Influence of Immobilization Strategies on the Antibacterial Properties of Antimicrobial Peptide-Chitosan Coatings.

It is key to fight bacterial adhesion to prevent biofilm establishment on biomaterials. Surface immobilization of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) is a promising strategy to avoid bacterial colonization. This work aimed to investigate whether the direct surface immobilization of Dhvar5, an AMP with head-to-tail amphipathicity, would improve the antimicrobial activity of chitosan ultrathin coatings. The peptide was grafted by copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) chemistry by either its C- or N- terminus to assess the influence of peptide orientation on surface properties and antimicrobial activity. These features were compared with those of coatings fabricated using previously described Dhvar5-chitosan conjugates (immobilized in bulk). The peptide was chemoselectively immobilized onto the coating by both termini. Moreover, the covalent immobilization of Dhvar5 by either terminus enhanced the antimicrobial effect of the chitosan coating by decreasing colonization by both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. Relevantly, the antimicrobial performance of the surface on Gram-positive bacteria depended on how Dhvar5-chitosan coatings were produced. An antiadhesive effect was observed when the peptide was grafted onto prefabricated chitosan coatings (film), and a bactericidal effect was exhibited when coatings were prepared from Dhvar5-chitosan conjugates (bulk). This antiadhesive effect was not due to changes in surface wettability or protein adsorption but rather depended on variations in peptide concentration, exposure, and surface roughness. Results reported in this study show that the antibacterial potency and effect of immobilized AMP vary greatly with the immobilization procedure. Overall, independently of the fabrication protocol and mechanism of action, Dhvar5-chitosan coatings are a promising strategy for the development of antimicrobial medical devices, either as an antiadhesive or contact-killing surface.

Antimicrobial peptide-grafted PLGA-PEG nanoparticles to fight bacterial wound infections.

Wound infection treatment with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is still not a reality, due to the loss of activity in vivo. Unlike the conventional strategy of encapsulating AMPs on nanoparticles (NPs) leaving activity dependent on the release profile, this work explores AMP grafting to poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)-polyethylene glycol NPs (PLGA-PEG NPs), whereby AMP exposition, infection targeting and immediate action are promoted. NPs are functionalized with MSI-78(4-20), an equipotent and more selective derivative of MSI-78, grafted through a thiol-maleimide (Mal) Michael addition. NPs with different ratios of PLGA-PEG/PLGA-PEG-Mal are produced and characterized, with 40%PLGA-PEG-Mal presenting the best colloidal properties and higher amounts of AMP grafted as shown by surface charge (+8.6 ± 1.8 mV) and AMP quantification (326 µg mL-1, corresponding to 16.3 µg of AMP per mg of polymer). NPs maintain the activity of the free AMP with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 8-16 µg mL-1 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 16-32 µg mL-1 against Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, AMP grafting accelerates killing kinetics, from 1-2 h to 15 min for P. aeruginosa and from 6-8 h to 0.5-1 h for S. aureus. NP activity in a simulated wound fluid is maintained for S. aureus and decreases slightly for P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, NPs do not demonstrate signs of cytotoxicity at MIC concentrations. Overall, this promising formulation helps unleash the full potential of AMPs for the management of wound infections.

Antimicrobial Peptide-Polymer Conjugates.

The global health threat imposed by the fast spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is directing research not only towards the discovery of new antibacterial molecules but also to the repurposing of old drugs, while improving their efficiency and safety [...].

Boosting Cosmeceutical Peptides: Coupling Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids to Pentapeptide-4 Originates New Leads with Antimicrobial and Collagenesis-Inducing Activities.

Following our previous reports on dual-action antibacterial and collagenesis-inducing hybrid peptide constructs based on "pentapeptide-4" (PP4, with amino acid sequence KTTKS), whose N-palmitoyl derivative is the well-known cosmeceutical ingredient Matrixyl, herein we disclose novel ionic liquid/PP4 conjugates (IL-KTTKS). These conjugates present potent activity against either antibiotic-susceptible strains or multidrug resistant clinical isolates of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species belonging to the so-called "ESKAPE" group of pathogens. Noteworthy, their antibacterial activity is preserved in simulated wound fluid, which anticipates an effective action in the setting of a real wound bed. Moreover, their collagenesis-inducing effects in vitro are comparable to or stronger than those of Matrixyl. Altogether, IL-KTTKS exert a triple antibacterial, antifungal, and collagenesis-inducing action in vitro. These findings provide solid grounds for us to advance IL-KTTKS conjugates as promising leads for future development of topical treatments for complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTI). Further studies are envisaged to incorporate IL-conjugates into suitable nanoformulations, to reduce toxicity and/or improve resistance to proteolytic degradation. IMPORTANCE As life expectancy increases, diseases causing chronic wound infections become more prevalent. Diabetes, peripheral vascular diseases, and bedridden patients are often associated with non-healing wounds that become infected, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. This is exacerbated by the fact that microbes are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, so efforts must converge toward finding efficient therapeutic alternatives. Recently, our team identified a new type of constructs that combine (i) peptides used in cosmetics to promote collagen formation with (ii) imidazolium-based ionic liquids, which have antimicrobial and skin penetration properties. These constructs have potent wide-spectrum antimicrobial action, including against multidrug-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi. Moreover, they can boost collagen formation. Hence, this is an unprecedented class of lead molecules toward development of a new topical medicine for chronically infected wounds.

