Search

Luis Miguel Dos Santos Endicott College, Woosong University, Daejeon, South KoreaCorrespondence: Luis Miguel Dos Santos 196-5 Jayang Dong, Daejeon, 34514, South KoreaTel +82 10-3066-7818Email luismigueldossantos@yahoo.comPurpose: This study aims to understand the motivations of academic voyage and post-graduation career decisions of occupational therapy international students in Australia. The following two research questions guided this study: why do international students choose to study in Australia instead of ones in their own countries? And why do international students choose to study occupational therapy program(s) in Australia instead of ones in their own countries?Patients and Methods: A qualitative design with phenomenology was employed to recruit 20 participants for the data collection procedures, including interview sessions, focus group activity, and member checking interview. The participants were studying one of the accredited occupational therapy programs in Australia as international students.Results: Six themes were yielded. All participants expressed that due to the excellent education, reasonable tuition fees and living standard, and the positive career opportunities, almost all expressed their positive experiences of their Australian voyage as international students and tended to stay in Australia after they gained the registration career development. More importantly, the notions of contribution to Australian communities are captured as many considered Australia as an important place in their lives.Conclusion: University leaders may wish to take action in upgrading their international students’ services, particularly career development services. Government agencies may take this study as a blueprint for upgrading the current regulations for international students, particularly in establishing a targeted immigration visa for recent graduates who want to establish their own businesses or invest in Australia.Keywords: medical education, medical staff shortage, medical student, occupational therapy education, social cognitive career theory, social cognitive career and motivation theory, workforce shortage

Introduction: Probiotics provide therapeutic benefits not only in the gut but also other mucosal organs, including the lungs., Objective and Design: To evaluate the effects of the probiotic strain L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 oral administration in an experimental murine model of A. fumigatus pulmonary infection. BALB/c mice were associated with L. delbrueckii and infected with Aspergillus fumigatus and compared with non-associated group., Methods: We investigated survival, respiratory mechanics, histopathology, colony forming units, cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage, IgA in feces, efferocytosis, production of reactive oxygen species and the cell population in the mesenteric lymph nodes., Results: L. delbrueckii induces tolerogenic dendritic cells, IL-10 + macrophages and FoxP3 + regulatory T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes and increased IgA levels in feces; after infection with A. fumigatus, increased survival and decreased fungal burden. There was decreased lung vascular permeability without changes in the leukocyte profile. There was enhanced neutrophilic response and increased macrophage efferocytosis. L. delbrueckii-treated mice displayed more of FoxP3 + Treg cells, TGF-β and IL-10 levels in lungs, and concomitant decreased IL-1β, IL-17 A, and CXCL1 production., Conclusion: Uur results indicate that L. delbrueckii UFV H2b20 ingestion improves immune responses, controlling pulmonary A. fumigatus infection. L. delbrueckii seems to play a role in pathogenesis control by promoting immune regulation., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Purpose: Understanding that a projectile entering the human body can cause damage or destruction to live tissues through a variety of wounding mechanisms - permanent cavity, temporary cavity, and fragmentation - is crucial for researching terminal ballistics and understand the patterns of gunshot wound configuration., Methods: The present work tested four different types of ammunition in caliber 9 × 19 mm (Full Metal Jacketed, Gold Hex, Copper Bullet Tactical and Bonded), using ballistic gelatin at 10% as soft tissue surrogate. The tests were based on the Federal Bureau of Investigation Protocol and included shots through bare gelatin, heavy clothing, plywood, steel sheets and auto glass. As a comparison parameter, the American-made Federal™ HST, used by several law enforcement agencies in the USA, was also tested in the same conditions., Results: The Full Metal Jacketed cartridge had a uniform performance throughout the experiment, showing high penetration levels and no expansion, as expected. Gold Hex demonstrated a strong tendency to fragment with low levels of penetration and weight retention. Copper Bullet Tactical did not achieve the 12" minimum penetration in the soft barrier phases but expanded aggressively. Finally, Bonded only failed to achieve the 12" mark of penetration in phase 5 (auto glass), the hardest barrier in the whole Protocol. Tested for comparison purposes, Federal HST showed aggressive expansion in the initial phases (over 100%), after surpassing the 12" threshold., Conclusion: The study concluded that heavier projectiles (CBC Bonded and Federal HST) performed better than lighter and faster bullets in terms of terminal ballistics., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Abstract: The present study investigated the main morphological differences between the permanent cavities formed by 4 different types of projectiles fired from .38 SPL caliber cartridges in blocks of 10% ballistic gelatin with standardized formulation (Federal Bureau of Investigation Protocol), all fired from the same distance and from the same firearm, associated with its performances in external and terminal ballistics. The velocity or the mass presented by a firearm projectile will not always be solely responsible for the final configuration of the permanent cavity, in which the projectile design, for example, is an equally important element. Each type of projectile tested in the present work generated a different kind of permanent cavity, but they also varied in velocity (m/s) and energy (J). The use of 10% ballistic gelatin in scientific research that seeks to investigate the external and terminal ballistics of projectiles can contribute to the practice of professionals working either in forensic pathology or applied ballistics scenarios, as they can experimentally simulate the events that can occur in the tissues of victims inflicted by gunshot wounds, which also allows important applications in the medical, commercial, civil, and military sectors that deal with products and technologies related to the human body., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: In patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) vitamin D deficiency has been associated with more severe presentations. Our aim was to investigate the effects of Vitamin D supplementation on mineral homeostasis and related hormones in individuals with and without PHPT., Methods: Individuals with and without PHPT (CTRL) received 14,000 IU/week of oral vitamin D 3 for 12 weeks. At baseline and endpoint, blood samples were collected to measure 1,25(OH) 2 vitamin D (1,25(OH) 2 D), intact Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 (FGF23), 25OHD, Parathormone, and other biochemical markers. The 1,25(OH) 2 D measurement was performed using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)., Results: 70 PHPT patients and 75 CTRL were included, and 55 PHPT and 64 CTRL completed the 12-week protocol. After the intervention, there were significant increases in the FGF23 levels (PHPT: 47.9 ± 27.1 to 76.3 ± 33.3; CTRL: 40.5 ± 13.9 to 59.8 ± 19.8 pg/mL, p < 0.001), and significant decreases in 1,25(OH) 2 D levels (PHPT: 94.8 ± 34.6 to 68.9 ± 25.3; CTRL: 68.7 ± 23.5 to 56.4 ± 20.7 pg/mL, p < 0.001). The reduction of 1,25(OH) 2 D was inversely associated with the increase of FGF23 in both the PHPT (r = -0.302, p = 0.028) and CTRL (r = -0.278, p = 0.027). No changes in plasmatic or uninary calcium concentrations were observed in both groups., Conclusion: The weekly administration of 14,000 IU of Vitamin D3 was safe and efficient to increase in 25OHD levels in both groups. However, a paradoxical decrease in 1,25(OH) 2 D levels measured by LC-MS/MS was associated with a significant increase in FGF23 levels in both groups. This phenomenon might represent a defense against hypercalcemia after vitamin D supplementation and paves the way for new studies in this regard., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Italian Society of Endocrinology (SIE).)

Background: Peripheral intravenous catheterization, as well as drug administration through it, represents one of the most performed procedures by the Nursing team and, for that, precautions need to be adopted to offer harm-free care., Objective: To verify the association of Nursing professionals' work shift and training time with proper disinfection of intravenous catheter devices in pediatric units., Methods: A cross-sectional and analytical study conducted between June and August 2021 in three hospitalization units of a Pediatric Hospital. The inclusion criterion was drug administration via peripheral intravenous catheters performed by Nursing professionals. The data were analyzed according to inferential statistics, adopting p ≤ .05 as significance level., Results: There were a total of 385 observations of drug administration procedures. The device was not disinfected in 60.3% of the cases, there was no friction at the suitable time in 86.3%, and the disinfectant was not allowed to dry in 72.5%. The work shift exerted no influence on performance of the disinfection procedure ( p = .376). However, longer training time was associated with a lower rate in performing such procedure ( p < .001)., Conclusion: Performing friction below the recommended time can cause a false sense of prevention of catheter-associated bloodstream infection; therefore, training sessions and strategies for adherence to the disinfection procedures should be considered, mainly for professionals with more training time., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

The need to find alternative materials to replace aqueous amine solutions for the capture of CO 2 in post-combustion technologies is pressing. This study assesses the CO 2 sorption capacity and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity of three dicationic ionic liquids with distinct anions immobilized in commercial mesoporous silica support (SBA- 15). The samples were characterized by UART-FTIR, NMR, Raman, FESEM, TEM, TGA, Magnetometry (VSM), BET and BJH. The highest CO 2 sorption capacity and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity were obtained for sample SBA@DIL&#95;2FeCl 4 [at 1 bar and 25 °C; 57.31 (±0.02) mg CO 2 /g; 12.27 (±0.72) mg CO 2 /g]. The results were compared to pristine SBA-15 and revealed a similar sorption capacity, indicating that the IL has no impact on the CO 2 sorption capacity of silica. On the other hand, selectivity was improved by approximately 3.8 times, demonstrating the affinity of the ionic liquid for the CO 2 molecule. The material underwent multiple sorption/desorption cycles and proved to be stable and a promising option for use in industrial CO 2 capture processes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: We tested the hypothesis that children of non-depressed mothers perform better in a developmental test at 3 years than children of depressed mothers., Method: Longitudinal analysis from a trial to assess the impact of a child development promotion program in 30 Brazilian municipalities. Mothers and children were appraised at first-year post-partum, 1 and 3 years after enrollment. Child development was assessed through the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ3) and maternal depression through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Crude and adjusted beta coefficients were obtained by linear regression before and after multiple imputation., Results: In total, 2098 mother/child dyads were included and 8.2% of the mothers had persistent depressive symptoms. There was a decrease in ASQ3 as the number of follow-ups with EPDS ≥ 10 increased (p for trend <0.001). In adjusted analysis, the direction of the association persisted but lost statistical significance. After multiple imputation, children from mothers with EPDS ≥ 10 in three follow-ups presented a decrease of about 14 points in ASQ3 (adjusted beta coefficient = -13.79; -22.59 to -5.00) (p for trend = 0.001)., Conclusions: Identification of women at increased risk of depression should be among the primary health care sector priorities in maternal and child health in Brazil., Impact: In our population study, almost one in every ten women presented persistent depression symptoms across the first 3 years postpartum. In adjusted analysis there was a detrimental impact of persistent maternal depression on child development at 3 years of age. The persistent exposure to maternal depression across early childhood negatively influences children's development. Considering its prevalence, identification of women at increased risk of depression should be among the primary health care sector priorities in maternal and child health in Brazil., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Leishmaniases, a group of diseases caused by the species of the protozoan parasite Leishmania, remains a significant public health concern worldwide. Host immune responses play a crucial role in the outcome of Leishmania infections, and several mediators that regulate inflammatory responses are potential targets for therapeutic approaches. Annexin A1 (AnxA1), an endogenous protein endowed with anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving properties, has emerged as a potential player. We have shown that during L. braziliensis infection, deficiency of AnxA1 exacerbates inflammatory responses but does not affect parasite burden. Here, we have investigated the role of AnxA1 in L. amazonensis infection, given the non-healing and progressive lesions characteristic of this infectious model. Infection of AnxA1 KO BALB/c mice resulted in increased lesion size and tissue damage associated with higher parasite burdens and enhanced inflammatory response. Notably, therapeutic application of the AnxA1 peptidomimetic Ac2-26 improves control of parasite replication and increases IL-10 production in vivo and in vitro, in both WT and AnxA1 KO mice. Conversely, administration of WRW4, an inhibitor of FPR2/3, resulted in larger lesions and decreased production of IL-10, suggesting that the effects of AnxA1 during L. amazonensis infection are associated with the engagement of these receptors. Our study illuminates the role of AnxA1 in L. amazonensis infection, demonstrating its impact on the susceptibility phenotype of BALB/c mice. Furthermore, our results indicate that targeting the AnxA1 pathway by using the Ac2-26 peptide could represent a promising alternative for new treatments for leishmaniasis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) accounts for 3-5% of acute strokes. Intracranial aneurysm is the most common cause of non-traumatic SAH. Vitamin D influences the cardiovascular system, including the formation and rupture of cerebral aneurysms. To evaluate the serum vitamin D level in patients living in the tropical zone who suffered aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and its correlation with demographic and neurological characteristics. This is an analytical cross-sectional study to assess the serum level of vitamin D in a study population of 99 patients treated and diagnosed with aSAH in a public hospital in Recife-PE over a period of 12 months. In the study sample, composed of individuals with high sun exposure due to the lifestyle they lead in a tropical region, we observed hypovitaminosis D (85.9%), with a median of 19.9 ng/ml, although the majority of individuals are skin with high concentration of melanin (Fitzpatrick skin type IV and V). In addition, rates of sun exposure are high to all patients (Solar Index 9.03 P50). Most individuals were female (79.8%); there was no statistical difference in solar exposure/solar index between genders. As for the neurological repercussions, there was no statistical relevance in the clinical prognostic scales evaluated. As the sample was composed mainly of individuals whose economic activity is agriculture, the values of solar index found are vastly