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Abstract The phenological patterns of two populations of Cnidoscolus quercifolius were evaluated in the western Seridó region of Paraiba state, Brazil, from March 2009 to February 2011, with data collected monthly. The evaluations have addressed the quantitative method of analysis that represents the activity indices for both populations growing seasons (fall and sprout) and reproductive (flowering and fruiting), and also studied the intensity index Borchert, who evaluated the flow leaves. The stages were evaluated with respect to variations in rainfall, water potential of plant and quantum efficiency of photosystem II. The bud in the two populations occurred in the late dry season and transition into the rainy season, with peak leafing in January and November 2010 and was negatively correlated with rainfall (rs = -0.54 p

The adequate management of parasite co-infections represents a challenge that has not yet been overcome, especially considering that the pathological outcomes and responses to treatment are poorly understood. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of Schistosoma mansoni infection on the efficacy of benznidazole (BZN)-based chemotherapy in Trypanosoma cruzi co-infected mice. BALB/c mice were maintained uninfected or co-infected with S. mansoni and T. cruzi, and were untreated or treated with BZN. Body weight, mortality, parasitemia, cardiac parasitism, circulating cytokines (Th1/Th2/Th17); as well as heart, liver and intestine microstructure were analyzed. The parasitemia peak was five times higher and myocarditis was more severe in co-infected than T. cruzi-infected mice. After reaching peak, parasitemia was effectively controlled in co-infected animals. BZN successfully controlled parasitemia in both co-infected and T. cruzi-infected mice and improved body mass, cardiac parasitism, myocarditis and survival in co-infected mice. Co-infection dampened the typical cytokine response to either parasite, and BZN reduced anti-inflammatory cytokines in co-infected mice. Despite BZN normalizing splenomegaly and liver cellular infiltration, it exacerbated hepatomegaly in co-infected mice. Co-infection or BZN exerted no effect on hepatic granulomas, but increased pulmonary and intestinal granulomas. Marked granulomatous inflammation was identified in the small intestine of all schistosomiasis groups. Taken together, our findings indicate that BZN retains its therapeutic efficacy against T. cruzi infection even in the presence of S. mansoni co-infection, but with organ-specific repercussions, especially in the liver., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To determine the cut-off point of the cochlear radiation dose as a risk factor for hearing loss in patients with vestibular schwannoma treated with radiosurgery., Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed without language or publication year restrictions in the MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, LILACS/VHL and Cochrane Library databases. Studies that met the following criteria were included: 1) population: adults of both sexes who underwent radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma treatment; 2) exposure: cochlear radiation; 3) outcome: hearing loss; 4) type of study: cohort. Two independent reviewers conducted the entire review process. The registration number in PROSPERO was CRD42020206128., Results: From the 333 articles identified in the searches, seven were included after applying the eligibility criteria. There was no standardization as to how to measure exposure or outcome in the included studies, and most studies did not present sufficient data to enable meta-analysis., Conclusion: It was not possible to determine a cut-off point for high cochlear dose that could be considered a risk factor for hearing loss., (Copyright © 2023 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier España S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 and the emergence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2 have generated clinical and epidemiological impacts on a global scale. The use of strategies for monitoring viral circulation and identifying mutations in genomic regions involved in host interaction are important measures to mitigate viral dissemination and reduce its likely complications on population health. In this context, the objective of this work was to explore the potential of high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis combined with one-step real-time reverse transcription PCR in a closed-tube system, as a fast and convenient method of screening for SARS-CoV-2 mutations with possible implications on host-pathogen interactions. The HRM analyses allowed the distinction of the Gamma, Zeta, Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants against the predecessors (B.1.1.28, B.1.1.33) of occurrence in Brazil. It is concluded that the molecular tool standardized here has the potential to optimize the genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2, and could be adapted for genomic surveillance of other pathogens, due to its ability to detect, prior to sequencing, samples suggestive of new variants, selecting them more assertively and earlier for whole genome sequencing when compared to random screening., 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. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: A growing body of evidence suggests that several inflammatory skin diseases (ISDs) are associated with systemic inflammation and cardiovascular disease (CVDs)., Methods: We used the TriNetX analytics platform to conduct a retrospective, cross-sectional, single-center study in the Mount Sinai Health System network. Cases (all patients ≥18 years of age with a diagnosis of 1 of the 4 ISDs studied) were compared with matched controls (no history of any of these ISDs) to evaluate odds ratios for being diagnosed with CVD., Results: We identified a total of 70,090 patients with ISDs, including 35,160 patients with atopic dermatitis, 19,490 with psoriasis, 12,470 with rosacea, and 2,970 with alopecia areata, and 70,090 propensity score-matched controls without any of these ISDs. Patients with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis had significantly increased odds of all CVD diagnoses analyzed compared to controls (P<0.001 for all comparisons). Patients with rosacea had significantly increased odds of being diagnosed with all diseases of the circulatory system (P<0.001), hypertensive diseases (P<0.001), cerebrovascular diseases (P=0.037), and arterial disease (P<0.001) compared to controls. Patients with alopecia areata had increased odds for all diseases of the circulatory system (P<0.001), hypertensive diseases (P<0.001), and arterial disease (P<0.001). The prevalence of patients with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels was significantly greater in all ISD groups compared to controls., Conclusion: This study identified significant associations between ISDs and several CVD diagnoses. Furthermore, CRP and ESR were elevated in all ISD groups compared to controls. Pagan AD, Jung S, Caldas S, et al. Cross-sectional study of psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and alopecia areata suggests association with cardiovascular diseases. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(6):576-581. doi:10.36849/JDD.7424.

