Search

Background: The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) are central human molecules in the SARS-CoV-2 virus-host interaction. Evidence indicates that ACE1 may influence ACE2 expression. This study aims to determine whether ACE1, ACE2, and TMPRSS2 mRNA expression levels, along with the ACE1 Alu 287 bp polymorphism (rs4646994), contribute to the severity and mortality of COVID-19., Methods: Swabs were collected in two Brazilian cities in 2020: Belo Horizonte ( n  = 134) and Rio de Janeiro ( n  = 41). A swab of mild patients in Rio de Janeiro who were not hospitalized ( n  = 172) was also collected. All analyzed biological material was obtained from residual diagnostic samples in 2020, prior to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. ACE1 , ACE2 , TMPRSS2, and B2M (reference gene) expression levels were evaluated in 40 cycles of quantitative PCR. ACE1 Alu 287 bp polymorphism was genotyped using the FastStart Universal SYBR Green Master kit., Results: The median age differed between clinical sites ( p  = 0.016), but no difference in median days of hospitalization was observed ( p  = 0.329). Age was associated with severity ( p  = 0.014) and mortality ( p  = 0.014) in the Belo Horizonte cohort. No alteration in ACE1 , ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression was associated with severity or mortality. ACE1 polymorphism rs4646994 did not influence the likelihood of either outcome. A meta-analysis including available data from the literature showed significant effects: the D-allele conferred risk (OR = 1.39; 95% CI [1.12-1.72])., Competing Interests: Shana Priscila Coutinho Barroso is a researcher at BioVet, funded by the Foundation for Research Support of the State of Rio de Janeiro –FAPERJ. Renan Pedra de Souza is an Academic Editor for PeerJ., (©2025 de Araújo et al.)

Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Introduction: Military personnel confront heightened risks of musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) because of the demanding nature of their duties, contributing to restricted active duty and financial burdens. Although preventable factors like training and physical fitness influence some injuries, understanding the enduring effects of previous MSIs on physical fitness in military personnel remains a critical gap. This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze this impact., Materials and Methods: In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted, focusing on military personnel with and without a history of MSIs. Physical fitness components were assessed via observational studies, with isokinetic peak torque values as primary metrics. Quality assessments utilized the NIH Quality Assessment Tool and GRADE framework., Results: Out of 36 papers, 6 met inclusion criteria, with 4 included in the meta-analysis. Across 1,267 participants, individuals with prior MSIs exhibited a significant reduction in the pooled effect size for isokinetic peak muscle force, with d+ = -0.25 (95% CI: -0.36 to -0.13), notably affecting knee and shoulder regions. These findings underscore the pervasive impact of MSIs on military personnel's physical performance, necessitating targeted interventions., Conclusion: Military personnel with prior MSIs exhibit enduring deficits in isokinetic peak muscle force, particularly in knee and shoulder regions. However, evidence on the impact of previous injuries on other physical fitness components remains limited. Further research is crucial to understanding the multifaceted impact of MSIs on diverse aspects of physical performance, informing comprehensive injury prevention strategies and optimizing performance outcomes among military personnel., (© The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2024. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site–for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: To evaluate the effect of high-fidelity simulation of pediatric emergencies compared to case-based discussion on the development of self-confidence, theoretical knowledge, clinical reasoning, communication, attitude, and leadership in undergraduate medical students., Methods: 33 medical students were allocated to two teaching methods: high-fidelity simulation (HFS, n = 18) or case-based discussion (CBD, n = 15). Self-confidence and knowledge tests were applied before and after the interventions and the effect of HFS on both outcomes was estimated with mixed-effect models. An Objective Structured Clinical Examination activity was conducted after the interventions, while two independent raters used specific simulation checklists to assess clinical reasoning, communication, attitude, and leadership. The effect of HFS on these outcomes was estimated with linear and logistic regressions. The effect size was estimated with the Hedge's g., Results: Both groups had an increase in self-confidence (HFS 59.1 × 93.6, p < 0.001; CDB 50.5 × 88.2, p < 0.001) and knowledge scores over time (HFS 45.1 × 63.2, p = 0.001; CDB 43.5 × 56.7, p-value < 0.01), but no difference was observed between groups (group*time effect in the mixed effect models adjusted for the student ranking) for both tests (p = 0.6565 and p = 0.3331, respectively). The simulation checklist scores of the HFS group were higher than those of the CBD group, with large effect sizes in all domains (Hedges g 1.15 to 2.20)., Conclusion: HFS performed better than CBD in developing clinical reasoning, communication, attitude, and leadership in undergraduate medical students in pediatric emergency care, but no significant difference was observed in self-confidence and theoretical knowledge., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is increasingly prevalent, and supervised physical exercise programmes are recommended as the first-line treatment. However, these programmes are underused. Alternative delivery models may be able to expand treatment coverage. The objective of this study was to compare a home-based exercise programme (HBEP) and a centre-based exercise (CBE) in terms of their effects on functional capacity, peripheral muscle oxygenation and quality of life in individuals with PAD., Methods and Analysis: This single-blind, parallel randomised clinical trial will consist of two groups: HBEP and CBE. A qualitative analysis will be carried out to investigate acceptability and satisfaction. The primary outcome will be functional capacity, assessed by the incremental shuttle walk test. Secondary outcomes will include functional capacity, assessed by a treadmill walking test; peripheral muscle oxygenation and quality of life; and self-reported functional impairment, risk factors, morbidity, level of physical activity, adherence, acceptability and satisfaction. The intervention protocols will consist of 12 weeks of intermittent walking until claudication symptoms, three times a week. Participants randomly assigned to the CBE group will participate in supervised face-to-face sessions. The HBEP group will perform exercises at home with remote supervision, monitored by a pedometer and heart rate monitor, and subjective perception of effort during each session will be recorded by participants in a training diary; follow-up will be conducted by telephone calls. Statistical analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Participants allocated to the HBEP group will be interviewed about their experience of remote treatment using a qualitative approach., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at international congresses. This research has the potential to improve the care of people with PAD because if home-based rehabilitation demonstrates effectiveness, it could be considered an alternative or support resource to the usual centre-based treatment models, expanding access, coverage and participation in vascular physiotherapy TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-97vy9n7 on 14 April 2022., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

None.

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is any component of the final pharmaceutical product that serves as the active ingredient. The goal of the API Manufacturing is to produce APIs that are competitively priced and meet the quality standards with the least possible impact on the environment. The global API market is expected to experience massive growth in the coming years reaching the size of USD 355.94 billion. The global Pharmaceutical Industry is facing a new scenario in 2023 after responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this new panorama, rethinking the pharmaceutical production and market is necessary. Despite Brazil's prominence in terms of worldwide pharmaceutical spending, only 5% of the APIs required by local pharmaceutical companies are produced domestically. Therefore, Brazil is an untapped field for APIs' manufacturing and faces a scenario of health vulnerability associated with the reliance on foreign API imports to ensure the viability of national Pharmaceutical Production and Services. Huge investments are required to boost the growth of the API Manufacturing sector. Herein is presented a critical analysis of the current regulatory and strategic status of Brazilian national production and/or acquisition of APIs, which represent the key starting materials for the Pharmaceutical Industry.

This research presents a procedure for determining the origin of marine pollution through the use of a time-direct trajectory modeling, associated with a Kriging metamodel technique and Monte Carlo random sampling. These methods were applied to a real case, specifically the oil spill that affected the Brazilian coast in the second half of 2019 and early 2020. A total of 140 trajectories, defined by the geographical coordinates of the origin and the spill date, were generated through Latin Hypercube Sampling and simulated using the PyGNOME model to construct the Kriging metamodel. The metamodel demonstrated cost-effectiveness by efficiently simulating numerous input data combinations which were compared and optimized based on available real data regarding temporal and spatial pollution distribution., 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.)

Long-term research into radiation exposure significantly expanded following World War II, driven by the increasing number of individuals falling ill after the detonation of two atomic bombs in Japan. Consequently, researchers intensified their efforts to investigate radiation's effects using animal models and to study disease models that emerged post-catastrophe. As a result, several parameters have been established as essential in these models, encompassing radiation doses, regimens involving single or multiple irradiations, the injection site for transplantation, and the quantity of cells to be injected. Nonetheless, researchers have observed numerous side effects in irradiated animals, prompting the development of scoring systems to monitor these animals' well-being. The aim of this review is to delve into the historical context of using animals in radiation research and explore the ethical considerations related to animal welfare, which has become an increasingly relevant topic in recent years. These concerns have prompted research groups to adopt measures aimed at reducing animal suffering. Consequently, for animal welfare, the implementation of a scoring system for clinical and behavioral monitoring is essential. This represents one of the primary challenges and hurdles in radiation studies. It is concluded that implementing standardized criteria across all institutions is aimed at ensuring result reproducibility and fostering collaboration within the scientific community.

