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POLÍTICA EXTERNA E DIPLOMACIA DA SAÚDE GLOBAL EM TEMPOS DE PANDEMIA: O BRASIL NA CONTRAMÃO DA HISTÓRIA
No full textArt therapists’ experiences of delivering manualised group art therapy for healthcare professionals at risk of burnout: a hybrid thematic analysis
No full textHow accessible is healthcare for single adults experiencing long-term homelessness and complex needs? A realist evaluation protocol
No full textHydrogen yields from the hydrolysis of as-cast and filed powders of Al–Bi and Al–Sn alloys
No full textThe aim of this study is to evaluate hydrogen generation from Al–Bi and Al–Sn alloy powders. The powders were obtained by a filing process and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. A combined effect of solute content and alloy microstructure was found to significantly influence hydrogen generation within sodium chloride and hydroxide media. It was observed that the Al–Bi and Al–Sn powders exhibit opposite trends in sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide solutions. A novel correlation was established between hydrogen generation, solute content, alloy microstructure, and refinement level. The microstructure defines the cathode-to-anode area ratio and the interfacial reaction between nobler and anodic regions. For fuel-cell applications in on-board and on-site automotive systems, the estimated cost of hydrogen generation ranges from 0.20 to 0.40 USD for a 400 km driving range. These findings identify the investigated alloys and the filing process as promising candidates for practical use in fuel cells
TSPO-Mediated Mitochondrial Retrograde Signaling Primes the Microglial NLRP3 Inflammasome.
No full textUncontrolled microglial activation is a central driver of neuroinflammatory brain diseases. The mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO) is a well-established molecular signature of brain inflammation and serves as a diagnostic marker. However, despite this strong association, it remains unclear whether TSPO acts as a positive or negative regulator of microglial function and how it influences the inflammatory and healing responses that follow brain injury. Moreover, recent evidence of species-specific differences in TSPO expression underscores the need to better define its biology in brain-resident macrophages. Here, using a murine microglial model, we demonstrate that TSPO is required for the mitochondrial priming of inflammation and acts as a conduit for its amplification. This function relies on the engagement of multiple intracellular pathways and can be effectively counteracted by the tricyclic indole compound GE-180. Specifically, in response to inflammatory stimuli, TSPO (i) stabilizes on the mitochondrial membrane where it binds and sequesters NOD-like receptor (NLR) proteins, (ii) represses PARK2-mediated mitophagy, and (iii) promotes nuclear retrograde signaling through NF-κB accumulation, thereby enhancing the expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Sustained TSPO-dependent inflammation further drives cellular demise and excitotoxicity. Collectively, these findings advance our understanding of TSPO's molecular physiology in microglia, highlight its pivotal role in mitochondrial control of inflammation, and identify TSPO as a promising target for the pharmacological modulation of neuroinflammatory responses
Handwriting patterns in isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.
Get PDFBackgroundHandwriting changes are recognised as an early manifestation of Parkinson's disease. Whilst isolated rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD) is strongly associated with future Parkinson's diagnosis, changes in handwriting remain under-explored.ObjectiveTo assess the handwriting of people with iRBD and develop a rating scale for detection of early disease clinical hallmarks.MethodsCross-sectional study involving 33 people with polysomnography-confirmed iRBD and 29 controls. Participants copied a standard sentence using pen and paper. A graphologist analysed each script blindly and designed a scale based on observed abnormal patterns which included: micrographia, sentence slope, hidden tremor, retracing, resting marks, irregular shape, excessive pen pressure, and inconsistent word spacing. Each item was scored 0/1 based on their absence/presence. Separately, three blinded movement disorders experts assessed the scripts based on their global clinical impression as well as using the rating scale.ResultsPeople with iRBD were slower to complete the task than controls (76.70 s (SD = 30.39) vs 61 s (SD = 10.71); p = 0.004). Hidden tremor was the most common feature amongst the iRBD group (72.0% vs 34.5%; p = 0.005), followed by sentence slope (60% vs 24% p = 0.005) and pen pressure (48% vs 14%; p = 0.006). Micrographia was observed in both groups (iRBD 45.4%, controls 41.4% p = 0.801). Classification accuracy of the scale for iRBD was higher than expert global assessment (AUC 0.76 vs AUC 0.62; p = 0.029).ConclusionsWriting speed, tremor, pen pressure and sentence slope are handwriting features that warrant further investigation to define early patterns in people with iRBD
Harmonising Definitions of Multiple Long Terms Conditions for Inflammation Research: A Co-Production Approach
No full textNon-native pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha carcasses benefit native benthic macroinvertebrates.
Get PDFThe invasion of the North Atlantic by pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha has raised concerns regarding their impact on coastal rivers. Although the influence of marine-derived nutrients from returning adult O. gorbuscha on rivers in their native range has received much attention, the ecological consequences of invasive O. gorbuscha for ecosystems outside the native range are largely unknown. To investigate the impact on the density and community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates, O. gorbuscha carcasses were added to 12 experimental channels for 60 days at three treatment levels (control, no carcass; low and high, loading rates). Stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) were used to determine if nutrients from carcasses were incorporated into native biota. The density of macroinvertebrates increased close to the carcasses in the high-addition treatment, suggesting aggregation. Furthermore, macroinvertebrates had a higher δ15N near to the carcasses in the low- and high-addition treatments after 30 days, indicating uptake from the carcasses. The higher δ15N of willow moss Fontinalis antipyretica in carcass-addition treatments indicated that primary producers could also assimilate nutrients from the decomposition of carcasses. Whilst the addition of carcasses resulted in the increased density of small individuals of macroinvertebrates, this did not propagate to changes in community composition in this relatively short experiment. Overall, the results suggest that native biota might benefit from the marine-derived nutrients transported to streams by invasive O. gorbuscha, however, the long-term effects of such nutrient/energy subsidies on receiving ecosystems require further investigation
'Outbreak distress': Characterising moral distress among international healthcare workers responding to mpox.
Get PDFIn May 2022, a global outbreak of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) was declared an international public health emergency. During this time, healthcare workers scrambled to respond to the outbreak amidst a lack of resources, knowledge gaps and pressures related to COVID-19. This period posed a risk of heightened moral distress, defined as distress arising from a situation in which a healthcare worker knows the right thing to do but is externally constrained from doing so. An international survey of healthcare workers was developed to understand their experiences of responding to mpox, including open-text questions regarding moral distress. Drawing on thematic analysis of these open text responses, this paper conceptualises the forms of distress experienced by health workers as 'outbreak distress'-an emotional and psychological response to the synergistic effects that arise from stressed systems, uncertainty and stigma that characterise many, and especially new, infectious disease outbreaks. In the context of pandemic preparedness, outbreak distress represents a novel concept for understanding additional pressures on healthcare systems in future unknown and re-emerging outbreaks