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LAAE-14, a lipidic acid-amido ether derivative, has been recently described as a new anti-inflammatory drug. We have studied the effect of treatment with this compound on the susceptibility of mice to in vivo experimental Candida albicans infection. ICR mice orally treated with LAAE-14 (25 mg kg−1) and experimentally intravenously infected showed a significantly increased survival as compared to control mice. In vitro, the compound did not inhibit the growth of C. albicans yeast cells or the yeast-to-hyphal transition. The in vitro production of prostaglandin E2 by peritoneal macrophages in response to the yeasts and hyphae of C. albicans was significantly decreased upon treatment with LAAE-14, in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, reduced prostaglandin production during fungal infection could be an important factor in controlling fungal colonisation and infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A number of aliphatic diamines and amino-alcohols and several of their alkyl, acyl and carbamoyl derivatives, have been synthesised and evaluated in vitro on cultures of Leishmania spp. In general, diamine derivatives resulted to be more potent than their amino-alcohol or amino-ether analogues. Two diamine derivatives (8b and 9d) and one amino-alcohol (6a) showed a fair inhibition of parasite growth, at concentrations below 10 μg/mL, with potencies close to that of the reference drug, amphotericin B. Some SAR considerations have been deduced. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Worldwide, violence is a major contributor to death, disease and disability, with serious social and health consequences. In Brazil, the epidemiological transition is marked by the challenge of chronic diseases, their risk factors, as well as the growth of records due to external causes, becoming a major public health problem. The information systems in Mato Grosso have registered increasing numbers of hospitalizations for external causes, especially in indigenous. These health scenarios can be supported by geoprocessed and georeferenced designs, generating analysis and knowledge that can support contro strategies and planning for public health and especially indigenous health. Objective: To analyze the hospitalization rates of the indigenous population from 2010 to 2017 and their respective spatial distribution in the state of Mato Grosso. Method: This is an ecological study of hospitalizations for external causes in indigenous residents in Mato Grosso, from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2017, using secondary data from IBGE and DATASUS, geoprocessing as a tool of the epidemiology, the GIS with the ArcGIS program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed and performed a multicenter clinical trial to determine the relationship between measurements of the level of the enzyme aspartate amino- transferase (AST) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) to other measures used to detect periodontal disease and monitor outcome of treatment. including pocket depth and gingival inflammation. 32 periodontitis patients were enrolled at the University of Washington, Seattle, 30 at the University of Florida. Gainesville, and 34 at the University of Illinois, Chicago. 10 periodontally normal control subjects were enrolled at each location. 8 diseased and 4 healthy sites were designated for study in each patient and 8 healthy sites designated in each control subject. Measures of disease included pocket depth, severity of gingival inflammation, and GCF volume. AST levels were measured using the PerioGard™ test kit. Clinical measurements were made and GCF samples harvested and tested 2× before and 2× after therapy consisting of scaling and root planing under local anesthetic. Specific design and other issues are discussed, including selection of patients and control subjects, sample size, selection of experimental test sites, methods for assessment of diseased and therapeutic improvement, harvesting of GCF, and selection of appropriate biostatistical methods for data analysis. Demographics of the patient populations at the 3 locations are reported. As expected, therapy induced only negligible changes in the measures of disease at healthy silts in control subjects, and relatively minor improvement in healthy sites in patients. In contrast, statistically significant improvement relative to pre-treatment baseline status in all 3 measures of disease was observed for diseased sites at all 3 study locations with all p-values less than 0.0002. The magnitude of improvement was comparable to that reported previously by others. The % of PerioGard-positive sites decreased significantly between the screening baseline and both post-treatment visits for patients at all 3 locations, with p values of 0.0001 to <0.0008. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an asymptomatic patient, the first reference to the association of mitral valve prolapse and coronary fistula is described and a pathogenic connection discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild species are susceptible to several typical domestic animal pathogens, and the increasingly close contact between these groups is a predictive factor for disease exposure. Some viruses are important and old-known, and others are emerging or reemerging for domestic carnivorans and have been identified as threats to the conservation of wild mammals. The purpose of the study was to investigate the occurrence of bocaparvoviruses (BoVs, Parvoviridae family, Parvovirinae subfamily, Bocaparvovirus genus), parvoviruses (Parvoviridae family, Parvovirinae subfamily, Protoparvovirus genus, Protoparvovirus carnivoran1), hepadnaviruses (Hepadnaviridae family), coronaviruses (Coronaviridae family, Orthocoronavirinae subfamily), paramyxoviruses (Paramyxoviridae family) and canine distemper virus (Orthoparamyxovirinae subfamily, Morbillivirus genus, Morbillivirus canis), poxviruses (Poxviridae family), feline herpesvirus (Orthoherpesviridae family, Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily, Varicellovirus genus, Varicellovirus felidalpha1), feline calicivirus (Caliciviridae family, Vesivirus genus, FCV), feline immunodeficiency virus (Retroviridae family, Orthoretrovirinae subfamily, Lentivirus genus, FIV), feline leukemia virus (Retroviridae family, Orthoretrovirinae subfamily, Gammaretrovirus genus, FeLV), and gammaherpesviruses (Orthoherpesviridae family, Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily) in wild carnivorans. A total of 30 biological samples from the families Canidae, Felidae, Mephitidae, Mustelidae, and Procyonidae were evaluated. All animals were victims of vehicular collisions in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Canine parvovirus (CPV-2) DNA was detected in the spleen of a bush dog (Speothos venaticus), a jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi), and a jaguar (Panthera onca), FeLV proviral DNA was found in the spleen of an ocelot (Leopardus pardalis); while CDV RNA was detected in the liver of a jaguarundi. Phylogenetic analysis carried out with the partial sequence of the CPV-2 VP2 gene and the U3 (LTR) gag region of FeLV showed 100% identity with strains obtained from domestic dogs and cats, respectively. The approximation between wild and domestic animals favors the transmission of pathogens, especially between phylogenetically close species, such as members of the Canidae and Felidae families. Identification of the DNA and RNA of potentially fatal viruses such as CPV-2, FeLV, and CDV in four wilds endangered to extinction and understudied species contributes to our understanding of the pathogens circulating in this free-ranging and vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superorder Xenarthra consists of sloths, anteaters and armadillos, mammals originated from South America and currently distributed from the south of North America to the south of South America. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence and genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. in blood and spleen samples from free‐living Xenarthra mammals in the states of São Paulo (SP), Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Rondônia (RO) and Pará (PA). Based on a quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR) assay, a Bartonella spp. nuoG gene fragment was detected in 1.51% (5/330) of the samples: 4 six‐banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus) sampled in the MS and 1 southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla) sampled in the PA. Eight sequences (5 ftsZ, 2 gltA and 1 rpoB) were obtained in the conventional PCR assays. In both phylogenetic analyses based on Bayesian and distance (SplitsTree) methods, the obtained ftsZ, gltA and rpoB sequences were positioned in a distinct clade, but related to B. washoensis. The analysis of SplitsTree and genotype networks based on B. washoensis sequences from several hosts from various localities of the world showed that the sequences of the present study were allocated in a group separated from the other sequences, indicating that they probably originated from median vectors and large numbers of mutational events. Additionally, the analyses performed by BLAST showed low percentages of identities of the sequences obtained in the present study when compared to those previously deposited in GenBank. Therefore, we propose a new Candidatus to Bartonella occurring in Xenarthra in Brazil. The present study was the first to report the occurrence of Bartonella sp. in mammals of the superorder Xenarthra in the world, and it was the first to describe a new Candidatus related to B. washoensis in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaplasmataceae agents are obligatory intracellular Gram-negative α-proteobacteria that are transmitted mostly by arthropod vectors. Although mammals of the Superorder Xenarthra (sloths, anteaters, and armadillos) have been implicated as reservoirs for several zoonotic agents, only few studies have sought to detect Anaplasmataceae agents in this group of mammals. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and genetic diversity of Anaplasma spp. and Ehrlichia spp. in blood and spleen samples of free-living Xenarthra from four different states in Brazil (São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rondônia, and Pará). Nested and conventional PCR screening assays were performed to detect the rrs and dsb genes of Anaplasma spp. and Ehrlichia spp., respectively. The assays were positive in 27.57% (91/330) of the Anaplasma spp. and 24.54% (81/330) of the Ehrlichia spp. Of the 91 positive Anaplasma spp. samples, 56.04% were positive in a conventional PCR assay targeting the 23S–5S intergenic region. Phylogenetic and distance analyses based on the rrs gene allocated Anaplasma sequences from sloths captured in Rondônia and Pará states in a single clade, which was closely related to the A. marginale, A. ovis, and A. capra clades. The sequences detected in southern anteaters from São Paulo were allocated in a clade closely related to sequences of Anaplasma spp. detected in Nasua nasua, Leopardus pardalis, and Cerdocyon thous in Brazil. These sequences were positioned close to A. odocoilei sequences. Genotype analysis corroborated previous findings and demonstrated the circulation of two distinct Anaplasma genotypes in animals from north and southeast Brazil. The first genotype was new. The second was previously detected in N. nasua in Mato Grosso do Sul state. The intergenic region analyses also demonstrated two distinct genotypes of Anaplasma. The sequences detected in Xenarthra from Pará and Rondônia states were closely related to those in A. marginale, A. ovis, and A. capra. Anaplasma spp. sequences detected in Xenarthra from São Paulo and were allocated close to those in A. phagocytophilum. The analyses based on the dsb gene grouped the Ehrlichia spp. sequences with sequences of E. canis (São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Pará) and E. minasensis (Rondônia and Pará). The data indicate the occurrence of E. canis and E. minasensis and two possible new Candidatus species of Anaplasma spp. in free-living mammals of the Superorder Xenarthra in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife vehicle collisions (WVC) are a threat to wildlife and humans, killing millions of animals of numerous species, as well as causing significant damage to vehicles, drivers and passengers. Road fencing is a highly effective mitigation measure at reducing WVC, however its large-scale implementation requires a high investment. We questioned how long it would take for savings from avoided collisions to offset the investments in road fencing mitigation, focusing on vehicle damage costs. Using the information of a 3-year systematic roadkill monitoring of 1158 km in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, we estimated the real number of casualties accounting for bias in roadkill counting. We obtained information on the material costs on cars and trucks due to WVC and, considering the road traffic volume characteristics, estimated the total material costs resulting from collisions with larger animals. Cost-benefit analyses allowed estimating the time required to amortize the investment in fencing, considering its application along the full surveyed roads or only in hotspots of mortality. We recorded over 10,000 WVC, 40% of which involved animals that can cause significant material damage to vehicles, namely the endangered lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris , n = 267) and giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla , n = 608). The average material cost per accident was US$ 885 ± 1575 (mean ± SD). We show that investments are likely to pay off in 16–40 years for the mitigation of the full roads, and in 9–25 years for hotspots of mortality. Thus, road mitigation is a win-win solution for increasing traffic safety for humans and reduces road-related negative effects on biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of infectious diseases in wildlife provides important information for preventing potential outbreaks of zoonotic diseases. Adiaspiromycosis is a neglected human disease caused by dimorphic Onygenales fungi. The disease is produced by the inflammatory response against growing adiaspores, leading to granulomatous pneumonia. In humans, adiaspiromycosis is relevant in immunosuppressed patients. In animals, it is associated with pneumonia in fossorial species. Given the potential role of armadillos in the epidemiology of adiaspiromycosis, in this study, we sought to investigate the occurrence and pathological features of adiaspiromycosis in roadkilled armadillos. In total, 54 armadillo carcasses were suitable for postmortem pathologic examinations between February 2017 and 2020. Adiaspores, associated with granulomatous lesions, were observed in ten six-banded (Euphractus sexcinctus) and two southern naked-tailed armadillos (Cabassous unicinctus). A previously uncharacterized Onygenales species was molecularly identified in two E. sexcinctus. In summary, herein we report 12 cases of pulmonary adiaspiromycosis (PA) in two species of free-living armadillos in Brazil. Both, the morphology of the fungus, as well as the histopathological findings (granulomatous inflammatory response to adiaspores) are consistent with PA; however, as the molecular identification differs from the reported species, the potential impact of this fungus for human PA is unknown, and we cannot rule out its impact on public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We modelled the spatiotemporal patterns