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Brazilian Cerrado is recognised as a biodiversity hotspot due to the presence of endemic species with great biological potential. Particularly, Lomatozona artemisiifolia , is a rare species found in the Cerrado region in midwestern Brazil. Efforts have been made for its conservation in the Cerrado, such as the use of in vitro micropropagation, demanding a comparative analysis between grown plants and those collected from nature. For this purpose, we performed the chemical study of L. artemisiifolia by LC-ESI-MS/MS and molecular networking analysis in the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) with in silico annotation using Network Annotation Propagation (NAP), which led to the observation of labdane diterpenes and flavonoid subclasses as the most representative specialised metabolites of this plant. In addition, molecular networking and chemometric analysis were correlated, allowing the metabolite profile emerging from field growth and micropropagation conditions to be observed.

Cryptococcosis is a fungal infection for which treatment relies on old antifungal agents usually leading to drawbacks such as high toxicity and mainly low efficiency since drug resistance of microorganisms is strongly widespread. The discovery of new antifungal agents is urgent and investigations about underexplored Natural Product (NP) can yield the necessary outcomes to guide the discovery of new prototypes to anti-cryptococcal molecules development. In this scenario, an integrated strategy involving metabolomic data analysis, biological assessement and genome mining of P. setosum CMLD 18, revealed the biosynthesis of bis(methyl-sulfanyl) oxepine-containing diketopiperazine derivative, the bisdethiobis(methylthio)acetylaranotine (1) by the endophyte. The molecule showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 0.125 mM when tested against C. neoformans. Evidence about the corresponding biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) responsible for the biosynthesis of (1) in P. setosum were found. Moreover, other putative analogues of (1) were also detected, suggesting this microorganism may represent an important source of likely anti-cryptococcal molecules to be further investigated., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Bariatric surgery is an approach used to treat patients with obesity in a small minority of eligible patients. Non-pharmacological therapies are important to maintain decent health status post-bariatric surgery. We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of exercise on heart rate variability (HRV) in patients submitted to bariatric surgery. The searches were made via MEDLINE/PubMed (via the National Library of Medicine), EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. We included non-blind, single-, or double-blind randomized control trials in patients older than 18 years of age submitted to bariatric surgery. The intervention group should be submitted to an exercise training protocol, including aerobic, strength, and other exercise modality after bariatric surgery. We documented 245 studies, and after screening and eligibility phases, only 4 were included. We observed no significant change for the SDNN: subtotal = 19.74 (CI: -4.98, 44.45), p = 0.12, I 2 = 85% (very low quality of evidence); pNN50: subtotal = 13.09 (CI: -9.17, 35.35), p = 0.25, I 2 = 93% (very low quality of evidence); RMSSD: subtotal = 8.44 (CI: -3.61, 25.50), p = 0.17, I 2 = 95% (very low quality of evidence); SD1: subtotal = 9.36 (CI: -4.48, 23.21), p = 0.19, I 2 = 96% (very low quality of evidence). We could not detect significant effects of exercise on resting HRV after bariatric surgery. The low certainty of the results via the evidence level analysis suggest further studies might be beneficial.

Cytauxzoon spp. have been detected in Brazil infecting mainly asymptomatic domestic cats and wild felids. However, the supposed genetic similarity with the pathogenic Cytauxzoon felis is questionable because it is based on analysis of short sequences of the 18S rRNA gene. Herein, we describe a novel Cytauxzoon species infecting an asymptomatic little-spotted-cat (Leopardus tigrinus) based on morphological, histopathological, and molecular analyses. The animal was attended presenting a history of a run-over with multiple traumas. Although the little-spotted-cat was stabilized, he died a few days later. Ring-shaped merozoites within erythrocytes were found on blood smears and in the abdominal effusion. In addition, schizonts were observed in histiocytes in the liver. Phylogenetic analyses based on both near-complete 18S rRNA and cytb genes positioned the obtained sequences in a unique clade, albeit closely related to Cytauxzoon felis from the USA. Genetic divergences ranging from 0.004 and 0.067-0.068 were found between the near-complete 18S rRNA and cytb sequences of Cytauxzoon sp. detected in the little-spotted-cat and C. felis, respectively. This study evidenced the circulation of a novel Cytauxzoon species, herein named Cytauxzoon brasiliensis sp. nov., in an asymptomatic wild felid species from Brazil. Further studies are necessary to identify Cytauxzoon species from domestic and wild felids in the country., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Lutzomyia longipalpis is the primary vector of Leishmania infantum in the Americas and a permissive vector for Leishmania amazonensis. Previous studies showed that Leishmania infantum-infected hosts can release different volatile organic compounds (VOCs) compared with uninfected hosts, presenting a higher attractiveness to vectors. In this study, we aimed to evaluate a possible effect of L. amazonensis infection of golden hamsters in three parameters: attractiveness to Lu. longipalpis females; blood volume ingested by sand fly females; and VOCs released by the animals.. Attractiveness was measured indirectly by the number of Lu. longipalpis females that blood fed in each L. amazonensis-infected and uninfected animal. For VOCs extraction, solid phase micro extraction fibers were used, which were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Behavioral trials did not show any effect of L. amazonensis infection on the attraction of sand flies nor difference on blood meal rates of Lu. longipalpis fed in both goups of hamsters. Additionally, there was no difference between the VOCs profiles of L. amazonensis-infected or uninfected hamsters., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All the authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The impacts of antidepressant pharmacotherapies on cardiovascular risk are unclear. We completed a systematic review with meta-analysis to assess the effect of paroxetine on heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD)., Methods: The searches were accomplished via EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed (using the National Library of Medicine), Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. We included non-blind, single, or double-blind randomized control trials in patients older than 18 diagnosed with MDD. Paroxetine needs to be enforced as a chronic therapeutic medication. We included individual studies that investigated resting HRV., Results: We documented 402 studies, only following screening and eligibility phases; only six were included (five studies in the meta-analysis). No significant change was noticed for the SDNN index: subtotal = 8.23 [CI: -2.17, 18.63], p = 0.12, I2 = 54 % (very low quality of evidence). A significant change was distinguished for the LF index: subtotal = 0.74 [CI: 0.33, 1.15], p = 0.0004, I2 = 0 % (low quality of evidence). A significant alteration was perceived for the HF index: subtotal = 0.33 [CI: 0.06, 0.6], p = 0.02, I2 = 0 % (low quality of evidence)., Conclusion: Meta-analysis demonstrated that paroxetine could advance HRV in MDD patients. Nevertheless, our supposition is founded only on statistical analysis and the very low quality of evidence breakdown reinforces the necessity for further studies to confirm or reject this theory., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Exposure to antibiotics predisposes to dysbiosis and Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) that can be severe, recurrent (rCDI), and life-threatening. Nonselective drugs that treat CDI and perpetuate dysbiosis are associated with rCDI, in part due to loss of microbiome-derived secondary bile acid (SBA) production. Ridinilazole is a highly selective drug designed to treat CDI and prevent rCDI., Methods: In this phase 3 superiority trial, adults with CDI, confirmed with a stool toxin test, were randomized to receive 10 days of ridinilazole (200 mg twice daily) or vancomycin (125 mg 4 times daily). The primary endpoint was sustained clinical response (SCR), defined as clinical response and no rCDI through 30 days after end of treatment. Secondary endpoints included rCDI and change in relative abundance of SBAs., Results: Ridinilazole and vancomycin achieved an SCR rate of 73% versus 70.7%, respectively, a treatment difference of 2.2% (95% CI: -4.2%, 8.6%). Ridinilazole resulted in a 53% reduction in recurrence compared with vancomycin (8.1% vs 17.3%; 95% CI: -14.1%, -4.5%; P = .0002). Subgroup analyses revealed consistent ridinilazole benefit for reduction in rCDI across subgroups. Ridinilazole preserved microbiota diversity, increased SBAs, and did not increase the resistome. Conversely, vancomycin worsened CDI-associated dysbiosis, decreased SBAs, increased Proteobacteria abundance (∼3.5-fold), and increased the resistome., Conclusions: Although ridinilazole did not meet superiority in SCR, ridinilazole greatly reduced rCDI and preserved microbiome diversity and SBAs compared with vancomycin. These findings suggest that treatment of CDI with ridinilazole results in an earlier recovery of gut microbiome health. Clinical Trials Registration.Ri-CoDIFy 1 and 2: NCT03595553 and NCT03595566., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. K. W. G. received grants paid to his institution from Acurx, Paratek, Cidara, Therapeutics, and Seres Health. P. C. O. received faculty grant/research support from Merck, Sharp and Dohme, Deinove Pharmaceuticals, Summit Pharmaceuticals, Melinta Pharmaceuticals, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Kieberg Foundation, and Napo Pharmaceutical; is a consultant to Napo Pharmaceutical, Ferring Pharmaceutical, Summit Pharmaceutical, SNIPR Biome Company, Haleon, and SNIPR; received payment for speaking from Colegio Mexicano de Medicina Interna; participated on a Scientific Advisory Board for Napo Pharmaceuticals; and has stock or stock options from Moderna, Pfizer, Haleon, Biontech, GSK, Novavax, AstraZeneca, Beam, and Johnson & Johnson. T. L. attended advisory board meetings for Summit, Inc, and received payments for the conduct of clinical trials for Seres Therapeutics, Finch Therapeutics, and Rebiotix/Ferring. E. D. and D. J. were employees of Summit, Inc, and owned stock options in Summit Therapeutics (parent company) at the time of manuscript submission. J. G. M. is a part-time employee and owns stock options in Summit, Inc. E. R. D. has received grants paid to his institution from Theriva Biologics and Ferring and consulting fees from Pfizer, Merck, Seres, Abbott, AstraZeneca, Summit, GSK, and Ferring. M. W. has received consulting fees from AiCuris, Bayer, Crestone, Da Volterra, Deinove, EnteroBiotix, The European Tissue Symposium, Ferring, GSK, Menarini, Merck, Nestlé, Paion, Paratek, Pfizer, Phico Therapeutics, Qpex Biopharma, Seres, Surface Skins, Summit, Tillotts, Vaxxilon/Idorsia, and Vedanta; lecture fees from GSK, Merck, Pfizer, Seres, and Tillotts; and grant support from Almirall, Da Volterra, EnteroBiotix, GSK, Merck, MicroPharm, Nabriva, Paratek, Pfizer, Seres, Summit, The European Tissue Symposium, and Tillotts. J. L., B. Y. C., J. S., L. S., and F. C. are employees of Summit, Inc, and own Summit stock options. All other authors report no potential conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

