Burden of Disease Due to Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Adults in Five Middle-Income Countries.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of severe respiratory disease in older adults. Understanding the disease burden is crucial for guiding vaccination policy and raising disease awareness. We estimated the burden of RSV hospitalizations and deaths in adults in five middle-income countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Malaysia.

STING agonist 8803 reprograms the immune microenvironment and increases survival in preclinical models of glioblastoma.

STING agonists can reprogram the tumor microenvironment to induce immunological clearance within the central nervous system. Using multiplexed sequential immunofluorescence (SeqIF) and the Ivy Glioblastoma Atlas, STING expression was found in myeloid populations and in the perivascular space. The STING agonist 8803 increased median survival in multiple preclinical models of glioblastoma, including QPP8, an immune checkpoint blockade-resistant model, where 100% of mice were cured.

Correction: Prevalence and factors associated with self-reported anxiety in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, and Spain: A cross-sectional Ibero-American study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

CRISPR-Cas9 knockout of membrane-bound alkaline phosphatase or cadherin does not confer resistance to Cry toxins in Aedes aegypti.

The Aedes aegypti cadherin-like protein (Aae-Cad) and the membrane-bound alkaline phosphatase (Aae-mALP) are membrane proteins identified as putative receptors for the larvicidal Cry toxins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis bacteria. Cry toxins are the most used toxins in the control of different agricultural pest and mosquitos.

Protocol to quantify immune cell distribution from the vasculature to the glioma microenvironment on sequential immunofluorescence multiplex images.

Although myeloid-derived immune cells can be dispersed throughout the tumor microenvironment (TME), anti-tumor effector cells are confined to the perivascular space. Here, we present a protocol to quantify immune cell distribution from tumor vasculature to its glioma microenvironment on sequential immunofluorescence multiplex images. We describe steps for sequential immunofluorescence multiplex staining, image generation, and storage.

Volunteerism Addressing Environmental Disparities in Allergy (VAEDIA): The presidential initiative to combat environmental injustice in allergy and immunology-a Work Group Report of the AAAAI VAEDIA task force.

Many vulnerable people lose their health or lives each year as a result of unhealthy environmental conditions that perpetuate medical conditions within the scope of allergy and immunology specialists' expertise. While detrimental environmental factors impact all humans globally, the effect is disproportionately more profound in impoverished neighborhoods. Environmental injustice is the inequitable exposure of disadvantaged populations to environmental hazards.

Occupational second-hand smoke exposure: A comparative shotgun proteomics study on nasal epithelia from healthy restaurant workers.

Non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) present risk of developing tobacco smoke-associated pathologies. To investigate the airway molecular response to SHS exposure that could be used in health risk assessment, comparative shotgun proteomics was performed on nasal epithelium from a group of healthy restaurant workers, non-smokers (never and former) exposed and not exposed to SHS in the workplace. HIF1α-glycolytic targets (GAPDH, TPI) and proteins related to xenobiotic metabolism, cell proliferation and differentiation leading to cancer (ADH1C, TUBB4B, EEF2) showed significant modulation in non-smokers exposed.

Detection of ectoparasites and investigation of infection by Rickettsia spp. and Trypanosoma spp. in bats from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

This study aimed to investigate the presence of ectoparasites and the occurrence of natural infection by Rickettsia spp. and Trypanosoma spp. in bats from Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil.

Structural changes upon membrane insertion of the insecticidal pore-forming toxins produced by .

Different (Bt) strains produce a broad variety of pore-forming toxins (PFTs) that show toxicity against insects and other invertebrates. Some of these insecticidal PFT proteins have been used successfully worldwide to control diverse insect crop pests. There are several studies focused on describing the mechanism of action of these toxins that have helped to improve their performance and to cope with the resistance evolved by different insects against some of these proteins.

Modeling bacterial microcompartment architectures for enhanced cyanobacterial carbon fixation.

The carboxysome is a bacterial microcompartment (BMC) which plays a central role in the cyanobacterial CO-concentrating mechanism. These proteinaceous structures consist of an outer protein shell that partitions Rubisco and carbonic anhydrase from the rest of the cytosol, thereby providing a favorable microenvironment that enhances carbon fixation. The modular nature of carboxysomal architectures makes them attractive for a variety of biotechnological applications such as carbon capture and utilization.

Acute Effects of Coffee Consumption on Blood Pressure and Endothelial Function in Individuals with Hypertension on Antihypertensive Drug Treatment: A Randomized Crossover Trial.

Introduction: Coffee is a complex brew that contains several bioactive compounds and some of them can influence blood pressure (BP) and endothelial function (EF), such as caffeine and chlorogenic acids (CGAs).

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the acute effects of coffee on BP and EF in individuals with hypertension on drug treatment who were habitual coffee consumers.

Methods: This randomized crossover trial assigned 16 adults with hypertension to receive three test beverages one week apart: caffeinated coffee (CC; 135 mg caffeine, 61 mg CGAs), decaffeinated coffee (DC; 5 mg caffeine, 68 mg CGAs), and water.

