Selection of plasma donors for the production of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin-based therapies: Strategies for quantitative antibody measurements.

Even after two years of the pandemic, a completely effective treatment against SARS-CoV-2 has not yet been established. Considering this fact and the emergence of successive new viral variants, the development of therapies based on natural polyclonal antibodies recovered from convalescent plasma remains relevant. This study presents a comparison between different methods of screening antibodies in samples of 41 individuals previously diagnosed with COVID-19. We found a significant correlation between Abbot Architect anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and Abbott Allinity SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quantitative assay intensity of reactivity and neutralizing antibody (nAb) titers. Thus, we propose an initial antibody screening with IgG anti-N Abbott Architect test, with an index of, for example, > 3.25 or SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quantitative Abbott Allinity assay > 137.65 AU/mL as good predictors of Nab ≥ 1:80. For the quantitative method, this threshold demonstrated a 100 % sensitivity and 80 % specificity, with 97.3 % accuracy. An interesting observation was the increase in the neutralizing activity of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with the longest interval between the end of the symptoms and the collection, demonstrating that the delay in plasma collection does not affect the achievement of adequate nAbs levels. These results demonstrate the possibility of using faster and more widely available commercial serological tests with a good correlation with viral neutralization tests in culture, allowing for optimized large-scale donor selection, which will be of utmost importance for the development of therapies such as hyperimmune immunoglobulin.

Clinical spectrum of COVID-19 and risk factors associated with severity in Spanish children.

We aimed to identify the spectrum of disease in children with COVID-19, and the risk factors for admission in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs). We conducted a multicentre, prospective study of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection in 76 Spanish hospitals. We included children with COVID-19 or multi-inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) younger than 18 years old, attended during the first year of the pandemic. We enrolled 1200 children. A total of 666 (55.5%) were hospitalised, and 123 (18.4%) required admission to PICU. Most frequent major clinical syndromes in the cohort were mild syndrome (including upper respiratory tract infection and flu-like syndrome, skin or mucosae problems and asymptomatic), 44.8%; bronchopulmonary syndrome (including pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma flare), 18.5%; fever without a source, 16.2%; MIS-C, 10.6%; and gastrointestinal syndrome, 10%. In hospitalised children, the proportions were 28.5%, 25.7%, 16.5%, 19.1% and 10.2%, respectively. Risk factors associated with PICU admission were age in months (OR: 1.007; 95% CI 1.004 to 1.01), MIS-C (OR: 14.4, 95% CI 8.9 to 23.8), chronic cardiac disease (OR: 4.8, 95% CI 1.8 to 13), asthma or recurrent wheezing (OR: 2.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 5.2) and after excluding MIS-C patients, moderate/severe liver disease (OR: 8.6, 95% CI 1.6 to 47.6). However, asthmatic children were admitted into the PICU due to MIS-C or pneumonia, not due to asthma flare.Conclusion: Hospitalised children with COVID-19 usually present as one of five major clinical phenotypes of decreasing severity. Risk factors for PICU include MIS-C, elevation of inflammation biomarkers, asthma, moderate or severe liver disease and cardiac disease. What is Known: • All studies suggest that children are less susceptible to serious SARS-CoV-2 infection when compared to adults. Most studies describe symptoms at presentation. However, it remains unclear how these symptoms group together into clinically identifiable syndromes and the severity associated with them. What is New: • We have gathered the primary diagnoses into five major syndromes of decreasing severity: MIS-C, bronchopulmonary syndrome, gastrointestinal syndrome, fever without a source and mild syndrome. Classification of the children in one of the syndromes is unique and helps to assess the risk of critical illness and to define the spectrum of the disease instead of just describing symptoms and signs.

Imidazoanthraquinone derivatives for the chromofluorogenic sensing of basic anions and trivalent metal cations.

Four imidazoanthraquinone derivatives (2a-d) were synthesized and characterized and their coordination behavior against selected anions and cations tested. Acetonitrile solutions of probes showed charge-transfer absorptions in the 407-465 nm range. The four probes emitted in the 533-571 nm interval. The recognition ability of 2a-d was evaluated in the presence of F(-), Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), OCN(-), BzO(-), ClO4(-), AcO(-), HSO4(-), H2PO4(-), and CN(-). Only F(-), AcO(-), and H2PO4(-) induced a new red-shifted absorption band that was attributed to a deprotonation process involving the amine moiety of the imidazole ring. Moreover, upon increasing quantities of F(-), AcO(-), and H2PO4(-), moderate quenching was induced in the emission of 2a-d together with the appearance of a new red-shifted band. The UV-visible and emission behavior of the four probes in the presence of Cu(2+), Co(2+), Mg(2+), Fe(3+), Ba(2+), Fe(2+), Ni(2+), Ca(2+), Zn(2+), Pb(2+), Cd(2+), Cr(3+), Al(3+), K(+), and Li(+) was also assessed. Only addition of Fe(3+), Cr(3+), and Al(3+) caused a new blue-shifted band in 2a-d that was ascribed to a preferential coordination with the acceptor part of the probes. Moreover, an important quenching of the emission was observed which was ascribed to the interaction between these trivalent cations and 2a-d.

Triphenylamine-benzimidazole derivatives: synthesis, excited-state characterization, and DFT studies.

The synthesis and comprehensive characterization of the excited states of four novel triphenylamine-benzimidazole derivatives has been undertaken in solution (ethanol and methylcyclohexane) at room temperature. This includes the determination of the absorption, fluorescence, and triplet-triplet absorption spectra, together with quantum yields of fluorescence, internal conversion, intersystem crossing, and singlet oxygen. From the overall data the radiative and radiationless rate constants could be obtained, and it is shown that the compounds are highly emissive with the radiative decay dominating, with more than 70% of the quanta loss through this deactivation channel. The basic structure of the triphenylamine-benzimidazole derivatives (1a) was modified at position 5 of the heterocyclic moiety with electron-donating (OH (1b), OCH3 (1c)) or electron-withdrawing groups (CN, (1d)). It was found that the photophysical properties remain basically unchanged with the different substitutions, although a marked Stokes shift was observed with 1d. The presence and nature of a charge-transfer transition is discussed with the help of theoretical (DFT and TDFT) data. All compounds displayed exceptionally high thermal stability (between 399 and 454 °C) as seen by thermogravimetric analysis.

Synthesis and evaluation of thiosemicarbazones functionalized with furyl moieties as new chemosensors for anion recognition.

A family of heterocyclic thiosemicarbazone dyes (3a-f and 4) containing furyl groups was synthesized in good yields, characterized and their response in acetonitrile in the presence of selected anions was studied. Acetonitrile solutions of 3a-f and 4 showed absorption bands in the 335-396 nm range which are modulated by the electron donor or acceptor strength of the heterocyclic systems appended to the thiosemicarbazone moiety. Fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, dihydrogen phosphate, hydrogen sulphate, nitrate, acetate and cyanide anions were used in recognition studies. From these anions, only sensing features were seen for fluoride, cyanide, acetate and dihydrogen phosphate. Two clearly different chromo-fluorogenic behaviours were observed: (i) a small shift of the absorption band due to the coordination of the anions with the thiourea protons and (ii) the appearance of a new red shifted band due to deprotonation. For the latter effect, a change in the colour of solution from pale yellow to purple was observed. Fluorescence studies were also in agreement with the different effects observed in the UV/Vis titrations. In this case, hydrogen bonding interactions were visible through the enhancement of the emission band, whereas deprotonation induced the appearance of a new red-shifted emission. Logarithms of stability constants for the two processes (complex formation + deprotonation) for receptors in the presence of fluoride and acetate anions were determined from spectrophotometric titrations using the HypSpec V1.1.18 program. Semi-empirical calculations to evaluate the hydrogen-donating ability of the receptors and a prospective electrochemical characterization of compound in the presence of fluoride were also performed.

The influence of the relative position of the thiophene and pyrrole rings in donor-acceptor thienylpyrrolyl-benzothiazole derivatives. A photophysical and theoretical investigation.

A detailed spectroscopic and photophysical study has been carried out on a series of heterocyclic compounds-known to display nonlinear optical properties-consisting on a electron donating thienylpyrrolyl pi-conjugated system functionalized with an electron acceptor benzothiazole moiety. The absorption, emission and triplet-triplet absorption together with all relevant quantum yields (fluorescence, intersystem crossing and internal conversion), excited state lifetimes and the overall set of deactivation rate constants (k(F), k(IC) and k(ISC)) were obtained in solution at room (293 K) and low (77 K) temperature. The optimized ground-state molecular geometries for the compounds together with the prediction of the lowest vertical one-electron excitation energy and the relevant molecular orbital contours for the compounds were also determined using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/3-21G* level. The experimental results showed that the photophysical properties are influenced by the relative position of the pyrrole and thiophene relative to the benzothiazole group.

Synthesis and ion sensing properties of new colorimetric and fluorimetric chemosensors based on bithienyl-imidazo-anthraquinone chromophores.

Novel colorimetric receptors for fluoride ion sensing containing anthraquinone as a chromogenic signaling unit and imidazo-2,2'-bithiophene binding sites are reported. Well-defined color change was observed upon addition of fluoride ions to acetonitrile solutions of receptors 2. Compounds 2a-c, deprotonated after fluoride ion addition, were studied as metal ion chemosensors in the presence of Zn(II), Hg(II), and Cu(II) in acetonitrile solutions, especially compound 2a which displayed a marked change from pink to yellow-gold colors upon complexation.

Maintenance of functional capacity in cognitive stimulation subgroups.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the improvement of the elderly's functional capacity before intervention in cognitive stimulation workshops, according to subgroups. METHODS: uantitative study, by before and after evaluation, following during one year the cognitive stimulation intervention, conducted according to recommendations of NIC (Nursing Interventions Classification) Domain 3 - Behavior, Class P, Cognitive Therapy "interventions to reinforce or promote desirable behaviors or to change undesirable behaviors". Participants were 67 people, with ages between 60 and 88. The criteria for subgroups were: healthy= memory complaint and Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) score above or equal to 26 (n = 20); low education level = memory complaint and up to 5 years of study (n = 11); depression = memory and humor complaint, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score ≥ 4 (n = 25); and the control group (n = 11), which did not receive the intervention, just the conventional treatment. RESULTS: Although statistically significant differences have been observed in specific scores at each subgroup: MMSE (greater improvement in healthy elderly); GDS (greater improvement in the depression group); and the Word recall test (lower at the "low education level" group); it was noticed that at all intervention subgroups the functional capacity was maintained when compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The cognitive stimulation workshops were useful to the elderly, who received the nursing intervention, the cognitive therapy. It is recommended adoption of the intervention in specific subgroups, according to their own cognitive limitations.

Perda de Bem-Estar Financeiro na Pandemia Covid-19: evidências preliminares de um Websurvey / Loss of Financial Well-Being in the Covid-19 Pandemic: first evidences from a Websurvey

Avaliar a perda de Bem-Estar Financeiro em virtude da pandemia. Foi realizado um websurvey com cidadãos brasileiros e os dados foram analisados a partir de estatísticas descritivas e testes de diferença de média. Os resultados indicam a perda de Bem-Estar Financeiro principalmente para os indivíduos que tiveram uma diminuição ou uma perda total da renda desde a pandemia. Os indivíduos com maiores quedas são os que possuem dependentes, sem estabilidade empregatícia, com menores rendas e que não possuíam reservas financeiras antes da pandemia. A perda de Bem-Estar Financeiro é um problema de saúde pública na medida em que se relaciona com outros aspectos da vida, como níveis de bem-estar geral, felicidade, satisfação, relacionamento social e qualidade de vida, e pode estar associado com aumento da ansiedade e depressão.

To assess the loss of Financial Well-being due to the pandemic. A websurvey was conducted with Brazilian citizens and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and tests of mean difference. The results indicate the loss of Financial Well-Being occurs mainly for individuals who have had a decrease or a total loss of income since the pandemic. Individuals with the greatest falls in the level of financial Well-being are those who have dependents, have no job stability, with lower incomes and that did not have financial reserves before the pandemic. The loss of Financial Well-being is a public health problem once it relates to other aspects of life such as levels of general Well-Being, happiness, satisfaction, social relationship and quality of life, and may be associated with increased anxiety and depression.

[Individual or service quality evaluation using the 2000 DRG version]. / Apreciação da qualidade individual ou do serviço utilizando os GDHS na versão 2000.

The Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) aren't only a management instrument useful for managers and technicians but also to physicians as professionals who are in fact their producers. The DRG may be used as guides of good clinical practice and as quality pointer. Never as an absolute truth or way of judging something. We study the new arriving 2000 DGR version and how to use it as a guide and quality indicator for physicians who wants to improve his quality, skills and proficiency in clinical practice. We give a brief look on the DGR world expansion and the bibliography to deep the knowledge in this subject.

(Oligo)thienyl-imidazo-benzocrown ether derivatives: synthesis, photophysical studies and evaluation of their chemosensory properties.

A series of novel (oligo)thienyl-imidazo-benzocrown ethers were synthesised through a simple method and evaluated as fluorimetric chemosensors for transition metal cations. Interaction with Ni(2+), Pd(2+), and Hg(2+) in ACN/DMSO solution (99:1) was studied by absorption and emission spectroscopy. Chemoselectivity studies in the presence of Na(+) were also carried out and a fluorescence enhancement upon chelation (CHEF) effect was observed following Hg(2+) complexation. Considering that most systems using fluorescence spectroscopy for detecting Hg(2+) are based on the complexation enhancement of the fluorescence quenching (CHEQ) effect, the present work represents one of the few examples for sensing of Hg(2+) based on a CHEF effect.

Maintenance of functional capacity in cognitive stimulation subgroups / Manutenção da capacidade funcional em subgrupos de estimulação cognitiva

Abstract Objective. To evaluate the improvement of the elderly's functional capacity before intervention in cognitive stimulation workshops, according to subgroups. Methods. Quantitative study, by before and after evaluation, following during one year the cognitive stimulation intervention, conducted according to recommendations of NIC (Nursing Interventions Classification) Domain 3 - Behavior, Class P, Cognitive Therapy "interventions to reinforce or promote desirable behaviors or to change undesirable behaviors". Participants were 67 people, with ages between 60 and 88. The criteria for subgroups were: healthy= memory complaint and Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) score above or equal to 26 (n = 20); low education level = memory complaint and up to 5 years of study (n = 11); depression = memory and humor complaint, and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score ≥ 4 (n = 25); and the control group (n = 11), which did not receive the intervention, just the conventional treatment. Results Although statistically significant differences have been observed in specific scores at each subgroup: MMSE (greater improvement in healthy elderly); GDS (greater improvement in the depression group); and the Word recall test (lower at the "low education level" group); it was noticed that at all intervention subgroups the functional capacity was maintained when compared to the control group. Conclusion. The cognitive stimulation workshops were useful to the elderly, who received the nursing intervention, the cognitive therapy. It is recommended adoption of the intervention in specific subgroups, according to their own cognitive limitations.

Resumen Objetivo. Evaluar el mejoramiento de la capacidad funcional de las personas mayores después de una intervención educativa de talleres de formación para la estimulación cognitiva, según subgrupos. Métodos. Estudio cuantitativo, de evaluación del tipo de antes y después (1 año después) en el que se realizó una intervención educativa de talleres de formación para la estimulación cognitiva que sigue la recomendación de NIC (Nursing Interventions Classification) Dominio 3 - Comportamental, clase P - Terapia Cognitiva: "Intervenciones para reforzar o promover comportamientos deseables, o cambiar comportamientos indeseables". Participaron 67 personas entre 60 a 88 años, quienesd participaron en los talleres de formación por subgrupos así: saludables = queja subjetiva de memoria y Mini Examen del Estado Mental (MEEM) superior o igual a 26 puntos (n=20); baja escolaridad = queja subjetiva de memoria y hasta 5 años de escolaridad (n=11); depresión = con alteraciones del humor y ≥ 4 puntos en la Escala de Depresión Geriátrica (EDG) (n=25); y grupo control (n=11) sin intervención, solo tratamiento convencional. Resultados. Aunque en la evaluación antes de la intervención se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en los puntajes por grupo en los instrumentos MEEM (mayor en ancianos saludables), EDG (mayor en el grupo con depresión), y en la Prueba de Evocación de Palabras (menor en el grupo con baja escolaridad), se apreció que en los grupos, con intervención de los ancianos, mantuvieron su capacidad funcional. Conclusión. Los talleres para la estimulación cognitiva fueron útiles en los ancianos que recibieron la intervención educativa de enfermería en terapia cognitiva. Se recomienda realizar esta intervención en subgrupos específicos de acuerdo con las limitaciones cognitivas de las personas.

Resumo Objetivo. Avaliar a melhora da capacidade funcional do idoso após intervenção em oficinas de estimulação cognitiva, segundo subgrupos. Métodos. Estudo quantitativo, de avaliação tipo antes e depois, seguimento ao longo de um ano, a intervenção da estimulação cognitiva foi realizada segundo a recomendação do NIC(Nursing Interventions Classification)Domínio 3 - Comportamento, Classe P, Terapia Cognitiva "intervenções para reforçar ou promover comportamentos desejáveis, ou alterar comportamentos indesejáveis". Participaram 67 pessoas com idades entre 60-88 anos, foram critérios para os subgrupos:saudável= queixa de memória e Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MMSE) maior ou igual a 26 pontos (n = 20),baixa escolaridade= queixa de memória com até 5 anos de estudo (n = 11);depressão= queixa de memória e humor, escala de depressão geriátrica (GDS) ≥ 4 pontos (n = 25); e grupo controle(n = 11), que não receberam a intervenção proposta, somente o tratamento convencional. Resultados. Embora tenham sido observadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas em escóres específicos para cada subgrupo de intervenção:MMSE (maior melhora em idosos saudáveis), EDG (maior melhora no grupo com depressão); e Teste de evocação de palavras (mais baixos no grupo com baixa escolaridade); observou-se que em todos os subgrupos de intervenção houve manutenção da capacidade funcional quando comparados ao grupo controle. Conclusão. As oficinas de estimulação cognitiva foram úteis para os idosos que receberam a intervenção de enfermagem, terapia cognitiva. Recomenda-se adoção da intervenção em subgrupos específicos de acordo com as limitações cognitivas das pessoas.

Synthesis and characterization of the ground and excited states of tripodal-like oligothienyl-imidazoles.

Six new thiophene oligomers, here designated as tripodal-like oligothienyl-imidazoles, were synthesized and have been investigated in ethanol solution at room and low temperature. The oligomers bear a common core where two or more thiophenes are linked to one or more imidazole units that further links through its alpha-position to a different number of incremental thiophene units. The study involves a comprehensive spectral and photophysical investigation where the properties of the singlet and triplet states have been investigated regarding absorption, fluorescence and phosphorescence, transient triplet-triplet absorption together with all relevant quantum yields (fluorescence, phi(F), internal conversion, phi(IC), intersystem crossing, phi(T,) and singlet oxygen, phi(Delta)) and lifetimes. In addition, density functional theory quantum chemical calculations were performed to gain a detailed understanding of the molecular geometry and optical properties of the investigated oligomers. From the overall data, the radiative (k(F)) and radiationless (k(NR), k(IC), and k(ISC)) rate constants have been determined and it is shown that, in contrast with the parent oligothiophenes, the radiative competes with the radiationless deactivation channels. The results show that, by comparison with the oligothiophene counterparts, there is an augment of the relative contributions of the internal conversion and fluorescence processes relative to the S(1)~~-->T(1) intersystem crossing. Phosphosphorescence emission was found for the simplest member of the investigated compounds with a low quantum yield (phi(Ph) = 0.009) and a lifetime of 8 micros. The data also show that the introduction of a 4,5-dithienyl-imidazole moiety in a bi- or terthiophene oligomer results in, respectively, a 20-fold and a 3-fold increase of the fluorescence quantum yield relative to their oligothiophene counterparts. The synergy of the structural and photophysical properties, combined with the exceptional thermal stabilities, opens new perspectives related to the copolymerization of oligothiophenes with thienyl-imidazole units with potential application as organic light emitting devices.

Spectral and photophysical characterization of donor-pi-acceptor arylthienyl- and bithienyl-benzothiazole derivatives in solution and solid state.

A comprehensive study has been made in solution at room temperature (293 K), low temperature (77 K), and in thin films (Zeonex matrixes) of the spectral and photophysical properties of six arylthienyl- and bithienyl-benzothiazole derivatives functionalized with different donor groups. Similar experiments have been carried out with two related precursors (containing the arylthienyl and aryl-bithienyl conjugated systems), and results are compared. Singlet-singlet and triplet-triplet absorption spectra, emission spectra together with lifetimes and quantum yields have been obtained, and from these data the rates for all the radiative and nonradiative processes determined, providing information on the dominant decay processes. The arylthienyl-benzothiazole derivatives show high fluorescence quantum yields (phi(F)) with negligible internal conversion (phi(IC)), whereas the bithienyl-benzothiazoles display lower but still significant phi(F) values, but now radiationless processes (phi(IC) and phi(ISC)) are competitive. A comparison with the analogous oligothiophenes is made. Singlet oxygen yields were also determined and the triplet energy transfer to (3)O2 to produce (1)O2 was found to be highly efficient with values of S(Delta)(= phi(Delta)/phi(T)) varying from 0.4 to 1.

Avaliaçäo do bloqueio neuromuscular residual na sala de recuperaçäo pós-anestésica / Assessment of residual neuromuscular blockade in the recovery room

Justificativa e objetivos: a incidência de bloqueio neuromuscular residual tem sido avaliada na literatura há várias décadas, sendo umas das principais causas de morbilidade e mortalidade pós-operatória relacionadas à anestesia. O uso de estimuladores de nervos periféricos, descrito desde meados deste século, tornou-se a monitorizaçäo mais sensível para avaliaçäo de bloqueio residual. Este estudo visou determinar a incidência de bloqueio neuromuscular residual na sala de recuperaçäo pós-anestésica em pacientes que receberam bloqueadores neuromusculares durante a cirurgia, utilizando-se critérios clínicos e resposta do músculo adutor do polegar à estimulaçäo de nervo ulnar. Método: participaram do estudo 136 pacientes do sexo feminino submetidas à anestesia geral com o uso de bloqueadores neuromusculares (atracúrio, vecurônio, pancurônio e alcurônio). As pacientes foram avaliadas, através de critérios clínicos e estimulaçäo do nervo ulnar, no momento em que chegaram à sala de recuperaçäo pós-anestésica e a cada 15 minutos por no mínimo uma hora. Utilizou-se a sequência de quatro estímulos como padräo de estimulaçäo (2Hz, 60 mA, eletrodos localizados no trajeto de nervo ulnar no punho), sendo as respostas registradas graficamente (altura da primeira contraçäo, razäo entre a quarta resposta e a primeira). Resultados: a incidência de bloqueio neuromuscular residual, avaliaçäo clinicamente foi de 16,91 por cento e por resposta à estimulaçäo nervosa periférica, de 20,58 por cento (total das pacientes). O grupo do pancurônio apresentou incidência de bloqueio residual maior e diferença estatisticamente significativa se comparada a avaliaçäo por critérios clínicos e estimulaçäo nervosa. O mesmo näo aconteceu em relaçäo aos outros fármacos (atracúrio, vecurônio e alcurônio), apesar de todos os grupos apresentarem pacientes com açäo residual destas drogas. Houve maior tendência a bloqueio neuromuscular residual quando näo se administrou anticolinestésicos no final do procedimento. Os sinais clínicos de curarizaçäo residual mostram resultados falsos negativos em todos os grupos, quando comparados à estimulaçäo nervosa periférica. Conclusöes: os dados obtidos demonstram que a escolha do agente associado à estimulaçäo nervosa periférica é de suma importância para se evitar bloqueio neuromuscular residual, sobretudo quando houver necessidade da repetiçäo de doses ou utilizaçäo de bloqueadores neuromusculares de meia-vida de eliminaçäo ...