Performance of fine particulate matter data on air quality in an epidemiological study in Salvador, Brazil.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of satellite-derived PM2.5 concentrations against ground-based measurements in the municipality of Salvador (state of Bahia, Brazil) and the implications of these estimations for the associations of PM2.5 with daily non-accidental mortality.

Effectiveness of care provided by an itinerant community caregiver in reducing the burden and violence of family caregivers of impaired elderly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A randomized clinical trial.

Introduction: The aging population and the rise in chronic diseases are linked to a higher number of elderly individuals with impairments. These individuals often depend on family caregivers for basic daily activities, which can impose a significant burden and increase the risk of violence against them.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of itinerant community caregivers (ICC) in reducing burden, depression and risk of violence among family caregivers of impaired elderly (FCIE), while also increasing their social support.

Conceptual Model on Access to Food in the Favela Food Environment.

The inequalities of Brazilian society are amplified in favelas, affecting access to basic sanitation, health, education services, and food. More research is needed to better understand the favela food environment and propose appropriate public food and nutrition policies to increase the availability of and access to healthy food. In this context, this study aimed to develop a conceptual model of the relationship between access to food and the favela food environment and its determinants.

Pharmacokinetics of Antiretroviral Drugs in Older People Living with HIV, Part II: Drugs Licensed Before 2005.

Background And Objective: Advances in antiretroviral therapy led to an increase in life expectancy among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). As aging is characterized by several physiological changes that can influence pharmacokinetics (PK), this systematic review aims to describe the impact of aging on the PK of antiretrovirals (ARV) approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before 2005.

Methods: Searches were performed in BVS, EMBASE, and PubMed databases for publications until June 2024.

Multivariate statistical analysis as a tool for monitoring drinking water sources in an Atlantic Rainforest Conservation Unit.

Water quality monitoring is paramount in identifying and mitigating pollution sources, protecting aquatic ecosystems, and ensuring safe water for human and wildlife consumption. This study is aimed at evaluating the quality of drinking water sources in three communities located in a Sustainable Use Conservation Unit in the municipality of Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, employing a multivariate statistical analysis. A total of 161 water samples were collected from January to December 2022, encompassing 32 surface water and 129 tap water samples.

Sex, vaccination status, and comorbidities influence long COVID persistence.

Background: There is interest in the public health impact of Long COVID, defined as symptoms that persist or begin after SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed to identify demographic and clinical risk factors associated with Long COVID over time in an Upper Middle-Income Country (UMIC) and potential biomarkers predictive of symptom trajectory.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of adults with mild SARS-COV-2 during the Omicron period.

COVID-19 inpatient care performance in the unified health system, São Paulo state, Brazil: an application of standardized mortality ratio for hospitals' comparisons : COVID-19 inpatient care performance in SUS, Brazil.

Objective: To evaluate the variation in COVID-19 inpatient care mortality among hospitals reimbursed by the Unified Health System (SUS) in the first two years of the pandemic in São Paulo state and make performance comparisons within periods and over time.

Methods: Observational study based on secondary data from the Hospital Information System. The study universe consisted of 289,005 adult hospitalizations whose primary diagnosis was COVID-19 in five periods from 2020 to 2022.

Selenium supplementation in chronic kidney disease patients undergoing haemodialysis: a systematic review of the effects on plasma selenium, antioxidant and inflammatory markers, immunological parameters and thyroid hormones.

Selenium (Se) is a mineral with several biological functions, and studies have shown that its deficiency can be linked to many complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aims to systematically review the effects of Se supplementation in patients with CKD undergoing haemodialysis (HD). This systematic review was carried out according to the PRISMA statement.

Working practices and integration of primary health care doctors in remote rural areas in Brazil: a qualitative study.

Health care challenges in remote rural municipalities (RRMs) emphasize the importance of primary health care (PHC) and require an expanded scope of practice. Doctors are key actors in this context. The aim of this study was to explore the level of integration of doctors in RRMs and working practices.

Political factors and arrangements influencing primary health care financing and resource allocation: A scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Primary health care is a key element in the structuring and coordination of health systems, contributing to overall coverage and performance. PHC financing is therefore central in this context, with variations in sufficiency and regularity depending on the "political dimension" of health systems. Research that systematically examines the political factors and arrangements influencing PHC financing is justified from a global and multidisciplinary perspective.

EV-miRNAs from breast cancer patients of plasma as potential prognostic biomarkers of disease recurrence.

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs), ubiquitously released by blood cells, facilitate intercellular communication. In cancer, tumor-derived EVs profoundly affect the microenvironment, promoting tumor progression and raising the risk of recurrence. These EVs contain miRNAs (EV-miRNAs), promising cancer biomarkers.

Assessment of crAssphage as a biological variable for SARS-CoV-2 data normalization in wastewater surveillance.

Aims: This study aimed to assess the use of cross-assembled phage (crAssphage) as an endogenous control employing a multivariate normalization analysis and its application as a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) data normalizer.

