The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the activities of the Schistosomiasis Control Program in Brazil: is the goal of controlling the disease by 2030 at risk?

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis continues to represent a serious public health problem in Brazil. With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, several control strategies were suspended, probably compromising the goals of eradicating the disease in the country. We aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Schistosomiasis Control Program (PCE) actions in all endemic states of Brazil. METHODS: We performed an ecological study using spatial analysis techniques. The PCE variables assessed were the population surveyed, the number of Kato-Katz tests, positive cases of schistosomiasis and the percentage of cases treated between 2015 and 2021. The percent change was calculated to verify if there was an increase or decrease in 2020 and 2021, along with time trend analyses provided by the Joinpoint model. Spatial distribution maps were elaborated considering the percent change. RESULTS: The surveyed population decreased in 2020 (-65.38%) and 2021 (-37.94%) across Brazil. There was a proportional reduction in the number of Kato-Katz tests (2020, -67.48%; 2021, -40.52%), a decrease in the percentage of positive cases (2020, -71.16%; 2021, -40.5%) and a reduction in the percentage of treated cases (2020, -72.09%; 2021, -41.67%). Time trend analyses showed a decreasing trend in most PCE variables. CONCLUSIONS: The PCE activities were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and PCE strategies must be urgently reviewed, focusing on investments in all endemic areas.

Instructional videos for parents/guardians of children with lip and palate clefts: integrative literature review.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to review literature from the past five years, focusing on the use of educational videos as a guidance tool for parents and guardians of children with lip and palate clefts. SOURCE OF DATA: Conducted between April and July 2022, this integrative literature review was framed around the question: 'What is the evidence regarding the use of videos in health education for parents/guardians of children with cleft lip and palate? PICO strategy was used to develop the research. A literature search was undertaken across PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Virtual Health Library databases. Of the eight articles included in this review, four were sourced from the PubMed database, with three published in 2021. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS: The findings indicated that YouTube videos were moderately satisfactory and met the needs of parents or legal guardians to a partial extent. The majority of the videos analyzed in this review were characterized by a moderate level of informational content. One study particularly underscored that the content of these videos only partially satisfies the requirements of the parents or legal guardians of the children. CONCLUSIONS: Nevertheless, such videos are considered viable alternatives for health education, offering numerous benefits yet facing challenges, primarily due to the scarcity of information on orofacial malformations.

Angle-closure glaucoma associated with vitreous prolapse after neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminumgarnet laser posterior capsulotomy.

Capsulotomy with neodymium-doped yttriumaluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser is an effective treatment for posterior capsule opacification following cataract surgery. A wide opening of the posterior capsule associated with the ruptured anterior hyaloid can cause anterior chamber vitreous prolapse. Two patients who developed angle-closure glaucoma associated with vitreous prolapse following Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy were successfully treated with antiglaucoma medication and peripheral iridotomies. Patient identification for potential risk factors and a careful postoperative follow-up are essential to avoid these serious complications.

Knowledge, practices and barriers to access sexual health of women in the menopausal stages: a cross-sectional study with Brazilian gynecologists.

BACKGROUND: Sexual health access and care for women in the menopausal stages face significant barriers, presenting deficits in relation to diagnosis and treatment. Although epidemiological data indicate high prevalence of problems related to sexual health in this population, traditionally, the theme is not discussed in health care settings. This study aimed to analyze knowledge, practices and barriers to access sexual health of women in the menopausal stages in the context of women's health care in Brazil. METHODS: With a cross-sectional design, a questionnaire was distributed electronically, encompassing variables related to knowledge; practices; and barriers to access sexual health of women in the menopausal stages. The data obtained were subjected to analysis using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Specifically, we employed multivariate analysis, employing multiple linear regression models, to discern potential factors associated with outcomes concerning the level of knowledge and the frequency of addressing the topic in professional practice. RESULTS: The sample included 70 physicians with specialization in obstetrician/gynecologists who work in health care with women in the menopausal transition or postmenopausal women. A high level of self-reported knowledge about sexual health was identified. Regarding the practices, most of them reported directly proposing the subject and not using instruments. Although they reported frequently addressing the topic in general, topics related to vaginal lubrication, dyspareunia, and sexual dysfunction have been more present in the clinic compared to sexual orientation and women's relationship with themselves. The main barriers were time limitation and patient discomfort with the topic. The multivariate models indicated that female gynecologists and professionals with higher levels of knowledge on the subject had a higher frequency of addressing sexual health in clinical practice with women in menopausal stages. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual health access and care for brazilian women in the menopausal stages presents discrepancies in the frequency of approach between the various topics, in addition to the predictive character of technical knowledge in the practices of professionals. To ensure universal access to sexual health services for this population, an active approach through specific instruments is important, as well as the reinforcement of strategies to improve the level of knowledge of professionals.

