ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: From November 2018 through February 2019, person-to-person transmission of Andes virus (ANDV) hantavirus pulmonary syndrome occurred in Chubut Province, Argentina, and resulted in 34 confirmed infections and 11 deaths. Understanding the genomic, epidemiologic, and clinical characteristics of person-to-person transmission of ANDV is crucial to designing effective interventions. METHODS: Clinical and epidemiologic information was obtained by means of patient report and from public health centers. Serologic testing, contact-tracing, and next-generation sequencing were used to identify ANDV infection as the cause of this outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and to reconstruct person-to-person transmission events. RESULTS: After a single introduction of ANDV from a rodent reservoir into the human population, transmission was driven by 3 symptomatic persons who attended crowded social events. After 18 cases were confirmed, public health officials enforced isolation of persons with confirmed cases and self-quarantine of possible contacts; these measures most likely curtailed further spread. The median reproductive number (the number of secondary cases caused by an infected person during the infectious period) was 2.12 before the control measures were enforced and decreased to 0.96 after the measures were implemented. Full genome sequencing of the ANDV strain involved in this outbreak was performed with specimens from 27 patients and showed that the strain that was present (Epuyén/18-19) was similar to the causative strain (Epilink/96) in the first known person-to-person transmission of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome caused by ANDV, which occurred in El Bolsón, Argentina, in 1996. Clinical investigations involving patients with ANDV hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in this outbreak revealed that patients with a high viral load and liver injury were more likely than other patients to spread infection. Disease severity, genomic diversity, age, and time spent in the hospital had no clear association with secondary transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with ANDV hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, high viral titers in combination with attendance at massive social gatherings or extensive contact among persons were associated with a higher likelihood of transmission. (Funded by the Ministerio de Salud y Desarrollo Social de la Nación Argentina and others.).
Subject(s)
Disease Outbreaks , Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome/transmission , Orthohantavirus , Adolescent , Adult , Animals , Argentina/epidemiology , Blood Chemical Analysis , Carrier State , Female , Orthohantavirus/genetics , Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome/epidemiology , Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome/mortality , Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome/virology , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Phylogeny , Rodentia , Viral Load , Young AdultABSTRACT
This article presents the experience of the health policy dialogue on nursing held in Uruguay in 2021, based on the theory of change. Four working groups were held, with the participation of 725 people. The points discussed included: the shortage of registered nurses to implement programs and cover functions at all levels of health care; the poor visibility of the healthcare impact of the activities carried out; insufficient financial resources for undergraduate and postgraduate training; and poor integration of nurses in management teams and policy decision-making spaces in the country. Participants expressed the need to implement the national nursing development plan so that the country can: reduce the shortage of professionals; invest in job creation to meet the demand for professional care; improve staffing of services at all levels of care; improve working conditions; create new spaces for nurses by expanding their role through postgraduate training, while continuously improving the quality of training. Participants emphasized the need to increase intersectoral coordination in the areas of governance, regulation, and management, and to step up efforts to increase investment in health professionals in Uruguay.
Este artigo apresenta a experiência do diálogo político-sanitário sobre enfermagem realizado no Uruguai em 2021 com base na teoria da mudança. Foram organizados quatro grupos de trabalho, dos quais participaram 725 pessoas. Entre os pontos discutidos, destacam-se: a falta de profissionais graduados em enfermagem para desenvolver programas e cobrir funções em todos os níveis de atenção à saúde; a falta de visibilidade do impacto assistencial das atividades desenvolvidas; a insuficiência de recursos financeiros para programas de graduação e pós-graduação; e a pouca integração desses profissionais às equipes de gestão e aos espaços de tomada de decisão política no país. Os participantes indicaram a necessidade de implementar o plano nacional de desenvolvimento da enfermagem para que o país reduza o déficit de profissionais; invista na criação de cargos para atender à demanda por cuidados profissionais; melhore a dotação de pessoal nos serviços em todos os níveis de atenção; melhore as condições de trabalho; crie novas oportunidades de inserção para profissionais de enfermagem, ampliando suas funções por meio da pós-graduação; e aprimore continuamente a qualidade da formação. Os participantes enfatizaram a necessidade de aumentar a coordenação intersetorial nos aspectos de governança, regulação e gestão, bem como de acelerar os esforços no sentido de aumentar o investimento em profissionais de saúde no Uruguai.
ABSTRACT
Industrial anaerobic digestion (AD) produces biogas and a digestate that is usually applied as a biofertilizer. However, the study and application of this by-product in terms of its rich microbial diversity and high metabolic activity have been barely investigated. In this work, the digestate regarded as an inoculum-without any further manipulation-was faced to a target hydrocarbon (i.e., diesel oil) to explore its biodegradation capability and potential application in bioaugmentation strategies. Lab-scale single batch bioreactors with solid support (i.e., sand or gravel) embedded with the inoculum and diesel were used to improve bioaccessibility and biofilm formation. In addition, different experimental conditions were assayed varying the initial diesel concentration, microbial load, type of solid support, inoculum aging time, and presence or absence of oxygen. Remaining diesel concentration, dehydrogenase activity and microbial community structure were periodically determined. Remarkably, this low-cost consortium was capable of a significant reduction (>90%) in the concentration of diesel, within 14 days and when the initial load was as high as 6950 mg/kg dry solid support. Furthermore, a 10-fold increment in dehydrogenase activity, alongside an increase in the abundance of hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial groups, and the enrichment of genes for alkane monooxygenase and aromatic ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases, encourage further study of this consortium for bioremediation purposes.
Subject(s)
Biofuels , Hydrocarbons , Biodegradation, Environmental , Hydrocarbons/metabolism , Bioreactors , Anaerobiosis , Oxidoreductases/metabolism , MethaneABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In pediatrics, developing new pharmaceutical forms that offer safety and efficacy is crucial to improve pediatric pharmaceutical care. Orodispersible tablets do not require swallowing because orodispersible tablets dissolve quickly in the mouth, reducing the risk of choking and making medication administration safer and more straightforward. There is no solid dosage form in the pharmaceutical market offering a unit dose of Levothyroxine for pediatric hypothyroidism patients. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to design and develop Orodispersible mini tablets of Levothyroxine Sodium (LT4 ODMTs) for pediatric doses. METHODS: LT4 ODMTs were prepared by direct compression with 10 and 15 µg, respectively, using StarLac® and Disolcel® as excipients. United States Pharmacopeia (USP-43) guidelines evaluated and determined pre-compression properties and quality control parameters. RESULTS: The LT4 ODMTs met the specified limits for quality controls. The Drug Content Uniformity was 97%, Hardness was less than 2.5 N, Friability was less than 0.3%, Disintegration time was less than 25 s, and dissolution profiles (Q 80% > 45 s) followed the USP requirements. Additionally, stability and microbiology assays were realized. CONCLUSION: These formulations are optimal for developing new LT4 ODMTs suitable for treating pediatric hypothyroidism.
ABSTRACT
In this work, the early-stage response of six lab-scale biogas bioreactors fed with different amounts of a sulfate-rich organic agro-industrial effluent was investigated. Biogas characterization, gas chromatography selective for sulfur compounds and high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene were performed. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) yield went from transient to steady state in â¼ 2 weeks for all the studied conditions. In addition, volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), like methanethiol (MeSH) and dimethyl sulfide (DMS), were generated at high sulfate loads. Changes were evidenced in the microbial community structures, with a higher abundance of genes involved in the dissimilatory sulfate-reduction pathway in high loaded sulfate bioreactors, as determined by PICRUSt analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation analyses evidenced strong relationships between H2S, VSCs and the microbial community. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) like Desulfocarbo, Desulfocella and Desulfobacteraceae might be possibly linked with methylation processes of H2S.
Subject(s)
Hydrogen Sulfide , Microbiota , Anaerobiosis , Bioreactors/microbiology , Hydrogen Sulfide/metabolism , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/metabolism , Sulfates/metabolism , Sulfur CompoundsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The hallmarks of HPS are increase of vascular permeability and endothelial dysfunction. Although an exacerbated immune response is thought to be implicated in pathogenesis, clear evidence is still elusive. As orthohantaviruses are not cytopathic CD8+ T cells are believed to be the central players involved in pathogenesis. METHODS: Serum and blood samples from Argentinean HPS patients were collected from 2014 to 2019. Routine white blood cell analyses, quantification and characterization of T-cell phenotypic profile, viral load, neutralizing antibody response and quantification of inflammatory mediators were performed. FINDINGS: High numbers of activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were found in all HPS cases independently of disease severity. We found increased levels of some proinflammatory mediators during the acute phase of illness. Nonetheless, viral RNA remained high, showing a delay in clearance from blood up to late convalescence, when titers of neutralizing antibodies reached a high level. INTERPRETATION: The high activated phenotypic profile of T cells seems to be unable to resolve infection during the acute and early convalescent phases, and it was not associated with the severity of the disease. Thus, at least part of the activated T cells could be induced by the dysregulated inflammatory response in an unspecific manner. Viral clearance seems to have been more related to high titers of neutralizing antibodies than to the T-cell response. FUNDING: This work was supported mainly by the Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud (ANLIS) "Dr. Carlos Malbrán". Further details of fundings sources is included in the appendix.
Subject(s)
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome , Antibodies, Neutralizing , Antibodies, Viral , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes , Humans , Lymphocyte CountABSTRACT
Desde el año 2017, la Facultad de Enfermería de la Universidad de la República forma licenciados especialistas en enfermería oncológica. Profesionales con competencias específicas para brindar cuidados en relación a la enfermedad asociada a la segunda causa de muerte en Uruguay. Cómo parte del proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje es necesario conocer el perfil de los estudiantes, a través de un sondeo diagnóstico aplicado a la generación en curso (2023/2024) se obtuvo información que da origen a la reflexión desarrollada en el manuscrito a continuación. La percepción de los estudiantes sobre las ventajas y desventajas que implican el ejercicio profesional de enfermería dentro de un servicio de oncología identificadas por los estudiantes. Ventajas que incluyen: aumento de los ingresos económicos, mejor régimen laboral y satisfacción personal. Desventajas que incluyen: desgaste emocional, riesgo ante la exposición a drogas antineoplásicas y riesgo ante el escaso marco normativo frente a la exposición a dichas drogas. Cómo conclusión se considera que la enfermería oncológica es un área que demanda compromiso interpersonal entre los profesionales y el usuario, este compromiso implica esfuerzo pero a su vez empodera los roles y conlleva a la satisfacción personal. A sí mismo, se identifica que es un área poco desarrollada a nivel de reglamentación en relación a la salud ocupacional. El equipo docente además de guiar y acompañar durante el proceso de aprendizaje busca formar profesionales con conciencia crítica capaces de identificar debilidades y amenazas del ejercicio, con la capacidad de generar cambios en pro del avance la de profesión y con ello, el avance de la calidad de atención.
Since 2017, the Faculty of Nursing of the University of the Republic has been training graduates specializing in oncology nursing. Professionals with specific skills to provide care in relation to the disease associated with the second cause of death in Uruguay. As part of the teaching-learning process, it is necessary to know the profile of the students; through a diagnostic survey applied to the current generation (2023/2024), information was obtained that gives rise to the reflection developed in the manuscript below. Students' perception of the advantages and disadvantages of professional nursing practice within an oncology service identified by students. Advantages that include: increased economic income, better work regime and personal satisfaction. Disadvantages that include: emotional exhaustion, risk from exposure to antineoplastic drugs and risk from the scarce regulatory framework against exposure to these drugs. In conclusion, it is considered that oncology nursing is an area that demands interpersonal commitment between professionals and the user. This commitment implies effort but at the same time empowers roles and leads to personal satisfaction. In itself, it is identified that it is an underdeveloped area at the level of regulation in relation to occupational health. The teaching team, in addition to guiding and accompanying during the learning process, seeks to train professionals with critical awareness capable of identifying weaknesses and threats in the practice, with the ability to generate changes in favor of the advancement of the profession and with it, the advancement of quality. of attention.
Desde 2017, a Faculdade de Enfermagem da Universidade da República forma licenciados especializados em enfermagem oncológica. Profissionais com competências específicas para prestar cuidados em relação à doença associada à segunda causa de morte no Uruguai. Como parte do processo de ensino-aprendizagem é necessário conhecer o perfil dos alunos através de um inquérito diagnóstico aplicado à geração atual (2023/2024), foram obtidas informações que dão origem à reflexão desenvolvida no manuscrito abaixo. Percepção dos estudantes sobre as vantagens e desvantagens da prática profissional de enfermagem dentro de um serviço de oncologia identificadas pelos estudantes. Vantagens que incluem: aumento do rendimento económico, melhor regime de trabalho e satisfação pessoal. Desvantagens que incluem: exaustão emocional, risco de exposição a medicamentos antineoplásicos e risco do escasso marco regulatório contra a exposição a esses medicamentos. Concluindo, considera-se que a enfermagem oncológica é uma área que exige comprometimento interpessoal entre profissionais e usuário. Esse comprometimento implica esforço, mas ao mesmo tempo potencializa papéis e leva à satisfação pessoal. Por si só, identifica-se que se trata de uma área subdesenvolvida ao nível da regulação em relação à saúde ocupacional. A equipe docente, além de orientar e acompanhar durante o processo de aprendizagem, busca formar profissionais com consciência crítica capaz de identificar fragilidades e ameaças na prática, com capacidade de gerar mudanças em favor do avanço da profissão e com ela, o avanço da qualidade da atenção.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Globally, the age-standardised prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has nearly doubled from 1980 to 2014, rising from 4.7% to 8.5% with an estimated 422 million adults living with the chronic disease. The MULTI sTUdy Diabetes rEsearch (MULTITUDE) consortium was recently established to harmonise data from 17 independent cohort studies and clinical trials and to facilitate a better understanding of the determinants, risk factors and outcomes associated with T2DM. PARTICIPANTS: Participants range in age from 3 to 88 years at baseline, including both individuals with and without T2DM. MULTITUDE is an individual-level pooled database of demographics, comorbidities, relevant medications, clinical laboratory values, cardiac health measures, and T2DM-associated events and outcomes across 45 US states and the District of Columbia. FINDINGS TO DATE: Among the 135 156 ongoing participants included in the consortium, almost 25% (33 421) were diagnosed with T2DM at baseline. The average age of the participants was 54.3, while the average age of participants with diabetes was 64.2. Men (55.3%) and women (44.6%) were almost equally represented across the consortium. Non-whites accounted for 31.6% of the total participants and 40% of those diagnosed with T2DM. Fewer individuals with diabetes reported being regular smokers than their non-diabetic counterparts (40.3% vs 47.4%). Over 85% of those with diabetes were reported as either overweight or obese at baseline, compared with 60.7% of those without T2DM. We observed differences in all-cause mortality, overall and by T2DM status, between cohorts. FUTURE PLANS: Given the wide variation in demographics and all-cause mortality in the cohorts, MULTITUDE consortium will be a unique resource for conducting research to determine: differences in the incidence and progression of T2DM; sequence of events or biomarkers prior to T2DM diagnosis; disease progression from T2DM to disease-related outcomes, complications and premature mortality; and to assess race/ethnicity differences in the above associations.
Subject(s)
Chronic Disease/epidemiology , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , Chronic Disease/mortality , Cohort Studies , Comorbidity , Databases, Factual , Demography , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/mortality , Female , Humans , Incidence , Male , Middle Aged , Obesity , Prevalence , Research Design , Risk Factors , Smoking , United States/epidemiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
[RESUMEN]. Ese artículo presenta la experiencia del diálogo político sanitario en enfermería desarrollado en Uruguay en el 2021, con base en la teoría del cambio. Se realizaron cuatro mesas de trabajo, con participación de 725 personas. Los puntos discutidos incluyeron: que existe un déficit de enfermeros licenciados para el desarrollo de los programas y para la cobertura de las funciones en todos los niveles de la atención a salud; la falta de visibilidad del impacto asistencial de las actividades desarrolladas; los recursos financieros insuficientes para la formación de grado y posgrado y la baja integración de los enfermeros en equipos de gestión y en espacios políticos de toma de decisiones en el país. Los participantes manifestaron la necesidad de implementar el plan nacional de desarrollo de la enfermería con los objetivos de que el país: disminuya el déficit de profe- sionales; invierta en la creación de cargos para satisfacer la demanda de cuidados profesionales; mejore las dotaciones de personal en los servicios en todos los niveles de atención; mejore las condiciones de trabajo; genere nuevos espacios de inserción de enfermeros ampliando su rol, mediante capacitación de posgrado y mejore continuamente la calidad de la formación. Los participantes hicierón hincapié en la necesidad de aumentar la coordinación intersectorial en los ámbitos de la gobernanza, la regulación y la gestión, y de acelerar los esfuerzos para aumentar la inversión en los profesionales de salud en Uruguay.
[ABSTRACT]. This article presents the experience of the health policy dialogue on nursing held in Uruguay in 2021, based on the theory of change. Four working groups were held, with the participation of 725 people. The points discussed included: the shortage of registered nurses to implement programs and cover functions at all levels of health care; the poor visibility of the healthcare impact of the activities carried out; insufficient financial resources for undergraduate and postgraduate training; and poor integration of nurses in management teams and policy decision-making spaces in the country. Participants expressed the need to implement the national nursing development plan so that the country can: reduce the shortage of professionals; invest in job creation to meet the demand for professional care; improve staffing of services at all levels of care; improve working conditions; create new spaces for nurses by expanding their role through postgraduate training, while continuously improving the quality of training. Participants emphasized the need to increase intersectoral coordination in the areas of governance, regulation, and management, and to step up efforts to increase investment in health professionals in Uruguay.
[RESUMO]. Este artigo apresenta a experiência do diálogo político-sanitário sobre enfermagem realizado no Uruguai em 2021 com base na teoria da mudança. Foram organizados quatro grupos de trabalho, dos quais participaram 725 pessoas. Entre os pontos discutidos, destacam-se: a falta de profissionais graduados em enfermagem para desenvolver programas e cobrir funções em todos os níveis de atenção à saúde; a falta de visibilidade do impacto assistencial das atividades desenvolvidas; a insuficiência de recursos financeiros para programas de graduação e pós-graduação; e a pouca integração desses profissionais às equipes de gestão e aos espaços de tomada de decisão política no país. Os participantes indicaram a necessidade de implementar o plano nacional de desenvolvimento da enfermagem para que o país reduza o déficit de profissionais; invista na criação de cargos para atender à demanda por cuidados profissionais; melhore a dotação de pessoal nos serviços em todos os níveis de atenção; melhore as condições de trabalho; crie novas oportunidades de inserção para profissionais de enfermagem, ampliando suas funções por meio da pós-graduação; e aprimore continuamente a qualidade da formação. Os participantes enfatizaram a necessidade de aumentar a coordenação intersetorial nos aspectos de governança, regulação e gestão, bem como de acelerar os esforços no sentido de aumentar o investimento em profissionais de saúde no Uruguai.
