Hypericum sp.: essential oil composition and biological activities

Phytochemical composition of Hypericum genus has been investigated for many years. In the recent past, studies on the essential oils (EO) of this genus have been progressing and many of them have reported interesting biological activities. Variations in the EO composition of Hypericum species influenced by seasonal variation, geographic distribution, phenological cycle and type of the organ in which EO are produced and/or accumulated have also been reported. Although many reviews attributed to the characterization as well as biological activities of H. perforatum crude extracts have been published, no review has been published on the EO composition and biological activities of Hypericum species until recently (Crockett in Nat Prod Commun 5(9):1493–1506, 2010; Bertoli et al. in Global Sci Books 5:29–47, 2011). In this article, we summarize and update information regarding the composition and biological activities of Hypericum species EO. Based on experimental work carried out in our laboratory we also mention possible biotechnology approaches envisaging EO improvement of some species of the genus.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - project PTDC/AGR AAM/70418/2006, SFRH/BD/ 13283/2003

Hydroxychloroquine with or without Azithromycin in Mild-to-Moderate Covid-19

BACKGROUND: Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin have been used to treat patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). However, evidence on the safety and efficacy of these therapies is limited. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, open-label, three-group, controlled trial involving hospitalized patients with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 who were receiving either no supplemental oxygen or a maximum of 4 liters per minute of supplemental oxygen. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive standard care, standard care plus hydroxychloroquine at a dose of 400 mg twice daily, or standard care plus hydroxychloroquine at a dose of 400 mg twice daily plus azithromycin at a dose of 500 mg once daily for 7 days. The primary outcome was clinical status at 15 days as assessed with the use of a seven-level ordinal scale (with levels ranging from one to seven and higher scores indicating a worse condition) in the modified intention-to-treat population (patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Covid-19). Safety was also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 667 patients underwent randomization; 504 patients had confirmed Covid-19 and were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. As compared with standard care, the proportional odds of having a higher score on the seven-point ordinal scale at 15 days was not affected by either hydroxychloroquine alone (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69 to 2.11; P = 1.00) or hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin (odds ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.57 to 1.73; P = 1.00). Prolongation of the corrected QT interval and elevation of liver-enzyme levels were more frequent in patients receiving hydroxychloroquine, alone or with azithromycin, than in those who were not receiving either agent. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients hospitalized with mild-to-moderate Covid-19, the use of hydroxychloroquine, alone or with azithromycin, did not improve clinical status at 15 days as compared with standard care. (Funded by the Coalition Covid-19 Brazil and EMS Pharma; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04322123.)

Workloads, strain processes and sickness absenteeism in nursing

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the workloads, strain processes and sickness absenteeism among nursing workers from a teaching hospital in the Brazilian Central-West. METHOD: a descriptive and cross-sectional study was developed with a quantitative approach, based on the theoretical framework of the social determination of the health-disease process. Data were collected between January and December 2009, based on records of complaints related to occupational exposure among nursing professionals, filed in the software Monitoring System of Nursing Workers' Health. For the sake of statistical analysis, relative and absolute frequencies of the variables and the risk coefficient were considered. RESULTS: 144 notifications of occupational exposure were registered across the analysis period, which represented 25% of the total nursing population at the hospital. The physiological and psychic workloads were the most representative, corresponding to 37% and 36%, respectively. These notifications culminated in 1567 days of absenteeism for disease treatment. CONCLUSIONS: the findings evidence the impact of occupational illnesses on the absenteeism of nursing workers, and can be used to demonstrate the importance of institutional investments in occupational health surveillance

Extraction of chlorophyll from wild and farmed Ulva spp. using aqueous solutions of ionic liquids

Products extracted from natural resources are an increasing trend in several fields promoted by consumer demand. Allied to the importance attached to the concept of “natural product” should be the way the “natural product” is obtained. In this work, chlorophyll was extracted from batches of wild-harvested and farm-raised green macroalgae Ulva spp. from two different European locations, Portugal and France. The performance of different aqueous solutions of tensioactive compounds such as ionic liquids and common surfactants in the yield of extraction of chlorophyll was studied and the operational conditions of extraction were optimized. The effect of drying the biomass on the yield of extraction of chlorophyll was evaluated as well as the effect of both locations (and the specific conditions of each location in terms of nutrients, water temperature and light intensity) in chlorophyll production. After optimization of all operational conditions, a maximum yield of extraction of 5.96 mgchl·gdry algae−1 was obtained using 250 mM of tributyltetradecylphosphonium chloride ([P4,4,4,14]Cl). The use of this solvent has allowed the development of a cost-effective (conclusion obtained after the economic analysis) and efficient process capable of maintaining the stability of the final product for more than one month

Rare variants in the MECP2 gene in girls with central precocious puberty: a translational cohort study

