Top-Down Garbage Collector: a tool for selecting high-quality top-down proteomics mass spectra.

MOTIVATION: We present the first tool for unbiased quality control of top-down proteomics datasets. Our tool can select high-quality top-down proteomics spectra, serve as a gateway for building top-down spectral libraries and, ultimately, improve identification rates. RESULTS: We demonstrate that a twofold rate increase for two E. coli top-down proteomics datasets may be achievable. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: http://patternlabforproteomics.org/tdgc, freely available for academic use. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

DiagnoProt: a tool for discovery of new molecules by mass spectrometry.

MOTIVATION: Around 75% of all mass spectra remain unidentified by widely adopted proteomic strategies. We present DiagnoProt, an integrated computational environment that can efficiently cluster millions of spectra and use machine learning to shortlist high-quality unidentified mass spectra that are discriminative of different biological conditions. RESULTS: We exemplify the use of DiagnoProt by shortlisting 4366 high-quality unidentified tandem mass spectra that are discriminative of different types of the Aspergillus fungus. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: DiagnoProt, a demonstration video and a user tutorial are available at http://patternlabforproteomics.org/diagnoprot . CONTACT: andrerfsilva@gmail.com or paulo@pcarvalho.com. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Maternal predictors related to quality of life in pregnant women in the Northeast of Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Gestation is a period that can positively or negatively influence the life of a woman in the pregnancy-puerperal cycle. Thus, evaluating the quality of life of this population can redirect the implementation of innovative practices, with the goal of making them more effective and practical or the promotion of humanized care. The present study aimed to evaluate the predictors that influence the health-related quality of life of low-risk pregnant women, as well as to describe the main areas affected in the quality of life of pregnant women. METHODS: A correlational, quantitative and cross-sectional study was carried out in two public units that provide prenatal care services and a private unit in the city of Fortaleza, a municipality in the Northeast of Brazil. The sample consisted of 261 pregnant women who were interviewed from September to November 2014. The collection instruments were a questionnaire covering sociodemographic, obstetric and quality of life variables, in addition to the Brazilian version of the Mother-Generated Index (MGI). The data were compiled and analyzed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 20.0. A descriptive analysis was performed through the application of Pearson's chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and one-way ANOVA. Maternal predictors for the quality of life of pregnant woman were identified through a multivariate analysis/multiple regression. RESULTS: The response rate was 100%, corresponding to 261 respondents. Occupation, parity, partner support, marital status and persons with whom the women live were the predictors that positively interfered in the quality of life of pregnant women. In contrast, gestational age, type of housing, occupation, use of illicit drugs, non-receipt of partner support and maternal age were the predictors that negatively influenced quality of life. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that happiness to become a mother and body image were areas with the greatest positive and negative influence on health-related quality of life, which suggests being relevant aspects in the planning and implementation of actions aimed at its improvement.

Acupuncture treatment: multidimensional assessment of low back pain in pregnant women. / Tratamento com acupuntura: avaliação multidimensional da dor lombar em gestantes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of acupuncture in the treatment of low back pain in pregnant women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. METHOD: A quasi-experimental pre-post design was applied to pregnant women at a gestational age between 14 and 37 weeks, who had complaints of low back pain. Acupuncture sessions were performed, working systemic and auricular points. The McGill questionnaire was used to assess pain, as well as the instrument for identifying the sociodemographic, clinical and obstetric profile. RESULTS: The acupuncture technique performed in up to six sessions in 56 pregnant women with low back pain had positive effects on the participants' health. According to the pain assessment, there was a statistically significant reduction in the low back pain among the pregnant women as early as in the second session, with a gradual improvement with the advancement of the number of sessions. There were no serious adverse events related to acupuncture. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture offered significant effects for reducing or relieving pain in pregnant women. The participants expressed satisfaction and well-being as they left each session.

Social determinants of health and quality of life of caregivers of children with cancer. / Determinantes sociais da saúde e qualidade de vida de cuidadores de crianças com câncer.