Background: Patients with alopecia areata (AA) may access a wide range of sources for information about AA, including the recently developed ChatGPT. Assessing the quality of health information provided by these sources is crucial, as patients are utilizing them in increasing numbers., Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate appropriateness and accuracy of responses to common patient questions about AA generated by ChatGPT., Methods: Responses generated by ChatGPT 3.5 and ChatGPT 4.0 to 25 questions addressing common patient concerns were assessed by multiple attending dermatologists in an academic center for appropriateness and accuracy. Appropriateness of responses by both models for use in two hypothetical contexts as follows: (1) for patient-facing general information websites, and (2) for electronic health record (EHR) message drafts., Results: The accuracy across all responses was 4.41 out of 5. Accuracy scores of responses ChatGPT 3.5 responses had a mean of 4.29, whereas those generated by ChatGPT 4.0 had mean accuracy score of 4.53. Assessments ranged from 100% of responses rated as appropriate for the general question category to 79% questions about management for an EHR message draft. Raters largely preferred responses generated by ChatGPT 4.0 versus ChatGPT 3.5. Reviewer agreement was found to be moderate across all questions, with a 53.7% agreement and Fleiss' κ co-efficient of 0.522 (p value <0.001)., Conclusions: The large language model ChatGPT outputted mostly appropriate information for common patient concerns. While not all responses were accurate, the trend toward improvement with newer iterations suggests potential future utility for patients and dermatologists., (© 2023 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

In recent decades, the oral infection of Trypanosoma cruzi has gathered increased attention due to frequent outbreaks that can lead to more severe clinical signs than those usually found in the areas of vector transmission. This study addresses the main routes of infection using metacyclic trypomastigotes (MT) and blood trypomastigotes (BT). Herein, BALB/c mice were infected with the Colombian (TcI) strain via intraperitoneal (IP), oral, intragastric (IG), ocular (OC) and cutaneous (CT) routes with 10 6 culture-derived MT or BT. Parasitemia was intermittent and low in animals inoculated with MT, in contrast, high parasitemia levels were found in BT-mice. A tropism for the muscles was observed in oral or IG infection with BT. Differently, the parasite was widely distributed in the tissues of mice infected with MT. However, the intensity of the inflammation infiltrating the tissues was higher in oral or IG infection with BT. Animals inoculated with BT via the IG route had similar serum levels of IFN-γ and smaller IL-10 compared to those infected with MT via the IG route. TNF-α levels were higher in the serum from BT-animals, which could explain the higher intensity of heart inflammation in these animals. Our results suggest that the infective form and the route of infection differentially modulated the outcome of Trypanosoma cruzi mice infection., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Viral inactivation for antibody induction purposes, among other applications, should ensure biosafety, completely avoiding the risk of infectivity, and preserving viral immunogenicity. β-propiolactone (BPL) is one of the most used reagents for viral inactivation, despite its high toxicity and recent difficulties related to importation, experienced in Brazil during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In this context, the main objectives of this work were to test different inactivation procedures for SARS-CoV-2 and to evaluate the induction of neutralizing antibodies in mice immunized with antigenic preparations obtained after viral treatment with formaldehyde (FDE), glutaraldehyde (GDE), peroxide hydrogen (H 2 O 2 ), as well as with viral proteins extract (VPE), in parallel with BPL. Verification of viral inactivation was performed by subsequent incubations of the inactivated virus in Vero cells, followed by cytopathic effect and lysis plaques observation, as well as by quantification of RNA load using reverse transcription-quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Once viral inactivation was confirmed, cell culture supernatants were concentrated and purified. In addition, an aliquot inactivated by BPL was also subjected to viral protein extraction (VPE). The different antigens were prepared using a previously developed microemulsion as adjuvant, and were administered in a four-dose immunization protocol. Antibody production was comparatively evaluated by ELISA and Plaque Reduction Neutralization Tests (PRNT). All immunogens evaluated showed some level of IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the ELISA assay, with the highest levels presented