Investigating Polyextremophilic Bacteria in Al Wahbah Crater, Saudi Arabia: A Terrestrial Model for Life on Saturn's Moon Enceladus.

The study of extremophilic microorganisms has sparked interest in understanding extraterrestrial microbial life. Such organisms are fundamental for investigating life forms on Saturn's icy moons, such as Enceladus, which is characterized by potentially habitable saline and alkaline niches. Our study focused on the salt-alkaline soil of the Al Wahbah crater in Saudi Arabia, where we identified microorganisms that could be used as biological models to understand potential life on Enceladus. The search involved isolating 48 bacterial strains, sequencing the genomes of two thermo-haloalkaliphilic strains, and characterizing them for astrobiological application. A deeper understanding of the genetic composition and functional capabilities of the two novel strains of Halalkalibacterium halodurans provided valuable insights into their survival strategies and the presence of coding genes and pathways related to adaptations to environmental stressors. We also used mass spectrometry with a molecular network approach, highlighting various classes of molecules, such as phospholipids and nonproteinogenic amino acids, as potential biosignatures. These are essential features for understanding life's adaptability under extreme conditions and could be used as targets for biosignatures in upcoming missions exploring Enceladus' orbit. Furthermore, our study reinforces the need to look at new extreme environments on Earth that might contribute to the astrobiology field.

Gynecologic health care for LGBTQIA+ people.

Gender relations are a set of socially determined norms and rules that assign values, characteristics, and expectations to individuals based on their biological sex. These aspects also influence the clinician-patient relationship, since it has been for a long time based on cisheteronormativity. However, this attitude alienated the LGBTQIA+ community from health services. Global and specific gynecologic care needs to be offered to the LGBTQIA+ population, which has demands for sexual and reproductive health care. In this narrative review, we bring conceptual aspects, gender identity and expression, sexual history, screening for cancer and other care to the community.

Investigating the efficacy of transcranial direct current stimulation on chronic pain management in endometriosis patients: A randomized controlled trial protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Similar to chronic pain conditions, individuals with endometriosis can be affected by central sensitization syndrome (CSS), which is characterized by a loss of analgesia and central amplification of pain. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown potential as an effective intervention to improve pain generated by other chronic pain conditions impacted by CSS, such as fibromyalgia and chronic pelvic issues. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of tDCS on pain, fatigue, and quality of life among patients affected by endometriosis. METHODS: This is a single-center, parallel, double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial protocol study. We aim to recruit 40 participants affected by endometriosis (active group, n = 20; sham group, n = 20). Anodal tDCS will be delivered at an intensity of 2mA, applied over the primary motor cortex for 20 minutes per day for 10 consecutive days. There will be four assessment times: 1 week before beginning the intervention; on the 10th day following the last tDCS session; and 1 and 2 months after the last tDCS session. Pain evaluated by the algometry will be the primary outcome. Pain intensity, quality of life, fatigue, and global perception of change will be the secondary outcomes. We will calculate the effects of the active versus sham stimulation on primary and secondary outcomes by using generalized estimated equations or mixed model analysis. The effect size calculation will represent the effect measure. We expect that only the active group show reductions in pain, fatigue, and quality of life. The results of this trial will produce an important first step in providing evidence on the effectiveness of neuromodulation for the management of pain and will provide data to support new studies on tDCS. REGISTRATION: Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (RBR-4q69573).

