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El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar las posibilidades que los instrumentos científicos fabricados hace más de dos siglos pueden proporcionar hoy a los que no los conocen. Además del papel jugado en su creación por parte de los inventores y fabricantes, veremos el no menos importante papel de los responsables de su comercialización. Los catálogos de venta donde se presentaban estos objetos son actualmente verdaderas joyas bibliográficas por la calidad de los textos y por los grabados en ellos contenidos. El Museo Andaluz de la Educación cuenta con una colección de más de 850 instrumentos científicos históricos para la investigación y la docencia (algunos del siglo XVIII, y muchos de los siglos XIX y XX).

Con el propósito de determinar la calidad en semillas beneficiadas de Zea mays, se evaluó el comportamiento de los indicadores de calidad de cuatro variedades recibidas del Laboratorio Provincial de Semillas de Cienfuegos, correspondientes al primer semestre de 2021. Para determinar la calidad física de las mismas y el diagnóstico fitosanitario se estimaron las variables cantidad de semillas puras, materia inerte, porcentaje de germinación, plántulas normales y anormales, cantidad de semillas frescas, puras y muertas según la Norma Cubana NC: 70:01, perteneciente a los estándares ISTA. La germinación mostró diferencias significativas entre las variedades evaluadas. Las muestras de semillas híbridas exhibieron porcentajes de germinación inferiores al resto. La cantidad de materia inerte en el diagnóstico fitosanitario fue mayor para MAIG-5461 seguido del híbrido AME-15. Sin embargo, el porcentaje de semillas puras fue superior al 98% en todas las variedades, lo que indica que las muestras están libres de cualquier mezcla de otras semillas y en menor cantidad de materia inerte.

Background: Inhalation therapy with corticosteroids and long-acting β 2 -agonists has been the mainstay of asthma management. However, choosing the correct inhaler technique is essential to effectively deliver the medication to the lungs to attain good asthma control. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate asthma control and device usability with salmeterol/fluticasone fixed-dose combination (FDC) administered through Synchrobreathe ® , a breath-actuated inhaler (BAI), in Indian patients with persistent asthma (EVOLVE study). Design: The present study was a prospective, open-label, non-comparative, multi-center, observational study. Methods: The study enrolled 490 patients with documented diagnoses of asthma who were treatment-naive or uncontrolled due to poor inhaler technique associated with a previous device. The primary endpoint was a change from baseline in the Asthma Control Questionnaire-6 (ACQ-6) score at week 12. Results: Mean ACQ-6 score reduced from 2.2 ± 1.07 (baseline) to 0.4 ± 0.49 (mean change: –1.9 ± 1.12, p

El presente trabajo se realizó con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento de la variedad holandesa de papa “Santana”, plantada en áreas de producción de la Empresa Cítrico “Arimao”, del municipio de Cumanayagua, Cienfuegos, Cuba. Se utilizó un diseño de bloques al azar con dos tratamientos (Tubérculos madre, Calibre II, 35-45 mm y Calibre III, 45-55 mm) y cinco réplicas, en parcelas 22.5 m2. Durante el ciclo del cultivo se evaluó la emergencia de los tubérculos semilla, número de tallos por plantón y su altura, momento de la floración. Fueron registradas las temperaturas máximas, mínimas y media y se determinó la amplitud de las mismas. La cosecha del experimento fue de forma manual a los 84 días después de la plantación. Se calculó el rendimiento total en t ha-1. Los resultados se procesaron estadísticamente mediante un ANOVA, y se empleó la prueba de Duncan mediante el uso del programa estadístico Statgrafphics Cent.16. La emergencia de los tubérculos semilla a los 21 días alcanzó el 95 %, el número de tallos por plantón mostró diferencias significativas entre los dos calibres y repercutió en la densidad real del cultivo. La temperatura media ambiental posterior a la plantación superó los 25 °C, con una amplitud durante todo el ciclo del cultivo por debajo de los 10 °C. La mayor cantidad de tubérculos fue cuantificada por plantón, mientras que disminuyó por tallos. El rendimiento alcanzado sobrepasó las 22 t ha-1, sin diferencias estadísticas entre los tratamientos

El Museo Andaluz de la Educación, MAE, está en Alhaurín de la Torre (Málaga), en el Valle del Guadalhorce, a 17 Km de Málaga. Se formó a partir de las donaciones de Jesús Asensi (sobre todo libros pedagógicos, libros infantiles y manuales escolares) y José Antonio Mañas (especialmente instrumentos y libros para la enseñanza de las ciencias desde el siglo XIX, y objetos y textos escolares de todo tipo). Su colección está compuesta de más de 5.000 libros, más de 800 instrumentos científicos y más de 1.200 objetos escolares. Desde su inauguración, el 21 de noviembre de 2019, ha desarrollado una intensa actividad. En este texto nos acercamos a su génesis, estructura, contenido y situación actual

The treatment of hematologic patients in palliative situations remains a major challenge as there are special clinical needs, e.g., transfusions and the high risk for infectious complications with subsequent use of broad anti-infective treatment. Furthermore, most hematologic patients have a relatively long history of disease and are acquainted with "their" wards; that is why most are treated on these hematologic and not on specialized palliative wards. The standardized approach to the care of hematologic patients with curative treatment intention is probably not fully appropriate for palliative patients. In order to evaluate the current situation of treatment characteristics in a German university hospital, we retrospectively evaluated the medical documentation of all patients who died on a hematologic ward between 2005 and 2008. While we found a high number of chemotherapeutic, anti-infective, analgesic, and sedative treatments, of transfusions, of treatment on the intensive care units, and of invasive nature, non-somatic interventions were rather scarce. Symptom control, e.g., for bleeding events or pain, was frequently not adequately achieved. With regard to the palliative situation, a holistic approach with the maintenance of patients' autonomy and the preference for dying at home, the treatment of hematologic patients in a palliative situation has to be reconsidered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Este artigo visa a apresentar e discutir a pertinência ou a impertinência de dois conceitos-chave no pensamento do Hannah Arendt para descrever e compreender processos fundamentais da história recente do Chile: ‘totalitarismo’, como regime fundado no Terror para referir a ditadura de Augusto Pinochet, que teve lugar entre os anos 1973 e 1989, e ‘sociedade de trabalhadores’, como forma pós-totalitária da sociedade de massas, orientada para o trabalho e consumo, para descrever um dos aspectos centrais da sociedade neoliberal que a ditadura chilena instala