Adolescents Emotional State and Behavioral and Dietary Habit Changes during Isolation Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. As an infectious disease with no specific treatment, several measures have been established to minimize the outbreak of this disease, including social isolation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the behavior of adolescents during the isolation period. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at the Adolescent Health Studies Center. Data were obtained from a questionnaire prepared on Google Forms, sent by a multiplatform instant messaging application, and analyzed using the Stata 14 software. RESULTS: A total of 208 adolescents with a mean age of 15.3 years (SD ± 1.8) answered the questionnaire, 57.7% were female. About 93.3% of adolescents said they were in isolation with a changed routine, 67.3% increased their food consumption, 86.5% were inactive, and 58.7% reported screen time over 8 h/d. There was an association between anxiety and increased food consumption (odds ratio: 3.9; CI 95% 2-7.5; p = 0.00), sleeping difficulty (odds ratio: 3.6; CI 95% 1.9-6.8; p = 0.00), and conflicting family relationship (odds ratio: 5.7; CI 95% 1.6-7.8; p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The study revealed that social isolation due to an infectious disease was associated with several effects on the behavior and eating behavior of adolescents, which need to be acknowledged to encourage them to lead a healthy lifestyle after the COVID-19 confinement.

Disclosure of a Promising Lead to Tackle Complicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections: Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Actions of Peptide PP4-3.1.

Efficient antibiotics are being exhausted, which compromises the treatment of infections, including complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSTI) often associated with multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) being the most prevalent. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are being increasingly regarded as the new hope for the post-antibiotic era. Thus, future management of cSSTI may include use of peptides that, on the one hand, behave as AMP and, on the other, are able to promote fast and correct skin rebuilding. As such, we combined the well-known cosmeceutical pentapeptide-4 (PP4), devoid of antimicrobial action but possessing collagenesis-boosting properties, with the AMP 3.1, to afford the chimeric peptide PP4-3.1. We further produced its N-methyl imidazole derivative, MeIm-PP4-3.1. Both peptide-based constructs were evaluated in vitro against Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and Candida spp. fungi. Additionally, the antibiofilm activity, the toxicity to human keratinocytes, and the activity against S. aureus in simulated wound fluid (SWF) were assessed. The chimeric peptide PP4-3.1 stood out for its potent activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including against MDR clinical isolates (0.8 ≤ MIC ≤ 5.7 µM), both in planktonic form and in biofilm matrix. The peptide was also active against three clinically relevant species of Candida fungi, with an overall performance superior to that of fluconazole. Altogether, data reveal that PP4-3.1 is as a promising lead for the future development of new topical treatments for severe skin infections.

N-Acetyl-l-cysteine-Loaded Nanosystems as a Promising Therapeutic Approach Toward the Eradication of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms.

Bacterial biofilms are a major health concern, mainly due to their contribution to increased bacterial resistance to well-known antibiotics. The conventional treatment of biofilms represents a challenge, and frequently, eradication is not achieved with long-lasting administration of antibiotics. In this context, the present work proposes an innovative therapeutic approach that is focused on the encapsulation of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) into lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) functionalized with d-amino acids to target and disrupt bacterial biofilms. The optimized formulations presented a mean hydrodynamic diameter around 200 nm, a low polydispersity index, and a high loading capacity. These formulations were stable under storage conditions up to 6 months. In vitro biocompatibility studies showed a low cytotoxicity effect in fibroblasts and a low hemolytic activity in human red blood cells. Nevertheless, unloaded LNPs showed a higher hemolytic potential than NAC-loaded LNPs, which suggests a safer profile of the latter. The in vitro antibiofilm efficacy of the developed formulations was tested against Staphylococcus epidermidis (Gram-positive) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative) mature biofilms. The results showed that the NAC-loaded LNPs were ineffective against S. epidermidis biofilms, while a significant reduction of biofilm biomass and bacterial viability in P. aeruginosa biofilms were observed. In a more complex therapeutic approach, the LNPs were further combined with moxifloxacin, revealing a beneficial effect between the LNPs and the antibiotic against P. aeruginosa biofilms. Both alone and in combination with moxifloxacin, unloaded and NAC-loaded LNPs functionalized with d-amino acids showed a great potential to reduce bacterial viability, with no significant differences in the presence or absence of NAC. However, the presence of NAC in NAC-loaded functionalized LNPs shows a safer profile than the unloaded LNPs, which is beneficial for an in vivo application. Overall, the developed formulations present a potential therapeutic approach against P. aeruginosa biofilms, alone or in combination with antibiotics.

Relato de experiência do cuidado na internação psiquiátrica durante a pandemia de COVID-19 / Report of experience of care in psychiatric hospitalization during the COVID-19 pandemic / Informe de experiencia de atención en hospitalización psiquiátrica durante la pandemia COVID-19

Resumo Objetivo: Este estudo tem como objetivo relatar a experiência das autoras, enfermeiras atuantes no atendimento a pacientes em uma unidade de internação psiquiátrica do Rio de Janeiro, durante a pandemia da COVID-19. Métodos: Trata-se de um relato de experiência acerca das dificuldades e os caminhos encontrados na tentativa de proteger e cuidar dos casos suspeitos e/ou confirmados de COVID-19 na unidade. Resultados: Vários foram os desafios encontrados decorrentes da especificidade da clientela assistida, incluindo questões de higiene e de contato; pacientes idosos e/ou portadores de comorbidades clínicas, além da adequação aos protocolos do serviço e recomendações no enfrentamento, somadas às sucessivas adequações dos mesmos em decorrência dos novos achados que concernem à doença. Além disso, identificamos uma aumentada necessidade de cuidado com a saúde mental dos profissionais de Enfermagem. Conclusão: Faz-se mister a máxima atenção para a saúde mental dos profissionais de Enfermagem das unidades psiquiátricas a curto, médio e longo prazo, já que esses profissionais não podem se ausentar da linha de frente.

Abstract Aim: This study aims to report the experience of the authors, nurses working in the care of patients in a psychiatric hospitalization unit in Rio de Janeiro, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: It is an experience report about the difficulties and the solutions found in the attempt to protect and care for the suspected and/or confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the unit. Results: Several challenges were encountered due to the specificity of the assisted clientele, including hygiene and contact issues; elderly patients and/or patients with clinical comorbidities, in addition to coping with the adaptation to the operational protocols and recommendations, added to their successive adaptations as a result of new findings concerning the disease. Furthermore, we identified an increased need to care for the mental health of nursing professionals. Conclusion: It is essential to pay the utmost attention to the mental health of nursing professionals in psychiatric units, in the short, medium and long term as these professionals cannot be absent from the front line.

Resumen Objetivo: Este estudio tiene como objetivo reportar la experiencia de los autores, enfermeras que trabajan en la atención de pacientes en una unidad de hospitalización psiquiátrica en Río de Janeiro, durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Metodología: Se trata de un relato de experiencia sobre las dificultades y los caminos encontrados en el intento de proteger y tratar los casos sospechosos y/o confirmados de COVID-19 en la unidad. Resultados: Se encontraron varios desafíos debido a la especificidad de la clientela asistida, incluyendo cuestiones de higiene y contacto; pacientes ancianos y/o pacientes con comorbilidades clínicas, además de la adaptación a los protocolos del servicio y recomendaciones de afrontamiento, sumado a sus sucesivas adaptaciones como resultado de los nuevos hallazgos sobre la enfermedad. Además, identificamos una mayor necesidad de atención con la salud mental de los profesionales de enfermería. Conclusão: Es fundamental prestar la máxima atención a la salud mental de los profesionales de enfermería en las unidades psiquiátricas, a corto, medio y largo plazo ya que estos profesionales no pueden retirarse de la primera línea.

Adoção como solução: o cenário atual no brasil / Adoption as a solution: the current scenario in brazil / Adopción como solución: escenario actual en brasil

Resumo O artigo apresenta resultados de pesquisa em que se objetivou circunscrever e analisar a argumentação sustentada por profissionais de diferentes setores da sociedade que apoiam e divulgam a denominada "nova cultura da adoção". Ela se constitui em um conjunto de ideias que vêm sendo instauradas no Brasil desde os anos oitenta pelo movimento nacional de adoção, visando estimulá-la em nome do direito à convivência familiar e comunitária de crianças e adolescentes institucionalizados. A partir de uma pesquisa documental que teve como fonte de dados sete palestras apresentadas no I Congresso Nacional Online de Adoção, em 2015, emergiram cinco categorias que foram avaliadas por meio de análise de conteúdo. Concluiu-se que o discurso atual sobre a "nova cultura da adoção" enaltece a adoção enquanto solução para garantir os direitos do público infanto-juvenil, desconsiderando, porém, condicionantes socioeconômicos que atingem suas famílias de origem, que contribuem para sua disfuncionalidade e consequente destituição de seu poder familiar sobre a prole. Nesta perspectiva, a "nova cultura da adoção" muitas vezes desqualifica e culpabiliza as famílias de origem pela institucionalização dos filhos, enquadrando-se na lógica neoliberal vigente, à medida que prioriza a substituição pelos pais adotivos e não a reabilitação da organização familiar de origem por meio de investimento em políticas sociais eficazes desenvolvidas pelo Estado.(AU)

