Efficacy of intraoral antiseptics in SARS-CoV-2 infection control in dental clinics

Background and Objectives: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which the main route of transmission is through contact with contaminated saliva, routine dental procedures represent a potential risk of contagion for professionals and patients. To reduce the occurrence of cross-infection, ways of controlling oral microbial load are necessary, such as the use of preoperative mouthwashes. Thus, the aim of this literature review was to assess the potential efficacy of different intra-oral antiseptics in SARS-CoV-2 infection control in dental clinics. Content: This is a literature review, carried out in the LILACS, Cochrane Library, CAPES and MEDLINE databases, using the search terms “mouth rinse”, “dental care”, “COVID-19”, “cetylpiridinium chloride”, “povidone-iodine”, “chlorhexidine”, and “hydrogen peroxide”. Among the 46 potentially relevant articles, fourteen articles were selected, with full texts published in the last 5 years. These were analyzed and categorized according to the type of study (literature review, in vitro and in vivo studies). The antiseptics highlighted as most relevant in terms of antiviral efficacy were povidone-iodine, cetylpyridinium chloride, hydrogen peroxide and chlorhexidine. Conclusion: Little evidence has been found regarding the effectiveness of oral antiseptics against SARS-CoV-2. It is worth mentioning that some studies conducted with povidone-iodine and chlorhexidine show promising results in combating SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, conducting randomized clinical studies is extremely important to determine the effectiveness of these compounds in controlling COVID-19 in dental practice

Estimulação cerebral profunda na Doença de Parkinson: evidências de estudos de longa duração

A Doença de Parkinson (DP) é uma condição neurodegenerativa crônica que afeta principalmente idosos, mas pode ocorrer em adultos jovens. É a segunda doença neurodegenerativa mais comum, após o Alzheimer. A DP afeta 1% dos indivíduos acima de 60 anos em países industrializados. Sua causa envolve fatores genéticos e ambientais, como exposição a pesticidas e envelhecimento. A Estimulação Cerebral Profunda (DBS) é um tratamento que simula lesões cerebrais, melhorando sintomas motores e não motores. O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar evidências de estudos sobre a eficácia da DBS no tratamento da DP. Trata-se de uma revisão sistemática de estudos quantitativos que utiliza as bases de dados PubMed (Medline), Cochrane Library e Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) para selecionar artigos científicos. Os estudos incluídos abrangem o período de 2013 a 2023 e estão em inglês, abordando a DBS no tratamento da DP. A DBS melhora diversos sintomas motores e não motores, resultando em uma melhor qualidade de vida para os pacientes. Tais benefícios são sustentados mesmo em estágios avançados da Doença de Parkinson, a qual consiste em fornecer pulsos de corrente elétrica a áreas cerebrais profundas através de eletrodos implantados cirurgicamente, geralmente quando a terapia medicamentosa já não é eficaz. Em um estudo com 82 pacientes, a terapia com DBS resultou em uma redução de ± 52% nos sintomas motores do UPDRS sob medicação antes da cirurgia. A melhora nos sintomas motores com a estimulação, em comparação com a ausência de estimulação e medicação, foi de ± 61% no primeiro ano e ± 39% de 8 a 15 anos após a cirurgia (antes da reprogramação). A medicação foi reduzida em ± 55% após 1 ano e ± 44% após 8 a 15 anos, com a maioria dos pacientes mostrando melhorias após a reprogramação. De acordo com as literaturas analisadas, a DBS é uma terapia eficaz para a DP. Enfatiza-se a importância da inovação contínua e dos novos estudos para explorar as facetas não investigadas desse campo. Com a abordagem dos aspectos clínicos, cirúrgicos, tecnológicos e científicos, destacam-se os benefícios, limitações e desafios a serem superados. Ademais, inovações tecnológicas na DBS, como a estimulação direcional, adaptativa e a telemedicina estão sendo exploradas. Em suma, este artigo fornece evidências sobre os benefícios da DBS na DP, ressaltando a necessidade de pesquisas adicionais para otimizar tal intervenção terapêutica e melhorar a qualidade de vida dos pacientes

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora

Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention to reduce anastomotic leak following right colectomy (EAGLE): pragmatic, batched stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial in 64 countries

