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Abstract Background Advanced chronic kidney disease (ACKD) is associated with a high risk of adverse cardiovascular and renal events and has a significant impact on quality of life and life expectancy. Several studies have identified areas for improvement in their management in primary care. Some professional and environmental factors can act as key barriers to appropriate care. Objective To analyse attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control among primary care professionals related to the implementation of an evidence-based approach for individuals with ACKD in primary care. Methodology This was a qualitative study using an interpretative phenomenological approach based on the theory of planned behaviour. Two aspects of the evidence-based approach were explored: the implementation of clinical practice guidelines and the utilisation of electronic kidney disease records within the scope of this study. Primary care nurses and physicians participated in a previous pilot interview and five focus groups. Subsequently, a thematic analysis of the gathered data was conducted. Findings Thirty-three primary care professionals participated. The emerging themes included: experiences in the management of ACKD (highlighting a distinct profile of older, frail patients with comorbidities masking CKD and a CKD follow-up primarily focused on analytical monitoring and drug adjustment); factors in the professional environment influencing the use of scientific evidence (such as time constraints, excessive electronic health records, and unfamiliar reference guidelines); attitudes towards the application of recommendations on ACKD (recognising limitations of computer systems despite considering them as guidance); and capacities to implement evidence-based recommendations (acknowledging formative needs and challenges in coordinating care with nephrology services). Conclusions Several psychological elements identified through the TBP hinder the adequate implementation of an evidence-based approach for individuals with CKD. Attitudes have been identified as factors modulating the use of standardised electronic records. Instead, subjective norms (influences from the professional environment) and perceived behavioral control (perception of capabilities) acted as barriers to the proper application of clinical practice guidelines and standardised records. Implications for practice Strategies aimed at optimising the management of people with ACKD should focus not only on training but also on improving attitudes, organisational structures, IT systems and coordination between primary care and nephrology.

Abstract Recombinant multiepitope proteins (RMPs) are a promising alternative for application in diagnostic tests and, given their wide application in the most diverse diseases, this review article aims to survey the use of these antigens for diagnosis, as well as discuss the main points surrounding these antigens. RMPs usually consisting of linear, immunodominant, and phylogenetically conserved epitopes, has been applied in the experimental diagnosis of various human and animal diseases, such as leishmaniasis, brucellosis, cysticercosis, Chagas disease, hepatitis, leptospirosis, leprosy, filariasis, schistosomiasis, dengue, and COVID-19. The synthetic genes for these epitopes are joined to code a single RMP, either with spacers or fused, with different biochemical properties. The epitopes’ high density within the RMPs contributes to a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The RMPs can also sidestep the need for multiple peptide synthesis or multiple recombinant proteins, reducing costs and enhancing the standardization conditions for immunoassays. Methods such as bioinformatics and circular dichroism have been widely applied in the development of new RMPs, helping to guide their construction and better understand their structure. Several RMPs have been expressed, mainly using the Escherichia coli expression system, highlighting the importance of these cells in the biotechnological field. In fact, technological advances in this area, offering a wide range of different strains to be used, make these cells the most widely used expression platform. RMPs have been experimentally used to diagnose a broad range of illnesses in the laboratory, suggesting they could also be useful for accurate diagnoses commercially. On this point, the RMP method offers a tempting substitute for the production of promising antigens used to assemble commercial diagnostic kits.

Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important public health problem, occurring mainly in Latin America. The disease has a major social and economical effect, negatively impacting the life of the infected individuals, and bringing great costs to public health. An early and accurate diagnosis is essential for administration of early treatment. In addition, prognostic tests may aid disease management, decreasing hospitalization costs. However, the serological diagnostic scenario for CD still faces several challenges, making the development of new diagnostic kits a pressing matter. Facing this scenario, several researchers have expanded efforts in developing and testing new antigens, such as recombinant proteins and recombinant multiepitope proteins, with promising results. These recombinant antigens offer several advantages, such as improved sensitivity and specificity, in addition to facilitated scaling. Also, it has been possible to observe a rising number of studies using ELISA and point-of-care platforms, employing these antigens in the past few years. Among them, recombinant proteins were the most applied antigens, demonstrating great capacity to discriminate between positive and negative samples. Although fewer in number, recombinant multiepitope proteins also demonstrated an improved diagnostic performance. Indeed, a great number of studies employing these antigens showed sensitivity and specificity values above 90%, greatly impacting diagnostic accuracy. Nevertheless, despite the good results found, it is still possible to observe some bottlenecks in the development of new antigens, such as the scarcity of tests with sera from the acute phase and the variability of results in different geographic areas. In this sense, aiming to contribute to control and health programs, the continuous search for a more accurate serological diagnosis is essential, both for the acute and chronic phases of the disease.

Abstract Tumor immunosurveillance plays a major role in melanoma, prompting the development of immunotherapy strategies. The gut microbiota composition, influencing peripheral and tumoral immune tonus, earned its credentials among predictors of survival in melanoma. The MIND-DC phase III trial (NCT02993315) randomized (2:1 ratio) 148 patients with stage IIIB/C melanoma to adjuvant treatment with autologous natural dendritic cell (nDC) or placebo (PL). Overall, 144 patients collected serum and stool samples before and after 2 bimonthly injections to perform metabolomics (MB) and metagenomics (MG) as prespecified exploratory analysis. Clinical outcomes are reported separately. Here we show that different microbes were associated with prognosis, with the health-related Faecalibacterium prausnitzii standing out as the main beneficial taxon for no recurrence at 2 years (p = 0.008 at baseline, nDC arm). Therapy coincided with major MB perturbations (acylcarnitines, carboxylic and fatty acids). Despite randomization, nDC arm exhibited MG and MB bias at baseline: relative under-representation of F. prausnitzii, and perturbations of primary biliary acids (BA). F. prausnitzii anticorrelated with BA, medium- and long-chain acylcarnitines. Combined, these MG and MB biomarkers markedly determined prognosis. Altogether, the host-microbial interaction may play a role in localized melanoma. We value systematic MG and MB profiling in randomized trials to avoid baseline differences attributed to host-microbe interactions.

Summary: Centriolar satellites are high-order assemblies, scaffolded by the protein PCM1, that gravitate as particles around the centrosome and play pivotal roles in fundamental cellular processes notably ciliogenesis and autophagy. Despite stringent control mechanisms involving phosphorylation and ubiquitination, the landscape of post-translational modifications shaping these structures remains elusive. Here, we report that necrosulfonamide (NSA), a small molecule known for binding and inactivating the pivotal effector of cell death by necroptosis MLKL, intersects with centriolar satellites, ciliogenesis, and autophagy independently of MLKL. NSA functions as a potent redox cycler and triggers the oxidation and aggregation of PCM1 alongside select partners, while minimally impacting the overall distribution of centriolar satellites. Additionally, NSA-mediated ROS production disrupts ciliogenesis and leads to the accumulation of autophagy markers, partially alleviated by PCM1 deletion. Together, these results identify PCM1 as a redox sensor protein and provide new insights into the interplay between centriolar satellites and autophagy.

Gender dysphoria is defined as a condition characterized by mental suffering associated with the incongruence between one’s experienced gender and their birth-assigned sex. Gender as a construct and gender dysphoria as a condition in need of multidisciplinary intervention have developed as swiftly as their visibility in society, making it mandatory to promote the literacy and education of all healthcare professionals in this area. This article aims to review information based on scientific evidence on people with gender dysphoria and its clinical approach, while contributing to a safe, inclusive, and non-discriminatory practice of healthcare.

Protected areas are essential for the maintenance of biodiversity, but we know little about local biodiversity in these areas. In this study, we describe the composition and structure of the non-volant mammal community in the Serra da Fortaleza Wildlife Refuge in southern Goiás state, central Brazil. We distributed 20 hexagons (~57 ha each), 10 in the protected area and 10 in its surroundings. We collected data on composition, richness, and abundance of non-volant mammals using live and pitfall traps, camera traps, and active searching. We recorded 39 species (five threatened) of non-volant mammals. The use of diverse sampling methods allowed for a com-prehensive depiction of mammal diversity and composition, lead to the discovery of new species records for the region, including Marmosa limae Thomas, 1920, Cerradomys scotti (Langguth & Bonvicino, 2002), Hylaeamys megacephalus (G. Fischer, 1814), and Tayassu pecari (Link, 1795). We emphasize the importance of protected areas for the conservation of the mammal fauna in the highly fragmented landscape of central Brazil.

ABSTRACT Objectives: To evaluate the alternate use of flash glucose monitoring (FGM) with self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG), in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Materials and methods: Two weeks of open FGM (P2), both preceded (P1) and followed by 2 weeks (P3) of SMBG with a blinded FGM system. Mean absolute relative difference (MARD) was calculated by (|FGMi − SMBGi|) / SMBGi, where it was a paired data sample. Results: In total, 34 patients were evaluated. Time in range (TIR) did not change between P1 and P2. In 12 patients (35.3%), TIR increased from 40% at P1 to 52% at P2 (p = 0.002) and in 22 (64.7%), TIR decreased or did not change. FGM use resulted in decreased % time spent in hypoglycemia (180 mg/dL) (44.5% to 51%; p = 0.046) with no significant change in % TIR. The proportion of patients who reached sensor-estimated glycated hemoglobin (eA1c) < 7% decreased from 23.5% at P1 to 12.9% at P2, p = 0.028. For the whole sample, the MARD between the two methods was 15.5% (95% CI 14.5-16.6%). For normal glucose range, hyperglycemic levels and hypoglycemic levels MARD were 16.0% (95% CI 15.0-17.0%), 13.3% (95% CI 11.5-15.2%) and 23.4% [95% CI 20.5-26.3%)], respectively. Conclusion: FGM after usual SMBG decreased the % time spent in hypoglycemia concomitant with an undesired increase in % time spent in hyperglycemia. Lower accuracy of FGM regarding hypoglycemia levels could result in overcorrection of hypoglycemia.

Abstract Background Cabozantinib, a standard of care metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), may be associated with weight and muscle loss. These effects of new generation VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor on muscle mass loss are poorly described. Methods All cabozantinib‐treated mRCC patients from January 2014 to February 2019 in our institution were included. Clinical data including weight were collected during therapy. Computed tomography images were centrally reviewed for response assessment, and axial sections at the third lumbar vertebrae were used to measure the total muscle area. Toxicities and cabozantinib outcomes were evaluated. Co‐primary endpoints included skeletal muscle loss and weight loss (WL), longitudinally evaluated during treatment. WL has been classified according to CTCAEv5.0: Grade 1 (loss of 5 to 20% of baseline body weight). Results Patients were mostly men (70.3%), median age was 59.2 (range: 22.0–78.0) years, and median baseline body mass index was 25.0 (range: 16.4–49.3) kg/cm2. Prognosis according to International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium score was good, intermediate, and poor for 13 (13.0%), 63 (63.0%), and 24 (24.0%) patients, respectively. Out of a total of 120 patients, 101 patients with a median follow‐up of 22.3 months (range: 4.5–62.2) were eligible for analysis; 85 experienced muscle loss and muscle loss >10% increased during cabozantinib exposition, especially after 6 months of treatment. At cabozantinib baseline, 71 patients (70.3%) had sarcopenia, and 16/30 (53.3%) non‐sarcopenic patients developed sarcopenia during treatment. Baseline sarcopenia was associated with lower response rates (P = 0.031) and higher grades 3–4 toxicities (P = 0.001). Out of 92 patients included in the WL analysis, 44 (47.8%) and 12 (13.0%) experienced grades 2 and 3 WL, respectively. Conclusions We report a high incidence of grades 3–4 WL, fourth times higher than reported in prior pivotal trials, and half of the patients developed sarcopenia while on cabozantinib treatment. Weight and muscle mass loss with cabozantinib are underreported and may require further investigations and early management.

Abstract Background The current pandemic situation led to deep changes not only in social relationships, but also on clinical care and access to healthcare facilities. The authors aimed to understand whether this context affected the main characteristics of psychiatric hospitalizations, measured by admissions in a portuguese acute psychiatric ward. Methods Retrospective data collection of all patients admitted in Centro Hospitalar Psiquiátrico de Lisboa, in two different time periods: pre-COVID-19 (march 11th, 2019 to march 10th, 2020, n = 1845) and COVID-19 (march 11th, 2020 to march 10th, 2021, n = 1278); comparing the number of total admissions, compulsory ones, age, sex, median days of admission, median days to readmission and diagnosis at discharge. Distribution of disorders in both groups, as well as in compulsory admissions were also evaluated. The same comparisons were evaluated in the 15–25-year-old patient group. Results Statistical significance was found regarding total number of admissions (reduction of around 30.7%), as well as compulsory ones (reduction of 14%, although the relative frequency had increased), days of admission and distribution between admissions (with lower reductions regarding dementias, schizophrenia and affective disorders, while substance use disorders and intellectual disabilities presented reductions of over 50%), with no differences between gender, median age, previous admissions or readmissions. Distribution between compulsory admissions did not present differences before and during COVID periods. For patients between 15 and 25 years of age, statistical significance was found regarding total number of compulsory ones (94 versus 44, p-value = 0.01), and in all groups of diagnoses (all with p-value = 0.001). Conclusions While there was a general reduction in the overall number of patients admitted, in the most severe conditions (compulsory admissions and schizophrenia diagnosis) did not present such a reduction. Difficulties in social, clinical and family networks can explain the reduction of the time to readmission. Future research could show whether there is a rebound increase number of admissions in the other diagnoses. Trial Registration The current study was approved by the hospital’s scientific and ethics committees (CCP number 0060/2021 and CES 09/2021).

O presente artigo tem como objetivo compreender o processo de aplicação de estratégias de evidence-based policymakingno ensino da administração pública no Brasil. O estudo centra-se no papel exercido pelas escolas de governo como instituições de ensino e pesquisa aplicados. A partir do estudo de caso da trajetória recente da Escola Nacional de Administração Pública (Enap), observa-se que a produção de evidências para as políticas públicas e a ponte entre ensino e serviço púlico são elementos centrais da atuação de escolas de governo, contribuindo para que os programas de aprendizagem permaneçam relevantes e atualizados com as tendências sociais e econômicas, bem como políticas emergentes e prioridades do governo.

A novel syndrome was suspected in individuals sharing short stature, microcephaly, distinctive facial features, and congenital anomalies. We enrolled 6 patients in an institutional review board approved study and evaluated medical history, findings, facial photographs, and test results across this original cohort. Four additional cases with similar findings were contributed by clinicians from outside institutions, bringing the number of reported cases to 10 and supporting the existence of this novel syndrome.The 6 individuals enrolled into the institutional review board approved study shared microcephaly, short stature, and distinctive facial features. Congenital malformations included cleft palate, talipes equinovarus or rocker bottom feet, and chordee or hypospadias. Short, broad thumbs, single palmar crease, and mild 2,3 toe syndactyly were present. A hypoplastic corpus callosum was noted in 3 of 5 with appropriate evaluation. Their growth and physical findings were suggestive of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. Biochemical studies shortly after delivery indicated abnormalities in the cholesterol metabolism pathway that subsequently resolved. No shared genomic or genetic cause was identified. All individuals were born after a pregnancy complicated by prenatal exposure to nonprescription opioids, particularly fentanyl, suggesting fentanyl as a teratogen.Prenatal fentanyl exposure possibly interfered with cholesterol metabolism, giving rise to findings resembling Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. This novel syndrome is clinically recognizable. Four additional cases contributed clinically shared similar findings, increasing the number of cases to 10 and supporting a novel syndrome associated with prenatal fentanyl exposure. Assessment of Shepard and Bradford Hill criteria could be consistent with fentanyl as teratogen, though caution is necessary before assigning causality and data replication is needed.

The increasing number of offshore wind farms (OWFs) proposed off the Brazilian coast is a biodiversity management challenge that needs to be addressed with strategic and targeted environmental impact assessments. The effects of OWFs on birds are much better studied in the northern than southern hemisphere. Knowledge of species distributions is key to developing effective conservation strategies. Ecological niche modeling can support strategic siting decisions and identify the target species for which mitigation of the impacts of OWFs may be required. We used the maximum entropy algorithm (MaxEnt) for modeling species niche suitability, incorporating environmental variables and presence-only data from tracking and at-sea surveys for seven albatrosses and petrels, of which five are threatened by extinction. We used the predicted niche suitability index (NSI) to calculate niche overlaps, assess distribution patterns and generate spatial prioritizations across seasons based on a species richness index (RI). Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos, Atlantic Petrel Pterodroma incerta, and Great Shearwater Ardenna gravis were selected as target species for monitoring in Brazilian shallow waters (0–200 m depth) in the warm season, and Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross and White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis in the cold season. The RI was higher in waters between 200 m and 1000 m depth, a preferred area for OWFs with floating foundations. We advocate for the incorporation of niche models in environmental impact studies, as a tool for improving conservation, environmental planning, and impact assessment.

Abstract Glioblastoma is a devastating tumor of the central nervous system characterized by a poor survival and an extremely dark prognosis, making its diagnosis, treatment and monitoring highly challenging. Numerous studies have highlighted extracellular vesicles (EVs) as key players of tumor growth, invasiveness and resistance, as they carry and disseminate oncogenic material in the local tumor microenvironment and at distance. However, whether their quality and quantity reflect individual health status and changes in homeostasis is still not fully elucidated. Here, we separated EVs from plasma collected at different time points alongside with the clinical management of GBM patients. Our findings confirm that plasmatic EVs could be separated and characterized with standardized protocols, thereby ensuring the reliability of measuring vesiclemia, i.e. extracellular vesicle concentration in plasma. This unveils that vesiclemia is a dynamic parameter, which could be reflecting tumor burden and/or response to treatments. Further label-free liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry unmasks the von Willebrand Factor (VWF) as a selective protein hallmark for GBM-patient EVs. Our data thus support the notion that EVs from GBM patients showed differential protein cargos that can be further surveyed in circulating EVs, together with vesiclemia.

ABSTRACT Early weaning can predispose the offspring to greater risk of developing chronic diseases in adulthood. It is believed that the consumption of functional foods is able to prevent these effects. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of maternal and postnatal cocoa powder supplementation on body mass, metabolism, and morphology of the prostate of early weaned Wistar rats. The animals were divided into four experimental groups according to lactation time (21 or 18 days, n=6, each) as follows: control group (C), cocoa control group (CCa), early weaning group (EW), and cocoa early weaning group (EWCa). The animals were euthanized at 90 days of age. Serum biochemical analysis and prostate histomorphometric evaluation were performed. The animals supplemented with cocoa powder were heavier than their respective controls (p

Introdução: A hesitação a vacinas, definida como a relutância ou recusa em tomar vacinas apesar de sua disponibilidade, é uma das principais ameaças à saúde global na atualidade. Estratégias de comunicação para melhorar a adesão a vacinas recomendadas são urgentemente necessárias. Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito de diferentes estratégias de comunicação sobre a intenção de receber vacina contra uma doença fictícia. Método: Utilizamos um questionário de autopreenchimento divulgado por redes sociais. Os participantes foram alocados randomicamente em 4 grupos, com “exposição” a notícias com conteúdos distintos: 1) notícia com foco em informações sobre a doença; 2) notícia com foco em informações sobre a doença, com relato de caso; 3) notícia com foco em informações sobre a vacina; 4) notícia com foco em informações sobre a vacina, com relato de caso. Comparamos as porcentagens de participantes que declararam ter intenção de tomar a nova vacina em cada grupo, bem como as porcentagens de participantes que declararam ter intenção de administrar a vacina a seu(s) filho(s), utilizando o teste qui-quadrado. Resultados: Entre agosto/2021 e janeiro/2022, 6769 participantes forneceram consentimento, dentre os quais 5233 inseriram dados demográficos básicos e foram incluídos no estudo; 790 declaram ser pais ou responsáveis legais por uma criança com até 5 anos. Os participantes eram em sua maioria brancos (79%) e com alta escolaridade. Não encontramos diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os grupos em relação a variáveis sociodemográficas. Embora a maioria dos participantes tenha declarado intenção de tomar a vacina, a porcentagem foi maior entre participantes expostos à notícia com foco em informações sobre a vacina e com relato de caso incluído na notícia (91%, IC 95% 89-92%) e menor no grupo exposto à notícia com foco em informações sobre a doença sem o relato de caso (84%, IC 95% 82-86%). Em relação à intenção de vacinar seu(s) filho(s), a porcentagem foi novamente maior entre participantes expostos à notícia com foco em informações sobre a vacina e com relato, porém sem diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os grupos (p=0,061). Conclusão: Nossos resultados sugerem que notícias com enfoque em informações sobre a vacina e com relato de uma pessoa acometida pela doença têm maior eficácia em promover a vacinação. Estratégias efetivas de comunicação são ferramentas potenciais para mitigar a hesitação vacinal e seus impactos.

Nematicidal substances have been identified from plants and are potentially useful for the management of plant-parasitic nematodes. Cabralea canjerana, (Meliaceae) and Schinus terebinthifolius (Anacardiaceae) produce bioactive compounds during their secondary metabolism and little is known about the effect of such substances on plant-parasitic nematodes. In the present study, we assessed the effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of C. canjerana and S. terebinthifolius at 1% (m:v) and purified substances from C. canjerana (gedunin, ocotillone, cabraleadiol, a mixture of ocotillone + cabraleadiol and a mixture of shoreic acid + eichlerianic acid) on hatching and mortality of Meloidogyne incognita juveniles. Aqueous extracts of C. canjerana fruits and seeds reduced hatching by 70.3 to 95.7%. Aqueous extracts of S. terebinthifolius fruits killed 42.8 to 77.1% of juveniles. The purified substances of C. canjerana inhibited the hatching of M. incognita from 57 to 90% and did not increase the mortality of juveniles. Therefore, C. canjerana extracts and its purified substances reduce M. incognita hatching and aqueous extracts of S. terebinthifolius kill J2 of this nematode.

Hexaploid triticale results from crosses between durum wheat and rye. Despite its high agronomic potential, triticale is mainly used for livestock feed. Triticale surpasses their parental species in adaptability and tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses, being able to grow in acidic soils where a high amount of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) is typical. On the other hand, high amounts of these essential trace elements can be cytotoxic to bread wheat. The cytotoxicity induced by seed priming with a high concentration of Fe and Zn impaired root cell division and induced nucleolar changes in bread wheat. Such cytogenetic approaches were expedited and successfully determined cytotoxic and suited micronutrient dosages for wheat nutripriming. With this study, we intended to analyse the hexaploid triticale cv ‘Douro’ root mitotic cell cycle and nucleolar activity after seed priming performed with aqueous solutions of iron (Fe) and/or zinc (Zn), containing a concentration that was previously considered cytotoxic, to bread wheat and to infer the higher tolerance of triticale to these treatments. The overall cytogenetic data allowed us to conclude that the Fe + Zn treatment enhanced the root mitotic index (MI), mitosis regularity and nucleolar activity of ‘Douro’ relative to the control and the individual treatments performed with Fe or Zn alone. The Fe + Zn treatment might suit triticale biofortification through seed priming.

Purpose: In this work, the potential usefulness of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for treating burn wounds was examined. Methods: Second-degree burns were induced in male Wistar rats by touching the skin with a heated (70°C) metallic device for 10 s, after which the animals were randomly allocated to one of two groups: control (n=8, treated with sterile saline) and experimental (n=8, treated with AgNPs, 0.081 mg/mL; 50 µL applied to the burn surface). Seven, 14, 21 and 28 days after lesion induction two rats from each group were killed and blood samples were collected for a complete blood count and to assess oxidative stress. The livers were examined macroscopically and skin samples were collected for histological analysis. Results: Macroscopically, wound healing and skin remodeling in the experimental group were similar to the saline-treated rats. Likewise, there were no significant differences in the histological parameters between the two groups. However, treatment with AgNPs caused a persistent reduction in white blood cell (WBC) counts throughout the experiment, whereas platelet counts increased on days 7 and 28 but decreased on days 14 and 21; there was also an increase in the blood concentration of reduced glutathione on day 7 followed by a decrease on days 21 and 28. There were no significant changes in blood glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) activities or in the serum concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Conclusion: The findings of this study raise questions about the potential transitory effects of AgNPs based on the changes in WBC and platelet counts, blood glutathione concentrations and macroscopic hepatic alterations.

Por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica é feita uma análise comparativa entre a banalidade do mal e a gestão do sistema penitenciário feminino para identificar se a manutenção das violações dos direitos das mulheres encarceradas advém de uma forma de pensar e agir semelhante à banalidade do mal. O presente estudo pretende, também, explicar o conceito arendtiano e expor as violações dos direitos das mulheres. A banalidade do mal se manifesta na ausência de motivação para praticar o mal e no desprezo da sociedade e do poder público para com as violações de direitos humanos. Desse modo, a banalidade do mal se manifesta no aprisionamento feminino quando a vida institucionlizada invisibiliza as singularidades da mulher e deixa de atender às suas demandas, utilizando a violência como meio de controle de seus corpos também quando encarceradas.

ABSTRACT The bacterial pathogen Clostridioides difficile causes gastroenteritis by producing toxins and transmits disease by making resistant spores. Toxin and spore production are energy-expensive processes that are regulated by multiple transcription factors in response to many environmental inputs. While toxin and sporulation genes are both induced in only a subset of C. difficile cells, the relationship between these two subpopulations remains unclear. To address whether C. difficile coordinates the generation of these subpopulations, we developed a dual-transcriptional-reporter system that allows toxin and sporulation gene expression to be simultaneously visualized at the single-cell level using chromosomally encoded mScarlet and mNeonGreen fluorescent transcriptional reporters. We then adapted an automated image analysis pipeline to quantify toxin and sporulation gene expression in thousands of individual cells under different medium conditions and in different genetic backgrounds. These analyses revealed that toxin and sporulation gene expression rarely overlap during growth on agar plates, whereas broth culture increases this overlap. Our results suggest that certain growth conditions promote a “division of labor” between transmission and virulence gene expression, highlighting how environmental inputs influence these subpopulations. Our data further suggest that the RstA transcriptional regulator skews the population to activate sporulation genes rather than toxin genes. Given that recent work has revealed population-wide heterogeneity for numerous cellular processes in C. difficile, we anticipate that our dual-reporter system will be broadly useful for determining the overlap between these subpopulations. IMPORTANCE Clostridioides difficile is an important nosocomial pathogen that causes severe diarrhea by producing toxins and transmits disease by producing spores. While both processes are crucial for C. difficile disease, only a subset of cells express toxins and/or undergo sporulation. Whether C. difficile coordinates the subset of cells inducing these energy-expensive processes remains unknown. To address this question, we developed a dual-fluorescent-reporter system coupled with an automated image analysis pipeline to rapidly compare the expression of two genes of interest across thousands of cells. Using this system, we discovered that certain growth conditions, particularly growth on agar plates, induce a “division of labor” between toxin and sporulation gene expression. Since C. difficile exhibits phenotypic heterogeneity for numerous vital cellular processes, this novel dual-reporter system will enable future studies aimed at understanding how C. difficile coordinates various subpopulations throughout its infectious disease cycle.

O estudo analisou a oferta de disciplinas abordando as Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde nas graduações em Enfermagem, Medicina e Odontologia de universidades públicas brasileiras. O mapeamento foi realizado a partir de dados disponibilizados no site do Cadastro Nacional de Cursos e Instituições de Ensino Superior (Cadastro e-MEC) e por posterior análise de documentos (projeto político-pedagógico, matriz curricular e/ou ementário), disponibilizados nos sites oficiais das universidades. A concordância dos dados foi testada pela avaliação inter-juízes e pela realização de estatística descritiva. Em relação ao apontado na literatura, houve um aumento na oferta curricular sobre o tema, porém, esse tópico continua pouco expressivo nas universidades, face à demanda da população. A maioria dos componentes curriculares foram ofertados nos cursos de Enfermagem e Medicina de universidades públicas das regiões Nordeste e Sudeste. Predominaram componentes curriculares optativos e apenas um pequeno número destes desenvolveu atividades práticas. Destacam-se, nos ementários, temas de caráter generalista, com grande interface com a Saúde Coletiva.

ABSTRACT Objectives: To evaluate the performance of telemonitoring in detecting clinical and psychological needs and adherence to the protective measures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to providing remote assistance for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in a public university center in Brazil. Subjects and methods: Telemonitoring protocol included phone calls and e-mails. Patients were asked to rate COVID-19-like symptoms, psychological symptoms, epidemiological issues, and adherence to diabetes management (insulin, exercise, and diet) using a 0-to-10 scale. An e-mail address and phone number were offered for further contact if needed. Clinical, demographic, and laboratorial data from the consultations before the pandemic were collected from medical records. Results: Among 321 patients with a previously scheduled consultation over the first 15 weeks of social distancing, 237 (73.8%) could be successfully contacted. Of these, 207 (87.3%) were exclusively evaluated by telemonitoring (190 only by phone or text message and 17 who were also reached by email), and 30 (12.7%) patients attended the consultation for medical reasons detected during the telephone screening. Overall, 44 (18.5%) patients reported COVID-19-like symptoms. One (2.3%) patient was hospitalized and subsequently died. Psychological symptoms were reported by 137 (60.4%) patients and 30 (12.7%) required remote psychological assistance. Appropriate social distancing was performed by 203 (87.9%) patients, and 221 (97.8%) referred use of masks. Conclusions: Telemonitoring T1D patients during the pandemic helped reduce the need for in-person consultations, detect clinical and psychological needs, and offer support to patients in addition to monitoring suspected COVID-19 cases and the adherence to protective measures.

Este texto tem como objetivo trazer reflexões sobre o universo dos cuidados na atual crise socioambiental, como forma de pensar pedagogias ambientais alternativas e emancipatórias. Partimos de um olhar voltado às mulheres das classes populares, cujas precárias condições de vida as expõem, mais intensamente, aos efeitos do COVID-19. Assim, apresentamos o cuidado como questão de gênero, no contexto do capitalismo, das relações patriarcais e da reprodução da vida. Discutimos também o rompimento das redes ambientais de cuidados, assim como as resistências socioambientais dos grupos que as mantém. Trazemos a perspectiva ecofeminista em diálogo com tais movimentos, como propulsores de racionalidades outras, que inspirem pedagogias alternativas e contra- hegemônicas.

Este ensaio teórico apresenta uma breve reflexão sobre o Gestor Escolar Em­preendedor à luz dos referenciais teóricos consultados. Tal reflexão envolve os conceitos de empreendedorismo (Joseph Alois Schumpeter, David C. Mc­Clelland e Louis Jacques Filion) e o chamado capital social (Robert Putnam, Pierre Bourdieu, James Coleman e Mark Granovetter), construída por intermé­dio de uma incursão em abordagens teóricas presentes em paradigmas so­ciológicos diferenciados (Burrel e Morgan e Alvesson e Deetz) que, em última análise, foram propositalmente aplicadas na interpretação de um fenômeno social importante, face às transformações substantivas de uma gestão estática para uma gestão dinâmica impostas na formação e atuação do gestor educa­cional. Para tanto, o esforço de imersão bibliográfico aqui realizado permitiu identificar a existência de correlações instigantes, como também a existência de referenciais importantes, capazes de estimular a pesquisa e assim contri­buir para fortalecer a compreensão sobre aquele fenômeno.

O presente texto é um relato de experiência da Oficina Gênero e Educação, ministrada pelas autoras durante o II Seminário de Gestão e Avaliação da Edu­cação Pública do PPGP/CAEd/UFJF, em 22 janeiro de 2016, com duração de quatro horas. O texto apresenta o cenário acerca da temática na educação brasileira, a estrutura da oficina e os apontamentos dos cursistas em relação às discussões em torno do tema, além de uma avaliação da oficina. Entende­mos que discutir gênero e sexualidade na formação de professores é uma maneira de instrumentalizá-los para o cotidiano, portanto, de extrema impor­tância na atualidade.

It is estimated that between 266.2 and 359.5 million operations were performed in 2012 worldwide, and this number is on the rise. Chronic postoperative pain (CPOP) is the most important and still neglected postoperative complication, with a multifactorial causality, leading to a major impact on morbidity rates, high costs for the public health system, and direct and negative effects on the quality of life of the patients. The present systematic literature review aimed to elucidate the processes of postoperative pain chronification, biopsychosocial factors, risk factors, management of pain, and types of surgical procedures mainly associated with it. The review was based on the methodological recommendations of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The following databases were consulted: the Medical Literature, Analysis, and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). After reading the selected articles, the following surgical specialties were chosen to be addressed: general, orthopedics, breast cancer, gynecology, obstetrics, and thoracic. In conclusion, a deficient management of acute postoperative pain is the main risk factor for the development of CPOP. To prevent CPOP, training programs for healthcare professionals should be implemented to improve their skills and knowledge of the management of pain before, during, and after surgeries. It is also necessary to conduct more in-depth studies on the evaluation and management of this condition.

Background Prostate cancer (PC) responds to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) usually in a transient fashion, progressing from hormone-sensitive PC (HSPC) to castration-resistant PC (CRPC). We investigated a mouse model of PC as well as specimens from PC patients to unravel an unsuspected contribution of thymus-derived T lymphocytes and the intestinal microbiota in the efficacy of ADT.Methods Preclinical experiments were performed in PC-bearing mice, immunocompetent or immunodeficient. In parallel, we prospectively included 65 HSPC and CRPC patients (Oncobiotic trial) to analyze their feces and blood specimens.Results In PC-bearing mice, ADT increased thymic cellularity and output. PC implanted in T lymphocyte-depleted or athymic mice responded less efficiently to ADT than in immunocompetent mice. Moreover, depletion of the intestinal microbiota by oral antibiotics reduced the efficacy of ADT. PC reduced the relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila in the gut, and this effect was reversed by ADT. Moreover, cohousing of PC-bearing mice with tumor-free mice or oral gavage with Akkermansia improved the efficacy of ADT. This appears to be applicable to PC patients because long-term ADT resulted in an increase of thymic output, as demonstrated by an increase in circulating recent thymic emigrant cells (sjTRECs). Moreover, as compared with HSPC controls, CRPC patients demonstrated a shift in their intestinal microbiota that significantly correlated with sjTRECs. While feces from healthy volunteers restored ADT efficacy, feces from PC patients failed to do so.Conclusions These findings suggest the potential clinical utility of reversing intestinal dysbiosis and repairing acquired immune defects in PC patients.

O presente artigo propõe-se a discutir o uso de estratégias de leitura conforme proposto por Solé (1998) em prol do letramento literário, apresentando uma sequência de aulas implementada em uma turma de 1º ano do Ensino Médio em um colégio de aplicação da Zona da Mata Mineira. Com o intuito de integrar à formação estética necessária a um leitor literário (BARBOSA, 2011) uma formação cidadã — discutindo temas transversais relevantes para a formação crítica e reflexiva contemporânea, com destaque para questões de gênero, raça e classe —, foi desenvolvida uma oficina literária básica (COSSON, 2018) focada no livro Quarto de despejo (1960), de Carolina Maria de Jesus. Esta sequência propunha-se, além do letramento literário, ao desenvolvimento e ao aprimoramento de habilidades de leitura, escrita, oralidade e análise linguística, promovendo a integração entre esses eixos de ensino.

Abstract Asteraceae family is as an interesting target for researching natural alternatives for crop protection. Many species from this family grow as weeds, and some of them can influence the development of other species by the allelopathy phenomenon. This paper aimed to review the literature for the main genera and species of the Asteraceae family with allelopathic or phytotoxic potential, as well as the classes of secondary metabolites present in this family and responsible for such activity. Artemisia, Ambrosia, Bellis, Bidens, Helianthus and Tagetes were identified as the main genera with phytotoxic or allelopathic activity. Among the secondary metabolites from this family, terpenes, polyacetylenes, saponins, sesquiterpene lactones, phenolic acids and flavonoids were described as responsible for inhibiting the development of other species. In addition, the phytotoxic potential of Acmella oleracea and Sphagneticola trilobata against the weeds Calopogonium mucunoides. and Ipomoea purpurea was described for the first time. At 0.2 mg/mL, crude extract and fractions of A. oleracea inhibited above 60% of C. mucunoides root growth. Hydroalcoholic extract and fractions of S. trilobata, except hexane, significantly affected I. purpurea root growth, ranging from 38 ± 14% to 59 ± 8% of inhibitory effect at different concentrations (0.19 mg/mL to 1.13 mg/mL).

Introduction: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are of particular interest for their antibacterial properties and are produced by the action of reducing agents on silver ions. Curcumin from Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae) has been used as a precursor for obtaining biogenic AgNPs, to act as a potential drug. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of AgNPs synthesized with curcumin (Cur-AgNPs 0.081 mg/mL, ~130 nm) through the Salmonella/microsome (Ames test), one of the first required assays for evaluating toxicity. Methods: The study design was experimental and in vitro. After defining the preliminary toxicity, the mutagenicity was assessed in a concentration range of 0.0010–0.0081 mg/plate Cur-AgNPs using histidine negative (His−) Salmonella Typhimurium strains TA97a, TA98, TA100, and TA102, with (+S9) and without metabolic activation (−S9), in triplicate. Assays were monitored by positive and negative controls. The results were statistically analyzed by Salanal software with p

Equating is used to directly compare alternate forms of tests. We describe the equating of two alternative forms of a reading comprehension test for Brazilian children (2nd to 5th grade), Form A (n = 427) and Form B (n = 321). We employed non-equivalent random groups design with internal anchor items. Local independence was attested via standardized residual Pearson's bivariate correlation. First, from 176 items, we selected 42 in each form (33 unique and 9 in common) using 2PL model, a one-dimensional item response theory (IRT) model. Using the equateIRT package for R, the anchor items were used to link both forms. Linking coefficients were estimated under two different methods (Haebara and Stocking–Lord), resulting in scores equating by two methods: observed score equating (OSE) and true score equating (TSE). We provided reference-specific age-intervals for the sample. The final version was informative for a wide range of theta abilities. We concluded that the forms could be used interchangeably.

Spore-forming pathogens like Clostridioides difficile depend on germination to initiate infection. During gemination, spores must degrade their cortex layer, which is a thick, protective layer of modified peptidoglycan. Cortex degradation depends on the presence of the spore-specific peptidoglycan modification, muramic-∂-lactam (MAL), which is specifically recognized by cortex lytic enzymes. In C. difficile, MAL production depends on the CwlD amidase and its binding partner, the GerS lipoprotein. To gain insight into how GerS regulates CwlD activity, we solved the crystal structure of the CwlD:GerS complex. In this structure, a GerS homodimer is bound to two CwlD monomers such that the CwlD active sites are exposed. Although CwlD structurally resembles amidase_3 family members, we found that CwlD does not bind Zn2+ stably on its own, unlike previously characterized amidase_3 enzymes. Instead, GerS binding to CwlD promotes CwlD binding to Zn2+, which is required for its catalytic mechanism. Thus, in determining the first structure of an amidase bound to its regulator, we reveal stabilization of Zn2+ co-factor binding as a novel mechanism for regulating bacterial amidase activity. Our results further suggest that allosteric regulation by binding partners may be a more widespread mode for regulating bacterial amidase activity than previously thought.

La participation démocratique, une des bases de l’État de Droit, doit être présente parmi tous les pouvoirs de l’État et, cela vaut dire aussi, certainement, dans le pouvoir Judiciaire. Une des manières d’apprécier une telle participation est à travers l’accès des citoyens aux Cours constitutionnelles. Cet accès peut être développé d’une manière directe ou indirecte, individuelle ou collective, de même qu’il peut varier d’un pays à l’autre. La présente recherche a comme but l’analyse de la participation citoyenne indirecte dans les Cours constitutionnelles en Allemagne, Brésil et France. À la fin, il est possible de constater que l’élément dela participation démocratique est souvent mis en conflit avec l’efficacité de ces Cours. En outre, il est remarquable certaines conceptions institutionnelles aient été créés pour garantir cette participation, mais ont en pratique un résultat différent en raison des normes internes des Cours.

This paper examines the increasing cross-border flows of capital involving developing and emerging economies in the past few decades. The discussion challenges the traditional economic theories based on net capital flows and deficits in current accounts to explain international borrowing by developing countries, and on the current account imbalances approach to explain financial crises. We argue that the increasing involvement of the private sector in developing countries’ external debt and the fact that the public sector, previously reliant almost entirely on official credit, has become able to access private debt markets, reflect the increasing integration of developing countries into the global financial system, and this process has particular features. A closer look at data on gross capital flows reveals that net capital flows neither explain nor capture this global financial integration.

The Centers for Disease Control has designated Clostridioides difficileC. difficileC. difficile

Neste artigo proponho-me a discorrer acerca do corpo da mulher em relação ao corpo do poema “Metamorfose”, de Luiza Neto Jorge (2001), de modo que traço alguns aspectos teóricos essenciais para compreensão de como a humanidade tem visto e estabelecido estereótipos condicionantes femininos, tais como o silêncio dos corpos por Michele Perrot (2003), a problemática do pensamento dicotômico dos sexos discutido por Elizabeth Gros (2000) e a retomada do saberes do corpo sob a realidade feminina trazidos por Donna Wilshire (1997). Proponho, ainda, a análise de “Metamorfose” dentro dos parâmetros propostos de ruptura com tal pensamento hegemônico, sobretudo no que se refere à perspectiva literária: a hora e a vez de uma mulher escrever sua história.

Limited experimental evidence bridges nutrition and cancer immunosurveillance. Here, we show that ketogenic diet (KD) — or its principal ketone body, 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), most specifically in intermittent scheduling — induced T cell–dependent tumor growth retardation of aggressive tumor models. In conditions in which anti–PD-1 alone or in combination with anti–CTLA-4 failed to reduce tumor growth in mice receiving a standard diet, KD, or oral supplementation of 3HB reestablished therapeutic responses. Supplementation of KD with sucrose (which breaks ketogenesis, abolishing 3HB production) or with a pharmacological antagonist of the 3HB receptor GPR109A abolished the antitumor effects. Mechanistically, 3HB prevented the immune checkpoint blockade–linked upregulation of PD-L1 on myeloid cells, while favoring the expansion of CXCR3+ T cells. KD induced compositional changes of the gut microbiota, with distinct species such as Eisenbergiella massiliensis commonly emerging in mice and humans subjected to carbohydrate-low diet interventions and highly correlating with serum concentrations of 3HB. Altogether, these results demonstrate that KD induces a 3HB-mediated antineoplastic effect that relies on T cell–mediated cancer immunosurveillance.

ABSTRACT Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of diarrhea associated with antibiotherapy. After germination of C. difficile spores in the small intestine, vegetative cells are exposed to low oxygen (O2) tensions. While considered strictly anaerobic, C. difficile is able to grow in nonstrict anaerobic conditions (1 to 3% O2) and tolerates brief air exposure indicating that this bacterium harbors an arsenal of proteins involved in O2 detoxification and/or protection. Tolerance of C. difficile to low O2 tensions requires the presence of the alternative sigma factor, σB, involved in the general stress response. Among the genes positively controlled by σB, four encode proteins likely involved in O2 detoxification: two flavodiiron proteins (FdpA and FdpF) and two reverse rubrerythrins (revRbr1 and revRbr2). As previously observed for FdpF, we showed that both purified revRbr1 and revRbr2 harbor NADH-linked O2- and H2O2-reductase activities in vitro, while purified FdpA mainly acts as an O2-reductase. The growth of a fdpA mutant is affected at 0.4% O2, while inactivation of both revRbrs leads to a growth defect above 0.1% O2. O2-reductase activities of these different proteins are additive since the quadruple mutant displays a stronger phenotype when exposed to low O2 tensions compared to the triple mutants. Our results demonstrate a key role for revRbrs, FdpF, and FdpA proteins in the ability of C. difficile to grow in the presence of physiological O2 tensions such as those encountered in the colon. IMPORTANCE Although the gastrointestinal tract is regarded as mainly anoxic, low O2 tension is present in the gut and tends to increase following antibiotic-induced disruption of the host microbiota. Two decreasing O2 gradients are observed, a longitudinal one from the small to the large intestine and a second one from the intestinal epithelium toward the colon lumen. Thus, O2 concentration fluctuations within the gastrointestinal tract are a challenge for anaerobic bacteria such as C. difficile. This enteropathogen has developed efficient strategies to detoxify O2. In this work, we identified reverse rubrerythrins and flavodiiron proteins as key actors for O2 tolerance in C. difficile. These enzymes are responsible for the reduction of O2 protecting C. difficile vegetative cells from associated damages. Original and complex detoxification pathways involving O2-reductases are crucial in the ability of C. difficile to tolerate O2 and survive to O2 concentrations encountered in the gastrointestinal tract.

¿Qué significa economía heterodoxa? ¿Es una etiqueta útil o perjudicial? Al estar fuera de la corriente principal de la disciplina de la Economía, la forma en que nos posicionamos puede ser particularmente importante. Por esta razón, muchos de los que nos rodean rechazan el uso del término “heterodoxo” y desaconsejan su uso. Sin embargo, creemos que la renuencia a usar el término se debe en parte a malentendidos —y, a veces, desacuerdos— sobre lo que significa el término y quizás a los desacuerdos acerca de las estrategias para cambiar la disciplina. En otras palabras, este es un debate importante sobre la identificación y la estrategia. En este blog, deseamos plantear el tema en círculos heterodoxos y de la corriente principal, al desbaratar algunos mitos comunes sobre la economía heterodoxa, en su mayoría derivados de la ortodoxia. Esta es una pequeña parte de un proyecto más grande sobre la definición de la economía heterodoxa.

ABSTRACT In this study, we evaluated the effects of dietary inclusion of ethanolic extract of green propolis (EEGP) on productivity, egg quality, nutrient utilization, and duodenal morphology of 120 Japanese laying quail. The quail were randomly distributed into five treatment groups: one group with no EEGP in the diet (control diet) and four groups with increasing EEGP levels (500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 mg EEGP/kg diet) in the diets. Excreta and diet samples were collected on day 40 and were analyzed for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), ash, gross energy (GE), calcium, and phosphorus to evaluate the nutrient and energy use. At the end of the study period, productive performance, egg quality, and duodenum morphology were evaluated. Duodenal sections were obtained from four birds per treatment and were processed for optical microscopy. The EEGP did not affect DM, GE utilization, apparent metabolizable energy, ash retention, feed intake, feed conversion, egg mass, egg quality, crypt depth, or villus height:crypt depth ratio in the duodenum. However, EEGP did increase laying rate, CP, EE, calcium, and phosphorus utilization, as well as villus height and absorption surface area in the duodenum when provided to birds at 1500 and 2000 mg/kg in the diet. Thus, the inclusion of EEGP at 1500 ppm in the diet of Japanese laying quail improves productivity, egg quality, nutrient utilization ability, and duodenal morphology.

Amid controversial reports that COVID-19 can be treated with a combination of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and the antibiotic azithromycin (AZI), a clinical trial (ONCOCOVID, NCT04341207) was launched at Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus to investigate the utility of this combination therapy in cancer patients. In this preclinical study, we investigated whether the combination of HCQ+AZI would be compatible with the therapeutic induction of anticancer immune responses. For this, we used doses of HCQ and AZI that affect whole-body physiology (as indicated by a partial blockade in cardiac and hepatic autophagic flux for HCQ and a reduction in body weight for AZI), showing that their combined administration did not interfere with tumor growth control induced by the immunogenic cell death inducer oxaliplatin. Moreover, the HCQ+AZI combination did not affect the capacity of a curative regimen (cisplatin + crizotinib + PD-1 blockade) to eradicate established orthotopic lung cancers in mice. In conclusion, it appears that HCQ+AZI does not interfere with the therapeutic induction of therapeutic anticancer immune responses.

Accumulating evidence from preclinical studies and human trials demonstrated the crucial role of the gut microbiota in determining the effectiveness of anticancer therapeutics such as immunogenic chemotherapy or immune checkpoint blockade. In summary, it appears that a diverse intestinal microbiota supports therapeutic anticancer responses, while a dysbiotic microbiota composition that lacks immunostimulatory bacteria or contains overabundant immunosuppressive species causes treatment failure. In this review, we explore preclinical and translational studies highlighting how eubiotic and dysbiotic microbiota composition can affect progression-free survival in cancer patients.

ABSTRACT Piper bellidifolium, Piper durilignum, Piper acutilimbum and Piper consanguineum are bushes that occur in the Amazon and are morphologically similar. With the aim of analyzing the chemical profile of the volatile constituents of these species, essential oils from the leaves were obtained through steam distillation and analyzed using gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The chemical analysis enabled the identification of 95 compounds representing 96.3 ± 0.6% of the P. bellidifolium oil, 95.5 ± 0.71% of the P. durilignum oil, 98.0 ± 1.0% of the P. acutilimbum oil and 96.1 ± 2.1% of the P. consanguineum oil. Although sesquiterpenes were the predominant chemical class in the oils of the four species, qualitative and quantitative differences were found in their chemical composition. The major constituents were (E)-nerolidol (20.3 ± 0.4%) in the P. bellidifolium oil, germacrene D (11.1 ± 0.3%) in the P. durilignum oil, and γ-eudesmol in both the P. consanguineum (18.6 ± 0.5%) and P. acutilimbum (7.5 ± 0.4%) oils. Despite their morphological similarity, a principal component analysis (PCA) of the GC-MS data clearly separated the four species according to the chemical profile of the essential oil extracted from their leaves.

O cultivo do milho pode ocorrer em condições de safrinha ou cultivo em sequeiro. Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de ácido salicílico (AS) como atenuador de estresse hídrico. O experimento foi constituído de um fatorial 6 x 2, sendo o primeiro fator seis doses de AS (0; 0,1; 0,2; 0,3; 0,4; 0,5 mM), e o segundo com ou sem déficit hídrico, e cinco repetições, contendo um controle sem aplicação e com capina manual. Avaliou-se fitotoxicidade, clorofilas totais e massa de matéria seca (parte aérea e raiz). Os dados foram submetidos à análise de regressão. As plantas submetidas ao déficit hídrico apresentaram falta de turgidez nas folhas e crescimento menor se comparadas às que não sofreram déficit hídrico. As plantas sob estresse apresentaram maior sintomas de fitotoxicidade. Os dados de clorofila e de massa seca mostram prejuízos com o déficit hídrico, o que pode minimizar a taxa fotossintética, por possuir menor concentração de clorofila. Conclui-se que o AS atenua os efeitos de déficit hídrico no milho

Hormônios estrogênicos, provenientes dos esgotos, atingem os corpos hídricos e podem causar perturbações aos organismos aquáticos. Os tratamentos secundários das estações de tratamento de esgoto (ETE) possibilitam alguma remoção destes compostos, mesmo em ETEs descentralizadas, apesar de ainda haver poucos estudos sobre elas. Em sistemas por lodos ativados, a eficiência tem sido relacionada ao tempo de detenção hidráulica (TDH), à idade de lodo, à desnitrificação biológica e à carga de alimentação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi quantificar os hormônios estrona (E1), 17-β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3) e 17-α-etinilestradiol (EE2) no esgoto e no efluente de uma ETE descentralizada por lodos ativados, além de caracterizar a ETE do Campus Universitário da EEL-USP quanto à matéria orgânica recebida, ao tempo de detenção hidráulica e a remoção de nitrogênio. Cromatografia líquida com detecção UV foi utilizada na determinação dos hormônios. Os resultados mostraram concentrações dos hormônios superiores às encontradas na literatura, em ambos: esgoto (5,158 ± 2,747; 7,434 ± 4,356; 5,200 ± 3,331 e 5,638 ± 4,312 μg L-1 de E1, E2, E3 e EE2) e efluente (5,062 ± 3,366; 4,191 ± 3,527; 7,743 ± 3,951, 2,550± 2,162 de E1, E2, E3 e EE2). No esgoto, as altas concentrações podem ser relacionadas à maior predominância de urina, visto os altos níveis de nitrogênio detectados, à menor geração de esgoto e a amostragem em período seco causando reduzida diluição dos hormônios. Remoção insuficiente dos hormônios devido a menor TDH (2h05) e irregularidade na desnitrificação (-54 a 61%) pode ser o motivo das altas concentrações de estrógenos no efluente. Ademais, a desconjugação dos hormônios pode ter ocorrido durante o tratamento.

Tendinopatia é o termo utilizado para descrever lesões que afetam os tendões (tendinites e tendinoses), caracterizada pela presença de inflamação e degeneração tecidual, associada à sobrecarga mecânica e a movimentos repetitivos. Diversas modalidades terapêuticas têm sido estudadas no tratamento das tendinopatias, entre elas, destaca-se a terapia a laser de baixa intensidade (TLBI) que visa acelerar o processo regenerativo, diminuir a inflamação e reduzir a dor. Diante do exposto, este trabalho teve como objetivo realizar revisão de literatura, de artigos científicos com foco nos efeitos da terapia a laser de baixa intensidade (TLBI), em modelo experimental de tendinopatia em ratos. O estudo baseou-se na investigação de publicações entre janeiro de 2011 a outubro de 2016, em bases de dados eletrônicas com o emprego dos descritores “tendinopatia”, “laserterapia”, “ratos”, “tendão” e “terapia a laser de baixa intensidade”, combinados aos descritores booleanos. Foram selecionados sete artigos que apontam que a TLBI possibilitou a redução de importantes marcadores pró-inflamatórios, tais como IL-6 e TNF-α, bem como a proliferação aumentada de tenócitos, independentemente da dosagem aplicada. Os estudos científicos selecionados nesta revisão sistemática sinalizaram efeitos positivos da TLBI, principalmente na modulação da resposta inflamatória aguda ou crônica após a indução da tendinopatia.