Dermatite Associada à Incontinência: Prevalência e Fatores Associados em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva / Incontinence-associated Dermatitis: Prevalence and Associated Factors in Intensive Care Unit / Dermatitis Asociada con Incontinencia: Prevalencia y Factores Asociados en Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos

Objetivo:Analisar a prevalência pontual de dermatite associada à incontinência (DAI) e os fatores associados em pacientes adultos internados em unidades de terapia intensiva (UTIs). Método: Estudo transversal, observacional, retrospectivo, realizado com 105 pacientes em UTI de três hospitais universitários localizados no estado de São Paulo. As variáveis demográficas, clínicas e de DAI foram coletadas do banco de dados do projeto de pesquisa "Prevalência de lesão por pressão em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva", composto por informações extraídas dos prontuários e de exames físicos. Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva e inferencial. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Instituição proponente. Resultados: Dos 105 pacientes, 58 (55,2%) eram do sexo masculino, com média de idade de 55,76 anos (desvio padrão = 16,4), 105 (91,3%) estavam com cateter urinário e 89,4% usavam fraldas. Dez pacientes apresentaram DAI, com prevalência pontual de 9,5%. O fator associado à DAI foi a admissão por trauma (p = 0,02). Conclusão: Estudos sobre DAI são fundamentais para uma assistência de enfermagem de qualidade, bem estruturada e fundamentada, sobretudo no cuidado aos pacientes críticos.

Objective:To analyze the point prevalence of incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) and associated factors in adult patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Method: A cross-sectional, observational, retrospective study carried out with 105 patients in the ICU of three university hospitals located in the state of São Paulo. The demographic and clinical variables and IAD come from the database of the research project "Prevalence of pressure injuries in the Intensive Care Unit," composed of information from medical records and physical examination. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the proposing institution. Results: Of the 105 patients, 58 (55.24%) were male, with a mean age of 55.76 years (SD = 16.39), 105 (91.3%) had a urinary catheter and 89.4% wore diapers. Ten patients had IAD, with a point prevalence of 9.52%. The factor associated with IAD was admission due to trauma (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Studies on IAD are essential for quality, well-structured and grounded nursing care, especially in the care of critically ill patients.

Objetivo:Analizar la prevalencia puntual de Dermatitis Asociada a Incontinencia (DAI) y factores asociados en pacientes adultos ingresados en Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI). Método: estudio transversal, observacional, retrospectivo, realizado con 105 pacientes en la UTI de tres hospitales universitarios ubicados en São Paulo. Las variables demográficas, clínicas y DAI provienen de la base de datos del proyecto de investigación "Prevalencia de lesiones por presión en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos", compuesta por información de historias clínicas y exámenes físicos. Los datos se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva e inferencial. El estudio fue aprobado por el Comité de Ética en Investigación de la institución proponente. Resultados: de los 105 pacientes, 58 (55,24%) eran del sexo masculino, con una edad media de 55,76 años (DE = 16,39), 105 (91,3%) tenían sonda vesical y 89,4% usaban pañales. Diez pacientes tenían DAI, con una prevalencia puntual del 9,52%. El factor asociado a la DAI fue el ingreso por traumatismo (p = 0,02). Conclusión: los estudios sobre la DAI son esenciales para una atención de enfermería de calidad, bien estructurada y fundamentada, especialmente en el cuidado de pacientes críticos.

Bioinks Enriched with ECM Components Obtained by Supercritical Extraction.

Extracellular matrix (ECM)-based bioinks have been steadily gaining interest in the field of bioprinting to develop biologically relevant and functional tissue constructs. Herein, we propose the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) technology to extract the ECM components of cell-sheets that have shown promising results in creating accurate 3D microenvironments replicating the cell's own ECM, to be used in the preparation of bioinks. The ECM extraction protocol best fitted for cell sheets was defined by considering efficient DNA removal with a minor effect on the ECM. Cell sheets of human dermal fibroblasts (hDFbs) and adipose stem cells (hASCs) were processed using a customised supercritical system by varying the pressure of the reactor, presence, exposure time, and type of co-solvent. A quantification of the amount of DNA, protein, and sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs) was carried out to determine the efficiency of the extraction in relation to standard decellularization methodologies. The bioinks containing the extracted ECM were fabricated by combining them with alginate as a support polymer. The influence of the alginate (1%, 2% w/vol) and ECM (0.5% and 1.5% w/vol) amounts on the printability of the blends was addressed by analysing the rheological behaviour of the suspensions. Finally, 3D printed constructs were fabricated using an in-house built extrusion-based bioprinter, and the impact of the extrusion process on cell viability was assessed. The optimised scCO2 protocol allowed efficient removal of DNA while preserving a higher number of proteins and sGAGs than the standard methodologies. The characterization of extract's composition also revealed that the ECM produced by hDFbs (fECM) and hASCs (aECM) is distinctively affected by the extraction protocols. Furthermore, rheological analysis indicated an increase in viscosity with increasing ECM composition, an effect even more prominent in samples containing aECM. 3D printing of alginate/ECM constructs demonstrated that cell viability was only marginally affected by the extrusion process, and this effect was also dependent on the ECM source. Overall, this work highlights the benefits of supercritical fluid-based methods for ECM extraction and strengthens the relevance of ECM-derived bioinks in the development of printed tissue-like constructs.

Combinatorial Therapies to Overcome BRAF/MEK Inhibitors Resistance in Melanoma Cells: An in vitro Study.

BACKGROUND: Melanoma accounts for only 1% of all skin malignant tumors; however, it is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Since 2011, FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved several novel therapeutic strategies, such as MAPK pathway targeted therapies, to treat cutaneous melanoma patients. However, their improvements in overall survival were limited, due to the development of resistance. METHODS: In this work, several combinations of therapies, including the metabolic modulator DCA, were tested in melanoma cell lines, considering that MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways are deregulated and interconnected in melanoma and that the presence of the Warburg effect in melanoma cells may influence the response to therapy. The effect of the treatments was assessed in the proliferation and survival of melanoma cell lines with different genetic profiles. Also, the possibility to overcome resistance to the treatment with vemurafenib was tested. RESULTS: In general, higher decrease in cell viability and cell proliferation and increase in apoptosis were obtained after the combination treatments, comparing with single treatments, in all the studied cell lines. The combination of cobimetinib and everolimus appear to be the best treatment option. The BRAFV600E -vemurafenib resistant melanoma cell line showed to retain sensitivity to both everolimus and DCA. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the combination of MAPK pathway inhibitors with mTOR pathway inhibitors and DCA should be considered as therapeutic options to treat melanoma patients, as the combinations potentiated the effects of each drug alone. In a cell line resistant to vemurafenib, we verified that combined MAPK inhibitors with inhibition of mTOR pathway and/or DCA metabolism modulation might constitute possible strategies in order to overcome resistance to MAPK inhibition.

Melanoma treatment in review.

Melanoma represents the most aggressive and the deadliest form of skin cancer. Current therapeutic approaches include surgical resection, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, biochemotherapy, and targeted therapy. The therapeutic strategy can include single agents or combined therapies, depending on the patient's health, stage, and location of the tumor. The efficiency of these treatments can be decreased due to the development of diverse resistance mechanisms. New therapeutic targets have emerged from studies of the genetic profile of melanocytes and from the identification of molecular factors involved in the pathogenesis of the malignant transformation. In this review, we aim to survey therapies approved and under evaluation for melanoma treatment and relevant research on the molecular mechanisms underlying melanomagenesis.

Toxicity mechanisms of onion (Allium cepa) extracts and compounds in multidrug resistant erythroleukemic cell line.

Onion (Allium cepa) is being studied as a potential anticancer agent, but little is known regarding its effect in multidrug resistance (MDR) cells. In this work, the cytotoxicity of crude onion extract (OE) and fractioned extract (aqueous, methanolic and ethyl acetate), as well as some onion compounds (quercetin and propyl disulfide) were evaluated in Lucena MDR human erythroleukemic and its K562 parental cell line. The capacity of OE to induce apoptosis and/or necrosis in these cells, the possible participation of oxidative stress and DNA damage were also assessed. Similar sensitivities were obtained for both tumoral cells, however only OE caused significant effects in the cells. In K562 cells, a significant increase of apoptosis was verified while the Lucena cells experienced a significant increase of necrosis. An antioxidant capacity was verified for OE discarding oxidative damage. However, OE provoked similar significant DNA damage in both cell lines. Thus, the OE capacity to overcome the MDR phenotype suggests anti-MDR action of OE.

Toxicity mechanisms of onion (Allium cepa) extracts and compounds in multidrug resistant erythroleukemic cell line

Onion (Allium cepa) is being studied as a potential anticancer agent, but little is known regarding its effect in multidrug resistance (MDR) cells. In this work, the cytotoxicity of crude onion extract (OE) and fractioned extract (aqueous, methanolic and ethyl acetate), as well as some onion compounds (quercetin and propyl disulfide) were evaluated in Lucena MDR human erythroleukemic and its K562 parental cell line. The capacity of OE to induce apoptosis and/or necrosis in these cells, the possible participation of oxidative stress and DNA damage were also assessed. Similar sensitivities were obtained for both tumoral cells, however only OE caused significant effects in the cells. In K562 cells, a significant increase of apoptosis was verified while the Lucena cells experienced a significant increase of necrosis. An antioxidant capacity was verified for OE discarding oxidative damage. However, OE provoked similar significant DNA damage in both cell lines. Thus, the OE capacity to overcome the MDR phenotype suggests anti-MDR action of OE.

Plastic ingestion by Procellariiformes in Southern Brazil.

The Procellariiformes are the birds most affected by plastic pollution. Plastic fragments and pellets were the most frequent items found in the digestive tract of eight species of Procellariiformes incidentally caught by longline fisheries as well as beached birds in Southern Brazil. Plastic objects were found in 62% of the petrels and 12% of the albatrosses. The Great shearwater, Manx shearwater, Cory's shearwater and Antarctic fulmar were found to have greater quantities and frequencies of occurrence of plastic. There was no significant difference in the number of plastics between the birds from longline fisheries and beached birds. No correlation was found between the number of prey and number of plastics in the digestive tract of the birds analyzed, but this does not discard the hypothesis that, in some cases, the presence of plastic in the digestive tract has a negative effect on the feeding efficiency of these birds.