Professionals' Perspectives on the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Child and Adolescent Victims of Domestic Violence Living in the Portuguese Residential Foster Care System.

The COVID-19 pandemic had several negative impacts on child and adolescent victims of domestic violence, especially on those who lived in the residential foster care system. The main goal of the present study was to understand these negative impacts through the perspectives of professionals in Portuguese residential foster care structures using both individual interviews and an online survey. One hundred and three professionals aged between 22 and 64 years (M = 38.39; SD = 8.34) participated in the online survey (86 females and 17 males). Of those, seven professionals, four females and three males aged between 29 and 49 years (M = 38.43, SD = 7.50), were also interviewed. According to the participants, the conditions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic contributed adversely not only to the increase in domestic violence against children and adolescents but also to the aggravation of the conditions children and adolescents living in the Portuguese residential foster care system were exposed to, namely concerning family relationships, access to resources and services, and institutional dynamics. The results suggest the necessity to develop standard procedures to cope with pandemic situations in the residential foster care system.

Immunomodulatory therapy for the management of critically ill patients with COVID-19: A narrative review.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Understanding the physiological and immunological processes underlying the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 is vital for the identification and rational design of effective therapies. AIM: To describe the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with the immune system and the subsequent contribution of hyperinflammation and abnormal immune responses to disease progression together with a complete narrative review of the different immunoadjuvant treatments used so far in COVID-19 and their indication in severe and life-threatening subsets. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was developed. Authors reviewed the selected manuscripts following the PRISMA recommendations for systematic review and meta-analysis documents and selected the most appropriate. Finally, a recommendation of the use of each treatment was established based on the level of evidence of the articles and documents reviewed. This recommendation was made based on the consensus of all the authors. RESULTS: A brief rationale on the SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, immune response, and inflammation was developed. The usefulness of 10 different families of treatments related to inflammation and immunopathogenesis of COVID-19 was reviewed and discussed. Finally, based on the level of scientific evidence, a recommendation was established for each of them. CONCLUSION: Although several promising therapies exist, only the use of corticosteroids and tocilizumab (or sarilumab in absence of this) have demonstrated evidence enough to recommend its use in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Endotypes including both, clinical and biological characteristics can constitute specific targets for better select certain therapies based on an individualized approach to treatment.

Empiric antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia in adult patients: a systematic review and a network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this network meta-analysis is to identify the empiric antibiotic (Em-ATB) with the highest probability of being the best (HPBB) in terms of (1) cure rate and (2) mortality rate in hospitalised patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) . METHOD: Inclusion criteria: (1) adult patients (>16 years old) diagnosed with CAP that required hospitalisation; (2) randomised to at least two different Em-ATBs, (3) that report cure rate and (4) are written in English or Spanish. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: (1) ambiguous antibiotics protocol and (2) published exclusively in abstract or letter format. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase, Cochrane and citation reviews from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2018. Risk of bias: Cochrane's tool. Quality of the systematic review (SR): A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews-2. Certainity of the evidence: Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: frequentist method performed with the 'netmeta' library, R package. RESULTS: 27 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from the initial 41 307 screened citations were included. Regarding the risk of bias, more than one quarter of the studies presented low risk and no study presented high risk in all domains. The SR quality is moderate. For cure, two networks were constructed. Thus, two Em-ATBs have the HPBB: cetaroline 600 mg (two times a day) and piperacillin 2000 mg (two times a day). For mortality, three networks were constructed. Thus, three Em-ATBs have the HPBB: ceftriaxone 2000 mg (once a day) plus levofloxacin 500 (two times a day), ertapenem 1000 mg (two times a day) and amikacin 250 mg (two times a day) plus clarithromycin 500 mg (two times a day). The certainity of evidence for each results is moderate. CONCLUSION: For cure rate, ceftaroline and piperaciline are the options with the HPBB. However, for mortality rate, the options are ceftriaxone plus levofloxacin, ertapenem and amikacin plus clarithromycin. It seems necessary to conduct an RCT that compares treatments with the HPBB for each event (cure or mortality) (CRD42017060692).

Inhibition of Leishmania amazonensis arginase by fucogalactan isolated from Agrocybe aegerita mushroom.

The inhibition of arginase from Leishmania spp. is considered a promising approach to the leishmaniasis treatment. In this study, the potential of a fucogalactan isolated from the medicinal mushroom Agrocybe aegerita was evaluated against arginase (ARG) from Leishmania amazonensis. The polysaccharide was obtained via aqueous extraction, and purified by freeze thawing and precipitation with Fehling solution. Its chemical structure was established by monosaccharide composition, methylation analysis, partial acid hydrolysis, and NMR spectroscopy. The data indicated that it is a fucogalactan (FG-Aa; Mw = 13.8 kDa), having a (1→6)-linked α-D-Galp main-chain partially substituted in O-2 by non-reducing end-units of α-L-Fucp. FG-Aa showed significant inhibitory activity on ARG with IC50potency of 5.82 ± 0.57 µM. The mechanism of ARG inhibition by the heterogalactan was the competitive type, with Kiof 1.54 ± 0.15 µM. This is the first report of an inhibitory activity of arginase from L. amazonensis by biopolymers, which encourages us to investigate further polysaccharides as a new class of ARG inhibitors.

Chemical structure of a partially 3-O-methylated mannofucogalactan from edible mushroom Grifola frondosa.

An unusual heteropolysaccharide was isolated from the fruiting bodies of the medicinal mushroom Grifola frondosa, via successive cold aqueous extraction, followed by fractionation through freeze-thawing, precipitation with Fehling solution and dialysis using a membrane with a size exclusion cut-off of 500 kDa. Its chemical structure was determined based on total acid hydrolysis, methylation analysis and NMR studies. The mannofucogalactan had a molar mass of 15.9 × 103 g mol-1, which was determinate by HPSEC-MALLS. This heteropolymer showed to have a main chain of (1 → 6)-linked α-d-Galp partially substituted at O-2 by 3-O-α-d-mannopyranosyl-α-l-fucopyranosyl groups and in a minor proportion with α-l-Fucp single-unit side chains. Moreover, the presence of 3-O-Me-Galp units could also be observed in the main chain of the G. frondosa mannofucogalactan.

Partially methylated galactans containing different proportions of 3-O-methyl-galactose from Pleurotus citrinopileatus.

Pleurotus citrinopileatus, popularly known as "golden oyster mushroom" have medicinal properties, which are attributed mainly to the presence of bioactive polysaccharides. In this work, two partially 3-O-methylated galactans were isolated from the fruiting bodies of this fungus, via successive aqueous extraction, followed by fractionation by freeze-thawing, and precipitation of soluble material with Fehling solution. The structural assignments were carried out using mono- and bidimensional NMR spectroscopy, monosaccharide composition, and methylation analyses. The polysaccharides were characterized as linear, partially 3-O-methylated (1 → 6)-linked α-galactopyranans, containing only Gal and 3-O-Me-Gal, in 2:1 and 1:1 molar ratios, with molar masses of 37.6 × 103 g/mol and 28.5 × 103 g/mol, respectively. Similar structures have been described for other Pleurotus spp., but showing a lower content of 3-O-Me-Gal.

Nivel de conocimiento de enfermedades de transmisión sexual en nuestra población / Level of knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases in our population

Introducción: Entendemos por enfermedades de transmisión sexual (ETS) todas aquellas enfermedades que se transmiten por las relaciones sexuales, aunque también se puedan adquirir por otros medios(1). La educación es la mejor forma de prevención. En primera instancia se debe realizar una correcta evaluación sobre la situación poblacional acerca de los conocimientos de las enfermedades de trasmisión sexual para poder realizar políticas educativas a fin de disminuir la altísima incidencia de éstas enfermedades. Objetivos: Evaluar el nivel de conocimiento sobre las enfermedades de transmisión sexual en nuestra población. Material y Método: Encuesta anónima entregada a pacientes que concurrieron al servicio de Urología por consultorios externos y demanda espontánea del Hospital Aeronáutico Central y otros centros de salud entre septiembre y diciembre de 2015. Se dividieron en grupos según rango etáreo y por nivel de educación. Resultados: Se confeccionó el trabajo con 1006 encuestas. Con respecto al conocimiento de qué es una enfermedad de transmisión sexual, cómo se contagia y cómo se evita, respondieron que si el 97%, 94% y 92% de la población total respectivamente. En el modo de contagio, el 100 % de la población total sabe que se contagian mediante la forma vaginal. Para las otras opciones se demostró que en el nivel de educación primario la mitad de la población considera a la ana y oral. En el nivel Secundario un 73 % considera a la anal y 66 % la oral. Por último en el nivel terciario un 88 % considera a la anal y un 84% la oral como medios de contagio para las ETS en general. Con respecto a la presencia de una ETS se ve un porcentaje decreciente en edad y nivel de educación. En la pregunta acerca del uso del preservativo nunca se cuidan con el mismo en el 11 % del total de menores de 45 años y en el 33 % de los mayores de 45 años. Conclusión: Podemos concluir que hay un bajo nivel de conocimiento sobre las ETS, que contrasta con el obtenido para el HIV. Los porcentajes que utilizan métodos de barrera están muy por debajo de lo deseable. La información otorgada sobre las ETS en los centros de enseñanza y a nivel público es considerada insuficiente.

Introduction: We understand sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) all those diseases that are transmitted by sexual intercourse, although they may also be acquired by other means (1). Education is the best prevention. In the first instance you should make a proper assessment of the population status of knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases to make education policies in order to reduce the high incidence of these diseases. Objectives: To assess the level of knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases in our population. Material and method: Anonymous survey given to patients attending the urology department for outpatient and spontaneous demand Aeronautic Central Hospital and other health centers between September and December 2015. They were divided into groups according to age range and level of education. Results: Working with 1006 surveys was made. With regard to the knowledge of what is a sexually transmitted disease, how it spreads and how to prevent, they replied that if 97%, 94% and 92% respectively of the total population. Mode of transmission, 100% of the total population known to be spread by vaginal way. For other options it showed that at the level of primary education half the population considers anal and oral. At the secondary level 73% considered to anal and oral 66%. Finally at the tertiary level 88% considered to anal and oral 84% as a means of infection for STDs in general. With regard to the presence of an STD a decreasing percentage is age and level of education. In the question about condom use care never the same in 11% of all under-45s and 33% of those over 45 years. Conclusions: We can conclude that there is a low level of knowledge about STDs, which contrasts with that obtained for HIV. The percentages used barrier methods are well below what is desirable. The information provided on STDs in schools and public level is considered insufficient

Mulheres imigrantes em Portugal: uma análise de gênero / Immigrant women in Portugal: A gender analysis

Resumo Este texto procura discutir teoricamente a importância de se analisar as migrações a partir de uma perspectiva de gênero. Tomando como referência uma das mais marcantes características da era atual das migrações, a feminização, aponta-se a necessidade de refletir e questionar os processos e as dinâmicas subjacentes às migrações femininas e às suas características específicas. São apreciados neste texto os contributos das teorias feministas para o entendimento das migrações das mulheres, assim como são observadas as implicações de se considerar as migrações um fenômeno genderizado. São também sistematizados alguns dos estudos sobre mulheres imigrantes realizados em Portugal mais recentemente, mapeando-se as temáticas mais abordadas e os resultados alcançados.

Abstract This study aims to theoretically discuss the importance of analyzing migrations from a gender perspective. Based on one of the most striking features of migrations in the modern age - the feminization of migrations -, we point out the need to reflect and analyze the processes and dynamics underlying female migration and their specific characteristics. This paper examines the contributions of feminist theories to the understanding of women's migrations and the implications of considering migrations a gendered phenomenon. Some recent studies on immigrant women in Portugal were systematized, mapping the most frequently addressed topics and the results achieved.