higher than those of other studies conducted in high latitude regions. In line with the literature review, some aspects were raised with the objective of justifying such findings that go from the base of the poor diet of these individuals, the increase of melanin in the skin and genetic alterations that directs us to possible mechanisms of natural photoprotection to high sun exposure. Thus, we had a vast majority (85%) of hypovitaminosis D, which in fact makes us wonder if there is any influence of calcitriol on vitamin D receptors in vascular walls and in the cardiovascular system as a whole, which influence bleeding events of this nature. As for the neurological repercussions, measured using assessment scales (Glasgow coma scale, WFNS scale, Hunt-Hess and Fisher's tomographic scale) there was no significant difference in the results. As it is only a descriptive study, the causal relationship of the facts cannot be established. However, in a population exposed to high sun exposure and affected by aneurysmal SAH, there is a significant rate of hypovitaminosis D, which supports the hypothesis that vitamin D plays a role in vascular pathologies, such as cerebral aneurysms and SAH., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Approximately 80% of infected women infected by Chlamydia trachomatis are asymptomatic, although this infection can lead to serious complications in the female reproductive tract. Few data on Chlamydia infection and genotypes are available in Amazonian communities., Objectives: To describe the prevalence of and associated factors and to identify the genotypes of sexual C. trachomatis infection in female university students in different urban centers (capital and interiors) in the Brazilian state of Pará, in the eastern Amazon region., Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed among young women attending public universities in four different urban centers in the eastern Amazon region. They were invited to participate in the studt and cervical secretions were collected for molecular diagnosis of C. trachomatis. We utilized amplification of the ompA gene by nested PCR. Positive samples were genotyped by nucleotide sequencing. Study participants completed a questionnaire on social, epidemiological, and reproductive health variables. A Qui-square and Binominal regression test were used to evaluate the degree of association of these variables with the infection., Results: A total of 686 female students was included in the study. The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis was 11.2% (77/686). The prevalence of this infection was higher in interiors (15.2% vs 9.5%/ p: 0.0443). Female university students who do not have a sexual partner (11.8%/p <0.008), who do not use a condom in their sexual relations (17.8%/p <0.0001) and who reported having suffered a miscarriage (32%/p <0.0001) have high chances of acquiring this sexual infection. The ompA gene was sequenced in only 33 (42.8%) samples, revealing the genotype J was the most frequent (27.2% [9/33]), followed by genotypes D (24.2% [8/33]), and then genotypes F (18.2% [6/33]), E (15.1% [5/33]) K (6.1% [2/33]), Ia (6.1% [2/33]), and G (3.1% [1/33])., Conclusions: The high prevalence of sexual infection by C. trachomatis in the female university students from the interior of the state of Pará, individuals with no fixed sexual partner, those that had had a miscarriage, the students that do not use condoms in their sexual relations. The genotype J of C. trachomatis genotypes was the most frequent. These data are important to help defining the epidemiological effects of chlamydial infections in Amazonian populations., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 dos Santos et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objectives: Assess the efficacy of biomechanical preparation using a reciprocating system followed by final irrigation protocols, then intracanal medication, on reducing endotoxins and cultivable bacteria of infected teeth in irradiated patients., Materials and Methods: Twenty-two infected single-rooted canals in patients submitted to head and neck radiotherapy were prepared by reciprocating motion and 2.5% NaOCl. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of 11 patients before the final irrigation protocol: apical positive pressure (APP) or passive ultrasonic activation (PUA). Both groups were treated in two sessions, using Ca(OH)2 as intracanal medication for 14 days. Root canal content sampling was performed after canal access (S1), after biomechanical preparation plus the irrigation protocol (S2), and after intracanal medication (S3). Chromogenic limulus amoebocyte lysate assay measured endotoxin levels (EU/mL), and bacterial load was determined by culture techniques (CFU/mL)., Results: Treatment protocols reduced bacterial counts after S2 in both groups (p = 0.01). S3 differed from S1 (p = 0.01), but not from S2 (p = 0.4). Endotoxin levels were reduced in both groups after S2 (P = 0.03) and were lower in S3 than in S2, with significant differences in the APP group (p = 0.03)., Conclusions: Biomechanical preparation using a reciprocating system and 2.5% NaOCl in irradiated teeth, followed by the irrigation protocol (APP or PUA), demonstrated efficacy in reducing endodontic contaminants. Ca(OH)2 as intracanal medication should be performed in irradiated patients with infected root canals., Clinical Relevance: This clinical study demonstrated that endodontic treatment in irradiated patients is efficacious at reducing bacterial load and endotoxin levels., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The social restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic had a great impact on the routine of children and adolescents, with important consequences such as sleep, eating, and psychological/psychiatric disorders. Even though there are no studies on the subject, it is possible that these changes in habit and routine have also affected arterial stiffness (AS) in this population, which is an important predictor of cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to assess possible changes in AS, anthropometry, and quality of life (QoL) resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents., Methods: A controlled observational cross-sectional study was performed with 193 children and adolescents aged 9 to 19 years, allocated into two groups: before the pandemic (BPG) and one year after the pandemic (APG), matched by age and sex. Cardiovascular parameters were measured non-invasively by brachial artery oscillometry with a portable device. The main AS indices evaluated were the augmentation index (AIx) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) derived from the aortic pulse wave. QoL was assessed using the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0)., Results: Regarding QoL, the APG showed a worsening in emotional (p = 0.002) and school-related (p = 0.010) aspects. There was no statistically significant difference for most anthropometric parameters, except for the hip circumference, which was higher in the APG group (p < 0.001). The main predictor of AS in the paediatric population, AIx@75, was shown to be increased in the APG group (p < 0.001). Other cardiovascular parameters were also different, such as peripheral (p = 0.002) and central (p = 0.003) diastolic blood pressure, stroke volume (p = 0.010), and total vascular resistance (p = 0.002), which were shown to be decreased in the APG group, while the heart rate was increased (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Our results show that routine changes resulting from the period of social isolation increased cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents, evident by the increase in AIx@75, which is considered to be an important marker of cardiovascular risk in the paediatric population., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

During atherosclerotic plaque formation, smooth muscle cells (SMCs) switch from a contractile/differentiated to a synthetic/dedifferentiated phenotype. We previously isolated differentiated spindle-shaped (S) and dedifferentiated rhomboid (R) SMCs from porcine coronary artery. R-SMCs express S100A4, a calcium-binding protein. We investigated the role of apelin in this phenotypic conversion, as well as its relationship with S100A4. We found that apelin was highly expressed in R-SMCs compared with S-SMCs. We observed a nuclear expression of apelin in SMCs within experimentally-induced intimal thickening of the porcine coronary artery and rat aorta. Plasmids targeting apelin to the nucleus (N. Ap) and to the secretory vesicles (S. Ap) were transfected into S-SMCs where apelin was barely detectable. Both plasmids induced the SMC transition towards a R-phenotype. Overexpression of N. Ap, and to a lesser degree S. Ap, led to a nuclear localization of S100A4. Stimulation of S-SMCs with platelet-derived growth factor-BB, known to induce the transition toward the R-phenotype, yielded the direct interaction and nuclear expression of both apelin and S100A4. In conclusion, apelin induces a SMC phenotypic transition towards the synthetic phenotype. These results suggest that apelin acts via nuclear re-localization of S100A4, raising the possibility of a new pro-atherogenic relationship between apelin and S100A4., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Knowledge about lung development or lung disease is mainly derived from data extrapolated from mouse models. This has obvious drawbacks in developmental diseases, particularly due to species differences. Our objective is to describe the development of complementary analysis methods that will allow a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of rare congenital diseases., Methods: Paraffin-embedded human pediatric and fetal lung samples were laser microdissected to enrich different lung regions, namely, bronchioli or alveoli. These samples were analyzed by data-independent acquisition-based quantitative proteomics, and the lung structures were subsequently compared. To confirm the proteomic data, we employed an optimized Sequential ImmunoPeroxidase Labeling and Erasing (SIMPLE) staining for specific proteins of interest., Results: By quantitative proteomics, we identified typical pulmonary proteins from being differentially expressed in different regions. While the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and the surfactant protein C (SFTPC) were downregulated, tubulin beta 4B (TUBB4B) was upregulated in bronchioli, compared to alveoli. In fetal tissues, CD31 was downregulated in fetal bronchioli compared to canaliculi. Moreover, we confirmed their presence using SIMPLE staining. Some expected proteins did not show up in the proteomic data, such as SOX-9, which was only detected by means of immunohistochemistry in the SIMPLE analysis., Conclusion: Our data underline the robustness and applicability of this type of experimental approach, especially for rare paraffin-embedded tissue samples. It also strengthens the importance of these methods for future studies, particularly when considering developmental lung diseases, such as congenital lung anomalies., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Cardoso dos Santos, Avila, Schvartz, Rougemont, Bochaton-Piallat and Ruchonnet-Metrailler.)

This study aimed to investigate the antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii (ACB) complex isolates recovered from a university hospital in Pelotas, RS, Brazil. The species were confirmed using gyrB multiplex and blaOXA-51-like genes PCR. The presence of the bfmRS virulence gene was evaluated by the PCR, and the isolates were classified based on their biofilm-forming ability on polystyrene (PO) and glass surfaces (TM). Out of 50 ACB complex isolates evaluated, 41 were identified as A. baumannii and nine as A. nosocomialis. The bfmRS gene was detected in 97.6% (40/41) of A. baumannii and 33.3% (3/9) of A. nosocomialis species. Forty-nine isolates exhibited a multidrug-resistant (MDR) profile, while one A. nosocomialis isolate presented an extensively drug-resistant (XDR) profile. All isolates were able of forming biofilms on PO surfaces and 98% (49/50) on TM surfaces. A significant correlation was observed between biofilm production on PO and TM surfaces (P < 0.05). However, no correlation was found between biofilms forming and the presence of the bfmRS gene or displaying a certain antibiotic resistance profile. In conclusion, A. baumannii and A. nosocomialis are frequent species causing nosocomial infections in a hospital in Pelotas, RS, Brazil, and both are capable of forming biofilms., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Applied Microbiology International.)

Background: Women living in low- and middle-income countries are more exposed to known risk factors for depression occurrence and persistency over time., Aim: Our aim was to investigate the course of depression in the first 2 years postpartum among Brazilian women enrolled in a cash transfer program., Method: Longitudinal analysis of baseline (T0; mean 3.7 months postpartum) and first follow-up data (T1; mean 18.6 months postpartum) from a trial to assess the impact of a child development promotion program in 30 municipalities from six Brazilian states. The program does not include any interventions against maternal depression. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at cutoff ⩾10 was applied. Women were categorized into four groups based on EPDS at T0 and T1: absence of depression, persistence, discontinuity, or emergence pattern. Adjusted Poisson regressions were run using a multilevel hierarchical model., Results: Two thousand eight hundred sixty-three women were assessed. Prevalence of depression was 26.4% [24.8, 28.1] at T0 and 24.4% [22.8, 26.0] at T1. Persistence, discontinuation, and emergence were found in 14.1% [11.3, 17.6%], 12.8% [11.4, 14.3%], and 10.2% [8.0, 13.0], respectively. In adjusted analyses, the persistence pattern was directly associated with parity and inversely associated with schooling of the woman and of the child's father. Living with husband/partner and support from the child's father and family members during pregnancy were protective against persistence. The discontinuity and the emergence patterns were not associated with any of the exposure variables., Conclusions: Depressive symptoms were highly prevalent during the first 2 years postpartum. About half of the women with depression at T1 were persistent cases that could have been detected earlier. Screening for maternal depression should be an essential component in every encounter of women with health professionals in primary health care settings.

Background: Despite the benefits of breastfeeding, early weaning is a reality, so less than 50% of children worldwide and in Brazil are on exclusive breastfeeding in the sixth month of life. A strategy to counteract this scenario is breastfeeding counseling. This study aims to verify the effectiveness of individualized counseling by nurses trained in breastfeeding counseling, on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, compared to standard care., Methods: Multicenter, randomized, parallel, and open clinical trial, with primiparous women aged over 18 years, hospitalized in rooming-in wards at participating centers and hemodynamically stable, aware, and oriented, who had a single-fetus pregnancy and gave birth, regardless of the type of delivery, with live child, gestational age of 37 to 42 weeks and birth weight greater than 2500 g. The women will be initially approached in rooming-in wards and, upon consent to participate in the study, will be allocated through randomization by blocks composed of eight participants in two groups: intervention and control. The randomization lists will be organized by a central without involvement with the study, which will manage the allocation groups and be prepared in the Randon® program. Women allocated to the intervention group will receive breastfeeding counseling by trained nurses, and those in the control group will receive standard care at the center participating in the study., Discussion: The results can contribute to breastfeeding by evidencing possible exclusivity and duration of the counseling trained nurses provide., Trial Registration: REBEC RBR-4w9v5rq (UTN: U1111-1284-3559) ( https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-4w9v5rq ). Posted on March 20, 2023., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that reducing pulse pressure amplification (PPA) plays an important role in pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular disease. This is a cross-sectional, observational, and analytical study in which we evaluated the associated factors with a greater chance of reducing PPA in 136 healthy children and adolescents aged 8 to 19 years old stratified by gender and age group., Methods: Arterial stiffness and vascular and hemodynamic parameters were non-invasively measured using Mobil-O-Graph® (IEM, Stolberg, Germany), a cuff-based oscillometric device. PPA was expressed as the peripheral-to-central pulse pressure ratio (PPp / PPc). Participants with PPA < 1.49 were considered as part of the arterial stiffness group., Results: In a univariate model, the increase in total vascular resistance, the reflection coefficient and the augmentation pressure were more likely to have arterial stiffness in all groups. The factors most likely to have arterial stiffness (as assessed by the reduction of the PPA) in the multivariate model were increasing age, the reflection coefficient and cardiac index in the total sample, male group and child and adolescent groups. In addition to age in the female group, cardiac output, stroke volume, and AIx@75 were the factors most likely to present arterial stiffness., Conclusions: The results show for the first time in children and adolescents that the factors most likely to reduce PPA are related to the reflection wave, which determines aortic pressures and, therefore, left ventricular afterload., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] is the major metabolite for ascertaining vitamin D status, which circulates bound to a specific carrier (vitamin D-binding protein - VDBP). A portion that circulates unbound vary according to the VDBP genotype. This study evaluates the behavior of different forms of 25(OH)D, before and after supplementation with 14,000 IU of vitamin D3, weekly for 12 weeks, in individuals with primary hyperparathyroidism and controls. Fifty-six patients with active primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and 64 paired controls (CTRL), not taking vitamin D3 for the last three months, were enrolled. The genetic isotypes of VDBP were determined to calculate bioavailable and free 25(OH)D. A p < 0.05 was considered significant. There were no statistical differences in free, bioavailable, and total 25(OH)D levels between PHPT and CTRL groups at baseline. The distribution of VDBP haplotypes 1s/1s, 1f/1f, 1s/1f, 2/2, 1s/2, and 1f/2 was similar between groups. After supplementation, all three forms of 25(OH)D proportionally increased within each group, although the percentage increment was lower in the PHPT group (p < 0.05). Total 25(OH)D is better correlated with PTH in the PHPT group than bioavailable and free 25(OH)D (r = -0.41; p < 0.05). The concentrations of total, free, and bioavailable 25(OH)D were similar in both PHPT and CTRL groups, and all forms increased proportionally after supplementation, although this increment percentage was higher in the CTRL group, with a subsequent reduction of PTH and AP. Total 25(OH)D correlated better with PTH than other forms, suggesting no advantages in measuring free or bioavailable 25(OH)D in these situations., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Asthma is an important health concern in Latin America (LA) where it is associated with variable prevalence and disease burden between countries. High prevalence and morbidity have been observed in some regions, particularly marginalized urban populations. Research over the past 10 years from LA has shown that childhood disease is primarily non-atopic. The attenuation of atopy may be explained by enhanced immune regulation induced by intense exposures to environmental factors such as childhood infections and poor environmental conditions of the urban poor. Non-atopic symptoms are associated with environmental and lifestyle factors including poor living conditions, respiratory infections, psychosocial stress, obesity, and a diet of highly processed foods. Ancestry (particularly African) and genetic factors increase asthma risk, and some of these factors may be specific to LA settings. Asthma in LA tends to be poorly controlled and depends on access to health care and medications. There is a need to improve management and access to medication through primary health care. Future research should consider the heterogeneity of asthma to identify relevant endotypes and underlying causes. The outcome of such research will need to focus on implementable strategies relevant to populations living in resource-poor settings where the disease burden is greatest., (© 2023 The Authors. Clinical and Translational Allergy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.)

Objectives: We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in patients with systemic autoimmune myopathies (SAMs)., Methods: This prospective, randomised, sham-controlled, double-blind, study included 20 patients with SAMs allocated to receive sham or active tDCS (2mA, 20 minutes, 3 days). Electrodes were positioned with the anode over the C1 or C2, whereas the cathode was placed over the Fp2 or Fp1, respectively. The groups were evaluated in four periods with specific questionnaires and functional tests: pre-stimulation and after 30 minutes, three weeks, and eight weeks post-tDCS., Results: Two patients from the sham group withdrew after the three sessions. The demographic data, type of myositis, disease duration, and disease status were comparable between the active and sham tDCS groups. After interventions, in the active tDCS group, the physical aspects of SF-36 in week eight, mean and better timed up-and-go test at each evaluation, peak torque of stimulated inferior limb extension improved significantly (p<0.05). The emotional aspect of SF-36 decreased only in the active tDCS group (p<0.001). The patients' adherence to the protocol was 100% and no serious adverse event was reported, including disease relapses., Conclusions: This study evidences the safety of tDCS, as well as its potential efficacy in improving muscle strength and function in SAMs patients. More studies with a larger sample and longer tDCS sessions are necessary to corroborate the results of the present study.

Encapsulated ionic liquids as green solvents for CO 2 capture are reported in this work. We present a novel combination of water-based poly(ionic liquid) and imidazolium-based ionic liquids (Emim[X]). Poly(diallyldimethylammonium tetrafluoroborate)/Emim[X] capsules were developed for the first time using Nano Spray Dryer B-90. Capsules were characterized by FTIR, SEM/EDX, TEM, TGA, DSC, CO 2 sorption, and CO 2 /N 2 selectivity, CO 2 sorption kinetic and recycling were also demonstrated. Comparing the capsules reported in this work, the combination of poly(diallyldimethylammonium tetrafluoroborate) and the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (P[DADMA]/BF 4 ) showed great potential for CO 2 capture and CO 2 /N 2 separation, providing higher results (53.4 mg CO 2 /g; CO 2 /N 2 selectivity: 4.58)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023 The Authors.)

The general practitioner (GP) might offer a good alternative for the management of certain ophthalmologic emergencies in his or her practice, given the increasing demand for ophthalmological care and difficulties with access to ophthalmologists. The main objective of the study was to describe ophthalmological complaints and their management in general emergency departments compared to ophthalmological emergency departments in order to assess which pathologies can be treated by the GP. This was a single-center retrospective study at the University Hospital of Reims, based on consultation data from the general and ophthalmological emergency departments for all adult patients presenting for an ophthalmological problem in September 2019 and September 2020. Consultations where patients were brought back following a first emergency consultation and consultations for another non-ophthalmological reason were excluded. Out of 1360 consultations recorded, 16% of patients had initially consulted their GP. The 4 most frequent diagnoses were: "ocular trauma," "conjunctivitis," "eye pain" and "visual impairment." A prescription for medication was issued in 77% of cases, 37% of which were for antibiotics. Only 29% of consultations carried out in general emergency departments led to a request for a complementary ophthalmology consultation. The GP might therefore be able to manage certain ophthalmological emergencies in his or her practice as a first line and refer certain ophthalmologic emergencies. However, the training of GPs in this specialty must be reinforced in collaboration with ophthalmologists., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Asthma is a disorder characterized by airflow obstruction, inflammation, declining airway function, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and tissue remodelling. Probiotics are defined as "live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host". The use of probiotics is becoming increasingly studied and recent evidence has suggested that it may provide therapeutic benefits in asthma and other diseases. Lactobacillus delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 fulfils all the requirements to be classified as probiotic. Previous studies have already shown the ability of L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 to stimulate the immune system. Our objective was to evaluate the protective effects of L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 in experimental allergic asthma. We used a murine model of ovalbumin-induced allergic airway inflammation to mimic allergic asthma. Oral treatment with L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 improves respiratory parameters and inhibits the inflammatory response in the lungs by decreasing the numbers of inflammatory monocytes, eosinophils and alveolar macrophages, as well as IgE levels. Treatment increased the IFN-γ/IL-4 cytokine ratio. Levels of IL-10 in the lungs were also increased in treated animals. Our results also showed that the probiotic administration increases the number of CD39 + CD73 + T regulatory lymphocytes in the lung, suggesting a role for purinergic signals in the regulation of inflammation promoted by the treatment. Understanding the mechanisms of modulation of the immune system by probiotics could allow the development of probiotic preparations that are safe and have a direct action. Our results suggest that oral administration of L. delbrueckii UFV-H2b20 could be helpful to treat chronic inflammatory airway diseases, such as asthma., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: None disclosed.

The human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), isolated in 1980, causes T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in adulthood, a type of lymphoproliferative disease, and chronic HTLV-1-associated myelopathy, a disease that causes paralysis of the lower limbs, which occur in about 5% of cases in this viral infection. This study aimed to establish the hematological profile of patients with HTLV-1 infection in Belém do Pará, describing the hematological parameters under study, estimating the frequency of lymphocytic atypical, and associating the hematological profile with diseases and symptoms. Hematologic data from 202 individuals were analyzed, including 87 HTLV-1 infected individuals and 115 non-HTLV-1 infected individuals as a control group, composed, at a great part, of relatives of the infected. The seroprevalence of HTLV-1 infection was observed in 71.3% of female individuals, with predominance in the group older than 50 years (44.8%). The analysis of hematological parameters showed a significant difference in the counts of the segmented cells ( p = 0.0303) and eosinophils ( p = 0.0092) in HTLV-1 carriers. Lymphocytic atypical was a finding present only in HTLV-1 carriers ( p = 0.0001). There was no high frequency in the leukocyte counts of those infected by HTLV-1 not among them concerning a significant increase or decrease. It is concluded that HTLV-1 infection is prominent in women over 50 years old. The hematological profile of those infected shows a reduction of segmented cells, an increase of eosinophils, and the presence of atypical lymphocytes. The hematological profile of the HTLV-1 carrier should always be evaluated to identify early some diseases associated with the infection., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ribeiro, Nobre, Covre, de Almeida Viana, Silva, dos Santos, Ishikawa, da Costa and de Sousa.)

Competing Interests: None disclosed.

Background: The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Chlamydia trachomatis are the most prevalent Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) worldwide, and are associated cervical cancer and pelvic inflammatory disease, respectively. However, 80% of women testing positive are asymptomatic. In the Amazon region, young women, in particular, are widely exposed to the infections and their consequences., Objectives: Determine the prevalence of sexual infection by HPV and C. trachomatis in young, sexually-active women treated at a university health program in a large city of the Brazilian Amazon region., Methods: We amplified the L1 gene of HPV. We amplified ompA gene of C. trachomatis by nested PCR, and the study participants filled in a questionnaire on their social, epidemiological, and reproductive health characteristics. The data were analyzed using the Odds Ratio, to evaluate the degree of association of these variables with the observed infections., Results: The prevalence of infection by HPV was 15.5% (47/303). This infection was recorded in 32.2% of the women of less than 25 years of age (OR:3.02 [CI95%] = 1.32-6.92; p = 0.014), 17.9% of the single women (OR: 2.41 [CI95%] = 1.22-4.75; p = 0.014), 23.8% of the women that reported having first sexual intercourse at less than 15 years of age (OR: 2.22 [CI95%] = 1.16-4.23; p = 0.021), 20% of those that reported having had more than one sexual partner during their lifetime (OR: 3.83 [CI95%] = 1.56-9.37; p = 0.003), and in 28.3% that use oral contraceptives (CI95% = 1.33-5.43; p = 0.008). The prevalence of sexual infection by C. trachomatis was 4.6% (14/303), and this bacterium was present in 16.1% of the young women of less than 25 years of age (OR: 2.86 [CI95%] = 1.33-5.43; p = 0.008)., Conclusions: We found a high prevalence of HPV in young, unmarried women who started their sex lives early, who had several sexual partners in their lives and who used oral contraceptives. The prevalence of C. trachomatis was high only in young women. Our data are in accordance with other studies in Brazil and in the world and may serve to base the formulation of diagnostic and screening measures for these infections in women in the Amazon., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Emerging evidence suggests that vicarious racial experiences of discrimination may negatively influence child health. Few studies have focus on childhood asthma symptoms and potential moderators of such relationship., Methods: We used two population-based cross-sectional studies from the Social Change Allergy and Asthma in Latin America project in Salvador, Brazil. A total of 1003 children and mothers interviewed in 2006 were included, of whom 873 were reached again in 2013. Vicarious racial discrimination was assessed in mothers by applying the Experiences of Discrimination scale. Data on wheeze and environmental exposures were collected with standardized questionnaires. Levels of allergen-specific IgE were measured to identify atopy. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the association between maternal discrimination and wheezing and asthma phenotypes. Interaction terms were evaluated to identify whether mothers' mental health and family social support modified such associations., Results: Children whose mothers reported racial discrimination had greater odds of have asthma symptoms (OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.15-2.67) and non-atopic asthma (OR 1.92; 95% CI 1.09-3.40). When we considered effect modification by social support, we found a higher ORs when the level of social support was lower (OR 2.43; 95% IC 1.19-4.97) than when the level of social support was higher (OR 1.12; CI 0.64-1.96)., Conclusion: Maternal discrimination was associated with asthma symptoms and with non-atopic phenotype among their children. Enjoying wider social support network appears to buffer the effect on asthmatic symptoms. Intervention on childhood asthma needs to incorporate strategies that target the family., (© 2021. W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.)

