Student biocuration projects as a learning environment [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Background: Bioinformatics is becoming an essential tool for the majority of biological and biomedical researchers. Although bioinformatics data is exploited by academic and industrial researchers, limited focus is on teaching this area to undergraduates, postgraduates and senior scientists. Many scientists are developing their own expertise without formal training and often without appreciating the source of the data they are reliant upon. Some universities do provide courses on a variety of bioinformatics resources and tools, a few also provide biocuration projects, during which students submit data to annotation resources. Methods: To assess the usefulness and enjoyability of annotation projects a survey was sent to University College London (UCL) students who have undertaken Gene Ontology biocuration projects. Results: Analysis of survey responses suggest that these projects provide students with an opportunity not only to learn about bioinformatics resources but also to improve their literature analysis, presentation and writing skills. Conclusion: Biocuration student projects provide valuable annotations as well as enabling students to develop a variety of skills relevant to their future careers. It is also hoped that, as future scientists, these students will critically assess their own manuscripts and ensure that these are written with the biocurators of the future in min

Gene Ontology curation of the blood-brain barrier to improve the analysis of Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.

Funder: National Institute for Health Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research CentreThe role of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases is still the subject of many studies. However, those studies using high-throughput methods have been compromised by the lack of Gene Ontology (GO) annotations describing the role of proteins in the normal function of the BBB. The GO Consortium provides a gold-standard bioinformatics resource used for analysis and interpretation of large biomedical data sets. However, the GO is also used by other research communities and, therefore, must meet a variety of demands on the breadth and depth of information that is provided. To meet the needs of the Alzheimer's research community we have focused on the GO annotation of the BBB, with over 100 transport or junctional proteins prioritized for annotation. This project has led to a substantial increase in the number of human proteins associated with BBB-relevant GO terms as well as more comprehensive annotation of these proteins in many other processes. Furthermore, data describing the microRNAs that regulate the expression of these priority proteins have also been curated. Thus, this project has increased both the breadth and depth of annotation for these prioritized BBB proteins. Database URLhttps://www.ebi.ac.uk/QuickGO/

Performance of meat-type quails subjected the different levels of crude protein and metabolizable energy

Objetivou-se avaliar o desempenho de codornas de corte, submetidas a diferentes n?veis de prote?na bruta (PB) e energia metaboliz?vel (EM). Avaliaram-se 720 codornas distribu?das em delineamento em blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial (5x3), com cinco n?veis de PB (18, 20, 22, 24 e 26%) e tr?s n?veis de EM (2700, 2900 e 3100kcal kg-1). As an?lises foram realizadas utilizando-se o programa SAEG (2007). No per?odo inicial, houve efeito quadr?tico da PB e EM sobre o consumo de ra??o (CR), efeito quadr?tico da PB e linear da EM sobre o peso corporal (PC), efeito linear da intera??o EM e PB sobre o ganho de peso (GP) e convers?o alimentar (CA). No crescimento, efeito quadr?tico da EM e PB sobre o CR, efeito linear da EM e PB sobre o PC e CA, efeito quadr?tico da PB e linear da EM sobre o GP. Na termina??o, efeito linear da EM e PB sobre o CR, PC e CA, efeito linear e quadr?tico da EM e PB sobre GP. Na fase inicial, recomenda-se 26% de PB e 3100kcal EM kg-1. Para a fase de crescimento, sugere-se 3100kcal EM kg-1 e 23% de PB, j?, para a fase de termina??o, recomenda-se 26% de PB e 3100kcal EM kg-1.Funda??o de Amparo ? Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecu?ria de Minas Gerais (EPAMIG)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico (CNPq)Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES)Aimed to evaluate the performance of meat-type quails, exposed to different levels of crude protein (PB) and metabolizable energy (EM). We evaluated 720 quails distributed in randomized blocks design, in (5x3) factorial scheme, with five levels of PB (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26%) and three levels of EM (2700, 2900 and 3100kcal kg-1). Analyses were performed using the program SAEG (2007). In the initial period, there was a quadratic effect of PB and EM on the feed intake (CR), quadratic effect of PB and linear of EM about body weight (PC), linear effect of interaction of PB and EM about weight gain (GP) and feed conversion (CA). Growth, quadratic effect of EM and PB about CR, linear effect of PB and EM on the PC and CA, quadratic effect of PB and linear effect of EM about GP. Upon termination, linear effect of EM and PB about CR, PC and CA, linear and quadratic effect of EM and PB about GP. In the initial phase, it is recommended 26% of PB and 3100kcal EM kg-1. For the growth phase, it is suggested, 3100kcal EM kg-1 and 23% of PB, as for the finishing phase is recommended 26% of PB and 3100kcal EM kg-1

