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The MSH2 c.388_389del mutation has occasionally been described in Lynch families worldwide. At the Portuguese Oncology Institute in Porto, Portugal, we have identified 16 seemingly unrelated families with this germline mutation. To evaluate if this alteration is a founder or a recurrent mutation we performed haplotype analysis in the 16 Portuguese index cases and 55 relatives, as well as in four index cases and 13 relatives reported from Germany, Scotland, England, and Argentina. In the Portuguese families we observed a shared haplotype of approximately 10 Mb and all were originated from the north of Portugal. These results suggest that this alteration is a founder mutation in Portugal with a relatively recent origin. In the reported families outside Portugal with this mutation different haplotype backgrounds were observed, supporting the hypothesis that it occurred de novo on multiple occasions. We also conclude that the high proportion of families with the MSH2 c.388_389del mutation indicates that screening for this alteration as a first step may be cost-effective in the genetic testing of Lynch syndrome suspects of Portuguese ancestry, especially those originating from the north of Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work reports the influence of the presence of different ions (Cl - , Br - , NO 3 - , or SO 4 2- ) on the formation and proprieties of Cu(II) complexes with pyridoxal-benzoylhydrazone (PLBHZ). Four new complexes were successfully synthesized, [CuCl 2 (PLBHZ)] (1), [CuBr 2 (PLBHZ)] (2), [CuCl(PLBHZ)H 2 O]⋅NO 3 ⋅H 2 O (3), and [CuSO 4 (PLBHZ)H 2 O]⋅3H 2 O (4), and characterized by spectroscopic and physicochemical methods. A single-crystal X-ray study reveals the Schiff base coordinated to the metal center tridentate by the ONS -donor system, resulting in distorted square pyramidal coordination geometries. Noncovalent interactions were investigated by 3D Hirshfeld surface analysis by the d norm function, 2D fingerprint plots, and full interaction maps. The ion exchange is important in forming three-dimensional networks with π⋅⋅⋅π stacking interactions and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The in vitro biological activity of the free ligand and metal complexes was evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains and the free pyridoxal-hydrazone ligand showed higher activity than their Cu(II) complexes. Molecular docking was used to predict the inhibitory activity of the ligand and complexes against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria., 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 © 2024 Gatto, Dias, Paiva, da Silva, Freire, Tormena, Nascimento and Martins.)

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) Hylin-a1, KR-12-a5, and Temporin-SHa in Candida albicans as well as the biocompatibility of keratinocytes spontaneously immortalized (NOK-si) and human gingival fibroblasts (FGH) cells. Initially, the susceptible (CaS-ATCC 90028) and fluconazole-resistant (CaR-ATCC 96901) C. albicans strains were grown to evaluate the effect of each AMP in planktonic culture, biofilm, and biocompatibility on oral cells. Among the AMPs evaluated, temporin-SHa showed the most promising results. After 24 h of Temporin-SHa exposure, the survival curve results showed that CaS and CaR suspensions reduced 72% and 70% of cell viability compared to the control group. The minimum inhibitory/fungicide concentrations (MIC and MFC) showed that Temporin-SHa was able to reduce ≥50% at ≥256 µg/mL for both strains. The inhibition of biofilm formation, efficacy against biofilm formation, and total biomass assays were performed until 48 h of biofilm maturation, and Temporin-SHa was able to reduce ≥50% of CaS and CaR growth. Furthermore, Temporin-SHa (512 µg/mL) was classified as non-cytotoxic and slightly cytotoxic for NOK-si and FGH, respectively. Temporin-SHa demonstrated an anti-biofilm effect against CaS and CaR and was biocompatible with NOK-si and FGH oral cells in monolayer.

Background and Objective: The many patients who develop ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) have generated numerous VAP survivors who are not followed up in the long term. This study aimed, primarily, to evaluate the long-term functional capacity, as measured using the Glittre-ADL test (TGlittre), of VAP survivors and, secondarily, to calculate the correlations of TGlittre with muscle and lung function., Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated 30 VAP survivors 10 months after discharge from the intensive care unit. The participants underwent the following assessments: TGlittre; respiratory muscle strength; handgrip strength (HGS); spirometry; Functional Assessment of Chronic Therapy (FACIT-F); and Short Form-36 (SF-36)., Results: The median TGlittre time was 95 (81-130)% of predicted, and 30 % of the participants performed poorly on TGlittre. One-third of the participants had abnormal spirometry results. TGlittre time was correlated with weight (r s  = -0.412, P = 0.023), body index mass (BMI, r s  = -0.400, P = 0.029), forced vital capacity (FVC, r s  = -0.401, P = 0.030), HGS (r s  = -0.571, P = 0.0009), FACIT-F score (r s  = -0.405, P = 0.026), and different SF-36 domain scores. Participants who returned to work had a shorter TGlittre time than those who did not (89 (69-104) vs. 129 (102-183)% predicted). Multiple linear regression indicated that FVC and BMI explained 39 % of TGlittre variability., Conclusion: VAP survivors had suboptimal functional capacity, low lung function, and general fatigue 10 months after discharge. The longer the TGlittre time was, the worse the lung function, muscle function, general fatigue, and quality of life were and the less likely the patient was to have returned to work., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2023 The Authors.)

This multicentric cohort study aimed to describe changes in dietary patterns during pregnancy and postpartum and the association with BMI variation at six and twelve months postpartum in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Between 2014 and 2018, we enrolled women with GDM in prenatal clinics of the Brazilian National Health System and followed them for one year postpartum. The dietary patterns during pregnancy and the postpartum period were obtained by factorial analysis. The relationship between these patterns and variation in postpartum BMI was evaluated by Poisson regression with robust variance adjusted for confounders. We identified three dietary patterns in 584 women, two healthy (generally healthy and Dash type), which were associated with less weight gain (RR 0.77 CI 95% 0.62-0.96 and RR 0.71 CI 95% 0.57-0.88, respectively). The high-risk pattern (based on ultra-processed, high-calorie foods and sweetened drinks) was associated with weight gain (RR 1.31 CI 95% 1.07-1.61 and RR 1.26 CI 95% 1.01-1.59) in six and twelve months postpartum, respectively. Although the participants learned about healthy dieting during pregnancy, dietary habits worsened from pregnancy to postpartum, especially, with lower consumption of fruits and dairy and higher consumption of sweetened beverages, with consequent weight gain postpartum. Postpartum support is needed to prevent weight gain and obesity.

Background: Advance care planning (ACP) and goals of care discussion involve the exploration of what is most important to a person to prepare for health-care decision making. Despite their well-established benefits, they are still not frequently performed in clinical oncology practice. This study aims to describe the barriers to discussion goals of care with oncology patients from the perspective of medical residents., Methods: This cross-sectional and qualitative study applied the "Decide-Oncology" questionnaire, adapted to Portuguese language, to assess barriers to goals of care discussion among medical residents from three university hospitals in Brazil. Residents were asked to rank the importance of various barriers to discuss goals of care (ranging from 1-extremely unimportant to 7-extremely important)., Results: Twenty-nine residents answered the questionnaire (30.9%). The most reported barriers were related to patients and their families' difficulty in understanding and accepting the diagnosis and the prognosis as well as patients' desire to receive full active treatment. Furthermore, the physician and external factors such as lack of training and lack of time to have these conversations were also very important barriers. The identification of the key barriers that limit the discussion of ACP and early palliative care referrals can certainly help to prioritize the next steps for future studies aimed at improving ACP and goals of care discussions.

