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Abstract Objectives This study's primary purpose was to demonstrate the correlation of preoperative right ventricular free‐wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS) and pre‐/postsurgical variation in strain (delta strain) with the clinical and echocardiographic diagnosis of right ventricular dysfunction. Its secondary purpose was to determine the correlation of RVFWLS and delta strain with length of stay (LOS) in the intensive care unit (ICU), ventilation days, trend of natriuretic peptide test. (NT‐proBNP) and lactate in the first 48 h, incidence of acute renal failure, and 28‐day mortality. Design Prospective observational study. Setting Cardio‐thoracic and Vascular Anaesthesia Department and ICU of the University Hospital Integrated Trust of Verona. Participants Patients scheduled for mitral surgery. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results All clinical and transoesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) parameters were collected at baseline, before surgery (T1) and at admission in the ICU postsurgery (T2). During the postoperative period, the clinical and echocardiographic diagnoses of right, left, or biventricular dysfunction were evaluated. TEE parameters were evaluated by a cardiologist offline. The patients were divided into two subgroups according to the development of any type of ventricular dysfunction. No statistically significant differences emerged between the two groups. According to a logistic regression model, a T1‐RVFWLS value of −15% appeared to predict biventricular dysfunction (sensitivity: 100%; specificity: 91.3%). No correlation between T1‐ or T2‐RVFWLS and creatinine, hours of ventilation or ICU LOS was found. Conclusions Our study introduces a new parameter that could be used in perioperative evaluations to identify patients at risk of postoperative biventricular dysfunction.

Objectives This qualitative study aimed to explore how young adults experienced the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to extensive lockdowns, social isolation and psychosocial distress. Specifically, this research focused on how the pandemic impacted those who did not contract COVID-19 and lived in a low-risk geographical location. The focus was young adults given they have large social circles (high risk for disease transmission) and have an increased propensity to mental health conditions. These insights can inform planning for future pandemics.Design This paper draws on 30 in-depth semistructured interviews. Data were analysed inductively following the principles of a constructivist grounded theory approach.Setting and participants 30 young adults living in Prince Edward Island during the COVID-19 pandemic, a Canadian province with a low number of COVID-19 cases at the time of data collection.Results We developed four themes that describe the experience of young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) life course disruption, (2) fear and anxiety about the COVID-19 virus, (3) isolation and loss of hope and (4) strategies for managing adversity. Our findings highlight the areas of young adults’ lives that were affected by extensive social changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We demonstrate that even individuals who had not contracted the virus were considerably impacted.Conclusion We provide a detailed description of the comprehensive impact of COVID-19 on low-risk young adults not previously infected with the COVID-19 virus. By reflecting on the biographical disruption experienced by young adults, we highlight the need and opportunity to direct healthcare resources towards identifying and addressing the secondary impacts of pandemics. Consequently, these findings can guide decisions relating to future pandemic restrictions to better account for the experiences of individuals living through them.

Abstract Several disabling symptoms potentially related to dysautonomia have been reported in “long-COVID” patients. Unfortunately, these symptoms are often nonspecific, and autonomic nervous system explorations are rarely performed in these patients. This study aimed to evaluate prospectively a cohort of long-COVID patients presenting severe disabling and non-relapsing symptoms of potential dysautonomia and to identify sensitive tests. Autonomic function was assessed by clinical examination, the Schirmer test; sudomotor evaluation, orthostatic blood pressure (BP) variation, 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring for sympathetic evaluation, and heart rate variation during orthostatism, deep breathing and Valsalva maneuvers for parasympathetic evaluation. Test results were considered abnormal if they reached the lower thresholds defined in publications and in our department. We also compared mean values for autonomic function tests between patients and age-matched controls. Sixteen patients (median age 37 years [31–43 years], 15 women) were included in this study and referred 14.5 months (median) [12.0–16.5 months] after initial infection. Nine had at least one positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR or serology result. Symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection were severe, fluctuating and disabling with effort intolerance. Six patients (37.5%) had one or several abnormal test results, affecting the parasympathetic cardiac function in five of them (31%). Mean Valsalva score was significantly lower in patients than in controls. In this cohort of severely disabled long-COVID patients, 37.5% of them had at least one abnormal test result showing a possible contribution of dysautonomia to these nonspecific symptoms. Interestingly, mean values of the Valsalva test were significantly lower in patients than in control subjects, suggesting that normal values thresholds might not be appropriate in this population.

Introdução: A doença renal crônica é um problema de saúde pública mundial, pois está associada ao alto risco de mortalidade, baixa qualidade de vida e elevado custo ao sistema de saúde. Objetivo: Identificar os possíveis fatores que podem influenciar o acesso ao cadastro técnico para transplante renal. Método: Estudo transversal de análise descritiva realizado em seis serviços de diálise da Metade Sul do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Participaram desse estudo pacientes maiores de 18 anos nos anos de 2016 e 2017. As variáveis demográficas e clínicas foram submetidas ao teste qui-quadrado de Pearson utilizando o Software Stata para a análise estatística. Pesquisa aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética 1.386385. Resultados: dos 314 pacientes em hemodiálise 228 (72,6%) não estavam no cadastro técnico para transplante renal. Os fatores clínicos e não clínicos que apresentaram significância estatística foram: idade (p

Background. Urinary incontinence is associated with chronic psycho-emotional stress. Stress management should be part of a comprehensive treatment for urinary incontinence.Objectives. An assessment of hypercatecholaminaemia severity and dynamics in repeated courses of TES therapy for stress urinary incontinence.Methods. A total of 100 stress urinary incontinence patients were divided between a comparison and two main cohorts. Main cohort 1 (n = 30) received a modern standard treatment in combination with TES therapy. TES therapy was performed in three courses (1 session per day for 7 days): course 1 on admission, course 2 in 3 months after course 1, course 3 in 6 months after course 1. Main cohort 2 (n = 40) received a modern standard treatment in combination with two short courses of TES-therapy (2 sessions per day for 7 days): course 1 on admission, course 2 in 6 months after course 1. The comparison cohort (n = 30) only had standard treatment. Catecholamine concentrations were assessed over time in each cohort.Results. Catecholamine concentrations were >2 times higher before treatment in all cohorts vs. healthy volunteers. The comparison cohort revealed adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations 71.2% (p < 0.05) and 84.0% (p < 0.05) higher vs. healthy volunteers, respectively, by month 6 of the trial. Main cohort 1 had the concentrations of adrenaline and noradrenaline 2.1 (p < 0.05) and 1.5 (p < 0.05) times higher, respectively, vs. healthy volunteers. Main cohort 2 showed an adrenaline concentration 12.5% (p < 0.05) and noradrenaline — 2.4% higher (p = 0.15) vs. healthy volunteers.Conclusion. TES therapy affects urinary incontinence hypercatecholaminaemia, demonstrating a favourable homeostatic impact on neuroimmunoendocrine regulation.

Objetivo. Identificar los enfoques sobre la inocuidad y calidad del agua en los documentos que describen los programas de alimentación escolar en los países de América Latina y el Caribe (ALC). Métodos. Estudio descriptivo, transversal y exploratorio de los documentos sobre alimentación escolar en los países y territorios de ALC. Se realizó el análisis documental y se determinaron a priori cuatro categorías: “agua para el consumo”, “agua para la higiene”, “agua para la preparación”, y “agricultura local/familiar” según el uso del agua en la alimentación escolar. Los documentos fueron buscados durante 2018-2019 en los sitios web oficiales de los países y territorios de ALC, la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y Agricultura y el Programa Mundial de Alimentos. Se obtuvieron las frecuencias absolutas y relativas de los datos cuantitativos y para los datos cualitativos se aplicó el análisis de contenido del tipo temático. Resultados. Se analizaron 114 documentos, de los cuales 29 eran elegibles. Los enfoques de las categorías “agua para el consumo”, “agua para la higiene” y “agua para la preparación” solo atribuían al agua la característica de ser potable. En la categoría “agricultura local/familiar” no se encontraron enfoques sobre el agua para el riego. Conclusión. Los documentos abordan el agua, pero no se centran en su inocuidad y calidad. Los gobiernos y autoridades locales deben revisar sus documentos y garantizar la unanimidad de los enfoques a partir del apoyo y diálogo intersectorial para alcanzar las metas de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible.

Abstract Farmers focus on reducing the cost of production and aim to increase profit. The objective of this study was to quantify the reduction of pesticides applied to soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) and maize (Zea mays L.) crops in several stages of the production cycle using a site-specific spraying application based on real-time sensors in the Brazilian Cerrado region. The sprayers were equipped with a precision spraying control system based on a real-time sensor. The spraying operations were performed not only for herbicide, but also for fungicide and insecticides applications. The maps recorded the percentage of the spray boom when the application was turned on (on/off spray system) with nozzle-to-nozzle control. The precision spraying system based on real-time sensors reduced the volume of pesticides (including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides) applied to soybean and maize crops. There was a more significant reduction in the volume of pesticides applied post-emergence of the crops in the initial stages of soybean and maize when the crops had less leaf area or less foliage coverage between the rows. The cost reduction achieved using this technology was 2.3 times lower than the cost associated with pesticide application over the entire area using a conventional sprayer. Under the experimental conditions, there were no differences in the average crop yield, compared to the historical productivity of soybean and maize crops by applying this technology because the recommended doses were not affected and the site of application was limited to points where the presence of plants was present was detected.

Abstract Over the past few years, it has become standard to describe brain anatomical and functional organisation in terms of complex networks, wherein single brain regions or modules and their connections are respectively identified with network nodes and the links connecting them. Often, the goal of a given study is not that of modelling brain activity but, more basically, to discriminate between experimental conditions or populations, thus to find a way to compute differences between them. This in turn involves two important aspects: defining discriminative features and quantifying differences between them. Here we show that the ranked dynamical stability of network features, from links or nodes to higher-level network properties, discriminates well between healthy brain activity and various pathological conditions. These easily computable properties, which constitute local but topographically aspecific aspects of brain activity, greatly simplify inter-network comparisons and spare the need for network pruning. Our results are discussed in terms of microstate stability. Some implications for functional brain activity are discussed.

ObjectiveCognitive deficits are commonly observed after stroke and have been associated with the cognitive decline and development of dementia in later stages. This study aimed to investigate whether cognition screened at acute stroke units could explain subjective cognitive complaints 3 months after stroke and evaluate how the severity of stroke and age could influence this association.MethodsIn this register-based longitudinal study, data were retrieved from three Swedish registers between November 2014 and June 2019. Information on subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) was collected from the Riksstroke 3-month follow-up form, which were used to analyze the primary outcomes. Cognitive function screened using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at acute stroke units was expressed as the primary independent variable.ResultsOf the 1977 patients included in the study, 58% were males, the median age was 73 years, and 63% had a minor stroke. A total of 60% of patients had impaired cognition at acute stroke units (MoCA score, ConclusionsIntact cognition early after stroke was related to decreased odds of subjective cognitive complaints at the 3-month follow-up. This study highlights the importance of both early cognitive screening after stroke and subjective cognitive complaints, which have been shown to be associated with cognitive decline. Furthermore, we suggest the importance of discussing cognitive function with patients during regular follow-up in primary care, usually 3 months after stroke.

Abstract Established nosological models have provided physicians an adequate enough classification of diseases so far. Such systems are important to correctly identify diseases and treat them successfully. However, these taxonomies tend to be based on phenotypical observations, lacking a molecular or biological foundation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to modernize them in order to include the heterogeneous information that is produced in the present, as could be genomic, proteomic, transcriptomic and metabolic data, leading this way to more comprehensive and robust structures. For that purpose, we have developed an extensive methodology to analyse the possibilities when it comes to generate new nosological models from biological features. Different datasets of diseases have been considered, and distinct features related to diseases, namely genes, proteins, metabolic pathways and genetical variants, have been represented as binary and numerical vectors. From those vectors, diseases distances have been computed on the basis of several metrics. Clustering algorithms have been implemented to group diseases, generating different models, each of them corresponding to the distinct combinations of the previous parameters. They have been evaluated by means of intrinsic metrics, proving that some of them are highly suitable to cover new nosologies. One of the clustering configurations has been deeply analysed, demonstrating its quality and validity in the research context, and further biological interpretations have been made. Such model was particularly generated by OPTICS clustering algorithm, by studying the distance between diseases based on gene sharedness and following cosine index metric. 729 clusters were formed in this model, which obtained a Silhouette coefficient of 0.43.

Abstract Functional networks, i.e. networks representing the interactions between the elements of a complex system and reconstructed from the observed elements’ dynamics, are becoming a fundamental tool to unravel the structures created by the movement of information in systems like the human brain. They also present drawbacks, one of the most important being the inherent difficulty in representing and interpreting the resulting structures for large number of nodes and links. I here propose a causality clustering approach, based on grouping nodes into clusters according to their similarity in the overall information dynamics, the latter one being measured by a causality metric. The whole system can then arbitrarily be simplified, with nodes being grouped in e.g. sources, brokers and sinks of information. The advantages and limitations of the proposed approach are discussed using a set of synthetic and real-world data sets, the latter ones representing two neuroscience and technological problems.

Objectives To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the well-being of surgeons and allied health professionals as well as the support provided by their institutions.Design This cross-sectional study involved distributing an online survey through medical organisations, social media platforms and collaborators.Setting It included all staff based in an operating theatre environment around the world.Participants 1590 complete responses were received from 54 countries between 15 July and 15 December 2020. The average age of participants was 30–40 years old, 64.9% were men and 32.5% of a white ethnic background. 79.5% were surgeons with the remainder being nurses, assistants, anaesthetists, operating department practitioners or classified other.Main outcome measures Participants that had experienced any physical illness, changes in mental health, salary or time with family since the start of the pandemic as well as support available based on published recommendations.Results 32.0% reported becoming physically ill. This was more likely in those with reduced access to personal protective equipment (OR 4.62; CI 2.82 to 7.56; p

Neuronal migration is one of the fundamental processes during brain development. Several neurodevelopmental disorders can be traced back to dysregulated migration. Although substantial efforts have been placed in identifying molecular signals that stimulate migration, little is known about potential mechanisms that restrict migration. These restrictive mechanisms are essential for proper development since it helps coordinate the timing for each neuronal population to arrive and establish proper connections. Moreover, preventing migration away from a proliferative niche is necessary in maintaining a pool of proliferating cells until the proper number of neuronal progenitors is attained. Here, using mice and rats, we identify an anti-migratory role for the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) in cerebellar development. Our results show that granule cell precursors (GCPs) robustly express p75NTR in the external granule layer (EGL) when they are proliferating during postnatal development, however, they do not express p75NTR when they migrate either from the rhombic lip during embryonic development or from the EGL during postnatal development. We show that p75NTR prevented GCP migration by maintaining elevated levels of active RhoA. The expression of p75NTR was sufficient to prevent the migration of the granule cells even in the presence of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a well-established chemotactic signal for this cell population. Our findings suggest that the expression of p75NTR might be a critical signal that stops and maintains the GCPs in the proliferative niche of the EGL, by promoting the clonal expansion of cerebellar granule neurons.

Abstract The ever-growing availability of biomedical text sources has resulted in a boost in clinical studies based on their exploitation. Biomedical named-entity recognition (bio-NER) techniques have evolved remarkably in recent years and their application in research is increasingly successful. Still, the disparity of tools and the limited available validation resources are barriers preventing a wider diffusion, especially within clinical practice. We here propose the use of omics data and network analysis as an alternative for the assessment of bio-NER tools. Specifically, our method introduces quality criteria based on edge overlap and community detection. The application of these criteria to four bio-NER solutions yielded comparable results to strategies based on annotated corpora, without suffering from their limitations. Our approach can constitute a guide both for the selection of the best bio-NER tool given a specific task, and for the creation and validation of novel approaches.

Abstract Sowing density is one of the most influential factors affecting corn yield. Here, we tested the hypothesis that, according to soil attributes, maximum corn productivity can be attained by varying the seed population. Specifically, our objectives were to identify the soil attributes that affect grain yield, in order to generate a model to define the optimum sowing rate as a function of the attributes identified, and determine which vegetative growth indices can be used to predict yield most accurately. The experiment was conducted in Chapadão do Céu-GO in 2018 and 2019 at two different locations. Corn was sown as the second crop after the soybean harvest. The hybrids used were AG 8700 PRO3 and FS 401 PW, which have similar characteristics and an average 135-day cropping cycle. Tested sowing rates were 50, 55, 60, and 65 thousand seeds ha−1. Soil attributes evaluated included pH, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, organic matter, clay content, cation exchange capacity, and base saturation. Additionally, we measured the correlation between the different vegetative growth indices and yield. Linear correlations were obtained through Pearson’s correlation network, followed by path analysis for the selection of cause and effect variables, which formed the decision trees to estimate yield and seeding density. Magnesium and apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) were the most important soil attributes for determining sowing density. Thus, the plant population should be 56,000 plants ha−1 to attain maximum yield at ECa values > 7.44 mS m−1. In addition, the plant population should be 64,800 plants ha−1 at values

Objectives Develop and validate a WHO Standards-based online questionnaire to measure the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around the time of childbirth from the health workers’ perspective.Design Mixed-methods study.Setting Six countries of the WHO European Region.Participants and methods The questionnaire is based on lessons learnt in previous studies, and was developed in three sequential phases: (1) WHO Quality Measures were prioritised and content, construct and face validity were assessed through a Delphi involving a multidisciplinary board of experts from 11 countries of the WHO European Region; (2) translation/back translation of the English version was conducted following The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research guidelines; (3) internal consistency, intrarater reliability and acceptability were assessed among 600 health workers in six countries.Results The questionnaire included 40 items based on WHO Standards Quality Measures, equally divided into four domains: provision of care, experience of care, availability of human and physical resources, organisational changes due to COVID-19; and its organised in six sections. It was translated/back translated in 12 languages: Bosnian, Croatian, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish. The Cronbach’s alpha values were ≥0.70 for each questionnaire section where questions were hypothesised to be interrelated, indicating good internal consistence. Cohen K or Gwet’s AC1 values were ≥0.60, suggesting good intrarater reliability, except for one question. Acceptability was good with only 1.70% of health workers requesting minimal changes in question wording.Conclusions Findings suggest that the questionnaire has good content, construct, face validity, internal consistency, intrarater reliability and acceptability in six countries of the WHO European Region. Future studies may further explore the questionnaire’s use in other countries, and how to translate evidence generated by this tool into policies to improve the QMNC.Trail registration number NCT04847336

Public health measures (PHMs) proactively and reactively reduce the spread of disease. While these measures target individual behaviour, they require broad adherence to be effective. Consequently, the World Health Organization issued a special appeal to young adults, a known non-adherent population, for increased adherence with COVID-19 guidelines. However, little is known about why these low-risk individuals do or do not adhere to PHMs. This study investigates why young adults in a low-risk setting adhered to PHMs implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research approach was chosen to gain an in-depth understanding of participants' thoughts and experiences related to PHM adherence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in April-May 2021 with 30 young adults living in Prince Edward Island (PEI), the province with the lowest COVID-19 case rate in Canada at that time. Thematic analysis was used to create a codebook based on the Theoretical Domains Framework, which was then inductively modified. The analysis identified eight themes that explained the adherence of young adults: (1) clear, purpose-driven adherence rationale, (2) developing trust in the local leadership, (3) adapting to novel measures, (4) manageable disruption, (5) adhering to reduce anxiety, (6) collective duty towards one's community, (7) moral culpability and (8) using caution rather than compliance. Together, these themes demonstrate that young adults adhered to PHMs because of their sense of connection to their community, public health leadership, and concerns over stigma. We further argue that clear guidelines and communication from public health officials during both periods of high and low COVID-19 cases facilitate adherence. These findings are important for mitigating future public health emergencies as they explain why young adults, an important segment of the population whose adherence is critical to the success of PHMs, follow PHMs. Further, these findings can inform public health officials and other stakeholders aiming to develop successful adherence strategies.

In this review we analyzed the guidelines for diagnosis and management of celiac disease, as well as the recent studies published on this issue. Capsule endoscopy could be used in patients unwilling or unable to undergo conventional endoscopy, in patients who have discordant results between serological and histopathological investigation, in patients with nonresponsive or refractory celiac disease.

Objetivo: desenvolver atividades a fim de facilitar a reinserção social e no mercado de trabalho de dependentes químicos residentes da comunidade terapêutica Fazenda Paraíso. Método: trata-se de um estudo de abordagem qualiquantitativa, com caráter descritivo. Quinze internos com idade entre 16 e 49 anos participaram de oficinas com cunho teórico/prático ministradas por docentes e acadêmicos do curso de graduação de Farmácia. Resultados: a maioria dos participantes estava com idade acima dos 30 anos, e 80% tinham somente formação em educação básica. Constatou-se que o emprego é capaz de gerar estabilidade financeira, além de proporcionar dignidade e trazer reconhecimento por parte da sociedade, sendo então importante para o toxicômano. Conclusão: o profissional farmacêutico pode ser um grande aliado na reinserção do dependente químico na sociedade, seja pela ministração de oficinas ou palestras de educação em saúde.

Neste artigo identificamos as manifestações de pele mais comuns relacionadas à doença do coronavírus 19 (COVID-19), a fim de facilitar o diagnóstico realizado pelos profissionais da saúde. Foram analisados um total de 524 pacientes, por meio de 20 artigos, sobre a relação entre o vírus e as lesões de pele. Os artigos considerados elegíveis para essa revisão preencheram critérios como descrição completa das lesões cutâneas e presença de foto. A prevalência das lesões de pele aumentou com a idade, sendo maior no sexo feminino. Observou-se cinco principais tipos de manifestações, em ordem decrescente de prevalência: exantema maculopapular generalizado morbiforme, erupção cutânea papulovesicular, urticária, livedo reticular e placas eritematosas. Esses padrões aparecem em momentos diferentes da doença e estão associados a diferentes durações, gravidade e prognóstico. Vale destacar, que grande parte das lesões foram encontradas em tronco e extremidades. Além dessas manifestações, outros sintomas foram identificados, sendo febre o sintoma mais comum. Dessa forma, compreender as diversas apresentações do coronavírus da síndrome respiratória aguda grave 2 (SARS-CoV-2) é de extrema importância no entendimento epidemiológico da doença. Portanto, profissionais da saúde devem atentar para as manifestações cutâneas nos pacientes pois, em conjunto com outros sinais e sintomas, ajudam a compor o quadro clínico da COVID-19, colaborando para um diagnóstico clínico e diferencial precoce.

Background Within the global endeavour of improving population health, one major challenge is the identification and integration of medical knowledge spread through several information sources. The creation of a comprehensive dataset of diseases and their clinical manifestations based on information from public sources is an interesting approach that allows one not only to complement and merge medical knowledge but also to increase it and thereby to interconnect existing data and analyse and relate diseases to each other. In this paper, we present DISNET (http://disnet.ctb.upm.es/), a web-based system designed to periodically extract the knowledge from signs and symptoms retrieved from medical databases, and to enable the creation of customisable disease networks. Methods We here present the main features of the DISNET system. We describe how information on diseases and their phenotypic manifestations is extracted from Wikipedia and PubMed websites; specifically, texts from these sources are processed through a combination of text mining and natural language processing techniques. Results We further present the validation of our system on Wikipedia and PubMed texts, obtaining the relevant accuracy. The final output includes the creation of a comprehensive symptoms-disease dataset, shared (free access) through the system’s API. We finally describe, with some simple use cases, how a user can interact with it and extract information that could be used for subsequent analyses. Discussion DISNET allows retrieving knowledge about the signs, symptoms and diagnostic tests associated with a disease. It is not limited to a specific category (all the categories that the selected sources of information offer us) and clinical diagnosis terms. It further allows to track the evolution of those terms through time, being thus an opportunity to analyse and observe the progress of human knowledge on diseases. We further discussed the validation of the system, suggesting that it is good enough to be used to extract diseases and diagnostically-relevant terms. At the same time, the evaluation also revealed that improvements could be introduced to enhance the system’s reliability.

The measurement of the proliferation (and the relevant inhibition of proliferation) of microbes is used in different settings, from industry to laboratory medicine. Thus, in this study, the capacity of the Antibiochip (ELTEK spa), a microfluidic-based device, to measure the amount of E. coli in certain culture conditions, was evaluated. An Antibiochip is composed of V-shaped microchannels, and the amount of microparticles (such as microbes) is measured by the surface of the pellet after centrifugation. In the present study, different geometries, volumes and times were analyzed. When the best conditions were identified, serial dilutions of microbial cultures were tested to validate the linearity of the results. Then, with the use of wild E. coli strains isolated from medical samples, the relationship between bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics measured by standard methods and that measured by the Antibiochip was evaluated. In this report, the good quality performances of the methods, their linearity and the capacity to identify susceptible microbial strains after 60 minutes of incubation are shown. These results represent a novel approach for ultrarapid antibiograms in clinics.

Subtype H3N2 influenza A viruses (A(H3N2)) have been the dominant strain in some countries in the Western Pacific region since the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza; however, low vaccine effectiveness has been reported in some influenza seasons, especially for A(H3N2). Antigenic mismatch introduced by egg-adaptation during vaccine production between the vaccine and circulating viral stains is one of the reasons for low vaccine effectiveness. Here we review the extent of this phenomenon, the underlying molecular mechanisms and discuss recent strategies to ameliorate this, including new vaccine platforms that may provide better protection and should be considered to reduce the impact of A(H3N2) in the Western Pacific region.

Abstract Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK)2 targeting down-regulates autoimmune responses in animal models and patients, however the underlying molecular mechanism is still an enigma. We report that ROCK2 binds phosphorylated-STAT3 and its kinase activity controls the formation of ROCK2/STAT3/JAK2 complex and optimal STAT3 phosphorylation in human CD4+ T cells during T helper 17 (TH17)-skewing. Moreover, chromatin-immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) analysis revealed that, genome-wide, about 70% of ROCK2 and STAT3 peaks overlapped and co-localized to several key genes controlling TH17 and T follicular helper (TFH) cell functions. Specifically, the co-occupancy of ROCK2 and STAT3 on the Irf4 and Bcl6 genes was validated by ChIP-qPCR analysis. Furthermore, the binding of ROCK2 to both the Irf4 and Bcl6 promoters was attenuated by STAT3 silencing as well as by selective ROCK2 inhibitor. Thus, the present study demonstrated previously unidentified evidence that ROCK2-mediated signaling in the cytosol provides a positive feed-forward signal for nuclear ROCK2 to be recruited to the chromatin by STAT3 and potentially regulates TH17/TFH gene transcription.

The article presents the experience of an extensionist activity whose main objective was to propose architectural solutions for the qualification of the accommodation spaces of UFSC indigenous students and families, considering constructive as well as cultural aspects. This project aimed to bring the Architecture and Urbanism course closer to discussions about the indigenous theme, seeking to know the diversity of the culture of the indigenous peoples of the south of the country and to promote reflections about the social role of Architecture in the construction of spaces for the reception and valuation of culture and Brazilian indigenous peoples in contemporary times. The article also highlights the pedagogical potential of university extension, contributing significantly to the teaching and learning processes, promoting debate and interaction with the social environment.

Objetivo: Analisar o cuidado de enfermagem ao idoso em diversos cenários de um hospital geral, com ênfase no preparo profissional, limites e particularidades das práticas assistenciais. Método: Pesquisa exploratória de natureza descritiva, com abordagem qualitativa, realizada em um hospital universitário público, por entrevista aberta, com 15 profissionais de enfermagem que executavam cuidados a pacientes idosos. Resultado: Identificou-se que o cuidado de enfermagem ao idoso hospitalizado enfrenta limites e dificuldades de distintas origens; que o cuidado de enfermagem ao idoso hospitalizado requer atenção peculiar imposta pelas características do envelhecimento; e que o cuidado de enfermagem ao idoso hospitalizado é facilitado pela prática colaborativa. Conclusão: Foram apontadas distintas dificuldades no cuidado de enfermagem a idosos hospitalizados, assim como a necessidade de uma assistência direcionada a especificidades do indivíduo idoso e o quanto a colaboração interprofissional permite um cuidado mais individualizado e efetivo para essa população.

Guangdong province, located in South China, is an important economic hub with a large domestic migrant population and was among the earliest areas to report COVID-19 cases outside of Wuhan. We conducted a cross-sectional, age-stratified serosurvey to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 after the emergence of COVID-19 in Guangdong. We tested 14,629 residual serum samples that were submitted for clinical testing from 21 prefectures between March and June 2020 for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using a magnetic particle based chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay and validated the results using a pseudovirus neutralization assay. We found 21 samples positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG, resulting in an estimated age- and sex-weighted seroprevalence of 0.15% (95% CI: 0.06–0.24%). The overall age-specific seroprevalence was 0.07% (95% CI: 0.01–0.24%) in persons up to 9 years old, 0.22% (95% CI: 0.03–0.79%) in persons aged 10–19, 0.16% (95% CI: 0.07–0.33%) in persons aged 20–39, 0.13% (95% CI: 0.03–0.33%) in persons aged 40–59 and 0.18% (95% CI: 0.07–0.40%) in persons ≥60 years old. Fourteen (67%) samples had pseudovirus neutralization titers to S-protein, suggesting most of the IgG-positive samples were true-positives. Seroprevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 was low, indicating that there were no hidden epidemics during this period. Vaccination is urgently needed to increase population immunity to SARS-CoV-2.

Abstract In vitro induced human regulatory T cells (iTregs) have demonstrated in vivo therapeutic utility, but pathways regulating their function have not been elucidated. Here, we report that human iTregs generated in vitro from naïve cord blood cells preferentially recruit Disc large homolog 1 (Dlgh1) and exclude protein kinase C (PKC)-θ from immunological synapses formed on supported lipid bilayers with laterally mobile ICAM-1 and anti-CD3 mAb. Also, iTregs display elevated Dlgh1 overall and Dlgh1-dependent p38 phosphorylation, higher levels of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and diminished Akt phosphorylation. Pharmacological interruption of PKC-θ increases and Dlgh1 silencing decreases the ability of iTregs to suppress interferon-γ production by CD4+CD25− effector T cells (Teff). Comparison with expanded cord blood-derived CD4+CD25hi tTreg and expanded Teffs from the same donors indicate that iTreg are intermediate between expanded CD4+CD25hi tTregs and Teffs, whereas modulation of suppressive activities by PKC-θ and Dlgh1 signaling pathways are shared.

Aquaponics (AP) is a semi-closed system of food production that combines aquaculture and hydroponics and represents a new agricultural system integrating producers and consumers. The aim of this study was to test the effect of stocking densities (APL, 2.5 kg m-3; APH, 4.6 kg m-3) on water quality, growth performance of the European Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), and yield of leafy vegetables (catalogna, lettuce, and Swiss Chard) in a low-technology AP pilot system compared to a hydroponic cultivation. The AP daily consumption of water due to evapotranspiration was not different among treatments with an average value of 8.2 L d-1, equal to 1.37% of the total water content of the system. Dissolved oxygen was significantly (p < 0.05) different among treatments with the lowest median value recorded with the highest stocking density of fish (5.6 mg L-1) and the highest median value in the hydroponic control (8.7 mg L-1). Marketable yield of the vegetables was significantly different among treatments with the highest production in the hydroponic control for catalogna (1.2 kg m-2) and in the APL treatment for Swiss Chard (5.3 kg m-2). The yield of lettuce did not differ significantly between hydroponic control and APL system (4.0 kg m-2 on average). The lowest production of vegetables was obtained in the APH system. The final weight (515 g vs. 413 g for APL and APH, respectively), specific growth rate (0.79% d-1 vs. 0.68% d-1), and feed conversion (1.55 vs. 1.86) of European Carp decreased when stocking density increased, whereas total yield of biomass was higher in the APH system (4.45 kg m-3 vs. 6.88 kg m-3). A low mortality (3% on average) was observed in both AP treatments. Overall, the results showed that a low initial stocking density at 2.5 kg m-3 improved the production of European Carp and of leafy vegetables by maintaining a better water quality in the tested AP system.

We conducted a research of the following ways of the post-operative hypothyroidism treatment: CES-therapy, hormone replacement therapy with L-thyroxine and combination therapy including two previously suggested approaches. The usage of CES-therapy in postoperative hypothyroidism leads to a significant decrease of TSH, fT3 and fT4. On this background, signs of protein-synthetic failure are observed. The isolated usage of L-thyroxin leads to a significant increase in the content of fT4 with a decrease of TSH and close to normal values of fT3 while there are signs of an expressed activation of protein catabolism. It is shown that only a comprehensive application of CES-therapy and L-thyroxine leads to the increase of TSH concentration amid rising fT3 and fT4. Herewith there is an observation of protein-synthetic failure symptoms.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has a need for blood and blood products that exceeds current availability. This unmet demand is evidenced by persistently high mortality rates associated with potentially reversible conditions such as haemorrhage and anaemia. This study reviews current literature on blood donation in SSA to identify common local motivators and deterrents to blood donation and highlights specific interventions that have successfully increased the number of blood donors in this region. Methods: The authors searched the health literature to identify original studies conducted in SSA that addressed blood donation motivators and deterrents. Data were then extracted from each study to determine how often each study identified specific motivators and deterrents. Results: Pro-social motivation, such as altruism and the desire to have a positive effect on the community, is the most frequently noted reason for people in SSA countries to donate blood. Negative attitudes and misconceptions towards blood donation, in addition to perceived negative health effects caused by donation, are the two most frequently mentioned reasons that dissuade individuals from donating blood. Conclusion: Due to paucity of research on this topic, our understanding of blood donor behaviour in SSA is limited. Local traditions and cultures intimately shape individuals’ proclivity towards the donation process. In order to change the attitudes and behaviours of many potential donors in SSA it is important to address the deterrents to blood donation, as many represent misconceptions or culture-specific beliefs that may be the ultimate driving force dictating donor behaviour.