Causes and investigation of stillbirths in Brazil: A multicentre cross-sectional study in 10 referral maternity hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: Understanding the local characteristics and statistics related to stillbirths may be the first step in a series of strategies associated with a reduction in stillbirth ratio. The aim of this study was to estimate the fetal mortality ratio and evaluate the investigation processes related to the causes of death, comparing the investigation according to the specific cause of death. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was retrospectively conducted in 10 tertiary obstetric care centers. Medical records of women with stillbirth managed between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2018 were analyzed and classified, according to sociodemographic characteristics, and gestational and childbirth data, culminating in stillbirth. The stillbirth ratio and its causes were presented in proportions for the study period and individually for each health facility. RESULTS: Cases of 3390 stillbirths were analyzed. The stillbirth ratio varied from 10.74/1000 live births (LBs) in 2009 to 9.31/1000 in 2018. "Intrauterine hypoxia and asphyxia" (ICD-10 P20) and "unspecific causes of death" (ICD-10 P95) represented 40.8% of the causes of death. Investigation for TORCHS and diabetes occurred in 90.8% and 61.4% of deaths, respectively. Placental and necroscopic tests were performed in 36.6% of the cases. CONCLUSION: The adoption of a rational and standardized investigation of stillbirth remains an unmet need; the use of additional tests and examinations are lacking, especially when unspecific causes are attributed.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Food Craving in Women Affected by Overweight and Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Craving is a multifactorial behavior caused by central circuit imbalance. The proposed treatments involve exercise and reduced food intake. However, the treatments frequently fail. This study aimed to investigate the effect of 10 consecutive sessions of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on food craving and eating consumption of women affected by overweight and obesity. METHODS: A randomized double-blind controlled trial with 50 volunteers was divided into two groups (active-tDCS: n = 25 and sham-tDCS: n = 25). There were a total of 10 consecutive tDCS sessions (2 mA, for 20 min) with an F4 anodal-F3 cathodal montage. We evaluated the effects on eating behavior (food craving, uncontrolled eating, emotional eating, and cognitive restriction), food consumption (calories and macronutrients), and anthropometric and body composition variables (weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and body fat percentage). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant results between groups at the baseline regarding sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Also, there was no significant interaction between time versus group for any of the variables studied. Treatment with tDCS was well tolerated and there were no serious adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: In women affected by overweight and obesity with food cravings, 10 sessions of F4 (anodal) and F3 (cathodal) tDCS did not produce changes in eating behavior, food consumption, and anthropometric and body composition.

Polysaccharide Hydroxyapatite (Nano)composites and Their Biomedical Applications: An Overview of Recent Years.

Hydroxyapatite can combine with polysaccharide originating biomaterials with special applications in the biomedical field. In this review, the synthesis of (nano)composites is discussed, focusing on natural polysaccharides such as alginate, chitosan, and pectin. In this way, advances in recent years in the development of preparing materials are revised and discussed. Therefore, an overview of the recent synthesis and applications of polyssacharides@hydroxyapatites is presented. Several studies based on chitosan@hydroxyapatite combined with other inorganic matrices are highlighted, while pectin@hydroxyapatite is present in a smaller number of reports. Biomedical applications as drug carriers, adsorbents, and bone implants are discussed, combining their dependence with the nature of interactions on the molecular scale and the type of polysaccharides used, which is a relevant aspect to be explored.

Safety and feasibility of transcranial direct current stimulation in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis: an exploratory study.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with end-stage renal disease often face a challenging routine of hemodialysis, dietary restrictions, and multiple medications, which can affect their hemodynamic function. Home-based, safe, and nonpharmacological approaches such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) should be combined with conventional treatment. OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and feasibility of tDCS on blood pressure and heart rate in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis. METHOD: This is a parallel, randomized, sham-controlled trial. Patients undergoing hemodialysis for more than three months were included. The patients received ten non-consecutive 2mA tDCS sessions on the primary motor cortex . Each session lasted 20 minutes. At baseline and after each of the ten sessions, blood pressure and heart rate of the patients were measured hourly for four hours. RESULTS: Thirty patients were randomized to the active or sham group. The mean difference between the groups was calculated as the mean value of the sham group minus the mean value of the active group. Despite there were no statistical changes for all outcomes considering all 10 sessions, we found differences between groups for systolic -10.93 (-29.1;7.2), diastolic -3.63 (-12.4; 5.1), and mean blood pressure -6.0 (-16.3; 4.2) and hear rate 2.26 (-2.5; 7.1). No serious adverse events were found. The active group showed higher blood pressure values at all points, while heart rate was lower in the active group. CONCLUSION: tDCS is safe and feasible for patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis. Future studies should investigate whether tDCS could potentially induce a hypotensive protective effect during hemodialysis.

Rare manifestation of pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma: Respiratory failure.

We report a case of a 42-year-old woman diagnosed with pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyomatosis with a random nodular pattern on image and with a rare clinical condition progressing with respiratory failure and severe hypoxemia. This study is relevant due to the rarity of the tomographic pattern and the patient's clinical presentation. There is no treatment guideline for this comorbidity, which further increases the importance of publishing case reports in the literature.

Mapping trends in preemptive analgesia related to oral surgery with the use of Ibuprofen: a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative analysis of bibliometric parameters.

PURPOSE: This study aims to conduct a thorough analysis, both quantitative and qualitative, of bibliometric parameters related to preemptive analgesia (PA) in oral surgical procedures (OSP). METHODS: Research trends on PA in OSP using ibuprofen were reviewed through bibliometric analysis of 68 journal articles published from 1991 to 2022 in the Web of Science database. Bibliometric indicators were applied to analyze the journal article data, including the annual distribution of publications and literature growth, document types, citation indicators to measure qualitative research performance, and keyword mapping to identify research trends. The results were imported into RStudio, and the Bibliometrix package was used to prepare and analyze the metadata. RESULTS: The 68 included articles received a total of 900 citations, ranging from 1 source to 72 citations with some fluctuations. The papers on PA in OSP using ibuprofen had an average of 16.85 citations per paper. These publications were originated from 25 countries, with the highest contributions from Brazil (n = 17), the USA (n = 13), and Turkey (n = 8). The top five major contributing journals were the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Journal of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Journal of Periodontology, and Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, representing more than half of all selected papers. CONCLUSION: Papers focused on PA in OSP received numerous citations. The citation per article correlated with the number of publications at the affiliation, author, country, and journal levels. However, there is still a scarcity of studies in this field.

The experience of pregnant women and their families who were infected with covid-19 before vaccination: A qualitative approach within a multicenter study in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant and postpartum women infected by COVID-19 are at increased risk of adverse outcomes, including negative effects on their mental health. Brazilian maternal mortality rate due to COVID-19 is 2.5 times higher than overall mortality rates. This study aimed to understand how pregnant/postpartum women experienced the COVID-19 suspicion/investigation or confirmed infection in different Brazilian cities, the pandemic's consequences to women and their families, and their needs to improve maternal health services during public health emergencies. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study with 27 women with COVID-19 and 6 of their family members, as part of a multicenter study among 15 maternity hospitals in Brazil. We applied in-depth interviews through telephone calls when women received the diagnostic or had a suspect infection and after 60 days. Another semi-structured interview was applied to their close family members. The interviews were considered through thematic analysis. RESULTS: From the thematic content analysis three major themes emerged from the first and second interviews: (Cucinotta and Vanelli, 2020) assistance received by the woman and newborn in the medical services; (World Health Organization (WHO) 2021) stigma/fear of contamination from health workers and from family and friends reported by the women; (Allotey et al., 2020) the COVID-19 pandemic impact. CONCLUSION: Before the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, pregnant women experienced fear of death, hospitalization, quarantine, loss of family members, and financial repercussions, resulting in physical, psychological, and socioeconomic impacts on these women's lives.

Chemotherapy increases the prevalence of radiotherapy-related trismus in head and neck cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: To evaluate the influence of chemotherapy on the prevalence of trismus in irradiated head and neck cancer patients. Material and Methods: This systematic review guided by PRISMA-2020 and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021255377) screened 963 articles in 7 scientific-databases (PubMed, Lilacs, Livivo, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, EBSCO) and 3 grey-literature databases (Open Grey, Google Scholar, ProQuest) and eight articles were included for qualitative synthesis, meta-analysis (combined odds ratio, inverse variance method plus random effects), heterogeneity analysis (I² and Tau²), one-of-out evaluation and publication bias analysis (Eggs' and Begg's tests) (RevMan®, p<0.05). The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale Cohort Studies was used to assess the risk of bias (RoB). The classification assessment, development, and recommendations (GRADE) approach was used to assess the certainty of evidence. Results: The eight articles evaluated 1474 patients treated with chemoradiotherapy and 858 patients treated with radiotherapy. Five articles had low RoB, and three had high RoB. Chemoradiotherapy significantly (p=0.0003) increased the prevalence of trismus (OR=2.55, 95% CI = 1.53-4.23) compared to radiotherapy, with significant (p=0.010) but low heterogeneity (I²=59%;Tau²=0.29). There was no significant risk of publication bias, one-out analysis showed no significant difference between studies, and GRADE showed a moderate level of evidence. Trismus was directly associated to worse quality of life. Conclusions: The incidence of trismus increases when chemotherapy is combined with radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, which negatively impacts the quality of life. Key words:Radiotherapy, Chemoradiotherapy, Head and Neck Neoplasms, Trismus, Quality of Life.

The relationship between T7-Fz alpha coherence and peak performance in self-paced sports: a meta-analytical review.

We examined whether the alpha-band coherence between the T7-Fz (verbal analytical-motor planning) brain areas were related to superior performance in sports. We searched for related papers across eight databases: ProQuest Central, ProQuest Psychology Journals, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science using relevant keywords (i.e., EEG AND sports AND coherence). Seven studies, with a total of 194 participants, met our inclusion criteria and were shortlisted for statistical analysis. We compared EEG coherence data for both within-subject and between-subject experimental designs. Our analysis revealed that athletes had lower coherence in the T7-Fz brain pathway for alpha- band activation (Hedges' g = - 0.54; p = 0.03) when performing better. Theoretically, these results corroborate the notion that athletes become more "neurally efficient" as the verbal and motor areas of their brains function more independently, i.e., the neural efficiency hypothesis. Accordingly, athletes who can limit verbal interference are more likely to perform a sporting task successfully.

Stimulus Complexity Can Enhance Art Appreciation: Phenomenological and Psychophysiological Evidence for the Pleasure-Interest Model of Aesthetic Liking.

We tested predictions deriving from the "Pleasure-Interest Model of Aesthetic Liking" (PIA Model), whereby aesthetic preferences arise from two fluency-based processes: an initial automatic, percept-driven default process and a subsequent perceiver-driven reflective process. One key trigger for reflective processing is stimulus complexity. Moreover, if meaning can be derived from such complexity, then this can engender increased interest and elevated liking. Experiment 1 involved graffiti street-art images, pre-normed to elicit low, moderate and high levels of interest. Subjective reports indicated a predicted enhancement in liking across increasing interest levels. Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings during image viewing revealed different patterns of alpha power in temporal brain regions across interest levels. Experiment 2 enforced a brief initial image-viewing stage and a subsequent reflective image-viewing stage. Differences in alpha power arose in most EEG channels between the initial and deliberative viewing stages. A linear increase in aesthetic liking was again seen across interest levels, with different patterns of alpha activity in temporal and occipital regions across these levels. Overall, the phenomenological data support the PIA Model, while the physiological data suggest that enhanced aesthetic liking might be associated with "flow-feelings" indexed by alpha activity in brain regions linked to visual attention and reducing distraction.

A pilot randomized controlled trial of transcranial direct current stimulation adjunct to moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in hypertensive individuals.

Background: Hypertension is a global issue that is projected to worsen with increasingly obese populations. The central nervous system including the parts of the cortex plays a key role in hemodynamic stability and homeostatic control of blood pressure (BP), making them critical components in understanding and investigating the neural control of BP. This study investigated the effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) associated with aerobic physical exercise on BP and heart rate variability in hypertensive patients. Methods: Twenty hypertensive patients were randomized into two groups: active tDCS associated with aerobic exercise or sham tDCS associated with aerobic exercise. BP and heart rate variability were analyzed before (baseline) and after twelve non-consecutive sessions. After each tDCS session (2 mA for 20 min), moderate-intensity aerobic exercise was carried out on a treadmill for 40 min. Results: A total of 20 patients were enrolled (53.9 ± 10.6 years, 30.1 ± 3.7 Kg/m2). There were no significant interactions between time and groups on diastolic BP during wake, sleep, over 24 and 3 h after the last intervention. Heart rate variability variables showed no significant difference for time, groups and interaction analysis, except for HF (ms2) between groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Anodal tDCS over the temporal cortex associated with aerobic exercise did not induce improvements in BP and heart rate variability. Clinical trial registration: https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-56jg3n/1, identifier: RBR-56jg3n.

ChatGPT and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Chronic Pain.

