MENTAL HEALTH OF BRAZILIAN NURSING PROFESSIONALS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: ACTION OF THE NURSING FEDERAL COUNCIL

Objetivo: refletir sobre a saúde mental dos profissionais de enfermagem brasileiros no contexto da pandemia COVID-19.Desenvolvimento: o atual surto da doença causada pelo Coronavírus, a COVID-19, está ocasionando prejuízos enormes para todo o mundo e tende a provocar pânico generalizado na população. Diante dessa realidade, os profissionais da enfermagem fazem parte de um dos grupos mais afetados, expostos ao risco de contágio e da dor emocional que afeta consideravelmente a saúde mental. Assim, o Conselho Federal de Enfermagem determinou à Comissão Nacional de Enfermagem em Saúde Mental para efetivar atendimento a esses profissionais que se encontram na linha de frente na atuação da pandemia.Conclusão: para atingir esse objetivo, elaborou-se o projeto de Atendimento de Enfermagem em Saúde Mental aos profissionais de enfermagem na pandemia. Depois dos primeiros trinta dias de atendimentos, os sentimentos mais emergentes foram: ansiedade, medo, ambivalência, depressão e exaustão.Objective: To reflect on the mental health of the Brazilian nursing professionals in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.Development: The current outbreak of the disease caused by the Coronavirus, COVID-19, is causing enormous damage to the entire world and tends to cause widespread panic in the population. Faced with this reality, the nursing professionals are part of one of the most affected groups, exposed to the risk of contagion and emotional pain that considerably affects mental health. Thus, the Federal Nursing Council appointed the Nursing National Commission on Mental Health to provide assistance to these professionals who are at the forefront of the pandemic.Conclusion: In order to achieve this goal, the Nursing Care on Mental Health project fornursing professionals in the pandemic was elaborated. After the first thirty days of services, the most emerging feelings were anxiety, fear, ambivalence, depression, and exhaustion.Objetivo: reflexionar sobre la salud mental de los profesionales de Enfermería de Brasil en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-19.Desarrollo: el brote actual de la enfermedad causada por el Coronavirus, COVID-19, está ocasionando enormes daños en todo el mundo y tiende a provocar pánico generalizado en la población. Frente a esta realidad, los profesionales de Enfermería forman parte de uno de los grupos más afectados, expuestos al riesgo de contagio y de padecer dolor emocional, que afecta considerablemente la salud mental. En consecuencia, el Consejo Federal de Enfermería designó a la Comisión Nacional de Enfermería en Salud Mental para que efectivice la atención de los profesionales que se encuentran en la primera línea de batalla contra la pandemia.Conclusión: para lograr este objetivo, se elaboró el proyecto de Atención de Enfermería en Salud Mental para los profesionales de Enfermería en la pandemia. Después de los primeros treinta días de servicios, los sentimientos más expresados fueron los siguientes: ansiedad, miedo, ambivalencia, depresión y agotamiento

