Interethnic Differences in Antigen-Presenting Cell Activation and TLR Responses in Malian Children during Plasmodium falciparum Malaria

The Fulani ethnic group from West Africa is relatively better protected against Plasmodium falciparum malaria as compared to other sympatric ethnic groups, such as the Dogon. However, the mechanisms behind this lower susceptibility to malaria are largely unknown, particularly those concerning innate immunity. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs), and in particular dendritic cells (DCs) are important components of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Therefore, in this study we investigated whether APCs obtained from Fulani and Dogon children exhibited differences in terms of activation status and toll-like receptor (TLR) responses during malaria infection. Lower frequency and increased activation was observed in circulating plasmacytoid DCs and BDCA-3+ myeloid DCs of infected Fulani as compared to their uninfected counterparts. Conversely, a higher frequency and reduced activation was observed in the same DC subsets obtained from peripheral blood of P. falciparum-infected Dogon children as compared to their uninfected peers. Moreover, infected individuals of both ethnic groups exhibited higher percentages of both classical and inflammatory monocytes that were less activated as compared to their non-infected counterparts. In line with APC impairment during malaria infection, TLR4, TLR7 and TLR9 responses were strongly inhibited by P. falciparum infection in Dogon children, while no such TLR inhibition was observed in the Fulani children. Strikingly, the TLR-induced IFN-γ release was completely abolished in the Dogon undergoing infection while no difference was seen within infected and non-infected Fulani. Thus, P. falciparum infection is associated with altered activation status of important APC subsets and strongly inhibited TLR responses in peripheral blood of Dogon children. In contrast, P. falciparum induces DC activation and does not affect the innate response to specific TLR ligands in Fulani children. These findings suggest that DCs and TLR signalling may be of importance for the protective immunity against malaria observed in the Fulani

Kinect Engineering with Learning (KEWL)

According to a Nielsen survey at the time of this reporting, 41% of all households have a game console. This is one market in which NASA has been absent from education and outreach efforts. Kinect Engineering with Learning (KEWL) is made to enter into that market and bring NASA education and outreach to a very familiar venue. KEWL creates an education and outreach experience that is more participatory, both in a school and museum environment. KEWL is a set of applications that runs on an Xbox 360 using the Kinect controller used for education and outreach. These applications currently include: Train R2, a visual simulation of Robonaut 2 that allows students to control a virtual R2 in a game environment; Drive R2, an interface using the Xbox 360 and Kinect controller that allows students to control the real R2 using the methods they learned playing Train R2; ISS experience, a visual tour of the interior of the International Space Station where students use their body to fly through the virtual ISS; Gravity Ball, a simulation of throwing balls in the gravity of different planets; Solar Array repair, a simulation of the simplified STS-121 solar array repair mission; and PlaySpace, a Mars/Moon application that allows students to experience different aspects of Mars/Moon. Users can "fly through" the ISS using their body, allowing an experience similar to what an astronaut would have on orbit. In PlaySpace, users can fly over the surface of Mars and view surface data obtained by Mars rovers. Users of Train R2 and Drive R2 can experience what it is like to control a robot over a distance with a time delay, simulating the time delay that would occur between ground control and an on-orbit robot. The initial ISS experiences were built using parts of code from the NASA Enigma software. The models used in these experiences were also from the Integrated Graphics Operations and Analysis Lab model database. The PlaySpace experience incorporates surface data obtained from NASA rovers and satellites and was built by NASA JPL

Testimony on Pennsylvania SB1306: No Additional Protections for Religious Freedom

On behalf of the Public Rights/Private Conscience Project (PRPCP) at Columbia Law School I offer the following legal analysis of Senate Bill 1306. Overall, the current version of the bill promises to modernize Pennsylvania’s Human Relations Act by expanding antidiscrimination protections in employment to include sexual orientation and gender identity-based discrimination. Were the Pennsylvania legislature to pass SB 1306, the Commonwealth would join twenty-two states that include sexual orientation and nineteen states that include gender identity in their laws assuring equal employment opportunities for their citizens

