Cultural manifestations of Guinea-Bissau students at UNILAB: Analysis of the extension project ‘Kabaz di terra’ traditional dances and rhythms of Guinea-Bissau

O presente artigo foi desenvolvido com base no projeto de extensão “Kabaz di Terra: Danças e ritmos tradicionais da Guiné-Bissau”, vinculado a Pró-reitoria de Extensão, Arte e Cultura (PROEX) e tem como objetivo apresentar as principais ações de extensão promovidas pelo projeto na Universidade da Integração Internacional da Lusofonia Afro-Brasileira (UNILAB) e a sua relação com a comunidade externa. Para efeito de realização deste trabalho, tem-se como abordagem qualitativa a partir de uma análise bibliográfica/documental. A partir das ações apresentadas pelo projeto, constatou-se que o projeto contribui/contribuiu para fortalecer os laços de integração na UNILAB, através das culturas, por outro lado, na comunidade externa, o projeto ajuda a desconstruir um imaginário negativo sobre o continente africano e da Guiné-Bissau, visto na maioria das vezes, como exótico e selvagem, esquecendo/desconhecendo das riquezas culturais existentes no país.This article was developed based on the extension project “Kabaz di Terra: Dances and traditional rhythms of Guinea-Bissau”, linked to the Dean of Extension, Art and Culture (PROEX) and aims to present the main extension actions promoted by the project at the University of International Integration of Afro-Brazilian Lusophony (Unilab) and its relationship with the external community. For the purpose of carrying out this work, a qualitative approach is taken from a bibliographical/documental analysis. From the actions presented by the project, it was verified that the project contributes/ contributed to strengthen the ties of integration in Unilab, through cultures, on the other hand, in the external community, the project helps to deconstruct a negative imaginary about the African continent and from Guinea-Bissau, most often seen as exotic and wild, forgetting/ignoring the cultural riches existing in the country.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mouse transcriptome reveals potential signatures of protection and pathogenesis in human tuberculosis

Although mouse infection models have been extensively used to study the host response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, their validity in revealing determinants of human tuberculosis (TB) resistance and disease progression has been heavily debated. Here, we show that the modular transcriptional signature in the blood of susceptible mice infected with a clinical isolate of M. tuberculosis resembles that of active human TB disease, with dominance of a type I interferon response and neutrophil activation and recruitment, together with a loss in B lymphocyte, natural killer and T cell effector responses. In addition, resistant but not susceptible strains of mice show increased lung B cell, natural killer and T cell effector responses in the lung upon infection. Notably, the blood signature of active disease shared by mice and humans is also evident in latent TB progressors before diagnosis, suggesting that these responses both predict and contribute to the pathogenesis of progressive M. tuberculosis infection

Temporal trends (1977-2007) and ethnic inequity in child mortality in rural villages of southern Guinea Bissau

Background Guinea Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world, with one of the highest under-5 mortality rate. Despite its importance for policy planning, data on child mortality are often not available or of poor quality in low-income countries like Guinea Bissau. Our aim in this study was to use the baseline survey to estimate child mortality in rural villages in southern Guinea Bissau for a 30 years period prior to a planned cluster randomised intervention. We aimed to investigate temporal trends with emphasis on historical events and the effect of ethnicity, polygyny and distance to the health centre on child mortality. Methods A baseline survey was conducted prior to a planned cluster randomised intervention to estimate child mortality in 241 rural villages in southern Guinea Bissau between 1977 and 2007. Crude child mortality rates were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method from birth history of 7854 women. Cox regression models were used to investigate the effects of birth periods with emphasis on historical events, ethnicity, polygyny and distance to the health centre on child mortality. Results High levels of child mortality were found at all ages under five with a significant reduction in child mortality over the time periods of birth except for 1997-2001. That period comprises the 1998/99 civil war interval, when child mortality was 1.5% higher than in the previous period. Children of Balanta ethnic group had higher hazard of dying under five years of age than children from other groups until 2001. Between 2002 and 2007, Fula children showed the highest mortality. Increasing walking distance to the nearest health centre increased the hazard, though not substantially, and polygyny had a negligible and statistically not significant effect on the hazard. Conclusion Child mortality is strongly associated with ethnicity and it should be considered in health policy planning. Child mortality, though considerably decreased during the past 30 years, remains high in rural Guinea Bissau. Temporal trends also suggest that civil wars have detrimental effects on child mortality. Trial Registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN5243333

Structural and temporal patterns of the first global trading market

Little is known about the structural patterns and dynamics of the first global trading market (FGTM), which emerged during the sixteenth century as a result of the Iberian expansion, let alone how it compares to today's global financial markets. Here we build a representative network of the FGTM using information contained in 8725 (handwritten) Bills of Exchange from that time-which were (human) interpreted and digitalized into an online database. We show that the resulting temporal network exhibits a hierarchical, highly clustered and disassortative structure, with a power-law dependence on the connectivity that remains remarkably robust throughout the entire period investigated. Temporal analysis shows that, despite major turnovers in the number and nature of the links-suggesting fast adaptation in response to the geopolitical and financial turmoil experienced at the time-the overall characteristics of the FGTM remain robust and virtually unchanged. The methodology developed here demonstrates the possibility of building and analysing complex trading and finance networks originating from pre-statistical eras, enabling us to highlight the striking similarities between the structural patterns of financial networks separated by centuries in time.This research was supported by FCT-Portugal through grant nos FCT-TECH/0002/2007 (A.S.R. and A.P.), SFRH/BD/77389/2011 (F.L.P.), SFRH/BPD/76278/2011 (A.S.R.), PTDC/MAT-STA/3358/2014 (F.L.P., F.C.S. and J.M.P.), PTDC/EEI-SII/5081/2014 (F.L.P., F.C.S. and J.M.P.), UID/BIA/04050/2013 (J.M.P.) and UID/CEC/50021/2013 (F.C.S.), and by the European Science Foundation through grant no. DynCoopNet-06-TECT-FP-004 (A.S.R. and A.P.)

From gut dysbiosis to altered brain function and mental illness: mechanisms and pathways

The human body hosts an enormous abundance and diversity of microbes, which perform a range of essential and beneficial functions. Our appreciation of the importance of these microbial communities to many aspects of human physiology has grown dramatically in recent years. We know, for example, that animals raised in a germ-free environment exhibit substantially altered immune and metabolic function, while the disruption of commensal microbiota in humans is associated with the development of a growing number of diseases. Evidence is now emerging that, through interactions with the gut-brain axis, the bidirectional communication system between the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract, the gut microbiome can also influence neural development, cognition and behaviour, with recent evidence that changes in behaviour alter gut microbiota composition, while modifications of the microbiome can induce depressive-like behaviours. Although an association between enteropathy and certain psychiatric conditions has long been recognized, it now appears that gut microbes represent direct mediators of psychopathology. Here, we examine roles of gut microbiome in shaping brain development and neurological function, and the mechanisms by which it can contribute to mental illness. Further, we discuss how the insight provided by this new and exciting field of research can inform care and provide a basis for the design of novel, microbiota-targeted, therapies.GB Rogers, DJ Keating, RL Young, M-L Wong, J Licinio, and S Wesseling

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Acidentes do trabalho entre trabalhadores de enfermagem de um hospital universitário The occurrence of work accidents among nursing personnel at a university hospital

Foi realizado um estudo descritivo com trabalhadores de enfermagem para avaliar determinados aspectos epidemiológicos dos acidentes de trabalho acontecidos. No período de 1² de janeiro a 30 de junho de 1995 foram estudados 100 acidentes do trabalho ocorridos, o que correspondem a 8,2% de incidência acumulada no período para uma população de 1.218 trabalhadores pesquisados. Como síntese o estudo reconstroi o acidente do trabalho acontecido e os múltiplos fatores de risco presentes nas condições de trabalho de trabalhadores de enfermagem de um hospital universitário.<br>A descriptive study was conducted to assess the epidemiological aspects of the work accidents that occur among nursing personnel. The study consisted of a population of 1, 218 workers and assessed 100 accidents, that corresponded to 8.2% of all accidents that took place during the period, January 1" 1995 to June 3th 1995. The summary of this study evaluates the work accidents that occur among these nursing personnel and the risk factors presented by the working conditions of a university hospital

Caracterização de genótipos de tomateiro resistentes a begomovírus por marcador molecular co-dominante ligado ao gene Ty-1 Fingerprinting of tomato genotypes resistant to begomovirus by a codominant molecular marker linked to Ty-1 gene

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar genótipos de tomateiro, quanto à resistência a begomovírus, e caracterizar, por meio do marcador molecular SSR-47, híbridos de tomate de mesa portadores do alelo de resistência ao begomovírus Ty-1, com potencial comercial. Os 24 híbridos experimentais, heterozigotos no loco Ty-1, depois de infectados via enxertia, apresentaram sintomas intermediários, em comparação aos identificados pelas linhagens homozigotas Ty-1/Ty-1 e pelos genótipos suscetíveis Ty-1+/Ty-1+, o que indica a dominância incompleta do alelo Ty-1. Esses híbridos foram considerados como parcialmente tolerantes a begomovírus. Os híbridos experimentais TEX-246, TEX-261, TEX-253, TEX-256, TEX-262, TEX-252, TEX-251 e TEX-268 aliaram médias elevadas de produção total e de massa média dos frutos; e os híbridos TEX-246, TEX-253, TEX-256, TEX-262 e TEX-252 apresentaram valores elevados também para meia-vida da firmeza e foram, portanto, considerados competitivos em comparação aos padrões comerciais usados como testemunhas. O marcador molecular SSR-47 foi eficiente em caracterizar genótipos portadores do alelo Ty-1. A infecção do begomovírus, induzida via enxertia, manifestou sintomas, nos genótipos testados, condizentes com os resultados obtidos com o marcador molecular SSR-47.<br>The objectives of this study were to evaluate tomato genotypes for begomovirus resistance and to assess SSR-47 fingerprinting patterns associated with alleles Ty-1, in hybrids of fresh-market tomato with commercial potential. Twenty-four experimental genotypes, heterozygous at Ty-1 locus, were infected with begomovirus via grafting, and showed intermediate symptoms compared to the ones identified by homozygous Ty-1/Ty-1 lines and by susceptible genotypes Ty-1+/Ty-1+, which indicates the incomplete dominance of the Ty-1 allele. These hybrids were considered to possess partial resistance to begomovirus. The experimental hybrids TEX-246, TEX-261, TEX-253, TEX-256, TEX-262, TEX-252, TEX-251 and TEX-268 combined high total yields with high mean fruit mass. The hybrids TEX-246, TEX-253, TEX-256, TEX-262 and TEX-252 showed also longer half-life for fruit firmness and were thus considered competitive with current commercial hybrids used as checks. The molecular marker SSR-47 was effective for fingerprinting of tomato genotypes bearing the resistance allele Ty-1. The graft-induced infection of begomovirus showed symptoms in the genotypes tested that are in agreement with the results of fingerprinting with the marker SSR-47

Diagnostic capacity for cutaneous fungal diseases in the African continent

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous fungal infections are very common, especially in poorer communities and with intercurrent HIV infection. Determining the fungal pathogen in skin-related fungal neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) determines optimal therapy. We undertook a country survey across many African countries to determine the diagnostic capacity for skin fungal diseases.METHODS: A detailed questionnaire was delivered to country contacts to collect data on availability, frequency, and location of testing for key diagnostic procedures and followed up with 2 rounds of validation by video call and by confirmation of individual country data confirmation by email.RESULTS: Of 47 countries with data, seven (15%) and 21 (45%) do not offer skin biopsy in the public or private sector, respectively, but 22 (46%) countries do it regularly, mostly in university hospitals. Direct microscopy is often performed in 20 of 48 (42%) countries in the public sector and not done in 10 (21%). Fungal cultures are often performed in 21 of 48 (44%) countries in the public sector but not done in nine (20%) or 21 (44%) in either public or private facilities. Histopathological examination of tissue is frequently used in 19 of 48 (40%) countries but not in nine (20%) countries in the public sector. The cost of diagnostics to patients was a major limiting factor in usage.CONCLUSION: Major improvements in the availability and use of diagnostic tests for skin, hair, and nail fungal disease are urgently needed across Africa.</p