Pedro Henrique Macedo Moura

Summary: Pollution of the seas and rivers is becoming a public health problem. Caenorhabditis elegans possesses genes and signaling pathways homologous to those in humans. C. elegans can be used in microplastic toxicological effects research.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rigorous infection control protocols across hospital environments, particularly in nutrition services. UV-C light emerged as a viable option due to its shortest wavelength, conferring the greatest capacity for nucleic acid (DNA/RNA) penetration in both microorganisms and human cells. We aim to develop and validate an alternative method for decontaminating food carts using UV-C light. A prototype box was created to cover the meal transport carts, with UV-C lamps strategically positioned for irradiation and decontamination. To validate this technology, four different hygiene protocols were compared: Group 1, positive control, with no sanitization procedure; Group 2, cleaned using the standard protocol of the University Hospital of UFS (HU/UFS) with 70% ethanol solution; Group 3, negative control, cleaned using the standard HU/UFS protocol with 70% ethanol and neutral detergent; and Group 4, exposed to UV-C light irradiation for 10 min after food transport. Microbiological samples were collected from 15 distinct points on the carts. Samples were collected using sterile swabs moistened with 0.85% saline solution and incubated in BHI broth at 37 °C for 24 h for presence/absence testing. Positive samples were plated on selective media (CLED, SS, MacConkey and Blood agar), incubated at 37 °C for 24–48 h, and evaluated for colony-forming unit (CFU) count. A statistically significant association was found between the hygiene method and the presence of microbial contamination (p < 0.001), based on both bacterial plate counts and BHI broth growth. Carts sanitized with 70% alcohol showed a lower probability of contamination compared to the control group (alcohol + detergent), while unsanitized carts showed a higher risk. UV-C light treatment resulted in complete absence of bacterial growth. UV-C disinfection demonstrated superior effectiveness in eliminating microorganisms, indicating a promising alternative to traditional methods.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely used in the health sector for diagnostic, assistance and guidance purposes. However, its expansion has come up against applicability barriers in underdeveloped countries due to structural, financial and technological limitations encountered within a specific context. With this letter, we draw attention to the challenges of implementing AI in developing countries, suggesting strategies for scientific studies to optimise this.

A tuberculose, causada pelo Mycobacterium tuberculosis, é um desafio de saúde pública, em grande parte devido à capacidade do patógeno de modular a resposta imune do hospedeiro, especialmente em macrófagos derivados de monócitos (MDMs). Compreender as alterações transcriptômicas induzidas por essa bactéria nessas células é crucial para entender os mecanismos de evasão. Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar o perfil de expressão gênica diferencial em MDMs humanos infectados com M. tuberculosis e identificar as vias biológicas associadas. Realizamos uma análise de dados públicos de RNA-Seq (GSE262379) comparando MDMs infectados (n=30) com controles não infectados (n=6). A análise de expressão gênica diferencial (DEGs), utilizando o pacote DESeq2 (padj < 0.05 e |log₂ fold change| > 1), foi seguida por análise de enriquecimento funcional. A análise revelou 1.597 genes significativamente alterados, dos quais 1.051 foram upregulated (sobrerregulados) e 546 downregulated (sub-regulados). Nossos resultados sugerem que a infecção por M. tuberculosis induz uma resposta inflamatória robusta enquanto suprime ativamente mecanismos de apresentação de antígenos, uma estratégia de evasão imune que pode limitar a ativação da imunidade adaptativa e favorecer a persistência do patógeno.

O crescimento de bactérias multirresistentes representa uma grave ameaça à saúde pública global, sendo a Klebsiella pneumoniae produtora de carbapenemase (KPC) um dos exemplos mais críticos. Essa enzima confere resistência aos antibióticos carbapenêmicos e, associada a outros mecanismos de defesa bacteriana, torna o tratamento de infecções hospitalares extremamente difícil. Em Sergipe, casos de infecções por K. pneumoniae resistentes têm sido registrados, o que reflete o impacto do uso excessivo de antibióticos. Diante do aumento da resistência antimicrobiana, que resultou em 1,27 milhão de mortes em 2019, segundo a OMS, novas estratégias terapêuticas têm sido exploradas, entre elas, o uso de bacteriófagos, vírus que infectam e destroem bactérias. Fagos específicos para K. pneumoniae têm demonstrado potencial terapêutico por produzirem enzimas depolimerases capazes de degradar a cápsula protetora da bactéria e aumentar a eficácia de antibióticos. Neste contexto, a Universidade Federal de Sergipe desenvolve um estudo experimental quali-quantitativo para investigar a presença de Klebsiella sp., seus fagos associados e o perfil de resistência antimicrobiana em amostras de água do Centro Cirúrgico do Hospital de Urgências de Sergipe (HUSE), em Aracaju. Socialmente, o projeto fortalece a segurança dos pacientes e a prevenção de infecções hospitalares. Cientificamente, representa um avanço na busca por alternativas aos antibióticos tradicionais e na compreensão da interação vírus-bactéria em ambientes hospitalares brasileiros.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the global focus on SARS-CoV-2 overshadowed the epidemiology of other respiratory pathogens. This study aimed to characterize the circulation of endemic human coronaviruses (HCoVs) in Brazil. We retrospectively analyzed results from 22,472 PCR tests for HCoVs (from 5183 patients) and 601,278 tests for SARS-CoV-2 (from 475,856 patients) between November 2019 and June 2021. HCoVs were detected in 160 patients (3.09%), with HCoV-NL63 as the most frequent species. HCoV circulation was intermittent, with positivity peaks up to 4% but also periods of up to six months with an absence of detections in 2020, contrasting with the sustained high positivity of SARS-CoV-2 (22.37%). Co-infections were frequent: 26.25% of HCoV-positive patients were co-infected with at least one other respiratory pathogen, most commonly Rhinovirus/Enterovirus, and cases involving up to five pathogens were observed, seven patients had co-infections between HCoVs and SARS-CoV-2. These findings reveal the persistent, often cryptic, circulation of HCoVs during the pandemic and highlight their role as key components in complex multi-pathogen infections. This underscores the critical importance of implementing comprehensive molecular diagnostic panels in routine respiratory surveillance to ensure accurate etiology, guide appropriate clinical management, and fully assess the public health burden of non-SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses.

Background: This review examines in vitro techniques for characterizing the pharmacokinetics of medicinal plants, focusing on their role in understanding absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). The diverse bioactive compounds in medicinal plants highlight the need for robust pharmacokinetic evaluations to ensure their safety and efficacy. Objectives: The objectives were to identify and analyze in vitro techniques applied to medicinal plants’ pharmacokinetics, addressing a gap in the literature. Methods: Studies were included based on predefined eligibility criteria: in vitro pharmacokinetic studies involving medicinal plants, focusing on ADME stages. Ex vivo, in vivo, and in silico studies were excluded, along with reviews. Data were collected from the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases in June 2024 using Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) and their MeSH synonyms. The data extracted included study location, plant species, bioactive compounds, in vitro protocols, and ADME characteristics. Results: The review included 33 studies, with most focusing on metabolism (60%), absorption (25%), or a combination of ADME aspects. Techniques like Caco-2 cells, human liver microsomes, and simulated gastric and intestinal fluids were widely used. Conclusions: The findings highlight methodological heterogeneity, including variability in extract preparation, compound concentrations, and experimental conditions, which limits the comparability and clinical applicability of results. Key limitations include the lack of standardized protocols and physiological relevance in in vitro models, underscoring the need for multidisciplinary approaches and integration with in vivo studies.