Immunoassay Urine Drug Testing among Patients Receiving Opioids at a Safety-Net Palliative Medicine Clinic.

Background: Few studies have examined the use of immunoassay urine drug testing of cancer patients in palliative care clinics.

Objectives: We examined the frequency of immunoassay urine drug test (UDT) abnormalities and the factors associated with aberrancy at a safety-net hospital palliative medicine clinic.

Methods: A retrospective review of the electronic medical records of consecutive eligible patients seen at the outpatient palliative medicine clinic in a resource-limited safety-net hospital system was conducted between 1 September 2015 and 31 December 2020.

Gross motor trajectories of pre-term and full-term infants under different parental educational approaches.

This study aimed to explore motor trajectories of Brazilian pre-term and full-term infants from 3 to 12 months old whose parents participated in an educational program and had received guidance on gross motor development. Forty-eight Brazilian infants aged 3 months old were divided into Group 1 (full-term infants and their parents who received only verbal guidance, = 14), Group 2 (full-term infants with parents who received an educative folder in addition to the same verbal guidance, = 23), and Group 3 (preterm infants with parents who received the same verbal guidance and educative folder, = 11). The folder had similar information to the verbal guidance; nonetheless, it helped to teach parents and allowed later consultation at home.

Development and validation of a video on first aid for choking incidents in the school environment.

Objective: To develop and validate an educational video on first aid for choking incidents in children in the school environment.

Method: Methodological study, conducted between 2021 and 2022, in six stages: search for themes through interviews with 13 teachers and staff members who work in early childhood education in Niterói; theoretical study; development of the video; validation with 17 expert judges; video adaptation and validation with 17 teachers and staff. The interviews were analyzed using the Iramuteq software and the validation through the concordance index, with a desirable value of 70%.

The separation and identification of circulating small extracellular vesicles from endurance-trained, strength-trained and recreationally active men.

Small extracellular vesicles (EV) are membrane-encapsulated particles that carry bioactive cargoes, are released by all cell types and are present in all human biofluids. Changes in EV profiles and abundance occur in response to acute exercise, but this study investigated whether individuals with divergent histories of exercise training (recreationally active controls - CON; endurance-trained - END; strength-trained - STR) presented with varied abundances of small EVs in resting samples and whether the abundance of small EVs differed within each group across two measurement days. Participants (n = 38, all male; CON n = 12, END n = 13, STR n = 13) arrived at the lab on two separate occasions in a rested, overnight fasted state, with standardisation of time of day of sampling, recent dietary intake, time since last meal and time since last exercise training session (∼40 h).

Oral health literacy and its association with oral health-related quality of life amongst pregnant women: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the association of oral health literacy (OHL) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of pregnant women.

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated a representative sample of pregnant women assisted in public health services in southern Brazil. Demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial and behavioural data were collected through structured questionnaires.

Sialic acids Neu5Ac and KDN in adipose tissue samples from individuals following habitual vegetarian or non-vegetarian dietary patterns.

Sialic acids (Sias) are a class of sugar molecules with a parent nine-carbon neuraminic acid, generally present at the ends of carbohydrate chains, either attached to cellular surfaces or as secreted glycoconjugates. Given their position and structural diversity, Sias modulate a wide variety of biological processes. However, little is known about the role of Sias in human adipose tissue, or their implications for health and disease, particularly among individuals following different dietary patterns.

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Rates and Epidemiology of Infection in One VA Hospital.

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increases in some healthcare-associated infections. We investigated the impact of the pandemic on the rates and molecular epidemiology of infection (CDI) within one VA hospital. We anticipated that the potential widespread use of antibiotics for pneumonia during the pandemic might increase CDI rates given that antibiotics are a major risk for CDI.

Does premature birth affect Brazilian parents' practices related to infant positioning?

Objective: To verify whether the time spent in prone, supine, or seated positions differed between term and preterm infants; and to determine whether a single verbal guidance session for parents changed the time spent in different positions, and, consequently, the motor development scores, after one month in preterm infants.

Methods: Sixty-one infants from a full-term and preterm group from Brazil were included. Motor development was assessed by the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and the parents registered the time spent in each position on a 24-hour schedule.

Characteristics and outcomes of infection after a change in the diagnostic testing algorithm.

Background: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for the detection of is a highly sensitive test. Some clinical laboratories have included a 2-step testing algorithm utilizing PCR plus toxin enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) to increase specificity.

Objective: To determine the risk factors and outcomes of PCR-positive/toxin-positive encounters compared to PCR-positive/toxin-negative encounters.

Adherence to Opioid Patient Prescriber Agreements at a Safety Net Hospital.

Patient prescriber agreements, also known as opioid contracts or opioid treatment agreements, have been recommended as a strategy for mitigating non-medical opioid use (NMOU). The purpose of our study was to characterize the proportion of patients with PPAs, the rate of non-adherence, and clinical predictors for PPA completion and non-adherence. This retrospective study covered consecutive cancer patients seen at a palliative care clinic at a safety net hospital between 1 September 2015 and 31 December 2019.