Abstract This paper presents the results of a research aimed to delimit and analyze the arguments presented by professionals from different social sectors who support and disseminate the so-called "new culture of adoption". This term designates a set of ideas that have emerged with the Brazilian national movement for adoption ever since the 1980s, encouraging the adoption of institutionalized children and teenagers, as well as their right to familiar and communitarian interaction. Five evaluation categories were obtained from on a Content Analysis of seven lectures presented in the 2015 National Adoption Conference. The results indicate that the current discourse of the "new culture of adoption" praises adoption as a solution to guarantee the rights of institutionalized children and teenagers. However, such understanding disregards the socioeconomic conditions of families of origin, which contribute to their dysfunctions and the consequent withdrawal of their legal authority upon their child. In this perspective, the "new culture of adoption" often disqualifies and blames the families of origin for the institutionalization of their children, thus being framed within the current neoliberal logic for it prioritizes the substitution of the biological family by adoptive parents rather than its rehabilitation through investment in effective social policies.(AU)

Resumen Este artículo presenta los resultados de la investigación cuyo objetivo fue delimitar y analizar la argumentación sostenida por profesionales de diferentes sectores de la sociedad que apoyan y divulgan la denominada "nueva cultura de la adopción". Se trata de un conjunto de ideas que son instauradas en Brasil, desde los años ochenta, por el movimiento nacional de adopción, con el fin de estimularla en nombre del derecho a la convivencia familiar y comunitaria de niños y adolescentes institucionalizados. Con base en una investigación documental que tuvo como fuente de datos siete charlas presentadas en el I Congreso Nacional online de Adopción, en 2015, surgieron cinco categorías, que fueron evaluadas por medio de análisis de contenido. Se concluyó que el discurso actual sobre la "nueva cultura de la adopción" enaltece la adopción como una solución para garantizar los derechos de este público infanto-juvenil, desconsiderando limitaciones socioeconómicas que afectan a sus familias de origen y contribuyen a la disfuncionalidad de estas y la consiguiente destitución de su poder familiar sobre la prole. En esta perspectiva, la "nueva cultura de la adopción" muchas veces descalifica a las familias de origen y las culpa por la institucionalización de los hijos, encuadrándose en la lógica neoliberal vigente en la medida en que prioriza la sustitución de las mismas por los padres adoptivos en vez de la rehabilitación de la organización familiar por medio de inversiones del Estado en políticas sociales eficaces.(AU)

AMP-Chitosan Coating with Bactericidal Activity in the Presence of Human Plasma Proteins.

Antibiotic resistance is increasing and new strategies are needed to fight infection. Advanced materials are promising tools that can be combined with innovative alternatives to conventional antibiotics to allow more targeted and efficient treatment. In this work, we explored the activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) of the α-helical antimicrobial peptide (AMP) MSI-78(4-20) (KFLKKAKKFGKAFVKIL) when covalently bound to a chitosan coating. The AMP MSI-78(4-20) (17 mer) is an improved version of its parent MSI-78 (22 mer; commercially known as Pexiganan), a cost-effective short AMP, which was demonstrated to be as effective as MSI-78 and less toxic to eukaryotic cells. An MSI-78(4-20)-chitosan coating could be applied in several infection scenarios, ranging from bone implants to wound dressings, as chitosan possesses osteoconductive and hemostatic properties. Cysteine-modified MSI-78(4-20) was covalently immobilized onto the chitosan coating through a succinimidyl-[(N-maleimidopropionamido)-octaethyleneglycol] ester (SM(PEG)8), a heterobifuncional crosslinker, with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester and maleimide groups, by its N- and C- termini. The MSI-78(4-20)-chitosan coating demonstrated bactericidal properties independently of the tethering site and an improved performance in the presence of plasma proteins, which mimics conditions that will be encountered in vivo. This AMP-chitosan coating has therefore great potential for applications in medical devices such as implants or even wound dressings.

O lazer como afirmação da identidade no timing da finitude / Leisure as an affirmation of identity in the timing of end of life

Este trabalho é fruto de uma pesquisa do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Estudos do lazer e visa apresentar sua fundamentação teórica para um campo etnográfico referente a pessoas no timing da finitude da vida. Para tanto, apresenta as contribuições de importantes pensadores sobre o tema morte e atividade cotidiana/habituais como afirmação da identidade tais como Morin, Giddens e Kellehear. Propõe uma reflexão sobre o lazer dentro da perspectiva da filosofia existencial e investiga a possibilidade do lazer ser manifesto com um forte sentido de identidade e alinhado aos desejos mais autênticos no tempo da finitude. Mas também busca avançar para reflexões sobre o ser morrente, como um sujeito social e passível de interferências do mercado de consumo e da cultura de massa nas escolhas de atividades de lazer, além de outros determinantes como a condição sociocultural.

This work is the result of a research of the Postgraduate Program in Studies on leisure and aims to present its theoretical foundation for an ethnographic field referring to people in the timing of the finitude of life. For that, it presents the contributions of important thinkers on the subject of death and activity as affirmation of identity such as Morin, Giddens and Kellehear. It proposes a reflection on leisure within the perspective of the existential philosophy and investigates the possibility of leisure to be manifest with a strong sense of identity and aligned with the most authentic desires in the time of finitude. But it also seeks to advance to reflections on being dead, as a social subject and susceptible to interference from the consumer market and mass culture in the choices of leisure activities, as well as other determinants such as sociocultural condition.

Saúde, lazer e envelhecimento: uma análise sobre a brincadeira de dança de roda das Meninas de Sinhá / Health, leisure, and aging: an analysis of Meninas de Sinhá's circle game / Salud, ocio y envejecimiento: un análisis sobre el juego de danza circular de las "Meninas de Sinhá"

O grupo artístico Meninas de Sinhá teve como princípio um encontro de mulheres idosas em situação de vulnerabilidade que utilizam a brincadeira da dança de roda como uma potência curativa, capaz de torná-las mais saudáveis. Investigamos a atribuição de sentidos pelo grupo, no campo da saúde e do lazer, ao longo de sua formação estabelecida nos espaços/tempos de brincar de roda. Analisamos os estados corporais revelados nos depoimentos das mulheres que constam em documentos produzidos sobre o grupo e nas suas músicas autorais. Explicitamos esses estados na passagem da condição de adoecimento para a vida de artistas. Percebemos que, como prática comunitária, a brincadeira de roda constituiu-se como uma necessidade social específica para fruição da experiência do lazer, para mobilizar uma rede de encontros e cuidados (na troca e no autocuidado) e para o empoderamento dessas idosas.(AU)

The artistic group Meninas de Sinhá started as a meeting of elderly women in vulnerable situation who used the circle game as a healing power to become healthier. We investigated the group's attribution of senses in the health and leisure areas throughout its establishment in spaces/times of playing circle. We analyzed the body states revealed in the women's testimonies in documents related to the group and in their own songs. We explained these states in the "transition" from a sick condition to their artistic life. We realized that, as a community practice, the circle game represented a specific social need for enjoying a leisure experience, mobilizing a network of meetings and care (in exchange and selfcare), and empowering these elderly women.(AU)

El grupo artístico Meninas de Sinhá tuvo como principio un encuentro de mujeres ancianas en situación de vulnerabilidad que utilizaron el juego de la ronda como una potencia curativa, capaz de hacerlas más saludables. Investigamos la atribución de sentidos por parte del grupo, en el campo de la salud y del ocio, a lo largo de su formación establecida en los espacios/tiempos de jugar a la ronda. Analizamos los estados corporales revelados en las declaraciones de las mujeres que constan en documentos producidos sobre el grupo y en las canciones de su autoría. Explicamos estos estados en el "pasaje" de la condición de enfermedad para la vida de artistas. Percibimos que, como práctica comunitaria, el juego de la ronda se constituyó como una necesidad social específica para aprovechar la experiencia del ocio, para movilizar una red de encuentros y cuidados (en el intercambio y en el autocuidado) y para el empoderamiento de estas ancianas.(AU)

Surface Grafted MSI-78A Antimicrobial Peptide has High Potential for Gastric Infection Management.

As we approach the end of the antibiotic era, newer therapeutic options, such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), are in urgent demand. AMP surface grafting onto biomaterials has been described as a good strategy to overcome problems associated with their in vivo stability. Helicobacter pylori is among the bacteria that pose greatest threat to human health, being MSI-78A one of the few bactericidal AMPs against this bacterium. Here, we report that MSI-78A grafted onto model surfaces (Self-Assembled Monolayers -SAMs), in a concentration of 30.3 ± 1.2 ng/cm2 determined by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), was able to kill, by contact, 98% of planktonic H. pylori in only 2 h. This fact was not verified against the control bacteria (Staphylococcus epidermidis), although the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of MSI-78A in solution is much lower for S. epidermidis (2 µg/mL) than for H. pylori (64 µg/mL). Our results also demonstrated that, in opposite to other bacteria, H. pylori cells were attracted to ethylene glycol terminated (antiadhesive) surfaces, which can explain the high bactericidal potential of grafted MSI-78A. This proof of concept study establishes the foundations for development of MSI-78A grafted nanoparticles for gastric infection management within a targeted nanomedicine concept.

Prevention of urinary catheter-associated infections by coating antimicrobial peptides from crowberry endophytes.

Urinary catheters are extensively used in hospitals, being responsible for about 75% of hospital-acquired infections. In this work, a de novo designed antimicrobial peptide (AMP) Chain201D was studied in the context of urinary catheter-associated infections. Chain201D showed excellent antimicrobial activity against relevant ATCC strains and clinical isolates of bacteria and yeast and demonstrated high stability in a wide range of temperatures, pH and salt concentrations. Moreover, the bactericidal activity of Chain201D immobilized on a model surface was studied against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), some of the most prevalent strains found in urinary catheter-associated infections. Chain201D was successfully tethered to ((1-mercapto-11-undecyl)-(tetra(ethylene glycol) (EG4)) terminated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), (EG4-SAMs), activated by 1,1'-Carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) at different concentrations. Chain201D surfaces can bind and kill by contact a high percentage of adherent bacteria. These achievements are obtained without any peptide modification (for chemoselective conjugation) and without the use of a spacer. Moreover, increased amounts of immobilized AMP lead to higher numbers of adhered/dead bacteria, revealing a concentration-dependent behaviour and demonstrating that Chain201D has excellent potential for developing antimicrobial urinary catheters.

Deslocamentos compulsórios e construção da subjetividade: análise a partir de projetos de desenvolvimento / Compulsory displacements and construction of subjectivity: analysis from development projects

O presente trabalho pretende expor análises iniciais sobre questionamentos de como tem se dado o processo de produção das subjetividades de sujeitos que sofrem com deslocamentos compulsórios, provocados pela implantação de grandes empreendimentos justificados pelo desenvolvimento econômico global em detrimento da manutenção de comunidades tradicionais Brasil afora. Fazemos a análise a partir de trabalhos que apresentam reflexões sobre o desenvolvimento das condições socioeconômicas destas populações deslocadas. Este trabalho aponta algumas reflexões feitas na dissertação de mestrado denominada "Grandes Empreendimentos e Comunidades Tradicionais: implicações subjetivas em famílias deslocadas compulsoriamente." A ideia é relacionar as vivências dos sujeitos deslocados com conceitos de apego e identidade de lugar, de forma crítica, refletindo sobre como essas questões têm sido abordadas pela sociedade capitalista e de que modo isto pode influenciar/interferir na construção das subjetividades das pessoas em questão. Ressalta-se a necessidade de mais pesquisas que permitam esse diálogo, pois possibilita a construção de novos saberes que podem contribuir com uma forma de pensar e projetar modelos sociais mais justos, menos excludentes e degradantes

The present work intends to present initial analyzes on questions about how the subjectivity of the subjects suffering from compulsory displacements has been given, caused by the implementation of large enterprises justified by global economic development, to the detriment of the maintenance of traditional communities throughout Brazil. We analyze from works that present reflections on the development of the socioeconomic conditions of these displaced populations. This work points to some reflections made in the Master's Dissertation called "Large Enterprises and Traditional Communities: subjective implications in compulsorily displaced families." The idea is to relate the experiences of the displaced individuals with concepts of attachment and place identity, in a critical way, reflecting on how these issues have been addressed by capitalist society, and how this can influence / interfere with the construction of the subjectivities of the people in question. The need for more research that allows this dialogue is emphasized, since it allows the construction of new knowledge that can contribute to a way of thinking and designing social models that are more just, less exclusive and degrading

A violência e os profissionais de saúde no hospital psiquiátrico / Violence and health professionals at the psychiatric hospital / La violencia y los profesionales de salud en el hospital psiquiátrico

CONTEXTO: A violência é um tema muito debatido atualmente em todo o mundo. Os trabalhadores da saúde estão entre os mais atingidos pelas agressões. As taxas de violência perpetradas pelos pacientes em relação aos profissionais de saúde são conhecidas por serem maiores em psiquiatria do que em outros campos. OBJETIVO: Identificar as produções disponíveis, on-line, na literatura científica sobre a violência sofrida por profissionais de saúde no hospital psiquiátrico. METODOLOGIA: Trata-se de revisão integrativa, com levantamento bibliográfico no mês de outubro de 2017, na Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde. Foram selecionados 09 artigos que atendiam ao critério de inclusão no período de 2007 a 2016 RESULTADOS: Foi sinalizada uma escassez de estudos na literatura, sobre o tema. Estudos internacionais apontam para taxas alarmantes de violência contra todos os profissionais da equipe de enfermagem que atuam em psiquiatria, além de estudos que abordam o assunto voltados para a prevenção da violência, característica das vítimas, tipos de agressão, atitudes e comportamentos que desencadeiam a violência. CONCLUSÃO: A violência sofrida impacta na saúde deste trabalhador, sendo necessários estudos que deem voz ao profissional de saúde de hospitais psiquiátricos, discutindo questões subjetivas, por vezes veladas, viabilizando conhecimento para conscientização da realidade da prática assistencial e possibilitando motivar e acionar este trabalhador para o cuidado de si próprio, assim como instrumentalizar a equipe dos serviços de saúde do trabalhador.

