Spontaneous cytokine production in children according to biological characteristics and environmental exposures.

BACKGROUND: Environmental factors are likely to have profound effects on the development of host immune responses, with serious implications for infectious diseases and inflammatory disorders such as asthma. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the effects of environmental exposures on the cytokine profile of children. METHODS: The study involved measurement of T helper (Th) 1 (interferon-gamma), 2 [interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13], and the regulatory cytokine IL-10 in unstimulated peripheral blood leukocytes from 1,376 children 4-11 years of age living in a poor urban area of the tropics. We also assessed the impact of environmental exposures in addition to biological characteristics recorded at the time of blood collection and earlier in childhood (0-3 years before blood collection). RESULTS: The proportion of children producing IL-10 was greater among those without access to drinking water [p < 0.05, chi-square test, odds ratio (OR) = 1.67]. The proportion of children producing IL-5 and IL-10 (OR = 10.76) was significantly greater in households that had never had a sewage system (p < 0.05, trend test). CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence for the profound effects of environmental exposures in early life as well as immune homeostasis in later childhood. Decreased hygiene (lack of access to clean drinking water and sanitation) in the first 3 years of life is associated with higher spontaneous IL-10 production up to 8 years later in life

Offloading de Dados de Veículos Autônomos por Meio de Redes Heterogêneas na Edge Computing

&lt;p&gt;Veículos Autônomos conectados (CAV) possuem recursos de comunicação que tem como objetivo a segurança e eficiência. Os CAVs armazenam em seus caches vários tipos de dados, incluindo os gerados por radares, que são utilizados para auxiliar no Sistema de Transporte Inteligente. A comunicação do Veículo para Infraestrutura (V2I) é utilizada para realizar o offloading desses dados para RSU. Neste trabalho é proposta uma abordagem que tem como objetivo utilizar a Estação de Base (BS), que oferece heterogêneas redes de comunicação (DSRC, 5GmmWave e 6G), para realizar o offloading dos dados para edge computing da rede utilizada. A BS proporciona aos veículos maior tempo de conectividade, este tempo é que limita a capacidade máxima dos dados que podem ser transmitidos pelas redes. Para escolha dos dados de transmissão é utilizado o tamanho dos dados (Mb) e o deadline, para suavizar a transmissão. Além disso, devido as interferências sofridas pelas redes é calculada a capacidade de transmissão do canal para cada veículo, em cada instante do tempo. Essas informações são utilizadas como restrições em uma Programação Linear Inteira (PLI) (0-1), com o problema das múltiplas redes de comunicação, para otimizar a escolha da rede. Em que as redes 5GmmWave/6G só são utilizadas pelos dados de alta prioridade e os demais quando o deadline estão vencendo, &nbsp;os outros utilizam a rede DSRC. Como resultado a abordagem proposta consegue transmitir dados mantendo a qualidade do serviço e menor custo.&lt;/p&gt

Offloading de Dados de Veículos Autônomos por Meio de Redes Heterogêneas na Edge Computing

&lt;p&gt;Veículos Autônomos conectados (CAV) possuem recursos de comunicação que tem como objetivo a segurança e eficiência. Os CAVs armazenam em seus caches vários tipos de dados, incluindo os gerados por radares, que são utilizados para auxiliar no Sistema de Transporte Inteligente. A comunicação do Veículo para Infraestrutura (V2I) é utilizada para realizar o offloading desses dados para RSU. Neste trabalho é proposta uma abordagem que tem como objetivo utilizar a Estação de Base (BS), que oferece heterogêneas redes de comunicação (DSRC, 5GmmWave e 6G), para realizar o offloading dos dados para edge computing da rede utilizada. A BS proporciona aos veículos maior tempo de conectividade, este tempo é que limita a capacidade máxima dos dados que podem ser transmitidos pelas redes. Para escolha dos dados de transmissão é utilizado o tamanho dos dados (Mb) e o deadline, para suavizar a transmissão. Além disso, devido as interferências sofridas pelas redes é calculada a capacidade de transmissão do canal para cada veículo, em cada instante do tempo. Essas informações são utilizadas como restrições em uma Programação Linear Inteira (PLI) (0-1), com o problema das múltiplas redes de comunicação, para otimizar a escolha da rede. Em que as redes 5GmmWave/6G só são utilizadas pelos dados de alta prioridade e os demais quando o deadline estão vencendo, &nbsp;os outros utilizam a rede DSRC. Como resultado a abordagem proposta consegue transmitir dados mantendo a qualidade do serviço e menor custo.&lt;/p&gt

Modelagem de processos estocásticos espaço-temporais e de percolação no estudo de risco sobre sistemas : uma aplicação ao estudo da transmissão à febre aftosa