ESTRATÉGIAS DIDÁTICAS IDENTIFICADAS JUNTO A GRADUANDOS DE ENFERMAGEM

Objectives: To identify the strategies, didactic resources, and digital tools used in undergraduate nursing teaching, based on the students’opinions. Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional study carried out between May and August 2016, with 149 nursing undergraduates from a publicuniversity in the state of Minas Gerais. Data were analyzed in a simple descriptive way by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version20.0. Results: The predominant teaching strategies were: 147 expository-dialogue classes (94.6%); and 131 expository classes (87.9%). The teachingresources were: 148 Data Show, 148 (99.3%); 146 article reading (98%); and 142 slide projections (95.3%). The predominant digital tools were:Digital PowerPoint™ presentation, 147 (98.7%); e-mail, 145 (97.4%); and Google search engine, 144 (96.7%). Conclusion: The results demonstratethe need for greater diversification and use of several strategies that employ information and communication technologies in nursing education.Objetivos: identificar as estratégias, os recursos didáticos e as ferramentas digitais utilizados no ensino degraduação em Enfermagem na opinião dos estudantes. Método: Estudo descritivo, transversal, realizado no períodode maio a agosto de 2016, com 149 graduandos de Enfermagem de uma universidade pública de Minas Gerais. Osdados foram analisados de forma descritiva simples pelo Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), versão20.0. Resultados: As estratégias de ensino predominantes foram: as aulas expositivo-dialogadas, 147 (94,6%) e aulasexpositivas 131 (87,9%). Os recursos de ensino foram: Data Show 148 (99,3%); leitura de artigos 146 (98%) e projetorde slides 142 (95,3%). As ferramentas digitais predominantes foram: a Apresentação Digital PowerPoint, 147 (98,7%);o e-mail, 145 (97,4%) e a ferramenta de pesquisa Google, com 144 (96,7%). Conclusão: Os resultados demonstram anecessidade de maior diversificação e utilização de estratégias diversas que empreguem as Tecnologias de Informaçãoe Comunicação no ensino de Enfermagem.Objetivos: Identificar estrategias, recursos didácticos y herramientas digitales utilizadas en enseñanza de grado en Enfermería, segúnlos estudiantes. Método: Estudio descriptivo, transversal, realizado de mayo a agosto de 2016, con 149 estudiantes avanzados de Enfermería deuna universidad pública de Minas Gerais. Datos analizados en forma descriptiva simple mediante Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS),versión 20.0. Resultados: Las estrategias de enseñanza predominantes fueron: clases expositivo-dialogadas, 147 (94,6%) y clases expositivas, 131(87,9%). Los recursos de enseñanza fueron: Data Show, 148 (99,3%); lectura de artículos, 146 (98%) y proyector de diapositivas, 142 (95,3%). Lasherramientas digitales predominantes fueron: Presentación Digital Power Point, 147 (98,7%); e-mail, 145 (97,4%) y el motor de búsqueda Google,144 (94,7%). Conclusión: Los resultados demostraron necesidad de mayor diversificación y utilización de estrategias diferentes que utilicen lasTecnologías de Información y Comunicación en la enseñanza de Enfermería

Altered Th17/Treg ratio in peripheral blood of systemic lupus erythematosus but not in primary antiphospholipid syndrome

Introduction: The role of the immune response in the pathogenesis of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) remains elusive. It is possible that differences in the frequencies of Th17 cells and/or defects in the immunoregulatory mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of APS. Our aim was to determine the peripheral blood Th cells phenotype and the circulating cytokine profile in patients with primary APS (pAPS) and compare it with systemic lupus erythemathosus (SLE) as disease control group. Methods: The frequencies of circulating regulatory T cells (Tregs) were determined in PBMCs from 36 patients with pAPS by flow cytometry. As control groups we included 21 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC) and 11 patients with SLE. The suppressive capacity of Tregs was evaluated in vitro by coculture assay. On the other hand, intracellular cytokine production was assessed in Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells and circulating IL-6, IL-10, and IL-35 were measured by Cytometric Bead Array and ELISA. The quantification of Th master gene expression levels was performed by real time quantitative PCR. Results: pAPS patients and SLE patients did not show differences in the percentage or number of Tregs compared to HC. The suppressive capacity of Tregs was also similar in the three study group. Instead, we found higher FoxP3·mRNA expression levels in pAPS patients and HC than SLE patients. Regarding the Th17 response, patients with pAPS and HC showed a significantly lower frequency of circulating Th17 cells than SLE. However, no differences were observed in the Th1 response between patients and controls. Thus, increased Th17/Th1 and Th17/Treg ratios were found in SLE patients but not in pAPS patients. pAPS and SLE patients had higher serum IL-6 levels than HC but there was not difference between both disease groups. Besides, a significant increase in the immunosuppressive cytokine levels was observed only in pAPS as compared to HC. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate an increased inflammatory profile of peripheral blood CD4+ T cells from SLE as compared with pAPS mostly due to an increased Th17 response. In conclusion, there seems not to be a direct pathogenic role for Th cells in pAPS but in SLE

Access to infertility services in Canada for HIV-positive individuals and couples: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Family and pregnancy planning issues are important among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive individuals and couples. However, access to fertility services may be limited for this population. The objective of this study was to estimate the types of services available in fertility clinics in Canada for these individuals.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A survey was sent to all registered fertility clinics in Canada to assess the availability of services (investigations and treatment) for infertility and/or viral transmission risk reduction in achieving pregnancy. The proportion and location of clinics willing to carry out investigations and treatments were determined. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess differences in response rates, investigations, and treatments by province and by couple scenario.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Completed surveys were received from 23/28 (82%) of clinics across eight Canadian provinces. Seventy-eight per cent (18/23) were willing to accept HIV-positive individuals in consultation, and 52% had actually seen at least one HIV-positive man or woman in the previous year. Clinics in every province were willing to offer infertility investigations, but only clinics located in five provinces were willing to offer fertility treatments. The most commonly available treatment was intrauterine insemination for couples in which the female partner was HIV-positive (52%). Other techniques, such as sperm washing (26%) or in vitro fertilization (17%), were less commonly offered. A smaller number of clinics were willing to offer risk reduction techniques in achieving pregnancy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Access to infertility investigations and treatments in Canada is limited and regionally dependent.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Registered with ClinicalTrials.gov at <url>http://www.clinicaltrials.gov</url>, registration number NCT00782132.</p

TESLA Technical Design Report Part III: Physics at an e+e- Linear Collider

The TESLA Technical Design Report Part III: Physics at an e+e- Linear ColliderComment: 192 pages, 131 figures. Some figures have reduced quality. Full quality figures can be obtained from http://tesla.desy.de/tdr. Editors - R.-D. Heuer, D.J. Miller, F. Richard, P.M. Zerwa

Hemispheric Specialization in Dogs for Processing Different Acoustic Stimuli

Considerable experimental evidence shows that functional cerebral asymmetries are widespread in animals. Activity of the right cerebral hemisphere has been associated with responses to novel stimuli and the expression of intense emotions, such as aggression, escape behaviour and fear. The left hemisphere uses learned patterns and responds to familiar stimuli. Although such lateralization has been studied mainly for visual responses, there is evidence in primates that auditory perception is lateralized and that vocal communication depends on differential processing by the hemispheres. The aim of the present work was to investigate whether dogs use different hemispheres to process different acoustic stimuli by presenting them with playbacks of a thunderstorm and their species-typical vocalizations. The results revealed that dogs usually process their species-typical vocalizations using the left hemisphere and the thunderstorm sounds using the right hemisphere. Nevertheless, conspecific vocalizations are not always processed by the left hemisphere, since the right hemisphere is used for processing vocalizations when they elicit intense emotion, including fear. These findings suggest that the specialisation of the left hemisphere for intraspecific communication is more ancient that previously thought, and so is specialisation of the right hemisphere for intense emotions

Lista de gêneros de Hymenoptera (Insecta) do Espírito Santo, Brasil

The first checklist of genera of Hymenoptera from Espírito Santo state, Brazil is presented. A total of 973 genera of Hymenoptera is listed, of which 555 (57%) are recorded for the first time from this state. Ichneumonoidea and Chalcidoidea are the two superfamilies with the most genera, 241 and 203 respectively. Braconidae, with 141 genera, are the richest family.The first checklist of genera of Hymenoptera from Espírito Santo state, Brazil is presented. A total of 973 genera of Hymenoptera is listed, of which 555 (57%) are recorded for the first time from this state. Ichneumonoidea and Chalcidoidea are the two superfamilies with the most genera, 241 and 203 respectively. Braconidae, with 141 genera, are the richest family.Fil: Azevedo, Celso O.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Molin, Ana Dal. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Penteado-Dias, Angelica. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Macedo, Antonio C. C.. Secretaria do Meio Ambiente do Estado de São Paulo; BrasilFil: Rodriguez-V, Beatriz. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Dias, Bianca Z. K.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Waichert, Cecilia. State University of Utah; Estados UnidosFil: Aquino, Daniel Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Smith, David. Smithsonian Institution; Estados UnidosFil: Shimbori, Eduardo M.. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Noll, Fernando B.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Gibson, Gary. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; CanadáFil: Onody, Helena. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Carpenter, James M.. American Museum of Natural History; Estados UnidosFil: Lattke, John. Universidad Nacional de Loja; EcuadorFil: Ramos, Kelli dos S.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Williams, Kevin. Florida State Collection of Arthropods; Estados UnidosFil: Masner, Lubomir. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; CanadáFil: Kimsey, Lynn. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Tavares, Marcelo T.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Olmi, Massimo. Università degli Studi della Tuscia; ItaliaFil: Buffington, Matthew L.. United States Department of Agriculture; Estados UnidosFil: Ohl, Michael. Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde Stuttgart; AlemaniaFil: Sharkey, Michael. University of Kentucky; Estados UnidosFil: Johnson, Norman F.. Ohio State University; Estados UnidosFil: Kawada, Ricardo. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Gonçalves, Rodrigo B.. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Feitosa, Rodrigo. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Heydon, Steven. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Guerra, Tânia M.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: da Silva, Thiago S. R.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Costa, Valmir. Instituto Biológico; Brasi

Tunable Chemokine Production by Antigen Presenting Dendritic Cells in Response to Changes in Regulatory T Cell Frequency in Mouse Reactive Lymph Nodes

BACKGROUND: Although evidence exists that regulatory T cells (Tregs) can suppress the effector phase of immune responses, it is clear that their major role is in suppressing T cell priming in secondary lymphoid organs. Recent experiments using two photon laser microscopy indicate that dendritic cells (DCs) are central to Treg cell function and that the in vivo mechanisms of T cell regulation are more complex than those described in vitro. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we have sought to determine whether and how modulation of Treg numbers modifies the lymph node (LN) microenvironment. We found that pro-inflammatory chemokines -- CCL2 (MCP-1) and CCL3 (MIP-la) -- are secreted in the LN early (24 h) after T cell activation, that this secretion is dependent on antigen-specific DC-T cell interactions, and that it was inversely related to the frequency of Tregs specific for the same antigen. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Tregs modify the chemoattractant properties of antigen-presenting DCs, which, as the frequency of Tregs increases, fail to produce CCL2 and CCL3 and to attract antigen-specific T cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results substantiate a major role of Tregs in LN patterning during antigen-specific immune responses

Identification and validation of suitable endogenous reference genes for gene expression studies in human peripheral blood

Background Gene expression studies require appropriate normalization methods. One such method uses stably expressed reference genes. Since suitable reference genes appear to be unique for each tissue, we have identified an optimal set of the most stably expressed genes in human blood that can be used for normalization. Methods Whole-genome Affymetrix Human 2.0 Plus arrays were examined from 526 samples of males and females ages 2 to 78, including control subjects and patients with Tourette syndrome, stroke, migraine, muscular dystrophy, and autism. The top 100 most stably expressed genes with a broad range of expression levels were identified. To validate the best candidate genes, we performed quantitative RT-PCR on a subset of 10 genes (TRAP1, DECR1, FPGS, FARP1, MAPRE2, PEX16, GINS2, CRY2, CSNK1G2 and A4GALT), 4 commonly employed reference genes (GAPDH, ACTB, B2M and HMBS) and PPIB, previously reported to be stably expressed in blood. Expression stability and ranking analysis were performed using GeNorm and NormFinder algorithms. Results Reference genes were ranked based on their expression stability and the minimum number of genes needed for nomalization as calculated using GeNorm showed that the fewest, most stably expressed genes needed for acurate normalization in RNA expression studies of human whole blood is a combination of TRAP1, FPGS, DECR1 and PPIB. We confirmed the ranking of the best candidate control genes by using an alternative algorithm (NormFinder). Conclusion The reference genes identified in this study are stably expressed in whole blood of humans of both genders with multiple disease conditions and ages 2 to 78. Importantly, they also have different functions within cells and thus should be expressed independently of each other. These genes should be useful as normalization genes for microarray and RT-PCR whole blood studies of human physiology, metabolism and disease.Boryana S Stamova, Michelle Apperson, Wynn L Walker, Yingfang Tian, Huichun Xu, Peter Adamczy, Xinhua Zhan, Da-Zhi Liu, Bradley P Ander, Isaac H Liao, Jeffrey P Gregg, Renee J Turner, Glen Jickling, Lisa Lit and Frank R Shar