Prevalence of sleep disorders in children with Congenital Zika Syndrome.

Studies have reported that children with Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) experience changes in their sleep patterns, which can result in mood disturbances, behavioral issues and delays in growth and development. This systematic review synthesized the available evidence on the prevalence of sleep disorders in children with CZS. Eligible studies were those with an observational design that reported sleep disorders in children with CZS using validated questionnaires, polysomnography/electroencephalographic recording or parent/caregiver reports. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS and Embase, as well as a gray literature search using Google Scholar. The Freeman-Tukey double-arcsine transformation with a random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of sleep disorders with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Five studies were included and data from 340 Brazilian children with CZS were analyzed. The overall prevalence of sleep disorders was 27.4% (95% CI 16.7-39.4), without differences among studies using validated questionnaires (29.4%, 95% CI 21.4-37.8) or report from parents and caregivers (27.4%, 95% CI 11.5-47.0). Sleep disorders are prevalent in children with CZS, impacting their development and quality of life. It is critical to examine the quality of sleep in these children to develop appropriate interventions that can mitigate these issues.

The article discusses a systematic review of studies that have explored the prevalence of sleep disorders in children with Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS), a condition caused by the Zika virus. The study found that children with CZS often experience changes in their sleep patterns, which can lead to mood disturbances, behavioral issues and delays in growth and development. The review included five studies with a total of 340 Brazilian children with CZS, and the overall prevalence of sleep disorders was found to be 27.4%. This indicates that sleep disorders are prevalent in children with CZS and can significantly impact their development and quality of life. The authors suggest that further research is needed to develop appropriate interventions to mitigate these issues.

Resilience in Mothers of Children with Congenital Zika Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Resilience is a dynamic process influenced by life circumstances. This study evaluated the association between resilience and anxiety, depressive symptoms, and quality of life (QoL) of mothers of children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study including 31 mothers of children with CZS assisted in rehabilitation centers in Sergipe state, Northeast Brazil, an endemic area for Zika virus (ZIKV). RESULTS: Mothers' age ranged from 18 to 42 years and all of them had low income. There were high levels of anxiety (scores > 40) in 80.6% of mothers and 19.3% had moderate (scores 19-29) to severe (scores 30-63) depressive symptoms. We found a relationship between increased levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms and lower levels of personal competence (p = 0.007) and acceptance of self and life (p = 0.003), respectively. We also found a positive relationship between social QoL and personal competence (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: This study showed that lower personal competence is significantly associated to psychological distress and poorer social QoL in mothers of children with CZS.

Recommendations for a safety dental care management during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

As the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted mainly through droplets, sneezes and aerosols, there is a high risk of transmission during dental procedures. This report describes measures that can be adopted by oral healthcare personnel to minimize the risk of cross-contamination in clinical practice during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Dado que el SARS-CoV-2, causante de síndrome respiratorio agudo severo, se transmite principalmente por medio de gotitas, estornudos y aerosoles, existe un alto riesgo de transmisión durante los procedimientos dentales. En este informe se describen las medidas que puede adoptar el personal de salud bucodental para reducir al mínimo el riesgo de contaminación cruzada en la práctica clínica durante la actual pandemia por SARS-CoV-2.

Como o SARS-CoV-2, que causa síndrome respiratória aguda grave, é transmitido principalmente por gotículas, espirros e aerossóis, há um alto risco de transmissão durante os procedimentos odontológicos. Este relatório descreve os passos que podem ser tomados pelo pessoal de saúde oral para minimizar o risco de contaminação cruzada na prática clínica durante a actual pandemia do SARS-CoV-2.

Changes in Occupational Roles and Common Mental Disorders in Mothers of Children With Congenital Zika Syndrome.

IMPORTANCE: The functional limitations and long-term dependence of children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) may lead to changes in maternal occupational roles, which can have a negative impact on mothers' well-being and mental health. OBJECTIVE: To investigate changes in occupational roles and their effects on the mental health of mothers who have a child with CZS. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Rehabilitation centers of the Brazilian Unified Health System in Alagoas, Northeast Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: Forty mothers of children with CZS. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The Role Checklist and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 were used to assess the mothers' involvement in occupational roles and common mental disorders (CMDs), respectively. The relationship between changes in occupational roles and CMDs was analyzed using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: Our study showed that loss of paid work (p = .026) is associated with poor mental health of mothers of children with CZS. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Strengthening public policies to reduce the economic impact of CZS on families, offering multidisciplinary counseling, and implementing psychoeducational strategies for promoting maternal psychological adjustment are needed. WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS: The time and money spent by mothers in daily care activities for children with CZS contribute to a reduction in family income and social well-being and have a negative impact on mothers' mental health.

S-nitrosylation influences the structure and DNA binding activity of AtMYB30 transcription factor from Arabidopsis thaliana.

MYB proteins are a family of transcription factors that play an important role in plant development and regulatory defense processes. Arabidopsis thaliana MYB30 (AtMYB30), a member of this protein family, is involved in cell death processes during the hypersensitive response (HR) of plants. HR is characterized by a vast production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). NO may thus influence the binding of AtMYB30 to DNA. In this work we evaluated the effect of NO on AtMYB30 DNA binding activity, and also in the protein structural properties. A fully active minimal DNA-binding domain (DBD) of AtMYB30 (residues 11-116) containing two cysteine residues (C49 and C53) was overexpressed and purified. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to obtain AtMYB30 DBD mutants C49A and C53A. The DNA binding activity of AtMYB30 DBD, and Cys single mutants is clearly inhibited upon incubation with a NO donor, and S-nitrosylation was confirmed by the biotin switch assay. Finally, in order to understand the mechanism of NO effect on AtMYB30 DNA binding activity we performed circular dichroism analysis, to correlate the observed protein function inhibition and a potential structural impairment on AtMYB30 DBD. Indeed, NO modification of C49 and C53 residues promotes a subtle modification on the secondary structure of this transcription factor. We thus demonstrated, using various techniques, the in vitro effect of NO on AtMYB30 DBD, and thus the potential consequences of NO activity on plant metabolism influenced by this transcription factor.

Association between deleterious oral habits and asthma in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Deleterious oral habits (DOH) have been described as a common finding in pediatric series. Studies have investigated their association with local and systemic health problems. In this study, the association between DOH and asthma was investigated. PubMed, Scopus, Lilacs, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and OpenThesis were accessed to identify observational studies that evaluated the association between DOH (thumb sucking, pacifier use, onychophagia or nail biting, bottle feeding) and asthma in children aged 2-17 years. Information on DOH was obtained from the verbal report of the children's parents. Asthma diagnosis was performed by a physician or using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. We used a random-effects model to pool the results. The odds ratio (OR) was used as measure of association between DOH and asthma. The National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies was used to assess risk of bias. The GRADE approach was used to assess the quality of evidence. Five studies were included and data from 18,733 children aged 2 to 13 years were analyzed. We found an association between bottle feeding and asthma (OR = 1.25; 95%CI 1.13-1.38; p < 0.001) with moderate level of certainty. Despite the association between pacifier use and asthma (OR = 1.11; 95%CI 1.00-1.24; p = 0.05), the quality of evidence was low. Only one study provided data on nail biting and thumb-sucking, and the individual results showed no association between these habits and asthma. This meta-analysis found an association between bottle feeding, pacifier use, and asthma in children.

Quality of life, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and sexual function in mothers of neonates with congenital syphilis in the Northeast Brazil: A cohort study.

Background: Congenital syphilis is an important public health problem in low- and middle-income countries. Poor neonatal health outcomes associated with the disease may lead to maternal psychological distress and feelings of helplessness. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life, anxiety levels, depressive symptoms, and sexual function in mothers of neonates with congenital syphilis in the Northeast of Brazil. Methods: This cohort study compared patient-centered outcomes between mothers of neonates with congenital syphilis and mothers of healthy neonates during the first three months of the postpartum period. The study was conducted in Sergipe state, Northeast Brazil, a region with one of the highest rates of congenital syphilis (14·1 cases per 1000 live births). Quality of life, depressive symptoms, anxiety levels, and sexual function were evaluated by using the World Health Organization Quality of Live - shortened version (WHOQoL-BREF) instrument, Beck Depression Inventory, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Female Sexual Function Index, respectively. Unadjusted differences between groups were anayzed by using the Mann-Whitney test. Glass's delta with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to measure the effect size. Findings: Sixty-three women were included in each group. During the in-hospital stay, mothers of neonates with congenital syphilis had lower scores for overall quality of life (p < 0·001; large effect size: -0·559 [95% CI -0·683 to -0·405]) and higher levels of anxiety (p < 0·001; large effect size: 0·558 [95% CI 0·403 to 0·681]) and depressive symptoms (p < 0·001; large effect size: 0·561 [95% CI 0·407 to 0·684]) than mothers of healthy neonates. Three months after childbirth, we found persistent depressive symptoms (p = 0·021; small effect size: 0·239 [95% CI 0·041 to 0·419]) and low overall sexual function (p = 0·041; small effect size: -0·211 [95% CI -0·394 to -0·012]) among mothers of neonates with congenital syphilis compared to the control group. Interpretation: Mothers of neonates with congenital syphilis present poorer quality of life, mental health, and sexual function compared to mothers of healthy neonates. Funding: Brazilian Federal Agency for Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).

Association Between Arthrogryposis and Mortality in Infants With Congenital Zika Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine Zika virus infection is associated with neurological disorders and other problems, including such as impaired visual and hearing function and orthopedic abnormalities, including arthrogryposis. We systematically investigated the prevalence of arthrogryposis in infants with congenital Zika syndrome and the respective risk of mortality. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of reports published in PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and World Health Organization Global Index Medicus databases, using the keywords Zika virus and arthrogryposis and related terms. RESULTS: After screening titles and abstracts, a total of four studies were included. Arthrogryposis was not associated with increased risk for fetal demise (risk ratio, 3.33; 95% confidence interval, 0.73 to 15.26). However, arthrogryposis was associated with a 13-fold increased risk of mortality in neonates with congenital Zika syndrome (risk ratio, 13.11; 95% confidence interval, 3.74 to 45.92) than neonates with congenital Zika syndrome but without arthrogryposis. CONCLUSIONS: Neonates with both congenital Zika syndrome and arthrogryposis had higher morbidity and mortality risks, making it necessary to implement protocols for the early identification of neuromuscular changes and appropriate management of patients.

Primary Health Care in Brasil in the times of COVID-19: changes, challenges and perspectives.

The pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has put pressure on countries' health systems. Although attention is mostly directed at the hospital sector, since many critically ill people will need intensive care, Primary Health Care (PHC) has also been disrupted. In Brasil, a universal and free health system has existed since the 1988 Constitution, which re-organized the PHC to attend the population. However, like other countries, the Brazilian health system is being overloaded with the increase in the large number of COVID-19 cases. It is worth reflecting on the changes and challenges in PHC during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brasil.

Oral and maxillofacial conditions, dietary aspects, and nutritional status of children with congenital Zika syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate oral and maxillofacial outcomes in children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) and the presence of nonnutritive sucking habits, functional habits, and features related to breastfeeding and nutrition of these children. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 45 children with CZS and 50 healthy controls in Sergipe state, Brazil, from February 2018 to June 2018. Demographic and clinical data, including breastfeeding and feeding data, were obtained for each child. Additionally, oral and maxillofacial evaluation was performed. RESULTS: Low weight (prevalence rate [PR] 8.33; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.02-34.45), nonexclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months (PR 1.56; 95% CI 1.18-2.08); mouth breathing (PR 3.46; 95% CI 1.83-6.52); difficulty in swallowing (PR 6.00; 95% CI 2.53-14.25); and excessive salivation (PR 4.81; 95% CI 2.18-10.62) were more frequent in children with CZS. Children with CZS were more likely to have abnormal insertion of the upper labial frenulum (PR 7.04; 95% CI 2.23-22.20); ogival palate (PR 3.70; 95% CI 1.63-8.40), dental enamel defects (PR 2.22; 95% CI 1.05-4.69); and delayed dental eruption (PR 8.89; 95% CI 1.16-68.32) compared with healthy children. CONCLUSIONS: Children with CZS had a higher frequency of problems related to breastfeeding, low weight, and oral and maxillofacial abnormalities compared with healthy children.

A new pattern of dendrobranch gill within the family Solenoceridae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Dendrobranchiata).

Mostly, gills are simple lamellate structures, but in decapods they can assume three elaborate morphologies: trichobranchiate, phyllobranchiate and dendrobranchiate. The dendrobranchiate gill, typically found among the suborder Dendrobranchiata, primarily consists of a long central axis, from which arises a series of paired secondary branches. Each secondary branch is subdivided into smaller fingerlike tertiary processes, and each fingerlike process is also branched (dendritic). The family Solenoceridae is known for having the dendrobranchiate type. Examen of 50 species of Solenoceridae from all nine genera, revealed a new pattern to the classic dendrobranchiate type in 14 species of Solenocera and in Mesopenaeus tropicalis. This new pattern consists of the flattening of the secondary and tertiary processes, with tertiary processes also having a wide, flattened, lamella-like base. This new pattern is herein described as a dendrolamellate gill.

Spectroscopic characterization of a truncated hemoglobin from the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae.

The Herbaspirillum seropedicae genome sequence encodes a truncated hemoglobin typical of group II (Hs-trHb1) members of this family. We show that His-tagged recombinant Hs-trHb1 is monomeric in solution, and its optical spectrum resembles those of previously reported globins. NMR analysis allowed us to assign heme substituents. All data suggest that Hs-trHb1 undergoes a transition from an aquomet form in the ferric state to a hexacoordinate low-spin form in the ferrous state. The close positions of Ser-E7, Lys-E10, Tyr-B10, and His-CD1 in the distal pocket place them as candidates for heme coordination and ligand regulation. Peroxide degradation kinetics suggests an easy access to the heme pocket, as the protein offered no protection against peroxide degradation when compared with free heme. The high solvent exposure of the heme may be due to the presence of a flexible loop in the access pocket, as suggested by a structural model obtained by using homologous globins as templates. The truncated hemoglobin described here has unique features among truncated hemoglobins and may function in the facilitation of O(2) transfer and scavenging, playing an important role in the nitrogen-fixation mechanism.

Association between deleterious oral habits and asthma in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract: Deleterious oral habits (DOH) have been described as a common finding in pediatric series. Studies have investigated their association with local and systemic health problems. In this study, the association between DOH and asthma was investigated. PubMed, Scopus, Lilacs, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and OpenThesis were accessed to identify observational studies that evaluated the association between DOH (thumb sucking, pacifier use, onychophagia or nail biting, bottle feeding) and asthma in children aged 2-17 years. Information on DOH was obtained from the verbal report of the children's parents. Asthma diagnosis was performed by a physician or using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. We used a random-effects model to pool the results. The odds ratio (OR) was used as measure of association between DOH and asthma. The National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies was used to assess risk of bias. The GRADE approach was used to assess the quality of evidence. Five studies were included and data from 18,733 children aged 2 to 13 years were analyzed. We found an association between bottle feeding and asthma (OR = 1.25; 95%CI 1.13-1.38; p < 0.001) with moderate level of certainty. Despite the association between pacifier use and asthma (OR = 1.11; 95%CI 1.00-1.24; p = 0.05), the quality of evidence was low. Only one study provided data on nail biting and thumb-sucking, and the individual results showed no association between these habits and asthma. This meta-analysis found an association between bottle feeding, pacifier use, and asthma in children.

Description of a new Penaeidae (Decapoda: Dendrobranchiata) species, Farfantepenaeus isabelae sp. nov.

The pink shrimp, Farfantepenaeus subtilis, actually comprises two cryptic species confused under a single name. Despite morphological and molecular evidences accumulated since 1967, the new species confused with F. subtilis has never been formally described. In this paper, Farfantepenaeus isabelae sp. nov., is described and compared to its close relatives, F. brasiliensis, F. notialis, F. paulensis and F. subtilis s. str..