Methods And Results: A total of 188 twelve-hour composite raw sewage samples were obtained from eight wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) during a 1-year monitoring period. Employing the N1 and N2 target regions, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 94% (177) and 90% (170) of the samples, respectively, with a global median of 5 log10 genomic copies per liter (GC l-1).

Racial inequalities in the development of multimorbidity of chronic conditions: results from a Brazilian prospective cohort.

Background: The occurrence of multimorbidity and its impacts have differentially affected population subgroups. Evidence on its incidence has mainly come from high-income regions, with limited exploration of racial disparities. This study investigated the association between racial groups and the development of multimorbidity and chronic conditions in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

Systematic review of literature to evaluate global distribution of species of the genus stored in culture collections.

Introduction: Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by fungi of the genus sp. Phenotypic and genotypic differences have been associated with their geographic distribution, virulence, or clinical manifestation of sporotrichosis. In the past decade, the interest in identifying species of the sp.

Rare Earth Element Accumulation in Fiddler Crabs (Minuca rapax) from the Rio Doce Tropical Estuary Strongly Affected by Mine Tailings Following the Fundão Disaster.

A mining tailing dam rupture in Brazil in November 2015 released millions of tons of mining waste into the Rio Doce ecosystem, leading to long-term aquatic ecosystem impacts. Although multiple lines of evidence indicate tailings associations with potentially toxic elements in estuarine sediments and biological impact and bioaccumulation pathways in fishes, the extent of contamination in base benthic species is still largely unknown. Moreover, Rare Earth Elements (REE) have not received any attention in this regard.

Exploring CDKN1A Upregulation Mechanisms: Insights into Cell Cycle Arrest Induced by NC2603 Curcumin Analog in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells.

Breast cancer stands out as one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, necessitating a nuanced understanding of its molecular underpinnings for effective treatment. Hormone receptors in breast cancer cells substantially influence treatment strategies, dictating therapeutic approaches in clinical settings, serving as a guide for drug development, and aiming to enhance treatment specificity and efficacy. Natural compounds, such as curcumin, offer a diverse array of chemical structures with promising therapeutic potential.

Spatial distribution of arboviruses and its association with a social development index and the waste disposal in São Luís, state of Maranhão, Brazil, 2015 to 2019.

Objective: To detect spatial and spatiotemporal clusters of urban arboviruses and to investigate whether the social development index (SDI) and irregular waste disposal are related to the coefficient of urban arboviruses detection in São Luís, state of Maranhão, Brazil.

Methods: The confirmed cases of Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya in São Luís, from 2015 to 2019, were georeferenced to the census tract of residence. The Bayesian Conditional Autoregressive regression model was used to identify the association between SDI and irregular waste disposal sites and the coefficient of urban arboviruses detection.

The Transcriptome of BT-20 Breast Cancer Cells Exposed to Curcumin Analog NC2603 Reveals a Relationship between EGR3 Gene Modulation and Cell Migration Inhibition.

Breast cancer represents a critical global health issue, accounting for a substantial portion of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Metastasis, the spread of cancer cells to distant organs, is the primary cause of approximately 90% of breast cancer-related fatalities. Despite advances in cancer treatment, conventional chemotherapeutic drugs often encounter resistance and demonstrate limited efficacy against metastasis.

Use of antimicrobials in pediatric wards of five Brazilian hospitals.

The use of antimicrobials (AMs) in pediatric infections is common practice and use may be inappropriate leading to antimicrobial resistance. Off-label AM use is also common in this group and can result in drug-related problems. There is lack of DUR data in Brazil and in Latin America, specially for AM pediatric use.

Efficacy and safety of ozone therapy for knee osteoarthritis: an umbrella review of systematic reviews.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ozone therapy (OT) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), which is the most common form of the disease. We analysed systematic reviews (SRs) of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) using the "A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews" (AMSTAR2) instrument to evaluate their quality. We developed a narrative synthesis report with eight SRs (15 RCTs/3,685 patients) to summarise the findings.

The incorporation of the 3HP regimen for tuberculosis preventive treatment in the Brazilian health system: a secondary-database nationwide analysis.

Introduction: The recommendation of rifampin-based shorter - and safer - regimens for tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) is progressively replacing monotherapy with isoniazid by different countries. The Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) approved the incorporation of the Rifapentine + isoniazid regimen (3HP) at the end of 2020, with free distribution in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) started from the last quarter of 2021. The objectives were to describe the implementation of the IL-TB System (Information System of TPT Notification) and uptake of Rifapentine + isoniazid (3HP) and Isoniazid (6H or 9H) in Brazil.

A comprehensive overview on solid waste leachate effects on terrestrial organisms.

Leachate is a highly complex waste with high toxicological potential that poses a significant threat to the terrestrial environment. Determining leachate physicochemical parameters and identifying xenobiotics alone is, however, not enough to determine the real environmental impacts. In this context, the use of terrestrial model organisms has been highlighted as a tool in ecotoxicological leachate assessments and as a guiding principle in risk assessments.