Os efeitos de intervenções baseadas em mindfulness em tempos da COVID-19: uma revisão sistemática

Introduction: the public health crisis caused by COVID-19, a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, has imposed physical threats and psychological suffering on both infected patients and individuals who experience social isolation and various governmental restrictions, leading to the appearance of symptoms like anxiety, depression, as well as insomnia, stress, and changes in biological rhythm. In face of this stressful scenario, interventions based on mindfulness (MBIs) have proved to be potentially adequate tools in reducing psychological suffering and generating well-being in the general population. Objective: to describe the effects of mindfulness-based interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted on the effects of mindfulness intervention in times of COVID-19. The articles were searched in four databases (Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, and Science direct) and the PRISMA protocol was used to conduct this review. In total, fourteen articles were included in the study. Results: the use of mindfulness techniques in the population with impaired mental health because of the COVID-19 pandemic proved to be beneficial, with improvement in emotional stress scores and reduction in anxiety symptoms, through formal mindfulness meditation practices such as mindful breathing, body scanning, and application of the mindfulness-based stress reduction strategy (MBSR). Strategies were also applied through smartphone applications that had the objective of promoting the increase of mindfulness and the development of the acceptance without judgment of the traumatic experiences already lived, in addition to an integrated intervention on the internet with the use of mindfulness, the training of respiratory relaxation, refuge skills and Butterfly Hug Method. Conclusion: with the pandemic going through, still with high mortality, continuity of social isolation, and, consequently, intensification of psychic suffering in the population and health professionals, interventions based on mindfulness (MBIs) are being effective to reduce this suffering, prevent the appearance of of chronic mental disorders and promote positive impacts on physical and mental well-being.Introdução: a crise de saúde pública ocasionada pela COVID-19, doença causada pelo SARS-CoV-2, impôs ameaças físicas e sofrimento psíquico tanto aos pacientes infectados quanto aos indivíduos que vivenciam o isolamento social e as diversas restrições governamentais, propiciando o aparecimento de sintomas de ansiedade, depressão, além de insônia, estresse e alterações do ritmo biológico. Diante desse cenário estressor, as intervenções baseadas em atenção plena (MBIs), se mostraram ferramentas potencialmente adequadas na redução do sofrimento psicológico e na geração de bem-estar da população em geral. Objetivo: descrever os efeitos das intervenções baseadas em mindfulness em tempos da COVID-19. Método: foi realizada uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre os efeitos da intervenção mindfulness em tempos da COVID-19. Os artigos foram pesquisados em quatro bases de dados (Pubmed, Embase, Scopus e Science direct) e o protocolo PRISMA foi utilizado para realização desta revisão. No total, quatorze artigos foram incluídos no estudo. Resultados: a utilização de técnicas de mindfulness na população com prejuízos na saúde mental em consequência da pandemia da COVID-19 mostraram-se benéficas, ocorrendo melhora no escore de estresse emocional e redução dos sintomas de ansiedade, através de práticas formais de meditação tipo mindfulness, como respiração consciente, escaneamento corporal, e aplicação da estratégia de redução do estresse baseada em atenção plena (MBSR). Estratégias também foram aplicadas através de aplicativos de smartphone que tiveram o objetivo de promover o aumento da atenção plena e o desenvolvimento da aceitação, sem julgamentos, das experiências traumáticas já vividas, além de intervenção integrada na internet com o uso da atenção plena, treinamento de relaxamento respiratório, habilidades de refúgio e método do abraço de borboleta. Conclusão: com o perpassar da pandemia, ainda com elevada mortalidade, continuidade dos isolamentos sociais, e, consequentemente, intensificação do sofrimento psíquico na população e profissionais de saúde, as intervenções baseadas em atenção plena (MBIs) estão sendo eficazes para diminuir esse sofrimento, prevenir aparecimento de transtornos mentais crônicos e promover impactos positivos no bem-estar físico e mental

Detecting forest response to droughts with global observations of vegetation water content

Droughts in a warming climate have become more common and more extreme, making understanding forest responses to water stress increasingly pressing. Analysis of water stress in trees has long focused on water potential in xylem and leaves, which influences stomatal closure and water flow through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. At the same time, changes of vegetation water content (VWC) are linked to a range of tree responses, including fluxes of water and carbon, mortality, flammability, and more. Unlike water potential, which requires demanding in situ measurements, VWC can be retrieved from remote sensing measurements, particularly at microwave frequencies using radar and radiometry. Here, we highlight key frontiers through which VWC has the potential to significantly increase our understanding of forest responses to water stress. To validate remote sensing observations of VWC at landscape scale and to better relate them to data assimilation model parameters, we introduce an ecosystem-scale analog of the pressure-volume curve, the non-linear relationship between average leaf or branch water potential and water content commonly used in plant hydraulics. The sources of variability in these ecosystem-scale pressure-volume curves and their relationship to forest response to water stress are discussed. We further show to what extent diel, seasonal, and decadal dynamics of VWC reflect variations in different processes relating the tree response to water stress. VWC can also be used for inferring belowground conditions-which are difficult to impossible to observe directly. Lastly, we discuss how a dedicated geostationary spaceborne observational system for VWC, when combined with existing datasets, can capture diel and seasonal water dynamics to advance the science and applications of global forest vulnerability to future droughts

O MONITORAMENTO DO ESTADO NUTRICIONAL DE GESTANTES ADOLESCENTES DA REGIÃO NORDESTE: ANÁLISE DE DADOS DO SISVAN

Teenage pregnancy is a public health problem due to its biological, psychological, economic and family consequences, which can affect the country's socioeconomic indicators, mainly because it occurs early and unplanned. There are several factors that lead to pregnancy at this stage of life, including low education, socioeconomic aspects, reduced age range at menarche and first sexual intercourse and lack of information about contraceptive methods. This is an epidemiological, descriptive, ecological and quantitative study, developed using secondary data from pregnant adolescents benefiting from the Bolsa Família Program in 2022. The data were extracted from public reports from the Food and Nutrition Surveillance System (SISVAN) of the Department of Information in the Unified Health System (DATASUS). To generate the reports, the states of the Northeast region were grouped, the variables “pregnant” life stage and “adolescent” age were grouped for the data source system “Bolsa Família management system – DATASUS”. Data from 240,769 pregnant adolescents were analyzed for the period from 2019 to 2022 in the nine states of the Northeast region. The year 2022 had the highest number of pregnant women monitored (n=71,848). There was a predominance of adequate weight throughout the analyzed period (40.7%), followed by the classification of underweight (32.05%) and overweight (27.1%). Paraíba has the highest prevalence of underweight at 44%. Maranhão has the highest percentage of pregnant women with normal weight (43.6%). Rio Grande do Norte has the highest number of overweight pregnant women, 32.8% (n=3,488). Despite the prevalence of adequate weight, the results obtained in this research draw attention to the high rate of underweight in the Northeast region, mainly in the states of Paraíba and Maranhão. Dietary guidance in maintaining nutritional status becomes effective in intervening in risk situations, such as malnutrition and excess weight, especially in cases of teenage pregnancy.A gravidez na adolescência constitui um problema de saúde pública em função das consequências biológicas, psicológicas, econômicas e familiares, que podem afetar os indicadores socioeconômicos do país, principalmente por ocorrer de forma precoce e não planejada. São diversos os fatores que levam a uma gravidez nesta fase da vida, dentre eles, a baixa escolaridade, aspectos socioeconômicos, redução da faixa etária da menarca e da primeira relação sexual e a falta de informações sobre os métodos contraceptivos. Trata-se de um estudo epidemiológico, descritivo, ecológico e quantitativo, desenvolvido através de dados secundários das gestantes adolescentes beneficiárias do Programa Bolsa Família no ano de 2022. Os dados foram extraídos de relatórios públicos do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN) do Departamento de Informação no Sistema Único de Saúde (DATASUS). Para a geração dos relatórios foi agrupado os estados da região Nordeste, as variáveis fase da vida “gestante” e idade “adolescente”, para o sistema de origem dos dados “sistema de gestão do Bolsa Família – DATASUS”. Foram analisados dados de 240.769 gestantes adolescentes referentes ao período de 2019 a 2022 nos nove estados da região Nordeste. O ano de 2022 apresentou o maior número de gestantes acompanhadas (n=71.848). Houve predominância de peso adequado em todo o período analisado (40,7%), seguido da classificação de baixo peso (32,05%) e excesso de peso (27,1%). A Paraíba apresenta maior prevalência de baixo peso com 44%. O Maranhão apresenta maior percentual de gestantes com peso eutrófico (43,6%). O Rio Grande do Norte possui maior número de gestantes acima do peso 32,8% (n=3.488). Apesar da prevalência de peso adequado, os resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa, chamam atenção para elevada taxa de baixo peso na região Nordeste, principalmente nos estados da Paraíba e Maranhão. A orientação dietética na manutenção do estado nutricional torna-se eficaz em intervir em situações de risco, como a desnutrição e o excesso de peso, principalmente em casos de gravidez na adolescência

Changes in the levels of cytokines, chemokines and malaria-specific antibodies in response to Plasmodium falciparum infection in children living in sympatry in Mali

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Fulani are known to be less susceptible to <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>malaria as reflected by lower parasitaemia and fewer clinical symptoms than other sympatric ethnic groups. So far most studies in these groups have been performed on adults, which is why little is known about these responses in children. This study was designed to provide more information on this gap.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Circulating inflammatory factors and antibody levels in children from the Fulani and Dogon ethnic groups were measured. The inflammatory cytokines; interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and the chemokines; regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), monokine-induced by IFN-gamma (MIG), monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 and IFN-gamma-inducible protein (IP)-10 were measured by cytometric bead arrays. The levels of interferon (IFN)-alpha, IFN-gamma and malaria-specific antibodies; immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgM and IgG subclasses (IgG1-IgG4) were measured by ELISA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results revealed that the Fulani children had higher levels of all tested cytokines compared to the Dogon, in particular IFN-gamma, a cytokine known to be involved in parasite clearance. Out of all the tested chemokines, only MCP-1 was increased in the Fulani compared to the Dogon. When dividing the children into infected and uninfected individuals, infected Dogon had significantly lower levels of RANTES compared to their uninfected peers, and significantly higher levels of MIG and IP-10 as well as MCP-1, although the latter did not reach statistical significance. In contrast, such patterns were not seen in the infected Fulani children and their chemokine levels remained unchanged upon infection compared to uninfected counterparts. Furthermore, the Fulani also had higher titres of malaria-specific IgG and IgM as well as IgG1-3 subclasses compared to the Dogon.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Taken together, this study demonstrates, in accordance with previous work, that Fulani children mount a stronger inflammatory and antibody response against <it>P. falciparum </it>parasites compared to the Dogon and that these differences are evident already at an early age. The inflammatory responses in the Fulani were not influenced by an active infection which could explain why less clinical symptoms are seen in this group.</p

A PRÁTICA DA EDUCAÇÃO EM SAÚDE NA ESTRATÉGIA SAÚDE DA FAMÍLIA.

Objective: To discuss the practice of health education in the family health strategy through the existing literature. Methods: This is a qualitative integrative literature review. The search for works involved in the research was carried out in the following databases: SCIELO, LILACS, BDENF and MEDLINE, using the descriptors in health sciences: "Primary health care", "Health education" and "Public health". The inclusion criteria were: published between 2013 and 2023, with free access to full texts, articles in Portuguese, English and Spanish and related to the theme. Exclusion criteria were: duplicate articles, incomplete articles, abstracts, reviews, debates, articles published in event proceedings and unavailable in full. Results: In the ESF, health education is based on a collective construction based on the work of a multidisciplinary and intersectoral team, which aims for comprehensive and humanized care, seeking to empower the patient to autonomy in care and in prevention and health promotion practices. Conclusion: It can be concluded that primary care is the population's main point of access to health education activities under the SUS, and it is therefore important to emphasize that these activities are aimed at promoting and preventing the population's health.Objetivo: Discutir por meio da literatura existente acerca da prática da educação em saúde na estratégia saúde da família. Métodos: Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura de caráter qualitativo. A busca dos trabalhos envolvidos na pesquisa foi realizada nas seguintes bases de dados: SCIELO, LILACS, BDENF e MEDLINE, a partir dos descritores em ciências da saúde: “Atenção primária á saúde”, “Educação em saúde” e “Saúde pública”. Os critérios de inclusão foram: publicados no período entre 2013 e 2023, cujo acesso ao periódico era livre aos textos completos, artigos em idioma português, inglês e espanhol e relacionados a temática. Critérios de exclusão foram: artigos duplicados, incompletos, resumos, resenhas, debates, artigos publicados em anais de eventos e indisponíveis na íntegra. Resultados: Na ESF a educação em saúde se baseia numa construção coletiva com embasamento no trabalho de uma equipe multidisciplinar e intersetorial, que visa um atendimento integral e humanizado, buscando-se empoderar o paciente a autonomia do cuidado e nas práticas de prevenção e promoção da saúde. Conclusão: Conclui-se que a atenção primária é o principal ponto de acesso da população as atividades de educação em saúde pelo SUS, diante disso é importante destacar que essas atividades visam a promoção e prevenção da saúde da população

Atribuições da atenção primária na assistência à saúde da criança.

Objective: The present study aims to discuss through the existing literature about the attributions of primary care in child health care. Methods: This is a qualitative integrative literature review. The search for the works involved in the research was carried out in the following databases: SCIELO, LILACS, BDENF and MEDLINE, based on the descriptors in health sciences: "Primary health care", "Comprehensive health care" and "Child health". The inclusion criteria were: published between 2013 and 2023, whose access to the journal was free to full texts, articles in Portuguese, English and Spanish and related to the theme. Exclusion criteria were: duplicate articles, incomplete, abstracts, reviews, debates, articles published in proceedings of events and unavailable in full. Results: The care offered to children is carried out mainly in primary care, these are essential for them to have a quality of life throughout their growth and development process in the first years of life. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that child care should be done as early as possible in primary care, which is where most of the care for this public occurs.Objetivo: O presente estudo tem como objetivo discutir por meio da literatura existente acerca das atribuições da atenção primária na assistência à saúde da criança. Métodos: Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura de caráter qualitativo. A busca dos trabalhos envolvidos na pesquisa foi realizada nas seguintes bases de dados: SCIELO, LILACS, BDENF e MEDLINE, a partir dos descritores em ciências da saúde: “Atenção primária `saúde”, “Assistência integral à saúde” e “Saúde da criança”. Os critérios de inclusão foram: publicados no período entre 2013 e 2023, cujo acesso ao periódico era livre aos textos completos, artigos em idioma português, inglês e espanhol e relacionados a temática. Critérios de exclusão foram: artigos duplicados, incompletos, resumos, resenhas, debates, artigos publicados em anais de eventos e indisponíveis na íntegra. Resultados: Os cuidados ofertados as crianças são realizadas principalmente na atenção primária, estes são essenciais para que elas possuem uma qualidade de vida em todo o seu processo de crescimento e desenvolvimento nos primeiros anos de vida. Conclusão: O presente estudo demonstrou que os cuidados a criança devem ser feitos o mais precocemente possível na atenção primária que é onde ocorre a maioria dos atendimentos a esse público