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of successive applications of sub-lethal doses of the antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) mediated by Photodithazine ® (PDZ) and curcumin (CUR) associated with LED in the viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and gene expression of Candida albicans . The microbial assays were performed using planktonic cultures and biofilms. Ten successive applications (Apl#) were performed: aPDT (P+L+; C+L+), photosensitizer (P+L-; C+L-), and LED (P-L+; C-L+). Control groups were used (P-L-; C-L-). The viability of C. albicans was determined by cultivating treated cultures on agar plates with or without fluconazole (FLU). In addition, the ROS detection and expression of SOD1 , CAP1, and ERG11 genes were determined. For planktonic cultures, no viable colonies were observed after Apl#3 (without FLU) and Apl#2 (with FLU) for either photosensitizer. Biofilm treated with P+L+ resulted in the absence of cell viability after Apl#7, while C+L+ showed ~1.40 log 10 increase in cell viability after Apl#2, regardless of FLU. For both photosensitizers, after the last application with viable colonies, the production of ROS was higher in the biofilms than in the planktonic cultures, and SOD1 expression was the highest in P+L+. A reduction of CAP1 and ERG11 expression occurred after P+L+, regardless of FLU. C+L+ had a higher level of ROS, and the treatments were non-significant for gene expression. Sub-lethal doses of aPDT mediated by CUR could induce C. albicans resistance in biofilms, while C. albicans cells in biofilms were susceptible to aPDT mediated by PDZ.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a method that does not seem to promote antimicrobial resistance. Photosensitizers (PS) conjugated with inorganic nanoparticles for the drug-delivery system have the purpose of enhancing the efficacy of aPDT. The present study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of aPDT mediated by PS conjugated with inorganic nanoparticles. The PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, SciELO, and Lilacs databases were searched. OHAT Rob toll was used to assess the risk of bias. A random effect model with an odds ratio (OR) and effect measure was used. Fourteen articles were able to be included in the present review. The most frequent microorganisms evaluated were Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli , and metallic and silica nanoparticles were the most common drug-delivery systems associated with PS. Articles showed biases related to blinding. Significant results were found in aPDT mediated by PS conjugated with inorganic nanoparticles for overall reduction of microorganism cultured in suspension (OR = 0.19 [0.07; 0.67]/ p -value = 0.0019), E. coli (OR = 0.08 [0.01; 0.52]/ p -value = 0.0081), and for Gram-negative bacteria (OR = 0.12 [0.02; 0.56/ p -value = 0.0071). This association approach significantly improved the efficacy in the reduction of microbial cells. However, additional blinding studies evaluating the efficacy of this therapy over microorganisms cultured in biofilm are required.

Health care for patients with serious illnesses usually implies the need to make a large number of decisions, ranging from how information is shared to which diagnostic or therapeutic procedures will be adopted. The method of such decision-making has important implications from an individual and collective point of view and may contribute to either relieving or aggravating suffering. In this consensus document, the Bioethics Committee of the Brazilian National Academy of Palliative Care (ANCP) and the Permanent Committee on Palliative Care of the Brazilian Geriatrics and Gerontology Society (SBGG) adopt the principles of compassionate listening proposed by Saunders, of the nature of suffering proposed by Cassel, of dignity-preserving care proposed by Chochinov, and of cultural humility as a starting point for the construction of an official position of ANCP and SBGG on shared decision-making in palliative care. The position statement posits that, unlike paternalistic and consumerist models, the decision-making process in the sphere of palliative care must follow the mutualistic model of shared decision, where decisions are built based on dialogue between healthcare professionals and patients/family. The document sets forth the assumptions of this process, the limits of autonomy of patients/family and healthcare professionals and the distinction between futile and potentially inappropriate treatments, besides ratifying its incompatibility with any forms of coercion and conflict of interest foreign to the best interests of patients.

Background: Advance care planning (ACP) and goals of care discussions are important instruments that enable respect for patient autonomy, especially in patients with a life-threatening disease, such as cancer. Despite their well-established benefits, ACP and goals of care discussions are still not frequently performed in clinical oncology practice. Understanding the barriers to this topic is the first step toward developing future interventions that are more likely to improve professional practice and patient satisfaction with care., Aim: To explore Brazilian oncologists' barriers to discuss goals of care and advance care planning., Methods: A cross-sectional study was developed to identify Brazilian oncologists' barriers to discussing goals of care and ACP. The Decide-Oncology questionnaire was used to identify the importance of these barriers according to oncologists' perceptions. Participants were asked to rank the importance of various barriers to discussing goals of care, ranging from 1 (extremely unimportant) to 7 (extremely important). A quantitative analysis using descriptive statistics was used, including median and interquartile intervals and a qualitative analysis based on Bardin content analysis of the two open questions., Results: Sixty-six oncologists participated in this study. Most of them perceived the patient and family's related barriers as the most important, such as patients' difficulty in understanding their diagnosis and accepting their prognosis. Physician and external related factors, such as lack of training and lack of time for this conversation, were also described as important barriers. Participants with formal training regarding goals of care communication and with experience in palliative care perceived the lack of patients' advanced directives as a significant barrier and manifested more willingness to participate in decision-making about goals of care. The lack of access and of support for referral to palliative care was also considered a significant barrier for ACP and goals of care discussion., Conclusion: The identification of barriers that limit the discussion of ACP and early palliative care referrals can certainly help to prioritise the next steps for future studies aimed at improving ACP and helping clinicians to better support patients through shared decision-making based on the patient's values and experiences., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

