11 research outputs found
From directive 2013/35/EU to national legislation: Transposition, implementation and assessment work
No full textEffects of prooxidants on human serum exposed to 50Hz magnetic fields
No full textThe purpose of this article is to evaluate magnetic field effects (50Hz, different magnetic intensities) on the chemiluminescence intensity of human serum. We find that 1 and 2h of exposure increased the chemiluminescence emission. The addition to the serum of prooxidants FeCl2 and H2O2 in different concentrations increased the chemiluminescence intensity even more
Antibody Kinetics of Immunological Memory in SARS-CoV-2-Vaccinated Healthcare Workers—The ORCHESTRA Project
No full textBackground/Objectives: This study examines the longitudinal dynamics of anti-nucleocapsid (anti-N) and anti-spike (anti-S) antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and mRNA vaccination based on 81,878 serum samples from 23,616 healthcare workers (HCWs) across five European countries. It includes data across four scheduled vaccine doses—predominantly BNT162b2—with 25% of samples originating from individuals with confirmed prior infection, as evidenced by elevated anti-S levels, positive Anti-N antibodies, or PCR results. Methods: The study employed a shifted transformation method for data normalization and utilized the Bass diffusion model to predict antibody titer dynamics influenced by both internal factors—such as immune activation contextualized through sociodemographic issues—and external factors, including infection and vaccination. Despite the absence of direct measurements for some internal variables, the model effectively inferred their impact, enabling a rigorous and nuanced delineation of immune response profiles. Results: The Bass diffusion model rigorously captured variations in antibody titers, analyzed through demographic factors such as gender, age, and job role, while thoroughly accounting for pre-infection status. The results indicate that Anti-N antibodies, exclusively produced post-infection, exhibited a rapid decline, while anti-S antibodies, generated from both infection and vaccination, demonstrated prolonged persistence. A significant decline in anti-S levels was observed 3–5 months post-vaccination, with adaptive immunity—characterized by the dominance of internal factors effects relative to external ones—achieved in most groups after the fourth dose. However, adaptive immunity post second dose was limited to specific demographics. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the significance of the Bass Method in predicting vaccine-induced, hybrid immune responses and detecting adaptive immunity by overcoming limitations in internal factor data, thereby advancing effective vaccination and infection control strategies during public health crises. These findings highlight the Bass Method’s value in predicting vaccine-induced and hybrid immunity, effectively addressing internal factor data gaps to enhance vaccination and infection control strategies
Análise do uso de sinvastatina e arcabouços de PLGA+HA no reparo ósseo de defeitos criados na calota craniana de ratos
No full textDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde. Programa de Pós-Graduação em OdontologiaEste estudo avaliou a resposta tecidual e inflamatória do uso de sinvastatina e arcabouços de PLGA+HA no reparo ósseo de defeitos produzidos na calota craniana de ratos. Um defeito de 5 mm de diâmetro foi criado em cada osso parietal de 180 animais, divididos em 6 grupos: naïve, sham, veículo, arcabouço de PLGA+HA, sinvastatina (4 mg/ml) e a combinação de arcabouço e sinvastatina. As intervenções foram realizadas somente no lado direito e o lado esquerdo serviu como controle. Os animais foram sacrificados nos 1, 7, 15, 30 e 60 dias pós-operatórios para coleta das amostras teciduais. A análise estatística foi realizada por meio de análise de variância ANOVA, seguida pelos testes de Tukey e Bonferroni (p<0,05). A atividade inflamatória foi avaliada nos dias 1, 7 e 15 por meio da dosagem das citocinas TNF? e IL1?. A sinvastatina aumentou, significativamente, os níveis de TNF? no período de 1 dia quando comparado ao grupo naïve (p<0,05). A presença do arcabouço aumentou, significativamente, os níveis de IL1? no período de 1 dia quando comparado aos grupos naïve (p<0,001), sham (p<0,001), veículo (p<0,001), sinvastatina + arcabouço (p<0,001) e, sinvastatina (p<0,01). As análises de 7 e 15 dias mostraram queda nos níveis destas citocinas em todos os grupos. O reparo ósseo foi avaliado por densitometria nas radiografias das amostras de tecido ósseo, observando-se atraso na mineralização nos grupos veículo e sinvastatina nas análises de 15 e 30 dias (p<0,01). Nos demais grupos ocorreu mineralização progressiva a partir do sétimo dia e, aos 60 dias, todos os grupos apresentaram valores de densitometria estatisticamente semelhantes. Não houve diferença estatística em relação a mineralização dos lados direito e esquerdo, exceto entre o grupo sinvastatina + arcabouço do lado direito, com densitometria superior ao lado esquerdo (p<0,001). Conclui-se que o uso da sinvastatina e arcabouços de PLGA+HA, isolados ou associados, não permitiram um melhor reparo ósseo quando comparados aos controles.To evaluate tissue repair and inflammatory responses promoted by simvastatin and PLGA+HA scaffolds in bone defects created in rat calvaria. A 5-mm-diameter defect was created in each parietal bone of 180 animals, divided into 6 groups: naïve, sham, vehicle, PLGA+HA scaffold, simvastatin (4 mg/ml) and the combination of simvastatin and scaffold. All the interventions were done only on the right parietal bone while the left side served as control. Tissue sample collection was performed on postoperative days 1, 7, 15, 30, and 60. Data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA followed by post-hoc tests (p<0.05). Tissue levels of TNFa and IL1ß were evaluated on days 1, 7 and 15 in order to assess the inflammation status. Simvastatin significantly increased levels of TNFa on day 1 compared to the naïve group (p <0.05). The scaffold group significantly increased the levels of IL1ß on day 1 compared to naïve (p <0.001), sham (p <0.001), vehicle (p <0.001), simvastatin + scaffold (p <0.001), and simvastatin alone (p <0.01) groups. In all groups, at 7 and 15 days, these cytokines showed a decrease in levels. Bone healing was evaluated by densitometry on radiographs of the bone tissue samples, indicating that there was a delay in mineralization in vehicle and simvastatin groups until the 15th and 30th days (p <0.01). From the seventh day on, a progressive mineralization was observed in all other groups while, within 60 days, all groups showed statistically similar values of density. There was no statistical difference between the sides, except between the right side of simvastatin + scaffold, with higher density than the left (p<0.001). It may be concluded that the use of simvastatin and scaffolds of PLGA + HA, alone or in association, did not allow a better bone repair when compared to controls
Does acute passive stretching increase muscle length in children with cerebral palsy?
No full textThis article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund. Copyright @ The Authors. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and
reproduction in anymedium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.Background: Children with spastic cerebral palsy experience increased muscle stiffness and reduced muscle length, which may prevent elongation of the muscle during stretch. Stretching performed either by the clinician, or children themselves is used as a treatment modality to increase/maintain joint range of motion. It is not clear whether the associated increases in muscle–tendon unit length are due to increases in muscle or tendon length. The purpose was to determine whether alterations in ankle range of motion in response to acute stretching were accompanied by increases in muscle length, and whether any effects would be dependent upon stretch technique. Methods: Eight children (6–14 y) with cerebral palsy received a passive dorsiflexion stretch for 5 × 20 s to each leg, which was applied by a physiotherapist or the children themselves. Maximum dorsiflexion angle, medial gastrocnemius muscle and fascicle lengths, and Achilles tendon length were calculated at a reference angle of 10° plantarflexion, and at maximum dorsiflexion in the pre- and post-stretch trials. Findings: All variables were significantly greater during pre- and post-stretch trials compared to the resting angle, and were independent of stretch technique. There was an approximate 10° increase in maximum dorsiflexion post-stretch, and this was accounted for by elongation of both muscle (0.8 cm) and tendon (1.0 cm). Muscle fascicle length increased significantly (0.6 cm) from pre- to post-stretch. Interpretation: The results provide evidence that commonly used stretching techniques can increase overall muscle, and fascicle lengths immediately post-stretch in children with cerebral palsy
Incidence and Determinants of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Breakthrough Infections After Booster Dose in a Large European Multicentric Cohort of Health Workers-ORCHESTRA Project
No full textBackground: SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections (BI) after vaccine booster dose are a relevant public health issue. Methods: Multicentric longitudinal cohort study within the ORCHESTRA project, involving 63,516 health workers (HW) from 14 European settings. The study investigated the cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 BI after booster dose and its correlation with age, sex, job title, previous infection, and time since third dose. Results: 13,093 (20.6%) BI were observed. The cumulative incidence of BI was higher in women and in HW aged < 50 years, but nearly halved after 60 years. Nurses experienced the highest BI incidence, and administrative staff experienced the lowest. The BI incidence was higher in immunosuppressed HW (28.6%) vs others (24.9%). When controlling for gender, age, job title and infection before booster, heterologous vaccination reduced BI incidence with respect to the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine [Odds Ratio (OR) 0.69, 95% CI 0.63-0.76]. Previous infection protected against asymptomatic infection [Relative Risk Ratio (RRR) of recent infection vs no infection 0.53, 95% CI 0.23-1.20] and even more against symptomatic infections [RRR 0.11, 95% CI 0.05-0.25]. Symptomatic infections increased from 70.5% in HW receiving the booster dose since < 64 days to 86.2% when time elapsed was > 130 days. Conclusions: The risk of BI after booster is significantly reduced by previous infection, heterologous vaccination, and older ages. Immunosuppression is relevant for increased BI incidence. Time elapsed from booster affects BI severity, confirming the public health usefulness of booster. Further research should focus on BI trend after 4th dose and its relationship with time variables across the epidemics.BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections (BI) after vaccine booster dose are a relevant public health issue.MethodsMulticentric longitudinal cohort study within the ORCHESTRA project, involving 63,516 health workers (HW) from 14 European settings. The study investigated the cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 BI after booster dose and its correlation with age, sex, job title, previous infection, and time since third dose.Results13,093 (20.6%) BI were observed. The cumulative incidence of BI was higher in women and in HW aged < 50 years, but nearly halved after 60 years. Nurses experienced the highest BI incidence, and administrative staff experienced the lowest. The BI incidence was higher in immunosuppressed HW (28.6%) vs others (24.9%). When controlling for gender, age, job title and infection before booster, heterologous vaccination reduced BI incidence with respect to the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine [Odds Ratio (OR) 0.69, 95% CI 0.63-0.76]. Previous infection protected against asymptomatic infection [Relative Risk Ratio (RRR) of recent infection vs no infection 0.53, 95% CI 0.23-1.20] and even more against symptomatic infections [RRR 0.11, 95% CI 0.05-0.25]. Symptomatic infections increased from 70.5% in HW receiving the booster dose since < 64 days to 86.2% when time elapsed was > 130 days.ConclusionsThe risk of BI after booster is significantly reduced by previous infection, heterologous vaccination, and older ages. Immunosuppression is relevant for increased BI incidence. Time elapsed from booster affects BI severity, confirming the public health usefulness of booster. Further research should focus on BI trend after 4th dose and its relationship with time variables across the epidemics
SARS-CoV-2 Breakthrough Infections: Incidence and Risk Factors in a Large European Multicentric Cohort of Health Workers
No full textBackground: The research aimed to investigate the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections and their determinants in a large European cohort of more than 60,000 health workers.
Methods: A multicentric retrospective cohort study, involving 12 European centers, was carried out within the ORCHESTRA project, collecting data up to 18 November 2021 on fully vaccinated health workers. The cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections was investigated with its association with occupational and social-demographic characteristics (age, sex, job title, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, antibody titer levels, and time from the vaccination course completion).
Results: Among 64,172 health workers from 12 European health centers, 797 breakthrough infections were observed (cumulative incidence of 1.2%). The primary analysis using individual data on 8 out of 12 centers showed that age and previous infection significantly modified breakthrough infection rates. In the meta-analysis of aggregated data from all centers, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and the standardized antibody titer were inversely related to the risk of breakthrough infection (p = 0.008 and p = 0.007, respectively).
