Feedback from the Science Café roundtables at the ninth European Bioanalysis Forum Young Scientist Symposium: optimizing the work-life balance in a bioanalytical laboratory.

As part of the European Bioanalysis Forum's continued commitment to develop young scientists beyond their scientific skills, we also focus on soft skills and a community responsibility during the Young Scientist Symposia, with the Science Café. In previous years, we have focused on topics such as sustainability (green lab) or the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on career development. At the ninth Young Scientist Symposium, the Science Café roundtables focused on the work-life balance and how caring for it can be beneficial for both the individual and the company. Feedback from a premeeting survey and from the discussions during the roundtables can be an important addition to personal and professional development. If organizations are not already focusing on the importance of a healthy work-life balance, they can be inspired to include some aspects of the outcome of the Science Café discussions when developing their staff toward future (scientific) leadership.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes predisposed to higher Nd:YAG capsulotomy rates following cataract surgery: analysis of 53,471 consecutive cases.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of diabetes type on Nd:YAG capsulotomy rates following cataract surgery. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. METHODS: All patients who underwent cataract extraction at the Department of Ophthalmology, Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol, UK, between 2003 and 2017 were included. The Nd:YAG capsulotomy rate following cataract surgery was assessed and compared between nondiabetic, type 1 diabetes (T1D), and type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis controlling for age and sex was used to estimate hazard ratios for Nd:YAG laser capsulotomies. RESULTS: Included were 53,471 consecutive cataract surgeries. Overall, 42,651 eyes (79.8%) were in nondiabetic patients, 823 eyes (1.5%) were in T1D patients, and 9,997 eyes (18.7%) were in T2D patients. The mean follow-up time was 6.8 ± 4.2 years. In univariate analysis, the eyes of T1D patients (p < 0.001) and T2D patients (p = 0.003) had significantly higher Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy rates than the eyes of nondiabetic patients. In Cox regression analysis adjusted for the patient's age and sex, DM1 (HR 1.692, 95%CI 1.390-2.059, P<0.001) and DM2 (HR 1.157, 95%CI 1.075-1.244, P<0.001) remained significantly predictive for higher Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy rates. CONCLUSION: In our large cohort study, patients with T1D and T2D were predisposed to high risk for Nd:YAG capsulotomy following cataract surgery. This study may be beneficial and raise awareness regarding the assessment of posterior capsular opacification development in pseudophakic diabetic patients, particularly those with T1D. The significance of ophthalmology screening for diabetes individuals is further supported by this issue.

Phylogenetic analysis reveals a new introduction of Yellow Fever virus in São Paulo State, Brazil, 2023.

Yellow Fever (YF) is a viral arbovirosis of Public Health importance. In Brazil, surveillance is focused mainly on detecting epizootic events of Platyrrhini. Herein, we compared the detection and phylogenetic analysis of YF virus in two neotropical primates (NTP), a Callithrix detected in the previous epidemic period (2016-2020), and a Callicebus nigrifons, showing a new introduction of YF in 2023. This paper illustrates the importance of joint actions of laboratory and field teams to ensure quick response to Public Health emergencies, such as the intensification of vaccination of susceptible human populations.

Effects of solvent vapor annealing on the optical properties and surface adhesion of conjugated D : A thin films.

A diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and perylene diimide (PDI)-based molecule, denoted as PDI-DPP-PDI, was investigated as an electron acceptor material in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells, with poly[[4,8-bis [5-(2-ethylhexyl)-2-thienyl]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl] [2-(2-ethyl-1-oxohexyl)thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl]] (PBDTTT-CT) as an electron donor. The donor polymer and the acceptor molecule have complementary absorption spectra, which is an essential feature for energy collection in organic solar cells. However, AFM images indicated the presence of isolated and microsized PDI-DPP-PDI domains along the surface of the films, which reduced the power conversion efficiency. Therefore, to improve the homogenization of the acceptor along the film, a post-deposition treatment, denoted as solvent vapor annealing (SVA), was performed in a saturated atmosphere containing the vapour of an organic solvent for 3-10 minutes. This procedure changed the optical and morphological properties of the PBDTTT-CT : PDI-DPP-PDI active layer, resulting in increased power conversion efficiency values by more than 2.5 times (reaching 5.1%). Theoretical simulation pointed out that the experimental absorbance band localized at 580 nm, which appeared after SVA treatment, is possibly related to an intense simulated band with a maximum at 572 nm, resulting from a pair of transitions starting in the copolymer and ending in PDI-DPP-PDI, in regions where both are stacked at about 3 Å. The most significant natural transition orbitals (NTOs) related to these transitions indicated charge transfer character. Moreover, analyses carried out by power spectrum density (PDS) of images acquired from the SVA-treated film indicated that in the region of larger frequencies, across the length scale at around 30-70 nm, an additional fractal region appeared with a Ds of 0.95, indicating a flattened region, possibly related to changes in the overall conformation after SVA treatment. This indicates an improvement in the molecular packing, a feature not observed in the as-cast film. The analyses by force curve spectroscopy pointed out increased adhesion forces and adhesion energy in the PBDTTT-CT : PDI-DPP-PDI film after SVA treatment; this feature enhanced the interfacial interaction with the top electrodes, reflecting improved charge extraction in the photovoltaic device.

Detection of herpesviruses in neotropical primates from São Paulo, Brazil.

Transmission of herpesvirus between humans and non-human primates represents a serious potential threat to human health and endangered species conservation. This study aimed to identify herpesvirus genomes in samples of neotropical primates (NTPs) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 242 NTPs, including Callithrix sp., Alouatta sp., Sapajus sp., and Callicebus sp., were evaluated by pan-herpesvirus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Sixty-two (25.6%) samples containing genome segments representative of members of the family Herpesviridae, including 16.1% for Callitrichine gammaherpesvirus 3, 6.1% for Human alphaherpesvirus 1, 2.1% for Alouatta macconnelli cytomegalovirus, and 0.83% for Cebus albifrons lymphocryptovirus 1. No co-infections were detected. The detection of herpesvirus genomes was significantly higher among adult animals (p = 0.033) and those kept under human care (p = 0.008671). These findings confirm the importance of monitoring the occurrence of herpesviruses in NTP populations in epizootic events.

Anesthetic Management of a Patient With Prinzmetal Angina.

Prinzmetal angina (PA) is characterized by the development of reversible vasoconstriction of the coronary arteries, transient ischemic electrocardiographic changes in the ST segment, chest pain at rest, and prompt response to nitrates. Spasms of the coronary arteries can be precipitated during the perioperative period by an imbalance of vasodilator and vasoconstrictor factors of smooth muscle cells, which can lead to myocardial ischemia, cardiac arrhythmias, and death. Nevertheless, this is a relatively unrecognized topic, and literature is scarce about it. We present a case report detailing the successful anesthetic management of a patient diagnosed with PA and a documented nitrate allergy, who underwent bilateral ureterorenoscopy.

Quality of podcasts recorded by nursing lecturers as pre-class learning material for students: An observational study.

AIM: To evaluate the quality of podcasts produced by lecturers as pre-class learning material; to verify lecturers' buy-in, after a specific workshop, regarding the practice of producing and using podcasts. BACKGROUND: The teaching-learning process has undergone significant changes in recent years with the proposal of the flipped classroom strategy, which places the student at the center of the learning process and uses technology that requires adaptation of lecturers, both inside and outside the classroom. Pre-class learning material is one of the features of the flipped classroom model. It provides basic concepts for problem solving in small group discussion in classroom. Podcasts for this educational purpose are a recent technology and their innovative characteristics require deeper understanding in terms of their influence and usability. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive and quantitative study. SETTING AND POPULATION: A workshop on the production of educational podcasts was offered to 23 lecturers on the Nursing course. METHODS: Data were collected in the second semester of 2021 and the quality analysis was based on criteria available in the literature. RESULTS: Eighteen professors (78 %) participated in the study and 46 podcasts were produced. Most professors being nurses (61 %), followed by biologists (28 %). Most have a doctorate degree (72 %). These podcasts were available for a mean of five days before the classes and their mean access rate by students was 58 %. There was no correlation between the access rate and the period of availability before the relative class. Most podcasts were informative (100 %) and monologues (98 %). The average duration was 6.2 min, which is within the ideal duration recommended in the literature. All of the podcasts included a description of the learning objectives at the beginning and most of them also included a closing message at the end. CONCLUSION: The nursing lecturers were able to produce their podcasts, which met quality criteria and reached the standards suggested by experts in the field.

