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Background: Continuous investment and systematic evaluation of program accomplishments are required to achieve excellence in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) care, especially in resource-limited settings. Therefore, this study evaluates the impact of problem-driven interventions on reperfusion use rate in a long-term operating STEMI network from a low- to middle-income country. Methods: This is a healthcare improvement evaluation study of Salvador's public STEMI network in a quasi-experimental design, comparing data from 2009 to 2010 (pre-intervention) and 2019-2020 (post-intervention). There were evaluated all confirmed STEMI cases assisted in both periods. The interventions, implemented since 2017, included: expanding the support team, defining criteria to be a spoke, and initiating continuous education activities. The primary outcome was the rate of patients undergoing reperfusion, with secondary outcomes being time from door-to-ECG (D2E) and ECG-to-STEMI-team trigger (E2T). Results: Over ten years, the network's coverage increased by 300,000 individuals, and expanded by 1,800 km2. A total of 885 records were analyzed, 287 in the pre-intervention group (182 men [63·4%]; mean [SD] age 62·1 [12·5] years) and 598 in the post-intervention group (356 men [59·5%]; mean [SD] age 61.9 [11·8] years). It was noticed a substantial increase in reperfusion delivery rate (90 [31%] vs. 431 [73%]; P = 001) and reductions in time from D2E (159 [83-340] vs. 29 [15-63], P = 001), and E2T (31 [21-44] vs. 16 [6-40], P = 001). Conclusion: The strategies adopted by Salvador's STEMI network were associated with significant improvements in the rate of patients undergoing reperfusion and in D2E and E2T. However, the mortality rate remains high.

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INTRODUCTION: Incarcerated individuals exhibit higher suicide rates compared to the general population. Investigating risk factors aids in developing effective public policies and interventions. The goal of this study was to assess and analyze factors predicting both suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts in a population of male incarcerated individuals who engage in the use of multiple psychoactive substances. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted. A total of 174 male individuals deprived of liberty participated in the study, all of whom were serving a closed regime sentence during the data collection steps. Participants were assessed with the following instruments: the "Addiction Severity Index" (ASI-6) and the "Barratt Impulsiveness Scale" (BIS-11). RESULTS: Amongst our sample, prevalences of 36.7% in suicidal ideation and of 16.0% in suicide attempts were found. Impulsivity (OR = 1.098, 95% CI: 1.008 - 1.197), social support (OR = 0.281, 95% CI: 0.085 - 0.925), witnessing someone being killed or beaten (OR = 5.173, 95% CI: 2.143 - 12.486), cigarette use (OR = 3.309, 95% CI: 1.063 - 10.293), and cocaine use (OR = 2.678, 95% CI: 1.040 - 6.897) were also found to be associated with suicidal ideation. No significant associations were found between drug use and suicide attempts. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of suicidal behaviors was observed in the study's sample, with findings demonstrating that impulsivity moderately differentiates the groups 'with' and 'without' suicidal ideation. Traumatic life events and substance use were also associated with suicide ideation, while social support was established as a protective factor for it.

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Understanding how environmental variables influence biofilm formation becomes relevant for managing Vibrio biofilm-related infections in shrimp production. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of temperature, time, and initial inoculum in the biofilm development of these two Vibrio species using a multifactorial experimental design. Planktonic growth inhibition and inhibition/eradication of Vibrio biofilms, more exactly V. parahaemolyticus (VP87 and VP275) and V. cholerae (VC112) isolated from shrimp farms were evaluated by Eucalyptus and Guava aqueous leaf extracts and compared to tetracycline and ceftriaxone. Preliminary results showed that the best growth conditions of biofilm development for V. parahaemolyticus were 24 h and 24°C (p <0.001), while V. cholerae biofilms were 72 h and 30°C (p <0.001). Multivariate linear regression ANOVA was applied using colony-forming unit (CFU) counting assays as a reference, and R-squared values were applied as goodness-of-fit measurements for biofilm analysis. Then, both plant extracts were analyzed with HPLC using double online detection by diode array detector (DAD) and mass spectrometry (MS) for the evaluation of their chemical composition, where the main identified compounds for Eucalyptus extract were cypellogin A, cypellogin B, and cypellocarpin C, while guavinoside A, B, and C compounds were the main compounds for Guava extract. For planktonic growth inhibition, Eucalyptus extract showed its maximum effect at 200 µg/mL with an inhibition of 75% (p < 0.0001) against all Vibrio strains, while Guava extract exhibited its maximum inhibition at 1600 µg/mL with an inhibition of 70% (p < 0.0001). Both biofilm inhibition and eradication assays were performed by the two conditions (24 h at 24°C and 72 h at 30°C) on Vibrio strains according to desirability analysis. Regarding 24 h at 24°C, differences were observed in the CFU counting between antibiotics and plant extracts, where both plant extracts demonstrated a higher reduction of viable cells when compared with both antibiotics at 8x, 16x, and 32x MIC values (Eucalyptus extract: 1600, 3200, and 6400 µg/mL; while Guava extract: 12800, 25600, and 52000 µg/mL). Concerning 72 h at 30°C, results showed a less notorious biomass inhibition by Guava leaf extract and tetracycline. However, Eucalyptus extract significantly reduced the total number of viable cells within Vibrio biofilms from 2x to 32x MIC values (400-6400 µg/mL) when compared to the same MIC values of ceftriaxone (5-80 µg/mL), which was not able to reduce viable cells. Eucalyptus extract demonstrated similar results at both growth conditions, showing an average inhibition of approximately 80% at 400 µg/mL concentration for all Vibrio isolates (p < 0.0001). Moreover, eradication biofilm assays demonstrated significant eradication against all Vibrio strains at both growth conditions, but biofilm eradication values were substantially lower. Both extract plants demonstrated a higher reduction of viable cells when compared with both antibiotics at 8x, 16x, and 32x MIC values at both growth sets, where Eucalyptus extract at 800 µg/mL reduced 70% of biomass and 90% of viable cells for all Vibrio strains (p < 0.0001). Overall results suggested a viable alternative against vibriosis in the shrimp industry in Ecuador.

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The Pelargonium genus encompasses around 280 species, most of which are used for medicinal purposes. While P. graveolens, P. odoratissimum, and P. zonale are known to exhibit antimicrobial activity, there is an evident absence of studies evaluating all three species to understand their chemical differences and biological effects. Through the analysis of the hydroalcoholic extracts of P. graveolens, P. odoratissimum, and P. zonale, using HPLC-DAD-MS/MS, quercetin and kaempferol derivatives were identified in these three species. Conversely, gallotannins and anthocyanins were uniquely detected in P. zonale. P. graveolens stood out due to the various types of myricetin derivatives that were not detected in P. odoratissimum and P. zonale extracts. Evaluation of their biological activities revealed that P. zonale displayed superior antibacterial and antibiofilm activities in comparison to the other two species. The antibacterial efficacy of P. zonale was observed towards the clinically relevant strains of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) 333, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, and the Vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis INSPI 032. Fractionation analysis of P. zonale suggested that the antibacterial activity attributed to this plant is due to the presence of quercetin derivatives and kaempferol and its derivatives, alongside their synergistic interaction with gallotannins and anthocyanins. Lastly, the three Pelargonium species exhibited notable antioxidant activity, which may be attributed to their high content of total phenolic compounds.

