Donor-derived fatal hyperinfection strongyloidiasis in renal transplant recipient

Strongyloides stercoralis is a nematode, endemic in tropical and subtropical areas. Strongyloidiasis has been reported in recipients of hematopoietic stem cells, kidney, liver, heart, intestine, and pancreas, eventually presenting as disseminated strongyloidiasis and hyperinfection syndrome (SHS) which is associated with high mortality. We report one case of a recent renal transplant recipient, who presented with gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, evolving into shock. The identification of Strongyloides stercoralis in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) lead us to the diagnosis of SHS. Treatment with subcutaneous ivermectin was started, however the patient did not survive. Retrospective serum donor analysis allowed us to identify the donor as the source of infection.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sentimentos de Solidão devidos à Quarentena por COVID‑19 e a sua Relação com Traços Ansiosos e Empatia

Introduction: We aimed to understand how loneliness and empathy relate to home confinement/quarantine and to explore the relation between loneliness, anxiety traits and empathy. Methods: This is an observational cross‑sectional cohort study including 364 participants. We delivered an online questionnaire composed by UCLA Loneliness scale (assessing loneliness), STAI‑Y (assessing trait anxiety), and IRI (assessing empathy). For the statistical analysis we performed  descriptive and inferential statistics. When not‑otherwise specified, two‑tailed p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean for IRI was 60.46 (SD: 10.88), for UCLA Loneliness scale was 32.70 (SD: 8.11) and for STAI‑Y was 42.01 (SD: 12.29). We found no statistically significant correlation between empathy and loneliness (p>0.05). Nonetheless, loneliness and anxiety traits were positively correlated (p<0.05), and psychiatric comorbidity was associated with higher levels of loneliness and anxiety traits (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results suggest social cohesion, solidarity and continuous online contact may have played a significant role on preservation of empathy and feelings of loneliness. The fact that loneliness may be felt in a positive way (such tightening household relationships) can explain the non‑correlationbetween the last and empathy. Ultimately, the positive correlation between anxiety traits and loneliness underlines the vulnerability of previously anxious subjects, enhancing the importance of promoting mental health during the pandemic.Introdução: Pretendemos compreender como a solidão e a empatia se relacionam com o período de quarentena/confinamento e explorar a relação entre solidão, empatia e traços ansiosos. Métodos: Trata‑se de um estudo observacional e transversal, incluindo 364 participantes. Foram distribuídos questionários de auto‑preenchimento em formato online, compostos pelas escalas UCLA Loneliness scale (avaliar a solidão), STAI‑Y (avaliar traços ansiosos) e IRI (avaliar empatia). Recorremos a métodos estatísticos descritivos e inferenciais para a análise estatística dos dados obtidos. Foi considerado estatisticamente significativo um p<0,05. Resultados: A média na escala IRI foi de 60,46 (±10,88), na UCLA Loneliness scale obtivemos uma media de 32,70 (± 8,11) e na STAI‑Y uma média de 42,01 (± 12,29). Não foi encontrada uma correlação estatisticamente significativa entre empatia e solidão (p>0,05). É de notar que a solidão correlaciona‑se positivamente com os traços ansiosos (p<0,05) e que comorbilidades psiquiátricas estavam associadas a maiores níveis de solidão e de traços ansiosos (p<0,05). Conclusão: Cremos que a coesão social, a solidariedade e o contacto online tenham tido um papel fundamental na preservação da empatia e na sensação de solidão. O facto de que a solidão possa ser experienciada de forma positiva (como por exemplo, no fortalecimento das relação dentro do agregado familiar) pode ser a razão pela qual esta não esteja estatisticamente correlacionada com a empatia. Por último, a correlação positiva entre traços ansiosos e solidão realça a vulnerabilidade de sujeitos tendencialmente ansiosos, tornando premente a promoção de saúde e bem‑estar mental durante a quarentena/confinamento

Composição e abundância de macrófitas num troço do rio Ovelha

As macrófitas fluviais são um grupo relevante para a avaliação ecológica dos rios. Numa amostragem realizada num troço de 100 m do rio Ovelha, localizado a 217 m de altitude, na freguesia de Fornos, Marco de Canaveses, estudou-se a abundância, composição e distribuição das macrófitas. Verificou-se que o troço estudado é pobre em macrófitas, apresentando uma riqueza específica baixa, o que poderá estar relacionado, sobretudo, com o substrato rochoso. Considerando os resultados obtidos é fundamental que, futuramente, sejam estudadas as macrófitas conjuntamente com outros elementos biológicos, no sentido de se proceder a uma correta monitorização do estado ecológico do rio Ovelha.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Influence of COVID-19 on Patients with Esophageal Varices under Prophylactic Endoscopic Band Ligation Therapy

