The use of benzodiazepines and the mental health of women in prison : a cross‑sectional study

In this article we assessed the prevalence of benzodiazepine (BZD) use in women before and during imprisonment, as well as its related factors and association with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder in a quantitative, cross-sectional, analytical study of regional scope. Two female prisons in the Brazilian Prison System were included. Seventy-four women participated by completing questionnaires about their sociodemographic data, BZD use and use of other substances. These questionnaires included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist–Civilian Version (PCL-C). Of the 46 women who reported no BZDs use before arrest, 29 (63%) began using BZDs during imprisonment (p < 0.001). Positive scores for PTSD, anxiety, and depression, as well as associations between BZD use during imprisonment and anxiety (p= 0.028), depression (p = 0.001) and comorbid anxiety and depression (p= 0.003) were found when a bivariate Poisson regression was performed. When a multivariate Poisson regression was performed for tobacco use, the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales, BZD use was associated with depression (p= p = 0.008), with tobacco use (p = 0.012), but not with anxiety (p = 0.325). Imprisonment increases the psychological sufering of women, consequently increasing BZD use. Nonpharmacological measures need to be considered in the health care of incarcerated women

Atitudes de enfermeiros de um hospital de ensino no cuidado de famílias

Objetivo: Descrever as atitudes de enfermeiros perante o cuidado de famílias, utilizando a Escala Importância das Famílias nos Cuidados de Enfermagem – Atitudes dos Enfermeiros. Método: Estudo quantitativo, descritivo de recorte transversal, realizado com 126 enfermeiros em um Hospital Escola. Utilizou-se um formulário estruturado para se obter a caracterização dos participantes e a escala Importância das Famílias nos Cuidados de Enfermagem – Atitudes dos Enfermeiros, para analisar a atitude de apoio dos enfermeiros em relação às famílias. Aplicou-se análise estatística descritiva estratificando os escores obtidos na escala e subescalas pelas características dos Enfermeiros. Resultados: O escore médio total obtido, na escala, foi de 84,4 (DP=8,6), demonstrando uma atitude de apoio às famílias. Entretanto, ao estratificar-se pelas características dos Enfermeiros, observou-se escores de baixo apoio dentre aqueles que não tiveram experiência prévia de ter um familiar gravemente enfermo e dos que não tiveram algum contato prévio com o conteúdo de enfermagem da família. Conclusões e implicações para a prática: os enfermeiros apresentaram atitudes de apoio perante às famílias. O que na prática assistencial aproxima a família e a enfermagem, potencializando a troca de informações e a corresponsabilização da família pelo tratamento

Atitudes de enfermeiros de um hospital de ensino no cuidado de famílias

Objetivo: Descrever as atitudes de enfermeiros perante o cuidado de famílias, utilizando a Escala Importância das Famílias nos Cuidados de Enfermagem – Atitudes dos Enfermeiros. Método: Estudo quantitativo, descritivo de recorte transversal, realizado com 126 enfermeiros em um Hospital Escola. Utilizou-se um formulário estruturado para se obter a caracterização dos participantes e a escala Importância das Famílias nos Cuidados de Enfermagem – Atitudes dos Enfermeiros, para analisar a atitude de apoio dos enfermeiros em relação às famílias. Aplicou-se análise estatística descritiva estratificando os escores obtidos na escala e subescalas pelas características dos Enfermeiros. Resultados: O escore médio total obtido, na escala, foi de 84,4 (DP=8,6), demonstrando uma atitude de apoio às famílias. Entretanto, ao estratificar-se pelas características dos Enfermeiros, observou-se escores de baixo apoio dentre aqueles que não tiveram experiência prévia de ter um familiar gravemente enfermo e dos que não tiveram algum contato prévio com o conteúdo de enfermagem da família. Conclusões e implicações para a prática: os enfermeiros apresentaram atitudes de apoio perante às famílias. O que na prática assistencial aproxima a família e a enfermagem, potencializando a troca de informações e a corresponsabilização da família pelo tratamento

Interferon lambda 4 (IFNL4) gene polymorphism is associated with spontaneous clearance of HCV in HIV-1 positive patients

Abstract Approximately one-third of the individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are co-infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Co-infected patients have an increased risk for developing end-stage liver diseases. Variants upstream of the IFNL3 gene have been associated with spontaneous and treatment-induced clearance of HCV infection. Recently, a novel polymorphism was discovered, denoted IFNL4 DG &gt; TT (rs368234815), which seems to be a better predictor of spontaneous clearance than the IFNL4 rs12979860 polymorphism. We aimed to determine the prevalence of the IFNL4 DG &gt; TT variants and to evaluate the association with spontaneous clearance of HCV infection in Brazilian HIV-1 patients. The IFNL4 DG &gt; TT genotypes were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction digestion in 138 HIV-1 positive patients who had an anti-HCV positive result. Spontaneous clearance of HCV was observed in 34 individuals (24.6%). IFNL4 genotype distribution was significantly different between individuals who had spontaneous clearance and chronic HCV patients (p=0.002). The probability of spontaneous clearance of HCV infection for patients with the IFNL4 TT/TT genotype was 3.6 times higher than for patients carrying the IFNL4 DG allele (OR=3.63, 95% CI:1.51-8.89, p=0.001). The IFNL4 DG &gt; TT polymorphism seems to be better than IFNL4 rs12979860 to predict spontaneous clearance of the HCV in Brazilian HIV-1 positive patients

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats. Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits. Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation