Los manglares como infraestructura verde: el caso de la región metropolitana de Florianópolis, costa Sur de Brasil

La región metropolitana de Florianópolis, ubicada en la costa Sur de Brasil, está sufriendo impacto ambiental, resultado de la pérdida y fragmentación de los manglares entre sí y con la vegetación cercana. Esto es derivado del proceso de urbanización creciente, que no cumplen las leyes de protección ambiental existente. Dentro de este marco, esta investigación tiene como objetivo principal demostrar la viabilidad de los manglares como infraestructura verde. A partir de los análisis y la caracterización ambiental de la región metropolitana a lo largo del tiempo, será posible clasificar y evaluar los manglares sobre la óptica de la infraestructura verde a través de datos cuantitativos y cualitativos de los espacios verdes y su relación con los espacios urbanos. Llegando a la conclusión de que la presencia de los manglares, gracias a su conectividad y beneficios sostenibles, es capaz de aumentar la resilencia ambiental de la región metropolitana de Florianópolis.The metropolitan region of Florianopolis, located on the southern coast of Brazil, is suffering environmental impact. resulting from the loss and fragmentation of mangroves between them and with nearby vegetation. Derived from the process of increasing urbanization, which do not fulfill protection laws existing environmental. Within this framework, this research has as main objective to demonstrate the viability of mangroves as green infrastructure. From the analysis and environmental characterization of the metropolitan region over time, it will be possible to classify and evaluate the mangroves on the perspective of green infrastructure through quantitative and qualitative data of green spaces and their relationship to the urban spaces. Concluding that the presence of mangroves, due its connectivity and sustainable benefits, is able to increase environmental resilience of the metropolitan region of Florianopolis

Analytical and pharmacological aspects of therapeutic drug monitoring of mTOR inhibitors

Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors represent a new class of immunosuppressant drugs extensively used for the prevention and the treatment of graft rejection in organ transplant recipients. Their current use is due to referred low nephrotoxic effects, particularly important in kidney transplanted and/or patients with renal failure. The most representative drugs of such class are Sirolimus (Siro) and Everolimus (Rad). Both drugs show a narrow therapeutic window, therefore, monitoring of whole-blood drug levels is recommended in order to optimize the therapy. Among the available assays, Liquid Chromatography coupled with UltraViolet or Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry methods (LC/UV or LC/ESI-MSMS) are the most accurate and specific ones. A reliable alternative is represented by immunoassays, which offer the opportunity to minimize sample pre-treatment, thus reducing the time between drawing blood sample and measuring the drug concentration, an important aspect in high-throughput analyses. Despite this, a limitation in the use of immunoassays for therapeutic drug monitoring is the lower specifity compared with the chromatographic methods when analysing structurally-related drugs. New insights to optimize mTOR inhibitors regimens seem to be offered by the evaluation of CYP450 3A activity by using the probe drug approach. To such purpose, there are a number of major probe drugs used for in vivo studies including: midazolam, cortisol, lidocaine, nifedipine, dextromethorphan, erythromycin, dapsone and alfentanil. The aim of the present paper is to report the most recent knowledge concerning this issue, supplying a critical and comprehensive review for whom are involved both in the clinical and analytical areas

Solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method validation for the determination of endogenous substances: urinary hexanal and heptanal as lung tumor biomarkers

Hexanal and heptanal are endogenous aldehydes coming from membrane lipid oxidation, found in lung cancer patients’ blood, and suggested as lung tumor biomarkers. Here the urinary matrix was investigated instead of blood and the difficulties related to the determination of endogenous substances in biological matrices were faced by developing an external calibration HS-SPME/GC/MS method. The methodology was validated according to international validation procedures and it was verified analyzing unknown biological samples from cancer patients and healthy subjects. Percentage accuracy and precision, ranging from −11.25 to 10.85% and from 0.45 to 4.46%, respectively, were obtained, together with limits of detection (LODs) and lower limits of quantification (LLOQs) of 0.11 and 0.23 pg L−1 for hexanal and of 0.10 and 0.21 pg L−1 for heptanal. Analytes percentage recoveries (66.3%, hexanal and 70.5%, heptanal) and stability were evaluated. No analytes degradation was found at room temperature, while the remarkable analytes loss found after 1 month storage suggests analyzing biological samples within a week from storage. Results coming from the analysis of unknown biological samples showed no evident differences of heptanal urinary excretion between lung cancer patients and healthy subjects (0.22–0.95 and 0.21–0.69 pg L−1, respectively), while hexanal urinary concentrations in cancer patients (0.24–4.36 pg L−1) were slightly higher than those found in control group ones (0.23–1.26 pg L−1). The obtained results highly suggest to do further investigations in order to collect statistically significant biological data to discriminate between the pathological state of lung cancer patients and physiological conditions of healthy subjects, using the simple, rapid and cheap method here reported for the quantification of urinary aldehydes

Spontaneous parity violation and minimal Higgs models

In this paper we present a model for the spontaneous breaking of parity with two Higgs doublets and two neutral Higgs singlets which are even and odd under D-parity. The condition $v_R >>v_L$ can be satisfied without introducing bidoublets and it is induced by the breaking of D-parity through the vacuum expectation value of the odd Higgs singlet. Examples of left-right symmetric and mirror fermions models in grand unified theories are presented.Comment: Revised version. Accepted in Eur. Phys. Journal

Evaluation by environmental monitoring of pesticide absorption in farm workers of 18 Italian tomato cultivations

Tornato cultivation farms of Soutbern Italy were investigated in order to evaluate tbe generai working conditions and tbe levels of exposure of farm workers to pesticides, during tbe mixinglloading and tbe application of pesticides on fields. Information on working modalities, personal protective equipment, etc. was collected using a questionnaire. Inbaling and cutaneous exposure levels were measured, and tbe estimated pesticide total absorbed dose was compared witb Admissible Daily Intakes (ADIs). Field treatments were mainly carried out by using sprayers witb open cab tractors, and, in 57 ~9% of cases, tbe pesticide mixture was manually prepared by mixing pesticides in a paU, often witbout using gloves (59.5%). Tbe estimated pesticides absorbed doses varied in tbe range 0.56-2630.31 mg (mean value, 46.9 mg), and 20% of tbe measured absorbed doses exceeded ADIs. Tbe findings obtained in tbe 18 examined farms sbow a worrying situation, suggesting tbe investigation of many more farms, so tbat a statistically significant picture of tornato cultivations in Soutbern Italy could be formed. Besides, tbe planning of training courses aimed to increase workers consciousness about bealtb risks and bow tbey can be prevented is advisable

The p38 MAPK pathway is essential for skeletogenesis and bone homeostasis in mice

Nearly every extracellular ligand that has been found to play a role in regulating bone biology acts, at least in part, through MAPK pathways. Nevertheless, much remains to be learned about the contribution of MAPKs to osteoblast biology in vivo. Here we report that the p38 MAPK pathway is required for normal skeletogenesis in mice, as mice with deletion of any of the MAPK pathway member–encoding genes MAPK kinase 3 (Mkk3), Mkk6, p38a, or p38b displayed profoundly reduced bone mass secondary to defective osteoblast differentiation. Among the MAPK kinase kinase (MAP3K) family, we identified TGF-β–activated kinase 1 (TAK1; also known as MAP3K7) as the critical activator upstream of p38 in osteoblasts. Osteoblast-specific deletion of Tak1 resulted in clavicular hypoplasia and delayed fontanelle fusion, a phenotype similar to the cleidocranial dysplasia observed in humans haploinsufficient for the transcription factor runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2). Mechanistic analysis revealed that the TAK1–MKK3/6–p38 MAPK axis phosphorylated Runx2, promoting its association with the coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP), which was required to regulate osteoblast genetic programs. These findings reveal an in vivo function for p38β and establish that MAPK signaling is essential for bone formation in vivo. These results also suggest that selective p38β agonists may represent attractive therapeutic agents to prevent bone loss associated with osteoporosis and aging

Developing a questionnaire evaluating knowledge, attitudes and behaviors on audit & feedback among general practitioners. A mixed methods study

Background: Audit and Feedback (A&F) is one of the most common strategies used to improve quality in healthcare. However, there is still lack of awareness regarding the enabling factors and barriers that could influence its effectiveness. The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire to measure the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of general practitioners (GPs) regarding A&F. The study was performed in the context of the EASY-NET program (project code NET-2016-02364191). Methods: The survey was developed according to two steps. Firstly, a scoping review was performed in order to map the literature on the existing similar instruments with the aim of identifying the sub-domains and possible items to include in a preliminary version of the questionnaire. In the second phase, the questionnaire was reviewed by a multidisciplinary group of experts and administrated to a convenience sample in a pilot survey. Results: Ten papers were included in the scoping review. The survey target and development methodology were heterogenous among the studies. The knowledge, attitudes and behaviors domains were assessed in six, nine and seven studies, respectively. In the first step, 126 pertinent items were extracted and categorized as follows: 8 investigated knowledge, 93 investigated attitudes, and 25 investigated behaviors. Then, 2 sub-domains were identified for knowledge, 14 for attitudes and 7 for behavior. Based on these results, a first version of the survey was developed via consensus among two authors and then revised by the multidisciplinary group of experts in the field of A&F. The final version of the survey included 36 items: 8 in the knowledge domain, 19 in the attitudes domain and 9 in the behaviors domain. The results of the pilot study among 15 GPs suggested a good acceptability and item relevance and accuracy, with positive answers totaling 100% and 93.3% in the proposed questions. Conclusions: The methodology used has shown to be a good strategy for the development of the survey. The survey will be administrated before and after the implementation of an A&F intervention to assess both baseline characteristics and changes after the intervention

O processo de trabalho do enfermeiro gerontólogo: uma revisão integrativa de literatura

The aim was to analyze the national and international scientific production on the work process of gerontologist nurses. This is an exploratory and descriptive study, based on an integrative literature review, where the six steps inherent to this method were applied. The data survey was carried out in May 2021 in the Scientific Electronic Library Online library and in the databases of Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences and Nursing Data Library in the Virtual Health Library from the association of descriptors. The search found 13 articles selected for this review. It was evidenced that there is a deficit of nurses specialized in gerontology, which weakens the work of nurses and the quality of care for the elderly and their families. Therefore, nurses need to be trained in safe health practices in elderly care, as the peculiarities inherent to aging cannot be discarded in the care process.Objetivou-se analisar a produção científica nacional e internacional sobre o processo de trabalho do enfermeiro gerontólogo. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório e descritivo, sedimentado em revisão integrativa de literatura, onde foram aplicadas as seis etapas inerentes a este método. O levantamento de dados foi realizado em maio de 2021 na biblioteca da Scientific Electronic Library Online e nas bases de dados da Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde e Biblioteca de Dados de Enfermagem na Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde a partir da associação dos descritores. Foram encontrados na busca 13 artigos selecionados para esta revisão. Foi evidenciado que há um déficit de enfermeiros especializados em gerontologia, o que fragiliza o trabalho do enfermeiro e a qualidade do atendimento ao idoso e a sua família. Portanto, o enfermeiro precisa estar capacitado em práticas seguras de saúde no atendimento ao idoso, pois as particularidades inerentes ao envelhecimento não podem ser descartadas no processo de cuidado

O processo de trabalho do enfermeiro gerontólogo: uma revisão integrativa de literatura

The aim was to analyze the national and international scientific production on the work process of gerontologist nurses. This is an exploratory and descriptive study, based on an integrative literature review, where the six steps inherent to this method were applied. The data survey was carried out in May 2021 in the Scientific Electronic Library Online library and in the databases of Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences and Nursing Data Library in the Virtual Health Library from the association of descriptors. The search found 13 articles selected for this review. It was evidenced that there is a deficit of nurses specialized in gerontology, which weakens the work of nurses and the quality of care for the elderly and their families. Therefore, nurses need to be trained in safe health practices in elderly care, as the peculiarities inherent to aging cannot be discarded in the care process.Objetivou-se analisar a produção científica nacional e internacional sobre o processo de trabalho do enfermeiro gerontólogo. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório e descritivo, sedimentado em revisão integrativa de literatura, onde foram aplicadas as seis etapas inerentes a este método. O levantamento de dados foi realizado em maio de 2021 na biblioteca da Scientific Electronic Library Online e nas bases de dados da Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde e Biblioteca de Dados de Enfermagem na Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde a partir da associação dos descritores. Foram encontrados na busca 13 artigos selecionados para esta revisão. Foi evidenciado que há um déficit de enfermeiros especializados em gerontologia, o que fragiliza o trabalho do enfermeiro e a qualidade do atendimento ao idoso e a sua família. Portanto, o enfermeiro precisa estar capacitado em práticas seguras de saúde no atendimento ao idoso, pois as particularidades inerentes ao envelhecimento não podem ser descartadas no processo de cuidado