Estresse gerado pelo trabalho em turno : estudo de caso em operadores da Pequena Central Hidrelétrica (PCH) Albano Machado - Trindade do Sul - RS

Orientador : Especialista Jonas Lopes MagalhãesMonografia (especialização) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Tecnologia, Curso de Especialização em Engenharia de Segurança do Trabalho.Inclui referênciasResumo : No mundo globalizado, as doenças ocupacionais estão cada dia mais presentes em nosso cotidiano. A competitividade acirrada, falta de perspectivas futuras, insegurança, ansiedade e aborrecimento, induzem no trabalhador situações estressantes. É dentro desse enfoque que buscou-se mostrar os fatores de risco do estresse nesses trabalhadores. Conhecendo as causas, efeitos do estresse, suas conseqüências e tomando consciência do equilíbrio bem fundamentado, pode-se obter formas de trabalho menos estressantes e, dessa forma, reduzir a carga psicofisiológica para o trabalhador. Dando destaque para trabalhadores em Usinas Hidrelétricas, com revezamento de turnos, que tem se mostrado atuantes, o que pode causar comprometimento ao desempenho desses operadores. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo quantitativo sobre fatores que podem levar ao estresse nos operadores da Usina Hidrelétrica Albano Machado, no município de Trindade do Sul, estado do Rio Grande do Sul – RS, do Grupo Electra. Nele estão enfocados aspectos relacionados às atividades laborais dos operadores e a ocorrência do estresse. As informações foram obtidas através de roteiro de entrevista aplicada diretamente aos operadores, em seu local de trabalho. Os resultados mostram que, em sua maioria, os operadores desconhecem sobre a doença, mas de uma forma geral fornecem uma visão global dos fatores de risco relacionados ao problema estresse nos operadores da Usina albano machado. Foi recomendado que se façam modificações na parte física da usina e também que a empresa desenvolva alternativas de lazer para os funcionários e seus familiares, bem como formas de evitar a monotonia no período noturno

Antibody response against selected epitopes in the HIV-1 envelope gp41 ectodomain contributes to reduce viral burden in HIV-1 infected patients

The ectodomain of gp41 is the target of potent binding and neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and is being explored in new strategies for antibody-based HIV vaccines. Previous studies have suggested that the W164A-3S (3S) and EC26-2A4 (EC26) peptides located in the gp41 ectodomain may be potential HIV vaccine candidates. We assessed 3S- and EC26-specific binding antibody responses and related neutralizing activity in a large panel of chronic HIV-1-infected Portuguese individuals on ART. A similar proportion of participants had antibodies binding to 3S (9.6%) and EC26 (9.9%) peptides but the level of reactivity against 3S was significantly higher compared to EC26, except in the rare patients with double peptide reactivity. The higher antigenicity of 3S was unrelated with disease stage, as assessed by CD4+ T cell counts, but it was directly related with plasma viral load. Most patients that were tested (89.9%, N = 268) showed tier 1 neutralizing activity, the potency being inversely associated with plasma viral load. In the subset of patients that were tested for neutralization of tier 2 isolates, neutralization breadth was inversely correlated with plasma viral load and directly correlated with CD4+ T cell counts. These results are consistent with a role for neutralizing antibodies in controlling viral replication and preventing the decline of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Importantly, in patients with 3S-specific antibodies, neutralizing titers were inversely correlated with viral RNA levels and proviral DNA levels. Moreover, patients with 3S and/or EC26-specific antibodies showed a 1.9-fold higher tier 2 neutralization score than patients without antibodies suggesting that 3S and/or EC26-specific antibodies contribute to neutralization breadth and potency in HIV-1 infected patients. Overall, these results suggest that antibodies targeting the S3 and EC26 epitopes may contribute to reduce viral burden and provide further support for the inclusion of 3S and EC26 epitopes in HIV-1 vaccine candidates.publishersversionpublishe

Phylogeography of hepatitis B virus: the role of Portugal in the early dissemination of HBV worldwide