La esclerosis múltiple (EM) es una enfermedad crónica, inflamatoria y autoinmune del sistema nervioso central de etiología desconocida. Determinados factores ambientales, como la vitamina D, pueden influir en su patogénesis, aunque no está claro cuál es el umbral óptimo de vitamina D necesario para maximizar sus beneficios extraóseos. En el presente artículo se revisan de forma no sistemática los estudios que relacionan vitamina D y EM a lo largo del mundo. De forma global, no existen diferencias significativas entre casos de EM y controles. En las series de casos, se aprecia hipovitaminosis D en pacientes con EM respecto a los valores que se consideran normales, observación que también se puede dar en individuos sanos. Para poder precisar el alcance de la asociación entre vitamina D y EM serán necesarios nuevos estudios prospectivos.

El artículo presenta un recorrido diacrónico que describe una experiencia innovadora universitaria basada en el desarrollo de mapas conceptuales multimedia con el objetivo de analizar la percepción de los estudiantes sobre las ventajas e inconvenientes del uso de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) en el ámbito educativo. Estos mapas fueron presentados, con la aplicación Prezi, por los estudiantes que cursaban la asignatura de Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación en la titulación de Grado de Educación Social y Doble Grado de Educación Social y Trabajo Social durante tres cursos académicos comprendidos entre 2010 y 2013 en la Universidad Pablo de Olavide de Sevilla. La metodología de corte cualitativo y descriptivo permitió revisar las 342 aportaciones realizadas por los estudiantes. Entre las conclusiones más importantes se destaca que los futuros educadores valoran los beneficios educativos de las TIC para la mejora de los procesos de aprendizaje.

El objetivo de este documento es proponer a las bibliotecas universitarias una estrategia tecnológica para adaptarse a los cambios que se están produciendo en los ámbitos del aprendizaje y la investigación. Los principales cambios a los que nos vamos a referir son: la web es la nueva plataforma para la comunicación de la información, esta web está orientada no sólo a los humanos sino también a las máquinas y está potenciando el trabajo en red y en colaboración. Por otra parte, esta forma de trabajar está generando un nuevo concepto de unidad de información, modelada no sólo por la necesidad de representar nuevas formas de publicación (texto, data, simulaciones…) en las nuevas prácticas científicas, sino también por los cambios en la naturaleza de las herramientas de creación y los entornos en que se usan. Finalmente, cada vez más, los usuarios no sólo consumen información, sino que también quieren participar en su generación (blogs, wikis, youtube, slideshare...). Se describen las implicaciones que esos cambios están teniendo en el entorno de las bibliotecas universitarias: la importancia del e-learning, los CRAI y el nuevo modelo de comunicación y publicación científica y se indican algunas líneas de actuación para orientar la estrategia tecnológica de las bibliotecas a la luz de estas transformaciones: nuevo concepto de unidad de información, interoperabilidad, flexibilidad y arquitecturas abiertas.The aim of this paper is to propose a technological strategy that university libraries can use to adapt to changes in the learning and research fields. The following are the most significant of these changes. The Web is the new platform for communicating information, and is aimed at both humans and machines. It promotes working in networks and in collaboration. This way of working is generating a new concept of the information unit. This concept reflects the need to represent new forms of publication (text, data, simulations, etc.) in new scientific practices, and changes in the nature of the tools for creating information and the environments in which they are used. Finally, users not only consume information, but increasingly want to participate in generating it (in blogs, the Wiki systems, YouTube, SlideShare, etc.). We describe the implications of these changes for university libraries: the importance of electronic learning, Learning and Research Resource Centres (CRAI), and the new models of communication and scientific publication. In addition, we propose some lines of action to guide libraries’ technology strategies, in accordance with these changes: the new concept of the information unit, interoperability, flexibility and open architecture.

L'objectiu d'aquest document és proposar a les biblioteques universitàries una estratègia tecnològica per adaptar-se als canvis que es produeixen en els àmbits de l'aprenentatge i la recerca. Els canvis més importants a què ens referirem són els següents: el web és la nova plataforma per comunicar la informació, i aquesta plataforma està orientada no solament als humans, sinó també a les màquines, i alhora potencia el treball en xarxa i en col·laboració. D'altra banda, aquesta manera de treballar està generant un nou concepte d'unitat d'informació, modelat no només per la necessitat de representar noves maneres de publicació (text, dades, simulacions, etc.) en les pràctiques científiques noves, sinó també pels canvis en la naturalesa de les eines de creació i els entorns en els quals s'usen. Finalment, cada vegada més, els usuaris no solament consumeixen informació, sinó que també volen participar a l'hora de generar-la (els blogs, els sistemes wiki, el YouTube, l'SlideShare, etc.). Es descriuen les implicacions que tenen aquests canvis en l'entorn de les biblioteques universitàries: la importància de l'aprenentatge electrònic, els CRAI i el nou model de comunicació i publicació científica. A més, s'indiquen algunes línies d'actuació per orientar l'estratègia tecnològica de les biblioteques d'acord amb aquestes transformacions: el nou concepte d'unitat d'informació, la interoperabilitat, la flexibilitat i les arquitectures obertes.The aim of this paper is to propose a technological strategy that university libraries can use to adapt to changes in the learning and research fields. The following are the most significant of these changes. The Web is the new platform for communicating information, and is aimed at both humans and machines. It promotes working in networks and in collaboration. This way of working is generating a new concept of the information unit. This concept reflects the need to represent new forms of publication (text, data, simulations, etc.) in new scientific practices, and changes in the nature of the tools for creating information and the environments in which they are used. Finally, users not only consume information, but increasingly want to participate in generating it (in blogs, the Wiki systems, YouTube, SlideShare, etc.). We describe the implications of these changes for university libraries: the importance of electronic learning, Learning and Research Resource Centres (CRAI), and the new models of communication and scientific publication. In addition, we propose some lines of action to guide libraries’ technology strategies, in accordance with these changes: the new concept of the information unit, interoperability, flexibility and open architecture.

This project was conducted in the Fundación Universitaria San Martín with night accounting students who were coursing sixth semester. They were taking 3rd level of English. The purpose of the study was to improve reading comprehension through the use of some reading strategies. A group of 6 students was chosen because of their low level and difficulties in understanding texts in English. Data collection was conducted using questionnaires, teacher’s observation and teacher’s diary. Results showed that students mostly liked to read topics related to their programs, despite their lack of vocabulary, and they improved reading comprehension through the use of adequate reading strategies, avoiding the overuse of translation.

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by pulmonary and systemic inflammation which flare-up during episodes of acute exacerbation (AECOPD). Given the role of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the induction of inflammatory responses we investigated the involvement of TLRs in COPD pathogenesis. Methods The expression of TLR-2, TLR-4 and CD14 in monocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry. To study the functional responses of these receptors, monocytes were stimulated with peptidoglycan or lipopolysaccharide and the amounts of TNFα and IL-6 secreted were determined by ELISA. Results We found that the expression of TLR-2 was up-regulated in peripheral blood monocytes from COPD patients, either clinically stable or during AECOPD, as compared to never smokers or smokers with normal lung function. Upon stimulation with TLR-2 ligand monocytes from COPD patients secreted increased amounts of cytokines than similarly stimulated monocytes from never smokers and smokers. In contrast, the expressions of TLR-4 and CD14 were not significantly different between groups, and the response to lipopolysaccharide (a TLR-4 ligand) stimulation was not significantly different either. At discharge from hospital TLR-2 expression was down-regulated in peripheral blood monocytes from AECOPD patients. This could be due to the treatment with systemic steroids because, in vitro, steroids down-regulated TLR-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, we demonstrated that IL-6, whose plasma levels are elevated in patients, up-regulated in vitro TLR-2 expression in monocytes from never smokers. Conclusion Our results reveal abnormalities in TLRs expression in COPD patients and highlight its potential relationship with systemic inflammation in these patients.

Las medidas de información proporcionan un contexto adecuado para el estudio de la asociación entre dos o más características. Algunos autores como C. Rajski (1961, 1964), P. Gil (1981), N. Muñoz y M. Alvargonzález (1991, 1992), entre otros, han definido indicadores de asociación entre caracteres basados en medidas de incertidumbre, incertidumbre útil e inquietud. A partir de la medida de incertidumbre doble cuadrática se define un coeficiente de asociación entre dos atributos y se estudian sus propiedades. A continuación se extiende la medida al caso de más de dos características, definiendo una medida de dependencia múltiple y medidas de asociación parcial. El estudio concluye con una aplicación de las medidas presentadas al análisis de la asociación a partir de información proporcionada por la Encuesta de Población Activa (EPA).

Este trabajo es una reflexión sobre la importancia del aprovechamiento del agua para la actividad agrícola en el mundo romano, y en concreto en el sureste peninsular. Para ello se analiza tanto la documentación escrita como arqueológica, teniendo en cuenta que los datos que aporta esta última cada vez son mayores.

Background: Following the initial acute phase of COVID-19, health care resource use has escalated among individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection., Objective: This study aimed to compare new diagnoses of long COVID and the demand for health services in the general population after the Omicron wave with those observed during the pre-Omicron waves, using similar assessment protocols for both periods and to analyze the influence of vaccination., Methods: This matched retrospective case-control study included patients of both sexes diagnosed with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or antigen tests in the hospital microbiology laboratory during the pandemic period regardless of whether the patients were hospitalized. We included patients of all ages from 2 health care departments that cover 604,000 subjects. The population was stratified into 2 groups, youths (<18 years) and adults (≥18 years). Patients were followed-up for 6 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Previous vaccination, new diagnoses, and the use of health care resources were recorded. Patients were compared with controls selected using a prospective score matched for age, sex, and the Charlson index., Results: A total of 41,577 patients with a history of prior COVID-19 infection were included, alongside an equivalent number of controls. This cohort encompassed 33,249 (80%) adults aged ≥18 years and 8328 (20%) youths aged <18 years. Our analysis identified 40 new diagnoses during the observation period. The incidence rate per 100 patients over a 6-month period was 27.2 for vaccinated and 25.1 for unvaccinated adults (P=.09), while among youths, the corresponding rates were 25.7 for vaccinated and 36.7 for unvaccinated individuals (P<.001). Overall, the incidence of new diagnoses was notably higher in patients compared to matched controls. Additionally, vaccinated patients exhibited a reduced incidence of new diagnoses, particularly among women (P<.001) and younger patients (P<.001) irrespective of the number of vaccine doses administered and the duration since the last dose. Furthermore, an increase in the use of health care resources was observed in both adult and youth groups, albeit with lower figures noted in vaccinated individuals. In the comparative analysis between the pre-Omicron and Omicron waves, the incidence of new diagnoses was higher in the former; however, distinct patterns of diagnosis were evident. Specifically, depressed mood (P=.03), anosmia (P=.003), hair loss (P<.001), dyspnea (<0.001), chest pain (P=.04), dysmenorrhea (P<.001), myalgia (P=.011), weakness (P<.001), and tachycardia (P=.015) were more common in the pre-Omicron period. Similarly, health care resource use, encompassing primary care, specialist, and emergency services, was more pronounced in the pre-Omicron wave., Conclusions: The rise in new diagnoses following SARS-CoV-2 infection warrants attention due to its potential implications for health systems, which may necessitate the allocation of supplementary resources. The absence of vaccination protection presents a challenge to the health care system., (©Bernardo Valdivieso-Martinez, Victoria Lopez-Sanchez, Inma Sauri, Javier Diaz, Jose Miguel Calderon, Maria Eugenia Gas-Lopez, Laura Lidon, Juliette Philibert, Jose Luis Lopez-Hontangas, David Navarro, Llanos Cuenca, Maria Jose Forner, Josep Redon. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (https://publichealth.jmir.org), 03.09.2024.)

Pollution, causing millions of deaths annually, disproportionally affects low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Mercury ranks among the three main chemicals of major public health concern, and even low levels can cause cardiovascular and nervous outcomes, with children and indigenous populations being especially vulnerable. Nearly 80% of all emissions in South America originate from the Amazon. Brazil, the fifth-largest contributor to global mercury emissions, exemplifies the challenges faced by LMICs in effectively monitoring and addressing mercury exposure/intoxication. Despite having powerful tools such as SINAN (a digital platform for compulsory disease reporting), and Community Health Agents, data reveals significant underreporting, especially in the Amazon. Furthermore, SINAN has important delays in its update: for instance, 196 cases of Munduruku Indigenous people in 2019 have only been included in 2023. In this Personal View, we outline insightful recommendations to enhance public health surveillance and implement enduring, effective strategies to monitor, report and address mercury exposure/intoxication, focusing on the Brazilian Amazon. Although these recommendations are tailored to the challenges of this country, they hold potential for adaptation by other Amazonian countries facing similar issues (high mercury emissions and the presence of vulnerable populations, among others)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Introduction: Reliance on International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) diagnosis codes may misclassify perforated appendicitis with resultant research, fiscal, and public health implications. We aimed to improve the accuracy of administrative data for perforated appendicitis classification relying on ICD-10-CM codes from 2015 to 2018., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of randomly sampled patients aged ≤18 years diagnosed with acute appendicitis from eight children's hospitals. Patients were identified using the Pediatric Health Information System, and true perforation status was determined by medical record review. We developed two algorithms by leveraging Pediatric Health Information System data elements and data mining (DM) approaches. The two developed algorithm performance was compared against algorithms that exclusively relied on ICD-10-CM codes using area under the curve and other measures., Results: Of 1051 clinically validated encounters that were included, 383 (36.4%) patients were identified to have perforated appendicitis. The two algorithms developed using DM approaches primarily leveraged ICD-10-CM codes and length of stay. DM-developed algorithms had a significantly higher accuracy than algorithms relying exclusively on ICD-10-CM (P value < 0.01): sensitivity and specificity for DM-developed algorithms were 0.86-0.88 and 0.95-0.97, respectively, which were overall higher than algorithms that relied on only ICD-10-CM., Conclusions: This study provides an algorithm that can improve the accuracy of perforated appendicitis classification using commonly available elements in administrative data. We recommend that this algorithm is used in future appendicitis classification to ensure valid reporting, hospital-level benchmarking, and fiscal or public health assessments., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Classic galactosemia (CG) arises from loss-of-function mutations in the Galt gene, which codes for the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT), a central component in galactose metabolism. The neonatal fatality associated with CG can be prevented by galactose dietary restriction, but for decades it has been known that limiting galactose intake is not a cure and patients often have lasting complications. Even on a low-galactose diet, GALT's substrate galactose-1-phosphate (Gal1P) is elevated and one hypothesis is that elevated Gal1P is a driver of pathology. Here we show that Gal1P levels were elevated above wildtype (WT) in Galt mutant mice, while mice doubly mutant for Galt and the gene encoding galactokinase 1 (Galk1) had normal Gal1P levels. This indicates that GALK1 is necessary for the elevated Gal1P in CG. Another hypothesis to explain the pathology is that an inability to metabolize galactose leads to diminished or disrupted galactosylation of proteins or lipids. Our studies reveal that levels of a subset of cerebrosides-galactosylceramide 24:1, sulfatide 24:1, and glucosylceramide 24:1-were modestly decreased compared to WT. In contrast, gangliosides were unaltered. The observed reduction in these 24:1 cerebrosides may be relevant to the clinical pathology of CG, since the cerebroside galactosylceramide is an important structural component of myelin, the 24:1 species is the most abundant in myelin, and irregularities in white matter, of which myelin is a constituent, have been observed in patients with CG. Therefore, impaired cerebroside production may be a contributing factor to the brain damage that is a common clinical feature of the human disease., Competing Interests: LM, CRB, CS, BEC, and TAH are employees and shareholders of BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc. MEL and HN are employees of BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc. TCG is a former employee of and holds shares in BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc. RL and JR are former employees of BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc., (© 2024 The Author(s). JIMD Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of SSIEM.)

A 41-year-old Black male with a history of hypertension was involved in a car accident, after which he exhibited symptoms such as slow and incoherent speech, unstable gait, dizziness, drowsiness, slow thinking, and loss of strength in his limbs. Despite multiple negative alcohol tests, his symptoms mimicked those of acute alcohol intoxication. Upon presentation to the emergency room, physical examination and brain imaging revealed a right anterior thalamic ischemic infarction. He was discharged completely recovered after two days without sequelae. This case underscores the importance of considering stroke as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with symptoms similar to alcohol intoxication, particularly in hypertensive individuals., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Gonçalves et al.)

Introduction: The interferon pathway plays a critical role in triggering the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, and these gene variants may be involved in the severity of COVID-19. This study aimed to analyze the frequency of three gene variants of OAS and RNASEL with the occurrence of COVID-19 symptoms and disease outcome., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 104 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, of which 34 were asymptomatic COVID-19, and 70 were symptomatic cases. The variants rs486907 ( RNASEL ), rs10774671 ( OAS1 ), rs1293767 ( OAS2 ), and rs2285932 ( OAS3 ) were screened and discriminated using a predesigned 5'-nuclease assay with TaqMan probes., Results: Patients with the allele C of the OAS2 gene rs1293767 (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.15-0.83, p = 0.014) and allele T of the OAS3 gene rs2285932 (OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.2-0.023, p = 0.023) have lower susceptibility to developing symptomatic COVID-19. The genotype frequencies (G/G, G/C, and C/C) of rs1293767 for that comparison were 64.7%, 29.4%, and 5.9% in the asymptomatic group and 95.2%, 4.8%, and 0% in severe disease ( p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Our data indicate that individuals carrying the C allele of the OAS2 gene rs1293767 and the T allele of the OAS3 gene rs2285932 are less likely to develop symptomatic COVID-19, suggesting these genetic variations may confer a protective effect among the Mexican study population. Furthermore, the observed differences in genotype frequencies between asymptomatic individuals and those with severe disease emphasize the potential of these variants as markers for disease severity. These insights enhance our understanding of the genetic factors that may influence the course of COVID-19 and underscore the potential for genetic screening in identifying individuals at increased risk for severe disease outcomes.

Mercury is a highly toxic metal widely used in human activities worldwide, therefore considered a global public health problem. Many cases of mercury intoxication have occurred in history and represent a huge challenge nowadays. Of particular importance is its methylated form, methylmercury (MeHg). This mercurial species induces damage to several organs in the human body, especially to the central nervous system. Neurological impairments such as executive, memory, motor and visual deficits are associated with MeHg neurotoxicity. Molecular mechanisms involved in MeHg-induced neurotoxicity include excitotoxicity due to glutamatergic imbalance, disturbance in calcium homeostasis and oxidative balance, failure in synaptic support, and inflammatory response. Although neurons are largely affected by MeHg intoxication, they only represent half of the brain cells. Glial cells represent roughly 50 % of the brain cells and are key elements in the functioning of the central nervous system. Particularly, astrocytes and microglia are deeply involved in MeHg-induced neurotoxicity, resulting in distinct neurological outcomes depending on the context. In this review, we discuss the main findings on astroglial and microglial involvement as mediators of neuroprotective and neurotoxic responses to MeHg intoxication. The literature shows that these responses depend on chemical and morphophysiological features, thus, we present some insights for future investigations, considering the particularities of the context, including time and dose of exposure, brain region, and species of study., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Angelman syndrome (AS), an early-onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by abnormal gait, intellectual disabilities, and seizures, occurs when the maternal allele of the UBE3A gene is disrupted, since the paternal allele is silenced in neurons by the UBE3A antisense (UBE3A-AS) transcript. Given the importance of early treatment, we hypothesized that prenatal delivery of an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) would downregulate the murine Ube3a-AS, resulting in increased UBE3A protein and functional rescue. Using a mouse model with a Ube3a-YFP allele that reports on-target ASO activity, we found that in utero, intracranial (IC) injection of the ASO resulted in dose-dependent activation of paternal Ube3a, with broad biodistribution. Accordingly, in utero injection of the ASO in a mouse model of AS also resulted in successful restoration of UBE3A and phenotypic improvements in treated mice on the accelerating rotarod and fear conditioning. Strikingly, even intra-amniotic (IA) injection resulted in systemic biodistribution and high levels of UBE3A reactivation throughout the brain. These findings offer a novel strategy for early treatment of AS using an ASO, with two potential routes of administration in the prenatal window. Beyond AS, successful delivery of a therapeutic ASO into neurons has implications for a clinically feasible prenatal treatment for numerous neurodevelopmental disorders., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests D.J.T., S.T., L.R.S., M.E.L., and J.H.L. are employees of and stockholders in BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc. S.V. is an employee of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical. T.C.M. is on the Scientific Advisory Board of Acrigen., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Screener, a board game supplemented with online resources, was introduced and distributed by the Brazilian Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics to postgraduate programs as an instructional tool for the process of drug discovery and development (DDD). In this study, we provided a comprehensive analysis of five critical aspects for evaluating the quality of educational games, namely: 1) description of the intervention; 2) underlying pedagogical theory; 3) identification of local educational gaps; 4) impact on diverse stakeholders; and 5) elucidation of iterative quality enhancement processes. We also present qualitative and quantitative assessments of the effectiveness of this game in 11 postgraduate courses. We employed the MEEGA+ online survey, comprising thirty-three close-ended unipolar items with 5-point Likert-type response scales, to assess student perceptions of the quality and utility of Screener. Based on 115 responses, the results indicated a highly positive outlook among students. In addition, we performed a preliminary evaluation of learning outcomes in two courses involving 28 students. Pre- and post-quizzes were applied, each consisting of 20 True/False questions directly aligned with the game's content. The analysis revealed significant improvement in students' performance following engagement with the game, with scores rising from 8.4 to 13.3 (P<0.0001, paired t-test) and 9.7 to 12.7 (P<0.0001, paired t-test). These findings underscore the utility of Screener as an enjoyable and effective tool for facilitating a positive learning experience in the DDD process. Notably, the game can also reduce the educational disparities across different regions of our continental country.

