207 research outputs found
Increased survival after a cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis in mice consuming oleic acid
The conservation of native priority medicinal plants in a Caatinga area in CearĂĄ, northeastern Brazil
Fatores de risco para quedas em pacientes adultos hospitalizados: um estudo caso-controle
Objective: to identify risk factors for falls in hospitalized adult patients. Methods: a matched case-control study (one control for each case). A quantitative study conducted in clinical and surgical units of a teaching hospital in Southern Brazil. The sample comprised 358 patients. Data were collected over 18 months between 2013-2014. Data analysis was performed with descriptive statistics and conditional logistic regression using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 18.0. Results: risk factors identified were: disorientation/confusion [OR 4.25 (1.99 to 9.08), p<0.001]; frequent urination [OR 4.50 (1.86 to 10.87), p=0.001]; walking limitation [OR 4.34 (2.05 to 9.14), p<0.001]; absence of caregiver [OR 0.37 (0.22 to 0.63), p<0.001]; postoperative period [OR 0.50 (0.26 to 0.94), p=0.03]; and number of medications administered within 72 hours prior the fall [OR 1.20 (1.04 to 1.39) p=0.01]. Conclusion: risk for falls is multifactorial. However, understanding these factors provides support to clinical decision-making and positively influences patient safety.Objetivo: identificar los factores de riesgo para la ocurrencia de caĂdas en pacientes adultos hospitalizados. MĂ©todos: un estudio caso-control emparejado (un control para cada caso). InvestigaciĂłn cuantitativa llevada a cabo en unidades clĂnicas y quirĂșrgicas de un hospital universitario en el Sur de Brasil. La muestra constĂł de 358 pacientes. Se recopilaron datos durante 18 meses, entre 2013-2014. El anĂĄlisis de los datos se realizĂł mediante estadĂstica descriptiva y regresiĂłn logĂstica condicional, utilizando el Microsoft Excel y el SPSS versiĂłn 18.0. Resultados: los factores de riesgo identificados fueron: desorientaciĂłn/confusiĂłn [OR 4,25 (1,99 a 9,08), p<0,001]; micciĂłn frecuente [OR 4,50 (1,86 a 10,87), p=0,001]; limitaciĂłn para caminar [OR 4,34 (2,05 a 9,14), p<0,001]; ausencia de cuidadores [OR 0,37 (0,22 a 0,63), p<0,001]; perĂodo postoperatorio [OR 0,50 (0,26 a 0,94), p=0,03]; y nĂșmero de medicamentos administrados dentro de las 72 horas previas a la caĂda [OR 1,20 (1,04 a 1,39) p=0,01]. ConclusiĂłn: los riesgos de caĂdas son multifactoriales. Sin embargo, la comprensiĂłn de estos factores respalda la toma de decisiones clĂnicas y tiene un impacto positivo en la seguridad del paciente.Objetivo: identificar os fatores de risco para a ocorrĂȘncia de quedas em pacientes adultos hospitalizados. MĂ©todos: estudo do tipo caso-controle pareado (um controle para cada caso). Pesquisa quantitativa realizada em unidades clĂnicas e cirĂșrgicas de um hospital universitĂĄrio da regiĂŁo Sul do Brasil. A amostra incluiu 358 pacientes. Os dados foram coletados durante 18 meses, entre 2013-2014. A anĂĄlise dos dados foi realizada por meio de estatĂstica descritiva e regressĂŁo logĂstica condicional, utilizando o Microsoft Excel e o SPSS versĂŁo 18.0. Resultados: os fatores de risco identificados foram: desorientação/confusĂŁo [OR 4,25 (1,99 a 9,08), p<0,001]; micção frequente [OR 4,50 (1,86 a 10,87), p=0,001]; limitação para caminhar [OR 4,34 (2,05 a 9,14), p<0,001]; ausĂȘncia de cuidador [OR 0,37 (0,22 a 0,63), p<0,001]; perĂodo pĂłs-operatĂłrio [OR 0,50 (0,26 a 0,94), p=0,03]; e o nĂșmero de medicamentos administrados nas 72 horas anteriores Ă queda [OR 1,20 (1,04 a 1,39) p=0,01]. ConclusĂŁo: os riscos para quedas sĂŁo multifatoriais. Todavia, conhecĂȘ-los dĂĄ suporte Ă decisĂŁo clĂnica do enfermeiro, o que contribui para a busca das melhores intervençÔes preventivas e impacta positivamente na segurança dos pacientes
Seizure occurrence in patients with chronic renal insufficiency in regular hemodialysis program
Phospholipids Trigger Cryptococcus neoformans Capsular Enlargement during Interactions with Amoebae and Macrophages
A remarkable aspect of the interaction of Cryptococcus
neoformans with mammalian hosts is a consistent increase in capsule
volume. Given that many aspects of the interaction of C.
