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The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of creatine supplementation (CS) on renal function in young, healthy, and active subjects. We used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial as the study design. Thirty-six healthy male university students were recruited and divided into three groups: group placebo, group G3 (3 g/day of CS), and group G5 (5 g/day of CS). To assess renal function, new kidney biomarkers, kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), were quantified. Serum albumin, serum creatinine, serum urea, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria, and albuminuria were also measured. All groups were evaluated at two times: prior CS or placebo (pre) and after 35 days on CS or placebo (post). After 35 days of intervention, all characteristics were maintained without significant difference (P> 0.05) between the groups, including serum creatinine, eGFR, and more sensitive kidney biomarker concentrations (KIM-1 and MCP-1). The paired analysis showed that the supplemented groups (G3 and 5G) had increased serum creatinine and decreased eGFR levels (P< 0.05). However, the values were still within the normal reference range. In conclusion, the results of renal function evaluation did not show any difference between the evaluated groups. Increased serum creatinine and decreased eGFR levels in CS groups can be explained by increased creatine stores and metabolism, since creatinine is a by-product of creatine metabolism. These findings indicate that the use of CS at doses of 3 g and 5 g/day for a short period (35 days) is safe and did not impair the kidneys or renal function in young healthy subjects.

The use of pesticides is the main tool to control infestations of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus, and organophosphate (OP) is one of the most used compounds for this purpose. Carboxylesterases (ChEs) are targets for OP pesticides in arthropods, and acetylcholinesterase 2 (AChE2) and esterase 1 (EST1) are metabolic enzymes involved in the xenobiotic detoxification process. The increase in the synthesis of these enzymes can be detected by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay, which was used to identify cattle tick populations resistant to OP pesticides. For that, two field populations of R. micropluswere used, one previously identified by the larval packet test (LPT) as OP −sensitive (LC50=0.13μg/cm2) and the other OP-resistant (LC50=8.14μg/cm2). To promote the OP enzyme detoxification, groups of 10 females of the resistant strain were immersed in solutions of diazinon in technical grade at concentrations of 1.0mg/ml, 2.5mg/ml, and 5.0mg/ml. The ticks that survived diazinon exposure were submitted to qPCR assay, which enabled observing an increase in AChE2and EST1synthesis in the OP-resistant strain when compared to the susceptible strain. The initial results of expression analysis suggest that the qPCR assay can discriminate OP-resistant and susceptible populations. The development and improvement of molecular diagnostic tests to identify pesticide resistant R. micropluspopulations are priorities and in the near future it will be important to expand the molecular targets involved in OP resistance, which could be used for better selection of effective strategies to control cattle tick populations.

The larval stage of Amblyomma calcaratumNeumann is described using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Unfed larvae were obtained from a colony of A. calcaratumoriginating from engorged females collected on Tamandua tetradactylain the Jaraguá Mountain (23°40′S, 45°44′W), São Paulo County, Brazil. Eleven larvae were prepared and mounted on slides and observed under a light microscope equipped with a drawing tube. Three specimens were prepared for SEM. Several morphological characters are described, including the chaetotaxy of the idiosoma, palpi, and Haller's organ, as well as morphological features of the idiosoma, gnathosoma, and legs of A. calcaratumlarvae. In addition, topographical and numerical patterns of integumentary structures on the larval idiosoma are described using a recently proposed nomenclature. On the idiosoma, setaes, lyrifissures, small glands, and large wax glands were found. These structures were observed isolated or associated over the entire idiosoma, except on the scutum, which lacks large wax glands. The topographical and numerical patterns of integumentary structures of the A. calcaratumlarva showed only minor differences when compared with patterns of other Amblyommalarvae; however, a few key features can be used to differentiate A. calcaratumfrom other members of this genus.

The present study provides the first epidemiological data on infection with Babesia bovisin cattle raised in the southwestern Brazilian Amazon. Blood clot samples were filtered through nylon cloth before being submitted to DNA extraction. PCR and nested-PCR were applied to assess the frequency of infection with B. bovisin calves with ages from 4 to 12 months bred in 4 microregions each in the states of Rondônia and Acre. After the DNA was extracted from the samples, the infection in cattle was investigated by amplification of the “rap1” gene from B. bovis. The DNA amplification results revealed a frequency of infection with B. bovisof 95.1% (272/286) in the samples from Rondônia and 96.1% (195/203) in those from Acre. The high frequency of B. bovisinfection in the animals with ages from 4 to 12 months indicates a situation of enzootic stability in the regions studied. The infection rates are comparable to those detected by immunodiagnostic techniques in other endemic regions of Brazil.

Activating mutations in exon 3 of the β-catenin gene are involved in the pathogenesis of adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas. Recently, the interaction between β-catenin and PROP1 has been shown to be responsible for pituitary cell lineage determination. We hypothesized that dysregulated PROP1expression could also be involved in the pathogenesis of craniopharyngiomas.

Breast carcinoma is a rare disease in men, and bilateral cases are extremely uncommon. The rarity of male breast carcinoma and the small number of large studies on this topic have made it necessary to extrapolate treatment standards and outcomes from those established for women. Between 1997 and 2007, 75 men with breast cancer were referred to our institute, and the bilateral case we present here was the only one we have observed since 1994. The goal of our work was to contribute to the available literature with this extremely unusual presentation of the disease.