Copyright: © 2022 Marcelino et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.In Portugal, the genetic diversity, origin of HBV and the Portuguese role in the dissemination of HBV worldwide were never investigated. In this work, we studied the epidemic history and transmission dynamics of HBV genotypes that are endemic in Portugal. HBV pol gene was sequenced from 130 patients followed in Lisbon. HBV genotype A was the most prevalent (n = 54, 41.5%), followed by D (n = 44, 33.8%), and E (n = 32, 24.6%). Spatio-temporal evolutionary dynamics was reconstructed in BEAST using a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo method, with a GTR nucleotide substitution model, an uncorrelated lognormal relaxed molecular clock model, a Bayesian skyline plot, and a continuous diffusion model. HBV subgenotype D4 was the first to be introduced in Portugal around 1857 (HPD 95% 1699-1931) followed by D3 and A2 a few decades later. HBV genotype E and subgenotype A1 were introduced in Portugal later, almost simultaneously. Our results indicate a very important role of Portugal in the exportation of subgenotypes D4 and A2 to Brazil and Cape Verde, respectively, in the beginning of the XX century. This work clarifies the epidemiological history of HBV in Portugal and provides new insights in the early and global epidemic history of this virus.This work was performed in the context of Rute Marcelino PhD study, whose student’s fellowship (SFRH/BD/99507/2014) was supported by the Portuguese Agency for Scientific Research, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), POCH program, Portugal 2020, and European Union/Social European Fund (FSE). This work was also supported by FCT through funds of AA's projects GHTM-UID/Multi/04413/2013 and GHTM-UID/04413/2020 and also NT's projects UIDB/04138/2020 and UIDP/04138/2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Epidemic history of hepatitis C virus genotypes and subtypes in Portugal

Any successful strategy to prevent and control HCV infection requires an understanding of the epidemic behaviour among the different genotypes. Here, we performed the first characterization of the epidemic history and transmission dynamics of HCV subtypes in Portugal. Direct sequencing of NS5B was performed on 230 direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAA)-treatment naïve patients in Lisbon. Phylogenetic analysis was used for subtyping and transmission cluster identification. Bayesian methods were used to reconstruct the epidemic history of HCV subtypes. Sequences were analysed for resistance-associated substitutions (RAS). The majority of strains were HCV-GT1 (62.6%), GT3 (18.3%, all subtype 3a) and GT4 (16.1%). Among GT1, the most frequent were subtypes 1a (75.5%) and 1b (24.5%). Polyphyletic patterns were found in all but 12 lineages suggesting multiple introductions of the different subtypes in this population. Five distinct epidemics were identified. The first significant HCV epidemic in Portugal occurred between 1930s and 1960s, was caused almost exclusively by GT1b and was likely associated with blood transfusions. Rapid expansion of GT3a occurred in the 1960s and GT1a in the 1980s, associated with intravenous drug use. The most recent epidemics were caused by GT4a and GT4d and seem to be associated with the resurgence of opioid use. The C316N substitution was found in 31.4% of GT1b-patients. Close surveillance of patients bearing this mutation and undergoing dasabuvir-based regimens will be important to determine its impact on treatment outcome.publishersversionpublishe

Characterization of NS5A and NS5B Resistance-Associated Substitutions from Genotype 1 Hepatitis C Virus Infected Patients in a Portuguese Cohort

This study is focused on the prevalent NS5 coding region resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) in DAA-naive genotype (GT)1 HCV-infected patients and their potential impact on success rates. Plasma RNA from 81 GT1 HCV-infected patients was extracted prior to an in-house nested RT-PCR of the NS5 coding region, which is followed by Sanger population sequencing. NS5A RASs were present in 28.4% (23/81) of all GT1-infected patients with 9.9% (8/81) having the Y93C/H mutation. NS5B RASs showed a prevalence of 14.8% (12/81) and were only detected in GT1b. Overall 38.3% (31/81) of all GT1 HCV-infected patients presented baseline RASs. The obtained data supports the usefulness of resistance testing prior to treatment since a statistically significant association was found between treatment failure and the baseline presence of specific NS5 RASs known as Y93C/H (p = 0.04).publishersversionpublishe

Estresse gerado pelo trabalho em turno : estudo de caso em operadores da Pequena Central Hidrelétrica (PCH) Albano Machado - Trindade do Sul - RS

Orientador : Especialista Jonas Lopes MagalhãesMonografia (especialização) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Tecnologia, Curso de Especialização em Engenharia de Segurança do Trabalho.Inclui referênciasResumo : No mundo globalizado, as doenças ocupacionais estão cada dia mais presentes em nosso cotidiano. A competitividade acirrada, falta de perspectivas futuras, insegurança, ansiedade e aborrecimento, induzem no trabalhador situações estressantes. É dentro desse enfoque que buscou-se mostrar os fatores de risco do estresse nesses trabalhadores. Conhecendo as causas, efeitos do estresse, suas conseqüências e tomando consciência do equilíbrio bem fundamentado, pode-se obter formas de trabalho menos estressantes e, dessa forma, reduzir a carga psicofisiológica para o trabalhador. Dando destaque para trabalhadores em Usinas Hidrelétricas, com revezamento de turnos, que tem se mostrado atuantes, o que pode causar comprometimento ao desempenho desses operadores. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo quantitativo sobre fatores que podem levar ao estresse nos operadores da Usina Hidrelétrica Albano Machado, no município de Trindade do Sul, estado do Rio Grande do Sul – RS, do Grupo Electra. Nele estão enfocados aspectos relacionados às atividades laborais dos operadores e a ocorrência do estresse. As informações foram obtidas através de roteiro de entrevista aplicada diretamente aos operadores, em seu local de trabalho. Os resultados mostram que, em sua maioria, os operadores desconhecem sobre a doença, mas de uma forma geral fornecem uma visão global dos fatores de risco relacionados ao problema estresse nos operadores da Usina albano machado. Foi recomendado que se façam modificações na parte física da usina e também que a empresa desenvolva alternativas de lazer para os funcionários e seus familiares, bem como formas de evitar a monotonia no período noturno

Epidemic history of hepatitis C virus genotypes and subtypes in Portugal

Any successful strategy to prevent and control HCV infection requires an understanding of the epidemic behaviour among the different genotypes. Here, we performed the first characterization of the epidemic history and transmission dynamics of HCV subtypes in Portugal. Direct sequencing of NS5B was performed on 230 direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAA)-treatment naïve patients in Lisbon. Phylogenetic analysis was used for subtyping and transmission cluster identification. Bayesian methods were used to reconstruct the epidemic history of HCV subtypes. Sequences were analysed for resistance-associated substitutions (RAS). The majority of strains were HCV-GT1 (62.6%), GT3 (18.3%, all subtype 3a) and GT4 (16.1%). Among GT1, the most frequent were subtypes 1a (75.5%) and 1b (24.5%). Polyphyletic patterns were found in all but 12 lineages suggesting multiple introductions of the different subtypes in this population. Five distinct epidemics were identified. The first significant HCV epidemic in Portugal occurred between 1930s and 1960s, was caused almost exclusively by GT1b and was likely associated with blood transfusions. Rapid expansion of GT3a occurred in the 1960s and GT1a in the 1980s, associated with intravenous drug use. The most recent epidemics were caused by GT4a and GT4d and seem to be associated with the resurgence of opioid use. The C316N substitution was found in 31.4% of GT1b-patients. Close surveillance of patients bearing this mutation and undergoing dasabuvir-based regimens will be important to determine its impact on treatment outcome.The authors would like to thank all the patients for their participation. C.P. is supported by the Portuguese ‘Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia’ (FCT) (grant number SFRH/BPD/77448/2011, part of the EDCTP2 program supported by the European Union). R.M. was supported by a Ph.D. scholarship by the Portuguese ‘Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia’ (FCT). V.B. is supported by the Miguel Servet program run by the ‘Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria’ (ISCIII) (grant number CP13/00098). I.M. is supported by the Portuguese ‘Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia’ (FCT) (grant number SFRH/BD/131062/2017).S

New insights into the origins of the AIDS pandemic

Angola, located in South-Western Africa, has a remarkably low HIV/AIDS prevalence in the adult population (3.7%). It is bordered in the North by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Republic of Congo that are at the origin of human HIV-1 infections