Maternal health among Venezuelan women migrants at the border of Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Guaranteeing the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of populations living in fragile and humanitarian settings is essential and constitutes a basic human right. Compounded by the inherent vulnerabilities of women in crises, substantial complications are directly associated with increased risks of poor SRHR outcomes for displaced populations. The migration of Venezuelans, displaced due to current economic circumstances, is one of the largest in Latin America's history. This study aims to provide an overview of the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues affecting migrant Venezuelan women in the state of Roraima, Brazil. METHODS: Face-to-face interviews were conducted from 24 to 30 November 2019. Data collection covered various issues involving access to and use of SRH services by 405 migrant Venezuelan women aged 18-49 years. The Minimum Initial Service Package readiness assessment tools, available from the Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crises, were used in the data collection. RESULTS: Most commonly, the women reported unmet family planning needs. Of these, a significant proportion reported being unable to obtain contraceptive methods, particularly long-acting reversible contraceptives, either due to the woman's inability to access them or their unavailability at healthcare centres. Although a significant proportion of women were largely satisfied with the attention received at the maternity hospital, both before and during childbirth, 24.0% of pregnant or postpartum women failed to receive any prenatal or postnatal care. CONCLUSION: Meeting the essential SRHR needs of migrant Venezuelan women in Roraima, Brazil is a challenge that has yet to be fully addressed. Given the size of this migrant population, the Brazilian healthcare system has failed to adapt sufficiently to meet their needs; however, problems with healthcare provision are similar for migrants and Brazilian citizens. Efforts need to be encouraged not only in governmental health sectors, but also with academic, non-governmental and international organisations, including a coordinated approach to ensure a comprehensive SRHR response. Given the current high risks associated with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, meeting the SRHR needs of migrant populations has become more critical than ever.

Ex vivo killing of Enterococcus faecalis and mixed plaque bacteria in planktonic and biofilm culture by modified photoactivated disinfection.

AIM: To compare the efficacy of conventional and modified photoactivated disinfection (PAD) against Enterococcus faecalis and mixed plaque bacteria in suspension and biofilms. METHODOLOGY: Enterococcus faecalis (four strains) and mixed plaque bacteria from three adult volunteers were suspended in water, added to methylene blue (MB, 15 µmol L⁻¹), MB mixed with 0.5% hydrogen peroxide and 0.05% chlorhexidine (CHX), MB mixed with 0.5% hydrogen peroxide and 0.05% EDTA or MB mixed with 0.05% EDTA and 0.05% CHX and exposed to laser irradiation from 10 s to 5 min. After exposure, samples were taken, serially diluted and grown aerobically and anaerobically on Tryptic Soy Agar plates or on blood agar plates for 24 and 72 h, respectively. For biofilm experiments, E. faecalis and mixed plaque biofilms were grown on sterile hydroxyapatite (HA) discs coated overnight with bovine dermal collagen type I for 3 weeks. After exposure to MB or MB and low concentration of EDTA with either hydrogen peroxide or CHX, the percentage of killed bacteria by PAD was evaluated using viability staining and confocal laser scanning microscope. For statistical analysis, one-way analysis of variance was performed. RESULTS: Conventional PAD killed from 90.76% to 100% E. faecalis for 3 min, but failed to kill all plaque bacteria even after 5 min of laser irradiation. In modified PAD, up to 100% of suspended E. faecalis and mixed plaque bacteria were killed after 1 min and 30 s of irradiation. Up to twenty times more biofilm bacteria were killed by modified PAD than by conventional PAD with 15 µmol L⁻¹ MB (P < 0.001) and up to eight times more than 2% CHX (P < 0.001) and 1% sodium hypochlorite (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Modified PAD was superior to conventional PAD against planktonic and biofilm bacteria.

Features of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a culture starter for the production of the distilled sugar cane beverage, cachaça in Brazil.

