A INFLUÊNCIA DE FATORES SOCIODEMOGRÁFICOS NA EXPRESSÃO DE COMPORTAMENTOS AUTOLESIVOS NÃO SUICIDÁRIOS (NSSI) EM ADOLESCENTES PORTUGUESES

A manifestação de comportamentos autolesivos não suicidários (NSSI) tem vindo a aumentar entre os adolescentes. Pretende-se com esta investigação identificar a frequência e os tipos de autodano praticados por adolescentes portugueses e analisar a influência de variáveis sociodemográficas na prática deste comportamento. Foi utilizada uma amostra de 361 adolescentes (46% raparigas; 54% rapazes), com idades compreendidas entre os 12 e os 18 anos de idade (M=15.25; DP=1.73), que responderam a um questionário sociodemográfico e ao Questionário de Impulso, Autodano e Ideação Suicida para Adolescentes (QIAIS-A). Cerca de 34,5% dos adolescentes já exibiram comportamentos NSSI que se manifestam, principalmente, através da prática de comportamentos de risco. Não foram encontradas diferenças nos comportamentos NSSI em função do meio ambiente de residência ou do nível socioeconómico. As raparigas praticam mais autodano propriamente dito. Os adolescentes que se encontram a meio e no fim da adolescência automutilam-se mais do que os que se encontram no início desta fase e o comportamento autolesivo tem maior expressão nos adolescentes do ensino secundário do que nos do 3ºciclo de escolaridade. A ausência de influência da maioria das variáveis sociodemográficas pode indiciar que o comportamento autolesivo na adolescência está mais associado a variáveis de natureza psicológica. No geral, os dados suscitam preocupação quanto à frequência dos comportamentos autolesivos entre os adolescentes. Será relevante prosseguir com a investigação que elucide quanto à natureza dos fatores que mais influenciam este comportamento, bem como será pertinente analisar as teorias implícitas dos próprios adolescentes acerca do que constitui um comportamento autolesivo não suicidário

Rapid High Yield Production of Different Glycoforms of Ebola Virus Monoclonal Antibody

Fc-glycosylation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has profound implications on the Fc-mediated effector functions. Alteration of this glycosylation may affect the efficiency of an antibody. However, difficulties in the production of mAbs with homogeneous N-glycosylation profiles in sufficient amounts hamper investigations of the potential biological impact of different glycan residues.Here we set out to evaluate a transient plant viral based production system for the rapid generation of different glycoforms of a monoclonal antibody. Ebola virus mAb h-13F6 was generated using magnICON expression system in Nicotiana benthamiana, a plant species developed for commercial scale production of therapeutic proteins. h-13F6 was co-expressed with a series of modified mammalian enzymes involved in the processing of complex N-glycans. Using wild type (WT) plants and the glycosylation mutant ΔXTFT that synthesizes human like biantennary N-glycans with terminal N-acetylglucosamine on each branch (GnGn structures) as expression hosts we demonstrate the generation of h-13F6 complex N-glycans with (i) bisected structures, (ii) core α1,6 fucosylation and (iii) β1,4 galactosylated oligosaccharides. In addition we emphasize the significance of precise sub Golgi localization of enzymes for engineering of IgG Fc-glycosylation.The method described here allows the efficient generation of a series of different human-like glycoforms at large homogeneity of virtually any antibody within one week after cDNA delivery to plants. This accelerates follow up functional studies and thus may contribute to study the biological role of N-glycan residues on Fcs and maximizing the clinical efficacy of therapeutic antibodies

Adaptation to the driving simulator and prediction of the braking time performance, with and without distraction, in older adults and middle-aged adults

Context: Many studies show the importance of evaluating the adaptation time of subjects in a virtual driving environment, looking forwards to a response as closest as a possible real vehicle. Objectives This study aimed to identify and analyze the adaptation to the driving simulator in older adults and middle-aged adults with and without a distraction, and a secondary aim was to identify predictors of safe performance for older adults' drives. Design: Male and female middle-aged adults (n = 62, age = 30.3 ± 7.1 years) and older adults (n = 102, age = 70.4 ± 5.8 years) were evaluated for braking time performance in a driving simulator; cognition performance assessment included the Mini-Mental State Examination; motor evaluation included ankle flexor muscle strength with the isokinetic dynamometer and handgrip strength; the postural balance was evaluated with Timed Up and Go test, with and without a cognitive distraction task. Results: Older adults (men and women) and middle-aged adult women require more time to adapt to the driving simulator. The distractor increases the adaptation time for all groups. The main predictors of braking time for older women are age, muscle strength, and postural balance associated with distraction, and for older men, muscle strength. Conclusions: Age, sex, and distractor interfere in the adaptation of the virtual task of driving in a simulator. The evaluation model developed with multi-domains demonstrated the ability to predict which skills are related to braking time with and without the presence of the distractor

The tobacco GNTI stem region harbors a strong motif for homomeric protein complex formation

IntroductionThe Golgi apparatus of plants is the central cellular organelle for glycan processing and polysaccharide biosynthesis. These essential processes are catalyzed by a large number of Golgi-resident glycosyltransferases and glycosidases whose organization within the Golgi is still poorly understood.MethodsHere, we examined the role of the stem region of the cis/medial Golgi enzyme N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GNTI) in homomeric complex formation in the Golgi of Nicotiana benthamiana using biochemical approaches and confocal microscopy.ResultsTransient expression of the N-terminal cytoplasmic, transmembrane, and stem (CTS) regions of GNTI leads to a block in N-glycan processing on a co-expressed recombinant glycoprotein. Overexpression of the CTS region from Golgi α-mannosidase I, which can form in planta complexes with GNTI, results in a similar block in N-glycan processing, while GNTI with altered subcellular localization or N-glycan processing enzymes located further downstream in the Golgi did not affect complex N-glycan processing. The GNTI-CTS-dependent alteration in N-glycan processing is caused by a specific nine-amino acid sequence motif in the stem that is required for efficient GNTI-GNTI interaction.DiscussionTaken together, we have identified a conserved motif in the stem region of the key N-glycan processing enzyme GNTI. We propose that the identified sequence motif in the GNTI stem region acts as a dominant negative motif that can be used in transient glycoengineering approaches to produce recombinant glycoproteins with predominantly mannosidic N-glycans

N-Glycosylation engineering of plants for the biosynthesis of glycoproteins with bisected and branched complex N-glycans

Glycoengineering is increasingly being recognized as a powerful tool to generate recombinant glycoproteins with a customized N-glycosylation pattern. Here, we demonstrate the modulation of the plant glycosylation pathway toward the formation of human-type bisected and branched complex N-glycans. Glycoengineered Nicotiana benthamiana lacking plant-specific N-glycosylation (i.e. β1,2-xylose and core α1,3-fucose) was used to transiently express human erythropoietin (hEPO) and human transferrin (hTF) together with modified versions of human β1,4-mannosyl-β1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnTIII), α1,3-mannosyl-β1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnTIV) and α1,6-mannosyl-β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnTV). hEPO was expressed as a fusion to the IgG-Fc domain (EPO-Fc) and purified via protein A affinity chromatography. Recombinant hTF was isolated from the intracellular fluid of infiltrated plant leaves. Mass spectrometry-based N-glycan analysis of hEPO and hTF revealed the quantitative formation of bisected (GnGnbi) and tri- as well as tetraantennary complex N-glycans (Gn[GnGn], [GnGn]Gn and [GnGn][GnGn]). Co-expression of GnTIII together with GnTIV and GnTV resulted in the efficient generation of bisected tetraantennary complex N-glycans. Our results show the generation of recombinant proteins with human-type N-glycosylation at great uniformity. The strategy described here provides a robust and straightforward method for producing mammalian-type N-linked glycans of defined structures on recombinant glycoproteins, which can advance glycoprotein research and accelerate the development of protein-based therapeutics

Reabilitação respiratória em pessoas com doença pulmonar obstrutiva crónica – Protocolo de estudo

Introduction: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with an important and growing economic and social burden. The benefits of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) include better control of dyspnoea and major improvements in exercise capacity and health-related quality of life. The general objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of implementing a Pulmonary Rehabilitation program in Outpatients with COPD and with Follow-up at Home.Methodology: A quasi-experimental single-group, descriptive and correlational study. Participants will be subject to PR sessions 3 times a week in a total of 36 sessions, in the Health Center of the area of residence and teleconsultation, in a previously defined scheme. Evaluations will be carried out at the beginning of the intervention, at the 18th and 36th sessions and 6 and 12 weeks after the 36th session. Throughout the PR sessions, physical exercise plans will be developed, education about exacerbating factors and control of risk factors, respiratory functional re-education techniques and inhalotherapy training. Participants will be provided with a customized plan to be implemented at their home, with teleconsultation monitoring after the end of the PR program (12th week).Expected results: The aim is to achieve clinical and statistically significant improvements in the ability to perform ADL, in the quality of life, in the management of symptoms and the therapeutic regimen, in the ability to walk and in the reduction of costs associated with exacerbations. It is also intended to verify whether there are significant differences between the two modalities of implementation of the program.Conclusion: Through the planned intervention, it is expected to reach the end of 2023 with data that allow to optimize the response to the needs of people with COPD in the district of Bragança and highlight the value of the specialized intervention in Rehabilitation Nursing in Primary Health Care.Introducción: La Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica (EPOC) es una de las principales causas de morbilidad y mortalidad a nivel mundial, con una importante carga económica y social. Los beneficios de la Rehabilitación Respiratoria (RR) incluyen un mejor control de la disnea y mejoras importantes en la capacidad de ejercicio y la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud. El objetivo general de este estudio es evaluar el impacto de la implementación de un programa de rehabilitación respiratoria en pacientes con EPOC en ambulatorio y seguimiento a domicilio. Metodología: Estudio cuasi-experimental de grupo único, de carácter descriptivo y correlacional. Los participantes serán objeto de sesiones de RR 3 veces por semana en un total de 36 sesiones, en el Centro de Salud del área de residencia y en teleconsulta, en esquema previamente definido. Se realizarán evaluaciones al comienzo de la intervención, a la 18ª y a la 36ª sesiones y 6 y 12 semanas después de la 36ª sesión. A lo largo de las sesiones de RR se desarrollarán planes de ejercicio físico, enseñanza sobre factores exacerbantes y control de los factores de riesgo, técnicas de reeducación funcional respiratoria y entrenamiento de inaloterapia. Se proporcionará a los participantes un plan personalizado para ser implementado en su domicilio, con monitoreo por teleconsulta después del término del programa de RR (12ª semana). Resultados esperados: Se pretende lograr mejoras clínicas y estadísticamente significativas en la capacidad para el desempeño de las AVD, en la calidad de vida, en la gestión de los síntomas y del régimen terapéutico, en la capacidad para la marcha y en la reducción de los costes asociados a las exacerbaciones. También se pretende comprobar si existen diferencias significativas entre las dos modalidades de aplicación del programa. Conclusión: A través de la intervención planeada, se prevé llegar al final de 2023 con datos que permitan optimizar la respuesta a las necesidades de las personas con EPOC en el distrito de Braganza y evidenciar la másvalía de la intervención especializada en Enfermería de Rehabilitación en los Cuidados de Salud Primarios.Introdução: A Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crónica é uma das principais causas de morbilidade e mortalidade em todo o mundo, com peso económico e social importante e crescente. Os benefícios da Reabilitação Respiratória (RR) incluem um melhor controlo de dispneia e melhorias importantes na capacidade de exercício e qualidade de vida relacionada com a saúde. O objetivo geral deste estudo é avaliar o impacto da implementação de um programa de Reabilitação Respiratória em pessoas com DPOC em Ambulatório e com Follow-up no Domicílio. Metodologia: Estudo quasi-experimental de grupo único, de caráter descritivo e correlacional. Os participantes serão alvo de sessões de RR 3 vezes por semana num total de 36 sessões, no Centro de Saúde da área de residência e em teleconsulta, em esquema previamente definido. Serão efetuadas avaliações no início da intervenção, à 18ª e à 36ª sessões e 6 e 12 semanas depois da 36ª sessão. Ao longo das sessões de RR serão desenvolvidos planos de exercício físico, ensino sobre fatores exacerbantes e controlo dos fatores de risco, técnicas de reeducação funcional respiratória e treino de inaloterapia. Será fornecido aos participantes um plano personalizado para ser implementado no seu domicílio, com monitorização por teleconsulta após o término do programa de RR (12ª semana). Resultados esperados: Pretende-se obter melhorias clínica e estatisticamente significativas na capacidade para o desempenho das AVD, na qualidade de vida, na gestão dos sintomas e do regime terapêutico, na capacidade para a marcha e na redução dos custos associados às exacerbações. Pretende-se, ainda, verificar se existem diferenças significativas entre as duas modalidades de implementação do programa. Conclusão: Através da intervenção planeada, prevê-se chegar ao final de 2023 com dados que permitam otimizar a resposta às necessidades das pessoas com DPOC no distrito de Bragança e evidenciar a mais-valia da intervenção especializada em Enfermagem de Reabilitação nos Cuidados de Saúde Primários

