Forensic Professionals' Stress Inventory (FPSI): Development and psychometric properties.

Professionals in the justice system are particularly susceptible to occupational stress and burnout due to factors intrinsic to their profession. The Forensic Professional's Stress Inventory (FPSI) was designed to assess stress and psychological distress specifically in justice system professionals. A preliminary 41-item scale was administered to a sample of 690 forensic professionals (i.e., judges, lawyers, and attorneys). Exploratory factor analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling, and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to find the most interpretable and parsimonious factor solution for FPSI. The 25-item bifactor model (with four first-order factors) demonstrated the most adequate fit to the data. Overall, FPSI revealed adequate psychometric properties and would be a useful instrument for assessing psychological strain and stress in forensic professionals.

Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of Eucalyptus radiata essential oil against Escherichia coli strains isolated from meat products.

The present study sought to evaluate the antimicrobial and anti-adherent potential of Eucalyptus radiata essential oil against food-borne strains of Escherichia coli. The study was performed using the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). In addition, the disk diffusion technique was used to evaluate the association of Eucalyptus radiata essential oil with synthetic antimicrobials. The Minimum Inhibitory Adherence Concentration (MIC) was also performed. The results revealed that E. radiata showed antimicrobial activity against the E. coli strains tested, with MIC values ranging from 500 µg/mL to 1000 µg/mL and MBC values ranging from 500 µg/mL to 1,024 µg/mL. As for the associations, it was observed that E. radiata oil exhibited a synergistic effect for some antibiotics, especially Ceftriaxone, with greater interference from the essential oil. Furthermore, it was effective in inhibiting the adherence of bacterial strains of E. coli, showing a more significant antibiofilm effect than the antibacterial agent 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate. In summary, the essential oil of E. radiata showed antimicrobial potential against strains of E. coli of food origin, and can therefore, through in-depth studies, be used alone or in association with synthetic antimicrobials to combat infections caused by this pathogen.

Far-UV-C irradiation promotes synergistic bactericidal action against adhered cells of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

The contamination of indoor areas is a global health problem that can cause the dispersion of infectious diseases. In that sense, it is urgent to find new strategies applying a lower concentration of the traditional chemicals used for cleaning and disinfection. Ultraviolet radiation (UV), in particular far-UV-C (200-225 nm), has emerged as a successful, powerful, easy-to-apply, and inexpensive approach for bacterial eradication that still requires scientific assessment. This study investigated new strategies for disinfection based on far-UV-C (222 nm) combined with chlorine and mechanical cleaning, providing an innovative solution using low doses. The bactericidal activity of far-UV-C (222 nm) was tested at an intensity of irradiation from 78.4 µW/cm2 to 597.7 µW/cm2 (for 1 min) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis adhered on polystyrene microtiter plates. It was further tested in combination with mechanical cleaning (ultrasounds for 1 min) and free chlorine (0.1, 0.5, and 1 mg/L for 5 min). The triple combination consisting of mechanical cleaning + free chlorine (0.5 mg/L) + far-UV-C (54 mJ/cm2) was tested against cells adhered to materials found in hospital settings and other public spaces: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), stainless steel (SS), and polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Disinfection with far-UV-C (54 mJ/cm2) and free chlorine at 0.5 mg/L for 5 min allowed a total reduction of culturable E. coli cells and a logarithmic reduction of 2.98 ± 0.03 for S. epidermidis. The triple combination of far-UV-C, free chlorine, and mechanical cleaning resulted in a total reduction of culturable cells for both adhered bacteria. Bacterial adhesion to PVC, SS, and PEEK occurred at distinct extents and influenced the bactericidal activity of the triple combination, with logarithmic reductions of up to three. The overall results highlight that, based on culturability assessment, far-UV-C (54 mJ/cm2) with chlorine (0.5 mg/L; 5 min) and mechanical cleaning (1 min) as an efficient disinfection strategy using mild conditions. The combination of culturability and viability assessment of disinfection is recommended to detect regrowth events and increase the effectiveness in microbial growth control.

Development of a pediatric differentiated thyroid carcinoma registry within the EuRRECa project: rationale and protocol.

Background: Although differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is the most frequent endocrine pediatric cancer, it is rare in childhood and adolescence. While tumor persistence and recurrence are not uncommon, mortality remains extremely low. Complications of treatment are however reported in up to 48% of the survivors. Due to the rarity of the disease, current treatment guidelines are predominantly based on the results of small observational retrospective studies and extrapolations from results in adult patients. In order to develop more personalized treatment and follow-up strategies (aiming to reduce complication rates), there is an unmet need for uniform international prospective data collection and clinical trials. Methods and analysis: The European pediatric thyroid carcinoma registry aims to collect clinical data for all patients ≤18 years of age with a confirmed diagnosis of DTC who have been diagnosed, assessed, or treated at a participating site. This registry will be a component of the wider European Registries for Rare Endocrine Conditions project which has close links to Endo-ERN, the European Reference Network for Rare Endocrine Conditions. A multidisciplinary expert working group was formed to develop a minimal dataset comprising information regarding demographic data, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome. We constructed an umbrella-type registry, with a detailed basic dataset. In the future, this may provide the opportunity for research teams to integrate clinical research questions. Ethics and dissemination: Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants and/or their parents/guardians. Summaries and descriptive analyses of the registry will be disseminated via conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

The impact of potassium peroxymonosulphate and chlorinated cyanurates on biofilms of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia: effects on biofilm control, regrowth, and mechanical properties.

The activity of two chlorinated isocyanurates (NaDCC and TCCA) and peroxymonosulphate (OXONE) was evaluated against biofilms of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, an emerging pathogen isolated from drinking water (DW), and for the prevention of biofilm regrowth. After disinfection of pre-formed 48 h-old biofilms, the culturability was reduced up to 7 log, with OXONE, TCCA, and NaDCC showing more efficiency than free chlorine against biofilms formed on stainless steel. The regrowth of biofilms previously exposed to OXONE was reduced by 5 and 4 log CFU cm-2 in comparison to the unexposed biofilms and biofilms exposed to free chlorine, respectively. Rheometry analysis showed that biofilms presented properties of viscoelastic solid materials, regardless of the treatment. OXONE reduced the cohesiveness of the biofilm, given the significant decrease in the complex shear modulus (G*). AFM analysis revealed that biofilms had a fractured appearance and smaller bacterial aggregates dispersed throughout the surface after OXONE exposure than the control sample. In general, OXONE has been demonstrated to be a promising disinfectant to control DW biofilms, with a higher activity than chlorine. The results also show the impact of the biofilm mechanical properties on the efficacy of the disinfectants in biofilm control.

Is the increment of diabetes mellitus in Brazil associated with the consumption of artificially sweetened beverages? A time trend analysis with 757,386 adults from 2006 to 2020.

OBJECTIVE: To describe trends in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in Brazil and to analyze its association with the consumption of artificially sweetened beverages among individuals aged 18 years or older. STUDY DESIGN: This was a repeated cross-sectional study. METHODS: Annual data from VIGITEL surveys (2006-2020) were used, which included adults from all Brazilian state capitals. The outcome was the prevalence of DM (type 1 and type 2). The main exposure variable was consuming beverages like soft drinks and artificial juices, either in its 'diet, light, or zero' form. Covariates included sex, age, sociodemographic characteristics, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, fruit consumption, and obesity. The temporal trend in the indicators and the etiological fraction (population attributable risk [PAR]) were calculated. Analyses were performed using Poisson regression. The association between DM and consumption of beverages was tested, excluding the year 2020 due to the pandemic; restricting the analysis to the final three years (2018-2020). RESULTS: Overall, 757,386 subjects were included. The prevalence of DM increased from 5.5% to 8.2%, with an annual growth of 0.17 percentage points (95% CI 0.11-0.24). Among those who consumed diet/light/zero beverages, the annual percentage change of DM was four times greater. The PAR corresponding to the consumption of diet/light/zero beverages on the occurrence of DM was 17%. CONCLUSIONS: An increasing prevalence of DM was observed, while diet/light/zero beverages consumption remains stable. A substantial reduction in the annual percentage change of DM could be observed if people stopped consuming diet/light soda/juice.