Subject(s)
Nursing , Health Workforce , Health Systems , Health Policy , Uruguay , Nursing , Health Workforce , Health Systems , Health Policy , Nursing , Health Workforce , Health Systems , Health Policy , UruguayABSTRACT
RESUMEN Ese artículo presenta la experiencia del diálogo político sanitario en enfermería desarrollado en Uruguay en el 2021, con base en la teoría del cambio. Se realizaron cuatro mesas de trabajo, con participación de 725 personas. Los puntos discutidos incluyeron: que existe un déficit de enfermeros licenciados para el desarrollo de los programas y para la cobertura de las funciones en todos los niveles de la atención a salud; la falta de visibilidad del impacto asistencial de las actividades desarrolladas; los recursos financieros insuficientes para la formación de grado y posgrado y la baja integración de los enfermeros en equipos de gestión y en espacios políticos de toma de decisiones en el país. Los participantes manifestaron la necesidad de implementar el plan nacional de desarrollo de la enfermería con los objetivos de que el país: disminuya el déficit de profesionales; invierta en la creación de cargos para satisfacer la demanda de cuidados profesionales; mejore las dotaciones de personal en los servicios en todos los niveles de atención; mejore las condiciones de trabajo; genere nuevos espacios de inserción de enfermeros ampliando su rol, mediante capacitación de posgrado y mejore continuamente la calidad de la formación. Los participantes hicierón hincapié en la necesidad de aumentar la coordinación intersectorial en los ámbitos de la gobernanza, la regulación y la gestión, y de acelerar los esfuerzos para aumentar la inversión en los profesionales de salud en Uruguay.
ABSTRACT This article presents the experience of the health policy dialogue on nursing held in Uruguay in 2021, based on the theory of change. Four working groups were held, with the participation of 725 people. The points discussed included: the shortage of registered nurses to implement programs and cover functions at all levels of health care; the poor visibility of the healthcare impact of the activities carried out; insufficient financial resources for undergraduate and postgraduate training; and poor integration of nurses in management teams and policy decision-making spaces in the country. Participants expressed the need to implement the national nursing development plan so that the country can: reduce the shortage of professionals; invest in job creation to meet the demand for professional care; improve staffing of services at all levels of care; improve working conditions; create new spaces for nurses by expanding their role through postgraduate training, while continuously improving the quality of training. Participants emphasized the need to increase intersectoral coordination in the areas of governance, regulation, and management, and to step up efforts to increase investment in health professionals in Uruguay.
RESUMO Este artigo apresenta a experiência do diálogo político-sanitário sobre enfermagem realizado no Uruguai em 2021 com base na teoria da mudança. Foram organizados quatro grupos de trabalho, dos quais participaram 725 pessoas. Entre os pontos discutidos, destacam-se: a falta de profissionais graduados em enfermagem para desenvolver programas e cobrir funções em todos os níveis de atenção à saúde; a falta de visibilidade do impacto assistencial das atividades desenvolvidas; a insuficiência de recursos financeiros para programas de graduação e pós-graduação; e a pouca integração desses profissionais às equipes de gestão e aos espaços de tomada de decisão política no país. Os participantes indicaram a necessidade de implementar o plano nacional de desenvolvimento da enfermagem para que o país reduza o déficit de profissionais; invista na criação de cargos para atender à demanda por cuidados profissionais; melhore a dotação de pessoal nos serviços em todos os níveis de atenção; melhore as condições de trabalho; crie novas oportunidades de inserção para profissionais de enfermagem, ampliando suas funções por meio da pós-graduação; e aprimore continuamente a qualidade da formação. Os participantes enfatizaram a necessidade de aumentar a coordenação intersetorial nos aspectos de governança, regulação e gestão, bem como de acelerar os esforços no sentido de aumentar o investimento em profissionais de saúde no Uruguai.