Correction: Recombinant L-Asparaginase from Zymomonas mobilis: A Potential New Antileukemic Agent Produced in Escherichia coli.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156692.].

Impact of a communication strategy on family satisfaction in the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Family satisfaction of critically ill patients has gained increased interest as important indicator to evaluate the quality of care in the intensive care unit (ICU). The family satisfaction in the ICU questionnaire (FS-ICU 24) is a well-established tool to assess satisfaction in such settings. We tested the hypothesis that an intervention, aiming at improved communication between health professionals and patients' next of kin in the ICU improves family satisfaction, as assessed by FS-ICU 24. METHODS: Using a multicenter before-and-after study design, we evaluated medium-term effectiveness of VALUE, a recently proposed strategy aiming at improved communication. Satisfaction was assessed using the FS-ICU 24 questionnaire. Performance-importance plots were generated in order to identify items highly correlated with overall satisfaction but with low individual score. RESULTS: A total of 163 completed family questionnaires in the pre-intervention and 118 in the post-intervention period were analyzed. Following the intervention, we observed: (1) a non-significant increase in family satisfaction summary score and sub-scores; (2) no decline in any individual family satisfaction item, and (3) improvement in items with high overall impact on satisfaction but quoted with low degree of satisfaction. CONCLUSION: No significant improvement in family satisfaction of critically ill adult patients could be found after implementing the VALUE strategy. Whether these results are due to insufficient training of the new strategy or a missing effect of the strategy in our socio-economic environment remains to be shown.

Heme-induced ROS in Trypanosoma cruzi activates CaMKII-like that triggers epimastigote proliferation. One helpful effect of ROS.

Heme is a ubiquitous molecule that has a number of physiological roles. The toxic effects of this molecule have been demonstrated in various models, based on both its pro-oxidant nature and through a detergent mechanism. It is estimated that about 10 mM of heme is released during blood digestion in the blood-sucking bug's midgut. The parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas' disease, proliferates in the midgut of the insect vector; however, heme metabolism in trypanosomatids remains to be elucidated. Here we provide a mechanistic explanation for the proliferative effects of heme on trypanosomatids. Heme, but not other porphyrins, induced T. cruzi proliferation, and this phenomenon was accompanied by a marked increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in epimastigotes when monitored by ROS-sensitive fluorescent probes. Heme-induced ROS production was time- and concentration-dependent. In addition, lipid peroxidation and the formation of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) adducts with parasite proteins were increased in epimastigotes in the presence of heme. Conversely, the antioxidants urate and GSH reversed the heme-induced ROS. Urate also decreased parasite proliferation. Among several protein kinase inhibitors tested only specific inhibitors of CaMKII, KN93 and Myr-AIP, were able to abolish heme-induced ROS formation in epimastigotes leading to parasite growth impairment. Taken together, these data provide new insight into T. cruzi- insect vector interactions: heme, a molecule from the blood digestion, triggers epimastigote proliferation through a redox-sensitive signalling mechanism.

Prevalência e perfil de tabagistas universitários ingressantes de uma instituição de ensino superior / Prevalence and profile of smoking students entering an institution of higher education

Introdução: O tabagismo é considerado atualmente um problema de saúde pública. A indústria do tabaco encontra nos jovens uma oportunidade para garantir a manutenção de um grande contingente de consumidores. Neste contexto, estão incluídos os estudantes universitários que, indiferentemente, são considerados público com grande suscetibilidade de envolvimento com o tabaco. Metodologia: Responderam a um questionário adaptado sobre tabagismo, da Organização Mundial da Saúde, 111 alunos, com perguntas dirigidas a fumantes, ex-fumantes e não fumantes. Resultados: Dos 111 entrevistados, 8,1 por cento (n = 9) são tabagistas, 13,51 por cento (n = 15) são ex-tabagistas e 78,37 por cento (n = 87) nunca foram tabagistas. A média de idade da população estudada foi de 20 anos ± 3,22 anos. Entre os tabagistas, 50 por cento revelaram ter iniciado o hábito tabágico entre 10 e 15 anos. O consumo de cigarros ao dia, entre os tabagistas, foi considerado baixo, pois 78 por cento deles revelam consumir de 1 a 10 cigarros ao dia. A situação onde a prevalência do consumo é maior entre os tabagistas está relacionada à associação do consumo de álcool, com 67 por cento dos tabagistas afirmando que fumam mais quando consomem bebida alcoólica, seguida por estresse, em 11 por cento dos casos, e sintomas afetivos, em 11 por cento. Conclusão: A prevalência encontrada neste estudo assemelha-se à de outros centros universitários no Brasil, confirmando os dados nacionais e a necessidade de políticas de controle do tabagismo nos meios universitários.

Introduction: Smoking is considered a public health problem nowadays. Tobacco industry finds in young people an opportunity to ensure the maintenance of a large contingent of consumers. In this context are included students who, regardlessly, are considered a public with great susceptibility to get involved with tobacco. Methodology: 111 students answered an adapted questionnaire on smoking, recommended by the World Health Organization, with questions directed at smokers, former smokers and nonsmokers. Results: Of the 111 respondents, 8.1 percent (n = 9) are smokers, 13.51 percent (n = 15) are ex-smokers and 78.37 percent (n = 87) never smoked. The average age of the study population was 20 years ± 3.22 years. Among smokers, 50 percent reveal having initiated smoking habit between 10 and 15 years. Consumption of cigarettes per day among smokers was considered low, because 78 percent of the smokers reveal to consume one to ten cigarettes a day. The situation where the prevalence in consumption is greater among smokers is related to the association with alcohol consumption, with 67 percent of the smokersaffirming they smoke more when consuming alcohol, followed by stress in 11 percent of the cases and affective symptoms with 11 percent. Conclusion: The prevalence foundin this study is similar to that of other universities in Brazil, confirming national data and the need for policies to control smoking in the academic world.