Objective: This study aimed to report the experience of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ) in osteoporotic patients for nine years, and their associated initiating factors., Materials and Methods: The numbers of invasive oral procedures (IOP) (tooth extraction, dental implant placement, and periodontal procedures) and removable prostheses performed from January 2012 to January 2021 were obtained from the digital records of a large public dental center. There were an estimated 6,742 procedures performed in patients under osteoporosis treatment., Results: Two cases (0.03%) of MRONJ were registered in nine years amongst patients with osteoporosis who had dental treatment at the center. From the 1,568 tooth extractions, one patient (0.06%) developed MRONJ. There was also one case from the 2,139 removable prostheses delivered (0.05%)., Conclusion: The prevalence of MRONJ associated with osteoporosis treatment was very low. The protocols adopted seem to be adequate for the prevention of this complication. The findings of this study reinforce the rare frequency of MRONJ associated with dental procedures in patients submitted to the pharmacological management of osteoporosis. An integral analysis of systemic risk factors and oral preventive strategies may be considered regularly in the dental treatment of these patients.

The aims of this study were to perform pre-surgery miRNA profiling of patients who develop Vasoplegic syndrome (VS) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and identify those miRNAs that could be used as VS prognostic tools and biomarkers. The levels of 754 microRNAs (miRNAs) were measured in whole blood samples from a cohort of patients collected right before the coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. We compared the miRNA levels of those who developed VS (VASO group) with those who did not (NONVASO group) after surgery. Six miRNAs (hsa-miR-548c-3p, -199b-5p, -383-5p -571 -183-3p, -30d-5p) were increased and two (hsa-1236-3p, and hsa-miR770-5p) were decreased in blood of VASO compared to NONVASO groups. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that a combination of the miRNAs, hsa-miR-30d-5p and hsa-miR-770-5p can be used as VS predictors (AUC = 0.9615, p < 0.0001). The computational and functional analyses were performed to gain insights into the potential role of these dysregulated miRNAs in VS and have identified the "Apelin Liver Signaling Pathway" as the canonical pathway containing the most target genes regulated by these miRNAs. The expression of the combined miRNAs hsa-miR-30d and hsa-miR-770-5p allowed the ability to distinguish between patients who could and could not develop VS, representing a potential predictive biomarker of VS., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis (C/IC) are serious conditions, especially for immunosuppressed individuals with prolonged hospitalization in intensive care units (ICU). This study analyzed the incremental cost-effectiveness and budgetary impact (BI) of treatment for IC with anidulafungin compared to amphotericin B lipid complex (ABLC) and amphotericin B deoxycholate (ABD) or conventional amphotericin B (CAB), in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). A decision model was conducted with a time horizon of two weeks from the perspective of SUS. The primary effectiveness endpoints were survival and treatment response rate. All patients were followed up until successful therapy or death. BI analysis was performed based on the measured demand method. A five-year time horizon was adopted based on the number of hospitalizations (per 1,000 hospitalizations). For effectiveness measured in the successful response rate (SRR), anidulafungin dominated the ABLC and ABD formulations. In the results of the analysis with the effectiveness measured according to survival, anidulafungin had a better cost-effectiveness ratio (R$988.26/survival) compared to ABD (R$16,359.50/survival). The BI estimate related to the incorporation of anidulafungin suggests savings of approximately 148 million reais in 5 years when comparing it to ABD. The economic evaluation of anidulafungin and its comparators found it to be cost-effective. The consensus of international scientific societies recommends it as a first-line drug for IC, and its incorporation by SUS would be important.

Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) are structured recommendations based on systematic reviews of the available evidence and are useful tools to support clinical decision-making. However, studies have raised concerns about the methodological and scientific quality of several CPG, which can affect their application in clinical practice. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic appraisal of the methodological quality of carotid atherosclerotic disease clinical guidelines, published from 2000 to 2019, using the AGREE II instrument (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation Instrument II). The appraisers independently assessed the quality of the CPG included in the study for each of the 6 domains of the AGREE II tool. The CPG were rated as high, moderate, or low quality using a points scale. A total of 9 CPGs were selected for appraisal. Except for domain 2 (kappa=0.715), excellent agreement was observed between the appraisers (kappa>0.75). Five of the CPGs were rated as high overall methodological quality rating, 5 were rated as moderate overall methodological quality, and 2 were rated low overall methodological quality. The authors conclude that: (1) appraisal of carotid atherosclerotic disease clinical guidelines using the AGREE II instrument is feasible, with a high degree of agreement among appraisers; and (2) that most CPGs on the management of atherosclerotic carotid disease have high methodological quality., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: No conflicts of interest declared concerning the publication of this article., (Copyright© 2022 The authors.)