In general, agroindustrial byproducts can be easily assimilated by several microorganisms due to their composition, which is rich in carbohydrates. Therefore, they could be appropriate for use as raw materials in a sustainable refinery concept, including the production of hydrolytic enzymes with industrial applicability. In this work, xylanase production by the filamentous fungi Talaromyces amestolkiae in submerged culture was evaluated using five agroindustrial byproducts, namely, wheat bran, citrus pulp, rice bran, peanut skin, and peanut shell. Firstly, the aforementioned byproducts were characterized in terms of cellulose, xylan, lignin, and extractives. Next, production studies were performed, and wheat bran generated the highest enzymatic activity (5.4 U·mL -1 ), probably because of its large amount of xylan. Subsequently, a factorial design was performed to evaluate the independent variables yeast extract, wheat bran, K 2 HPO 4 , and pH, aiming to improve the variable response, xylanase activity. The condition that promoted the highest production, 13.02 U·mL -1 (141% higher than the initial condition), was 20 g·L -1 wheat bran, 2.5 g·L -1 yeast extract, 3 g·L -1 K 2 HPO 4 , and pH 7. Thus, industrial byproducts with a high content of xylan can be used as a culture medium to produce xylanase enzymes with a Talaromyces strain through an economical and sustainable approach.

Considering the challenges related to antimicrobial resistance, other strategies for controlling infections have been suggested, such as antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and antimicrobial peptides (AMP). This study aims to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to obtain evidence on the antimicrobial effectiveness of aPDT associated with AMP and establish in vitro knowledge on this topic for further study designs. The PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Scielo, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Two independent and calibrated researchers (Kappa = 0.88) performed all the systematic steps according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The odds ratio (OR) was used as the effect measure. The Peto method was used to perform the meta-analysis due to the sparse data. Twenty studies were included in the present review. The result was significant (OR = 0.14/ p = 0.0235/I-squared = 0%), showing better outcomes of aPDT associated with peptides than those of aPDT alone for controlling the microbial load. Only 20% of the studies included evaluated this approach in a biofilm culture. Combined treatment with aPDT and AMP highly increased the ability of microbial reduction of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, additional blind studies are required to evaluate the efficacy of this therapy on microbial biofilms.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic context of expanded-spectrum β-lactam resistance in a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain causing a hard-to-treat nasal infection in a domestic cat., Methods: A K. pneumoniae isolate was recovered from a 4-year-old male cat hospitalised in a veterinary hospital in Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil. Following phenotypic confirmation of multidrug resistance by the disk diffusion method, the genome was sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq system. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and structural features related to antimicrobial resistance were determined by downstream bioinformatics analyses., Results: The strain was confirmed as sequence type 273 (ST273) K. pneumoniae harbouring a variety of genes conferring antimicrobial resistance to phenicols tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, β-lactams, fosfomycin, sulfonamides and quinolones. Two plasmids were identified. Plasmid p114PB_I co-harboured a set of plasmid-borne resistance genes [bla CTX-M-15 , bla TEM-1 , qnrS1, tetD, tetR, sul2, aph(6)-Id, aph(3'') and cat2]. Notably, the multiresistance region was characterised as a chimeric plasmid structure sharing high sequence homology with several plasmids from Enterobacteriaceae. The second plasmid (p114PB_II) was characterised as a plasmid present in many genomes belonging to K. pneumoniae., Conclusion: The genetic context of the plasmid sequences harboured by a veterinary pathogenic K. pneumoniae isolate reveals the high complexity of horizontal gene transfer mechanisms in the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance genes. The emergence, dissemination and evolution of antimicrobial resistance must be investigated from a One Health perspective., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Genome annotation conceptually consists of inferring and assigning biological information to gene products. Over the years, numerous pipelines and computational tools have been developed aiming to automate this task and assist researchers in gaining knowledge about target genes of study. However, even with these technological advances, manual annotation or manual curation is necessary, where the information attributed to the gene products is verified and enriched. Despite being called the gold standard process for depositing data in a biological database, the task of manual curation requires significant time and effort from researchers who sometimes have to parse through numerous products in various public databases. To assist with this problem, we present CODON, a tool for manual curation of genomic data, capable of performing the prediction and annotation process. This software makes use of a finite state machine in the prediction process and automatically annotates products based on information obtained from the Uniprot database. CODON is equipped with a simple and intuitive graphic interface that assists on manual curation, enabling the user to decide about the analysis based on information as to identity, length of the alignment, and name of the organism in which the product obtained a match. Further, visual analysis of all matches found in the database is possible, impacting significantly in the curation task considering that the user has at his disposal all the information available for a given product. An analysis performed on eleven organisms was used to test the efficiency of this tool by comparing the results of prediction and annotation through CODON to ones from the NCBI and RAST platforms., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objectives: to reflect on the daily life of family members dependent on psychoactive substances and the role of health professionals in Primary Care., Methods: a descriptive investigation outlined in Maffesoli's phenomenological approach, carried out at a Basic Health Unit in Minas Gerais with eight family members dependent on psychoactive substances. Sociodemographic characterization data and in-depth interviews were collected and analyzed with support of NVivo Pro11® software. All ethical and legal aspects were met., Results: physicians were the professionals most mentioned in participants' statements, who took on a dubious role with other health professionals: welcoming (positive perceptions about care received) and neglect (negative perceptions)., Final Considerations: dependence on psychoactive substances imposes a burden on persons, their family members and health professionals. The role of establishing good relationships in the triad professionals-users-family members of primary care is inseparable in favor of treatment and preservation of their mental health.

Exiguobacterium antarcticum strain B7 is a psychrophilic Gram-positive bacterium that possesses enzymes that can be used for several biotechnological applications. However, many proteins from its genome are considered hypothetical proteins (HPs). These functionally unknown proteins may indicate important functions regarding the biological role of this bacterium, and the use of bioinformatics tools can assist in the biological understanding of this organism through functional annotation analysis. Thus, our study aimed to assign functions to proteins previously described as HPs, present in the genome of E. antarcticum B7. We used an extensive in silico workflow combining several bioinformatics tools for function annotation, sub-cellular localization and physicochemical characterization, three-dimensional structure determination, and protein-protein interactions. This genome contains 2772 genes, of which 765 CDS were annotated as HPs. The amino acid sequences of all HPs were submitted to our workflow and we successfully attributed function to 132 HPs. We identified 11 proteins that play important roles in the mechanisms of adaptation to adverse environments, such as flagellar biosynthesis, biofilm formation, carotenoids biosynthesis, and others. In addition, three predicted HPs are possibly related to arsenic tolerance. Through an in vitro assay, we verified that E. antarcticum B7 can grow at high concentrations of this metal. The approach used was important to precisely assign function to proteins from diverse classes and to infer relationships with proteins with functions already described in the literature. This approach aims to produce a better understanding of the mechanism by which this bacterium adapts to extreme environments and to the finding of targets with biotechnological interest., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Exiguobacterium and Psychrobacter are bacterial genera with several cold-adapted species. These extremophiles are commonly isolated from the same habitats in Earth's cryosphere and have great ecological and biotechnological relevance. Thus, through comparative genomic analyses, it was possible to understand the functional diversity of these psychrotrophic and psychrophilic species and present new insights into the microbial adaptation to cold. The nucleotide identity between Exiguobacterium genomes was >90%. Three genomic islands were identified in the E. antarcticum B7 genome. These islands contained genes involved in flagella biosynthesis and chemotaxis, as well as enzymes for carotenoid biosynthesis. Clustering of cold shock proteins by Ka/Ks ratio suggests the occurrence of a positive selection over these genes. Neighbor-joining clustering of complete genomes showed that the E. sibiricum was the most closely related to E. antarcticum. A total of 92 genes were shared between Exiguobacterium and Psychrobacter. A reduction in the genomic content of E. antarcticum B7 was observed. It presented the smallest genome size of its genus and a lower number of genes because of the loss of many gene families compared with the other genomes. In our study, eight genomes of Exiguobacterium and Psychrobacter were compared and analysed. Psychrobacter showed higher genomic plasticity and E. antarcticum B7 presented a large decrease in genomic content without changing its ability to grow in cold environments.

This study reports the complete genome sequence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis strain PA04, isolated from a sheep in the Amazon, Brazil. This bacterium is the etiological agent of caseous lymphadenitis. This genome contains 2,338,093 bp, 52.2% G+C content, and a total of 2,104 coding sequences (CDSs), 41 pseudogenes, 12 rRNAs, and 49 tRNAs., (Copyright © 2017 Costa et al.)

Introduction: In the treatment of complex aneurysms, debranching is an extra-anatomical revascularization of visceral arteries followed by endograft coverage of the thoracoabdominal aorta. It eliminates the need for a thoracotomy and aortic clamping, but requires the performance of several technically demanding visceral anastomosis. In 2008, Lachat described visceral revascularization with the use of a sutureless distal anastomosis, performed by the telescoping of an endograft in the visceral branch, named VORTEC (Viabahn Open Revascularization TEChnique)., Objective: An experimental model was created to test the feasibility and short term results of performing a telescoped proximal anastomosis to the abdominal aorta., Methods: Swine model. The abdominal aorta was dissected and ligated between the renal arteries and the iliac vessels. Three centimeters bellow the renal arteries a Viabahn endograft was telescoped for 2 cm into the proximal aorta. The other extremity was conventionally anastomosed to the distal aorta. Patency, sealing and tensile strength of the anastomosis were tested., Results: Time for performing the telescoped anastomosis was shorter (5.4±2.8 min versus 10.3±3.4 min, P<0.05). All grafts were patent and both types of anastomosis presented no bleeding. Immediate tensile strength showed a higher strength of the conventional suture (22.7 x 14.3 N, P<0.09). After 30 days there was no pseudo-aneurysms and the strength of the conventional and VORTEC anastomosis were similar (37.3 x 40.8 N, respectively, P=0.17)., Conclusion: Telescoped proximal anastomosis by the technique of VORTEC is feasible. After 30 days the tensile strength of the both anastomosis were similar.

A predominantly diffuse growth pattern and CD23 co-expression are uncommon findings in nodal follicular lymphoma and can create diagnostic challenges. A single case series in 2009 (Katzenberger et al) proposed a unique morphologic variant of nodal follicular lymphoma, characterized by a predominantly diffuse architecture, lack of the t(14;18) IGH/BCL2 translocation, presence of 1p36 deletion, frequent inguinal lymph node involvement, CD23 co-expression, and low clinical stage. Other studies on CD23+ follicular lymphoma, while associating inguinal location, have not specifically described this architecture. In addition, no follow-up studies have correlated the histopathologic and cytogenetic/molecular features of these cases, and they remain a diagnostic problem. We identified 11 cases of diffuse, CD23+ follicular lymphoma with histopathologic features similar to those described by Katzenberger et al. Along with pertinent clinical information, we detail their histopathology, IGH/BCL2 translocation status, lymphoma-associated chromosomal gains/losses, and assessment of mutations in 220 lymphoma-associated genes by massively parallel sequencing. All cases showed a diffuse growth pattern around well- to ill-defined residual germinal centers, uniform CD23 expression, mixed centrocytic/centroblastic cytology, and expression of at least one germinal center marker. Ten of 11 involved inguinal lymph nodes, 5 solely. By fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis, the vast majority lacked IGH/BCL2 translocation (9/11). Deletion of 1p36 was observed in five cases and included TNFRSF14. Of the six cases lacking 1p36 deletion, TNFRSF14 mutations were identified in three, highlighting the strong association of 1p36/TNFRSF14 abnormalities with this follicular lymphoma variant. In addition, 9 of the 11 cases tested (82%) had STAT6 mutations and nuclear P-STAT6 expression was detectable in the mutated cases by immunohistochemistry. The proportion of STAT6 mutations is higher than recently reported in conventional follicular lymphoma (11%). These findings lend support for a clinicopathologic variant of t(14;18) negative nodal follicular lymphoma and suggests importance of the interleukin (IL)-4/JAK/STAT6 pathway in this variant.

We report the complete genome sequence ofCorynebacterium pseudotuberculosis262, isolated from a bovine host.C. pseudotuberculosisis an etiological agent of diseases with medical and veterinary relevance. The genome contains 2,325,749 bp, 52.8% G+C content, 2,022 coding sequences (CDS), 50 pseudogenes, 48 tRNAs, and 12 rRNAs., (Copyright © 2016 Araújo et al.)

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is the etiological agent of a caseous lymphadenitis disease. Herein, we present the first complete genome sequencing of C. pseudotuberculosis strain 226, isolated from an abscess of the sub-iliac lymph node of a goat from California (USA). The genome contains 2,138 coding sequences (CDSs), 12 rRNAs, 49 tRNAs, and 72 pseudogenes., (Copyright © 2016 Dias et al.)

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is the etiological agent of caseous lymphadenitis disease. In this work, we present the first complete genome sequence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis strain PA01, isolated in northern Brazil from an infected sheep. The genome length is 2,337,920 bp, and 2,003 coding sequences (CDS), 12 rRNAs, and 49 tRNAs were predicted., (Copyright © 2016 Alves et al.)

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is related to several diseases infecting horses and small ruminants, causing economic losses to agribusiness. Here, we present the genome sequence of C. pseudotuberculosis strain E19. The genome includes one circular chromosome 2,367,956 bp (52.1% G+C content), with 2,112 genes predicted, 12 rRNAs, and 48 tRNAs., (Copyright © 2015 Cavalcante et al.)

Vibrio fluvialis is a halophilic bacterium found in many environments and is mainly associated with sporadic cases and outbreaks of gastroenteritis in humans. Here, we describe the genome sequences of environmental strains of V. fluvialis 560 (Vf560) and V. fluvialis 539 (Vf539) possessing a variant of the integrative and conjugative element (ICE) SXT for the first time in Brazil and South America., (Copyright © 2015 de Oliveira Veras et al.)

Vibrio cholerae O1 is the causative agent of cholera and is ubiquitous in the aquatic environment, while V. cholerae strains non-O1 and non-O139 are recognized as causative agents of sporadic and localized outbreaks of diarrhea. Here, we report the complete sequence of a non-O1 and non-O139 V. cholerae strain (VCC19), which was isolated from the environment in Brazil. The sequence includes the integrative conjugative element (ICE). This paper is the first report of the presence of such an element in a V. cholerae strain isolated in Brazil., (Copyright © 2014 de Sá et al.)

Aim: To describe a modified technique for placement of a tracheobronchial self-expanding plastic stent (SEPS) in patients with benign refractory hypopharyngeal strictures in order to improve dysphagia and allow stricture remodeling., Methods: A case series of four consecutive patients with complex hypopharyngeal strictures after combined therapy for laryngeal cancer, previously submitted to multiple sessions of dilation without lasting improvement, is presented. All patients underwent placement of a small diameter and unflared tracheobronchial SEPS. Main outcome measurements were improvement of dysphagia and avoiding of repeated dilation., Results: The modified introducer system allowed an easy and technically successful deployment of the tracheobronchial Polyflex stent through the stricture. All four patients developed complications related to stent placement. Two patients had stent migration (one proximal and one distal), two patients developed phanryngocutaneous fistulas and all patients with stents in situ for more than 8 wk had hyperplastic tissue growth at the upper end of the stent. Stricture recurrence was observed at 4 wk follow-up after stent removal in all patients., Conclusion: Although technically feasible, placement of a tracheobronchial SEPS is associated with a high risk of complications. Small diameter stents must be kept in place for longer than 3 mo to allow adequate time for stricture remodeling.

CD4(-) CD8(-) (double-negative [DN]) T cells have recently been shown to display important immunological functions in human diseases. They express γδ or αβ T-cell receptors that recognize lipid/glycolipid antigens presented via the nonclassical major histocompatibility complex molecules of the CD1 family. We recently demonstrated that while αβ DN T cells serve primarily to express inflammatory cytokines, γδ DN T cells express mainly interleukin-10 (IL-10) in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis. We also demonstrated a correlation between DN T cells and the expression of gamma interferon in the acute phase of Trypanosoma cruzi experimental infection. In this work, we sought to investigate whether αβ or γδ DN T cells display distinct immunoregulatory potentials in patients with polar forms of human Chagas' disease. Our data showed that in vitro infection with T. cruzi leads to expansion of DN T cells in patients with the indeterminate and severe cardiac clinical forms of the disease. However, while αβ DN T cells primarily produce inflammatory cytokines in both forms of the disease, γδ DN T cells display a marked, significant increase in antigen-specific IL-10 expression in indeterminate patients relative to cardiac patients. Finally, higher frequencies of the IL-10-producing γδ DN T cells were correlated with improved clinical measures of cardiac function in the patients, suggesting a protective role for these cells in Chagas' disease. Taken together, these data show distinct functional characteristics for αβ and γδ DN T cells associated with distinct morbidity rates and clinical forms in human Chagas' disease.

Translation is often repressed in cell lines that are exposed to hypoxic conditions (0.5% - 1.5% O2) but this repression requires prolonged exposure (> 16 h). We report here that prolonged exposure to hypoxia results in the depletion of glucose from the media and that the loss of glucose correlates with the shut down in translation. Furthermore, we show that the addition of glucose or reoxygenation restores translation in hypoxic PC3 cells. This indicates that both glucose depletion and hypoxia are required for translational repression. We also show that eIF2alpha phosphorylation is reversed by glucose addition. Moreover, we present data that strongly indicate that eIF2alpha phosphorylation as well as the translational inhibition that occurs when cells are grown under conditions of glucose depletion and hypoxia is pancreatic eIF2alpha kinase (PERK) independent. We believe this is the first report to show that glucose depletion is required for translational repression under hypoxic conditions and that this explains why prolonged exposure to hypoxia is required for this inhibition. Since the physiological conditions that lead to tumor hypoxia would also likely lead to reduced glucose levels, understanding the interplay of glucose and hypoxia in regulating tumor metabolism will provide important information on the growth and development of solid tumors.

The vapor-liquid equilibrium of binary mixtures of xenon + SF6 has been measured at nine temperatures from 235.34 to 295.79 K and pressures up to 6.5 MPa. The mixture critical line is found to be continuous between the critical points of the pure components, and hence, the system can be classified as type I phase behavior in the scheme of van Konynenburg and Scott. The excess Gibbs free energies have been calculated, and the experimental results have been interpreted using the statistical associating fluid theory for potentials of variable range (SAFT-VR). Additionally, the SAFT-VR equation has been used to model other systems involving SF6 and alkanes, illustrating the predictability of the approach and further demonstrating the transferability of parameters between binary mixtures involving alkanes and xenon.

Context: Cancer patients are at unusually high risk for developing bloodstream infections (BSI), which are a major cause of in-hospital morbidity and mortality., Objective: To describe the epidemiological characteristics and the etiology of BSI in cancer patients., Design: Descriptive study., Setting: Terciary Oncology Care Center., Participants: During a 24-month period all hospitalized patients with clinically significant BSI were evaluated in relation to several clinical and demographic factors., Results: The study enrolled 435 episodes of BSI (349 patients). The majority of the episodes occurred among non-neutropenic patients (58.6%) and in those younger than 40 years (58.2%). There was a higher occurrence of unimicrobial infections (74.9%), nosocomial episodes (68.3%) and of those of undetermined origin (52.8%). Central venous catheters (CVC) were present in 63.2% of the episodes. Overall, the commonest isolates from blood in patients with hematology diseases and solid tumors were staphylococci (32% and 34.7%, respectively). There were 70 episodes of fungemia with a predominance of Candida albicans organisms (50.6%). Fungi were identified in 52.5% of persistent BSI and in 91.4% of patients with CVC. Gram-negative bacilli prompted the CVC removal in 45.5% of the episodes. Oxacillin resistance was detected in 26.3% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates and in 61.8% of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci were not observed. Initial empirical antimicrobial therapy was considered appropriate in 60.5% of the cases., Conclusion: The identification of the microbiology profile of BSI and the recognition of possible risk factors in high-risk cancer patients may help in planning and conducting more effective infection control and preventive measures, and may also allow further analytical studies for reducing severe infectious complications in such groups of patients.

Bacillus species were recovered from the blood cultures of 39 oncology patients over 14 weeks. A matched case-control study showed a strong association of Bacillus species bacteremia with use of calcium gluconate solution (odds ratio=25.0) and of central venous lines (odds ratio=8.8). Stopping use of the implicated calcium gluconate vials controlled the outbreak.