An Overview of Monkeypox Virus Detection in Different Clinical Samples and Analysis of Temporal Viral Load Dynamics.

Mpox is a zoonotic disease caused by the Monkeypox virus (MPXV), and since May 2022, tens of thousands of cases have been reported in non-endemic countries. We aimed to evaluate the suitability of different sample types for mpox diagnostic and assess the temporal dynamics of viral load. We evaluated 1914 samples from 953 laboratory-confirmed cases.

Orogenital and anal infection by , , , and other sexually transmitted infections in men who have sex with men in Lisbon.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but more data on extragenital carriage are needed.

Aim: We assessed the genital and extragenital prevalence of bacterial and other STIs in MSM in a Lisbon sexual health clinic.

Methods: We screened oral, anal, and urine samples of MSM visiting the GAT-CheckpointLX clinic June 2017-December 2021 for (including lymphogranuloma venereum, LGV), , , , , , and .

Assessment of the Tribological Performance of Electrospun Lignin Nanofibrous Web-Thickened Bio-Based Greases in a Nanotribometer.

The tribological performance of novel bio-based lubricating greases thickened with electrospun lignin nanostructures was investigated in a nanotribometer using a steel-steel ball-on-disc configuration. The impact of electrospun nanofibrous network morphology on friction and wear is explored in this work. Different lignin nanostructures were obtained with electrospinning using ethylcellulose or PVP as co-spinning polymers and subsequently used as thickeners in castor oil at concentrations of 10-30% wt.

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Mpox Patients Attending an STD Clinic in Lisbon.

Mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which marked the year of 2022 with a global outbreak. While previously considered to be a zoonosis of almost exclusive animal-to-human transmission, the current outbreak has been attributed to human-to-human transmission, particularly sexual transmission. As a new sexually transmissible disease, we studied the epidemiological and clinical features, as well as the concomitant occurrence of other sexually transmissible diseases, treatment approach, and outcome of our 291 patients, in the current outbreak.

Chlamydial and Gonococcal Genital Infections: A Narrative Review.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) constitute one of the leading causes of disease burden worldwide, leading to considerable morbidity, mortality, health expenditures, and stigma. Of note are the most common bacterial STIs, chlamydial and gonococcal infections, whose etiological agents are (CT) and (NG), respectively. Despite being usually asymptomatic, in some cases these infections can be associated with long-term severe complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and increased risk of other STIs acquisition.

Learning and assessment strategies to develop specific and transversal competencies for a humanized medical education.

Medical education should promote the development of skills and abilities that can be applied to real-world work performance. The aim of this study is to evaluate technical and methodological knowledge, as well as physician-patient communication skills, as one of the most important transversal competencies that a good physician should acquire; all this in a reliable, accurate and objective way. We present a rubric specifically designed and implemented for the evaluation of specific and transversal competencies in the physiology practical sessions, during the second year of the medical degree.

Global gene expression analysis of Streptococcus agalactiae at exponential growth phase.

A comparative overview of the global gene expression levels of S. agalactiae reference strain NEM316 at the exponential growth phase was done through RNA-sequencing. The expression levels of 47 genes potentially linked to virulence evidenced that: i) the major nuclease, GBS_RS03720/gbs0661, presented higher mean expression values than the remainder of DNase genes; ii) the genetic pilus island PI-2a genes presented higher mean expression values than PI-1 coding genes; and, iii) three virulence-associated genes ranked among the top-100 most expressed genes (GBS_RS07760, GBS_RS09445 and GBS_RS03485).

Impact of the Morphology of Electrospun Lignin/Ethylcellulose Nanostructures on Their Capacity to Thicken Castor Oil.

This study reports on a novel strategy for manufacturing thickened gel-like castor oil formulations by dispersing electrospun lignin/ethylcellulose nanostructures. These thickened formulations were rheologically and tribologically evaluated with the aim of being proposed as alternative ecofriendly lubricating greases. Low-sulfonate kraft lignin (LSL) and ethylcellulose (EC) were dissolved in a DMAc:THF mixture at different concentrations (8, 10, and 15 wt.

The Type III Secretion Effector CteG Mediates Host Cell Lytic Exit of .

is an obligate intracellular bacterium causing ocular and urogenital infections in humans that are a significant burden worldwide. The completion of its characteristic infectious cycle relies on the manipulation of several host cell processes by numerous chlamydial type III secretion effector proteins. We previously identified the CteG effector and showed it localizes at the host cell plasma membrane at late stages of infection.

Phylogenomic characterization and signs of microevolution in the 2022 multi-country outbreak of monkeypox virus.

The largest monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreak described so far in non-endemic countries was identified in May 2022 (refs. ). In this study, shotgun metagenomics allowed the rapid reconstruction and phylogenomic characterization of the first MPXV outbreak genome sequences, showing that this MPXV belongs to clade 3 and that the outbreak most likely has a single origin.

Ongoing monkeypox virus outbreak, Portugal, 29 April to 23 May 2022.

Up to 27 May 2022, Portugal has detected 96 confirmed cases of monkeypox. We describe 27 confirmed cases (median age: 33 years (range: 22-51); all males), with an earliest symptom onset date of 29 April. Almost all cases (n = 25) live in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley health region.

Clinical and Epidemiological Characterization of Lymphogranuloma Venereum in a Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic in Lisbon, 2001 to 2020.

Between 2001 and 2020, 54 LGV cases were diagnosed in a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Lisbon, most in men who have sex with men (87%), HIV negative (63%), from the anorectal mucosa (72.2%). Cases among heterosexuals were also identified (13%).

Genomic insights on DNase production in Streptococcus agalactiae ST17 and ST19 strains.

Streptococcus agalactiae evasion from the human defense mechanisms has been linked to the production of DNases. These were proposed to contribute to the hypervirulence of S. agalactiae ST17/capsular-type III strains, mostly associated with neonatal meningitis.

Electrospun lignin-PVP nanofibers and their ability for structuring oil.

This work explores the electrospinnability of low-sulfonate Kraft lignin (LSL)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solutions in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and the ability of the different micro- and nano-architectures generated to structure castor oil. LSL/PVP solutions were prepared at different concentrations (8-15 wt%) and LSL:PVP ratios (90:10-0:100) and physico-chemically and rheologically characterized. The morphology of electrospun nanostructures mainly depends on the rheological properties of the solution.

Transcontinental Dissemination of the L2b/D-Da Recombinant Chlamydia trachomatis Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) Strain: Need of Broad Multi-Country Molecular Surveillance.

Previously, we identified a Chlamydia trachomatis lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) recombinant strain possessing a non-LGV ompA genotype. Here, culture-independent genome sequencing confirms its circulation in Europe, Middle East, and North America, and unveils emergence of antibiotic resistance. Broad surveillance is needed.

clustering to reveal major European whole-genome-sequencing-based genogroups in association with antimicrobial resistance.

, the bacterium responsible for the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhoea, has shown an extraordinary ability to develop antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to multiple classes of antimicrobials. With no available vaccine, managing infections demands effective preventive measures, antibiotic treatment and epidemiological surveillance. The latter two are progressively being supported by the generation of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data on behalf of national and international surveillance programmes.

Biofilm formation by ST17 and ST19 strains of Streptococcus agalactiae.

Bacterial biofilms are an important virulence factor with a vital role in evasion from the host immune system, colonization and infection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in vitro the effects of three environmental factors (H, glucose and human plasma) in biofilm formation, by carrier and invasive Streptococcus agalactiae strains of ST17 and ST19 sequence types, including DNase producers and non-producers. Bacteria ability to assemble biofilms was classified based on crystal violet assay.

Cephalosporin-Resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolated in Portugal, 2019.

We report a multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae exhibiting resistance to ceftriaxone and cefixime, isolated in Portugal in 2019. Whole-genome sequencing was performed for typing and identification of genetic determinants of antimicrobial resistance. Because of its antimicrobial susceptibility profile, awareness should be raised for the circulation of this strain.

Fifteen years of a nationwide culture collection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance in Portugal.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and gonorrhea disease burden remain major public health concerns worldwide. To contribute to the supranational demands to monitor and manage the spread of antimicrobial-resistant N. gonorrhoeae, the Portuguese NIH promoted the creation of the National Laboratory Network for Neisseria gonorrhoeae Collection (PTGonoNet).

Self-assessment of communication resources used by sales representatives and its relation with sales performance.

Purpose: To analyze the self-assessment of communication resources used by sales representatives and its relation with their sales performance.

Methods: The study counted with 55 sales representatives, 46 men and 9 women, between 24 and 56 years old. In the first phase of the study, participants answered questions related to identification data, self-assessment protocols of vocal behavior and communicative resources; besides that, they were asked to select the positive and negative communication resources of their own speech during the sales.