Conclusion: The inverse correlation of antibody titer with the risk of breakthrough infection supports the evidence that vaccination plays a primary role in infection prevention, especially in health workers. Cellular immunity, previous clinical conditions, and vaccination timing should be further investigated
Profile of common prostate cancer risk variants in an unscreened Romanian population
No full textTo find sequence variants affecting prostate cancer (PCA) susceptibility in an unscreened Romanian population we use a genome‐wide association study (GWAS). The study population included 990 unrelated pathologically confirmed PCA cases and 1034 male controls. DNA was genotyped using Illumina SNP arrays, and 24.295.558 variants were imputed using the 1000 Genomes data set. An association test was performed between the imputed markers and PCA. A systematic literature review for variants associated with PCA risk identified 115 unique variants that were tested in the Romanian sample set. Thirty of the previously reported SNPs replicated (P‐value < 0.05), with the strongest associations observed at: 8q24.21, 11q13.3, 6q25.3, 5p15.33, 22q13.2, 17q12 and 3q13.2. The replicated variants showing the most significant association in Romania are rs1016343 at 8q24.21 (P = 2.2 × 10−4), rs7929962 at 11q13.3 (P = 2.7 × 10−4) and rs9364554 at 6q25.2 (P = 4.7 × 10−4). None of the variants tested in the Romanian GWAS reached genome‐wide significance (P‐value <5 × 10−8) but 807 markers had P‐values <1 × 10−4. Here, we report the results of the first GWAS of PCA performed in a Romanian population. Our study provides evidence that a substantial fraction of previously validated PCA variants associate with risk in this unscreened Romanian population.This study was funded in part by the European Union FP7 Program (ProMark
project 202059) and by the EEA grant (ROMCAN project RO14-0017; EEAJRPRO-NO-20131-10191).Peer Reviewe
Incidence and Determinants of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Breakthrough Infections After Booster Dose in a Large European Multicentric Cohort of Health Workers-ORCHESTRA Project
No full textBackground: SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections (BI) after vaccine booster dose are a relevant public health issue. Methods: Multicentric longitudinal cohort study within the ORCHESTRA project, involving 63,516 health workers (HW) from 14 European settings. The study investigated the cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 BI after booster dose and its correlation with age, sex, job title, previous infection, and time since third dose. Results: 13,093 (20.6%) BI were observed. The cumulative incidence of BI was higher in women and in HW aged 130 days. Conclusions: The risk of BI after booster is significantly reduced by previous infection, heterologous vaccination, and older ages. Immunosuppression is relevant for increased BI incidence. Time elapsed from booster affects BI severity, confirming the public health usefulness of booster. Further research should focus on BI trend after 4th dose and its relationship with time variables across the epidemics
Reparo do defeito ósseo na trepanação craniana com enxerto ósseo autólogo : estudo comparativo morfológico e tomográfico
No full textA cranioplastia para a correção dos defeitos causados pelo trépano cirúrgico é um dos problemas não adequadamente solucionados em neurocirurgia. As depressões deixadas pelo trépano neurocirúrgico nas craniotomias é uma queixa freqüente dos pacientes no pós-operatório. A extensa gama de materiais aloplásticos que tem sido propostos e utilizados para este fim é um bom exemplo desta dificuldade. O pó de osso, que é comumente usado nessas reconstruções, sofre um alto grau de reabsorção, mas até o momento, essa absorção não tinha sido mensurada, nem comparada com a do osso cortical. Outro grande desafio não solucionado até o momento é a dificuldade para acessar o desenvolvimento biológico de ossos transplantados em humanos, impossibilitando assim a quantificação dos resultados. A avaliação do local de reconstrução pela inspeção e pela palpação é um método grosseiro de aferição e permite apenas uma análise qualitativa subjetiva. Nossa insatisfação com o resultado estético das cranioplastias, além da falta de medidas objetivas das falhas ósseas, nos levou a testar a utilização do enxerto ósseo autógeno da lâmina interna da calota craniana para a resolução estético-funcional das deformidades causadas pelo trépano neurocirúrgico. O pó de osso foi recolhido durante a trepanação e o fragmento ósseo foi retirado, com uma trefina, especialmente confeccionada pelo autor para esse fim Após oito meses, realizamos tomografia de crânio com reconstrução óssea. Os locais reconstruídos com pó de osso e com fragmento ósseo foram delimitados e tiveram a densidade óssea aferida mediante tomografia computadorizada de crânio, procedimento ainda não utilizado na prática clínica neurocirúrgica. Os resultados foram expressos em unidades Hounsfield (HU). As reconstruções foram avaliadas por dois especialistas diferentes, cegados para o estudo, que atribuíram uma nota de 0 a 10 para a aparência estética dos locais reconstruídos. Analisamos a correlação entre a nota atribuída pelos avaliadores com a densidade medida pela TC. Foram reconstruídos 108 orifícios de craniotomia nos 23 pacientes estudados, sendo 36 orifícios reconstruídos com fragmento circular da lâmina interna (33,3%) e 72 com pó de osso (66,6%). A densidade média das reconstruções com fragmento circular foi 987,01 ± 172,6 HU, enquanto a de pó de osso foi 464,46 ±197,66 HU. Essa diferença foi estatisticamente significativa (p< 0,001, teste t de Student, < 0,05). A nota média atribuída às reconstruções pelos avaliadores foi de 9,5 para ao fragmento ósseo e 5,7 para o pó de osso, (p< 0,001, teste t pareado < 0,05). Não ocorreram complicações durante o seguimento de até 25 meses. Ao final do estudo, pode-se concluir que o fragmento de osso autólogo da lâmina interna é superior ao pó de osso para reconstrução dos orifícios de trepanação. A absorção do fragmento ósseo é menor e sua característica estética é superior. O custo nulo, bem como a ausência de morbidade do sítio doador, habilita o auto-enxerto como a primeira escolha para a correção dos defeitos causados pelo trépano cirúrgico.The cranioplasty for the correction of defects caused by surgical trepan is one of the problems that is not properly solved in neurosurgery. Frequently, the patients complain during postoperative period about the depressions left by the neurosurgical trepan in the craniotomy. The extensive gamma of aloplastic materials that has been considered and used for this end is a good example of this difficulty. The bone dust, frequently used in these reconstructions, suffers a high reabsorption degree, but until the moment, this absorption had not been mesured, nor compared to the one of the cortical bone. Another great challenge that has not been solved yet until the moment is the difficulty to access the biological development of transplanted bones in human beings, something that disabled the results quantification. The place reconstruction evaluation through inspection and palpation is a coarse method of gauging and allows only a subjective qualitative analysis. Our insatisfaction with the cranioplasties aesthetic result and the lack of objective measures of the bone imperfections made us test the use of bone autogenous graft of the internal calvarial bone blade as a aesthetic-functionary resolution for the deformities caused by neurosurgical trepan. Twenty three adult patients submitted to the surgery due to varied causes (ragged aneurism, not ragged aneurism, arteriovenous malformation and benign neoplasia) had had the trepanation orifices reconstructed with autologous bone dust or a autologous bone circular took from the internal blade of the bone segment removed for the intracranium procedure. In the same pacient, the two types of reconstruction had been carried through. The bone dust was collected during trepanation with a trephine especially confectioned by the author for this end. After eight months, we have carried through a tomography of the cranium that had bone reconstruction. The places reconstructed with dust of bone and with bone fragment had been delimited and they had had the bone density gauged by means of cranium computerized tomography, procedure still not used in the practical neurosurgical clinic. The results were expressed in Hounsfield units (HU). The reconstructions were evaluated by two different specialists, blinded for the study, who attributed a grade from 0 to 10 for the aesthetic appearance of the reconstructed places. We analyzed the correlation between the grade attributed for the appraisers with the density measured for the CT. 108 orifices of craniotomy in the 23 studied patients were reconstructed, among those 36 orifices were reconstructed with circular fragment from the internal blade (33,3%) and 72 with bone dust (66,6%). The mean density of the reconstructions with circular fragment was 987.01 ± 172,6 UH, while the one of bone dust was 464,46 ±197,66 UH. This difference was significant in a statistical way (p< 0.001, paired t-test < 0,05). The average grade attributed to the reconstructions by the appraisers was of 9,5 to the bone fragment and 5,7 to the bone dust, (p< 0.001. paired t-test < 0,05). It had not occurred complications during the pursuing of up to 25 months. In the end of the study, it can be concluded that the autologous bone fragment of the internal blade is superior to the dust of bone for the reconstruction of trepanation orifices. The absorption of bone fragment is smaller and its aesthetic characteristic is superior. The null cost, as well as the absence of morbidade of donor place, qualifies the selfgraft as the first choice for the correction of the defects caused by surgical trepan