OBJECTIVE: to associate the social determinants of health and quality of life of caregivers of children with cancer. METHODS: a cross-sectional study conducted in a paediatric cancer centre in Fortaleza, Brazil, with 176 participants in November and December 2013. Data were collected using a questionnaire with social determinants of health, and quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref. The determinants were correlated with the averages of the quality of life domains using analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: there was a statistically significant association between the domains of social relations and education (p = 0.01792) and between the psychosocial domain and the gender of the caregiver (p = 0.01901). The male caregivers that were highly educated, younger, married, stay-at-home dads from the interior had a better quality of life. CONCLUSION: the study sheds light on the influence of social determinants of health in the quality of life of caregivers of children with cancer.

Colorectal cancer DNA methylation patterns from patients in Manaus, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: DNA methylation is commonly linked with the silencing of the gene expression for many tumor suppressor genes. As such, determining DNA methylation patterns should aid, in times to come, in the diagnosis and personal treatment for various types of cancers. Here, we analyzed the methylation pattern from five colorectal cancer patients from the Amazon state in Brazil for four tumor suppressor genes, viz.: DAPK, CDH1, CDKN2A, and TIMP2 by employing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) specific to methylation. Efforts in the study of colorectal cancer are fundamental as it is the third most of highest incidence in the world. RESULTS: Tumor biopsies were methylated in 1/5 (20%), 2/5 (40%), 4/5 (80%), and 4/5 (80%) for CDH1, CDKN2A, DAPK, and TIMP2 genes, respectively. The margin biopsies were methylated in 3/7 (43%), 2/7 (28%), 7/7 (100%), and 6/7 (86%) for CDH1, CDKN2A, DAPK, and TIMP2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed DAPK and TIMP2 to be methylated in most samples from both tumor tissues and adjacent non-neoplastic margins; thus presenting distinct methylation patterns. This emphasizes the importance of better understanding of the relation of these patterns with cancer in the context of different populations.

[Strategies for self-management support by patients with stroke: integrative review]. / Estratégias de autocuidado apoiado para pacientes com acidente vascular cerebral: revisão integrative.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze strategies for self-management support by patients with stroke in the light of the methodology of the five A's (ask, advice, assess, assist and arrange). METHODS: Integrative review conducted at the following databases CINAHL, SCOPUS, PubMed, Cochrane and LILACS. RESULTS: A total of 43 studies published between 2000 and 2013 comprised the study sample. All proposed actions in the five A's methodology and others were included. We highlight the Assist and Arrange, in which we added actions, especially with regard to the use of technological resources and joint monitoring between patients, families and professionals. No study included all five A's, which suggests that the actions of supported self-management are developed in a fragmented way. CONCLUSION: The use of five A's strategy provides guidelines for better management of patients with stroke with lower cost and higher effectiveness.

[Risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases among sex workers in the interior of Piaui, Brazil]. / Fatores de risco para doenças sexualmente transmissíveis em profissionais do sexo do interior piauiense.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors for STD among female sex workers and the characteristics of this population, and to verify the association between condom use by their male partners and clients. METHOD: Cross-sectional and correlational study conducted with 73 sex workers registered at the Sex Workers´ Association of the municipality of Picos -PI, Brazil. Data were collected in September and October 2010 using a questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic information and the participants´ background in the sex industry. Ethical aspects were observed. RESULTS: There was no significant association between most of the sociodemographic variables and background in the sex industry and condom use by male partners or clients. However, there was a significant association with years in the sex industry (p = 0.029). Sex workers who had been in the industry for the longest used condoms for protection against sexually transmitted diseases. CONCLUSION: It is essential to create health promotion strategies that observe the real-life experiences of sex workers.

Exploring the proteomic landscape of a gastric cancer biopsy with the shotgun imaging analyzer.

Accessing localized proteomic profiles has emerged as a fundamental strategy to understand the biology of diseases, as recently demonstrated, for example, in the context of determining cancer resection margins with improved precision. Here, we analyze a gastric cancer biopsy sectioned into 10 parts, each one subjected to MudPIT analysis. We introduce a software tool, named Shotgun Imaging Analyzer and inspired in MALDI imaging, to enable the overlaying of a protein's expression heat map on a tissue picture. The software is tightly integrated with the NeXtProt database, so it enables the browsing of identified proteins according to chromosomes, quickly listing human proteins never identified by mass spectrometry (i.e., the so-called missing proteins), and the automatic search for proteins that are more expressed over a specific region of interest on the biopsy, all of which constitute goals that are clearly well-aligned with those of the C-HPP. Our software has been able to highlight an intense expression of proteins previously known to be correlated with cancers (e.g., glutathione S-transferase Mu 3), and in particular, we draw attention to Gastrokine-2, a "missing protein" identified in this work of which we were able to clearly delineate the tumoral region from the "healthy" with our approach. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD000584.

Labor and childbirth care for women deprived of liberty: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: To map and analyze scientific evidence on care provided to women deprived of liberty during labor and childbirth. METHOD: A scoping review, developed in accordance with JBI methodology, whose information sources were accessed in databases and gray literature. Selection was carried out between October and December 2023, based on reading titles, abstracts and descriptors, considering the following eligibility criteria: articles, dissertations and theses with different methodological designs available in full, without language and time limitations. Analysis was conducted by two independent reviewers, using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included. From the synthesis of results, two categories emerged: From the cell to the delivery room: care for women deprived of liberty; Experiences of women deprived of liberty during labor and childbirth. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the fragility of care practices during labor and childbirth, imposing significant challenges and resulting in adverse experiences that compromise the quality of motherhood and violate women's fundamental rights.

Prevalence of depressive symptoms among young adults in Brazil: Results of the 2013 and 2019 editions of the National Health Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms in the population aged 18 to 24, according to socioeconomic and demographic aspects in Brazil, comparing its evolution between 2013 and 2019. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out with secondary data obtained from National Health Survey 2013 and 2019. It were included 7,823 young adulthood (aged 18 to 24) from 2013 and 8,047 from 2019. The instrument used to assess depression was the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). All estimates included population weights and complex sampling. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression almost doubled: 10.9% (95%CI 9.6-12.2) in 2019, compared to 5.6% (95%CI 4.8-6.4) in 2013, an absolute difference of 5.3% (4.5-6.0) greater. Women were the most affected in both surveys, with an increase between 2013 (8.3%; 95%CI 6.9-9.6) and 2019 (15.6%; 95%CI 13.5-17.6) higher than that of men (2013: 2.9%; 95%CI 2.0-3.8 and 2019: 6.2%; 95%CI 4.7-7.7). In both sexes, the pattern of increase was greater for the groups aged 18 to 20, not participating in religious activities, who were at the lowest levels of education and income, who lived with two or three or more people, who lived in the Northeast, Southeast, capitals and metropolitan areas of the country. CONCLUSION: There was a significant increase in the prevalence of depressive symptoms over the six years between the two surveys. However, this increase did not occur homogeneously among the characteristics analyzed, indicating population groups and locations in Brazil where the presence of these symptoms increased most in the period.

Sociodemographic and obstetric factors associated with health-related quality of life of high-risk pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between sociodemographic and obstetric factors and the health-related quality of life of pregnant women in high-risk prenatal care. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of women in high-risk prenatal care in Ceara, Brazil. The investigated outcomes were health-related quality of life, using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short-form health survey; the investigated covariates were sociodemographic and obstetric data. Associative analyses were performed using the Jamovi® software version 0.9. RESULTS: Of the 276 women included in the study, women with the following characteristics presented a better quality of life in some domain of the scale: age equal to or greater than 35 years, higher income per dependent, religious, living with three or fewer persons, with their own home, in primigestation, nulliparous, with no history of previous abortion, and with up to two living children. The regression model showed an association between the total scale score, which means a higher quality of life in women with age equal to or greater than 35 years and a higher income per dependent. CONCLUSION: The study identified sociodemographic and obstetric factors that may affect the quality of life of high-risk pregnant women, providing subsidies to health providers so that they can promote better prenatal care.

Factors associated with infant feeding intention among usual-risk pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with infant feeding intention among usual-risk pregnant women. METHODS: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in two primary healthcare institutions in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, with usual-risk pregnant women. A non-probabilistic convenience sampling method was used, and 119 pregnant women participated. Data collection took place from May 2022 to February 2023. The data collection process involved using forms and the Infant Feeding Intention Scale. Ethical considerations were strictly adhered to. RESULTS: The study revealed statistically significant differences in the infant's means. The majority of pregnant women (96.6%) declared that they would breastfeed after giving birth. The intention to breastfeed exclusively was statistically higher in mothers with younger children and previous experience of breastfeeding or complications in the current pregnancy. CONCLUSION: This study clarified that the intention to breastfeed up to 6 months is influenced by variables encompassing the age of the youngest child, previous breastfeeding experience, and pregnancy complications, emphasizing the intricate nature of the determinants of intention to breastfeed.

Prenatal care associated with neonatal outcomes in maternity hospitals: a hospital-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the association between prenatal care quality indicators and neonatal outcomes in maternity hospitals. METHOD: Hospital-based cross-sectional study in four high-risk referral maternity hospitals in the five health macro-regions enabled by the Stork Network in Ceará-Brazil. Between April 2017 and July 2018, 440 puerperal women were interviewed using simple probabilistic sampling and a formula with finite populations and stratification of each maternity hospital. The analysis involved Pearson's Chi-Square, Adjusted Residuals Analysis and Fisher's Exact. RESULTS: There was an association between fewer consultations with prematurity and low birth weight. Delivery in the maternity hospital where the woman lived was associated with low birth weight and the need for ventilatory support. CONCLUSION: Prenatal care quality indicators influenced neonatal outcomes, which underlines the importance of ensuring access and quality of care as ways of reducing infant morbidity and mortality.

Factors associated with antepartum pilgrimage at a reference maternity hospital in Ceará.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with antepartum pilgrimage in pregnant women in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. METHOD: A cross-sectional study with 300 postpartum women from a state reference maternity hospital, carried out from March 2020 to January 2021. The frequency of pilgrimage was estimated according to socioeconomic characteristics and prenatal care. Analysis with Pearson's chi-square test selected variables for adjusted Poisson regression. RESULTS: The frequency of antepartum pilgrimage to more than one health service was 34.3%. Not knowing the reference maternity hospital (1.16; 95%CI: 1.04-1.30) and not living close to the reference maternity hospital (1.16; 95%CI: 1.03-1.31) were associated with the occurrence of pilgrimage among women. Personal characteristics and prenatal care were not associated. CONCLUSION: There was an association between antepartum pilgrimage and lack of knowledge of the reference maternity hospital and residence far from that maternity hospital, which requires better team communication and the guarantee of easier access to obstetric care services, through effective implementation of regionalization of maternal care.

Effects of auriculotherapy on nausea and vomiting in pregnant women: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy induces physiological changes, commonly marked by nausea and vomiting in the first trimester, posing risks for both mother and baby. This study evaluates the effects of auriculotherapy on nausea and vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized clinical trial was conducted in two primary health care centers with 56 Brazilian pregnant women who reported nausea or vomiting in the first trimester. The participants were divided into an intervention group (auriculotherapy with seeds) and a placebo group (sham auriculotherapy). The intervention was divided into three moments: pre-intervention with assessment of nausea and vomiting and application of questionnaires, and two follow-ups conducted on the fourth and seventh day of the intervention, with reassessment of nausea and vomiting. RESULTS: Both groups experienced a decrease in nausea and vomiting over time, with no statistically significant differences between groups in the within-group analyses at various time points. The intervention group had a greater reduction in symptoms. Within the intervention group, symptoms were more common among ferrous sulfate users and those without reported dietary disturbances. In addition, a higher incidence of nausea and vomiting was associated with the use of analgesics, morning snacks, and low intake of protein, vegetables, and fruits. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention did not affect the between-group differences in the incidence of nausea and vomiting and vomiting effort in the first trimester of pregnancy. However, a greater reduction was observed in the intervention group.

