Clusters of Pregnant Women with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Due to COVID-19: An Unsupervised Learning Approach.

COVID-19 has been widely explored in relation to its symptoms, outcomes, and risk profiles for the severe form of the disease. Our aim was to identify clusters of pregnant and postpartum women with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to COVID-19 by analyzing data available in the Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance Information System of Brazil (SIVEP-Gripe) between March 2020 and August 2021. The study's population comprised 16,409 women aged between 10 and 49 years old. Multiple correspondence analyses were performed to summarize information from 28 variables related to symptoms, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics into a set of continuous principal components (PCs). The population was segmented into three clusters based on an agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis applied to the first 10 PCs. Cluster 1 had a higher frequency of younger women without comorbidities and with flu-like symptoms; cluster 2 was represented by women who reported mainly ageusia and anosmia; cluster 3 grouped older women with the highest frequencies of comorbidities and poor outcomes. The defined clusters revealed different levels of disease severity, which can contribute to the initial risk assessment of the patient, assisting the referral of these women to health services with an appropriate level of complexity.

Serotonergic mechanisms associated with experimental models of hypoxia: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: The aim of this systematic review was to explore and discuss the literature concerning the effects of hypoxia or anoxia during the perinatal period on the serotoninergic network in rodents, through mechanisms that lead to changes in serotonergic neurons, levels, segments of central nervous system affected, 5-HT transporter, and 5-HT receptor. METHODS: Literature searches were performed in Embase, Medline (PubMed), Web of Science, and SCOPUS, from April to July 2021, with a total of 1045 published studies found. Using a predefined protocol, as registered on the CAMARADES website, 10 articles were included in this review. The PRISMA statement was used for reporting this systematic review. The internal validity was assessed using the SYRCLE's risk of bias tool. RESULTS: Our main findings show that hypoxia in the first days of postnatal life led to a disturbance in the serotonergic system with reduced in 5-HT fibers, reduced brain levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA, reduced SERT protein expression, and reduced receptor 5-HT7 . Putative mechanisms involving damage in the serotoninergic system include retrograde cell death resulting from primary damage mainly in forebrain areas, which impairs remote areas including serotonergic raphe nuclei. Other probable mechanisms associated with the serotoninergic network damage may be triggered by excitotoxic lesion and neuroinflammation. CONCLUSION: Hypoxia at the beginning of an animal's life leads to modification of the serotonergic components associated with putative mechanisms that include cell damage and neuroinflammation.

L-tryptophan administration and increase in cerebral serotonin levels: Systematic review.

The amino acid tryptophan (2-Amino-3-(lH-indol-3-yl)-propanoic acid; Trp) is a precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) that performs various brain functions. The administration of Trp is used in experimental studies to manipulate the serotonergic system, however the dose of Trp required to raise brain 5-HT levels is controversial. The aim of this study was to systemically review the effect of the administration of different doses of Trp on cerebral 5-HT levels. Two independent authors conducted a systematic review in the electronic databases. Twenty-five studies were included in the present review. Trp was administered orally, intraperitoneally or subcutaneous in adult animals. The brain 5-HT levels elevated after Trp administration in different intensities, dependent of the brain region evaluated and the time of administration. Further studies are needed to assess the dose-response of Trp administration to brain 5-HT levels.

Viability of probiotic Lactobacillus casei in yoghurt: defining the best processing step to its addition.

Probiotics are live microorganisms capable of producing beneficial effects on its host when consumed in adequate amounts. To exert these effects, foods must contain probiotic microorganisms in populations above 10(6) CFU/g or mL throughout its shelf life. One of the strategies to ensure high population of probiotics in fermented milk is to add them during or after the fermentation process separately from the starter cultures. The objective of this study was to investigate the behavior of the probiotic microorganism Lactobacillus casei added to yoghurt in different stages of production. Yoghurts with L. casei were produced at different stages: before addition of starter (Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus), added together with this culture and at the end of fermentation. Yoghurt without probiotic added was produced as a control. The products were stored at 4 degrees C and analyzed after 1, 7, 14 and 21 days of storage. In these periods, the populations ofprobiotic and starter cultures were enumerated and the parameters pH and acidity were analyzed. The results were evaluated using analysis of variance and Tukey's test, both at 5% significance level. L. casei remained viable in populations of more than 10(8) CFU / g during 21 days of storage, which is suitable to define the formulations as probiotics. When the different stages of the addition of probiotics in yoghurts were evaluated there was no statistical difference between the formulations (p < 0.05) for populations of L. casei except for the first day of storage.

Viability of probiotic Lactobacillus casei in yoghurt: defining the best processing step to its addition / Viabilidade de Lactobacillus casei probiótico em iogurte natural: definição da melhor etapa de processamento para sua adição

Probiotics are live microorganisms capable of producing beneficial effects on its host when consumed in adequate amounts. To exert these effects, foods must contain probiotic microorganisms in populations above 106 CFU / g or mL throughout its shelf life. One of the strategies to ensure high population of probiotics in fermented milk is to add them during or after the fermentation process separately from the starter cultures. The objective of this study was to investigate the behavior of the probiotic microorganism Lactobacillus casei added to yoghurt in different stages of production. Yoghurts with L. casei were produced at different stages: before addition of starter (Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus), added together with this culture and at the end of fermentation. Yoghurt without probiotic added was produced as a control. The products were stored at 4 °C and analyzed after 1, 7, 14 and 21 days of storage. In these periods, the populations of probiotic and starter cultures were enumerated and the parameters pH and acidity were analyzed. The results were evaluated using analysis of variance and Tukey's test, both at 5% significance level. L. casei remained viable in populations of more than 108 CFU / g during 21 days of storage, which is suitable to define the formulations as probiotics. When the different stages of the addition of probiotics in yoghurts were evaluated there was no statistical difference between the formulations (p<0.05) for populations of L. casei except for the first day of storage.

Probióticos são microrganismos capazes de produzir efeitos benéficos sobre seu hospedeiro, quando consumidos vivos e em quantidades adequadas. Para que exerçam esses efeitos, os alimentos probióticos devem conter tais microrganismos em populações acima de 106 UFC/g ou mL, durante toda sua validade. Uma das estratégias para garantir a alta população dos probióticos em leites fermentados é adicioná-los durante ou após o processo de fermentação separadamente das culturas starter. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o comportamento do microrganismo probiótico Lactobacillus casei adicionado em iogurte natural, em diferentes etapas do processo de produção. Foram produzidos iogurtes com adição de L. casei em diferentes etapas: antes da suplementação com o starter (Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus e Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus), juntamente com essa cultura e após o término da fermentação. Além disso, um iogurte controle (sem probiótico) foi produzido. Os produtos foram estocados a 4°C e analisados após 1, 7, 14 e 21 dias de armazenamento. Nesses períodos, foram enumeradas as populações das culturas probiótica e starter e avaliados os parâmetros físico-químicos (pH e acidez). Os resultados obtidos foram avaliados através de análise de variância e teste de Tukey, ambos ao nível de 5% de significância.L. casei mantevese viável e em populações superiores a 108 UFC/g durante os 21 dias de armazenamento, suficientes para que as formulações fossem definidas como probióticas. Quando as diferentes etapas de adição do probiótico aos iogurtes foram avaliadas, com exceção do 1º dia, não houve diferença estatística entre as formulações (p<0,05) para as populações de L. casei.