Functional Electrochemistry: On-Nerve Assessment of Electrode Materials for Electrochemistry and Functional Neurostimulation.

Emerging therapies in bioelectronic medicine highlight the need for deeper understanding of electrode material performance in the context of tissue stimulation. Electrochemical properties are characterized on the benchtop, facilitating standardization across experiments. On-nerve electrochemistry differs from benchtop characterization and the relationship between electrochemical performance and nerve activation thresholds are not commonly established. This relationship is important in understanding differences between electrical stimulation requirements and electrode performance. We report functional electrochemistry as a follow-up to benchtop testing, describing a novel experimental approach for evaluating on-nerve electrochemical performance in the context of nerve activation. An ex-vivo rat sciatic nerve preparation was developed to quantify activation thresholds of fiber subtypes and electrode material charge injection limits for platinum iridium, iridium oxide, titanium nitride and PEDOT. Finally, we address experimental complexities arising in these studies, and demonstrate statistical solutions that support rigorous material performance comparisons for decision making in neural interface development.

Exploring Natural Killer Cell Testing in Embryo Implantation and Reproductive Failure: An Overview of Techniques and Controversies.

The blastocyst nidation is the most crucial stage to a successful pregnancy, as the white cells work to promote a favorable endometrial microenvironment for this process. Intriguingly, this implantation window lasts, on average, 6 days in most regular women, and its quality is affected by many pathological conditions. Since the grounds of reproductive failure in healthy couples are still uncharted, studies have widely suggested a potential hostile role of the immune system in the equilibrium of the maternal-fetal interface. In recent years, natural killer cells have been the highlight as they represent the greatest lymphocyte in the uterus and have immune surveillance through cytotoxicity during the implantation window. This review explored the main techniques used for natural killer (NK) cell testing in the implantation window over the last 13 years on the PubMed® database. Of 2167 published articles potentially relevant for the review, only thirty-three were about cell evaluation in healthy women, met the inclusion criteria, and had their methodology critically analyzed. Here, we bring a summary from the study group and sample collection to evidence comments about their findings and correlations. Meanwhile, we also summarize the current relationship between NK cells and endometrial receptivity with reproductive failure to help enhance the possibilities for future research. In conclusion, our overview points out that restricted and unstandardized methods support the controversy between the NK population and unsuccessful embryo implantation, which is an obstacle to studying why healthy eggs do not thrive and finding a solution for one of the most controversial topics in human reproduction.

Work-family boundary management profiles and well-being at work: A study with militaries on a humanitarian aid mission.

This study aims to contribute to an analysis of the well-being of military personnel who are deployed on humanitarian aid missions, taking their work-family (personal life) boundary management into consideration by analyzing the relationship between their preferences and enacted boundaries and military personnel' well-being. Specifically, this study analyzed the boundary fit approach, positing that it is the adjustment between individuals' preferences and enacted boundaries that influences their well-being. Using a sample of 327 military personnel, boundary management profiles were performed, considering the fit between their segmentation preferences and enactment. Furthermore, the relationship between these profiles and the military personnel' well-being was established. The results indicated that misfit profiles were found where the soldiers enacted less segmentation than desired or, on the contrary, more integration than desired, and a profile with a fit between the work-family segmentation they desired and enacted. The military personnel in the fit profile had significantly higher levels of well-being (i.e.,less exhaustion and more work engagement) than those in the misfit profile, who enacted less segmentation than desired. The findings have implications for the design of boundary management literature and future military missions.

Organizational affective commitment effects on militaries' well-being during a deployment: A study of a peacekeeping mission.

Based on the Conservation of Resources Theory, this longitudinal study analyzes the contribution of organizational affective commitment during the preparation phase of a peacekeeping mission (T1) to explain the well-being of soldiers during that mission (T2). A sample of 409 Brazilian army participants in the MINUSTAH (United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti) was used in two waves - preparation of the troops in Brazil, and their deployment in Haitian territory. The data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. The results supported organizational affective commitment during the preparation phase (T1) positively predicting the general well-being (perception of health and general satisfaction with life) of these soldiers during the deployment phase (T2). The workplace well-being (i.e. work engagement) of these peacekeepers was also found to mediate this relationship. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and limitations and suggestions for future research are presented.

The first evidence of antibiofilm action of Proteus mirabilis with tetra-cationic porphyrins containing cisplatin by antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.

Biofilms are responsible for up to 80% of antimicrobial-resistant nosocomial infections. Most of these infections are associated with medical devices such as urinary catheters, and in this context, it is estimated that 90-100% of patients who undergo long-term catheterization develop infections. Proteus mirabilis, the most prevalent microorganism, is responsible for 20-45% of these infections. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate, for the first time, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects of cationic porphyrins on P. mirabilis. Neutral porphyrins 3-H2TPyP and 4-H2TpyP and tetra-cationic derivatives 3-cis-PtTPyP and 4-cis-PtTPyP were evaluated in broth microdilution tests to determine the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations. Time-kill curves, checkerboard test, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger assays, conventional biofilm formation, and biofilm assay with catheters were also performed. The microdilution tests showed greater efficacy against P. mirabilis when 3-cis-PtTPyP was exposed to white-light conditions; this also occurred when the microbial time-kill curve was performed at 0, 2, 6, and 12 h. The radical superoxide species was possibly responsible for photoinactivation in the ROS scavenger assays. In biofilm assays (conventional and catheter), 3-cis-PtTPyP obtained better results when irradiated with a white-light source. In the checkerboard assay, the same compound showed no differences when tested in association with ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. Our findings lead us to conclude that antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and cationic porphyrins obtained positive results and are promising alternatives to treat P. mirabilis biofilms.

Liver Resection for Primary Hepatic Angiosarcoma: Bicentric Analysis of a Challenging Entity.

Primary hepatic angiosarcoma (PHA) is a rare malignant tumor of the liver, and data on patient outcome after surgical treatment are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate postoperative morbidity and overall survival (OS) of patients who underwent hepatectomy for PHA. This is a bicentric retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients who underwent liver resection in curative intent for PHA between 2012 and 2019 at the University Hospital of Muenster and the University Hospital of Bern. Nine patients (five female, four male) were included from both centers. Median age was 72 years (44-82). Most lesions (77.8%) were larger than 5 cm, and mean size of the biggest lesion was 9.4 ± 4.5 cm. Major hepatectomy was performed in four (44.4%), and radical resection (R0) was achieved in six (66.7%) patients. Postoperative complication rate was 88.8%, including 44.4% higher than 3a in the Clavien-Dindo classification. OS survival rates at 1, 2, and 3 years were 44.4%, 22.2%, and 12.5%, respectively, and median OS was 5 months. OS was significantly better after radical resection (R0: 15 months vs. R1: 0 months, p = 0.04), whereas presentation with tumor rupture at diagnosis was associated with the worst OS (0 months vs. 15 months, p = 0.005). Disease recurrence occurred in three patients (33.3%) between three and seven months after surgery. Radical resection remains the only potentially curative treatment option for PHA. However, postoperative morbidity is high, and the overall prognosis remains poor. Multimodal therapy options and management strategies are urgently needed and could improve the prognosis of patients suffering from PHA in the future.

Surgery for Liver Metastasis of Non-Colorectal and Non-Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Surgery has become well established for patients with colorectal and neuroendocrine liver metastases. However, the value of this procedure in non-colorectal and non-neuroendocrine metastases (NCRNNELMs) remains unclear. We analyzed the outcomes of patients that underwent liver surgery for NCRNNELMs and for colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) between 2012 and 2017 at our institution. Prognostic factors of overall and recurrence-free survival were analyzed, and a comparison of survival between two groups was performed. Seventy-three patients (30 NCRNNELM and 43 CRLM) were included in this study. Although the mean age, extrahepatic metastases, and rate of reoperation were significantly different between the groups, recurrence-free survival was comparable. The 5-year overall survival rates were 38% for NCRNNELM and 55% for CRLM. In univariate analysis, a patient age of ≥60 years, endodermal origin of the primary tumor, and major complications were negative prognostic factors. Resection for NCRNNELM showed comparable results to resection for CRLM. Age, the embryological origin of the primary tumor, and the number of metastases might be the criteria for patient selection.

