Researcher-patient partnership generated actionable recommendations, using quantitative evaluation and deliberative dialogue, to improve meaningful engagement.

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate how the 22-item Patient Engagement in Research Scale (PEIRS-22) can be used to develop recommendations for improving the meaningfulness of patient engagement. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: PEIRS-22 previously captured quantitative evaluation data from 15 patient partners in a self-study of the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Evidence Alliance. Guided by deliberative dialogue, the current study involved 3 steps: (1) In-depth analysis and interpretation of the PEIRS-22 data produced a lay evidence summary with identified areas for improvement of meaningful engagement; (2) A 3-hour virtual workshop with patient partners and researchers generated initial recommendations; and (3) In two successive post-workshop surveys, ratings by workshop invitees led to consensus on the recommendations. RESULTS: Twenty-five participants attended the workshops and dialogued on 8 areas for improvement identified from the PEIRS-22 data. Twenty-eight unique initial recommendations led to consensus on 14 key recommendations organized across 4 categories: setting expectations for all team members, building trust and ongoing communication, providing opportunities to enhance learning and to develop skills, and acknowledging contributions of patient partners. CONCLUSION: Using PEIRS-22 data within a deliberate dialogue elucidated 14 actionable recommendations to support ongoing improvement of patient engagement at SPOR Evidence Alliance, a pan-Canadian health research initiative.

Toward anthelmintic drug candidates for toxocariasis: Challenges and recent developments.

Infections caused by parasitic helminths rank among the most prevalent infections of humans and animals. Toxocariasis, caused by nematodes of the genus Toxocara, is one of the most widespread and economically important zoonotic parasitic infections that humans share with dogs and cats. Despite the completion of the Toxocara canis draft genome project, which has been an important step towards advancing the understanding of this parasite and the search for drug targets, the treatment of toxocariasis has been dependent on a limited set of drugs, necessitating the search for novel anthelmintic agents, specially against Toxocara larvae in tissues. Given that research, development, and innovation are crucial to finding appropriate solutions in the fight against helminthiasis, this paper reviews the progress made in the discovery of anthelmintic drug candidates for toxocariasis. The main compounds reported in the recent years regards on analogues of albendazole, reactive quinone derivatives and natural produts and its analogues. Nanoparticles and formulations were also reviewed. The in vitro and/or in vivo anthelmintic properties of such alternatives are herein discussed as well as the opportunities and challenges for treatment of human toxocariasis. The performed review clarify that the scarcity of validated molecular targets and limited chemical space explored are the main bottlenecks for advancing in the field of anti-Toxocara agents.

The effectiveness of passive ultrasonic irrigation and the easy-clean instrument for removing remnants of filling material.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) and the easy clean instrument by micro-computed tomography (CT) for removing remnant filling materials during endodontic retreatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty mesial roots of mandibular molars were divided into four groups (n = 10) according to the agitation system and sealer used: Group 1: PUI/AH Plus; Group 2: PUI/TotalFill; Group 3: Easy Clean/AH Plus; and Group 4: Easy Clean/TotalFill. The groups were compared by micro-CT analysis according to the volumes of the obturation and the remaining material before and after the agitation systems were used. RESULTS: There was no difference between the groups for total filling volume and initial and final remaining filling volume (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both the PUI and easy-clean instrument are effective for removing remnants of filling material with no difference between the groups.

Characterization of scale deposition in oil pipelines through X-Ray Microfluorescence and X-Ray microtomography.

The formation of scales consists in one of the most relevant problems in the oil prospecting field and occurs when incompatible types of water (injected sea water and formation water) are mixed in the reservoir, unavoidably undergoing chemical interaction followed by mineral precipitation. In this work, scale samples extracted from obstructed oil pipes were characterized through X-Ray Microfluorescence and X-Ray microtomography by analyzing their elemental and structural composition. Different types of scale were found according to their elemental distribution (mainly BaSO4 and CaCO3) and to the way that they were deposited inside the pipes. The results of both techniques provided data that can be used to optimize the prevention and removal methods of such materials from pipes and equipments used in oil facilities.

Influence of low contents of superhydrophilic MWCNT on the properties and cell viability of electrospun poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) fibers.

The use of poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) in tissue engineering, more specifically in bone regeneration, has been underexplored to date due to its poor mechanical resistance. In order to overcome this drawback, this investigation presents an approach into the preparation of electrospun nanocomposite fibers from PBAT and low contents of superhydrophilic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (sMWCNT) (0.1-0.5wt.%) as reinforcing agent. We employed a wide range of characterization techniques to evaluate the properties of the resulting electrospun nanocomposites, including Field Emission Scanning Electronic Microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission Electronic Microscopy (TEM), tensile tests, contact angle measurements (CA) and biological assays. FE-SEM micrographs showed that while the addition of sMWCNT increased the presence of beads on the electrospun fibers' surfaces, the increase of the neat charge density due to their presence reduced the fibers' average diameter. The tensile test results pointed that sMWCNT acted as reinforcement in the PBAT electrospun matrix, enhancing its tensile strength (from 1.3 to 3.6MPa with addition of 0.5wt.% of sMWCNT) and leading to stiffer materials (lower elongation at break). An evaluation using MG63 cells revealed cell attachment into the biomaterials and that all samples were viable for biomedical applications, once no cytotoxic effect was observed. MG-63 cells osteogenic differentiation, measured by ALP activity, showed that mineralized nodules formation was increased in PBAT/0.5%CNTs when compared to control group (cells). This investigation demonstrated a feasible novel approach for producing electrospun nanocomposites from PBAT and sMWCNT with enhanced mechanical properties and adequate cell viability levels, which allows for a wide range of biomedical applications for these materials.

Study of the Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn dynamics in soil, plants and bee pollen from the region of Teresina (PI), Brazil.

The purpose of this study is to characterize native bee plants regarding their capacity to extract and accumulate trace elements from the soil and its consequences to the sanity of the produced pollen. The trace elements Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn were analyzed in soil, plants and bee pollen from Teresina region (PI), Brazil, by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Considering the studied plant species, Cu and Pb metals presented in the highest levels in the roots of B. platypetala with 47.35 and 32.71 µg.mL(-1) and H. suaveolens with 39.69 and 17.06 µg.mL(-1), respectively, while in the aerial parts Mn and Zn metals presented the highest levels in S. verticillata with 199.18 and 85.73 µg.mL(-1). In the pollen, the levels of Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn vary from 5.44 to 11.75 µg.mL(-1); 34.31 to 85.75 µg.mL(-1); 13.98 to 18.19 µg.mL(-1) and 50.19 to 90.35 µg.mL(-1), respectively. These results indicate that in the apicultural pasture the translocation (from soil to pollen) of Mn and Zn was more effective than in case of Cu and Pb, therefore, the bee pollen can be used as food supplement without causing risks to human health.

Determination of glyphosate in water samples by multi-pumping flow system coupled to a liquid waveguide capillary cell.

A simple screening method was developed for the determination of glyphosate in water samples using a multi-pumping flow system. The proposed method is based on the reaction between glyphosate and p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (p-DAC), in an acid medium where the reaction product can be measured spectrophotometrically at λ(max) = 495 nm. An experimental design methodology was used to optimize the measurement conditions. The proposed method was applied to the determination of glyphosate in water samples in a concentration range from 0.5 to 10 µg mL(-1). The limit of detection and quantification were 0.17 and 0.53 µg mL(-1), respectively. The results obtained (88.5 to 104.5%) in recovery studies for the determination of glyphosate in different water samples indicated good accuracy and no matrix effect for the developed method. Samples were also analyzed by a confirmatory HPLC method, and agreement within the two set of results was found.

A invenção do desejo: do projeto à interpretação dos sonhos / The invention of desire: from the project to the interpretation of dreams

Os autores se propõem a revisitar a construção freudiana do desejo, do Projeto para uma psicologia científica à interpretação dos sonhos, momento fundante da metapsicologia. Para tal, ressaltam alguns aspectos da história do desejo vigente no período pré-psicanalítico, com o intuito de contemplar diferenças e semelhanças com a concepção inaugurada por Freud. Têm por meta destacar os elementos mais relevantes desse conceito central para o conhecimento psicanalítico, cuja essência situa-se no incesto e no parricídio

A construçäo de uma metodologia observacional para o estudo de crianças em situaçäo de rua: criando um manual de codificaçäo de atividades cotidianas / The construction of an observational method of studing children in the context of the street: creating a manual to codify daily activities

Este estudo teve por objetivo descrever uma metodologia criada para a observaçäo de crianças em situaçäo de rua em seu ambiente natural. Questöes sobre o desenvolvimento dessas crianças, sobre a utilizaçäo e significado do espaço da rua e sobre os aspectos metodológicos foram relevantes para a realizaçäo deste tipo de estudo. Os resultados encontram-se condensados em um manual criado especialmente para a codificaçäo das atividades cotidianas apresentadas pelas crianças em situaçäo de rua. A discussäo enfatiza a importância da realizaçäo de estudos observacionais exploratórios e descritivos para avaliar o processo de criaçäo de metodologias específicas para entender e analisar o desenvolvimento humano em situaçöes de risco. A aplicabilidade deste método é discutida como conhecimento produzido pela Psicologia do Desenvolvimento

A construcao de uma metodologia observacional para o estudo de criancas em situacao de rua: criando um manual de codificacao de atividades cotidianas

Este estudo teve por objetivo descrever uma metodologia criada para a observacao de criancas em situacao de rua em seu ambiente natural. Questoes sobre o desenvolvimento dessas criancas, sobre a utilizacao e significado do espaco da rua e sobre os aspectos metodologicos foram relevantes para a realizacao deste tipo de estudo. Os resultados encontram-se condensados em um manual criado especialmente para a codificacao das atividades cotidianas apresentadas pelas criancas em situacao de rua. A discussao enfatiza a importancia da realizacao de estudos observacionais exploratorios e descritivos para avaliar o processo de criacao de metodologias especificas para atender e analisar o desenvolvimento humano em situacoes de risco. A aplicabilidade deste metodo e discutida como conhecimento produzido pela Psicologia do Desenvolvimento.