of road mortality for seven medium-large mammals, using a roadkill dataset from Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (800 km of roads surveyed every two weeks, for two years). We related roadkill presence-absence along the road sections (1000 m) and across the survey dates with a collection of environmental variables, including land cover, forest cover, distance to rivers, temperature, precipitation and vegetation productivity. We further included two variables aiming to reflect the intrinsic spatial and temporal roadkill risk. Environmental variables were obtained through remote sensing and weather stations, allowing the estimate of the roadkill risk for the entire surveyed roads and survey periods. Overall, the models could explain a small fraction of the spatiotemporal patterns of roadkills (<0.23), probably due to species being habitat generalists, but still had reasonable discrimination power (AUC averaging 0.70 ± 0.07). The intrinsic spatial and temporal roadkill risk were the most important variables, followed by land cover, climate and NDVI. We show that identifying spatiotemporal roadkill patterns may provide valuable information to define specific management actions focused on road sections and time periods, in complement to permanent road mitigation measures. Our approach thus offers a new insight into the understanding of road effects and how to plan and strategize monitoring and mitigation. • Used a roadkill dataset, 2 years of surveys on 800 km, in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. • Regressed the spatiotemporal patterns of 7 sp. with a set of environmental variables. • Intrinsic spatial and temporal roadkill risks were the most important predictors. • We successfully predicted the spatiotemporal patterns for all species. • This approach allows defining specific spatiotemporal tailored management actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xenarthra mammals can be found from southern North America to southern South America, including all Brazilian biomes. Although it has been shown that Xenarthra mammals can play a role as reservoirs for several zoonotic agents, few studies investigate the diversity of piroplasmids (Apicomplexa: Piroplasmida) in this group of mammals. Taking into account that piroplasmids can cause disease in animals and humans, understanding the prevalence and diversity of piroplasmids in Xenarthra mammals would contribute to conservation efforts for this group of animals as well as to infer risk areas for transmission of emergent zoonosis. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence and molecular identity of piroplasmids in free-living mammals of the Superorder Xenarthra from four Brazilian states (Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo, Rondônia, and Pará). For this, DNA was extracted from blood or spleen samples from 455 animals. A nested PCR based on the 18S rRNA gene was used as screening for piroplasmids. Of the 455 samples analyzed, 25 (5.5%) were positive. Additionally, PCR assays based on 18S rRNA near-complete, cox-1, cox-3, hsp70, cytB, β-tubulin genes and the ITS-1 intergenic region were performed. Five out of 25 positive samples also tested positive for ITS-1-based PCR. The phylogenetic analysis positioned three 18S rRNA sequences detected in Priodontes maximus into the same clade of Babesia sp. detected in marsupials (Didelphis albiventris, Didelphis marsupialis, and Monodelphis domestica) and Amblyomma dubitatum collected from opossums and coatis in Brazil. On the other hand, the 18S rRNA sequence obtained from Dasypus novemcinctus was closely related to a Theileria sp. sequence previously detected in armadillos from Mato Grosso State, grouping in a subclade within the Theileria sensu stricto clade. In the phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS-1 region, the sequences obtained from Myrmecophaga tridactyla and Tamandua tetradactyla were placed into a single clade, apart from the other piroplasmid clades. The present study demonstrated the molecular occurrence of Piroplasmida in anteaters and Babesia sp. and Theileria sp. in armadillos from Brazil., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Using the stomach contents of 24 wild road-killed giant anteaters as proxies for their diet, we found that estimated wild diets were much lower in calcium (about ten times less) and phosphorus compared with manufactured feeds commonly fed to anteaters under human care. Indicators of soil consumption, such as ash, iron, and manganese were higher in the stomach contents than in either wild termites or manufactured diets, likely due to high levels of soil ingestion during feeding in the wild. Protein and fat levels in insects, stomach contents, and commercial diets all met carnivore recommendations. Both giant anteaters and tamanduas in managed care often develop hypercalcemia, perhaps because these taxa have an enhanced ability to retain calcium allowing them to survive on such low calcium diets. Results from this study indicate that, for anteaters in managed care, it is important to keep dietary calcium and vitamins D and K within recommended levels to prevent nutritional diseases such as hyper- and hypocalcemia and vitamin K deficiency.

Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are a severe threat to wildlife biodiversity worldwide and most vertebrate species are at risk. However, there is a considerable knowledge gap on the traumatic features and potential patterns of MVCs in wildlife. We investigated traumatic injuries (TIs) caused by MVCs (MVCs-TIs) in 430 neotropical wild mammals representing 44 species from Brazil. Injuries were classified topographically into four categories: abdomen/pelvis (AP), chest (TX), head/neck (HN) and extremities (EX). We also determined the prevalence of pathological changes in MVC fatalities. AP (n = 381; 89%) was the most affected body segment, followed by TX (n = 372; 87%), HN (n = 363; 84%) and EX (n = 288; 67%). The most prevalent gross pathological findings were single or multiple bone fractures (n = 397; 92%), visceral organ rupture (n = 371; 86%), haemothorax (n = 220; 51%) and pulmonary haemorrhage (n = 212; 49%). Microscopically, pulmonary oedema (n = 324; 82%) and haemorrhage (n = 272; 69%) were the most prevalent lesions. No distinct TI patterns were evident across the various taxonomic groups, although trends were found in some taxa, such as armadillos. These results may help clinicians performing emergency care on MVC wildlife patients and may be of value in pathological and forensic investigations where a MVC has been deemed a likely contributory factor to death., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the correlation between colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality rates and socioeconomic factors in the five mesoregions (North, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and Center-South) of the state of Mato Grosso, from 2005 to 2016., Methods: Ecological study that considered deaths from CRC (C18 to C21) of residents of the state. Mortality rates were standardized by the direct method, using the world standard population. For the analysis of socioeconomic factors, the Firjan Municipal Development Index (IFDM) and its components (education, income and employment and health) were used. Means of mortality rates and socioeconomic factors between the mesoregions were tested using ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between mortality rates due to CRC and these factors., Results: In the period from 2005 to 2016, 1,492 deaths from CRC were registered in the state of Mato Grosso. The Southwest mesoregion had the highest average for both the crude rate and standardized CRC mortality rates (3.47 and 3.86 deaths/100,000 inhabitants, respectively). There was a significant correlation between mortality rates from the disease with the following indicators: Overall IFDM for the North, Southeast and Center-South mesoregions; education for the North and Southeast mesoregions; income and employment for the North and Center-South mesoregions; and health for the North, Southeast and Center-South mesoregions., Conclusion: There was a correlation between CRC mortality rates and better socioeconomic development in the state.

Objective: To analyze the temporal incidence trend of colorectal cancer (CRC), according to sex and age, in the Greater Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil, from 2000 to 2016., Methods: Ecological time series study, with cases of CRC (C18 to C21) diagnosed from 2000 to 2016, of residents of the Greater Cuiabá (Cuiabá and Várzea Grande), in Mato Grosso. The information on the cases was obtained from the Population-Based Cancer Registry and population data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The rates were adjusted by world population. The age groups considered ranged from 30 to 39 years, 40 to 49 years, 50 to 59 years, 60 to 69 years, 70 to 79 years and 80 years and older. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the trend of incidence., Results: A total of 1,715 cases of CRC were registered with information on sex and age, with an adjusted rate of 16.4 new cases/100,000 men and 16.1 new cases/100,000 women. Men presented trend of increasing incidence rates in the age group of 70 to 79 years, with increase of 4.0% per year, while women presented trend of increase in the age group 50 to 59 years, with increase of 2.7% per year., Conclusion: Older men showed a more significant trend towards an increase in the incidence of CRC, but in women this occurred in a younger age group, highlighting the importance of considering age related information in the analyzes of occurrence of the disease in this population.

Background: The giant anteater belongs to the supraorder Xenarthra which occupies a systematically isolated position among placental mammals. The species is categorized as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and understanding its reproductive characteristics is critical for future conservation efforts., Methods: Gross and microscopic anatomy of the genital organs of 23 male and 21 female adult and young roadkill giant anteaters in Brazil were studied., Results: Male giant anteaters presented a short conical penis, intraabdominal testes, and prostate, vesicular and bulbourethral glands. A tubular remnant of the partially fused Müllerian ducts extended from the seminal colliculus through the prostate gland, continued cranially in the genital fold, bifurcated, and attached with one elongation each to the left and right epididymal corpus. The structure presented a total length of up to 10 cm and contained a yellowish liquid in its lumen. Histologically, the caudal section of this structure resembled the female vagina, the middle portion corresponded to the uterus, and the extensions showed characteristics of uterine tubes. In adult female giant anteaters, ovoid ovaries with occasional seminiferous cord-like structures were observed. The animals possessed a simple uterus, which was directly continuous with the vaginal canal. The caudal portion of the vagina had two lumina, separated by a longitudinal septum and opening into two apertures into the vaginal vestibule, cranial to the urethral opening. In the urethral and the lateral vestibular wall, glandular structures with characteristics of male prostate and bulbourethral glands, respectively, were found. The vestibule opened through a vertical vulvar cleft to the exterior. A pair of well-differentiated Wolffian ducts with a central lumen originated ventrally at the vaginal opening into the vestibule and passed in a cranial direction through the ventral vaginal and uterine wall. Each duct extended highly coiled along the ipsilateral uterine tube until the lateral pole of the ovaries where it merged with the rete ovarii., Discussion: The reproductive morphology of giant anteaters reveals characteristics shared with other Xenarthrans: intraabdominal testes, a simple uterus, and a double caudal vagina. The persistence of well-differentiated genital ducts of the opposite sex in both males and females, however, singles them out among other species. These structures are the results of an aberration during fetal sexual differentiation and possess secretory functions. The possibility of a pathological degeneration of these organs should be considered in reproductive medicine of the species., Conclusion: Knowledge of the unique reproductive characteristics of the giant anteater is essential for future reproductive management of the species. Additionally, further research on the peculiarities of the persisting genital duct structures might help to understand sexual differentiation in placental mammals in general., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2021 Fromme et al.)

Objective: To analyze the spatial distribution of the four-year cancer mortality rates in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, from 2000 to 2015., Methodology: Ecological design study, in which mortality from neoplasia was analyzed, from 2000 to 2015, for the municipalities of Mato Grosso State. Mortality rates due to cancer were calculated by the ratio of the sum of deaths by cancer in each quadrennium, divided by the average of the population in the two central years of the period, multiplied by 10,000 inhabitants. Annual percentage change was calculated by the ratio of the linear regression coefficient to the cancer mortality rates in Mato Grosso State at the beginning of the analyzed period (2000 to 2003). Thematic maps were constructed for each quadrennium using intervals of equal classes., Results: Cancer caused 31,097 deaths in the state of Mato Grosso in the period, 13,058 in women and 18,039 in men, with a male to female ratio of 1.38. The top five causes of cancer death in the period were lung (12.2%), prostate (8.7%), stomach (7.7%), breast (6.0%), and liver (4.7%). There was an increase in the number of municipalities with rates greater than 23.67 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in the period., Conclusion: There was an increase in cancer mortality and an increase in the proportion of municipalities with higher mortality rates. Higher density of cancer mortality occurred in the municipalities located in the West, Center-South, Southeast, and Center-North regions of the state.

Xenarthrans-anteaters, sloths, and armadillos-have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data., (© 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of America.)

The purpose of the study reported here was to evaluate the applicability of a pulpotomy technique used in human dentistry for canine crown reduction in nonhuman primates. General anesthesia was induced on seven male rhesus monkeys, and their canine teeth were amputated at the level of the occlusal surface of the premolars and incisors, using a water-cooled highspeed dental handpiece and a tapered diamond burr. A pulpal access cavity was established. Teeth with vital pulps were capped with calcium hydroxide, varnish, and amalgam. Disarmed canine teeth were evaluated clinically and radiographically during the subsequent 19 weeks. At the conclusion of this period, the monkeys were euthanatized, and the canine teeth were collected for histomorphologic assessment. At the end of the 19-week period, all 27 teeth had intact amalgam seals, 26 had a normal radiographic periodontal ligament space, and 26 had viable pulp, as determined on the basis of histomorphologic evaluation. Thus, 26 of 27 (96%) of the teeth on which the pulpotomy technique was performed were considered viable and, hence, had a successful outcome.