Physical, chemical and sensory implications of pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) sweet bread made with flour, pulp and fruit by-product.

This study aimed to develop and evaluate bread with the use of pulp and flours of pequi, in partial replacement of water and wheat flour, to develop a bakery product with good technological, nutritional and sensorial qualities. The pequi husk and pulp flours were obtained by means of a thermal pre-treatment, oven drying and standardization of the dry material. Whereas, the bread formulation was defined through the baker's formulation. Besides, the dehydration process caused significant changes (p<0.05) in the L* value and chromaticity (C*), mainly of the flours (husk and pequi pulp), such changes are due to non-enzymatic oxidative processes and pigment degradation, especially carotenoids. The effect of the substitution of ingredients (wheat flour and water) by husk and pulp flours and pequi pulp contributed to the increase in lipid, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract and energy value content. However, the substitution promoted changes in the attributes of color and textural properties, such as increased hardness, chewiness and cohesiveness. Nevertheless, all formulations showed good sensory acceptance and thus, pequi sweet breads can be implemented in school meals for contributing and meeting the nutritional recommendations established by the School Feeding Brazilian Program (PNAE).

Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a tool to assess parental satisfaction in pediatric intensive care units

Abstract Objective To verify the performance of the Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a tool to assess parental satisfaction in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Methods The authors conducted an observational cross-sectional multicenter study in the PICUs of 5 hospitals in Brazil. Eligible participants were all parents or legal guardians of PICU-admitted children, aged 18 years or over. The NPS was administered together with the EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care (EMPATHIC-30), used as the gold standard, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. For analysis, the results were dichotomized into values greater than or equal to the median of the tests. The associations between the 2 tools were evaluated and the distribution of their results was compared. Results The parents or legal guardians of 78 PICU-admitted children were interviewed. Of the respondents, 85% were women and 62% were in a private hospital. The median NPS was 10 (IQR, 10-10), and the median EMPATHIC-30 score was 5.7 (IQR, 5.4-5.9). Compared with the gold standard, the NPS had a sensitivity of 100% at all cutoff points, except at cutoff 10, where the sensitivity was slightly lower (97.5%). As for specificity, NPS performance was poorer, with values ranging from 0% (NPS ≥ 5) to 47.4% (NPS = 10). Conclusions NPS proved to be a sensitive tool to assess parental satisfaction, but with poor ability to identify dissatisfied users in the sample.

Bilateral Gonadal Dysgerminoma in a Phenotypic Female With 46,XY Disorder of Sexual Development: A Case Report.

The 46,XY disorder of sexual development (DSD) is a rare congenital condition characterized by a 46,XY karyotype associated with complete or disturbed female gonadal development and a non-virilized phenotype. The presence of Y chromosome material in these patients' karyotypes increases the risk of germ cell tumor development. The present study reports a unique case of a 16-year-old phenotypically female patient presenting with primary amenorrhea, who was later diagnosed with 46,XY DSD. After bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, the patient was diagnosed with stage IIIC dysgerminoma. The patient received four cycles of chemotherapy and showed a good response. The patient is currently alive and well, with no evidence of disease after the residual lymph node resection.

Perioperative Management of Lewis-Sumner Syndrome.

Lewis-Sumner syndrome (LSS) is a rare immune-mediated neuromuscular disorder. It shares some clinical and pathological features with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). We report on the anaesthetic management of a patient with LSS. There are several concerns when anaesthetizing patients with demyelinating neuropathies, the main ones being the post-operative worsening of symptoms and respiratory depression related to muscle relaxants. In our experience, the rocuronium effect was prolonged and an even lower dosage (0.4 mg/kg) was sufficient for intubation and maintenance. Sugammadex allowed total reversion of neuromuscular block and no respiratory complications occurred. In conclusion, the combination of lower dose rocuronium and sugammadex was safely used in a patient with LSS.

Genetic characterization of the rare Bruconha virus (Bunyavirales: Orthobunyavirus) isolated in Vale do Ribeira (Atlantic Forest biome), Southeastern Brazil.

