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Habitat loss can lead to biotic homogenization (decrease in β diversity) or differentiation (increase in β diversity) of biological communities. However, it is unclear which of these ecological processes predominates in human-modified landscapes. We used data on vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants to quantify β diversity based on species occurrence and abundance among communities in 1367 landscapes with varying amounts of habitat (<30%, 30-60%, or >60% of forest cover) throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Decreases in habitat amount below 30% led to increased compositional similarity of vertebrate and invertebrate communities, which may indicate a process of biotic homogenization throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. No pattern was detected in plant communities. We found that habitat loss was associated with a deterministic increase in faunal community similarity, which is consistent with a selected subset of species being capable of thriving in human-modified landscapes. The lack of pattern found in plants was consistent with known variation between taxa in community responses to habitat amount. Brazilian legislation requiring the preservation of 20% of Atlantic Forest native vegetation may be insufficient to prevent the biotic homogenization of faunal communities. Our results highlight the importance of preserving large amounts of habitat, providing source areas for the recolonization of deforested landscapes, and avoiding large-scale impacts of homogenization of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest., (© 2024 Society for Conservation Biology.)

Background: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitors recently emerged as a promising therapy for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)., Objective: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing IL-6 inhibitors to placebo or traditional immunosuppressants in NMOSD., Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central for eligible studies. Efficacy endpoints included hazard ratio (HR) for relapse, annualized relapse ratio (ARR) and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) change over time. Safety outcomes comprised any adverse event, serious adverse events and infections. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan Web and R studio package meta. Heterogeneity was assessed with I² statistics., Results: Four studies involving 361 patients (228 treated with IL-6 inhibitors) were included. IL-6 inhibitors significantly reduced HR for relapse (HR 0.35; 95 % CI 0.23, 0.55); p < 0.00001; I² = 0 %) and ARR (mean difference -0.79 relapses/year; 95 % CI -1.54, -0.03; p = 0.04; I² = 96 %) compared to placebo or traditional immunosuppressants. No significant differences were observed in EDSS change over 24 weeks of follow-up (mean difference -0.18; 95 % CI -0.41, 0.05; p = 0.93; I² = 0 %), adverse events (odds ratio (OR) 1.59; 95 % CI 0.45, 5.63; p = 0.48; I² = 48 %), serious adverse events (OR 0.76; 95 % CI 0.40, 1.44; p = 0.50; I² = 0 %) and infection rates (OR 1.10; 95 % CI 0.67, 1.79; p = 0.71; I² = 0 %)., Conclusion: IL-6 inhibitors demonstrate superior efficacy in preventing relapses in NMOSD compared to placebo or traditional immunosuppressants, without a notable increase in safety risks., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest GN, ML, GM, FP, YS, PM, LM and VK: None. AF: Clinical researcher involved in ongoing trials funded by ROCHE, MERCK, NOVARTIS, NOVONORDISK, HYPERA, ACADIA., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Among chronic condition problems, tuberculosis still represents a serious public health problem globally., Objective: To investigate latent tuberculosis infection in patients with Crohn's disease. Retrospective, descriptive cross-sectional study of quantitative analysis., Methods: The research was conducted on diagnosed cases of Crohn's disease at the University Hospital located in a city in Northeastern Brazil. All cases of patients with Crohn's disease undergoing isoniazid or rifampicin therapy for latent tuberculosis (LTBI) were included in the study. The data obtained were subsequently subjected to statistical analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program., Results: We analyzed 235 medical records, and it was observed that 56% were male, with a mean age of 42.7. Among these, 54% declared themselves as brown, 31% had completed high school, and 47% were residents of the city of Teresina. Regarding the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the studied patients classified as having ILTB, 34% of the medical records were diagnosed by tuberculin test, 48.51% were investigated by x-ray examination, and the recent location affected the colon with 27%., Conclusion: Overall, the health profile of the participants in this study aligns with findings previously established in the literature, particularly studies conducted in other Brazilian states, as well as in other developing countries.

This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of quercetin on the cellular components of the Enteric Nervous System in the ileum of rats with arthritis. Rats were distributed into five groups: control (C), arthritic (AIA), arthritic treated with ibuprofen (AI), arthritic treated with quercetin (AQ) and arthritic treated with both ibuprofen and quercetin (AIQ). The ileum was processed for immunohistochemical techniques for HuC/D, calcitonin gene-related peptide, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. Measurements in histological sections, chemiluminescence assays, and total antioxidant capacity were also performed. Rheumatoid arthritis resulted in a decrease in neuronal density, yet neuroplasticity mechanisms were evident through observed changes in varicosities size and neuronal area compared to the control group. Reduced paw edema and neuroprotective effects were predominantly noted in both plexuses, as evidenced by the increased density preservation of HuC/D-IR neurons in the AIQ group. The increase of lipoperoxidation levels and paw edema volume in the AQ group was observed compared to the arthritic, whereas the AIQ group mainly showed similar results to those observed in the control. The enteropathy associated with arthritis proved to be significant in the field of gastroenterology, and the combination of quercetin and ibuprofen demonstrated promising anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.

Waltheria indica (Malvaceae) is a plant popularly used in folk medicine by traditional African and indigenous communities, and in various countries worldwide, to treat general inflammation. Several biological activities of this plant have been reported, including acetylcholinesterase inhibition and potential anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), antinociceptive, analgesic, antifungal, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, leishmanicidal, trypanocidal, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. The chemical profile of Waltheria indica was assessed by dereplication analysis using UPLC-MS/MS, and data acquisition was performed using chemoinformatics tools, such as Mass Spectrometry-Data Independent AnaLysis (MS-DIAL) and MS-FINDER softwares. The preprocessed data were sent to the GNPS to build a feature-based molecular network (FBMN). Thirty-three 4-quinolone alkaloids were annotated in the extracts and fractions of stems and roots, whereas 12 were annotated in the extracts and fractions of flowers and leaves. This represents an inaugural chemical investigation study employing UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis, along with a molecular network approach, within this species and genus., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Objectives: Encephalitis is a severe neurological syndrome for which herpesvirus and enteroviruses are the most common etiological agents. Arboviruses, a wildly diverse group of pathogens, are also critical epidemiological agents associated with encephalitis. In Brazil, little is known about the causative agents of encephalitis., Methods: We conducted a hospital surveillance for encephalitis between 2020 and 2022. Molecular (RT-PCR and qPCR) and serological (virus-specific IgM and viral antigens) techniques were performed in cerebrospinal fluid and serum samples obtained from study participants., Results: In the 43 participants evaluated, the etiologic agent or the presence of IgM was detected in 16 (37.2%). Nine (20.9%) cases were positive for chikungunya virus (CHIKV), three (7.0%) for dengue virus, two (4.7%) for human adenovirus, one (2.3%) for varicella-zoster virus, and one (2.3%) for enterovirus. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that the CHIKV identified belongs to the East/Central/South African lineage., Conclusion: Herein, CHIKV is a common pathogen identified in encephalitis cases. Our results reinforce previous evidence that chikungunya represents a significant cause of encephalitis during CHIKV outbreaks and epidemics and add to existing information on the epidemiology of encephalitis in Brazil., Competing Interests: Declarations of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objectives: to understand the process of adapting to childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of a group of pregnant women., Methods: a qualitative, descriptive-exploratory study was conducted with 23 women. Data were collected between October and December 2021 through documentation and semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using Minayo's methodology and Roy's Adaptation Model., Results: various types of stimuli - focal, contextual, and residual - were identified as influencing childbirth preparation. The online group was essential for facilitating pregnant women's adaptation, offering significant support and generating positive feedback for childbirth preparation., Final Considerations: the importance of pregnant women's groups as a strategy for improving adaptation to childbirth was identified, underscoring the effectiveness of this support among professionals and participants, as well as among pregnant women. This support network strengthened preparation for childbirth during a challenging period like the pandemic.

Introduction: The aberrant expression of the inhibitor of DNA binding (ID1) gene has been frequently associated with the leukemogenesis and prognostication acute myeloid leukemia (AML), although its clinical importance has never been investigated in patients treated outside well-controlled clinical trials., Methods: Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we investigated the role of the ID1 expression in the clinical outcomes of non-selected patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated in a real-life setting., Results: Overall, 128 patients were enrolled. Patients with high ID1 expression had a lower 3-year overall survival (OS) rate of 9%, with the 95% confidence interval (95%CI) at 3 to 20%, compared to patients with a low ID1 expression (22%, 95%CI: 11 - 34%) (p = 0.037), although these findings did not retain significance after adjustment (hazard ratio (HR): 1.5, 95%CI: 0.98 - 2.28; p = 0.057). The ID1 expression had no impact on post-induction outcomes (disease-free survival, p = 0.648; cumulative incidence of relapse, p = 0.584)., Conclusions: Although we are aware thar our data are confronted with many variables that cannot be fully controlled, including drug unavailability, risk-adapted treatment, comorbidities and the time from diagnosis to treatment initiation, we are firm believers that such an initiative can provide more realistic data on understudied populations, in particular those from low- and middle-income countries., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors have no competing financial interests to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Associação Brasileira de Hematologia, Hemoterapia e Terapia Celular. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Monitoring and analysing the infection rates of the vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, that causes Chagas disease, helps assess the risk of transmission., Objectives: A study was carried out on triatomine in the State of Paraná, Brazil, between 2012 and 2021 and a comparison was made with a previous study. This was done to assess the risk of disease transmission., Methods: Ecological niche models based on climate and landscape variables were developed to predict habitat suitability for the vectors as a proxy for risk of occurrence., Findings: A total of 1,750 specimens of triatomines were recorded, of which six species were identified. The overall infection rate was 22.7%. The areas with the highest risk transmission of T. cruzi are consistent with previous predictions in municipalities. New data shows that climate models are more accurate than landscape models. This is likely because climate suitability was higher in the previous period., Main Conclusion: Regardless of uneven sampling and potential biases, risk remains high due to the wide presence of infected vectors and high environmental suitability for vector species throughout the state and, therefore, improvements in public policies aimed at wide dissemination of knowledge about the disease are recommended to ensure the State remains free of Chagas disease.

Doping nanoparticles represents a strategy for modulating the energy levels and surface states of nanocrystals (NCs), thereby enhancing their efficiency and mitigating toxicity. Thus, we herein focus on the successful synthesis of pure and gold (Au)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals (NCs), investigating their physical-chemical properties and evaluating their applicability and toxicity through in vitro and in vivo assessments. The optical, structural, and photocatalytic characteristics of these NCs were scrutinized by using optical absorption (OA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and methylene blue degradation, respectively. The formation and doping of the NCs were corroborated by the XRD and OA results. While the introduction of Au as a dopant did induce changes in the phase and size of ZnO, a high concentration of Au ions in ZnO led to a reduction in their photocatalytic activity. This demonstrated a restricted antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Staphylococcus aureus . Remarkably, Au-doped counterparts exhibited enhanced biocompatibility in comparison to ZnO, as evidenced in both in vitro (murine macrophage cells) and in vivo ( Drosophila melanogaster ) studies. Furthermore, confocal microscopy images showed a high luminescence of Au-doped ZnO NCs in vivo . Thus, this study underscores the potential of Au doping of ZnO NCs as a promising technique to enhance material properties and increase biocompatibility., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

The study aimed to detect high-risk areas for deaths of children and adolescents 5 to 14 years of age in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, from 2009 to 2020. This was an exploratory ecological study with municipalities as the units of analysis. Considering mortality data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) and demographic data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the study used multivariate statistics to identify space-time clusters of excess mortality risk in this age group. From 5 to 9 years of age, two clusters with high mortality risk were detected; the most likely located in the state's southern mesoregion (RR: 1.6; LRT: 8,53). Among the 5 clusters detected in the 10-14-year age group, the main cluster was in the state's northern mesoregion (RR: 2,26; LRT: 7,84). A reduction in mortality rates was observed in the younger age group and an increase in these rates in the older group. The identification of these clusters, whose analysis merits replication in other parts of Brazil, is the initial stage in the investigation of possible factors associated with morbidity and mortality in this group, still insufficiently explored, and for planning adequate interventions.

Objective: The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of chronic Chagas disease (CCD) in Brazil: in the general population, in women, and in women of childbearing age., Methods: A meta-analysis of the literature was conducted to extract data on the prevalence of CCD in municipalities in Brazil in the 2010-2022 period: in the general population, in women, and in women of childbearing age. Municipal-level CCD indicators available in health information systems were selected. Statistical modeling of the data extracted from the meta-analysis (based on data obtained from information systems) was applied to linear, generalized linear, and additive models., Results: The five most appropriate models were selected from a total of 549 models tested to obtain a consensus model (adjusted R 2 = 54%). The most important predictor was self-reported CCD in the primary health care information system. Zero prevalence was estimated in 1 792 (32%) of Brazil's 5 570 municipalities; in the remaining 3 778 municipalities, average prevalence of the disease was estimated at 3.25% (± 2.9%). The number of carriers of CCD was estimated for the Brazilian population (~3.7 million), for women (~2.1 million) and for women of childbearing age (~590 000). The disease reproduction rate was calculated at 1.0336. All estimates refer to the 2015-2016 period., Conclusions: The estimated prevalence of CCD, especially among women of childbearing age, highlights the challenge of vertical transmission in Brazilian municipalities. Mathematical projections suggest that these estimates should be included in the national program for the elimination of vertical transmission of Chagas disease.

The degradation of (micro)gels and fractal aggregates based on self-assembled amphiphilic triblock copolymers has been investigated in water by confocal microscopy and light scattering respectively. The triblock copolymer consisted of a central hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) (pAA) block and two hydrophobic end blocks that contained an equal amount of randomly distributed n -butyl acrylate ( n BA) and AA units. These latter units helped at tempering the hydrophobic end blocks resulting in the control and the fine tuning of the dynamics of the self-assembled triblock through the pH. Starting from a pH where the dynamics is frozen, the rate of breakup of the macroscopic gels, microgels and of fractal aggregates was measured after increasing the pH to different values. The mechanism of the breakup was found to be independent of the pH, but its rate increased exponentially with increasing pH. The degradation proceeded through the release of the polymers from the bulk into the surrounding aqueous phase.

Background: The skin of infants has important anatomical and physiological differences from that of children and adults. Because of skin immaturity, reduced mobility, neurological changes, and the need for medical devices, infants are at high risk for pressure injuries. Specific, validated tools are needed to assess the risk of pressure injuries in this population., Objectives: To assess the psychometric properties of the Italian version of Neonatal Skin Risk Assessment Scale (construct validity, internal consistency and reliability)., Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the neonatal units of the two Italian hospitals. 200 infants were examined 3 times by 54 nurses to assess the risk of pressure injuries. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were performed jointly to assess construct validity. Internal consistency was analyzed using McDonalds omega coefficient and Cronbach's alpha, while intra and interobserver agreement using Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC)., Results: Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a 2-factor model; the factor "duration and intensity of pressure" explained four subscales (mental state, mobility, activity and nutrition), while "skin immaturity" explained the subscales (general physical condition and skin moisture). Confirmatory factor analysis results indicated good model fits (X2/df = 0.84, p = 0.002, RMSEA = 0, NNFI = 1.01, NFI = 0.98 y CFI = 1 (M1 with MI). The italian-Neonatal Skin Risk Assessment Scale showed a good internal consistency, McDonalds omega coefficient and Cronbach's alpha both 0.86. An excellent intra and inter observer reliability was also observed, ICC 0.99 and 0.98 respectively., Conclusion: The psychometric characteristics indicate that the italian-Neonatal Skin Risk Assessment Scale is useful, valid and reliable for measuring risk of pressure injuries in the neonatal population., Implications for Clinical Practice: This is the first valid and reliable newborn-specific scale that assesses the presence of medical devices. Its use could enable efficient management of preventive resources, early classification of newborns at risk and assignment of preventive interventions, facilitate the development of risk assessment protocols., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In 2015, the Zika virus (ZIKV) emerged in Brazil, leading to widespread outbreaks in Latin America. Following this, many countries in these regions reported a significant drop in the circulation of dengue virus (DENV), which resurged in 2018-2019. We examine age-specific incidence data to investigate changes in DENV epidemiology before and after the emergence of ZIKV. We observe that incidence of DENV was concentrated in younger individuals during resurgence compared to 2013-2015. This trend was more pronounced in Brazilian states that had experienced larger ZIKV outbreaks. Using a mathematical model, we show that ZIKV-induced cross-protection alone, often invoked to explain DENV decline across Latin America, cannot explain the observed age-shift without also assuming some form of disease enhancement. Our results suggest that a sudden accumulation of population-level immunity to ZIKV could suppress DENV and reduce the mean age of DENV incidence via both protective and disease-enhancing interactions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background & Aims: Changes in dietary habits including increased intake of refined sugars and fats and decreased intake of fiber have been suggested as potential risk factors for the development of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Bioelectrical impedance analysis-derived phase angle (PhA) has been gaining attention in the clinical evaluation of nutritional status. In this study, we for the first time investigated the relationship of PhA and ultra-processed food intake with oxidative stress, body composition and biochemical parameters in adult patients with IBD., Methods: Body composition and PhA were evaluated through electrical bioimpedance. Nitrite (Nox), myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were determined in both groups. Food consumption was obtained by a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ)., Results: In comparison with the control group, the IBD group had increased (p < 0.05) concentrations of Nox (19.95 ± 1.4 vs. 35.43 ± 7.7 μM), MDA (0.70 ± 0.31 vs. 4.56 ± 0.62 nmol/L), and GSH (9.35 ± 0.38 vs. 10.74 ± 0.51 mg NPSH/μL plasma). PhA was positively correlated with GSH (R 2 :0.22; p:0.02) and SOD (R 2 :0.25; p:0.01). IBD patients ingested higher amounts of ultra-processed foods (IBD:17.04 ± 2.76 vs. Control:24.88 ± 2.30%). However, IBD patients had better consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods (IBD:79.06 ± 3.07 vs. Control:67.83 ± 2.32%). We found a positive correlation between ultra-processed food consumption and MDA (R 2 0.43; p:0.01)., Conclusions: PhA may be a practical and effective measure in clinical follow-up of IBD patients, being associated with bilirubin levels and antioxidant enzymes. Also, we recommend evaluating consumption of ultra-processed foods, since this was related with increasing oxidative stress markers in clinical follow-up of IBD patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare no conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: In real-world experience, the number of patients using vedolizumab as first-line biological therapy was low. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab in mild-to-moderate Crohn's disease (CD) biologic-naïve patients., Methods: We performed a retrospective multicentric cohort study with patients who had clinical activity scores (Harvey-Bradshaw Index [HBI]) measured at baseline and weeks 12, 26, 52, as well as at the last follow-up. Clinical response was defined as a reduction ≥3 in HBI, whereas clinical remission as HBI ≤4. Mucosal healing was defined as the complete absence of ulcers in control colonoscopies. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess the persistence with vedolizumab., Results: From a total of 66 patients, 53% (35/66) reached clinical remission at week 12. This percentage increased to 69.7% (46/66) at week 26, and 78.8% (52/66) at week 52. Mucosal healing was achieved in 62.3% (33/53) of patients. Vedolizumab was well tolerated, and most adverse events were minor. During vedolizumab treatment, 3/66 patients underwent surgery., Conclusions: This study demonstrates the effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab as a first-line biological agent in patients with mild-to-moderate CD., Competing Interests: P.G.K. and N.S.F.Q. hold the position of Associate Editor for Crohn’s & Colitis 360 and has been recused from reviewing or making decisions for the manuscript. A.Z.D. received a funding to a Master’s Degree scholarship for 2 years. D.O.M., E.G.V., M.M.L., R.L.P., R.L.K.J., and M.A.G.F. have nothing to declare. J.M.F.C. served as speaker for Abbott, Abbvie, Janssen and Takeda. LAC e ARA served as speaker for Janssen, Takeda, Abbvie. F.S. served as Advisory board member of Eurofarma, Janssen, Pfizer, Takeda, and speaker for AbbVie, Amgen, Ferring, Janssen, Pfizer, Sandoz, and Takeda. M.A. served as speaker from Janssen, Takeda, Abbvie, and Pfizer. NSC served as speaker from Janssen, Abbvie, and Sandoz. J.M.L.P. and J.C.L. served as speaker for Takeda. R.S.P. received lecture fee[s] from AbbVie, Janssen, Takeda, Pfizer; is an advisory committee member for Janssen and AbbVie; and he also does clinical research for Janssen and Abbvie. C.F. served as speaker from Takeda, Abbvie, Janssen, Sandoz, Pfizer. E.M.M. served as speaker from Takeda, Janssen, and Ferring. S.C.F. and G.M.N. served as speaker for Takeda and Janssen. N.S.F.Q. served a speaker and advisory board member for Janssen, Takeda, and Abbvie. P.G.K. served as speaker and consultancy for Janssen, Takeda, Abbvie, and Pfizer., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.)

The occurrence of hole regions in Wireless Sensor Networks is a significant challenge when applying a greedy technique in a geographic routing approach. The local minimum phenomenon is commonly attributed to physical obstacles, energy depletion of the nodes, failures in communication between neighbors, or even the incorrect deployment of the nodes in the sensing field. To address the problem of hole regions, most approaches choose to abandon the traditional greedy forwarding mechanism to temporarily adopt the well-known perimeter routing scheme applied to nearby nodes or along the edge of a region of a hole. However, this mechanism does not satisfy the network load balance requirement, because it imposes too much traffic to the nodes in the hole's edge, making them overloaded when compared to other network nodes more distant from holes. In this work, we propose a novel location-free geographic routing technique called PAtCH (Proactive Approach to Circumvent Holes in Wireless Sensor Network) to avoid routing holes in WSNs. Our solution can circumvent hole regions and create routing paths toward the destination. We consider that our sink has a higher communication range, and the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) is used to assist the construction of the routing paths. Our results show the efficiency achieved by our proposed solution in scenarios with hole regions, also maintaining all the benefits of a classic greedy forwarding technique.

Dengue fever is among the most significant public health concerns in Brazil. To date, the highest number of Dengue notifications in the Americas has been reported in Brazil, with cases accounting for a total number of 3,418,796 reported cases as of mid-December 2022. Furthermore, the northeastern region of Brazil registered the second-highest incidence of Dengue fever in 2022. Due to the alarming epidemiological scenario, in this study, we used a combination of portable whole-genome sequencing, phylodynamic, and epidemiological analyses to reveal a novel DENV-1 genotype V clade and the persistence of DENV-2 genotype III in the region. We further report the presence of non-synonymous mutations associated with non-structural domains, especially the NS2A (non-structural protein 2A), as well as describe synonymous mutations in envelope and membrane proteins, distributed differently between clades. However, the absence of clinical data at the time of collection and notification, as well as the impossibility of monitoring patients in order to observe worsening or death, restricts our possibility of correlating mutational findings with possible clinical prognoses. Together, these results reinforce the crucial role of genomic surveillance to follow the evolution of circulating DENV strains and understand their spread across the region through inter-regional importation events, likely mediated by human mobility, and also the possible impacts on public health and outbreak management.

Portugal is regularly affected by destructive wildfires that have severe social, economic, and ecological impacts. The total burnt area in 2017 (∼540,000 ha) marked the all-time record value since 1980 with a tragic toll of 114 fatalities that occurred in June and October events. The local insurance sector declared it was the costliest natural disaster in Portugal with payouts exceeding USD295 million. Here, the 2017 October event, responsible for more than 200,000 ha of burnt area and 50 fatalities is analyzed from a compound perspective. A prolonged drought led to preconditioned cumulative hydric stress of vegetation in October 2017. In addition, on 15 October 2017, two other major drivers played a critical role: 1) the passage of hurricane Ophelia off the Coast of Portugal, responsible for exceptional meteorological conditions and 2) the human agent, responsible for an extremely elevated number of negligent ignitions. This disastrous combination of natural and anthropogenic drivers led to the uncontrolled wildfires observed on 15 October., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Background: Despite growing scientific knowledge of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection, questions remain regarding ZIKV infection in pregnancy and congenital ZIKV syndrome (CZS)., Methods: The ZIKAction Paediatric Registry is an international registry of children with documented ZIKV exposure in utero and/or with confirmed or suspected CZS. Its aim is to characterize these children (i.e., clinical, radiological, neurodevelopmental features) and describe outcomes, longer-term sequelae and management through retrospective case note review. This analysis described the maternal and perinatal characteristics of children in the Registry's Bahia arm, assessed their neuroimaging, ophthalmic, hearing and electroencephalography abnormalities by microcephaly classification and reported on hospitalisations. Children born in 2015-2018 and enrolled 2020-2021 in three public health facilities in Salvador were included., Results: Of 129 (57% female) children, 15 (11·6%) had laboratory-confirmed congenital ZIKV infection and 114 (88·4%) suspected CZS. At delivery, 15 (11·6%) were normocephalic, 30 (23·3%) moderately microcephalic, and 84 (65·1%) severely microcephalic. Median birth head circumference z-score was -3·51 [IQR, -4·69,-2·73]. During follow-up, all children had abnormal neuroimaging, 80·3% (94/117) abnormal electroencephalogram, 62·2% (77/120) ophthalmic abnormalities, and 27·4% (34/124) hearing impairment. Microcephaly classification was significantly associated with gestational age, and ophthalmological and electroencephalography abnormalities. Of 125 children with hospitalisation data, 52 (41·6%) had been hospitalised by most recent follow-up, at median age of 15·8 [4·0, 34·4] months; infections were the leading cause., Conclusion: Congenital ZIKV infection is an emerging disease with a varied and incompletely understood spectrum. Continued long-term follow-up is essential to understand longer-term prognosis and to inform future health and educational needs., Competing Interests: Claire Thorne and all authors reports financial support was provided by European Commission Horizon 2020., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Toxoplasmosis, despite advances in science and technology, is a disease that requires attention since there is no vaccine capable of immunizing humans and animals against all isolated types of Toxoplasma gondii. Thus, the use of chimeric proteins, which can contain multiple antigens, is a very promising alternative for the process of obtaining a vaccine and diagnostic test for toxoplasmosis due to the great diversity of antigens presented by T. gondii. In this context, the present study evaluates batch culture strategies in the production of the multi-antigenic chimeric protein TgAGS/BsT from Toxoplasma gondii. Several exploratory cultures were initially carried out to observe the kinetic behavior of E. coli BL21 Star in five different medium compositions without the addition of IPTG (inducer). Cultures of E. coli B21 Star were carried out with 1.0 mM IPTG at different times of initiation of induction (0.5, 1, and 6 h) to evaluate the effects on cell growth, production of the protein of interest, culture pH, and acetic acid formation. The results showed that among the culture media evaluated, 2xTY and TB supplemented with glycerol had the best cell concentration values of 3.42 ± 0.05 g/L and 5.48 ± 0.05 g/L, respectively. In the assays induced by IPTG, a higher expression of TgAGS/BsT protein was observed, with induction beginning within 6 h of culture, with a maximum concentration of protein of interest of 1.82 ± 0.02 g/L for the 2xTY and 2.49 ± 0.03 g/L for the TB medium. In addition, later induction by IPTG provided greater stability of plasmid pET-TgAGS, remaining with values above 90% at the end of culture., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Although a growing body of evidence demonstrates that altered mtDNA content (mtDNAc) has clinical implications in several types of solid tumours, its prognostic relevance in acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) patients remains largely unknown. Here, we show that patients with higher-than-normal mtDNAc had better outcomes regardless of tumour burden. These results were more evident in patients with low-risk of relapse. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated that high mtDNAc was independently associated with a decreased cumulative incidence of relapse. Altogether, our data highlights the possible role of mitochondrial metabolism in APL patients treated with ATRA., (© 2022 British Society for Haematology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: to analyze the characteristics and temporal trend of mortality rates in the population aged 5 to 14 years in Mato Grosso state and in Brazil, from 2009 to 2020., Methods: this was an ecological time-series study, based on data taken from the Mortality Information System. Descriptive and trend analyses were performed, using the joinpoint regression model and calculating the average annual percentage change (AAPC)., Results: in Brazil and in Mato Grosso state, deaths were predominantly male, preventable and due to external causes. A falling trend was identified for Brazil (5-9 years AAPC: -2.9; 95%CI -4.3;-1.6 and 10-14 years AAPC: -2.5; 95%CI -3.3;-1.8), while a stationary trend was found in Mato Grosso (5-9 years AAPC: -2.0; 95%CI -5.6;1.7 and 10-14 years AAPC: -0.1; 95%CI -5.9;6.1)., Conclusion: the stable trend of mortality at high levels demands urgent interventions to reduce it.

Integrated photonic circuits are key components for photonic quantum technologies and for the implementation of chip-based quantum devices. Future applications demand flexible architectures to overcome common limitations of many current devices, for instance the lack of tuneabilty or built-in quantum light sources. Here, we report on a dynamically reconfigurable integrated photonic circuit comprising integrated quantum dots (QDs), a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) and surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducers directly fabricated on a monolithic semiconductor platform. We demonstrate on-chip single photon generation by the QD and its sub-nanosecond dynamic on-chip control. Two independently applied SAWs piezo-optomechanically rotate the single photon in the MZI or spectrally modulate the QD emission wavelength. In the MZI, SAWs imprint a time-dependent optical phase and modulate the qubit rotation to the output superposition state. This enables dynamic single photon routing with frequencies exceeding one gigahertz. Finally, the combination of the dynamic single photon control and spectral tuning of the QD realizes wavelength multiplexing of the input photon state and demultiplexing it at the output. Our approach is scalable to multi-component integrated quantum photonic circuits and is compatible with hybrid photonic architectures and other key components for instance photonic resonators or on-chip detectors., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Cardiopulmonary bypass generates a systemic inflammatory response. This inflammatory response is reduced if patients are ventilated during bypass, as evidenced by lower levels of postoperative circulating inflammatory mediators. However, this does not appear to make much clinical difference in adults, at least not consistently, but, to our knowledge, has never been assessed in paediatric cardiac surgery, which is the objective of this study., Methods: This is a prospective clinical study of 12 consecutive neonates operated for the correction of either transposition of the great arteries ± ventricular septal defect or aortic arch hypoplasia ± ventricular septal defect, who were ventilated during cardiopulmonary bypass. These were compared to 11 neonates with the same malformations, who had undergone the same operations but without being ventilated during bypass (historical control group)., Results: One patient from the control group died on the 15th postoperative day due to sepsis and multi-organ failure. Bypass times and cross-clamp times were similar in the 2 groups. Ventilation on bypass was associated with significantly lower postoperative serum concentrations of C-reactive protein, shorter mechanical ventilation and lower vasoactive-inotropic score. Duration of stay on intensive care unit (ICU) showed a tendency to be shorter in patients who were ventilated on bypass, but this did not reach statistical significance. There were no differences between the 2 groups with respect to postoperative mixed venous oxygen saturations and serum concentrations of lactate and troponin I., Conclusions: Mechanical ventilation during cardiopulmonary bypass in neonates improves postoperative outcome., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

To analyze the correlation between functional health literacy (FHL) and self-efficacy (SE) in people with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Cross-sectional study was conducted among September and October 2019, with 196 people with type 2 diabetes. Data were collected using the Functional Literacy in Health instrument (B-TOFHLA) and the Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy Scale for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DMSES). Bivariate analysis was used to verify the relationship among the constructs. Most diabetics showed an average B-TOFHLA score of 74.75, considered adequate, and self-efficacy of 4.07, high. The association between SE and FHL in the bivariate analysis found no statistical significance ( p  > .05), in the same sense as the B-TOFHLA score and the DMSES domains ( p  > .05). Constructs were not related to each other in terms of skills arising from judgments and decisions with motivational confidence by the investigated audience.

