Eteplirsen Treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A Qualitative Patient Experience Study.

INTRODUCTION: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by rapid functional decline. Current available treatment options aim to delay disease progression or stabilize physical function. To aid in healthcare providers' understanding of the symptoms of disease that impact patients' experience, this study explored children's physical functioning, activities of daily living (ADLs), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after receiving eteplirsen, a weekly infusion indicated for individuals with DMD with exon 51 skip-amenable mutations. METHODS: Fifteen caregivers of male individuals with DMD participated in a 60-min, semi-structured interview. Open-ended questioning explored changes in the children's condition or maintenance in abilities since eteplirsen initiation. RESULTS: Children with DMD (age 7-15 years [mean 10.9]; steroid treatment at interview, n = 8; time since eteplirsen initiation 3-24 months [mean 14.9]) were described by caregivers as ambulatory (n = 9) and non-ambulatory (n = 6). Caregivers of ambulatory children reported improvements or maintenance of walking ability (n = 7/9), running (n = 6/9), and using stairs (n = 4/9). Continued decline in using stairs was reported by two caregivers. In upper-limb functioning, improvements or maintenances in fine-motor movements were reported by nearly half of all caregivers (n = 7/15), with one caregiver noting a continued decline. Subsequent improvements or maintenances in ADLs were described. Improvements or maintenances in fatigue (n = 9/15), muscle weakness (n = 7/15), and pain (n = 6/15) were reported, although some caregivers described a continued decline (n = 3/15 fatigue, n = 1/15 muscle weakness, n = 2/15 pain). Importantly, most caregivers who reported maintenances in ability perceived this as a positive outcome (n = 6/9). CONCLUSION: This exploratory study indicated that most caregivers perceived improvements or maintenances in aspects of their child's physical functioning, ADLs, and HRQoL since eteplirsen initiation, which they perceived to be a positive outcome.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness. Early on, this weakness presents as difficulty walking, but eventually children lose the ability to walk, develop spinal curvature, and experience problems with the heart and lung muscles. People with DMD are missing a key protein in their bodies called dystrophin. Eteplirsen is a weekly, intravenous treatment approved to treat people with a specific DMD genetic misspelling. The goal of the treatment is to slow down the disease and delay the time to losing ability to walk or needing help breathing. Fifteen caregivers of children living with DMD participated in a 60-min telephone interview. Caregivers were asked questions about the child's DMD symptoms and how those symptoms impact the child's daily life. Caregivers discussed their child's experience while receiving eteplirsen treatment and changes since the start of treatment. Caregivers described their child's muscle weakness and how this has affected their movements (e.g., using stairs, running or walking). Since starting eteplirsen treatment, all caregivers reported some improvement or maintenance in parts of their child's physical functioning, activities of daily living (e.g., sports/leisure, getting dressed and self-care), and symptoms (e.g., muscle weakness, pain and fatigue), even though some decline was also reported (e.g., physical functioning, getting dressed, self-care, muscle weakness, pain and fatigue). The results provide insights into physical functioning and quality of life of children with DMD who are receiving eteplirsen. However, more research is needed to fully understand the impact of eteplirsen on these experiences.

Genetically engineered eucalyptus expressing pesticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis for insect resistance: a risk assessment evaluation perspective.

Eucalyptus covers approximately 7.5 million hectares in Brazil and serves as the primary woody species cultivated for commercial purposes. However, native insects and invasive pests pose a significant threat to eucalyptus trees, resulting in substantial economic losses and reduced forest productivity. One of the primary lepidopteran pests affecting eucalyptus is Thyrinteina arnobia (Stoll, 1782) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), commonly referred to as the brown looper caterpillar. To address this issue, FuturaGene, the biotech division of Suzano S.A., has developed an insect-resistant (IR) eucalyptus variety, which expresses Cry pesticidal proteins (Cry1Ab, Cry1Bb, and Cry2Aa), derived from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Following extensive safety assessments, including field trials across various biomes in Brazil, the Brazilian National Technical Commission of Biosafety (CTNBio) recently approved the commercialization of IR eucalyptus. The biosafety assessments involved the analysis of molecular genomics, digestibility, thermostability, non-target organism exposure, degradability in the field, and effects on soil microbial communities and arthropod communities. In addition, in silico studies were conducted to evaluate allergenicity and toxicity. Results from both laboratory and field studies indicated that Bt eucalyptus is as safe as the conventional eucalyptus clone for humans, animals, and the environment, ensuring the secure use of this insect-resistant trait in wood production.