Angle-closure glaucoma associated with vitreous prolapse after neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser posterior capsulotomy

ABSTRACT Capsulotomy with neodymium-doped yttrium--aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser is an effective treatment for posterior capsule opacification following cataract surgery. A wide opening of the posterior capsule associated with the ruptured anterior hyaloid can cause anterior chamber vitreous prolapse. Two patients who developed angle-closure glaucoma associated with vitreous prolapse following Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy were successfully treated with antiglaucoma medication and peripheral iridotomies. Patient identification for potential risk factors and a careful postoperative follow-up are essential to avoid these serious complications.

Isospora juruviarae n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from chivi vireos Vireo chivi (Vieillot, 1817) (Passeriformes: Vireonidae) in South America.

Chivi vireos Vireo chivi (Vieillot, 1817) are passerine birds widely distributed throughout Brazil, but mainly observed in the Atlantic Forest of the South and Southeast regions of the country. In this context, the current study identifies a new species of Isospora Schneider, 1881 from V. chivi captured in the Marambaia Island, on the coast of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil. The oocysts of Isospora juruviarae Andrade & Berto n. sp. are subspheroidal to ovoidal, measuring on average 26 by 24 µm. Micropyle is absent or inconspicuous. Oocyst residuum absent, but polar granules are present. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal with pointed posterior end, measuring on average 17 by × 11 µm. Stieda and Sub-Stieda bodies are present. Sporocyst residuum is present among the vermiform sporozoites, which have refractile bodies and nucleus. This morphology was different from the other Isospora spp. recorded in the same family, superfamily and parvorder as the host. Molecular identification was targeted by the amplification and sequencing of two different loci of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene and one locus of the 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S) gene. Phylogenetic analyses were not very efficient in forming monophyletic groups associated with host taxon, zoogeographical region or taxonomic character; however, they confirmed the identification as a new species through comparison with sequences from Isospora spp. of wild passerines. Finally, based on the morphological and molecular analyses of the oocysts recovered from the chivi vireo V. chivi in the current work, I. juruviarae is considered new to science, being the second species recorded in the host family Vireonidae and the first to have a supplementation by molecular identification.

Molecular and statistical approaches to the delimitation of Eimeriidae species: a case of extreme polymorphism in eimerian oocysts from the plumbeous pigeon Patagioenas plumbea (Vieillot, 1818) (Columbiformes) in South America.

The current work aimed to analyze, morphologically, statistically, and molecularly, oocysts shed from plumbeous pigeons, Patagioenas plumbea (Vieillot, 1818), from a locality at 2197 m of altitude near the Agulhas Negras peak, the highest point of the State of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. The oocysts were extremely polymorphic, being subspheroidal, ovoidal, or ellipsoidal, in addition to having the random presence/absence of characteristic features associated with the oocyst wall, such as micropyle, micropyle cap, lateral micropyle, and outer veil/rough wall. Linear regression confirmed the extreme polymorphism of oocysts, showing that if all combinations of taxonomic characters in oocysts (morphotypes) were overestimated, 19 different species could be identified/described. In contrast, the means comparison analysis between oocysts with the presence/absence of characteristic features and the histograms showed equivalences and regularity in the distribution in the classes of measures, which indicate the presence of a single species in the measured oocysts. Molecular analyses were performed from the isolation of individual oocysts of different morphotypes, which had their genetic material extracted, amplified, and sequenced in 4 non-overlapping loci in the cox1 and cox3 genes and fragments of the small and large subunit rDNA of mitochondrial DNA. The sequences were 100% identical between the morphotypes, with the exception of a very small divergence observed at the locus that partially covers the cox3 gene. The phylogenetic analysis was inconclusive for the locus within the cox1 gene traditionally used for eimeriid coccidians; however, the other loci should have a promising future for phylogenetic studies when more sequences for the same genic regions are deposited in GenBank. Finally, the multifactorial analysis of the current work supported that the polymorphic oocysts shed from P. plumbea are a single species, which was named Eimeria patagioenasae, making this the twenty-second eimerian description from Columbiformes.

Reduced HIV/AIDS diagnosis rates and increased AIDS mortality due to late diagnosis in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected global health, leading to the suspension of numerous routine healthcare services and posing challenges in efforts to control other diseases, such as HIV/AIDS. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV/AIDS diagnoses and mortality rates in Brazil during 2020 and 2021. The percentage change was calculated to determine whether there was an increase or decrease in HIV/AIDS diagnoses and mortality, considering the average numbers from the last 5 years. Additionally, a Joinpoint regression model and an interrupted time series analysis were applied to assess time trends before and after the onset of the pandemic. Lastly, choropleth maps were prepared. We observed a reduction of 22.4% (2020) and 9.8% (2021) in the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in Brazil. Conversely, there was a significant increase in the percentage change of late diagnosis of AIDS deaths in 2020 (6.9%) and 2021 (13.9%), with some states showing an increase of over 87%. Decreasing time trends in the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS were identified before the pandemic in Brazil, especially in the Southeast and South regions, and then time trends stabilized after including the pandemic years. Along with the dissemination of COVID-19, there was a reduction in the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS and an increase in late diagnosis AIDS deaths, signaling a serious impact of the pandemic on HIV/AIDS control strategies in Brazil. Therefore, we highlight the need for continuous efforts to control both diseases, that is, maintaining regular health services even in crisis situations.

Effects of the probiotic Bacillus cereus GM on experimental schistosomiasis mansoni.

Probiotics contribute to the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and preventing dysbiosis caused by opportunistic pathogens, such as intestinal helminths. Bacillus cereus GM obtained from Biovicerin® was cultured to obtain spores for in vivo evaluation on experimental schistosomiasis. The assay was performed for 90 days, where all animals were infected with 50 cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni on the 15th day. Three experimental groups were formed, as follows: G1-saline solution from the 1st until the 90th day; G2-B. cereus GM (105 spores in 300 µL of sterile saline) from the 1st until the 90th day; and G3-B. cereus GM 35th day (onset of oviposition) until the 90th day. G2 showed a significant reduction of 43.4% of total worms, 48.8% of female worms and 42.5% of eggs in the liver tissue. In G3, the reduction was 25.2%, 29.1%, and 44% of the total number of worms, female worms, and eggs in the liver tissue, respectively. G2 and G3 showed a 25% (p < 0.001) and 22% (p < 0.001) reduction in AST levels, respectively, but ALT levels did not change. ALP levels were reduced by 23% (p < 0.001) in the G2 group, but not in the G3. The average volume of granulomas reduced (p < 0.0001) 65.2% and 46.3% in the liver tissue and 83.0% and 53.2% in the intestine, respectively, in groups G2 and G3. Th1 profile cytokine (IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-6) and IL-17 were significantly increased (p < 0.001) stimulated with B. cereus GM in groups G2 and G3. IL-4 showed significant values when the stimulus was mediated by ConA. By modulating the immune response, B. cereus GM reduced the burden of worms, improved some markers of liver function, and reduced the granulomatous inflammatory reaction in mice infected with S. mansoni, especially when administered before infection.

