Adjustment strategies adopted by higher education students during COVID-19 pandemic: focus group discussions

Introduction: With the closure of higher education institutions during the COVID-19 sanitary crisis, students have experienced problems such as interruptions to their education, loss of peer support networks, and mental health issues. Objectives: This study aimed to explore adjustment patterns used by students to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods:A qualitative descriptive study was developed by carrying out Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Portuguese students enrolled in education levels above high school, including undergraduate and graduate programs, were considered eligible. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Each FGD took approximately 60–90 min. Results: Twelve students were participated in 2 FGDs, each one with 6 participants. Mostly were undergraduate students (Bachelor’s degree), in the field of health area. The thematic analysis revealed three main themes. The first theme was related to the personal sphere and included most of adjustment strategies used, namely: pandemic as a “window of opportunity” to be involved in new academic and professional projects; work-life balance by organizing and separating work from private life; selfcare through the adoption of healthy lifestyles; being compassionate with others and compliance with sanitary measures. In the social sphere, students evoked new ways of communicating via digital networking to compensate for the lack of physical proximity and stay in safe contact with friends and relatives. In the contextual sphere, students talked about the importance of adapting the “teaching/learning” environment. Tailored teaching support was a significant strategy, especially in maintaining their motivation. Conclusions: Several strategies were pointed by students to stay mentally healthy and mitigate delayed-onset post-traumatic stress disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, positive coping and hope should be integrated into the standard training of students across all study areas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Lipoxidation and cancer immunity

Lipoxidation is a well-known reaction between electrophilic carbonyl species, formed during oxidation of lipids, and specific proteins that, in most cases, causes an alteration in proteins function. This can occur under physiological conditions but, in many cases, it has been associated to pathological process, including cancer. Lipoxidation may have an effect in cancer development through their effects in tumour cells, as well as through the alteration of immune components and the consequent modulation of the immune response. The formation of protein adducts affects different proteins in cancer, triggering different mechanism, such as proliferation, cell differentiation and apoptosis, among others, altering cancer progression. The divergent results obtained documented that the formation of lipoxidation adducts can have either anti-carcinogenic or pro-carcinogenic effects, depending on the cell type affected and the specific adduct formed. Moreover, lipoxidation adducts may alter the immune response, consequently causing either positive or negative alterations in cancer progression. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the effects of lipoxidation adducts in cancer cells and immune components and their consequences in the evolution of different types of cancer.publishe

Prenatal tobacco exposure is related to neurobehavioral modifications in infants of adolescent mothers

INTRODUCTION: Prenatal tobacco exposure interferes with neonatal outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine the neonatal neurobehavioral effects of in utero tobacco exposure. METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study included healthy, term, with birth weight appropriate for gestacional age neonates without exposure to alcohol, drugs, or infections, born to adolescent mothers without psychiatric disorders or post-traumatic stress. Infants were classified according to in utero tobacco exposure, as identified by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview administered to mothers. Neurobehavior was assessed by the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Network Neurobehavioral Scale. Both tools were administered between 24 and 72 hours after birth. Neurobehavioral outcomes were compared between exposed and nonexposed infants by ANOVA. The associations between neurobehavioral scores and number of cigarettes smoked were studied by linear correlation. RESULTS: During the study, 928 newborns of adolescent mothers were born, and 388 were included in the study. Of these, 23 were exposed to tobacco, and 365 neonates were not exposed. There were no differences between the groups in gestational age, birth weight, post-natal age at the exam, or time between last feeding and exam. Exposed neonates showed higher scores on arousal (p = 0.004), excitability (p = 0.003), and stress/abstinence signals (p = 0.019) and a lower score on regulation (p = 0.025). After adjusting for the type of anesthesia, mode of delivery, gender, age at neurologic exam, exam duration and time between last feeding and exam, differences in arousal and excitability remained significant. The mean number of cigarettes consumed daily was positively correlated with lethargy (p = 0.013) and inversely with attention (p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Neonates exposed in utero to tobacco showed worse neurobehavioral performance between 24 and 48 hours of life

Assepsia de sementes para estabelecimento in vitro de espécies medicinais nativas da Caatinga.

Objetivou-se com este trabalho, realizar diferentes testes de assepsia para o estabelecimento in vitro de três espécies nativas da Caatinga de potencial medicinal

Quitosana: biopolímero funcional com potencial industrial biomédico

The importance of chitosan has grown significantly over the last two decades due to its renewable and biodegradable source, and also because of the recent increase in the knowledge of its functionality in the technological and biomedical applications. The present article reviews the biopolymer chitosan and its derivatives as versatile biomaterials for potential drug delivery systems, as well as tissue engineering applications, analgesia and treatment of arthritis