Introduction: Endoscopy plays a fundamental role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and becomes essential in diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and detection and management of complications., Materials and Methods: The Pan American Crohn's and Colitis Organization (PANCCO) and the Inter-American Society of Endoscopy (SIED) appointed 22 Latin American experts in IBD to develop a consensus study using the modified Delphi method, based on the best available evidence. A working group of 22 members from 9 countries identified 15 topics and formulated 98 statements, who participated in 2 rounds of voting. It was defined as agreement of ≥80% of experts for each statement., Results: After the voting of all the statements, 8 statements were obtained that did not reach 80% consensus among the participants, so the questions were reconsidered in the Coordinating Committee of the consensus with the participation of the expert reviewers of these questions and 7 final statements were voted again by all the experts in a second round and 1 was eliminated with consensus. After two rounds of voting, the experts reached consensus with literature review with the best available evidence, the most important issues were developed with scientific evidence supporting each of the statements around the topic of endoscopy in IBD., Conclusions: Consensus statements were developed and based on the best available evidence about endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease.

Purpose: Previous studies have shown increased prevalence of sleep problems among people who stutter. However, there is a lack of knowledge about what these sleep problems may specifically be., Method: Fifty children who stutter (CWS) from 6;0 to 12;9 years of age and 50 age- and gender-matched controls participated in this study. Parents did not report coexisting conditions, excepting stuttering and/or sleep problems. Sleep problems were investigated using a standardized questionnaire answered by parents. The questionnaire shows cut-off scores to identify the risk of sleep problems as a whole and on each one of the six subscales (i.e., disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep; sleep breathing disorders; disorders of arousal; sleep-wake transition disorders; disorders of excessive somnolence; and sleep hyperhidrosis). Scores above the cut-off are suggestive of sleep problems., Results: Twenty-one CWS scored higher than the cut-off on the sleep questionnaire compared to only two controls (p < 0.00001). Specifically, CWS scored higher than controls in disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep, sleep-wake transition disorders (especially jerking, sleep talking, and bruxism), and disorders of excessive somnolence (p < 0.0083, corrected for multiple comparisons)., Discussion: Compared to controls, CWS are at greater risk for sleep problems, which are not consequences of coexisting disorders. Present findings confirm and expand current knowledge about sleep problems in CWS. Directionality possibilities and clinical implications are discussed., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Investigation of the endophytic fungi Nigrospora sphaerica , Nigrospora oryzae , and Pseudofusicoccum stromaticum MeOH fractions isolated from the leaves of Vochysia divergens , a medicinal species from the Brazilian Pantanal, led to the identification of five compounds, namely a new compound (1 E ,8 Z )-10,11-dihydroxy-5,5,8-trimethyl-4-oxocycloundeca-1,8-diene-1-carbaldehyde ( 1 ) and four known compounds: 5-methylmellein ( 2 ), sclerone ( 3 ), daldinone A ( 4 ), and lasiodiplodin ( 5 ). All compounds were identified using spectroscopic methods, and 1 was corroborated with mass spectrometry, while the known compounds were compared with data in the literature. The relative configuration of compound 1 was determined based on theoretical conformational studies as well as the J experimental values between the hydroxymethyne hydrogens. The antimicrobial activity of the compounds was evaluated. Promising results were obtained for compounds 2 , 4 , and 5 since they inhibited the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa , an opportunistic pathogen, suggesting the potential of these microorganisms as a source of new antibacterial agents.

Eubulus cf. elongatus Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a Neotropical species recently considered an important pest of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in Brazil. This weevil feeds on cassava roots under the soil, which makes detection and control by traditional methods as pesticide quite ineffective. Besides that, no information is available about morphology, sex identification, and behavior. Given its recent category as a pest, its morphology, sex identification, and behavior were previously unknown. Laboratory reared adults of E. cf. elongatus emerged from pupal chambers originated from Embrapa Cerrados (Planaltina, Federal District, Brazil) were used to investigate sexual dimorphism, sex ratio, diel activity, and mating behavior. The visible sexual dimorphism was observed in the hind tibiae of females, which presents a more expansive distal portion than a proximal portion. The sex ratio analysis of E. cf. elongatus evidenced a proportion of males and females, approximately 1:1 in 2018, while 1.5:1, both similar to other species of curculionids. Males and females show predominantly nocturnal activity, including the mating attempts during scotophase. Three distinct phases of mating behavior developed by E. cf. elongatus are described: (i) pre-copulation, (ii) copulation, and (iii) post-copulation. The results obtained in this study provide essential information for developing monitoring and control strategies within an integrated management program for this critical pest species in cassava crops in Brazil., (© 2023. Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil.)

Background: Skeletal muscle synthesizes, stores, and releases body L-glutamine (GLN). Muscle atrophy due to disabling diseases triggers the activation of proteolytic and pro-apoptotic cell signaling, thus impairing the body's capacity to manage GLN content. This situation has a poor therapeutic prognosis., Objective: Evaluating if oral GLN supplementation can attenuate muscle wasting mediated by elevated plasma cortisol and activation of caspase-3, p38MAPK, and FOXO3a signaling pathways in soleus and gastrocnemius muscles of rats submitted to 14-day bilateral hindlimbs immobilization., Methods: Animals were randomly distributed into six groups: non-immobilized rats (Control), control orally supplemented with GLN (1 g kg -1 ) in solution with L-alanine (ALA: 0.61 g kg -1 ; GLN+ALA), control orally supplemented with dipeptide L-alanyl-L-glutamine (DIP; 1.49 g kg -1 ), hindlimbs immobilized rats (IMOB), IMOB orally GLN+ALA supplemented (GLN+ALA-IMOB), and IMOB orally DIP supplemented (DIP-IMOB). Plasma and muscle GLN concentration, plasma cortisol level, muscle caspase-3 activity, muscle p38MAPK and FOXO3a protein content (total and phosphorylated forms), and muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) were measured., Results: Compared to controls, IMOB rats presented: a) increased plasma cortisol levels; b) decreased plasma and muscle GLN concentration; c) increased muscle caspase-3 activity; d) increased total and phosphorylated p38MAPK protein content; e) increased FOXO3a and decreased phosphorylated FOXO3a protein content; f) reduced muscle weight and CSA befitting to atrophy. Oral supplementation with GLN+ALA and DIP was able to significantly attenuate these effects., Conclusions: These findings attest that oral GLN supplementation in GLN+ALA solution or DIP forms attenuates rats' skeletal muscle mass wasting caused by disuse-mediated muscle atrophy., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no competing financial interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Empowerment lifestyle programs are needed to reduce the risk of hypertension. Our study compared the effectiveness of two empowerment-based approaches toward blood pressure (BP) reduction: salt reduction-specific program vs. healthy lifestyle general program., Methods: Three hundred and eleven adults (median age of 44 years, IQR 34-54 years) were randomly assigned to a salt reduction ( n  = 147) or a healthy lifestyle program ( n  = 164). The outcome measures were urinary sodium (Na + ) and potassium (K + ) excretion, systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, weight, and waist circumference., Results: There were no significant differences in primary and secondary outcomes between the two program groups. When comparing each program to baseline, the program focused on salt reduction was effective in lowering BP following a 12-week intervention with a mean change of -2.5 mm Hg in SBP (95% CI, -4.1 to -0.8) and - 2.7 mm Hg in DBP (95% CI, -3.8 to -1.5) in the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. In the complete-case (CC) analysis, the mean change was -2.1 mm Hg in SBP (95% CI, -3.7 to -0.5) and - 2.3 mm Hg in DBP (95% CI, -3.4 to -1.1). This effect increases in subjects with high-normal BP or hypertension [SBP - 7.9 mm Hg (95% CI, -12.5 to -3.3); DBP - 7.3 mm Hg (95% CI, -10.2 to -4.4)]. The healthy lifestyle group also exhibited BP improvements after 12 weeks; however, the changes were less pronounced compared to the salt reduction group and were observed only for DBP [mean change of -1.5 mm Hg (95% CI, -2.6 to -0.4) in ITT analysis and - 1.4 mm Hg (95% CI, -2.4 to -0.3) in CC analysis, relative to baseline]. Overall, improvements in Na + /K + ratio, weight, and Mediterranean diet adherence resulted in clinically significant SBP decreases. Importantly, BP reduction is attributed to improved dietary quality, rather than being solely linked to changes in the Na + /K + ratio., Conclusion: Salt-focused programs are effective public health tools mainly in managing individuals at high risk of hypertension. Nevertheless, in general, empowerment-based approaches are important strategies for lowering BP, by promoting health literacy that culminates in adherence to the Mediterranean diet and weight reduction., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Moreira-Rosário, Ismael, Barreiros-Mota, Morais, Rodrigues, Castela, Mendes, Soares, da Costa, Oliveira, Henriques, Pinto, Pita, de Oliveira, Maciel, Serafim, Araújo, Rocha, Pestana, Silvestre, Marques, Faria, Polonia and Calhau.)

Dystrophinopathies are muscle diseases caused by pathogenic variants in DMD, the largest gene described in humans, representing a spectrum of diseases ranging from asymptomatic creatine phosphokinase elevation to severe Duchenne muscular dystrophy ( DMD ). Several therapeutic strategies are currently in use or under development, each targeting different pathogenic variants. However, little is known about the genetic profiles of northeast Brazilian patients with dystrophinopathies. We describe the spectrum of pathogenic DMD variants in a single center in northeast Brazil. This is an observational, cross-sectional study carried out through molecular-genetic analysis of male patients diagnosed with dystrophinopathies using Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) followed by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS)-based strategies. A total of 94 male patients were evaluated. Deletions (43.6%) and duplications (10.6%) were the most recurring patterns of pathogenic variants. However, small variants were present in 47.1% of patients, most of them nonsense variants (27.6%). This is the largest South American single-center case series of dystrophinopathies to date. We found a higher frequency of treatment-amenable nonsense single-nucleotide variants than most previous studies. These findings may have implications for diagnostic strategies in less-known populations, as a higher frequency of nonsense variants may mean a higher possibility of treating patients with disease-modifying drugs.

Background: The natural history of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in pre-ataxic stages of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3/Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3/MJD) is not well known. We report cross-sectional and longitudinal data obtained at this stage., Methods: Baseline (follow-up) observations included 32 (17) pre-ataxic carriers (SARA < 3) and 20 (12) related controls. The mutation length was used to estimate the time to onset (TimeTo) of gait ataxia. Clinical scales and MRIs were performed at baseline and after a median (IQR) of 30 (7) months. Cerebellar volumetries (ACAPULCO), deep gray-matter (T1-Multiatlas), cortical thickness (FreeSurfer), cervical spinal cord area (SCT) and white matter (DTI-Multiatlas) were assessed. Baseline differences between groups were described; variables that presented a p < 0.1 after Bonferroni correction were assessed longitudinally, using TimeTo and study time. For TimeTo strategy, corrections for age, sex and intracranial volume were done with Z-score progression. A significance level of 5% was adopted., Results: SCT at C1 level distinguished pre-ataxic carriers from controls. DTI measures of the right inferior cerebellar peduncle (ICP), bilateral middle cerebellar peduncles (MCP) and bilateral medial lemniscus (ML), also distinguished pre-ataxic carriers from controls, and progressed over TimeTo, with effect sizes varying from 0.11 to 0.20, larger than those of the clinical scales. No MRI variable showed progression over study time., Discussion: DTI parameters of the right ICP, left MCP and right ML were the best biomarkers for the pre-ataxic stage of SCA3/MJD. TimeTo is an interesting timescale, since it captured the longitudinal worsening of these structures., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Background and Objectives: Cardiovascular risk is composed of several modifiable factors that cannot be explained only at the individual level. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between socioemotional factors and cardiovascular risk in older adults., Research Design and Methods: A cross-sectional study with data from The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde dos Idosos Brasileiros, ELSI-Brazil), population based with data collected between 2015 and 2016. Cardiovascular risk-the study outcome-was assessed using the WHO/ISH Cardiovascular Risk Prediction Charts. The exposure variables were perceived social support from those who would receive help in situations and productive and leisurely social participation carried out in the last 12 months. We used crude and adjusted logistic regression for socioeconomic conditions, health conditions, and lifestyle habits to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the occurrence of the outcome., Results: There were 6,005 participants between 50 and 74 years old with complete data. Of these, 18.7% (95% CI: 16.9-20.6) had high cardiovascular risk. Being in the highest tertile of greater social participation is associated with a lower prevalence of high cardiovascular risk (OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.50-0.95), adjusted for all variables, when compared to the lowest tertile. Furthermore, the absence of perceived social support is associated with a higher prevalence in different models. Perceived social support from close family members (son/daughter, son-in-law, and daughter-in-law) for material issues is associated with a higher prevalence, whereas having support from friends for affective resources is associated with a lower prevalence of high cardiovascular risk., Discussion and Implications: Socioemotional factors such as lack of perceived social support and social participation were significantly associated with cardiovascular risk. This suggested that the development of strategies aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk during aging needs to consider socioemotional factors and social relationships., Competing Interests: None., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.)