AIMS: To evaluate the dominance and persistence of strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the process of sugar cane fermentation for the production of cachaça and to analyse the microbial compounds produced in each fermentative process. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three S. cerevisiae strains were evaluated during seven consecutive 24-h fermentation batches using recycled inocula. The UFLA CA 116 strain had the largest population of viable organisms, and the maximum population was achieved in the fourth batch after 96 h of fermentation. The UFLA CA 1162 and UFLA CA 1183 strains grew more slowly, and the maximum population was reached in the seventh batch. Molecular characterization of isolated yeast cells using PFGE (pulse field gel electrophoresis) revealed that more than 86% of the isolates corresponded to the initially inoculated yeast strain. The concentration of aldehydes, esters, methanol, alcohol and volatile acids in the final-aged beverages were within the legal limits. CONCLUSIONS: Cachaça produced by select yeast strains exhibits analytical differences. UFLA CA 1162 and UFLA CA 116 S. cerevisiae isolates can be considered the ideal strains for the artisanal production of cachaça in Brazil. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The use of select yeast strains can improve the quality and productivity of cachaça production. Our findings are important for the appropriate monitoring of yeast during sugar cane fermentation. In addition, we demonstrate that UFLA CA 116 and UFLA CA 1162, the ideal yeast strains for cachaça production, are maintained at a high population density. The persistence of these yeast strains in the fermentation of sugar cane juice promotes environmental conditions that prevent or decrease bacterial contamination. Thus, the use of select yeast strains for the production of cachaça is a viable economic alternative to standardize the production of this beverage.

Neurogenic stuttering: a review of the literature. / Tartamudez neurogena: revision de la bibliografia.

INTRODUCTION: Neurogenic stuttering is a disorder of neurologic origin in the rhythm of speech during which the patient knows exactly what he wants to say but is unable to because of an involuntary prolongation, cessation or repetition of a sound. AIM: To assemble new insights regarding the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of neurogenic stuttering. DEVELOPMENT: A review of all PubMed and Scopus published articles between January 2000 and September 2016 was performed. Thirty-three publications were analyzed. Neurogenic stuttering is a rare entity whose epidemiological incidence is yet not fully established. It is correlated with several neurological diseases and with several possible localizations within the nervous system. Notwithstanding the recent advances in the understanding of the underlying mechanism, it is not yet possible to establish a single pathophysiological mechanism of neurogenic stuttering. The differential diagnosis is complex and requires the detailed knowledge of other language disorders. The treatment is currently based on specific speech language therapy strategies. CONCLUSION: Neurogenic stuttering is a complex disorder which is not fully understood. Additional studies might help to better explain the underlying pathophysiological mechanism and to open doors to novel therapeutic methods.

TITLE: Tartamudez neurogena: revision de la bibliografia.Introduccion. La tartamudez neurogena es un trastorno del ritmo de habla de origen neurologico en el cual el paciente sabe perfectamente lo que quiere decir, pero es incapaz de articularlo a causa de la prolongacion, el cese o la repeticion involuntaria de un sonido. Objetivo. Reunir nuevos datos referentes a la epidemiologia, la fisiopatologia, el diagnostico, la evaluacion y el tratamiento de la tartamudez neurogena. Desarrollo. Se llevo a cabo una revision de todos los articulos publicados en PubMed y Scopus entre enero de 2000 y septiembre de 2016. Se examinaron 33 publicaciones. La tartamudez neurogena es una entidad poco frecuente cuya incidencia epidemiologica no se ha definido completamente. Aparece en el marco de diversas enfermedades neurologicas y ligada a distintos lugares del sistema nervioso. A pesar de los avances recientes en el conocimiento del mecanismo subyacente, aun no ha sido posible determinar un unico mecanismo fisiopatologico de este trastorno. El diagnostico diferencial es complejo y requiere un buen conocimiento de otros trastornos del lenguaje. El tratamiento se basa actualmente en terapias logopedicas especificas. Conclusion. La tartamudez neurogena es un trastorno complejo que no se conoce con detalle. Nuevos estudios ayudarian a esclarecer los mecanismos fisiopatologicos que se ocultan tras ella y abririan la puerta a nuevos metodos terapeuticos.

Fuel ethanol after 25 years.

After 25 years, Brazil and North America are still the only two regions that produce large quantities of fuel ethanol, from sugar cane and maize, respectively. The efficiency of ethanol production has steadily increased and valuable co-products are produced, but only tax credits make fuel ethanol commercially viable because oil prices are at an all-time low. The original motivation for fuel-ethanol production was to become more independent of oil imports; now, the emphasis is on its use as an oxygenated gasoline additive. There will only be sufficient, low-cost ethanol if lignocellulose feedstock is also used.

[Recurrent pericardial effusion --a case of cardiac angiosarcoma]. / Derrame pericárdico recidivante--um caso de angiosarcoma cardíaco.

A case of angiosarcoma of the right atrium in a 59-year-old woman is reported, presenting as a recurrent hematic pericardial effusion. The usefulness of echocardiography in making the diagnosis is emphasized. The tumor was already disseminated at the time of the diagnosis. The patient was on palliative therapy, dying a few months later. The histological examination was done at autopsy. This case highlights the difficulty in diagnosis and the various modalities available for an accurate diagnosis of a rare clinical entity. It has a rapid and aggressive course with a very poor prognosis.

Quantification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in toasted guaraná (Paullinia cupana) by high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector.

Samples of toasted guaraná seeds with husk from Maués (Amazônia) and ten samples of different brands of guaraná powder produced in different parts of Brazil were analysed in this work, aiming to identify and quantify 16 PAHs. The samples were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with fluorescence and UV-Vis detectors. Naphthalene was identified and quantified in the guaraná samples (0.13 and 0.78 µg kg(-1)) and both naphthalene and phenanthrene were found in two commercial guaraná powder samples (0.36-1.54 and 0.03-0.06 µg kg(-1), respectively). Considering that the average daily intake of guaraná powder is equivalent to 10 g, it can be seen that guaraná powder contains less PAHs than the limit established in European legislation for other kinds of food (CE 835/2011), that is, around 0.20 µg kg(-1) of PAHs.

Magnetic and thermal responses triggered by structural changes in the double perovskite Sr2YRuO6.

Among double perovskites, the interpretation of the magnetic, thermal and transport properties of Sr(2)YRuO(6) remains a challenge. Characterization using different techniques reveals a variety of features that are not understood, described as anomalous, and yields contradictory values for several relevant parameters. We solved this situation through detailed susceptibility, specific heat, thermal expansion and x-ray diffraction measurements, including a quantitative correlation of the parameters characterizing the so-called anomalies. The emergence of short-range magnetic correlations, surviving well above the long-range transition, naturally accounts for the observed unconventional behavior of this compound. High resolution x-ray powder diffraction and thermal expansion results conclusively show that the magnetic and thermal responses are driven by lattice changes, providing a comprehensive scenario in which the interplay between the spin and structural degrees of freedom plays a relevant role.

Distinctive hippocampal CA2 subfield of the Amazon rodent Proechimys.

Previous data of our laboratory have shown that the Amazonian rodents Proechimys do not present spontaneous seizures in different models of epilepsy, suggesting endogenous inhibitory mechanisms. Here, we describe a remarkably different Proechimy's cytoarchitecture organization of the hippocampal cornu Ammonis 2 (CA2) subfield. We identified a very distinctive Proechimy's CA2 sector exhibiting disorganized cell presentation of the pyramidal layer and atypical dispersion of the pyramidal-like cells to the stratum oriens, strongly contrasting to the densely packed CA2 cells in the Wistar rats. Studies showed that CA2 is the only cornu ammonis (CA) subfield resistant to the extensive pyramidal neural loss in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) associated to hippocampal sclerosis. Thus, in order to investigate this region, we used Nissl and Timm staining, stereological approach to count neurons and immunohistochemistry to neuronal nuclei (NeuN), parvalbumin (PV), calbindin (CB) and calretinin (CR). We did not notice statistically significant differences in the total number of neurons of the CA2 region between Proechimys and Wistar. However, Proechimys rodents presented higher CA2 volume than Wistar rats. Furthermore, no significant difference in the optical density of parvalbumin-immunoreactivity was found between subject groups. On the other hand, Proechimys presented significant higher density of calbindin and calretinin-immunoreactivity when compared to Wistar rats. In this context, this unique CA2 subfield seen in Proechimys opens up a new set of possibilities to explore the contribution of CA2 neurons in normal and pathological brain circuits.

Neurological disorder in cattle associated with bovine herpesvirus 4 / Desordem neurológica em bovinos associada ao herpevírus bovino 4

A nested PCR assay was used to diagnose bovine encephalitis through herpesviruses including bovine herpesvirus 5 (BHV-5), bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1), Aujeszky's disease virus (SHV-1), and ovine herpesvirus 2 (OHV-2) in 14 fragments of central nervous system (CNS) from cattle that died with neurological signs. In addition, as some samples of bovine herpesvirus type 4 (BHV-4) have been isolated from neural tissue, it was also tested by nested PCR. The cases of encephalitis occurred in isolation at different times of the year and did not present any seasonality. The duration of the clinical course ranged between 1 to 15 days, and in 64.3 percent of the cases it manifested between 1 to 2 days. The most frequently observed neurological signs were ataxia, recumbency, unsteadiness and inability to stand, opisthotonus, paddling movements, nystagmus and ptyalism. In the nested assay, there was no evidence of: BHV-1, SHV-1 or OHV-2 in the DNA obtained from the CNS in any of the samples. But the presence of BHV-4 was found in all fragments of the CNS in cattle which died presenting neurological signs. Moreover, BHV-5 was found in association with BHV-4 in two of these samples.

Nested PCR foi utilizada para o diagnóstico de encefalite bovina por herpesvírus incluindo o herpesvírus bovino 5 (BHV-5), o herpesvírus bovino 1 (BHV-1), o vírus da doença de Aujeszky (SHV-1) e o herpesvírus ovino 2 (OHV-2) em 14 fragmentos do sistema nervoso central (SNC) de bovinos que morreram com sinais neurológicos. Embora o BHV-4 não seja reconhecido como vírus neurotrófico, foi detectado nos casos de encefalite que ocorreram isoladamente em diferentes épocas do ano e não apresentaram nenhuma sazonalidade. A duração do curso clínico variou entre 1 e 15 dias, e em 64,3 por cento dos casos manifestou-se entre 1 e 2 dias. Os sinais neurológicos mais freqüentemente observados foram ataxia, apatia, instabilidade, opistótono, movimentos de pedalagem, nistagmo e sialorréia. Nos ensaios de PCR nested realizados a partir do DNA obtido do SNC, não foi encontrado evidência de: BHV-1, SHV-1 ou OHV-2 em nenhuma das amostras. Mas, a presença de BHV-4 foi encontrada em todos os fragmentos do SNC de bovinos que morreram com sinais neurológicos. Além disso, o BHV-5 foi encontrado em associação com o BHV-4 em duas dessas amostras.

Adsorption of 5'-AMP and catalytic synthesis of 5'-ADP onto phosphate surfaces: correlation to solid matrix structures.

A non-enzymatic formation of 5'-ADP starting from phosphorylation of 5'-AMP in the presence of either calcium phosphate or calcium pyrophosphate precipitates is reported. This reaction is taken as a model for the study of heterogeneous catalysis of transphosphorylation in prebiotic conditions. Experiments were performed in completely aqueous media and in media containing dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO), to simulate periods of dehydration in primitive aquatic environments. It has been observed that the nucleotide is adsorbed onto both calcium phosphate and calcium pyrophosphate in accordance with Langmuir isotherms. Adsorptive capacity and affinity of the precipitates for nucleotide are changed by the presence of Me2SO, suggesting that the interaction between biomonomers and surfaces can be modulated by the degree of hydration of the anionic components of these compounds. In completely aqueous environments, formation of 5'-ADP from 5'-AMP adsorbed on precipitates of calcium phosphate and calcium pyrophosphate is very small. However, in the presence of 60% Me2SO this synthesis increases by factors of 3 and 6 for surfaces of calcium phosphate and calcium pyrophosphate, respectively, and follows first-order kinetics. Determinations of free energy changes show that phosphorylation of 5'-AMP adsorbed to these precipitates is thermodynamically favorable. Depending on the precipitation time of the samples and the composition of the medium, structural analysis of these precipitates by electron and X-ray diffraction shows changes in their cristallinity grade. It is proposed that these changes are responsible for the modulation of the quantity of adsorbed nucleotides to the surface of solid matrices as well as the catalytic activity of the precipitates.

Pyrite suspended in artificial sea water catalyzes hydrolysis of adsorbed ATP: enhancing effect of acetate.

Minerals have been implicated in different catalytic processes during chemical evolution. It has been proposed that exergonic synthesis of pyrite (FeS2) could have served to promote the endergonic synthesis of biomonomers in early stages of life formation on Earth. The present study was aimed to investigate whether pyrite can adsorb nucleotides and oxo acids in the potentially mild prebiotic conditions found away from the hot hydrothermal vents. It is shown that pyrite strongly adsorbs adenosine 5'-triphosphate in an artificial medium that simulates primordial aqueous environments, and that adsorption is enhanced in the presence of acetate and in an oxygen-free atmosphere. Moreover, the mineral catalyzes the sequential hydrolysis of the gamma and beta phosphoanhydride bonds of the nucleotide.