Liquid Water: A Single Approach to Its Two Continuous Phase Transitions.

In this paper, we show that both continuous phase transitions of liquid water, the liquid-gas and the liquid-liquid, can be articulated within a single thermodynamic analytical formalism. This result follows from a combination of the two-liquid model (TLM), recently confirmed for water, with the idea of a thermal-dependent excluded volume, ve, concept introduced by van der Waals, in his famous state equation. Starting from the fundamentals of thermodynamics, it will be shown that the TLM naturally leads to the idea of an extensive thermal-dependent ve that acts as a parameter of the sample thermodynamic potentials. This procedure effectively separates the thermodynamics of the system into two parts: the first concerns the clusters' thermodynamics, taken as wandering particles, and the second concerns the thermal behavior of its internal structure (geometry and number of particles). From this result, we demonstrate that the condition of mechanical instability leads to not one but two critical points, each happening in one of the above-described parts of the system.

Phytochemicals Against Drug-Resistant Bacterial Biofilms and Use of Green Extraction Solvents to Increase Their Bioactivity.

Antimicrobial resistance has become one of the major global public health issues of the twenty-first century. One of the main factors in the limited action of antimicrobials is related to the ability of microorganisms, particularly bacteria, to form biofilms. These complex and well-organized communities allow the colonizing cells to acquire survival advantages over the same cells in suspension, including antibiotic resistance. A huge percentage of bacterial infections in humans are associated with biofilms, and many of them are chronic. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new products effective in controlling or eradicating biofilms. Plant secondary metabolites (phytochemicals) have demonstrated their potential as antibacterials against planktonic cells and sessile communities when used alone or in synergy with other molecules. This chapter covers recent advances in the activity of phytochemicals against biofilms, particularly those formed by drug-resistant bacteria. In addition, taking into account that the extraction step is crucial for the successful development of new bioactive compounds, the use of novel solvents that increase the phytochemical effect, such as natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), as well as the recent applications of these solvents as antimicrobials are discussed.

Cardiorespiratory fitness as a mediator in the relationship between lung function and blood pressure in adults.

It is unclear whether physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are pathways that link low pulmonary function (LPF) to increased blood pressure (BP). Therefore, we investigated the extent to which CRF and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) mediate the relationship between LPF and high BP in adults. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 1,362 participants that underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), spirometry, and wore an accelerometer to determine physical activity patterns. We performed mediation analyses using structural equations considering peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2) and MVPA as mediators, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) as independent variables, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) as dependent variables. The probability of alpha error was set at 5%. We found a significant total effect of FVC on SBP and DBP considering V̇O2 as mediator (P<0.01). Indirect effects were also significant, with 42.6% of the total effect of FVC on SBP and 77% on DBP mediated by V̇O2 (P<0.01). We did not observe a direct effect of FVC on SBP and DBP. Considering FEV1 as an independent variable, the total effect on SBP was also significant, as were the indirect effects, mediated by V̇O2 at 14.8% for SBP and 7.6% for DBP (P<0.01). We did not find an indirect effect of FVC or FEV1 considering the MVPA as a mediator. CRF mediates the pathway that links LPF and elevated BP. Therefore, CRF is more sensitive to variations in FVC and FEV1 than MVPA.

Photodynamic therapy and combinatory treatments for the control of biofilm-associated infections.

The advent of antimicrobial resistance has added considerable impact to infectious diseases both in the number of infections and healthcare costs. Furthermore, the relentless emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, particularly in the biofilm state, has made mandatory the discovery of new alternative antimicrobial therapies that are capable to eradicate resistant bacteria and impair the development of new forms of resistance. Amongst the therapeutic strategies for treating biofilms, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has shown great potential in inactivating several clinically relevant micro-organisms, including antibiotic-resistant 'priority bacteria' declared by the WHO as critical pathogens. Its antimicrobial effect is centred on the basis that harmless low-intensity light stimulates a non-toxic dye named photosensitizer, triggering the production of reactive oxygen species upon photostimulation. In addition, combination therapies of aPDT with other antimicrobial agents (e.g. antibiotics) have also drawn considerable attention, as it is a multi-target strategy. Therefore, the present review highlights the recent advances of aPDT against biofilms, also covering progress on combination therapy.

Rodent models of knee osteoarthritis for pain research.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease and a leading cause of disability worldwide. Pain is the main symptom, yet no current treatment can halt disease progression or effectively provide symptomatic relief. Numerous animal models have been described for studying OA and some for the associated OA pain. This review aims to update on current models used for studying OA pain, focusing on mice and rats. These models include surgical, chemical, mechanical, and spontaneous OA models. The impact of sex and age will also be addressed in the context of OA modelling. Although no single animal model has been shown ideal for studying OA pain, increased efforts to phenotype OA will likely impact the choice of models for pre-clinical and basic research studies.

The temporal stability of premorbid intelligence: A non-clinical 10-year follow-up study using the Irregular Word Reading Test (TeLPI).

INTRODUCTION: The Cognitive Reserve (CR) describes the brain's ability to actively cope with neurological damage, enabling the maintenance of premorbid cognitive functioning through compensatory processes. The most common way to estimate CR is through formal education, the intelligence quotient (IQ) and participation in cognitive stimulating activities. In the absence of IQ data, the Irregular Word Reading Test (TeLPI) allows you to estimate the premorbid intelligence. OBJECTIVE: The comparison of the TeLPI results between two times of assessment (baseline and re-assessment) with an interval time (IT) of 9 years. To analyze of the stability of their results as a valid dimension for the CR estimation. RESULTS: The TeLPI presented temporal stability of its results between the two evaluation times (IT = 9.07 ± 1.02). The sample, composed by 63 cognitively healthy participants, showed no differences for the estimated Full Scale IQ (t(62) = 0.49, p = .63), for the Estimated Verbal IQ (t(62) = 0.71, p = .48) and for the estimated Performance IQ (t(62) = 0.64, p = .52). Likewise, no differences were found in the number of TeLPI errors at the two assessment times (t(62) = -0.61, p = .54). CONCLUSIONS: Considering that CR is characterized as being relatively stable, the TeLPI should be included in its assessment, as an indicator with proved stability over a long period of time, on the physiological aging spectrum.

Discovery of serum biomarkers for diagnosis of tuberculosis by NMR metabolomics including cross-validation with a second cohort.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease with worldwide presence and a major cause of death in several developing countries. Current diagnostic methodologies often lack specificity and sensitivity, whereas a long time is needed to obtain a conclusive result. METHODS: In an effort to develop better diagnostic methods, this study aimed at the discovery of a biomarker signature for TB diagnosis using a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance based metabolomics approach. In this study, we acquired 1H NMR spectra of blood serum samples of groups of healthy subjects, individuals with latent TB and of patients with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB. The resulting data were treated with uni- and multivariate statistical analysis. RESULTS: Six metabolites (inosine, hypoxanthine, mannose, asparagine, aspartate and glutamate) were validated by an independent cohort, all of them related with metabolic processes described as associated with TB infection. CONCLUSION: The findings of the study are according with the WHO Target Product Profile recommendations for a triage test to rule-out active TB.

Biofilm formation under high shear stress increases resilience to chemical and mechanical challenges.

The effect that the hydrodynamic conditions under which biofilms are formed has on their persistence is still unknown. This study assessed the behaviour of Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms, formed on stainless steel under different shear stress (τw) conditions (1, 2 and 4 Pa), to chemical (benzalkonium chloride - BAC, glutaraldehyde - GLUT and sodium hypochlorite - SHC) and mechanical (20 Pa) treatments (alone and combined). The biofilms formed under different τw  showed different structural characteristics. Those formed under a higher τw were invariably more tolerant to chemical and mechanical stresses. SHC was the biocide which caused the highest biofilm killing and removal, followed by BAC. The sequential exposure to biocides and mechanical stress was found to be insufficient for effective biofilm control. A basal layer containing biofilm cells mostly in a viable state remained on the surface of the cylinders, particularly for the 2 and 4 Pa-generated biofilms.

Cardiorespiratory fitness as a mediator in the relationship between lung function and blood pressure in adults

It is unclear whether physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are pathways that link low pulmonary function (LPF) to increased blood pressure (BP). Therefore, we investigated the extent to which CRF and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) mediate the relationship between LPF and high BP in adults. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 1,362 participants that underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), spirometry, and wore an accelerometer to determine physical activity patterns. We performed mediation analyses using structural equations considering peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2) and MVPA as mediators, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) as independent variables, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) as dependent variables. The probability of alpha error was set at 5%. We found a significant total effect of FVC on SBP and DBP considering V̇O2 as mediator (P<0.01). Indirect effects were also significant, with 42.6% of the total effect of FVC on SBP and 77% on DBP mediated by V̇O2 (P<0.01). We did not observe a direct effect of FVC on SBP and DBP. Considering FEV1 as an independent variable, the total effect on SBP was also significant, as were the indirect effects, mediated by V̇O2 at 14.8% for SBP and 7.6% for DBP (P<0.01). We did not find an indirect effect of FVC or FEV1 considering the MVPA as a mediator. CRF mediates the pathway that links LPF and elevated BP. Therefore, CRF is more sensitive to variations in FVC and FEV1 than MVPA.

Classification of cardiorespiratory fitness using the six-minute walk test in adults: Comparison with cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

BACKGROUND: The six-minute walk test (6MWT) distance could facilitate the assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in clinical practice as recommended. We aimed to develop a CRF classification using the 6MWT distance in asymptomatic adults considering the treadmill maximum oxygen uptake (V˙O2max) as the gold standard method. METHODS: We evaluated V˙O2max and 6MWT distance in 1295 asymptomatic participants aged 18-80 years (60% women). Age- and sex-related CRF was classified based on the percentiles as very low (<5th percentile), low (5th-25th percentile), regular (26th-50th percentile), good (51st-75th percentile), excellent (76th-95th percentile), and superior (>95th percentile) for both V˙O2max and 6MWT distance. We investigated the 6MWT distance cut-off (%pred.) with the highest sensitivity and specificity for identifying each V˙O2max classification. RESULTS: V˙O2max declined by 8.7% per decade in both men and women. The 6MWT distance declined by 9.3% per decade in women and 9.5% in men. We formulated age- and sex-related classification tables for CRF using the 6MWT distance. Moreover, the 6MWT distance (%pred.) showed excellent ability to identify very low CRF (6MWT distance ≤ 96%; AUC=0.819) and good ability to differentiate CRF as low (6MWT distance=97%-103%; AUC=0.735), excellent (6MWT distance=107%-109%; AUC=0.715), or superior (6MWT distance>109%; AUC=0.790). It was not possible to differentiate between participants with regular and good CRF. CONCLUSION: The CRF classification by the 6MWT distance is valid in comparison with V˙O2max, especially for identifying adults with low CRF. It could be useful in clinical practice for screening and monitoring the cardiorespiratory risk in adults.

Prospects and Pitfalls: Next-Generation Tools to Control Mosquito-Transmitted Disease.