Urinary microbiota is associated to clinicopathological features in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

BACKGROUND: The urinary microbiota of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has been associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), however, little is known about urinary microbiota correlations with clinicopathological parameters associated with BPH. Here, we investigate associations between the urinary microbiota and clinical parameters of patients with BPH undergoing surgery. METHODS: Forty-one patients with BPH undergoing surgery were recruited from two medical centers. Catheterized urine specimens were collected and the microbiota was characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Patients were segregated into two groups according to each clinical parameter and differences in urinary microbiota diversity and composition were evaluated. RESULTS: Higher prostate weight and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were associated with higher alpha diversity in the urinary microbiota of BPH patients. At the specific microbe level, we found that the greater the prostatic weight, the lower the relative abundance of Streptococcus, while the greater the PSA levels, the higher the abundance of Lactobacillus. Treatment with 5-α-reductase inhibitor was associated with overall urinary microbiota composition, in part due to a higher abundance of Corynebacterium and Anaerococcus in this group. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that the urinary microbiota of BPH patients is associated with clinicopathological features, paving the way for larger studies in which causality between urinary microbiota and BPH can be appropriately explored.

Assessing the Assisted Six-Minute Cycling Test as a Measure of Endurance in Non-Ambulatory Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

Assessing endurance in non-ambulatory individuals with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) has been challenging due to limited evaluation tools. The Assisted 6-Minute Cycling Test (A6MCT) is an upper limb ergometer assessment used in other neurologic disorders to measure endurance. To study the performance of the A6MCT in the non-ambulatory SMA population, prospective data was collected on 38 individuals with SMA (13 sitters; 25 non-sitters), aged 5 to 74 years (mean = 30.3; SD = 14.1). The clinical measures used were A6MCT, Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM), Adapted Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (ATEND), and Egen Klassifikation Scale 2 (EK2). Perceived fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and effort was assessed using the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). Data were analyzed for: (1) Feasibility, (2) Clinical discrimination, and (3) Associations between A6MCT with clinical characteristics and outcomes. Results showed the A6MCT was feasible for 95% of the tested subjects, discriminated between functional groups (p = 0.0086), and was significantly associated with results obtained from RULM, ATEND, EK2, and Brooke (p < 0.0001; p = 0.029; p < 0.001; p = 0.005). These findings indicate the A6MCT's potential to evaluate muscular endurance in non-ambulatory SMA individuals, complementing clinician-rated assessments. Nevertheless, further validation with a larger dataset is needed for broader application.

Major Adverse Dystrophinopathy Events (MADE) Score as Marker of Cumulative Morbidity and Risk for Mortality in Boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Background: Overlapping symptoms from cardiomyopathy, respiratory insufficiency, and skeletal myopathy confound assessment of heart failure in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. We developed an ordinal scale of multiorgan clinical variables that reflect cumulative disease burden-the Major Adverse Dystrophinopathy Event (MADE) Score. We hypothesized that a higher MADE score would be associated with increased mortality in boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group Duchenne Natural History Study dataset was utilized for validation. Methods: Duchenne Natural History Study variables were selected based on clinical relevance to prespecified domains: Cardiac, Pulmonary, Myopathy, Nutrition. Severity points (0-4) were assigned and summed for study visits. MADE score for cohorts defined by age, ambulatory status, and survival were compared at enrollment and longitudinally.Associations between MADE score and mortality were examined. Results: Duchenne Natural History Study enrolled 440 males, 12.6 ±6.1 years old, with 3,559 visits over 4.6 ±2.8 years, 45 deaths. MADE score increased with age and nonambulatory status. Mean MADE score per visit was 19 ±10 for those who died vs. 9.8 ±9.3 in survivors p=0.03. Baseline MADE score >12 predicted mortality independent of age (78% sensitivity, CPE.70). Rising MADE score trajectory was associated with mortality in models adjusted for enrollment age, follow-up time, and ambulatory status, all p<.001. Conclusion: A multiorgan severity score, MADE, was developed to track cumulative morbidities that impact heart failure in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. MADE score predicted Duchenne Natural History Study mortality. MADE score can be used for serial heart failure assessment in males and may serve as an endpoint for Duchenne muscular dystrophy clinical research.

Platelet count and MCHC as independent prognostic markers for feline mammary carcinomas.