Brazil is a great source of arbovirus diversity, mainly in the Amazon region. However, other biomes, especially the Atlantic Forest, may also be a hotspot for emerging viruses, including Bunyaviruses (Negarnaviricota: Bunyavirales). For instance, Vale do Ribeira, located in the Southeastern region, has been widely studied for virus surveillance, where Flavivirus, Alphavirus and Bunyaviruses were isolated during the last decades, including Bruconha virus (BRCV), a member of Orthobunyavirus genus Group C, in 1976. Recently, a new isolate of BRCV named Span321532 was obtained from an adult sentinel mouse placed in Iguape city in 2011, and a full-length genome was generated with nucleotide differences ranging between 1.5%, 5.3% and 5% (L, M and S segments, respectively) from the prototype isolated 35 years earlier. In addition, each segment placed BRCV into different clusters, showing the high variety within Bunyavirales. Although no evidence for reassortants was detected, this finding reiterates the need for new surveillance and genomic studies in the area considering the high mutation rates of arbovirus, and also to identify the hosts capable of supporting the continuous circulation of Orthobunyavirus.

In Vitro Activity of Essential Oils from Piper Species (Piperaceae) against Tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii.

Toxoplasmosis is a tropical and neglected disease caused by the parasitic protozoa Toxplasma gondii. Conventional treatment with sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine plus folinic acid, has some drawbacks, such as inefficacy in the chronic phase, toxic side effects, and potential cases of resistance have been observed. In this study, the activity of essential oils (EOs) from three Piper species and their main constituents, including α-Pinene (Piper lindbergii and P. cernuum), ß-Pinene (P. cernuum), and dillapiole (P. aduncum), were evaluated against tachyzoites of T. gondii. α-Pinene was more active [(IC50 0.3265 (0.2958 to 0.3604) µg/mL)] against tachyzoites than P. lindbergii EO [0.8387 (0.6492 to 1.084) µg/mL]. Both α-Pinene and P. lindbergii EO exhibited low cytotoxicity against NHDF cells, with CC50 41.37 (37.64 to 45.09) µg/mL and 83.80 (75.42 to 91.34) µg/mL, respectively, suggesting they could be of potential use against toxoplasmosis.

Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a tool to assess parental satisfaction in pediatric intensive care units.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the performance of the Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a tool to assess parental satisfaction in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). METHODS: The authors conducted an observational cross-sectional multicenter study in the PICUs of 5 hospitals in Brazil. Eligible participants were all parents or legal guardians of PICU-admitted children, aged 18 years or over. The NPS was administered together with the EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care (EMPATHIC-30), used as the gold standard, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. For analysis, the results were dichotomized into values greater than or equal to the median of the tests. The associations between the 2 tools were evaluated and the distribution of their results was compared. RESULTS: The parents or legal guardians of 78 PICU-admitted children were interviewed. Of the respondents, 85% were women and 62% were in a private hospital. The median NPS was 10 (IQR, 10-10), and the median EMPATHIC-30 score was 5.7 (IQR, 5.4-5.9). Compared with the gold standard, the NPS had a sensitivity of 100% at all cutoff points, except at cutoff 10, where the sensitivity was slightly lower (97.5%). As for specificity, NPS performance was poorer, with values ranging from 0% (NPS ≥ 5) to 47.4% (NPS = 10). CONCLUSIONS: NPS proved to be a sensitive tool to assess parental satisfaction, but with poor ability to identify dissatisfied users in the sample.

Serological evidence of arenavirus circulation in wild rodents from central-west, southeast, and south regions of Brazil, 2002-2006.

Viral hemorrhagic fevers caused by arenaviruses are severe zoonotic diseases. In reservoirs, the presence of antibodies may indicate viral circulation in a population of a specific region, and these data can be used as an indicator for further investigations by molecular techniques. The present study aimed to detect the presence of arenavirus antibodies in wild rodents captured from 1998 to 2008 during epidemiological surveillance activities. A retrospective analysis of 2243 wild rodent blood samples using a broad cross-reactive in-house developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed a 0.44% (10/2243) positive rate in wild rodents, which included Necromys lasiurus (6/1012), Calomys callosus (2/94), and Akodon sp. (2/273) species. These rodents were captured between 2002 to 2006 in Campo Alegre de Goiás/GO, Bodoquena/MS, Nuporanga/SP, and Mogi das Cruzes/SP. Our findings suggest the sylvatic circulation of arenavirus among wild rodents in the southeast region of Brazil. However, future virological and molecular studies are necessary to confirm the viral presence in these regions.