Physical exercise is well known as a non-pharmacological and holistic therapy believed to prevent and mitigate numerous neurological conditions and alleviate ageing-related cognitive decline. To do so, exercise affects the central nervous system (CNS) at different levels. It changes brain physiology and structure, promoting cognitive improvements, which ultimately improves quality of life. Most of these effects are mediated by neurotrophins release, enhanced adult hippocampal neurogenesis, attenuation of neuroinflammation, modulation of cerebral blood flow, and structural reorganisation, besides to promote social interaction with beneficial cognitive outcomes. In this review, we discuss, based on experimental and human research, how exercise impacts the brain structure and function and how these changes contribute to cognitive improvements. Understanding the mechanisms by which exercise affects the brain is essential to understand the brain plasticity following exercise, guiding therapeutic approaches to improve the quality of life, especially in obesity, ageing, neurodegenerative disorders, and following traumatic brain injury., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Human intoxication to mercury is a worldwide health problem. In addition to the type and length of exposure, the genetic background plays an important role in mercury poisoning. However, reviews on the genetic influence in mercury toxicity are scarce and not systematic. Therefore, this review aimed to systematically overview the most recent evidence on the genetic influence (using single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs) on human mercury poisoning. Three different databases (PubMed/Medline, Web of Science and Scopus) were searched, and 380 studies were found that were published from 2015 to 2022. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 29 studies were selected and data on characteristics (year, country, profile of participants) and results (mercury biomarkers and quantitation, SNPs, main findings) were extracted and analyzed. The largest number of studies was performed in Brazil, mainly involving traditional populations of the Tapajós River basin. Most studies evaluated the influence of the SNPs related to genes of the glutathione system (GST, GPx, etc.), the ATP-binding cassette transporters and the metallothionein proteins. The recent findings regarding other SNPs, such as those of apolipoprotein E and brain-derived neurotrophic factor genes, are also highlighted. The importance of the exposure level is discussed considering the possible biphasic behavior of the genetic modulation phenomena that could explain some SNP associations. Overall, recommendations are provided for future studies based on the analysis obtained in this scoping review.

Objectives: Compared to adult patients undergoing thyroid surgery, pediatric patients have higher rates of hypoparathyroidism often related to parathyroid gland (PG) inadvertent injury or devascularization. Previous studies have shown that near-infrared-autofluorescence (NIRAF) can be reliably used intraoperatively for label-free parathyroid identification, but all prior studies have been performed in adult patients. In this study, we assess the utility and accuracy of NIRAF with a fiber-optic probe-based system to identify PGs in pediatric patients undergoing thyroidectomy or parathyroidectomy., Methods: All pediatric patients (under 18 years of age) undergoing thyroidectomy or parathyroidectomy were enrolled in this IRB-approved study. The surgeon's visual assessment of tissues was first noted and the surgeon's confidence level in the tissue identified was recorded. A fiber-optic probe was then used to illuminate tissues-of-interest with a wavelength of 785 nm and resulting NIRAF intensities from these tissues were measured while the surgeon was blinded to results., Results: NIRAF intensities were measured intraoperatively in 19 pediatric patients. Normalized NIRAF intensities for PGs (3.63 ± 2.47) were significantly higher than that of thyroid (0.99 ± 0.36, p < 0.001) and other surrounding soft tissues (0.86 ± 0.40, p < 0.001). Based on the PG identification ratio threshold of 1.2, NIRAF yielded a detection rate of 95.8% (46/48 pediatric PGs)., Conclusion: Our findings indicate that NIRAF detection can potentially be a valuable and non-invasive technique to identify PGs during neck operations in the pediatric population. To our knowledge, this is the first study in children to assess the accuracy of probe-based NIRAF detection for intraoperative parathyroid identification., Level of Evidence: Level 4 Laryngoscope, 133:3208-3215, 2023., (© 2023 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Purpose: This study aims to develop and evaluate a cost-effective, user-friendly multiplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method for detecting multiple tick-borne pathogens associated with human and veterinary diseases., Methods: In silico PCR was performed to design and evaluate primer sequences reported for amplifying Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., and Ehrlichia spp. Single and multiplex qPCR assays were then standardized to detect individual pathogens and multiple pathogens in a single reaction. Positive controls were generated to determine the dynamic range of the methods. In the validation phase, a total of 800 samples were screened for the presence of tick-borne pathogens., Results: Identification in a single qPCR reaction (multiplex) of Ehrlichia spp., and Borrelia spp. with a limit of detection of 10 copies and Rickettsia spp. with 100 copies, a PCR efficiency (E) of 90-100% and a coefficient of correlation (R 2 ) of 0.998-0.996 for all pathogens., Conclusion: The ability to detect three significant pathogens (Ehrlichia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Borrelia spp.) in a single qPCR reaction offers a significant advantage in the field of molecular diagnostics for tick-borne diseases. This advancement has a profound impact on public health as it facilitates the selection of appropriate treatment protocols, thereby reducing complications associated with disease progression. The streamlined approach provided by this method simplifies the diagnostic process and enables timely intervention, ultimately improving patient outcomes and mitigating the potential risks associated with untreated or misdiagnosed tick-borne infections., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Oxygenating biomaterials can alleviate anoxic stress, stimulate vascularization, and improve engraftment of cellularized implants. However, the effects of oxygen-generating materials on tissue formation have remained largely unknown. Here, we investigate the impact of calcium peroxide (CPO)-based oxygen-generating microparticles (OMPs) on the osteogenic fate of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) under a severely oxygen deficient microenvironment. To this end, CPO is microencapsulated in polycaprolactone to generate OMPs with prolonged oxygen release. Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels containing osteogenesis-inducing silicate nanoparticles (SNP hydrogels), OMPs (OMP hydrogels), or both SNP and OMP (SNP/OMP hydrogels) are engineered to comparatively study their effect on the osteogenic fate of hMSCs. OMP hydrogels associate with improved osteogenic differentiation under both normoxic and anoxic conditions. Bulk mRNAseq analyses suggest that OMP hydrogels under anoxia regulate osteogenic differentiation pathways more strongly than SNP/OMP or SNP hydrogels under either anoxia or normoxia. Subcutaneous implantations reveal a stronger host cell invasion in SNP hydrogels, resulting in increased vasculogenesis. Furthermore, time-dependent expression of different osteogenic factors reveals progressive differentiation of hMSCs in OMP, SNP, and SNP/OMP hydrogels. Our work demonstrates that endowing hydrogels with OMPs can induce, improve, and steer the formation of functional engineered living tissues, which holds potential for numerous biomedical applications, including tissue regeneration and organ replacement therapy., 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.)

Background: Chemotherapy is one of the most widely used therapies for breast cancer, triggering important repercussions on people's quality of life. However, little research has been undertaken about podiatric adverse effects. This study aimed was to determine the prevalence of podiatric pathology developed in people with breast cancer who receive chemotherapy., Methods: Observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted in the Oncology service of the A Coruña University Hospital (northwest Spain). People with breast cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatment of legal age (≥ 18), who signed the informed consent (n = 117) were included. Sociodemographic, comorbidity, disease and foot health variables, as well as two self-administered questionnaires (Foot Health Status Questionnaire and Foot Function Index) were studied. The current ethical-legal aspects were followed., Results: Foot health problems were highly prevalent, highlighting nail color changes (59.8%), onychocryptosis (39.7%), xerosis (62.4%), plantar fasciitis (12.8%), and neuropathic symptoms (75.2%). Some foot pain was presented in 77.8% of the sample, predominantly at nail level (15.4%) or sole of the foot and nail (14.5%). Most participants described their foot health as fair or poor (56.4%) and felt limited in walking (65.8%). The lowest score for the Foot Health Status Questionnaire was footwear (30.6(33.5))., Conclusions: Foot health adverse effects represent worrisome problems in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy, due to their high prevalence and negative implications on quality of life. These problems are critical as they may have implications for stopping or reducing chemotherapy. All these results call for the development of more research to contribute to the care and wellbeing of people with cancer who receive treatments such as chemotherapy. Thus, this line of research is a new path to be developed by the podiatry community., (© 2023. The College of Podiatry and the Australasian Podiatry Council.)

Introduction: Data examining rates of postoperative complications among SARS-CoV-2 positive children are limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 positive status on postoperative respiratory outcomes for children., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included SARS-CoV-2 positive pediatric patients across 20 hospitals who underwent general anesthesia from March to October 2020. The primary outcome was frequency of postoperative respiratory complications, including: high-flow nasal cannula/non invasive ventilation, reintubation, pneumonia, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), and 30-day respiratory-related readmissions or emergency department (ED) visits. Univariate analyses were used to evaluate associations between patient and procedure characteristics and stratified analyses by symptoms were performed examining incidence of complications., Results: Of 266 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, 163 (61.7%) were male, and the median age was 10 years (interquartile range 4-14). The majority of procedures were emergent or urgent (n = 214, 80.5%). The most common procedures were appendectomies (n = 78, 29.3%) and fracture repairs (n = 40,15.0%). 13 patients (4.9%) had preoperative symptoms including cough or dyspnea. 26 patients (9.8%) had postoperative respiratory complications, including 15 requiring high-flow oxygen, 8 with pneumonia, 4 requiring non invasive ventilation, 3 respiratory ED visits, and 2 respiratory readmissions. Respiratory complications were more common among symptomatic patients than asymptomatic patients (30.8% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.01). Higher ASA class and comorbidities were also associated with postoperative respiratory complications., Conclusions: Postoperative respiratory complications are less common in asymptomatic versus symptomatic SARS-COV-2 positive children. Relaxation of COVID-19-related restrictions for time-sensitive, non urgent procedures in selected asymptomatic patients may be reasonably considered. Additionally, further research is needed to evaluate the costs and benefits of routine testing for asymptomatic patients., Level of Evidence: Iii, Respiratory complications., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Euterpe genus (mainly Euterpe oleracea Martius, Euterpe precatoria Martius, and Euterpe edulis Martius) has recently gained commercial and scientific notoriety due to the high nutritional value of its fruits, which are rich in polyphenols (phenolic acids and anthocyanins) and have potent antioxidant activity. These characteristics have contributed to the increased number of neuropharmacological evaluations of the three species over the last 10 years, especially açaí of the species Euterpe oleracea Martius. The fruits of the three species exert neuroprotective effects through the modulation of inflammatory and oxidative pathways and other mechanisms, including the inhibition of the mTOR pathway and protection of the blood-brain barrier, all of them intimately involved in several neuropathologies. Thus, a better understanding of the neuropharmacological properties of these three species may open new paths for the development of therapeutic tools aimed at preventing and treating a variety of neurological conditions.

This cross-sectional study evaluated the association between human exposure to mercury and cardiovascular risk using lipid profile (including apolipoproteins) and genetic analysis of Amazonian riverine population. Anthropometric data (gender, age, height, weight, blood pressure, and neck and waist circumferences) of the participants were recorded. Total mercury and methylmercury (MeHg) content were quantified in hair by ICP-MS and GC-pyro-AFS system. Polymorphisms rs662799, rs693, rs429358 and rs7412 (of genes of apolipoproteins A-V, B, and E at positions 112 and 158, respectively) were genotyped by real-time PCR. The population presented a dyslipidemia profile significantly correlated with high mercury levels. The apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A-I (ApoB/ApoA-I) index was also positively correlated with mercury, supporting a possible causal relationship. Allelic distributions were similar to those described in other populations, suggesting that genetic susceptibility may not have a significant role in the lipid alterations found in this work. This study demonstrated for the first time: i) the relationship between mercury exposure and cardiovascular risk-related apolipoproteins in humans, ii) the ApoB levels and the ApoB/ApoA-I index as the risk factors more strongly associated to the mercury-related dyslipidemia in humans, and iii) the prevalence of high/moderate risk of acute myocardial infarction in the vulnerable and chronically exposed-populations of the Amazon, in addition to the genotypic profile of the three most frequent polymorphisms in apolipoproteins of relevance for cardiovascular risk. This early detection of lipid alterations is essential to prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), especially in chronically exposed populations such as those found in the Amazon. Therefore, in addition to provide data for the Minamata Convention implementation, our work is in line with the efforts joined by all members of the World Health Organization committed to reducing premature deaths originating from non-communicable diseases by 25% in 2025, including CVD., 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 Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted timely access to care for children, including patients with appendicitis. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on management of appendicitis and patient outcomes., Methods: A multicenter retrospective study was performed including 19 children's hospitals from April 2019-October 2020 of children (age≤18 years) diagnosed with appendicitis. Groups were defined by each hospital's city/state stay-at-home orders (SAHO), designating patients as Pre-COVID (Pre-SAHO) or COVID (Post-SAHO). Demographic, treatment, and outcome data were obtained, and univariate and multivariable analysis was performed., Results: Of 6,014 patients, 2,413 (40.1%) presented during the COVID-19 pandemic. More patients were managed non-operatively during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic (147 (6.1%) vs 144 (4.0%), p < 0.001). Despite this change, there was no difference in the proportion of complicated appendicitis between groups (1,247 (34.6%) vs 849 (35.2%), p = 0.12). COVID era non-operative patients received fewer additional procedures, including interventional radiology (IR) drain placements, compared to pre-COVID non-operative patients (29 (19.7%) vs 69 (47.9%), p < 0.001). On adjusted analysis, factors associated with increased odds of receiving non-operative management included: increasing duration of symptoms (OR=1.01, 95% CI: 1.01-1.012), African American race (OR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.3-4.6), and testing positive for COVID-19 (OR=10.8, 95% CI: 5.4-21.6)., Conclusion: Non-operative management of appendicitis increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, fewer COVID era cases required IR procedures. These changes in the management of pediatric appendicitis during the COVID pandemic demonstrates the potential for future utilization of non-operative management., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: Investigate patterns of infant perioperative mortality, describe the infant diagnoses with the highest mortality burden, and evaluate the association between types of postoperative complications and mortality in infants., Background: The majority of mortality events in pediatric surgery occur among infants (ie, children <1 y old). However, there is limited data characterizing patterns of infant perioperative mortality and diagnoses that account for the highest proportion of mortality., Methods: Infants who received inpatient surgery were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric database (2012-2019). Perioperative mortality was stratified into mortality associated with a complication or mortality without a complication. Complications were categorized as wound infection, systemic infection, pulmonary, central nervous system, renal, or cardiovascular. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between different complications and complicated mortality., Results: Among 111,946 infants, the rate of complications and perioperative mortality was 10.4% and 1.6%, respectively. Mortality associated with a complication accounted for 38.8% of all perioperative mortality. Seven diagnoses accounted for the highest proportion of mortality events (40.3%): necrotizing enterocolitis (22.3%); congenital diaphragmatic hernia (7.3%); meconium peritonitis (3.8%); premature intestinal perforation (2.5%); tracheoesophageal fistula (1.8%); gastroschisis (1.4%); and volvulus (1.1%). Relative to wound complications, cardiovascular [odds ratio (OR): 19.4, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 13.9-27.0], renal (OR: 6.88; 4.65-10.2), and central nervous system complications (OR: 6.50; 4.50-9.40) had the highest odds of mortality for all infants., Conclusions: A small subset of diagnoses account for 40% of all infant mortality and specific types of complications are associated with mortality. These data suggest targeted quality improvement initiatives could be implemented to reduce adverse surgical outcomes in infants., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Although there are many studies on the health effects of methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity during in utero and early development, little is known about its effects on mineralized tissues present in the oral cavity, such as enamel structure. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of MeHg exposure on the physico-chemical, ultrastructural and functional properties of mature tooth enamel. Specifically, we studied offspring of mothers exposed to MeHg during the prenatal and postnatal periods which are the developmental stages associated with tooth enamel formation. Female rats were exposed to MeHg at a dose of 40 μg/kg/day for 42 days of pregnancy and lactation. The enamel of offspring was analyzed by (1) Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Raman to assess physicochemical composition, (2) Scanning Electron Microscopy for ultrastructural evaluation, (3) Transmitted Polarizing Light Microscopy for analysis of the enamel extracellular matrix, and (4) resistance and hardness were evaluated by microhardness. The results showed that MeHg exposure during this sensitive enamel formation period induced changes in inorganic and organic content and enamel prisms ultrastructure alterations and disturbed the organic extracellular matrix due to a decreased enamel strength. These novel findings establish for the first time that maternal exposure to MeHg pre and postnatal promoted relevant changes in mature enamel of their offspring rats., 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 Chemelo, Bittencourt, Nascimento, Paiva, Delbem, Pessan, do Espírito Santo, Albuquerque, Angélica, Crespo-Lopez, Pessanha, Aschner and Lima.)