Reliability of isokinetic test measurements of the ankle joint

The isokinetic test of the ankle joint is of great relevance, since it is possible to establish protocols with velocities and modes of contraction similar to those of functional and sports activities. Thus, studies showing the reliability of this tool are needed to assist in the prevention of ankle injuries. Objective: To develop a literature review on studies that addressed the reliability of isokinetic ankle joint tests. Methods: The literature search was performed in Pubmed, Lilacs, Pedro, Scielo, Scopus and Cochrane databases with the scientific descriptors ankle and isokinetic and reliability. Thirty-four articles were identified, four were excluded for not studying humans and 27 were included (10 referring to the reliability of isokinetic tests for ankle inverters and eversors and 17 referring to the reliability of flexor plantar and dorsiflexor tests). Results: The reliability of the isokinetic evaluation of the plantar flexors and dorsiflexors has been described for different dynamometers, positions, modes and populations. Intraclass correlation coefficient values ​​range from 0.55 to 0.98; and that of eversors and inverters range from 0.54 to 0.99, rated in the range of satisfactory to excellent. Conclusion: Isokinetic protocols of the ankle joint should be elaborated according to the recruited musculature and the population (with or without pathology).O teste isocinético do tornozelo tem uma grande relevância, já que é possível estabelecer protocolos com velocidades e modos de contração semelhantes aos das atividades funcionais e esportivas. Desta forma, são necessários estudos que mostram a confiabilidade desta ferramenta para auxiliarem na prevenção de lesões do tornozelo. Objetivo: Elaborar uma revisão de literatura sobre estudos que abordaram a confiabilidade de testes isocinéticos da articulação do tornozelo. Métodos: A busca na literatura foi realizada nas bases de dados Pubmed, Lilacs, Pedro, Scielo, Scopus e Cochrane com os descritores científicos ankle e isokinetic e reliability. Foram identificados 34 artigos, 4 foram excluídos por não estudarem humanos e 27 foram incluídos (10 referentes à confiabilidade de testes isocinéticos para inversores e eversores do tornozelo e 17 referentes à confiabilidade de testes para flexores-plantares e dorsiflexores). Resultados: A confiabilidade da avaliação isocinética dos flexores-plantares e dorsiflexores tem sido descrita para diferentes dinamômetros, posições, modos e populações. Os valores de coeficientes de correlação intraclasse variam de 0,55-0,98; e a de eversores e inversores, variam de 0,54-0,99, classificados na faixa de satisfatório a excelente. Conclusão: Os protocolos isocinéticos da articulação do tornozelo devem ser elaborados de acordo com a musculatura recrutada e com a população (com presença ou não de patologia).&nbsp

In planta deglycosylation improves the SARS-CoV-2 neutralization activity of recombinant ACE2-Fc

SARS-CoV-2 infects human cells via binding of the viral spike glycoprotein to its main cellular receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The spike protein-ACE2 receptor interaction is therefore a major target for the development of therapeutic or prophylactic drugs to combat coronavirus infections. Various engineered soluble ACE2 variants (decoys) have been designed and shown to exhibit virus neutralization capacity in cell-based assays and in vivo models. Human ACE2 is heavily glycosylated and some of its glycans impair binding to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Therefore, glycan-engineered recombinant soluble ACE2 variants might display enhanced virus-neutralization potencies. Here, we transiently co-expressed the extracellular domain of ACE2 fused to human Fc (ACE2-Fc) with a bacterial endoglycosidase in Nicotiana benthamiana to produce ACE2-Fc decorated with N-glycans consisting of single GlcNAc residues. The endoglycosidase was targeted to the Golgi apparatus with the intention to avoid any interference of glycan removal with concomitant ACE2-Fc protein folding and quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum. The in vivo deglycosylated ACE2-Fc carrying single GlcNAc residues displayed increased affinity to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 as well as improved virus neutralization activity and thus is a promising drug candidate to block coronavirus infection

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans – anteaters, sloths, and armadillos – have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with 24 domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, ten anteaters, and six sloths. Our dataset includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data-paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the south of the USA, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to its austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n=5,941), and Cyclopes sp. has the fewest (n=240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n=11,588), and the least recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n=33). With regards to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n=962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n=12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other datasets of Neotropical Series which will become available very soon (i.e. Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans dataset