Data-driven meal events detection using blood glucose response patterns.

BACKGROUND: In the Diabetes domain, events such as meals and exercises play an important role in the disease management. For that, many studies focus on automatic meal detection, specially as part of the so-called artificial [Formula: see text]-cell systems. Meals are associated to blood glucose (BG) variations, however such variations are not peculiar to meals, it mostly comes as a combination of external factors. Thus, general approaches such as the ones focused on glucose signal rate of change are not enough to detect personalized influence of such factors. By using a data-driven individualized approach for meal detection, our method is able to fit real data, detecting personalized meal responses even when such external factors are implicitly present. METHODS: The method is split into model training and selection. In the training phase, we start observing meal responses for each individual, and identifying personalized patterns. Occurrences of such patterns are searched over the BG signal, evaluating the similarity of each pattern to each possible signal subsequence. The most similar occurrences are then selected as possible meal event candidates. For that, we include steps for excluding less relevant neighbors per pattern, and grouping close occurrences in time globally. Each candidate is represented by a set of time and response signal related qualitative variables. These variables are used as input features for different binary classifiers in order to learn to classify a candidate as MEAL or NON-MEAL. In the model selection phase, we compare all trained classifiers to select the one that performs better with the data of each individual. RESULTS: The results show that the method is able to detect daily meals, providing a result with a balanced proportion between detected meals and false alarms. The analysis on multiple patients indicate that the approach achieves good outcomes when there is enough reliable training data, as this is reflected on the testing results. CONCLUSIONS: The approach aims at personalizing the meal detection task by relying solely on data. The premise is that a model trained with data that contains the implicit influence of external factors is able to recognize the nuances of the individual that generated the data. Besides, the approach can also be used to improve data quality by detecting meals, opening opportunities to possible applications such as detecting and reminding users of missing or wrongly informed meal events.

Development of Lipid Polymer Hybrid Drug Delivery Systems Prepared by Hot-Melt Extrusion.

This study sought to develop polymer-lipid hybrid solid dispersions containing the poorly soluble drug lopinavir (LPV) by hot-melt extrusion (HME). Hence, the lipid and polymeric adjuvants were selected based on miscibility and compatibility studies. Film casting was used to assess the miscibility, whereas thermal, spectroscopic, and chromatographic analyses were employed to evaluate drug-excipient compatibility. Extrudates were obtained and characterized by physicochemical tests, including in vitro LPV dissolution. Preformulation studies led to select the most appropriate materials, i.e., the polymers PVPVA and Soluplus®, the plasticizers polyethylene glycol 400 and Kolliphor® HS15, phosphatidylcholine, and sodium taurodeoxycholate. HME processing did not result in LPV degradation and significantly increased entrapment efficiency (93.8% ± 2.8 for Soluplus® extrudate against 19.8% ± 0.5 of the respective physical mixture). LPV dissolution was also increased from the extrudates compared to the corresponding physical mixtures (p < 0.05). The dissolution improvement was considerably greater for the Soluplus®-based formulation (24.3 and 2.8-fold higher than pure LPV and PVPVA-based extrudate after 120 min, respectively), which can be attributed to the more pronounced effects of HME processing on the average size and LPV solid-state properties in the Soluplus® extrudates. Transmission electron microscopy and chemical microanalysis suggested that the polymer-lipid interactions in Soluplus®-based formulation depended on thermal processing.

Management of esophageal neoplasms by endoscopic submucosal dissection: experience over 100 consecutive procedures.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is currently considered the first-line treatment for the eradication of superficial neoplasms of the esophagus in Eastern countries. However, in the West, particularly in Latin America, the experience with esophageal ESD is still limited because of the high technical complexity required for its execution. This study aimed to present the results of the clinical application of ESD to manage superficial esophageal neoplasms in a Latin American center in over 100 consecutive cases. METHODS: This retrospective study included consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic ESD for superficial esophageal neoplasms between 2009 and 2022. The following clinical outcomes were assessed: en bloc, complete, and curative resection rates, local recurrence, adverse events, and procedure-related mortality. RESULTS: Esophageal ESD was performed mainly for squamous cell carcinoma (66.6%), high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (17.1%), and adenocarcinoma (11.4%). En bloc and complete resection rates were 96.2% and 81.0%, respectively. The curative resection rate was 64.8%. Adverse events occurred in six cases (5.7%). Endoscopic follow-up was performed for an average period of 29.7 months. CONCLUSION: ESD performed by trained operators is feasible, safe, and clinically effective for managing superficial neoplastic lesions of the esophagus in Latin America.

Developing methods for chilling, compacting, and sterilizing adult Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and comparing mating competitiveness between males sterilized as adults versus pupae for sterile male release.

The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti L., can transmit several pathogens responsible for human diseases. With insecticide resistance development becoming a concern, alternative control strategies are needed for Ae. aegypti. Sterile insect technique (SIT) is an increasingly popular option being explored. However, logistical issues in mass production and sterilization make it difficult to maintain a SIT program. Male mosquitoes are typically irradiated as pupae because this is the earliest developmental point at which females can be separated from males, but asynchrony in pupation and high variability in pupal responses to irradiation based on pupal age make it difficult to sterilize mass quantities of pupae on a regular schedule in a rearing facility. Young adult mosquitoes have wider windows for irradiation sterilization than pupae, which can allow facilities to have fixed schedules for irradiation. We produced a workflow for adult Ae. aegypti irradiation in a mosquito control district with an operational SIT program that currently irradiates pupae. The impacts of chilling, compaction, and radiation dose on survival were all assessed before combining them into a complete adult irradiation protocol. Males chilled up to 16 h prior to compaction and compacted to 100 males/cm3 during radiation resulted in low mortality. Males irradiated as adults had increased longevity and similar sterility compared to males irradiated as pupae. Additionally, males sterilized as adults were more sexually competitive than males sterilized as pupae. Thus, we have shown that irradiating adult males can be a viable option to increase the efficiency of this operational mosquito SIT program.

Leadership and international collaboration on COVID-19 research: reducing the North-South divide?

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented scientific efforts worldwide and launched several initiatives to promote international cooperation. Because international scientific collaborations between high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are not always balanced, analyzing research leadership helps to understand the global dynamics of knowledge production during COVID-19. In this study, we focused on HIC-LMIC collaborations on COVID-19 research in 469,937 scientific publications during the first 2 years of the pandemic (2020-2021). Co-authorship and authors' affiliation were used to identify international collaborations, according to country income level. The leadership analysis considered the countries of the first and last authors of publications. The results show that (i) most publications with international collaborations (49.3%) involved researchers from HICs and LMICs; (ii) collaborative research between HICs and LMICs addressed relevant public health needs; (iii) HIC-LMIC collaborations were primarily led by researchers from the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and India; (iv) most HIC-LMIC publications (44%) had shared leadership, with research interests linked to national expertise and global interests. This study contributes to the analysis of research collaborations on COVID-19 and sheds light on North-South relations in the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge.

Avaliação da função renal em coelhos utilizando anti inflamatórios não esteroidais (aines) / Evaluation of renal function in rabbits using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (aines)

Introdução: Rins são órgãos vitais para o funcionamento do organismo, fazendo parte do sistema excretor e osmorregulador, cujas funções consistem em realizar a filtração do sangue e excretar produtos finais de diversos metabolismos, além de produzirem hormônios, fundamentais para o corpo humano. Com isso em mente, destaca-se que uma causa comum para o surgimento de doenças renais crônicas é o uso exacerbado de medicamentos anti inflamatórios. Objetivo: Relacionar, por meio da análise de creatinina e a taxa de filtração glomerular, a real influência do uso de anti-inflamatórios não esteroidais na função renal. Materiais e Métodos: Estudo experimental, realizado com 8 coelhos com maturidade reprodutiva e peso superior a 1kg, tendo sido escolhidos devido às limitações impostas para animais de pequeno porte, como ratos e camundongos, em exames laboratoriais e de imagem. Resultados: Divididos em 4 grupos, com 2 coelhos em cada um deles, cada qual recebeu um anti-inflamatório não esteroide (AINE) correspondente, administrados por via oral (suspensão). Os coelhos 1 e 2 receberam Ibuprofeno, 3 e 4 Diclofenaco, 5 e 6 Nimesulida e 7 e 8 Cetoprofeno. A avaliação da função renal deu-se pela dosagem periódica da creatinina sérica e a taxa de filtração glomerular, medida por cintilografia renal dinâmica em clínica de medicina nuclear. Os coelhos (grupos 1 e 7) tiveram índices aumentados de creatinina, vindo a óbito por miopatia, e o do grupo 8 teve pneumonia. Após 42 dias de uso da medicação, 5 coelhos apresentaram valores de creatinina considerados normais. Conclusão: Conseguiu-se, por meio do experimento, demonstrar que, apesar de os anti-inflamatórios não esteroidais não necessariamente constituírem risco renal significativo, é importante utilizar esses fármacos com cautela, tendo em vista as alterações evidenciadas no estudo

Introduction: Kidneys are vital organs for the functioning of the body, being part of the excretory and osmoregulating system, whose functions consist of performing blood filtration and excreting end products of various metabolisms, in addition to producing hormones, fundamental to the human body. With this in mind, it is noteworthy that a common cause for the emergence of chronic kidney diseases is the exacerbated use of anti-inflammatory drugs. Objective: To relate, through creatinine analysis and glomerular filtration rate, the real influence of the use of non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs on renal function. Materials and Methods: Experimental study, performed with 8 rabbits with reproductive maturity and weight greater than 1kg, and were chosen due to the limitations imposed on small animals, such as rats and mice, in laboratory and imaging tests. Results: Divided into 4 groups, with 2 rabbits in each of them, each of which received a corresponding non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) administered orally (suspension). Rabbits 1 and 2 received Ibuprofen, 3 and 4 Diclofenac, 5 and 6 Nimesulida and 7 and 8 Cetoprofen. The evaluation of renal function was performed by periodic measurement of serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate, measured by dynamic renal scintigraphy in a nuclear medicine clinic. Rabbits (groups 1 and 7) had increased rates of creatinine, coming to obito for myopathy, and group 8 had pneumonia. After 42 days of medication use, 5 rabbits had creatinine values considered normal. Conclusion: It was possible, through the experiment, to demonstrate that, although non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs do not necessarily constitute significant renal risk, it is important to use these drugs with caution, considering the changes evidenced in the study