Mosquito-transmitted diseases, including malaria and dengue, are a major threat to human health around the globe, affecting millions each year. A diverse array of next-generation tools has been designed to eliminate mosquito populations or to replace them with mosquitoes that are less capable of transmitting key pathogens. Many of these new approaches have been built on recent advances in CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing. These initiatives have driven the development of pathogen-resistant lines, new genetics-based sexing methods, and new methods of driving desirable genetic traits into mosquito populations. Many other emerging tools involve microorganisms, including two strategies involving Wolbachia that are achieving great success in the field. At the same time, other mosquito-associated bacteria, fungi, and even viruses represent untapped sources of new mosquitocidal or antipathogen compounds. Although there are still hurdles to be overcome, the prospect that such approaches will reduce the impact of these diseases is highly encouraging.

Particle motion measurements near a rocky shore off Cabo Frio Island.

This paper describes the lessons learned from the experiment BIOCOM'19 carried out in January 2019, in a shallow water bay off the island of Cabo Frio (RJ, Brazil). A dual accelerometer vector sensor hydrophone was deployed for two days, near a rocky shore covered with a significant benthic fauna. The results show that the frequency band above approximately 1.5 kHz is mostly associated with invertebrate biological noise and that the acoustic and the particle motion fields have a similar behavior, following the usual dawn-dusk activity pattern, and a coherent directivity content. At low frequencies, below ∼300 Hz, the acoustic pressure and the particle acceleration fields have significantly different spectral content along time. Many of these differences are due to anthropogenic noise sources related with nearby boating activity, while during quiet periods, they may be attributed to the biological activity from the rocky shore.

Influence of surface copper content on Stenotrophomonas maltophilia biofilm control using chlorine and mechanical stress.

This work aimed to evaluate the action of materials with different copper content (0, 57, 96 and 100%) on biofilm formation and control by chlorination and mechanical stress. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolated from drinking water was used as a model microorganism and biofilms were developed in a rotating cylinder reactor using realism-based shear stress conditions. Biofilms were characterized phenotypically and exposed to three control strategies: 10 mg l-1 of free chlorine for 10 min, an increased shear stress (a fluid velocity of 1.5 m s-1 for 30s), and a combination of both treatments. These shock treatments were not effective in biofilm control. The benefits from the use of copper surfaces was found essentially in reducing the numbers of non-damaged cells. Copper materials demonstrated better performance in biofilm prevention than chlorine. In general, copper alloys may have a positive public health impact by reducing the number of non-damaged cells in the water delivered after chlorine exposure.

Isoflavones improve collagen I and glycosaminoglycans and prevent bone loss in type 1 diabetic rats.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the action of soy isoflavones (ISO) and 17ß-estradiol on collagen I (CollI) and sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the bone matrix of diabetic rats.Methods: Sixty adult female rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus) underwent ovariectomy, and then were randomized into six groups of 10 animals each: GI, sham control ovariectomized animals; GII, sham control diabetic (DM) ovariectomized animals; GIII, control ovariectomized animals receiving propylene glycol vehicle; GIV, control ovariectomized DM animals receiving propylene glycol vehicle; GV, ovariectomized DM animals treated with ISO (150 mg/kg by gavage); and GVI, ovariectomized DM animals treated with estrogen (17ß-estradiol, 10 mg/kg, subcutaneously). 17ß-Estradiol was used as a positive control when compared with ISO. To obtain significant depletion of the estrogen levels and subsequent bone loss, a postsurgical period of 90 days was observed. Treatments occurred during 30 consecutive days. After euthanasia, shafts of the animals' femurs were immersed in liquid nitrogen for molecular biology analysis, and the distal femurs were removed and processed for paraffin embedding.Results: ISO (GV) and 17ß-estradiol (GVI) improved bone formation, increasing GAGs and CollI formation when compared to the control group (GIV) (p < 0.05).Conclusions: ISO and 17ß-estradiol contribute to the decrease of bone loss in diabetic rats.