Detection of Babesia RNA and DNA in whole blood samples from US blood donations.

BACKGROUND: Human babesiosis is a zoonotic infection caused by an intraerythrocytic parasite. The highest incidence of babesiosis is in the United States, although cases have been reported in other parts of the world. Due to concerns of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended year-round regional testing for Babesia by nucleic acid testing or use of an FDA-approved device for pathogen reduction. A new molecular test, cobas Babesia (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.), was evaluated for the detection of the four species that cause human disease, Babesia microti, Babesia duncani, Babesia divergens, and Babesia venatorum. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Analytical performance was evaluated followed by clinical studies on whole blood samples from US blood donations collected in a special tube containing a chaotropic reagent that lyses the red cells and preserves nucleic acid. Sensitivity and specificity of the test in individual samples (individual donation testing [IDT]) and in pools of six donations were determined. RESULTS: Based on analytical studies, the claimed limit of detection of cobas Babesia for B. microti is 6.1 infected red blood cells (iRBC)/mL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.0, 7.9); B. duncani was 50.2 iRBC/mL (95% CI: 44.2, 58.8); B. divergens was 26.1 (95% CI: 22.3, 31.8); and B. venatorum was 40.0 iRBC/mL (95% CI: 34.1, 48.7). The clinical specificity for IDT was 99.999% (95% CI: 99.996, 100) and 100% (95% CI: 99.987, 100) for pools of six donations. CONCLUSION: cobas Babesia enables donor screening for Babesia species with high sensitivity and specificity.

How do we design, implement, and manage an ongoing program to provide iron supplements to women blood donors?

Here we describe the design and management of Indiana Blood Center's 10-year Iron For Women program, an ongoing community blood center-based program with continual program and donor management providing iron supplements to healthy women blood donors. Donor iron supplementation has typically been limited to research study protocols, for a defined period, with the associated resources and funding. The results of studies have supported the utility of iron supplementation: iron supplementation will enhance dietary iron for increased gastrointestinal absorption triggered as a normal homeostatic response to blood loss, thereby providing a suitable dietary iron source in the event the donor's usual diet lacks sufficient iron. Despite proven results, blood centers have been reluctant to adopt the practice due to barriers such as donor selection, ensuring the appropriateness of iron supplementation relative to the health of the donor, supplement costs, provision logistics, and program management costs. We present here how we designed our program and why it is in the Blood Center's interest to help willing women participate in volunteer blood donation by attempting to mitigate associated iron loss.

Effects of the MEK inhibitor, SL-327, on rewarding, motor- and cellular-activating effects of D-amphetamine and SKF-82958, and their augmentation by food restriction in rat.

RATIONALE: Food restriction (FR) enhances learned and unlearned behavioral responses to drugs of abuse and increases D-1 dopamine (DA) receptor-mediated activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 MAP kinase in nucleus accumbens (NAc). While a role has been established for ERK signaling in drug-mediated associative learning, it is not clear whether ERK regulates unconditioned behavioral effects of abused drugs. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether blockade of ERK signaling, using the brain-penetrant MEK inhibitor, SL-327, decreases behavioral or NAc cellular responses to acute drug treatment and their augmentation by FR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Separate experiments assessed the effects of SL-327 (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) on (1) the reward-potentiating effect of D-amphetamine in an intracranial self-stimulation protocol, (2) the locomotor-activating effect of the D-1 agonist, SKF-82958, and (3) Fos-immunostaining induced in the NAc by SKF-82958. RESULTS: FR rats displayed enhanced responses to drug treatment on all measures. SL-327 had no effect on sensitivity to rewarding brain stimulation or the reward-potentiating effect of D-amphetamine. The MEK inhibitor, U0126, microinjected into the NAc was also without effect. The locomotor-activating effect of SKF-82958 was unaffected by SL-327. In contrast, SL-327 decreased NAc Fos-immunostaining and abolished the difference between feeding groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the conclusion that ERK signaling does not mediate unlearned behavioral responses to drug treatment. However, the upregulation of ERK and downstream transcriptional responses to acute drug treatment may underlie the reported enhancement of reward-related learning in FR subjects.

Transfusion-related acute lung injury: a thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura treatment-associated case report and concise review.

Blood products are frequently required immediately prior to, during, or just after an apheresis procedure. Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is now the leading cause of transfusion-related mortality, surpassing ABO-incompatible hemolytic reactions. The reported incidence of TRALI varies but is estimated at 1 in 5,000 transfusions. The true incidence could be higher because of under-reporting and under-diagnosis. Plasma is the most frequently implicated blood product. While the pathogenesis of TRALI appears multifactorial, one contributing factor seems to be donor antibodies to cognate recipient neutrophil antigens. Biologically active neutrophil-priming substances may also play a role. New diagnostic criteria have recently been proposed to aid in the diagnosis of TRALI. We report a thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) treatment-associated case of TRALI and review the history, pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of this syndrome. Current risk reduction strategies are also discussed.

A saúde de adolescentes na volta às atividades escolares presenciais após dois anos de pandemia do Covid-19 ­ estudo transversal de base escolar em Pelotas/RS / The health of adolescents returning to face-to-face school activities after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic - school-based cross-sectional study in Pelotas/RS / La salud de los adolescentes que retornan a las actividades escolares presenciales después de dos años de la pandemia de Covid-19 - estudio transversal escolar en Pelotas/RS

O objetivo do estudo foi comparar a percepção sobre a massa corporal, comportamentos relacionados à saúde, e a saúde mental de escolares adolescentes durante o período de retorno às atividades escolares presenciais com o período anterior à pandemia de COVID-19. O estudo foi realizado com 425 escolares (16,96±1,39 anos; 60,2% do sexo feminino) selecionados aleatoriamente de escolas das redes pública e privada de Pelotas/RS. Para a coleta dos dados foi utilizado um questionário de autopreenchimento contendo perguntas retrospectivas e atuais sobre as variáveis analisadas. Os resultados indicaram que a percepção sobre a massa corporal, o nível de atividade física, o tempo de sono, e a saúde mental (apenas para as meninas) estão piores (p<0,05) no momento atual quando comparados ao período anterior à pandemia. Por outro lado, hábitos alimentares e tempo de tela recreativo apresentaram melhores resultados (p<0,05) no momento atual do que no período anterior à pandemia. Estes resultados mostram um complexo panorama em relação à saúde de adolescentes no período de retomada das atividades presencias, tornando o retorno às atividades escolares presenciais um desafio para os próprios adolescentes, seus familiares, para professores, e para as escolas.

The aim of this study was to compare the perception of body mass, health- related behaviors and mental health of adolescent schoolchildren during the period of return to face to face school activities with the period before COVID-19 pandemic. The study was carried out with 425 students (16.96±1.39 years; 60.2% female) randomly selected from public and private schools in Pelotas/RS. For data collection, a self-completion questionnaire was used, containing retrospective and current questions about analyzed outcomes. The results indicated that the perception of body mass, level of physical activity, sleep time, and mental health (only for girls) are worse (p<0.05) at present when compared to the period before the pandemic. On the other hand, eating habits and recreational screen time showed better results (p<0.05) at present than in the period before the pandemic. These results show a complex panorama concerning the health of adolescents in the period of resumption of face to face activities, making this return a challenge for the adolescents themselves, their families, teachers and for schools.

El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar la percepción de masa corporal, comportamientos relacionados a la salud y salud mental de escolares adolescentes durante el período de retorno a las actividades escolares presenciales con el período anterior a la pandemia de COVID-19. El estudio fue realizado con 425 alumnos (16,96±1,39 años; 60,2% del sexo femenino) seleccionados aleatoriamente de escuelas públicas y privadas de Pelotas/RS. Para la recolección de datos, se utilizó un cuestionario auto-completado, conteniendo preguntas retrospectivas y actuales sobre los resultados analizados. Los resultados indicaron que la percepción de la masa corporal, el nivel de actividad física, el tiempo de sueño y la salud mental (sólo para las niñas) son peores (p<0,05) en la actualidad en comparación con el período anterior a la pandemia. Por otro lado, los hábitos alimentarios y el tiempo de pantalla recreativo mostraron mejores resultados (p<0,05) en la actualidad que en el periodo anterior a la pandemia. Estos resultados muestran un panorama complejo en relación a la salud de los adolescentes en el período de reanudación de las actividades presenciales, haciendo de este retorno un desafío para los propios adolescentes, sus familias, profesores y para las escuelas.

Planning and execution of handball goalkeepers training: a descriptive study in youth categories teams in Brazil

Abstract Aim: This study aimed to describe how specific training for goalkeepers of youth handball teams is planned and executed in Brazil. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive and quantitative study was based on information from 134 coaches responsible for specific training of handball goalkeepers for youth (under 12 - U12; U14; U16; and U18) teams. The selection of participants was non-randomly for convenience, using the virtual snowball method. The information was obtained through an online self-completion questionnaire carried out by the Google Forms platform. The questionnaire data were tabulated and assessed using the SPSS statistical program, and the information was presented using descriptive statistics. Results: The results show that specific training of goalkeepers occurs in 71.1% of youth handball teams. About the structure of the specific training session, most of it is performed 1 or 2 times a week (70.9%), lasting from 25 to 60 min (73.9%) and given by the team's leading coaches (77.6%). More than half of the participants stated that the training session occurs with the goalkeepers and the person in charge (55.2%). Most participants (69.4%) stated that the teams analyze and assess the goalkeepers' performance, and the training planning takes place weekly (39.6%). Conclusion: This data provides essential information that partially fills gaps in the literature and allows researchers and coaches to reflect on their practices, considering the importance of planning specific training for goalkeepers.

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats.

This study uses cellular c-fos activation to assess effects of novel ingestion of fat and sugar on brain dopamine (DA) pathways in rats. Intakes of sugars and fats are mediated by their innate attractions as well as learned preferences. Brain dopamine, especially meso-limbic and meso-cortical projections from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), has been implicated in both of these unlearned and learned responses. The concept of distributed brain networks, wherein several sites and transmitter/peptide systems interact, has been proposed to mediate palatable food intake, but there is limited evidence empirically demonstrating such actions. Thus, sugar intake elicits DA release and increases c-fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) from individual VTA DA projection zones including the nucleus accumbens (NAC), amygdala (AMY) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as well as the dorsal striatum. Further, central administration of selective DA receptor antagonists into these sites differentially reduce acquisition and expression of conditioned flavor preferences elicited by sugars or fats. One approach by which to determine whether these sites interacted as a distributed brain network in response to sugar or fat intake would be to simultaneous evaluate whether the VTA and its major mesotelencephalic DA projection zones (prelimbic and infralimbic mPFC, core and shell of the NAc, basolateral and central-cortico-medial AMY) as well as the dorsal striatum would display coordinated and simultaneous FLI activation after oral, unconditioned intake of corn oil (3.5%), glucose (8%), fructose (8%) and saccharin (0.2%) solutions. This approach is a successful first step in identifying the feasibility of using cellular c-fos activation simultaneously across relevant brain sites to study reward-related learning in ingestion of palatable food in rodents.

Genetic cell targeting uncovers specific neuronal types and distinct subregions in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis.

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) plays an important role in fear, stress, and anxiety. It contains a collection of subnuclei delineated by gross cytoarchitecture features; however, there has yet to be a systematic examination of specific BNST neuronal types and their associated neurochemical makeup. The present study focuses on improved characterization of the anterior BNST based on differing molecular and chemical expression aided by mouse genetics. Specific Cre driver lines crossed with a fluorescent reporter line were used for genetic cell targeting and immunochemical staining. Using this new approach, we were able to robustly identify specific excitatory and inhibitory cell types in the BNST. The presence and distribution of excitatory neurons were firmly established; glutamatergic neurons in the anterior BNST accounted for about 14% and 31% of dorsal and ventral BNST cells, respectively. GABAergic neurons expressing different isoforms of glutamic acid decarboxylase were found to have differential subregional distributions. Almost no parvalbumin-expressing cells were found in the BNST, while somatostatin-expressing cells and calretinin-expressing cells account for modest proportions of BNST cells. In addition, vasoactive intestinal peptide-expressing axonal plexuses were prominent in the oval and juxtacapsular subregions. In addition, we discovered that corticotropin-releasing hormone-expressing cells contain GABAergic and glutamatergic subpopulations. Together, this study reveals new information on excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the BNST, which will facilitate genetic dissection and functional studies of BNST subregions. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:2379-2399, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Changes in body weight and health behaviors of overweight children during the COVID-19 pandemic / Mudanças na massa corporal e em comportamentos de saúde de crianças com excesso de peso durante a pandemia da COVID-19

