Omicron - The new SARS-CoV-2 challenge?

SARS-CoV-2 virus has infected nearly 300 M people worldwide and has been associated with over 6 M deaths by March 2022. Since the virus emergence in December 2019 in Wuhan, several new mutations have been described. The World Health Organization has developed a working name for these emerging variants according to their impact on the worldwide population. In this context a high alert has been paid to variants of concern (VOC) due to their high infectiousness and transmissibility patterns. The most recent VOC, Omicron (B.1.1.529), has become dominant in the shortest time ever and has placed Europe under an overwhelming and unprecedented number of new cases. This variant has numerous mutations in regions that are associated with higher transmissibility, stronger viral binding, affinity and antibody escape. Moreover, the mutations and deletions present in the spike protein suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 specific attachment inhibitors may not be the best option for Omicron therapy. Omicron is the dominant variant circulating worldwide and, at the end of February 2022, it was responsible for nearly all sequences reported to GISAID. Omicron is made up of several sublineages, where the most common are BA.1 and BA.2 (or Nextstrain clade 21K and 21L, respectively). At a global level, it is possible to say that the proportion of BA.2 has been increasing relative to BA.1 and in some countries it has been replacing it at high rates. In order to better assess the Omicron effectiveness on antibody escape, spread and infectious ability it is of the highest relevance to maintain a worldwide tight surveillance. Even though this variant has been associated with a lower death rate, it is important to highlight that the number of people becoming infected is concerning and that further unpredictable mutations may emerge as the number of infected people rises.

Association of the length of time using computers and mobile devices with low back, neck and mid-back pains: findings from a birth cohort.

OBJECTIVES: Neck and low back pains are the leading causes of years lived with disability, and using computers or mobile devices in excess could be risk factors for back pain. Our aim was to evaluate the association of the length of time using computers and mobile devices with neck, mid-back and low back pains and the number of regions with pain. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study nested in the 1993 Pelotas birth cohort with young adults aged 22 years. METHODS: Outcomes analyzed were neck, mid-back and low back pains and the number of regions with pain. Exposures were the number of daily hours using computers and mobile devices. Crude and adjusted analyses were performed to estimate prevalence ratios using Poisson regression. RESULTS: Almost half of the sample reported having back pain, the low back pain being the most prevalent. Compared with individuals using mobile devices for less than one hour, the prevalence of neck pain was 1.41 and 1.81 times higher among individuals using mobile devices from three to seven hours and for seven or more hours per day, respectively. Neck pain prevalence was 1.47 times higher among individuals using computers for more than two hours than among those not using computers. Using mobile devices for seven hours or more was associated to 1.19 times higher prevalence of low back pain. CONCLUSION: Using mobile devices in excess was associated to neck and low back pains, while the use of computers in excess was associated only to neck pain. It is important that guidelines are developed to recommend the adequate length of time that computers and mobile devices should be used to prevent back pain.

Is vigorous-intensity physical activity required for improving bone mass in adolescence? Findings from a Brazilian birth cohort.

The association between moderate and vigorous physical activity throughout adolescence and areal bone density (aBMD) at 18 years of age was evaluated. Vigorous-intensity physical activity at 11, 15, and 18 years was associated with aBMD in early adulthood, especially in boys. Cross-sectional analyses showed a positive association between moderate physical activity and aBMD. INTRODUCTION: To evaluate independent associations of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MPA, VPA) across adolescence with areal bone mineral density (aBMD). METHODS: Physical activity (PA) was assessed at 11, 15, and 18 years of age by self-report and at 18 years by accelerometry in the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study. Time spent in MPA and VPA was determined using metabolic equivalents and specific cutoffs based on raw acceleration. Lumbar spine and femoral neck aBMD were measured by DXA at 18 years. Statistical analyses evaluated the association of MPA and VPA with aBMD, after adjusting for skin color, asset index, current height and age at menarche, and peak strain score (based on ground reaction forces of PA). RESULTS: Lumbar spine and femoral neck aBMD were available for 3947 (49.9% of boys) and 3960 (49.6% of boys) individuals, respectively. Time spent in MPA at 11 and 15 years was not associated with aBMD. VPA at all time points was positively related to both lumbar spine and femoral neck aBMD in boys. Results were consistent for objectively measured VPA. Girls who achieved 75+ minutes/week of VPA in at least two follow-ups showed higher aBMD at 18 years of age. Boys who reached 75+ minutes/week of VPA at all follow-ups had on average 0.117 g/cm2 (95% CI: 0.090; 0.144) higher femoral neck aBMD than those who never achieved this threshold. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported VPA but not MPA throughout adolescence was associated with aBMD. Recommendation for PA in young people should consider the importance of VPA.

Adolescent parenthood associated with adverse socio-economic outcomes at age 30 years in women and men of the Pelotas, Brazil: 1982 Birth Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential long-term effects of adolescent parenthood on completed education and income. DESIGN: Population-based birth cohort study. SETTING: All live births in 1982, whose mothers lived in the urban area of Pelotas, southern Brazil. SAMPLE: A total of 3701 participants: 1914 women and 1787 men at age 30 years. METHODS: Questionnaires were completed by the mothers in the early phases of this study, and by the cohort members in adolescence and adulthood. Linear regression models and G-computation were used in the analyses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Educational attainment and income at age 30 years. RESULTS: In women, adolescent parenthood was associated with lower attained education compared with women without adolescent maternity: by -2.8 years [95% confidence interval (CI) -3.2 to -2.3] if their first birth was at age 16-19, and by -4.4 years (-5.5 to -3.3) at age 11-15. These effects were greater among women who had three or more children. Women with adolescent parenthood also had 49 or 33% lower income at age 30 if their first child was born when aged 16-19 or 11-15, respectively. In men, the adverse effect of adolescent parenthood on education appeared to be mediated by a higher number of children and there was no effect of adolescent paternity on income at age 30 years. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest lasting socio-economic disadvantages of adolescent parenthood, with larger effects being apparent in women than in men. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Adolescent parenthood has an adverse effect on educational attainment later in life, and on household income among women.

Endemic species may have complex histories: within-refugium phylogeography of an endangered Iberian vole.

Glacial refugia protected and promoted biodiversity during the Pleistocene, not only at a broader scale, but also for many endemics that contracted and expanded their ranges within refugial areas. Understanding the evolutionary history of refugial endemics is especially important in the case of endangered species to recognize the origins of their genetic structure and thus produce better informed conservation practices. The Iberian Peninsula is an important European glacial refugium, rich in endemics of conservation concern, including small mammals, such as the Cabrera vole (Microtus cabrerae). This near-threatened rodent is characterized by an unusual suite of genetic, life history and ecological traits, being restricted to isolated geographic nuclei in fast-disappearing Mediterranean subhumid herbaceous habitats. To reconstruct the evolutionary history of the Cabrera vole, we studied sequence variation at mitochondrial, autosomal and sex-linked loci, using invasive and noninvasive samples. Despite low overall mitochondrial and nuclear nucleotide diversities, we observed two main well-supported mitochondrial lineages, west and east. Phylogeographic modelling in the context of the Cabrera vole's detailed fossil record supports a demographic scenario of isolation of two populations during the Last Glacial Maximum from a single focus in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. In addition, our data suggest subsequent divergence within the east, and secondary contact and introgression of the expanding western population, during the late Holocene. This work emphasizes that refugial endemics may have a phylogeographic history as rich as that of more widespread species, and conservation of such endemics includes the preservation of that genetic legacy.

Maternal depression and anxiety predicts the pattern of offspring symptoms during their transition to adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Episodes of depression and anxiety (D&A) during the transition from late adolescence to adulthood, particularly when persistent, are predictive of long-term disorders and associated public health burden. Understanding risk factors at this time is important to guide intervention. The current objective was to investigate the associations between maternal symptoms of D&A with offspring symptoms during their transition to adulthood. METHOD: Data from a large population-based birth cohort study, in South Brazil, were used. Prospective associations between maternal D&A and offspring risk of these symptoms during the transition to adulthood (18/19, 24 and 30 years) were estimated. RESULTS: Maternal D&A in adolescence was associated with offspring symptoms across the transition to adulthood, associations were consistently stronger for females than for males. Daughters whose mothers reported D&A were 4.6 times (95% confidence interval 2.71-7.84) as likely to report D&A at all three time-points, than daughters of symptom-free mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal D&A is associated with persistent D&A during the daughter's transition to adulthood. Intervention strategies should consider the mother's mental health.

Multilocus phylogeography of the common midwife toad, Alytes obstetricans (Anura, Alytidae): Contrasting patterns of lineage diversification and genetic structure in the Iberian refugium.

Recent investigations on the evolutionary history of the common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans) revealed high levels of geographically structured genetic diversity but also a situation where delineation of major historical lineages and resolution of their relationships are much more complex than previously thought. We studied sequence variation in one mitochondrial and four nuclear genes throughout the entire distribution range of all recognized A. obstetricans subspecies to infer the evolutionary processes that shaped current patterns of genetic diversity and population subdivision. We found six divergent, geographically structured mtDNA haplogroups diagnosing population lineages, and varying levels of admixture in nuclear markers. Given the timeframe inferred for the splits between major lineages, the climatic and environmental changes that occurred during the Pleistocene seem to have shaped the diversification history of A. obstetricans. Survival of populations in allopatric refugia through the Ice Ages supports the generality of the "refugia-within-refugia" scenario for the Iberian Peninsula. However, lineages corresponding to subspecies A. o. almogavarii, A. o. pertinax, A. o. obstetricans, and A. o. boscai responded differently to Pleistocene climatic oscillations after diverging from a common ancestor. Alytes o. obstetricans expanded northward from a northern Iberian refugium through the western Pyrenees, leaving a signal of contrasting patterns of genetic diversity, with a single mtDNA haplotype north of the Pyrenees from SW France to Germany. Both A. o. pertinax and A. o. boscai are widespread and genetically diverse in Iberia, the latter comprising two divergent lineages with a long independent history. Finally, A. o. almogavarii is mostly restricted to the north-eastern corner of Iberia north of the Ebro river, with additional populations in a small region in south-eastern France. This taxon exhibits unparalleled levels of genetic diversity and little haplotype sharing with other lineages, suggesting a process of incipient speciation.

ADHD in DSM-5: a field trial in a large, representative sample of 18- to 19-year-old adults.

BACKGROUND: The DSM criteria for adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have not been tested in American Psychiatric Association (APA) field trials for either DSM-IV or DSM-5. This study aimed to assess: (a) the prevalence of ADHD according to DSM-5 criteria; (b) the factor solution that provides the best fit for ADHD symptoms; (c) the symptoms with the highest predictive value for clinical impairment; and (d) the best symptomatic threshold for each ADHD dimension (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity). METHOD: Trained psychologists evaluated 4000 young adults from the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study with an instrument covering all DSM-5 ADHD criteria. A series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) tested the best factor structure. Complex logistic regressions assessed differential contributions of each symptom to clinical impairment. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analyses tested which would be the best symptomatic cut-off in the number of symptoms for predicting impairment. RESULTS: The prevalence of DSM-5 ADHD was 3.55% [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.98-4.12]. The estimated prevalence of DSM-IV ADHD was 2.8%. CFA revealed that a bifactor model with a single general factor and two specific factors provided the best fit for DSM-5 symptoms. Inattentive symptoms continued to be the most important predictors of impairment in adults. The best cut-offs were five symptoms of inattention and four symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity. CONCLUSIONS: Our results, combined with previous findings, suggest a 27% increase in the expected prevalence of ADHD among young adults, comparing DSM-IV to DSM-5 criteria. The DSM-5 symptomatic organization derived a similar factor structure for adults as DSM-IV symptoms. Data using DSM-5 criteria support lowering the symptomatic threshold for diagnosing ADHD in adults.

Prevalence of Leptospira antibodies in wild boars (Sus scrofa) from Northern Portugal: risk factor analysis.

Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution, caused by infection with pathogenic spirochaetes of the genus Leptospira. The wild boar (Sus scrofa), an important hunting species in Europe, seems to play a significant role in the epidemiological cycle of leptospirosis. A total of 101 serum samples from wild boar hunted in Northern Portugal were analysed for leptospiral antibodies detection by microscopic agglutination test. Sera were collected during hunting seasons (2011-2013) and tested with 17 different pathogenic serovars of Leptospira. Antibodies against nine serovars were detected in 66 (65·4%) of these sera. Serovars Tarassovi and Altodouro exhibited the highest seroreactivity rates (23·8% and 16·8%, respectively), followed by Autumnalis (7·9%) and Bratislava (6·9%). Age and district of origin were found to be risk factors for the presence of leptospiral antibodies in contrast to gender. From a One Health perspective, this study revealed that wild boar should be considered as a potential source of leptospirosis dissemination for humans and animal species (domestic and wild) in shared environments, particularly in the Trás-os-Montes region.

Physical activity throughout adolescence and bone mineral density in early adulthood: the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study.

UNLABELLED: Association between three physical activity (PA) measurements throughout adolescence and bone density at 18 years of age was investigated. PA was associated with both lumbar spine and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) in early adulthood independent of type of PA used in the analysis. The results were more consistent in boys. INTRODUCTION: This study amis to evaluate if PA during adolescence could influence BMD later in life. METHODS: A population-based birth cohort study was carried out. PA was assessed at 11 and 15 years of age by questionnaire and included sports performed while BMD (lumbar spine and femoral neck) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at 18 years. A peak strain score was generated based on ground reaction forces of different PA. PA was measured as peak strain score, peak strain score multiplied by minutes/week and minutes/week. Unadjusted and adjusted analyses were performed using linear regression. RESULTS: Overall, 3,811 adolescents were studied (1,866 boys and 1,945 girls). The peak strain score at 11 and 15 years was associated with lumbar and femoral neck BMD at 18 years in boys. Among girls, high-impact PA at 11 years was positively associated with lumbar and femoral BMD (p = 0.01; p < 0.001). After adjusted analysis, weekly minutes of PA at 11 years were not associated with lumbar spine but were associated with femoral neck BMD (p < 0.001); at 15 years, weekly minutes of PA were positively associated with BMD at both sites. Regardless of PA status at 11 years of age, attaining the recommendations of PA (300 min/week) at 15 years appears to be important for BMD at 18 years in both sites in boys and girls. The results Appeared to be more consistent in boys. CONCLUSIONS: PA during adolescence was positively associated with both lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD in early adulthood independent of type of PA used in the analysis.

Evaluating dried salted cod amino acid signature for nutritional quality assessment and discriminant analysis.

Aim: Thus, the aim of this study was to answer three scientific questions: (1) Are the protein content and amino acid profile of dried salted cod influenced by species (Gadus morhua and Gadus macrocephalus)? (2) Are the protein content and amino acid profile of dried salted cod influenced by the geographical area of capture (Iceland and Norway)? and (3) Does the amino acid profile have the potential to be used as a discriminator of species and geographical areas of capture? Methods: A total of 45 dried salted cods (2-3 kg of dry weight; n = 15 samples/origin) were used in this study. The Atlantic cod was fished in the Atlantic northeast (FAO 27 area) within the Exclusive Economic zones (EEZ) of Norway (n = 15) and Iceland (n = 15), while the Pacific cod was caught in the Pacific northeast (FAO 67 area) within the Alaska EEZ (n = 15). Total protein content was determined by the Kjeldahl method, in accordance with the AOAC procedures. The amino acid profile was analyzed by HPLC with fluorescence detection (at excitation and emission wavelengths of 338 and 425 nm, respectively). Results: The Atlantic cod presented higher contents of total protein (33.90 versus 33.10 g/100 g of cod edible portion; p = 0.017) and total amino acid contents (32.52 versus 32.04 g/100 g of cod edible portion; p = 0.015) but displayed lower percentage of indispensable amino acids (32.16 versus 32.83 g/100 g of protein; p < 0.001) than Pacific cod. Among the Atlantic cod harvesting locations, the Norwegian cod displayed higher total amino acid contents (96.91 versus 96.81 g/100 g of protein; p = 0.012) and higher percentage of indispensable amino acids (35.38 versus 28.94 g/100 g of protein; p = 0.042) than the Icelandic counterpart. A correct classification of 100% was obtained for the Pacific and Icelandic cod varieties, but the classification accuracy in the Norwegian cod was of just 86.67%, since 2 samples out of 15 were incorrectly classified as Icelandic. Conclusion: The comparison of cod species showed that the Atlantic cod had a significantly lower EAAI than the Pacific cod (p < 0.001; 88.23 versus 88.61). On the other hand, the comparison of the two origins in the Atlantic cod, showed that Norwegian cod displayed a significantly higher EAAI than the Icelandic cod (99.15 versus 77.32). The assessment of the EAAI allows the classification of the protein's nutritional quality, allowing us to classify both cod species as a good protein source to human diet. However, within the Atlantic cod, the Norwegian cod's protein is classified as high quality, while the Icelandic cod attain the classification of useful quality. Regarding the amino acid profile discriminatory potential to classify cod samples. The results show that the AA profile has 100% accuracy in the separation of cod species, but was not globally efficient in the differentiation of the Norwegian from the Icelandic cod.

Smoking exposure trajectories and pulmonary function in early adulthood in a Brazilian cohort.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate smoking trajectories and their association with pulmonary function (PF) and respiratory symptoms at age 22. METHODS: Data from a population-based cohort study of 3350 individuals and their spirometries were analysed. The outcomes were: forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory flow at the mid expiratory phase (FEF25-75 %), FEV1/FVC and FEF25-75/FVC ratio. Smoking data were collected at perinatal follow-up (gestational exposure) and 15, 18 and 22 years. Group-based trajectory model was applied. RESULTS: Four groups were identified: no exposure (NE), gestational (GE), gestational and adulthood (GAE) and continuous (CE) exposure. Both CE and GAE trajectories were associated with lower values of FEV1/FVC (-1.77pp; p = 0.01 and -1.58 pp; p<0.001 respectively) and FEF25-75/FVC ratio (-7.27pp; p = 0.019 and -6.04pp; p<0.001 respectively) compared to the NE trajectory. Lower FEV1 and FEF25-75 % values were also related to the GAE trajectory (-68 ml; p = 0.03 and -253 ml/s;p<0.001 respectively). Compared to those who never smoked, individuals who smoked 10 or more cigarettes daily presented a reduction in the FEV1/FVC ratio by 1.37pp (p<0.001), FEF25-75 % by 126 ml (p = 0.012) and FEF25-75 %/FVC ratio by 3.62pp (p = 0.011). CE trajectory showed higher odds of wheezing (OR 4.14; p<0.001) and cough (OR 2.39; p = 0.002) compared to the non-exposed group. CONCLUSIONS: The in-uterus exposure to maternal smoking reduces PF later in life. However, the perpetuation of smoking behaviour throughout adolescence and early adulthood is determinant for PF main reduction and the emergence of respiratory-related symptoms.

Serological Evidence of Rickettsia Exposure among Patients with Unknown Fever Origin in Angola, 2016-2017.

Spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) is one among the aetiologies that cause fever of unknown origin in Angola. Despite their occurrence, there is little information about its magnitude in this country either because it is misdiagnosed or due to the lack of diagnostic resources. For this purpose, eighty-seven selected malaria- and yellow fever-negative serum specimens collected between February 2016 and March 2017 as part of the National Laboratory of Febrile Syndromes, from patients with fever (≥37.5°C) for at least 4 days and of unknown origin, were screened for Rickettsia antibodies through an immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Serological results were interpreted according to the 2017 guidelines for the detection of Rickettsia spp. Three seroreactive patients had detectable IgM antibodies to Rickettsia with an endpoint titre of 32 and IgG antibodies with endpoint titres of 128 and 256. These findings supported a diagnosis of Rickettsia exposure amongst these patients and highlight that rickettsioses may be among the cause of unknown febrile syndromes in Angola. Therefore, physicians must be aware of this reality and must include this vector-borne disease as part of aetiologies that should be considered and systematically tested in order to delineate appropriate strategies of diagnostic and control of Rickettsia in Angola.

High levels of population subdivision in a morphologically conserved Mediterranean toad (Alytes cisternasii) result from recent, multiple refugia: evidence from mtDNA, microsatellites and nuclear genealogies.

Pleistocene glaciations often resulted in differentiation of taxa in southern European peninsulas, producing the high levels of endemism characteristic of these regions (e.g. the Iberian Peninsula). Despite their small ranges, endemic species often exhibit high levels of intraspecific differentiation as a result of a complex evolutionary history dominated by successive cycles of fragmentation, expansion and subsequent admixture of populations. Most evidence so far has come from the study of species with an Atlantic distribution in northwestern Iberia, and taxa restricted to Mediterranean-type habitats remain poorly studied. The Iberian Midwife toad (Alytes cisternasii) is a morphologically conserved species endemic to southwestern and central Iberia and a typical inhabitant of Mediterranean habitats. Applying highly variable genetic markers from both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes to samples collected across the species' range, we found evidence of high population subdivision within A. cisternasii. Mitochondrial haplotypes and microsatellites show geographically concordant patterns of genetic diversity, suggesting population fragmentation into several refugia during Pleistocene glaciations followed by subsequent events of geographical and demographic expansions with secondary contact. In addition, the absence of variation at the nuclear beta-fibint7 and Ppp3caint4 gene fragments suggests that populations of A. cisternasii have been recurrently affected by episodes of extinction and recolonization, and that documented patterns of population subdivision are the outcome of recent and multiple refugia. We discuss the evolutionary history of the species with particular interest in the increasing relevance of Mediterranean refugia for the survival of genetically differentiated populations during the Pleistocene glaciations as revealed by studies in co-distributed taxa.

Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from goats from Brazil.

Goats are economically important in many countries, and little is known of caprine toxoplasmosis in Brazil. Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were assayed in the sera of 143 goats from 3 Brazilian states, using modified agglutination test (MAT titer > or = 1:25); 46 (32.2%) tested positive. Samples of brain, heart, diaphragm, and masseter of seropositive animals were pooled, digested in pepsin, and bioassayed in mice. Viable T. gondii specimens were isolated from tissue homogenates of 12 goats; the isolates were designated TgGtBr1-12. Ten of the 12 isolates killed 100% of infected mice, indicating that goats can harbor mouse-virulent T. gondii and, hence, can serve as a source of infection for humans.

A risk calculator to predict adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: generation and external validation in three birth cohorts and one clinical sample.

AIM: Few personalised medicine investigations have been conducted for mental health. We aimed to generate and validate a risk tool that predicts adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: Using logistic regression models, we generated a risk tool in a representative population cohort (ALSPAC - UK, 5113 participants, followed from birth to age 17) using childhood clinical and sociodemographic data with internal validation. Predictors included sex, socioeconomic status, single-parent family, ADHD symptoms, comorbid disruptive disorders, childhood maltreatment, ADHD symptoms, depressive symptoms, mother's depression and intelligence quotient. The outcome was defined as a categorical diagnosis of ADHD in young adulthood without requiring age at onset criteria. We also tested Machine Learning approaches for developing the risk models: Random Forest, Stochastic Gradient Boosting and Artificial Neural Network. The risk tool was externally validated in the E-Risk cohort (UK, 2040 participants, birth to age 18), the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort (Brazil, 3911 participants, birth to age 18) and the MTA clinical sample (USA, 476 children with ADHD and 241 controls followed for 16 years from a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 26 years old). RESULTS: The overall prevalence of adult ADHD ranged from 8.1 to 12% in the population-based samples, and was 28.6% in the clinical sample. The internal performance of the model in the generating sample was good, with an area under the curve (AUC) for predicting adult ADHD of 0.82 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.79-0.83). Calibration plots showed good agreement between predicted and observed event frequencies from 0 to 60% probability. In the UK birth cohort test sample, the AUC was 0.75 (95% CI 0.71-0.78). In the Brazilian birth cohort test sample, the AUC was significantly lower -0.57 (95% CI 0.54-0.60). In the clinical trial test sample, the AUC was 0.76 (95% CI 0.73-0.80). The risk model did not predict adult anxiety or major depressive disorder. Machine Learning approaches did not outperform logistic regression models. An open-source and free risk calculator was generated for clinical use and is available online at https://ufrgs.br/prodah/adhd-calculator/. CONCLUSIONS: The risk tool based on childhood characteristics specifically predicts adult ADHD in European and North-American population-based and clinical samples with comparable discrimination to commonly used clinical tools in internal medicine and higher than most previous attempts for mental and neurological disorders. However, its use in middle-income settings requires caution.

Proteolysis in Painho de Portalegre dry fermented sausage in relation to ripening time and salt content.

The effect of salt addition (3% and 6% in the final product) on the shelf-life related physicochemical characteristics and proteolysis profile during the ripening period of a Portuguese dry fermented sausage "Painho de Portalegre", were evaluated. The product with 6% salt concentration had low a(w) and pH values at most ripening periods evaluated, due to the influence of NaCl on the water binding capacity of the protein structure and to the low ammonia accumulation, respectively. Similar changes were observed for total basic volatile nitrogen (TBVN), free amino acid nitrogen (FAAN) and non-protein nitrogen (NPN) fractions in both products. After a clear increase during the first days of the processing phase, all the initial rates slowed down with some fluctuation in FAAN and NPN. In relation to small peptides and free amino acid accumulation, the major differences between the tested formulations were mainly observed on distinct profiles rather than on overall concentrations.

Interrelatioship between Diet Quality and Depressive Symptoms in Elderly.

BACKGROUND: Several observational studies have shown association between diet quality and depression, but few studies have explored the interrelationship between these variables. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the interrelationship between diet quality and depressive symptoms in elderly. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Population based. PARTICIPANTS: 1,378 elderly in the city of Pelotas, Brazil. MEASUREMENTS: The diet quality was assessed by a short food frequency questionnaire and the prevalence of depressive symptoms was estimated by the abbreviated Brazilian version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The association between diet quality and depressive symptoms was assessed using logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 15.3%. Elderly with low-quality diet were more likely to experience depressive symptoms, and the association was almost twice higher in males than in females (men OR = 3.8, 95% CI 1.4, 10.6; women OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.4, 3.3). On the other hand, depressive elderly had higher odds of consuming a low-quality diet (OR 2.4, 95% CI: 1.7, 3.8). LIMITATIONS: Self-reported data and cross-sectional design limit our conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: The choice of a low-quality diet was associated to a higher risk of depressive symptoms in elderly, and vice-versa. These results highlight the importance of encouraging the choice of healthy food habits, especially in depressed elderly, in order to promote healthy aging.

High failure rate of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with bimeniscal repair: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Bimeniscal lesions are common in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. However, bimeniscal repair is rarely performed during ACL reconstruction. OBJECTIVE: To assess outcomes after ACL reconstruction with bimeniscal repair. HYPOTHESIS: Bimeniscal lesions, even when repaired, are associated with poorer outcomes of ACL reconstruction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective case-control design was used. The cases were 15 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction, without procedures on any other ligaments, combined with bimeniscal repair, between May 2009 and May 2013 (3.2% of all ACL reconstructions during the study period). This group (2-Mc group) was matched on age, gender, body mass index, and time to surgery to 30 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction and had no meniscal lesions (0-Mc group) and to 30 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction and repair of the medial meniscus (1-Mc group). After a mean follow-up of 3.6 years, clinical outcomes were assessed based on the KOOS, Lysholm, and IKDC scores and knee laxity based on TELOS and GNRB measurements. The primary outcome measure was the rate of ACL re-rupture. Secondary outcome measures were functional outcomes and rate of delayed meniscectomy. RESULTS: The ACL re-rupture rate was significantly higher in the 2-Mc group than in the 0-Mc and 1-Mc groups pooled (20%, vs. 1.7%; P=0.02). The functional scores showed no significant differences across groups. Post-operative differential laxity was significantly greater in the 2-Mc group (3.3mm by TELOS, P=0.02; and 2.5mm by GNRB, P=0.03) than in the 0-Mc and 1-Mc groups pooled. Delayed meniscectomy was performed in none of the 2-Mc group patients and in 2 of the 1-Mc group patients. CONCLUSION: ACL reconstruction combined with bimeniscal repair is a rarely performed procedure. It is associated with a high ACL re-rupture rate and greater differential laxity. Meniscal outcomes of bimeniscal repair, in contrast, are good. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, matched case-control study.

Susceptibility of dry-cured tuna to oxidative deterioration and biogenic amines generation: I. Effect of NaCl content, antioxidant type and ageing.

This study aimed to assess lipid oxidation and biogenic amine (BA) development in "muxama", a dry-cured tuna muscle product, as affected by salt content, antioxidant type and ageing time. Overall, BA contents decreased with NaCl level (2785.1mgkg-1, 1148.1mgkg-1 and 307.7mgkg-1) and increased with ageing time (366.2mgkg-1, 1711.8mgkg-1 and 2959.2mgkg-1 in the final product (T0), and after 1 (T1) and 3 (T3) months of ageing, respectively). Regardless of the test conditions, the most concentrated BA was always tyramine. For the ageing periods considered in the present study, malondialdehyde formation was affected by the NaCl level, with the saltiest samples exhibiting lower content. Rosemary and sage extracts represented promising technological options for preserving muxama from oxidation and to minimize the presence of a fishy flavour and odour, but this treatment may cause the colour to lose some of its redness and become less appealing.