A Febre aftosa (FA) é uma enfermidade que ataca a todos os animais de casco fendido, principalmente bovinos, suínos, ovinos e caprinos. Ela é caracterizada pela formação de vesículas e considerada a mais grave de todas infecções. É gerada por pelo menos sete sorotipos de vírus que causam infecções indistinguíveis. A propagação está associada com o movimento de animais infectados e o seu contato com animais suscetíveis. Nesta dissertação foi proposto um modelo que teve como objetivo encontrar um índice de risco de transmissão pelo vírus da febre aftosa (VFA) entre fazendas de rebanho bovino através de uma rede. Ele é formado por dois níveis, no primeiro será analisado o processo pontual F, gerado a partir de pontos xi ∈ A ⊂ R2 sorteados aleatoriamente e do processo estocástico Yxi,tj , o nível de infecção, que através dele é feita a localização da ocorrência da infecção pelo vírus da febre aftosa, chamado de focus de infecção. O segundo nível é um modelo de percolação G(G, P), em que G = G(F,E) é um grafo, F um conjunto de fazendas e E representando as arestas que ligam as fazendas. E P é a probabilidade dessa transmissão ocorrer. Com a união dos dois níveis surge G′(G′, P′), em que G′ ´e formado por F′, a união do conjunto de fazendas F ao conjunto de focus F, e E a união das arestas E com as novas arestas ligando F a F. E P′ é formado pelo conjunto de valores de P e por Pi,l, a probabilidade da fazenda Fi ser infectada por um foco fl. Foram simulados pontos representando as coordenadas cartesianas das fazendas e o tamanho do rebanho, os pontos foram distribuídos de forma aleatória e regular na rede. Também foram simuladas as posições relativas iniciais dos focus de forma aleatória na rede, no centro, nas bordas e nos vértices, considerando 3 áreas da região de estudo A. Os resultados mostraram que não há diferença para os dois tipos de rede e confirmam o impacto da posição relativa inicial dos focus na rede para uma propagação da infecção em um conjunto de fazendas, esses resultados também foram mostrados quando comparados para 3 áreas de A.The foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a disease that attacks all cloven-hoofed animals, especially cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. It is characterized by blistering and considered the most serious of all infections. It is generated by at least seven serotypes of viruses that cause infections indistinguishable. The spread is associated with the movement of infected animals and their contact with susceptible animals. In this thesis a model was proposed which aimed to find an index of risk of transmission of foot and mouth disease virus between cattle farms across a network. It comprises two levels, the first will be analyzed the point process F generated from the xi ∈ A ⊂ R2 randomly selected points and the stochastic process Yxi,tj , the level of infection wich through it is done the location of the occurrence of infection by the FMD virus, called a focus of infection. The second level is a percolation model G(G, P), in wich G = G(F,E) is a graph, F a set of farms and E represents the edges that connect the farms. And P is the probability that transmission occurring. By uniting the two levels arises G′(G′, P′), in that G′ consists of F′ the union of all the farms to the set F focus F, and E′ the union of E edges with new edges connecting F and F. And P′ is formed by the set of values of P and Pi,l, the probability of farm Fi be infected by a foco fl. Points were simulated representing the cartesian coordinates of the farms and herd size, the points were distributed randomly and regularly on the network. Were also simulated the relative initials positions of the focus in a random form on the network, in the center, edges and vertices, considering three areas of study region A. The results showed that there are no difference for the two types network and they confirm the impact of the relative initial position of the focus on the network to a spread of infection in a number of farms, these results were shown when compared to three areas of A.Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNP

Respiratory Research

p. 1-9Background: The elucidation of factors that trigger the development of transient wheezing in early childhood may be an important step toward understanding the pathogenesis of asthma and other allergic diseases later in life. Transient wheezing has been mainly attributed to viral infections, although sensitisation to aeroallergens and food allergens may occur at an early age. In developing countries, intestinal helminthic infections have also been associated with allergy or atopy-related disorders. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the association of Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides infections with wheezing and atopy in early childhood. Study design: A cross-sectional study using a Portuguese-language ISAAC phase I questionnaire, adapted for preschool-aged children, nested in a cohort study of childhood diarrhoea, was conducted on 682 children. Two faecal samples per child were examined for the presence of intestinal helminthic infection. IgE antibodies against three allergenic preparations (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Blomia tropicalis and common child food), as well as against A. lumbricoides antigens, were measured in a sub-sample of these children, whose parents allowed the procedure. Atopy was defined by the presence of levels of serum IgE antibodies ≥0.35 kU/L against at least one of the three tested allergenic preparations. Results: Active T. trichiura infection but not A. lumbricoides infection was positively associated with wheezing in the total studied children population [adjusted OR = 2.60; CI = 1.54;4.38] and in the atopic children sub-population [adjusted OR = 3.07; CI = 1.00;9.43]. The association with atopy was also positive and statistically significant only in the brute analysis [OR = 2.13; CI = 1.03;4.40]. Anti-A. lumbricoides IgE antibodies, but not current A. lumbricoides infection, were positively associated with wheezing in atopic children [adjusted OR = 2.01; CI = 1.00;4.50] and in non-atopic children [adjusted OR = 3.07; CI = 1.13;8.35] and it was also associated with atopy [adjusted OR = 7.29; CI = 3.90; 13.4]. On the other hands, reports of wheezing were not significantly associated with atopy. Conclusions: These data corroborate previous studies showing that wheezing is predominantly associated with infection in early childhood and shows that anti-A. lumbricoides IgE antibodies, but not active Ascaris infections, are associated with wheezing and atopy. Additionally, the data demonstrate that T. trichiura infection may play a role in the pathogenesis of atopic wheezing in early childhood

BMC Immunology

p. 1-9Background: Blomia tropicalis is a dust mite and an important source of allergens in tropical regions. Up to now, the assays to diagnose atopy to this mite use whole body extract as antigens. However, anti-B. tropicalis IgE antibodies cross-react with Ascaris lumbricoides antigens, hindering the diagnosis of allergy to this mite. In this study, B. tropicalis recombinant allergens were evaluated with the purpose of developing an immunodiagnostic assay for allergy to this mite with greater specificity than those commercially available. Methods: Two B. tropicalis allergens (Blo t 5 and Blo t 21) were cloned into a plasmidial expression vector, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography. Sixty-three sera containing anti-B. tropicalis extract (BtE) IgE antibodies were used to investigate IgE reactivity to the recombinant Blot 5 and 21 allergens. Inhibition assays with 20 sera pre-adsorbed with A. lumbricoides extract were performed using rBlo t 5, rBlo t 21, and BtE as antigens. All the assays were carried using indirect ELISA. Results: Eighty-two point nine percent and 80.0% of the sera with anti-BtE antibodies from 35 children reacted with rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21, respectively, whereas 92.8% and 89.3% of the 28 sera with anti-BtE antibodies from adult asthma patients reacted with the same allergens, and 96.4% of these sera reacted with a mixture of rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21. In an inhibition ELISA, the absorption of sera by A. lumbricoides extract affected less the reaction with rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21 than with BtE. Conclusions: The rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21 allergens contain important epitopes recognized by IgE antibodies of individuals allergic to B. tropicalis antigens. Moreover, the assays using the recombinant allergens had lower IgE cross-reactivity with A. lumbricoides antigens, a fact which would confers higher specificity to serodiagnostic assays than the crude mite extract. However, additional recombinant allergens should be evaluated in order to reach the same sensitivity of the commercially available assays based on mite extract.Salvado

Blomia tropicalis Blo t 5 and Blo t 21 recombinant allergens might confer higher specificity to serodiagnostic assays than whole mite extract.

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2014-08-25T17:06:11Z No. of bitstreams: 1 CArvalho KA Blomia tropicalis....pdf: 663542 bytes, checksum: 347309bf124c30836985962ab870eb34 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-25T17:06:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CArvalho KA Blomia tropicalis....pdf: 663542 bytes, checksum: 347309bf124c30836985962ab870eb34 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013Universidade Federal da Bahia. ProAR Núcleo de Excelência em Asma. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães. Recife, PE, Brasil.Associação Caruaruense de Ensino Superior. Caruaru, PE, Brasil.Universidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Laboratório de Alergia e Acarologia. Salvador, BA, Brasil.Universidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Ciências da Saúde. Laboratório de Alergia e Acarologia. Salvador, BA, BrasilUniversidade Federal da Bahia. Instituto de Matemática. Salvador, BA, Brasil.Centro Estudos de Alergias Respiratórias. Salvador, BA, Brasil.Centro Estudos de Alergias Respiratórias. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Universidade Federal da Bahia. ProAR Núcleo de Excelência em Asma. Salvador, BA, Brasil.Universidade Federal da Bahia. ProAR Núcleo de Excelência em Asma. Salvador, BA, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.Universidade Federal da Bahia. ProAR Núcleo de Excelência em Asma. Salvador, BA, Brasil.BACKGROUND: Blomia tropicalis is a dust mite and an important source of allergens in tropical regions. Up to now, the assays to diagnose atopy to this mite use whole body extract as antigens. However, anti-B. tropicalis IgE antibodies cross-react with Ascaris lumbricoides antigens, hindering the diagnosis of allergy to this mite. In this study, B. tropicalis recombinant allergens were evaluated with the purpose of developing an immunodiagnostic assay for allergy to this mite with greater specificity than those commercially available. METHODS: Two B. tropicalis allergens (Blo t 5 and Blo t 21) were cloned into a plasmidial expression vector, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography. Sixty-three sera containing anti-B. tropicalis extract (BtE) IgE antibodies were used to investigate IgE reactivity to the recombinant Blot 5 and 21 allergens. Inhibition assays with 20 sera pre-adsorbed with A. lumbricoides extract were performed using rBlo t 5, rBlo t 21, and BtE as antigens. All the assays were carried using indirect ELISA. RESULTS: Eighty-two point nine percent and 80.0% of the sera with anti-BtE antibodies from 35 children reacted with rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21, respectively, whereas 92.8% and 89.3% of the 28 sera with anti-BtE antibodies from adult asthma patients reacted with the same allergens, and 96.4% of these sera reacted with a mixture of rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21. In an inhibition ELISA, the absorption of sera by A. lumbricoides extract affected less the reaction with rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21 than with BtE. CONCLUSIONS: The rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21 allergens contain important epitopes recognized by IgE antibodies of individuals allergic to B. tropicalis antigens. Moreover, the assays using the recombinant allergens had lower IgE cross-reactivity with A. lumbricoides antigens, a fact which would confers higher specificity to serodiagnostic assays than the crude mite extract. However, additional recombinant allergens should be evaluated in order to reach the same sensitivity of the commercially available assays based on mite extrac

BMC Immunology

p. 1-9Background: Blomia tropicalis is a dust mite and an important source of allergens in tropical regions. Up to now, the assays to diagnose atopy to this mite use whole body extract as antigens. However, anti-B. tropicalis IgE antibodies cross-react with Ascaris lumbricoides antigens, hindering the diagnosis of allergy to this mite. In this study, B. tropicalis recombinant allergens were evaluated with the purpose of developing an immunodiagnostic assay for allergy to this mite with greater specificity than those commercially available. Methods: Two B. tropicalis allergens (Blo t 5 and Blo t 21) were cloned into a plasmidial expression vector, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography. Sixty-three sera containing anti-B. tropicalis extract (BtE) IgE antibodies were used to investigate IgE reactivity to the recombinant Blot 5 and 21 allergens. Inhibition assays with 20 sera pre-adsorbed with A. lumbricoides extract were performed using rBlo t 5, rBlo t 21, and BtE as antigens. All the assays were carried using indirect ELISA. Results: Eighty-two point nine percent and 80.0% of the sera with anti-BtE antibodies from 35 children reacted with rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21, respectively, whereas 92.8% and 89.3% of the 28 sera with anti-BtE antibodies from adult asthma patients reacted with the same allergens, and 96.4% of these sera reacted with a mixture of rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21. In an inhibition ELISA, the absorption of sera by A. lumbricoides extract affected less the reaction with rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21 than with BtE. Conclusions: The rBlo t 5 and rBlo t 21 allergens contain important epitopes recognized by IgE antibodies of individuals allergic to B. tropicalis antigens. Moreover, the assays using the recombinant allergens had lower IgE cross-reactivity with A. lumbricoides antigens, a fact which would confers higher specificity to serodiagnostic assays than the crude mite extract. However, additional recombinant allergens should be evaluated in order to reach the same sensitivity of the commercially available assays based on mite extract

The surgical safety checklist and patient outcomes after surgery: a prospective observational cohort study, systematic review and meta-analysis

© 2017 British Journal of Anaesthesia Background: The surgical safety checklist is widely used to improve the quality of perioperative care. However, clinicians continue to debate the clinical effectiveness of this tool. Methods: Prospective analysis of data from the International Surgical Outcomes Study (ISOS), an international observational study of elective in-patient surgery, accompanied by a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature. The exposure was surgical safety checklist use. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcome was postoperative complications. In the ISOS cohort, a multivariable multi-level generalized linear model was used to test associations. To further contextualise these findings, we included the results from the ISOS cohort in a meta-analysis. Results are reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Results: We included 44 814 patients from 497 hospitals in 27 countries in the ISOS analysis. There were 40 245 (89.8%) patients exposed to the checklist, whilst 7508 (16.8%) sustained ≥1 postoperative complications and 207 (0.5%) died before hospital discharge. Checklist exposure was associated with reduced mortality [odds ratio (OR) 0.49 (0.32–0.77); P\u3c0.01], but no difference in complication rates [OR 1.02 (0.88–1.19); P=0.75]. In a systematic review, we screened 3732 records and identified 11 eligible studies of 453 292 patients including the ISOS cohort. Checklist exposure was associated with both reduced postoperative mortality [OR 0.75 (0.62–0.92); P\u3c0.01; I2=87%] and reduced complication rates [OR 0.73 (0.61–0.88); P\u3c0.01; I2=89%). Conclusions: Patients exposed to a surgical safety checklist experience better postoperative outcomes, but this could simply reflect wider quality of care in hospitals where checklist use is routine