Meaning of the Pap smear for health student

OBJECTIVE: To describe the meanings of the Pap smear for health students. METHODS: Descriptive study, qualitative approach, with 45 students from the health area of ​​a Higher Education Institution, in the Northeast of Brazil. Data were collected in 2017, by means of interviews, processed in the IRaMuTeQ software, and pushed by the Descending Hierarchical Classification. RESULTS: The students recognize that the education in health is the best strategy to prevent cervical cancer, as it is an essential tool in primary care and must be performed by health professionals. CONCLUSION: The meanings found by the students revealed a concern with their role in the Pap smear and, therefore, considers it very important to improve their knowledge in this area so that they can provide quality care to women seeking to prevent cervical cancer.OBJETIVO: Descrever os significados do exame de Papanicolaou para estudantes da saúde. MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo, de abordagem qualitativa, com 45 estudantes da área de saúde de uma Instituição de Ensino Superior, no Nordeste do Brasil. Os dados foram coletados em 2017, por meio de entrevistas, processados no software IRaMuTeQ, e analisados pela Classificação Hierárquica Descendente. RESULTADOS: Os estudantes reconhecem que a educação em saúde é a melhor estratégia para prevenir o cancro do colo do útero, por ser uma ferramenta essencial na atenção básica e deve ser realizada por profissionais de saúde. CONCLUSÃO: Os significados atribuídos pelos estudantes revelaram uma preocupação com seu papel no exame de Papanicolaou e, portanto, consideram muito importante aprimorar seus conhecimentos nessa área para que possam prestar um atendimento de qualidade às mulheres que buscam a prevenção do cancro de colo do úteroinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genome of the Avirulent Human-Infective Trypanosome—Trypanosoma rangeli

Background: Trypanosoma rangeli is a hemoflagellate protozoan parasite infecting humans and other wild and domestic mammals across Central and South America. It does not cause human disease, but it can be mistaken for the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi. We have sequenced the T. rangeli genome to provide new tools for elucidating the distinct and intriguing biology of this species and the key pathways related to interaction with its arthropod and mammalian hosts.  Methodology/Principal Findings: The T. rangeli haploid genome is ,24 Mb in length, and is the smallest and least repetitive trypanosomatid genome sequenced thus far. This parasite genome has shorter subtelomeric sequences compared to those of T. cruzi and T. brucei; displays intraspecific karyotype variability and lacks minichromosomes. Of the predicted 7,613 protein coding sequences, functional annotations could be determined for 2,415, while 5,043 are hypothetical proteins, some with evidence of protein expression. 7,101 genes (93%) are shared with other trypanosomatids that infect humans. An ortholog of the dcl2 gene involved in the T. brucei RNAi pathway was found in T. rangeli, but the RNAi machinery is non-functional since the other genes in this pathway are pseudogenized. T. rangeli is highly susceptible to oxidative stress, a phenotype that may be explained by a smaller number of anti-oxidant defense enzymes and heatshock proteins.  Conclusions/Significance: Phylogenetic comparison of nuclear and mitochondrial genes indicates that T. rangeli and T. cruzi are equidistant from T. brucei. In addition to revealing new aspects of trypanosome co-evolution within the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, comparative genomic analysis with pathogenic trypanosomatids provides valuable new information that can be further explored with the aim of developing better diagnostic tools and/or therapeutic targets

Artesãos, cartografia e império. A produção social de um instrumento náutico no mundo ibérico, 1500-1650