Assessment of the Mental Health of Police Officers: A Systematic Review of Specific Instruments.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to identify validated instruments from the literature that assess the mental health of police officers. METHODS: This is a systematic review of validated instruments used to assess the mental health of police officers. Searches were conducted in the MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL/EBSCO, and Virtual Health Library databases. This review follows the JBI Manual for Systematic Reviews and the PRISMA statement. The methodological quality of the articles and the risk of bias were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 1530 studies were identified across the six databases, with 158 studies read in full by the authors after excluding duplicates and those that did not meet the inclusion criteria. The final 29 studies were analyzed for methodological quality and risk of bias using the AXIS and SFS-D tools. CONCLUSION: This review identified 27 self-administered validated instruments useful for assessing various mental health outcomes in police officers, with the most frequently used being the Police Stress Questionnaire. These findings may help guide security force administration, occupational health professionals, and mental health researchers in selecting and implementing psychometrically reliable instruments for screening the mental health of police officers.

Urinary proteomics reveals biological processes related to acute kidney injury in Bothrops atrox envenomings.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a critical systemic complication caused by Bothrops envenoming, a neglected health problem in the Brazilian Amazon. Understanding the underlying mechanisms leading to AKI is crucial for effectively mitigating the burden of this complication. This study aimed to characterize the urinary protein profile of Bothrops atrox snakebite victims who developed AKI. We analyzed three groups of samples collected on admission: healthy subjects (controls, n = 10), snakebite victims who developed AKI (AKI, n = 10), and those who did not evolve to AKI (No-AKI, n = 10). Using liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, we identified and quantified (label-free) 1190 proteins. A panel of 65 proteins was identified exclusively in the urine of snakebite victims, with 32 exclusives to the AKI condition. Proteins more abundant or exclusive in AKI's urine were associated with acute phase response, endopeptidase inhibition, complement cascade, and inflammation. Notable proteins include serotransferrin, SERPINA-1, alpha-1B-glycoprotein, and NHL repeat-containing protein 3. Furthermore, evaluating previously reported biomarkers candidates for AKI and renal injury, we found retinol-binding protein, beta-2-microglobulin, cystatin-C, and hepcidin to be significant in cases of AKI induced by Bothrops envenoming. This work sheds light on physiological disturbances caused by Bothrops envenoming, highlighting potential biological processes contributing to AKI. Such insights may aid in better understanding and managing this life-threatening complication.

Unravelling tth via the matrix element method.

Associated production of the Higgs boson with a top-antitop pair is a key channel to gather further information on the nature of the newly discovered boson at the LHC. Experimentally, however, its observation is very challenging due to the combination of small rates, difficult multijet final states, and overwhelming backgrounds. In the standard model, the largest number of events is expected when h→bb, giving rise to a W+ W- bbbb signature, deluged in tt + jets. A promising strategy to improve the sensitivity is to maximally exploit the theoretical information on the signal and background processes by means of the matrix element method. We show how, despite the complexity of the final state, the method can be efficiently applied to discriminate the signal against combinatorial and tt + jets backgrounds. Remarkably, we find that a moderate integrated luminosity in the next LHC run will be enough to make the signature involving both W's decaying leptonically as sensitive as the single-lepton one.

Factors associated with puerperal women's perception of the support received from their companions during labor and delivery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to associate sociodemographic characteristics and satisfaction with the support received from companions during labor and delivery. METHOD: An analytical cross-sectional study was performed in a maternity hospital in Fortaleza, Brazil, from March to August 2019, with 320 postpartum women. A form containing sociodemographic and obstetric questions, companion-related information, type of support provided, and the Birth Companion Support Questionnaire (BCSQ) were used to assess the frequency of social support behaviors. χ2 and Fisher exact tests were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Nonpharmacological methods were associated with an unsatisfactory perception of support, but the emotional support provided by companions was positively associated with women's satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The findings of the current study concerning women's perceptions of the support received from their companions may allow improvements in the delivery of care to women in labor toward the humanization of obstetric practices.