Case Report: Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: Making the Diagnosis between Infection and Acute Alcoholic Hepatitis

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) represents a reversible syndrome associated with high short-term mortality, characterized by acute decompensation in patients with chronic liver disease and extrahepatic organ failure. Diagnosis and prognosis assessment is based on a newly developed diagnostic score, the Chronic Liver Failure Consortium Organ Failure score. Susceptibility to infections and systemic inflammation are typical triggers. The authors report a case in which a patient with alcohol-related cirrhosis was admitted to the hospital with acute decompensation and developed ACLF during hospitalization. This case led to an evaluation of the underlying process causing ACLF: infection versus acute alcoholic hepatitis

Populism in the Communication Strategy of Lula and Bolsonaro: An Analysis of the Television Debates in Brazil’s 2022 General Election

The 2022 presidential election in Brazil involved two radically different candidates but with broad similarities in their populist discourse and communication strategies. The electoral campaign and the results polarized the country between the supporters of the outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, and the incoming one, Lula da Silva. This article analyzes the two television debates that took place in the second round of the presidential election in October. The interventions of the candidates have been studied using the methodology of critical discourse analysis applied by Hawkins (2010). The goal is to discover the degree of populism present in the candidates’ discourse in the two debates studied. The results show evidence of the highly populist nature of the discourse of the two leaders in both television events. This characteristic, as well as other important aspects of the campaigns and the narrow margin of Lula’s eventual victory, may explain the level of polarization evident in the country. It may also be the reason behind the rejection of the election results by the followers of Bolsonaro and their protest against the change in president

Effect of temperature on disease severity of charcoal rot of melons caused byMacrophomina phaseolina: implications for selection of resistance sources

[EN] Macrophomina phaseolinais the causal agent of charcoal rot disease of melons causing significant losses worldwide. Use of resistant cultivars is a desirable method for controlling this disease, but there is no information about the influence of temperature on the resistant behavior found in melon accessions. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of temperature on the reaction of six melon accessions selected previously for their resistant response toM. phaseolina. Accessions were inoculated withM. phaseolinaisolate CMM-1531 and grown under accurately controlled environmental conditions at different temperature regimes (25, 28, 31, and 34 degrees C) in a replicated experiment. The increase in temperature increased the severity of symptoms in most genotypes, but this effect was less pronounced in the highly susceptible control, the cultivar 'Piel de sapo', and in the most resistant accession, the wild AfricanagrestisAg-15591Ghana, that remained resistant even at 34 degrees C. The use of several screening temperatures allowed a better characterization of accessions that behaved similarly as highly resistant at 25 degrees C (Con-Pat81Ko, Dud-QMPAfg, Can-NYIsr and Ag-C38Nig), but in which resistance breaking was observed with temperature rises. Temperatures of 28 degrees C and 31 degrees C were sufficient to make Dud-QMPAfg, Ag-C38Nig and Can-NYIsr moderately resistant, whereas Con-Pat81Ko remained highly resistant. All these genotypes were susceptible at 34 degrees C, which suggest that are not suitable for hot-climate growing areas. The most promising accession was Ag-15591Ghana, whose resistance was confirmed in two greenhouse experiments under stressful temperatures (>34 degrees C). The behavior of these sources should be confirmed in naturally infested fields, but the controlled screening methods presented here are essential to characterize new resistance sources and to conduct genetic studies when a high number of plants must be managed under controlled environmental conditions.This work was supported by Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior CAPES (Brazil). This study was also partially supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad project AGL2014-53398-C2-2-R, by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades project AGL2017-85563-C2-1-R and by the Conselleria d'Educacio, Investigacio, Cultura i Esports de la Generalitat Valenciana PROMETEO project para grupos de excelencia/2017/078 (cofunded with FEDER funds).Linhares, CMDS.; Ambrosio, MMQ.; Castro, G.; Barros Torres, S.; Esteras Gómez, C.; Nunes, GHDS.; Picó Sirvent, MB. (2020). Effect of temperature on disease severity of charcoal rot of melons caused byMacrophomina phaseolina: implications for selection of resistance sources. European Journal of Plant Pathology. 158(2):431-441. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-020-02083-wS4314411582Akhtar, K. P., Sarwar, G., & Arshad, H. M. I. (2011). Temperature response, pathogenicity, seed infection and mutant evaluation against Macrophomina phaseolina causing charcoal rot disease of sesame. 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Tools to kill: Genome of one of the most destructive plant pathogenic fungi Macrophomina phaseolina. BMC Genomics, 13, 493–509.Jacob, C. J., Krarup, C., Díaz, G. A., & Latorre, B. A. (2013). A severe outbreak of charcoal rot in cantaloupe melon caused by Macrophomina phaseolina in Chile. Plant Disease, 97, 141.Machado, A. R., Pinho, D. B., Soares, D. J., Medeiros-Gomes, A. A., & Pereira, O. L. (2018). Bayesian analyses of five gene regions reveal a new phylogenetic species of Macrophomina associated with charcoal rot on oilseed crops in Brazil. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 153(1), 89–100.Manici, L. M., Caputo, F., & Cerato, C. (1995). Temperature responses of isolates of Macrophomina phaseolina from different climatic regions of sunflower production in Italy. Plant Disease, 79(8), 834–838.Marinho, R. E. M., Sales Jr., R., Maracajá, P. B., Silva, G. F., Costa, F. M., & Silva, E. C. (2002). Identificação da microflora associada a raízes de meloeiro nos estados do Rio Grande do Norte e Ceará. Revista Caatinga, 15(1), 25–28.Medeiros, A. C., Melo, D. R. M., Ambrósio, M. M. Q., Nunes, G. H. S., & Costa, J. M. (2015). Métodos de inoculação de Rhizoctonia solani e Macrophomina phaseolina em meloeiro (Cucumis melo). Summa Phytopathologica, 41(4), 281–286.Miyasaka, S. (2008). Manejo da biomassa e do solo visando à sustentabilidade da agricultura brasileira. São Paulo: Navegar.Nascimento, P. G. M. L., Ambrósio, M. M. Q., Freitas, F. C. L., Cruz, B. L. S., Dantas, A. M. M., Junior, R. S., et al. (2018). Incidence of root rot of muskmelon in different soil management practices. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 152(2), 433–446.Negreiros, A. M. P., Sales, R., Leon, M., Melo, N. J. D., Michereff, S. J., Ambrósio, M. M. D., et al. (2019). Identification and pathogenicity of Macrophomina species collected from weeds in melon fields in northeastern Brazil. 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Rapid decrease in titer and breadth of neutralizing anti-HCV antibodies in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who achieved SVR