In the last few decades, a large body of experimental evidence has highlighted the complex role for mitochondria in eukaryotic cells: they are not only the site of aerobic metabolism (thus providing most of the ATP supply for endergonic processes) but also a crucial checkpoint of cell death processes (both necrosis and apoptosis) and autophagy. For this purpose, mitochondria must receive and decode the wide variety of physiological and pathological stimuli impacting on the cell. The “old” notion that mitochondria possess a sophisticated machinery for accumulating and releasing Ca2+, the most common and versatile second messenger of eukaryotic cells, is thus no surprise. What may be surprising is that the identification of the molecules involved in mitochondrial Ca2+ transport occurred only in the last decade for both the influx (the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter, MCU) and the efflux (the sodium calcium exchanger, NCX) pathways. In this review, we will focus on the description of the amazing molecular complexity of the MCU complex, highlighting the numerous functional implications of the tissue-specific expression of the variants of the channel pore components (MCU/MCUb) and of the associated proteins (MICU 1, 2, and 3, EMRE, and MCUR1).

Background Details of how, why and in what conditions large felids make scrapes is unknown. Here, we examined the general hypothesis about the use of scrapes for marking proposals, as well as to communicate with other individuals to signalize particular points or areas of interest, by studying scrape-marking behaviour of jaguars and pumas. Methods We surveyed by scrapes between five days and two months mainly during dry season in five study areas from Mexico (El Edén and San Ignacio), Belize (Cockscomb) and Brazil (Angatuba and Serra das Almas), which differed in presence and/or abundance of jaguars and pumas. Paths were slowly walked while searching for scrapes by teams normally composed of two people and tracks were stored in GPS, distinguishing the type of path surveyed (unpaved track roads, trails and cross-country). Results We found a total of 269 felid scrapes along 467 km of paths surveyed, obtaining a finding rate of 0.576 scrapes per km. Most scrapes were found in car tracks (0.629 scrapes per km), followed by trails (0.581 scrapes per km), and rarely did we find scrapes in cross country (0.094 scrapes per km). In trails, scrapes were found in a similar frequency in the centre and edge, whereas in car tracks they were mainly found in the edge. There were also clear differences in the position of the scrapes between study areas that differed in presence and/or abundance of pumas and jaguars, with scrapes located mainly in the centre in areas only with pumas, in the centre and in the edge in areas with a similar number of jaguars and pumas, and in the edge in area mainly dominated by jaguars. The remarking rate tended to be higher in one of the areas with only pumas where natural vegetation was scarcer. Felids chose sites mainly covered by leaves and located in paths less wide, clean and rarely used. Discussion Scraping was a frequent behaviour in the largest felids of America, although in some areas, scraping behaviour was rare. Scrapes seem to be signalizing some specific areas within territories and data suggest that they are made with the proposal of communication between individuals. It seems that a high scraping behaviour in pumas is not related to the presence of jaguars.

A osteoartrite é uma doença que pode interferir no equilíbrio postural por meio de alterações neuromusculares diversas e a fisioterapia possui meios que buscam a manutenção ou reabilitação deste problema. O objetivo desta revisão foi identificar, na literatura, meios reabilitativos sobre o equilíbrio postural de indivíduos com osteoartrite. Realizou-se uma revisão sistemática nas bases de dados SciELO, Medline e LILACS, entre os meses de janeiro à março de 2016, a partir do descritor primário “Osteoartrite” (Osteoarthritis) em cruzamento com os descritores secundários “Equilíbrio Postural” (Postural Balance), “Fisioterapia” (Physical Therapy Specialty) e “Reabilitação” (Rehabilitation), nas línguas portuguesa e inglesa. Inicialmente encontraram-se 275, dos quais 29 foram recrutados para uma análise qualitativa criteriosa. Ao fim, quatro artigos foram eleitos mediante os critérios estabelecidos pela revisão: um artigo abordou a cinesioterapia em solo, dois a hidrocinesioterapia e um a prática de exercícios domiciliares. Conclui-se que a manutenção ou reabilitação do equilíbrio postural, tanto estático quanto dinâmico, constitui um fenômeno de grande complexidade nos indivíduos acometidos pela osteoartrite. As técnicas fisioterapêuticas abordadas (cinesioterapia em solo, hidrocinesioterapia e a prática de exercícios físicos domiciliares) demonstraram efeitos positivos no manejo do equilíbrio postural em indivíduos com osteoartrite de quadril ou de joelho.

The aim of the study was to establish 24 month changes in upper limb function using a revised version of the performance of upper limb test (PUL 2.0) in a large cohort of ambulant and non-ambulant boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and to identify possible trajectories of progression. Of the 187 patients studied, 87 were ambulant (age range: 7-15.8 years), and 90 non-ambulant (age range: 9.08-24.78). The total scores changed significantly over time (p

A research objective was studying of influence of TES-therapy on dynamics of balance about pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines at an ischemic stroke. The level assessment interlaken-1ß, 6, 10 at 60 patients with an ischemic stroke divided into 2 groups is made: 1 group is the patients receiving standard treatment. The 2nd group - the patients receiving standard treatment and TES-therapy. Biochemical researches in both groups are conducted in 1, 4, 8 days of stay in a hospital. It is shown that application of TES-therapy has a homeostatic focus, normalizing levels interlaken-1ß and interlaken-6, and also increases level interlaken-10 and ß-endorphin that renders neurotyre-tread effect.

The problem of treatment of the ischemic stroke (IS) is actual in modern medicine. In work an attempt of creation of model of cerebral ischemia at rats with possibility of application of TES-therapy is made. Experiments are made on 130 rats who were divided into 4 groups: 1 - control, 2 - IS modeling, 3 - application of TES-therapy and IS modeling, 4 -modeling of IS and TES-therapy application. In serum of blood investigated level β-endorphins for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days. As a result of the conducted research it is established that the contents β-endorphins decreases throughout the entire period of supervision. Preliminary carrying out TES-therapy and its carrying out after modeling of IS stimulates a stress - limiting system and prevents level falling β-endorphins the entire period of supervision over animals.

In work the estimation cytokin’s the status (IL-1 β, IL -4, IL -6, IL -10) at patients with CCT average and heavy severity level is spent. All patients have been divided into 2 groups: 1 (n=25) - therapy CCT under the report and 2 (n=25) - therapy CCT under the report and TES-therapy. It is shown that at patients of 1 group level IL-1 β authentically did not decrease, and in 2 group its authentic decrease was marked. The same dynamics of level IL -6. Maintenance IL -10 authentically increased in group of patients with TES-therapy. Thus, the TES-therapy spent in 2 group of patients, promotes correction cytokin’s a disbalance that testifies to necessity of its inclusion for standard therapy CCT.

Complex network theory has been used, during the last decade, to understand the structures behind complex biological problems, yielding new knowledge in a large number of situations. Nevertheless, such knowledge has remained mostly qualitative. In this contribution, I show how information extracted from a network representation can be used in a quantitative way, to improve the score of a classification task. As a test bed, I consider a dataset corresponding to patients suffering from prostate cancer, and the task of successfully prognosing their survival. When information from a complex network representation is added on top of a simple classification model, the error is reduced from 27.9% to 23.8%. This confirms that network theory can be used to synthesize information that may not readily be accessible by standard data mining algorithms.

Cerebellar granule cell progenitors (GCP) proliferate extensively in the external granule layer (EGL) of the developing cerebellum prior to differentiating and migrating. Mechanisms that regulate the appropriate timing of cell cycle withdrawal of these neuronal progenitors during brain development are not well defined. The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) is highly expressed in the proliferating GCPs, but is downregulated once the cells leave the cell cycle. This receptor has primarily been characterized as a death receptor for its ability to induce neuronal apoptosis following injury. Here we demonstrate a novel function for p75NTR in regulating proper cell cycle exit of neuronal progenitors in the developing rat and mouse EGL, which is stimulated by proNT3. In the absence of p75NTR, GCPs continue to proliferate beyond their normal period, resulting in a larger cerebellum that persists into adulthood, with consequent motor deficits.

Multiple metrics have been developed to detect causality relations between data describing the elements constituting complex systems, all of them considering their evolution through time. Here we propose a metric able to detect causality within static data sets, by analysing how extreme events in one element correspond to the appearance of extreme events in a second one. The metric is able to detect non-linear causalities; to analyse both cross-sectional and longitudinal data sets; and to discriminate between real causalities and correlations caused by confounding factors. We validate the metric through synthetic data, dynamical and chaotic systems, and data representing the human brain activity in a cognitive task. We further show how the proposed metric is able to outperform classical causality metrics, provided non-linear relationships are present and large enough data sets are available.

Climate change is a driver for diverse impacts on global biodiversity. We investigated its impacts on native landcover distribution in South America, seeking to predict its effect as a new force driving habitat loss and population isolation. Moreover, we mapped potential future climatic refuges, which are likely to be key areas for biodiversity conservation under climate change scenarios. Climatically similar native landcovers were aggregated using a decision tree, generating a reclassified landcover map, from which 25% of the map's coverage was randomly selected to fuel distribution models. We selected the best geographical distribution models among twelve techniques, validating the predicted distribution for current climate with the landcover map and used the best technique to predict the future distribution. All landcover categories showed changes in area and displacement of the latitudinal/longitudinal centroid. Closed vegetation was the only landcover type predicted to expand its distributional range. The range contractions predicted for other categories were intense, even suggesting extirpation of the sparse vegetation category. The landcover refuges under future climate change represent a small proportion of the South American area and they are disproportionately represented and unevenly distributed, predominantly occupying five of 26 South American countries. The predicted changes, regardless of their direction and intensity, can put biodiversity at risk because they are expected to occur in the near future in terms of the temporal scales of ecological and evolutionary processes. Recognition of the threat of climate change allows more efficient conservation actions.

In intensive agricultural systems runoff is one of the major potential diffuse pollution pathways for pesticides and poses a risk to surface water. Ditches are common in the Po Valley and can potentially provide runoff mitigation for the protection of watercourses. The effectiveness depends on ditch characteristics, so there is an urgent need for site-specific field trials. The use of a fugacity model (multimedia model) can allows recognition of the mitigation main processes. A field experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the mitigation capacity of a typical vegetated ditch, and results were compared with predictions by a fugacity model. To evaluate herbicide mitigation after an extreme runoff, the ditch was flooded with water containing mesotrione, S-metolachlor and terbuthylazine. Two other subsequent floods with uncontaminated water were applied 27 and 82 days later to evaluate herbicides release. Results show that the ditch can immediately reduce runoff concentration of herbicides by at least 50% even in extreme flooding conditions. The half-distances were about 250 m. As a general rule, a runoff of 1 mm from 5 ha is mitigated by 99% in 100 m of vegetated ditch. Herbicides retention in the vegetated ditch was reversible, and the second flood mobilized 0.03-0.2% of the previous one, with a concentration below the drinking water limit of 0.1 μg L(-1). No herbicide was detected in the third flood, because the residual amount in the ditch was too low. Fugacity model results show that specific physical-chemical parameters may be used and a specific soil-sediment-plant compartment included for modelling herbicides behaviour in a vegetated ditch, and confirm that accumulation is low or negligible for herbicides with a half-life of 40 days or less. Shallow vegetated ditches can thus be included in a general agri-environment scheme for the mitigation of pesticides runoff together with wetlands and linear buffer strips. These structures are present in the landscape, and their environmental role can be exploited by proper management.

Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common nutritional disorders worldwide. The aim was to identify the prevalence and incidence of anemia in children and to identify predictors of this condition, including intestinal parasites, social, nutritional and environmental factors, and comorbidities. A population-based cohort study was conducted in a sample of 414 children aged 6-71 months living in Novo Cruzeiro in the Minas Gerais State. Data were collected in 2008 and 2009 by interview and included socio-economic and demographic information about the children and their families. Blood samples were collected for testing of hemoglobin, ferritin and C-reactive protein. Anthropometric measurements and parasitological analyses of fecal samples were performed. To identify risk factors associated with anemia multivariate analyses were performed using the generalized estimating equations (GEE). In 2008 and 2009, respectively, the prevalence rates of anemia were 35.9% (95%CI 31.2-40.8) and 9.8% (95%CI 7.2-12.9), the prevalence rates of iron deficiency were 18.4% (95%CI 14.7-22.6) and 21.8% (95%CI 17.8-26.2), and the incidence rates of anemia and iron deficiency were 3.2% and 21.8%. The following risk factors associated with anemia were: iron deficiency (OR = 3.2; 95%CI 2.0-.5.3), parasitic infections (OR = 1.9; 95%CI 1.2-2.8), being of risk of or being a low length/height-for-age (OR = 2.1; 95%CI 1.4-3.2), and lower retinol intake (OR = 1.7; 95%CI 1.1-2.7), adjusted over time. Nutritional factors, parasitic infections and chronic malnutrition were identified as risk factors for anemia. These factors can be verified in a chronic process and have been classically described as risk factors for these conditions.

Although influenza is primarily a respiratory disease, it has been shown, in some cases, to induce encephalitis, including people acutely infected with the pandemic A/California/04/2009 (CA/09) H1N1 virus. Based on previous studies showing that the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A/Vietnam/1203/2004 H5N1 virus was neurotropic, induced CNS inflammation and a transient parkinsonism, we examined the neurotropic and inflammatory potential of the CA/09 H1N1 virus in mice. Following intranasal inoculation, we found no evidence for CA/09 H1N1 virus neurotropism in the enteric, peripheral or central nervous systems. We did, however, observe a robust increase in microglial activity in the brain characterized by an increase in the number of activated Iba-1-positive microglia in the substantia nigra (SN) and the hippocampus, despite the absence of virus in the brain. qPCR analysis in SN tissue showed that the induction of microgliosis was preceded by reduced gene expression of the neurotrophic factors bdnf, and gdnf and increases in the immune modulatory chemokine chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (ccl4). We also noted changes in the expression of transforming growth factor-1 (tgfβ1) in the SN starting at 7 days post-infection (dpi) that was sustained through 21 dpi, coupled with increases in arginase-1 (arg1) and csf1, M2 markers for microglia. Given that neuroinflammation contributes to generation and progression of a number of neurodegenerative disorders, these findings have significant implications as they highlight the possibility that influenza and perhaps other non-neurotropic viruses can initiate inflammatory signals via microglia activation in the brain and contribute to, but not necessarily be the primary cause of, neurodegenerative disorders.

INTRODUCTION:In intensive agriculture areas the use of pesticides can alter soil properties and microbial community structure with the risk of reducing soil quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS:In this study the fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) evolution has been studied in a factorial lab experiment combining five substrates (a soil, two aged composts and their mixtures) treated with a co-application of three pesticides (azoxystrobin, chlorotoluron and epoxiconazole), with two extraction methods, and two incubation times (0 and 58 days). FAMEs extraction followed the microbial identification system (MIDI) and ester-linked method (EL). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:The pesticides showed high persistence, as revealed by half-life (t1/2) values ranging from 168 to 298 days, which confirms their recalcitrance to degradation. However, t1/2 values were affected by substrate and compost age down to 8 days for chlorotoluron in S and up to 453 days for epoxiconazole in 12M. Fifty-six FAMEs were detected. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the EL method detected a higher number of FAMEs and unique FAMEs than the MIDI one, whereas principal component analysis (PCA) highlighted that the monosaturated 18:1ω9c and cyclopropane 19:0ω10c/19ω6 were the most significant FAMEs grouping by extraction method. The cyclopropyl to monoenoic acids ratio evidenced higher stress conditions when pesticides were applied to compost and compost+soil than solely soil, as well as with final time. CONCLUSION:Overall, FAMEs profiles showed the importance of the extraction method for both substrate and incubation time, the t1/2 values highlighted the effectiveness of solely soil and the less mature compost in reducing the persistence of pesticides.

The use of blue light has been proposed as a direct means of affecting local bacterial infections, however the use of blue light without a photosensitizer to prevent the biofilm development has not yet been explored. The aim of this study was to determine how the twice-daily treatment with blue light affects the development and composition of a matrix-rich biofilm.Biofilms of Streptococcus mutans UA159 were formed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite discs for 5 days. The biofilms were exposed twice-daily to non-coherent blue light (LumaCare; 420 nm) without a photosensitizer. The distance between the light and the sample was 1.0 cm; energy density of 72 J cm-2; and exposure time of 12 min 56 s. Positive and negative controls were twice-daily 0.12% chlorhexidine (CHX) and 0.89% NaCl, respectively. Biofilms were analyzed for bacterial viability, dry-weight, and extra (EPS-insoluble and soluble) and intracellular (IPS) polysaccharides. Variable pressure scanning electron microscopy and confocal scanning laser microscopy were used to check biofilm morphology and bacterial viability, respectively. When biofilms were exposed to twice-daily blue light, EPS-insoluble was reduced significantly more than in either control group (CHX and 0.89% NaCl). Bacterial viability and dry weight were also reduced relative to the negative control (0.89% NaCl) when the biofilms were treated with twice-daily blue light. Different morphology was also visible when the biofilms were treated with blue light.Twice-daily treatment with blue light without a photosensitizer is a promising mechanism for the inhibition of matrix-rich biofilm development.

Comparar três medidas (kappa, porcentagem geral de concordância e índice dice) utilizadas para se determinar a reprodutibilidade do diagnóstico da cárie em levantamentos epidemiológicos, sob diferentes níveis de detecção da doença. Onze examinadores com experiência prévia em levantamentos epidemiológicos foram submetidos a um processo teórico-clínico de calibração. Dois níveis de detecção da cárie foram adotados: Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) e OMS com inclusão de lesões iniciais em esmalte (OMS + LI). Os exames foram realizados em 23 crianças de 6-7 anos de idade com e sem atividade da doença. A análise dos dados foi realizada mediante dois limiares: OMS e OMS + LI. Valores médios dos índices kappa, porcentagem geral de concordância e dice foram considerados altos (>0,90), à exceção do índice dice para o limiar OMS + LI (0,69). O kappa, por ser um índice de concordância ajustado, pode ser considerado como instrumento de escolha para a calibração dos examinadores. Entretanto, na impossibilidade de seu uso, recomenda-se a utilização da porcentagem geral de concordância associada ao índice dice, a fim de direcionar e aprimorar os examinadores no exame das lesões cariosas.

Introdução: É frequente a associação de vários medicamentos para controlar doenças em pacientes crônicos. Contudo, a adesão medicamentosa é variável, e os fatores associados diferem, não havendo dados uniformes sobre o assunto. Metodologia: Estudo transversal em pacientes do ambulatório de medicina interna de um hospital terciário, maiores de 18 anos, com duas ou mais doenças crônicas, visando a estimar a adesão medicamentosa pela Escala de Adesão Medicamentosa de Morisky. Fatores associados à adesão foram avaliados pela regressão de Poisson. O controle das doenças crônicas foi avaliado e definido como alvos atingidos de hipertensão, diabetes e dislipidemia. Resultados: Um total de 170 pacientes (idade média 65±9,8 anos), 61 homens (36%), foram incluídos. Sessenta e sete pacientes tinham até 4 anos de estudo; uma renda menor que mil reais foi referida por 56 pacientes. O número médio de comorbidades foi 4±1,14, sendo hipertensão arterial sistêmica a doença mais prevalente (96,5%), seguido de diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (67%). Cada paciente usava 7,5±2,5 medicamentos. A taxa de controle das doenças crônicas mais prevalentes foi: hipertensão arterial sistêmica 72% (IC95% 65-79%), diabetes mellitus 53% (IC95%: 42–63%) e dislipidemia 51% (IC95% 41–61%). A prevalência de média e alta adesão foi 43%. Os fatores que se associaram independentemente à adesão medicamentosa foram prática de exercício físico (RP = 1,63; IC 95%: 1,09–2,44; p = 0,017) e idade (RP = 1,02; IC 95%: 1,00–1,03; p = 0,032). Conclusão: Menos da metade dos pacientes do ambulatório de Medicina Interna adere à prescrição médica. É necessário instituir novas estratégias para que os pacientes se beneficiem das prescrições de medicamentos.