Bioaccessibility of lipophilic and hydrophilic marine biotoxins in seafood: An in vitro digestion approach

This study aimed to assess the bioaccessibility of different marine biotoxins in naturally contaminated shellfish and fish gonads using an in vitro digestion methodology. In general, hydrophilic toxins (domoic acid, paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins and tetrodotoxins) showed higher bioaccessibility than lipophilic ones (okadaic acid and azaspiracids). The bioaccessibility of toxins from the okadaic acid group ranged from 69% (raw European razor clams) to 74% (raw donax clams). Regarding azaspiracids, 47% of the initial content was bioaccessible in steamed blue mussel. As for hydrophilic toxins, 100% of the initial content was bioaccessible after digestion in raw shellfish and puffer fish gonads. The total tetrodotoxin bioaccessibility in puffer fish gonads decreased significantly after steaming. The profile of tetrodotoxins changed during the digestion process: TTX and 11-norTTX-6S-ol analogues decreased significantly after digestion, but the 5,6,11-trideoxy TTX analogue increased in both raw and steamed puffer fish gonads. These preliminary findings confirm the need to consider bioaccessibility data in future seafood risk assessment, as such information enables a more accurate and realistic estimation of potential seafood hazards, particularly in what concerns lipophilic toxins, therefore, constituting a crucial tool in the refinement of regulatory limits for the presence of biotoxins in seafood.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Bioaccessibility of lipophilic and hydrophilic marine biotoxins in seafood: an in vitro digestion approach

This study aimed to assess the bioaccessibility of different marine biotoxins in naturally contaminated shellfish and fish gonads using an in vitro digestion methodology. In general, hydrophilic toxins (domoic acid, paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins and tetrodotoxins) showed higher bioaccessibility than lipophilic ones (okadaic acid and azaspiracids). The bioaccessibility of toxins from the okadaic acid group ranged from 69% (raw European razor clams) to 74% (raw donax clams). Regarding azaspiracids, 47% of the initial content was bioaccessible in steamed blue mussel. As for hydrophilic toxins, 100% of the initial content was bioaccessible after digestion in raw shellfish and puffer fish gonads. The total tetrodotoxin bioaccessibility in puffer fish gonads decreased significantly after steaming. The profile of tetrodotoxins changed during the digestion process: TTX and 11-norTTX-6S-ol analogues decreased significantly after digestion, but the 5,6,11-trideoxy TTX analogue increased in both raw and steamed puffer fish gonads. These preliminary findings confirm the need to consider bioaccessibility data in future seafood risk assessment, as such information enables a more accurate and realistic estimation of potential seafood hazards, particularly in what concerns lipophilic toxins, therefore, constituting a crucial tool in the refinement of regulatory limits for the presence of biotoxins in seafood.FCT - PD/BD/113484/2015info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Psychological Well-Being in Nursing Students: A Multicentric, Cross-Sectional Study

In addition to complying with strict academic standards, nursing students must acquire relevant knowledge and skills, and learn how to carry themselves in different and often stressful professional settings. These obligations could severely affect their mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the mental health status of undergraduate nursing students and related factors. A total of 1368 nursing students from different universities in Spain and Chile were included in this study, which took place over the 2018-2019 academic year. We assessed their levels of stress related to specific learning methodologies and determined their mental health status using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The results revealed that the more advanced the course was, the lower the total GHQ-28 score. The stress generated by different types of training activities had a significant effect on the total GHQ-28 score. These results suggest that nursing education could act as a protective factor against mental health disorders. Although a heavy academic workload could lead to higher levels of stress, overall, it seems that mental health is better in more advanced courses than in initial academic years

Bioaccessibility of contaminants of emerging concern in raw and cooked commercial seafood species: insights for food safety risk assessment.

Autoria na publicação: FABIOLA FOGAÇA

High prevalence and mortality due to Histoplasma capsulatum in the Brazilian Amazon: An autopsy study

Background: Histoplasmosis is acquired by inhalation of spores of the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma spp. Although this pathogen is distributed worldwide, it is more prevalent in the Americas. However, the real burden of histoplasmosis remains undefined in many endemic regions. Methodology: We conducted a series of 61 autopsies to individuals who died in a hospital in the Brazilian Amazon focused on infectious diseases. We performed a detailed histological and microbiological evaluation with genetic characterization of Histoplasma strains with the aim to evaluate the contribution of histoplasmosis to morbidity and mortality. Additionally, we assessed the clinicopathological correlation. Principal findings: Evidence of Histoplasma infection was detected in 21 patients (34%). Eight cases were disseminated infections, all of them occurred in HIV-positive patients. Six cases were localized histoplasmosis, limited to the lungs. In seven patients Histoplasma DNA was detected by PCR in patients with no histological lesions. Histoplasma infection was detected in 38% of HIV-positive patients and was a major contributor to death in 22% of them. Lungs, liver and spleen were affected in all cases of disseminated histoplasmosis. Phylogenetic analysis of the strains suggested a high diversity of Histoplasma species circulating in the Brazilian Amazon. Histoplasmosis was clinically missed in 75% of the disseminated infections. Conclusions: The high incidence of histoplasmosis, the low index of clinical suspicion, and the severity of the disseminated disease highlight the need of proactively implementing sensitive routine screening methods for this pathogen in endemic areas. Antifungal prophylaxis against Histoplasma should be encouraged in the severely immunocompromised HIV patients in these areas. In conclusion, substantial mortality is associated with disseminated histoplasmosis among HIV-positive patients in the Brazilian Amazon

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Development of electrochemical biosensors with various types of zeolites

In the work, different types of zeolites were used for the development of enzyme-based electrochemical biosensors. Zeolites were added to the biorecognition elements of the biosensors and served as additional components of the biomembranes or adsorbents for enzymes. Three types of biosensors (conductometric, amperometric and potentiometric) were studied. The developed biosensors were compared with the similar biosensors without zeolites. The biosensors contained the following enzymes: urease, glucose oxidase, glutamate oxidase, and acetylcholinesterase and were intended for the detection of urea, glucose, glutamate, and acetylcholine, respectively. Construction of the biosensors using the adsorption of enzymes on zeolites has several advantages: simplicity, good reproducibility, quickness, absence of toxic compounds. These benefits are particularly important for the standardization and further mass production of the biosensors. Furthermore, a biosensor for the sucrose determination contained a three-enzyme system (invertase/mutatorase/glucose oxidase), immobilized by a combination of adsorption on silicalite and cross-linking via glutaraldehyde; such combined immobilization demonstrated better results as compared with adsorption or cross-linking separately. The analysis of urea and sucrose concentrations in the real samples was carried out. The results, obtained with biosensors, had high correlation with the results of traditional analytical methods, thus the developed biosensors are promising for practical applications

Sport’s events: Rally de Portugal as a promoter of Porto tourism destination

The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of the Rally de Portugal in the tourism destination Porto, thus answering the question “What is the role of the Rally de Portugal in the tourism destination Porto?”. In this study it was used a qualitative methodology, and the sampling method for convenience, according to the availability of the participants. Therefore, individual interviews were applied to two of the event organisers. The interview guide was divided into two sections: Planning and Organisation of the Rally de Portugal, and Porto as a Tourism Destination. The holding of the Porto Street Stage has several positive impacts, being this event a successful one. However, for that to happen, it is necessary to follow three stages during the planning and organization of the event: budgeting, performance, and evaluation. This procedure takes over a year to manage, concerning the Rally de Portugal, or only a few months, regarding the Porto Street Stage. Events influence the economy, environment, culture, society, and politics of a destination [1]. Therefore, as the Rally de Portugal is an event, such influence is also present. However, there are no studies associated with the perspective of stakeholders on the Rally de Portugal as a promotor for the tourism destination Porto, justifying therefore the relevance of the present study.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Adipokines as New Biomarkers of Immune Recovery : Apelin Receptor, RBP4 and ZAG Are Related to CD4+ T-Cell Reconstitution in PLHIV on Suppressive Antiretroviral Therapy

A significant proportion of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who successfully achieve virological suppression fail to recover CD4 T-cell counts. Since adipose tissue has been discovered as a key immune organ, this study aimed to assess the role of adipokines in the HIV immunodiscordant response. This is a multicenter prospective study including 221 PLHIV starting the first antiretroviral therapy (ART) and classified according to baseline CD4 T-cell counts/µL (controls > 200 cells/µL and cases ≤ 200 cells/µL). Immune failure recovery was considered when cases did not reach more than 250 CD4 T cells/µL at 144 weeks (immunological nonresponders, INR). Circulating adipokine concentrations were longitudinally measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. At baseline, apelin receptor (APLNR) and zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein (ZAG) concentrations were significantly lower in INRs than in immunological responders (p = 0.043 and p = 0.034), and they remained lower during all ART follow-up visits (p = 0.044 and p = 0.028 for APLNR, p = 0.038 and p = 0.010 for ZAG, at 48 and 144 weeks, respectively). ZAG levels positively correlated with retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) levels (p < 0.01), and low circulating RBP4 concentrations were related to a low CD4 T-cell gain (p = 0.018 and p = 0.039 at 48 and 144 weeks, respectively). Multiple regression adjusted for clinical variables and adipokine concentrations confirmed both low APLNR and RBP4 as independent predictors for CD4 T cells at 144 weeks (p < 0.001). In conclusion, low APLNR and RBP4 concentrations were associated with poor immune recovery in treated PLHIV and could be considered predictive biomarkers of a discordant immunological response