Mielolipoma en una paciente con hiperplasia suprarrenal congénita / Adrenal myelolipoma in a patient with congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Introducción: El mielolipoma es un tumor benigno caracterizado por la presencia de tejido adiposo y elementos de la médula ósea. Se ha visto que puede estar relacionado con niveles elevados de ACTH como en la Hiperplasia Suprarrenal Congénita (HSC). Objetivo: Presentación de un caso clínico. Reporte de caso: Mujer de 64 años de edad con antecedente de Hiperplasia Suprarrenal Congénita en la que se diagnostica de forma incidental un mielolipoma. Conclusiones: Ante lesiones mayores a 5 centímetros, sintomáticas o que sufren algún cambio (clínico o radiológico) durante el seguimiento, se debería considerar el tratamiento quirúrgico con abordaje laparoscópico, el cual sería la mejor opción.

Introduction: Myelolipoma is a benign tumor characterized by the presence of fat and bone marrow elements. We have seen that may be related to elevated levels of ACTH and Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). Objective: Presentation of a case report. Case report: Female 64 years old with a history of congenital adrenal hyperplasia where incidentally diagnosed myelolipoma. Conclusions: In lesions larger than 5 inches, symptomatic or suffering any change (clinical or radiological) during follow-up, should consider surgical treatment with laparoscopic approach, which would be the best option

Chemical and biological properties of a highly branched ß-glucan from edible mushroom Pleurotus sajor-caju.

Hot aqueous extraction of the basidiocarps of the mushroom Pleurotus sajor-caju provided a cold water-soluble, gel-like glucan, which was characterized chemically, and its effects on RAW 264.7 cell line (mouse leukaemic monocyte macrophage) activation were determined. NMR spectroscopy, HPSEC, methylation analysis, and a controlled Smith degradation showed it to have a branched structure with a (1→3)-linked ß-Glcp main-chain, substituted at O-6 by single-unit ß-Glcp side-chains, on the average of two to every third residues of the backbone, with a molar mass of 9.75 × 10(5) g mol(-1). In macrophage cell culture, the ß-glucan induced production of NO and the cytokines TNF-α, IL-1ß, these effects being very similar as those of Escherichia coli serotype 0111:B4 Sigma-Aldrich lipopolysaccharide (LPS), although not modifying the response of LPS-activated macrophages. The results suggest that the (1→3), (1→6)-linked ß-glucan from P. sajor-caju may have potential for immunological activities, although additional experiments are necessary for a better understanding of the mechanisms involved.

(RE)Conciliação dos usos do tempo:Imigração, Género e Trabalho-Família / (RE)Conciliation of time’s uses: Immigration, Gender and Work-Family / (RE)Conciliación de los usos del tiempo: Inmigración, Género, Trabajo-Familia

A conciliação entre a vida familiar e profissional é uma temática estreitamente relacionada com as mudanças sociais, em particular com a integração das mulheres no mercado de trabalho e a progressiva alteração dos papéis de género. Apesar destas mudanças importa pensar os valores e normas sociais relacionados com o papel das mulheres na educação e na família, como conciliar o trabalho necessário com as responsabilidades familiares e em que medida as transformações femininas no mundo doméstico para o público correspondem às transformações masculinas no sentido inverso. Este texto procura reflectir à luz da perspectiva feminista sobre a importância de se considerar e estudar as trajectórias femininas evidenciando a necessidade da conciliação trabalho-família enquanto requisito básico para a igualdade.

The conciliation between the familiar and professional life is a thematic strictly related with the social changes, especially with women’s integration in the market of work and the gradual alteration of the papers of gender. Although these changes, it’s important think the values and social norms related with the paper of the women in education and family, as to conciliate the necessary work with the familiar responsibilities and how the feminine transformations in the domestic world for the public correspond to the masculine transformations in opposite direction. This text tries to reflect on perspective feminist the importance of considering and studying the feminine trajectories, evidencing the necessity of work-family conciliation as basic requisite for the equality.

