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Objetivo: Identificar a influência da troca de auditoria no gerenciamento de resultados em empresas que possuem auditoria especializada e auditoria não especializada. Método: Foi levantada uma amostra de 126 empresas listadas no Novo Mercado da B3, por conta de seu alto nível de governança e por apresentar um nível diferenciado de transparência e governança, exigidos pelos investidores, entre os anos de 2015 e 2019. Utilizou-se o modelo de Jones Modificado de Dechow, Sloan e Sweeney (1995) para o cálculo de gerenciamento de resultados por meio de accruals e o modelo usado por Chen, Lin e Zhou (2005) para o cálculo da especialização. Já o rodízio de auditoria foi coletado do Relatório de Referência, caracterizando-se como uma dummy. Originalidade/ Relevância: Ainda há distinção de identificar a especialização de auditor como um fator de impacto para detecção de gerenciamento e distorções, faltando um padrão nos resultados encontrados até o ano de 2016. Resultados: Por meio do modelo pooled de regressão de dados em painel, os resultados apontaram que o rodízio de auditoria não influencia na diminuição de gerenciamento de resultados e que também não há suporte necessário para afirmar que o rodízio de auditoria impacta em menor gerenciamento de resultados em empresas com auditoria especializada. Tais resultados são explicados possivelmente pelo compartilhamento de dados dos clientes entre as firmas de auditoria e pelas características da especialização não serem suficientes para comprovar esta relação. Contribuições teóricas/ metodológicas/ práticas: O estudo contribui com os stakeholders, auxiliando-os a identificar as melhores empresas para investimento com base na sua troca de auditoria, especialização da firma de auditoria e clareza nas informações contábeis. O artigo contribui ainda com uma expansão de novos resultados para a literatura do rodízio de auditoria e o gerenciamento de resultados quando ponderados pela especialização da firma de auditoria.

Chronic skin exposure to external hostile agents (e.g., UV radiation, microorganisms, and oxidizing chemicals) may increase oxidative stress, causing skin damage and aging. Because of their well-known skincare and protective benefits, quercetin (Q) and omega-3 fatty acids (ω3) have attracted the attention of the dermocosmetic and pharmaceutical sectors. However, both bioactives have inherent properties that limit their efficient skin delivery. Therefore, nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) and enriched PFC® hydrogels (HGs) have been developed as a dual-approach vehicle for Q and/or ω3 skin topical administration to improve bioactives’ stability and skin permeation. Two NLC formulations were prepared with the same lipid composition but differing in surfactant composition (NLC1—soy lecithin and poloxamer 407; NLC2—Tween® 80 and dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS)), which have an impact on physicochemical properties and pharmaceutical and therapeutic performance. Despite both NLCs presenting high Q loading capacity, NLC2′s physicochemical properties make them more suitable for topical skin administration and ensure longer colloidal stability. Additionally, NLC2 demonstrated a more sustained Q release, indicating higher bioactive storage while improving permeability. The occlusive effect of NLCs-enriched HGs also has a positive impact on skin permeability. Q-loaded NLC2, with or without ω3, -enriched HGs demonstrated efficacy as antioxidant and photoprotective formulations as well as effective reduction in S. aureus growth, indicating that they constitute a promising approach for topical skin administration to prevent skin aging and other damaging cutaneous processes.