Background Anastomotic leak affects 8 per cent of patients after right colectomy with a 10-fold increased risk of postoperative death. The EAGLE study aimed to develop and test whether an international, standardized quality improvement intervention could reduce anastomotic leaks. Methods The internationally intended protocol, iteratively co-developed by a multistage Delphi process, comprised an online educational module introducing risk stratification, an intraoperative checklist, and harmonized surgical techniques. Clusters (hospital teams) were randomized to one of three arms with varied sequences of intervention/data collection by a derived stepped-wedge batch design (at least 18 hospital teams per batch). Patients were blinded to the study allocation. Low- and middle-income country enrolment was encouraged. The primary outcome (assessed by intention to treat) was anastomotic leak rate, and subgroup analyses by module completion (at least 80 per cent of surgeons, high engagement; less than 50 per cent, low engagement) were preplanned. Results A total 355 hospital teams registered, with 332 from 64 countries (39.2 per cent low and middle income) included in the final analysis. The online modules were completed by half of the surgeons (2143 of 4411). The primary analysis included 3039 of the 3268 patients recruited (206 patients had no anastomosis and 23 were lost to follow-up), with anastomotic leaks arising before and after the intervention in 10.1 and 9.6 per cent respectively (adjusted OR 0.87, 95 per cent c.i. 0.59 to 1.30; P = 0.498). The proportion of surgeons completing the educational modules was an influence: the leak rate decreased from 12.2 per cent (61 of 500) before intervention to 5.1 per cent (24 of 473) after intervention in high-engagement centres (adjusted OR 0.36, 0.20 to 0.64; P < 0.001), but this was not observed in low-engagement hospitals (8.3 per cent (59 of 714) and 13.8 per cent (61 of 443) respectively; adjusted OR 2.09, 1.31 to 3.31). Conclusion Completion of globally available digital training by engaged teams can alter anastomotic leak rates. Registration number: NCT04270721 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)

Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, ventilation management, and outcomes in invasively ventilated intensive care unit patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome: a pooled analysis of four observational studies

Background: Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, the practice of ventilation, and outcome in invasively ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain unexplored. In this analysis we aim to address these gaps using individual patient data of four large observational studies. Methods: In this pooled analysis we harmonised individual patient data from the ERICC, LUNG SAFE, PRoVENT, and PRoVENT-iMiC prospective observational studies, which were conducted from June, 2011, to December, 2018, in 534 ICUs in 54 countries. We used the 2016 World Bank classification to define two geoeconomic regions: middle-income countries (MICs) and high-income countries (HICs). ARDS was defined according to the Berlin criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to compare patients in MICs versus HICs. The primary outcome was the use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) for the first 3 days of mechanical ventilation. Secondary outcomes were key ventilation parameters (tidal volume size, positive end-expiratory pressure, fraction of inspired oxygen, peak pressure, plateau pressure, driving pressure, and respiratory rate), patient characteristics, the risk for and actual development of acute respiratory distress syndrome after the first day of ventilation, duration of ventilation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality. Findings: Of the 7608 patients included in the original studies, this analysis included 3852 patients without ARDS, of whom 2345 were from MICs and 1507 were from HICs. Patients in MICs were younger, shorter and with a slightly lower body-mass index, more often had diabetes and active cancer, but less often chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure than patients from HICs. Sequential organ failure assessment scores were similar in MICs and HICs. Use of LTVV in MICs and HICs was comparable (42·4% vs 44·2%; absolute difference -1·69 [-9·58 to 6·11] p=0·67; data available in 3174 [82%] of 3852 patients). The median applied positive end expiratory pressure was lower in MICs than in HICs (5 [IQR 5-8] vs 6 [5-8] cm H2O; p=0·0011). ICU mortality was higher in MICs than in HICs (30·5% vs 19·9%; p=0·0004; adjusted effect 16·41% [95% CI 9·52-23·52]; p<0·0001) and was inversely associated with gross domestic product (adjusted odds ratio for a US$10 000 increase per capita 0·80 [95% CI 0·75-0·86]; p<0·0001). Interpretation: Despite similar disease severity and ventilation management, ICU mortality in patients without ARDS is higher in MICs than in HICs, with a strong association with country-level economic status