The main targets for neutralizing anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies (HCV-nAbs) are the E1 and E2 envelope glycoproteins. We have studied the characteristics of HCV-nAbs through a retrospective study involving 29 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who achieved sustained virological response (SVR) with pegIFNα+ribavirin anti-HCV therapy. Plasma samples at baseline and week 24 after SVR were used to perform neutralization assays against fve JFH1-based HCV recombinant viruses coding for E1 and E2 from genotypes 1a (H77), 1b (J4), 2a (JFH1), 3a (S52) and 4a (ED43). At baseline, the majority of plasma samples neutralized 1a, 1b, 2a, and 4a, but not 3a, genotypes. Twenty-four weeks following SVR, most neutralizing titers declined substantially. Furthermore, titers against 3a and 2a were not detected in many patients. Plasma samples with high HCV-nAb titers neutralized all genotypes, and the highest titers at the starting point correlated with the highest titers at week 24 after SVR. In conclusion, high titers of broad-spectrum HCV-nAbs were detected in HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals, however, those titers declined soon after SVRThis study was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII; grant numbers PI14/01094 and PI17/00657 to JB, PI17/00903 to JGG, PI14CIII/00011 and PI17CIII/00003 to SR) and Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad (grant number EC11-241). Te study was also funded by the RD16CIII/0002/0002, RD16/0025/0018, and RD16/0025/0017 projects as part of the Plan Nacional R+D+I and co-funded by ISCIII- Subdirección General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER

IL-1B rs16944 polymorphism is related to septic shock and death

Background: IL-1β is a primary mediator of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and it may lead to shock septic. Our aim was to analyse whether IL-1B rs16944 polymorphism is associated with the onset of septic shock and death after major surgery. Materials and methods: We performed a case-control study on 467 patients who underwent major cardiac or abdominal surgery. Of them, 205 patients developed septic shock (cases, SS group) and 262 patients developed SIRS (controls, SIRS group). The primary outcome variables were the development of septic shock and death within 90 days after diagnosis of septic shock. The IL-1B rs16944 polymorphism was genotyped by Sequenom's MassARRAY platform. The association analysis was performed under a recessive genetic model (AA vs. GG/GC). Results: The frequency of septic shock was higher in patients with IL-1B rs16944 AA genotype than in patients with IL-1B rs16944 GG/AG genotype when all patients were taken into account (63·6% vs. 41·8%; P = 0·006), cardiac surgery (52·2% vs. 33·3%; P = 0·072) and abdominal surgery (76·2% vs. 50·2%; P = 0·023). However, the IL-1B rs16944 AA genotype was only associated with higher likelihood of septic shock in the analysis of all population [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2·26 (95%CI = 1·03; 4·97; P = 0·042], but not when it was stratified by cardiac surgery (P = 0·175) or abdominal surgery (P = 0·467). Similarly, IL-1B rs16944 AA genotype was also associated with higher likelihood of septic shock-related death in all population [aOR = 2·67 (95%CI = 1·07; 4·97); P = 0·035]. Conclusions: IL-1B rs16944 AA genotype seems to be related to the onset of septic shock and death in patients who underwent major surgery.This work has been supported by grants given by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (grant numbers PI15/01451 to ET), ‘Gerenciade Salud, Consejería de Sanidad, Junta de Castilla y León [grant number GRS 463/A/10 and 773/A/13 to ET] and PFIZER [grant number CT25-ESP01-01 to SR]. MAJS, LMM and AFR are supported by ‘Instituto de Salud Carlos III’ [grant numbers CD13/00013, CD14/00002 and CP14CIII/00010, respectively]S

Effects of ayahuasca on mental health and quality of life in naïve users: A longitudinal and cross-sectional study combination

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic decoction used as a traditional medicine in several Amazonian regions. The ritualistic use of ayahuasca has spread throughout many countries, making it necessary to study its risks and benefits. Two sub-studies were designed for this investigation. In sub-study 1, a psychiatric interview and a battery of questionnaires were administered to subjects (n = 40) before their first ayahuasca use. Two follow-ups were conducted at 1 and 6 months. In sub-study 2, the same interview and battery of questionnaires were administered to long-term ayahuasca users (n = 23) and their scores were compared with those of the ayahuasca-naïve group. In the first assessment, nearly half (45%) of the naïve users were found to meet the diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder. After the ayahuasca use, more than 80% of those subjects showed clinical improvements that persisted at 6 months. The questionnaires showed significant reductions in depression and psychopathology. Regarding sub-study 2, long-term users showed lower depression scores, and higher scores for self-transcendence and quality of life, as compared to their peers in sub-study 1. Further controlled and observational naturalistic studies assessing the eventual risks and potential benefits of ayahuasca are warranted

IFNL3 rs12980275 Polymorphism Predicts Septic Shock-Related Death in Patients Undergoing Major Surgery: A Retrospective Study

Interferon lambda 3 (IFNL3, previously called IL-28B) is a cytokine with effects against viral and bacterial pathogens. We aimed to analyze the IFNL3 rs12980275 SNP in patients who underwent major surgery, in order to establish its relationship with susceptibility to septic shock and septic shock-related death in these patients. We performed a case-control study on 376 patients to establish the association between IFNL3 rs12980275 SNP and the susceptibility to develop septic shock. Besides, we performed a longitudinal study among 172 septic shock patients using survival analysis with one censoring point of 28-days mortality. The IFNL3 rs12980275 polymorphism was genotyped by Agena Bioscience's MassARRAY platform. IFNL3 rs12980275 polymorphism was not associated with higher susceptibility to infection and septic shock development. Regarding survival analysis, the Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with IFNL3 rs12980275 AA genotype had higher survival than patients with GG genotype (p = 0.003). The Cox regression analysis adjusted by the most relevant clinical and epidemiological characteristics showed that the GG genotype (recessive model) and the presence of the G allele (additive model) were associated with higher risk of death [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 2.15, p = 0.034; aHR = 1.50, p = 0.030, respectively]. In conclusion, IFNL3 rs12980275 polymorphism was associated with septic shock-related death in patients who underwent major surgery. The A allele was linked to protection, and the G allele was associated with an increased risk of death. This is a first preliminary study that suggests for the first time a role of IFNL3 polymorphisms in the prognosis of septic shock.This work has been supported by grants given by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (grant numbers PI15/01451 to ET), Gerencia de Salud, Consejería de Sanidad, Junta de Castilla y Leon (grant number GRS 463/A/10 and 773/A/13 to ET), and PFIZER (grant number CT25-ESP01-01 to SR). MJ-S and AF-R are supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (grant numbers CP17CIII/00007 and CP14CIII/00010, respectively).S