A high-protein hypercaloric diet enriched with glutamine and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was called an onco-diet. The goal was to verify the modulation of the inflammatory response and body composition of female dogs with mammary tumor after mastectomy, during onco-diet consumption, using a randomized, double-blinded, clinical trial. Six bitches (average age of 8.6 years) were allocated into Control Group-diet without glutamine, EPA and DHA supplementation; and six bitches (10.0 years) were allocated into Test-diet enriched with glutamine and omega-3. Serum measurements of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IGF-1, C-reactive protein and determination of body composition were performed at pre- and post-surgical times. Statistical tests were used to compare the nutrient intake and dietary effects on inflammatory variables between the diets. No differences in concentrations of different cytokines (p>0.05) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (p = 0.51) were observed between the groups. The test group had a higher concentration of IGF-1 (p<0.05), higher percentage of muscle mass (p<0.01) and lower body fat (p<0.01), but the difference was present from initial and throughout the study. Onco-diet, enriched with glutamine and omega-3, in the amounts evaluated in this study, was not sufficient to modulate the inflammation and body composition of female dogs with mammary tumors submitted to unilateral mastectomy., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Bonder et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Canine piroplasmid infections can be caused by Babesia spp., Theileria spp. and Rangelia vitalii. In Brazil, canine babesiosis caused by Babesia vogeli is endemic and reported throughout the country. On the other hand, Rangeliosis caused by R. vitalii has only been described so far in the South and Southeast regions. Despite that, studies analyzing the laboratory and molecular characterization of these hemoprotozoa are still scarce. To investigate the occurrence, the laboratory features, the molecular characterization, and the diversity of piroplasmids from Midwestern Brazil, a survey was performed using blood samples obtained from 276 domestic dogs from Brasília, Federal District, Midwestern Brazil. A broad-range quantitative PCR (qPCR) targeting the mitochondrial large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU4) was used to detect piroplasmid DNA. The overall molecular occurrence of piroplasmids was 11.2% (31/276), with 9.7% (27/276) of the sequences identified as Babesia vogeli (98-100% identity to B. vogeli isolate from the USA). Based on a partial 18S rRNA sequence pairwise alignment (-250 bp), 1.4% (4/276) of the sequences showed only 76.8% identity with B. vogeli but 100% identity with opossum-associated Babesia sp. (MW290046-53). These findings suggest the exposure of dogs from Brazil to a recently described Babesia sp. isolated from white-eared opossum. None of the analyzed dogs was positive for Theileria spp. or R. vitalii. Subsequently, all positive sequences were submitted to three additional PCR assays based on the 18S rRNA, cox-1, and cytb genes, aiming at performing a haplotype network analysis. Haplotype network using cox-1 sequences showed the presence of six different haplotypes of B. vogeli; one of them was shared with isolates from Brazil, the USA, and India. When including animals co-infected with other vector-borne diseases, piroplasmid-positive dogs had 2.3 times higher chance of having thrombocytopenia than the negative ones. The molecular results demonstrated that the compared Babesia vogeli sequences showed a low variability as well as evidence of exposure to a putative novel opossum-associated Babesia sp. in dogs from Midwestern Brazil., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

It is becoming increasingly common for frontline clinicians to see children and teenagers struggle with their mental health. Since mental health issues have increased over the past ten years in the UK, they are now the leading cause of disability and cost the British economy £105 billion annually. The review discusses the evidence base underpinning the effect of yoga on children's mental health and summarises the results of 21 research papers. The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, ERIC, Web of Science, PubMed, Medline and Cochrane Library were searched through Ovid from January 2008 until May 2022. The keywords 'yoga OR mindfulness - AND school AND children OR child OR youth OR adolescent' were used. The search was limited to studies in the English language. The quality of each study was rated against Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomised control trials and a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. The evidence for yoga therapies in children is encouraging, although studies include methodological flaws such as small sample sizes and sparse information on interventions. This review has highlighted that yoga interventions may be implemented in schools as a preventative and therapeutic measure for mental health issues.

Background: Equid herpesvirus (EHV) commonly affects horses causing neurologic and respiratory symptoms beside spontaneous abortions, meaning huge economic losses for equine industry worldwide. In foals, the virus can facilitate secondary infections by Rhodococcus equi, important in morbidity and mortality in equines. A total of five genotypes of EHV were previously described in Brazil including EHV-1, EHV-2, EHV-3, EHV-4, and EHV-5. EHV-2 genotype had only been previously described in Brazil in asymptomatic animals. We report the investigation of the dead of 11 foals in Middle-west region of Brazil showing respiratory and neurological symptoms, as well as several abortions in mares from the same farm., Methods: Clinical and laboratory exams were performed in this case study. Lung, whole blood, serum, and plasma samples were analyzed by necroscopic and histopathologic techniques followed by molecular assays (conventional and qPCR and Sanger sequencing)., Results and Conclusion: Laboratory exams revealed neutrophilia leukocytosis. Necroscopic and histopathologic findings were suppurative bronchopneumonia and ulcerative enteritis. Molecular assays point to the absence of the bacteria Rhodococcus equi and other viruses (including other EHV). The presence of EHV-2 DNA was confirmed by sequencing in serum sample from one foal. This is the first confirmed outbreak of EHV-2 causing disease in Brazilian horses with confirmed presence of the virus, and which highlight the important role of EHV-2 in equine respiratory disease and spontaneous abortions in equid in Brazil., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Background: Digital therapeutics, an emerging type of medical approach, is defined as evidence-based therapeutic interventions through qualified software programs that help prevent, manage, or treat chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which has high social and economic burden. Klivo, a startup certified by the Brazilian Society of Diabetes, developed the first digital therapeutic product for managing T2DM in Brazil, reaching 21 of 24 states. Klivo has continuously been improving its model of behavior change on the basis of an intensive lifestyle intervention method that addresses individuals' needs-the Klivo Intervention Program for T2DM (KIPDM). To test the most recent version of the KIPDM, we will evaluate the ongoing management of daily life habits in patients with T2DM by measuring clinically significant outcomes. To improve the transparency of further results, here we will present the study protocol and detail the plan for the research project, including the study design and the analysis strategies., Methods: The KIPDM will be sponsored by health plans and healthcare provider organizations and will be free for patients (adults aged ≥ 18 years and <65 years; and glycated hemoglobin ≥ 7%). The program will be based on a 6-month management process that will supervise patients remotely. The program will include educational classes via the Klivo app, text messages, or e-mails. Evaluation will include objectively assessing clinical, laboratory, and behavioral outcomes such as health-related quality of life, mental health, medication adherence, and healthcare utilization. For this, validated electronic questionnaires will be available through the Klivo app. The primary outcome will be glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values. The secondary outcome will be time in target blood glucose range (TIR) estimated by capillary glycemia. Other outcomes of interest will be evaluated at baseline and stipulated time points (3 and 6 months after the start of the program)., Expected Outcomes: KIPDM patients should present improved HbA1c and TIR along the intervention as compared to baseline values. Findings from this study will provide insights into the health improvement of T2DM and other cardiometabolic conditions such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity by using a digital therapeutic strategy. By analyzing the patient's health over time, this study will also contribute to understanding comorbidities associated with this chronic condition in the Brazilian population., Competing Interests: Our author team were either employees of or consultants to or collaborators to Klivo LLC at the time of first submission. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. All the author have no competing interest regarding to this project., (Copyright: © 2023 de Oliveira et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Little is known about preclinical stages of Machado-Joseph disease, a polyglutamine disorder characterized by progressive adult-onset ataxia., Objective: We aimed to describe the longitudinal progression of clinical and oculomotor variables in the preataxic phase of disease., Methods: Carriers and noncarriers were assessed at three visits. Preataxic carriers (Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia score < 3) expected to start ataxia in ≤4 years were considered near onset (PAN). Progressions of ataxic and preataxic carriers, considering status at the end of the study, were described according to the start (or its prediction) of gait ataxia (TimeToAfterOnset) and according to the study time., Results: A total of 35 ataxics, 38 preataxics, and 22 noncarriers were included. The "TimeToAfterOnset" timeline showed that Neurological Examination Scale for Spinocerebellar Ataxias (NESSCA; effect size, 0.09), Inventory of Non-Ataxia Symptoms (INAS0.07), and the vestibulo-ocular reflex gain (0.12) progressed in preataxic carriers, and that most slopes accelerate in PAN, turning similar to those of ataxics. In the study time, NESSCA (1.36) and vertical pursuit gain (1.17) significantly worsened in PAN, and 6 of 11 PANs converted to ataxia. For a clinical trial with 80% power and 2-year duration, 57 PANs are needed in each study arm to detect a 50% reduction in the conversion rate., Conclusions: NESSCA, INAS, vestibulo-ocular reflex, and vertical pursuit gains significantly worsened in the preataxic phase. The "TimeToAfterOnset" timeline unveiled that slopes of most variables are small in preataxics but increase and reach the ataxic slopes from 4 years before the onset of ataxia. For future trials in preataxic carriers, we recommend recruiting PANs and using the conversion rate as the primary outcome. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society., (© 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.)