La conciliación entre la vida familiar y profesional es una temática estrechamente relacionada con los cambios sociales, particularmente con la integración de las mujeres en el mercado del trabajo y de la alteración gradual de los papeles de género. Aunque estos cambios importan para pensar los valores relacionados y las normas sociales con el papel de las mujeres en la educación y en la familia, como conciliar el trabajo necesario con las responsabilidades familiares y en qué medida las transformaciones femeninas en el mundo doméstico para el público corresponden a las transformaciones masculinas en la dirección inversa. Este texto busca reflectir, a la luz de la perspectiva feminista, sobre la importancia de considerar y estudiar la trayectoria femenina que evidencia la necesidad de la conciliación trabajo-familia indispensable para la igualdad.

(RE)Conciliação dos usos do tempo:Imigração, Género e Trabalho-Família / (RE)Conciliation of time’s uses: Immigration, Gender and Work-Family / (RE)Conciliación de los usos del tiempo: Inmigración, Género, Trabajo-Familia

A conciliação entre a vida familiar e profissional é uma temática estreitamente relacionada com as mudanças sociais, em particular com a integração das mulheres no mercado de trabalho e a progressiva alteração dos papéis de género. Apesar destas mudanças importa pensar os valores e normas sociais relacionados com o papel das mulheres na educação e na família, como conciliar o trabalho necessário com as responsabilidades familiares e em que medida as transformações femininas no mundo doméstico para o público correspondem às transformações masculinas no sentido inverso. Este texto procura reflectir à luz da perspectiva feminista sobre a importância de se considerar e estudar as trajectórias femininas evidenciando a necessidade da conciliação trabalho-família enquanto requisito básico para a igualdade.(AU)

The conciliation between the familiar and professional life is a thematic strictly related with the social changes, especially with women’s integration in the market of work and the gradual alteration of the papers of gender. Although these changes, it’s important think the values and social norms related with the paper of the women in education and family, as to conciliate the necessary work with the familiar responsibilities and how the feminine transformations in the domestic world for the public correspond to the masculine transformations in opposite direction. This text tries to reflect on perspective feminist the importance of considering and studying the feminine trajectories, evidencing the necessity of work-family conciliation as basic requisite for the equality.(AU)

La conciliación entre la vida familiar y profesional es una temática estrechamente relacionada con los cambios sociales, particularmente con la integración de las mujeres en el mercado del trabajo y de la alteración gradual de los papeles de género. Aunque estos cambios importan para pensar los valores relacionados y las normas sociales con el papel de las mujeres en la educación y en la familia, como conciliar el trabajo necesario con las responsabilidades familiares y en qué medida las transformaciones femeninas en el mundo doméstico para el público corresponden a las transformaciones masculinas en la dirección inversa. Este texto busca reflectir, a la luz de la perspectiva feminista, sobre la importancia de considerar y estudiar la trayectoria femenina que evidencia la necesidad de la conciliación trabajo-familia indispensable para la igualdad.(AU)

Copper complexes of imidazole-2-, pyrrole-2- and indol-3-carbaldehyde thiosemicarbazones: inhibitory activity against fungi and bacteria.

Copper complexes of thiosemicarbazones of imidazole-2-carbaldehyde, pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde and indole-3-carbaldehyde were synthesised and characterised. The antimicrobial properties of the free ligands and their complexes were evaluated against yeasts, moulds and bacteria (Gram-positive and Gram-negative). Some copper chelates exhibited a moderate inhibitory activity, better than that of the corresponding free ligands. In particular, the pyrrole derivative [Cu(HL(2))(2)] proved to be a wide spectrum agent, showing an interesting inhibition of the growth of all Gram-positive bacteria and fungi tested at concentrations of 12-50 microg/mL. In contrast, a selective effect was observed for imidazole and indole chelates against fungi and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively.