Not only COVID-19: a systematic review of anti-COVID-19 measures and their effect on healthcare-associated infections.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) burden healthcare globally. Amid the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, intensified infection control measures, such as mask usage and hand hygiene, were implemented. AIM: To assess the efficacy of these measures in preventing HAIs among hospitalized patients. METHODS: Using the PICO framework (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome), the study focused on hospitalized patients and the effectiveness of anti-COVID-19 measures in preventing HAIs. A systematic review of literature published in 2020-2022 was conducted, examining interventions such as mask usage, hand hygiene, and environmental cleaning. FINDINGS: This systematic review analysed 42 studies: two in 2020, 21 in 2021, and 19 in 2022. Most studies were from high-income countries (28). Most studies (30 out of 42) reported a reduction in HAIs after implementing anti-COVID-19 measures. Gastrointestinal infections and respiratory tract infections showed significant reduction, unlike bloodstream infections and urinary tract infections. Some wards, like cardiology and neurology, experienced reduced HAIs, unlike intensive care units and coronary care units. There was an increase in studies reporting no effect of hygiene measures on HAIs in 2022, eventually indicating a shift in effectiveness over time. CONCLUSION: Anti-COVID-19 measures have shown selective efficacy in preventing HAIs. The study emphasizes the need for context-specific strategies and increased focus on regions with limited resources. Continued research is essential to refine infection control practices, especially in high-risk settings.

Preclinical validation of NeoWarm, a low-cost infant warmer and carrier device, to ameliorate induced hypothermia in newborn piglets as models for human neonates.

Introduction: Approximately 1.5 million neonatal deaths occur among premature and small (low birthweight or small-for gestational age) neonates annually, with a disproportionate amount of this mortality occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Hypothermia, the inability of newborns to regulate their body temperature, is common among prematurely born and small babies, and often underlies high rates of mortality in this population. In high-resource settings, incubators and radiant warmers are the gold standard for hypothermia, but this equipment is often scarce in LMICs. Kangaroo Mother Care/Skin-to-skin care (KMC/STS) is an evidence-based intervention that has been targeted for scale-up among premature and small neonates. However, KMC/STS requires hours of daily contact between a neonate and an able adult caregiver, leaving little time for the caregiver to care for themselves. To address this, we created a novel self-warming biomedical device, NeoWarm, to augment KMC/STS. The present study aimed to validate the safety and efficacy of NeoWarm. Methods: Sixteen, 0-to-5-day-old piglets were used as an animal model due to similarities in their thermoregulatory capabilities, circulatory systems, and approximate skin composition to human neonates. The piglets were placed in an engineered cooling box to drop their core temperature below 36.5°C, the World Health Organizations definition of hypothermia for human neonates. The piglets were then warmed in NeoWarm (n = 6) or placed in the ambient 17.8°C ± 0.6°C lab environment (n = 5) as a control to assess the efficacy of NeoWarm in regulating their core body temperature. Results: All 6 piglets placed in NeoWarm recovered from hypothermia, while none of the 5 piglets in the ambient environment recovered. The piglets warmed in NeoWarm reached a significantly higher core body temperature (39.2°C ± 0.4°C, n = 6) than the piglets that were warmed in the ambient environment (37.9°C ± 0.4°C, n = 5) (p < 0.001). No piglet in the NeoWarm group suffered signs of burns or skin abrasions. Discussion: Our results in this pilot study indicate that NeoWarm can safely and effectively warm hypothermic piglets to a normal core body temperature and, with additional validation, shows promise for potential use among human premature and small neonates.

Hexavalent chromium-reducing bacteria on biosolids from the San Fernando Wastewater Treatment Plant in Medellín (Colombia) / Bacterias aisladas de biosólidos de la PTAR San Fernando en Medellín-Colombia con capacidad para reducir cromo hexavalente

ABSTRACT During the most recent decades, advances have been made to reduce the environmental impact by anthropogenic activities that constantly release toxic components into the environment, generating instability and damage to the health of biological communities. Among the different pollutants, heavy metals are important by virtue of their properties, which hinder their degradation or transformation into other less toxic compounds. Chromium is one of the metals of greatest global interest due to its use in multiple industries. Conventional methods using chromed materials in their processes, not only throw considerable amounts of waste into the environment, but also give little account of the fraction of hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) present in certain ecosystems. Bioremediation has been proposed as an economically viable and environmentally sustainable alternative. This work aimed to evaluate the chromium reduction capacity by bacteria isolated from a biosolids matrix obtained at the San Fernando Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), located in Medellín (Colombia). Biosolids samples were grown in a nutrient agar enriched with different concentrations of Cr6+. The strains presenting the greater tolerance to chromium were isolated to perform reduction tests by triplicate, monitoring the concentration of the metal over time. Seven different bacterial species were obtained, among which Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Ochrobactrum anthropic, and Bacillus cereus showed the greatest ability to reduce Cr6+ (29.0%, 61.1 and 100%, at 96 h) respectively.

RESUMEN En las últimas décadas se ha trabajado activamente para reducir el impacto ambiental generado por las actividades antrópicas que constantemente liberan componentes tóxicos al ambiente generando inestabilidad y daños en la salud de las comunidades biológicas. Entre los diferentes contaminantes, los metales pesados revisten importancia en virtud de sus propiedades, que dificultan su degradación o transformación en otros compuestos menos tóxicos. El cromo es uno de los metales de mayor interés a nivel global por su uso en múltiples industrias. Los métodos convencionales que utilizan materiales cromados en sus procesos, no sólo arrojan cantidades considerables de residuos al ambiente, sino que dan poca cuenta de la fracción de Cr6+ presente en determinados ecosistemas. La biorremediación se ha propuesto como una alternativa económicamente viable y ambientalmente sostenible. El propósito del presente trabajo fue evaluar la capacidad de reducción de cromo por bacterias, aisladas de una matriz de biosólidos de la Planta de tratamiento de aguas residuales (PTAR) San Fernando en la ciudad de Medellín-Colombia. Muestras de biosólidos se cultivaron en Agar Nutritivo enriquecido con diferentes concentraciones de Cr6+. Las cepas que presentaron mayor tolerancia al cromo fueron aisladas para realizar ensayos de reducción por triplicado, monitoreando la concentración del metal en el tiempo. Se obtuvieron siete especies bacterianas diferentes dentro de las cuales se destacaron Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Ochrobactrum anthropi y Bacillus cereus por la capacidad de reducir Cr6+ a 96 h con eficiencias de 29.0%, 61.1% y 100%, respectivamente.

Mecanismos etiopatogénicos en la esclerosis sistémica / Ethiopathogenic Mechanisms in the Systemic Sclerosis

Se realizó un compendio de los principales factores etiopatogénicos causantes de la expresividad clínica de la esclerosis sistémica, aún no bien establecida, la asociación genética, herencia, factores ambientales y respuesta inflamatoria, su relación con infecciones endógenas comportándose de manera especial en otras enfermedades reumáticas inflamatorias. El objetivo del artículo fue describir los elementos de la etiopatogenia que distinguen a esta enfermedad del colágeno. Los mecanismos etiopatogénicos basados en anormalidades moleculares, pueden ser correctas en la esclerosis sistémica. Su espectro clínico heterogéneo responde a una etiopatogenia distinta en cada individuo, así como, a eventos complejos que pueden ocurrir en fases iniciales de la enfermedad y no a una patogenia única.

A summary of the main ethiopathogenic factors that cause the clinical expressiveness of the Systemic Sclerosis, still as soon as established, the genetic association, inheritance, environmental factors and inflammatory response, their relationship with endogenous infections behaving from a special way to other inflammatory rheumatic illnesses. The objective of this article was to describe the ethiopathogenic elements that distinguish this illness of the collagen. The ethiopathogenic mechanisms based on molecular abnormalities can be correct in the systemic sclerosis. Its heterogenic clinical spectrum responds to a different etiopathogeny in each individual, as well as to complex events that can happen in initial phases of the illness and not to a unique pathogenic.

Evaluación de la dinámica del crecimiento in vitro en callos de Ipomoea batatas / Evaluation of the dynamics of the growth in vitro callus of Ipomoea batatas

El cultivo del boniato presenta una gran importancia, ya que se puede emplear en la alimentación humana y animal, así como en la industria; el mismo produce raíces reservantes de gran valor calórico y nutritivo con alto contenido de carbohidratos. Entre las raíces y tubérculos cultivados es el segundo en importancia y representa más del 80% de la producción mundial. El empleo de las técnicas in vitro constituye una poderosa herramienta en la explotación comercial, propiciando el empleo de la micropropagación en diferentes especies. Para desarrollar el presente trabajo se recolectaron raíces tuberosas pertenecientes al clon Inivit B 93-1. Se procedió a la formación de callos potencialmente embriogénicos, para lo cual se emplearon explantes de limbos foliares, desinfectados con hipoclorito de sodio (1%) y sembrados en el medio de cultivo propuesto por Murashige y Skoog (1962), vitaminas MS (10,0 ml/l-1), mioinositol (100 mg/l-1), sacarosa (3%), gelrite (0,2%), 2,4-D (0,25-2,5 mg/l-1) y 6-BAP (0,25-1,0 mg/l-1), el pH fue ajustado a 5,8 ± 0,01 mantenidos en la oscuridad durante treinta días, lográndose los mejores resultados con el uso del 2,4-D (0,50 mg/l-1) y 6-BAP (0,25 mg/l-1), y en los mismos se evaluó la dinámica del crecimiento y se lograron los mejores resultados entre los 28 y 32 días después de la siembra, para lo cual los resultados obtenidos servirán de base a otros estudios y permitirán evaluar, controlar y desarrollar estrategias para la conservación y el uso de los recursos naturales, dando cumplimiento al objetivo referente a estudiar la dinámica del crecimiento en la formación de callos potencialmente embriogénicos en el cultivo del boniato.

The cultivation of the sweet potato presents a great importance, since you can use in the human feeding, animal as well as in the industry, the same one produces roots reservantes of great caloric and nutritious value with high content of carbohydrates. Between the roots and cultivated tubers it is the second in importance and it represents more than 80% of the world production. The employment of the techniques in vitro constitutes a powerful tool in the commercial, propitiated exploitation the employment of the micropropagación in different species. It is for it that you/they were gathered to develop the present work tuberous roots of the clon INIVIT B 93-1. Was realized the formation of callus with embryogenic structures, explantes of leaves were used, disinfected with hipoclorito of sodium (1%) and inoculated in the tissue culture medium proposed by Murashige and Skoog (1962), vitamins MS (10.0 ml/l-1), myoinositol (100 mg/l-1), sucrose (3%), gelryte (0.2%), 2,4-D (0.25-2.5 mg/l-1) and 6-BAP (0.25-1.0 mg/l-1), the pH was adjusted 5.8 ± 0.01 maintained in the darkness during thirty days, being achieved the best results with the use of the 2,4-D (0.50 mg/l-1) and 6-BAP (0,25 mg/l-1) and was evaluated the grow dynamic and obtained the better resulted between 28 and 32 days after culture, for that which the obtained results will serve from base to other studies and they will allow to evaluate, to control and to develop strategies for the conservation and use of the natural resources, giving execution to the objective with respect to studying the dynamics of the growth potentially in the formation of tripes embriogénicos in the cultivation of the sweet potato.

Aislamiento de lactobacillus plantarum LPBM10 y caracterización parcial de su bacteriocina / Isolation of lactobacillus plantarum LPBM10 and partial characterization of its bacteriocin

Las bacterias acidolácticas (BAL) son un grupo de microorganismos Gram positivos utilizados ampliamente en la preservación de alimentos debido a sus propiedades probióticas y su capacidad para producir bacteriocinas. Las bacteriocinas son compuestos antimicrobianos de naturaleza peptídica y han recibido gran atención por la industria de alimentos debido a su uso potencial como sustitutos de aditivos químicos.En este trabajo reportamos el aislamiento y caracterización de la cepa de Lactobacillus plantarum LPBM10.Esta bacteria fue aislada a partir de leche fermentada, presenta propiedades probióticas y es productora de bacteriocinas. El extracto libre de células de LPBM10 presenta actividad antimicrobiana frente a bacterias Gram positivas y Gram negativas. La bacteriocina LPBM10 es altamente termoestable, presenta mayor actividad a pH ácido y su actividad no se ve afectada por la presencia de proteinasa K, agentes quelantes y detergentes. El compuesto antibacteriano LPBM10 fue purificado mediante diálisis y cromatografía de exclusión. El análisis por espectroscopía ultravioleta e infrarroja sugiere que la bacteriocina LPBM10 es de naturaleza peptídica con presencia de tirosina y cisteína. Pruebas sobre el extracto crudo dializado mediante cromatografía de intercambio iónico indican la presencia de un compuesto aniónico antagonista del compuesto LPBM10.

Anti-inflammatory activity of alkaloids: a twenty-century review / Atividade anti-inflamatória de alkalóides: uma revisão do século XX

Many substances which interfere with the inflammatory response have been isolated from plants. This review shows some alkaloids of vegetal origin which in the period of 1907 to 2000 were evaluated regarding a possible anti-inflammatory activity. The alkaloids were classified in sub-groups in accordance with their chemical structures and the pharmacological data were obtained from different experimental models. Of the 171 evaluated alkaloids, 137 presented anti-inflammatory activity, and among those, the isoquinoline type was the most studied. The Carrageenin-induced paw edema was the most used model for evaluating the anti-inflammatory activity. In this review, 174 references were cited.

Muitas substâncias que interferem na resposta inflamatória têm sido isoladas de plantas. Esta revisão mostra alguns alcalóides de origem vegetal que no período de 1907-2000 foram avaliados quanto a uma possível atividade anti-inflamatória. Os alcalóides foram classificados em subgrupos de acordo com suas estruturas químicas e os dados farmacológicos foram obtidos de diferentes modelos experimentais. Dos 171 alcalóides avaliados, 137 apresentaram atividade anti-inflamatória, e, entre eles, os alcalóides do tipo isoquinolínicos foram os mais estudados. O modelo de edema de pata induzido por carragenina foi o mais empregado para avaliação da atividade anti-inflamatória. Nesta revisão 174 referências foram consultadas.

Avaliaçäo clínica comparativa com placebo de um extrato estabilizado de valeriana / Clinical comparative evaluation of a stabilized valeriana extract and placebo

Quarenta pacientes portadores de sintomas leves de ansiedade e distúrbios de tensäo emocional foram selecionados e randomizados em dois grupos, um tratado com dois comprimidos de 50 mg de valeriana duas vezes ao dia e o outro com placebo, ambos durante 21 dias. A valeriana mostrou-se estatisticamente superior ao placebo. Os resultados clínicos e a ausência de efeitos colaterais confirmam a segurança e a atividade de ambas as drogas no tratamento da tensäo emocional

Aspectos eletroencefalográficos na disfunçäo cerebral mínima / Electroencephalographic aspects of minimal brain dysfunction

Os AA analisaram 50 casos de pacientes portadores de disfunçäo cerebral mínima e concluíram que o eletroencefalograma pode ser normal ou exteriorizar (1) atividade lenta posterior; (2) assimetria e assincronia da atividade; (3) descargas na faixa "theta" com ondas de morfologia espiculada e distribuiçäo difusa; (4) ondas de morfologia espiculada no lobo temporal; (5) complexo ponta-onda difuso