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OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between municipal rates of ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) hospitalization and the quality of primary health care (PHC), socioeconomic, and demographic variables and those related to local characteristics of the health system from 2010 to 2019. METHOD: Ecological time series study in Brazilian municipalities analyzing the correlation of ACSC hospitalization rates with PHC quality measured by the three cycles of the Primary Care Access and Program for improving primary care access and quality (PMAQ-AB). The study included municipalities whose teams participated in 80% or more of at least two PMAQ-AB cycles. The correlation between standardized ACSC hospitalization rates and PHC quality and other variables was analyzed. Spearman's test was used between the response variable and numerical explanatory variables. Generalized equations estimation was used as a multivariate model associating ACSC hospitalization rates with the other variables over the years. RESULTS: A total of 3,500 municipalities were included in the models. The quality of PHC (PMAQ-AB score) showed an inverse association with the variation in ACSC hospitalization rates. Hospitalization rates fell by -2% per year every ten-point increase in the PMAQ-AB score, adjusted by the remaining variables. A one-unit increase in the beds per 1,000 inhabitants variable had an impact of approximately +6.4% on ACSC hospitalization rates. Regarding population size, larger municipalities had lower ACSC hospitalization rates. Increased PHC coverage and lower socioeconomic inequality were also associated with the reduction in hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in ACSC hospitalization rates over time was associated with an increase in the quality of PHC. It was also associated with a reduction in the number of hospital beds and municipalities with better socioeconomic indicators.

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This article addresses the world of healthcare work, especially in the Brazilian Unified Healthcare System (SUS) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. This study used data from the following surveys: "Working conditions of health professionals in the context of COVID-19 in Brazil" and "The Invisible health workers: working conditions and mental health in the context of COVID-19 in Brazil". Data analysis proves that the pandemic highlighted existing structural problems within SUS, involving the issue of healthcare workforce (HWF) management, which can be interpreted as another reflection of the socioeconomic inequalities that already exist in the country. This article highlights: the reduced provision of permanent education, the regulation of hybrid care, precariousness, a lack of protection in the work environment, as well as fragile biosecurity leading to tragic rates of illness and death of health workers. Our study concludes by showing the importance of formulating public policies in the scope of education and work management in SUS that ensure the discussion on hybrid care as a new way of acting without losing quality, together with the need to review issues related to permanent education, protection, valuation, and reduction of inequalities pointed out among the professional contingents analyzed in this article.

O artigo versa sobre o mundo do trabalho da saúde, especialmente no SUS no contexto da pandemia no Brasil. O artigo utilizou dados das pesquisas "Condições de trabalho dos profissionais de saúde no contexto da COVID-19 no Brasil" e "Os trabalhadores invisíveis da saúde: condições de trabalho e saúde mental no contexto da COVID-19 no Brasil". A análise dos dados comprova que a pandemia evidenciou problemas estruturais existentes no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde, envolvendo a gestão da FTS o que pode ser interpretado como mais um dos reflexos das desigualdades socioeconômicas já existentes no país. Destacam-se: a reduzida oferta de educação permanente, a regulação do cuidado híbrido, precarização, desproteção no ambiente de trabalho, frágil biossegurança levando a trágicas taxas de adoecimento e mortes de trabalhadores da saúde. Conclui mostrando a importância de formulação de políticas públicas no âmbito da gestão da educação e do trabalho no SUS que assegurem a discussão sobre cuidado híbrido como nova forma de atuar sem perder qualidade, a necessidade de se rever questões referentes a: educação permanente, proteção, valorização e redução das desigualdades apontadas entre os contingentes profissionais analisados nesse artigo.

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This is an original article that addresses the healthcare workforce (HW) in Brazil, as well as comorbidities and mental health changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and collected data through an online questionnaires from a total of 36,612 participants, health professionals (HP, with higher education level), and invisible healthcare workers (IHW, with a technical mid-level education). The overall prevalence of comorbidities in Brazil was 26.1% and 23.9%; the highest was arterial hypertension (27.4% and 31.9%), followed by obesity (18.4% and 15.1%), chronic respiratory diseases (15.7% and 12.9%), diabetes mellitus (10.3% and 10.4%), and depression/anxiety (9.1% and 11.7%), in the HW and IHW, respectively. The region with the highest frequency was the southeast, where the largest contingent of workers is located. The HW, affected with a high burden of non-communicable chronic diseases and exposed to SARS-CoV-2, proved to be vulnerable to illness and death. Mental symptoms and intense psychological suffering have been reported. These results allow us to estimate the impacts upon physical and mental health, as well as upon living and working conditions of the HW. The health and life of workers, leading role in facing health challenges of the pandemic, are a high priority in public policies.

Trata-se de um artigo original que aborda a força de trabalho (FT) em saúde no Brasil, suas comorbidades e alterações da saúde mental na pandemia da COVID-19. O estudo conduzido pela Fundação Oswaldo Cruz coletou dados por meio de questionário on-line com um total de 36.612 participantes: profissionais de saúde (PS, formação de nível superior), e trabalhadores invisíveis (TI, nível técnico). A prevalência de comorbidades no Brasil foi de 26,1% e 23,9%, a maior foi hipertensão arterial (27,4% e 31,9%), seguida da obesidade (18,4% e 15,1%), doenças crônicas respiratórias (15,7% e 12,9%), diabetes mellitus (10,3% e 10,4%), e depressão/ansiedade (9,1% e 11,7%), nos PS e TI, respectivamente. A região com maior frequência foi a sudeste onde concentra-se o maior contingente de trabalhadores. A FT acometida com alta carga de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis e exposta ao SARS-CoV-2, torna-se vulnerável para o adoecimento e morte. Sintomas mentais e intenso sofrimento psíquico foram relatados. Os resultados deste estudo nos permitem estimar o impacto na saúde física e mental, e nas condições de vida e de trabalho da FT. A saúde e a vida dos trabalhadores, protagonistas no enfrentamento dos desafios da pandemia, são prioridade nas políticas públicas.

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This article discusses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health systems and its effects on the working conditions and mental health of health professionals and invisible health workers. It presents data on deaths among health professionals, highlighting the need for better and safer working conditions and improvements in public management. We emphasize WHO/PAHO recommendations and the need for equitable vaccine distribution, including poor countries and vulnerable populations. We also highlight the impacts of interrupting essential health services, such as the treatment of chronic conditions and infectious disease prevention, and the damage caused by the dissemination of fake news, stressing the need to improve access to correct and safe health information.

Este artigo apresenta os impactos da pandemia nos sistemas de saúde e as repercussões nas condições de trabalho e saúde mental dos profissionais de saúde e trabalhadores invisíveis da saúde no contexto da COVID-19. Apresenta a mortalidade entre os profissionais da saúde destacando a necessidade de melhores condições de trabalho e de segurança para os trabalhadores da saúde e melhora da gestão pública. Enfatiza as recomendações da OMS/OPAS, a necessidade de vacinação equânime, incluindo os países mais pobres e as populações mais vulneráveis. Relata os impactos da interrupção dos serviços essenciais em saúde, como para as doenças crônicas e infecciosas, e os prejuízos causados pela disseminação de informações falsas pela rede social, e lembra da necessidade de veiculação de informações corretas e seguras na saúde.

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Resumo O artigo versa sobre o mundo do trabalho da saúde, especialmente no SUS no contexto da pandemia no Brasil. O artigo utilizou dados das pesquisas "Condições de trabalho dos profissionais de saúde no contexto da COVID-19 no Brasil" e "Os trabalhadores invisíveis da saúde: condições de trabalho e saúde mental no contexto da COVID-19 no Brasil". A análise dos dados comprova que a pandemia evidenciou problemas estruturais existentes no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde, envolvendo a gestão da FTS o que pode ser interpretado como mais um dos reflexos das desigualdades socioeconômicas já existentes no país. Destacam-se: a reduzida oferta de educação permanente, a regulação do cuidado híbrido, precarização, desproteção no ambiente de trabalho, frágil biossegurança levando a trágicas taxas de adoecimento e mortes de trabalhadores da saúde. Conclui mostrando a importância de formulação de políticas públicas no âmbito da gestão da educação e do trabalho no SUS que assegurem a discussão sobre cuidado híbrido como nova forma de atuar sem perder qualidade, a necessidade de se rever questões referentes a: educação permanente, proteção, valorização e redução das desigualdades apontadas entre os contingentes profissionais analisados nesse artigo.

Abstract This article addresses the world of healthcare work, especially in the Brazilian Unified Healthcare System (SUS) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. This study used data from the following surveys: "Working conditions of health professionals in the context of COVID-19 in Brazil" and "The Invisible health workers: working conditions and mental health in the context of COVID-19 in Brazil". Data analysis proves that the pandemic highlighted existing structural problems within SUS, involving the issue of healthcare workforce (HWF) management, which can be interpreted as another reflection of the socioeconomic inequalities that already exist in the country. This article highlights: the reduced provision of permanent education, the regulation of hybrid care, precariousness, a lack of protection in the work environment, as well as fragile biosecurity leading to tragic rates of illness and death of health workers. Our study concludes by showing the importance of formulating public policies in the scope of education and work management in SUS that ensure the discussion on hybrid care as a new way of acting without losing quality, together with the need to review issues related to permanent education, protection, valuation, and reduction of inequalities pointed out among the professional contingents analyzed in this article.

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Resumo Este artigo apresenta os impactos da pandemia nos sistemas de saúde e as repercussões nas condições de trabalho e saúde mental dos profissionais de saúde e trabalhadores invisíveis da saúde no contexto da COVID-19. Apresenta a mortalidade entre os profissionais da saúde destacando a necessidade de melhores condições de trabalho e de segurança para os trabalhadores da saúde e melhora da gestão pública. Enfatiza as recomendações da OMS/OPAS, a necessidade de vacinação equânime, incluindo os países mais pobres e as populações mais vulneráveis. Relata os impactos da interrupção dos serviços essenciais em saúde, como para as doenças crônicas e infecciosas, e os prejuízos causados pela disseminação de informações falsas pela rede social, e lembra da necessidade de veiculação de informações corretas e seguras na saúde.

Abstract This article discusses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health systems and its effects on the working conditions and mental health of health professionals and invisible health workers. It presents data on deaths among health professionals, highlighting the need for better and safer working conditions and improvements in public management. We emphasize WHO/PAHO recommendations and the need for equitable vaccine distribution, including poor countries and vulnerable populations. We also highlight the impacts of interrupting essential health services, such as the treatment of chronic conditions and infectious disease prevention, and the damage caused by the dissemination of fake news, stressing the need to improve access to correct and safe health information.

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Resumo Trata-se de um artigo original que aborda a força de trabalho (FT) em saúde no Brasil, suas comorbidades e alterações da saúde mental na pandemia da COVID-19. O estudo conduzido pela Fundação Oswaldo Cruz coletou dados por meio de questionário on-line com um total de 36.612 participantes: profissionais de saúde (PS, formação de nível superior), e trabalhadores invisíveis (TI, nível técnico). A prevalência de comorbidades no Brasil foi de 26,1% e 23,9%, a maior foi hipertensão arterial (27,4% e 31,9%), seguida da obesidade (18,4% e 15,1%), doenças crônicas respiratórias (15,7% e 12,9%), diabetes mellitus (10,3% e 10,4%), e depressão/ansiedade (9,1% e 11,7%), nos PS e TI, respectivamente. A região com maior frequência foi a sudeste onde concentra-se o maior contingente de trabalhadores. A FT acometida com alta carga de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis e exposta ao SARS-CoV-2, torna-se vulnerável para o adoecimento e morte. Sintomas mentais e intenso sofrimento psíquico foram relatados. Os resultados deste estudo nos permitem estimar o impacto na saúde física e mental, e nas condições de vida e de trabalho da FT. A saúde e a vida dos trabalhadores, protagonistas no enfrentamento dos desafios da pandemia, são prioridade nas políticas públicas.

Abstract This is an original article that addresses the healthcare workforce (HW) in Brazil, as well as comorbidities and mental health changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and collected data through an online questionnaires from a total of 36,612 participants, health professionals (HP, with higher education level), and invisible healthcare workers (IHW, with a technical mid-level education). The overall prevalence of comorbidities in Brazil was 26.1% and 23.9%; the highest was arterial hypertension (27.4% and 31.9%), followed by obesity (18.4% and 15.1%), chronic respiratory diseases (15.7% and 12.9%), diabetes mellitus (10.3% and 10.4%), and depression/anxiety (9.1% and 11.7%), in the HW and IHW, respectively. The region with the highest frequency was the southeast, where the largest contingent of workers is located. The HW, affected with a high burden of non-communicable chronic diseases and exposed to SARS-CoV-2, proved to be vulnerable to illness and death. Mental symptoms and intense psychological suffering have been reported. These results allow us to estimate the impacts upon physical and mental health, as well as upon living and working conditions of the HW. The health and life of workers, leading role in facing health challenges of the pandemic, are a high priority in public policies.

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Introduction: Use of telehealth (TH) resources increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study set out to examine associations between the level of integration of TH resources and the level of Primary Health Care (PHC) structuring to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: This work was a cross-sectional study conducted through the application of a semistructured questionnaire to a sample of 260 PHC Teams working in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from September to December 2020. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee and logged under report number 44.294.637. Results: Two variables were created - Level of the PHC structuring to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and Level of TH structuring. Variables were grouped into five categories (poor to excellent). Associations between variables were examined using the Tukey's test for multiple comparisons and the Spearman correlation coefficient. Variables associated with socioeconomic dimensions (human development index and Gini index) and health care were also analyzed. Levels of TH structuring in PHC ranged from poor (43%) to regular (40%) in most cases. Most PHC teams had regular (56%) or good (37%) levels of PHC structuring to deal with the pandemic. The greater the availability and use of TH resources at a given unit, the better the structure to face COVID-19 (0.45 - p < 0.001). Conclusion: PHC was structured to tackle the pandemic. However, there is a lot to be done before TH resources are effectively incorporated into PHC. Whenever incorporated, TH resources contributed to a more robust response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Biofilms are associated with infections that are resistant to conventional therapies, contributing to the antimicrobial resistance crisis. The need for alternative approaches against biofilms is well-known. Although natural products like stingless bee honeys (tribe: Meliponini) constitute an alternative treatment, much is still unknown. Our main goal was to evaluate the antibiofilm activity of stingless bee honey samples against multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens through biomass assays, fluorescence (cell count and viability), and scanning electron (structural composition) microscopy. We analyzed thirty-five honey samples at 15% (v/v) produced by ten different stingless bee species (Cephalotrigona sp., Melipona sp., M. cramptoni, M. fuscopilosa, M. grandis, M. indecisa, M. mimetica, M. nigrifacies, Scaptotrigona problanca, and Tetragonisca angustula) from five provinces of Ecuador (Tungurahua, Pastaza, El Oro, Los Ríos, and Loja) against 24-h biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida albicans, and Candida tropicalis. The present honey set belonged to our previous study, where the samples were collected in 2018-2019 and their physicochemical parameters, chemical composition, mineral elements, and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) were screened. However, the polyphenolic profile and their antibiofilm activity on susceptible and multidrug-resistant pathogens were still unknown. According to polyphenolic profile of the honey samples, significant differences were observed according to their geographical origin in terms of the qualitative profiles. The five best honey samples (OR24.1, LR34, LO40, LO48, and LO53) belonging to S. problanca, Melipona sp., and M. indecisa were selected for further analysis due to their high biomass reduction values, identification of the stingless bee specimens, and previously reported physicochemical parameters. This subset of honey samples showed a range of 63-80% biofilm inhibition through biomass assays. Fluorescence microscopy (FM) analysis evidenced statistical log reduction in the cell count of honey-treated samples in all pathogens (P <0.05), except for S. aureus ATCC 25923. Concerning cell viability, C. tropicalis, K. pneumoniae ATCC 33495, and K. pneumoniae KPC significantly decreased (P <0.01) by 21.67, 25.69, and 45.62%, respectively. Finally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis demonstrated structural biofilm disruption through cell morphological parameters (such as area, size, and form). In relation to their polyphenolic profile, medioresinol was only found in the honey of Loja, while scopoletin, kaempferol, and quercetin were only identified in honey of Los Rios, and dihydrocaffeic and dihydroxyphenylacetic acids were only detected in honey of El Oro. All the five honey samples showed dihydrocoumaroylhexose, luteolin, and kaempferol rutinoside. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first study to analyze stingless bees honey-treated biofilms of susceptible and/or MDR strains of S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, and Candida species.

