Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in patients with fibromyalgia

INTRODUCTION: Fibromyalgia is a prevalent syndrome of widespread pain and multiple tender points, with no inflammatory, dystrophic or degenerative changes, probably related to abnormal central modulation of pain processing. Irritable bowel syndrome is considered a dysfunctional syndrome of visceral pain and/or alteration on gastrointestinal motility, also related to the same central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in patients with fibromyalgia and to establish their clinical characteristics. PATIENTS AND METHODS:Two hundred consecutive patients with fibromyalgia syndrome were studied. RESULTS: These, 134 (67%) had irritable bowel syndrome. The most common presentation was the constipation subtype (121 =90.2%). The majority of patients had high scores of anxiety and/or depression. Conclusion: No differences were noted among patients with fibromyalgia without irritable bowel syndrome, and those with both conditions.INTRODUÇÃO: a síndrome da fibromialgia (FM) é uma síndrome dolorosa crônica comum na população em geral. Não apresenta qualquer processo inflamatório, distrófico ou degenerativo, e é considerada como conseqüente a disfunções neurofisiológicas envolvendo, principalmente, o sistema nervoso central (SNC). A síndrome do cólon irritável (SCI) é considerada como uma entidade disfuncional visceral, caracterizada por fenômenos motores do trânsito gastrointestinal, possivelmente relacionados a alterações neurofisiológicas nas mesmas vias do SNC. OBJETIVO: estudar a prevalência da SCI em portadores de FM e verificar as suas características clínicas. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: foram estudados 200 portadores da síndrome da FM. RESULTADOS: verificou-se que, entre esses pacientes, 134 (67%) apresentaram, concomitantemente, a SCI; entre esses, a maioria (121 = 90,2%) sofria o subtipo constipativo da moléstia. Traço de personalidade e estado emocional associados à ansiedade e depressão foram evidenciados numa substancial proporção desses pacientes. CONCLUSÃO: entre os pacientes com FM, não houve diferenças clínicas entre aqueles com e sem a SCI.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL

Assessing knowledge on fibromyalgia among internet users

OBJECTIVE: To assess knowledge on fibromyalgia in a sample of patients, their families, and professionals interested on the theme from some Brazilian states. METHODS: Analysis of the results of an electronic fibromyalgia knowledge questionnaire completed by 362 adults who had access to the the support group for fibromyalgia site (www.unifesp.br/grupos/fibromialgia). The answers were grouped according to age, sex, years of schooling, and type of interest in the condition. RESULTS: 92% of the responders were women and 62% had higher educational level. The worst results were observed in the joint protection and energy conservation domain, followed by the medication in fibromyalgia domain. The best results were recorded in the exercises in fibromyalgia domain. The answers differed significantly between sexes, and women achieved a higher percentage of correct answers. The female sex accounted for a statistically superior result in five statistical analyses (four questions and one domain). CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests the need for a strategic planning for an educational approach to fibromyalgia in BrazilOBJETIVO: Analisar o nível de conhecimento sobre fibromialgia em uma amostra incluindo pacientes, familiares e profissionais de vários estados do Brasil. MÉTODOS: Análise dos resultados de 362 adultos que acessaram o site do Grupo de Apoio à Fibromialgia (www.unifesp.br/grupos/fibromialgia) e responderam a um questionário eletrônico de conhecimento sobre a síndrome. As respostas foram avaliadas em relação a idade, sexo, nível de escolaridade e tipo de interesse no Grupo. RESULTADOS: 92% eram mulheres e 62% haviam completado o ensino superior. O pior resultado foi no domínio proteção articular e conservação de energia, seguido pelo domínio conhecimento sobre medicação. O melhor resultado ocorreu no domínio exercícios para fibromialgia. Houve diferença significativa entre os gêneros, sendo as mulheres responsáveis por um porcentual maior de acertos. O gênero feminino foi responsável por um resultado estatisticamente superior em cinco análises estatísticas (quatro perguntas e um domínio). CONCLUSÕES: O estudo sugere a necessidade de um planejamento estratégico para ações educativas sobre fibromialgia no BrasilUNIFESP Centro Cochrane do BrasilUniversidade Federal do ABCUNIFESPCentro CochraneUNIFESP, Centro Cochrane do BrasilUNIFESPSciEL

FSC-Q: a CryoEM map-to-atomic model quality validation based on the local Fourier shell correlation

