review process, production coordination, and marketing efforts for this new journal.The editorial board ofresearch@cast.org.cn if you would like to learn more about becoming a reviewer or being involved in the editorial board.As the product of international collaboration itself, we know that the success of Research will be the result of the global community of scientists who read, cite, and work with this new journal as authors, editors, and reviewers. We hope that you enjoy reading these articles and future content, and consider submitting your paper to the journal. Please also reach out to the journal's Editorial Office at Tianhong Cui


PLOS ONE policy. This does not alter the authors' adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.There is additional information that needs to be included in the Competing Interests statement. The correct Competing Interests statement is as follows: NG, DJA, PLB, DDH, CN and ASP were employees of the Marine Stewardship Council at the time of this study. TEE, KS, and ADMS were unpaid members of the MSC's Technical Advisory Board. KS was an unpaid member of the MSC’s Board of Trustees. SRV, TAB, JKB, JCD, CC, OD, RH, AEL, RLS, SS, SJT, JTT and NEW did not have direct affiliation with MSC at the time of this study. The groups combined their initially separate but duplicative analyses as part of a National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) working group. KS additionally declares the following roles: Commissioner with the Australian Fishery Management Authority (since 2004), member of the Lenfest Task Force to develop standards for management of fisheries targeted on forage fish species (2008–2012), independent advisor to the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee of the China Fisheries Group (2011–2015), and consultant to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, authoring a 2008 review of fisheries ecolabelling schemes. Funding was received by RH in the five-year period prior to the publication of this article from sources including fishery/seafood corporations and industry groups, as well as environmental groups and foundations Click here for additional data file.


Didelphis marsupialis) are found throughout the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago. The present work was conducted on 10 skulls and mandibles of the common opossum to describe the osteology and foramina of these skulls and mandibles grossly and radiographically. The information that is garnered can be used to detect, diagnose, and treat head affections, as well as for comparative studies with the skulls and mandibles of other similar species. The skulls and mandibles were prepared and cleaned using standard method. All of the characteristic features of various standards views of the skulls bones, including dorsal, lateral, caudal and midsagittal, and the lateral and caudal views of the mandibles as well as the foramina of the skulls and mandibles were described and discussed. Each skull was divided into long facial and short cranial regions. No supraorbital foramen was observed in the skulls. The tympanic bulla was absent while there was the tympanic process of the alisphenoid. The temporal process of the zygomatic bone, zygomatic process of maxilla, and zygomatic process of the squamosal bone formed the zygomatic arch. The dental formula was confirmed. The bones and foramina of the skull and mandible were similar to other marsupial species and were homologue to that of other mammals.Common opossums ( Didelphis marsupialis, Didelphis aurita, Didelphis albiventris, Didelphis pernigra, Didelphis virginiana, and Didelphis imperfecta [D. marsupialis) are found throughout much of Central and South America and the Caribbean. They are characterized by a thick coat of fur, sharp claws, long whiskers, long tail, and black ring around both eyes as well as large black ears. The common opossum has an economic value as it is sold by hunters for meat in Trinidad and Tobago. The animal uses its head for deglutition and olfaction. The head of the animal has the vital organs, such as brain, eyes, ears, teeth, tongue, lips, and nose [D. albiventris) in Brazil [D. Marsupialis) [Marmosa murina [The genus Didelphis has six species of marsupials that are found only in the Americas, which are perfecta . Common and nose . The skuand nose ,4. Moreoand nose . There wn Brazil , in the upialis) , and in a murina . Thus, tThe skulls of ten  adult common opossums were used. The opossums were obtained to use for research purposes in the School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago. The skulls were collected, examined and prepared. The skulls were free from any skeletal deformities. The skulls were cut at the occipitoatlantal joint. The skulls were boiled to remove the skin and muscles then left to dry for two weeks. The skulls were bleached in a sealed container for four days in 3% hydrogen peroxide, and then left to dry for two weeks . The groThe skull of the opossum has an elongated facial region and short basicranial region. The bones and foramina of the two regions are described and documented in different standard views.The bony part of the face is formed by the nasal, lacrimal, and zygomatic  bones in the dorsal and lateral aspects of the skull; premaxilla, maxilla in the dorsal, lateral, and ventral aspects; of the skull and pterygoid, ethmoturbinate, and vomer bones in the ventral aspect of the skull. Moreover, the choanal region and hard palate are seen in the ventral aspect of the skull .The hard palate is formed by the palatine bones as well as the palatine processes of the premaxilla and maxilla. The choanae are located at the terminal part of the hard palate. The midsagittal view of the face region of the skull shows the two halves of the nasal cavity separated from each other and from the cranium by the nasal septum and cribriform plate, respectively . Each haThe nasal bones are paired bones in the nasal cavity roof. Each nasal bone is notched to form the dorsal border of the external osseous nasal aperture rostrally. The nasal bones are attached from cranial to caudal with the premaxillae, maxillae and frontals. Neither cranial nasal notch nor foramina are present in the nasal bones. The premaxillae are paired bones that form the lateral and ventral walls of the nasal cavity. Each premaxilla bone houses the alveoli for the five upper incisors. The premaxilla bones are attached to the nasal bones dorsally and to the maxillae caudally. The maxilla bones form the wall of the snout and hard palate laterally and they house the upper canine, upper three premolars and upper four molars. The maxillae are attached to the premaxillae cranially, and with the nasal, frontal, lacrimal, and zygomatic bones caudally. The lacrimal bones form the cranial rim of the orbit. The zygomatic bones are the principal parts of the zygomatic arches. The zygomatic bones have the frontal processes of zygomatic bones. There are many processes that contribute to the formation of the zygomatic arch, such as the temporal process of the zygomatic bone and the zygomatic process of the maxilla, as well as the zygomatic processes of the squamosal and maxilla bones. The palatine bones are paired in the palate and orbit. They have a horizontal process and perpendicular processes that contribute to the hard palate, as well as the orbit and choanae, respectively. The pterygoid bones form the lateral wall and roof of the nasopharyngeal passage. The vomer bone is a thin elongated bone, which contributes to the nasal cavity cranially and articulates with the presphenoid, maxilla and premaxilla bones .The foramina of the facial region  of the sThe bony part of the basicranial region of the skull of the common opossum consists of the frontal and parietal bones in the dorsal and lateral aspects of the skull; the squamosal and external sagittal crest in the dorsal aspect of the skull; the sphenoid bones, temporal, and pterygopalatine fossae in the lateral aspect of the skull; the nuchal crest, occipital condyles, and jugular processes in the caudal aspect of the skull and the base of the cranium, occipital, alisphenoid with its tympanic process, basioccipital; presphenoid, squamosal and petrosal bones, prearticular process, retroarticular process, and mandibular fossa in the ventral aspect of the skull. The midsagittal view of the bsicranial region of the skull shows the cranial cavity which has rostral cranial, middle cranial and caudal cranial fossae. The zygomatic arch is seen clearly in the lateral aspect of the skull .The frontal bone forms the roof of the skull and contributes to the orbital and temporal fossae medially. Cranially, the frontals attaches to the nasals at a roughly V-shaped suture and with the maxilla and the lacrimal by a narrow connection. The frontal bone has a zygomatic process. The parietal bones form the bulk of the roof of the skull caudally, and contributed to the caudal side wall of the braincase. The presphenoid bone is a single bone in the nasopharyngeal passage roof and it contributed to the nasal septum. It contacts with the palatine, pterygoid, and basisphenoid bones. The basisphenoid bone is a single bone occupying the midline of the brain stem and is situated between the presphenoid and basioccipital bones. The basioccipital bone is a single bone that is situated between the petrosal and foramen magnum and it forms the base of the skull. The alisphenoid bone is found on either side of the basisphenoid and fuses with it and it contributes to the base of the skull and side wall of the braincase. The squamosal bone contributes to the braincase, zygomatic arch, and glenoid fossa. The temporomandibular joint is found between the glenoid fossa of the skull and the coronoid process of the mandible. The rostral cranial fossa is situated caudal to the cribriform plate. The bony orbit is formed by the frontal, lacrimal bone, zygomatic bone, maxillary bone, palatine bone, and squamosal bone as well as the basisphenoid and alisphenoid of the sphenoid bone. The dental formula of the ten common opossums is 50 teeth; Incisor (I) 5/4, Canines (C) 1/1, Premolars (Pm) 3/3, Molars (M) 4/4 × 2 = 50 .The foramina of the cranial region of the skull of the opossum are the external acoustic meatus, the carotic canal, the minor palatine foramen, the stylomastoid foramen, the sphenorbital fissure, the foramen ovale, the foramen rotundum, the jugular foramen, the hypoglossal canal, the transverse canal foramen, the internal acoustic meatus, and the foramen magnum, as well as the rostral and the caudal foramina that formed the pterygoid canal .The mandible is the largest bone of the skull. The left and right mandibles are fused rostrally at the mandibular symphysis, a fibrocartilaginous joint. Each one consists of a body and a ramus. The ramus of the mandible has the coronoid, condylar, and angular processes, as well as the masseteric fossa on its lateral surface. The coronoid process is the largest process of the three processes and it forms the dorsal part of the ramus and extends outward and upward. The condylar process articulates with the skull forming the temporomandibular joint. The angular process is medially directed. The mandible houses the dental alveoli for four incisors, a canine, three premolars, and four molars. There are mandibular foramina on the two rami of the mandible, near the angular processes, while the two mental foramina are present on each side of the body of the mandible laterally .Marmosa murina are described [There is not much available literature reporting on the osteological description of the skull of the common opossum from the Caribbean. However, the skull of the white-eared opossum in South America, the short-tailed opossum, and the marsupial escribed ,7,8, resescribed ,12.Marmosa murina [Mustela putoris furo), in the porcupine (Hystrix cristata), and in the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), respectively [The bones of the skull of the male and female common opossum are identical and are similar to that of the white-eared opossum, the short-tailed opossum, and the marsupial a murina ,7,8, resa murina . On the ectively ,14,15,16Marmosa murina [The present results as well as that in the white-eared opossum , in the a murina , and in a murina  stated ta murina ,16.Lutra lutra), in the badger, and in the marten skull [Equius asinus) and the sheep [Monodelphis brevicaudata) [The supraorbital foramen is absent in the skull of the common opossum; a similar result is noticed in the white-eared opossum, in the raccoon, in the otter (en skull ,17,18,19he sheep ,21. HoweMarmosa murina [Similar to the observations in the dog , in the a murina , and in a murina ,22. The The external sagittal crest on the dorsal aspect of the skull of the common opossum is prominent; similar result is recorded in the white-eared opossum , in the Marmosa murina [The zygomatic arch of the common opossum is formed by the temporal process of the zygomatic bone as well as the zygomatic processes of the maxilla and squamosal bones; similar result is noticed in the white-eared opossum , in the a murina , while ta murina . Howevera murina . Moreovea murina .Marmosa murina [The tympanic bulla is absent in the common opossum while there is the tympanic process of the alisphenoid; similar result is observed in the short-tailed opossum  and in ta murina , while ta murina . Meanwhia murina ,19, in ta murina , and in a murina . The ossa murina .The bony part of the hard palate in the common opossum is similar to that in the dog  and in tMarmosa murina [Concerning the nasal septum, the present study reveals that the nasal cavity of the common opossum is divided into right and left halves by the nasal septum, which is cartilaginous in its rostral third and osseous in its caudal two thirds. Similar findings are noticed in the short-tailed opossum , in the a murina , and in a murina ,23.Marmosa murina [The present investigation records that the dental formula in the common opossum corresponds to that of the other opossum such as the white-eared opossum , and thea murina , but it a murina .Marmosa murina [Most of the foramina in the skull of the common opossum are similar with those that are described in the white-eared opossum , in the a murina . Moreovea murina ,7. The ma murina .Marmosa murina [The bones of the cranium of the common opossum are the ethmoid, parietal, sphenoid, frontal and squamosal bones. Similar result is observed in in the white-eared opossum , in the a murina , and in a murina .Marmosa murina [The mandible is the largest bone of the skull of the common opossum; similar result is noticed in the white-eared opossum , in the a murina , and in a murina . Furthera murina  and in ta murina .Knowledge of the detailed description of the osteology and the foramina of the skull and mandible will help the veterinary surgeons and radiologist in the diagnosis and treatment of the head affections of the common opossum, especially since some people in Trinidad started to rear this animal for meat production .The bones and foramina of the skull and mandible of the common opossum were described via the dorsal, ventral, and lateral views, as well as sagittal section of the skull and lateral and caudal views of the mandible. The present study revealed that there was no significant difference between the osteology and foramina of the skull and mandible of the common opossum from the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago when compared with those described in other marsupials and/or other mammals. Moreover, this study can lead to future functional and comparative anatomical and radiological studies


The concepts of frailty and precarity circulate in social gerontology and studies of aging, with the former a dominant construct, and the latter emerging as a way of linking experiences, insecurities and risks. Although these concepts are used inter-changeably by some authors, their roots, key areas of focus and meanings differ. This paper considers the state of knowledge on frailty, and sets this against the uses of precarity. A After outlining a recent scoping review on precarity that revealed a high number of articles cross-referencing concepts of frailty and vulnerability. the paper distinguishes key aspects of frailty, vulnerability, and precarity. Situating qualitative experiences of each serves as a means to further explore similarities and differences. The paper concludes with reflections on what (if anything) each of these allied concepts may offer understandings of late life, and in particular, the study of disadvantage across the life course and into late life.


Pseudomonas, may contribute to spoilage by the production of histamines in fish tissue.The results of numerous studies indicate that fish possess bacterial populations on or in their skin, gills, digestive tract, and light-emitting organs. In addition, the internal organs  of healthy fish may contain bacteria, but there is debate on whether or not muscle is actually sterile. The numbers and taxonomic composition of the bacterial populations often reflect those of the surrounding water. The role of the bacteria includes the ability to degrade complex molecules , to produce vitamins and polymers, and to be responsible for the emission of light by the light-emitting organs of deep-sea fish. Taxa, including


The addition of video game-like elements to non-game activities, known as gamification, holds promise with respect to encouraging engagement with, and adherence to, health behaviors and healthcare interventions. Elements of gamification include the introduction of points systems, leaderboards, achievement badges, stories and themes, rewards, progress tracking, and challenges. However, a lack of enthusiasm for, and experience with, video game play by older adults has important implications for the effectiveness of these techniques across the lifespan. Specifically, the age-related “digital divide” must be considered before applying these approaches to improving the wellbeing, cognition, and health of older adults. This talk will build on the body of research conducted by the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) focused on gaming and interventions to present best practice guidelines for implementing gamification with older adults.


