Is Mandatory Vaccination for COVID-19 Constitutional under Brazilian Law?

Mandatory vaccination for COVID-19 has been the object of heated debate in Brazil. This article discusses the legality and constitutionality of such a policy. First, it analyzes the laws, regulations, and Supreme Court decisions that provide for the possibility of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination. Subsequently, it analyzes the constitutionality of a mandatory vaccination policy through the proportionality method to address the conflict between, on one side, the right to individual autonomy, which includes the right to refuse a medical intervention, and, on the other, health policies that interfere with individual autonomy to protect the rights to life and health. The application of this method allows for the identification of key questions that need to be answered to determine the constitutionality of a mandatory vaccination program. These questions cannot be answered a priori and in the abstract because they depend on the concrete circumstances of the pandemic, on the characteristics of the vaccine(s) against COVID-19, and on how a mandatory vaccination policy might be designed and implemented by authorities.     

Effect of peritoneal fluid from patients with mild and severe endometriosis on endometrial stromal cell proliferation

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the mitogenic effect of peritoneal fluid (PF) from women with mild and severe endometriosis on the endometrial stromal cell proliferation. Increasing concentrations of PF from women with and without mild or severe endometriosis were added to primary endometrial stromal cell cultures and³H-thymidine incorporation was used to assess DNA synthesis in these cultures. PF from women with mild endometriosis induced a statistically significant dose-dependent increase in stromal cell thymidine uptake ranged from 5.8 to 14.5 fold, whereas PF from women with severe endometriosis produced an average 51% inhibition of stromal cell proliferation of compared with cells exposed to non-endometriosis PF or exposed to nutrient medium supplemented with 2.5% calf serum alone. PF samples from patients with stage I endometriosis induced a statistically dose-dependent increase in stromal cell proliferation, whereas PF from patients with stage IV endometriosis caused a significant inhibition.     

Effect of Paternal Diet on Spermatogenesis and Offspring Health: Focus on Epigenetics and Interventions with Food Bioactive Compounds

Infertility is a growing public health problem. Consumption of antioxidant bioactive food compounds (BFCs) that include micronutrients and non-nutrients has been highlighted as a potential strategy to protect against oxidative and inflammatory damage in the male reproductive system induced by obesity, alcohol, and toxicants and, thus, improve spermatogenesis and the fertility parameters. Paternal consumption of such dietary compounds could not only benefit the fathers but their offspring as well. Studies in the new field of paternal origins of health and disease show that paternal malnutrition can alter sperm epigenome, and this can alter fetal development and program an increased risk of metabolic diseases and breast cancer in adulthood. BFCs, such as ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, polyunsaturated fatty acids, trace elements, carnitines, N-acetylcysteine, and coenzyme Q10, have been shown to improve male gametogenesis, modulate epigenetics of germ cells, and the epigenetic signature of the offspring, restoring offspring metabolic health induced by stressors during early life. This indicates that, from a father’s perspective, preconception is a valuable window of opportunity to start potential nutritional interventions with these BFCs to maximize sperm epigenetic integrity and promote adequate fetal growth and development, thus preventing chronic disease in adulthood.     

Systemic oxidative stress in children with cystic fibrosis with bacterial infection including Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

IntroductionOxidative stress (OS) occurs in cystic fibrosis (CF).ObjectiveThe objective of this work is to evaluate the influence of bacterial infection on biomarkers of OS (catalase [CAT], glutathione peroxidade [GPx], reduced glutathione [GSH]), markers of oxidative damage (protein carbonyls [PC], thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS]), together with the nutritional status and lung function in children with CF.MethodsCross‐sectional study including CF group (CFG, n = 55) and control group (CG, n = 31), median age: 3.89 and 4.62 years, respectively. CFG was distributed into CFG negative bacteriology (CFGB−, n = 27) or CFG positive bacteriology (CFGB+, n = 28), and CFG negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CFGPa−, n = 36) or CFG positive Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CFGPa+, n = 19).ResultsCompared with CG, CFG (P = .034) and CFGB+ (P = .042) had lower body mass index‐for‐age z‐score; forced expiratory volume in the first second was lower in CFGB+ and CFGPa+ (both P < .001). After adjusting for confounders and compared with CG: CFG showed higher TBARS (P ≤ .001) and PC (P = .048), and lower CAT (P = .004) and GPx (P = .003); the increase in PC levels was observed in CFGB+ (P = .011) and CFGPa+ (P = .001) but not in CFGB− (P = .510) and CFGPa− (P = .460).ConclusionsThese results indicate a systemic OS in children with CF. The presence of bacterial infection particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa seems to be determinant to exacerbate the oxidative damage to proteins, in which PC may be a useful biomarker of OS in CF.     

Investigation of the in vitro and ex vivo acetylcholinesterase and antioxidant activities of traditionally used Lycopodium species from South America on alkaloid extracts

Ethnopharmacological relevance

The study was aimed at evaluating medicinal and therapeutic potentials of two Lycopodiaceae species, Lycopodium clavatum (L.) and Lycopodium thyoides (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd), both used in South American folk medicine for central nervous system conditions. Alkaloid extracts were evaluated for chemical characterization, acetylcholinesterase and antioxidant activities.

Materials and methods

The alkaloid extracts obtained by alkaline extraction were determined for each species by GC/MS examination. The evaluation of the anticholinesterase and the antioxidant activities of the extracts were tested by determining in vitro and ex vivo models. Effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were tested in vitro using rat brain homogenates and ex vivo after a single administration (25, 10 and 1 mg/kg i.p.) of the alkaloid extracts in mice. The in vitro antioxidant effects were tested for the 2-deoxyribose degradation, nitric oxide (NO) interaction, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP). After an acute administration (25 and 10 mg/kg i.p.) of the extracts in middle-aged (12 months) mice, the antioxidant effects were estimated through the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances test (TBARS), and the antioxidant enzymes activities for catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured.

Results

AChE activity was inhibited in vitro by the alkaloid-enriched extracts of both Lycopodium species in a dose and time-dependent manner in rat cortex, striatum and hippocampus. A significant inhibition was also observed in areas of the brain after acute administration of extracts, as well as decreased lipid peroxidation and increased CAT activity in the cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. A moderate antioxidant activity was observed in vitro for the extracts. Chemically, the main alkaloids found for the two species were lycopodine and acetyldihidrolycopodine.

Conclusion

This study showed that the biological properties of the folk medicinal plants Lycopodium clavatum and Lycopodium thyoides include AChE inhibitory activity and antioxidant effects, two possible mechanisms of action in Alzheimer's related processes.     

Ablación de taquicardia ventricular asistida con ECMO. Primera experiencia en nuestra institución

Catheter ablation is useful for reducing drug refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT) episodes and can be life-saving when VT is incessant or arrhythmic storm. Left ventricular hemodynamic support may be required in patients with VT and hemodynamic instability. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support is an alternative to achieve ventricular tachycardia mapping and ablation over long periods of time. We present a case of successful catheter ablation of substrate in a patient with ischemic heart disease and ventricular tachycardia with hemodynamic instability performed using venous- arterial ECMO support. There were not episodes of ventricular tachycardia after 2 years of follow-up.     

Phase Transformation after Heat Treatment of Cr-Ni Stainless Steel Powder for 3D Printing

Today, Ni-Cr steel is used for advanced applications in the high-temperature and electrical industries, medical equipment, food industry, agriculture and is applied in food and beverage packaging and kitchenware, automotive or mesh. A study of input steel powder from various stages of the recycling process intended for 3D printing was conducted. In addition to the precise evaluation of the morphology, particle size and composition of the powders used for laser 3D printing, special testing and evaluation of the heat-treated powders were carried out. Heat treatment up to 950 °C in an air atmosphere revealed the properties of powders that can appear during laser sintering. The powders in the oxidizing atmosphere change the phase composition and the original FeNiCr stainless steel changes to a two-phase system of Fe₃Ni and Cr₂O₃, as evaluated by X-ray diffraction analysis. Observation of the morphology showed the separation of the oxidic phase in the sense of a brittle shell. The inner part of the powder particle is a porous compact core. The particle size is generally reduced due to the peeling of the oxide shell. This effect can be critical to 3D printing processing, causing defects on the printed parts, as well as reducing the usability of the precursor powder and can also change the properties of the printed part.