Explicar cómo y en qué condiciones fueron construidos algunos de los instrumentos científicos más emblemáticos del mundo moderno sigue siendo un desafío para los historiadores de la ciencia y de la tecnología. Este principio afecta también a los instrumentos náuticos. Así, el objetivo del presente artículo es considerar el “cómo” y el “en qué condiciones”, en un sentido amplio, analizando uno de estos artefactos: las cartas náuticas construidas durante la expansión marítima europea. Originalidad: La originalidad del texto no reside únicamente en llevar a cabo una reconstrucción de este instrumento en Portugal y España que aporte nuevos datos sobre su proceso de fabricación y sus fabricantes, sino también en arrojar luz sobre antiguos debates historiográficos que subyacen a la génesis de la ciencia moderna, tales como la difícil colaboración entre hombres prácticos y hombres teóricos; la aportación de comunidades de artesanos al mundo del conocimiento; el papel que los saberes prácticos tuvieron en el establecimiento de nuevas formas de estandarización en ciencia; la adopción de una metodología empírica para el dominio del mundo o la construcción de grandes imperios globales cimentados sobre la base del trabajo manual. Metodología: El análisis de estos debates requiere una aproximación metodológica que atienda a las categorías y los conceptos principales puestos en circulación tanto por la historia como por la filosofía de la ciencia más reciente. En definitiva, se trata de atender a las condiciones que permitieron el establecimiento de acuerdos (y también de controversias) epistemológicos entre diferentes comunidades de conocimiento tomando un instrumento náutico como “mediador”. Conclusiones: El artículo concluye que la consideración de las culturas empíricas del conocimiento y sus realizaciones materiales son una condición sine qua non para entender la génesis de la modernidad científica europea y la construcción de un mundo globalExplaining how and under what conditions some of the most emblematic scientific instruments of the modern world were built remains a challenge for historians of science and technology. This principle also affects nautical instruments. Thus, the objective of this article is to consider the “how” and the “under what conditions”, in a broad sense, by examining one of these devices: the nautical charts developed during the European maritime expansion. Originality: The originality of this article lies not only in the reconstruction of this instrument in Portugal and Spain, providing new information about its development process and its manufacturers, but also in shedding light on old historiographical debates that underlie the genesis of modern science, such as the difficult collaboration between practical men and theoretical men; the contribution of artisan communities to the world of knowledge; the role that practical knowledge played in the establishment of new forms of standardization in science; the adoption of an empirical methodology for achieving mastery of the world or the construction of large global empires founded upon manual labor. Methodology: Analyzing these debates requires a methodological approach that addresses the main categories and concepts put into circulation by the most recent history and philosophy of science. In short, unveiling the conditions that enabled the establishment of epistemological agreements (and also disputes) between different knowledge communities by taking a nautical instrument as “mediator.” Conclusions: The article concludes that examining empirical knowledge cultures and their material achievements are a sine qua non condition to understand the genesis of European scientific modernity and the construction of a global worldExplicar como e em que condições foram construídos alguns dos instrumentos científicos mais emblemáticos do mundo moderno continua sendo um desafio para os historiadores da ciência e da tecnologia. Esse princípio afeta também os instrumentos náuticos. Assim, o objetivo do presente artigo é considerar o “como” e o “em que condições”, em um sentido amplo, e analisar um desses artefatos: as cartas náuticas construídas durante a expansão marítima europeia. Originalidade: A originalidade do texto não reside unicamente na realização de uma reconstrução desse instrumento em Portugal e na Espanha de forma que traga novos dados sobre seu processo de fabricação e de seus fabricantes, mas também em lançar luz sobre antigos debates historiográficos que subjazem à gênese da ciência moderna, tais como a difícil colaboração entre homens práticos e homens teóricos, a contribuição de comunidades de artesãos ao mundo do conhecimento; o papel que os saberes práticos tiveram no estabelecimento de novas formas de padronização na ciência, a adoção de uma metodologia empírica para o domínio do mundo ou a construção de grandes impérios globais cimentados sobre a base do trabalho manual. Metodologia: A análise desses debates requer uma aproximação metodológica que atenda às categorias e aos principais conceitos colocados em circulação tanto pela história quanto pela filosofia da ciência mais recente. Definitivamente, trata-se de atender às condições que permitiram o estabelecimento de acordos (e também de controvérsias) epistemológicos entre diferentes comunidades de conhecimento tomando o instrumento náutico como “mediador”. Conclusões: O artigo conclui que a consideração das culturas empíricas do conhecimento e suas realizações materiais são uma condição sine qua non para entender a gênese da modernidade científica europeia e a construção de um mundo globa

Recent updates and perspectives on approaches for the development of vaccines against visceral leishmaniasis