Introdução/Objetivos: A qualidade de vida sexual é um dos pilares da qualidade de vida. A sexualidade em mulheres vivendo com HIV (MVHIV) pode ser afetada pelo medo de infectar parceiros ou de adquirir outras infecções sexualmente transmissíveis, por sentimentos de culpa, raiva ou vergonha e por comorbidades. Esse estudo teve como objetivo avaliar e comparar a prevalência de disfunções sexuais em mulheres vivendo com HIV (MVHIV) e mulheres sem diagnóstico de HIV. Método: Recrutamos mulheres com ou sem diagnóstico de infecção por HIV com idade ≥ 18 anos, atendidas em serviços ambulatoriais do Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSP. As participantes responderam a um questionário composto por variáveis sociodemográficas, clínicas e da qualidade de vida sexual, incluindo versão adaptada do Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). O FSFI contém 19 questões referentes às atividades sexuais nas últimas 4 semanas, sumarizadas em um escore que varia de 2 a 36 pontos, com pontuação mais elevada correspondendo a melhor qualidade de vida sexual. Resultados: Foram incluídas 53 MVHIV com idade mediana de 49 anos e 86 mulheres sem diagnóstico de HIV com idade mediana de 41 anos (p < 0,001). Dentre as MVHIV, apenas 42% relataram ter tido relações sexuais no último mês, comparado com 71% entre mulheres sem HIV (p = 0,001). Não observamos diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os grupos nas respostas à pergunta sobre satisfação sexual geral no último mês. Em relação ao FSFI, o escore mediano foi de 5,0 (intervalo interquartil [IIQ] 3,2-28,4) no grupo de MVHIV e 24,0 (IIQ 11,9-28,5) entre mulheres sem HIV (p = 0,015). Conclusões: Observamos diferença estatisticamente significante no escore do FSFI de mulheres vivendo com e sem HIV, com menor pontuação entre MVHIV. É necessário refletir sobre as limitações do FSFI como ferramenta para avaliação da qualidade de vida sexual feminina. O questionário pontua 0 para 15 das 19 questões caso a participante não tenha tido relações sexuais no último mês. No nosso estudo, a porcentagem de MVHIV sem relações sexuais no último mês foi maior do que a porcentagem observada entre mulheres sem HIV, refletindo o escore mais baixo do FSFI. Alguns autores sugerem o não uso do FSFI para mulheres que não tiveram relação sexual no último mês. Paralelamente, a pergunta sobre satisfação sexual geral não demonstrou diferenças entre os dois grupos, reforçando o questionamento sobre a validade do FSFI para a avaliação da qualidade de vida sexual feminina.

This work reports the synthesis of nanocomposite photocatalytic materials based on nitrogen-doped TiO2nano, SiO2 and different percentages of HY zeolite (0, 12, 25 and 50%). These materials were characterized by using Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption–desorption, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The nanocomposites, which presented an energy band gap of about 3.03 eV, were immobilized on cotton fabric and their self-cleaning properties were investigated by decolourization of rhodamine B (RhB) dye in aqueous solution under simulated solar irradiation. The fabrics coated with the photocatalysts, containing and not containing zeolites, showed the same RhB decolourization (about 95%) after 5 h, excluding the situation where a large amount of HY (50%) was used in the nanocomposites. However, results obtained from high performance liquid chromatography analysis depicted that in the presence of the HY zeolite a more effective RhB degradation was achieved. In fact, even after the use of five consecutive cycles, the RhB decolourization remained high (about 85%). Generally, the photodegradation of RhB solution in the presence of cotton fabrics functionalized with TiO2nano, TiO2nano-SiO2 and TiO2nano-SiO2-0.25 HY resulted in the formation of products that exhibited a similar cytotoxic effect when compared to the untreated RhB solution and subjected to the same tested concentrations and incubation times. Keywords: Photocatalysis, Textile functionalization, TiO2-SiO2, HY zeolite, Rhodamine B, Cytotoxic

Tomato bacterial spot (Bs), caused by Xanthomonas spp., including X. euvesicatoria (Xeu) remains a major threat for tomato production. The emergence of copper resistance strains of Xeu calls urgently for eco-friendly phytosanitary treatments as sustainable green alternatives for disease control. Satureja spp. essential oil (EO) has antimicrobial activity against xanthomonads and combined with zein nanoparticles (ZNPs), might offer a viable option for field applications. This study aims to evaluate the effects of S. montana EO, of ZNPs, and their combination in a nanoformulation, on Xeu quantity, and how these compounds modulate molecular and physiological changes in the pathosystem. Uninfected and infected tomato plants (var. Oxheart) were treated with EO; ZNPs and nanoformulation (EO + ZNPs). Treatments reduced Xeu amount by a minimum of 1.6-fold (EO) and a maximum of 202-fold (ZNPs) and improved plants’ health. Nanoformulation and ZNPs increased plants’ phenolic content. ZNPs significantly increased GPX activity and reduced CAT activity. Overall treatments upregulated transcripts of the phenylpropanoid pathway in infected plants, while ZNPs and nanoformulation upregulated those transcripts in uninfected plants. Both sod and aao transcripts were downregulated by treatments in infected plants. These findings demonstrate that S. montana EO, ZNPs and their nanoformulation are suitable to integrate tomato bacterial spot management strategies, mainly due to their antimicrobial activity on Xeu, however further field studies clarifying the long-term action of these products are required. These results also support the prophylactic potential of ZNPs on tomato bacterial spot.

This work describes the development of a capacitive-type sensor created from nanoporous anodic aluminium oxide (NP-AAO) prepared by the one-step anodization method conducted in potentiostatic mode and performed in a low-cost homemade system. A series of samples were prepared via an anodization campaign carried out on different acid electrolytes, in which the anodization parameters were adjusted to investigate the effect of pore size and porosity on the capacitive sensing performance. Two sensor test cases are investigated. The first case explores the use of highly uniform NP-AAO structures for humidity sensing applications while the second analyses the use of NP-AAO as a capacitive touch sensor for biological applications, namely, to detect the presence of small “objects” such as bacterial colonies of Escherichia Coli. A mathematical model based on equivalent electrical circuits was developed to evaluate the effect of humidity condensation (inside the pores) on the sensor capacitance and also to estimate the capacitance change of the sensor due to pore blocking by the presence of a certain number of bacterial microorganisms. Regarding the humidity sensing test cases, it was found that the sensitivity of the sensor fabricated in a phosphoric acid solution reaches up to 39 (pF/RH%), which is almost three times higher than the sensor fabricated in oxalic acid and about eight times higher than the sensor fabricated in sulfuric acid. Its improved sensitivity is explained in terms of the pore size effect on the mean free path and the loss of Brownian energy of the water vapour molecules. Concerning the touch sensing test case, it is demonstrated that the NP-AAO structures can be used as capacitive touch sensors because the magnitude of the capacitance change directly depends on the number of bacteria that cover the nanopores; the fraction of the electrode area activated by bacterial pore blocking is about 4.4% and 30.2% for B1 (E. Coli OD600nm = 0.1) and B2 (E. Coli OD600nm = 1) sensors, respectively.

Herpetic infections caused by Herpes simplex virus (HSV) are among the most common human infections, affecting more than two quarters of the world's population. The standard treatment for orofacial herpes is the administration of antiviral drugs, mainly acyclovir (ACV). However, current products are mostly based on semisolid formulations that have limited ability to promote drug skin penetration and tend to leak from the application site, thus showing reduced ability to sustain local drug residence. This work reports on the production of poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibrous matrices with ACV and omega-3 fatty acids (ω3) for application as dressings to the topical treatment of orofacial herpes. PCL fibrous matrices with the co-incorporated bioactive compounds were obtained by electrospinning and characterized regarding their morphology, chemical, physical, and mechanical properties. The potential use of the developed polymeric fibrous matrices for topical applications was evaluated by: (i) the release kinetics of the bioactive compounds; (ii) the occlusive factor of the fibrous mat; (iii) ACV skin permeation capacity; and (iv) the cytotoxicity in a keratinocyte cell line. PCL fibrous matrices loaded with the bioactive compounds presented a smooth morphology and a good balance between flexibility and hardness essential to be durable for handling, while having a desirable texture to be used comfortably. The fibrous mat also provided a sustained release of ACV during 96 h and improved the skin permeability of this drug (Kp = 0.00928 ± 0.000867 cm/h) presenting also high porosity (74%) and a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 881 ± 91 g/m2day, essential to maintain moist and oxygen for faster healing of herpes lesions. Furthermore, cytotoxicity studies suggest that the fibrous mat are safe for topical application. Overall, the PCL based electrospun fibrous matrices with ACV and ω3 hereby described have the potential to be used as therapeutic bandage systems for the treatment of orofacial herpes.

The Third Science Revolution described by Kristian Kristiansen (2014) has been openly embraced and is currently underway in archaeology. It has brought considerable improvement in terms of scientific methods and approaches, but at the same time, it brings with it the risk of transforming archaeology into something that is methodologically uniform, inflexible, and oversimplified, or in other words, a methodologically monistic discipline. This is particularly evident when it comes to Big Data: the Third Science Revolution has inaugurated a new understanding of data, one that reduces archaeological reality exclusively to those elements that are quantifiable. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that archaeology needs to go beyond Big Data, and the Third Science revolution in general, and embody qualitative research. This can be done by incorporating methods and theories from history and anthropology that contextualize the purposeful character of past human action. This requires (re)embracing case-study research, but also recognizing a meaning of ‘case-study’ that has been largely ignored: as a paradigmatic example of a Zeitgeist - a context where different institutions, power relations, and ideologies are all entwined.

Styling hair with straightening irons is a popular daily hair routine that significantly damage the hair keratin fiber due to the high temperature applied. In this study, we investigate the effect of two fusion proteins based on the human eye γD-crystallin conjugated with a keratin-based peptide (KP-Cryst Wt and KP-Cryst Mut) on hair exposed to thermal damage. The mutant form was designed to improve protein stability and promote interaction with the hair. Through the study, it was demonstrated the protection of Asian and Caucasian virgin hair's structure by the pretreatments with the KP-Cryst fusion proteins. After hair thermal exposure, a higher water content was quantified by TGA on the hair fibers pretreated with the fusion proteins (about 38% for the KP-Cryst Wt and 44% for the KP-Cryst Mut). Also, negligible alterations in hair fibers' stiffness were observed after iron application, demonstrating the proteins capacity to effectively prevent the conversion of keratin α-helix structure into β-sheets. The results proved the capacity of the fusion proteins to bind to hair and protect it against high temperatures', supporting the development of new formulations based on the KP-Cryst proteins.

Recent studies have demonstrated that human neutrophil elastase (HNE) can be used as marker for inflammation/infection of chronic wounds since it was found to be present in high concentration in exudate collected from chronic wounds. Biosensors used in wound care benefit from a chromogenic signalling due to the readiness of signal interpretation, but the most common use faint yellow chromogenic molecules such as p-nitroaniline (pNa). In addition, if to be converted into smart dressings, the colour of the detection system should not be masked by the exudate’s colour.In this work, we designed a chromogenic substrate for HNE aiming to be incorporated in a smart dressing as a colour switch sensor. The substrate was developed using the GFP-like chromoprotein ultramarine (UM), following the split GFP technology. The cleavage sequence for HNE (Ala-Ala-Pro-Val) was embedded into the sensing moiety of the substrate corresponding to the 11th β-sheet. In the presence of HNE, the 11th β-sheet is able to interact to the signalling moiety composed of the β1-β10 incomplete barrel, allowing the re-establishment of the chromophore environment and, hence, the colour production. Structural homology and molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to aid on the disclosure of the structural changes that are the base of the mechanism of action of this HNE switch substrate. Our findings explore the possible application of GFP-like chromogenic sensors in point-of-care devices for the evaluation of the wounds status, representing a major step in the medical field. Keywords: Human neutrophil elastase (HNE), Split GFP, Chromogenic GFP-like proteins, Ultramarine (UM), Proteases, Molecular dynamics simulations

Resveratrol (RSV) and omega 3 (ω3), because of their biological favorable properties, have become subjects of interest for researchers in dermocosmetic and pharmaceutical industries; however, these bioactives present technological limitations that hinder their effective delivery to the target skin layer. To overcome the stability and skin permeation limitations of free bioactives, this work proposes a combined strategy involving two different lipid nanosystems (liposomes and lipid nanoparticles) that include ω3 in their lipid matrix. Additionaly, RSV is only encapsulated in liposomes that provid an adequate amphiphilic environment. Each formulation is thoroughly characterized regarding their physical–chemical properties. Subsequently, the therapeutic performance of the lipid nanosystems is evaluated based on their protective roles against lipid peroxidation, as well as inhibition of cicloxygenase (COX) and nitric oxid (NO) production in the RWA264.7 cell line. Finally, the lipid nanosystems are incorporated in hydrogel to allow their topical administration, then rheology, occlusion, and RSV release–diffusion assays are performed. Lipid nanoparticles provide occlusive effects at the skin surface. Liposomes provide sustained RSV release and their flexibility conferred by edge activator components enhances RSV diffusion, which is required to reach NO production cells and COX cell membrane enzymes. Overall, the inclusion of both lipid nanosystems in the same semisolid base constitutes a promising strategy for autoimmune, inflammatory, and cancerous skin diseases.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa can alter its lifestyle in response to changes in environmental conditions. The switch to a pathogenic host-associated lifestyle can be triggered by the luminosity settings, resorting to at least one photoreceptor which senses light and regulates cellular processes. This study aimed to address how light exposure affects the dynamic and adaptability of two P. aeruginosa pneumonia-associated isolates, HB13 and HB15. A phenotypic characterization of two opposing growth conditions, constant illumination and intensity of full-spectrum light and total absence of light, was performed. Given the nature of P. aeruginosa pathogenicity, distinct fractions were characterized, and its inherent pathogenic potential screened by comparing induced morphological alterations and cytotoxicity against human pulmonary epithelial cells (A549 cell line). Growth in the dark promoted some virulence-associated traits (e.g., pigment production, LasA proteolytic activity), which, together with higher cytotoxicity of secreted fractions, supported an increased pathogenic potential in conditions that better mimic the lung microenvironment of P. aeruginosa. These preliminary findings evidenced that light exposure settings may influence the P. aeruginosa pathogenic potential, likely owing to differential production of virulence factors. Thus, this study raised awareness towards the importance in controlling light conditions during bacterial pathogenicity evaluation approaches, to more accurately interpret bacterial responses.

The perming of hair is a common styling procedure with negative impact on the overall properties of the hair fibers. Usually, this process uses harsh chemicals to promote the disruption of disulfide bonds and the formation of new bonds to change the shape of hair. Here, we explored bovine serum albumin (BSA), silk fibroin (SF), keratin and two fusion recombinant proteins (KP-UM and KP-Cryst) as new perming agents. A phosphate buffer prepared at different pH values (5, 7 and 9) was used to apply the proteins to virgin Asian hair, and a hot BaByliss was used to curl the hair fibers. To assess the potential of the protein formulations for hair styling, the perming efficiency and the perming resistance to wash were measured. Furthermore, the fiber water content was evaluated to assess if the proteins protected the hair during the styling process. Despite all of the proteins being able to assist in the curling of Asian hair, the best perming efficiency and perming resistance to wash results were observed for BSA and keratin. These proteins showed perming efficiency values close to that measured for a commercial perming product (chemical method), particularly at pH 5 and 9. The increase in the hair’s internal and external water contents revealed a protective effect provided by the proteins during the application of heat in the styling procedure. This study shows the potential of proteins to be used in the development of new eco-friendly hair styling products.

In this investigation, we use a socio-environmental multi-proxy approach to empirically test hypotheses of recurrent resilience cycles and the role of climate forcing in shaping such cycles on the Iberian Peninsula during mid-Holocene times. Our approach combines time series reconstructions of societal and environmental variables from the southern Iberian Peninsula across a 3000 yr time interval (6000–3000 cal yr BP), covering major societal and climate reorganisation. Our approach is based on regional compilations of climate variables from diverse terrestrial archives and integrates new marine climate records from the Western Mediterranean. Archaeological variables include changes in material culture, settlement reconstructions and estimates of human activities. In particular, both detailed chronologies of human activities evolving from the Late Neolithic to the Bronze Age and mid- to Late Holocene climate change across the mid-Holocene are compared, aiming to assess potential human responses and coping processes associated with abrupt mid-Holocene climate changes.

L’extraordinaire voyage du Fakir qui est resté coincé dans une armoire Ikea, de Romain Puértolas, met en scène un fakir indien en quête d’un lit à clous à Paris.Prétexte pour un voyage à travers les difficultés de la contemporanéité, les heurs et malheurs du Fakir, héros picaresque, pendant son voyage, amusent et instruisent.Cet article propose de lire l’œuvre dans le cadre défini par le roman picaresque et d’en proposer la lecture à des étudiants non spécialistes en littérature, visant des objectifs d’éducation littéraire tout autant que des objectifs d’éducation par lalittérature (linguistiques, discursifs, esthétiques, d’analyse sociale). Le parcours formatif, par l’agencement des activités de réception, interaction et production, favorise la réflexion et la transformation du lecteur et s’inscrit dans la continuité du principe classique – amuser et instruire.

HIV/AIDS stands as a global burden, and vaginal microbicides constitute a promising strategy for topical pre-exposure prophylaxis. Preceding the development of a microbicide containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC), in silico and in vitro studies were performed to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of both drugs, and to study their biophysical impact in lipid model systems. Results from these pre-formulation studies defined hydrogels as adequate vehicles to incorporate TDF-loaded liposomes and FTC. After studying interactions with mucin, zwitterionic liposomes with a mean diameter of 134 ± 13 nm, an encapsulation TDF efficiency of approximately 84%, and a transition temperature of 41 °C were selected. The chosen liposomal formulation was non-cytotoxic to HEC-1-A and CaSki cells, and was able to favor TDF permeation across polysulfone membranes (Jss = 9.9 μg·cm−2·h−1). After the incorporation of TDF-loaded liposomes and FTC in carbomer hydrogels, the drug release profile was sustained over time, reaching around 60% for both drugs within 3−6 h, and best fitting the Weibull model. Moreover, liposomal hydrogels featured pseudoplastic profiles that were deemed suitable for topical application. Overall, the proposed liposomal hydrogels may constitute a promising formulation for the vaginal co-delivery of TDF/FTC.