The aim of this study was to describe the perception of parents of overweight children about the effects of the period of social distancing due to COVID-19 on body weight (BW ), level of physical activity (PA), time spent in sedentary behavior (SB) and their children's eating habits and sleep. Parents of 47 overweight children (11.1 ± 1.33 years) were interviewed by telephone. Questions about the perception regarding BW and the four behaviors related to the health of their children during the period of social distancing were asked. The increase in BW was perceived by 61.7% of children and for almost all of them (93.6%) reductions in PA levels were reported, with 72.4% reducing participation in vigorous PA. An increase in time using smartphones, tablets, and microcomputers was observed in 65.9% of children. Favorable changes were noted in relation to quality (34.1%) and daily sleep time (51.1%). Favorable changes in the consumption of fruits (36.2%) and soft drinks (21.2%) and unfavorable changes in the consumption of vegetables (19.1%) and sweets and snacks (26.2%) were also reported. Four and a half months after the start of the social distancing measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, overweight children increased the BW and changed the levels of PA and SB in an unfavorable way according to their parents. On the other hand, they started sleeping more and with higher quality and consuming more fruits and less soft drinks

O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever a percepção de pais de crianças com excesso de peso sobre os efeitos do período de distanciamento social devido à COVID-19 na massa corporal (MC) no nível de atividade física (AF), no tempo em comportamento sedentário (CS) e nos hábitos alimentares e de sono de seus filhos/as. Pais de 47 crianças (11,1 ± 1,33 anos) com excesso de peso foram entrevistados por ligação telefônica. Questões sobre a percepção em relação à MC e aos quatro comportamentos relacionados à saúde de seus filhos/as durante o período de distanciamento social foram realizadas. O aumento de MC foi percebido para 61,7% das crianças e para quase todas elas (93,6%) reduções nos níveis de AF foram relatadas, tendo 72,4% reduzido a participação em AF vigorosas. Aumento no tempo utilizando smartphone, tablet e microcomputador foram percebidos em 65,9% das crianças. Modificações favoráveis foram percebidas em relação à qualidade (34,1%) e ao tempo diário (51,1%) de sono. Modificações favoráveis relativas ao consumo de frutas (36,2%) e de refrigerantes (21,2%) e desfavoráveis para o consumo de verduras e legumes (19,1%) e de doces e salgadinhos (26,2%) também foram relatadas. Após quatro meses e meio do início das medidas de distanciamento social devido à pandemia da COVID-19, de acordo com a percepção de seus pais, crianças com excesso de peso aumentaram a MC e modificaram de forma desfavorável os níveis de AF e CS. Por outro lado, passaram a dormir mais e com maior qualidade e a consumir mais frutas e menos refrigerantes

Effect of dopamine D1 and D2 receptor antagonism in the lateral hypothalamus on the expression and acquisition of fructose-conditioned flavor preference in rats.

The attraction to sugar-rich foods is influenced by conditioned flavor preferences (CFP) produced by the sweet taste of sugar (flavor-flavor learning) and the sugar's post-oral actions (flavor-nutrient) learning. Brain dopamine (DA) circuits are involved in both types of flavor learning, but to different degrees. This study investigated the role of DA receptors in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) on the flavor-flavor learning produced the sweet taste of fructose. In an acquisition study, food-restricted rats received bilateral LH injections of a DA D1 receptor antagonist (SCH23390), a D2 antagonist (RAC, raclopride) or vehicle prior to 1-bottle training sessions with a flavored 8% fructose+0.2% saccharin solution (CS+/F) and a less-preferred flavored 0.2% saccharin solution (CS-). Drug-free 2-bottle tests were then conducted with the CS+ and CS- flavors presented in saccharin. The fructose-CFP did not differ among groups given vehicle (76%), 12 nmol SCH (78%), 24 nmol (82%) or 24 nmol RAC (90%) during training. In an expression study with rats trained drug-free, LH injections of 12 or 24 nmol SCH or 12-48 nmol RAC prior to 2-bottle tests did not alter CS+ preferences (77-90%) relative to vehicle injection (86%). Only a 48 nmol SCH dose suppressed the CS+ preference (61%). The minimal effect of LH DA receptor antagonism upon fructose flavor-flavor conditioning differs with the ability of LH SCH injections to block the acquisition of glucose flavor-nutrient learning.