Phytocannabinoids: Pharmacological effects, biomedical applications, and worldwide prospection.

Scientific evidence exists about the association between neurological diseases (i.e., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis, depression, and memory loss) and oxidative damage. The increasing worldwide incidence of such diseases is attracting the attention of researchers to find palliative medications to reduce the symptoms and promote quality of life, in particular, in developing countries, e.g., South America and Africa. Among potential alternatives, extracts of Cannabis Sativa L. are suitable for people who have neurological disorders, spasticity, and pain, nausea, resulting from diseases such as cancer and arthritis. In this review, we discuss the latest developments in the use of Cannabis, its subtypes and constituents, extraction methods, and relevant pharmacological effects. Biomedical applications, marketed products, and prospects for the worldwide use of Cannabis Sativa L. extracts are also discussed, providing the bibliometric maps of scientific literature published in representative countries from South America (i.e., Brazil) and Africa (i.e., South Africa). A lack of evidence on the effectiveness and safety of Cannabis, besides the concerns about addiction and other adverse events, has led many countries to act with caution before changing Cannabis-related regulations. Recent findings are expected to increase the social acceptance of Cannabis, while new technologies seem to boost the global cannabis market because the benefits of (-)-trans-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) use have been proven in several studies in addition to the potential to general new employment.

Existing workloads among managers and healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Meanings in the Amazon context.

INTRODUCTION: The global COVID-19 pandemic has increased the concern and risks of health professionals exposed by acting on the front lines in combating and controlling the spread of the virus. This study aims at analyzing the workloads and their implications for the activities carried out by managers and health workers in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. METHOD: This is a qualitative study, of the case study type, that integrates a macro research that deals with the experiences built during the confrontation of the pandemic of COVID-19 in the capital of the state of Amazonas, Brazil, the epicenter of the pandemic in the country. Data production resorted to documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews with 56 managers or professionals from the Manaus Health Care Network. The analytical process was supported by the resources of the Atlas.ti 8.0 software and the precepts of Thematic Networks analysis. RESULTS: The thematic network "workloads" brought together three topics related to the experience of psychological, physiological and biological loads. Psychological workloads were strongly present in the work routine, being referred to in a more significant way. The sources that increase them are strongly related to work stress, dealing with suffering and death and excess demand on the service. Physiological loads were related to excessive working hours, staff shortages and activity overload. "Biological burdens" include exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, constant contact with infected individuals, and individual protection as key elements of this set. CONCLUSION: The study showed that both managers and workers have work processes and environments with conditions that tend to generate workloads that harm their health and safety, as well as institutions and patient care. Therefore, there is a need for more effective organizational actions in workers' health surveillance, disease prevention, adequate working conditions, reducing workloads and promoting more resolute and less stressful work environments.

Path of fear: Experiences of health professionals in the fight against COVID-19.

This study aimed to understand the expressions of fear in the journeys of health professionals who worked in the confrontation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), in the city of Manaus, in the Brazilian Western Amazon. This is an exploratory qualitative study that adopts interpretive description as a method to generate informed knowledge responsive to the needs of the practice. We included 56 participants, comprising 23 health managers and 33 health workers (middle and higher level) of different professional categories. The results revealed three circles of experience: (1) knowledge and professional experience in dealing with the disease (unknown-known-experienced); (2) the growing proximity to death and loss (predicted-witnessed-suffered); and (3) the involvement and proximity to whatever affects the individual, their emotions, and personal transformations in the face of the threat (the collective, the neighbor, and oneself). Our results suggest that health professionals who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic in Manaus experienced insecurity, dread, and fear, illustrating the complexity of developing their activities in the front line of care and management during the different phases of the pandemic. A contribution of the study is precisely that of capturing this complexity, which suggests the impossibility of analyzing fear only in its simple manifestation, or in each circle of experience.

A relação entre o comprometimento motor e os sintomas depressivos na doença de Parkinson / The relationship between motor impairment and depressive symptoms in Parkinson's disease

Trata-se de um estudo transversal retrospectivo que incluiu 27 pessoas com doença de Parkinson (DP), diagnosticados por neurologista. O objetivo do estudo foi analisar o tipo de correlação entre o grau de comprometimento motor e grau de depressão em pessoas com DP, tendo como hipótese que quanto maior o grau de comprometimento motor proporcionado pela doença, maior o grau de depressão. Foram utilizados os instrumentos Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI II) para a medida de sintomas depressivos e do grau de depressão, e a escala Hoehn & Yahr foi aplicada para identificação do grau de comprometimento motor. Foram excluídos indivíduos que não preencheram um dos instrumentos do estudo, selecionando apenas as pessoas com DP que preencheram ambos os instrumentos. Verificou-se uma correlação positiva e significativa entre os resultados do BDI -II e a escala Hoehn & Yahr modificada (r = 0,41, p = 0,035). O estudo identificou, portanto, uma associação crescente e positiva entre o grau de comprometimento motor das pessoas com DP e a presença de sintomas de depressão. Com isso, foi possível concluir que, uma pessoa com DP e maior grau de comprometimento motor, tende a apresentar maior número de sintomas depressivos e, consequentemente maior grau de depressão e vice-versa. Portanto, deve-se dedicar maior atenção à saúde mental dos casos em que a doença se expressa com maior comprometimento motor.

This is a retrospective cross-sectional study that included 27 people with Parkinson's disease (PD), diagnosed by a neurologist. The objective of the study was to analyze the type of correlation between the degree of physical impairment and degree of depression in people with PD, having as hypothesis that the greater the degree of physical impairment provided by the disease, the greater the degree of depression. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI II) was used to measure depressive symptoms and the degree of depression, and the modified Hoehn & Yahr scale was applied to identify the degree of physical impairment. Individuals who did not complete one of the study instruments were excluded, selecting only those people with PD who completed both instruments. A positive and significant correlation can be verified between the results of the BDI -II and the Hoehn & Yahr scale (r = 0.41, p = 0.035). The study identified, therefore, an increasing and positive association between the degree of motor impairment of people with PD and the presence of symptoms of depression. With this, it was possible to conclude that, a person with PD and a higher degree of motor impairment, tends to present a higher number of depressive symptoms and, consequently, a higher level of depression and vice versa. Thus, the more physically compromised the person with PD is, the greater the association with a more severe depression. Therefore, greater attention should be paid to mental health in cases in which the disease is expressed with greater physical impairment.

Repercussions and Legacy of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Manaus, Brazil: The Health Managers' Perspective.

The present study aimed to know and analyze the repercussions and legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic for the Unified Health System from the perspective of health managers working in Manaus, a city considered the epicenter of the pandemic in Brazil. This qualitative research was designed as the study of a single incorporated case and conducted with 23 Health Care Network managers. The analysis was applied in two thematic coding cycles (values and focused coding methods), with the aid of the ATLAS.ti software. The categories we analyzed covered the lessons learned within the scope of the work process, change in stance, and human values, as well as the coping strategies adopted by individual or team initiatives or by the incorporation of innovations in practices. This study highlighted the importance of strengthening primary health care; of promoting team spirit in the service and establishing partnerships with public and private institutions, of being integrated with the training in complex situations, and of reflecting on human values and appreciation of life. Coping with the pandemic promoted an in-depth reflection about the functioning of the Unified Health System and the individual ways of being.

A chimeric antigen receptor uniquely recognizing MICA/B stress proteins provides an effective approach to target solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: The advent of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies has transformed the treatment of hematological malignancies; however, broader therapeutic success of CAR T cells has been limited in solid tumors because of their frequently heterogeneous composition. Stress proteins in the MICA and MICB (MICA/B) family are broadly expressed by tumor cells following DNA damage but are rapidly shed to evade immune detection. METHODS: We have developed a novel CAR targeting the conserved α3 domain of MICA/B (3MICA/B CAR) and incorporated it into a multiplexed-engineered induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived natural killer (NK) cell (3MICA/B CAR iNK) that expressed a shedding-resistant form of the CD16 Fc receptor to enable tumor recognition through two major targeting receptors. FINDINGS: We demonstrated that 3MICA/B CAR mitigates MICA/B shedding and inhibition via soluble MICA/B while simultaneously exhibiting antigen-specific anti-tumor reactivity across an expansive library of human cancer cell lines. Pre-clinical assessment of 3MICA/B CAR iNK cells demonstrated potent antigen-specific in vivo cytolytic activity against both solid and hematological xenograft models, which was further enhanced in combination with tumor-targeted therapeutic antibodies that activate the CD16 Fc receptor. CONCLUSIONS: Our work demonstrated 3MICA/B CAR iNK cells to be a promising multi-antigen-targeting cancer immunotherapy approach intended for solid tumors. FUNDING: Funded by Fate Therapeutics and NIH (R01CA238039).

TREM2 macrophages drive NK cell paucity and dysfunction in lung cancer.

Natural killer (NK) cells are commonly reduced in human tumors, enabling many to evade surveillance. Here, we sought to identify cues that alter NK cell activity in tumors. We found that, in human lung cancer, the presence of NK cells inversely correlated with that of monocyte-derived macrophages (mo-macs). In a murine model of lung adenocarcinoma, we show that engulfment of tumor debris by mo-macs triggers a pro-tumorigenic program governed by triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2). Genetic deletion of Trem2 rescued NK cell accumulation and enabled an NK cell-mediated regression of lung tumors. TREM2+ mo-macs reduced NK cell activity by modulating interleukin (IL)-18/IL-18BP decoy interactions and IL-15 production. Notably, TREM2 blockade synergized with an NK cell-activating agent to further inhibit tumor growth. Altogether, our findings identify a new axis, in which TREM2+ mo-macs suppress NK cell accumulation and cytolytic activity. Dual targeting of macrophages and NK cells represents a new strategy to boost antitumor immunity.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the actions of the Schistosomiasis Control Program in an endemic area in Northeastern Brazil.

Schistosomiasis remains a serious public health concern in Brazil and the Schistosomiasis Control Program (PCE) was elaborated to assist in the control of the disease. Nevertheless, the irruption of the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the program. Herein, we assessed the impact of the pandemic on PCE actions in an endemic area in the region with the highest positivity rate for schistosomiasis in Brazil. We conducted an ecological, population-based study using data from the PCE of the state of Alagoas, between 2015 and 2021, to calculate the percentage of change. The temporal trend analysis was performed using the segmented log-linear regression model. To evaluate the spatial distribution of the data, choropleth maps were made showing the values of the% of change. Moran maps was elaborated to indicate the critical areas. Our analysis showed a decrease in the population surveyed in 2020 (-41.00%) and 2021 (-18.42%). Likewise, there was a reduction in the number of Kato-Katz tests performed (2020 = -43.45%; and in 2021 = -19.63%) and, consequently, a drop in the rate of positive tests (-37.98% in 2020 and -26.14% in 2021). Importantly, treatment of positive cases was lower than 80% (77.44% in 2020 and 77.38% in 2021). Additionally, spatial clusters with negative percentage values of up to -100% of the PCE indicators were identified mostly in the municipalities of the coastal areas that are historically most affected by schistosomiasis. Taken together, our analyzes corroborate that PCE actions in endemic municipalities of Alagoas were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thermotropic Behavior and Structural Organization of C24:1 Sulfatide Dispersions and Its Mixtures with Cationic Bilayers.