Durability Assessment of a Plasma-Polymerized Coating with Anti-Biofilm Activity against L. monocytogenes Subjected to Repeated Sanitization

Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).[EN] Biofilm formation on food-contact surfaces is a matter of major concern causing food safety and spoilage issues to this sector. The aim of this study was to assess the durability of the anti-biofilm capacity of a plasma-polymerized coating composed of a base coating of (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) and a functional coating of acrylic acid (AcAc). Coated and uncoated AISI 316 stainless steel (SS) plates were subjected to five sanitization cycles with sodium hypochlorite (0.05%) and peracetic acid (0.5%). The effectiveness of the coating for the inhibition of multi-strain Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation was confirmed using a three-strain cocktail, which was grown on the SS plates at 12◦ C for 6 days. Compared to the uncoated SS, relative biofilm productions of 14.6% on the non-sanitized coating, 27.9% on the coating after sanitization with sodium hypochlorite, and 82.3% on the coating after sanitization with peracetic acid were obtained. Morphological and physicochemical characterization of the coatings suggested that the greater anti-biofilm effectiveness after sanitization with sodium hypochlorite was due to the high pH of this solution, which caused a deprotonation of the carboxylic acid groups of the functional coating. This fact conferred it a strong hydrophilicity and negatively charged its surface, which was favorable for preventing bacterial attachment and biofilm formation.SIThis publication is based upon work from COST Action CA19110—PlAgri, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology-www.cost.eu). XPS tests were conducted by the Advanced Microscopy Laboratory (LMA) of The Institute of Nanoscience of Aragón (INA), University of Zaragoza. The authors are thankful to the LMA-INA for the access to their equipment and their expertise. The AFM images were taken by the Central Research Support Service (SCAI) of the University of Málaga (UMA). The author P. Fernández-Gómez is grateful to Junta de Castilla y León and the European Social Fund (ESF) for awarding her a predoctoral grant (BOCYL-D-15122017-4). The author M. Oliveira is in receipt of a Juan de la Cierva contract IJC2018-035523-I awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. The author E. Sainz-García, as researcher of the University of La Rioja, is thankful to the postdoctoral training program funded by the Plan Propio of the University of La Rioja. The authors I. Muro-Fraguas and A. Sainz-García are thankful to the program of pre-doctoral contracts for the training of research staff that is funded by the University of La Rioja.This study is part of the Research, Development and Innovation projects AGL2017-82779- C2-R and PID2020-113658RB-C2, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ERDF “A way to make Europe”

CEACAM7 polymorphisms predict genetic predisposition to mortality in post-surgical septic shock patients

We carried out a retrospective exploratory study on 173 patients who underwent major surgery and developed septic shock after surgery. Our findings suggest that CEACAM7 rs1001578, rs10409040, and rs889365 polymorphisms could influence septic shock-related death in individuals who underwent major surgery.This work has been supported by grants given by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (grant number PI15/01451 to ET), “Gerencia de Salud, Consejería de Sanidad, Junta de Castilla y Leon” [grant number GRS 463/A/10 and 773/A/13 to ET], and PFIZER [grant number CT25-ESP01-01 to SR]. MAJS and AFR are supported by “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” [grant numbers CP17CIII/00007 and CP14CIII/00010, respectively]S

Relación entre el rendimiento académico y el apoyo social de los profesores en estudiantes de Educación Superior en Angola

Las investigaciones realizadas en el contexto universitario muestran la influencia del docente en la promoción del rendimiento académico a través de las relaciones que establecen con los estudiantes. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la relación entre el rendimiento académico y la percepción de los alumnos sobre el apoyo social proporcionado por sus profesores. La muestra estaba constituida por 598 estudiantes de Educación Superior de Angola. Se constata que la percepción de apoyo social proporcionado por los profesores aumenta con el incremento del rendimiento académico