All rights reserved. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the most important tropical diseases worldwide. Although chemotherapy has been widely used to treat this disease, problems related to the development of parasite resistance and side effects associated with the compounds used have been noted. Hence, alternative approaches for VL control are desirable. Some methods, such as vector control and culling of infected dogs, are insufficiently effective, with the latter not ethically recommended. The development of vaccines to prevent VL is a feasible and desirable measure for disease control, for example, some vaccines designed to protect dogs against VL have recently been brought to market. These vaccines are based on the combination of parasite fractions or recombinant proteins with adjuvants that are able to induce cellular immune responses, however, their partial efficacy and the absence of a vaccine to protect against human leishmaniasis underline the need for characterization of new vaccine candidates. This review presents recent advances in control measures for VL based on vaccine development, describing extensively studied antigens, as well as new antigenic proteins recently identified using immuno-proteomic techniquesThis work was supported by grants from Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Nano-Biofarmacêutica, Rede Nanobiotec/Brasil-Universidade Federal de Uberlândia/CAPES, PRONEX-FAPEMIG (APQ-01019-09), FAPEMIG (CBB-APQ-00819-12 and CBB-APQ-01778-2014), and CNPq (APQ-482976/2012-8, APQ-488237/2013-0, and APQ-467640/2014-9). EAFC and LRG are recipients of the grant from CNPq. MACF is the recipient of grants from FAPEMIG/CAPE

Sexual transmission of American trypanosomiasis in humans : a new potential pandemic route for Chagas parasites

Background: the Trypanosoma cruzi infection endemic in Latin America has now spread to several countries across four continents; this endemic involves triatomine vector-free protists. We hypothesised that the sexual transmission of T. cruzi contributes to the ongoing spread of Chagas disease. Objectives: a short-term longitudinal study was conducted to evaluate this hypothesis. Methods: the study population comprised 109 subjects from four families, among whom 21 had been diagnosed with acute Chagas disease by direct parasitological analysis. Blood mononuclear cells and serum samples were obtained from each study subject once per year for three consecutive years. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence serological examinations were used to detect specific T. cruzi antibodies. Polymerase chain reaction of T. cruzi DNA revealed 188-nucleotide bands, which hybridised to a specific radiolabelled probe and were confirmed by cloning and sequencing. Results: three independent assessments at different time points revealed T. cruzi nuclear DNA footprints in 76% (83/109) of the study population with active infection. In contrast, the ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence assays detected the T. cruzi antibody in 28.4% (31/109) of the study samples. Moreover, the semen from 82.6% (19/23) of subjects people revealed harboured the 188- bp base pair T. cruzi footprint. Interestingly, the ejaculates of nuclear DNA-positive Chagas patient transmitted the T. cruzi upon peritoneal injection or infusion in the vagina of mice, and amastigotes were detected in the skeletal muscle, myocardium, vas deferens, and uterine tube. Main conclusions: T. cruzi infections can be transmitted from females or males to naïve mates through intercourse, and progeny showed discrepancies between the ratios of nuclear DNA footprints and specific antibody that can be explained by the tolerance attained during early embryo growth. Additional studies are needed to develop drugs to eradicate the infections. Additionally, the importance of a vigorous education, information, and communication program to prevent sexually transmitted Chagas disease in humans cannot be underemphasised

2 nd Brazilian Consensus on Chagas Disease, 2015

Abstract Chagas disease is a neglected chronic condition with a high burden of morbidity and mortality. It has considerable psychological, social, and economic impacts. The disease represents a significant public health issue in Brazil, with different regional patterns. This document presents the evidence that resulted in the Brazilian Consensus on Chagas Disease. The objective was to review and standardize strategies for diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control of Chagas disease in the country, based on the available scientific evidence. The consensus is based on the articulation and strategic contribution of renowned Brazilian experts with knowledge and experience on various aspects of the disease. It is the result of a close collaboration between the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine and the Ministry of Health. It is hoped that this document will strengthen the development of integrated actions against Chagas disease in the country, focusing on epidemiology, management, comprehensive care (including families and communities), communication, information, education, and research

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio