Candida species biofilms' antifungal resistance

Candida infections (candidiasis) are the most prevalent opportunistic fungal infection on humans and, as such, a major public health problem. In recent decades, candidiasis has been associated to Candida species other than Candida albicans. Moreover, biofilms have been considered the most prevalent growth form of Candida cells and a strong causative agent of the intensification of antifungal resistance. As yet, no specific resistance factor has been identified as the sole responsible for the increased recalcitrance to antifungal agents exhibited by biofilms. Instead, biofilm antifungal resistance is a complex multifactorial phenomenon, which still remains to be fully elucidated and understood. The different mechanisms, which may be responsible for the intrinsic resistance of Candida species biofilms, include the high density of cells within the biofilm, the growth and nutrient limitation, the effects of the biofilm matrix, the presence of persister cells, the antifungal resistance gene expression and the increase of sterols on the membrane of biofilm cells. Thus, this review intends to provide information on the recent advances about Candida species biofilm antifungal resistance and its implication on intensification of the candidiasis.The authors acknowledge the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, for supporting Maria Elisa Rodrigues (SFRH/BPD/95401/2013) and Célia F. Rodrigues (SFRH/BD/93078/2013). This study was also supported by the Programa Operacional, Fatores de competitividade—COMPETE and by national funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the scope of the projects FCT PTDC/EBB-EBI/120495/2010 and RECI/EBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOM-01-0124-FEDER-027462)

Fabrication, characterization and modeling of functionally graded synthetic graphite/polymer nanocomposites

In this chapter, the fabrication, characterization, and modeling of functionally graded nanocomposites (FGNs) are presented. FGNs with phenolic matrix and synthetic graphite (SG) as nanofillers were fabricated using a combined powder stacking and compression molding techniques. Ball milling was used to homogeneously distribute nanofillers within the phenolic matrix. The process allowed FGNs with four different microstructure gradient patterns of the same geometry and SG content, as well as non-graded nanocomposites (NGNs), to be fabricated. The surface morphology of FGNs and SG distribution were examined. The transient thermal behavior of FGNs subjected to sudden temperature changes was numerically investigated to examine the effect of compositional patterns on the temperature gradient field in these materials. Temperature-dependent thermal conductivity and heat capacity of the FGN components were measured and used in finite element-based transient thermal analysis developed based on the experimental procedure. A controlled microstructure and composition was achieved in microscale. Thermomechanical and viscoelastic properties of nanocomposites were highly affected by the distribution patterns of SG within the matrix. The transient thermal analysis results showed that the transient time and temperature field in nanocomposite structures were highly influenced by the compositional gradient configurations. The FGN with a gradual decrease in reinforcing content from the exposed side to the other side had the lowest temperature gradient field (about 11 °C less than the other gradient patterns) and transient time (about 56 seconds less than the other gradient patterns)

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and Coping Styles among Internally Displaced Ukrainians

This study examined the relationship between coping styles and ICD-11 PTSD and Complex PTSD in a large sample of Ukrainian Internally Displaced Persons. Data were collected in 2016 using self-report measures from all Ukrainian oblasts not occupied by Russian forces. In total, 13.1% of people met diagnostic requirements for Complex PTSD, and 7.8% for PTSD. Higher levels of avoidant coping were evident in those meeting diagnostic requirements for PTSD and Complex PTSD compared to those not meeting requirements for either. Mental health interventions targeting avoidant coping might be particularly useful in reducing the burden of traumatic stress among war-affected Ukrainians