Introducción: Los riñones son órganos vitales para el funcionamiento del organismo, formando parte del sistema excretor y osmorregulador, cuyas funciones consisten en filtrar la sangre y excretar productos finales de diversos metabolismos, además de producir hormonas, fundamentales para el cuerpo humano. Con eso en mente, cabe señalar que una causa común para la aparición de la enfermedad renal crónica es el uso exacerbado de medicamentos antiinflamatorios. Objetivo: Relacionar, mediante el análisis de la creatinina y el filtrado glomerular, la influencia real del uso de antiinflamatorios no esteroideos sobre la función renal. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio experimental realizado con 8 conejos en madurez reproductiva y con peso superior a 1 kg, habiendo sido elegidos por las limitaciones impuestas para animales pequeños, como ratas y ratones, en pruebas de laboratorio y de imagen. Resultados: Divididos en 4 grupos, con 2 conejos en cada grupo, cada uno de los cuales recibió un fármaco antiinflamatorio no esteroideo (AINE) correspondiente, administrado por vía oral (suspensión). Los conejos 1 y 2 recibieron Ibuprofeno, 3 y 4 Diclofenaco, 5 y 6 Nimesulida y 7 y 8 Ketoprofeno. La evaluación de la función renal se realizó mediante la medición periódica de la creatinina sérica y la tasa de filtración glomerular, medidos por gammagrafía renal dinámica en una clínica de medicina nuclear. Los conejos (grupo 1 y 7) tenían niveles elevados de creatinina, falleciendo por miopatía, y el del grupo 8 tenía neumonía. Después de 42 días de uso de medicamentos, 5 conejos tenían valores de creatinina considerados normales. Conclusión: Fue posible, a través del experimento, demostrar que, aunque los antiinflamatorios no esteroideos no necesariamente constituyen un riesgo renal significativo, es importante utilizar estos fármacos con precaución, frente a los cambios evidenciados en el estudio

Transgene-induced cell death following dengue-2 virus infection in Aedes aegypti.

Dengue viruses (DENVs) are mosquito-borne flaviviruses causing millions of human infections each year and pose a challenge for public health systems worldwide. Aedes aegypti is the principal vector species transmitting DENVs to humans. Controlling Ae. aegypti is difficult due to the abundance of breeding sites and increasing insecticide resistance in the vector populations. Developing new vector control strategies is critical for decreasing the disease burden. One potential approach is genetically replacing Ae. aegypti populations with vector populations highly resistant to DENV transmission. Here, we focus on an alternative strategy for generating dengue 2 virus (DENV-2) resistance in genetically-modified Ae. aegypti in which the mosquitoes express an inactive form of Michelob_x (Mx), an antagonist of the Inhibitor of Apoptosis (IAP), to induce apoptosis in those cells in which actively replicating DENV-2 is present. The inactive form of Mx was flanked by the RRRRSAG cleavage motif, which was recognized by the NS2B/NS3 protease of the infecting DENV-2 thereby releasing and activating Mx which then induced apoptosis. Our transgenic strain exhibited a significantly higher mortality rate than the non-transgenic control when infected with DENV-2. We also transfected a DNA construct containing inactive Mx fused to eGFP into C6/36 mosquito cells and indirectly observed Mx activation on days 3 and 6 post-DENV-2 infections. There were clear signs that the viral NS2B/NS3 protease cleaved the transgene, thereby releasing Mx protein into the cytoplasm, as was confirmed by the detection of eGFP expression in infected cells. The present study represents proof of the concept that virus infection can be used to induce apoptosis in infected mosquito cells.

A sterile insect technique pilot trial on Captiva Island: defining mosquito population parameters for sterile male releases using mark-release-recapture.

BACKGROUND: The sterile insect technique (SIT), which involves area-wide inundative releases of sterile insects to suppress the reproduction of a target species, has proven to be an effective pest control method. The technique demands the continuous release of sterilized insects in quantities that ensure a high sterile male:wild male ratio for the suppression of the wild population over succeeding generations. METHODS: For these releases, it is important to determine several ecological and biological population parameters, including the longevity of the released males in the field, the dispersal of the released males and the wild pest population size. The Lee County Mosquito Control District initiated a study in a 47-ha portion of Captiva Island (Florida, USA), an island with a total area of 230 ha, to define biological SIT parameters for Aedes aegypti (L.), an invasive disease-vectoring mosquito known to be difficult to control due to a combination of daytime biting activity, use of cryptic breeding habitats that are difficult to target with conventional night-time ultra-low volume methods, and emerging resistance to commonly used insecticides. Another goal was to assess patterns of dispersal and survival for laboratory-reared sterile Ae. aegypti males released over time in the pilot site. These parameters will be used to evaluate the efficacy of a SIT suppression program for Ae. aegypti on Captiva Island. RESULTS: Over the course of seven mark-release-recapture studies using single- and multiple-point releases, 190,504 sterile marked males were released, for which the recapture rate was 1.5% over a mean period of 12 days. The mean distance traveled by sterile males of the local strain of Ae. aegypti that has colonized Captiva Island was 201.7 m from the release point, with an observed maximum traveled distance of 404.5 m. The released sterile mosquitoes had a probability of daily survival of 0.67 and an average life expectancy of ~ 2.46 days. CONCLUSIONS: These data together with the population size estimate and sterile:wild ratio provide a solid basis for planning the SIT operational phase which is aimed at mosquito population suppression.

Exploring Conditions for Handling Packing and Shipping Aedes aegypti Males to Support an SIT Field Project in Brazil.

The sterile insect technique (SIT) application, as an alternative tool for conventional mosquito control methods, has recently gained prominence. Nevertheless, some SIT components require further development, such as protocols under large-scale conditions, focusing on packing and shipping mosquitoes, and considering transporting time. Immobilization of Aedes aegypti males was tested at temperatures 4, 7, 10, and 14 °C, and each temperature was assessed for 60, 90, and 120 min. The recovery after 24 h was also studied. Chilled and control-reared males had comparable survival rates for all conditions, although 4 °C for 120 min impacted male survival. The male escape rate was affected after 60 min of exposure at 4 °C; this difference was not significant, with 24 h of recovery. First, we defined the successful immobilization at 4 °C for 60 min, thus enabling the evaluation of two transportation intervals: 6 and 24 h, with the assessment of different compaction densities of 100 and 150 mosquitoes/cm3 at 10 °C to optimize the shipment. Compaction during simulated mosquito shipments reduced survival rates significantly after 6 and 24 h. In the mating propensity and insemination experiments, the sterile males managed to inseminate 40 to 66% for all treatments in laboratory conditions. The male insemination propensity was affected only by the highest compaction condition concerning the control. The analysis of the densities (100 and 150 males/cm3) showed that a higher density combined with an extended shipment period (24 h) negatively impacted the percentage of inseminated females. The results are very helpful in developing and improving the SIT packing and shipment protocols. Further studies are required to evaluate all combined parameters' synergetic effects that can combine irradiation to assess sexual competitiveness when sterile males are released into the field.

The Effect of an Irradiation-Induced Recombination Suppressing Inversion on the Genetic Stability and Biological Quality of a White Eye-Based Aedes aegypti Genetic Sexing Strain.

Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika fever, and yellow fever. The sterile insect technique (SIT) has been proposed as a species-specific and environment-friendly tool for the suppression of mosquito vector populations as a major component of integrated vector management strategies. As female mosquitoes are blood-feeders and may transmit pathogenic microorganisms, mosquito SIT depends on the release of sterile males. Genetic sexing strains (GSS) can be used for the efficient and robust separation of males from females. Two Ae. aegypti GSS were recently developed by exploiting eye colour mutations, resulting in the Red-eye GSS (RGSS) and the White-eye GSS (WGSS). In this study, we compared two WGSS, with and without the chromosomal inversion 35 (Inv35), and evaluated their biological quality, including genetic stability. Our results suggest that the WGSS/Inv35 presents a low recombination rate and long-term genetic stability when recombinants are removed from the colony (filtering) and a slow accumulation of recombinants when they are not removed from the colony (non-filtering). The two strains were similar with respect to fecundity, pupal and adult recovery rates, pupation curve, and pupal weight. However, differences were detected in fertility, survival rate of females, and flight ability of males. The WGSS/Inv35 presented lower fertility, higher survival rate of females, and better flight ability of males compared to the WGSS.

A Mark-Release-Recapture Study to Estimate Field Performance of Imported Radio-Sterilized Male Aedes albopictus in Albania.

The pathogen transmitting Aedes albopictus mosquito is spreading rapidly in Europe, putting millions of humans and animals at risk. This species is well-established in Albania since its first detection in 1979. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is increasingly gaining momentum worldwide as a component of area-wide-integrated pest management. However, estimating how the sterile males will perform in the field and the size of target populations is crucial for better decision-making, designing and elaborating appropriate SIT pilot trials, and subsequent large-scale release strategies. A mark-release-recapture (MRR) experiment was carried out in Albania within a highly urbanized area in the city of Tirana. The radio-sterilized adults of Ae. albopictus Albania strain males were transported by plane from Centro Agricoltura Ambiente (CAA) mass-production facility (Bologna, Italy), where they were reared. In Albania, sterile males were sugar-fed, marked with fluorescent powder, and released. The aim of this study was to estimate, under field conditions, their dispersal capacity, probability of daily survival and competitiveness, and the size of the target population. In addition, two adult mosquito collection methods were also evaluated: BG-Sentinel traps baited with BG-Lure and CO2, (BGS) versus human landing catch (HLC). The overall recapture rates did not differ significantly between the two methods (2.36% and 1.57% of the total male released were recaptured respectively by BGS and HLC), suggesting a similar trapping efficiency under these conditions. Sterile males traveled a mean distance of 93.85 ± 42.58 m and dispersed up to 258 m. Moreover, they were observed living in the field up to 15 days after release with an average life expectancy of 4.26 ± 0.80 days. Whether mosquitoes were marked with green, blue, yellow, or pink, released at 3.00 p.m. or 6.00 p.m., there was no significant difference in the recapture, dispersal, and survival rates in the field. The Fried competitiveness index was estimated at 0.28. This mark-release-recapture study provided important data for better decision-making and planning before moving to pilot SIT trials in Albania. Moreover, it also showed that both BG-traps and HLC were successful in monitoring adult mosquitoes and provided similar estimations of the main entomological parameters needed.

Life-history traits of a fluorescent Anopheles arabiensis genetic sexing strain introgressed into South African genomic background.

BACKGROUND: South Africa has set a mandate to eliminate local malaria transmission by 2023. In pursuit of this objective a Sterile Insect Technique programme targeting the main vector Anopheles arabiensis is currently under development. Significant progress has been made towards operationalizing the technology. However, one of the main limitations being faced is the absence of an efficient genetic sexing system. This study is an assessment of an An. arabiensis (AY-2) strain carrying the full Y chromosome from Anopheles gambiae, including a transgenic red fluorescent marker, being introgressed into a South African genetic background as a potential tool for a reliable sexing system. METHODS: Adult, virgin males from the An. arabiensis AY-2 strain were outcrossed to virgin females from the South African, Kwazulu-Natal An. arabiensis (KWAG strain) over three generations. Anopheles arabiensis AY-2 fluorescent males were sorted as first instar larvae (L1) using the Complex Object Parametric Analyzer and Sorter (COPAS) and later screened as pupae to verify the sex. Life history traits of the novel hybrid KWAG-AY2 strain were compared to the original fluorescent AY-2 strain, the South African wild-type KWAG strain and a standard laboratory An. arabiensis (Dongola reference strain). RESULTS: The genetic stability of the sex-linked fluorescent marker and the integrity and high level of sexing efficiency of the system were confirmed. No recombination events in respect to the fluorescent marker were detected over three rounds of introgression crosses. KWAG-AY2 had higher hatch rates and survival of L1 to pupae and L1 to adult than the founding strains. AY-2 showed faster development time of immature stages and larger adult body size, but lower larval survival rates. Adult KWAG males had significantly higher survival rates. There was no significant difference between the strains in fecundity and proportion of males. KWAG-AY2 males performed better than reference strains in flight ability tests. CONCLUSION: The life history traits of KWAG-AY2, its rearing efficiency under laboratory conditions, the preservation of the sex-linked fluorescence and perfect sexing efficiency after three rounds of introgression crosses, indicate that it has potential for mass rearing. The potential risks and benefits associated to the use of this strain within the Sterile Insect Technique programme in South Africa are discussed.

Effects of aerobic, strength, and combined training during pregnancy in the blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Gestational hypertension can lead to fetal complications, and, if untreated, high blood pressure during pregnancy may cause eclampsia and even death in the mother and fetus. Exercise is a strategy for preventing blood pressure disorders. There is little knowledge about the physiological impacts of different physical types of training on blood pressure during pregnancy. For that, this meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of different physical exercise modalities (i.e., aerobic training-AT, strength training-ST, and combined training-AT + ST) on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of pregnant women. A search was performed on PUBMED, LILACS, CINAHL, Sport discus, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify researchers. From 3,450 studies, 20 and 19 were included in the qualitative and quantitative analyses. AT studies presented a medium effect size (ES) on SBP [-0.29 (-2.95 to 2.36) p = 0.83], with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 64%), and had a large impact on DBP [-1.34 (-2.98 to 0.30) p = 0.11], with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 30%). ST researchers showed a large ES on SBP [-1.09 (-3.66 to 1.49) p = 0.41], with a reduced heterogeneity (I2 = 0%), and a medium ES on DBP [-0.26 (-2.77 to 2.19) p = 0.83] with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 38%). AT + ST studies had a large ES on SBP [-1.69 (-3.88 to 0.49) p = 0.13] and DBP [-01.29 (-2.26 to 0.31) p = 0.01] with considerable (I2 = 83%) and moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 47%), respectively. These findings are essential for developing new research protocols to avoid gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. AT + ST had a large impact on the SBP and DBP reduction; however, there is a need for more similar procedures to reduce heterogeneity between studies, promoting consensual results. Systematic Review Registration: [PROSPERO], identifier [CRD42021256509].

Genetic Stability and Fitness of Aedes aegypti Red-Eye Genetic Sexing Strains With Pakistani Genomic Background for Sterile Insect Technique Applications.

The mosquito species Aedes aegypti is the primary transmitter of viruses that cause endemic diseases like dengue in Pakistan. It is also a cause of other vector-borne diseases like yellow fever, Zika fever, and chikungunya, which significantly impact human health worldwide. In the absence of efficient vaccines (except for yellow fever) or drugs, vector control methods, such as the sterile insect technique (SIT), have been proposed as additional tools for the management of these diseases. Mosquito SIT programs are based on the release of sterile males and it is important female releases to be ideally zero or to be kept at a minimum, since females are the ones that bite, blood-feed and transmit pathogens. Recently, an Ae. aegypti genetic sexing strain (GSS), with and without a recombination-suppressing inversion (Inv35), was developed using the eye color as a selectable marker, with males having black eyes and females red eyes. In the present study, we introgressed the sexing features and the Inv35 of the Ae. aegypti red-eye GSS into the Pakistani genomic background aiming to their future use for SIT applications in the country. Both introgressed strains, the Red-eye GSS-PAK and the Red-eye GSS/Inv35-PAK, were evaluated in respect to their genetic stability and biological quality by assessing parameters like recombination rate, fecundity, fertility, pupal and adult recovery, time of development, pupal weight, survival, and flight ability in comparison with a wild Pakistani population (PAK). The results suggest that the sexing features and the recombination suppression properties of Inv35 were not affected after their introgression into the local genomic background; however, some biological traits of the two newly constructed strains were affected, positively or negatively, suggesting that a thorough quality control analysis should be performed after the introgression of a GSS into a new genomic background prior to its use in SIT field trials or applications. The importance of using GSS with local genomic background for SIT applications against Aedes aegypti is also discussed.

Introgression of the Aedes aegypti Red-Eye Genetic Sexing Strains Into Different Genomic Backgrounds for Sterile Insect Technique Applications.

Aedes aegypti is an invasive mosquito species and major vector of human arboviruses. A wide variety of control methods have been employed to combat mosquito populations. One of them is the sterile insect technique (SIT) that has recently attracted considerable research efforts due to its proven record of success and the absence of harmful environmental footprints. The efficiency and cost-effectiveness of SIT is significantly enhanced by male-only releases. For mosquito SIT, male-only releases are ideally needed since females bite, blood-feed and transmit the pathogens. Ae. aegypti genetic sexing strains (GSS) have recently become available and are based on eye colour mutations that were chosen as selectable markers. These genetic sexing strains were developed through classical genetics and it was shown to be subjected to genetic recombination, a phenomenon that is not suppressed in males as is the case in many Diptera. The genetic stability of these GSS was strengthened by the induction and isolation of radiation-induced inversions. In this study, we used the red eye mutation and the inversion Inv35 line of the Ae. aegypti red-eye GSS s and introgressed them in six different genomic backgrounds to develop GSS with the respective local genomic backgrounds. Our goal was to assess whether the recombination frequencies in the strains with and without the inversion are affected by the different genomic backgrounds. In all cases the recombination events were suppressed in all Inv35 GSS strains, thus indicating that the genomic background does not negatively affect the inversion result. Absence of any effect that could be ascribed to genetic differences, enables the introgression of the key elements of the GSS into the local genomic background prior to release to the target areas. Maintaining the local background increases the chances for successful matings between released males and wild females and addresses potential regulatory concerns regarding biosafety and biosecurity.

Conhecimento da população portadora de doença renal calculosa sobre os fatores de risco associados à urolitíase / Awareness of the population with calculus kidney disease about the risk factors associated with urolitiasis / Conocimiento de la población con enfermedad renal por cálculo sobre los factores de riesgo asociados a la urolitiasis

Introdução: A litíase urinária é uma doença que ocorre devido à formação de cálculos no aparelho urinário, especialmente os compostos por oxalato de cálcio. Sua prevalência vem aumentando, variando de 5 a 15% na população adulta ocidental, tendo aspectos genéticos e ambientais como fatores de risco para seu surgimento. Objetivo: Verificar o conhecimento da população portadora de doença renal calculosa sobre os fatores de risco associados à urolitíase buscando correlacionar variáveis sociodemográficas ao número de acertos. Material e Método: Foi realizado um estudo do tipo transversal de caráter descritivo com abordagem qualitativa, incluindo 84 indivíduos que tenham sido submetidos a tratamento de ureterolitíase. O trabalho foi desenvolvido por meio do envio de questionários em plataformas digitais. Resultados: A idade média dos participantes foi de 39,8 anos, sendo que 40 indivíduos (50,6%) não possuíam comorbidades e 56 deles (66,7%) afirmaram que receberam informação a respeito de como prevenir a formação de novos cálculos no trato urinário. Em relação aos fatores predisponentes, 67 indivíduos (79,8%) acreditaram que certos alimentos e bebidas poderiam afetar o risco de formação de cálculos no trato urinário. Além disso, 67 pacientes (79,8%) da amostra estariam dispostos a promover mudanças dietéticas e de estilo de vida, caso elas reduzissem o risco de incidência de doença calculosa no trato urinário. Conclusão: Dessa forma, ressalta-se a importância de estabelecimento de uma comunicação médico-paciente efetiva de modo a promover melhoras no desempenho dos indivíduos acerca dos fatores de risco para doença calculosa.(AU)

Introduction: Urinary lithiasis is a disease that occurs due to the formation of stones in the urinary tract, especially those composed of calcium oxalate. Its prevalence has been increasing, ranging from 5 to 15% in the Western adult population, with genetic and environmental aspects as risk factors for its emergence. Objective: Verify the knowledge of the population with calculus kidney disease about the risk factors associated with urolithiasis seeking to correlate sociodemographic variables to the number of hits. Material and Method: A cross-sectional study of descriptive character with a qualitative approach was carried out, including 84 individuals who have undergone treatment of ureterolithiasis. The work was developed by sending questionnaires on digital platforms. Results: The average age of the participants was 39.8 years, 40 individuals (50.6%) did not have comorbidities and 56 of them (66.7%) stated that they received information about how to prevent the formation of new stones in the urinary tract. Regarding predisposing factors, 67 individuals (79.8%) believed that certain foods and beverages could affect the risk of formation of stones in the urinary tract. In addition, 67 patients (79.8%) of the sample would be willing to promote dietary and lifestyle changes if they reduced the risk of incidence of calculus disease in the urinary tract. Conclusion: Thus, we emphasize the importance of establishing effective medical-patient communication in order to promote improvements in the performance of individuals about risk factors for computed disease.(AU)

Introducción: La litiasis urinaria es uma enfermedad que se produce por la formación de cálculos en las vías urinarias, especialmente los compuestos por oxalato de cálcio. Su prevalência ha ido em aumento, oscilando entre el 5 y el 15% en la población adulta occidental, siendo los factores genéticos y ambientales para su aparición. Objetivo: Verificar el conocimiento de la población con enfermedad renal calculosa sobre los factores de riesgo asociados a la urolitiasis, buscando correlacionar variables sociodemográficas com el número de aciertos. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal con abordaje cualitativo, en el que se incluyeron 84 individuos en tratamiento por ...(AU)

Impact of urinary incontinence on quality of life in female CrossFit practitioners: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the impact of urinary incontinence (UI) on quality of life (QoL) in female CrossFit practitioners and to verify the strategies used by them to minimize the occurrence of urine leakage. In addition, to verify whether anthropometric and clinical characteristics increase the UI impact on QoL of female CrossFit practitioners. STUDY DESIGN: This was an online cross-sectional survey. The impact of UI on QoL was investigated by International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Associations between the impact of UI on QoL and the clinical (age, BMI, gestations, mode of delivery, practice of other physical activities) and the others pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFD) related independent variables were tested using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 828 female CrossFit practitioners answered the questionnaire and 36% reported UI symptoms. The women who obtained the highest score on the ICIQ-SF have high UI interference in QoL. Previous history of two or more gestations and sexual dysfunctions (dyspareunia or vaginismus) or pelvic organ prolapse increase 2.65 and 1.82 times the risk of female CrossFit practitioners with UI having a high impact of UI on their QoL, respectively (OR = 2.65 95% CI 1.30-5.40, p = 0.01; and OR = 1.82 95% CI 1.04-3.21, p = 0.04, respectively). The most strategies used by them to minimize the occurrence of urine leakage were emptying the bladder before training (77.5%) and use absorbent (17.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Women who had higher scores on the ICIQ-SF reported greater impact on QoL, and the previous history of two or more gestations and sexual dysfunction/pelvic organ prolapse increase the risk of women with UI who practice CrossFit to have a greater impact on QoL. Multigravida and women with sexual dysfunction/pelvic organ prolapse who practice CrossFit could have more attention on the UI symptoms due to the high impact on their QoL.

The Insect Pest Control Laboratory of the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme: Ten Years (2010-2020) of Research and Development, Achievements and Challenges in Support of the Sterile Insect Technique.

The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre (formerly called Division) of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture was established in 1964 and its accompanying laboratories in 1961. One of its subprograms deals with insect pest control, and has the mandate to develop and implement the sterile insect technique (SIT) for selected key insect pests, with the goal of reducing the use of insecticides, reducing animal and crop losses, protecting the environment, facilitating international trade in agricultural commodities and improving human health. Since its inception, the Insect Pest Control Laboratory (IPCL) (formerly named Entomology Unit) has been implementing research in relation to the development of the SIT package for insect pests of crops, livestock and human health. This paper provides a review of research carried out between 2010 and 2020 at the IPCL. Research on plant pests has focused on the development of genetic sexing strains, characterizing and assessing the performance of these strains (e.g., Ceratitis capitata), elucidation of the taxonomic status of several members of the Bactrocera dorsalis and Anastrepha fraterculus complexes, the use of microbiota as probiotics, genomics, supplements to improve the performance of the reared insects, and the development of the SIT package for fruit fly species such as Bactrocera oleae and Drosophila suzukii. Research on livestock pests has focused on colony maintenance and establishment, tsetse symbionts and pathogens, sex separation, morphology, sterile male quality, radiation biology, mating behavior and transportation and release systems. Research with human disease vectors has focused on the development of genetic sexing strains (Anopheles arabiensis, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus), the development of a more cost-effective larvae and adult rearing system, assessing various aspects of radiation biology, characterizing symbionts and pathogens, studying mating behavior and the development of quality control procedures, and handling and release methods. During the review period, 13 coordinated research projects (CRPs) were completed and six are still being implemented. At the end of each CRP, the results were published in a special issue of a peer-reviewed journal. The review concludes with an overview of future challenges, such as the need to adhere to a phased conditional approach for the implementation of operational SIT programs, the need to make the SIT more cost effective, to respond with demand driven research to solve the problems faced by the operational SIT programs and the use of the SIT to address a multitude of exotic species that are being introduced, due to globalization, and established in areas where they could not survive before, due to climate change.

Sexual Competitiveness and Induced Egg Sterility by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Gamma-Irradiated Males: A Laboratory and Field Study in Mexico.

The sterile insect technique may prove useful for the suppression of mosquito vectors of medical importance in regions where arboviruses pose a serious public health threat. In the present study, we examined the effects of sterilizing irradiation doses across different ratios of fertile:irradiated males on the mating competitiveness of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus under laboratory and field-cage conditions. For both species, the percentage of females inseminated and the number of eggs laid over two gonotrophic cycles varied significantly in mating treatments involving 1:1, 1:5, and 1:10 fertile:irradiated males compared to controls of entirely fertile or entirely irradiated males but was not generally affected by the irradiation dose. Egg hatching was negatively affected in females exposed to increasing proportions of irradiated males in both laboratory and field cages. Male competitiveness (Fried's index) values varied from 0.19 to 0.58 in the laboratory and were between 0.09 and 1.0 in field cages, depending on th species. Competitiveness values were negatively affected by th eirradiation dose in both species under field-cage conditions, whereas in the laboratory, Ae. albopictus was sensitive to the dose but Ae. aegypti was not. In general, male competitiveness was similar across all mating regimes. Most importantly, induced egg sterility was positively correlated with the proportion of irradiated males present in the mating treatments, reaching a maximum of 88% under field-cage conditions for both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus males treated with 50 and 40 Gy irradiation, respectively. These results indicate that sterile males produced at our facility are suitable and competitive enough for field pilot SIT projects and provide guidance to decide the optimal sterile:fertile ratios.

Population Dynamics of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Two Rural Villages in Southern Mexico: Baseline Data for an Evaluation of the Sterile Insect Technique.

Indoor and outdoor ovitraps were placed in 15 randomly selected houses in two rural villages in Chiapas, southern Mexico. In addition, ovitraps were placed in five transects surrounding each village, with three traps per transect, one at the edge, one at 50 m, and another at 100 m from the edge of the village. All traps were inspected weekly. A transect with eight traps along a road between the two villages was also included. Population fluctuations of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus were examined during 2016-2018 by counting egg numbers. A higher number of Aedes spp. eggs was recorded at Hidalgo village with 257,712 eggs (60.9%), of which 58.1% were present in outdoor ovitraps and 41.9% in indoor ovitraps, compared with 165,623 eggs (39.1%) collected in the village of Río Florido, 49.0% in outdoor and 51.0% in indoor ovitraps. A total of 84,047 eggs was collected from ovitraps placed along transects around Río Florido, compared to 67,542 eggs recorded from transects around Hidalgo. Fluctuations in egg counts were associated with annual variation in precipitation, with 2.3 to 3.2-fold more eggs collected from ovitraps placed in houses and 4.8 to 5.1-fold more eggs in ovitraps from the surrounding transects during the rainy season than in the dry season, respectively. Aedes aegypti was the dominant species during the dry season and at the start of the rainy season in both villages. Aedes albopictus populations were lower for most of the dry season, but increased during the rainy season and predominated at the end of the rainy season in both villages. Aedes albopictus was also the dominant species in the zones surrounding both villages. The numbers of eggs collected from intradomiciliary ovitraps were strongly correlated with the numbers of eggs in peridomiciliary ovitraps in both Río Florido (R2 adj = 0.92) and Hidalgo (R2 adj = 0.94), suggesting that peridomiciliary sampling could provide an accurate estimate of intradomiciliary oviposition by Aedes spp. in future studies in these villages. We conclude that the feasibility of sterile insect technique (SIT)-based program of vector control could be evaluated in the isolated Ae. aegypti populations in the rural villages of our baseline study.