Nevin Manimala

An Acad Bras Cienc. 2021 Dec 1;93(suppl 4):e20201561. doi: 10.1590/0001-3765202120201561. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of present study was to prepare transdermal therapeutic system that could enhance dissolution of poorly aqueous soluble drug Celecoxib and thus increase its skin permeation. Solubility studies screened triacetin as oil, cremophor RH 40 as surfactant and Polyethylene Glycol 400 as co-surfactant. Pseudoternary phase diagrams were constructed to find out microemulsion region. Independent variables (oil, Smix and water) concentration was used at high (+1) and low levels (-1) that would generate 17 different combinations of microemulsions. Microemulsions were characterized, optimized and evaluated. pH, viscosity, conductivities, refractive index, droplet size and poly-dispersity-index was investigated. Prepared microemulsions were oil in water, thermodynamically stable, isotropic, transparent, deflocculated and within narrow range of size. Mathematical equations and response surface plots related the independent and dependent variables. Optimum microemulsion ME6 was further incorporated with carbomer 940 gel base to produce microemulsion based gel. ME6 and its gel showed significant difference (p<0.05) from control gel. Stability studies showed prepared MEBG of celecoxib was stable during storage period. Skin irritation studies found the gel was safe and non-irritating to skin. Anti-inflammatory studies showed significant difference (p<0.05) compared to control gel. Thus, the therapeutic system was successfully developed and optimized using Box Behnken statistical design.

PMID:34878046 | DOI:10.1590/0001-3765202120201561

Rev Gaucha Enferm. 2021 Dec 6;42:e20200452. doi: 10.1590/1983-1447.2021.20200452. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the knowledge of the nurses about the diabetic foot before and after the educational intervention.

METHOD: Quasi-experimental study, before-and-after type, carried out with 53 nurses, from March to June 2016, in the municipality of Campina Grande, Paraíba. The Questioning Methodology was used to develop the educational intervention. Knowledge was investigated using an instrument designed by the researchers. For data analysis before and after the intervention, the McNemar and Wilcoxon tests were performed.

RESULTS: The knowledge of the nurses about the diabetic foot turned out to be deficient, with a mean of correct answers in the pre-test of 23.8 (SD±12.8) and after 41.9 (SD±9,2), with a statistically significant difference (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION: It was verified a significant increase in the knowledge after the intervention, highlighting the items related to evaluate the loss of plantar protective sensitivity, essential for the prevention of diabetic foot.

PMID:34878024 | DOI:10.1590/1983-1447.2021.20200452

Rev Gaucha Enferm. 2021 Dec 6;42:e20200433. doi: 10.1590/1983-1447.2021.20200433. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the characteristics of work-flow organization of the Central Sterile Services Department and analyze whether nursing workers are subject to psychosocial risks.

METHOD: Mixed study, carried out between November 2017 and July 2019 with nursing workers of the Department of Central Sterile Services of a university hospital. Sampling for the quantitative stage of this study consisted of 36 professionals who have filled the Prescribed Work Organization Scale form, followed by statistical analysis. Qualitative sampling was obtained through collective interview with 19 members of the nursing team.

RESULTS: Of the 36 nursing workers, 68.3% were female, 69.4% were over 45 years of age and 75% of the professionals assessed reported as being exposed to a medium psychosocial risk with the emergence of two categories. The aspects related to pleasure at work were highlighted as being the importance of the unit, indirect patient care, professional recognition, and teamwork. The main reported suffering triggers were the lack of human resources, supplies, maintenance, communication, and the devaluation of the unit.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of medium psychosocial risks indicated the need for actions aiming at improving work processes.

PMID:34878021 | DOI:10.1590/1983-1447.2021.20200433

Rev Gaucha Enferm. 2021 Dec 6;42:e20200388. doi: 10.1590/1983-1447.2021.20200388. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the classification and factors associated with anxiety and/or depression in mothers of newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit and elaborate the nursing process after psychological testing.

METHOD: A study conducted with 91 mothers of newborns in intensive care of northeastern maternity, through a Beck anxiety and depression characterization and inventory form.

RESULTS: Majority with severe anxiety (93.4%) and moderate depression (50.5%). There was statistical significance between anxiety with planned pregnancy (p=0.022) and vaginal delivery route (p=0.028), as well as depression with abortion (p=0.027) and mechanical ventilation (p=0.017).

CONCLUSION: Route of delivery, unpaid occupation, income, kangaroo method adhering, supplementation, schooling, planned pregnancy, gestational age of birth and newborn weight impact emotional instability. Social support stands out as a protective factor for symptoms of anxiety and depression.

PMID:34878017 | DOI:10.1590/1983-1447.2021.20200388

Rev Gaucha Enferm. 2021 Dec 6;42:e20200233. doi: 10.1590/1983-1447.2021.20200233. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and risk factors associated with cytopathological changes in the uterine cervix of women treated by the Unified Health System.

METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study carried out with 350 women, between 14 and 79 years old who underwent pap smear tests in heath units in Francisco Beltrão, Paraná. Cervical cytopathological analyses and a questionnaire were applied to obtain socioeconomic information, as well as data on sexual behavior, gynecological aspects, and life habits. Chi-square test and logistic regression with p <0.05 were applied for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: The prevalence of cervical changes was 3.4% and the main categories found were low-grade cervical intraepithelial lesion, high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesion, and atypical cells of undetermined significance. From these, the first were present in 16.6% of women under 25 years old. The multivariate analysis pointed at associations between previous results of the cytopathology test (OR = 25.693), smoking (OR = 7.576), and oral contraceptives (OR = 5.265) and the outcome.

CONCLUSION: Women with a history of previous cervical cytopathological abnormality, use of oral contraceptives, and smokers were more likely to have an abnormal result in the pap smear test.

PMID:34878011 | DOI:10.1590/1983-1447.2021.20200233

Rev Gaucha Enferm. 2021 Dec 6;42:e20200137. doi: 10.1590/1983-1447.2021.20200137. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To verify the prevalence of violence among elderly community members and its relationship with nutritional status and sociodemographic characteristics.

METHOD: Cross-sectional and analytical study developed with 159 community elderly registered at a Family Health Unit in Recife/Pernambuco between March 2016 and March 2017. The Brazil Old Age Schedule, Conflict Tactics Scales and Mini Nutritional Assessment were used as data collection instruments. Data received descriptive and inferential statistical treatment.

RESULTS: Among the elderly classified as with violence, there was a predominance of psychological violence (64.3%), and the majority were at risk for malnutrition (54.3%). There was an association between ‘having a partner’ and psychological (48.1%; p=0.02) and physical (48.1%; p=0.03) violence. Logistic regression demonstrated that being in a relationship or being malnourished increases the likelihood of suffering psychological violence (OR=2.63; OR=3.67), just as not being working increases the likelihood of physical violence (OR=5.61).

CONCLUSION: Violence was negatively related to the nutritional status of elderly community members.

PMID:34878008 | DOI:10.1590/1983-1447.2021.20200137

J Appl Oral Sci. 2021 Dec 1;29:e20210290. doi: 10.1590/1678-7757-2021-0290. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Non-human teeth have been commonly used in research as replacements for human teeth, and potential dissimilarities between the dental tissues should be considered when interpreting the outcomes. To compare the proteolytic activity and degradation rate of bovine and human dentin matrices.

METHODOLOGY: Dentin beam specimens were obtained from human molars (n=30) and bovine incisors (n=30). The beams were weighed hydrated and after complete dehydration to obtain the mineralized wet and dry masses. Then, the beams were demineralized in 10 wt% phosphoric acid. Next, 15 beams from each substrate were randomly selected and again dehydrated and weighed to obtain the initial demineralized dry mass (DM). Then, the beams were stored in saliva-like buffer solution (SLBS) for 7, 14 and 21 days. SLBS was used to evaluate hydroxyproline (HYP) release after each storage period. The remaining beams of each substrate (n=15) were tested for initial MMP activity using a colorimetric assay and then also stored in SLBS. DM and MMP activity were reassessed after 7, 14 and 21 days of incubation. The data were subjected to two-way ANOVA tests with repeated measures complemented by Bonferroni’s tests. Unpaired two-tailed t-tests were also used (p<0.05).

RESULTS: Similar water and inorganic fractions were found in human and bovine dentin, while human dentin had a higher protein content. The most intense proteolytic activity and matrix deterioration occurred short after dentin was demineralized. Both substrates exhibited a sharp reduction in MMP activity after seven days of incubation. Although human dentin had higher MMP activity levels, greater HYP release and DM loss after seven days than bovine dentin, after 14 and 21 days, the outcomes were not statistically different.

CONCLUSION: Bovine dentin is a suitable substrate for long-term studies involving the degradation of dentin matrices.

PMID:34878005 | DOI:10.1590/1678-7757-2021-0290

Cad Saude Publica. 2021 Dec 1;37(11):e00224220. doi: 10.1590/0102-311X00224220. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate whether the intersectional identities defined by race/skin color and gender are associated with smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol in a representative sample of Brazilian adults. This is a cross-sectional study with 48,234 participants in the Brazilian National Health Survey (PNS) – 2013. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were used to estimate the associations of intersectional categories of race/skin color and gender (white woman, brown woman, black woman, white man, brown man, black man) with smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol, based on the combination of weekly “days” and “servings”. The prevalence of smoking varied from 10.6% for white women to 23.1% for black men, while the prevalence of elevated consumption of alcohol ranged from 3.3% to 14%, respectively. In comparison to white women, only white, brown, and black men presented greater chances of smoking, reaching the OR of 2.04 (95%CI: 1.66-2.51) in black men. As to excessive consumption of alcohol, all intersectional categories showed greater chances of consumption than white women, with the greatest magnitude in black men (OR = 4.78; 95%CI: 3.66-6.23). These associations maintained statistical significance after adjustments made for sociodemographic, behavioral, and health characteristics. Results demonstrated differences in smoking habit and excessive consumption of alcohol when the intersectional categories were compared to traditional analyses. These findings reinforce the significance of including intersectionality of race/skin color and gender in epidemiological studies.

PMID:34877990 | DOI:10.1590/0102-311X00224220

Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 7;11(1):23516. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-02205-2.

ABSTRACT

Throughout the world, livestock predation by mammalian carnivores causes significant economic losses to poor farmers, and leads to human-wildlife conflicts. These conflicts result in a negative attitude towards carnivore conservation and often trigger retaliatory killing. In northern Pakistan, we investigated livestock depredation by large carnivores between 2014 and 2019, and subsequent Human-wildlife conflict, through questionnaire-based surveys (n = 100 households). We used a semi-structured questionnaire to collect data on livestock population, depredation patterns, predation count, and conservation approaches. We found a statistically significant increasing pattern of predation with influential factors such as age, gender, occupation, education of respondents, population of predators, threats index for predators and conservation efforts. Some 310 livestock heads with an average of 51 animals per year out of the total 9273 heads were killed by predators, and among them 168 (54%) were attributed to the wolf and 142 (45.8%) to snow leopard. Major threats to carnivores in the area included retaliatory killing, habitat destruction and climate change. Incentivization against depredation losses, guarded grazing and construction of predator-proof corral may reduce Human-wildlife conflict and both livelihood and predator can be safeguarded in the study area.

PMID:34876595 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-02205-2

Nat Commun. 2021 Dec 7;12(1):7090. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-27382-6.

ABSTRACT

The understanding of turbulent flows is one of the biggest current challenges in physics, as no first-principles theory exists to explain their observed spatio-temporal intermittency. Turbulent flows may be regarded as an intricate collection of mutually-interacting vortices. This picture becomes accurate in quantum turbulence, which is built on tangles of discrete vortex filaments. Here, we study the statistics of velocity circulation in quantum and classical turbulence. We show that, in quantum flows, Kolmogorov turbulence emerges from the correlation of vortex orientations, while deviations-associated with intermittency-originate from their non-trivial spatial arrangement. We then link the spatial distribution of vortices in quantum turbulence to the coarse-grained energy dissipation in classical turbulence, enabling the application of existent models of classical turbulence intermittency to the quantum case. Our results provide a connection between the intermittency of quantum and classical turbulence and initiate a promising path to a better understanding of the latter.

PMID:34876584 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-021-27382-6