Serum neurofilament light in familial Alzheimer disease: A marker of early neurodegeneration.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether serum neurofilament light (NfL) concentration is increased in familial Alzheimer disease (FAD), both pre and post symptom onset, and whether it is associated with markers of disease stage and severity. METHODS: We recruited 48 individuals from families with PSEN1 or APP mutations to a cross-sectional study: 18 had symptomatic Alzheimer disease (AD) and 30 were asymptomatic but at 50% risk of carrying a mutation. Serum NfL was measured using an ultrasensitive immunoassay on the single molecule array (Simoa) platform. Cognitive testing and MRI were performed; 33 participants had serial MRI, allowing calculation of atrophy rates. Genetic testing established mutation status. A generalized least squares regression model was used to compare serum NfL among symptomatic mutation carriers, presymptomatic carriers, and noncarriers, adjusting for age and sex. Spearman coefficients assessed associations between serum NfL and (1) estimated years to/from symptom onset (EYO), (2) cognitive measures, and (3) MRI measures of atrophy. RESULTS: Nineteen of the asymptomatic participants were mutation carriers (mean EYO -9.6); 11 were noncarriers. Compared with noncarriers, serum NfL concentration was higher in both symptomatic (p < 0.0001) and presymptomatic mutation carriers (p = 0.007). Across all mutation carriers, serum NfL correlated with EYO (ρ = 0.81, p < 0.0001) and multiple cognitive and imaging measures, including Mini-Mental State Examination (ρ = -0.62, p = 0.0001), Clinical Dementia Rating Scale sum of boxes (ρ = 0.79, p < 0.0001), baseline brain volume (ρ = -0.62, p = 0.0002), and whole-brain atrophy rate (ρ = 0.53, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Serum NfL concentration is increased in FAD prior to symptom onset and correlates with measures of disease stage and severity. Serum NfL may thus be a feasible biomarker of early AD-related neurodegeneration

Predicting outcome in acute interstitial nephritis: a case series examining the importance of histological parameters

Background: The clinical significance of common histological parameters in acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is uncertain. We aimed to evaluate the utility of histology in predicting clinical outcomes in patients with AIN. Methods and results: Adult renal biopsies yielding a diagnosis of AIN between 2000 and 2015 were re‐examined. Patients were divided into groups based on: 1) the percentage of non‐fibrotic cortex containing inflammation (NFI‐score), (NFI‐1=0‐24%, NFI‐2=25‐74%, NFI‐3=75‐100%), and 2) the percentage of cortex containing tubular atrophy (TA score), (TA1=0‐9%, TA2=10‐24%, TA3=25‐100%). The primary outcome was a composite of ≥50% reduction in serum creatinine (sCr) or an eGFR &gt;60 ml/min/1.73m2 1‐year post‐biopsy. From a total of 2817 native renal biopsies, there were 120 patients with AIN and adequate data for analysis. Of these, 66 (56%) achieved the primary outcome. On univariable logistic regression, NFI‐3 was associated with a 16 times increased likelihood of achieving the primary outcome compared to NFI‐1 (OR 16 (95% CI 5.2‐50)). In contrast, TA3 were associated with a 90% reduced likelihood of achieving the primary outcome compared to TA1 (OR=0.10 (95%CI 0.0‐0.3)). Maximal clinical utility was achieved by combining TA and NFI into a single prognostic ‘TANFI’ score, which had an independent predictive effect on the primary outcome in a multivariable regression model consisting of age, sex, baseline sCr and identified drug cause. Conclusions: In patients with biopsy‐proven AIN, a lower percentage of cortical tubular atrophy and, paradoxically, a higher percentage of inflammation in non‐fibrosed cortex were associated with an increased likelihood of a positive clinical outcome

Contrasting population trends of Common Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) across Europe

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Contrasting population trends of Common Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) across Europe

The greatest loss of biodiversity in the EU has occurred on agricultural land. The Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is one of the many numerous and widespread European farmland breeding bird species showing major population declines linked to European agricultural intensification. Here we present results based on monitoring data collected since 1975 in 24 countries to examine the influence of changing extent of grassland and cattle abundance (based on results of earlier studies showing the importance of lowland cattle grazed grassland for the species), wintering provenance and temperature on national breeding population trends of Starlings across Europe. Positive Starling population trends in Central-East Europe contrast with negative trends in North and West Europe. Based on this indicative approach, we found some support for the importance of cattle stock and no support for grassland, temperature or wintering provenance to explain Starling population trends in Europe. However, we acknowledge such a European-wide analysis may conceal regional differences in responses and suggest that currently accessible national land use datamight be insufficient to describe the detailed current changes in animal husbandry and grassland management that may be responsible for changes in food availability and hence breeding Starling abundance and their differences across Europe. Reviewing results from local studies relating Starling population trends to local agricultural change offer contradictory results, suggesting complex interacting processes at work. We recommend combining national datasets on demography, land-use/agricultural practices and from autecological research to better explain the reasons for contrasting Starling trends across Europe, to enable us to predict how changing agriculture will affect Starlings and potentially suggest mitigation measures to restore local populations where possible.Peer reviewe