Does salinity variation increase synergistic effects of triclosan and carbon nanotubes on Mytilus galloprovincialis? Responses on adult tissues and sperms

The use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is rapidly increasing and several scientific studies have addressed their toxicological properties. However, only a very small number of publications have deal with the interaction between CNTs and other molecules. Triclosan (TCS) is an antibacterial agent used in personal care and household products. Commonly detected in aquatic ecosystems, there is a strong evidence that aquatic biota is sensitive to this compound. Aside from emergent pollutants, aquatic organisms are continuously subjected to abiotic variations including salinities. Therefore, the main goal of the present study was to better understand how physio-chemical interactions of CNTs with TCS under different salinity levels (37, 28 and 19) affect the mussel species Mytilus galloprovincialis through the evaluation of biochemical alterations on gametes (sperms) and adult tissues, providing more ecologically relevant information on organisms' responses. The results showed toxicological effects in terms of sperm metabolic activity and intracellular reactive oxygen species production as well as cellular damage and alteration of metabolic capacity at the adult's stage when exposed to both contaminants acting alone and in combination, under tested salinities. Moreover, when the mussels were exposed to the combination of both contaminants, they showed major toxic impacts on both assessed biological levels (adult tissues and sperms) especially under control salinity. This suggests that toxicity upon mixture exposure compared to single-substance exposure may impair mussels' populations, affecting reproduction success and growth.publishe

An alien metabolite vs. a synthetic chemical hazard: an ecotoxicological comparison in the Mediterranean blue mussel

Bioactive natural products from marine invasive species may dramatically impact native communities, while many synthetic pharmaceutical drugs are released into the marine environment and have long-lasting harmful effects on aquatic life. Sometimes, metabolites from alien species and synthetic compounds share similar mechanisms of action, suggesting comparable ecotoxicological impacts. This applies to the alkaloid caulerpin (CAU) from the green alga Caulerpa cylindracea, highly invasive in the Mediterranean Sea, and to the synthetic lipid-lowering drug fenofibrate (FFB), both acting as agonists of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). Analogies with FFB, which is widely considered hazardous to the aquatic environment, have led to concerns about the ecotoxicological potential of CAU. The problem has implications for public health as CAU is well known to enter the food web accumulating in fish of commercial importance. Here, we compared the effects of FFB and CAU through biochemical and histopathological analysis on a relevant bioindicator molluscan species, the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Under laboratory conditions, mussels were fed with food enriched with CAU or FFB. After treatment, biochemical markers were analyzed revealing metabolic capacity impairments, cellular damage, and changes in acetylcholinesterase activity in mussels fed with FFB-enriched food. NMR-based metabolomic studies also showed significant alterations in the metabolic profiles of FFB-treated mussels. In addition, dietary administration of FFB produced morphological alterations in the mussels' gills and digestive tubules. Obtained results confirm that FFB is harmful to aquatic life and that its release into the environment should be avoided. Conversely, dietary treatment with CAU did not produce any significant alterations in the mussels. Overall, our results pave the way for the possible valorization of the huge biomass from one of the world's worst invasive species to obtain CAU, a natural product of interest in drug discovery.publishe

A qualidade de vida de pacientes hipertensos em uma estratégia saúde da família, Ananindeua - Pará

Objetivo: avaliar o nível de qualidade de vida de pacientes hipertensos cadastrados em uma Estratégia Saúde da Família. Método: Estudo transversal analítico. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de dois questionários, sendo um o Minichal-Brasil e, o outro sobre o perfil clínico e os aspectos socioeconômicos do paciente. Resultados: A maioria dos pacientes era mulheres, na faixa etária maior de 40 anos, renda de até três salários mínimos e escolaridade nível fundamental e médio. Dos entrevistados, 62,50% estavam com pressão arterial normal e 83,00% relataram seguir corretamente o tratamento. Às comorbidades encontradas foram: dislipidemia (35,10%), sobrepeso (47,00%), obesidade (28,19%) e diabetes (22,52%), sendo que 74,34% referiram história familiar de doença cardiovascular. Observou-se que sexo, pressão arterial e tratamento apresentaram influencia na qualidade de vida dos hipertensos (p<0,05). Em contrapartida não foi observado associação com a qualidade de vida as variáveis: renda mensal (p=0,0377), escolaridade (p=0,5011), história familiar (p=0,6309), tempo de diagnóstico (p=0,1317) o fato de consumir ou não bebida alcoólica ou fumo (p=0,1508), comorbidades (p=0,3460), faixa etária (p=0,1253) e IMC (p=0,5829). Conclusão: Observou-se que os pacientes que apresentaram, isoladamente, as variáveis: gênero feminino, níveis pressóricos não controlados e não adesão ao tratamento apresentou nível inferior de qualidade de vida

Impacto da pandemia de COVID-19 nos procedimentos dermatológicos no Brasil

INTRODUCTION: Appointments in dermatology were hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in delayed diagnoses and interrupted treatments. Patients at risk of skin cancer, for example, have been affected and metastasis risks increased. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic dermatological surgical procedures in Brazil. METHODS: The study is retroactive, descriptive, and revised. Data were extracted from DATASUS Health Information System (TABLET) records. “Small surgeries and open skin, subcutaneous tissue, and hospital mucosal surgeries of the SUS from January 2016 to December 2020 were analyzed, focusing on the variables Region and Character of Care. RESULTS: 554,591 small surgeries and skin, subcutaneous tissue, and mucosal surgeries were performed between 2016 and 2020 in Brazil. The Southeast had the highest regional records (47.15%; n=261,477). From 2016 to 2019, there was a 16.44% increase in the procedures performed, totaling 130,099 in 2019. However, in 2020 there was a decrease of 38.59% compared to 2019, with 79,887 procedures. Further, elective procedures were prevalent in all years, 402,344 (72.5%) in total. The numbers increased 25.2% from 2016 to 2019, but in 2020, compared to 2019, there was a 44.9% reduction. DISCUSSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of active healthcare professionals in clinics decreased due to workforce relocation and services' restructuring, infected in the reduction of consultations and procedures, resulting in the delay of the follow-up and resolution of dermatological diseases. CONCLUSION: It was found that dermatological procedures were deeply influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a direct affection of dermatology services in Brazil.Introdução: Atendimentos dermatológicos foram prejudicados pela pandemia da COVID-19, com diagnósticos atrasados e tratamentos interrompidos. Pacientes com câncer de pele, por exemplo, foram especialmente afetados, já que a progressão de lesões e o risco de metástase aumentam. Nesse contexto, o objetivo do estudo foi analisar o impacto da pandemia da COVID-19 na realização de procedimentos cirúrgicos em dermatologia no Brasil. Metodologia: O estudo é retrospectivo, descritivo e quantitativo. Os dados foram obtidos a partir de registros do Sistema de Informações de Saúde (TABNET) do DATASUS. Foram analisadas “Pequenas cirurgias e cirurgias de pele, tecido subcutâneo e mucosa” entre os Procedimentos Hospitalares do SUS do período de janeiro de 2016 a dezembro de 2020, sendo consideradas as variáveis Região e Caráter de Atendimento. Resultados: Foram realizadas 554.591 pequenas cirurgias e cirurgias de pele, tecido subcutâneo e mucosa entre 2016 e 2020 no Brasil. O Sudeste apresentou o maior número de registros (47,15%; n=261.477). No período de 2016 a 2019 houve um aumento de 16,44% nos procedimentos realizados, totalizando 130.099 em 2019. Entretanto, no ano de 2020 houve queda de 38,59% em relação a 2019, com 79.887 procedimentos. Ademais, em todos os anos predominou o caráter eletivo, totalizando 402.344 (72,5%). O aumento foi de 25,2% no período de 2016 a 2019, mas em comparação a 2019, houve uma redução de 44,9% em 2020. Discussão: A pandemia da COVID-19 reduziu o número de profissionais especializados atuantes nos ambulatórios, com o remanejamento da mão de obra e reestruturação do serviço para o atendimento aos infectados pela COVID-19, refletindo na redução de consultas e procedimentos, resultando no atraso do acompanhamento e resolução de doenças dermatológicas. Conclusão: Conclui-se, portanto, que o a realização de procedimentos dermatológicos foi fortemente influenciada pela pandemia da COVID-19, com efeito direto no funcionamento de serviços da especialidade

Influence Of Number Of Pregnancies In Peak Expiratory Flow And Body Composition Of Pregnant Women

Objectives: to describe and compare the mean values of the body composition and the peak expiratory flow (PEF) in primigravidae and multigravidae and, to determine its correlation with obstetric, anthropometric and body composition variables. Method: it was performed a cross-sectional study of 120 healthy pregnant women at low risk, including 77 primigravidae and 43 multigravidae. The PEF was measured by spirometry and the body composition by multisegmental electrical impedance. The unpaired t test was used to compare the groups and the Pearson correlation test was used to determine the association between PEF and independent variables. A multiple linear regression was used to estimate the relationship between the dependent variable, the PEF and the independent variables. Results: the body composition variables in multigravidae women showed higher values compared to the primigravidae, being statistically significant, except for fat mass. In primigravidae, the PEF was correlated significantly with maternal age and height. In multigravidae, the PEF was correlated with maternal age, height, pre-pregnancy and current weight, total body water, extracellular water, fat mass, lean mass and fat-free mass. A Multiple linear regression analysis showed that, in primigravidae, height and maternal age were associated with PEF, being responsible for explaining 14.5% of its variability. The current weight and the maternal age explained 42.3% of peak flow variability in multigravidae. Conclusion: The PEF seemed to be influenced by the number of pregnancies. Changes were observed in relation to the body composition, as it was evidenced in correlation with the PEF in multigravidae women. Keywords: Pregnancy. Spirometry. Weight gain

Multidifferential study of identified charged hadron distributions in ZZ-tagged jets in proton-proton collisions at s=\sqrt{s}=13 TeV

Jet fragmentation functions are measured for the first time in proton-proton collisions for charged pions, kaons, and protons within jets recoiling against a $Z$ boson. The charged-hadron distributions are studied longitudinally and transversely to the jet direction for jets with transverse momentum 20 $< p_{\textrm{T}} < 100$ GeV and in the pseudorapidity range $2.5 < \eta < 4$. The data sample was collected with the LHCb experiment at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.64 fb$^{-1}$. Triple differential distributions as a function of the hadron longitudinal momentum fraction, hadron transverse momentum, and jet transverse momentum are also measured for the first time. This helps constrain transverse-momentum-dependent fragmentation functions. Differences in the shapes and magnitudes of the measured distributions for the different hadron species provide insights into the hadronization process for jets predominantly initiated by light quarks.Comment: All figures and tables, along with machine-readable versions and any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-013.html (LHCb public pages

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Study of the B−→Λc+Λˉc−K−B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-} decay

The decay $B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-}$ is studied in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment. In the $\Lambda_{c}^+ K^{-}$ system, the $\Xi_{c}(2930)^{0}$ state observed at the BaBar and Belle experiments is resolved into two narrower states, $\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}$ and $\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}$, whose masses and widths are measured to be $$m(\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}) = 2924.5 \pm 0.4 \pm 1.1 \,\mathrm{MeV}, \\ m(\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}) = 2938.5 \pm 0.9 \pm 2.3 \,\mathrm{MeV}, \\ \Gamma(\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}) = \phantom{000}4.8 \pm 0.9 \pm 1.5 \,\mathrm{MeV},\\ \Gamma(\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}) = \phantom{00}11.0 \pm 1.9 \pm 7.5 \,\mathrm{MeV},$$ where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The results are consistent with a previous LHCb measurement using a prompt $\Lambda_{c}^{+} K^{-}$ sample. Evidence of a new $\Xi_{c}(2880)^{0}$ state is found with a local significance of $3.8\,\sigma$, whose mass and width are measured to be $2881.8 \pm 3.1 \pm 8.5\,\mathrm{MeV}$ and $12.4 \pm 5.3 \pm 5.8 \,\mathrm{MeV}$, respectively. In addition, evidence of a new decay mode $\Xi_{c}(2790)^{0} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} K^{-}$ is found with a significance of $3.7\,\sigma$. The relative branching fraction of $B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-}$ with respect to the $B^{-} \to D^{+} D^{-} K^{-}$ decay is measured to be $2.36 \pm 0.11 \pm 0.22 \pm 0.25$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third originates from the branching fractions of charm hadron decays.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-028.html (LHCb public pages

Measurement of the ratios of branching fractions R(D∗)\mathcal{R}(D^{*}) and R(D0)\mathcal{R}(D^{0})

The ratios of branching fractions $\mathcal{R}(D^{*})\equiv\mathcal{B}(\bar{B}\to D^{*}\tau^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\tau})/\mathcal{B}(\bar{B}\to D^{*}\mu^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\mu})$ and $\mathcal{R}(D^{0})\equiv\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to D^{0}\tau^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\tau})/\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to D^{0}\mu^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\mu})$ are measured, assuming isospin symmetry, using a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0 fb${ }^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. The tau lepton is identified in the decay mode $\tau^{-}\to\mu^{-}\nu_{\tau}\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$. The measured values are $\mathcal{R}(D^{*})=0.281\pm0.018\pm0.024$ and $\mathcal{R}(D^{0})=0.441\pm0.060\pm0.066$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The correlation between these measurements is $\rho=-0.43$. Results are consistent with the current average of these quantities and are at a combined 1.9 standard deviations from the predictions based on lepton flavor universality in the Standard Model.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-039.html (LHCb public pages