Field bands of marching locust juveniles show carbohydrate, not protein, limitation.

Locusts are grasshoppers that migrate en masse and devastate food security, yet little is known about the nutritional needs of marching bands in nature. While it has been hypothesized that protein limitation promotes locust marching behavior, migration is fueled by dietary carbohydrates. We studied South American Locust (Schistocerca cancellata) bands at eight sites across Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Bands ate most frequently from dishes containing carbohydrate artificial diets and minimally from balanced, protein, or control (vitamins and salts) dishes-indicating carbohydrate hunger. This hunger for carbohydrates is likely explained by the observation that local vegetation was generally protein-biased relative to locusts' preferred protein to carbohydrate ratio. This study highlights the importance of studying the nutritional ecology of animals in their environment and suggests that carbohydrate limitation may be a common pattern for migrating insect herbivores.

Can COVID-19 vaccines relieve severe tension-type headache and migraine?

Chronic headache is a frequent disorder that can cause a significant deterioration in the quality of life of the affected person. The COVID-19 pandemic is compelling all countries to develop a complete vaccination protocol for the entire population. In this article, we present 8 clinical cases of patients suffering chronic headache which resolved completely or partially after vaccination. Five patients had migraine, 2 had a post-viral headache typical of COVID-19, and one had a headache induced by sexual activity. Resolution was complete in 3 cases, almost complete in 2 others, and a great improvement was observed in the other 3. We hypothesize that the administration of vaccines for COVID-19 can produce an improvement or the disappearance of symptoms in our patients by inhibiting synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

New Perspectives in Drug Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is a chronic respiratory disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The common treatment regimens of tuberculosis are lengthy with adverse side effects, low patient compliance, and antimicrobial resistance. Drug delivery systems (DDSs) can overcome these limitations. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to summarize the latest DDSs for the treatment of tuberculosis. In the first section, the main pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic challenges posed by the innate properties of the drugs are put forth. The second section elaborates on the use of DDS to overcome the disadvantages of the current treatment of tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: We reviewed research articles published in the last 10 years. DDSs can improve the physicochemical properties of anti-tuberculosis drugs, improving solubility, stability, and bioavailability, with better control of drug release and can target alveolar macrophages. However, more pre-clinical studies and robust bio-relevant analyses are needed for DDSs to become a feasible option to treat patients and attract investors.

Prostatic Artery Embolization Is Safe and Effective for Medically Recalcitrant Radiation-Induced Prostatitis.

PURPOSE: Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) represents 90% of all chronic prostatitis cases and may occur after radiation therapy (RT) for localized prostate cancer. Medical therapy is effective in approximately 50% of cases, with no therapy demonstrating consistent efficacy in refractory cases. Prostatic artery embolization (PAE) is effective in men with lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic hyperplasia. We report clinical improvement after PAE in a case series of men with CP/CPPS after RT. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Nine men (median age 72 years; range, 61-83 years) with CP/CPPS after RT for prostate cancer underwent PAE. Baseline International Prostate Symptom Score was recorded in 5 patients (median 23; range, 4-26), Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index score in 6 patients (median 22.5; range, 6-34), and quality of life (QoL) score in 8 patients (median 5; range, 2-6). Median baseline prostate volume was 49 cm3 (range, 22-123 cm3). Patients were followed up at 6 and 12 weeks with QoL, International Prostate Symptom Score, and/or Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index score and magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Technical success (ie, bilateral embolization) was achieved in 78% (n = 7) of patients with the other 2 patients having undergone unilateral embolization with no major complications. Clinical success was seen in 89% (n = 8) of patients and QoL improved in 78% (n = 7) during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: CP/CPPS after RT for localized prostate cancer is a highly morbid condition, with medical therapy successful in only 50% of cases. PAE may be a successful therapy for medically recalcitrant CP/CPPS, and further studies are necessary to understand the best patient selection and scenario for PAE in the setting of CP/CPPS.

MOOCs, an innovative alternative to teach first aid and emergency treatment: A practical study.

The fast and constant evolution of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has gained the attention of the educational community, achieving widespread popularity among many universities. However, there is very little research on the use and acceptance of MOOCs by students in disciplines such as health and medicine. The principal focus of this study is to explore the behavior of students from a MOOC on Health Emergencies, analyzing the completion and drop-out rates. The data were collected from three self-administered questionnaires; the first identified general demographic information and the students' learning preferences, the second determined the level of MOOC adoption and the level of identification and satisfaction the students had with the course content, and the third measured the completion and drop-out rates. The MOOC had more than 2114 registered participants. The enrolled students showed high levels of commitment and motivation to learn about this topic through a varied of innovative educational resources, such as videos, learning activities, and interactive animations. In general, the participants expressed their desire to continue learning with this type of methodology. However, the results also showed important issues to be considered in the design and development of a MOOC of these characteristics.

Síndrome de la bolsa de orina púrpura: planificación de cuidados / Purple urine syndrome: Care planning

El síndrome de la bolsa de orina púrpura es una entidad poco frecuente, de condición benigna, caracterizada por una reacción química que provoca que la sonda vesical y la bolsa puedan teñirse de color rojo, azul o púrpura. Este fenómeno suele producirse en personas con pluripatología, portadores de sonda vesical y en el contexto de una infección del tracto urinario. Desarrollo del plan de cuidados: Desarrollamos un plan de cuidados mediante la revisión y análisis del caso de una mujer de 86 años, con diagnóstico de síndrome de la bolsa de orina púrpura. Se proponen los diagnósticos enfermeros con la taxonomía NANDA-I, los criterios de resultado con la Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) y las intervenciones enfermeras con la Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC). A su vez, se formulan los problemas de colaboración y el desarrollo de las actividades enfermeras que los acompañan. Discusión y conclusión: Es necesario el desarrollo de una planificación de cuidados individualizada y centrada en la persona con síndrome de la bolsa de orina púrpura para conseguir los criterios de resultado planificados y evitar la alarma que implica una decisión terapéutica equivocada y que puede alterar los resultados

The purple urine bag syndrome is an infrequent entity of benign condition but characterized by a chemical that consequence the urinary catheter and bag can get stained red, blue or purple. This phenomenon usually happens in pluripathological patients who carry a urinary catheter due to a urinary tract infection. Development of the care plan: We developed a care plan by reviewing and analyzing the case of an 86-year-old woman with a diagnosis of purple urine bag syndrome. Nursing diagnoses are proposed with the NANDA-I taxonomy, the outcome criteria with the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) and the nursing interventions with the Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC). In turn, we deal with the problems of collaboration and the development of the nursing activities that accompany them. Discussion and conclusion: It is necessary to develop an individualized care planning centered in the person with purple urine bag syndrome to achieve the planned results criteria and avoid the alarm that implies a wrong therapeutics decision that can alter the results

On the benefits and risks of proton therapy in pediatric craniopharyngioma.

PURPOSE: Craniopharyngioma is a pediatric brain tumor whose volume is prone to change during radiation therapy. We compared photon- and proton-based irradiation methods to determine the effect of tumor volume change on target coverage and normal tissue irradiation in these patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS: For this retrospective study, we acquired imaging and treatment-planning data from 14 children with craniopharyngioma (mean age, 5.1 years) irradiated with photons (54 Gy) and monitored by weekly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations during radiation therapy. Photon intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), double-scatter proton (DSP) therapy, and intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) plans were created for each patient based on his or her pre-irradiation MRI. Target volumes were contoured on each weekly MRI scan for adaptive modeling. The measured differences in conformity index (CI) and normal tissue doses, including functional sub-volumes of the brain, were compared across the planning methods, as was target coverage based on changes in target volumes during treatment. RESULTS: CI and normal tissue dose values of IMPT plans were significantly better than those of the IMRT and DSP plans (p < 0.01). Although IMRT plans had a higher CI and lower optic nerve doses (p < 0.01) than did DSP plans, DSP plans had lower cochlear, optic chiasm, brain, and scanned body doses (p < 0.01). The mean planning target volume (PTV) at baseline was 54.8 cm(3), and the mean increase in PTV was 11.3% over the course of treatment. The dose to 95% of the PTV was correlated with a change in the PTV; the R(2) values for all models, 0.73 (IMRT), 0.38 (DSP), and 0.62 (IMPT), were significant (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with photon IMRT, proton therapy has the potential to significantly reduce whole-brain and -body irradiation in pediatric patients with craniopharyngioma. IMPT is the most conformal method and spares the most normal tissue; however, it is highly sensitive to target volume changes, whereas the DSP method is not.

Delineamento de alternativas terapêuticas para o tratamento da doença de Chagas / Delineation of therapeutic alternatives for Chagas disease treatment

Estima-se que a prevalência global da doença de Chagas seja de 9,8 milhões de pessoas infectadas. Esta doença resulta da infecção pelo Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), parasito pertencente a um ecossistema exclusivamente americano. A batalha pela interrupção de sua transmissão vetorial e transfusional já obteve êxito em países endêmicos como Chile, Uruguai e Brasil. Contudo, esses 9,8 milhões de pessoas infectadas não possuem um tratamento medicamentoso adequado. A terapêutica atual, cujo fármaco de escolha é o benznidazol na forma farmacêutica de comprimido de liberação imediata, não favorece a administração em neonatos, crianças e idosos. Cientistas de todo o mundo têm trabalhado no desenvolvimento de novas alternativas terapêuticas para o tratamento desta doença e os resultados vão desde a descoberta de novos alvos bioquímicos ao desenvolvimento de novas moléculas com potente ação tripanossomicida. Inúmeros agentes quimioterápicos já foram e estão sendo testados desde a descoberta da doença, em 1909, por Carlos Chagas. Esta revisão crítica trata da busca por uma nova quimioterapia e sugere a possibilidade de que formas mais adequadas de vetorização do benznidazol sejam capazes de associar vantagens terapêuticas ao fármaco de escolha para o tratamento proposto, de forma que a população infectada receba seus benefícios.

Obtenção de comprimidos contendo cálcio de conchas de ostras: pré-formulação e liodisponibilidade comparativa / Obtaining tablets with calcium from oyster shells: preformulation and comparative lyoavailability

A osteoporose é uma doença que afeta um número significativo de pessoas no mundo todo, em especial nos países subdesenvolvidos. Nesse contexto, o pó de concha de ostra, que constitui uma fonte de cálcio, aparece como uma oportunidade de utilizar os recursos naturais da região litorânea brasileira, na suplementação alimentar de sua população. O estudo se propôs a aproveitar essa fonte natural de cálcio, incorporando-a na forma farmacêutica comprimido. O estudo foi desenvolvido em duas etapas, a primeira com a otimização da matéria-prima a partir de conchas de ostra, desde o processo de seleção até a transformação da concha de ostra em pó, com caracterização físico-química e pré-formulação desse pó. A segunda etapa foi a obtenção dos comprimidos desde o desenvolvimento até os ensaios de liodisponibilidade comparativa. Os estudos de pré-formulação e o planejamento fatorial dos excipientes (aglutinante, lubrificante e desintegrante) permitiram obter com economia e performance comprimidos com liodisponibilidade semelhante à referência Os-cal®.

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects a significant number of people in the world, particularly in developing countries. In this context, the powder of oyster shells, found to be a calcium source, emerges as one opportunity to use the natural resources from the Brazilian coast region for alimentary supplementation. This study proposes the use of this natural source of calcium, incorporated in tablets. The study was developed in two parts. The first was concerned with optimizing the raw material from oyster shells, from the selection process until the transformation of de oyster shell into dust; and with the physicochemical evaluation and preformulation of this dust. The second part consisted of obtaining tablets, from the development until the comparative evaluation of lyoavailability. The studies on preformulation and factorial planning of the excipients (binging agent, levigating agent and disintegrants) have made possible to obtain tables with a similar lyoavailability, in terms of economy and performance, to the medicine reference Os-cal®.