Mannose Binding Lectin and C3 Serum Levels in Coronary Artery Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The process of tissue injury in coronary artery disease (CAD) has been associated with activation of the complement system, partly due to the action of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and C3, which are expressed in atherosclerotic lesions. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of MBL and C3 in patients with CAD and to compare them with healthy controls. Additionally, we aim to assess the correlation between MBL and C3 levels and cardiometabolic parameters. METHODS: MBL and C3 serum concentration were determined by ELISA and immunoturbidimetry, respectively, in up to 119 patients undergoing coronary angiography for CAD evaluation, comprising 48 individuals diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (MI) and 71 without MI. A total of 93 paired healthy controls were included in the study. RESULTS: Individuals with CAD had MBL serum concentration higher than controls (p = .002), regardless of the presence of MI (p = .006). In addition, high concentration of MBL (>2000 ng/mL) was more frequent in patients with CAD (p = .007; OR = 2.6; 95% CI = 1.3-5.1). C3 levels were not significantly associated with any of the patient groups but were positively correlated with cardiometabolic parameters such as body mass index (BMI) and triglycerides levels. CONCLUSIONS: Higher concentrations of MBL were found to be associated with CAD, whereas C3 levels were found to be associated with cardiovascular risk factors.

Optimizing dsRNA engineering strategies and production in E. coli HT115 (DE3).

Producing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) represents a bottleneck for the adoption of RNA interference technology in agriculture, and the main hurdles are related to increases in dsRNA yield, production efficiency, and purity. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize dsRNA production in E. coli HT115 (DE3) using an in vivo system. To this end, we designed a new vector, pCloneVR_2, which resulted in the efficient production of dsRNA in E. coli HT115 (DE3). We performed optimizations in the culture medium and expression inducer in the fermentation of E. coli HT115 (DE3) for the production of dsRNA. Notably, the variable that had the greatest effect on dsRNA yield was cultivation in TB medium, which resulted in a 118% increase in yield. Furthermore, lactose induction (6 g/L) yielded 10 times more than IPTG. Additionally, our optimized up-scaled protocol of the TRIzol™ extraction method was efficient for obtaining high-quality and pure dsRNA. Finally, our optimized protocol achieved an average yield of 53.3 µg/mL after the production and purification of different dsRNAs, reducing production costs by 72%.

The effect of group exercises on balance, mobility, and depressive symptoms in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE:: To determine the effects of group exercises on balance, mobility, and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment. DESIGN:: Single blinded, randomized, matched pairs clinical trial. SETTING:: Four primary healthcare units. SUBJECTS:: Fifty-two sedentary subjects with mild cognitive impairment were paired (age, sex, body mass index, and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Revised score), tested, and then randomized into an intervention group ( n = 26) and a control group ( n = 26). INTERVENTION:: The intervention group performed strength (ankle weights, elastic bands, and dumbbells) and aerobic exercises (walking) in their communities' public spaces, twice a week (60 minutes each), during 24 weeks. The control group maintained its usual routine. MAIN MEASURES:: Balance (Berg Balance Scale (BBS)), mobility (Timed Up and Go Test (TUG)), and depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale-15) were assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS:: Before the intervention, the two groups did not differ statistically. After, the intervention group showed significant improvement ( P < 0.05) in balance (before: 53 ± 3; after: 55.1 ± 1.1 points), mobility (before: 10.7 ± 2.9 seconds; after: 8.3 ± 2 seconds), and depressive symptoms (median punctuation (interquartile range) before: 4 (1.8-6); after: 2.5 (1-4)). The control group presented a significant increase in their depressive symptoms (median before: 3.5 (2-7.3); after: 4 (2-5.3)), while their balance and mobility showed no significant modification. Small effect sizes were observed in the intervention group and control group depressive symptoms, as well as in the control group's mobility and balance. Large effect sizes were observed the intervention group's mobility and balance. CONCLUSION:: Group exercises improved balance, mobility, and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Land use to agriculture and planted forests strongly affect the genetic diversity of Baccharis crispa Spreng., a native herb of South America.

Human population growth constantly requires an increase in the production of food and products from the timber industry. To meet this demand, agriculture and planted forests are advancing over natural areas. In view of this, it is necessary to know the effects of land use for different purposes (grain production, pastures, planted forests, fruit production and among other uses) on the genetic diversity of populations of native species. This knowledge can assist in land use planning as well as in the development of conservation strategies for native species. In this study, we evaluated the effect of land use for agriculture (mainly for cereal production) and planted forests on the genetic diversity of Baccharis crispa Spreng., a herb native to South America. To achieve our goals, we compared population genetic data obtained with three molecular markers (microsatellites, inter-simple sequence repeat and isoenzymes) with data on land use for agriculture and planted forests from 15 different locations. Our results showed that regardless of the molecular marker used, the greater the use of land for agriculture and planted forests, the lower was the genetic diversity of B. crispa populations. Baccharis crispa is a semi-perennial species that needs at least one year to reach its reproductive period, which is prevented in agricultural areas due to the land being turned over or dissected with herbicides every 6 months. In the studied regions, the planted forests are of eucalypt and/or pine, which besides being species with a high production of allelopathic substances, produce strong shading and B. crispa is a species that inhabits open grassland that needs a high incidence of sunlight for development. The data obtained in our study can assist in the decision-making to use land in order to reconcile the production of supplies for humanity and for the conservation of nature.

Effect of Exercise on Cognition, Conditioning, Muscle Endurance, and Balance in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may be a precursor to dementia; however, its progression may be prevented or slowed with exercise. This study aimed at determining the effects of group aerobic and strength training on cognition, conditioning, muscle endurance, and balance in underprivileged community-dwelling older adults with MCI. METHODS: This was a single-blind, randomized, and matched-pair controlled (gender, age, body mass index, and Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised for MCI diagnosis) clinical trial. It was developed in 4 community centers. Fifty-two sedentary, functionally independent individuals, aged 60 years or more, with MCI were randomized into intervention group (n = 26) and control group (n = 26). Participants were tested before and after a 24-week exercise program. Sociodemographic characteristics, cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination), conditioning (2-minute stationary walk test), lower-limb endurance (30-second sit/stand test), and balance data (Functional Reach test) were collected. The intervention group walked and exercised twice weekly (60 minutes each) using ankle weights, latex resistance bands, and dumbbells. The exercise load and intensity were regularly increased on the basis of a preestablished incremental number of sets and repetitions and on the basis of the participants' correct movement execution with a given load. Data were analyzed with Pearson χ test, Fisher exact test, Student t test, Mann-Whitney U test, 2-way repeated measures analysis of variance, and the Cohen d. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Before the intervention, no significant differences were found between groups for any of the variables. Postintervention, significant differences were observed in cognition, conditioning, muscle endurance, and balance. Significant time-by-group interactions were detected in all the intergroup analyses. The improvements observed in the intervention group had medium to large effect sizes (0.35-1.15). The control group's decrease in cognition (13.9%) had a large effect size, while its Functional Reach test decrease (11.4%) had a medium effect size, with no significant change in conditioning or muscle endurance. CONCLUSION: The training program improved cognitive function, muscle endurance, aerobic conditioning, and balance in older adults with MCI.

In Vitro and In Vivo Antitumoral Activity of Exobiopolymers from the Royal Sun Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom Agaricus brasiliensis (Agaricomycetes).

We studied antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo and partial chemical characterization of exobiopolymers (EBPs) of Agaricus brasiliensis produced by submerged cultivation. The EBPs comprised 61.2% total sugar and 22.3% total protein, and the chromatographic profile mainly identified mannose (65.5%), galactose (17.5%), and glucose (13.1%). In vitro analysis revealed a dose with antitumor effectiveness, time-dependent treatment, and 46% inhibition of solid Walker 256 tumors in rats. Metabolic changes were significant in the spleens of the animals; this is possibly related to higher immune activity triggered by the presence of EBPs in the treated group. The increase of nitric oxide production by peritoneal macrophages from animals may be related to the tumor reduction observed, because nitric oxide acts as an important effector pathway in the defense of the organism.

Burnout en profesionales de la salud hospitalaria: revisión sistemática de la literatura / Burnout in hospital health professionals: a systematic literature review / Burnout em profi ssionais da saúde hospitalar: revisão sistemática da literatura

Objetivo: investigar la prevalencia del Síndrome de Burnout en los trabajadores que actúan en hospitales y los factores asociados a su desarrollo. Método: se trata de una revisión sistemática de la literatura realizada en LILACS y PubMed, que tuvo como cuestión orientadora "¿cuál es la preva-lencia del Síndrome de Burnout en los profesionales de la salud que actúan en hospitales?". Para la investigación se utilizaron los descriptores "(professional exhaustion) o (burnout) y (MBI) o (Mas-lach Burnout Inventory) y (professional health)", además de fi ltros "Inglés, español y portugués", y encontró 928 artículos, y de estos, 18 fueron seleccionados para esa revisión.Resultados: de los estudios seleccionados, solamente siete (39%) fueron desarrollados en el con-texto nacional y 11 (61%) fueron desarrollados en el contexto internacional. La mayoría de los estudios identifi caron una alta prevalencia del síndrome de Burnout, y se identifi có una asociación entre el disturbio y los profesionales del sexo femenino, solteros, con menor tiempo de actuación y que cumplían una mayor carga de trabajo.Conclusión: el síndrome de Burnout es un fenómeno complejo, y no fue posible identifi car un perfi l sociodemográfi co más propenso, pues los estudios divergieron entre las variables que fueron signifi cativas cuanto a su desarrollo. Además, existen los factores subjetivos de cada individuo, sus estrategias de enfrentamiento desarrolladas a lo largo de su existencia, con base en sus experiencias individuales, que pueden proteger o exponer frente a situaciones adversas.

Objective: to investigate the prevalence of Burnout Syndrome among hospital health professionals and factors associated with their development.Methods: it is a systematic review of literature performed in LILACS and PubMed, which had as a guiding question "what is the prevalence of burnout syndrome in health professionals who work in hospitals?" For the research, the descriptors "(professional exhaustion) OR (burnout) AND (MBI) OR (Maslach Burnout Inventory) AND (professional health)", plus "English, Spanish and Portugue-se" fi lters were used, with 928 articles found, and 18 were selected for this review.Results: of the selected studies, only seven (39%) were developed in the national context and 11 (61%) were developed in the international context. Most of the studies identifi ed a high prevalence of Burnout syndrome, and an association was identifi ed between the disorder and unmarried, less time-consuming, female workers who performed more work.Conclusion: the Burnout syndrome is a complex phenomenon, and it was not possible to identify a sociodemographic profi le more prone to it, since the studies diverged between the variables that were signifi cant in their development. In addition, there are the subjective factors of each indivi-dual, their coping strategies developed throughout their existence, based on their individual expe-riences, that can protect you or expose you to adverse situations.

Objetivo: investigar a prevalência da Síndrome de Burnout nos trabalhadores que atuam em hos-pitais e os fatores associados ao seu desenvolvimento. Método: trata-se de uma revisão sistemática de literatura realizada na LILACS e PubMed, que teve como questão norteadora "qual a prevalên-cia da síndrome de burnout nos profi ssionais da saúde que a atuam em hospitais?". Para a pesquisa foram utilizados os descritores "(professional exhaustion) OR (burnout) AND (MBI) OR (Maslach Burnout Inventory) AND (professional health)", acrescidos dos fi ltros "inglês, espanhol e portu-guês", sendo encontrados 928 artigos, e desses, 18 foram selecionados para essa revisão. Resulta-dos: dos estudos selecionados, somente sete (39%) foram desenvolvidos no contexto nacional e 11 (61%) foram desenvolvidos no contexto internacional. A maioria dos estudos identifi cou uma alta prevalência da síndrome de Burnout, e foi identifi cada uma associação entre o distúrbio e profi s-sionais do sexo feminino, solteiras, com menos tempo atuação e que cumpriam uma maior carga de trabalho.Conclusão: a síndrome de Burnout é um fenômeno complexo, e não foi possível identifi car um perfi l sociodemográfi co mais propenso a ela, pois os estudos divergiram entre as variáveis quforam signifi cativas quanto ao seu desenvolvimento. Além disso, existem os fatores subjetivos de cada indivíduo, suas estratégias de enfrentamento desenvolvidas ao longo da sua existência, com base nas suas experiências individuais, que podem lhe proteger ou expor frente a situações adversas.

Streptomyces lunalinharesii strain 235 shows the potential to inhibit bacteria involved in biocorrosion processes.

Four actinomycete strains previously isolated from Brazilian soils were tested for their antimicrobial activity against Bacillus pumilus LF-4 and Desulfovibrio alaskensis NCIMB 13491, bacteria that are well known to be involved in biofilm formation and biocorrosion. Strain 235, belonging to the species Streptomyces lunalinharesii, inhibited the growth of both bacteria. The antimicrobial activity was seen over a wide range of pH, and after treatment with several chemicals and heat but not with proteinase K and trypsin. The antimicrobial substances present in the concentrated supernatant from growth media were partially characterized by SDS-PAGE and extracellular polypeptides were seen. Bands in the size range of 12 to 14.4 kDa caused antimicrobial activity. Transmission electron microscopy of D. alaskensis cells treated with the concentrated supernatant containing the antimicrobial substances revealed the formation of prominent bubbles, the spherical double-layered structures on the cell membrane, and the periplasmic space completely filled with electron-dense material. This is the first report on the production of antimicrobial substances by actinomycetes against bacteria involved in biocorrosion processes, and these findings may be of great relevance as an alternative source of biocides to those currently employed in the petroleum industry.