Lack of molecular evidence of fecal-borne viruses in capybaras from São Paulo state, Brazil, 2018-2020: a minor public health issue.

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the world's largest rodent species distributed throughout South America. These animals are incredibly tolerant to anthropogenic environments and are occupying large urban centers. Capybaras are known to carry potentially zoonotic agents, including R. rickettsia, Leishmania spp., Leptospira spp., Trypanosoma spp., Salmonella spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and rabies virus. Focusing on the importance of monitoring potential sources of emerging zoonotic viruses and new viral reservoirs, the aim of the present study was to assess the presence of fecal-borne viruses in the feces of capybaras living in urban parks in São Paulo state, Brazil. A total of 337 fecal samples were collected between 2018 and 2020 and screened for the following: (i) Rotavirus group A (RVA) by ELISA; (ii) non-RVA species and Picobirnavirus (PBV) using PAGE; (iii) Human Bocaparvovirus (HBoV), Bufavirus (BuV), Tusavirus (TuV), and Cutavirus (CuV) qPCR; (iv) Human Enterovirus (EV), Norovirus GII (NoV), and Hantavirus by in houses RT-qPCR; (v) SARS-CoV-2 via commercial RT-qPCR kit assay; and (vi) Astrovirus (AstV) and Adenovirus (AdV) using conventional nested (RT)-PCRs. All fecal samples tested were negative for fecal-borne viruses. This study adds further evidence that the fecal-borne viruses is a minor public health issue in Brazilian capybaras, at least during the surveillance period and surveyed areas. Continuous monitoring of sylvatic animals is essential to prevent and control the emergence or re-emergence of newly discovered virus as well as viruses with known zoonotic potential.

Nursing students' opinion on the use of Escape ZOOM® as a learning strategy: Observational study.

The teaching-learning process has gone through major changes due to the COVID-19 pandemics and it has been left to professors to adapt the teaching process and find ways to keep students engaged. There has been a need to establish collaborative and active strategies for working in the online environment. The development of a game for both teaching and evaluating de interdisciplinary learning content on an online platform may create a gameful experience and stimulating environment that makes complex learning goals achievable. To analyze how nursing students feel in relation to their participation and learning in an Escape Room activity taking place in an online environment. This is a descriptive and exploratory cross-sectional cohort study. The study was carried out in a higher education institution. The sample consisted of 73 students. After implementation of Escape Zoom® in the first semester of 2021, adapted questionnaires to assess students' satisfaction and perception of learning were applied. In the Educational Practices Questionnaire, all statements obtained greater than 70% agreement, which revealed students' satisfaction, especially with learning with colleagues. As for learning, 93.2% of students' statements expressed that the Escape Zoom® favors teamwork and 91.8% of student's statements agreed that the activity is effective for learning and would recommend it to other colleagues. The Escape Zoom® is an effective teaching strategy, perceived with satisfaction by students as a form of learning with colleagues, in a game-oriented way. It also has the potential to promote the development of soft skills.

Genetic characterization of the rare Bruconha virus (Bunyavirales: Orthobunyavirus) isolated in Vale do Ribeira (Atlantic Forest biome), Southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT Brazil is a great source of arbovirus diversity, mainly in the Amazon region. However, other biomes, especially the Atlantic Forest, may also be a hotspot for emerging viruses, including Bunyaviruses (Negarnaviricota: Bunyavirales). For instance, Vale do Ribeira, located in the Southeastern region, has been widely studied for virus surveillance, where Flavivirus, Alphavirus and Bunyaviruses were isolated during the last decades, including Bruconha virus (BRCV), a member of Orthobunyavirus genus Group C, in 1976. Recently, a new isolate of BRCV named Span321532 was obtained from an adult sentinel mouse placed in Iguape city in 2011, and a full-length genome was generated with nucleotide differences ranging between 1.5%, 5.3% and 5% (L, M and S segments, respectively) from the prototype isolated 35 years earlier. In addition, each segment placed BRCV into different clusters, showing the high variety within Bunyavirales. Although no evidence for reassortants was detected, this finding reiterates the need for new surveillance and genomic studies in the area considering the high mutation rates of arbovirus, and also to identify the hosts capable of supporting the continuous circulation of Orthobunyavirus.