Leadership Competencies of the Medical-Surgical Nursing Specialist Nurse.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the leadership competencies of Medical-Surgical Nursing Specialist Nurses. METHODS: A quantitative, descriptive study using the Leadership Competencies Questionnaire. 311 Portuguese Medical-Surgical Nursing Specialist Nurses participated. Data analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistical analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 22.0. RESULTS: Study participants had an above-average self-perception on the scale (mean = 3.5) in all leadership roles, recognizing their leadership competencies. The leadership competencies of Medical-Surgical Nursing Specialist Nurses are balanced across all roles: Mentor (5.80 ± 1.02); Coordinator (5.53 ± 0.86); Facilitator (5.38 ± 1.04); Innovator (5.34 ± 0.88); Director (5.31 ± 1.10); Producer (5.30 ± 0.98); Monitor (5.15 ± 1.00); Corrector (4.79 ± 1.29). CONCLUSIONS: Specialized nursing practice enhances nurses' self-perceived leadership competencies. Nurses see themselves as leaders focused on internal support and facilitation of collective effort and opportunities for skill development.

Opi1-mediated transcriptional modulation orchestrates genotoxic stress response in budding yeast.

In budding yeast, the transcriptional repressor Opi1 regulates phospholipid biosynthesis by repressing expression of genes containing inositol-sensitive upstream activation sequences. Upon genotoxic stress, cells activate the DNA damage response to coordinate a complex network of signaling pathways aimed at preserving genomic integrity. Here, we reveal that Opi1 is important to modulate transcription in response to genotoxic stress. We find that cells lacking Opi1 exhibit hypersensitivity to genotoxins, along with a delayed G1-to-S-phase transition and decreased gamma-H2A levels. Transcriptome analysis using RNA sequencing reveals that Opi1 plays a central role in modulating essential biological processes during methyl methanesulfonate (MMS)-associated stress, including repression of phospholipid biosynthesis and transduction of mating signaling. Moreover, Opi1 induces sulfate assimilation and amino acid metabolic processes, such as arginine and histidine biosynthesis and glycine catabolism. Furthermore, we observe increased mitochondrial DNA instability in opi1Δ cells upon MMS treatment. Notably, we show that constitutive activation of the transcription factor Ino2-Ino4 is responsible for genotoxin sensitivity in Opi1-deficient cells, and the production of inositol pyrophosphates by Kcs1 counteracts Opi1 function specifically during MMS-induced stress. Overall, our findings highlight Opi1 as a critical sensor of genotoxic stress in budding yeast, orchestrating gene expression to facilitate appropriate stress responses.

The interplay between HPV, other Sexually Transmissible Infections and genital microbiome on cervical microenvironment (MicroCervixHPV study).

Background: The importance of Cervicovaginal Microbiota in protecting against infections (such as HPV) is already well established, namely through Lactobacillus spp., as well as the mechanism through which HPV leads to Cervical Neoplasia. However, it is not possible to classify HPV as a complete carcinogen. Thus, the importance of exploring Cervicovaginal dysbiosis with the intention of deciphering this interaction with HPV, takes on greater relevance. The main objectives of this study were: 1) Comparison of the MCV composition of women with or without HPV and women with ASCUS or LSIL; 2) Characterization of cytokines present in the vaginal microenvironment; 3) Evaluation of the blood count ratios as prognostic systemic inflammatory biomarkers; 4) Correlation between MCV, HPV serotypes and cytokines. Methods: This was a retrospective, observational, multicenter, cross-sectional study. CVM analysis was performed by isolation RNA and sequencing on a NGS platform. Cytokine concentrations of CVM were obtained through Multiplex platform. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS v 26.0. An α of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Highlighting the core of the study, CVM types of CST I and CST IV were found to influence the emergence of cervical lesions. Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio was found to impact the prognosis of ASCUS. Within CVM, Lactobacillus prevent the growth of other CST IV species, while the latter express symbiotic relationships with each other and show affinity for specific HPV serotypes. At last, RANTES chemokine is significantly elevated in cervicovaginal infections. Conclusion: The importance of using vaginal cytokine profiles and CVM is highlighted in the hypothesis of prevention of Cervical Neoplasia development, as well as in its use as a prognostic biomarker. Taken together, these insights are one step closer to personalized medicine.