In recent years, advances in cryoEM have dramatically increased the resolution of reconstructions and, with it, the number of solved atomic models. It is widely accepted that the quality of cryoEM maps varies locally; therefore, the evaluation of the maps-derived structural models must be done locally as well. In this article, a method for the local analysis of the map-to-model fit is presented. The algorithm uses a comparison of two local resolution maps. The first is the local FSC (Fourier shell correlation) between the full map and the model, while the second is calculated between the half maps normally used in typical single particle analysis workflows. We call the quality measure “FSC-Q”, and it is a quantitative estimation of how much of the model is supported by the signal content of the map. Furthermore, we show that FSC-Q may be helpful to detect overfitting. It can be used to complement other methods, such as the Q-score method that estimates the resolvability of atomsWe thank Prof. David Veesler for providing us the half maps of the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. The authors would like to acknowledge financial support from: the Comunidad de Madrid through grant CAM (S2017/BMD-3817), the Spanish National Research Council (PIE/COVID-19 number 202020E079), the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through grants SEV 2017-0712, PID2019-104757RB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, the Instituto de Salud Carlos III through grant PT17/0009/0010 (ISCIII-GEFI/ERDF-). Instruct-ULTRA (Grant 731005), an EU H2020 project to further develop the services of Instruct-ERIC. UE H2020 grant HighResCells (ERC-2018-SyG, Proposal: 810057). This work was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute for Arthritis, musculoskeletal, and Skin Diseases, NIH. The authors acknowledge the support and the use of resources of Instruct, a Landmark ESFRI projec

Documentos de arquivos em contexto de emergência sanitária: notas sobre o Observatório Covid-19 da Fiocruz

This article deals with the work of the Covid-19 Observatory, a project of the Presidency of Fiocruz and a catalyst in the production and dissemination of information on the pandemic in Brazil. Its activities resulted in the constitution of a digital archive, associated with the idea of "project memory," whose characteristics derived from the health emergency scenario we are of interested in investigating. The general objective of this article is to reflect on the creation and operation of the Covid-19 Observatory with a focus on the challenges related to the management of documents and information from its actions. To this end, concepts from the fields of information science, archival science, social memory and history of sciences and health are used as theoretical inputs, in addition to information from interviews and documentary sources. The results indicate that the health emergency had an impact on various aspects of the production, management, processing, and preservation of the archive.Este artigo trata da atuação do Observatório Covid-19, projeto da Presidência da Fiocruz e agente catalisador na produção e disseminação de informações sobre a pandemia no cenário brasileiro. Suas atividades resultaram na constituição de um arquivo digital, associado à ideia de “memória do projeto”, cujas características oriundas do cenário de emergência sanitária nos interessa investigar. O artigo tem por objetivo geral refletir sobre a criação e funcionamento do Observatório Covid-19 com foco nos desafios relativos à gestão dos documentos e informações provenientes de suas ações. Para tal, utilizam-se como insumos teóricos conceitos dos campos da ciência da informação, arquivologia, memória social e história das ciências e da saúde, além de informações provenientes de entrevista e fontes documentais. Os resultados indicam que a emergência sanitária impactou em diversos aspectos a produção, gestão, tramitação e preservação do arquivo

Developmental and metabolic plasticity of white-skinned grape berries in response to <i>Botrytis cinerea</i> during noble rot

Noble rot results from exceptional infections of ripe grape (Vitis vinifera) berries by Botrytis cinerea. Unlike bunch rot, noble rot promotes favorable changes in grape berries and the accumulation of secondary metabolites that enhance wine grape composition. Noble rot-infected berries of cv Sémillon, a white-skinned variety, were collected over 3 years from a commercial vineyard at the same time that fruit were harvested for botrytized wine production. Using an integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics approach, we demonstrate that noble rot alters the metabolism of cv Sémillon berries by inducing biotic and abiotic stress responses as well as ripening processes. During noble rot, B. cinerea induced the expression of key regulators of ripening-associated pathways, some of which are distinctive to the normal ripening of red-skinned cultivars. Enhancement of phenylpropanoid metabolism, characterized by a restricted flux in white-skinned berries, was a common outcome of noble rot and red-skinned berry ripening. Transcript and metabolite analyses together with enzymatic assays determined that the biosynthesis of anthocyanins is a consistent hallmark of noble rot in cv Sémillon berries. The biosynthesis of terpenes and fatty acid aroma precursors also increased during noble rot. We finally characterized the impact of noble rot in botrytized wines. Altogether, the results of this work demonstrated that noble rot causes a major reprogramming of berry development and metabolism. This desirable interaction between a fruit and a fungus stimulates pathways otherwise inactive in white-skinned berries, leading to a greater accumulation of compounds involved in the unique flavor and aroma of botrytized wines.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Brazilian consensus on the treatment of fibromyalgia

UNIFESP Ambulatório de FibromialgiaUFPR HC ambulatório de fibromialgiaUNIFESPUNIFESP Setor de reumatismos de partes molesPUC-SP Departamento de MedicinaPUC-Campinas Hospital Universitário Serviço de ReumatologiaSociedade Brasileira de ReumatologiaSanta Casa de Belo Horizonte Ambulatório de Fibromialgia Programa de Residência Médica em ReumatologiaFMUSP HC Serviço de ReumatologiaSanta Casa de Campo Grande Setor de Reumatologia programa de Residência em Clínica MédicaUniversidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto AlegreUNiSULUniversidade Federal do Espírito Santo Hospital Universitário serviço de ReumatologiaSociedade Brasileira de Clínica MédicaSociedade Brasileira para o Estudo da DorAssociação Brasileira de Medicina Física e ReabilitaçãoUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de MedicinaUniversidade Federal FluminenseAcademia Brasileira de Neurologia Departamento de DorEuropean Neurological Society Subcomitê de DorPeripheral Nerve SocietyFMUSP Grupo de MãoSociedade Brasileira de ortopedia e TraumatologiaAxia.Bio farmacoeconomia e pesquisa em saúdeUNIFESP Núcleo de Gestão de PesquisasUNIFESP, Ambulatório de FibromialgiaUNIFESP, Setor de reumatismos de partes molesUNIFESP, Núcleo de Gestão de PesquisasSciEL

Developmental and metabolic plasticity of white-skinned grape berries in response to <i>Botrytis cinerea</i> during noble rot

Noble rot results from exceptional infections of ripe grape (Vitis vinifera) berries by Botrytis cinerea. Unlike bunch rot, noble rot promotes favorable changes in grape berries and the accumulation of secondary metabolites that enhance wine grape composition. Noble rot-infected berries of cv Sémillon, a white-skinned variety, were collected over 3 years from a commercial vineyard at the same time that fruit were harvested for botrytized wine production. Using an integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics approach, we demonstrate that noble rot alters the metabolism of cv Sémillon berries by inducing biotic and abiotic stress responses as well as ripening processes. During noble rot, B. cinerea induced the expression of key regulators of ripening-associated pathways, some of which are distinctive to the normal ripening of red-skinned cultivars. Enhancement of phenylpropanoid metabolism, characterized by a restricted flux in white-skinned berries, was a common outcome of noble rot and red-skinned berry ripening. Transcript and metabolite analyses together with enzymatic assays determined that the biosynthesis of anthocyanins is a consistent hallmark of noble rot in cv Sémillon berries. The biosynthesis of terpenes and fatty acid aroma precursors also increased during noble rot. We finally characterized the impact of noble rot in botrytized wines. Altogether, the results of this work demonstrated that noble rot causes a major reprogramming of berry development and metabolism. This desirable interaction between a fruit and a fungus stimulates pathways otherwise inactive in white-skinned berries, leading to a greater accumulation of compounds involved in the unique flavor and aroma of botrytized wines.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Unexpected High Digestion Rate of Cooked Starch by the Ct-Maltase-Glucoamylase Small Intestine Mucosal α-Glucosidase Subunit

For starch digestion to glucose, two luminal α-amylases and four gut mucosal α-glucosidase subunits are employed. The aim of this research was to investigate, for the first time, direct digestion capability of individual mucosal α-glucosidases on cooked (gelatinized) starch. Gelatinized normal maize starch was digested with N- and C-terminal subunits of recombinant mammalian maltase-glucoamylase (MGAM) and sucrase-isomaltase (SI) of varying amounts and digestion periods. Without the aid of α-amylase, Ct-MGAM demonstrated an unexpected rapid and high digestion degree near 80%, while other subunits showed 20 to 30% digestion. These findings suggest that Ct-MGAM assists α-amylase in digesting starch molecules and potentially may compensate for developmental or pathological amylase deficiencies

Validation of the Body Scan®, a new device to detect small fiber neuropathy by assessment of the sudomotor function: agreement with the Sudoscan®

BackgroundSudomotor dysfunction is one of the earliest manifestations of small fiber neuropathy (SFN), reflecting the alteration of sympathetic C fiber innervation of the sweat glands. Among other techniques, such innervation can be assessed by measuring electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) in microsiemens (μS). In this study, ESC was measured at the feet to detect distal SFN. For this objective, the performance of a new device, the Body Scan® (Withings, France), intended for home use, was compared with that of a reference device, the Sudoscan® (Impeto Medical, France), which requires a hospital setting.MethodsIn patients with diabetes with or without neuropathy or non-diabetic patients with lower-limb neuropathy, the diagnostic performance of the Body Scan® measurement was assessed by calculating its sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) to detect at least moderate SFN (Se70 and Sp70), defined by a value of feet ESC ≤ 70 μS and &gt; 50 μS on the Sudoscan® measure, or severe SFN (Se50 and Sp50), defined by a value of feet ESC ≤ 50 μS on the Sudoscan® measure. The agreement between the two devices was assessed with the analysis of Bland–Altman plots, mean absolute error (MAE), and root mean squared error (RMSE) calculations. The repeatability of the measurements was also compared between the two devices.ResultsA total of 147 patients (52% men, mean age 59 years old, 76% diabetic) were included in the analysis. The sensitivity and specificity to detect at least moderate or severe SFN were: Se70 = 0.91 ([0.83, 0.96]), Sp70 = 0.97 ([0.88, 0.99]), Se50 = 0.91 ([0.80, 0.98]), and Sp50 = 0.99 ([0.94, 1]), respectively. The bias and 95% limits of agreement were 1.5 [−5.4, 8.4]. The MAE was 2.9 and the RMSE 3.8. The intra-sample variability was 2.0 for the Body Scan® and 2.3 for the Sudoscan®.ConclusionThe ESC measurements provided by the Body Scan® were in almost perfect agreement with those provided by the reference device, the Sudoscan®, which validates the accuracy of the Body Scan® for the detection of SFN. By enabling simple, rapid, and autonomous use by the patient at home, this new technique will facilitate screening and monitoring of SFN in daily practice.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT05178459