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Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is implicated in causing several types of cancer, including cervical cancer. In Brazil, the quadrivalent HPV vaccine is provided free of charge for children between the ages of 9 and 14. Nevertheless, the vaccination coverage rate has remained below 60% since its implementation in 2014. This study aimed (i) to assess the knowledge of parents/guardians on HPV infection and vaccine prophylaxis and (ii) to test the association between having a “higher degree of knowledge” (HDK) and the sociodemographic characteristics. A total of 388 parents/guardians of children of vaccination age were enrolled. Questions assessing sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, and attitudes toward HPV infection and vaccination were administered to participants via a self-answered questionnaire. Questionnaires of 343 participants were considered for analysis. Participants who answered at least 70% of the questions correctly were classified as presenting HDK. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the associations between population characteristics and HDK. This study occurred prior to the COVID-19 pandemic; thus, the pandemic was not considered in our analysis. A total of 212 (61.8%) participants showed HDK. Participants who were male (OR = 0.39; 95% CI = 0.22, 0.70) and lived in larger households (OR = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.25, 0.95) were less likely to present HDK. Participants who reported having an acquaintance with prior/concurrent HPV infection were more likely to have HDK (OR = 3.78; 95% CI = 2.02, 7.05). These findings suggest the importance of developing novel strategies for raising parental awareness of HPV, particularly targeting males.

The deuteron is the simplest compound nucleus, composed of one proton and one neutron. Deuteron properties such as the root-mean-square charge radius rd and the polarizability serve as important benchmarks for understanding the nuclear forces and structure. Muonic deuterium μd is the exotic atom formed by a deuteron and a negative muon μ⁻. We measured three 2S-2P transitions in μd and obtain rd = 2.12562(78) fm, which is 2.7 times more accurate but 7.5σ smaller than the CODATA-2010 value rd = 2.1424(21) fm. The μd value is also 3.5σ smaller than the rd value from electronic deuterium spectroscopy. The smaller rd, when combined with the electronic isotope shift, yields a \"small\" proton radius rp, similar to the one from muonic hydrogen, amplifying the proton radius puzzle.

Accurate knowledge of the charge and Zemach radii of the proton is essential, not only for understanding its structure but also as input for tests of bound-state quantum electrodynamics and its predictions for the energy levels of hydrogen. These radii may be extracted from the laser spectroscopy of muonic hydrogen (μp, that is, a proton orbited by a muon). We measured the $2{\\mathrm{S}}_{1/2}^{\\mathrm{F}=0}-2{\\mathrm{P}}_{3/2}^{\\mathrm{F}=1}$ transition frequency in μp to be 54611.16(1.05) gigahertz (numbers in parentheses indicate one standard deviation of uncertainty) and reevaluated the $2{\\mathrm{S}}_{1/2}^{\\mathrm{F}=1}-2{\\mathrm{P}}_{3/2}^{\\mathrm{F}=1}$ transition frequency, yielding 49881.35(65) gigahertz. From the measurements, we determined the Zemach radius, r Z = 1.082(37) femtometers, and the magnetic radius, r M = 0.87(6) femtometer, of the proton. We also extracted the charge radius, r E = 0.84087(39) femtometer, with an order of magnitude more precision than the 2010-CODATA value and at 7σ variance with respect to it, thus reinforcing the proton radius puzzle.

The energy levels of hydrogen-like atomic systems can be calculated with great precision. Starting from their quantum mechanical solution, they have been refined over the years to include the electron spin, the relativistic and quantum field effects, and tiny energy shifts related to the complex structure of the nucleus. These energy shifts caused by the nuclear structure are vastly magnified in hydrogen-like systems formed by a negative muon and a nucleus, so spectroscopy of these muonic ions can be used to investigate the nuclear structure with high precision. Here we present the measurement of two 2S–2P transitions in the muonic helium-4 ion that yields a precise determination of the root-mean-square charge radius of the α particle of 1.67824(83) femtometres. This determination from atomic spectroscopy is in excellent agreement with the value from electron scattering 1 , but a factor of 4.8 more precise, providing a benchmark for few-nucleon theories, lattice quantum chromodynamics and electron scattering. This agreement also constrains several beyond-standard-model theories proposed to explain the proton-radius puzzle 2 – 5 , in line with recent determinations of the proton charge radius 6 – 9 , and establishes spectroscopy of light muonic atoms and ions as a precise tool for studies of nuclear properties. The 2S–2P transitions in muonic helium-4 ions are measured using laser spectroscopy and used to obtain an α-particle charge-radius value five times more precise than that from electron scattering.

Oropharyngeal candidiasis/candidosis is a common and recurrent opportunistic fungal infection. Fluconazole (FLZ), one of the most used and effective antifungal agents, has been associated with a rise of resistant Candida species in immunocompromised patients undergoing prophylactic therapy. Sulforaphane (SFN), a compound from cruciferous vegetables, is an antimicrobial with yet controversial activities and mechanisms on fungi. Herein, the in silico and antifungal activities of SFN against C. albicans were investigated. In silico analyzes for the prediction of the biological activities and oral bioavailability of SFN, its possible toxicity and pharmacokinetic parameters, as well as the estimates of its gastrointestinal absorption, permeability to the blood-brain barrier and skin, and similarities to drugs, were performed by using different software. SFN in vitro anti-Candida activities alone and in combination with fluconazole (FLZ) were determined by the broth microdilution method and the checkerboard, biofilm and hyphae formation tests. Amongst the identified probable biological activities of SFN, nine indicated an antimicrobial potential. SFN was predicted to be highly absorbable by the gastrointestinal tract, to present good oral availability, and not to be irritant and/or hepatotoxic. SFN presented antifungal activity against C. albicans and prevented both biofilm and hyphae formation by this microorganism. SFN was additive/synergistic to FLZ. Overall, the data highlights the anti-Candida activity of SFN and its potential to be used as an adjuvant therapy to FLZ in clinical settings.

Background. The Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and the Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) are inflammatory biomarkers for several diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular morbidities; however, there are currently few studies on kidney diseases. We aimed to evaluate nondialysis patients and determine the association of NLR and PLR with inflammation in these patients. Methods. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted with 85 patients at different stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD), treated at the Kidney Disease Prevention Center of the University Hospital of the Federal University of Maranhão. This study included adult nondialysis patients diagnosed with CKD. The participants’ blood samples were collected for a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) test and blood count. They were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of inflammation based on the hs-CRP value (<0.5 mg/dL). NLR and PLR were calculated based on the absolute number of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and platelets and were compared between them and with hs-CRP. Statistical analysis was performed using the Stata software, with the Shapiro–Wilk, Mann–Whitney, Spearman’s Correlation, and receiver operating characteristic curve tests. This study was approved by the local ethics committee. Results. The participants were categorized into two groups: with inflammation (n = 64) and without inflammation (n = 21). The mean age was 61.43 ± 14.63 y. The NLR and PLR values were significantly different between the groups with and without inflammation (p=0.045and p=0.004, respectively). However, only PLR showed a significant positive correlation with hs-CRP (p=0.015). The best cutoff point for NLR to detect inflammation was 1.98, with 76.19% sensitivity and 48.44% specificity. For PLR, it was 116.07, with 85.71% sensitivity and 51.56% specificity. There was no significant difference between the area under the NLR and PLR curve (0.71 vs. 0.64; p=0.186) for this population. Conclusions. This study showed that PLR was positively correlated with hs-CRP in nondialysis CKD patients and can be used to identify inflammation in this population.

Background The Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents (Portuguese acronym, “ERICA”) is a multicenter, school-based country-wide cross-sectional study funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, which aims at estimating the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, including those included in the definition of the metabolic syndrome, in a random sample of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years in Brazilian cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. Approximately 85,000 students were assessed in public and private schools. Brazil is a continental country with a heterogeneous population of 190 million living in its five main geographic regions (North, Northeast, Midwest, South and Southeast). ERICA is a pioneering study that will assess the prevalence rates of cardiovascular risk factors in Brazilian adolescents using a sample with national and regional representativeness. This paper describes the rationale, design and procedures of ERICA. Methods/Design Participants answered a self-administered questionnaire using an electronic device, in order to obtain information on demographic and lifestyle characteristics, including physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake, sleeping hours, common mental disorders and reproductive and oral health. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall. Anthropometric measures (weight, height and waist circumference) and blood pressure were also be measured. Blood was collected from a subsample of approximately 44,000 adolescents for measurements of fasting glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glycated hemoglobin and fasting insulin. Discussion The study findings will be instrumental to the development of public policies aiming at the prevention of obesity, atherosclerotic diseases and diabetes in an adolescent population.

The lung is a complex ecosystem of host cells and microbes often disrupted in pathological conditions. Although bacteria have been hypothesized as agents of carcinogenesis, little is known about microbiota profile of the most prevalent cancer subtypes: adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). To characterize lung cancer (LC) microbiota a first a screening was performed through a pooled sequencing approach of 16S ribosomal RNA gene (V3-V6) using a total of 103 bronchoalveaolar lavage fluid samples. Then, identified taxa were used to inspect 1009 cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas and to annotate tumor unmapped RNAseq reads. Microbial diversity was analyzed per cancer subtype, history of cigarette smoking and airflow obstruction, among other clinical data. We show that LC microbiota is enriched in Proteobacteria and more diverse in SCC than ADC, particularly in males and heavier smokers. High frequencies of Proteobacteria were found to discriminate a major cluster, further subdivided into well-defined communities’ associated with either ADC or SCC. Here, a SCC subcluster differing from other cases by a worse survival was correlated with several Enterobacteriaceae. Overall, this study provides first evidence for a correlation between lung microbiota and cancer subtype and for its influence on patient life expectancy.

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-based products are effective in tooth whitening; however, their safety is controversial as they may harm patient tissues/cells. These effects are suggested to be concentration-dependent; nonetheless, to date, there are no reports on H 2 O 2 -mediated oxidative damage in the gingival tissue, and neither whether this can be detected in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples. We hypothesize that H 2 O 2 whitening products may cause collateral oxidative tissue damage following in office application. Therefore, H 2 O 2 and nitric oxide (NO) levels were investigated in GCF samples obtained from patients undergoing dental bleaching with H 2 O 2 at different concentrations, in a randomized, double-blind, split-mouth clinical trial. A proteomic analysis of these samples was also performed. H 2 O 2 -based whitening products promoted inflammation which was detected in GCF samples and lasted for longer following 35% H 2 O 2 bleaching. This included time-dependent changes in NO levels and in the abundance of proteins associated with NO synthesis, oxidative stress, neutrophil regulation, nucleic acid damage, cell survival and/or tissue regeneration. Overall, H 2 O 2 -based products used in office promote inflammation irrespective of their concentration. As the inflammation caused by 35% H 2 O 2 is longer , patients may benefit better from using lower concentrations of this bleaching product, as they may result in less tissue damage.

In the present research, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyester, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), residue from platforms offshore, were blended in the presence of a coupling agent, a polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride (HDPE-g-MA). The HDPE/HDPE-g-MA/PET blends were processed by melt mixing in a twin-screw extruder, using a factorial design. The processing conditions were set so that the PET remained in the fiber shape in the melt. The effect of a nanoclay, montmorillonite clay (MMT), in the blends as co-compatibilizer was evaluated by mechanical, rheological, thermal and morphological analyses. The results showed that there is an interaction between PET fibers and MMT nanoclay. The yield properties (stress and strain) decreased with the addition of PET fibers. Young’s modulus and stress at break property increased with high PET fibers and MMT contents. An interaction between PET and MMT contents was also observed on the maximum degradation temperature ( T MÁX ): the compositions with higher PET and MMT contents showed a higher thermal stability. The rheological results showed that a more pronounce solid-like behavior was achieved when MMT was added in the HDPE/HDPE-g-MA/PET blend. These results indicate that MMT nanoclay has potential as co-compatibilizer in HDPE/HDPE-g-MA/PET blends. This was due to its preferential localization in the PET fiber domains and interphase between HDPE and PET, as showed in SEM analysis.