C24:1 sulfatide (SF) is an endogenous activator of type II NKT cells. The thermotropic behavior and structure of SF dispersions and its mixtures (4.8-16.6 mol %) with cationic dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) bilayers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The non-interdigitated lamellar structures formed by pure SF display broad thermal events around 27.5 °C when heated and cooled. These events disappear upon mixing with DODAB, showing complete lipid miscibility. SF decreases the DODAB gel-phase packing, with a consequent decrease in phase-transition temperatures and cooperativity upon heating. In contrast, SF increases the rigidity of the DODAB fluid phase, resulting in a smaller decrease in transition temperatures upon cooling. The hysteresis between heating and cooling decreased as the SF molar fraction increased. These effects on DODAB are similar to the ones described for other glycolipids, such as αGalCer and ßGlcCer. This might be due to the orientation of the rigid and planar amide bond that connects their sphingoid bases and acyl chains, which result in a V-shaped conformation of the glycolipid molecules. The current results may be important to plan and develop new immunotherapeutic tools based on SF.

The Latest Breakthroughs in Immunotherapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia, with a Special Focus on NKG2D Ligands.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy characterized by clonal expansion of stem and myeloid progenitor cells. Immunotherapy has revolutionized the care for other cancers such as solid tumors and lymphomas, and has the potential to effectively treat AML. There has been substantial progress in the developments of immunotherapeutic approaches for AML over the last several years, including the development of antibodies that further increase the innate immunogenicity of leukemia cells by the inhibition of NKG2D ligand-particularly MICA and MICB-shedding, chimeric proteins such as IL-15 superagonist that expand natural killer (NK) cells, blockers of immunologic checkpoints such as NKG2A, and chemicals that indirectly increase expression of immune stimulatory proteins in leukemia stem cells. Furthermore, cellular therapies have been designed to enable alloreactive immunity by allogeneic NK cells or target leukemia antigens such as mutated NPM1. These immunotherapeutic approaches have demonstrated remarkable efficacies in preclinical studies and have successfully transitioned to early phase clinical trials, to establish safety and initial signal of clinical activity. Here, we briefly discuss some of the most recent and impactful developments in the AML immunotherapy field and provide our perspectives for the future directions of this exciting and new therapeutic opportunity.

Evidências científicas acerca da doação e cuidados na coleta de leite humano em domicílio / Scientific evidence about donation and precautions in the collection of human milk at home

Objetivo: Sintetizar evidências na literatura científica acerca da doação e cuidados na coleta de leite humano em domicílio. Métodos: Revisão integrativa que teve como questão de pesquisa: quais cuidados devem ser realizados por doadoras de leite humano durante a coleta domiciliar? Através de descritores, foram realizadas buscas nas bibliotecas MedLine, LILACS e SciELO. O período dos estudos selecionados foi de 2017 a 2020. Resultados: Foram incluídos 11 artigos. As categorias que emergiram foram: a informação sobre a doação de leite começa no pré-natal e se estende ao domicílio; limites a superar quanto à coleta de leite humano; mitos e verdades sobre doação de leite humano. A síntese dos achados permitiu identificar um conjunto deaspectos que precisam ser considerados no agir cuidativo durante as orientações da coleta de leite humano. Conclusão: Ainformação sobre a doação de leite humano precisa ser uma estratégia transversal, do pré-natal ao domicílio. Os cuidados na coleta envolvem tanto o ambiente e condições da doadora quanto a ordenha em si e o acondicionamento do leite coletado. Descritores:Banco de leite. Aleitamento materno. Compartilhamento de leite. Leite humano.

Objective: To synthesize evidence in the scientific literature about donation and precautions in the collection of human milk at home.Methods: Integrative review whose research question was: what precautions should be taken by human milk donors during home collection? Through descriptors, searches were performed in MedLine, LILACS and SciELO libraries. The period of selected studies was from 2017 to 2020. Results: 11 articles were included. The categories that emerged were: information on milk donation begins in prenatal care and extends to the home; limits to be overcome regarding the collection of human milk; myths and truths about human milk donation. The synthesis of the findings allowed usto identify a set of aspects that need to be considered in the care action during the guidelines for the collection of human milk. Conclusion: Information on human milk donation needs to be a transversal strategy, from prenatal care to home. Precautions during the collection involves both the environment and conditions of the donor as well as the milking itself and the packaging of the collected milk. Descriptors:Milk bank. Breast feeding. Milk sharing. Human milk.