Objectives: In this review, we systematically assess whether dietary interventions are effective in attenuating inflammatory biomarkers in IBDs based on clinical trials available in the literature., Research Methods & Procedures: This review was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the PRISMA. We used the PubMed and SciVerse Scopus databases and the Cochrane collaboration tool to assess the risk of bias in clinical trials. The PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcomes) strategy was used, with the descriptors: "Inflammatory bowel disease", "Crohn's disease", "cd", "ibd", "ulcerative colitis", "uc", "Diet", "Diet Habits", "Feeding", "Nutrients", "Food Intake", "Dietary patterns", "Inflammations", "Inflammation", "acute-phase proteins", "C-reactive protein", "interleukins", "tumor necrosis factor-alpha" and "inflammatory response". There is no conflict of interest., Data Analysis: Fifteen studies were included, with a total of 627 participants. Of the total studies included, seven showed a reduction in some inflammatory markers in response to dietary interventions. This review was registered with the PROSPERO platform under number: CRD42021235150., Conclusions: The results presented in this review reveal that dietary intervention with specific characteristics may be important during the treatment of the inflammatory process in patients with IBDs., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: to translate and culturally adapt the Risk assessment and management of exposure of health care workers in the context of covid-19 questionnaire to the Brazilian context and to develop and evaluate a sociodemographic and occupational characterization questionnaire to compose the adapted questionnaire., Method: five stages were conducted to adapt the Risk assessment and management of exposure of health care workers in the context of covid-19 questionnaire, namely: translation, synthesis of the translations, evaluation by a committee of judges, back translation and pre-test. As for the complementary questionnaire, it was elaborated and evaluated by a committee of judges and a pre-test was carried out., Results: the questionnaires were validated and the pre-test stage was conducted with health workers and students., Conclusion: the final version adapted to the Brazilian context was called Questionário de avaliação de risco e gestão da exposição de trabalhadores e estudantes de saúde no contexto da covid-19 and is available for use, together with the final version of the Sociodemographic and occupational questionnaire: Risk assessment and management of exposure of health care workers and students in the context of covid-19. These questionnaires may assist in mitigating the risks of infection, illness and death of health workers and students due to covid-19.

The appearance of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 has recently challenged public health authorities with respect to tracking transmission and mitigating the impact in the evolving pandemic across countries. B.1.525 is considered a variant under investigation since it carries specific genetic signatures present in P.1, B.1.1.7, and B.1.351. Here we report genomic evidence of the first likely imported case of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.525 variant, isolated in a traveler returning from Nigeria., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The identification of the magnitude of chronic Chagas disease in Brazil requires linking activities in health surveillance, seeking to develop a wide, hierarchically organized and geographically distributed network of services to provide care to thousands of individuals with Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The study aimed to elaborate a model for prioritization of municipalities for chronic Chagas disease, to offer comprehensive care for persons with the disease. A multicriteria analysis was thus performed using the PROMETHEÉ II algorithm, implemented in the Pradin software. The criteria for assessing the model consisted of three indices built from the following indicators: (a) epidemiological, directly related to chronic Chagas disease, (b) related to the evolution in chronic Chagas disease, and (c) related to access to health services. Saaty's Fundamental Scale was used to define the indicators' weights, with greater importance assigned to those directly related to chronic Chagas disease and to those with greater reliability and respective quality of information. Assessment of the models' consistency was based on comparison of the available data in historically endemic areas with the distribution of acute cases, besides other sensitivity analyses. The best model was defined by 1,345 municipalities with medium priority, 1,003 high priority, and 601 with very high priority for chronic Chagas disease, with the highest proportions in the Southeast and Northeast regions. Prioritization allows the administration to rationalize and channel resources, and it is essential to identify the territories where persons with chronic Chagas disease are living, to promote comprehensive care and improve quality of life.

