Recent Progress in Stimuli-Responsive Antimicrobial Electrospun Nanofibers

Electrospun nanofibrous membranes have garnered significant attention in antimicrobial applications, owing to their intricate three-dimensional network that confers an interconnected porous structure, high specific surface area, and tunable physicochemical properties, as well as their notable capacity for loading and sustained release of antimicrobial agents. Tailoring polymer or hybrid-based nanofibrous membranes with stimuli-responsive characteristics further enhances their versatility, enabling them to exhibit broad-spectrum or specific activity against diverse microorganisms. In this review, we elucidate the pivotal advancements achieved in the realm of stimuli-responsive antimicrobial electrospun nanofibers operating by light, temperature, pH, humidity, and electric field, among others. We provide a concise introduction to the strategies employed to design smart electrospun nanofibers with antimicrobial properties. The core section of our review spotlights recent progress in electrospun nanofiber-based systems triggered by single- and multi-stimuli. Within each stimulus category, we explore recent examples of nanofibers based on different polymers and antimicrobial agents. Finally, we delve into the constraints and future directions of stimuli-responsive nanofibrous materials, paving the way for their wider application spectrum and catalyzing progress toward industrial utilization

The traditional knowledge on stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponina) used by the Enawene-Nawe tribe in western Brazil

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This paper presents the Enawene-Nawe Society's traditional knowledge about stingless bees. The Enawene-Nawe are an Aruak speaking people, indigenous to the Meridian Amazon. Specifically, they live in the Jurema River hydrological basin, located in the northwestern region of the Mato Grosso state.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The stingless bees were sampled from two ecologically similar regions in the interior of Enawene-Nawe Land. The first sampling took place around the village, i.e., adjacent to houses, by the edge of the Iquê River, next to food leftovers, around human excrement, and simply when the insects were found flying or reposing on a human body. The second round of sampling happened from 29/10 to 02/11/94, during an expedition for honey collection that took place throughout the ciliar bushes of the Papagaio River, an important tributary of Juruena River. We sampled bees adjacent to their nests following the beehive inspection or during the honey extraction.</p> <p>In this work, the main bee species of the sub tribe Meliponina, which were handled by the Enawene-Nawe, was identified, and a brief ethnographic description of the honey collection expeditions and its social-cosmologic meaning for the group was done.</p> <p>Results and Discussion</p> <p>Similar to other indigenous people in Brazil, the Enawene-Nawe recognized 48 stingless bee species. They identified each bee species by name and specified each one's ecological niche. A brief ethnographic description of the honey collection expeditions and bees' social-cosmologic meaning for the group is included.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We concluded that, as an example of other indigenous people, the Enawene-Nawe classify and identify the bees based not only on their structure and morphological aspects but also on the ecological, etiological, and social characteristics of the species.</p

Exceptionally large migration length of carbon and topographically-facilitated self-limiting molecular beam epitaxial growth of graphene on hexagonal boron nitride

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Available online 18 December 2016We demonstrate growth of single-layer graphene (SLG) on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), only limited in area by the finite size of the h-BN flakes. Using atomic force microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy, we show that for growth over a wide range of temperatures (500◦C – 1000◦C) the deposited carbon atoms spill off the edge of the h-BN flakes. We attribute this spillage to the very high mobility of the carbon atoms on the BN basal plane, consistent with van der Waals MBE. The h-BN flakes vary in size from 30 µm to 100 µm, thus demonstrating that the migration length of carbon atoms on h-BN is greater than 100 µm. When sufficient carbon is supplied to compensate for this loss, which is largely due to this fast migration of the carbon atoms to and off the edges of the h-BN flake, we find that the best growth temperature for MBE SLG on h-BN is ∼950◦C. Self-limiting graphene growth appears to be facilitated by topographic h-BN surface features: We have thereby grown MBE self-limited SLG on an h-BN ridge. This opens up future avenues for precisely tailored fabrication of nano- and hetero-structures on pre-patterned h-BN surfaces for device applications.This work is supported by ONR (N000140610138 and Graphene MURI), AFOSR (FA9550-11-1-0010), EFRC Center for Re-Defining Photovoltaic Efficiency through Molecule Scale Control (award DE-SC0001085), NSF (CHE-0641523), NYSTAR and Spanish Government (AIC-B-2011-0806, MAT2014-54231, MAT2015-67021-R). S.W. and A.P. were supported by the US Department of Energy Office of Science, Division of Materials Science and Engineering (award DE-SC0010695)

Atenção ao idoso na estratégia de Saúde da Família: atuação do enfermeiro

Este estudo objetivou descrever a consulta de enfermagem ao idoso realizada na ESF; identificar possíveis dificuldades na atenção à saúde do idoso, bem como os cursos de qualificação profissional realizados e as necessidades de aprendizagem. Os dados foram coletados por meio da entrevista semiestruturada e submetidos à análise descritiva e temática. Foram entrevistadas 12 enfermeiras, a maioria estando na faixa etária de anos de formada (41%) em instituição particular (75%). Emergiram duas categorias temáticas: consulta de enfermagem ao idoso na ESF e qualificação profissional para a atenção à saúde do idoso. Foi considerado como desafio na realização da consulta de enfermagem a obtenção de dados fidedignos, a resolutividade e o apoio familiar. Os cursos para qualificar a atenção ao idoso ocorreram durante o período de graduação, destacando a falta de oportunidade, a pouca oferta e a necessidade de se aprofundar sobre o processo de envelhecimento.Este estudio tuvo como objetivo describir la consulta de enfermería realizada por el anciano en la ESF; identificar posibles dificultades en la atención a la salud del anciano, así como los cursos de calificación profesional realizados y las necesidades de aprendizaje. Los datos fueron recogidos a través de la entrevista semiestructurada y sometidos al análisis descriptivo temático. Fueron entrevistadas doce enfermeras, estando la mayoría situadas en la faja etaria de 23 a 28 años (66%), con 1-2 años de graduadas (41%) en instituciones particulares (75%). Emergieron dos categorías temáticas: consulta de enfermería del anciano en la ESF y calificación profesional para la atención de la salud del anciano. Fue considerado como desafío en la realización de la consulta de enfermería la obtención de datos fidedignos, la resolutividad y el apoyo familiar. Los cursos para calificar la atención al anciano, tuvieron lugar durante el período de graduación, destacándose la falta de oportunidad, la poca oferta y la necesidad de profundizar sobre el proceso de envejecimiento.This study aimed to describe the nursing consultation for the elderly provided at the Family Health Strategy (ESF, acronym in Portuguese); identify possible difficulties in delivering health care to the elderly, as well as the professional qualification courses performed and the learning needs. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and submitted to descriptive and thematic analysis. Interviews were performed with 12 nurses, most with ages between years since graduation (41%) in private institutions (75%). Two thematic categories emerged from the analysis: nursing consultation for the elderly performed at ESF and professional qualification in health care for the elderly. Obtaining reliable data in the nursing consultation, resolution and family support were considered as challenges. The courses to qualify professionals for elderly care occurred during their graduation course, highlighting the lack of opportunity, the short supply and the need for deeper studies about the aging process

Drone aggregation behavior in the social wasp Vespula germanica (Hymenoptera: Vespidae): Effect of kinship and density

Inbreeding can have negative consequences on population viability because of the reduced fitness of the progeny. In general, most species have developed mechanisms to minimize inbreeding such as dispersal and kin avoidance behavior. In the eusocial Hymenoptera, related individuals typically share a common nest and have relatively short mating periods, this could lead to inbreeding, and because of their single?locus complementary sex determination system, it may generate diploid males that could result in infertile triploid progeny representing a cost for the colony. Vespula germanica, is an eusocial wasp that has invaded many parts of the world, despite likely facing a reduced genetic pool during the arrival phases. We ask whether male wasp display specific aggregation behavior that favors genetic diversity, key to reduce inbreeding. Through a set of laboratory experiments, we investigated the effects of drone nestmateship and density on the aggregation behavior of V. germanica drones. We show that drones avoid aggregating with their nestmates at all densities while non-nestmates are avoided only at high densities. This suggests that lek genetic diversity and density could be regulated through drone behavior and in the long run minimize inbreeding favoring invasion success.Fil: Masciocchi, Maité. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Angeletti, Bárbara. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Corley, Juan Carlos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Martinez Von Ellrichshausen, Andres Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche; Argentin

Impact of promoting self-care in nursing workload

Abstract OBJECTIVES To assess the impact of promoting self-care in nursing workload and associate it to the variables: age, gender, socioeconomic status, education, marital status and number of children of caregivers. METHODS Prospective study with 31 children and their caregivers. Participants were assessed at two moments, 1st and 2nd hospitalization, the nursing workload was measured by the Nursing Activities Score (NAS). RESULTS The mean NAS in the 1st hospitalization was 60.9% and in the 2nd hospitalization was 41.6%, that is, 14.6 and 9.9 hours of nursing, respectively. The nursing workload on the first day of hospitalization was higher compared to the last day, both for the 1st (p<0.001) and for the 2nd hospitalization (p<0.001), and higher in the first (p<0.001) and in the last day (p=0.025) in the 1st hospitalization. Comparing the 1st hospitalization to the 2nd hospitalization, the first was higher (p<0.001), and NAS items related to the training of self-care was influenced (p<0.001). CONCLUSION The nursing workload associated to self-care promotion corresponded to 14.6 hours and was higher than determined by the existing legislation

Electron scattering by methanol and ethanol: A joint theoretical-experimental investigation

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)We present a joint theoretical-experimental study on electron scattering by methanol (CH3OH) and ethanol (C2H5OH) in a wide energy range. Experimental differential, integral and momentum-transfer cross sections for elastic electron scattering by ethanol are reported in the 100-1000 eV energy range. The experimental angular distributions of the energy-selected electrons are measured and converted to absolute cross sections using the relative flow technique. Moreover, elastic, total, and total absorption cross sections for both alcohols are calculated in the 1-500 eV energy range. A complex optical potential is used to represent the dynamics of the electron-alcohol interaction, whereas the scattering equations are solved iteratively using the Pade's approximant technique. Our calculated data agree well with those obtained using the Schwinger multichannel method at energies up to 20 eV. Discrepancies at high energies indicate the importance of absorption effects, included in our calculations. In general, the comparison between our theoretical and experimental results, as well as with other experimental data available in the literature, also show good agreement. Nevertheless, the discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental total cross sections at low incident energies suggests that the experimental cross sections measured using the transmission technique for polar targets should be reviewed. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3695211]13611Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP