The Influence of Depression on the Psychometric Properties of the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey: A Cross-Sectional Study With Nursing Assistants

Background: The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) is the most commonly used instrument to assess burnout. Although various factors have been reported to influence its validity, the influence of major depressive disorder (MDD) has not been previously considered. We developed this study to investigate the influence of MDD on the psychometric properties of the MBI-HSS in nursing assistants.Results: From a sample of 521 nursing assistants, we found in those with MDD (n = 138, 24.56%) a degree of data misfit into the model, revealed by non-acceptable values for the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA; 0.073; p = 0.004) and for the comparative fit index (CFI; 0.912), while in the non-MDD group these indices were acceptable and good, respectively, for RMSEA (0.048; p = 0.639) and for CFI (0.951). Also, we found higher coefficients of correlation among MBI-HSS factors and less items loading properly in their respective factors in the MDD subset, when compared to the non-MDD subset. For the total sample, while original 3-factor solution was an acceptable model, the bifactor model fitted data better.Conclusions: MDD may impair the construct validity of MBI-HSS subscales, by increasing measurement error and decreasing model fitness. Therefore, researchers and health professionals should be aware of potential changes in the psychometric properties of the MBI-HSS when applied in subjects with depression

Distinctive features of the microbiota associated with different forms of apical periodontitis

Microorganisms infecting the dental root canal system play an unequivocal role as causative agents of apical periodontitis. Although fungi, archaea, and viruses have been found in association with some forms of apical periodontitis, bacteria are the main microbial etiologic agents of this disease. Bacteria colonizing the root canal are usually organized in communities similar to biofilm structures. Culture and molecular biology technologies have demonstrated that the endodontic bacterial communities vary in species richness and abundance depending on the different types of infection and different forms of apical periodontitis. This review paper highlights the distinctive features of the endodontic microbiota associated with diverse clinical conditions

Comparing the Bacterial Diversity of Acute and Chronic Dental Root Canal Infections

This study performed barcoded multiplex pyrosequencing with a 454 FLX instrument to compare the microbiota of dental root canal infections associated with acute (symptomatic) or chronic (asymptomatic) apical periodontitis. Analysis of samples from 9 acute abscesses and 8 chronic infections yielded partial 16S rRNA gene sequences that were taxonomically classified into 916 bacterial species-level operational taxonomic units (OTUs) (at 3% divergence) belonging to 67 genera and 13 phyla. The most abundant phyla in acute infections were Firmicutes (52%), Fusobacteria (17%) and Bacteroidetes (13%), while in chronic infections the dominant were Firmicutes (59%), Bacteroidetes (14%) and Actinobacteria (10%). Members of Fusobacteria were much more prevalent in acute (89%) than in chronic cases (50%). The most abundant/prevalent genera in acute infections were Fusobacterium and Parvimonas. Twenty genera were exclusively detected in acute infections and 18 in chronic infections. Only 18% (n = 165) of the OTUs at 3% divergence were shared by acute and chronic infections. Diversity and richness estimators revealed that acute infections were significantly more diverse than chronic infections. Although a high interindividual variation in bacterial communities was observed, many samples tended to group together according to the type of infection (acute or chronic). This study is one of the most comprehensive in-deep comparisons of the microbiota associated with acute and chronic dental root canal infections and highlights the role of diverse polymicrobial communities as the unit of pathogenicity in acute infections. The overall diversity of endodontic infections as revealed by the pyrosequencing technique was much higher than previously reported for endodontic infections

PROPOSTA PARA A DETERMINAÇÃO DE CAVERNAS DE DIMENSÕES NOTÁVEIS EM CAVERNAS FERRÍFERAS

Com o intuito de contribuir com a definição de uma metodologia adequada para a seleção de excepcionalidades dimensionais, no presente trabalho: 1) Comparou-se diferentes metodologias para estabelecer a categoria “dimensões notáveis” utilizando uma amostra de 1451 cavernas ferríferas da Serra dos Carajás, Pará, Brasil; 2) Avaliou-se diferentes distribuições de probabilidade, de forma a determinar o melhor ajuste das medidas espeleométricas; e 3) Avaliou-se por meio de simulações a influência da assimetria na distribuição dos dados sobre as diferentes metodologias utilizadas para definir a categoria “dimensões notáveis”. Os resultados mostram que os diferentes métodos resultam em um número distinto de cavidades classificadas como de máxima relevância por dimensões notáveis. Conforme encontrado em trabalhos anteriores, as análises revelam que as variáveis espeleométricas utilizadas seguem uma distribuição log-normal. Finalmente, as simulações indicam que maioria dos métodos empregados são influenciados pelo grau de assimetria da distribuição dos dados. Com base nestes resultados, sugere-se o método de quartis como o mais indicado para estabelecer dimensões notáveis, já que ele foi o único que não foi influenciado pela assimetria na distribuição dos dados

La pobreza del Estado : reconsideración del rol del Estado en la lucha contra la pobreza global

El espectro de la pobreza ha tenido una presencia constante en la historia de la humanidad. Actualmente es posible erradicar la pobreza extrema. Existen los recursos para lograrlo en un período razonable. Los deseos y la disposición de las organizaciones internacionales, los gobiernos y los pueblos son evidentes en los discursos dominantes que expresan la necesidad y la voluntad de la comunidad internacional de reducir y erradicar la pobreza. ¿Cuáles son los factores que están impidiendo el logro de una meta tan ampliamente aceptada? Es difícil dar una respuesta exhaustiva y precisa a esta pregunta. No obstante, una parte sustancial de la explicación puede estar en una de las estructuras más importantes, pero problemáticas, del mundo moderno, a saber, el Estado.Prefacio / Hartley Dean, Alberto Cimadamore y Jorge Siqueira Introducción Parte I. Dimensiones teórica y global El programa mundial de derechos humanos y la (im)posibilidad del Estado ético Hartley Dean La redefinición del problema social y la retórica acerca de la pobreza durante el decenio de 1990 Anete Brito Leal Ivo La antiglobalización y el antiestatismo desde la perspectiva del postdesarrollo y el antiutilitarismo Paulo Henrique Martins Parte II. Dimensiones política y nacional La estrategia de reducción de la pobreza y la brecha educacional en la Guatemala de posguerra Virgilio Álvarez Aragón El futuro que no llegará: la erradicación de la pobreza desde la perspectiva del gobierno federal de México (2000-2006) Nelson Arteaga Botello Las dificultades de una política de seguridad alimentaria en el Brasil José Graziano da Silva, Walter Belik y Maya Takagi Políticas de empleo público como instrumentos para la reducción de la pobreza y la desigualdad en el Brasil Tarcisio Patricio de Araujo y Roberto Alves de Lima Pobreza, desigualdad y desarrollo: el rol del Estado en la experiencia de Cuba Mayra Paula Espina Prieto ¿Privatización para la reducción de la pobreza? : El caso de Bangladesh y su importancia para otras economías en desarrollo Hulya Dagdeviren Parte III. Dimensiones práctica y local Sinergias frágiles para el desarrollo: el caso de Jardim Oratório, São Paulo, Brasil Rowan Ireland Pobreza, políticas y prestidigitación en Bolivia y América Latina John-Andrew McNeish Fondos Sociales en África: ¿una respuesta clientelístico-tecnocrática a la pobreza? Einar Braathe

Determinação de compostos de massa molecular alta em folhas de plantas da Amazônia

The fractIons of dichloromethane extracts of leaves from andiroba (Carapa guianensis - Meliaceae), caapi (Banisteriopsis caapi - Malpighiaceae), cocoa (Theobroma cacao - Sterculiaceae), Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa - Lecytidaceae), cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum - Sterculiaceae), marupá (Simaruba amara - Simaroubaceae) and rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis - Euphorbiaceae), were analyzed by HT-HRGC and HT-HRGC-MS. Esters of homologous series of fatty acids and long chain alcohols, phytol, amyrines and tocopherols were characterized. The characterization of the compounds was based mainly in mass spectra data and in addition by usual spectrometric data (1H and 13C NMR, IR)

Inhibitory effect of microalgae and cyanobacteria extracts on influenza virus replication and neuraminidase activity

Background The influenza virus can cause seasonal infections with mild to severe symptoms, circulating worldwide, and it can affect people in any age group. Therefore, this infection is a serious public health problem that causes severe illness and death in high-risk populations. Every year, 0.5% of the world’s population is infected by this pathogen. This percentage can increase up to ten times during pandemics. Influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent disease. In addition, anti-influenza drugs are essential for prophylactic and therapeutic interventions. The oseltamivir (OST, a neuraminidase inhibitor) is the primary antiviral used in clinics during outbreaks. However, OST resistant viruses may emerge naturally or due to antiviral pressure, with a prevalence of 1–2% worldwide. Thus, the search for new anti-influenza drugs is extremely important. Currently, several groups have been developing studies describing the biotechnological potential of microalgae and cyanobacteria, including antiviral activity of their extracts. In Brazil, this potential is poorly known and explored. Methods With the aim of increasing the knowledge on this topic, 38 extracts from microalgae and cyanobacteria isolated from marine and freshwater biomes in Brazil were tested against: cellular toxicity; OST-sensitive and resistant influenza replications; and neuraminidase activity. Results For this purpose, Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK)-infected cells were treated with 200 μg/mL of each extract. A total of 17 extracts (45%) inhibited influenza A replication, with seven of them resulting in more than 80% inhibition. Moreover, functional assays performed with viral neuraminidase revealed two extracts (from Leptolyngbya sp. and Chlorellaceae) with IC50 mean < 210 μg/mL for influenza A and B, and also OST-sensitive and resistant strains. Furthermore, MDCK cells exposed to 1 mg/mL of all the extracts showed viability higher than 80%. Discussion Our results suggest that extracts of microalgae and cyanobacteria have promising anti-influenza properties. Further chemical investigation should be conducted to isolate the active compounds for the development of new anti-influenza drugs. The data generated contribute to the knowledge of the biotechnological potential of Brazilian biomes that are still little explored for this purpose

Sperm Oxidative Stress Is Detrimental to Embryo Development: A Dose-Dependent Study Model and a New and More Sensitive Oxidative Status Evaluation

Our study aimed to assess the impact of sperm oxidative stress on embryo development by means of a dose-dependent model. In experiment 1, straws from five bulls were subjected to incubation with increasing H2O2 doses (0, 12.5, 25, and 50 μM). Motility parameters were evaluated by Computed Assisted System Analysis (CASA). Experiment 2 was designed to study a high (50 μM) and low dose (12.5 μM) of H2O2 compared to a control (0 μM). Samples were incubated and further used for in vitro fertilization. Analyses of motility (CASA), oxidative status (CellROX green and 2’-7’ dichlorofluorescein diacetate), mitochondrial potential (JC-1), chromatin integrity (AO), and sperm capacitation status (chlortetracycline) were performed. Embryos were evaluated based on fast cleavage (30 h.p.i.), cleavage (D=3), development (D=5), and blastocyst rates (D=8). We observed a dose-dependent deleterious effect of H2O2 on motility and increase on the percentages of positive cells for CellROX green, capacitated sperm, and AO. A decrease on cleavage and blastocyst rates was observed as H2O2 increased. Also, we detected a blockage on embryo development. We concluded that sperm when exposed to oxidative environment presents impaired motility traits, prooxidative status, and premature capacitation; such alterations resulting in embryo development fail