by the group immunized with FDE-inactivated viral antigen. In the PRNT results, except for VPE-antigen, all other immunogens evaluated induced some level of neutralizing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and the FDE-antigen stood out again with the most expressive values. Taken together, the present work shows that FDE can be an efficient and affordable alternative to BPL for the production of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 viral antigen., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Achieving the 95-95-95 UNAIDS targets requires meeting the needs of adolescents, however we lack evidenced-based approaches to improving adolescent adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), increasing viral suppression, and supporting general wellbeing. We developed Family Connections as a group intervention for adolescents and their adult caregivers and conducted a randomized controlled trial in Ndola, Zambia to test feasibility and acceptability. Fifty pairs ( n  = 100) of adolescents (15-19 years and on ART ≥ 6 months) and their caregivers were randomly assigned either to the intervention consisting of 10 group sessions over 6 months, or to a comparison group, which received the usual care. Each pair completed baseline and endline surveys, with adolescents also undergoing viral load testing. Of the 24-intervention adolescent/caregiver pairs, 88% attended at least eight group sessions. Most adolescents (96%) and all caregivers would recommend Family Connections to peers. Adolescent viral failure decreased but did not significantly differ by study group. Adolescents in the intervention group showed a greater reduction in HIV-related feelings of worthlessness and shame than the comparison group. The feasibility, acceptability, and the positive trend toward significantly reducing internalized stigma, generated by this Family Connections pilot study, contributes valuable data to support adolescent/caregiver approaches that use peer groups.

The anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective potential of coumarin metabolites in infectious myocarditis remains overlooked. Thus, the impact of the synthetic 4-nitrobenzoylcoumarin (4NB) alone and combined with benznidazole (Bz) in a murine model of Trypanosoma cruzi-induced acute myocarditis was investigated. Swiss mice infected with T. cruzi were randomized in 8 groups: uninfected, infected untreated or treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg 4NB or Bz alone and combined. Treatments were administered by gavage for 20 days. Cytokines (IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNFα, and IFN-γ), immunoglobulin reactivity index (total IgG, IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), parasitemia, serum transaminases, heart and liver cellularity were analyzed. T. cruzi infection induced blood parasitism, heart and liver inflammation, upregulated all cytokines, IgG reactivity index, ANP and transaminase levels, determining 43% mortality in untreated mice. Transaminase levels, mean parasitemia, heart inflammation and ANP were reduced in 4NB-treated mice, reaching a 100% survival rate. Total survival (100%) was also obtained in all combinations of Bz and 4NB, which were effective in reducing blood parasitism, transaminases, cytokines and ANP levels, IgG reactivity index, liver and heart interstitial cellularity compared to 50 mg/kg Bz. Our findings indicated that 4NB alone and combined with Bz was well tolerated, showing no evidence of hepatotoxicity. Mainly in combination, these drugs exerted protective effects against T. cruzi-induced acute myocarditis by attenuating blood parasitism, systemic and heart inflammation. Thus, combinations based on 4NB and Bz are potentially relevant to develop new and more effective drug regimens for the treatment of T. cruzi-induced myocarditis., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

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The adoption of best practices has been shown to increase performance in healthcare institutions and is consistently demanded by both patients, payers, and external overseers. Nevertheless, transferring practices between healthcare organizations is a challenging and underexplored task. In this paper, we take a step towards enabling the transfer of best practices by identifying the likely beneficial opportunities for such transfer. Specifically, we analyze the output of machine learning models trained at different organizations with the aims of (i) detecting the opportunity for the transfer of best practices, and (ii) providing a stop-gap solution while the actual transfer process takes place. We show the benefits ofthis methodology on a dataset ofmedical inpatient claims, demonstrating our abilityto identify practice gaps and to support the transfer processes that address these gaps., (©2021 AMIA - All rights reserved.)

In the present study, the ethanolic extract from aerial parts of Ageratum fastigiatum was evaluated in vitro against epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi (Y strain), promastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis (PH8 strain), and L. chagasi (BH400 strain). The extract was also evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25 923), Escherichia coli (ATCC 11 775), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 10 145), and Candida albicans (ATCC 36 802). The phytochemical screening was performed by thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The extract was fractionated using flash preparative chromatography. The ethanolic extract showed activity against T. cruzi, L. chagasi, and L. amazonensis and antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans . The phytochemical screening revealed coumarins, terpenes/sterols, and flavonoids in the ethanolic extract. In addition, the coumarin identified as ayapin was isolated from this extract. We also performed in silico prediction of potential biological activities and targets for compounds previously found in A. fastigiatum . Several predictions were confirmed both retrospectively and prospectively by experimental results described here or elsewhere. Some activities described in the in silico target fishing approach were validated by the ethnopharmacological use and known biological properties. Some new activities and/or targets were predicted and could guide future studies. These results suggest that A. fastigiatum can be an interesting source of substances with antiparasitic and antimicrobial activities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: The antioxidant and oxidative damage responses and immune parameters in shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, reared in clear water (CW) and in a biofloc system (BFT) were evaluated. The animals were given feed supplemented with either nanocapsules containing the antioxidant lipoic acid (NCLA) or empty nanocapsules (NC). Antioxidant and oxidative stress analyses were evaluated by measuring glutathione S‐transferase activity (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) in the gills, hepatopancreas and muscle. The immune parameters were then determined by the differential hemocyte count in the haemolymph. The final weight of the shrimp reared in both CW and BFT and treated with NCLA increased (p < .05). The shrimps reared in BFT showed increased GST activity in the gills and hepatopancreas after NCLA treatment (p < .05). Higher GSH levels were observed in the hepatopancreas with NCLA supplementation in CW and BFT (p < .05). Decreased levels of TBARS were observed in the gills and muscles of shrimp supplemented with NCLA and maintained in CW (p < .05). A decrease in the percentage of hyaline hemocytes and an increase in granular hemocytes were observed in shrimp treated with NCLA in CW and BFT (p < .05). The antioxidant treatment induced positive responses in terms of the zootechnical, biochemical and immunological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The heat-labile nature of Dengue virus (DENV) in serum samples must be considered when applying routine diagnostic tests to avoid issues that could impact the accuracy of test results with direct implications for case management and disease reporting., Objectives: To check if pre-analytical variables, such as storage time and temperature, have an impact on the accuracy of the main routine diagnostic tests for dengue., Methods: Virus isolation, reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and NS1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were evaluated using 84 samples submitted to different pre-analytical conditions., Findings: Sensitivity and negative predictive value were directly affected by sample storage conditions. RT-PCR and virus isolation showed greater dependence on well-conserved samples for an accurate diagnosis. Interestingly, even storage at -30ºC for a relatively short time (15 days) was not adequate for accurate results using virus isolation and RT-PCR tests. On the other hand, NS1 ELISA showed no significant reduction in positivity for aliquots tested under the same conditions as in the previous tests., Main Conclusions: Our results support the stability of the NS1 marker in ELISA diagnosis and indicate that the accuracy of routine tests such as virus isolation and RT-PCR is significantly affected by inadequate transport and storage conditions of serum samples.

