PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF SECRETED PROTEASES FROM PATHOGENIC LEPTOSPIRES AND EFFECTS ON PHAGOCYTOSIS BY MURINE MACROPHAGES.

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis caused by spirochete Leptospira. Pathogenic leptospires evade the Complement System, enabling their survival upon contact with normal human serum in vitro. In a previous study, we demonstrated that proteases secreted by pathogenic leptospires cleave several Complement proteins, including C3 and the opsonins C3b and iC3b.

Presence of multidrug-resistant bacteria on ready-to-use laryngoscope blades and handles: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The presence of microorganisms in laryngoscopes emphasizes the risk to patient safety during orotracheal intubations.

Methods: Cross-sectional study was carried out in university hospital in the inpatient, emergency, intensive care and surgical center sectors. Microorganisms were recovered from the blades using a filter membrane and from the handles using swab.

Neuropharmacological potential of Mimosa tenuiflora in adult zebrafish: An integrated approach to GABAergic and serotonergic neuromodulation.

Mimosa tenuiflora ("jurema-preta") is traditionally used in folk medicine for various diseases. The study investigated the neuropharmacological potential of Mimosa tenuiflora bark fraction (FATEM) in adult zebrafish. This included the acute toxicity (LC50) of FATEM (0.

Baseline gray matter volume associates with working memory performance after prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation.

Working memory is crucial for daily life and is often impaired in neuropsychiatric conditions. Attempts to enhance it using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have shown mixed results, possibly due to large inter-individual variability. This study assessed whether baseline regional brain volume was associated with working memory performance following tDCS.

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea-Associated Factors in Children and Adolescents Diagnosed by Polysomnography: A Scoping Review.

Purpose: This scoping review aimed to map research on factors associated with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in children and adolescents undergoing overnight polysomnography (PSG) and questionnaire-based diagnostic assessments.

Methods: Searches were conducted in three electronic databases up to May 2023, including nine observational studies, including 3482 individuals.

Results: Among the included studies, nine reported on sex, six on obesity, five on tonsillar hypertrophy, three on mouth breathing, two on allergic rhinitis, and three on smoking exposure.

Copper Prevention Values in Brazilian Subtropical Soils.

The Brazilian National Environmental Council (CONAMA) Resolution 420/2009 establishes soil quality guideline values for copper, as the prevention value (PV). It defines the maximum concentrations of chemical substances permitted in the soil. Thus, the aim of the present research was to evaluate the effectiveness of the copper PV adopted at the national level by conducting exposure assays with enchytraeids (Enchytraeus crypticus, Enchytraeus bigeminus and Enchytraeus dudichi) and springtails (Folsomia candida, Proisotoma minuta and Sinella curviseta) in two Brazilian subtropical soils: a Latosol and an Argisol.

Computational condensed matter science contributions to addressing water emerging contaminant pollution: A comprehensive review.

The study of emerging contaminants (ECs) in water resources has garnered significant attention due to their potential risks to human health and the environment. This review examines the contribution from computational approaches, focusing on the application of machine learning (ML) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to understand and optimize experimental applications of ECs adsorption on carbon-based nanomaterials. Condensed matter physics plays a crucial role in this research by investigating the fundamental properties of materials at the atomic and molecular levels, enabling the design and engineering of materials optimized for contaminant removal.

Neuroendocrine Tumors in Horseshoe Kidneys: A Review of the Literature With Report of a Novel Finding Expanding Their Morphologic Spectrum.

Horseshoe kidney is a rare congenital anomaly with an unusually higher frequency of neuroendocrine tumors. Symptoms are rare, and, in most of the cases, are incidentally diagnosed. The clinical behavior of these tumors is heterogeneous and can be difficult to predict based on histology alone.

Terminological subset of ICNP® for people with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis.

Objectives: To construct and validate a terminological subset of the International Classification of Nursing Practice (ICNP®) for people with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis.

Method: Methodological study developed in accordance with the recommendations of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the Brazilian method, in the following stages: construction of ND/NO and NI statements of the ICNP® for nursing practice for people with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis, based on previously constructed specialized terminology and in accordance with Wanda Horta's Basic Human Needs Theory; and content validation of the statements by focus groups with specialist nurses. The Content Validity Index was used and statements ≥ 0.

Self-care concept for people with elimination ostomy: a scoping review.

Objective: To analyze the literature for terminology, classifications, and factors influencing the adoption of self-care in people with an elimination ostomy.

Method: Scoping review, according to JBI methodology and, for structuring the article, the extension of the PRISMA checklist. The search included studies from 2018 to 2023, in four databases, with specific descriptors and alternative terms.

spp., and Threats to the Food Industry and Public Health.

Foodborne pathogens have always been of public health concern and represent safety issues for food processors. These pathogens develop new ways to overcome antibiotics, survive in different environmental conditions, and the ability to reproduce in many hostile environments configure them as serious health hazards. Considering the huge number of microorganisms, three bacterial representatives were selected to provide a better knowledge about the question of which one is the worst enemy for humans, from the food industry point of view, taking into consideration their multiplication specificity, virulence, and resistance.

Is Income and Racial Residential Segregation Associated with 13-Year Changes in Body Mass Index? A Longitudinal Analysis in the Brazilian Pró-Saúde Cohort Study.

Neighborhoods or residential environments have physical and social attributes which may contribute to inequalities in the overweight and obesity pandemic. We examined the longitudinal associations of baseline neighborhood-level income and racial residential segregation (using the Gi* statistic: low, medium, high) with changes in body mass index (BMI in kg/m), using geocoded data from 1821 civil servants in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, followed-up for approximately 13 years (baseline wave 1: 1999, wave 2: 2001-2002, wave 3: 2006-2007, wave 4: 2012-2013). Linear mixed effects models using BMI measured in all four study waves were performed, accounting for gender, race, length of residence, education and time-dependent age, and per capita family income.

Creativity and Body: Living Metaphors in the Context of People Undergoing Heart Transplantation.

This article explores the embodied dimension of authoring life trajectories for individuals who have undergone heart transplantation. Confronting the radical otherness of existential finitude can create a rich context for examining the relationships between authorship, corporeality, and creative processes. By integrating Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of the body with Susanne Langer's theory of affective semiosis and presentational signs, this work aims to foster a productive dialogue between these perspectives, grounded in Semiotic Cultural Psychology, which meta-theoretically synthesizes a diverse range of knowledge on the transformative interaction between individuals and culture.

Development and Content Validity of a Questionnaire on Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Maintenance and Knowledge of Nursing Professionals Regarding Best Practices.

The aims of this study were to develop a questionnaire on peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) maintenance, evaluate its content validity, and assess factors influencing the level of knowledge of nursing professionals regarding best practices.The study was conducted in 3 stages: (1) development of a questionnaire on PIVC maintenance; (2) content validity assessment by experts with assessment of comprehensiveness, relevance, and clarity; and (3) application of the questionnaire to 1493 nursing professionals. Relationships between personal characteristics and knowledge levels were evaluated.

DFT investigation of green stabilizer reactions: curcumin in nitrocellulose-based propellants.

Context: Nitrocellulose, widely used in energetic materials, is prone to thermal and chemical degradation, compromising safety and performance. Stabilizers are molecules used in the composition of nitrocellulose-based propellants to inhibit the autocatalytic degradation process that produces nitrous gases and free nitric acids. Curcumin, (1E,6E)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione, known for its antioxidant properties and a potential green stabilizer, was investigated using Density Functional Theory (DFT) focusing on its interaction with nitrogen dioxide.

The latest progress in assay development in leishmaniasis drug discovery: a review of the available papers on PubMed from the past year.

Introduction: Leishmaniasis is a significant neglected tropical disease with limited treatment options that urgently requires ongoing efforts in drug discovery. Recent advances have focused on the development of new assays and methods to identify effective therapeutic candidates.

Areas Covered: This review explores recent trends and methodologies in leishmaniasis drug discovery, with a particular focus on in silico and in vitro studies, as well as in vivo validation, using animal models.

Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence in B,N-Substituted Tetracene Derivatives: A Theoretical Pathway to Enhanced OLED Materials.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exhibit intriguing characteristics that position them as promising candidates for advancements in organic semiconductor technologies. Notably, tetracene finds substantial utility in Electronics due to its application in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). The strategic introduction of an isoelectronic boron-nitrogen (B,N) pair to replace a carbon-carbon pair in acenes introduces changes in the electronic structure, allowing for the controlled modulation of diradical characteristics.