RESUMO

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a complex, multidimensional phenomenon and may involve different risk and protective factors, as well as people of different sexual orientations, including gay men. Despite scientific evidence of the high prevalence of victimization and perpetration of this phenomenon, IPV in gay men is still largely invisible. The aim of this study was to map the risk and protective factors related to IPV among gay cis men based on a literature review. The Scopus, PsycNET, Pubmed, BVS-Psi, and SciELO databases were searched to retrieve articles published between 2018 and 2022. Thematic analysis was used to map the risk and protective factors of the 29 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Among the results, most studies investigated the risk factors for victimization of IPV, despite showing the high prevalence of bidirectionality in IPV among gay men. In addition, multiple risk and protective factors (individual, relational, and socio-community) have been shown to be associated with IPV among gay men. Mapping risk and protective factors for IPV at different ecological levels makes it possible to identify a more accurate profile of gay men's vulnerabilities, in addition to enabling the construction of more systemic interventions, which are multisectoral with specific prevention strategies, for IPV among gay men.

RESUMO

Arboviruses are a major threat to public health in tropical regions, encompassing over 534 distinct species, with 134 capable of causing diseases in humans. These viruses are transmitted through arthropod vectors that cause symptoms such as fever, headache, joint pains, and rash, in addition to more serious cases that can lead to death. Among the arboviruses, dengue virus stands out as the most prevalent, annually affecting approximately 16.2 million individuals solely in the Americas. Furthermore, the re-emergence of the Zika virus and the recurrent outbreaks of chikungunya in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, with one million cases reported annually, underscore the urgency of addressing this public health challenge. In this manuscript we discuss the epidemiology, viral structure, pathogenicity and integrated control strategies to combat arboviruses, and the most used tools, such as vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, treatment, etc., in addition to presenting future perspectives for the control of arboviruses. Currently, specific medications for treating arbovirus infections are lacking, and symptom management remains the primary approach. However, promising advancements have been made in certain treatments, such as Chloroquine, Niclosamide, and Isatin derivatives, which have demonstrated notable antiviral properties against these arboviruses in vitro and in vivo experiments. Additionally, various strategies within vector control approaches have shown significant promise in reducing arbovirus transmission rates. These encompass public education initiatives, targeted insecticide applications, and innovative approaches like manipulating mosquito bacterial symbionts, such as Wolbachia. In conclusion, combatting the global threat of arbovirus diseases needs a comprehensive approach integrating antiviral research, vaccination, and vector control. The continued efforts of research communities, alongside collaborative partnerships with public health authorities, are imperative to effectively address and mitigate the impact of these arboviral infections on public health worldwide.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Four new species, namely Heilus rosadonetoi Lira, De Sousa & Marques sp. nov., Heilus christinae Lira, De Sousa & Marques sp. nov., Heilus vanini Lira, De Sousa & Marques sp. nov., and Heilus obrieni Lira, De Sousa & Marques sp. nov., are described from Brazil. The new species are illustrated with habitus photographs and drawings of male and female genitalia. The present study expands the diversity of the genus Heilus to include 22 species in the Neotropical region, with the highest number of species (16 species) distributed in Brazil.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a group of diseases that are highly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, and closely associated with poverty and marginalized populations. Infectious diseases affect over 1.6 billion people annually, and vaccines are the best prophylactic tool against them. Along with NTDs, emerging and reemerging infectious diseases also threaten global public health, as they can unpredictably result in pandemics. The recent advances in vaccinology allowed the development and licensing of new vaccine platforms that can target and prevent these diseases. In this work, we discuss the advances in vaccinology and some of the difficulties found in the vaccine development pipeline for selected NTDs and emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, including HIV, Dengue, Ebola, Chagas disease, malaria, leishmaniasis, zika, and chikungunya.

RESUMO

Abstract Disability tends to impact family functioning in different ways. The aim of this study was to investigate the family functioning clusters of people with disabilities, comparing them in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, social support, autonomy, and prejudice. A sociodemographic questionnaire, Family Cohesion and Flexibility Rating Scale, Prejudice Scale and Social Support Satisfaction Scale were used in 205 people. Three clusters were identified: Low, Medium, and High Family Functioning. The low Family Functioning group had the lowest levels of Social Support and highest levels of prejudice; whereas the high Family Functioning group was characterized by higher education, higher Social Support, and lower prejudice. In conclusion, the relevance of understanding disability and its impact on Family Functioning is highlighted from a broader viewpoint, which relates it to psychosocial variables (prejudice, Social Support and schooling), beyond the issue of the injury itself.

Resumo A deficiência tende a impactar o funcionamento familiar de diferentes formas. Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar os clusters de funcionamento familiar de pessoas com deficiências, comparando-os quanto às características sociodemográficas, ao suporte social, à autonomia e ao preconceito. Utilizou-se um questionário sociodemográfico, Escala de Avaliação da Coesão e Flexibilidade Familiar, Escala de Preconceito e Escala de Satisfação com o Suporte Social em 205 pessoas. Três clusters foram identificados: Baixo, Médio e Alto Funcionamento Familiar. O grupo de baixo Funcionamento Familiar apresentou os níveis mais baixos de Suporte Social e mais altos de preconceito; já o grupo de alto Funcionamento Familiar se caracterizou pela maior escolaridade, maior Suporte Social e menor preconceito. Conclui-se evidenciando a relevância de se compreender a deficiência e seu impacto no Funcionamento Familiar a partir de uma visão mais ampla, que a relaciona a variáveis psicossociais (preconceito, Suporte Social e escolaridade), para além da questão da lesão em si.

Resumen La discapacidad tiende a afectar al funcionamiento de la familia de diferentes maneras. Este estudio pretendía investigar los grupos de funcionamiento familiar de personas con discapacidad, comparándolos en términos de características sociodemográficas, apoyo social, autonomía y prejuicios. Se utilizó un cuestionario sociodemográfico, la Escala de Evaluación de la Cohesión y Flexibilidad Familiar, la Escala de Preconcepto y la Escala de Satisfacción con el Soporte Social en 205 personas. Se identificaron tres grupos: funcionamiento familiar bajo, medio y alto. El grupo de bajo Funcionamiento Familiar mostró los niveles más bajos de Soporte Social y los niveles más altos de prejuicios; mientras que el grupo de alto Funcionamiento Familiar se caracterizó por una mayor educación, mayor Soporte Social y menores prejuicios. Concluimos destacando la relevancia de entender la discapacidad y su impacto en el Funcionamiento Familiar desde una visión más amplia, que la relacione con variables psicosociales (prejuicios, Soporte Social y educación), más allá de la cuestión de la lesión en sí.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Virus-like particles (VLPs) are a versatile, safe, and highly immunogenic vaccine platform. Recently, there are developmental vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic affected humanity worldwide, bringing out incomputable human and financial losses. The race for better, more efficacious vaccines is happening almost simultaneously as the virus increasingly produces variants of concern (VOCs). The VOCs Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta share common mutations mainly in the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD), demonstrating convergent evolution, associated with increased transmissibility and immune evasion. Thus, the identification and understanding of these mutations is crucial for the production of new, optimized vaccines. The use of a very flexible vaccine platform in COVID-19 vaccine development is an important feature that cannot be ignored. Incorporating the spike protein and its variations into VLP vaccines is a desirable strategy as the morphology and size of VLPs allows for better presentation of several different antigens. Furthermore, VLPs elicit robust humoral and cellular immune responses, which are safe, and have been studied not only against SARS-CoV-2 but against other coronaviruses as well. Here, we describe the recent advances and improvements in vaccine development using VLP technology.

Assuntos

Assuntos

RESUMO

The fourteen described South American species of Heilus (Curculionidae, Molytinae, Molytini, Hylobiina) are reviewed for the first time. Eleven species are redescribed based on specimens (almost exclusively from Brazil) examined by us: H. bistigma (Hustache, 1938), H. faldermanni (Boheman, 1836), H. fasciculatus (Boheman, 1843), H. freyreissi (Boheman, 1836), H. inaequalis (Boheman, 1836) [= type species of the genus], H. iniquus (Kirsch, 1874), H. myops (Boheman, 1836), H. ochrifer (Boheman, 1843), H. pupillatus (Olivier, 1790), H. rufescens (Boheman, 1836), and H. tuberculosus (Perty, 1832). Diagnoses of one additional Brazilian species, Heilus admixtus (Hustache, 1938), and two additional South American species, H. asperulus (Erichson, 1847), and H. inornatus (Kirsch, 1874), are presented based on the literature and by examination of images of the type material. Integument texture and the variations in the patterns of maculation are the main characteristics used for species identification. Geographic distribution, descriptions of male and female genitalia are provided for eleven redescribed species, together with habitus photographs, and an identification key to the fourteen described South American species.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Regulatory B (B10) cells can control several inflammatory diseases, including allergies; however, the origin of peripheral B10 cells is not fully understood, and the involvement of primary lymphoid organs (PLOs) as a primary site of maturation is not known. Here, using a murine model of allergy inhibition mediated by maternal immunization with ovalbumin (OVA), we aimed to evaluate whether B10 cells can mature in the thymus and whether IgG can mediate this process. Female mice were immunized with OVA, and offspring thymus, bone marrow, spleen, lung, and serum samples were evaluated at different times and after passive transfer of purified IgG or thymocytes. A translational approach was implemented using human nonatopic thymus samples, nonatopic peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and IgG from atopic or nonatopic individuals. Based on the expression of CD1d on B cells during maturation stages, we suggest that B10 cells can also mature in the murine thymus. Murine thymic B10 cells can be induced in vitro and in vivo by IgG and be detected in the spleen and lungs in response to an allergen challenge. Like IgG from atopic individuals, human IgG from nonatopic individuals can induce B10 cells in the infant thymus and adult PBMCs. Our observations suggest that B10 cells may mature in the thymus and that this mechanism may be mediated by IgG in both humans and mice. These observations may support the future development of IgG-based immunoregulatory therapeutic strategies.

Assuntos