Background: Minas artisanal cheese (MAC) from the Serro region is a Brazilian intangible cultural heritage. Produced from raw milk, it may carry zoonotic pathogens such as Brucella. This study included a randomized survey for the prevalence of Brucella-positive MAC and its associated factors., Methods: MAC samples (n=55), each one from a different rural family-based cheese-processing agroindustry, were analysed for Brucella by direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) species-specific DNA detection and cultivation-based approaches., Results: Among 55 MACs that were analysed, we found 17 Brucella DNA-positive samples (30.9% [95% confidence interval {CI} 18.7 to 43.1]) by PCR and, for the first time, from one MAC (1.8% [95% CI 0.5 to 9.7]), viable Brucella abortus was recovered by cultivation. Higher values for two variables, the number of lactating cows per herd (p=0.043) and daily milk production per herd (p=0.043), were each associated with Brucella-positive MAC, which concentrated in three high-risk and one low-risk spatial clusters., Conclusions: MAC may be a source of Brucella for humans, since the positive samples were from batches that were sold by cheesemakers. This should be of concern and encourage cooperation between the health and agriculture sectors in order to mitigate this public health risk through One Health integrated approaches., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.)

Alarming Situation: Monkeypox is a zoonosis caused by a double-stranded DNA virus. The virus was isolated in monkeys in 1958. The first human case was detected in Africa in 1970. It is endemic in western and central Africa. The infection has worried public health authorities around the world since May 2022 with the emergence of thousands of cases in non-African countries., Objective: We discuss the neurological manifestations associated with monkeypox infection., Rare and Severe Complications: Although in the current outbreak, the disease appears to be self-limiting, with predominance of focal skin lesions, complications may occur, mainly in children and immunosuppressed patients. Neurological manifestations such as encephalitis, convulsion, dizziness, pain, fatigue, visual alteration, photophobia, headache and myalgia were previously reported. Encephalitis may be due to viral invasion of the central nervous system or an immune-mediated process. In both situations, rapid recognition is extremely important with the investigation of the cerebrospinal fluid exam, which can demonstrate the local inflammatory reaction, specific IgM and, possibly viral detection, in addition to the imaging study., Conclusions: We emphasize that health professionals should be alert to the emergence of neurological disorders associated with monkeypox infection in order to avoid sequelae and better characterize the current disease., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

The oil spill of unknown origin that hit the Brazilian coast in 2019 led to the first activation of the National Contingency Plan, outside the scope of an exercise. The Brazilian Navy, the Environmental Agency and the Oil Agency worked together during the oil spill emergency at the Federal level, as the plan´s Monitoring and Evaluation Group. However, the distinctive characteristics and proportions of the incident demanded unanticipated actions. Therefore, this work aims to analyze the response actions, to evaluate policies and procedures in place and to propose improvements for the future. The paper discusses the anonymous and voluntary feedback from 150 professionals, obtained during the event, through a structured online form. The results of the survey are compared to findings in official documents, especially the Incident´s Final Report, prepared by the Brazilian Navy. The conclusion is that the Incident Command System, used to manage and coordinate clean-up operations, provided a swift and coordinated response as the oil reached the shore of 11 states. In contrast, there is a need to review the legal framework, including the Decree that established the National Contingency Plan, revisit response manuals, improve liaison and enhance communication channels among different authorities in the Brazilian Government.

Brachidontes exustus (Mollusca, Mytilidae) is mainly distributed in Central America, where it has been recognized as a &#95;lataforma species. This study aimed to determine whether B. exustus extends beyond the Amazon Barrier and southward along the Brazilian West Atlantic coast. Mitochondrial genes coding for cytochrome-c oxidase, subunit I (COI) and 16S subunit of ribosomal &#95;lataforma&#95;&#95; cid (16S rRNA) were analyzed with &#95;lata parameters on Brazilian populations (Salvador, Arraial do Cabo and Fernando de Noronha) of scorched mussels previously recorded as B. exustus. Multivariate morphometric &#95;latafor showed partial discrimination of species. Molecular &#95;latafor confirmed B. exustus at Salvador, a population highly similar to Cartagena (Colombia), both belonging to the Atlantic Clade of the B. exustus complex. This fact adds evidence to the idea of the Amazon outflow as a semipermeable barrier. In the southeast of Brazil, B. exustus was not found; instead, B. darwinianus is the species represented at Arraial do Cabo (state of Rio de Janeiro), associated with brackish &#95;lataf. Scorched mussels from Fernando de Noronha are most closely related to B. puniceus from Cape Verde with 4.4% differentiation. Demonstrating an independent evolutionary history since at least the beginning of the Pleistocene, its proposed new name is B. noronhensis.