Leadership Competencies of the Medical-Surgical Nursing Specialist Nurse / Competencias de liderazgo del Enfermero Especialista en Enfermería Médico-Quirúrgica / Competências de Liderança do Enfermeiro Especialista em Enfermagem Médico-Cirúrgica

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the leadership competencies of Medical-Surgical Nursing Specialist Nurses. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive study using the Leadership Competencies Questionnaire. 311 Portuguese Medical-Surgical Nursing Specialist Nurses participated. Data analysis involved descriptive and inferential statistical analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 22.0. Results: Study participants had an above-average self-perception on the scale (mean = 3.5) in all leadership roles, recognizing their leadership competencies. The leadership competencies of Medical-Surgical Nursing Specialist Nurses are balanced across all roles: Mentor (5.80 ± 1.02); Coordinator (5.53 ± 0.86); Facilitator (5.38 ± 1.04); Innovator (5.34 ± 0.88); Director (5.31 ± 1.10); Producer (5.30 ± 0.98); Monitor (5.15 ± 1.00); Corrector (4.79 ± 1.29) Conclusions: Specialized nursing practice enhances nurses' self-perceived leadership competencies. Nurses see themselves as leaders focused on internal support and facilitation of collective effort and opportunities for skill development.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Identificar las competencias de liderazgo de los Enfermeros Especialistas en Enfermería Médico-Quirúrgica. Métodos: Estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo, utilizando el Cuestionario de Competencias de Liderazgo. Participaron 311 Enfermeros Especialistas en Enfermería Médico-Quirúrgica portugueses. En el análisis de datos, se utilizó el análisis estadístico descriptivo e inferencial a través del programa Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), versión 22.0. Resultados: Los participantes en el estudio tienen una autoevaluación por encima del promedio en la escala (media=3,5) en todos los roles de liderazgo, reconociendo sus competencias de liderazgo. Las competencias de liderazgo de los Enfermeros Especialistas en Enfermería Médico-Quirúrgica están equilibradas en todos los roles: Mentor (5,80±1,02), Coordinador (5,53±0,86), Facilitador (5,38±1,04), Innovador (5,34±0,88), Director (5,31±1,10), Productor (5,30±0,98), Monitor (5,15±1,00), Corrector (4,79±1,29). Conclusiones: La práctica de la enfermería especializada aumenta la percepción de las competencias de liderazgo del enfermero sobre sí mismo. Los Enfermeros se ven a sí mismos como líderes orientados hacia una orientación interna de apoyo al esfuerzo colectivo y facilitadores de oportunidades y desarrollo de competencias.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar as competências de liderança dos Enfermeiros Especialistas em Enfermagem Médico-Cirúrgica. Métodos: Estudo quantitativo, descritivo, utilizando o Questionário de Competências de Liderança. Participaram 311 Enfermeiros Especialistas em Enfermagem Médico-Cirúrgica portugueses. Na análise de dados, recorreu-se à análise estatística descritiva e inferencial através do programa Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), versão 22.0. Resultados: Os participantes do estudo têm uma autopercepção acima da média da escala (média=3,5) em todos os papéis de liderança, reconhecendo suas competências de liderança. As competências de liderança dos Enfermeiros Especialistas em Enfermagem Médico-Cirúrgica estão equilibradas entre todos os papéis: Mentor (5,80±1,02), Coordenador (5,53±0,86), Facilitador (5,38±1,04), Inovador (5,34±0,88), Diretor (5,31±1,10), Produtor (5,30±0,98), Monitor (5,15±1,00), Corretor (4,79±1,29). Conclusões: A prática de uma enfermagem especializada aumenta a percepção das competências de liderança do enfermeiro sobre si próprio. Os Enfermeiros veem-se assim como líderes voltados para uma orientação interna de apoio do esforço coletivo e facilitador de oportunidades e desenvolvimento de competências.

Production of moth sex pheromones for pest control by yeast fermentation.

The use of insect sex pheromones is an alternative technology for pest control in agriculture and forestry, which, in contrast to insecticides, does not have adverse effects on human health or environment and is efficient also against insecticide-resistant insect populations. Due to the high cost of chemically synthesized pheromones, mating disruption applications are currently primarily targeting higher value crops, such as fruits. Here we demonstrate a biotechnological method for the production of (Z)-hexadec-11-en-1-ol and (Z)-tetradec-9-en-1-ol, using engineered yeast cell factories. These unsaturated fatty alcohols are pheromone components or the immediate precursors of pheromone components of several economically important moth pests. Biosynthetic pathways towards several pheromones or their precursors were reconstructed in the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, which was further metabolically engineered for improved pheromone biosynthesis by decreasing fatty alcohol degradation and downregulating storage lipid accumulation. The sex pheromone of the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera was produced by oxidation of fermented fatty alcohols into corresponding aldehydes. The resulting yeast-derived pheromone was just as efficient and specific for trapping of H. armigera male moths in cotton fields in Greece as a conventionally produced synthetic pheromone mixture. We further demonstrated the production of (Z)-tetradec-9-en-1-yl acetate, the main pheromone component of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda. Taken together our work describes a biotech platform for the production of commercially relevant titres of moth pheromones for pest control via yeast fermentation.

Potential destination of Brazilian cocoa agro-industrial wastes for production of materials with high added value.

This research proposed to investigate a possible destination for the cocoa waste as component in the core layer of Medium Density Particleboards (MDPs) and to evaluate the effect of the waste insertion on the physical-mechanical properties of the panel. The core layers of the MDPs were composed by different percentages of cocoa wastes (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) in combination with pine wood. The targeted density of the panels was pre-established in 0.7 g cm-3, bonded with urea-formaldehyde. The cocoa waste showed higher extractives content (34.8%) when compared with the pine wood (4.0%). The inclusion of the waste did not cause a significant difference in the moisture and bulk density of the panels; however, there was an increase in water absorption 24 h (71-105%) and thickness swelling 24 h (13-35%). Despite the values of the mechanical properties decreased in general, in low percentages, the cocoa waste does not prevent the use of the MDPs as furniture for internal environments. The results show that the cocoa waste has potential for being applied as raw material in the core layer of the MDP, in percentages up to 21%. The lignocellulosic wastes are promising alternatives for the achievement of the required current context of the sustainability and should be highlighted with research focused on their management for the development of added value materials.

Pedagogical Preparation for Physicians and their Performance in the Medical Course / Preparação Pedagógica para Médicos e Sua Atuação no Curso de Medicina

ABSTRACT Qualifying the medical profile to meet the population's main health needs is a challenge for contemporary medical schools. In this process, the medical professor has a prominent place, since medical teaching practice is based on the production of models considered valid, previously learned, and the experience of medical practice. One questions, thus, the physician's pedagogical aptitude to teach, since the professor-academic relationship occurs differently from the physician-patient relationship, starting from the need to understand which ways professors seek to acquire the teaching-specific skills. Objective To carry out an integrative review on the pedagogical training of physicians in the teaching context. Methods This is a non-observational, descriptive integrative review of the literature. Initially, we searched the databases at the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (Lilacs), the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (PubMed) and the Cochrane Library with the help of the Boolean operator and the following descriptors: Health Human Resource Training; Faculty, Medical and Education, Medical, Continuing. The inclusion criteria were free, complete articles, published from 2012 to 2016, in Portuguese, Spanish and English. Results The search resulted in 24 articles those discuss the research theme. After exhaustive reading of the articles found, only five converged and answered the guiding question raised in the initial reflection. Teaching strategies and methodologies, as well as the evaluation of clinical supervision processes to construct the students' technical knowledge appear as important topics on learning and teaching. In addition, these discussions raise professors' need for continuing education programs, as well as the construction of evaluation tools for professors, tutors and preceptors. Conclusions This study highlights the continuous improvement in the professors' pedagogical training and the development of permanent education programs and improvement of the faculty by the school.