Perfil Epidemiológico dos óbitos acumulados por COVID-19 em 2020, Piaui, Brasil / Epidemiological profile of deaths from COVID-19 in 2020, Piaui, Brazil

Introduction: Caused by SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 generates respiratory infections ranging from asymptomatic to severe and lethal forms. In the state of Piauí, the first confirmed case and the first death occurred in March, and since then the State has sought to increase strategic plans in order to avoid an increase in mortality, with the aim of the present study to analyze the epidemiological profile of deaths by COVID-19 in Piauí. Method: This is a retrospective observational study on the epidemiological profile of cases of death from COVID-19 in the State of Piauí until the end of December 2020. Results: At the end of 2020, Piauí registered a total of 2,841 accumulated deaths, the majority of which were reported in people of the male sex, with a predominance among the 61 to 80 age groups. 87.35% of these cases had comorbidities, mostly arterial hypertension or cardiovascular diseases. Implications: The state of Piauí demonstrates an epidemiological profile of its deaths similar to other cities, but this is not synonymous with disease control. Public policies must continue and measures must be intensified to avoid aggravating the situation.

Dolutegravir twice-daily dosing in children with HIV-associated tuberculosis: a pharmacokinetic and safety study within the open-label, multicentre, randomised, non-inferiority ODYSSEY trial

Background: Children with HIV-associated tuberculosis (TB) have few antiretroviral therapy (ART) options. We aimed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of dolutegravir twice-daily dosing in children receiving rifampicin for HIV-associated TB. Methods: We nested a two-period, fixed-order pharmacokinetic substudy within the open-label, multicentre, randomised, controlled, non-inferiority ODYSSEY trial at research centres in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Children (aged 4 weeks to <18 years) with HIV-associated TB who were receiving rifampicin and twice-daily dolutegravir were eligible for inclusion. We did a 12-h pharmacokinetic profile on rifampicin and twice-daily dolutegravir and a 24-h profile on once-daily dolutegravir. Geometric mean ratios for trough plasma concentration (Ctrough), area under the plasma concentration time curve from 0 h to 24 h after dosing (AUC0–24 h), and maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) were used to compare dolutegravir concentrations between substudy days. We assessed rifampicin Cmax on the first substudy day. All children within ODYSSEY with HIV-associated TB who received rifampicin and twice-daily dolutegravir were included in the safety analysis. We described adverse events reported from starting twice-daily dolutegravir to 30 days after returning to once-daily dolutegravir. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02259127), EudraCT (2014–002632-14), and the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN91737921). Findings: Between Sept 20, 2016, and June 28, 2021, 37 children with HIV-associated TB (median age 11·9 years [range 0·4–17·6], 19 [51%] were female and 18 [49%] were male, 36 [97%] in Africa and one [3%] in Thailand) received rifampicin with twice-daily dolutegravir and were included in the safety analysis. 20 (54%) of 37 children enrolled in the pharmacokinetic substudy, 14 of whom contributed at least one evaluable pharmacokinetic curve for dolutegravir, including 12 who had within-participant comparisons. Geometric mean ratios for rifampicin and twice-daily dolutegravir versus once-daily dolutegravir were 1·51 (90% CI 1·08–2·11) for Ctrough, 1·23 (0·99–1·53) for AUC0–24 h, and 0·94 (0·76–1·16) for Cmax. Individual dolutegravir Ctrough concentrations were higher than the 90% effective concentration (ie, 0·32 mg/L) in all children receiving rifampicin and twice-daily dolutegravir. Of 18 children with evaluable rifampicin concentrations, 15 (83%) had a Cmax of less than the optimal target concentration of 8 mg/L. Rifampicin geometric mean Cmax was 5·1 mg/L (coefficient of variation 71%). During a median follow-up of 31 weeks (IQR 30–40), 15 grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred among 11 (30%) of 37 children, ten serious adverse events occurred among eight (22%) children, including two deaths (one tuberculosis-related death, one death due to traumatic injury); no adverse events, including deaths, were considered related to dolutegravir. Interpretation: Twice-daily dolutegravir was shown to be safe and sufficient to overcome the rifampicin enzyme-inducing effect in children, and could provide a practical ART option for children with HIV-associated TB

Neuropsychiatric manifestations and sleep disturbances with dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy versus standard of care in children and adolescents: a secondary analysis of the ODYSSEY trial

BACKGROUND: Cohort studies in adults with HIV showed that dolutegravir was associated with neuropsychiatric adverse events and sleep problems, yet data are scarce in children and adolescents. We aimed to evaluate neuropsychiatric manifestations in children and adolescents treated with dolutegravir-based treatment versus alternative antiretroviral therapy. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of ODYSSEY, an open-label, multicentre, randomised, non-inferiority trial, in which adolescents and children initiating first-line or second-line antiretroviral therapy were randomly assigned 1:1 to dolutegravir-based treatment or standard-of-care treatment. We assessed neuropsychiatric adverse events (reported by clinicians) and responses to the mood and sleep questionnaires (reported by the participant or their carer) in both groups. We compared the proportions of patients with neuropsychiatric adverse events (neurological, psychiatric, and total), time to first neuropsychiatric adverse event, and participant-reported responses to questionnaires capturing issues with mood, suicidal thoughts, and sleep problems. FINDINGS: Between Sept 20, 2016, and June 22, 2018, 707 participants were enrolled, of whom 345 (49%) were female and 362 (51%) were male, and 623 (88%) were Black-African. Of 707 participants, 350 (50%) were randomly assigned to dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy and 357 (50%) to non-dolutegravir-based standard-of-care. 311 (44%) of 707 participants started first-line antiretroviral therapy (ODYSSEY-A; 145 [92%] of 157 participants had efavirenz-based therapy in the standard-of-care group), and 396 (56%) of 707 started second-line therapy (ODYSSEY-B; 195 [98%] of 200 had protease inhibitor-based therapy in the standard-of-care group). During follow-up (median 142 weeks, IQR 124–159), 23 participants had 31 neuropsychiatric adverse events (15 in the dolutegravir group and eight in the standard-of-care group; difference in proportion of participants with ≥1 event p=0·13). 11 participants had one or more neurological events (six and five; p=0·74) and 14 participants had one or more psychiatric events (ten and four; p=0·097). Among 14 participants with psychiatric events, eight participants in the dolutegravir group and four in standard-of-care group had suicidal ideation or behaviour. More participants in the dolutegravir group than the standard-of-care group reported symptoms of self-harm (eight vs one; p=0·025), life not worth living (17 vs five; p=0·0091), or suicidal thoughts (13 vs none; p=0·0006) at one or more follow-up visits. Most reports were transient. There were no differences by treatment group in low mood or feeling sad, problems concentrating, feeling worried or feeling angry or aggressive, sleep problems, or sleep quality. INTERPRETATION: The numbers of neuropsychiatric adverse events and reported neuropsychiatric symptoms were low. However, numerically more participants had psychiatric events and reported suicidality ideation in the dolutegravir group than the standard-of-care group. These differences should be interpreted with caution in an open-label trial. Clinicians and policy makers should consider including suicidality screening of children or adolescents receiving dolutegravir

Educomunicação e suas áreas de intervenção: Novos paradigmas para o diálogo intercultural

oai:omp.abpeducom.org.br:publicationFormat/1O material aqui divulgado representa, em essência, a contribuição do VII Encontro Brasileiro de Educomunicação ao V Global MIL Week, da UNESCO, ocorrido na ECA/USP, entre 3&nbsp;e 5 de novembro de 2016. Estamos diante de um conjunto de 104 papers executivos, com uma média de entre 7 e 10 páginas, cada um. Com este rico e abundante material, chegamos ao sétimo e-book publicado pela ABPEducom, em seus seis primeiros anos de existência. A especificidade desta obra é a de trazer as “Áreas de Intervenção” do campo da Educomunicação, colocando-as a serviço de uma meta essencial ao agir educomunicativo: o diálogo intercultural, trabalhado na linha do tema geral do evento internacional: Media and Information Literacy: New Paradigms for Intercultural Dialogue