neoformans with macrophages are also observed with amoebae, we
hypothesized that the capsule enlargement phenomenon also had a protozoan
parallel. Incubation of C. neoformans with Acanthamoeba
castellanii resulted in C. neoformans capsular
enlargement. The phenomenon required contact between fungal and protozoan cells
but did not require amoeba viability. Analysis of amoebae extracts showed that
the likely stimuli for capsule enlargement were protozoan polar lipids. Extracts
from macrophages and mammalian serum also triggered cryptococcal capsular
enlargement. C. neoformans capsule enlargement required
expression of fungal phospholipase B, but not phospholipase C. Purified
phospholipids, in particular, phosphatidylcholine, and derived molecules
triggered capsular enlargement with the subsequent formation of giant cells.
These results implicate phospholipids as a trigger for both C.
neoformans capsule enlargement in vivo and
exopolysaccharide production. The observation that the incubation of C.
neoformans with phospholipids led to the formation of giant cells
provides the means to generate these enigmatic cells in vitro.
Protozoan- or mammalian-derived polar lipids could represent a danger signal for
C. neoformans that triggers capsular enlargement as a
non-specific defense mechanism against potential predatory cells. Hence,
phospholipids are the first host-derived molecules identified to trigger
capsular enlargement. The parallels apparent in the capsular response of
C. neoformans to both amoebae and macrophages provide
additional support for the notion that certain aspects of cryptococcal virulence
emerged as a consequence of environmental interactions with other microorganisms
such as protists
Approaches in biotechnological applications of natural polymers
Natural polymers, such as gums and mucilage, are biocompatible, cheap, easily available and non-toxic materials of native origin. These polymers are increasingly preferred over synthetic materials for industrial applications due to their intrinsic properties, as well as they are considered alternative sources of raw materials since they present characteristics of sustainability, biodegradability and biosafety. As definition, gums and mucilages are polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates consisting of one or more monosaccharides or their derivatives linked in bewildering variety of linkages and structures. Natural gums are considered polysaccharides naturally occurring in varieties of plant seeds and exudates, tree or shrub exudates, seaweed extracts, fungi, bacteria, and animal sources. Water-soluble gums, also known as hydrocolloids, are considered exudates and are pathological products; therefore, they do not form a part of cell wall. On the other hand, mucilages are part of cell and physiological products. It is important to highlight that gums represent the largest amounts of polymer materials derived from plants. Gums have enormously large and broad applications in both food and non-food industries, being commonly used as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabilizing agents and matrices for drug release in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the food industry, their gelling properties and the ability to mold edible films and coatings are extensively studied. The use of gums depends on the intrinsic properties that they provide, often at costs below those of synthetic polymers. For upgrading the value of gums, they are being processed into various forms, including the most recent nanomaterials, for various biotechnological applications. Thus, the main natural polymers including galactomannans, cellulose, chitin, agar, carrageenan, alginate, cashew gum, pectin and starch, in addition to the current researches about them are reviewed in this article.. }To the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientfĂico e TecnolĂłgico (CNPq) for fellowships (LCBBC and MGCC) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de NvĂel Superior (CAPES) (PBSA). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) (JAT)
Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger
On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transientâs position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta
Large expert-curated database for benchmarking document similarity detection in biomedical literature search
Document recommendation systems for locating relevant literature have mostly relied on methods developed a decade ago. This is largely due to the lack of a large offline gold-standard benchmark of relevant documents that cover a variety of research fields such that newly developed literature search techniques can be compared, improved and translated into practice. To overcome this bottleneck, we have established the RElevant LIterature SearcH consortium consisting of more than 1500 scientists from 84 countries, who have collectively annotated the relevance of over 180 000 PubMed-listed articles with regard to their respective seed (input) article/s. The majority of annotations were contributed by highly experienced, original authors of the seed articles. The collected data cover 76% of all unique PubMed Medical Subject Headings descriptors. No systematic biases were observed across different experience levels, research fields or time spent on annotations. More importantly, annotations of the same document pairs contributed by different scientists were highly concordant. We further show that the three representative baseline methods used to generate recommended articles for evaluation (Okapi Best Matching 25, Term FrequencyâInverse Document Frequency and PubMed Related Articles) had similar overall performances. Additionally, we found that these methods each tend to produce distinct collections of recommended articles, suggesting that a hybrid method may be required to completely capture all relevant articles. The established database server located at https://relishdb.ict.griffith.edu.au is freely available for the downloading of annotation data and the blind testing of new methods. We expect that this benchmark will be useful for stimulating the development of new powerful techniques for title and title/abstract-based search engines for relevant articles in biomedical research
Maria CecĂlia Puntel de Almeida: a trajetĂłria de uma protagonista da enfermagem brasileira
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