This article describes the Salvador Primary Care Longitudinal Study of Child Development (CohortDICa). The exposed group was defined by confirmation of Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) diagnosed through computed tomography, magnetic resonance or transfontanellar ultrasound. A random selection of the 169 exposed children led to a subgroup of 120 children who were paired with children from the Live Birth Information System, according to birthdate, residence in the same street or neighborhood, and gestational age, resulting in 115 subjects in the non-exposed group. Following recruitment and before the participants completed 42 months, three measures were applied to assess cognitive, motor, and language performance, corresponding to three home visits. Social characteristics of the families and children, and the neurocognitive development of the children will be compared across the CZS exposed group ( n = 147), the typical children with no exposure to CZS ( n = 115) and the STORCH exposed group (Syphilis, Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, and Herpes simplex) ( n = 20). Primary Health Care (PHC) should include long-term care strategies for the care of children and family members, and might benefit from the research, teaching, and extension activities provided in this study. In the face of the consequences of the Zika virus epidemic, an opportunity arose to intervene in the integrated care of child development within PHC, including, on an equal basis, typical children and those with delays or disabilities in the first six years of life.

In this study, we have analyzed the intervention effect of music on insomnia of college students. For this purpose, we have selected college students of grade 2019 facing insomnia in our school and randomly selected 96 of them as research objects after the informed consent of the students. 96 subjects were randomly divided into two groups, observation group and control group, 48 cases in each group. No music intervention was applied to the control group, while music intervention was applied to the observation group. After intervention, all college students in the observation group and the control group were given PSQI scale and filled it out. The score was collected on the spot and counted immediately to evaluate the intervention effect of music on college students' insomnia. After music intervention, the score of each dimension of PSQI showed that the observation group was significantly better than the control group in falling asleep time, quality of sleep, hypnotic drugs, sleep efficiency, sleep disorders, and daytime dysfunction, and the results were statistically significant ( P < 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in insomnia between the two groups ( P < 0.05), and the intervention efficacy of insomnia in the observation group was better than that in the control group. The observation group had a higher satisfaction with the insomnia intervention effect, and the total satisfaction was 89.58%. The control group had low satisfaction with the intervention effect of insomnia, the total satisfaction was 52.08%, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). Through the application of the music intervention method, the sleep quality of college students had been improved, and the insomnia intervention effect was obvious; therefore, music intervention for college students' insomnia had a good intervention effect and had the value of promotion., Competing Interests: The author declares that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Luis Miguel Dos Santos.)

Leishmania spp. infection outcomes are dependent on both host and parasite factors. Manipulation of host signaling pathways involved in the generation of immune responses is thought to be one of the most common mechanisms used by parasites for persistence within the host. Considering the diversity of pathologies caused by different Leishmania spp., it is plausible that significant differences may exist in the mechanisms of host cell manipulation by each parasite species, which may have implications when developing new vaccine or treatment strategies. Here we show that in L. braziliensis -infection in BALB/c mice, a model of resistance, activation of ERK1/2 coincides with the peak of inflammatory responses and resolution of tissue parasitism. In contrast, in the susceptibility model of L. amazonensis -infection, an early silent phase of infection is observed, detected solely by quantification of parasite loads. At this early stage, only basal levels of P-ERK1/2 are observed. Later, after a brief shutdown of ERK1/2 phosphorylation, disease progression is observed and is associated with increased inflammation, lesion size and tissue parasitism. Moreover, the short-term down-regulation of ERK1/2 activation affected significantly downstream inflammatory pathways and adaptive T cell responses. Administration of U0126, a MEK/ERK inhibitor, confirmed this phenomenon, since bigger lesions and higher parasite loads were seen in infected mice that received U0126. To investigate how kinetics of ERK1/2 activation could affect the disease progression, U0126 was administered to L. amazonensis -infected animals earlier than the P-ERK1/2 switch off time-point. This intervention resulted in anticipation of the same effects on inflammatory responses and susceptibility phenotype seen in the natural course of infection. Additionally, in vitro inhibition of ERK1/2 affected the phagocytosis of L. amazonensis by BMDMs. Collectively, our findings reveal distinct temporal patterns of activation of inflammatory responses in L. braziliensis and L. amazonensis in the same animal background and a pivotal role for a brief and specific shutdown of ERK1/2 activation at late stages of L. amazonensis infection. Since activation of inflammatory responses is a crucial aspect for the control of infectious processes, these findings may be important for the search of new and specific strategies of vaccines and treatment for tegumentary leishmaniasis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Oliveira, Souza-Testasicca, Ricotta, Vago, dos Santos, Crepaldi, Lima, Queiroz-Junior, Sousa and Fernandes.)

In this cross-sectional study, we investigate the presence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Ribonucleic Acid (SARS-CoV-2 RNA) in the tears of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. After laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, tear samples from both eyes of each patient were collected using conjunctival swab for RT-PCR. Detailed demographic profile, systemic and ocular symptoms, comorbidities, clinical, ancillary, and ocular manifestations were evaluated. Of the 83 patients enrolled in the study, 7 (8.43%) had SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in the tear samples. Neutrophils' count, C-reactive protein, and D-dimer were higher in patients with SARS-CoV-2 detected in tears than in patients without virus in ocular surface samples. One patient with SARS-CoV-2 in tears showed mild ocular eyelid edema, hyperemia, and chemosis. No relevant ocular manifestations were detected in the other patients. Although the levels of viral RNA on ocular surface samples were low for most patients (5/7), with positivity only for gene N and CT higher than 30, two patients were positive for all viral targets tested ( N , E , and RpRd ), with viral load near 1 × 10 5 ePFU/mL, indicating that the ocular transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is a possibility that needs to be considered, especially in the hospital environment. Further studies need to be conducted to demonstrate whether infective viral particles could be isolated from tears.

The photocatalytic discoloration of industrial dyes, Novacron blue (NB) and Novacron yellow (NY), was investigated using composites based on TiO 2 and natural palygorskite (Pal-Ti10 and Pal-Ti30). The method consisted of synthesizing the composites starting from a physical mixture of TiO 2 and natural palygorskite in the presence of alcohol, for impregnation through calcination under conditions of temperature equal to 450 °C and atmospheric air. The characterization techniques used in this work were FTIR, XRD, XRF, SEM, particle size analysis and zeta potential. The photocatalysis for the NB dye was investigated through the application of a factorial 2 4 experimental design, aiming at the best experimental conditions and finally applying them in another NY industrial dye. The investigated concentrations of NB were 10 ppm and 30 ppm, the composites were synthesized using 10 and 30% (p/p) of titanium dioxide in palygorskite, the two pH values were 2.0 and 6.0 and the light intensities 9 and 18 W were used. Tests performed at pH 2.0, Pal-Ti30 composite, power 18 W and 10 ppm of dye showed 100% color removal of both dyes in 90 min. The bleaching process followed the pseudo-first order kinetic model, and the apparent constants (K app ) were 0.0216 min -1 and 0.0193 min -1 for NB and NY dyes, respectively. The results of total organic carbon (TOC) showed mineralization of 61.70% and 58.06% for NB and NY, respectively, in 90 min of treatment, and the by-products were detected by GC-MS., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Innate immune cells present a dual role during leishmaniasis: they constitute the first line of host defense but are also the main host cells for the parasite. Response against the infection that results in the control of parasite growth and lesion healing depends on activation of macrophages into a classical activated phenotype. We report an essential role for the microbiota in driving macrophage and monocyte-derived macrophage activation towards a resistance phenotype against Leishmania major infection in mice. Both germ-free and dysbiotic mice showed a higher number of myeloid innate cells in lesions and increased number of infected cells, mainly dermal resident and inflammatory macrophages. Despite developing a Th1 immune response characterized by the same levels of IFN-γ production as the conventional mice, germ-free mice presented reduced numbers of iNOS + macrophages at the peak of infection. Absence or disturbance of host microbiota impaired the capacity of bone marrow-derived macrophage to be activated for Leishmania killing in vitro , even when stimulated by Th1 cytokines. These cells presented reduced expression of inos mRNA, and diminished production of microbicidal molecules, such as ROS, while presenting a permissive activation status, characterized by increased expression of arginase I and il-10 mRNA and higher arginase activity. Colonization of germ-free mice with complete microbiota from conventional mice rescued their ability to control the infection. This study demonstrates the essential role of host microbiota on innate immune response against L. major infection, driving host macrophages to a resistance phenotype., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Lopes, dos Santos, Sacks, Vieira and Carneiro.)

Mentorship of counselling for men who have sex with other men and gay youths is understudied. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of how the Mentor Modelling Programme may increase the sexual health knowledge and practices of gay youths. As an expansion of a previous study with the application of the conceptual framework, this study mapped a sexual health promotion plan and the six-month-long Mentor Modelling Programme with the coordination of eight health and social care professionals and 40 gay youths. The researcher found positive and supportive feedback of how the Mentor Modelling Programme could increase sexual health knowledge, promote long-term relationships, and encourage referral of other vulnerable people. The results indicated two directions. The first solicited the perspectives of health and social care professionals and gay youths on how they would describe the relationship, application to, and experience of the Mentor Modelling Programme and second, assessed how this Mentor Modelling Programme influenced and changed the ideas and senses about counselling services and mentorship. This study reflected the current limited sexual promotion between traditional and inclusive sexual health materials. It further indicated the necessary concerns and areas of attention needed to upgrade the materials and host inclusive sexual health materials for both youths and adults in the communities.

Learning a foreign language is not easy for many students, particularly for nursing students who need to complete their internships in the hospital. However, motivation always drives them to the foreign language classrooms. The purpose of this study was to understand the motivations and reasons behind why these nursing students decided to study Mandarin Chinese as part of their personal development and enhancement beyond the curriculum. One main question and one sub-research question were written, why would nursing students decide to take Chinese as the tool for foreign language and culture development? What and why are the reasons and motivations for nursing students to take Chinese beyond their curriculum? The qualitative case study method was employed in order to investigate 36 nursing university students in the United Kingdom. The results of this study concluded that nursing students tend to study Chinese due to personal development and career goals. School leaders, department heads, government leaders, policymakers, human resources professionals, vocational trainers, and researchers may take this study as the opportunity to reform their current human resource and education plans to offer foreign language courses to university students, members of the public, learners, and interested parties for both personal development and career enhancements.

High spinal cord injured patients (SCI) are susceptible to respiratory muscle impairments. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and peripheral electrical stimulation (PES) may influence the diaphragm's central control, but until now they are not described as a therapeutic resource for difficult weaning. We present two case reports of SCI patients (P1 and P2) with long-term tracheostomy (>40 days) and hospital stay (>50 days). In association with respiratory exercise, P1 received a combined application of anodal tDCS over the supplementary motor area plus sensory PES in the thoracic-abdominal muscles, and P2 received isolated excitatory PES in the abdominal muscles, applied daily except on weekends. Maximum inspiratory/expiratory pressure, peak cough flow, diaphragm excursion, and thickening fraction were measured in the first and last days of the protocol. Both patients had improvements, with clinical impact such as cough effectiveness, decannulated after 15 applications of stimulation. Augmentation of neural respiratory drive and corticospinal excitability is suggested., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Nursing curriculum usually focuses on vocational development to train students to become nursing professionals after graduation. However, due to the packed major schedule and curriculum, many students are not required to take additional foreign language courses for their associate degree. Based on the lens of social cognitive career theory, the researcher sought to understand the motivations and reasons behind the learning behaviours. One research question was guided in this study, which was, what are the motivations and reasons for taking foreign language courses beyond their (i.e., nursing students) major curriculum and coursework plan? A qualitative research method was employed to collect interview data from 60 nursing students. The finding of this study indicated that the interest in career development and personal consideration were two of the most important factors for foreign language learning for these groups of nursing students. The results of this study provided recommendations for college leaders, government agencies, and policymakers to reform and polish foreign language courses and offer directions to contemporary students of the nursing curriculum. Students may also be benefitted as the study outlined the motivations and reasons for foreign language learning. Therefore, all parties may take this study as a blueprint to exercise their future developments.

Objectives: Earlier studies have demonstrated the use of inactivated recombinant E. coli (bacterins), to protect against Clostridium spp. in vaccinated animals. These bacterins have a simpler, safer, and faster production process. However, these bacterins carry expression plasmids, containing antibiotic resistance gene, which could be assimilate accidentally by environmental microorganisms. Considering this, we aimed to impair this plasmids using formaldehyde at different concentrations., Results: This compound inactivated the highest density of cells in 24 h. KanR cassette amplification was found to be impaired with 0.8% for 24 h or 0.4% for 72 h. Upon electroporation, E. coli DH5α ultracompetent cells were unable to acquire the plasmids extracted from the bacterins after inactivation procedure. Formaldehyde-treated bacterins were incubated with other viable strains of E. coli, leading to no detectable gene transfer., Conclusions: We found that this compound is effective as an inactivation agent. Here we demonstrate the biosafety involving antibiotic resistance gene of recombinant E. coli vaccines allowing to industrial production and animal application.