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) with a remission-relapsing presentation and symptomatic exacerbations that have detrimental impacts on patient quality of life and are associated with a high cost burden, especially in patients with moderate-to-severe disease. The Real-world Data of Moderate-to-Severe Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Brazil (RISE BR) study was a noninterventional study designed to evaluate disease control, treatment patterns, disease burden and health-related quality of life in patients with moderate-to-severe active IBD. We report findings from the prospective follow-up phase of the RISE BR study in patients with active UC or CD., Aim: To describe the 12-mo disease evolution and treatment patterns among patients with active moderate-to-severe IBD in Brazil., Methods: This was a prospective, noninterventional study of adult patients with active Crohn's disease (CD: Harvey-Bradshaw Index ≥ 8, CD Activity Index ≥ 220), inadequate CD control ( i.e., calprotectin > 200 µg/g or colonoscopy previous results), or active ulcerative colitis (UC: Partial Mayo score ≥ 5). Enrollment occurred in 14 centers from October 2016 to February 2017. The proportion of active IBD patients after 9-12 mo of follow-up, Kaplan-Meier estimates of the time to mild or no activity and a summary of treatment initiation, discontinuation and dose changes were examined., Results: The study included 118 CD and 36 UC patients, with mean ± SD ages of 43.3 ± 12.6 and 44.9 ± 16.5 years, respectively. The most frequent drug classes at index were biologics for CD (62.7%) and 5-aminosalicylate derivates for UC patients (91.7%). During follow-up, 65.3% of CD and 86.1% of UC patients initiated a new treatment at least once. Discontinuations/dose changes occurred in 68.1% of CD patients [median 2.0 (IQR: 2-5)] and 94.3% of UC patients [median 4.0 (IQR: 3-7)]. On average, CD and UC patients had 4.4 ± 2.6 and 5.0 ± 3.3 outpatient visits, respectively. The median time to first mild or no activity was 319 (IQR: 239-358) d for CD and 320 (IQR: 288-358) d for UC patients. At 9-12 mo, 22.0% of CD and 20.0% of UC patients had active disease., Conclusion: Although a marked proportion of active IBD patients achieved disease control within one year, the considerable time to achieve this outcome represents an unmet medical need of the current standard of care in a Brazilian real-world setting., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Ligia Yukie Sassaki has received fees for serving as a speaker for AbbVie and Takeda. Sender Jankiel Miszputen has received fees for serving as a speaker and/or a consultant for Farmoquimica, Janssen and Marjan. He has received research funding from Ache, Roche and Takeda. Wilson Roberto Catapani has received fees for serving as a speaker and/or an advisory board member for Janssen and Takeda. Mauro Bafutto has received fees for serving as a speaker for Takeda, AbbVie, Janssen, UCB and Farmoquimica. He has received fees for serving as an advisory board member for AbbVie and Janssen. Antonio Scafuto Scotton has received fees for serving as a speaker for Janssen, Novartis, AbbVie, MSD, EMS. He has received research funding from Janssen, Novartis, AbbVie, Roche, Pfizer, Bristol, Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Anthera, AstraZeneca, GSK, UCB, Sanofi, Takeda, Parexel, IQVIA, PPD, PRA, ICON, INP Research, Covance, In Trials. Cyrla Zaltman has received fees for serving as a speaker for UCB, Janssen, Takeda, AbbVie. She has received research funding from AbbVie, Takeda, Janssen. Julio Pinheiro Baima has received fees for serving as a speaker for Janssen and Takeda. Cristina Flores has received fees for serving as a speaker for Janssen, Takeda, AbbVie. She has received fees for serving as an advisory board member for Janssen. Rodrigo Bremer Nones has received fees for serving as a speaker for AbbVie, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, Nestle, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB Pharma and Takeda. Jose Miguel Luz Parente has received fees for serving as a speaker for Takeda. Julio Maria Fonseca Chebli has received fees for serving as a speaker for AbbVie, Janssen, UCB Pharma and Takeda. Maria de Lourdes de Abreu Ferrari has received fees for serving as a speaker and/or advisory board member for AbbVie, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, UCB Pharma, and Takeda. Rogerio Serafim Parra has received fees for serving as a speaker and/or an advisory board member for AbbVie, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, UCB Pharma and Takeda. Jose Joaquim Ribeiro da Rocha has received fees for serving as a speaker for Nestle. Marley Ribeiro Feitosa has received fees for serving as a speaker for AbbVie and Janssen. Rosana Fusaro Caratin was an employee of Takeda Pharmaceuticals Brazil at the time the manuscript was developed. Juliana Tosta Senra is an employee of Takeda Pharmaceuticals Brazil. Genoile Oliveira Santana has received fees for serving as a speaker for Takeda, AbbVie, Janssen, UCB Pharma. She has received research funding from Celgene and Roche. She has received fees for serving as an advisory board member for Janssen. No conflict of interest: Roberto Luiz Kaiser Junior, Mikaell Alexandre Gouvea Faria, Carolina Dias Goncalves, Isabella de Miranda Guimaraes, Heda Maria Barska dos Santos Amarante, Murilo Moura Lima, Odery Ramos, Omar Feres, Hagata Souza Ramos, Julia Faria Campos, and Maria das Gracas Pimenta Sanna., (©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Brazil experienced a large dengue virus (DENV) epidemic in 2019, highlighting a continuous struggle with effective control and public health preparedness. Using Oxford Nanopore sequencing, we led field and classroom initiatives for the monitoring of DENV in Brazil, generating 227 novel genome sequences of DENV1-2 from 85 municipalities (2015-2019). This equated to an over 50% increase in the number of DENV genomes from Brazil available in public databases. Using both phylogenetic and epidemiological models we retrospectively reconstructed the recent transmission history of DENV1-2. Phylogenetic analysis revealed complex patterns of transmission, with both lineage co-circulation and replacement. We identified two lineages within the DENV2 BR-4 clade, for which we estimated the effective reproduction number and pattern of seasonality. Overall, the surveillance outputs and training initiative described here serve as a proof-of-concept for the utility of real-time portable sequencing for research and local capacity building in the genomic surveillance of emerging viruses.

Context: Glutamine supplementation has been applied clinical practice to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, scientific evidence about this is still controversial., Objective: In this review, we systematically evaluated the effects of glutamine supplementation on IBD, based on evidence from randomized clinical trials., Data Source: This review was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). We used the PubMed and SciVerse Scopus databases. The Cochrane collaboration tool was used to assess the risk of bias in clinical trials., Data Extraction: The review was carried out by two independent researchers according to the established inclusion criteria. The PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcomes) strategy was used, with the descriptors: "glutamine," "supplementation," "inflammatory bowel diseases," "Crohn's disease," and "ulcerative colitis"., Data Synthesis: Seven research articles were selected for this systematic review. In these studies, glutamine was administered to the participants through oral (21-30g or 0.5g per kg of participant's body weight), enteral (7.87g-8.3 g/100g of the enteral formula), and/or parenteral (0.3  g/kg of the participant's body weight) routes. No changes in anthropometry or biochemical parameters were observed. However, in one study reduced intestinal permeability and morphometry were reported. In two other studies, a slight effect of glutamine on inflammation and oxidative stress was observed. Additionally, two other studies reported an effect of glutamine supplementation on disease activity., Conclusions: The findings obtained through this systematic review indicate that glutamine supplementation has no effect on disease course, anthropometric measurements, intestinal permeability and morphology, disease activity, intestinal symptoms, biochemical parameters, oxidative stress and inflammation markers in patients with IBD, regardless of the route of administration, either treated at a hospital or as outpatients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)