Background: Some studies have suggested the importance of vitamin D [25(OH)D] in malaria clinical practice. The prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency in the Amazon population is not well known, and there are few studies in patients with malaria. This study aimed to evaluate 25(OH)D serum levels in patients with malaria and determine their relationships with epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and parasitemia data., Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study of 123 patients with malaria and 122 individuals without malaria was performed in Itaituba, Pará, Brazil, from January 2018 to October 2019, by evaluating sociodemographic, clinical-epidemiological, parasitological, and laboratory data and adopting a 5% significance level. Parametric tests (Student's t-test), non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U), and Spearman's correlation ([rs], for non-parametric variables) were used according to the nature of the distribution of the variables. For the qualitative variables, Pearson's chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and the G test were used. Spearman's correlation was used to compare the results of the 25(OH)D levels and blood counts performed among patients and the control group., Results: Malaria patients residing in a mining area had 25(OH)D serum levels that were significantly lower than those in the control group residing in the mining area, though both were within normal levels. Red blood cell counts had an inverse correlation with parasitemia (Plasmodium falciparum), and platelet levels had an inverse correlation with parasitemia (Plasmodium vivax). 25(OH)D deficiency was evidenced in Itaituba, in the state of Pará, which is an endemic area of malaria in the Amazon region.

Virologic failure of antiretroviral therapy (ART) may be explained by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in drug absorption and metabolism genes. Here, we characterized the associations between polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 enzymes' genes CYP2B6 and CYP3A4/A5, nuclear receptor genes NR1I2/3, and initial ART efficacy among 203 HIV-positive individuals from Rio de Janeiro. Association between SNPs and virologic control was evaluated after 6 and 12 months of follow-up using Cox regression models. The SNP rs2307424 (NR1I3) was associated with increased virologic response after 12 months of treatment, while rs1523127 (NR1I2), rs3003596, and rs2502815 (NR1I3) were associated with decreased response. Increased virologic response after 12 months ( adj HR = 1.54; p = 0.02) was also observed among carriers of the NR1I3 haplotype rs2502815G-rs3003596A-rs2307424A versus the reference haplotype G-A-G. Our results suggest that NR1I2 and NR1I3 variants are associated with virologic responses to ART among Brazilians., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the proportion of deaths among hospitalized cases of COVID-19 in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, stratified by private and public services., Methods: Hospitalization data for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) were obtained using the SIVEP-Gripe Database. All hospitalized adults who were diagnosed as COVID-19 or unspecified SARS, between January and December 2020, were included in the analysis. Logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate the risk of death between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, adjusted for age, sex, and comorbidities., Results: A total of 388,657 hospital registers for Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (91,532 and 297,125, respectively) were analyzed. Missing data are frequent in the database and it was greater in Rio de Janeiro, at the state and capital levels. Adjusting for confounders, the odds ratio of dying by COVID-19, comparing the state of Rio de Janeiro with São Paulo, was 2.51 in the private hospitals and 2.29 in the public ones. For the capitals, the scenario is worse. The lethality among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is at least twice in Rio de Janeiro than São Paulo, both at the states and capitals. The public or private services showed important differences, with odds ratios of 2.74 and 3.46, respectively., Conclusion: It appears that the worst governance in the health sector in Rio de Janeiro, more than lack of resources, explains the excess mortality of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Rio de Janeiro.

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in military personnel., Methods: A systematic literature search was carried out in August 2019 and updated in July 2020 without language or time filters. The inclusion criteria were prospective studies that investigated the risk factors for injuries in military personnel. Only risk factors analyzed by at least ten studies were selected for the meta-analysis. For data analysis, the RevMan5.3 program was used to compare the number of participants with injuries between high- or low-risk groups. The measurement of dichotomous variables was one of the selected parameters for the analysis, as well as the Mantel-Haenszel statistical method, random-effects model, and analysis with a relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval for the included studies., Results: A total of 2,629 studies were identified through databases. Thirty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. The groups considered at risk were the oldest [RR = 1.22; (95% CI 1.06-1.41)], with overweight or obesity [RR = 1.27; (95% CI 1.08-1, 48)], with previous injuries [RR = 1.15; (95% CI 1.01-1.30)], and with the worst performance in running tests of 1,600-3,200 m [RR = 1.87; (95% CI 1.28-2.71)]. Gender, ethnicity, and smoking were not associated with injuries. However, a subgroup analysis showed that among studies with a follow-up of fewer than 12 months, women presented RR = 2.44 (95% CI 1.65-3.60) more likely to develop injuries., Conclusion: Age, overweight or obesity, previous injuries, and performance in the 1600-3200 m run are associated with an increased risk of injury in the military., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

ACE2 and TMPRSS2 are key players on SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells. However, it is still unclear whether expression levels of these factors could reflect disease severity. Here, a case-control study was conducted with 213 SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals where cases were defined as COVID-19 patients with respiratory distress requiring oxygen support (N = 38) and controls were those with mild to moderate symptoms of the disease who did not need oxygen therapy along the entire clinical course (N = 175). ACE2 and TMPRSS2 mRNA levels were evaluated in nasopharyngeal swab samples by RT-qPCR and logistic regression analyzes were applied to estimate associations with respiratory outcomes. ACE2 and TMPRSS2 levels positively correlated with age, which was also strongly associated with respiratory distress. Increased nasopharyngeal ACE2 levels showed a protective effect against this outcome ( adj OR = 0.30; 95% CI 0.09-0.91), while TMPRSS2/ACE2 ratio was associated with risk ( adj OR = 4.28; 95% CI 1.36-13.48). On stepwise regression, TMPRSS2/ACE2 ratio outperformed ACE2 to model COVID-19 severity. When nasopharyngeal swabs were compared to bronchoalveolar lavages in an independent cohort of COVID-19 patients under mechanical ventilation, similar expression levels of these genes were observed. These data suggest nasopharyngeal TMPRSS2/ACE2 as a promising candidate for further prediction models on COVID-19.

Vaccines are a recommended strategy for controlling influenza A infections in humans and animals. Here, we describe the effects of hydrostatic pressure on the structure, morphology and functional characteristics of avian influenza A H3N8 virus. The effect of hydrostatic pressure for 3 h on H3N8 virus revealed that the particles were resistant to this condition, and the virus displayed only a discrete conformational change. We found that pressure of 3 kbar applied for 6 h was able to inhibit haemagglutination and infectivity while virus replication was no longer observed, suggesting that full virus inactivation occurred at this point. However, the neuraminidase activity was not affected at this approach suggesting the maintenance of neutralizing antibody epitopes in this key antigen. Our data bring important information for the area of structural virology of enveloped particles and support the idea of applying pressure-induced inactivation as a tool for vaccine production., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Introduction  Good hearing in pilots, including central auditory skills, is critical for flight safety and the prevention of aircraft accidents. Pure tone audiometry alone may not be enough to assess hearing in the members of this population who, in addition to high noise levels, routinely face speech recognition tasks in non-ideal conditions. Objective  To characterize the frequency-following response (FFR) of a group of military pilots compared with a control group. Methods  Twenty military pilots in the Study Group and 20 non-pilot military personnel, not exposed to noise in their work, in the Control Group, all with normal hearing, aged between 30 and 40 years old, completed a questionnaire to assess their hearing habits, and their FFRs were measured with a /da/ syllable (duration 40 milliseconds, speed 10.9/s), at 80 dB NA in the right ear. All procedures were approved by the ethical committee of the institution. Statistical analysis was performed using the t-Student or Mann-Whitney tests for quantitative variables, and the Fisher or chi-squared tests for qualitative variables, and a value of p  < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results  There was no significant difference between the groups regarding auditory habits. In the FFR, wave amplitudes A ( p  = 0.01) and C ( p  = 0.04) were significantly lower in the Study Group. Conclusion  Working as a military pilot can be a crucial factor in determining an individual's typical FFR pattern, demonstrated in the present study by statistically significant reductions in the amplitudes of the A and C waves., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interests The authors have no conflict of interests to declare., (Fundação Otorrinolaringologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ).)

Objectives: To assess morphological and functional aspects of the diaphragm by ultrasonography (US) in adults with sickle cell anemia (SCA) and evaluate if the diaphragmatic musculature can play a role in changes found in pulmonary function tests (PFTs) of these patients., Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational and single-center study involving 40 adults with SCA who underwent diaphragm US and PFTs with a maximum of 1 month between the two tests. Diaphragm US was performed in B and M modes, and echogenicity, thickness and movement of the muscle was assessed in different respiratory maneuvers., Results: Diaphragms had preserved echogenicity and the thickness was not significantly different between the groups. The SCA group exhibited significantly higher movement of the right hemidiaphragm during deep breathing ( p  = 0.004) and the sniff test ( p  = 0.0008) and lower movement of the left hemidiaphragm during quiet breathing ( p  = 0.009). There was a predominance of restrictive pattern (65%) and a global reduction in respiratory muscle strength (RMS) (70%)., Conclusions: This study shows that adults with SCA had normal morphostructural aspects and absence of diaphragm dysfunction. Otherwise, they presented greater movement of the right hemidiaphragm during deep breathing and sniff test maneuvers. Despite the restrictive pattern and the reduction in RMS found in PFTs, the diaphragm of young adults with SCA did not have weakness or paralysis.

Aim: Variation of exercise ventilation confers poor prognosis in heart failure. Sedentary men have higher exercise ventilatory variability than athletes. However, the impact of lifestyle intervention on exercise ventilatory variability in sedentary people is unknown and this is the aim of this study. Materials & methods: Prospective controlled single-blinded interventional study that randomly assigned healthy sedentary individuals to diet and exercise (intervention group, n = 12) or no intervention (control group, n = 12) for 12 weeks. Exercise ventilatory variability was accessed before and after intervention. Results: Despite similar values at baseline, there was a 15% reduction in respiratory rate variability (root mean square of the successive differences/n) in intervention group. Conclusion: Diet and exercise training reduced exercise ventilatory variability.

Introduction: The Amazon River Basin is the largest and the most complex fluvial system in the world. The Brazilian government provides dental and medical care to the riverine populations in this region in part through medical assistance missions, conducted by four hospital ships. The Brazilian Navy invited U.S. Navy medical personnel to join the February 2019 mission aboard Navio de Assistência Hospitalar (NAsH) Carlos Chagas to provide care along the Madeira River., Materials and Methods: In the course of providing primary care services, demographic, health, and dental data of the Madeira Riverine population were collected. Descriptive statistics were used to generate average health and dental data. Chi-square tests were used to compare population prevalence data. Linear regression was used to evaluate dental caries per patient with proximity to nearest large population center and village population. This project was approved by Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Institutional Review Board., Results: The Madeira Riverine population has similar dental health to Brazilians living in urban centers. Their prevalence of hypertension and diabetes compared favorably with the U.S. averages (17.7% vs. 34.3% [P < 0.001] and 3% vs. 9.4% [P < 0.001], respectively). Based on the most prevalent ICD-10 code diagnoses, future missions can expect high volumes of patients with intestinal parasites, hypertension, common skin infections, women's health concerns, and musculoskeletal complaints., Conclusions: This study adds to the limited health data currently available on Brazilian Riverine populations. It demonstrates the effectiveness of the Hospital Assistance missions in providing dental care and documents some unique aspects of Riverine health that warrant further study., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2020. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.)

Varicella in adults and immunocompromised patients can be severe. The clinical diagnosis of varicella has high accuracy and the history of disease has a high positive predictive value for protection. A significant portion of adults, however, cannot remember if they have had varicella, especially older individuals. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine the seroprevalence of varicella protective antibodies titers in adults with no clinical history of disease, attended at a Reference Center for Special Immunobiologicals and Travel Medicine in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Titration of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to varicella-zoster was determined by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Among 140 adults without history of varicella, 92% had protective antibody titers. We concluded that seroprevalence of varicella-zoster protection was very high in adults with negative history of disease and the use of serology before vaccination reduced significantly unnecessary vaccine and immunoglobulin use.

Background: Neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) are the only class of antivirals in clinical use against influenza virus approved worldwide. However, approximately 1-3% of circulating strains present resistance mutations to oseltamivir (OST), the most used NAI. Therefore, it is important to catalogue new molecules to inhibit influenza virus, especially OST-resistant strains. Natural products from tropical plants used for human consumption represent a worthy class of substances. Their use could be stimulated in resource-limited setting where the access to expensive antiviral therapies is restricted., Methods: We evaluated the anti-influenza virus activity of agathisflavone derived from Anacardium occidentale L., Results: The neuraminidase (NA) activity of wild-type and OST-resistant influenza virus was inhibited by agathisflavone, with IC50 values ranging from 20 to 2.0 µM, respectively. Agathisflavone inhibited influenza virus replication with EC50 of 1.3 µM. Sequential passages of the virus in the presence of agathisflavone revealed the emergence of mutation R249S, A250S and R253Q in the NA gene. These changes are outside the OST binding region, meaning that agathisflavone targets this viral enzyme at a region different than conventional NAIs., Conclusion: Altogether our data suggest that agathisflavone has a promising chemical structure for the development of anti-influenza drugs., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The demand for orthodontic treatment in adults has been increasing. However, these patients often require a multidisciplinary approach, due to the lack of posterior teeth, requiring additional anchorage. The skeletal anchorage by endosseous implants is an option, since they may be used later for prosthetic rehabilitation. The application of immediate load on these appliances for orthodontic movement may reduce the costs and total treatment time. This paper discusses the utilization of endosseous dental implants with immediate load for absolute anchorage for orthodontic movement, with later utilization for prosthetic rehabilitation.

Twin hematopoietic chimera in humans is a phenomenon that was discovered accidentally and the prevalence of which remains unclear. The resolution of chimera cases requires studying family medical records, data analysis, and investigations of hematopoietic cells and cells from other tissues. The interactions among ABO, Lewis, and secretor histo-blood group systems are explored to resolve cases of hematopoietic chimera. Here we report a rare case of hematopoietic chimera where twins present a mixed field reaction in the ABO, Rh, and Kidd red blood cell phenotyping. Using red blood cells separated from the mixed field as well as molecular approaches and investigations of family members, we identify inconsistent genotypes with the Mendelian inheritance pattern when comparing the peripheral blood with the buccal epithelium of the male twin and his twin sister. Analysis of the ABO, Lewis, and secretor phenotypes, and genomic DNA from buccal epithelium showed the genotypes ABO * A1.01 /ABO* B.01 and FUT2 * 01N.02 / FUT2 * 01N.02 in the male twin and the genotypes ABO * O.01.01 / ABO * O.01.02 and FUT2 * 01 / FUT2 * 01 in the female twin. The results of the HLA-DRB1 genotyping showed inconsistency between the male and his twin sister. We conclude that the serological analyses combined with molecular approaches used in this study are good tools to resolve cases of hematopoietic chimera., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2019 by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

A nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 (NTPDase 1) was identified on the surface, flagellum and kinetoplast from L. infantum promastigotes by immunocytochemistry and confocal laser scanning microscopy, using immune sera that recognized specifically the B domain of NTPDase 1 and produced against synthetic peptides (LbB1LJ and LbB2LJ) derived from this domain. The polyclonal antibodies had effective antileishmanial effect, reducing significantly in vitro promastigotes growth (21-25%), an antiproliferative effect also demonstrated by immune sera produced against recombinant r-pot B domain, and two other synthetic peptides (potB1LJ and potB2LJ). In addition, using these biomolecules in ELISA technique, IgG1 and IgG2 subclasses reactivities of either healthy dogs or infected by L. infantum and classified clinically as asymptomatic, oligosymptomatic and symptomatic were tested. Analysis of distinct IgG1 and IgG2 seropositivities patterns suggested antibody subclasses binding epitopes along B domain for protection against infection, indicating this domain as a new tool for prophylactic and immunotherapeutic investigations., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study is to propose the use of specific synthetic lipid as an active substance (biocide) in the control of harmful aquatic microorganisms, such as pathogens and non-indigenous species, transported in ships' ballast water. The biocide candidate, without metal or halogen components, was produced from a sub-product of the edible oil industry, the lecithin. Laboratory assays were conducted with phytoplankton, zooplankton, and marine bacteria to evaluate the efficiency of the biocide. The study also considers specific biocide's characteristics related to environmental risks, such as chemical composition, persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. Results showed that, in the first 24 h of treatment, the biocide effectively reduced the concentration of the planktonic micro-organisms to very low levels. Additionally, a preliminary risk evaluation pointed that biocide candidate has a low residual toxicity, also a low potential for persistence and bioaccumulation in the environment., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chagas cardiomyopathy is the most severe clinical manifestation of chronic Chagas disease. The disease affects most of the Latin American countries, being considered one of the leading causes of morbidity and death in the continent. The pathogenesis of Chagas cardiomyopathy is very complex, with mechanisms involving parasite-dependent cytopathy, immune-mediated myocardial damage and neurogenic disturbances. These pathological changes eventually result in cardiac myocyte hypertrophy, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure and stroke during chronic infection phase. Herein, we show that miR-208a, a microRNA that is a key factor in promoting cardiovascular dysfunction during cardiac hypertrophy processes of heart failure, has its circulating levels increased during chronic indeterminate phase when compared to cardiac (CARD) clinical forms in patients with Chagas disease. In contrast, we have not found altered serum levels of miR-34a, a microRNA known to promote pro-apoptotic role in myocardial infarction during degenerative process of cardiac injuries thus indicating intrinsic differences in the nature of the mechanisms underlying the heart failure triggered by Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Our findings support that the chronic indeterminate phase is a progressive phase involved in the genesis of chagasic cardiopathy and point out the use of plasma levels of miR-208a as candidate biomarker in risk-prediction score for the clinical prognosis of Chagas disease.