RESUMO A formação de um perfil médico resolutivo das principais necessidades de saúde da população é um desafio para as escolas médicas contemporâneas. Nesse processo, o docente médico destaca-se, visto que a prática docente na formação médica se baseia na reprodução de modelos considerados válidos, aprendidos anteriormente, e na experiência prática. Questiona-se, então, a aptidão pedagógica do médico ao exercício docente, uma vez que a relação professor-acadêmico se dá em esferas diferentes da relação médico-paciente, partindo da necessidade de entender quais caminhos os docentes buscam para adquirir habilidades específicas à docência. Objetivo Realizar uma revisão integrativa acerca da formação pedagógica dos médicos no contexto da docência. Métodos Revisão integrativa da literatura, não observacional, descritiva. Inicialmente, buscaram-se estudos nas bases de dados Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs), US National Library of Medicine e National Institutes of Health (PubMed) e na Cochrane Library com auxílio do operador booleano e dos seguintes descritores: Health Human Resource Training; Faculty, Medical e Education, Medical, Continuing. Os critérios de inclusão foram: artigos gratuitos, completos, publicados entre 2012 e 2016, em português, espanhol e inglês. Resultados Nas quatro bases de dados, encontraram-se 24 artigos relacionados ao tema da pesquisa. Após leitura exaustiva dos artigos encontrados, apenas cinco convergiam e respondiam à questão norteadora levantada na reflexão inicial. As estratégias e metodologias de ensino e a avaliação dos processos de supervisão clínica na construção do saber técnico dos estudantes aparecem como tópicos importantes no aprender e exercer a docência. Além disso, emerge, nessas discussões, a necessidade de programas de educação continuada na formação docente, bem como a construção de instrumentos avaliativos dos professores, tutores e preceptores. Conclusões Nesse modo, ressalta-se o aprimoramento contínuo na formação pedagógica dos docentes e no desenvolvimento de programas de educação permanente e o aprimoramento do corpo docente pela escola.

One-Pot Synthesis of 1,2-Disubstituted 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-Azaindoles from Amino-o-halopyridines via N-Arylation/Sonogashira/Cyclization Reaction.

A direct synthesis of several 1,2-disubstituted 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-azaindoles from available amino-o-halopyridines is described. This procedure involves a palladium-catalyzed N-arylation followed by a Sonogashira reaction and subsequent cyclization in a one-pot manner, exhibiting a wide scope and compatibility with electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups. The strategy represents an advancement in azaindole chemistry with a straightforward approach toward 1,2-disubstituted azaindoles, while avoiding complex N-arylations of hindered 2-substituted azaindoles and difficult purification steps of intermediates.

Synthesis of Substituted 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-Azaindoles from Aminopyridines via a Cascade C-N Cross-Coupling/Heck Reaction.

A practical palladium-catalyzed cascade C-N cross-coupling/Heck reaction of alkenyl bromides with amino-o-bromopyridines is described for a straightforward synthesis of substituted 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-azaindoles using a Pd2(dba)3/XPhos/t-BuONa system. This procedure consists of the first cascade C-N cross-coupling/Heck approach toward all four azaindole isomers from available aminopyridines. The scope of the reaction was investigated and several alkenyl bromides were used, allowing access to different substituted azaindoles. This protocol was further explored for N-substituted amino-o-bromopyridines.

Synthesis of the NAG-NAM disaccharide via a versatile intermediate.

A simple strategy for the synthesis of a ß-GlcNAc-(1→4)-MurNAc (NAG-NAM) moiety, crucial for the preparation of synthetic components of a bacterial peptidoglycan, was achieved. This strategy relies on the use of three O-protecting groups, 4,6-O-benzilidene acetal, benzyl, and acetyl group, which allows further regioselective manipulation at O-3, O-4 positions, and on the insertion of the peptide chain at the lactate moiety in an advanced and versatile intermediate. Overall, a simple route to achieve the biological relevant NAG-NAM is presented, which may serve as a conceptual framework in the designing of synthetic strategies of different natural and non-natural polysaccharides.

Stereoselective glycosylation of glucosamine: the role of the N-protecting group.

Oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates play an important role in biological processes. The use of these complex polymers as biocompatible materials for medicinal applications as well as therapeutic agents for the treatment of several diseases has attracted considerable interest. However, these investigations require large and pure amounts of glycostructures. Glucosamine is one of the major building blocks of these highly important glycoconjugates. Recently, considerable synthetic efforts have been devoted to improving stereoselective glycosylation. In this Focus review, the role of the amine protecting group in the outcome of the glucosamine glycosylation reaction is highlighted.