Background Identification of genetic causes of central precocious puberty have revealed epigenetic mechanisms as regulators of human pubertal timing. MECP2, an X-linked gene, encodes a chromatin-associated protein with a role in gene transcription. MECP2 loss-of-function mutations usually cause Rett syndrome, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. Early pubertal development has been shown in several patients with Rett syndrome. The aim of this study was to explore whether MECP2 variants are associated with an idiopathic central precocious puberty phenotype. Methods In this translational cohort study, participants were recruited from seven tertiary centres from five countries (Brazil, Spain, France, the USA, and the UK). Patients with idiopathic central precocious puberty were investigated for rare potentially damaging variants in the MECP2 gene, to assess whether MECP2 might contribute to the cause of central precocious puberty. Inclusion criteria were the development of progressive pubertal signs (Tanner stage 2) before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys and basal or GnRH-stimulated LH pubertal concentrations. Exclusion criteria were the diagnosis of peripheral precocious puberty and the presence of any recognised cause of central precocious puberty (CNS lesions, known monogenic causes, genetic syndromes, or early exposure to sex steroids). All patients included were followed up at the outpatient clinics of participating academic centres. We used high-throughput sequencing in 133 patients and Sanger sequencing of MECP2 in an additional 271 patients. Hypothalamic expression of Mecp2 and colocalisation with GnRH neurons were determined in mice to show expression of Mecp2 in key nuclei related to pubertal timing regulation. Findings Between Jun 15, 2020, and Jun 15, 2022, 404 patients with idiopathic central precocious puberty (383 [95%] girls and 21 [5%] boys; 261 [65%] sporadic cases and 143 [35%] familial cases from 134 unrelated families) were enrolled and assessed. We identified three rare heterozygous likely damaging coding variants in MECP2 in five girls: a de novo missense variant (Arg97Cys) in two monozygotic twin sisters with central precocious puberty and microcephaly; a de novo missense variant (Ser176Arg) in one girl with sporadic central precocious puberty, obesity, and autism; and an insertion (Ala6_Ala8dup) in two unrelated girls with sporadic central precocious puberty. Additionally, we identified one rare heterozygous 3′UTR MECP2 insertion (36_37insT) in two unrelated girls with sporadic central precocious puberty. None of them manifested Rett syndrome. Mecp2 protein colocalised with GnRH expression in hypothalamic nuclei responsible for GnRH regulation in mice. Interpretation We identified rare MECP2 variants in girls with central precocious puberty, with or without mild neurodevelopmental abnormalities. MECP2 might have a role in the hypothalamic control of human pubertal timing, adding to the evidence of involvement of epigenetic and genetic mechanisms in this crucial biological process. Funding: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, and the Wellcome Trust

Produção científica sobre eliminações urinárias em periódicos de enfermagem brasileiros Producción científica sobre eliminaciones urinarias en periódicos de enfermería brasileños Scientific literature on urinary elimination in Brazilian nursing journals

OBJETIVO: Verificar a produção científica sobre eliminações urinárias divulgada em periódicos de enfermagem brasileiros. MÉTODOS: Estudo realizado por meio de revisão integrativa da literatura, contemplando as bases de dados MEDLINE, LILACS e Web of Science, utilizando 30 descritores para busca de artigos publicados entre 1999 a 2009; assim, foram selecionados 18 artigos, disponíveis na integra, produzidos por enfermeiros. Os manuscritos foram analisados tendo por base um instrumento de coleta de dados discriminando-se nome do periódico, ano de publicação, tipo do estudo, assunto abordado e nível de evidências. RESULTADOS: Os 18 estudos foram classificados com nível de evidência IV e a incontinência urinária foi o tema mais freqüente nos artigos analisados. CONCLUSÃO: Embora as alterações nas eliminações urinárias integrem a prática clínica do enfermeiro, nos artigos selecionados, o tema foi limitado a um âmbito restrito de assuntos, com baixo nível de delineamento, oriundos da produção de reduzido número de autores, indicando a importância de maior investimento em pesquisas nessa área<br>OBJETIVO: Verificar la producción científica sobre eliminaciones urinarias difundidas en periódicos de enfermería brasileños. MÉTODOS: Estudio realizado por medio de revisión integrativa de la literatura, contemplando las bases de datos MEDLINE, LILACS y Web of Science, utilizando 30 descriptores para búsqueda de artículos publicados entre 1999 al 2009; así, fueron seleccionados 18 artículos, disponibles íntegramente, producidos por enfermeros. Los manuscritos fueron analizados teniendo como base un instrumento de recolección de datos discriminándose el nombre del periódico, año de publicación, tipo del estudio, asunto abordado y nivel de evidencias. RESULTADOS: Los 18 estudios fueron clasificados con nivel de evidencia IV y la incontinencia urinaria fue el tema más frecuente en los artículos analizados. CONCLUSIÓN: A pesar que las alteraciones en las eliminaciones urinarias integren la práctica clínica del enfermero, en los artículos seleccionados, el tema fue limitado a un ámbito restringido de asuntos, con bajo nivel de delineamiento, procedentes de la producción de un reducido número de autores, indicando la importancia de una mayor inversión en investigaciones en esa área<br>OBJECTIVE: To assess the scientific literature on urinary elimination in nursing journals published in Brazil. METHODS: An integrative literature review was used to review the databases MEDLINE, LILACS and Web of Science. The authors used 30 descriptors to search for articles published between the years 1999 to 2009, resulting in a total of 18 articles that met criteria and which were published by nurses. The papers were analyzed using a data collection instrument to identify journal name, year of publication, type of study, subject matter, and level of evidence. RESULTS: Eighteen studies were classified as Level of Evidence IV; urinary incontinence was the most frequent theme in the articles analyzed. CONCLUSION: While the clinical practice of nurses was integrated into articles addressing changes in urinary elimination, we found that this topic was narrowly defined, studies used lower level research designs, and it was noted that few authors published on the topic. All of these findings indicate the importance of greater investment in nursing research in this area of nursing knowledge and practic