Background: The inflammation associated with overweight and obesity seems to alter iron metabolism, but there are few studies evaluating those conditions in children. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the leukometric, immunological, and hematimetric parameters of overweight and obese schoolchildren. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which 39 children living in Chonim de Cima (Brazil) underwent anthropometric, hematological, and immunological assessments. The evaluated parameters were compared between the study group (overweight/obesity, n = 15) and the control group (n = 24). Unpaired t-test, Mann–Whitney test, and linear regression were used for statistical tests, and the panoramic profile was used to illustrate differences between groups. Results: The study group had lower mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and higher TNF levels compared to the control group. Positive correlations were observed between BMI-for-age percentile and total leukocytes (r = 0.1493; p = 0.0151) or neutrophils (r = 0.1395; p = 0.0192). Negative correlations between the BMI-for-age percentile and MCV (r = 0.1464; p = 0.0162) and MCH (r = 0.1460; p = 0.0164) were found. Furthermore, through the panoramic profile, it was noted that the study group had a higher frequency of individuals with high levels of TNF and lower frequencies of individuals with increased hemoglobin and serum iron. Conclusions: Our data suggest that overweight and obesity contribute to a pro-inflammatory context (leukocytes, neutrophils, and TNF) and MCV and MCH reduction in schoolchildren. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity is believed to be a risk factor for COVID-19 and unfavorable outcomes, although data on this remains to be better elucidated. Objective: To evaluate the impact of obesity on the endpoints of patients hospitalized due to SARS-CoV-2. Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated patients hospitalized at a tertiary hospital (Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP) from March to December 2020. Only patients positive for COVID-19 (real-time PCR or serology) were included. Data were collected from medical records and included clinical and demographic information, weight and height, SAPS-3 score, comorbidities, and patient-centered outcomes (mortality, and need for mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy, or vasoactive drugs). Patients were divided into categories according to their BMI (underweight, eutrophic, overweight and obesity) for comparison porpoise. Results: A total of 2547 patients were included. The mean age was 60.3 years, 56.2% were men, 65.2% were white and the mean BMI was 28.1 kg/m2. SAPS-3 score was a risk factor for all patient-centered outcomes (HR 1.032 for mortality, OR 1.03 for dialysis, OR 1.07 for vasoactive drug use, and OR 1.08 for intubation, p < 0.05). Male sex increased the risk of death (HR 1.175, p = 0.027) and dialysis (OR 1.64, p < 0.001), and underweight was protective for vasoactive drug use (OR 0.45, p = 0.027) and intubation (OR 0.31, p < 0.003). Conclusion: Obesity itself was not an independent factor for worse patient-centered outcomes. Critical clinical state (indirectly evaluated by SAPS-3) appears to be the most important variable related to hard outcomes in patients infected with COVID-19. Highlights: Obesity is present in up to 30% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Obesity itself is not related to key endpoints such as mortality and need for dialysis, orotracheal intubation, or vasoactive drug SAPS-3 is the best predictor for worse outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 infection [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A role of IL‐10 is down‐regulating T‐cell responses to schistosome antigens. Since SmATPDases can be correlated to modulation of the immune response, we evaluated the expression of enzymes in S. mansoni eggs. Faecal samples were collected from 40 infected individuals to detect coding regions of the SmATPDases. The cytokines were measured in supernatants of PBMC. The analysis was performed by the global median determination and set up high producers (HP) of cytokines. Six individuals expressed SmATPDase1, six expressed SmATPDase2 and six expressed both enzymes. The group who expressed only SmATPDase1 showed a high frequency of IFN‐γ, TNF IL‐4 HP; individuals who expressed only SmATPDase2 showed a high frequency of IFN‐γ, IL‐6 and IL‐4 HP; and individuals who expressed both enzymes showed a high frequency of IL‐10 HP. The comparison of the IFN‐γ/IL‐10 ratio presented higher indices in the group who had SmATPDase 2 expression than those who had the expression of both enzymes. The positive correlation between infection intensity and IL‐10 levels remained only in the positive SmATPDase group. The IL‐10 is the only cytokine induced by the expression of both enzymes. Our data suggest that the expression of both enzymes seems to be a factor that modulates the host immune response by inducing high IL‐10 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]