We provide the first evidence of a recent invasion of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus in Hasselquist, 1762) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse 1894), followed by dengue virus, in tropical montane cities in south-eastern Brazil, Mariana, and Ouro Preto, at mid and high altitudes, respectively. Long-term temperature variation, dengue public data, and sampling of immature and adult mosquitoes (ovitraps and mosquitraps) in contrasting habitats were used to explain the distribution of Aedes in what in these two cities. From 1961 to 2014, the annual temperature increased significantly due to increases in winter temperatures. In the 1990s/2000s, the winter temperature was 1.3°C warmer than in the 1960s, when it varied from 21.2 to 18.9°C. After 2007, the winter temperatures increased and ranged from 21.6 to 21.3°C. The first autochthonous dengue cases in Mariana and Ouro Preto were in 2007, followed by few occurrences until in 2012, when the mean numbers increased three-fold, and peak at 2013. The continuous 'warmer winter' may have trigged the Aedes invasion. Aedes species benefited from higher winter temperatures, which was an important driver of their invasion of the state of Minas Gerais in the 1980s and, more recently, in the remaining montane urban habitats in this region. In both 2009 and 2011, we found more Aedes in Mariana than Ouro Preto, and more Ae. albopictus in green areas and Ae. aegypti in houses, the expected pattern for well-established populations., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) has been a problem for public health services due to the variety of clinical signs similar to other diseases and low sensitivity and specificity of available tests. In this sense, our main objective was to develop a simple, rapid, and accurate quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) diagnosis for CVL. Thus, low-invasive samples from bone marrow (BM), popliteal lymph nodes (PLN), and conjunctival swabs (CS) were selected from negative and VL-positive dogs, using as gold standard, immunological and parasitological tests performed with different tissues. Oligonucleotides for Leishmania infantum kDNA were designed and the limit of quantification and amplification efficiency of the qPCR were determined using tissue-specific standards produced with DNA from those different tissues, mixed with DNA from a known amount of L. infantum promastigotes. Endogenous control was used to validate a comparative Ct method, and tissue parasite concentrations were estimated by comparison with tissue-specific reference standard samples. The overall analysis of the qPCR data suggests the following ranking for tissue choice: PLN > BM > CS. Finally, we have concluded that this molecular approach simplifies and accelerates the quantitative diagnostic process because it is easy to perform, requiring no DNA dosing or standard curve application, and it shows good diagnostic parameters, especially when using popliteal lymph node samples.

Aim: Cysteine proteases are important molecular targets involved in the replication, virulence and survival of parasitic organisms, including Trypanosoma and Leishmania species. Methodology & results: Analogs of the 7-chloro- N -[3-(morpholin-4-yl)propyl]quinolin-4-amine were synthesized and their inhibitory activity against the enzymes cruzain and rhodesain as well as against promastigotes forms of Leishmania species and epimastigotes forms of Trypanosoma cruzi were evaluated. Five compounds showed activity against both enzymes with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) values ranging from 23 to 123 μM. Among these, compounds 3 and 4 displayed leishmanicidal activity; compound 4  was the most promising with IC 50 values <10 μM and no cytotoxicity for uninfected cells. Conclusion: The results obtained indicate that cysteine proteases are likely to be the molecular target of compounds 3 and 4 .

It is still unclear whether the progression of acute to chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy is predominantly associated with the limited efficacy of aetiological chemotherapy, or with the pharmacological resistance profiles and pathogenicity of specific Trypanosoma cruzi strains. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that parasitic load could be a limited target of aetiological chemotherapy to prevent chronic cardiomyopathy in dogs infected by different T. cruzi strains. Animals were infected with benznidazole-susceptible (Berenice-78) and -resistant (VL-10 and AAS) strains of T. cruzi. A quantitative real-time PCR strategy was developed to comparatively quantify the parasite load of the three different strains using a single standard curve. For dogs infected with the VL-10 strain, benznidazole treatment reduced cardiac parasitism during the acute phase of infection. However, similar parasite load and collagen deposition were detected in the myocardium of treated and untreated animals in the chronic phase of the infection. In animals infected with the AAS strain, benznidazole reduced parasite load, myocarditis and type III collagen deposition in the acute phase. However, increased type III collagen deposition was verified in the chronic phase. Dogs infected with the Berenice-78 strain showed a parasitological cure and no evidence of myocardial fibrosis. Parasitic load and cardiac fibrosis presented no correlation in acute or chronic phases of T. cruzi infection. Our findings in a canine model of Chagas disease suggest that parasite burden is a limited predictor for disease progression after treatment and show that benznidazole, although not inducing parasitological cure, is able to prevent total fibrosis in the early stages of infection, as well as complete prevention of cardiac damage when it eliminates parasites at the onset of infection., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Individuals with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) report difficulties engaging with positive autobiographical memories. Extending this line of research, we examined daily-level concurrent and lagged associations between PTSS severity and positive memory characteristics (vividness, coherence, accessibility, time perspective, sensory details, visual perspective, emotional intensity, sharing, distancing, and valence). The sample included 88 trauma survivors (M age = 39.89 years, 59.1% female) who completed seven daily measures of PTSS and positive memory characteristics. Multilevel models examined concurrent and lagged associations between PTSS severity and positive memory characteristics. The results indicated that days with higher PTSS severity were associated with less accessibility, β = -.21, p < .001; less visual perspective, β = -0.13, p = .034; and lower positive valence of the memory, β = -.19, p = .003, as well as more emotional intensity associated with, β = .13, p = .041, and more distancing from, β = .21, p < .001, the memory. Supplemental lagged analyses indicated that higher previous-day PTSS severity was associated with more next-day distancing from, β = .15, p = .042, and sensory details of, β = .17, p = .016, the memory. Findings suggest that individuals with more severe PTSS have difficulties accessing positively valenced memories from a first-person perspective, are more distant from the recalled positive memory, and report more emotional intensity when retrieving the memory. Thus, improving access to and reducing distance from positive autobiographical memories, as well as addressing emotional intensity surrounding the retrieval of these memories, may be potential clinical targets for PTSS interventions., (© 2024 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.)

Context: Polytraumatization classes based on trauma endorsement patterns relate to distinct clinical outcomes. Person-centered approaches robustly evaluate the nature, and construct validity of polytraumatization classes., Objective: Our review examined evidence for the nature and construct validity of lifespan polytraumatization typologies., Data Sources: In September 2016, we searched Pubmed, PSYCINFO, PSYC ARTICLES, Academic Search Complete, PILPTS, Web of Science, CINAHL, Medline, PsycEXTRA, and PBSC. Search terms included "latent profile," "latent class," "latent analysis," "person-centered," "polytrauma," "polyvictimization," "traumatization," "lifetime," "cooccurring," "complex," "typology," "multidimensional," "sequential," "multiple," "subtype," "(re)victimization," "cumulative," "maltreatment," "abuse," and "stressor." Inclusionary criteria included: peer-reviewed; latent class/latent profile analyses (LCA/LPA) of lifespan polytrauma classes; adult samples of size greater than 200; only trauma types as LCA/LPA indicators; mental health correlates of typologies; and individual-level trauma assessment. Of 1,397 articles, nine met inclusion criteria., Data Extraction: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, research assistants completed a secondary reference search, and independently extracted data with standardized coding forms., Results: Three-class (n = 5) or four-class (n = 4) solutions were found. Seven studies found a class characterized by higher trauma endorsement (high-trauma). All studies found a class characterized by lower trauma endorsement (low-trauma), and predominance of specific traumas (specific-trauma; e.g., childhood maltreatment). High-trauma versus low-trauma classes and specific-trauma versus low-trauma classes differed on mental health correlates., Conclusion: Evidence supports the prevalence of a high-trauma class experiencing poorer mental health, and the detrimental impact of aggregated interpersonal and other traumas. We highlight the clinical importance of addressing polytraumatization classes, and comprehensively assessing the impact of all traumas., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The experience of traumatizing events and resulting posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology relates to a range of impulsive behaviors. While both PTSD and impulsivity are heterogeneous and multidimensional constructs, no research has used person-centered approaches to examine subgroups of individuals based on these response endorsements. Hence, our study examined PTSD-impulsivity typologies and their construct validity in two samples: university students ( n = 412) and community participants recruited through Amazon's MTurk ( n = 346). Measures included the Stressful Life Events Screening Questionnaire (PTEs), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PTSD severity), UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking). Dimensions of Anger Reaction Scale (anger), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (depression). For both samples, results of latent profile analyses indicated a best-fitting 3-class solution: High, Moderate, and Low PTSD-Negative Urgency. Negative urgency was the most distinguishing impulsivity facet. Anger and depression severity significantly predicted membership in the more severe symptomatology classes. Thus, individuals can be meaningfully categorized into three subgroups based on PTSD and impulsivity item endorsements. We provide some preliminary evidence for a negative urgency subtype of PTSD characterized by greater depression and anger regulation difficulties; and underscore addressing emotional regulation skills for these subgroup members., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: None

Gender inequalities shape the experience of food insecurity among women living with HIV (WLHIV). We systematically reviewed the impact of food insecurity on sexual risk behaviors and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among WLHIV. We included qualitative or quantitative peer-reviewed articles, extracted data in duplicate, and assessed rigor. Seven studies, from sub-Saharan Africa, North America, and Europe, met inclusion criteria. Food insecurity was associated with increased sexual risk through transactional sex and inability to negotiate safer sex. Hunger and food insecurity were barriers to ART initiation/adherence. Multidimensional programming and policies should simultaneously address poverty, gender inequality, food insecurity, and HIV.