In January 2022, our genomic surveillance network identified a SARS-CoV-2 BA.1 and BA.2 coinfection in a sample from a patient residing in Brazil. Our results suggest that the true number of SARS-CoV-2 coinfections remains largely underestimated., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Recombination events have been described in the Coronaviridae family. Since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a variable degree of selection pressure has acted upon the virus, generating new strains with increased fitness in terms of viral transmission and antibody scape. Most of the SC2 variants of concern (VOC) detected so far carry a combination of key amino acid changes and indels. Recombination may also reshuffle existing genetic profiles of distinct strains, potentially giving origin to recombinant strains with altered phenotypes. However, co-infection and recombination events are challenging to detect and require in-depth curation of assembled genomes and sequencing reds. Here, we present the molecular characterization of a new SARS-CoV-2 recombinant between BA.1.1 and BA.2.23 Omicron lineages identified in Brazil. We characterized four mutations that had not been previously described in any of the recombinants already identified worldwide and described the likely breaking points. Moreover, through phylogenetic analysis, we showed that the newly named XAG lineage groups in a highly supported monophyletic clade confirmed its common evolutionary history from parental Omicron lineages and other recombinants already described. These observations were only possible thanks to the joint effort of bioinformatics tools auxiliary in genomic surveillance and the manual curation of experienced personnel, demonstrating the importance of genetic, and bioinformatic knowledge in genomics., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Silva, Salvato, Gregianini, Gomes, Pereira, de Oliveira, de Menezes, Barcellos, Godinho, Riediger, Debur, de Oliveira, Ribeiro-Rodrigues, Miyajima, Dias, Abbud, Monte-Neto, Calzavara-Silva, Siqueira, Wallau, Resende, Fernandes and Alves.)

Alarming Situation: Monkeypox is a zoonosis caused by a double-stranded DNA virus. The virus was isolated in monkeys in 1958. The first human case was detected in Africa in 1970. It is endemic in western and central Africa. The infection has worried public health authorities around the world since May 2022 with the emergence of thousands of cases in non-African countries., Objective: We discuss the neurological manifestations associated with monkeypox infection., Rare and Severe Complications: Although in the current outbreak, the disease appears to be self-limiting, with predominance of focal skin lesions, complications may occur, mainly in children and immunosuppressed patients. Neurological manifestations such as encephalitis, convulsion, dizziness, pain, fatigue, visual alteration, photophobia, headache and myalgia were previously reported. Encephalitis may be due to viral invasion of the central nervous system or an immune-mediated process. In both situations, rapid recognition is extremely important with the investigation of the cerebrospinal fluid exam, which can demonstrate the local inflammatory reaction, specific IgM and, possibly viral detection, in addition to the imaging study., Conclusions: We emphasize that health professionals should be alert to the emergence of neurological disorders associated with monkeypox infection in order to avoid sequelae and better characterize the current disease., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Feline piroplasmids include the genera Babesia spp., Cytauxzoon spp., and Theileria spp. In Brazil, there are few reports regarding these hemoprotozoans; however, clinicopathological and molecular data are scarce. This study aimed to characterize the clinical relevance of these parasites through hematological, biochemical, and molecular approaches. For this purpose, 166 cats from Brasilia, Federal District, Midwestern Brazil, were screened using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for piroplasmids based on the LSU4 mitochondrial gene, which resulted in an overall prevalence of 36/166 (21.7%). Twelve of 166 samples (7.2%) were positive for C. felis, while 19/166 (11.4%) were positive for Babesia vogeli. No samples tested positive for Theileria spp. Babesia vogeli and Cytauxzoon spp. LSU4 sequences showed identities of 97-100% and 99.3%, respectively, to US isolates. The hematological and biochemical findings did not differ significantly between the cats that tested positive and negative for piroplasmids. Although the lack of abnormalities in clinical and laboratory parameters does not eliminate the possibility that these cats were sick and recovered, it may suggest that the Brazilian strain of Cytauxzoon spp. is not as pathogenic as that from the USA, despite the high molecular identity with North American isolates., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The year of 2021 was marked by the emergence and dispersal of a number of SARS-CoV-2 lineages, resulting in the "third wave" of COVID-19 in several countries despite the level of vaccine coverage. Soon after the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 by the Delta variant in Brazil, at least seven Delta sub-lineages emerged, including the globally spread AY.101 and AY.99.2. In this study we performed a detailed analysis of the COVID-19 scenario in Brazil from April to December 2021 by using data collected by the largest private medical diagnostic company in Latin America (Dasa), and SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences generated by its SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance project (GENOV). For phylogenetic and Bayesian analysis, SARS-CoV-2 genomes available at GISAID public database were also retrieved. We confirmed that the Brazilian AY.99.2 and AY.101 were the most prevalent lineages during this period, overpassing the Gamma variant in July/August. We also estimated that AY.99.2 likely emerged a few weeks after the entry of the B.1.617.2 in the country, at some point between late April and May and rapidly spread to other countries. Despite no increased fitness described for the AY.99.2 lineage, a rapid shift in the composition of Delta SARS-CoV-2 lineages prevalence in Brazil took place. Understanding the reasons leading the AY.99.2 to become the dominant lineage in the country is important to understand the process of lineage competitions that may inform future control measures., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Romano, de Oliveira, da Silva and Levi.)

Introduction: Suicides and suicide attempts are major public health problems, and coping strategies are hampered by insufficient or inadequate notifications. Data accuracy influences the formulation of public and mental health policies and suicide prevention strategies. The objective of this study was to analyze the completeness of self-harm and suicide records in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, 2014-2016., Methods: This is an evaluative study with a descriptive design. The data were collected from suicide attempt records from the Notifiable Diseases Information System and suicide records from the Mortality Information System. Probabilistic linkage was used to relate these databases, and the degree of completeness of the variables was calculated. Completeness was classified into the following categories: good (≥ 75.1%), regular (50.1%-75.0%), low (25.1%-50.0%), and very low (≤ 25.0%)., Results: In the analyzed period, 1,404 notifications of self-harm were studied, with an overall mean completeness of 86.2%. In addition, 1,050 suicide records were analyzed, with an overall mean completeness of 95.8%. Most variables referring to suicide attempts had good completeness, with the exception of the variables "occupation" and "education." The completeness of all suicide-related variables was rated as good. After linkage, a significant improvement was observed in the degree of completeness of the variable "occupation"., Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the completeness of self-harm and suicide variables improved from the first to the last year. The integration of data from different information systems provides an opportunity to improve suicide prevention programs and the quality of available information. Continuous efforts to increase the completeness and reliability of suicide surveillance systems are fundamental to describe the epidemiological profile and, consequently, plan preventive actions, in addition to contributing to the development and reformulation of strategies aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality related to suicidal behavior., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

This study evaluates the association of anthropometric indexes and the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after a 5-year follow-up. This analysis included 1091 middle-aged participants (57% women, mean age 47 ± 15 years) who were free of T2DM at baseline and attended two health examinations cycles [cycle 1 (2005-2006) and cycle 2 (2010-2013)]. As expected, the participants who developed T2DM after five years (3.8%) had the worst metabolic profile with higher hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity rates. Besides, using mixed-effects logistic regression and adjustment for sex, age, and glucose, we found that one unit increase in body adiposity index (BAI) was associated with an 8% increase in their risk of developing T2DM (odds ratio [OR] = 1.08 [95% CI, 1.02-1.14]) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) was associated with a risk increase of 11% (OR = 1.11 [95% CI, 1.00-1.22]). Moreover, a one-unit increase in the triglycerides-glucose index (TyG) was associated with more than four times the risk of developing T2DM (OR = 4.27 [95% CI, 1.01-17.97]). The interquartile range odds ratio for the continuous predictors showed that TyG had the best discriminating performance. However, when any of them were additionally adjusted for waist circumference (WC) or even body mass index (BMI), all adiposity indexes lost the effect in predicting T2DM. In conclusion, TyG had the most substantial predictive power among all three indexes. However, neither BAI, VAI, nor TyG were superior to WC or BMI for predicting the risk of developing T2DM in a middle-aged normoglycemic sample in this rural Brazilian population., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Although health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been increasingly valued in healthcare and in clinical trials, there is scarce information about it in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3/Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3/MJD). This study describes the HRQoL results obtained from ataxic SCA3/MJD subjects, and their non-ataxic offspring included in the BIGPRO (Biomarkers and genetic modifiers in a study of presymptomatic and symptomatic SCA3/MJD carriers) study. Demographic data, clinical scales, and HRQoL instruments EQ-5D-3L and SF-36 were collected. Subjects at 50% risk were genotyped in a double-blind manner. The time left until the onset of the disease was estimated for mutation carriers with a SARA < 3 and combined with disease duration of ataxic subjects (TimeToAfterOnset). Analyses were performed using PASW Statistics version 18.0, R version 4.0.0, and G*Power 3.1, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Twenty-three ataxic carriers, 33 pre-ataxic carriers, and 21 controls were enrolled. Significant differences between ataxic carriers and controls were seen in EQ-VAS, EQ-5D Index, and in some domains of EQ-5D-3L and SF-36. EQ-5D Index showed the best effect size between ataxic and controls (Cohen's d = 2.423). Stepwise changes were seen in pre-ataxic subjects, although not statistically significant. TimeToAfterOnset correlated with EQ-5D Index, EQ-VAS, and SF-36 Physical functioning, Role Physical, Pain, and General Health. EQ-5D Index and EQ-VAS correlated with clinical scales in the ataxic group. These results suggest that HRQoL worsens among carriers since pre-ataxic stages and that they might encompass the underlying disease process. In this cohort, SF-36 Physical Functioning, SF-36 General health, and especially EQ-5D Index and EQ-VAS were the best HRQoL instruments to be used as ancillary evidence to support biological and social meanings for future interventions., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

This study proposed an evaluation of enrichment processes of obsolete Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), by means of gravity and electrostatic separation, aiming at the recovery of metals. PCBs are the most important component in electronic devices, having high concentrations of metals and offering a secondary source of raw materials. Its recycling promotes the reduction in the environmental impacts associated with its production, use, and disposal. The recovery method studied started with the dismantling of the PCB, followed by a comminution and granulometric classification. Subsequent magnetic, gravity, and electrostatic separations were performed. After the separations, a macroscopic visual evaluation and chemical analysis were carried out, determining the metal content in the concentrate products. The results obtained from gravity separation showed a product with metallic concentrations of 89% and 76% for particle sizes of 0.3−0.6 mm and 0.6−1.18 mm, respectively. In electrostatic separation, the product obtained was 88% for the lower particle size (<0.3 mm) and 62% for particles sizes >1.18 mm.

Introduction: Insulin is a glucose-lowering hormone that affects carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism. Limited data exist on the correlates of insulin levels over the life course in healthy community-dwelling individuals., Research Design and Methods: Using multilevel modeling of multiple serial observations over 21 years, we assessed the longitudinal correlates of fasting insulin and the cross-sectional correlates of fasting and 2-hour (2h, post 75 g glucose challenge) plasma insulin concentrations in 2140 relatively healthy Framingham Heart Study participants without diabetes (61% women; mean age, 42 years). We used multivariable-adjusted Cox regression to relate glycemic markers (fasting and 2h-insulin, fasting glucose, 2h-glucose, and hemoglobin A 1C ) to the risk of type 2 diabetes during follow-up., Results: Over the life course, fasting insulin concentrations were inversely associated with age, male sex, and physical activity, whereas waist circumference, the total/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio, and blood triglycerides were positively associated with insulin levels (p<0.005 for all). Male sex (inversely related) and the total/HDL cholesterol ratio (positively related) emerged as the most important cross-sectional correlates of 2h-insulin (p<0.005 for all). All markers were associated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes (352 cases, median follow-up 18 years, p<0.001 for all)., Conclusions: We observed common and distinct correlates of fasting and 2h-insulin levels. Our findings highlight a potential role of insulin in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Furthermore, fasting and 2h-insulin are critical markers of future diabetes risk. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Aspidosperma macrocarpon Mart., popularly known as 'guatambu' or 'peroba', is found from North American (Mexico) to South American (Argentina) continents and in Brazil. Two indole alkaloids were isolated from leaves of A. macrocarpon , kopsanone ( 1 ) and unreported N (4)-oxide-kopsanone ( 2 ).

Percolaspis ornata (Germar) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) is known in Brazil as an important pest of cocoa in the states of Bahia and Espírito Santo. We recently identified a Chrysomelidae species feeding and causing damage to soybean, corn, and cotton crops in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The species was identified as Percolaspis cf. ornata. Adults feed on young leaves and sprouts and, in many cases, cut the stem of seedlings, causing stand reduction and yield losses. Its attacks have been recorded since 2016 in the central region of Mato Grosso. Because of the importance of the state of Mato Grosso as the main grain producer in the country, it is necessary to monitor crops for the occurrence of this insect in the next harvests and the development of basic and applied studies aimed at defining management strategies for this emerging pest. This is the first record of P. cf. ornata causing damage to soybean, maize, and cotton crops in Brazil., (© 2021. Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil.)

Astrocytes play an important role in the central nervous system function and may contribute to brain plasticity response during static magnetic fields (SMF) brain therapy. However, most studies evaluate SMF stimulation in brain plasticity while few studies evaluate the consequences of SMF at the cellular level. Thus, we here evaluate the effects of SMF at 305 mT (medium-intensity) in a primary culture of healthy/normal cortical astrocytes obtained from neonatal (1 to 2-day-old) Wistar rats. After reaching confluence, cells were daily subjected to SMF stimulation for 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, and 40 min during 7 consecutive days. Oxidative stress parameters, cell cycle, cell viability, and mitochondrial function were analyzed. The antioxidant capacity was reduced in groups stimulated for 5 and 40 min. Although no difference was observed in the enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase or the total thiol content, lipid peroxidation was increased in all stimulated groups. The cell cycle was changed after 40 min of SMF stimulation while 15, 30, and 40 min led cells to death by necrosis. Mitochondrial function was reduced after SMF stimulation, although imaging analysis did not reveal substantial changes in the mitochondrial network. Results mainly revealed that SMF compromised healthy astrocytes' oxidative status and viability. This finding reveals how important is to understand the SMF stimulation at the cellular level since this therapeutic approach has been largely used against neurological and psychiatric diseases., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Accurate cause of death data are essential to guide health policy. However, mortality surveillance is limited in many low-income countries. In such settings, verbal autopsy (VA) is increasingly used to provide population-level cause of death data. VAs are now widely interpreted using the automated algorithms SmartVA and InterVA. Here we use conventional autopsy as the gold standard to validate SmartVA methodology., Methods: This study included adult deaths from natural causes in São Paulo and Recife for which conventional autopsy was indicated. VA was conducted with a relative of the deceased using an amended version of the SmartVA instrument to suit the local context. Causes of death from VA were produced using the SmartVA-Analyze program. Physician coded verbal autopsy (PCVA), conducted on the same questionnaires, and Global Burden of Disease Study data were used as additional comparators. Cause of death data were grouped into 10 broad causes for the validation due to the real-world utility of VA lying in identifying broad population cause of death patterns., Findings: The study included 2,060 deaths in São Paulo and 1,079 in Recife. The cause specific mortality fractions (CSMFs) estimated using SmartVA were broadly similar to conventional autopsy for: cardiovascular diseases (46.8% vs 54.0%, respectively), cancers (10.6% vs 11.4%), infections (7.0% vs 10.4%) and chronic respiratory disease (4.1% vs 3.7%), causes accounting for 76.1% of the autopsy dataset. The SmartVA CSMF estimates were lower than autopsy for "Other NCDs" (7.8% vs 14.6%) and higher for diabetes (13.0% vs 6.6%). CSMF accuracy of SmartVA compared to autopsy was 84.5%. CSMF accuracy for PCVA was 93.0%., Interpretation: The results suggest that SmartVA can, with reasonable accuracy, predict the broad cause of death groups important to assess a population's epidemiological transition. VA remains a useful tool for understanding causes of death where medical certification is not possible., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

The order Piroplasmida encompasses tick-borne pathogens of veterinary and medical importance positioned in two main families: Babesiidae and Theileriidae. Even though previous studies carried out in Brazil recorded the occurrence of piroplasmid species circulating in small mammals, 18S RNA gene sequences were only partially sequenced, preventing the assessment of their phylogenetic positioning. The current study aimed to detect and characterize, using morphological, molecular, and bioinformatic approaches, piroplasmids from wild mammals and associated ticks sampled in Central-Western Brazil. Out of 67 Didelphis albiventris sampled, 22 (16.4%) were positive for piroplasmids by PCR. In contrast, none of the 48 small rodents and 14 capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) was PCR-positive. Four Amblyomma dubitatum ticks-one from Rattus rattus, one from H. hydrochaeris, and two from D. albiventris-out of 114 Amblyomma spp. DNA samples were positive for piroplasmids by PCR. The phylogenetic inference performed using the near-complete 18S rRNA gene positioned the putative novel piroplasmid species detected in D. albiventris and associated A. dubitatum ticks near to Babesia sensu lato clade (Western group-cluster III) and distant from the Australian marsupial-associated piroplasms. Phylogenetic inferences based on two additional molecular markers, namely hsp-70 and cox-1, supported the near-complete 18S rRNA gene phylogenetic inference. Finally, the partial 18S rRNA gene sequences detected in ticks from rodents (R. rattus and H. hydrochaeris) showed 97.2-99.4% identity with the Piroplasmida previously detected in a capybara from Brazil, raising evidence that a still uncharacterized piroplasmid species has been identified in the capybara, the largest rodent species from South America., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

SARS-CoV-2 is the etiologic agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is mainly detected by RT-PCR methods from upper respiratory specimens, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Oro/nasopharyngeal swabbing can be discomfortable to the patients, requires trained healthcare personnel and may generate aerosol, increasing the risk of nosocomial infections. In this study, we describe two SARS-CoV-2 RNA extraction-free single RT-PCR protocols on saliva samples and compared the results with the paired oro/nasopharyngeal swab specimens from 400 patients. The two saliva protocols demonstrated a substantial agreement when compared to the oro/nasopharyngeal swab protocol. Moreover, the positivity rate of saliva protocols increased according to the disease period. The 95 % limit of detection of one of the therefore implemented saliva protocol was determined as 9441 copies/mL. Our results support the conclusion that RNA extraction-free RT-PCR using self-collected saliva specimens is an alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs, especially in the early phase of symptom onset., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Patients undergoing haemodialysis are at great cardiovascular risk. Neck circumference (NC) is a simple and low-cost measure for estimating this risk precociously. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the cardiovascular risk obtained by NC is associated with the main cardiometabolic risk factors in patients on haemodialysis treatment who are on a waiting list for transplantation., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted including 96 patients in a single transplantation centre. Socio-demographic, clinical-laboratory and anthropometric data were collected. NC was considered as a dependent variable and the independent variables were body mass index (BMI), fasting glycaemia and lipid profile, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (TGL/HDL-C) ratio, and triglyceride and glycaemia (TyG) index. For the comparison of averages, we used Mann-Whitney and Student's t tests, as well as one-way analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was performed for the association between NC and cardiometabolic risk factors. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: There were higher BMI averages, blood glucose, triglycerides (TGL), TGL/HDL-C ratio and TyG index in the tertile 3 of the NC, whereas the HDL-C decreased as the tertile increased. There was a statistically significant risk of cardiovascular disease that was asscoiated, according to NC, with being overweight, high levels of TGL, TGL/HDL-C, TyG index and low HDL-C., Conclusions: NC is shown to be associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in kidney patients undergoing haemodialysis who are on a transplant waiting list., (© 2021 British Dietetic Association.)

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal condition. Anatomical and functional variations in the upper and lower airways are component manifestations of the syndrome and increase the risk of various medical problems. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of otorhinolaryngological and respiratory diseases in a DS outpatient clinic over a 3-year period. Medical records data from 1207 patients were retrospectively reviewed. Newborn Hearing Screening was positive in 7.1% of patients. Brainstem auditory evoked potential was performed in 1101 children and showed a hearing loss of 19.8% in the first year. It was positive in 21% of 1021 exams. Audiometry was altered in 64 of 994 exams (6.4%), showing a conductive loss in 90%. Adenotonsillectomy was performed in 308 (25.5%) patients, and 169 (14.0%) required serous otitis ventilation tubes. Asthma was observed in 140 (11.6%) patients, and allergic rhinitis in 544 (56.6%). There were hospitalizations for invasive infection in 480 (39.8%) children, and two (0.2%) patients had severe septicemia from pulmonary focus. Five (0.4%) infants had laryngotracheomalacia, and one patient had anomalous right tracheal bronchus. Recognizing the prevalence of respiratory and otorhinolaryngological disorders in patients with DS allows the promotion of optimal follow-up and early treatment, preventing the development of sequelae., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The dopaminergic system of zebrafish is complex and the numerous pathways and receptors in the central nervous system (CNS) are being extensively studied. A critical factor for the synthesis, activation and release of catecholamines (CAs) is the presence of tyrosine hydroxylase, an enzyme which converts L-tyrosine into levodopa. Levodopa thus is the intermediary in the synthesis of dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) and promotes its release; therefore, CAs play an important role in the CNS with hormonal functions. Here, we use levodopa/carbidopa to clarify the involvement of the dopaminergic pathway in the stress response in zebrafish submitted to an acute stress challenge. Acute stress was induced by chasing fish with a net for 2 min and assessed by measuring whole-body cortisol levels. Two experiments were carried out, the first with exposure to levodopa/carbidopa and the second with exposure to AMPT and levodopa/carbidopa. Levodopa/carbidopa balances the stress response through its action on the zebrafish hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Changes in cortisol levels suggest that DA was related to the balance of the stress response and that NE decreased this response. These effects were specific to stress since levodopa/carbidopa did not induce changes in cortisol in non-stressed fish.