Mammary neoplasms are common in felines species and represent a significant disease for its unfavorable prognosis. Changes in the blood count and serum biochemical profile of these patients have potential as non-invasive prognostic markers prior to mastectomy, however, they are poorly described in literature. In this study univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using these factors to determine the effect of each parameter on the one-year survival time after the surgical procedure in these animals. The median overall survival (OS) and the disease-free survival (DFS) were 365 and 242 days, respectively. In univariate analysis, values within the reference range of monocyte, platelet and creatinine counts were identified as significant prognostic factors for OS and only creatinine was significant for DFS (P < 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, platelets and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) remained independent prognostic factors for OS. The results presented suggest that monocytes, platelets and creatinine may be important non-invasive pre-surgical prognostic markers, and that platelet count and MCHC are independent prognostic markers for feline mammary carcinomas (FMC). The correlation between such alterations is of important relevance for veterinary oncology, and prospective studies are needed to validate their clinical use and that platelet count and MCHC are independent prognostic markers for FMC. The results found in this study can also be studied in human medicine, regarding blood markers in human breast cancer (HBC).

Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteomic Changes after Nusinersen in Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Disease-modifying treatments have transformed the natural history of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), but the cellular pathways altered by SMN restoration remain undefined and biomarkers cannot yet precisely predict treatment response. We performed an exploratory cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteomic study in a diverse sample of SMA patients treated with nusinersen to elucidate therapeutic pathways and identify predictors of motor improvement. Proteomic analyses were performed on CSF samples collected before treatment (T0) and at 6 months (T6) using an Olink panel to quantify 1113 peptides. A supervised machine learning approach was used to identify proteins that discriminated patients who improved functionally from those who did not after 2 years of treatment. A total of 49 SMA patients were included (10 type 1, 18 type 2, and 21 type 3), ranging in age from 3 months to 65 years. Most proteins showed a decrease in CSF concentration at T6. The machine learning algorithm identified ARSB, ENTPD2, NEFL, and IFI30 as the proteins most predictive of improvement. The machine learning model was able to predict motor improvement at 2 years with 79.6% accuracy. The results highlight the potential application of CSF biomarkers to predict motor improvement following SMA treatment. Validation in larger datasets is needed.

Prognostic Factors for Cancer-Specific Survival and Disease-Free Interval of Dogs with Mammary Carcinomas.

Canine mammary tumors (CMTs) are the most diagnosed neoplasms in dogs; however, there are few studies analyzing the influence of epidemiological, clinicopathological, and histopathological data on cancer-specific survival (CSS), disease-free interval (DFI), and overall survival (OS) in a large cohort. To contribute to the understanding of the biological behavior of this neoplasm, 385 cases were analyzed, 89% malignant, 4% benign, and 7% non-neoplastic lesions. Among the dogs diagnosed with malignant neoplasms, 86% had early clinical stages (I-III), while 14% had regional or distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Carcinoma in a mixed tumor was the most frequent histological type with 44% of the cases and had the best prognosis. Analyzed factors such as the presence of pseudocyesis, previous history of the disease, advanced clinical stage (IV-V), and presence of ulceration obtained significant results for CSS, DFI, and OS through univariate analysis and had a negative impact on the survival of the patients. Multivariate analysis showed that histological grading and age proved to be the best independent parameters for the prognostic evaluation of CSS and DFI in this study. These factors were also significant in the overall survival analysis. Therefore, these parameters should be considered valuable risk and prognostic factors for CMTs.

Safety Assessment of the CP4 EPSPS and NPTII Proteins in Eucalyptus.

Glyphosate herbicide treatment is essential to sustainable Eucalyptus plantation management in Brazil. Eucalyptus is highly sensitive to glyphosate, and Suzano/FuturaGene has genetically modified eucalyptus to tolerate glyphosate, with the aim of both protecting eucalyptus trees from glyphosate application damage and improving weed management. This study presents the biosafety results of the glyphosate-tolerant eucalyptus event 751K032, which expresses the selection marker neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPTII) enzyme and CP4-EPSPS, a glyphosate-tolerant variant of plant 5-enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate synthase enzyme. The transgenic genetically modified (GM) event 751K032 behaved in the plantations like conventional non-transgenic eucalyptus clone, FGN-K, and had no effects on arthropods and soil microorganisms. The engineered NPTII and CP4 EPSPS proteins were heat-labile, readily digestible, and according to the bioinformatics analyses, unlikely to cause an allergenic or toxic reaction in humans or animals. This assessment of the biosafety of the glyphosate-tolerant eucalyptus event 751K032 concludes that it is safe to be used for wood production.

When social movements fail or succeed: social psychological consequences of a collective action's outcome.

Collective actions occur all around the world and, in the last few years, even more frequently. Previous literature has mainly focused on the antecedents of collective actions, but less attention has been given to the consequences of participating in collective action. Moreover, it is still an open question how the consequences of collective action might differ, depending on whether the actions are perceived to succeed or fail. In two studies we seek to address this gap using innovative experimental studies. In Study 1 (N = 368) we manipulated the perceptions of success and failure of a collective action in the context of a real social movement, the Chilean student movement from last decade. In Study 2 (N = 169), in addition to manipulating the outcome, we manipulated actual participation, using a mock environmental organization aiming to create awareness in authorities, to test the causal effect of both participation and success/failure on empowerment, group efficacy, and intentions of future involvement in normative and non-normative collective actions. Results show that current and past participation predict overall participation in the future, however, in Study 2 the manipulated participation was associated with having less intentions of participating in the future. In both studies, perception of success increases group efficacy. In Study 1, we found that when facing failure, participants increase their willingness to participate more in the future as opposed to non-participants that actually decrease theirs. In Study 2, however, failure increases the perception of efficacy for those with a history of non-normative participation. Altogether these results highlight the moderating role of the outcome of collective action to understand the effect of participation on future participation. We discuss these results in light of the methodological innovation and the real world setting in which our studies were conducted.

Daily Vitamin D Supplementation Improves Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients With Chronic Liver Disease.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to evaluate the response to 6000 IU oral cholecalciferol (OC) treatment in children with chronic liver disease (CLD) and 25(OH)D deficiency. METHODS: This historical cohort included non-transplanted CLD patients younger than 18 years old, which were analyzed for serum 25(OH)D, liver function, bone metabolism, Child-Pugh classification, and anthropometry. Patients with 25(OH)D deficiency (defined as 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL) who received 6000 IU/day of OC were analyzed pre- and post-intervention, and considered responders if 25(OH)D > 20 ng/mL after at least 60 days. We compared clinical and laboratory data from patients with and without 25(OH)D deficiency, responders and nonresponders. RESULTS: We studied 96 patients, of which 57.2% had biliary atresia. The prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency was 67.7% (65/96). These patients were younger ( P < 0.001), had higher Child-Pugh scores ( P < 0.001), higher levels of total bilirubin (TB) ( P < 0.001), gamma-glutamyl transferase ( P < 0.001), and alkaline phosphatase ( P = 0.002), as well as lower levels of phosphorus ( P = 0.009) compared with patients without 25(OH)D deficiency. The median treatment length was 126 days (70-307 days). At the end of treatment, we observed a higher median of 25(OH)D ( P < 0.001), and lower median of parathyroid hormone (PTH) ( P = 0.023). Nine patients (29%) restored 25(OH)D to normal range; they had lower Child-Pugh score ( P = 0.001), lower TB levels ( P = 0.001), and higher level of phosphorus ( P = 0.003) after treatment. CONCLUSION: Despite an increase in 25(OH)D and decrease in PTH levels, 6000 IU/day of OC was not sufficient to restore 25(OH)D deficiency in most of the patients in this study.

Reflexões sobre a saúde mental do professor: possibilidades para promover a saúde do trabalhador / Reflections on teachers' mental health: possibilities to promote workers' health / Reflexiones sobre la salud mental de los docentes: posibilidades para promover la salud de los trabajadores

Objetivo: Compreender os fatores que influenciam a saúde mental dos professores de cursos técnicos da saúde. Métodos: Pesquisa qualitativa do tipo ação participante, articulado com o itinerário de pesquisa de Paulo Freire que compõem: investigação temática; codificação e descodificação; desvelamento crítico. Estas etapas foram desenvolvidas em cinco círculos de cultura com 21 professores de um Instituto Federal de Educação. Resultados: Emergiram como temáticas: pressão no trabalho; desvalorização do professor; relações conflituosas no trabalho; falta de educação continuada e ações de promoção da saúde. Conclusão: Os professores, ao promover saúde mental, podem melhorar a qualidade de vida, reduzindo o absenteísmo. (AU)

Objective: To understand the factors that influence the mental health of teachers in technical health courses. Methods: Participatory action qualitative research, articulated with Paulo Freire's research itinerary, which comprise: thematic investigation; encoding and decoding; critical unveiling. These stages were developed in five culture circles with 21 teachers from a Federal Institute of Education. Results: The following themes emerged: pressure at work; devaluation of the teacher; conflicting relationships at work; lack of continuing education and health promotion actions. Conclusion: Teachers, by promoting mental health, can improve the quality of life, reducing absenteeism. (AU)

Objetivo: Comprender los factores que influyen en la salud mental de los docentes en los cursos técnicos de salud. Métodos: Investigación cualitativa de acción participativa, articulada con el itinerario de investigación de Paulo Freire, que comprende: investigación temática; codificación y decodificación; revelación crítica. Estas etapas se desarrollaron en cinco círculos culturales con 21 profesores de un Instituto Federal de Educación. Resultados: Surgieron los siguientes temas: presión en el trabajo; devaluación del maestro; relaciones conflictivas en el trabajo; falta de acciones de educación continua y promoción de la salud. Conclusión: Los docentes, al promover la salud mental, pueden mejorar la calidad de vida, reduciendo el absentismo. (AU)

Caracterización de hábitos alimentarios y de actividad física en jóvenes de la Región Caribe Colombiana / Characterization of eating habits and physical activity in young people in the Colombian Caribbean Region

Introducción: Los hábitos de vida adquiridos y el mediouniversitario se convierten en importantes factores que influencian los comportamiento relacionados con la actividad física y la alimentación en los jóvenes.Objetivo: identificar los hábitos relacionados con las prácticas alimentarias y de actividad física en adultos jóvenes universitarios en el caribe colombiano.Materiales y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal,en estudiantes universitarios de cuatro ciudades de la regióncaribe colombiana. Se aplicó un cuestionario autoadministrado, que indagaba sobre características sociodemográficas yacadémicas, entre tanto para cuantificar los estilos de vida seempleó el cuestionario PEVP-II. Para el análisis de esta publicación se observó la información correspondiente a las dimensiones nutrición y actividad física.Resultados: El 61,26% de los participantes fueron mujeres, el rango de edad con mayor predominio fue entre 15 y26 años, con mayor representación de estudiantes de lasciencias de la salud, de estrato socioeconómico bajo. El sexoguarda relación con los hábitos nutricionales asociados a mayor consumo de carbohidratos, azúcares, así como escasoconsumo de frutas y vegetales. Se observó relación entre elsexo y la escasa práctica de actividad física. Conclusión: la falta de hábitos saludables en la juventudestá dada por las conductas aprehendidas e influenciadas porel entorno en el cual crece y se desarrolla el ser humano enetapas tempranas de la vida. Es importante pensar las formasen que el ámbito universitario podría influir de manera positiva en mejores actitudes y comportamientos relacionadoscon el bienestar general del joven.(AU)

Introduction: Life habits have an important influence onthe environment in which the young person develops. Theuniversity environment becomes an environment thatinfluences behaviors related to physical activity and food.Objective: to identify habits related to eating and physicalactivity practices in young university adults in the Colombian Caribbean. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional descriptivestudy in university students from four cities in the ColombianCaribbean region. A self-administered questionnaire wasapplied, which inquired about sociodemographic andacademic characteristics, while the PEVP-II questionnaire wasused to quantify lifestyles. For the analysis of this publication,the information corresponding to the dimensions of nutritionand physical activity was observed.Results: 61.26% of the participants were women, therange of age with the highest predominance was between 15and 26 years, with greater representation of of the healthsciences, of low socioeconomic stratum. Sex is related to thenutritional habits associated with higher consumption ofcarbohydrates, sugars, as well as low consumption of fruitsand vegetables. A relationship was observed between sex andthe low practice of physical activity. Conclusion: the lack of healthy habits in youth is given bythe behaviors apprehended and influenced by theenvironment in which the human being grows and developsin early stages of life. It is important to think about the waysin which the university environment could positively influencebetter attitudes and behaviors related to the general well-being of the young person.(AU)

Conflito com a lei e sexismo: percepções de adolescentes de Sergipe (Brasil) / Conflicto con la ley y sexismo: percepciones de adolescentes de Sergipe (Brasil) / Conflict with the law and sexism: perceptions of adolescents in Sergipe (Brazil)

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo é investigar como adolescentes do gênero feminino, em privação de liberdade, percebem a situação de conflito com a lei e o sexismo. Participaram quatro adolescentes que cumpriam medida socioeducativa de privação de liberdade em Sergipe (Brasil). Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas, interpretadas por meio da análise temática de conteúdo. Emergiram duas categorias: «Diferenças de gênero no ato infracional: a transgressão como característica masculina¼ e «Diferenças de gênero na medida socio-educativa: a obediência como característica feminina¼, indicando o impacto do gênero na percepção dessas adolescentes. Em conjunto, os resultados evidenciam que atentar ao recorte de gênero e às relações entre conflito com a lei e o sexismo são aspectos fundamentais para alcançar o ideário da legislação brasileira, o atendimento às especificidades das adolescentes numa proteção integral e igualitária.

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio es investigar cómo adolescentes, privadas de libertad, perciben la situación de conflicto con la ley y el sexismo. Participaron cuatro adolescentes que cumplían medida so-cioeducativa de privación de libertad en Sergipe (Brasil). Se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas, interpretadas mediante análisis de contenido temático. Surgieron dos categorías: «diferencias de género en la infracción: la transgresión como característica masculina¼ y «diferencias de género en la medida socioeducativa: la obediencia como característica femenina¼, indicando el impacto del género en la percepción de estas adolescentes. En conjunto, los resultados muestran que la atención al género y la relación entre conflicto con la ley y sexismo son aspectos fundamentales para lograr los ideales de la legislación brasileña, que es respetar las especificidades de las adolescentes en una protección integral e igualitaria.

Abstract This study aims to research how female adolescents who are deprived of their liberty perceive the relationship between their conflict with the law and sexism. The participants were four adolescents who were detained in a correctional facility in Sergipe (Brazil). Semi-structured interviews were conducted and these were interpreted using thematic content analysis. Two categories emerged: «Gender differences in infractions: transgression as a male characteristic¼ and «Gender differences in so-cioeducational scenarios: obedience as a female characteristic¼, highlighting the impact of gender on the perceptions of these adolescents. The results obtained through this research indicate that concentrating gender and the relationship between conflict with the law and sexism are fundamental aspects for achieving ideal legislation that respects the specific situations experienced by adolescents and provides them with integrated and equal protection.

Escala de Discriminação Cotidiana para Adolescentes e Jovens: Adaptação e Evidências Psicométricas / Everyday Discrimination Scale for Adolescents and Youth: Adaptation and Psychometric Evidence / Escala de Discriminación en la Vida Cotidiana para Adolescentes y Jóvenes: Adaptación y Pruebas Psicométricas

A discriminação tem um impacto negativo na saúde mental e nos desfechos acadêmicos e socioemocionais das pessoas. Um dos instrumentos mais usados para medir a frequência de experiências de discriminação é a Escala de Discriminação Cotidiana. Contudo, esta escala não foi ainda adaptada ao contexto brasileiro. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar e validar a Escala de Discriminação Cotidiana em uma amostra de adolescentes e jovens brasileiros de nível socioeconômico baixo e descrever os motivos de discriminação mais prevalentes. Analisou-se as equivalências linguísticas e a estrutura factorial da escala. A amostra foi composta de 995 estudantes pobres, advindos do Ensino Fundamental de cinco escolas públicas do Estado do Rio de Janeiro e de duas universidades públicas do Estado do Ceará, com idade entre 11 e 29 anos (M = 15,81, DP = 3,55), 54,8% constituída por mulheres (n = 522). A Análise Fatorial Exploratória realizada revelou uma estrutura unifatorial, com boa confiabilidade e validade. Os motivos de discriminação mais frequentes foram a aparência física e o nível socioeconômico. Os achados sugerem que a versão adaptada da escala apresenta qualidades psicométricas que permitem a sua utilização junto a adolescentes e jovens brasileiros.

Discrimination has a negative impact on people's mental health and academic and socio-emotional outcomes. One of the most commonly used instruments to assess the frequency of discrimination experiences is the Everyday Discrimination Scale. However, this instrument has not yet been adapted to the Brazilian context. Hence, this study aimed to adapt and validate the Everyday Discrimination Scale to a sample of Brazilian adolescents and young adults of low socioeconomic level and describe the most prevalent grounds for discrimination. Linguistic equivalences and the scale's factorial structure were analyzed. The sample comprised 995 students with a background of poverty, attending five public elementary schools in Rio de Janeiro State and two public universities of Ceará State, aged between 11 and 29 years old (M = 15,81; SD = 3,55), of which 54,8% (n = 522) were women. The Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a unifactorial structure, with good reliability and convergent validity. Among the reasons mentioned for the perceived discrimination, physical appearance and socioeconomic level were the most frequent. The findings suggest the scale's adapted version presents psychometric qualities that allow its use with Brazilian adolescents and young people.

La discriminación tiene impacto negativo en la salud mental y los resultados académicos y socioemocionales de las personas. Uno de los instrumentos más utilizados para medir la frecuencia de las experiencias de discriminación es la Escala de Discriminación en la Vida Diaria. Sin embargo, esta escala aún no se ha adaptado al contexto brasileño. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este estudio fue adaptar y validar la Escala de Discriminación Cotidiana en una muestra de adolescentes y jóvenes brasileños de nivel socioeconómico bajo y describir los motivos de discriminación más prevalentes. Se analizaron las equivalencias lingüísticas y la estructura factorial de la escala. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 995 alumnos pobres, provenientes de la Enseñanza Básica de cinco escuelas públicas del Estado de Río de Janeiro y de dos universidades públicas del Ceará, con edades comprendidas entre los 11 y los 29 años (M = 15,81, DT = 3,55), siendo el 54,8% mujeres (n = 522). El Análisis Factorial Exploratorio realizado reveló una estructura unifactorial, con buena fiabilidad y validez. Los motivos de discriminación más frecuentes fueron el aspecto físico y el nivel socioeconómico. Los resultados sugieren que la versión adaptada presenta cualidades psicométricas que permiten su uso con adolescentes y jóvenes brasileños.

Assessment of metal exposure (uranium and copper) in fatty acids and carbohydrate profiles of Calamoceras marsupus larvae (Trichoptera) and Alnus glutinosa leaf litter.

Physiological changes were explored in fatty acids (FA) and carbohydrate (CHO) composition in the shredder Calamoceras marsupus larvae (Trichoptera) and leaf litter (C. marsupus food) exposed to copper and uranium under natural and experimental conditions. We measured FA and CHO content in leaf litter and larvae specimens from reference and impacted streams, and exposed for 5 weeks to four realistic environmental concentrations of copper (35 µg L-1 and 70 µg L-1) and uranium (25 µg L-1 and 50 µg L-1). Regarding FA, (1) leaf litter had a reduced polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) content in metal treatments, s (14 to 33% of total FA), compared to natural conditions (≥39% of total FA). Leaf litter exposed to uranium also differed in saturated FA (SFA) composition, with lower values in natural conditions and higher values under low uranium concentrations. (2) C. marsupus had/showed low PUFA content under Cu and U exposure, particularly in high uranium concentrations. Detritivores also decreased in PUFA under exposure to both metals, particularly in high uranium concentrations. On the other hand, (1) microorganisms of the biofilm colonizing leaf litter differed in CHO composition between natural (impacted and reference) and experimental conditions, with glucose and galactose being consistently the most abundant sugars, found in different amounts under copper or uranium exposure; (2) CHO of detritivores showed similar high galactose and fucose concentrations in contaminated streams and high copper treatments, whereas low copper treatment showed distinct CHO profiles, with higher mannose, glucose, arabinose, and fucose concentrations. Our study provides evidence of metal exposure effects on FA and CHO contents at different trophic levels, which might alter the quality of food flow in trophic webs.

Environmental photochemical fate of pesticides ametryn and imidacloprid in surface water (Paranapanema River, São Paulo, Brazil).

In addition to direct photolysis studies, in this work the second-order reaction rate constants of pesticides imidacloprid (IMD) and ametryn (AMT) with hydroxyl radicals (HO●), singlet oxygen (1O2), and triplet excited states of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (3CDOM*) were determined by kinetic competition under sunlight. IMD and AMT exhibited low photolysis quantum yields: (1.23 ± 0.07) × 10-2 and (7.99 ± 1.61) × 10-3 mol Einstein-1, respectively. In contrast, reactions with HO● radicals and 3CDOM* dominate their degradation, with 1O2 exhibiting rates three to five orders of magnitude lower. The values of kIMD,HO● and kAMT,HO● were (3.51 ± 0.06) × 109 and (4.97 ± 0.37) × 109 L mol-1 s-1, respectively, while different rate constants were obtained using anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQ2S) or 4-carboxybenzophenone (CBBP) as CDOM proxies. For IMD this difference was significant, with kIMD,3AQ2S* = (1.02 ± 0.08) × 109 L mol-1 s-1 and kIMD,3CBBP* = (3.17 ± 0.14) × 108 L mol-1 s-1; on the contrary, the values found for AMT are close, kAMT,3AQ2S* = (8.13 ± 0.35) × 108 L mol-1 s-1 and kAMT,3CBBP* = (7.75 ± 0.80) × 108 L mol-1 s-1. Based on these results, mathematical simulations performed with the APEX model for typical levels of water constituents (NO3-, NO2-, CO32-, TOC, pH) indicate that the half-lives of these pesticides should vary between 24.1 and 18.8 days in the waters of the Paranapanema River (São Paulo, Brazil), which can therefore be impacted by intensive agricultural activity in the region.

Urocortin-2 in Acute Heart Failure: Role as a Marker of Volume Overload and Pulmonary Hypertension.

Urocortin (Ucn)-2 has shown promising therapeutic effects on heart failure (HF). However, there are still significant knowledge gaps regarding the role and modulation of the endogenous Ucn-2 axis in the cardiovascular system and, specifically, in acute HF. We evaluated Ucn-2 levels in admission serum samples of 80 acute HF patients and assessed their association with clinical, analytical and echocardiographic parameters. Median age was 76.5 years, and 37 patients (46%) were male. Median serum Ucn-2 was 2.3ng/mL. Ucn-2 levels were positively associated with peripheral edemas (P = 0.022), hepatomegaly (P = 0.007) and sodium retention score (ρ = 0.37, P = 0.001) and inversely correlated with inferior vena cava collapse at inspiration (ρ = -0.37, P = 0.001). Additionally, patients with higher Ucn-2 levels had a higher prevalence of right atrial dilation (P = 0.027), right ventricle dilation (P = 0.008), and higher systolic pulmonary artery pressure (ρ = 0.34, P = 0.002). Regarding analytical parameters, Ucn-2 correlated positively with log BNP (r = 0.22, P = 0.055) and inversely with uric acid (r = 0.24, P = 0.029) and total (r = -0.30, P = 0.007) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.23, P = 0.038). No associations were found between Ucn-2 and age, sex or left heart structure or function. In conclusion, Circulating Ucn-2 was associated with clinical and echocardiographic markers of volume overload and pulmonary hypertension in acute HF patients.

Sunlight-driven environmental photodegradation of 2-chlorobiphenyl (PCB-1) in surface waters: kinetic study and mathematical simulations.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a family of highly toxic, resistant, and persistent organic pollutants, among which 2-chlorobiphenyl (PCB-1) is one of the simplest. Most studies on PCBs' photochemistry are limited to their direct photolysis, while the important role of reactive photo-induced species (RPS) (hydroxyl radicals, HO●; singlet oxygen, 1O2; and triplet excited states of chromophoric dissolved organic matter, 3CDOM*) in removing PCBs in natural waters through indirect photolysis has not yet been evaluated. In this work, the rate constants of the reactions between aqueous PCB-1 and RPS were obtained under simulated solar radiation (450-W Xenon lamp and an AM 1.5 global filter) by competition kinetics, and the effects of the initial pollutant concentration and the physicochemical characteristics of the water were investigated. The direct photolysis quantum yield of PCB-1 in the range 290-800 nm was found as 1.60 × 10-2 mol Einstein-1. The value of kPCB-1,HO● = (6.80 ± 0.09) × 109 L mol-1 s-1 is in good agreement with the literature. For 1O2, kPCB-1,1O2 = (1.13 ± 0.20) × 106 L mol-1 s-1, while for 3CDOM*, kPCB-1,3CBBP* = (2.44 ± 0.04) × 109 L mol-1 s-1 and kPCB-1,3AQ2S* = (3.36 ± 0.04) × 109 L mol-1 s-1 were obtained using 4-benzoylbenzoic acid (CBBP) and anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQ2S) as CDOM proxies, respectively. These results show that the main pathways involved in PCB-1 photodegradation are the reactions with HO● and 3CDOM* together with direct photolysis. In addition, the photodegradation of PCB-1 in sunlit waters was simulated using the kinetic model APEX (Aqueous Photochemistry of Environmentally Occurring Xenobiotics). According to simulations, a greater influence of the water depth and dissolved organic carbon concentration (DOC) on the persistence of PCB-1 is expected, being only slightly influenced by the concentrations of nitrite, nitrate, and bicarbonate. Finally, based on data reported for Brazilian surface waters, the average half-life (t1/2) of PCB-1 is expected to vary from 2 to 14 days. In particular, the t1/2 in the Paranapanema River is estimated at 7 to 8 days.