Geographic accessibility to hospital childbirths in Brazil (2010-2011 and 2018-2019): a cross-sectional study.

Background: Delays in obstetric care are associated with adverse maternal outcomes, while long-distance travel for delivery is associated with high neonatal mortality and increased maternal morbidity. Distance and travel time are key components of geographic accessibility to health services and important risk indicators for maternal and neonatal care. This study evaluated whether the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) has been geographically accessible in providing hospital childbirth services, over time.

Can chick meconium serve as a source of biomarkers linked to hatchling quality and the age of parent stock?

One possible approach to selecting chicks based on quality involves identifying biomarkers in biological samples. Concurrently, understanding the metabolic profile of chicks from different-aged breeders is essential for developing strategies to mitigate the age-related effects on hatchability. This study investigated whether chick quality and breeder age influence the metabolic profile of layer chick meconium.

Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in MMP3, TIMP1, and MTR Genes are Associated With Delayed Deciduous Tooth Eruption.

To analyze whether the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Matrix metalloproteinases 2, 3, and 9 (MMP2, MMP3, and MMP9), Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases 1 and 2 (TIMP1 and TIMP2), methionine synthase (MTR) and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) influence delayed deciduous tooth eruption (DDTE). This cross-sectional study included 1060 biologic unrelated children (aged between 6 and 36 months) of both sexes, selected from 25 public schools in Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Oral examination was conducted and DDTE was defined by the absence of gingival eruption according to a chronology based on the Brazilian population.

Equine endometrial bacteria inhibition by metabolite and extracellular vesicles of Lactobacillus acidophilus and lactiplantibacillus plantarum.

Endometritis is one of the main reproductive disorders in mares and due to the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance, the use of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of endometritis in mares has gained interest, given their potential to restore and maintain a healthy uterine microbiota. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of total metabolites of Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP) against common equine endometrial pathogenic bacteria in vitro (Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli (1), Escherichia coli (2), Escherichia coli (3), Escherichia coli (4), Enterobacter cloacae, Streptococcus equi, Staphylococcus warneri, Actinobacillus equi and Klebesiella pneumoniae), as well as to assess their low molecular weight metabolites (loM) and extracellular vesicle (EVs) inhibition capacity over a multidrug-resistant E. coli isolated from mares with clinical endometritis.

In vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial effect of ZnO:9Ag nanoparticle and antibiotics on standard strains of Leptospira spp.

Silver nanoparticles are recognized for potent antimicrobial properties against pathogenic bacteria, crucial in addressing the severity of leptospirosis, where an ideal treatment is lacking. This study focuses on assessing the antimicrobial efficacy of silver-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO:9Ag) on standard Leptospira spp. strains (six species and ten serovars).

The Use of Technology in the Prevention of Infections Associated with Urinary Catheterization.

(1) Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms, and they are the second most common hospital-acquired infections, with catheter-associated UTIs (CAUTIs) accounting for about 40% of these nosocomial infections. This review aims to identify the impact of technology on preventing infections in patients with urinary catheters; (2) Methods: The search was conducted in April 2024 through the EBSCOhost platform, with access to the American Search Complete, CINHAL Ultimate, Medline databases, and through the Scopus database; (3) Results: In total were included eight articles in this review. Technology interventions can significantly reduce the incidence of CAUTIs, decrease the duration of catheter use, improve diagnosis, and enhance patient safety; (4) Conclusions: Technological advancements show significant benefits in reducing infection rates and improving patient outcomes, like shorter hospital stays and comfort.

Pharmacological Block of Genicular Nerves in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis.

 To evaluate the clinical and functional outcomes of the pharmacological block of the genicular nerves as a modality in the therapeutic arsenal for knee osteoarthritis, since it is simple, safe, and minimally invasive.  The pharmacological block of the genicular nerves was performed in 20 patients with grades 3 and 4 knee osteoarthritis per the Kellgren-Lawrence classification. We assessed their clinical and functional outcomes one, three, and six months after the procedure.

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on COVID-19 symptomatology and severity during five waves.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 variants have distinct features of transmissibility, infectivity, and aggressiveness that may cause different clinical manifestations. A better understanding of the disease presentation and progression could help to outline more precise preventive and treatment frameworks. This study describes the differences in COVID-19 presentation and outcomes across five variant waves.

Association between vaccination and persistent COVID-19-related symptoms among patients with mild Omicron infection: A prospective cohort study.

Background: While COVID-19 vaccination has been shown to reduce the risk of severe illness, its impact on the occurrence of persistent symptoms in patients with mild Omicron infection remains uncertain. Our objective was to investigate whether COVID-19 vaccination reduces the occurrence of persistent COVID-19-related symptoms 3 months after mild Omicron infection.

Methods: Multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted in Brazil between January 2022 and June 2023 when Omicron was predominant.

Unraveling the molecular determinants of a rare human mitochondrial disorder caused by the P144L mutation of FDX2.

Episodic mitochondrial myopathy with or without optic atrophy and reversible leukoencephalopathy (MEOAL) is a rare, orphan autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in ferredoxin-2 (FDX2), which is a [2Fe-2S] cluster-binding protein participating in the formation of iron-sulfur clusters in mitochondria. In this biosynthetic pathway, FDX2 works as electron donor to promote the assembly of both [2Fe-2S] and [4Fe-4S] clusters. A recently identified missense mutation of MEOAL is the homozygous mutation c.

A survey of the Desulfuromonadia "cytochromome" provides a glimpse of the unexplored diversity of multiheme cytochromes in nature.

Background: Multiheme cytochromes c (MHC) provide prokaryotes with a broad metabolic versatility that contributes to their role in the biogeochemical cycling of the elements and in energy production in bioelectrochemical systems. However, MHC have only been isolated and studied in detail from a limited number of species. Among these, Desulfuromonadia spp.

Assessment of abnormal transvalvular flow and wall shear stress direction for pediatric/young adults with bicuspid aortic valve: A cross-sectional four-dimensional flow study.

Background: Aortic dilation is seen in pediatric/young adult patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), and hemodynamic markers to predict aortic dilation are necessary for monitoring. Although promising hemodynamic metrics, such as abnormal wall shear stress (WSS) magnitude, have been proposed for adult BAV patients using four-dimensional (4D) flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance, those for pediatric BAV patients have less frequently been reported, partly due to scarcity of data to define normal WSS range. To circumvent this challenge, this study aims to investigate if a recently proposed 4D flow-based hemodynamic measurement, abnormal flow directionality, is associated with aortic dilation in pediatric/young adult BAV patients.

Modeling memory B cell responses in a lymphoid organ-chip to evaluate mRNA vaccine boosting.

Predicting the immunogenicity of candidate vaccines in humans remains a challenge. To address this issue, we developed a lymphoid organ-chip (LO chip) model based on a microfluidic chip seeded with human PBMC at high density within a 3D collagen matrix. Perfusion of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein mimicked a vaccine boost by inducing a massive amplification of spike-specific memory B cells, plasmablast differentiation, and spike-specific antibody secretion.

Reliability and relevance of the ES®-RHE model for in vitro skin irritation test application.

Introduction: In vitro methods have been widely used to assess adverse effects. Reconstructed Human Epidermis (RHE) poses as a fascinating test system employed to assess the dermal irritation hazard potential of chemicals. Although several RHE models are reported in the OECD Test Guideline No.

The Resistance of Bacillus Spores: Implications for the Strain-Specific Response to High-Performance Disinfectants.

Bacterial spores in materials and equipment pose significant biosecurity risks, making effective disinfection crucial. This study evaluated Ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) and a quaternary ammonia-glutaraldehyde solution (AG) for inactivating spores of Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), B. cereus (BC), and two strains of B.

The Big Five Personality Traits in Dyslexic Adults: An Exploratory Study.

Background: Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes a pattern of learning difficulties that can be characterized by deficits in word reading accuracy, speed or fluency, and reading comprehension. Due to all this damage, emotional difficulties have been described in the literature mainly for childhood and adolescence. Within this emotional component, personality can be included.

Antiparasitic activity of chalcones analogue against Trichomonas vaginalis: biochemical, molecular and in silico aspects.

Trichomonas vaginalis is the etiologic agent of trichomoniasis, a worldwide distributed sexually transmitted infection (STI) that affects the genitourinary tract. Even though this disease already has a treatment in the prescription of drugs of the 5-nitroimidazole class, described low treatments adhesion, adverse side effects and cases of resistant isolates demonstrate the need for new formulations. With this in mind, chalcones emerge as a potential alternative to be tested, being compounds widely distributed in nature, easy to chemically synthesize and presenting several biological activities already reported.

Strengthening research networks: Insights from a clinical research network in Brazil.

Clinical Research Networks (CRNs) are means to improve healthcare delivery, quality of care and patient outcomes. The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Latin America's leading health research organization, has established a CRN to promote interaction and collaboration among its clinical research experts. After a decade of operation, a revitalization process was undertaken out of the need to improve its functionality.

Five centuries of genome evolution and multi-host adaptation of in Brazil.

Consumption of raw, undercooked or contaminated animal food products is a frequent cause of infection. Brazil is the world's third largest producer and a major exporter of chicken meat, yet population-level genomic investigations of in the country remain scarce. Analysis of 221 .

A new standardization for the use of chicken embryo: selection of target from the phage display library and infection.

The filamentous bacteriophage M13KO7 (M13) is the most used in phage display (PD) technology and, like other phages, has been applied in several areas of medicine, agriculture, and in the food industry. One of the advantages is that they can modulate the immune response in the presence of pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. This study evaluated the use of phage M13 in the chicken embryos model.