Roundup ® formulations are the most consumed glyphosate-based herbicides in the world. When applied, they may reach water bodies and exert toxicity toward non-target species. This study evaluated and compared the effects of different variations of Roundup on biochemical biomarkers as oxidative parameters and Acethylchorinesterase (AChE) activity, and sperm quality of the livebearing Jenynsia multidentata. Fish were acutely (96 h) exposed to Roundup Original ® (RO), Roundup Transorb ® (RT) and Roundup WG ® (RWG) at 0.0, 0.5, 1 and 5 mg L -1 of nominal glyphosate. The highest mortality (60%) was observed for fish exposed to RT at the highest concentration tested and at 0.5 mg L -1 non-mortality was observed, so this concentration was chosen for the experiments. Fish exposed to RO and RT (24 and 96 h) presented a state of oxidative imbalance, which caused lipid peroxidation (LPO) in their livers. Oxidative stress was more severe in RO treatment, which may be resulted in the highest hepathosomatic index at 96 h. However, fish exposed to RT presented a marked inhibition of AChE activity from membrane cells of muscle and brain tissues. Sperm quality was investigated in livebearing exposed (24 and 96 h) to the three formulations. Spermatozoa motility and concentration were affected by all formulations. Overall, Roundup formulations are harmful to the fish J. multidentata at 0.5 mg L -1 of glyphosate; however, mechanisms and potential of toxicity are different between formulations. The J. multidentata also represents a sensitive species and a good regional bio-monitor., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study was designed to verify the relationship between IgG antibodies isotypes and myocarditis in Trypanosoma cruzi infection using mice and dogs infected with different T. cruzi strains. The animals were infected with benznidazole-susceptible Berenice-78 and benznidazole-resistant AAS and VL-10 strains. The IgG subtypes were measured in serum samples from dogs (IgG, IgG1, and IgG2) and mice (IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b). The infection of dogs with VL-10 strain induced the highest levels of heart inflammation while intermediate and lower levels were detected with Berenice-78 and AAS strains, respectively. Similar results were found in mice infected with VL-10, but not in those infected with AAS or Berenice-78 strains. The AAS strain induced higher levels of heart inflammation in mice, while Berenice-78 strain was not able to induce it. Correlation analysis between myocarditis and antibody reactivity index revealed very interesting results, mainly for IgG and IgG1, the latter being the most exciting. High IgG1 showed a significant correlation with myocarditis in both experimental models, being more significant in dogs (r=0.94, p<0.0001) than in mice (r=0.58, p=0.047). Overall, our data suggest that IgG1 could be a good marker to demonstrate myocarditis intensity in Chagas disease., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Populations around the world are rapidly ageing and effective treatment for HIV means women living with HIV (WLHIV) can live longer, healthier lives. HIV testing and screening programmes and safer sex initiatives often exclude older sexually active WLHIV. Systematically reviewing the literature to inform World Health Organization guidelines on the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of WLHIV, identified four studies examining healthy sexuality among older WLHIV. In Uganda, WLHIV reported lower rates of sexual activity and rated sex as less important than men. In the United States, HIV stigma, disclosure, and body image concerns, among other issues, were described as inhibiting relationship formation and safer sexual practices. Sexual activity declined similarly over time for all women, including for WLHIV who reported more protected sex, while a significant minority of WLHIV reported unprotected sex. A single intervention, the "ROADMAP" intervention, demonstrated significant increases in HIV knowledge and decreases in HIV stigma and high risk sexual behaviour. WLHIV face ageist discrimination and other barriers to remaining sexually active and maintaining healthy sexual relationships, including challenges procuring condoms and seeking advice on safe sex practices, reduced ability to negotiate safer sex, physical and social changes associated with menopause, and sexual health challenges due to disability and comorbidities. Normative guidance does not adequately address the SRHR of older WLHIV, and while this systematic review highlights the paucity of data, it also calls for additional research and attention to this important area., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)