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A long-term indwelling catheter may be indicated in clinical situations, such as chronic diseases of the genitourinary or neurological systems. In addition to the risks of infection, trauma, and bleeding, a catheter’s permanence can affect psycho-emotional and socioeconomic dimensions. We aimed to understand how the need to use a long-term indwelling catheter affects this patient’s self-perception, interrelationships, and self-care. We carried out a qualitative, descriptive study based on interviews with 17 patients, and applied thematic analysis and complex thinking. The different prognoses and expectations regarding the catheter influenced self-perception, adaptation, acceptance, or denial. The presence of a catheter, whether as a curative measure or for comfort, can affect self-image and sexuality, and generate insecurities and uncertainties, which require understanding the multidimensionality of situations that suffer interference from the personal, family, and social environment, as well as health systems’ capacity to deal with it. Despite the challenges, the majority of participants reported a favorable disposition towards self-care, whether to enable catheter removal or to prevent injuries in lifelong indications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) is the etiological agent responsible for the global outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). The main protease of SARS-CoV-2, Mpro, is a key enzyme that plays a vital role in mediating viral replication and transcription. In this study, a comprehensive computational approach was employed to investigate the binding affinity, selectivity, and stability of natural product candidates as potential new antivirals acting on the viral polyprotein processing mediated by SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. A library of 288 flavonoids extracted from Brazilian biodiversity was screened to select potential Mpro inhibitors. An initial filter based on Lipinski's rule of five was applied, and 204 compounds that did not violate any of the Lipinski rules were selected. The compounds were then docked into the active site of Mpro using the GOLD program, and the poses were subsequently re-scored using MM-GBSA (Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area) binding free energy calculations performed by AmberTools23. The top five flavonoids with the best MM-GBSA binding free energy values were selected for analysis of their interactions with the active site residues of the protein. Next, we conducted a toxicity and drug-likeness analysis, and non-toxic compounds were subjected to molecular dynamics simulation and free energy calculation using the MM-PBSA (Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area) method. It was observed that the five selected flavonoids had lower MM-GBSA binding free energy with Mpro than the co-crystal ligand. Furthermore, these compounds also formed hydrogen bonds with two important residues, Cys145 and Glu166, in the active site of Mpro. Two compounds that passed the drug-likeness filter showed stable conformations during the molecular dynamics simulations. Among these, NuBBE_867 exhibited the best MM-PBSA binding free energy value compared to the crystallographic inhibitor. Therefore, this study suggests that NuBBE_867 could be a potential inhibitor against the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 and may be further examined to confirm our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selectivity and efficacy of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PROTOX) inhibitor herbicides in cassava varieties depend on product formulation, dosage, and soil texture. The aim of this study was to assess the selectivity and efficacy of flumioxazin and sulfentrazone in the cassava variety 'IPR B36' and the clone 'VN 117'. Two experiments were carried out: one in a clayey soil and one in a sandy soil. Both experiments were laid in a split-plot randomized block design with three replicates. The two cassava varieties were used as main plots, with subplots consisting in 10 treatments including, flumioxazin at 50, 75, 100, and 125 g ha-1; sulfentrazone at 250, 500, 750, and 1000 g ha-1; one weed-free control, and one unweeded control. Flumioxazin (=75 g ha-1) and sulfentrazone (=250 g ha-1) achieved mean weed control rates > 70 and 90% in both types of soil for up to 90 days after application. Flumioxazin exhibited fewer residual effects on the cassava varieties than sulfentrazone, particularly in clayey soil. Flumioxazin was selective to the different cassava varieties planted in both soil types, whereas sulfentrazone was more selective in clayey soil. PROTOX inhibitors were effective in controlling weed growth in cassava plots, and there were no varietal differences in herbicide selectivity; however, the use of sulfentrazone should be restricted to maximum spray rates of 250 g ha-1 in sandy soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geophysical techniques can be successfully applied towards the detection of buried explosive devices, the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) being an example of one such method. This technology works through emission and reception of electromagnetic radio waves being thus able to detect the presence of a subsurface object fundamentally due to reflections from contrasting electromagnetic properties between the object and the surrounding medium (e.g., soil). Many factors can influence the success of a GPR survey (e.g., target type, soil type, environmental conditions, GPR antenna frequency, data processing techniques), being essential to know and understand their likely effects before performing GPR studies, mainly in real cases. In this paper, through the analysis of case studies related to the use of GPR technology towards the detection of buried explosive devices, we intend to arrange and layout the main prior knowledge that a forensic geophysical expert must have when dealing with this type of fieldwork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. As an infectious disease with no specific treatment, several measures have been established to minimize the outbreak of this disease, including social isolation. Objective: To evaluate the behavior of adolescents during the isolation period. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at the Adolescent Health Studies Center. Data were obtained from a questionnaire prepared on Google Forms, sent by a multiplatform instant messaging application, and analyzed using the Stata 14 software. Results: A total of 208 adolescents with a mean age of 15.3 years (SD ± 1.8) answered the questionnaire, 57.7% were female. About 93.3% of adolescents said they were in isolation with a changed routine, 67.3% increased their food consumption, 86.5% were inactive, and 58.7% reported screen time over 8 h/d. There was an association between anxiety and increased food consumption (odds ratio: 3.9; CI 95% 2--7.5; p¼0.00), sleeping difficulty (odds ratio: 3.6; CI 95% 1.9--6.8; p¼0.00), and conflicting family relationship (odds ratio: 5.7; CI 95% 1.6--7.8; p¼0.01). Conclusion: The study revealed that social isolation due to an infectious disease was associated with several effects on the behavior and eating behavior of adolescents, which need to be acknowledged to encourage them to lead a healthy lifestyle after the COVID-19 confinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of New Trends in Qualitative Research is the property of Ludomedia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cocaine is one of the most consumed stimulants throughout the world, as official sources report. It is a naturally occurring sympathomimetic tropane alkaloid derived from the leaves of Erythroxylon coca, which has been used by South American locals for millennia. Cocaine can usually be found in two forms, cocaine hydrochloride, a white powder, or 'crack' cocaine, the free base. While the first is commonly administered by insufflation ('snorting') or intravenously, the second is adapted for inhalation (smoking). Cocaine can exert local anaesthetic action by inhibiting voltage-gated sodium channels, thus halting electrical impulse propagation; cocaine also impacts neurotransmission by hindering monoamine reuptake, particularly dopamine, from the synaptic cleft. The excess of available dopamine for postsynaptic activation mediates the pleasurable effects reported by users and contributes to the addictive potential and toxic effects of the drug. Cocaine is metabolised (mostly hepatically) into two main metabolites, ecgonine methyl ester and benzoylecgonine. Other metabolites include, for example, norcocaine and cocaethylene, both displaying pharmacological action, and the last one constituting a biomarker for co-consumption of cocaine with alcohol. This review provides a brief overview of cocaine's prevalence and patterns of use, its physical-chemical properties and methods for analysis, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and multi-level toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is one of the nutrients most required by plants, especially in the initial phase, however, there are species whose growth effects promoted by phosphorus are still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to test whether increasing levels of phosphorus influence the physiological and morphological behavior and the quality of seedlings of Guazuma ulmifolia. For that purpose, the seedlings were grown in a substrate produced only with Dystrophic RED LATOSOL (Oxisol) under a completely randomized design and subjected to five levels of phosphorus (0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg dm-3). At 120 days, the biometric and physiological evaluations were performed, and the chlorophyll indices, biomass, allometric relationships, Dickson Quality Index, and the phosphorus content were determined. The data were subjected to analysis of variance by the F-test and subsequently to regression analysis and Pearson's linear correlation. Phosphorus fertilization promoted significant gains (p = 0.05) for all variables morphological e physiological, except for the specific leaf area and allometric relationships. The phosphorus content was positively correlated with all tested variables. Based on the results obtained, it is concluded that the seedlings responded positively to phosphorus fertilization. Furthermore, phosphorus fertilization promoted better physiological and morphological performance and higher seedling quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rodriguésia is the property of Revista Rodriguesia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An editorial is presented that focuses on the integration of nursing practices with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing the need for awareness, education, and research to align nursing roles with global objectives. It highlights findings from scoping reviews and emphasizes the importance of nursing leadership in addressing complex issues like climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic within the SDG framework.

Copyright of Journal of Nursing UFPE / Revista de Enfermagem UFPE is the property of Revista de Enfermagem UFPE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)