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BACKGROUND: Anopheles darlingi is a monotypic species in terms of its morphological, genetic, and behavioral aspects and is the primary transmitter of human malaria (99%) in Brazil, especially in the Brazilian Amazon. In this pioneering study, 15 expressed sequence tag (EST)-simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were obtained and characterized in samples from the municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas state, Brazil, with polymorphisms that can be used for further genetic research. METHODS AND RESULTS: The specimens (from egg to larval stage) collected were bred in the insectary at INPA (National Institute for Amazonian Research). The SSR repeats within the contigs of the A. darlingi EST banks were confirmed on the Vector Base site. DNA was extracted and amplified using polymerase chain reaction and then genotyped. Fifteen polymorphic SSR loci were identified and characterized. The number of alleles totaled 76 and ranged from 2 to 9. The observed heterozygosity varied between 0.026 and 0.769, the expected heterozygosity between 0.025 and 0.776, and the mean polymorphism information content was 0.468. Eight loci showed Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) after Bonferroni correction (P: (5%) ≤ 0.0033). No linkage disequilibrium was found among the loci. CONCLUSIONS: The polymorphic SSRs of the loci have been shown to be efficient for investigation of the variability and genetic population structure of A. darlingi.

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The research interest of the scientific community in biofilm-forming microorganisms is growing due to the problems caused by their infections affecting humans and animals, mainly because of the difficulty of the host immune system in eradicating these microbial complex communities and the increasing antimicrobial resistance rates worldwide. This review describes the virulence factors and their interaction with the microbial communities of four well-known and highly biofilm-forming pathogens, more exactly, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp., and Candida spp. The innate and adaptive immune responses caused by the infection with these microorganisms and their evasion to the host immune system by biofilm formation are discussed in the present work. The relevance of the differences in the expression of certain virulence factors and the immune response in biofilm-associated infections when compared to planktonic infections is usually described as the biofilm architecture protects the pathogen and alters the host immune responses, here we extensively discussed these mechanisms.

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We present structural, electrical, and thermoelectric potential measurements on high-quality single crystals of ZrTe1.8 grown from isothermal chemical vapor transport. These measurements show that the Te-deficient ZrTe1.8, which forms the same structure as the nonsuperconducting ZrTe2, is superconducting below 3.2 K. The temperature dependence of the upper critical field (H c2) deviates from the behavior expected in conventional single-band superconductors, being best described by an electron-phonon two-gap superconducting model with strong intraband coupling. For the ZrTe1.8 single crystals, the Seebeck potential measurements suggest that the charge carriers are predominantly negative, in agreement with the ab initio calculations. Through first-principles calculations within DFT, we show that the slight reduction of Te occupancy in ZrTe2 unexpectedly gives origin to density of states peaks at the Fermi level due to the formation of localized Zr-d bands, possibly promoting electronic instabilities at the Fermi level and an increase at the critical temperature according to the standard BCS theory. These findings highlight that the Te deficiency promotes the electronic conditions for the stability of the superconducting ground state, suggesting that defects can fine-tune the electronic structure to support superconductivity.

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The electrocatalytic properties of Ru complexes are of great technological interest given their potential application in reactions such water splitting and CO2 reduction. In this work, a novel terpyridine-based Ru(II) complex, [RuCl(trpy)(acpy)], trpy = 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine, acpy- = 2-pyridylacetate was synthesized and its spectroscopic, electrochemical and catalytic properties were explored in detail. In dry acetonitrile, the complex exhibits two reduction peaks at -1.95 V and -2.20 V vs. Fc/Fc+, attributed to consecutive 1 e- reduction. Under CO2 atmosphere, a catalytic wave is observed (Eonset = 2.1 V vs. Fc/Fc+), with CO as the main reduction product. Bulk electrolysis reveals a turnover number (TON) of 12 (kobs = 1.5 s-1). In the presence of 1% water, an improvement in the catalytic activity is observed (TONCO = 21 and kobs = 2.0 s-1) and, additionally, formate was also detected (TONHCOO = 7). Spectroelectrochemical experiments allowed the identification of a metallocarboxylate (Ru-COO-) intermediate under anhydrous conditions, while in water, the partial labilization of the acpy- ligand was observed in the course of the catalytic cycle. The experimental data was combined with DFT calculations, allowing the proposal of a catalytic cycle. The results establish important relationships between selectivity, ligand structure and reaction conditions.

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This research reported a hydrogel loaded with the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Eupatorium glutinosum Lam. The E. glutinosum extracts were characterized by phytochemical screening, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and UV/Vis profile identification. This research also evaluated the pharmacological activity of the extracts using antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory assays prior to polymeric encapsulation. Results indicate that extracts inhibit the Escherichia colii DH5-α (Gram negative) growth; excellent antioxidant activity was evaluated by the ferric reducing power and total antioxidant activity assays, and extracts showed an anti-hemolytic effect. Moreover, the cotton and microcrystalline cellulose hydrogels demonstrate successful encapsulation based on characterization and kinetics studies such as FTIR, extract release, and swelling degree. Moreover, effective antibacterial activity was registered by the loaded hydrogel. The overall results encourage and show that Eupatorium glutinosum-loaded hydrogel may find a wide range of bandage and wound healing applications in the biomedical area.

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Horchata, a herbal infusion drink from Ecuador containing a mixture of medicinal plants, has been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, and antioxidant activity. The antibacterial activity of each of the plants contained in the horchata mixture has not been fully evaluated. Thus, in this study, we analysed the antibacterial activity of 21 plants used in horchata, collected from the Ecuadorian Andes region, against bacterial strains of clinical importance. The methanolic extract of Cinnamomum sp. showed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 250 µg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), while Pelargonium odoratissimum exhibited a MIC value of 500 µg/mL towards S. aureus ATCC25923. The high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS) analyses identified in Cinnamomum sp. epicatechin tannins, cinnamaldehyde, and prehelminthosporol molecules, whereas in P. odoratissimum, gallocatechin and epigallocatechin tannins, some flavonoids, and gallic acid and derivatives were identified. Finally, Cinnamomum sp. and P. odoratissimum showed partial inhibition of biofilm formation of S. aureus ATCC25923 and MRSA. Overall, our findings revealed which of the plants used in horchata are responsible for the antibacterial activity attributed to this herbal drink and exhibit the potential for Cinnamomum sp. and P. odoratissimum secondary metabolites to be explored as scaffolds in drug development.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Fungi of the Candida genus are responsible for invasive candidiasis, which affects people all over the world and has high mortality rates. This is due to their virulence factors, which give them great resistance and pathogenicity. In addition, the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains makes it difficult to treat these infections. In this way, natural products have emerged as an alternative to standard drugs, where plants known for their medicinal properties such as Turnera subulata become attractive to research. The present work aimed to analyze the ethanol extract of Turnera subulata leaves against standard strains of Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Candida tropicalis using broth microdilution techniques. The identification of the compounds in T. subulata leaves by LC-MS revealed the presence of a wide variety of substances such as carboxylic acids and terpenes, with flavonoids and fatty acids being more evident. The antifungal assays showed that the extract was not able to inhibit the growth of the tested strains at concentrations with a clinical relevance. However, at higher concentrations, it was able to inhibit the fungal dimorphism of C. albicans and C. tropicalis. It is possible that the T. subulata extract has potential as an inhibitor of fungal virulence factors without affecting the cell viability. Further research should be carried out in order to assess its inhibitory potential for other fungal virulence factors.