Transplantation of any organ has some inherent risk of disease transmission, such as infection and malignancy. The present study aims to describe 2 cases of choriocarcinoma transmission after kidney and liver transplantation originating from the same patient. The donor was a 17-year-old woman who died of cerebral hemorrhage. Both organ recipients died of metastatic choriocarcinoma few months after the transplantation, within days after starting chemotherapy. Retrospective hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin hormone) analysis in donor's blood stored at the time of donation had a result of 9324 mIU/mL. Despite its rarity, clinicians should be aware of the risk of transplant-related choriocarcinoma from female donors in childbearing age. In some cases, hCG dosage should be performed before donation., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: The pathological burden of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, also known as Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3/MJD), accumulates before the beginning of symptoms. Our study aims at validating biomarkers for disease progression since pre-ataxic periods. We report on baseline findings of clinical scales and oculomotor neurophysiology., Methods: Ataxic (Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia > 2.5) and at 50% risk subjects were included. The latter were subdivided into noncarriers, pre-ataxic carriers near (PAN), or pre-ataxic carriers far from (PAFF) ataxia onset (AO), with 4 years from the predicted age at onset being the cutoff. The subjects were assessed by Neurological Examination Score for Spinocerebellar Ataxia (NESSCA), International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS), Inventory of Non-Ataxic Signs (INAScount), Composite Cerebellar Functions Score and SCA Functional Index, and video-oculography, including the regression slope of vestibulo-ocular reflex gain (VORr), main sequence of volitional and reflexive vertical saccades, slow-phase velocity of central and gaze-evoked (SPV-GE) nystagmus, and vertical pursuit gain. Correction for multiple comparisons was performed; the threshold for statistical significance was P < 0.05., Results: A total of 35 ataxic, 14 PAN, 24 PAFF, and 22 noncarriers were included. All variables showed significant differences between groups and correlated to time to onset or time after onset, among all 73 SCA3/MJD carriers; none significantly changed with age in controls. NESSCA, ICARS, INAScount, VORr, main sequence of volitional saccades, and SPV-GE not only distinguished PAN from controls but also correlated with time left to AO., Conclusions: Clinical scales and video-oculography variables were already altered in pre-ataxic SCA3/MJD carriers and worsened with time. NESSCA, ICARS, INAScount, VORr, main sequence of vertical volitional saccades, and SPV-GE are good candidates to measure preclinical changes in SCA3/MJD. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society., (© 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.)

In December 2020, research surveillance detected the B.1.1.7 lineage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in São Paulo, Brazil. Rapid genomic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed 2 distinct introductions of the lineage. One patient reported no international travel. There may be more infections with this lineage in Brazil than reported.

The phytoalexin Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene; RSV) has been related to numerous beneficial effects on health by its cytoprotection and chemoprevention activities. Liver fibrosis is characterized by the extracellular matrix accumulation after hepatic injury and can lead to cirrhosis. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) play a crucial role during fibrogenesis and liver wound healing by changing their quiescent phenotype to an activated phenotype for protecting healthy areas from damaged areas. Strategies on promoting the activated HSC death, the quiescence return or the cellular activation stimuli decrease play an important role on reducing liver fibrosis. Here, we evaluated the RSV effects on some markers of activation in GRX, an HSC model. We further evaluated the RSV influence in the ability of GRX on releasing inflammatory mediators. RSV at 1 and 10 µM did not alter the protein content of α-SMA, collagen I and GFAP; but 50 µM increased the content of these activation-related proteins. Also, RSV did not change the myofibroblast-like morphology of GRX. Interestingly, RSV at 10 and 50 µM decreased the GRX migration and collagen-I gel contraction. Finally, we showed that RSV triggered the increase in the TNF-α and IL-10 content in culture media of GRX while the opposite occurred for the IL-6 content. Altogether, these results suggested that RSV did not decrease the activation state of GRX and oppositely, triggered a pro-activation effect at the 50 µM concentration. However, despite the increase of TNF- α in culture media, these results on IL-6 and IL-10 secretion were in accordance with the anti-inflammatory role of RSV in our model.

Introduction: Alternative methods of dry storage and transportation may be a viable alternative to the use of liquid storage medium for cervical samples, especially for screening programs in places with few resources., Objective: The objective of this study is to verify the viability and efficacy of human papillomavirus DNA (HPV-DNA) detection in cervical cell samples collected and stored on a Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) card (Whatman Indicating FTA® Elute Micro Card) and subsequently recovered in ethanol-based liquid medium and to compare the results to those obtained using samples stored directly in ethanol-based liquid medium., Study Design: Thirty-four women submitted to ETZ (excision of the transformation zone of the cervix) were included in this study. Before ETZ, 2 samples of exfoliated cervical cells were collected from each woman by a doctor and stored in ethanol-based liquid medium and on an FTA card. DNA recovery from FTA samples was performed using ethanol-based liquid medium. Detection of HPV-DNA in the samples was performed using the Cobas® 4800 HPV Test Platform., Results and Conclusions: The HPV-DNA detection positivity rates were 70.6% for the samples collected directly in liquid medium and 64.7% for the samples stored on the FTA card, with high detection accuracy in the DNA samples recovered from the FTA card (area under the curve = 0.958; 95% confidence interval = 0.890-1.000). The concordance between the results obtained using the 2 storage media was 94.1% (Kappa = 0.866). These preliminary results suggest that collection of cervical material on an FTA card may be an alternative to storage in liquid medium since the liquid medium has some limitations. In addition, DNA recovery from the card using ethanol-based liquid medium streamlines the workflow in the laboratory and reduces the cost associated with reagents, thereby facilitating access to the HPV test in places with few resources and potentially improving cervical cancer screening., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: White and colored fiber cotton cultivars have been developed to increase production and opportunities for family farming. The broad mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) is an important pest in cotton crops, nevertheless, different cotton cultivars may influence its host selection and population growth. For P. latus control, acaricides application is commonly performed, although less is known about the sublethal effects of these products. Thus, the host preference and instantaneous rate of increase (r i ) of P. latus were evaluated on white and colored cotton cultivars, as well as the lethal and sublethal effects of acaricides through mortality tests and population growth., Results: In free-choice tests to evaluate host preference among white and colored cotton cultivars, no preference was observed for P. latus. The instantaneous r i values were positive for all tested cultivars, however, differences were observed between the colored BRS Rubi and the white BRS 201. The population growth of P. latus decreased with increasing concentrations of the acaricides abamectin, spirodiclofen, azadirachtin and spiromesifen. Nevertheless, azadirachtin and spiromesifen presented positive r i values even at the highest lethal concentrations (LC 90 ), while abamectin and spirodiclofen provided negative r i values of P. latus from LC 90 and LC 70 , respectively., Conclusion: No host preference of P. latus was observed among white and colored cotton cultivar. Abamectin and spirodiclofen presented relevant sublethal effects that should be considered for the integrated management of this pest., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)