BACKGROUND: Violence is a much-debated theme worldwide. Health system workers are among the most frequently targeted by aggressions. The rate of violent acts committed by patients towards health-care professionals is known to be higher in the field of psychiatry when compared to other areas of treatment. AIM: Our goal was to identify the worms available in the scientific literature regarding violence suffered by health-care professionals in psychiatric hospitals. METHODS: This work comprises an integrative review, following bibliographic research carried out in October 2017 in the Virtual Health Library. We selected nine articles, published between 2007 and 2016 that matched our criteria. RESULTS: We detected a shortage of works addressing this particular matter. Internationally, several groups report alarming rates of violent acts over the entire psychiatric nursing team. In addition, the reviewed works address violence prevention, victims profiles, different forms of aggression and behaviors that lead to violence. CONCLUSION: The violence sustained by these professionals impacts their health, prompting the need for novel studies that discuss the ponint-of-view of the psychiatric hospital health-care professional, debating subjective, often veiled matters, leading to the acquisition of knowledge and raising awareness to the healthcare practice. These studies would additionally motivate and enable these professionals to care for their own health and would also provide new tools to be harnessed by the workers' healthcare team.

CONTEXTO: La violencia es una temática muy debatida actualmente en todo el mundo. Aquellos que trabajan en el campo de la salud están entre los más afectados por agresiones. Las tasas de violencia cometidas por pacientes contra los profesionales de salud son conocidamente más grandes en el campo de la psiquiatría que en los demás OBJETIVOS: Identificar los trabajos, disponibles en la literatura científica, acerca de la violencia sufrida por los profesionales de la salud en hospitales psiquiátricos. METODOLOGÍA: Este trabajo consiste en una revisión integrada, basada en una búsqueda bibliográfica realizada en octubre de 2017 en la Biblioteca Virtual de Salud. Fueron seleccionados nueve trabajos que atendían a los criterios de inclusión, publicados entre los años de 2007 y 2016. RESULTADOS: Se puede señalar una carencia de estudios sobre el tema en la literatura científica. Trabajos publicados en periódicos internacionales indican tasas alarmantes de actos de violencia practicados contra todos los profesionales del equipo de enfermería que actúan en el campo de la psiquiatría. Además, los trabajos revisados abordan la prevención de la violencia, características de las víctimas, el diferente tipo de agresiones y los comportamientos que desencadenan actos de violencia. CONCLUSIONES: La violencia sufrida genera impacto en la salud de los trabajadores, y se hacen necesarios nuevos estudios que lleven en cuenta la opinión del profesional de salud de los hospitales psiquiátricos, discutiendo cuestiones subjetivas, a veces veladas, que lleven a construcción de conocimiento y aumenten la consciencia en la práctica asistencial, lo que motivará y accionará estos trabajadores para que cuiden también de su propia salud. Estos estudios, además, crearán nuevas herramientas que podrán ser explotadas por la equipe de servicios de salud del trabajador.

Antimicrobial coatings prepared from Dhvar-5-click-grafted chitosan powders.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are powerful components of the innate immune system, as they display wide activity spectrum and low tendency to induce pathogen resistance. Hence, the development of AMP-based coatings is a very promising strategy to prevent biomaterials-associated infections. This work aims to investigate if Dhvar-5-chitosan conjugates, previously synthesized by us via azide-alkyne "click" reaction, can be applied as antimicrobial coatings. Ultrathin coatings were prepared by spin coater after dissolving Dhvar-5-chitosan conjugate powder in aqueous acetic acid. Peptide orientation and exposure from the surface was confirmed by ellipsometry and contact angle measurements. Bactericidal activity was evaluated against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the most prevalent pathogens in implant-associated infections. Results showed that Dhvar-5-chitosan coatings displayed bactericidal effect. Moreover, since Dhvar-5 has head-to-tail amphipathicity, it was clear that the bactericidal potency was dependent on which domain of the peptide (cationic or hydrophobic) was exposed. In this context, Dhvar-5 immobilized through its C-terminus (exposing its hydrophobic end) presented higher antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and reduced adhesion of Gram-negative bacteria. This orientation-dependent antimicrobial activity was further corroborated by the anti-biofilm assay, as covalent immobilization of Dhvar-5 through its C-terminus provided anti-biofilm properties to the chitosan thin film. Immobilization of Dhvar-5 showed no cytotoxic effect against HFF-1 cells, as both metabolic activity and cell morphology were similar to control. In conclusion, Dhvar-5-chitosan coatings are promising antimicrobial surfaces without cytotoxic effects against human cells. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: AMP-tethering onto ground biomaterial is still a poorly explored strategy in research. In this work, AMP-tethered ground chitosan is used to produce highly antibacterial ultrathin films. Powdered AMP-tethered chitosan appears as an alternative solution for antimicrobial devices production, as it is suitable for large scale production, being easier to handle for fabrication of different coatings and materials with antimicrobial properties and without inducing toxicity.

As instituições museológicas e as práticas de lazer / Museological institutions and leisure practices

Este estudo pretende discutir a prática de lazer em museus compreendendo que a indústria do lazer tem ampliado e transformado a relação do público com os museus e conseguido imprimir nesse espaço um local de realização de práticas de lazer e atração turística. A partir da concepção da Nova Museologia, visa apresentar políticas que vêm sendo implementadas no Brasil e em outros países com a proposta de um novo museu que faça brotar um sentimento de pertencimento pela população, e ainda, tenham propostas comprometidas com o lazer, trazendo formas mais atrativas de interação para os visitantes. Frente a isso, é importante compreender se de fato os museus adotam práticas de lazer e se essas práticas possibilitam processos de inclusão social. Este trabalho teve como prerrogativa conhecer a produção cientifica em formato de artigos no período de 2011 a 2015 em que foram utilizados os descritores em inglês "museum and leisure". Após seleção dos artigos pelos critérios de inclusão, chegou-se a três categorias de análise que formaram o objeto de estudo deste trabalho, sendo elas: a) Nova museologia; b) Lazer em museus e c) Marketing em museus. Constatou-se que há poucos trabalhos no âmbito internacional que tratam o binômio museu-lazer nas bases de dados de periódicos eletrônicos utilizados e que não houve nenhum trabalho realizado por pesquisador brasileiro. É chamada atenção para a necessidade de maiores pesquisas sobre a relação museu e lazer no intuito de subsidiar ações para construção de políticas públicas de democratização dos espaços museológicos, no sentido de promover ações de inclusão social, para questões de gênero e de atração às pessoas de menor nível de escolaridade. Faz-se uma crítica de que os museus ainda são espaços para classes mais privilegiada sendo esta uma imagem a ser desconstruída.

This study intends to discuss the leisure practice in museums, understanding that the leisure industry has expanded and transformed the relationship between the public and museums and managed to print in this space a place for the practice of leisure and tourist attraction. From the conception of the New Museology, it aims to present policies that have been implemented in Brazil and in other countries with the proposal of a new museum that gives rise to a sense of belonging for the population, and also, have proposals committed with leisure, bringing forms more engaging interaction for visitors. Faced with this, it is important to understand whether museums actually adopt leisure practices and whether these practices enable processes of social inclusion. This work had as interest to know the scientific production in format of articles in the period of 2011 to 2015 in which the English descriptors "museum and leisure" were used. After selection of the articles by the inclusion criteria, three categories of analysis formed the object of study of this work, being: a) New museology; b) Leisure in museums and c) Marketing in museums. It was verified that there are few works in the international scope that treat the binomial museum-leisure in the databases of electronic journals used and that there was no work done by Brazilian researcher. Attention is drawn to the need for further research on the museum and leisure relationship in order to subsidize actions for the construction of public policies for the democratization of museological spaces, in order to promote social inclusion actions, for gender issues and attraction to the people of lower level of schooling. It is criticized that museums are still spaces for more privileged classes and this is an image to be deconstructed.

Behavioral and Emotional Problems in Early-Treated Brazilian Children and Adolescents with Phenylketonuria.

BACKGROUND Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene. When untreated, PKU leads to a significant intellectual deficiency. Although early initiation of dietary therapy allows normal cognitive development, low adherence to treatment may result in neuropsychological deficits, including attention problems. This study was performed to evaluate emotional and behavioral problems in early-treated children and adolescents with PKU using the Child Behavior Checklist - CBCL/6-18 answered by parents. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 36 PKU patients. The mean scores of internalizing, externalizing, and total problems, syndrome scales, and DSM-IV-oriented scales of patients were compared with those of controls. An analysis to evaluate the importance of adherence to treatment and presence of intellectual disability was also performed. RESULTS There were no significant differences between patients and controls for almost all CBCL/6-18 scales, with the exception of the Attention Problem Scale - CBCL-APS. The mean (±SD) of the CBCL-APS scores of patients (7.86±5.33) was considerably higher than the mean of the controls (6.07±4.37; p=0.016), but not different from the mean of a matched control subsample (6.69±4.46; p=0.316). The difference between the mean of the scores of DSM-IV/ADHD scale of patients (6.72±4.07) and controls (5.73±3.56; p=0.102) was not significant. Non-adherence to treatment and intellectual disability had a negative impact on both CBCL-APS and DSM-IV/ADHD scale scores. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate a significant prevalence of parents' complaints of attention problems and hyperactivity in non-adherent to treatment and intellectually low performing patients with PKU.