High resolution melting: improvements in the genetic diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a Portuguese cohort.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a complex myocardial disorder with a recognized genetic heterogeneity. The elevated number of genes and mutations involved in HCM limits a gene-based diagnosis that should be considered of most importance for basic research and clinical medicine. METHODOLOGY: In this report, we evaluated High Resolution Melting (HRM) robustness, regarding HCM genetic testing, by means of analyzing 28 HCM-associated genes, including the most frequent 4 HCM-associated sarcomere genes, as well as 24 genes with lower reported HCM-phenotype association. We analyzed 80 Portuguese individuals with clinical phenotype of HCM allowing simultaneously a better characterization of this disease in the Portuguese population. RESULTS: HRM technology allowed us to identify 60 mutated alleles in 72 HCM patients: 49 missense mutations, 3 nonsense mutations, one 1-bp deletion, one 5-bp deletion, one in frame 3-bp deletion, one insertion/deletion, 3 splice mutations, one 5'UTR mutation in MYH7, MYBPC3, TNNT2, TNNI3, CSRP3, MYH6 and MYL2 genes. Significantly 22 are novel gene mutations. CONCLUSIONS: HRM was proven to be a technique with high sensitivity and a low false positive ratio allowing a rapid, innovative and low cost genotyping of HCM. In a short return, HRM as a gene scanning technique could be a cost-effective gene-based diagnosis for an accurate HCM genetic diagnosis and hopefully providing new insights into genotype/phenotype correlations.

Relationship between dog culling and incidence of human visceral leishmaniasis in an endemic area.

Domestic dogs are the main reservoirs of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in urban areas; one of the control measures adopted in Brazil is the elimination of this reservoir. In order to test the relationship between the euthanasia rate of the canine reservoir and the incidence of the disease in humans, data on dog culling from the Centre for Zoonosis Control of Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, during the period from 1999 to 2008 and visceral leishmaniasis human cases registered in the same period were analyzed. Reduction of human VL incidence was statistically correlated to dog euthanasia rate (P=0.0211; r(2)=0.616) when it was analyzed for the period of two years after application of this measure. Other factors that may influence this relationship are considered.

Contribuiçäo para o estudo do estado depressivo-desenvolvimento de um questionário para sua avaliaçäo / Depressive status: development of a questionnaire for its evaluation

O autor, através de proposiçöes gerais, busca demonstrar a importância do conhecimento, pelo enfermeiro, do fenômeno da depressäo que, reconhecidamente, atinge as pessoas de forma crucial, em nossa sociedade. Sob essa ótica, num trabalho de natureza teórico-exploratória, o autor apresenta uma revisäo bibliográfica de diferentes aspectos da temática da depressäo. O estudo que ora se apresenta consiste de sete capítulos. O primeiro discorre sobre a despressäo do ponto de vista histórico, enquanto o segundo, detem-se nas diversas interpretaçöes dos estados depressivos, de acordo com diferentes vertentes de pensamento: psicanalítica, sociológica, comportamental, existencialista e biológica. Os capítulos III, IV e V, extremamente interligados englobam os obstáculos decorrentes da ausência de consenso no que se refere a um conceito de depressäo, com visíveis consequências para o estabelecimento de critérios diagnósticos e classificaçöes confiáveis. Como alternativa para sanar essas dificuldades desenvolveram-se as escalas para avaliaçäo dos estados depressivos (Cap. V). O capítulo VI, partindo da premissa de que os enfermeiros deparam com muitas pessoas passando por experiências depressivas em suas vidas, o autor propöe, sob o prisma de um modelo compreensivo de assistência de enfermagem, a eleboraçäo de um questionário, com respostas simples, dicotômicas (sim/näo), para avaliar estados depressivos transitórios. Realiza um levantamento de sintomas de depressäo, selecionando 21 para estudo. Uma populaçäo de 265 pessoas escreveu sentenças relacionadas com esses sintomas. Estas foram organizadas, selecionadas e transformadas nos itens do questionário. Os itens foram submetidos a teste de compreensäo da linguagem em um grupo de pacientes do ambulatório de Pronto Atendimento psiquiátrico, de um hospital-escola...