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The potability of water, including underground sources, is constantly affected by human activities. To assess water quality and water security in rural and urban areas of southern Brazil, a quantitative, retrospective analysis of water samples collected monthly by the Brazilian health authorities (19,687 samples from 2013 to 2021) was performed. In rural areas, 5,979 water samples (77.54%) were found to be contaminated by coliform bacteria and 3,431 (44.50%) by Escherichia coli. In addition, 1,616 (20.95%) of the contaminated samples were significantly correlated with rainfall amount. In urban areas, 1,268 (10.95%) of the samples contained coliform bacteria and 293 (2.53%) of these samples contained E. coli, with the factor of rainfall associated with 1,081 samples (9.33%) with bacterial contamination. In terms of physicochemical parameters, turbidity exceeded the national standard (5 uT) in 448 (2.32%) samples and fluoride fell below the required level (0.8 mg/L) in 106 samples (0.54%). The presence of free residual chlorine (0.2–2.0 mg/L) was verified in 846 samples (14.38%) in rural areas and in 10,825 samples (56.13%) in urban areas. These results suggest a strong association between rainfall factors and physicochemical alterations, as well as the risk of greater microbial contamination of water for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylella fastidiosa is a generalist phytopathogen transmitted by several polyphagous species of sharpshooters. This bacterium is responsible for plum leaf scald disease (PLS), the main phytosanitary barrier for the culture in Brazil. As an aggravating factor, weed species present in orchards can be related to the epidemiology of the disease as a source of inoculum for the pathogen. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the natural infection by X. fastidiosa in weed species present in plum orchards with a high incidence of PLS in two producing regions of Brazil, as well as to determine the colonization capacity by three sequence types (STs 26, 67 and 71) of X. fastidiosa isolated from plum trees. A total of 12 prevailing weed species were collected, nine of which (Bidens pilosa, Lepidium ruderale, Lolium multiflorum, Plantago major, Parthenium hysterosphorus, Raphanus sativus, Rumex sp., Solanum americanum and Vernonia sp.) tested positive by PCR for X. fastidiosa infection. From these, L. ruderale and L. multiflorum had the highest infection rates of 70% and 90% in root and leaf samples of L. ruderale, respectively, and 100% in leaf samples of L. multiflorum. Mechanical inoculation allowed systemic infection of the bacteria in B. pilosa, L. ruderale, R. sativus and S. americanum. Our results indicate that several weed species in plum orchards are hosts of representative STs of X. fastidiosa that infect plum, and might play a role in the spread of the pathogen to plum trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overview: The global prevalence of obesity and increase in bariatric surgeries are burdening the healthcare system. Enhanced recovery postoperative protocols are associated with a reduction in hospitalization costs and length of stay (LOS) and may be an alternative to reduce public health expenses. Objective: To assess the impact of implementing a customized Enhanced Recovery After Bariatric Surgery (ERABS) protocol on hospitalization costs (HC), LOS, and complication rates. Setting: Santa Marcelina Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: A retrospective electronic health record analysis of patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and who were cared for within a clinical pathway (CP) protocol (Jan. 2016–Aug. 2018) or after implementation of an ERABS protocol (Aug. 2018–Jun. 2019). The LOS, HC, and complication, readmission, and reoperation rates were compared between the two groups. Results: Eighty-two patients were included in the study (CP, 56, 87.5% women; ERABS, 26, 92.3% women). Hospital LOS and total HC decreased significantly by 32.5% and 15.2%, respectively (both, p < 0.05), after implementation of ERABS. There were no significant differences in 30-day readmission, complication, or reoperation rates. Conclusion: The implementation of a standardized enhanced recovery program resulted in reduced LOS and HC without an increase in perioperative morbidity. The ERABS protocol is cost-effective and can help ease the healthcare burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of academic failure, especially among high school adolescents, is quite complex, but has been the focus of few studies compared to the elementary school stage. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with the phenomenon of school failure in high school from a systematic review of theses and dissertations (search period from 2013 to 2019). Eight studies (2 dissertations and 6 theses) were selected and submitted to qualitative content analysis, based on three thematic categories: sample characterization, methodological characteristics, and factors associated with the phenomenon of school failure. The results suggest a predominance of conceptions that blame the student and his family for the academic failure experienced, so that the implications of teachers and the education system are briefly highlighted. This refers to the difficulties in thinking about the phenomenon of school failure beyond what is immediately present in the school's daily life. Regarding methodological aspects, the studies were mostly qualitative and cross-sectional. The need for further investigation on the theme in Brazil is discussed in order to give more visibility to this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species Metarhabditis blumi was diagnosed for the first time in Brazil using a molecular assay. Parasites isolated from two cattle herds from the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil, were classified as M. blumi according to their D2/D3 expansion fragments of the 28S rDNA sequence, which had a high degree of homology (100% similarity) with a M. blumi sequence deposited in GenBank (EU195965.1). The phylogenetic tree comparison also confirmed grouping of the populations evaluated in the current study as M. blumi . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Simple Summary: Culicoides genus insects are spread throughout the world, and some species are vectors of important human and animal diseases. Genetic identification, as well as the local occurrence of these insects, are fundamental to the development of risk profiles and entomological surveillance of transmitted diseases. We investigated the Culicoides occurrence in Alagoas State, northeastern Brazil. Midges were captured with light traps, being morphologic and genetic identified. After PCR analysis and GenBank database comparison, it was confirmed that the captured midges belong to Culicoides insignis. This was the first formal report of Culicoides insignis occurrence in Alagoas State, northeastern Brazil. The species of the Culicoides genus are hematophagous, and some of them are vectors of important human and animal diseases. This group of insects is distributed worldwide, varying according to local species. Knowledge of the geographic distribution of specific species is crucial for the development and implementation of control strategies. The aim of this work was to investigate the occurrence of Culicoides in the state of Alagoas in northeast Brazil. Midges were captured with CDC light traps, and their identification and morphological analyses were performed by the Ceratopogonidae Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ/CCER) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Morphological analyses were performed using the key to Culicoides from the guttatus group and comparison with other deposited specimens. DNA sequencing, genetic analysis and comparison with sequences in the Genbank database, confirmed the identification of the flies as Culicoides insignis. This was the first formal report of C. insignis being found in Alagoas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]