Breakthroughs in medicinal chemistry: New targets and mechanisms, new drugs, new hopes-3

[No abstract available]Funding: The APC was sponsored by MDPI

Antimicrobial peptides in the battle against orthopedic implant-related infections: A review

Prevention of orthopedic implant-related infections is a major medical challenge, particularly due to the involvement of biofilm-encased and multidrug-resistant bacteria. Current therapies, based on antibiotic administration, have proven to be insufficient, and infection prevalence may rise due to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted attention as promising substitutes of conventional antibiotics, owing to their broad-spectrum of activity, high efficacy at very low concentrations, and, importantly, low propensity for inducing resistance. The aim of this review is to offer an updated perspective of the development of AMPs-based preventive strategies for orthopedic and dental implant-related infections. In this regard, two major research strategies are herein addressed, namely (i) AMP-releasing systems from titanium-modified surfaces and from bone cements or beads; and (ii) AMP immobilization strategies used to graft AMPs onto titanium or other model surfaces with potential translation as coatings. In overview, releasing strategies have evolved to guarantee higher loadings, prolonged and targeted delivery periods upon infection. In addition, avant-garde self-assembling strategies or polymer brushes allowed higher immobilized peptide surface densities, overcoming bioavailability issues. Future research efforts should focus on the regulatory demands for pre-clinical and clinical validation towards clinical translation

O direito à informação e a manifestação da autonomia de idosos hospitalizados The right to information and the autonomy of the hospitalized elderly

Partindo-se do pressuposto que a avaliação da qualidade para a organização e o funcionamento dos serviços de saúde não deva estar restrita a variáveis tecnicistas e financeiras, mas que contemple o respeito dos direitos do paciente, procurou-se conhecer e analisar a manifestação da autonomia de idosos hospitalizados, baseada nas informações que possuem sobre seu estado de saúde, através da pesquisa de suas expectativas, compreensão sobre o direito à informação e a utilização deste para a deliberação e o consentimento esclarecido às propostas diagnósticas e terapêuticas envolvidas na assistência à sua saúde. Os resultados evidenciaram carência da informação fornecida ao idoso, manifestação de insatisfação quanto ao padrão de informação revelada, o papel da família como intermediária da informação na relação do idoso com a equipe de saúde e o comprometimento do processo decisório autonômico do paciente bem como comprometimento da manifestação do consentimento esclarecido.<br>It was carried out a study with the aim to analyse the autonomy of hospitalised elderly, based on the comprehension about their rights of information and the informed consent on proposals of diagnosis and terapheutics. The results showed patient's lack of information, dissatisfaction on the degree of information. It was also verified that the patient's family frequently acts as information intermediary between the health team and the patient. Therefore, autonomy process of decision making was compromissed, as well as the informed consent of the elderly