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Healthcare Workers (HCWs) have an increased risk both to acquire and to spread vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) both to their colleagues and, especially, to vulnerable patients. The prevention of occupational hazards among HCWs is based on proper adoption of the standard and additional precautions, immunizations, and secondary preventive measures, such as post-exposure prophylaxis. Moreover, HCWs are often referred to as the most trusted source of vaccine-related information for their patients. In the present article, we report the findings of a cross-sectional study investigating the compliance to vaccinations among HCWs employed at the Obstetric Unit of a regional acute-care University Hospital in Northern Italy. Furthermore, a systematic review of the literature for some VPDs (i.e., HBV, measles, rubella, varicella and influenza) was performed, over a 17-year period, in order to update the socio-demographic and professional characteristics, the susceptibility status and the vaccination rates among HCWs in Italy.

Nowadays, more and more people surf the Internet seeking health-related information. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can represent an important opportunities in the field of Public Health and vaccinology. The aim of our current research was to investigate a) how often people search the Internet for vaccination-related information, b) if this search is spontaneous or induced by media, and c) which kind of information is in particular searched. We used Google Trends (GT) for monitoring the interest for preventable infections and related vaccines. When looking for vaccine preventable infectious diseases, vaccine was not a popular topic, with some valuable exceptions, including the vaccine against Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Vaccines-related queries represented approximately one third of the volumes regarding preventable infections, greatly differing among the vaccines. However, the interest for vaccines is increasing throughout time: in particular, users seek information about possible vaccine-related side-effects. The five most searched vaccines are those against 1) influenza; 2) meningitis; 3) diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus; 4) yellow fever; and 5) chickenpox. ICTs can have a positive influence on parental vaccine-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and vaccination willingness. GT can be used for monitoring the interest for vaccinations and the main information searched.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of peniocerol against human colon cancer cell lines and its antitumor effect in vivo in a xenograft model using nu/nu mice.Materials and Methods: SW-620, HCT-15, and HCT-116 colon cancer cell lines were treated with peniocerol for cytotoxicity by crystal violet technique. Cell apoptosis induction was detected by flow cytometry, and the antitumor activity of peniocerol was evaluated in a xenograft model of HCT-116 in nu/nu mice. After treatment, the effect of peniocerol was analyzed in histological sections of tumors by immunohistochemistry using DAPI, anti-PCNA, and PARP-1 antibodies.Results: Peniocerol inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in vitro in a time and dose-dependent manner. Besides, peniocerol administration (30 or 15 mg/kg) inhibited tumor growth and induced apoptosis in the xenograft mice. The lack of peniocerol toxicity was proved by a biochemical blood analysis of healthy nu/nu mice administrated with this sterol.Conclusions: Our results proved that peniocerol induces apoptosis in vitro and in vivo assays.

RESUMO Introdução: o início da atividade sexual no período da adolescência pode expor essa população a alguns riscos como a ocorrência de gravidez não planejada. Estudos mostram que, apesar do aumento do uso de métodos anticonceptivos (MAC), a gravidez continua alta entre os adolescentes. Objetivo: analisar o uso de MAC por adolescentes que engravidaram nesse período da vida. Método: trata-se de estudo do tipo caso-controle, realizado com 86 gestantes adolescentes (casos) e 86 jovens sem histórico de gravidez na adolescência (controles) em unidades de Estratégia de Saúde da Família do município de Cuiabá-MT, no período de agosto a novembro de 2016. Resultado: os dados revelaram que as adolescentes fizeram uso de MAC na primeira relação sexual (67,4%), porém se verificou considerável diminuição na utilização ao investigar especificadamente o uso no mês em que engravidaram (37,2%). Destacou-se que a utilização de MAC é menor entre as adolescentes comparado às jovens sem histórico de gravidez na adolescência. Verificaram-se, ainda, descontinuidades contraceptivas entre as participantes do estudo. Conclusão: os achados revelaram que as adolescentes utilizam menos métodos anticonceptivos, comparado às jovens, desde o início da vida sexual. Além disso, o uso é permeado por descontinuidades, com destaque para as falhas no uso do MAC. Esse fato indica a necessidade de aumentar os cuidados e opções contraceptivas para essa população.

ABSTRACT Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) is an important emergent zoonosis associated with wild rodents in Brazil, where this viral infection in children is generally rare. We present HCPS in a child from the Pantanal Biome and a review of all reported pediatric cases in Mato Grosso State, an endemic area for HCPS in Brazil. The investigation used the Information System for Notifiable Diseases database (SINAN). A 12-year-old boy was hospitalized with fever and respiratory failure and hantavirus IgM and IgG antibodies were detected by ELISA in serum samples. During the period of 1999 to 2016, 32 HCPS pediatric cases confirmed by serology were reported to SINAN with a mortality rate of 34.4%. The possibility of hantavirus infection in children with acute febrile illness associated with respiratory failure should be considered mainly in recognized endemic areas as Mato Grosso State, contradicting a hypothesis that children are more protected from lung involvement.

Objective: to analyze the pregnancy planning of adolescents according to the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP) classification. Method: a case-control study was carried out with 86 pregnant adolescents (cases) and 86 young pregnant women with no history of pregnancy in adolescence (controls), in Family Health Strategy units of Cuiabá-MT, from August to November 2016. The exposure and outcome variables were analyzed using bivariate analysis to test the association between pregnancy in adolescence and several independent variables.Results: 63.9% of the adolescent pregnancies were classified as ambivalent, followed by unplan-ned, although they were desired, noting that 63.7% did not use contraception in the month in which they became pregnant.Conclusion: the study identified that the adolescent pregnancies were desired, however, unplan-ned, revealing the ambiguity between intention and action, thus contributing to better comprehen-sion and guidance in the reproductive planning of adolescents.

