Evaluation of Some New Wine Grape Cultivars under S^o Francisco Valley Conditions

This study aimed to evaluate the performance and characteristics of the grapes as subsidies to the recommendation of new wine grape cultivars for the S^o Francisco Valley. An experiment was carried out in Petrolina, Pernambuco state, during four seasons in 2014 and 2015 and the treatments were represented by 10 cultivars and three breeding selections： Grenache, Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Syrah for red wines and Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and breeding selections 46, 14 and 47 for white wines. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replicates and two useful plants per plot. The following variables were evaluated： sprouting, bud fertility rate, Ravaz index, production, number of clusters, weight, length and width of cluster, weight and volume of 100 berries, soluble solids and titratable acidity. A better balance between production and vigour was obtained in Grenache, Merlot and Tempranillo cultivars, presenting values of 7.56, 6.50 and 5.93, respectively, for Ravaz index. Grenache, Chenin Blanc and Tempranillo were the most productive cultivars with average yields estimated at 10.4, 8.7 and 8.4 ton/ha/season. Selection 14 had longer, wider and less compact clusters, which can reduce clusters rottenness. The percentage of sprouting ranged from 38.13% in selection 14 to 77.6% in cv. Chenin Blanc. The average index of bud fertility was 0.79 cluster/bud, with no significant differences among cultivars. Greater potential for sugar accumulation was found in the selections 14, 46 and 47, while the titratable acidity ranged from 0.63% in cv. Merlot to 0.89% in selection 47. Grenache and Tempranillo have showed potential to obtain adequate yield and balanced vines, while Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabemet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot presented low yield being necessary to select clones more productive and well adapted to the tropical conditions. Further information about the quality of grapes and wines should be added to these results to allow the recommendation of new cultivars or breeding selections of wine grapes for the Sao Francisco Valley.

Curcumin in inflammatory bowel diseases:Cellular targets and molecular mechanisms

Curcumin,a natural product,has exhibited promising effects in both animal models and clinical trials,interacting with a multitude of factors linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease(IBD).These factors encompass cytokines,oxidative stress-associated enzymes,and modulation of the intestinal microbiota.Notably,curcumin has demonstrated therapeutic potential in animal models of colitis,wherein it exerts a negative regulatory influence on pivotal signaling pathways such as PI3/Akt,JAK/STAT,andβ-catenin.Moreover,it inhibits the expression of proinflammatory enzymes and co-stimulatory molecules(including RANKL,ICAM-1,CD205,CD256,TLR4,among others),while curbing immune cell chemotaxis,thereby attenuating the characteristic neutrophil infiltration observed in IBD.Another facet of curcumin’s action involves its modulation of the intestinal microbiota.Notably,the microbiota itself contributes to beneficial biotrans formations of curcumin,thereby enhancing its effectiveness in IBD treatment.On a clinical front,curcumin has demonstrated the ability to induce clinical and/or endoscopic remission without any reported toxic effects.Hence,curcumin warrants consideration as an adjunctive therapy in IBD management.Subsequent clinical investigations should concentrate on meticulously evaluating curcumin’s impact on these precise therapeutic targets.

Current HPV Vaccination Strategies in Brazil

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable malignancies, however, it still has high incidence and mortality rates, especially in less developed countries. For Brazil, the estimate is more than 16,000 new cases and more than 6000 deaths annually. Despite this, vaccines against HPV (responsible for cervical cancer) are effective and promote a significant decrease in infections and neoplastic lesions of the cervix. As recommended by the World Health Organization, girls aged 9 to 14 should be vaccinated before becoming sexually active. Although the vaccine was developed in 2006, in Brazil immunization only started to be carried out in 2014, initially only for girls between 9 and 11 years old. The present work is an integrative review, with the objective of explaining the current situation of vaccination against HPV throughout the country. Using the PubMed, MED-LINE and Google Scholar databases, a search for scientific articles was carried out during the year 2022, using the descriptors “Vaccine”, “HPV” and “Brazil”, simultaneously selecting 17 articles. The Brazilian recommendations for vaccination against HPV have undergone several strategic changes over time, in the following points: age group and gender of the target population, major site of application of vaccines and number of doses to be applied. Currently, in Brazil, the recommendation for vaccination against HPV is neutral in gender, between 9 and 14 years old and in immunosuppressed people up to 45 years old, with a vaccination schedule of 2 doses with an interval of 6 months between them, and 3 doses for those from 15 years and immunocompromised individual (0 - 2 - 6 months). The tetravalent vaccine offered by public funding continues to be applied at health centers, despite several favorable criticisms of the return of application in schools. Even though the vaccine is available free of charge, studies point to the difficulty in achieving and maintaining vaccination coverage, especially for the second dose. Among the factors that impede success, they cite illiteracy in health generated mainly by social inequality and the lack of educational actions by the government, demonstrating the need to plan effective strategies in this regard.

Difficulties Faced by Physicians in the Diagnosis of Endometriosis in the Brazilian Public Health System

Endometriosis is a clinical and recurrent condition characterized by the presence of functional endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity and myometrium. It is estimated that 6% to 10% of women of reproductive age, 50% to 60% of adolescents and adults with pelvic pain, and up to 50% of women with infertility are pregnant from the condition. However, this proportion tends to be even greater due to the difficulty in diagnosing it: because it presents different symptoms, lack of information from health professionals, and a high-cost diagnostic test. Another aggravating factor is the average time from the onset of symptoms to the medical diagnosis, which even today ranges from five to ten years;this delay has consequences for disease progression, as it prevents early treatment, which is important for improving pain levels and physical and psychological well-being. Aware of these mishaps, it is therefore important to assess the difficulties faced by doctors in the diagnosis of endometriosis in the public health system, in Brazil, the Unified Health System (SUS). With this purpose, a cross sectional was carried out, developed in the virtual environment using traffic in Google forms, with the difficulties quantified in the Likert scale. Participating physicians pointed out a medium difficulty for patients with endometriosis to access the consultation (58%) and moderate difficulty (52%) to perform an ultrasound examination;also signaled great difficulty in performing magnetic resonance imaging (77%) and laparotomy (61%) in these patients. It is hoped that knowledge about the difficulties faced by physicians in the diagnosis of endometriosis in the SUS will give these physicians a voice and corroborate, even if minimally, so that there is more research that provokes the search for these difficulties, in order to improving the quality of life of these women.

Oral Health and Masticatory Performance in Adults Submitted to Bariatric Surgery: A Pilot Study

Background: Obesity has reached epidemic patterns and constitutes a serious public health problem due to comorbidities and the impact on life quality of affected individuals. Bariatric surgery appears as one of the most recommended treatments;however much has been known about the effects of this intervention on the functional performance of the organism as a whole. Objective: To characterize the oral health of adults submitted to bariatric surgery, before and after the intervention, with emphasis on the performance of masticatory function. Methods: A prospective observational cohort study conducted in a public reference service to the treatment of obesity in the city of Recife, State of Pernambuco. The data were obtained during the first half of 2011, through interview, intraoral physical examination and evaluation of masticatory function. Statistical treatment adopted was a CI of 95% and the chi-square test. The collection was conducted in three stages, with initial assessment in the preoperative and follow-up at 60 and 180 days. Results: The sample consisted of 20 volunteers, aged between 23 and 58 years and mean BMI of 43.2 ± 2.8. When compared the pre-operative to the control periods, there were significant differences for variables with decreased tendency towards spontaneous gingival bleeding and increased tooth hypersensitivity and tooth mobility (p < 0.05). Regarding the masticatory function, we found significant differences for most of the variables investigated, except in the coordination of movements and breathing during this function. Conclusion: The performance of masticatory function shows differences in pre- and postoperative periods for bariatric surgery.

Scoping review on vector-borne diseases in urban areas:transmission dynamics,vectorial capacity and co-infection

Background:Transmission dynamics,vectorial capacity,and co-infections have substantial impacts on vector-borne diseases(VBDs)affecting urban and suburban populations.Reviewing key factors can provide insight into priority research areas and offer suggestions for potential interventions.Main body:Through a scoping review,we identify knowledge gaps on transmission dynamics,vectorial capacity,and co-infections regarding VBDs in urban areas.Peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2000 and 2016 was searched.We screened abstracts and full texts to select studies.Using an extraction grid,we retrieved general data,results,lessons learned and recommendations,future research avenues,and practice implications.We classified studies by VBD and country/continent and identified relevant knowledge gaps.Of 773 articles selected for full-text screening,50 were included in the review:23 based on research in the Americas,15 in Asia,10 in Africa,and one each in Europe and Australia.The largest body of evidence concerning VBD epidemiology in urban areas concerned dengue and malaria.Other arboviruses covered included chikungunya and West Nile virus,other parasitic diseases such as leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis,and bacterial rickettsiosis and plague.Most articles retrieved in our review combined transmission dynamics and vectorial capacity;only two combined transmission dynamics and co-infection.The review identified significant knowledge gaps on the role of asymptomatic individuals,the effects of co-infection and other host factors,and the impacts of climatic,environmental,and socioeconomic factors on VBD transmission in urban areas.Limitations included the trade-off from narrowing the search strategy(missing out on classical modelling studies),a lack of studies on co-infections,most studies being only descriptive,and few offering concrete public health recommendations.More research is needed on transmission risk in homes and workplaces,given increasingly dynamic and mobile populations.The lack of studies on co-infection hampers monitoring of infections transmitted by the same vector.Conclusions:Strengthening VBD surveillance and control,particularly in asymptomatic cases and mobile populations,as well as using early warning tools to predict increasing transmission,were key strategies identified for public health policy and practice.

Physical fitness level and the risk of severe COVID-19:A systematic review

To verify systematically the association between the status of physical fitness and the risk of severe Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).This systematic review is in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta Analyses(PRISMA)statement and the eligibility criteria followed the Population,Intervention,Comparison,Outcomes and Study(PICOS)recommendation.PubMed,Embase,SciELO and Cochrane electronic databases were searched.All studies that explored the relationship between the pattern of physical fitness and COVID-19 adverse outcomes(hospitalization,intensive care unit admission,intubation,or mortality),were selected.The quality of the studies was assessed by the specific scale of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.A total of seven observational studies were identified in this systematic review;13468 patients were included in one case-control study,two cohort studies,and four cross-sectional studies.All studies reported an inverse association between high physical fitness and severe COVID-19(hospitalization,intensive care admission,or mortality).Only some studies reported comorbidities,especially obesity and cardiovascular disorders,but the results remained unchanged after controlling for comorbidities.The quality of the seven studies included was moderate according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale.The methodological heterogeneity of the studies included did not allow a meta-analysis of the findings.In conclusion,higher physical fitness levels were associated with lower risk of hospitalization,intensive care admissions,and mortality rates among patients with COVID-19.