Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause: Epidemiology, Physiopathology, Clinical Manifestation and Diagnostic

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a term used to define a compilation of signs and symptoms arising from decreased estrogenic stimulation of the vulvovaginal and lower urinary tract. Among 27-84% of women in postmenopausal are affected for symptoms of GSM, and these can unquestionably impair health, sexual function, consequently the quality of life of these women. The main signs and symptoms of GSM include, among others, burning, irritation, vulvovaginal dryness, dyspareunia, urinary symptoms of urgency, dysuria, or recurrent urinary tract infection. The diagnosis can be made through anamnesis, questionnaires, physical exams, and, sometimes, complementary exams. Objective vaginal assessment is essential and can be complemented by using the Vaginal Health Index (VHI), Vaginal Maturation Index (VMI), or vaginal pH measurement. The acknowledgment of this condition by health professionals is crucial for its identification and proper management and exclusion of other conditions that make a differential diagnosis with it.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Erratum: Borges, I., et al. Exposure of Smaller and Oxidized Graphene on Polyurethane Surface Improves Its Antimicrobial Performance. Nanomaterials 2020, 10, 349

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [1]: Funding: This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) for Projects POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006939, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274, PTDC/CTM-BIO/4033/2014, and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012, and projects UID/BIM/04293/2019—i3S and UIDB/00511/2020—LEPABE, funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC).The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [1]: Funding: This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) and Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) for Projects POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006939, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274, PTDC/CTM-BIO/4033/2014, and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012, and projects UID/BIM/04293/2019—i3S and UIDB/00511/2020—LEPABE, funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). This research was funded by Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia (FCT) and Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER) for Projects POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006939, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274, PTDC/CTM-BIO/4033/2014, and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012, and projects UID/BIM/04293/2019?i3S and UIDB/00511/2020?LEPABE, funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC)

Potencial antimicrobiano de extratos de plantas na inibição de leveduras do gênero Candida

The increase in the resistance to antimicrobial drugs in use has attracted the attention of the scientific community, and medicinal plants have been extensively studied as alternative agents for the prevention of infections. The Candida genus yeast can become an opportunistic pathogen causing disease in immunosuppressive hosts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate dichloromethane and methanol extracts from Mentha piperita, Rosmarinus officinalis, Arrabidaea chica, Tabebuia avellanedae, Punica granatum and Syzygium cumini against Candida species through the analysis of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Results presented activity of these extracts against Candida species, especially the methanol extract.Devido ao aumento da resistência aos antimicrobianos em uso, as plantas medicinais têm sido intensamente estudadas como agentes alternativos para a prevenção de doenças e infecções. A levedura do gênero Candida, por ser um patógeno oportunista, tem sua virulência aumentada ao adquirir resistência aos antifúngicos, desencadeando doenças, principalmente em hospedeiros imunossuprimidos. O propósito deste trabalho foi avaliar os extratos diclorometano e metanol das plantas Mentha piperita, Rosmarinus officinalis, Arrabidaea chica, Tabebuia avellanedae, Punica granatum e Syzygium cumini contra linhagens do gênero Candida através dos testes de Concentração Inibitória Mínima (CIM). Os resultados demonstraram atividade dos extratos sobre as espécies de Candida, particularmente o extrato metanol.10651068Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Detection and Molecular Characterization of Giardia and Cryptosporidium spp. Circulating in Wild Small Mammals from Portugal

Simple Summary Wild small mammals can be a veterinary and public health concern, because they can act as reservoir hosts for numerous pathogens and potentially transmit them to humans, domestic animals and other wildlife species. This study represents the first investigation of the diarrhea-causing parasites Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in wild rodents and shrews from Portugal. Cryptosporidium spp. was rarely and Giardia was frequently detected in the feces of the analyzed species, with the southwestern water voles (Arvicola sapidus) and Lusitanian pine voles (Microtus lusitanicus) showing the highest infection rates of Giardia spp. Genetic characterization based on common genomic marker sequences revealed the rodent-adapted Giardia microti and potentially zoonotic Cryptosporidium muris as the only circulating species. These findings suggest the limited role of wild rodents and shrews as natural sources of human infections in Portugal regarding the investigated parasites. Moreover, the host ranges of Giardia and Cryptosporidium spp. were extended and the obtained genetic sequences of Giardia microti are useful for future comparative studies. From the One-Heath perspective, this study helps to understand the epidemiology of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. in wildlife. Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. are important diarrhea-causing protozoan parasites worldwide that exhibit broad host ranges. Wild small mammals can harbor host-adapted and potentially zoonotic species of both parasites. The aim of this study was to investigate Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in wild rodents and shrews in Portugal, focusing on the protist's occurrence and genetic diversity. Molecular screening by PCR at the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene locus of 290 fecal samples from wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), southwestern water voles (Arvicola sapidus), Cabrera's voles (Microtus cabrerae), Lusitanian pine voles (Microtus lusitanicus), Algerian mice (Mus spretus) and greater white-toothed shrews (Crocidura russula) in Northeast Portugal revealed the low occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. (1%) and high occurrence of Giardia spp. (32.8%). The analysis revealed that species was the only significant factor associated with the increasing probability of Giardia spp. infection, with the highest prevalence reported in southwestern water voles and Lusitanian pine voles. Cryptosporidium and Giardia species determination at the SSU rRNA gene locus revealed C. muris and G. microti as the only circulating species, respectively. Subtyping of the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) and beta-giardin (bg) genes provided evidence of the high genetic diversity within the G. microti clade. This study suggests that rodent-adapted G. microti occurs to a large extent in cricetid hosts and supports the limited role of wild rodents and shrews as natural sources of human infections in Northeast Portugal regarding the investigated parasites. Moreover, this is the first record of G. microti in southwestern water voles, Lusitanian pine voles, Algerian mice, wood mice and Cabrera's voles and C. muris in Cabrera's voles. Finally, this study improves the database of sequences relevant for the sequence typing of G. microti strains and provides new insights about the epidemiology of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. in wild rodents and shrews, two parasite genera of high importance for public and animal health

Association between regular participation in sports and leisure time behaviors in Brazilian adolescents: A cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The belief that adolescents engaged in sports increase their overall physical activity level while simultaneously decreasing physical inactivity has been the foundation of many intervention programs in developing countries. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between regular participation in sports and both active behaviors and TV viewing during leisure time.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 1752 Brazilian adolescents (812 = male and 940 = female) participated in this study. Regular participation in sports, as well as active behaviors (exemplified by walking or cycling) and TV viewing during leisure time were assessed by means of a questionnaire. The chi-square test analyzed the association between sports practice and leisure time behaviors, and the Poisson regression with robust variance indicated the magnitude of these associations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of regular participation in sports was 14.8% (95% confidence interval 13.2% to 16.5%). After adjustment for all confounders, participation in sports was associated with, at the highest frequency, cycling (PR = 2.55 [1.80–3.60]) and walking (PR = 2.69 [1.98–3.64]) during leisure time. However, there was not an association between the participation in sports and frequency of TV viewing (PR = 1.28 [0.81–2.02]).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study presented data indicating that the regular participation in sports is positively associated with a higher frequency of physically active behaviors during leisure time. However, the results did not support the hypothesis that the engagement in sports necessarily decreases leisure time spent in TV viewing.</p

Anti-malarial activity of indole alkaloids isolated from Aspidosperma olivaceum

Background: Several species of Aspidosperma (Apocynaceae) are used as treatments for human diseases in the tropics. Aspidosperma olivaceum, which is used to treat fevers in some regions of Brazil, contains the monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) aspidoscarpine, uleine, apparicine, and N-methyl-tetrahydrolivacine. Using bio-guided fractionation and cytotoxicity testing in a human hepatoma cell line, several plant fractions and compounds purified from the bark and leaves of the plant were characterized for specific therapeutic activity (and selectivity index, SI) in vitro against the blood forms of Plasmodium falciparum. Methods: The activity of A. olivaceum extracts, fractions, and isolated compounds was evaluated against chloroquine (CQ)-resistant P. falciparum blood parasites by in vitro testing with radiolabelled [3H]-hypoxanthine and a monoclonal anti-histidine-rich protein (HRPII) antibody. The cytotoxicity of these fractions and compounds was evaluated in a human hepatoma cell line using a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and the SI was calculated as the ratio between the toxicity and activity. Two leaf fractions were tested in mice with Plasmodium berghei. Results: All six fractions from the bark and leaf extracts were active in vitro at low doses (IC50 < 5.0 μg/mL) using the anti-HRPII test, and only two (the neutral and basic bark fractions) were toxic to a human cell line (HepG2). The most promising fractions were the crude leaf extract and its basic residue, which had SIs above 50. Among the four pure compounds evaluated, aspidoscarpine in the bark and leaf extracts showed the highest SI at 56; this compound, therefore, represents a possible anti-malarial drug that requires further study. The acidic leaf fraction administered by gavage to mice with blood-induced malaria was also active. Conclusion: Using a bio-monitoring approach, it was possible to attribute the anti-P. falciparum activity of A. olivaceum to aspidoscarpine and, to a lesser extent, N-methyl-tetrahydrolivacine; other isolated MIA molecules were active but had lower SIs due to their higher toxicities. These results stood in contrast to previous work in which the anti-malarial activity of other Aspidosperma species was attributed to uleine