The Kingdom Plantae has provided several successful drugs for the treatment of different diseases, including cancer, and continues to be a source of new possible therapeutic molecules. For example, the annonaceous acetogenins (AAs) are secondary metabolites found in the Annonaceae family, which are plants employed in traditional medicine for the treatment of cancer and various other diseases. These polyketides are inhibitors of Complex I in the respiratory chain of tumor cells, a process that is closely related to tumor metabolism, cell death, apoptosis, and autophagy. The goal of this review is to update readers on the role of the AAs as antitumor agents using in vitro and in vivo studies to demonstrate their importance in the area of oncology drug discovery. For this purpose, we performed a literature search in the PubMed scientific database using a range of keywords, including acetogenins and cancer, acetogenins antitumor activity, acetogenins and cytotoxicity, and acetogenins mechanism of action, among others. As a result, we found that the AAs are cytotoxic compounds that can induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and autophagy in vitro, in addition to exhibiting tumor growth inhibition in vivo. The functional group related to their antineoplastic activity is suggested to be the mono or bis tetrahydrofuran ring accompanied by two or more hydroxy groups. The versatility of the AA bioactivity therefore renders them potential therapeutic agents for cancer treatment. It is therefore apparent that nature is worth further examination to aid in the discovery of more effective, accurate, and less harmful therapies in the fight against cancer.

ABSTRACT Introduction Dental implant therapy, when well planned, can contribute to the patient's quality of life and is an important tool for solving a serious public health problem in various parts of the world. Objective This study investigated peri-implant health in fixed implants supported by an immediate loading technique and to associate those outcomes with sociodemographic conditions. Material and method After the disassembly of the prostheses on implants with the “Branemark Model” the peri-implant health of 93 patients was evaluated using dental plaque index (DPI), probing pocket depths (PPD), bleeding on probing (BOP), clinical attachment levels (CAL), and presence of gingival hyperplasia. Patients also answered a questionnaire about their gender, age, socioeconomic status (Brazilian Association of Research Companies - ABEP), general health and tobacco use. Result The most constant clinical findings were the presence of plaque, followed by gingival hyperplasia and periimplantitis, which was associated with disease progression. Most of the patients in the study were female, Caucasian, and under 60 years of age, with prostheses located in their lower arch, and they belonged to social classes A and B. Conclusion The presence of dental biofilm occurred in almost all implants and was not related to the presence of periimplantitis. The progression of periimplantitis with bone loss was related to sub gingival bleeding. The sociodemographic characteristics in the study did not present great correlations with the clinical variables of the dental implants studied.

In Brazil, the first confirmed cases of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in Indigenous populations occurred in 2001. The purpose of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of orthohantavirus infections in the Utiariti Indigenous land located in the southeastern region of the Brazilian Amazon. In December 2014 and 2015, a survey was conducted using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in nine villages belonging to the Haliti–Paresí Indigenous communities. A total of 301 participants were enrolled in the study. Of the two study cohorts, the one from 2014 showed a prevalence of 12.4%, whereas the one from 2015 had a serum prevalence of 13.4%. Analysis of the paired samples of 110 Indigenous people who participated in both stages of the study enabled identification of four individuals who had seroconverted during the study period. Identifying the circulation of orthohantaviruses in the Utiariti Indigenous land highlights a serious public health problem in viral expansion and highlights the need to implement preventive measures appropriate to the sociocultural reality of these communities.

The present data article describes high-school drop-out related web activities in Canada, from 2004 to 2012, obtained mining Google Trends (GT), using high-school drop-out as key-word. The searches volumes were processed, correlated and cross-correlated with statistical data obtained at national and province level and broken down for gender. Further, an autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) model was used to model the GT-generated data. From a qualitative point of view, GT-generated relative search volumes (RSVs) reflect the decrease in drop-out rate. The peak in the Internet-related activities occurs in 2004 (56.35%, normalized value), and gradually declines to 40.59% (normalized value) in 2007. After, it remains substantially stable until 2012 (40.32%, normalized value). From a quantitative standpoint, the correlations between Canadian high-school drop-out rate and GT-generated RSVs in the study period (2004–2012) were statistically significant both using the drop-out rate for academic year and the 3-years moving average. Examining the data broken down by gender, the correlations were higher and statistically significant in males than in females. GT-based data for drop-out resulted best modeled by an ARMA(1,0) model. Considering the cross correlation of Canadian regions, all of them resulted statistically significant at lag 0, apart from for New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Prince Edward island. A number or cross-correlations resulted statistically significant also at lag −1 (namely, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan).

El artículo reconstruye las actividades mercantiles de uno de los principales comerciantes del Virreinato del Río de la Plata, el español Diego de Agüero, a lo largo de toda su actuación mercantil (1770-1820), con el objetivo de medir y analizar el origen de sus ganancias, así como ponderar la magnitud de su patrimonio. Para ello recurre a documentación serial (registros de navíos y protocolos notariales) y privada (correspondencia y documentación contable), proveniente de repositorios de Argentina, Uruguay, Brasil, Bolivia y España. De esta manera se prueba, para el caso analizado, la inexistencia de una tasa de ganancia, en el sentido contemporáneo del término, y la enorme disparidad de resultados en sus operaciones mercantiles, las que podían realizarse gracias a la existencia de un sistema social específico, que resistía el avance de la competencia mediante mecanismos extraeconómicos.

Cultural diplomacy is usually defined as an artistic and intellectual exchanges policy developed within Nation-States. During the last three decades we saw the proliferation of diverse external cultural policies structures of subnational governments all around the world. This can be explained because of the restructuration of postfordist State, the appearance of new actors and the development of multiple schemes of multilevel governance. However, the rupture of central governments monopoly in the area supposes a challenge for the development of new representation systems of States abroad. In Spain case, the significant decentralization of public administration since democratic transition permitted the emergence of cultural paradiplomacies of autonomic governments. This work analyses this process by studying the cases of General Administration of State and Catalan Autonomic Community and seek to explain how the abroad cultural action of the State of Autonomies is configured. In this regard, this article shows the inexistence of a federal system of cultural diplomacy. By contrast, it demonstrates the presence of an ntergovernmental competition in which processes of nation building are opposed and where legitimacy and monopoly of exterior cultural projection are on debate

Desde 2003, igualmente que en muchos países latinoamericanos que participaron del llamado “giro a la izquierda”, las políticas culturales argentinas se profundizaron y diversificaron. Esta nueva política cultural ha sido caracterizada como un instrumento de construcción de hegemonía en un sentido gramsciano, pero dicha afirmación no ha sido explicada y la relación de la administración pública de la cultura con los particularismos sociales y la diversidad cultural tampoco ha sido analizada. El presente trabajo examina esta problemática, estudiando continuidad y cambio en la historia de las políticas culturales argentinas y focalizando en el período 2003-2013. De este modo, precisa su particular configuración administrativa, programática y constitutiva durante la década estudiada, donde paradigma de la diversidad cultural tuvo una relevancia secundaria en relación con el concepto peronista de pueblo.

El trabajo analiza la circulación dinamizada durante el período colonial tardío por el comerciante mayorista español, radicado en Buenos Aires, Diego de Agüero. Mediante la triangulación de diversos tipos de fuentes públicas y privadas, se mide el volumen del giro mercantil, se describe y pondera su contenido y se dilucida el sentido del flujo de riquezas.

A partir del cas del comerciant espanyol Diego d'Agüero, l'article analitza els debats que el tràfic d'esclaus va desencadenar a l'interior dels comerciants majoristes rioplatenses durant l'última etapa de l'Imperi Espanyol (1780-1810). A través de la seva correspondència i de les actes del Consolat de Buenos Aires, vam mostrar l'existència de dues fraccions de mercaders que van aprofundir el seu enfrontament a la calor de la crisi mercantil de fins del segle XVIII i principis del XIX. Per avaluar la naturalesa de les seves diferències, apel·lem a les característiques del gir mercantil d'Agüero, on trobem l'explicació del seu comportament polític i corporatiu. La nostra hipòtesi planteja que el nucli de l'enfrontament entre les dues fraccions no va ser la importació d'esclaus, sinó l'exportació de cuirs a ports estrangers, que implicava la consolidació d'interessos mercantils que jaqueaban els del monopoli gadità.

The prose poem has traditionally been considered above all a lyrical genre. Never-theless, there are short fictions showing the main features of the prose poem, such as brevity, intensity, autonomy, importance of connotation, visionary character and, above all, the dominance of description. The fic-tional prose poem gives shape to an imagi-nary world which is poetically described, rather than narrated. The fictional character of this kind of prose poem is especially clear when what is described is a future reality, as it is the case in Stéphane Mallarmé’s «Le Phénomène futur» and in later series of prose poems which create prospective uni-verses. Among them, the series collected by Daniel Walther in 2010 under the title of Les Chasseurs du temps stands out for its mysterious force, its fictional coherence and the beauty of its images.

RESUMO Objetivo: verificar se a porcentagem de recém-nascidos que falharam na triagem auditiva do serviço da Clínica Escola do Centro Universitário de Várzea Grande está dentro do determinado pelos indicadores de qualidade dos serviços de Triagem Auditiva Neonatal. Método: estudo retrospectivo, no qual foram analisados os resultados dos exames de Emissões Otoacústicas Transientes realizados no período de Outubro de 2013 a Agosto de 2014, em um serviço gratuito de triagem auditiva neonatal opcional do setor privado de uma universidade da cidade de Várzea Grande-Mato Grosso, Brasil. Compuseram a amostra 251 participantes, subdivididos em dois grupos: grupo de baixo risco composto por 210 participantes, sendo 100 do gênero feminino e 110 do masculino e; grupo de alto risco composto por 41 participantes, sendo 17 do gênero feminino e 24 do masculino. Resultados: foram analisados os resultados da triagem auditiva obtidas com o teste das Emissões Otoacústicas Transientes sendo que no grupo de baixo risco 39,52% passaram, 4,76% falharam e 55,71% não compareceram ao serviço para finalização da triagem. Já no grupo de alto risco, 48,78% passaram, 14,63% falharam e 36,59% não compareceram ao serviço para finalização da triagem, conforme demonstrado nas Tabelas 1 e 2. Conclusão: a porcentagem de indivíduos que falharam na triagem auditiva neonatal pelo serviço avaliado está acima do preconizado pela literatura.

RESUMO: Introdução: A hipertensão arterial sistêmica é um importante problema de saúde pública devido à sua alta prevalência, baixas taxas de controle e causa de morbidade e mortalidade cardiovascular. Objetivo: Analisar a prevalência de hipertensão arterial sistêmica e fatores associados em homens e mulheres residentes em municípios da Amazônia Legal. Métodos: No estudo transversal de base populacional conduzido com 1.296 adultos de ambos os sexos foram coletados dados sociodemográficos, estilo de vida, antropométricos e pressão arterial, sendo considerados hipertensos os que apresentaram pressão arterial ≥ 140/90 mmHg e/ou os que referiram uso de drogas anti-hipertensivas. As análises estatísticas foram feitas no módulo survey do programa Stata versão 11.0. Resultados: A prevalência da hipertensão arterial sistêmica foi de 22,3%. Após ajustes, as variáveis que se associaram à hipertensão nos homens foram a idade de 30 a 39 anos (RP ajustada = 2,69; IC95% 1,49 - 4,86), 40 a 49 anos (RP ajustada = 3,28; IC95% 1,82 - 5,93) e 50 a 59 anos (RP ajustada = 4,80; IC95% 2,63 - 8,76), sobrepeso (RP ajustada = 1,97; IC95% 1,39 - 2,78), obesidade (RP ajustada = 3,32; IC95% 2,32 - 4,75) e ser natural da região Norte ou Nordeste (RP ajustada = 0,31; IC95% 0,18 - 0,59). Entre as mulheres, associaram à hipertensão a idade de 40 a 49 anos (RP ajustada = 3,41; IC95% 1,91 - 6,07) e 50 a 59 anos (RP ajustada = 7,29; IC95% 4,07 - 13,07); o consumo de vinho (RP ajustada = 0,31; IC95% 0,10 - 0,97) e obesidade (RP ajustada = 2,39; IC95% 1,65 - 3,45). Conclusão: A hipertensão arterial associou-se independentemente com a idade, estado nutricional e naturalidade nos homens. E nas mulheres com a idade, estado nutricional e tipo de bebida alcoólica.

Italian Muslims represent 2.6% of the entire population and one-third of all foreigners, constituting a fragmented and pluralistic community. Recently, father Jacques Hamel, a French Catholic priest, was killed by two knife-wielding French men pledging allegiance to the Islamic State. The Muslim French community strongly dissociated from this event. Italian Muslim community heeded this call and also sent delegates to French churches. According to the statistics, about 15,000 Muslims (approximately 1–2% of the Italian community) attended the commemorative event. Using a qualitative approach, we aimed at investigating the reasons that led Italian Muslims to join or not such an event. The following themes emerged: 1) public responsibility and accountability; 2) every murder as a crime to mankind; 3) importance of inter-faith dialogue and initiatives; 4) judging actions on the basis of intention; 5) fear of losing identity and roots; 6) innovation of attending churches even for good purposes; 7) dead peoples of series A and B; 8) useless of the action; and, finally, 9) impact of islamophobia. Our research sheds light on the multiple voices and thoughts of a complex, multifaceted community. We believe that our findings could be helpful for policy-makers and stakeholders, in designing inclusive and truly integrative policies.

Parthenium argentatum (Gray), commonly known as guayule, has been used to obtain natural rubber since the beginning of the 20th century. Additionally, the so called “resin” is a waste product derived from the industrial process. The cycloartane-type triterpene Argentatin A (AA) is one of the main constituents of the industrial waste resin. In this study we evaluated the AA anticancer activity both in vitro and in vivo in the HCT116 colon cancer cells. The apoptosis promotion of AA was assessed by the annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) assay. The senescence was evaluated for SA-β-galactosidase, and PCNA was used as a marker of proliferation. Its antitumor activity was evaluated using a xenograft mouse model. The results indicated that AA-induced apoptosis in HCT-116 cells and was positively stained for SA-β-galactosidase. In the xenografted mice test, the administration of AA at the dose of 250 mg/kg three times a week for 21 days reduced tumor growth by 78.1%. A comparable tumor reduction was achieved with cisplatin at the dose of 2 mg/kg administered three times a week for 21 days. However, nude mice treated with AA did not lose weight, as they did remarkably when treated with cisplatin. Furthermore, the animals treated with AA showed similar blood profiles as the healthy control group. These data indicate the low toxicity of AA compared to that shown by cisplatin.

The application of selenium (Se) as sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) at 0, 2, and 4 mg L-1 concentrations in nutrient solution to strawberry plants was evaluated. Selenium did not modify the dry weights of the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits, or the fresh weights of the stems and fruits. The 4 mg L-1 concentration caused decreases in the fresh weights of the roots and leaves and in the yield. The mineral content of different plant organs changed but was not adversely affected by Se applications, with the 2 mg L-1 treatment having a lower impact on mineral concentration variation, as well as temporary positive effects on the fruits’ antioxidant status. The fruit pH was not adversely affected by application of Se. Se application in nutrient solution proved to be an adequate technique to increase the Se content in all plant organs. Se concentration exhibited a differential distribution, with the highest levels in the roots, followed by the leaves and crowns; the fruits had the lowest levels, reaching an average concentration of 31.2 mg kg-1 of dry weight. By contrast, fruits from the untreated plants obtained an average concentration of only 6.35 mg kg-1, with no decreases in the concentrations of other mineral elements in treated plants.

It would be a complete «revolution» (etymologically a turn-around) if death were defeated and the deceased returned to the world as they were, in the flesh and with their own individuality, instead of coming back as reanimated monsters. This fantastic possibility is usually described as having revolutionary existencial and societal effects, since the society and the emotional lives of the living is usually transformed through the contact with the returned, whose very presence seems to alter the meaning of life. This paper provides an overview of resurrection stories by international writers, from Giacomo Leopardi to some modern classics, such as Tudor Arghezi, Érico Veríssimo, Marcel Thiry, Angélica Gorodischer and Robert Silverberg, as well as by others less well known, in a variety of fictional works on this matter, especially in the fantastic, but also in the speculative mode.

Background: Out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure directly impacts on poverty and household welfare, especially when there is a decline in healthcare financing. This study was aimed to describe the temporal pattern of OOP expenditures related to Iranian healthcare services during 1995-2014. Methods: For describing the trend of OOP spending in Iran, the database of the World Bank was mined for the period under study. Further, the trend analysis has been complemented by an exhaustive and comprehensive review of the extant literature. Results: From 1995 to 2014, out-of-pocket decreased from 53.59% to 47.8% of the total health expenditure, probably because of the different health reforms implemented throughout the years. However, out-of-pocket expenditure in Iran remains higher than the world average (roughly 3 times higher) Conclusion: It is an onus of the Iranian government to make serious attempts in order to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure, as well as to protect particularly poor and vulnerable subjects against catastrophic health expenditure. In order to ensure an equitable and affordable access to the healthcare system, decision- and policy-makers in Iran should implement a review of health care costs, insurance tariffs, and healthcare services packages covered by insurance organizations as well as introduce a progressive tax-based financing scheme as soon as possible.

The discovery of insulin represents an authentic breakthrough, characterized, at the same time, by contrasts, controversies and disputes among scholars, as well as by great disappointments, failures and hopes. It is the story of famous, almost famous and little known people, of serendipities, discoveries and re-discoveries. The discovery of insulin has been a milestone and has truly revolutionized both the therapy and the prognosis of the diabetes, one of the diseases most studied in the history of medicine, whose first mentions trace back to a collection of ancient Egyptian, Indian and Chinese textbooks. As stated by Colwell, the introduction of insulin has heralded the end of the so-called “pre-insulin era” or “frustration era”, paving the way for a new era and clinical advancements. The current review offers a broad, comprehensive overview of main steps culminating into insulin discovery, including recent advancements such as personalized and individualized insulin therapy.

Background: Inhibition of quorum sensing systems (QSS-I) is a novel strategy in the treatment of bacterial infections. To date, plants are the major source of metabolites with this inhibitory activity. Thus, species of Mexican flora can be important resources for obtaining metabolites with QSS-I activity. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that extracts from species of the genus Ceiba have metabolites with inhibitory activity against bacterial quorum sensing systems. Species studied: Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn. and Ceiba aesculifolia (Kunth) Britten & Baker f. (Malvaceae). Study site and years of study: We collected Ceiba bark in the municipalities of Tierra Blanca, Veracruz, and Acatlan, Oaxaca, in August 2013. Methods: We determined the effect of extracts from C. aesculifolia and C. pentandra against QSS-regulated phenotypes of Chromobacterium violaceum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Extracts were fractionated and the main metabolites were identified. As support in the identification of the species, we carried out an anatomical study of the bark. Results: Hexane and dichloromethane extracts of both species of Ceiba exhibited QSS-I activity. We identified four fractions rich in terpene and sterol compounds with the ability to attenuate virulence factors in P. aerugiosa. The histological analysis appears to support the presence of some differences in the barks that can facilitate identification of the two species. Conclusions: The extracts and fractions of the two species of Ceiba are sources of phytochemicals with the ability to regulate bacterial quorum sensing systems positively or negatively.

AimAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), communicable tropical and sub-tropical diseases occur solely, or mainly in the tropics, thriving in hot, and humid conditions. Some of these disorders termed as neglected tropical diseases are particularly overlooked. Communicable tropical/sub-tropical diseases represent a diverse group of communicable disorders occurring in 149 countries, favored by tropical and sub-tropical conditions, affecting more than one billion people and imposing a dramatic societal and economic burden.MethodsA systematic review of the extant scholarly literature was carried out, searching in PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus. The search string used included proper keywords, like big data, nontraditional data sources, social media, social networks, infodemiology, infoveillance, novel data streams (NDS), digital epidemiology, digital behavior, Google Trends, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Ebola, Zika, dengue, Chikungunya, Chagas, and the other neglected tropical diseases.Results47 original, observational studies were included in the current systematic review: 1 focused on Chikungunya, 6 on dengue, 19 on Ebola, 2 on Malaria, 1 on Mayaro virus, 2 on West Nile virus, and 16 on Zika. Fifteen were dedicated on developing and validating forecasting techniques for real-time monitoring of neglected tropical diseases, while the remaining studies investigated public reaction to infectious outbreaks. Most studies explored a single nontraditional data source, with Twitter being the most exploited tool (25 studies).ConclusionEven though some studies have shown the feasibility of utilizing NDS as an effective tool for predicting epidemic outbreaks and disseminating accurate, high-quality information concerning neglected tropical diseases, some gaps should be properly underlined. Out of the 47 articles included, only 7 were focusing on neglected tropical diseases, while all the other covered communicable tropical/sub-tropical diseases, and the main determinant of this unbalanced coverage seems to be the media impact and resonance. Furthermore, efforts in integrating diverse NDS should be made. As such, taking into account these limitations, further research in the field is needed.

Vaccines are public health interventions aimed at preventing infections-related mortality, morbidity, and disability. While vaccines have been successfully designed for those infectious diseases preventable by preexisting neutralizing specific antibodies, for other communicable diseases, additional immunological mechanisms should be elicited to achieve a full protection. “New vaccines” are particularly urgent in the nowadays society, in which economic growth, globalization, and immigration are leading to the emergence/reemergence of old and new infectious agents at the animal–human interface. Conventional vaccinology (the so-called “vaccinology 1.0”) was officially born in 1796 thanks to the contribution of Edward Jenner. Entering the twenty-first century, vaccinology has shifted from a classical discipline in which serendipity and the Pasteurian principle of the three Is (isolate, inactivate, and inject) played a major role to a science, characterized by a rational design and plan (“vaccinology 3.0”). This shift has been possible thanks to Big Data, characterized by different dimensions, such as high volume, velocity, and variety of data. Big Data sources include new cutting-edge, high-throughput technologies, electronic registries, social media, and social networks, among others. The current mini-review aims at exploring the potential roles as well as pitfalls and challenges of Big Data in shaping the future vaccinology, moving toward a tailored and personalized vaccine design and administration.

Argentatin B has been shown to inhibit the growth of colon HCT-15, and prostate PC-3 cancer cells. However, the mechanism by which argentatin B inhibits cell proliferation is still unknown. We aimed to investigate the mechanism by which argentatin B inhibits cell proliferation. The cell cycle was studied by flow cytometry. Apoptosis was evaluated by Annexin-V-Fluos, and Hoechst 33342 dye staining. Cell senescence was evaluated by proliferation tests, and staining for SA-β-galactosidase. Senescence-related proteins (PCNA, p21, and p27) were analyzed by Western blotting. Potential toxicity of argentatin B was evaluated in CD-1 mice. Its effect on tumor growth was tested in a HCT-15 and PC-3 xenograft model. Argentatin B induced an increment of cells in sub G1, but did not produce apoptosis. Proliferation of both cell lines was inhibited by argentatin B. Forty-three percent HCT-15, and 66% PC-3 cells showed positive SA-β-galactosidase staining. The expression of PCNA was decreased, p21 expression was increased in both cell lines, but p27 expression increased only in PC-3 cells after treatment. Administration of argentatin B to healthy mice did not produce treatment-associated pathologies. However, it restricted the growth of HCT-15 and PC-3 tumors. These results indicate that treatment with argentatin B induces cell senescence.

Objective: To evaluate changes in the levels of patient anxiety, depression, motivation, and stress over the course of smoking cessation treatment. Methods: This cohort study involved patients enrolled in a smoking cessation program in Cuiabá, Brazil. We selected patients who completed the program in six months or less (n = 142). Patient evaluations were conducted at enrollment (evaluation 1 [E1]); after 45 days of treatment with medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy (E2); and at the end of the six-month study period (E3). Patients were evaluated with a standardized questionnaire (to collect sociodemographic data and determine smoking status), as well as with the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Lipp Inventory of Stress Symptoms for Adults. The data were analyzed with the nonparametric Wilcoxon test for paired comparisons. To compare treatment success (smoking cessation) with treatment failure, the test for two proportions was used. Results: Among the 142 patients evaluated, there were improvements, in terms of the levels of anxiety, depression, motivation, and stress, between E1 and E2, as well as between E1 and E3. In addition, treatment success correlated significantly with the levels of motivation and anxiety throughout the study period, whereas it correlated significantly with the level of depression only at E2 and E3. Conclusions: We conclude that there are in fact changes in the levels of patient anxiety, depression, motivation, and stress over the course of smoking cessation treatment. Those changes appear to be more pronounced in patients in whom the treatment succeeded.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES. Coinciding with the recent implementation in Italy of the "Directive 2010/63/EU, regarding the protection of animals used for scientific purposes", the Authors would like to analyse the topic of the introduction of ethical committees for animal experimentation in Italy. This paper furthermore aims to underline some critical aspects concerning the actions taken by Italian institutions to comply with the provisions of EU. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. The implementation of the recent Italian law (Decreto Legislativo n. 26 on 4 March 2014 Implementation of the Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes) leans towards a restrictive interpretation of the European provisions about composition and responsibilities of "Ethical Committee for Animal Experimentation". In the composition of the bodies mentioned, we note a tendency to restrict the composition to few professional figures contemplated by Italian law, without guaranteeing the independence of each committee; also, an absence of hierarchical relationship between a research institution and his committee is apparent. Moreover, a critical aspect is the lack of decision-making powers of these new organisms in terms of ethical evaluation of protocols and research projects. CONCLUSIONS. What EU legislation imposes on the member states is to set up an animal-welfare body (art. 26). This represents a strong incentive for Italy to follow the steps of many other European Countries, where ad hoc ethical committees have been working for a long time. The proper functioning of these bodies may contribute to guarantee the safety and welfare of the animals inside the laboratories, and to balance the protection of animal life and the interests of research.

Danto inicia su filosofía de la historia del arte con un núcleo problemático que inaugura el modernismo: una obra de arte llega a ser indiscernible de una mera cosa, en la medida en que es el resultado lógico de la narrativa de un cierto periodo. Hablar sobre el fin del arte es hablar de las razones que sustentan esa narración y de la posibilidad de su culminación. Se propone una crítica, a partir de la relación entre esencialismo, historicismo y pluralismo, para examinar su controversial tesis sobre la clausura histórica del arte por agotamiento de su impulso cognitivo.

La colección Estudios Alemanes fue un complejo fenómeno editorial, que se inició en 1965 y finalizó a mediados de la década de 1990. En ese período se publicaron más de 100 volúmenes de las más variadas tradiciones: marxistas, analíticos, neo-aristotélicos, neo-kantianos, fenomenólogos, entre otros. En este trabajo se analizarán tres aspectos: en primer lugar, se mostrará brevemente el perfil intelectual de los directores de la serie; en segundo lugar, las particularidades de edición de la colección; por último, haremos algunas observaciones con respecto al criterio editorial adoptado para seleccionar las obras que se tradujeron.

Benedict Anderson (1993) defined nation as “an imagined political community — and imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign”, and stressed the importance of cultural roots for the establishment of this national consciousness. Cultural diplomacy, organized by nationstates since the early 20th century and politically structured on the basis of this sovereign and imagined space, sought to extend the influence of countries through the promotion of national culture on the international scenario. This article examines, by contrasting Anderson ideas, the impact of nationalism on the organization of a corporatist structure for the governance of Catalan foreign cultural action between 1980 and 2014.

The double dimension —documentary and artistic— of historical writing has been virtually overshadowed by the emphasis on the scientific nature of the discipline and its subsequent expulsion from the literary canon from the nineteenth century onwards. Fictional or imaginary history then appeared as a way to safeguard the literariness of history as a formal gender, using the rhetorical discourse of historiography to achieve an effect of historicity in texts that are, however, clearly fictional, and which often have a satirical or cautionary intent. Nevertheless, most of them convey first of all considerations on the evolution of humanity, and on its History. Examples of this genre are relatively abundant and can be classified into several thematic types. This first part of this study focuses on the alternate history, the apocryphal history, the animal history, the allegorical history, and the parallel history.

Objectives: To evaluate the correlation between the presence of depressive symptoms and quality of life in users of psychoactive substances from Psychosocial Attention Centers in Mato Grosso. Method: A cross-sectional analytical study, conducted in Psychosocial Attention Centers, with 109 users. The instruments used were: Medical Outcomes Study 36, Beck Depression Inventory, socio-demographic variables and the use of psychoactive substances. A Tukey analysis and a Spearman correlation were conducted with a significance level of α

Objetivo Analisar a associação entre as características sociodemográficas, status do tabagismo, grau de motivação, nível de ansiedade, depressão e de estresse com o fracasso em pacientes de um programa de cessação de tabagismo. Métodos Estudo de corte transversal realizado com pacientes que procuraram os programas de cessação do tabagismo de Cuiabá/MT, Brasil. Todos os fumantes matriculados no início desses programas, durante o período de maio a agosto de 2012, foram convidados a participar deste estudo, totalizando 216 pacientes. Os instrumentos utilizados foram o questionário Perfil Sociodemográfico, Teste de Fagerström (FTND), URICA, Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck (BAI), Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI) e Inventário de Sintomas de Stress de Lipp (ISSL). Os dados foram digitados duplamente em programa Epidata versão 3.1, e para análise dos dados foi utilizado um modelo de regressão de Poisson. Resultados Foram encontradas associações do fracasso terapêutico com as seguintes variáveis: faixa etária jovem (RP = 1,68; IC 95% 1,11-2,56); menor tempo de tabagismo (RP = 1,32; IC 95% 1,09-1,61); maior consumo de cigarros/dia (RP = 1,24; IC 95% 1,01-1,52) e menor grau de motivação (RP = 1,55; IC 95% 1,04-2,30). No modelo final (RPa), ficaram associadas ao fracasso as variáveis: menor tempo de tabagismo (RPa 1,53; IC 95% 1,07-2,32), maior carga tabágica (RPa 1,48; IC 95% 1,12-1,95), baixo nível de motivação (RPa 1,58; IC 95% 1,07-2,32) e alto nível de ansiedade (RPa 1,22; IC 95% 1,01-1,48). Conclusão Baixo nível motivacional (Contemplação e Pré-contemplação), alto nível de ansiedade (moderado/grave), menor tempo de tabagismo e alta carga tabágica estão associados ao fracasso terapêutico.

Introduction: The Mediterranean diet is recognized as one with the healthiest dietary patterns; however, this diet is deteriorating and being abandoned even in the Mediterranean countries themselves. Generally speaking, dietary habits get fixed during adolescence although during the college phase, students may experience important changes in their lifestyles. The KIDMED index is recognized as a good tool to assess adherence to the Mediterranean diet (AMD). Objective: The aim of this study was to assess AMD in college students and to evidence possible variations throughout the college period assessing differences between the college years. Method: A cross-sectional study with 213 alumni in first grade and 105 in fourth grade was carried out. The students were classified by gender, type of residence (parents' home or out of the parents' house) and body mass index (BMI) (< 25 or > 25). Results: The BMI for the whole sample was 24.35 ± 2.71 in men and 22.54 ± 3.25 in women (p < 0.001). The mean score in AMD was 7.0 ± 1.9, with 43% of the students showing good adherence. In general, a low intake of fruits, vegetables, rice or pasta was observed, foods that are included in the base of the dietary pyramid. Consumption of olive oil and legumes was very high and a direct relationship was observed between overweighed people (BMI > 25) and the habit of not having breakfast usually. No significant differences were observed between the student of first and fourth grades although those students in the fourth grade living away from the parental house had higher AMD level than the other students (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Educational programs promoting the intake of the different groups of food are recommended, was well as strategies promoting the consumption of fruits and vegetables within the university area and the healthy habit of having breakfast.

Right back from the 1970, comparative policy analyses have been emphasizing how cultural policy has moved towards models administratively decentralized and respectful with cultural plurality. Spain, often characterized as a widely decentralized country, has also been defined as a country of rich cultural and linguistic diversity. Its institutional structure, halfway between centralist and federal political system, has also been described as a quasi-federal system. However, from the cultural policy sector, can be said that Spain is a quasi-federal political system? In this article we argue that, despite the broadly decentralized management of cultural policies, Central Government’s most recent legal and organizational processes are far from developing a plurinational federal system and are actually growingly oriented towards recentralization and symmetrisation.

Several species of Annona (Annonaceae) are used in traditional Mexican medicine by their anti-anxiety, anticonvulsant and tranquilizing properties. It has been reported that the alkaloids isolated from some species of the Annona have affinity to serotonergic 5-HT1A receptors and modulate dopaminergic transmission, which is involved in depressive disorders. In this review it is showed the results of the antidepressant-like effect of an alkaloid extract from the aerial parts of Annona cherimola (TA) in mice. The antidepressant-like effect was evaluated in the forced swimming test. To elucidate a possible mechanism of action, experiments of synergism with antidepressant drugs, such as imipramine (IMI), clomipramine (CLIMI), and fluoxetine (FLX), were carried out. The neurotransmitter content (DA: dopamine, 5HT: serotonin and its metabolites, HVA: homovanillic acid and 5HIAA:5-hydroxyindoleacetic) in the whole brain of mice were also determined by HPLC method. The results showed that repeated treatment with TA produced antidepressant-like effects in mice. This effect was not related to an increase in locomotor activity. Administration of TA facilitated the antidepressant effect of IMI and CLIMI as well as increased the turnover of DA and 5-HT. The alkaloids: 1,2-dimethoxy-5, 6.6 to 7-tetrahydro-4H-dibenzoquinoline-3,8,9,10-tetraol, anonaine, liriodenine, and nornuciferine were the main constituents of TA.

An outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome occurred in the Sobradinho Indian settlement of the Kayabí ethnic group in northern Mato Grosso during December 2009–January 2010. We conducted a retrospective study to clarify the outbreak’s epidemiologic and clinical characteristics. Results suggest a relationship between the outbreak and deforestation and farming expansion in indigenous areas.

Study aims: 2(S)-neopincirin (NEO) is a constituent from of Clinopodium mexicanum, which is used in traditional Mexican herbal medicine for its tranquilizing and analgesic properties. This study investigated the anxiolytic-like, sedative and antinociceptive effects of NEO in several mice models. Material and methods: The anxiolytic-like effect was evaluated in the hole-board (HBT) and Open Field Tests (OFT); sedative effect was evaluated in sleeping time induced by sodium pentobarbital, and its antinociceptive actions were measured in the hot plate test. To evaluate if the GABA receptor could be involved in the anxiolytic-like effect produced by NEO, in independent experiments, the effects produced by co-administration of NEO plus muscimol (MUS) and NEO plus Pitrotoxin (PTX) were evaluated in the HBT. Results: NEO was isolated from Clinopodium mexicanum leaves. The NMR, MS and optic rotation data helped establish its identity as (2S)-5-hydroxy-4′-methoxyflavanone-7-O-{β-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-rhamnoside}. NEO showed an anxiolytic-like effect and was able to counter the nociception induced by a thermal stimulus in a dose-dependent manner. PTX blocked the anxiolytic-like effect of NEO, while MUS was able to enhance it. Conclusions: The findings of present work demonstrated that NEO possesses anxiolytic-like and antinociceptive effects in mice. Such effects are not associated with changes in the locomotor activity. These results supported the notion that anxiolytic-like effect of NEO involves the participation of GABAergic system.

Estudo transversal de base populacional, realizado em 2007, para investigar a prevalência de insegurança alimentar e fatores associados em domicílios com adolescentes da área urbana de quatro municípios da Amazônia Legal Brasileira, abrangência da rodovia BR-163, que liga Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, a Santarém, Pará. Aplicou-se a Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar a uma amostra de 363 domicílios e se realizou avaliação antropométrica de 534 adolescentes com idade entre 10 e 19 anos. Na análise múltipla, utilizou-se o modelo de regressão de Poisson. Os resultados apresentaram uma prevalência de 23,1% de insegurança alimentar moderada e grave, indicando associação com as seguintes categorias: baixa renda familiar, condições de saneamento precárias, naturalidade do Estado de Mato Grosso e raça/cor (preta) do adolescente. Os resultados apontam a necessidade de ações para a melhoria do acesso ao saneamento básico, a qualificação de recursos humanos visando à geração de emprego e renda e a ações educativas que ampliem a compreensão sobre insegurança alimentar e seus determinantes nos municípios.

Benedict Anderson (1993) va definir nació com “una comunitat política imaginada, que s’imagina alhora com a inherentment limitada i com a sobirana” i va incidir en la importància de les arrels culturals per a la constitució d'aquesta consciència nacional. Les diplomàcies culturals, organitzades pels Estats-nació des d’inicis del segle XX i estructurades políticament sobre la base d’aquest espai sobirà i imaginat, van buscar estendre la influència dels països mitjançant la promoció de la cultura nacional en l’escenari internacional. En aquest article examinarem, des d'un plantejament proper al d’Anderson, la incidència del nacionalisme en l’estructuració de la governança corporativista en l’acció cultural exterior de Catalunya entre 1980 i 2014.

The recent spreading of Zika virus represents an emerging global health threat. As such, it is attracting public interest worldwide, generating a great amount of related Internet searches and social media interactions. The aim of this research was to understand Zika-related digital behavior throughout the epidemic spreading and to assess its consistence with real-world epidemiological data, using a behavioral informatics and analytics approach.In this study, the global web-interest and reaction to the recently occurred outbreaks of the Zika Virus were analyzed in terms of tweets and Google Trends (GT), Google News, YouTube, and Wikipedia search queries. These data streams were mined from 1st January 2004 to 31st October 2016, with a focus on the period November 2015-October 2016. This analysis was complemented with the use of epidemiological data. Spearman's correlation was performed to correlate all Zika-related data. Moreover, a multivariate regression was performed using Zika-related search queries as a dependent variable, and epidemiological data, number of inhabitants in 2015 and Human Development Index as predictor variables.Overall 3,864,395 tweets, 284,903 accesses to Wikipedia pages dedicated to the Zika virus were analyzed during the study period. All web-data sources showed that the main spike of researches and interactions occurred in February 2016 with a second peak in August 2016. All novel data streams-related activities increased markedly during the epidemic period with respect to pre-epidemic period when no web activity was detected. Correlations between data from all these web platforms resulted very high and statistically significant. The countries in which web searches were particularly concentrated are mainly from Central and South Americas. The majority of queries concerned the symptoms of the Zika virus, its vector of transmission, and its possible effect to babies, including microcephaly. No statistically significant correlation was found between novel data streams and global real-world epidemiological data. At country level, a correlation between the digital interest towards the Zika virus and Zika incidence rate or microcephaly cases has been detected.An increasing public interest and reaction to the current Zika virus outbreak was documented by all web-data sources and a similar pattern of web reactions has been detected. The public opinion seems to be particularly worried by the alert of teratogenicity of the Zika virus. Stakeholders and health authorities could usefully exploited these internet tools for collecting the concerns of public opinion and reply to them, disseminating key information.

Although cultural diplomacy has grown in importance in recent years, there is no consensus on its definition. Cultural diplomacy is commonly framed in terms of soft power: the capacity of persuasion and attraction that allows the state to construct hegemony without using coercive methods. In this article, I offer a critical analysis of this theory’s limitations. To shed light on this situation, I provide an historical analysis of cultural diplomacy. Based on this historical analysis and on an extensive desk research, I examine the dominant methodological and conceptual articulation of soft power in cultural diplomacy literature to clarify how the logical framework of soft power favors a specific and restrained conception of these policies, narrowing its understanding and legitimating its economic and political instrumentalization.

La poesía épica y la ciencia ficción se han combinado varias veces en el período (post)moderno, demostrando así que la primera no ha desaparecido y que la segunda puede manifestarse en los géneros literarios altos. Los poemas épicos de Harry Martinsson, José Saramago, Frederick Turner y Abel Montagut son buenos ejemplos de ello. La poesía épica de ciencia ficción presenta varias modalidades. Una de ellas podría ser lo que Rafael Morales denominó acción lírica, esto es, los poemas con un hilo narrativo y forma retórica sobre todo lírica. Han ilustrado este género poetas como Leopoldo Marechal, José Hierro y Edwin Morgan. Más recientemente, uno de los principales escritores portugueses de ciencia ficción, Luís Filipe Silva, ha ofrecido con su poema portugués «Ala anima» una muestra notable de acción lírica con un enfoque metamoderno. Silva consigue resumir en él la historia futura del universo entero hasta su destrucción entrópica y recreación. Se trata de poema lírico y narrativo relativamente breve que utiliza diversos discursos retóricos para comunicar un logrado sentimiento de lo sublime ante la grandiosidad abrumadora del universo y la posición del intelecto en él.

FUNDAMENTO: Testes invasivos e não invasivos têm sido usados para identificar risco para Taquicardia Ventricular (TV) em pacientes com Cardiopatia Chagásica Crônica (CCC). Ressonância Magnética Cardíaca (RMC) pela técnica do Realce Tardio (RT) pode ser útil para selecionar pacientes com disfunção ventricular global ou segmentar, com alto grau de fibrose e maior risco para TV clínica. OBJETIVO: Melhorar a identificação de elementos preditivos de TV em pacientes com CCC. MÉTODO: Quarenta e um pacientes com CCC foram pesquisados, sendo 30 (72%) do sexo masculino, com média de idade de 55,1 ± 11,9 anos. Vinte e seis pacientes apresentavam histórico de TV (grupo TV), e 15 não apresentavam TV (grupo NTV). Todos os pacientes incluídos tinham RT e disfunção segmentar ventricular. Volume, porcentagem de comprometimento da espessura da parede ventricular em cada segmento, e distribuição de RT foi determinado em cada caso. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença estatística em termos de volume de RT entre os dois grupos: grupo TV = 30,0 ± 16,2%; grupo NTV = 21,7 ± 15,7%; p = 0,118. A probabilidade de TV foi maior se duas ou mais áreas contíguas de fibrose transmural estivessem presentes, sendo um fator preditor de TV clínica (RR 4,1; p = 0,04). A concordância entre os observadores foi de 100% nesse critério (p < 0,001). CONCLUSÃO: A identificação de dois ou mais segmentos de RT transmural por RMC está associado com a ocorrência de TV clínica em pacientes com CCC. Portanto, a RMC melhora a estratificação de risco na população estudada. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2012; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)