Lubricating oils used in machines with an open cutting system, such as a saw or harvester, are applied in forest areas, gardening, in the household, and in urban greenery. During the operation of the device with an open cutting system, the lubricating oil is emitted into the environment. Therefore, the use of an oil base and refining additives of petroleum origin in the content of lubricants is associated with a negative impact on health and the environment. The current legal regulations concerning lubricants applicable in the European Union (EU) assess the degree of biodegradability. Legislation permits the use of biodegradable oils at 60% for a period of 28 days. This means that, in practice, lubricating oil considered to be biodegradable can contain up to 50% of the so-called petroleum oil base. The paper aims to draw public attention to the need to reduce the toxicity and harmful effects, due to their composition, of lubricating oils emitted into the environment on health. The authors discuss the impact of petroleum oil lubricants on soils, groundwater, vegetation, and animals, and the impact of petroleum-origin oil mist on health. An overview of test methods for the biodegradability of lubricating oils is presented, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 301 A–F, 310, and 302 A–D tests, as well as their standard equivalents. The current legal regulations regarding the use and control of lubricating oils emitted into the environment are discussed. Legal provisions are divided according to their area of application. Key issues regarding the biodegradability and toxicity of petroleum fractions in lubricating oils are also addressed. It is concluded that lubricating oils, emitted or potentially emitted into the environment, should contain only biodegradable ingredients in order to eliminate the negative impact on both the environment and health. Total biodegradability should be confirmed by widely applied tests. Therefore, a need to develop and implement low-cost and simple control procedures for each type of lubricating oil, ensuring the possibility of an indisputable conclusion about the presence and total absence of petroleum-derived components in oil, as well as the content of natural ingredients, occurs. Lubricating oil is considered as a fluid structural element of machines and devices. Its main task is to create a layer in the form of a microfilm between the moving elements of the device. Due to the specific properties, lubricating oil during operation can fulfill many functions, such as minimization of friction, elimination of scuffing of rubbing machine elements, washing of carbon deposits and micro particles, anti-corrosion, cooling, and other effects. Both environmental and application properties must be supported when the lubricants content is designed. Therefore, it must be characterized not only by an accurate biodegradability rate , but alsThe role of additives is to improve the quality of the lubricating oil. They are often products of an expensive organic synthesis process. As a rule, refining additives are synthetic, organic, or metal-organic chemicals, sometimes products of chemical processing of natural raw materials. The main types of additives are oxidation inhibitors, rheology modifiers, depressants, detergents and dispersants, de-emulsifiers and emulsifiers, lubricants, anti-wear, anti-seize agents, friction modifiers, corrosion and rust inhibitors, passivators, anti-foaming agents, dyes, fragrances, and multifunctional additives. The share of additives in the lubricating oil may range from a few ppm to several percent ,5,6. CurMost of the base oils used for the production of lubricating oils are produced during crude oil processing. This was due to the fact that these oils were characterized by a much lower cost than synthetic or natural base oils ,9. Oils Technological progress and the production trends of modern equipment and machines correspond with a constant increase in the improvements of energy efficiency and consumption. Due to the need to increase the efficiency of machines, there is an increase in demand for more efficient lubricants. Lubricating oils containing a synthetic oil base have been designed to maximize grease performance and bring measurable performance and economic benefits . SynthetSynthetic oils are produced in the processes of the synthesis of petrochemical industry raw materials or in the hydro catalytic process of hydrocarbon backbone conversion from natural gas . In the An increase in interest in the assessment of the impact of lubricating oils on the environment and health motivates research centers and industry to create new technologies for the production of fully biodegradable, lubricating oils of natural origin ,15. ThisDevices with an open cutting system, such as chainsaws and harvesters, are widely used in forest services, but also in households, in urban greenery, and during road works. Lubricating oils used in this type of equipment are emitted into the environment in the form of oil mist and micro droplets. The droplets cover and penetrate soils, ground waters, and may cause a strong effect on the ecosystem . TherefoLubricating oil is emitted into the environment in the form of oil mist and micro drops, posing a major threat to the environment. Strength and effects of interactions of oil derivatives are closely related to the composition, emission volume and frequency in a given area, and properties of a device with an open cutting system ,22. The The film of petroleum substance on the water tank mirror may cause disturbances in the oxygen–gas exchange between the water and the atmosphere, but may also reduce the access of light to the depth of the tank. These limitations may lead to changes in the functioning and metabolic disturbances of aquatic organisms and, as a consequence, to the formation of an oxygen starvation area in the bottom parts of the reservoir, which may lead to ecosystem disorder. Reduction of the photosynthesis process, and increase of the water temperature by absorbing solar radiation, may threaten the proper development of aquatic plants and lead to the eutrophication of the reservoir . EutrophOil pollution also causes serious damage to soils, due to the multistep physicochemical processes leading to a change in the forms and distribution of organic matter, in the range of carbon, water, nitrogen, and phosphorus. As soil is an environment for a variety of microorganisms and higher living organisms, its contamination with petroleum-based lubricants becomes hazardous and a detrimental effect on biological life may occur. The proper functioning of the ecosystem may be disturbed. Mineral oil can clog pores in the soil, resulting in reduced aeration and water infiltration. The presence of petroleum compounds may reduce or limit the permeability of soils, and, consequently, cause the degradation of soils due to oxygen deficit ,25.Eco-toxicity, incomplete biodegradability, and highly probable carcinogenicity of base oils derived from crude oil is an object of public debate regarding long-term health effects of oil application and emission . The rouThe saw chain operator, through the nature of his work, especially in long-term work, such as logging, stays in an environment with a high level of contamination of toxic substances. The oil mist may contain aromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), but also benzene, toluene, or methylbenzene, which a negative influence on the respiratory and nervous systems of the device operator. As shown by research, typical complaints reported after the work of the device operators, are irritations of the eyes and upper respiratory tract, headaches, and fatigue ,28. PetrIn addition, most of the petroleum components are slowly degraded and at the same time subjected to unavoidable interactions with environmental components. Derived products are transformed due to chemical reactions under the influence of sunlight, with reactions with oxygen from the air, as well as with water and soil components. The newly-formed secondary chemicals are mostly much more eco-toxic and often more harmful to health than the original chemical forms. It is estimated that derivatives formed as a result of bioconversion of substances emitted into the environment may also be more harmful than their original precursors ,29. The Estimation of environmental costs is a necessary step for a full economic analysis of the use of wood resources, because it is associated with the introduction of pollutants into the environment, as well as with the use of energy. Environmental costs are a general concept for various costs related to environmental protection and environmental impact. In practice, they are recognized in the calculation of the operating costs of enterprises in a piecemeal manner or are included in aggregate items. So far, harmonized standards have not been developed in terms of measurement principles, documentation, records, and settlement of environmental expenditure in the enterprise. Reporting obligations of entrepreneurs, covering environmental protection, are regulated by numerous legal acts. With regard to environmental costs, there is no comprehensive research specifying their amount and structure in the entire national economy. The Central Statistical Office (Poland) conducts only periodic and fragmentary surveys in this respect, based on data provided by a small number of enterprises. The process of environmental protection includes the use of environmental resources, prevention of threats (preventive activities), limiting the emission of threats (reduction activity), repairing damage (restitution), and managing this activity. Actions for environmental protection require consumption of material and financial resources, labor resources, and use of external services, as a result of which appropriate material and financial results are generated. Resource consumption can be quantitatively measured  . With reCurrently, wood and wood-based materials have about 30,000 applications. They are used in construction, mining, and power engineering, for the production of agricultural and industrial machines, musical instruments, floors, furniture, plates, paper, tools, packaging, sports equipment, toys, and office supplies. The size of the harvested timber is determined by the forest management plan, which is prepared for each forest inspectorate for a period of 10 years. This allows the timber to be harvested within the limits of the production capacity of a given forest.Harvested wood is the basic source of all wood and its acquisition and processing has a noticeable impact on the environment. Wood market leaders are located first of all in Asia, followed by Africa and Europe. Global powers in obtaining wood due to the largest forest area  are Russia, Brazil, Canada, USA, and China. As Europe is considered, Sweden, Germany, France, and Finland have the highest potential to acquire timber. In Europe, the basic legal requirements for forestry operations are compliance with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) systems .3 [3 of wood, while a harvester needs less than half the lubricating oil . Assuming that, on average, 1 m3 of secondary oil needs 0.03 L of lubricating oil, this would mean that 117,576,000 L of oil are emitted into the environment annually  . The cosOil spills pollute the soil and water. Governments, in cooperation with industry, develop standards, regulations, and procedures to reduce the risk of accidents and leaks. However, in the case of streams introduced into the environment in the form of oil mist, such limitations are physically impossible, hence the need to introduce legal regulations regarding the composition of the indicated oils. Legal regulations, in the case of emissions to the environment, should allow application of eco-friendly, completely biodegradable, and harmless  lubricants, preferably of natural origin (based on vegetable oils). Lubricating oils should not; however, contain even small amounts of petroleum components, because they have a negative impact on the environment and health. Some countries are aware of the existing problem. In Germany and Scandinavia, there are about 80 brands of lubricants produced on the basis of vegetable oils. In Austria, all mineral oil-based chainsaw oils are prohibited .In Poland, the Decision of the General Director of Polish National Forests no. 148 (October 2018) regarding access to uniform document templates for forestry services ordering in forest management at the State Forests organizational units, determines that “the contractor is obliged to equip all machines, tractors, and equipment working on forest surfaces with appropriate sets  for absorbing spilled fuel or oil and other process fluids used in machines, tractors, chainsaws, and other devices working in the forest and using these resources in situations requiring application  to prevent environmental contamination. It is allowed to have and use of canisters with safe tips (dispensers), preventing spilling (overflow) of oil and fuel mixture during refueling of the saw (substitute for fuel and oil absorbing mats)” . In 2017The Coordinating European Council (CEC) has established a methodology for biodegradation tests. Current methods of testing lubricating oils, emitted into the environments, include recommendations for their biodegradability using standard tests. The European Commission Regulation (EC) No. 440/2008 of 30 May 2008, which contains methodologies for biodegradability assessment with the use of tests developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OECD 301 A–F), is in force in the European Union, establishing methods in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)  A–F, is . OECD 30The regulations enforced in Poland, as well as in many other countries of the European Union, apart from Scandinavia, allow some of the oils on the market to contain up to approximately 50% of the mineral oil base and still be considered as biodegradable, according to the Decision of the European Commission of 24 June 2011, regarding the award of the ecological label in the European Union to oils and lubricants. Still, commercially available lubricating oils containing up to 50% of petroleum-based components are referred to as biodegradable, which can be misleading for the user deciding to buy them. Thus, an unaware exposure occurs regarding health and the environment . It shouLubricants that enter the environment or which are subjected to emissions to the environment, must meet the biodegradability criteria developed by OECD in 301 A–F tests, which determine the potential biodegradability and properties of oil . Biodegr2, up to a depth of 10 m contaminated with cable insulation oil [The assessment of the biodegradability of lubricants is not straightforward, because they are practically insoluble in water. In addition, the composition of the lubricating oil is varied, depending on the components and the set of refining additives; therefore, it is also necessary to select the appropriate test for the assessment of biodegradability and the use of an appropriate method of sample preparation . Due to tion oil .Bacillus have an impressive biodegradability, using crude oil as the sole source of carbon and energy even in harsh environmental conditions [A similar study to show the potential of bioremediation of contaminated soils was carried out in Boucherville, Quebec, where a leakage of transformer oil was recorded . Accordinditions . Certainnditions . Surfactnditions .2). One needs to consider, that the day on which 10% of the substance volume is biodegraded should not be longer than 10 days [According to the methods included in the legal regulations, it should be checked whether the substance is prone to rapid biodegradation. OECD 301 A–F tests as well as OECD 310 tests are used to assess rapid biodegradation. Tests are performed over a period of 28 days, using stricter conditions, including low concentrations of inadvertent inoculum pre-conditioned to the test substance. When a substance undergoes a high level of biodegradability, it should be considered that it will degrade in the environment in a short time. However, if the substance is not prone to rapid biodegradation, it should be subjected to further testing. OECD 302 A–C tests are used to assess potential biodegradability, which aims to assess the potential biochemical distribution expressed in percent and thus predict the rate of disappearance of the test substance in the environment. For more information on the degradation rate of the substance in the environment, OECD 303 A and B tests are recommended. The 301 and 310 series tests allow you to track the rate of biodegradation and determine if the substance is easily biodegradable. The substance is considered to be biodegradable if it reaches the required biodegradation level of 70% within 28 days (in the case of determining the loss of dissolved organic carbon (DOC/TOC). The substance may also be considered as biodegradable if it reaches the level of biodegradation to at least 60%  or produced CO 10 days ,39,41.Oil meeting the requirements of the OECD 301 B test should be biodegradable under test conditions above 60% for 28 days. It is assumed then that the total distribution of the remaining part of the analyte will take place. Research results indicate that this assumption is valid only for synthetic and natural oils. On the other hand, most of the components derived from crude oil are slowly degraded and, at the same time, undergoes various chemical reactions . TherefoIn relation to the physicochemical properties of mineral oils, these substances are strongly hydrophobic and slightly reactive. As organic substances that do not enter the metabolic pathways, oils and solvents produced on the basis of mineral oils are excreted intact with feces and to some extent in the urine. However, there are reports of a small absorption of this type of compound in the small intestine . In 1966The complexity of the mineral oil-based hydrocarbon structure precludes identification of toxicological hazards based on the properties of a single substance. Toxic kinetics in living organisms, is concluded on the basis of literature reports . The oraThe debate on the toxicity of mineral substances accumulating in living organisms mainly concern those substances that are taken in food. It is also known that paraffins contained in cosmetics and ointments are transferred to human milk through the skin of the breast. The mother passes about 1% of the mineral paraffins accumulated in her body to the child . It shouIt is worth paying attention to the problem of emission of lubricating oils produced from crude oil to the environment. Some literature sources state that every year, during forestry work using chainsaws, as much as 7 million liters of various types of mineral oils enter the soil . Since tThe legal regulations regarding lubricants need to specify the speed and biodegradability potential of lubricants. Unfortunately, current methodologies do not report 100% biodegradability of the substance and the methods of biodegradability assessment are time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, there is a need to develop and implement low-cost and simple control procedures for each type of lubricating oil, ensuring the possibility of an indisputable conclusion about the presence and total absence of petroleum-derived components in oil, as well as the content of natural ingredients.Moreover, legal regulations should require the use of only fully and easily biodegradable lubricating oils, especially those emitted into the environment. Bio-lubricants have emerged as a potential and viable way to replace, totally or partially, mineral oils due to their effectiveness in the boundary lubrication regime for different applications, including devices that work with an open system, such as a cutting saw or harvester .


Most NH3 emissions in the Czech Republic are produced during the breeding of cattle, pigs, and poultry; therefore, determinating emission factors for these kinds of animals by studying their total number, type of breeding, and subsequent disposal of manure is the solution to the problem of NH3 emissions quantification. This paper summarizes the results of 4 years of research in this area, determining the emission factors and ways of decreasing emissions from the breeding of cattle, pigs, and poultry.The exact quantification of ammonia (NH


The authors wish to correct the affiliation of co-author Ali Mazin Abdul-Munaim, due to name changes of which he was unaware during his leave of absence. The correct affiliation is Department of Agricultural Machines and Equipment, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq. The authors would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused to the readers by these changes.


Late life depression is an important public health problem, which associates with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including fluoxetine, are often prescribed to treat geriatric depression. There is increasing evidence that fluoxetine and other SSRIs exert a wide range of cardiovascular side effects. Furthermore, there is evidence that aging may increase plasma level of SSRIs. In this overview, the potential role of side effects of treatment with fluoxetine and other SSRIs in the pathogenesis of age-related cardiovascular diseases, including atherogenesis, cardiac pathologies, and cerebromicrovascular impairment, is discussed. Major depression occurs in 1% to 3% of older adults and an additional 8% to 16% of elderly patients present with clinically significant depressive symptoms . The proIn this overview, the potential vascular side effects of treatment with fluoxetine and other SSRIs in geriatric patients are considered in terms of both the potential proatherogenic effects of the drug and its ability to impair vascular autoregulatory mechanisms  and other SSRIs, there are relatively few published data characterizing age-related changes in pharmacokinetics of fluoxetine and other SSRIs in older patients.Fluoxetine is well absorbed after oral intake, but it is extensively affected by first-pass metabolism in the liver . Its actThe extent of absorption of other SSRIs, including paroxetine, sertraline, and citalopram, from the gastrointestinal tract is generally good . FollowiThe metabolism of paroxetine, citalopram, and sertraline is impaired in older adults. Steady-state plasma concentrations in the elderly are about twice those measured in younger subjects, and the half-life of paroxetine is twice as long in older adults as in younger individuals . The ste2+ channels, as well as other ion channels , the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology , the National Institute on Aging , the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , the Oklahoma Shared Clinical and Translational Resources (OSCTR) program funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences , the Presbyterian Health Foundation . The authors acknowledge the support from the NIA-funded Geroscience Training Program in Oklahoma (T32AG052363).The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


According to the notice,up to 136 projects will be contemplated throughout Brazil with initiatives focused onHealth Care Networks, with emphasis on strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC). Theworking groups will be composed of professors, students, and workers from the varioushealth areas who, in a two-year period, will collaborate to implement IPE throughout thenational territory, consolidating it as a macropolitical strategy.–4.The CP in health will only be possible if it is based on IPE strategies, in whichstudents learn about, how, and with each other's work, from an understanding of common,specific, and collaborative practices that are articulated and enable, in an intentionalway, the development of skills for collaborative teamwork.In the last decade, the adoption of more active methodological strategies and curricularchanges have enabled changes in the training and health practices that are relevant tothe dynamics of professionals' education. However, even in the face of scientificevidence of significant gains, there is still an incoherence between training and theneeds required by the health system for teamworkThus, the adoption of policies that strengthen IPE may bring transformations to healthpractices, especially in the integration and collaboration among professionals, focusingon the health needs of users and the population, ensuring greater safety of care,reduction of errors by health professionals and costs in the health system. This maycontribute to a strong SUS, capable of providing answers to the problems and healthneeds of the Brazilian population.


The United States is the only major nation to not yet have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Recently, there has been an erosion of the rights of children across America, Europe, and elsewhere, but through science, we may have an opportunity to counter some of this alarming trend. In the area of vaccines, the scientific community can raise its voice on the dangers that nonmedical exemptions and delays pose to children at risk for measles, influenza, and other childhood illnesses. Poverty places infants and children at high risk for illness and homelessness. Gun violence and gun-related accidents are killing on average four American children daily, and climate change is promoting global pediatric malnutrition. Increasing international, federal, and state support to seek innovative solutions to these and related issues is a moral imperative. In this Perspective article, Peter Hotez and Arthur Caplan argue that scientists can have important and new roles in limiting recent declines in the rights of children across America (and in some European countries), especially in the areas of child poverty, low vaccination rates, gun violence, and disease and malnutrition due to climate change. In 1989, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), a treaty recognizing human rights for the world’s children .Beyond failing to ratify a treaty, the rights of children in the US (as well as in Europe) are increasingly being violated due to a rise in intolerant ideologies and ignorance of basic scientific and medical facts. Here, we highlight several key examples in which we feel that children are being unnecessarily placed in harm’s way due to failure to heed established scientific evidence in lieu of ideological or personal beliefs .Promoting vaccine accessAlleviating child povertyTreating and curing neglected diseasesPromoting resilience to climate changeStopping gun violenceTens of thousands of children in the US and in Europe are currently denied the right to be vaccinated against deadly pediatric infectious diseases such as measles, pertussis (whooping cough), and other conditions . BecauseThe latest information indicates that the consequences of vaccine exemptions have been dire, with 14,000 measles cases in Europe between April 2017 and March 2018, mostly in Italy, Romania, and Greece and mostly among those who had not been vaccinated . More thIn 2018, Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty, delivered his report on America to the UN Human Rights Council, based on his fact-finding mission to the US the previous December [Child poverty is intimately connected with illness. Thus, the US infant mortality rate is approximately 50% higher than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average , and thePromoting resilience to the devastation resulting from climate change and global warming must also become an essential component of protecting the health of children. According to UNICEF, the nutritional and health stress of a massive drought in East Africa now jeopardizes the lives of 16 million people . In EthiThe statistics are largely self-explanatory. More than 25,000 American children were killed through gun violence between the years 1999 and 2016, including almost 200 infants, 200 one-year-olds, and almost 300 three-year-olds . Today, There is a growing abandonment of the human rights of children across America and in Europe. Through science, we may have an opportunity to combat this alarming trend. In the area of vaccines, the scientific community must raise its voice on the dangers that vaccine exemptions pose to children at risk for measles, influenza, human papilloma virus (HPV), and other childhood illnesses while refuting false claims that vaccines can cause autism or are unsafe. Similarly, child poverty places infants and children at high risk for emerging and neglected diseases, gun violence is killing on average four American children daily, and climate change is trapping a generation of children in a cycle of malnutrition and long-term health consequences. For each, there is a dearth of international, federal, state, and private support of research to seek innovative solutions and dissemination of findings for these and related issues. The scientific community must bring its enormous expertise to promoting the rights of children and protect them from poverty, illness, and violence. As part of this obligation, it should urge the US Congress to ratify the UNCRC.


To review, in the literature, information regarding changes in the sensory systems of mouth breathers.  The search was conducted in the following databases PubMed, BIREME, LILACS, Web of Science and Scopus. The search was independently carried out by two researchers, following the selection criteria. Original articles that approached mouth breathing and changes in sensory systems published in Portuguese, English and Spanish were published. Literature review of articles, dissertations, book chapters, case studies and editorials were excluded.  We found 719 articles. Among them, 663 were excluded by the title and 22 by the summary. Among the 34 analyzed manuscripts, 23 were repeated and 8 were excluded by reading the full text. Thus, 3 articles were selected for this review.  Most studies presents the occurrence of changes in sensory systems in mouth breathing children. However, sensory reception is a matter of more concern. Besides, the evaluation of sensory systems was not standardized, which may have led to less precise results in the studied population. This organization and modulation allow the human being to select the relevant information and respond adequately to the environment, which enables the realization of daily tasks.,,,,,,In Brazil, it is common to see mouth breathing in children at school age.Therefore, considering breathing as a vital function to individuals and the damages caused by changes in the respiratory method, including the modulation of the information received by the environment, this study aimed at searching for evidence in the literature about the changes in sensory systems presented by mouth breathers. The objective of this study was to search, in the literature, systematically, for studies presenting the possible changes of sensory systems of children who breathe through their mouths.For this review, the bibliographic research was based on the questions “Do mouth breathers present changes in sensory systems?”, and “How is the processing of sensory information in mouth breathers?”, which were based on the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) model, used in the Practice-Based-Evidence (PBE) and recommended for systematic reviews.The systematic reviews are based on clear questions, using systematized and explicit methods aiming at identifying, selecting and critically assessing relevant studies. In this sense, the choice was to use the PRISMA recommendation, a checklist with 27 items and 1 flowchart aiming at assisting authors to improve the quality of their systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Since the studies analyzed presented different characteristics  and ">3,A search was conducted in the platforms PubMed and BIREME, and in the data bases MEDLINE, LILACS, Web of Science and Scopus, from January to February 2017. We used descriptors for the study (DECs and MeSH) - keywords to recover the subjects in the literature - and free terms (FT) - terms not found in DECs and MeSH, but relevant for the study. The crossings of these descriptors were carried out in English, Portuguese and Spanish as follows: Mouth Breathing (MeSH/DECs) AND Sensory Changes (FT) OR Sensation Disorder (MeSH/DECs) OR Somatosensory Disorder (MeSH/DECs) OR Smell Disordersn (MeSH/DECs) OR Smell (MeSH/DECs) OR Touch Perception (MeSH/DECs) OR Touch (MeSH/DECs) OR Labyrinth Vestibule (MeSH/DECs) OR Proprioception (MeSH/DECs) OR Visual changes (MeSH/DECs) OR Vision (MeSH/DECs) OR Taste Changes (MeSH/DECs) OR Taste (MeSH/DECs) OR Hearing Disorders (MeSH/DECs) OR Hearing (MeSH/DECs) OR Sensory Processing (FT).As inclusion criteria, original articles approaching MB and changes in sensory systems were selected, focusing on the processing of the received information. The manuscripts were published in Portuguese, English and Spanish. The literature review articles, dissertations, book chapters, case studies and editorials were excluded, as well as those that did not present in the title, abstract or text the subject approached in this review. Manuscripts that did not specifically report the changes occurred in the sensory systems were also excluded.The articles were selected based on the use of descriptors and FT defined, and the identification was carried out in three steps, as follows:Step 1: reading of the titles of the studies found, and exclusion of those that did not meet any of the inclusion criteria of this study;Step 2: reading of the abstracts of the studies selected in step 1, and exclusion of those that did not meet the inclusion criteria;Step 3: full reading of all studies left from the previous steps, and selection of those which met the inclusion criteria, using a protocol created for this purpose.It is worth to mention that studies repeated in the different databases were only excluded after the full reading, preventing errors in the exclusions.The articles that met all selection criteria and that enabled responses to the questions in this review were selected. The articles were assessed according to the critical review form for quantitative studies,The data of these articles were analyzed in detail through a protocol form created for this study. There, the following aspects were observed: author, year, location, population/sample, assessed sensory system, evaluation used, objective of the study, and main results.The presentation of data considered the relevant points in each article using tables and figures, in order to observe and understand them during the presentation of results and discussion.Seven-hundred and nineteen (719) articles were found after the search for the descriptors and FT. Of these, 104 were found in PubMed; 145 in BIREME; 57 in LILACS; 145 in Web of Science; and 268 in Scopus. According to the eligibility criteria, three articles were selected for this review, according to ,,,,The analyzed articles were published in the past eight years, since there were no studies found in the past six years. Besides, they were all carried out in Brazil, in two different regions (South and Southeast). These factors may be related to the use of the descriptors “mouth/oral breathing” for the collection of articles, and may possibly show the choice of Brazilian authors for defining MB no longer as a symptom of changes in the respiratory system, but as a set of clinical symptoms with varied etiology.,,,,,,,,,The sample was another relevant aspect in the manuscripts, ranging between 97 and 109 individuals. ,Another important factor is the relationship of causes of MB, such as early weaning, prolonged use of baby bottles and pacifiers, besides obstructive sleep disorders, very common in this population.,,,Regarding the sensory systems presented, the studies approached the auditory  and ">3,,,,Among the presented systems, the hearing one, despite not assessed in all articles, shows strong relationship with MB, due to the prevalence of chronic otitis as a consequence of the poor functioning of the auditory tube.,In spite of the close relationship between smell and taste, due to the excitement of taste receptors caused by the influence of smell, and the probable reduction of the latter because of MB,,The article by Roggia et al.,,Referring to the assessment instruments used in the studies, it was possible to observe the lack of standardization, that is, different types of evaluation were used for the same senses  and ">3.,,,Even presenting the evaluation of the sensory systems, the objectives of the study are not addressed to evaluating the processing of sensory information or the relationship with the adaptive response to the environment  and ">3.,,Since sensory processing is in charge of organizing and modulating the information received by the senses, and plays an important executive role, the study of such processing and the adaptive responses given to the environment may justify many of the changes found in mouth breathers, such as lack of concentration, posture and gait changes, as well as differences in social relationship.,,Despite the little relationship with the processing of sensory information, all results presented sensory changes in mouth breathing children, even when not associated with the consequences for the performance of the activities and the quality of life of these individuals  and ">3..The study by Correia et al,,,These findings encourage the need for further studies addressed to the relation of these sensory changes at a central level and the responses to the environment using the processing and perception of sensations. These studies could provide explanations for the behaviors found among mouth breathers, which influence the performance of their activities, and consequently, their quality of life.Therefore, the execution of studies that can deepen the knowledge about the relationship between sensory systems and the behavior of mouth breathing children is suggested, especially concerning the processing of sensory information, the integration of systems and the adaptive responses. Besides, it is important to prioritize the use of instruments that assess these points in a systematic and standardized manner, generating more accurate results.In this review, most studies showed the occurrence of changes in sensory systems among mouth breathing children. Despite these confirmations, there is greater concern in the evaluation of sensory reception, and not in the processing of information. Besides, most studies evaluated the sensory systems in a non-standardized manner, which may have led to less accurate results in the studied population.The review in question showed the need to acquire more knowledge, in order to establish and standardize evaluation instruments for the sensory systems, since this study observed the lack of standardization of these instruments and a great variety in methodology, therefore reducing the reliability of the results.Reaching this evaluation specificity will bring a more reliable diagnosis, and therapeutic planning based on scientific and reliable evidence, considering the relevance of the sensory systems for the performance of daily activities, and, consequently, for the quality of life.


Global aging has proceeded at an unprecedented and accelerating rate. The aging of the population creates both opportunities and challenges for elders, their families, and society in general. Importantly, there is substantial variation in the effects of and response to global aging both within and across nations depending, in part, on prevailing cultural expectations and values, political and economic imperatives, and social and demographic characteristics. Thus, while some regions and countries have responded with innovative policies and programs to better enable the growing cohort of older adults to remain active and engaged in the community, other regions and countries have struggled with their response or barely begun to plan for the rising population of elders. This symposium assembles editors at five leading gerontological journals to demonstrate the role that peer-reviewed scholarship can play in disseminating knowledge that informs gerontological research, policy, and practice internationally. Editors include: Jeffrey Burr, PhD, Research on Aging; Deborah Carr, PhD, Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences; Edward Alan Miller, PhD, Journal of Aging & Social Policy; Julie Hicks Patrick, PhD, International Journal of Aging & Human Development; and Julie Robison, PhD, The Journal of Applied Gerontology. Each presenter will review the scope, content, and focus of their journals and the role and opportunities for international scholarship. Michael Gusmano, PhD, a leading expert on the economic, political, and social consequences of global aging and International Editor of the Journal of Aging & Social Policy, will serve as discussant.


The XIth International Symposium on Thysanoptera and Tospoviruses co-hosted by the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Nanjing Agricultural University was held from September 21–25 in Kunming, China . The conInternational Symposium on Thysanoptera and Tospoviruses is the most important professional conference in the field of thrips and tospoviruses, and is held every three to four years. Eighteen representatives, including academician Fang Rongxiang from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Emeritus Professor Thomas L. German from the University of Wisconsin, Professor Diane E. Ullman from the University of California, Davis, Professor Stephane Blanc from the University of Montpellier, Professor Li Yi from Peking University, Professor Zhou Xueping from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Professor Taiyun Wei from the Fujian Agriculture and Forest University, and other colleagues gave plenary presentations . In addiThe participants held heated discussions and in-depth exchanges on the latest research progress at the conference , which pAt the end of the program, two young colleagues from the next generation of tospoviruses and thrips researchers summarized highlights of this conference . Eight b


The Guest Editors for the PLOS Medicine Special Issue on Maternal and Child Health & Nutrition discuss the published research in the context of global priorities for women's and children's health. The recent 2019 report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World paints a picture of some progress, but also highlights alarming developments in certain areas [PLOS Medicine Special Issue on Maternal and Child Health & Nutrition, important research contributions are provided from three cross-cutting perspectives: the ongoing social and nutritional transitions in societies, the woman-and-child continuum of health and nutrition care, and that of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD).At the same time, overweight and obesity are increasing in all regions of the world, especially among school-age children and adults. Many low- and middle-income countries suffer a double burden of malnutrition, with maternal and child malnutrition a particular problem, alongside increasing occurrence of adult overweight, insulin resistance, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases . In the The risk of next-generation overweight and obesity is increased when the mother is obese before conception . CountriBreastfeeding is a fundamental early element of infant nutrition. An analysis of data from 49 African countries over the period 2000–2017 showed that an increasing proportion of infants aged under six months were exclusively breastfed, especially in the eastern part of sub-Saharan Africa . There aStunted growth in childhood has both short- and long-term consequences for health, development, and future economic productivity . Our wayThe commercially available versions of ready-to-use therapeutic foods are excellent tools in the management of severe acute malnutrition at hospitals, clinics, and in humanitarian emergencies; and may also be effective for home-based use by routine health services . There aA substantial body of evidence suggests that poor nutrition before and during pregnancy has long-term consequences for future health. The DOHaD paradigm , and theWe are in the midst of the “decade of action on nutrition” declared at the World Health Assembly in 2016 .PLOS Medicine Special Issue, which will be complemented by related studies to be published in PLOS ONE, new and creative approaches with a focus on research, program development and implementation are key to improving health outcomes for mothers and babies.The global state of maternal and child nutrition shows some progress, but several new challenges are apparent. Nutrition should be promoted throughout the life cycle, but currently we often overlook some of the most critical stages, including adolescence. All sectors of society need to be involved to address these problems, but in the health sector, ownership and accountability are often weak. In the future, population growth and the ongoing climate crisis are expected to intensify food insecurity and increase the risk of undernutrition , which c


There are multiple errors in the Funding section. The correct funding information is as follows: This work was supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, through the Lung Cancer Research Program under Award No. W81XWH-15-1-0110 . Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Department of Defense. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.


Born in Dinghai County of Zhejiang province in June, 1926, Guan-Fu Zhu began to study at School of Medicine, Tongji University, in October, 1946  of the Virology Committee of the Chinese Society for Microbiology. Prof. Zhu had launched the National Conference on Virology, held by the Virology Committee of the Chinese Society for Microbiology. It has been held biannually since the first meeting in Tianjin, China in July 15–19th, 1986, and has become a grand gathering for all the Chinese virologists. The 11th National Conference on Virology held in Wuhan in 2015 attracted more than 1200 participants. Prof. Zhu was active in organizing and participating the academic activities even after retirement, and served as the honorary chairman for the sixth session of Virology Committee and the fifth session of the Microbiology and Immunology Branch of Chinese Medical Association. In 2009, Prof. Zhu, at the age of 83, still attended the 8th National Conference on Virology in Beijing, and communicated with next generation of Chinese virologists.Prof. Zhu had been actively promoting the international communications in the field of virology. On August 27–31th, 1990, as the chairman of Virology Committee of the Chinese Society for Microbiology, Prof. Zhu attended the 8th International Conference on Virology in West Berlin, held by the Virology Division of International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS)  has been alternately idealized as a culturally symbolic figure of China over the millennia. Prof. Guan-Fu Zhu will be remembered for his great contribution and nobility in character, and we will miss Old Master Zhu forever.


Balkan Medical Journal, the official university/academic journal of Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, is under the ownership of the deanery of the faculty and aims to propagate the current medical scientific knowledge in the Balkan region. The rectorate of Trakya University logistically supports the journal. On the other hand, the editor-in-chief is scientifically independent and cannot be pressurized or manipulated in any way regarding the scientific contents and operation of the journal. Nonetheless, the editor-in-chief has obligations toward the journal owner and editorial board. His/her editorial independence, rights, and responsibilities are aptly described and documented by the international scientific publishing communities. These include the editor’s responsibilities, autonomy, and accountability of the journal’s scientific content ,2,3,4,5.Since its establishment, the Balkan Medical Journal has aimed to select and publish distinctive, original articles in general medicine to contribute to universal scientific knowledge and to share its experience through educational activities for authors, reviewers, and editors . DespiteA careful review of the literature reveals that the Balkan region has taken permanent steps towards institutionalization with the successful publication practices of journals. Croatian Medical Journal stands out as the most significant journal in this regard. A paper by Marusic et al.  in 2005 For a journal to be successful in the international arena, reasonably organized managerial processes are required. Clear definitions of work packages, workflows, duties and responsibilities, and assignment and dismissal criteria are essential for the transparency of managerial processes. The journal’s owner, editor-in-chief, editorial board, publisher, and authors effectively communicating with each other within the framework of rules will prevent chaotic and destructive conflicts that may harm the reputation and its mission. Furthermore, the inscription of such rules promotes scientific autonomy of the editor and prevents misuse of editorial freedom thereby resulting in the continuous success of a journal.The efforts to establish a legal regulation, an agreement between the owner and the editor, and an ombudsman began approximately five years ago for Balkan Medical Journal. A draft text of legal regulation was submitted for discussion to the editorial board at that time. Intensive efforts have been carried out to achieve a certain degree of maturity. Since no other university/academic general medicine journal in Turkey is also indexed in internationally published SCI-E and Medline, it took time for all stakeholders to draft a consensus document. Thanks to the previous editor-in-chief of Balkan Medical Journal and the current vice-rector of Trakya University responsible for scientific journals (Cem Uzun), who has encouraged all editors of Trakya University journal to establish legal regulations, we have a transparent scientific publishing atmosphere to discuss, write, and own individual legal regulation for each journal. Throughout this process, the journal’s management has endeavored to consult the opinions of the journal’s owner and the university legal regulation committee to establish a legal regulation for the journal that is ethical, practical, sustainable, and conforms to the national laws and international scientific values. We believe the journal legal regulation, finalized in January 2019 and presented below, serves as a role model for all scientific circles and the Balkans and will contribute to the advancement of institutional scientific publications of medicine in the region. Nonetheless, this legal regulation is open to being updated and improved whenever needed, as our other policies. The journal’s editorial board extends its gratitude to all current and past employees, the Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Medicine of Trakya University, and to the current rectorate of Trakya University for their valuable contributions and encouragement to building the development of the journal legal regulation to protect editorial freedom and provide successful journal management of all Trakya University scientific journals.


In the published article, there was an error regarding the affiliations for Hedy Kober. As well as having affiliation(s) Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States they should also have Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States. The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way.The original article has been updated.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.


When Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte assumed office in 2016, his government launched an unprecedented campaign against illegal drugs. The drug problem in the Philippines has primarily been viewed as an issue of law enforcement and criminality, and the government has focused on implementing a policy of criminalization and punishment. The escalation of human rights violations has caught the attention of groups in the Philippines as well as the international community. The Global Health Program of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), a non-profit network of 50 universities in the Pacific Rim, held its 2017 annual conference in Manila. A special half-day workshop was held on illicit drug abuse in the Philippines which convened 167 participants from 10 economies and 21 disciplines. The goal of the workshop was to collaboratively develop a policy statement describing the best way to address the drug problem in the Philippines, taking into consideration a public health and human rights approach to the issue. The policy statement is presented here. When Philippine President Rodrigo R. Duterte assumed office on June 30, 2016, his government launched an unprecedented campaign against illegal drugs. He promised to solve the illegal drug problem in the country, which, according to him, was wreaking havoc on the lives of many Filipino families and destroying the future of the Filipino youth. He declared a “war on drugs” targeting users, peddlers, producers and suppliers, and called for the Philippine criminal justice system to put an end to the drug menace [shabu or “poor man’s cocaine.” According to a 2012 United Nations report, the Philippines had the highest rate of methamphetamine abuse among countries in East Asia; about 2.2% of Filipinos between the ages 16–64 years were methamphetamines users.According to the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) , there are 1.8 million current drug users in the Philippines, and 4.8 million Filipinos report having used illegal drugs at least once in their lives . More thThe drug problem in the Philippines has primarily been viewed as an issue of law enforcement and criminality, and the government has focused on implementing a policy of criminalization and punishment. This is evidenced by the fact that since the start of the “war on drugs,” the Duterte government has utilized punitive measures and has mobilized the Philippine National Police (PNP) and local government units nationwide. With orders from the President, law enforcement agents have engaged in extensive door-to-door operations. One such operation in Manila in August 2017 aimed to “shock and awe” drug dealers and resulted in the killing of 32 people by police in one night [On the basis of mere suspicion of drug use and/or drug dealing, and criminal record, police forces have arrested, detained, and even killed men, women and children in the course of these operations. Male urban poor residents in Metro Manila and other key cities of the country have been especially targeted . During 5The escalation of human rights violations, particularly the increase in killings, both state-perpetrated and vigilante-style, has caught the attention of various groups and sectors in society including the international community. Both police officers and community members have reported fear of being targeted if they fail to support the state-sanctioned killings . After w10Duterte’s war on drugs is morally and legally unjustifiable and has created large-scale human rights violations; and is also counterproductive in addressing the drug problem. International human rights groups and even the United Nations have acknowledged that the country’s drug problem cannot be resolved using a punitive approach, and the imposition of criminal sanctions and that drug users should not be viewed and treated as criminals . Those cThe Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) is a non-profit network of 50 leading research universities in the Pacific Rim region, representing 16 economies, 120,000 faculty members and approximately two million students. Launched in 2007, the APRU Global Health Program (GHP) includes approximately 1,000 faculty, students, and researchers who are actively engaged in global health work. The main objective of the GHP is to advance global health research, education and training in the Pacific Rim, as APRU member institutions respond to global and regional health challenges. Each year, about 300 APRU GHP members gather at the annual global health conference, which is hosted by a rotating member university. In 2017, the University of the Philippines in Manila hosted the conference and included a special half-day workshop on illicit drug abuse in the Philippines.Held on the first day of the annual APRU GHP conference, the workshop convened 167 university professors, students, university administrators, government officials, and employees of non-governmental organizations (NGO), from 21 disciplines, including anthropology, Asian studies, communication, dentistry, development, education, environmental health, ethics, international relations, law, library and information science, medicine, nutrition, nursing, occupational health, pharmaceutical science, physical therapy, political science, psychology, public health, and women’s studies. The participants came from 10 economies: Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand, and the US. The special workshop was intended to provide a venue for health professionals and workers, academics, researchers, students, health rights advocates, and policy makers to: 1) give an overview on the character and state of the drug problem in the Philippines, including the social and public health implications of the problem and the approaches being used by the government in the Philippines; 2) learn from the experiences of other countries in the handling of the drug and substance abuse problem; and 3) identify appropriate methods and strategies, and the role of the health sector in addressing the problem in the country. The overall goal of the workshop was to collaboratively develop a policy statement describing the best way to address this problem in a matnner that could be disseminated to all the participants and key policymakers both in the Philippines, as well as globally.The workshop included presentations from three speakers and was moderated by Dr. Carissa Paz Dioquino-Maligaso, head of the National Poison Management and Control Center in the Philippines. The first speaker was Dr. Benjamin P. Reyes, Undersecretary of the Philippine Dangerous Drugs Board, who spoke about “the State of the Philippine Drug and Substance Abuse Problem in the Philippines.” The second speaker was Dr. Joselito Pascual, a medical specialist from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, at the University of the Philippines General Hospital in Manila. His talk was titled “Psychotropic Drugs and Mental Health.” The final speaker was Patrick Loius B. Angeles, a Policy and Research Officer of the NoBox Transitions Foundation, whose talk was titled “Approaches to Addressing the Drug and Substance Abuse Problem: Learning from the Experiences of Other Countries.” Based on the presentations, a draft of the Manila Declaration on the Drug Problem in the Philippines was drafted by the co-authors of this paper. The statement was then sent to the workshop participants for review and comments. The comments were reviewed and incorporated into the final version, which is presented below.“Manila Statement on the Drug Problem in the Philippines”Gathering in this workshop with a common issue and concern – the drug problem in the Philippines and its consequences and how it can be addressed and solved in the best way possible;the drug problem in the Philippines is a complex and multi-faceted problem that includes not only criminal justice issues but also public health issues and with various approaches that can be used in order to solve such;Recognizing that drug control policies and strategies that incorporate evidence-based, socially acceptable, cost-effective, and rights-based approaches that are designed to minimize, if not to eliminate, the adverse health, psychological, social, economic and criminal justice consequences of drug abuse towards the goal of attaining a society that is free from crime and drug and substance abuse;We call for drug dependency and co-dependency, as consequences of drug abuse, are mental and behavioral health problems, and that in some areas in the Philippines injecting drug use comorbidities such as the spread of HIV and AIDS are also apparent, and that current prevention and treatment interventions are not quite adequate to prevent mental disorders, HIV/AIDS and other co-morbid diseases among people who use drugs;Recognizing, further, that primacy of the sanctity/value of human life and the value of human dignity, social protection of the victims of drug abuse and illegal drugs trade must be our primary concern;Affirming that the And that all health, psycho-social, socio-economic and rights-related interventions leading to the reduction or elimination of the adverse health, economic and social consequences of drug abuse and other related co-morbidities such as HIV/AIDS should be considered in all plans and actions toward the control, prevention and treatment of drug and substance abuse;we call on the Philippine government to address the root causes of the illegal drug problem in the Philippines utilizing the aforementioned affirmations. We assert that the drug problem in the country is but a symptom of deeper structural ills rooted in social inequality and injustice, lack of economic and social opportunities, and powerlessness among the Filipino people. Genuine solutions to the drug problem will only be realized with the fulfillment and enjoyment of human rights, allowing them to live in dignity deserving of human beings. As members of educational, scientific and health institutions of the country, being rich and valuable sources of human, material and technological resources, we affirm our commitment to contribute to solving this social ill that the Philippine government has considered to be a major obstacle in the attainment of national development.As a community of health professionals, experts, academics, researchers, students and health advocates, The statement of insights and affirmations on the drug problem in the Philippines is a declaration that is readily applicable to other countries in Asia where approaches to the problem of drug abuse are largely harsh, violent and punitive.As a community of scholars, health professionals, academics, and researchers, we reiterate our conviction that the drug problem in the Philippines is multi-dimensional in character and deeply rooted in the structural causes of poverty, inequality and powerlessness of the Filipino people. Contrary to the government’s position of treating the issues as a problem of criminality and lawlessness, the drug problem must be addressed using a holistic and rights-based approach, requiring the mobilization and involvement of all stakeholders. This is the message and the challenge which we, as members of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, want to relay to the leaders, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and human rights advocates in the region; we must all work together to protect and promote health and well being of all populations in our region.


Following publication of this article , the autPLOS ONE Editors retract this article.The falsified data and samples significantly impact the validity of the data analyses and results reported in the article. In light of these concerns, in line with the ORI's recommendation, and by agreement of the authors, the LX, HT, AKE, PW, and EMS agree with the retraction.


The corrected Author Contributions Statement appears below.The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated.LCo performed microbiota analysis, statistically analyzed all data and wrote the manuscript. LP produced and analyzed butyrate and propionate data and contributed to manuscript writing. MR and GCo organized the clinical work and performed the subject's enrolment. FA, MCo, and GCa performed ddPCR and revised the manuscript. CD produced butyrate and propionate data. MCu, AN, LB, and EB contributed to the metagenomic analysis and to the interpretation of the data. LCh conceived the investigation and contributed to the interpretation of the data. CB designed the epidemiological study, organized the clinical work, and performed the subject's enrolment. RB conceived the investigation, designed the epidemiological study, supervised the general aspects of the work and contributed to manuscript writing. FL conceived the investigation, interpreted the data, wrote the manuscript, and critically supervised the work. All authors reviewed the manuscript.