Background and Objectives: Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) plays a critical role in patients with clinically significant portal hypertension, as variceal eradication (VE) is essential to prevent further variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (GI). The emergence of COVID-19 has led to a dramatic reduction in endoscopic activity. Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on VE, GI, and 6-month mortality of patients treated with prophylactic EBL therapy. In addition, our goal was to identify the risk factors for our proposed outcomes. Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study included patients with esophageal varices treated with prophylactic EBL therapy between 2017 and 2021. To demonstrate the impact of COVID-19 on two independent groups on prophylactic EBL therapy with 1 year of follow-up, March 2019 was selected as the cut-off date. Clinical, laboratory, and endoscopic data were recovered from electronic reports. Results: Ninety-seven patients underwent 398 prophylactic EBL sessions, 75 men (77.3%) with mean age 59 ± 12 years. Most achieved VE (60.8%), 14.4% had GI bleeding post-therapy, and 15.5% died at 6 months. The rate of variceal obliteration was significantly lower in the pandemic group (40.9% vs. 77.4% in the pre-pandemic group, p = 0.001). Mean number of EBL sessions and pandemic group were independently associated with incomplete VE, while MELD-Na, portal vein thrombosis and failed VE were identified as risk factors associated with mortality at 6 months. Conclusions: Almost 60% of patients in the pandemic group failed to eradicate esophageal varices. Failure to achieve this result conferred a higher risk of GI bleeding and death at 6 months, the latter also significantly associated with the MELD-Na score and portal vein thrombosis. Our study is among the first to demonstrate the impact of COVID-19 in patients receiving prophylactic EBL therapy

Infeção por SARS-CoV-2 e marcadores de autoimunidade

Meses após o aparecimento da COVID-19 começou-se a investigar uma possível ligação da infeção por SARS-CoV-2 e o desenvolvimento de autoimunidade, uma vez que, tem vindo a ser descrita a associação da infeção por alguns vírus com o desenvolvimento de doenças autoimunes (DAI). Neste estudo, pretendemos avaliar a relação entre a infeção por SARS-CoV-2 e o desenvolvimento de autoimunidade, através da produção de autoanticorpos.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Multicomponent wound dressing

This works describes the antimicrobial (antibacterial and antiviral) performance of a multicomponent fabric for wound dressing. The fabric comprises a scaffold of plasma activated polyester (PES), enveloped in a matrix of chitosan (CH) containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and the zeolite mordenite (MOR). The antimicrobial efficacy of the cumulative addition of each of these components was evaluated.The authors would like to acknowledge the project PLASMAMED - PTDC/CTM-TEX/28295/2017 financed by FCT, FEDER and POCI in the frame of the Portugal 2020 program, the project UID/CTM/00264/2019 of 2C2T under the COMPETE and FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) co-fnanced by FEDER through the PT2020 program

Distinct antimicrobial analysis to evaluate multi-component wound dressing performance

Wound infection hinders adequate healing, being particularly grievous and prevalent in burn wounds and chronic wounds. Wound infection extends inflammation, preventing epithelialization and angiogenesis. Therefore, infection prolongs healing time, steeply increases treatment costs and degrades patients wellbeing. One successful strategy to control wound infection is to apply an active wound dressing, able to eliminate or significantly reduce the microbial population present at the infection site. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are a multipurpose antimicrobial agent with a wide scope of applications which include wound dressings. Nevertheless, several studies denote AgNPs dose-dependent cytotoxicity, and their capability to bypass the blood-brain barrier and induce a neurotoxic effect. Hence, we propose to adopt two different strategies to attempt the simultaneously immobilize and increase the load of AgNPs within the wound dressing fabric. Thus, the envisaged objective is to prevent potential systemic cytotoxicity /through immobilization and to improve its antimicrobial capability due to the higher concentration of AgNPs. Two different approaches were used: i. AgNPs were suspended in an alginate (ALG) solution, ii. AgNPs were embedded in Mordenite (MOR) zeolite, followed by the addition of an ALG solution. Both suspensions were incorporated into polyester fabric assisted by its surface activation by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma treatment. The bactericidal and virucidal effectiveness of each composite was tested against bacteria species known to induce nosocomial infections and a bacteriophage that is a potential surrogate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Two distinct antimicrobial analyses were used to provide insights on the antimicrobial effectiveness of the obtained composites and to indirectly assess the release of AgNPs