LIBERAÇÃO DE FERRO (III) DE MICROESFERAS RETICULADAS DE QUITOSANA

RELEASE OF IRON (III) FROM CROSSLINKED CHITOSAN MICROSPHERES In this work chitosan microspheres were prepared by the simple coacervation method and crosslinked with epichlorhydrin and glutaraldehyde. The effects of the crosslinking agents on chitosan microspheres were assessed with regard to swelling, hydrolysis, porosity, crosslinking, impregnation of iron (III) and consequently release of iron in buffer solution pH 1.2, simulating the gastrointestinal tract. The crosslinked chitosan microspheres containing iron were characterized by spectroscopy Mössbauer, infrared, thermogravometric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Keywords: biopolymer, chitosan, iron (III) complexes, anemiaNeste trabalho microesferas de quitosana reticuladas foram preparadas pelo método de coacervação simples e reticuladas com glutaraldeído e epicloridrina. Os efeitos dos agentes reticulantes nas microesferas foram testados com respeito ao grau de intumescimento, hidrólise, porosidade, reticulação, impregnação do ferro e conseqüente liberação em solução tampão pH 1,2, simulando o trato gastrointestinal. Análises de espectroscopia Mössbauer, infravermelho, análise termogravimétrica e microscopia eletrônica de varredura foram realizadas para avaliação das estruturas formadas. Palavras chaves: biopolímeros, quitosana, complexos de Fe(III), anemi

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells : disrupting cell therapy storage and distribution with hypothermic preservation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells

Background & Aim: Cell and gene therapies (CGT) have reached new therapeutic targets but have noticeably high prices. Solutions to reduce production costs might be found in CGT storage and transportation since they typically involve cryopreservation, which is a heavily burdened process. Encapsulation at hypothermic temperatures (e.g.,2–8°C) could be a feasible alternative. In this study, we aim to determine the ability of alginate encapsulation to maintain cell viability, identity, and function in the context of MSC-based therapy manufacturing. Methods, Results & Conclusion: Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC(AT)) expanded using fetal bovine serum (FBS)- (MSC-FBS) or human platelet lysate (HPL)-supplemented mediums (MSC-HPL) were encapsulated in alginate beads (BeadReady™ kits kindly provided by Atelerix) for 30 min, 5 days, and 12 days. After bead release, cell recovery and viability were determined to assess encapsulation performance. MSC identity and functional immunophenotype, MSC tri-lineage differentiation potential, metabolic activity, and hematopoietic support capacity were determined and compared between timepoints. MSC(AT) were able to survive encapsulated for a standard transportation period of 5 days, with recovery values of 56 ± 5% for MSC-FBS and 77 ± 6% for MSC-HPL (which is a negligible drop compared to earlier timepoints). Importantly, MSC function did not suffer from encapsulation, with recovered cells showing robust differentiation potential, expression of immunomodulatory molecules, and hematopoietic support capacity. MSC(AT) encapsulation was proven possible for a remarkable 12 day period. There is currently no solution to completely replace cryopreservation in CGT logistics and supply chain, although encapsulation has shown potential to act as a serious competitor.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Implantes de resina de poliuretana vegetal (Ricinus communis) na tração linear, fixação e fusão vertebral no cão: estudo experimental

O artigo não apresenta resumo

Infantile Refsum Disease: Influence of Dietary Treatment on Plasma Phytanic Acid Levels

Infantile Refsum disease (IRD) is one of the less severe of Zellweger spectrum disorders (ZSDs), a group of peroxisomal biogenesis disorders resulting from a generalized peroxisomal function impairment. Increased plasma levels of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA) and phytanic acid are biomarkers used in IRD diagnosis. Furthermore, an increased plasma level of phytanic acid is known to be associated with neurologic damage. Treatment of IRD is symptomatic and multidisciplinary.The authors report a 3-year-old child, born from consanguineous parents, who presented with developmental delay, retinitis pigmentosa, sensorineural deafness and craniofacial dysmorphisms. While the relative level of plasma C26:0 was slightly increased, other VLCFA were normal. Thus, a detailed characterization of the phenotype was essential to point to a ZSD. Repeatedly increased levels of plasma VLCFA, along with phytanic acid and pristanic acid, deficient dihydroxyacetone phosphate acyltransferase activity in fibroblasts and identification of the homozygous pathogenic mutation c.2528G>A (p.Gly843Asp) in the PEX1 gene, confirmed this diagnosis. Nutritional advice and follow-up was proposed aiming phytanic acid dietary intake reduction. During dietary treatment, plasma levels of phytanic acid decreased to normal, and the patient's development evaluation showed slow progressive acquisition of new competences.This case report highlights the relevance of considering a ZSD in any child with developmental delay who manifests hearing and visual impairment and of performing a systematic biochemical investigation, when plasma VLCFA are mildly increased. During dietary intervention, a biochemical improvement was observed, and the long-term clinical effect of this approach needs to be evaluated.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The preparation and characterization of the hexacyanides immobilized in chitosan

We report some details of the ferrocyanide and ferricyanide complexes immobilized in chitosan. These immobilized complexes are characterized by electrochemistry, and infrared and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Alterations are observed in the infrared and Mössbauer spectra and in the cyclic voltammograms of the material prepared with ferricyanide when this material is irradiated with sunlight. These alterations indicate that the ferricyanide ion undergoes a photoinductive reduction on the biopolymeric surface