Search

The use of pyrogenic charcoal (biochar) as a soil amendment in agriculture has ancient origins. It aims to improve soil fertility by changing the soil’s chemical and physical properties. Furthermore, today biochar is of interest for its long-term carbon fixation effect. Given the high potential of biochar for water and nutrient retention, its use in viticulture may potentially compromise grape and wine quality, since moderate water deficit and limited nitrogen availability are necessary pre-conditions for high quality grape production. The aim of this study was to identify the effects of biochar as a soil amendment on grape and wine quality. The study showed that the addition to soils of pure biochar and biochar enriched with compost did not negatively affect organoleptic properties of the wine. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in wines made from biochar-treated grapevines and those of the untreated control. Pure biochar and biochar moderately enriched with compost as soil amendments did not permanently change nitrogen availability in the soil, nor did they alter the vegetative growth or productivity of the vines. Therefore, the use of biochar in viticulture can be recommended to correct the pH of the soil and for long-term carbon sequestration, as no negative side effects are to be expected and the quality of the grapes and wines is not affected.

Context: An emergency medical nurse is a health professional who operates at a very high level in the field of emergencies. The nurses of the critical area departments of the Territorial Emergency Department currently operate in the Sardinian helicopter rescue service. The effectiveness of the treatment that these nurses administer can be attributed to the quality of the previous and recurrent training that this unit must undergo. Objective: This study’s aim was to investigate the role of civil and military helicopter nurses in the context of Italian medical aid. Methods: A qualitative study, with a phenomenological approach, was conducted by interviewing 15 emergency medical nurses, using detailed recordings and transcripts. These findings were then compared to understand how nurses work outside their department of origin, how their training has influenced their ability to establish themselves outside it, and thus their ability to become part of a context considered to be of the highest level. Participants and research context: The personnel interviewed in this study were those who were working in the helibases of Cagliari, Olbia, and Alghero. The limitations of this study are linked to the impossibility of obtaining an internship at a company, because, at the time of the study, an agreement between the university and the Areus company was not active. Ethical considerations: Participation in this research was completely voluntary. In fact, the participants could cease participating at any time. Results: This study revealed issues related to training, preparation, motivation to carry out the role held, nursing autonomy, the willingness to collaborate between the various rescue organizations, the use of the helicopter rescue service, and possible improvements for this service. Conclusions: civil air rescue nurses can deepen their knowledge by examining the work of military air rescue nurses, because, although the operational contexts are different, some techniques used in a hostile environment are also applicable to civilian environments. By doing so, nurses could become independent team leaders for all intents and purposes, managing their own training, preparation, and technical skills.

A Ergonomia no Ambiente Construído se insere em um contexto de proposição de soluções projetuais para atender as necessidades dos usuários durante o trabalho. Em um ambiente hospitalar, é relevante proporcionar um ambiente de trabalho adequado, a fim de gerar serviços mais eficientes para a população. O objetivo do presente estudo foi realizar uma avaliação ergonômica da unidade de urgência e emergência adulto de um Hospital Universitário (HU) na cidade de Florianópolis (SC), através da Metodologia Ergonômica para o Ambiente Construído (MEAC), utilizando ferramentas para levantamento do ambiente físico, medição dos condicionantes ambientais e percepção do ambiente. Como resultados, constatou-se que diversos fatores estão em discordância com os requeridos por normativas para ambientes de saúde, e que a percepção do usuário é de fundamental importância para avaliação do ambiente construído. Conclui-se que a construção do espaço deve ser feita de maneira colaborativa, junto aos usuários, a fim de proporcionar ambientes de trabalho com maior qualidade, segurança e bem-estar, principalmente se tratando de ambientes hospitalares de urgência e emergência.

A field trial was carried out to investigate the effects of compost application on a young Cabernet sauvignon vineyard located in a hilly area in the North-East of Italy and subjected to land terracing before plantation. The use of a compost based on manure, pruning residues and pomace at a rate of 65 t ha-1 was compared to the mineral fertilization regime recommended for the vineyards in the area (NPK: 80, 50, 200 kg ha-1). A multi-factorial approach that considered soil chemical properties, microbial community structure and function, vine nutritional and vegetative indexes, yield and quality parameters was applied in the attempt of depict interrelated effects of compost on all these factors. Results of this study show that the application of compost for three consequent years greatly increased soil organic matter content and improved the mineral nutrient availability in the soil. Soil biological fertility showed a slow but significant response to compost addition as from the second year of treatment microbial growth and enzyme activity were increased compared to those of the inorganic fertilization, with special regard to enzymes involved in P cycle. A shift in the soil microbial community structure was also observed in compost-treated soil, with higher presence of copiotrophic bacteria, indicators of soil quality, and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria. A decrease of pathogenic fungal strains was also observed. Organic fertilization increased plant nutrient uptake and vegetative growth compared to those observed in chemically fertilized vines. A trend toward increased yield and improvements for some grape quality parameters such as acidity and pH were observed in the first year of production. These results provide evidence that compost can boost soil fertility restoration in vineyard disturbed by land terracing, allowing for agronomic performances comparable or even improved than those of chemically fertilized vines.

Introdução: Anualmente, são registrados mais de 30 milhões de casos da doença pelo Vírus Sincicial Respiratório (VSR) em todo mundo, com aproximadamente 200 mil mortes. Cerca de 99% desses casos são em crianças de países em desenvolvimento. Além do impacto clínico-social, há um importante impacto econômico. Objetivo: Este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar os custos do manejo da doença pelo VSR em crianças de países em desenvolvimento, identificando os principais direcionadores de custo. Material e Método: Revisão sistemática (CRD42020225757) com busca atualizada em fevereiro/2023. Os custos extraídos foram convertidos em dólares internacionais (U$ 2023), a partir da paridade do poder de compra ajustada. Resultados: Foram incluídas quatro análises econômicas retrospectivas e um estudo custo da doença. Esse, adotou uma perspectiva de custeio da sociedade, enquanto os outros adotaram a perspectiva do sistema de saúde. Entre pacientes na enfermaria pediátrica (média de 3,8 a 5,9 dias de internação), um menor e maior custo total foram estimados em hospitais da Malásia (U$ 347,60) e Colômbia (U$ 709,66), respectivamente. Na UTI pediátrica (média de 8 a 24 dias de internação), um menor e maior custo foram estimados em hospitais da China (U$ 1.068,26) e México (U$ 3.815,56), respectivamente. As diferenças entre as localidades podem ser parcialmente explicadas pela utilização dos recursos em saúde e características de cada população. Análises estatísticas de três estudos incluídos apresentaram um aumento significativo nos custos de hospitalização em crianças com idade superior a seis meses e com condições clínicas subjacentes, como doença cardíaca congênita, paralisia cerebral, doença pulmonar crônica e desconforto respiratório. Embora não haja consenso sobre o principal direcionador de custo, as evidências descreveram que os medicamentos (tratamento) foram responsáveis por mais de 30% do custo total. No geral, o maior custo médio foi com nebulização com solução hipertônica, antibióticos sistêmicos e fluidos intravenosos. Análises mais específicas de um estudo incluído demonstraram que mais de 85% dos medicamentos prescritos para doença pelo VSR são inapropriados. Além da falta de evidências sobre a eficácia no tratamento viral, o uso de medicamentos como antibióticos pode levar a um aumento de eventos adversos e seleção de organismos resistentes. Esses fatores podem levar a um aumento da morbimortalidade, do tempo de internação e, consequentemente, dos custos. Discussão e Conclusões: A doença pelo VSR apresenta um impacto econômico substancial para os sistemas de saúde e para a sociedade. É sugerida uma importante associação entre os custos hospitalares e condições clínicas basais. Além disso, foi observado que uma parte considerável dos custos totais é destinada a tratamentos que não têm respaldo por evidências científicas e diretrizes de prática clínica. A implementação de serviços de dispensação efetivos pode representar uma economia significativa de custos.

The High Energy cosmic-Radiation Detection (HERD) facility has been proposed as one of the main experiments on board the Chinese space station. HERD is scheduled to be installed around 2027 and to operate for at least 10 years. Its main scientific goals are the study of the cosmic ray spectrum and composition up to the PeV energy range, indirect dark matter detection, and all-sky gamma-ray observation above 100 MeV. HERD features a novel design in order to optimize its acceptance per weight, with a central 3D imaging calorimeter surrounded on top and on its four lateral sides by complementary subdetectors. A dedicated trigger, dubbed the ultra-low-energy gamma-ray (ULEG) trigger, is required to enable the detection of gamma rays down to ~100 MeV. The ULEG trigger design is based upon the search for energy deposition patterns on the tracker and the anticoincidence shield, compatible with the conversion of a gamma ray within the tracker volume and resulting in enough tracker hits to allow for a good-quality gamma-ray direction reconstruction. We describe the current status of the design of the ULEG trigger system. We also characterize its performance in detecting gamma rays as inferred from Monte Carlo studies.

Optimizing process parameters to minimize defects remains an important challenge in injection molding (IM). Machine learning (ML) techniques offer promise in this regard, but their application often requires extensive datasets. Transfer learning (TL) emerges as a solution to this problem, leveraging knowledge from related tasks to enhance model training and performance. This study explores TL’s viability in predicting weld line visibility in injection-molded components using artificial neural networks (ANNs). TL techniques are employed to transfer knowledge between datasets related to different components. Furthermore, both source datasets obtained from simulations and experimental tests are used during the study. In order to use process simulations to obtain data regarding the presence of surface defects, it was necessary to correlate an output variable of the simulations with the experimental observations. The results demonstrate TL’s efficacy in reducing the data required for training predictive models, with simulations proving to be a cost-effective alternative to experimental data. TL from simulations achieves comparable predictive metric values to those of the non-pre-trained network, but with an 83% reduction in the required data for the target dataset. Overall, transfer learning shows promise in streamlining injection molding optimization and reducing manufacturing costs.

The generation of submicron structures on plastic part surfaces can be used to modify their wetting properties allowing the creation of superhydrophobic surfaces. The modified wetting behavior can allow functionalities such as fluid collection or transport, which are critical for microfluidics. Consistent manufacturing is achieved through surface replication and process characterization. In this work, submicron structures were generated on steel mold inserts using ultrafast femtosecond laser and then replicated by micro injection molding on polypropylene and polylactic acid. Samples with Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) were fabricated using a femtosecond laser and characterized to investigate the effects of mold temperature, texture orientation, and material selection on the dynamic contact angle. The dynamic wetting functionality of the surfaces was investigated by analysis of the advancing and receding contact angles. The hysteresis obtained from the dynamic measurements provides information about the fluid/texture interaction dynamics. The experimental results show that the effects of mold temperature and drop orientation are only significant for the advancing contact angles. The large contact angle hysteresis suggests a parahydrophobic wetting behavior for the manufactured plastic parts. KEYWORDS dynamic wetting, femtosecond laser, hydrophobic surface, injection molding, surface engineering, 1 | INTRODUCTION The modification of plastic surfaces' wetting properties to superhydrophobic has been the topic of research over the last 15 years, across many fields, including medical, military, and [...]

Introduction Matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) studies are a subtype of indirect comparison, which uses propensity score weighting to enhance comparability. This method adjusts aggregated data based on covariables from individual patient data from studies to produce population-adjusted indirect comparisons. Some national Health Technology Assessment agencies have recently received submissions containing MAIC models. However, there can be a lack of confidence in its estimates when they are poorly reported and inconsistent with other techniques. The objective of this study is to map the characteristics, concepts and methodology of MAIC studies used for pharmacological therapies in the field of oncology.Methods and analysis A scoping review methodology will be applied following the Joanna Briggs Institute framework and the results will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. Studies that used MAIC to compare treatments in oncology conditions will be considered eligible. A systematic search will be conducted in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. No restriction of location or language will be applied. Study screening will be documented and presented in a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses flow diagram. Data will be extracted and recorded on a predefined data form and will be presented in a tabular form accompanied by a descriptive summary.Ethics and dissemination No ethical approval is required for this study. The results of this scoping review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications.

We present a rare case of a traumatic lesion of the tibial fibers of the sciatic nerve with spared peroneal fibers. A 33-year-old victim of a three month earlier stabbing attack came to our attention with gait impairment and weakened left foot plantar flexion and left foot internal rotation and supination. Based upon clinical signs and neurophysiological investigations we suspected that a traumatic injury of the left tibial nerve had occurred. Ultrasound examination detected a lesion of part of the left sciatic nerve, in a different site than expected. The patient was immediately enlisted for a tailored surgical reconstruction.

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a valuable model organism for studying human biology due to its easy genetic manipulation and small size. It is optically transparent and shares genetic similarities with humans, making it ideal for studying developmental processes, diseases, and drug screening via imaging-based approaches. Solid malignant tumors often contain hypoxic areas that stimulate the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs), lipid-bound structures released by cells into the extracellular space, that facilitate short- and long-range intercellular communication and metastatization. Here we investigate the effects of EVs derived from neuroblastoma (NB), a pediatric solid tumor, on metastatic niche formation using the zebrafish as an in vivo model. Intravascular injection in zebrafish embryos allows a non-invasive visualization of EVs dispersion, uptake, and interactions with host cells. To improve repeatability of our results and ease the injection steps, we used an agarose device replica molded from a custom designed micromilled aluminum mold. We first demonstrated that EVs released under hypoxic conditions promote angiogenesis and are more easily internalized by endothelial cells than those purified from normoxic cells. We also showed that injection of with hypoxic EVs increased macrophages mobilization. We then focused on the caudal hematopoietic tissue (CHT) region of the embryo as a potential metastatic site. After hypoxic EVs injection, we highlighted changes in the expression of mmp-9 and cxcl8b genes. Furthermore, we investigated the ability of NB-derived EVs to prime a metastatic niche by a two-step injection of EVs first, followed by NB cells. Interestingly, we found that embryos injected with hypoxic EVs had more proliferating NB cells than those injected with normoxic EVs. Our findings suggest that EVs released by hypoxic NB cells alter the behavior of recipient cells in the zebrafish embryo and promote metastatic outgrowth. In addition, we demonstrated the ability of the zebrafish embryo to be a suitable model for studying the interactions between EVs and recipient cells in the metastatic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the demand for orthopedic implants has surged due to increased life expectancy, necessitating the need for materials that better mimic the biomechanical properties of human bone. Traditional metal implants, despite their mechanical superiority and biocompatibility, often face challenges such as mismatched elastic modulus and ion release, leading to complications and implant failures. Polyetheretherketone (PEEK), a semi-crystalline polymer with an aromatic backbone, presents a promising alternative due to its adjustable elastic modulus and compatibility with bone tissue. This study explores the functionalization of sandblasted 3D-printed PEEK disks with the bioactive peptides Aoa-GBMP1α and Aoa-EAK to enhance human osteoblast response. Aoa-GBMP1α reproduces 48–69 trait of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (BMP-2), whereas Aoa-EAK is a self-assembling peptide mimicking extracellular matrix (ECM) fibrous structure. Superficial characterization included X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), white light interferometer analysis, static water contact angle (S-WCA), and force spectroscopy (AFM-FS). Biological assays demonstrated a significant increase in human osteoblast (HOB) proliferation, calcium deposition, and expression of osteogenic genes (RUNX2, SPP1, and VTN) on functionalized PEEK compared to non-functionalized controls. The findings suggest that dual peptide-functionalized PEEK holds significant potential for advancing orthopedic implant technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid biopsy analysis represents a powerful and noninvasive tool to uncover biomarkers for disseminated disease assessment and longitudinal monitoring of patients. Herein, we explored the value of circulating and disseminated tumor cells (CTC and DTC, respectively) and cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) in pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). Peripheral blood and bone marrow samples were analyzed to detect and enumerate CTC and DTC, respectively. We used the epithelial cellular adhesion molecule (EpCAM)‐based CellSearch platform coupled with an automatic device to collect both EpCAM‐positive and EpCAM‐low/negative CTCs. The standard assay was implemented, including the mesenchymal marker desmin. For selected cases, we molecularly profiled primary tumors and liquid biopsy biomarkers using whole‐exome sequencing and droplet digital PCR, respectively. RMS patients with metastatic disease had a significantly higher number of CTCs compared to those with localized disease, whereas DTCs were detected independently of disease presentation. The use of the desmin marker remarkably increased the identification of CTCs and DTCs in RMS samples. Of note, CTC clusters were detected in RMS patients with disseminated disease. Further, cfDNA and CTC molecular features closely reflected the molecular makeup of primary tumors and informed of disease course.

Resumo Fundamento: Revisões sistemáticas anteriores não identificaram benefício do uso da hidroxicloroquina ou da cloroquina em pacientes com COVID-19 não hospitalizados. Após a publicação dessas revisões, os resultados do COPE, o maior ensaio clínico randomizado até hoje, tornaram-se disponíveis. Objetivos: Conduzir uma revisão sistemática e metanálise de ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECRs) para sintetizar as evidências sobre a eficácia e a segurança da hidroxicloroquina e da cloroquina em pacientes com COVID-19 não hospitalizados em comparação a controle ou tratamento padrão. Métodos: As buscas foram conduzidas nos bancos de dados PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library e ClinicalTrials.gov, e complementadas por busca manual. Foram realizadas metanálises diretas e avaliações de risco de viés e certeza da evidência, incluindo análise do tamanho ótimo da informação (OIS, optimal information size). Um nível de significância de 0,05 foi adotado na metanálise. PROSPERO: CRD42021265427. Resultados: Oito ECRs com 3219 participantes foram incluídos. As taxas de internação por COVID-19 e de eventos adversos não foram significativamente diferentes entre hidroxicloroquina (5,6% e 5,1%) e controle (7,4% e 20,4%) [risco relativo (RR) 0,77, intervalo de confiança 95% (IC95%), 0,57-1,04, I2: 0%; RR 1,78, IC95% 0,90; 3,52, I2: 93%, respectivamente)]. O OIS (7880) não foi alcançado para hospitalização por COVID-19, independentemente da simulação para a taxa de evento e redução do RR estimados. Conclusão: A evidência de muito baixa qualidade indicou falta de benefício com hidroxicloroquina em prevenir internações por COVID-19. Apesar de ser a revisão sistemática com o maior número de participantes incluídos, o OIS, considerando a resposta à infecção anterior à vacinação, não foi atingido.

Introdução: Infecções por patógenos resistentes a antimicrobianos impactam na morbimortalidade, conduta clínica e custos da doença. A Organização Mundial de Saúde elencou bactérias resistentes relevantes globalmente, pelo impacto na saúde pública; dentre as quais estão as bactérias gram-negativas resistentes a carbapenêmicos (CRGNB), os enterococos resistentes à vancomicina (VRE) e o Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina (MRSA). Objetivos: Objetivou-se compilar os custos da infecção por MRSA, VRE ou CRGNB, em pacientes adultos internados em unidades de cuidado crítico (UCC), tendo como modelo o Complexo Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná (CHC-UFPR). Métodos: Para avaliação do custo da doença, os cálculos da terapia farmacológica (TF) foram realizados com base no “Guia de uso racional de antimicrobianos: diretrizes de uso e prevenção de infecções” do CHC-UFPR. Para medicamentos com dose dependente do peso definiu-se 70kg. A perspectiva considerada foi a do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e, portanto, os valores dos medicamentos foram extraídos da lista da Câmara de Regulação do Mercado de Medicamentos 04/19, considerando o preço máximo de venda ao governo e imposto sobre circulação de mercadorias e serviços de 18%; valores das técnicas diagnósticas (Metodologia: convencional) foram extraídos do sistema de gerenciamento da tabela de procedimentos, medicamentos, órteses, próteses e materiais especiais do SUS, 04/19; preços dos materiais médico-hospitalares utilizados na administração do medicamento e no diagnóstico, foram coletados no banco de preços em saúde, período 10/18 a 04/19. Contabilizou-se o custo da diária hospitalar do paciente em UCC, incluindo custos diretos, utilizando dados de 2018 do CHC-UFPR. Resultados: O diagnóstico somou custo médio de R$43,60 (min. 37,48 – máx. 49,71), independente da etiologia. O valor médio da diária hospitalar totalizou R$1353,73 (753,79- 2033,25). O agente causal e foco da infecção levam a variações na TF, refletindo nos custos. Em infecções por MRSA o preço médio diário da TF de escolha foi de R$97,94 (65,50-129,92) (infecção de corrente sanguínea – ICS, de partes moles, osteoarticular, pneumonia – PNM ou endocardite) e R$146,91(98,25-194,88) (sistema nervoso central – SNC). Infecções por VRE apresentaram preço médio diário da TF desde R$307,48 (300,82-323,50) (infecção intra-abdominal – IIA, manutenção) a R$460,11 (450,60-482,77) (IIA, dose de ataque). A TF diária de infecções por CRGNB apresentaram valores mais distintos: R$19,99 (8,96-32,94) para infecção do trato urinário e R$1.456,17 (804,29-2172,44) para ICS, IIA, do SNC ou PNM. Conclusão: Os dados compilados ilustram o alto custo de infecções por MRSA, VRE e CRGNB em pacientes adultos críticos. Tais custos impactam no orçamento público, salientando a importância de alternativas para minimizar o custo dessas infecções; como técnicas de diagnóstico rápidas, a fim de adequar a terapia e evitar a disseminação dos patógenos.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is an aggressive pediatric soft tissue sarcoma characterized by a very poor prognosis when relapses occur after front-line therapy. Therefore, a major challenge for patients’ management remains the identification of markers associated with refractory and progressive disease. In this context, cancer autoantibodies are natural markers of disease onset and progression, useful to unveil novel therapeutic targets. Herein, we matched autoantibody profiling of alveolar RMS (ARMS) patients with genes under regulatory control of PAX3-FOXO1 transcription factor and revealed fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) as a novel ARMS tumor antigen of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic potential. We demonstrated that high levels of FGF8 autoantibodies distinguished ARMS patients from healthy subjects and represented an independent prognostic factor of better event-free survival. FGF8 was overexpressed in ARMS tumors compared to other types of pediatric soft tissue sarcomas, acting as a positive regulator of cell signaling. Indeed, FGF8 was capable of stimulating ARMS cells migration and expression of pro-angiogenic and metastasis-related factors, throughout MAPK signaling activation. Of note, FGF8 was found to increase in recurrent tumors, independently of PAX3-FOXO1 expression dynamics. Risk of recurrence correlated positively with FGF8 expression levels at diagnosis and reduced FGF8 autoantibodies titer, almost as if to suggest a failure of the immune response to control tumor growth in recurring patients. This study provides evidence about the crucial role of FGF8 in ARMS and the protective function of natural autoantibodies, giving new insights into ARMS biology and laying the foundations for the development of new therapeutic strategies.

Abstract Computational drug repositioning aims at ranking and selecting existing drugs for novel diseases or novel use in old diseases. In silico drug screening has the potential for speeding up considerably the shortlisting of promising candidates in response to outbreaks of diseases such as COVID-19 for which no satisfactory cure has yet been found. We describe DrugMerge as a methodology for preclinical computational drug repositioning based on merging multiple drug rankings obtained with an ensemble of disease active subnetworks. DrugMerge uses differential transcriptomic data on drugs and diseases in the context of a large gene co-expression network. Experiments with four benchmark diseases demonstrate that our method detects in first position drugs in clinical use for the specified disease, in all four cases. Application of DrugMerge to COVID-19 found rankings with many drugs currently in clinical trials for COVID-19 in top positions, thus showing that DrugMerge can mimic human expert judgment.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Despite the several options available for supplements containing vitamins C and E, evidence regarding the prevalence of deficiency or insufficiency of these vitamins is weak. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of deficiency or insufficiency of vitamins C and E and associated factors among women of childbearing age, in Brazil. DESIGN AND SETTING: Systematic review and meta-analysis conducted at a Brazilian public university. METHODS: A search from index inception until May 2020 was conducted. Meta-analyses were performed using inverse variance for fixed models, with summary proportions calculation using Freeman-Tukey double arcsine (base case). Reporting and methodological quality were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool for prevalence studies. RESULTS: Our review identified 12 studies, comprising 1,316 participants, especially breastfeeding women. There was at least one quality weakness in all studies, mainly regarding sampling method (i.e. convenience sampling) and small sample size. The prevalence of vitamin C deficiency ranged from 0% to 40%. Only vitamin E deficiency was synthetized in meta-analyses, with mean prevalences of 6% regardless of the alpha-tocopherol cutoff in plasma, and 5% and 16% for cutoffs of < 1.6-12.0 mmol/l and < 16.2 mmol/l, respectively. The cumulative meta-analysis suggested that a trend to lower prevalence of vitamin E deficiency occurred in recent studies. CONCLUSIONS: Although the studies identified in this systematic review had poor methodological and reporting quality, mild-moderate vitamin C and E deficiencies were identified, especially in breastfeeding women. Thus, designing and implementing policies does not seem to be a priority, because the need has not been properly dimensioned among women of childbearing age in Brazil. REGISTRATION NUMBER IN PROSPERO: CRD42020221605.