Validation of the Family Health Behavior Scale for the Brazilian population

Abstract Objective: To validate the Family Health Behavior Scale (FHBS) for Brazilian families. Methods: The sample included 272 children aged 5 to 12 years old. Caregivers and their healthy answered the FHBS and questions about physical activity. In addition, anthropometric measurements of the children's weight and height were performed, as well as the bioimpedance exam. The scale was translated and the following validities were assessed: content (qualitative analysis and content validity index), construct (factor analysis) and concurrent validity (difference between domains and the total score with the categories of BMI, fat percentage and physical activity). Reliability (Cronbach's alpha, ceiling-floor effect, two-half test, intraclass correlation and Bland - Altman) was also assessed. Results: FHBS instrument performed well with regard to the psychometric properties in the Brazilian population. The content validity index was 0.987. Fit indices of the factor analysis were considered satisfactory, according to Bartlett's sphericity test (χ 2 = 1927, df = 351; p < 0.001) and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index (KMO = 0.789). Concurrent validity, the differences between the mean of the domains and the total score between the categories of BMI (p = 0.011), percentage of fat (0.004) and physical activity (p < 0.001) were all significant. The reliability results were Cronbach's alpha internal consistency = 0.83, adequate ceiling-floor effect, 0.8105 (0.09 SD) two-half test, 0.626 intraclass correlation (95% CI: 0.406 to 0.777) and Bland - Altman -0.840 (-22.76 to 21.07). Conclusion: The FHBS adapted for the Brazilian population showed evidence of adequate psychometric performance.

Validation of the Family Health Behavior Scale for the Brazilian population.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Family Health Behavior Scale (FHBS) for Brazilian families. METHODS: The sample included 272 children aged 5 to 12 years old. Caregivers and their healthy answered the FHBS and questions about physical activity. In addition, anthropometric measurements of the children's weight and height were performed, as well as the bioimpedance exam. The scale was translated and the following validities were assessed: content (qualitative analysis and content validity index), construct (factor analysis) and concurrent validity (difference between domains and the total score with the categories of BMI, fat percentage and physical activity). Reliability (Cronbach's alpha, ceiling-floor effect, two-half test, intraclass correlation and Bland - Altman) was also assessed. RESULTS: FHBS instrument performed well with regard to the psychometric properties in the Brazilian population. The content validity index was 0.987. Fit indices of the factor analysis were considered satisfactory, according to Bartlett's sphericity test (χ 2 = 1927, df = 351; p < 0.001) and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index (KMO = 0.789). Concurrent validity, the differences between the mean of the domains and the total score between the categories of BMI (p = 0.011), percentage of fat (0.004) and physical activity (p < 0.001) were all significant. The reliability results were Cronbach's alpha internal consistency = 0.83, adequate ceiling-floor effect, 0.8105 (0.09 SD) two-half test, 0.626 intraclass correlation (95% CI: 0.406 to 0.777) and Bland - Altman -0.840 (-22.76 to 21.07). CONCLUSION: The FHBS adapted for the Brazilian population showed evidence of adequate psychometric performance.

Reporting Rates of Opioid-Related Adverse Events Since 1965 in Canada: A Descriptive Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic or acute/postoperative pain frequently use opioids. However, opioids may cause considerable adverse reactions (ARs), such as respiratory depression, which could be lethal. Unfortunately, only 5% of drug-related ARs (including those to opioids) are reported to health authorities. Therefore, little is known regarding the occurrence of opioid-related ARs at the population level. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate how the rates of reported opioid-related ARs have changed in Canada since 1965. METHODS: Our retrospective study examined trends of reported opioid-related ARs occurring in hospitalized and outpatients. Data on opioid-related ARs and mortality between 1965 and 2019 were obtained from the Canada Vigilance and Statistics Canada databases. Descriptive and Joinpoint regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Oxycodone and normethadone were the most and least involved opioid agents, respectively, among the 18,407 reported ARs. The highest rate of reported opioid ARs (3.8 per 100,000 person-years) was recorded in 2012, whereas the lowest was recorded in 1965 (0.1 per 100,000 person-years). Between 1965 and 2019, annual rates climbed by 4.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.1-5.2), and many fluctuations were observed: 1965-1974: +22.3% (95% CI 12.0-33.6); 1974-2000: - 4.1% (95% CI - 5.3 to - 2.9); 2000-2008: +30.3% (95% CI 22.6-38.4); 2008-2014: +4.1% (95% CI - 1.5 to 10.1); 2014-2017: -26.0% (95% CI - 44.7 to - 0.9); and, finally, 2017-2019: +35.4% (95% CI 3.8-76.7). CONCLUSION: Reported opioid-related ARs have increased since 1965, although fluctuations were observed in recent decades. The absolute number of opioid-related ARs might be seriously underestimated. Future studies should look into how to close this gap.

Fires dynamics in the Pantanal: Impacts of anthropogenic activities and climate change.

Anthropogenic activities responsible for modifying climatic regimes and land use and land cover (LULC) have been altering fire behavior even in regions with natural occurrences, such as the Pantanal. This biome was highlighted in 2020 due to the record number of fire foci and burned areas registered. Thus, this study aimed to understand how changes in LULC and climate affect the spatial, temporal and magnitude dynamics of fire foci. The Earth Trends Modeler (ETM) was used to identify trends in spatiotemporal bases of environmental and climatic variables. No trend was identified in the historical series of precipitation data. However, an increasing trend was observed for evapotranspiration, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and temperature. For soil moisture, a decreasing trend was observed. The comparison between the mean of the historical series and the year 2020 showed that the variables precipitation, temperature, soil moisture and evapotranspiration had atypical behavior. Such behavior may have contributed to creating a drier environment with available combustible material, leading to a record number of burned areas, about three million hectares (248%) higher than the historical average. The 2020 fire foci data were used in two types of spatial statistical analyses: Grouping, showing that 76% of the registered fire foci were at high risk of fire and; Hot and Cold Spots, indicating high concentrations of Hot Spots in the northern region of the Pantanal, close to Cerrado and Amazon biomes agricultural frontier. The results of the Land Change Modeler (LCM) tool evidenced a strong transition potential from the natural vegetation to agriculture and pasture in the eastern region of the Pantanal, indicating that this could be, in the future, a region of high concentration of fire foci and possibly high risk of fire. This tool also allowed the prediction of a scenario for 2030 that showed that if measures for environmental protection and combating fires are not adopted, in this year, 20% of the Pantanal areas will be for agricultural and pasture use. Finally, the results suggest that the advance of agriculture in the Pantanal and changes in climatic and environmental variables boosted the increase in fire foci and burned areas in the year 2020.

Investigation of the triplet excited state and application of cationic meso-tetra(cisplatin)porphyrins in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.

In this manuscript, we report, the photophysical study of triplet excited states and antimicrobial photoinactivation of positively charged tetra-cisplatin porphyrin derivatives against Gram + and Gram ‒ bacterial strains. Isomeric cisplatin-porphyrins were used and applied in aPDT assays in the bacilli Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram negative) and a cocci Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive) strains. The results show that compound substituted at meta position (3-cis-PtTPyP) is the more efficient photosensitizer against bacteria culture. In this way, tetra-cationic porphyrins containing cisplatin derivatives might be promising aPDT agents with potential applications in clinical infections.

Valorization of swine wastewater in a circular economy approach: Effects of hydraulic retention time on microalgae cultivation.

To optimize the swine wastewater (SWW) treatment, this study investigated different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) for microalgae cultivation. For this purpose, five pilot-scale reactors operated in semi-continuous flow, with HRTs equal to 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 days were evaluated in terms of SWW polishing and biomass production. The effluent treatment was discussed accompanied by principal component analysis, which allowed identification of causes of variance in the data set, ideal for studies with real effluent and influenced by environmental conditions. All reactors show satisfactory removals of N-NH4+ (91.6-95.3%), COD (15.8-39.9%), DO increment (in average 7.5 mg O2/L) and, only the longest HRT (21 days) was able to remove Ps (21%). The results obtained indicated that a consortium of microalgae and bacteria was developed for all the tested HRTs. On the other hand, HRT = 12 days provided a healthier culture of photosynthesizing organisms (chl-a/VSS = 3.04%). Carbohydrates (20.8-31.3%) and proteins (2.7-16.2%) were the compounds of commercial interest in the highest proportion in the biomass of all reactors, with contents comparable to that of terrestrial crops. Thus, it was suggested a valorization route of these compounds of high added value to return to pig farming, where the nutrients were intended to supplement the swine feed and clarified water for cleaning the pig stalls. Thus, in the circular economy context, this research contributes to water footprint reduction and the sustainability of the pig farming production chain. The economic and environmental analysis of the route is suggested to enable its implementation on a large scale, as well as further technical feasibility research (reactor types, exposure to external environment, evaluation of pathogen removal and animal feed supplementation from SWW microalgae biomass).

Type-B cytokinin response regulators link hormonal stimuli and molecular responses during the transition from endo- to ecodormancy in apple buds.

KEY MESSAGE: Cytokinin together with MdoBRR1, MdoBRR8 and MdoBRR10 genes participate in the downregulation of MdoDAM1, contributing to the transition from endo- to ecodormancy in apple buds. The final step of cytokinin (CK) signaling pathway culminates in the activation of type-B response regulators (BRRs), important transcriptional factors in the modulation of CK-responsive genes. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis aiming to identify apple BRR family members and understand their involvement in bud dormancy control. The investigation identified ten MdoBRR protein-coding genes. A higher expression of three MdoBRR (MdoBRR1, MdoBRR9 and MdoBRR10) was observed in dormant buds in comparison to other developmental stages. Interestingly, in ecodormant buds these three MdoBRR genes were upregulated in a CK-dependent manner. Transcription profiles, determined during dormancy cycle under field and artificially controlled conditions, revealed that MdoBRR1 and MdoBRR8 played important roles in the transition from endo- to ecodormancy, probably mediated by endogenous CK stimuli. The expression of MdoBRR7, MdoBRR9, and MdoBRR10 was induced in ecodormant buds exposed to warm temperatures, indicating a putative role in growth resumption after chilling requirement fulfillment. Contrasting expression patternsin vivo between MdoBRRs and MdoDAM1, an essential dormancy establishment regulator, were observed during dormancy cycle and in CK-treated buds. Thereafter, in vivo transactivation assays showed that CK stimuli combined with transient overexpression of MdoBRR1, MdoBRR8, and MdoBRR10 resulted in downregulation of the reporter gene gusA driven by the MdoDAM1 promoter. These pieces of evidences point to the integration of CK-triggered responses through MdoBRRs that are able to downregulate MdoDAM1, contributing to dormancy release in apple.

W:Ti Flexible Transversal Electrode Array for Peripheral Nerve Stimulation: A Feasibility Study.

The development of hardware for neural interfacing remains a technical challenge. We introduce a flexible, transversal intraneural tungsten:titanium electrode array for acute studies. We characterize the electrochemical properties of this new combination of tungsten and titanium using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. With an in-vivo rodent study, we show that the stimulation of peripheral nerves with this electrode array is possible and that more than half of the electrode contacts can yield a stimulation selectivity index of 0.75 or higher at low stimulation currents. This feasibility study paves the way for the development of future cost-effective and easy-to-fabricate neural interfacing electrodes for acute settings, which ultimately can inform the development of technologies that enable bi-directional communication with the human nervous system.

Peripheral tetra-cationic Pt(II) porphyrins photo-inactivating rapidly growing mycobacteria: First application in mycobacteriology.

In this manuscript, we report, for the first time, the photoinactivation evaluation of tetra-cationic porphyrins with peripheral Pt (II)-bpy complexes in the photodynamic inactivation (PDI) of rapidly growing mycobacterial strains (RGM). Two different isomeric Pt (II)-porphyrins were synthetized and applied. PDI experiments in the strains of Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. Abscessus (ATCC 19977), Mycolicibacterium fortuitum (ATCC 6841), Mycobacteroides abscessus subsp. Massiliense (ATCC 48898), and Mycolicibacterium smegmatis (ATCC 700084) conducted with adequate concentration (without aggregation) of photosensitizers (PS) under white-light illumination for 90 min showed that the most effective PS significantly reduced the concentration of viable mycobacteria. The present results show that positively charged porphyrins at the meta position (3-PtTPyP) are more efficient PS against M. abscessus, M. fortuitum, M. massiliense, and M. smegmatis. The effectiveness of the molecule as PS for PDI studies is also clear with mycobacteria, which is strongly related with the porphyrin peripheral charge and coordination platinum (II) compounds and consequently their solubility in physiological media. Tetra-cationic PS may be promising anti-mycobacterial PDI agents with potential applications in medical clinical cases and bioremediation.

Using Data from the Canadian Post-marketing Spontaneous Pharmacovigilance System for Drug Safety Research: A Feasibility Study.

INTRODUCTION: Post-marketing studies involve the detection and interpretation of potential problems associated with the use of a given drug. Post-marketing spontaneous pharmacovigilance systems, such as the Canada Vigilance program, may constitute a gold mine of free data for drug safety research. However, the quantity and the quality of data remain to be demonstrated. OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility to use the Canada Vigilance database for academic drug safety research, and to document the characteristics of data that are extractable. METHODS: This is a descriptive retrospective analysis study design. The beta-blocker and anticoagulant adverse reactions (AR) in Canada were analyzed. Tests for data extraction from the Canada Vigilance database were performed in October 2019; data were then available from January 1, 1966 to June 30, 2019. RESULTS: There were 41 variables with extractable data. For anticoagulants, data were extracted in Excel and.pdf file format, while it was only plain text.pdf files for beta-blockers. Overall, there were 4707 reported ARs with the use of anticoagulants and 6332 cases reported for beta-blockers. The trend of ARs related to anticoagulants steadily increased in the study period, with a notable increase in 2009 while direct oral anticoagulants were marketed. The proportion of missing data varied from 0 to 98%, but most important variables were all available. It was not possible to distinguish brand names and generic drugs in the database. CONCLUSION: It seems feasible to use data from the Canadian Post-marketing Spontaneous Pharmacovigilance System for academic drug safety research. Upcoming studies should validate the quality of reports compared to actual medical charts.

Investigation of isomeric tetra-cationic porphyrin activity with peripheral [Pd(bpy)Cl]+ units by antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.

In this work, we report the antimicrobial photoinactivation using tetra-cationic porphyrins with peripheral palladium(II) complexes against bacterial strains. Two different isomeric Pd(II)-porphyrins were used and applied in PDI experiments in the strains Gram negative bacilli Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a Gram positive cocci Staphylococcus aureus. All experiments are conducted with adequate concentration (without aggregation) of photosensitizer under white-light irradiation over 2 h . We showed that the most effective PS caused a significative reduction in the concentration of viable bacteria. The present results show that porphyrin with positively charge at meta position (3-PtTPyP) are more efficient photosensitizer against bacteria strains. In this way, tetra-cationic porphyrins might be promising antibacterial PDI agents with potential applications in clinical cases.

Photophysical, photodynamical, redox properties and BSA interactions of novel isomeric tetracationic peripheral palladium(II)-bipyridyl porphyrins.

New isomeric tetra-cationic porphyrins containing peripheral [Pd(bpy)Cl]+ units attached to pyridyl substituents were synthesized and fully characterized. The porphyrins present an intense Soret band located in the blue spectral region and an additional four weaker red-shifted Q bands in the visible spectral region (about 500-700 nm). The obtained Strickler-Berg parameters indicate fully spin and symmetry allowed transitions for all the observed absorption bands. Both porphyrins present two fluorescence emission bands, an intense one located around 650 nm and an additional weak red-shifted emission at ∼710 nm. Fluorescence decay time profiles were obtained showing bi-exponential decay. The interaction of the porphyrins with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied in detail by a fluorescence quenching method and molecular docking analysis. In addition, the photodynamical activity of the porphyrins in the photooxidation of BSA was determined and compared with the light-induced formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) allied with the spin trapping method. The results show that the Pd(ii)-bypyridyl tetra-cationic porphyrins are promising candidates for the photooxidation of biological substrates used in photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Body composition parameters can better predict body size dissatisfaction than body mass index in children and adolescents.

PURPOSE: Recent studies suggest that body mass index is not a reliable enough measurement for body composition in individuals, particularly in older and younger people. However, most research on body image has used the body mass index (BMI) as a physiological predictor of body satisfaction, particularly in children. The aim of this study was to investigate whether body composition is a better predictor of body size dissatisfaction in children than BMI. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. Healthy children and adolescents aged 5-19 years, sex male and female, were recruited using a convenience sample in Brazil. BMI was measured according to the international standardization method and body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) with a portable device model (BIA InBodyS10 multi-frequency, USA). Body size dissatisfaction was assessed using the Kakeshita's Figure Rating Scale for Brazilian Children. Data were analyzed with logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 547 participants were evaluated, including 54% females and 67% Caucasian, with a mean age of 11.4 ± 3.8 years. The mean BMI was 20.5 ± 4.6 kg/m2, and the mean percentages of fat and lean mass were 23.01 ± 10.59% and 72.84 ± 10.03%, respectively. In the multivariable model, only body composition was significantly associated with body size dissatisfaction (odds ratio: 1.849 (1.085-3.149, p = 0.024) and 1.828 (1.043-3.202, p = 0.035), respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Body composition measures can better predict body size dissatisfaction in children and adolescents than BMI. This result may be relevant for the design of future studies on physiological indicators and body satisfaction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, cross-sectional study.