Objective: We aimed to open a discussion about the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in science and clinical practice, specifically with regard to the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a technique for managing chronic pain. Main Points of Discussion: To analyze the responses generated by ChatGPT and the best literature about tDCS, we formulated three questions. The answers from ChatGPT, compared to the guidelines and Cochrane review, showed that AI can be a potential strategy to help clinicians and researchers. AI such as ChatGPT is revolutionizing the academic field and clinical practice. However, there is still an unmet scientific and clinical discussion about the insertion of AI to help researchers and clinicians in the neuromodulation area treat chronic pain. Conclusion: We need to know the limits of the use of AI. Even though ChatGPT might be helpful, it should be used with caution in the academic field and clinical practice.

Use of Cactus Pear Meal in the Feeding of Laying Hens in Semi-Intensive System.

Little information is available in the literature on the use of cactus pear meal (CPM) in poultry diets; therefore, it is important to evaluate diets that provide excellent performance and lower production costs. Our objective was to study the use of Miúda CPM in the diets of laying hens. In the first study, two diets for male and female chicks were used-1: 80% reference diet + 20% Miúda cactus pear meal (CPM) and 2: 80% reference diet + 20% Gigante cactus pear meal (CPM). The variety Miúda provided a better use of metabolizable energy, as well as a greater digestibility coefficient of dry matter, protein, and mineral matter. In the second study, a control diet was compared to three diets with different levels of Miúda CPM for laying hens in the proportions of 3%, 6%, and 9%. No significant differences were found in productive performance. However, there were significant differences in the some parameters egg quality, texture and color profile of the cooked yolk, egg composition, fatty acids and cholesterol in the yolk. It is possible to use 9% Miúda CPM in the diet of laying hens in a semi-intensive system that does not compromise performance and egg quality, and using 3% Miúda CPM provides a higher economic return.

Global proteome of the saprophytic strain Leptospira biflexa and comparative analysis with pathogenic strain Leptospira interrogans uncover new pathogenesis mechanisms.

Leptospira is a genus of bacteria that includes free-living saprophytic species found in water or soil, and pathogenic species, which are the etiologic agents of leptospirosis. Besides all the efforts, there are only a few proteins described as virulence factors in the pathogenic strain L. interrogans. This work aims to perform L. biflexa serovar Patoc1 strain Paris global proteome and to compare with the proteome database of pathogenic L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130. We identified a total of 2327 expressed proteins of L. biflexa by mass spectrometry. Using the Get Homologues software with the global proteome of L. biflexa and L. interrogans, we found orthologous proteins classified into conserved, low conserved, and specific proteins. Comparative bioinformatic analyses were performed to understand the biological functions of the proteins, subcellular localization, the presence of signal peptide, structural domains, and motifs using public softwares. These results lead to the selection of 182 low conserved within the saprophyte, and 176 specific proteins of L. interrogans. It is anticipated that these findings will indicate further studies to uncover virulence factors in the pathogenic strain. This work presents for the first time the global proteome of saprophytic strain L. biflexa serovar Patoc, strain Patoc1. SIGNIFICANCE: The comparative analysis established an array of specific proteins in pathogenic strain that will narrow down the identification of immune protective proteins that will help fight leptospirosis.

Study of the antibacterial and cytotoxic activity of chitosan and its derivatives chemically modified with phthalic anhydride and ethylenediamine.

The insertion of hydrophobic and hydrophilic chains in the chitosan molecule can improve its antibacterial activity, expanding its range of application in several areas of medical-pharmaceutical sciences. Thus, this work aimed to increase the antibacterial activity of chitosan through the modification reaction with phthalic anhydride (QF) and subsequent reaction with ethylenediamine (QFE). The chitosan and derivatives obtained were characterized by elemental analysis, 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13C NMR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TG), where it was possible to prove the chemical modification. Both materials showed a greater antibacterial inhibitory effect against Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, emphasizing antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, with values above 70 % of the inhibitory effect, which is a promising result. Assays with human fibroblast cells by the [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium (MTT)] bromide reduction test did not indicate toxicity in the materials. Thus, the derived materials showed promise for biomedical applications since they combined excellent antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative strains and did not show cytotoxicity.