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To evaluate neuropsychiatric manifestations in the pristane-induced lupus (PIL) model, as well as to evaluate immunoregulatory effects of vitamin D (vit-D) in the brain of mice with PIL. Eighty female BALB/c mice were divided into six groups with 90 (3 months) and 180 (6 months) days of experimentation: CO3, CO6 (controls), PIL3, PIL6 (pristane-induced lupus), VD3 and VD6 (PIL supplemented with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D). Forced-swim, elevated plus maze and Barnes maze were the behavioral tests performed. Expression of pVDR was assessed by immunofluorescence. Brain IgM and IgG deposits were evaluated by double staining fluorescence. Serum IL-6 and IFN-α1 were quantified by ELISA. AUC-ROC curve was also performed for immunoglobulins. PIL and VD showed depressive-like behavior in the forced-swim test and anxious-like behavior in the elevated plus maze test. PIL also presented cognitive and memory impairment in the Barnes maze test. Additionally, PIL and VD presented higher levels of serum IFN-α1, but not IL-6. Mice supplemented with vit-D had reduced IgM and IgG deposits and increased pVDR expression in the brain after 180 days. The AUC-ROC curve demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for IgM and IgG in the brain. We observed neuropsychiatric manifestations in this model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), strongly corroborating to PIL model being suitable as a neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) model. Vit-D was able to reduce immunoglobulin deposits in the brain and influenced the levels of serum IL-6 in the animals assessed. Also, it improved memory, but it had no effect on depressive and anxious-like behavior., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Immunology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The main barriers to the broad implementation of pediatric minimally invasive surgery (MIS) are technological, technical, and epistemological barriers, as well as the rarity of certain pathologies. These issues are presumed to be more significant in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify and analyze the factors limiting the diffusion and implementation of pediatric MIS in Brazil., Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted via an online questionnaire in Brazil from January 2022 to July 2022. The sample was taken by convenience from the population of pediatric surgeons in Brazil. A total of 187 surgeons were included. The collected data were divided into three sections to evaluate technological, technical, and epistemological limitations to pediatric MIS implementation., Results: Although 85% of the participants had previous training, a lack of adequate training was identified as a significant limiting factor, particularly among those who had taken only short courses (42.3% vs. 64.3%, p = 0.033). Only 14% of the participants reported performing MIS for major pediatric procedures. With respect to intracorporeal suturing, 38.1% of the surgeons with extensive training considered it a limiting factor compared with 60.7% (p = 0.029) of those without prior training. Among those without previous training, 61% cited a lack of financial support or encouragement from their department as the reason. Additionally, 65% of the surgeons considered the lack of basic instruments a limiting factor. Although 95% of the participants agreed that simulation training is indispensable, pediatric surgery fellowship programs in Brazil do not include a standardized curriculum or mandatory training in MIS, and only 47% reported providing training space for their current fellows., Conclusion: A combination of technological, technical, and epistemological barriers hinders the implementation of pediatric MIS. Despite its limitations, this study serves as a foundational guide for future analysis and overcoming the identified barriers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: This study addresses the growing concern of Dry Eye Disease (DED), which has become increasingly prevalent due to modern lifestyles characterized by prolonged screen usage, global warming, polypharmacy, and extended life expectancy., Methods: Grounded in the Dry Eye Workshop II (DEWSII) diagnosis framework, the study focuses on DED as a multifactorial condition affecting the ocular surface's tear film homeostasis. The study evaluates the short-term impact of 5 commercially available ocular lubricants on disrupting the hyperosmolar environment and determine whether these lubricants can offer potential treatment benefits for DED., Results: Conducted on 300 eyes (from 150 patients) with 5 preservative-free lubricants compared to a control group, the study reveals that all lubricants effectively reduced tear film osmolarity within 15 minutes of application. Notably, the control group exhibited an increase in average osmolarity (+0.98 mOsm/L) without lubricant use. Siccafluid demonstrated the most substantial osmolarity reduction after 15 minutes, with an average decrease of 11.54 mOsm/L. Statistical significance was observed for Siccafluid, Optive Fusion unique dose (UD), and Systane Ultra UD, while Hyabak and Freegen preservative free (PF) showed lower significance., Conclusions: Emphasizing the importance of disrupting the hyperosmolar environment to break the cycle of inflammation, the study concludes that ocular lubricants, at least as an immediate post-application effect, can interrupt this cycle and improve the hyperosmolar environment of the ocular surface., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) causes colibacillosis, one of the main diseases leading to economic losses in industrial poultry farming due to high morbidity and mortality and its role in the condemnation of chicken carcasses. This study aimed to isolate and characterize APEC obtained from necropsied chickens on Brazilian poultry farms. Samples from birds already necropsied by routine inspection were collected from 100 batches of broiler chickens from six Brazilian states between August and November 2021. Three femurs were collected per batch, and characteristic E. coli colonies were isolated on MacConkey agar and characterized by qualitative PCR for minimal predictive APEC genes, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and whole genome sequencing to identify species, serogroups, virulence genes, and resistance genes. Phenotypic resistance indices revealed significant resistance to several antibiotics from different antimicrobial classes. The isolates harbored virulence genes linked to APEC pathogenicity, including adhesion, iron acquisition, serum resistance, and toxins. Aminoglycoside resistance genes were detected in 79.36% of isolates, 74.6% had sulfonamide resistance genes, 63.49% showed β-lactam resistance genes, and 49.2% possessed at least one tetracycline resistance gene. This study found a 58% prevalence of avian pathogenic E. coli in Brazilian poultry, with strains showing notable antimicrobial resistance to commonly used antibiotics.

This paper investigates the effect of nozzle temperature, from 180 to 260 °C, on properties of polylactic acid (PLA) samples manufactured by fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. The main objective of this research is to determinate an optimum nozzle temperature relative to tensile, flexural and compressive properties of printed specimens. After manufacturing, the samples exhibit an amorphous structure, without crystallization effects, independently of the fabrication temperature. In order to determine the influence of printing temperature on mechanical properties, uniaxial tensile, three-point flexural and compression strength tests were carried out. The obtained results suggest that a relative low printing temperature could reduce the material flow and decrease the density of the final prototype, with a negative effect on both the quality and the mechanical properties of the pieces. If temperature increases up to 260 °C, an excess of material can be deposited, but with no significant negative effect on mechanical parameters. There is an optimum nozzle temperature interval, depending on the considered piece and test, for which mechanical values can be optimized. Taking into account all tests, a recommended extruder temperature interval may be identified as 220-240 °C. This range encompasses all mechanical parameters, avoiding the highest temperature where an excess of material was observed. For this printing temperature interval, no significant mechanical variations were appreciated, which corresponds to a stable behavior of the manufactured specimens.

This announcement contains the whole genome sequences of five Ackermannviridae that infect members of the Enterobacteriaceae family of bacteria. Four of the five phages were isolated using Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium as a bacterial host: AR2819, Sajous1, SilasIsHot, and FrontPhageNews. ChubbyThor was isolated using Shigella boydii ., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: We tested the hypothesis that children of non-depressed mothers perform better in a developmental test at 3 years than children of depressed mothers., Method: Longitudinal analysis from a trial to assess the impact of a child development promotion program in 30 Brazilian municipalities. Mothers and children were appraised at first-year post-partum, 1 and 3 years after enrollment. Child development was assessed through the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ3) and maternal depression through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Crude and adjusted beta coefficients were obtained by linear regression before and after multiple imputation., Results: In total, 2098 mother/child dyads were included and 8.2% of the mothers had persistent depressive symptoms. There was a decrease in ASQ3 as the number of follow-ups with EPDS ≥ 10 increased (p for trend <0.001). In adjusted analysis, the direction of the association persisted but lost statistical significance. After multiple imputation, children from mothers with EPDS ≥ 10 in three follow-ups presented a decrease of about 14 points in ASQ3 (adjusted beta coefficient = -13.79; -22.59 to -5.00) (p for trend = 0.001)., Conclusions: Identification of women at increased risk of depression should be among the primary health care sector priorities in maternal and child health in Brazil., Impact: In our population study, almost one in every ten women presented persistent depression symptoms across the first 3 years postpartum. In adjusted analysis there was a detrimental impact of persistent maternal depression on child development at 3 years of age. The persistent exposure to maternal depression across early childhood negatively influences children's development. Considering its prevalence, identification of women at increased risk of depression should be among the primary health care sector priorities in maternal and child health in Brazil., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can affect several organs and systems. The central and/or peripheral nervous system can suffer from complications known as neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE). Studies have associated the manifestations of SLE or NPSLE with vitamin D deficiency. It has been shown that hypovitaminosis D can lead to cognition deficits and cerebral hypoperfusion in patients with NPSLE. In this review article, we will address the main features related to vitamin D supplementation or serum vitamin D levels with neuropsychiatric manifestations, either in patients or in animal models of NPSLE., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Brazil is the second largest producer of broiler chicken in the world, and the surveillance of avian pathogens is of great importance for the global economy and nutrition. Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) infection results in high rates of animal carcass losses due to aerosacculitis and these impacts can be worsened through co-infection with pathogenic bacteria, particularly Escherichia coli (APEC). The present study evaluated the seroprevalence of the main aMPV subtypes in unvaccinated broiler chickens from poultry farms in Brazil, as well as the clinical effects of co-infection with APEC. Blood samples, respiratory swabs, femurs, liver, and spleen of post-mortem broiler chickens were collected from 100 poultry production batches, totaling 1000 samples. The selection of the production batch was based on the history of systemic and respiratory clinical signs. The results indicated that 20% of the lots showed serological evidence of the presence of aMPV, with two lots being positive for aMPV-B. A total of 45% of batches demonstrated co-infection between aMPV and APEC. The results point to the need for viral surveillance, targeted vaccination, and vaccination programs, which could reduce clinical problems and consequently reduce the use of antibiotics to treat bacterial co-infections.

Introduction: The Brazilian population in the United States (U.S.), a Latinx subgroup, is rapidly growing and aging but remains underrepresented in U.S. health research. In addition to group-specific genetic and environmental risks, Brazilian immigrants and their offspring in the U.S. likely have cumulative risks for health inequities.It is estimated that 71% of Brazilian immigrants in the U.S. are undocumented, which may limit healthcare access/utilization. Furthermore, mental health is reported as a health priority by Brazilian immigrants in the U.S., and there is a lack of research on Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (AD/ADRD) in this population., Methods: We reviewed the scientific literature using traditional (e.g., PubMed) sources and databases generated by U.S. and Brazilian governments, as well as international organizations, and press articles., Results: This perspective review lists recommendations for researchers, health providers, and policymakers to promote greater inclusion of U.S. Brazilian populations in health research and care. The review identifies research areas in need of attention to address health inequities and promote mental/brain health in Brazilian immigrants and their offspring living in the U.S. These research areas are: 1) epidemiological studies to map the prevalence and incidence of mental/brain health conditions; 2) research on aging and AD/ADRD risk factors among Brazilian populations in the U.S.; and 3) the need for greater representation of U.S-residing Brazilian population in other relevant research areas involving genetics, neuropathology, and clinical trials., Conclusions: The recommendation and research efforts proposed should help to pave the way for the development of community-engagement research and to promote mental/brain health education, improvement of mental/brain health and AD/ADRD services, and the development of culturally-informed intervention to the U.S.-residing Brazilian communities., Highlights: The Brazilian population in the United States is growing but is underrepresented in U.S. health research.Approximately 71% of Brazilian immigrants in the United States are undocumented, with an increased risk for health inequities.Mental health is reported as a central health priority by Brazilian immigrants in the United States.There is a lack of research on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (ADRD) in Brazilian immigrants in the United States.Epidemiological research is needed to map the prevalence/incidence of mental health conditions and ADRD risk factors among Brazilian immigrants in the United States., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare., (© 2023 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Among the respiratory pathogens of birds, the Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) is one of the most relevant, as it is responsible for causing infections of the upper respiratory tract and may induce respiratory syndromes. aMPV is capable of affecting the reproductive system of birds, directly impacting shell quality and decreasing egg production. Consequently, this infection can cause disorders related to animal welfare and zootechnical losses. The first cases of respiratory syndromes caused by aMPV were described in the 1970s, and today six subtypes (A, B, C, D, and two more new subtypes) have been identified and are widespread in all chicken and turkey-producing countries in the world, causing enormous economic losses for the poultry industry. Conventionally, immunological techniques are used to demonstrate aMPV infection in poultry, however, the identification of aMPV through molecular techniques helped in establishing the traceability of the virus. This review compiles data on the main aMPV subtypes present in different countries; aMPV and bacteria co-infection; vaccination against aMPV and viral selective pressure, highlighting the strategies used to prevent and control respiratory disease; and addresses tools for viral diagnosis and virus genome studies aiming at improving and streamlining pathogen detection and corroborating the development of new vaccines that can effectively protect herds, preventing viral escapes.

Background: Women living in low- and middle-income countries are more exposed to known risk factors for depression occurrence and persistency over time., Aim: Our aim was to investigate the course of depression in the first 2 years postpartum among Brazilian women enrolled in a cash transfer program., Method: Longitudinal analysis of baseline (T0; mean 3.7 months postpartum) and first follow-up data (T1; mean 18.6 months postpartum) from a trial to assess the impact of a child development promotion program in 30 municipalities from six Brazilian states. The program does not include any interventions against maternal depression. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at cutoff ⩾10 was applied. Women were categorized into four groups based on EPDS at T0 and T1: absence of depression, persistence, discontinuity, or emergence pattern. Adjusted Poisson regressions were run using a multilevel hierarchical model., Results: Two thousand eight hundred sixty-three women were assessed. Prevalence of depression was 26.4% [24.8, 28.1] at T0 and 24.4% [22.8, 26.0] at T1. Persistence, discontinuation, and emergence were found in 14.1% [11.3, 17.6%], 12.8% [11.4, 14.3%], and 10.2% [8.0, 13.0], respectively. In adjusted analyses, the persistence pattern was directly associated with parity and inversely associated with schooling of the woman and of the child's father. Living with husband/partner and support from the child's father and family members during pregnancy were protective against persistence. The discontinuity and the emergence patterns were not associated with any of the exposure variables., Conclusions: Depressive symptoms were highly prevalent during the first 2 years postpartum. About half of the women with depression at T1 were persistent cases that could have been detected earlier. Screening for maternal depression should be an essential component in every encounter of women with health professionals in primary health care settings.

Colibacillosis is a disease caused by Escherichia coli and remains a major concern in poultry production, as it leads to significant economic losses due to carcass condemnation and clinical symptoms. The development of antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem of worldwide concern. Lysogenic bacteriophages are effective vectors for acquiring and disseminating antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The aim of this study was to investigate the complete genome of Escherichia coli isolates from the femurs of Brazilian broiler chickens in order to investigate the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes associated with bacteriophages. Samples were collected between August and November 2021 from broiler batches from six Brazilian states. Through whole genome sequencing (WGS), data obtained were analyzed for the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes. Antimicrobial resistance genes against the aminoglycosides class were detected in 79.36% of the isolates; 74.6% had predicted sulfonamides resistance genes, 63.49% had predicted resistance genes against β-lactams, and 49.2% of the isolates had at least one of the tetracycline resistance genes. Among the detected genes, 27 have been described in previous studies and associated with bacteriophages. The findings of this study highlight the role of bacteriophages in the dissemination of ARGs in the poultry industry.

Background: Guaranteeing durability, provenance, accessibility, and trust in open data sets can be challenging for researchers and organizations that rely on public repositories of data critical for epidemiology and other health analytics. The required data repositories are often difficult to locate and may require conversion to a standard data format. Data-hosting websites may also change or become unavailable without warning. A single change to the rules in one repository can hinder updating a public dashboard reliant on data pulled from external sources. These concerns are particularly challenging at the international level, because policies on systems aimed at harmonizing health and related data are typically dictated by national governments to serve their individual needs., Objective: In this paper, we introduce a comprehensive public health data platform, EpiGraphHub, that aims to provide a single interoperable repository for open health and related data., Methods: The platform, curated by the international research community, allows secure local integration of sensitive data while facilitating the development of data-driven applications and reports for decision-makers. Its main components include centrally managed databases with fine-grained access control to data, fully automated and documented data collection and transformation, and a powerful web-based data exploration and visualization tool., Results: EpiGraphHub is already being used for hosting a growing collection of open data sets and for automating epidemiological analyses based on them. The project has also released an open-source software library with the analytical methods used in the platform., Conclusions: The platform is fully open source and open to external users. It is in active development with the goal of maximizing its value for large-scale public health studies., (©Flávio Coelho, Daniel Cardoso Portela Câmara, Eduardo Correa Araújo, Lucas Monteiro Bianchi, Ivan Ogasawara, Jyoti Dalal, Ananthu James, Jessica L Abbate, Aziza Merzouki, Izabel Cristina dos Reis, Kene David Nwosu, Olivia Keiser. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 06.03.2023.)

The anomalous origin of one pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta is a rare congenital heart disease, generally diagnosed based on the clinical information and on echocardiographic and computed tomography angiography findings. Here we report two neonates successfully treated with surgery early in life.

Context: The establishment of pregnancy in cows requires uterine activity regulation of the main Hippo signalling effector yes-associated protein 1 (YAP). It remains unknown (1) how YAP activity at the corpus luteum (CL) correlates with early pregnancy-related events in ruminants; and (2) if YAP activity in the uterus and CL can be affected by metabolic disorders that may lead to pregnancy failure in ruminants., Aims and Methods: To determine the effect of early pregnancy on total and phospho-YAP expression and its transcriptional activity in the CL, we compared non-pregnant vs pregnant ewes. To understand the YAP activity dysregulation with disorders that may result in pregnancy loss, we induced negative energy balance in pregnant ewes., Key Results and Conclusions: Our main results indicate that early pregnancy alters the expression and activity patterns of YAP in the ovine CL but not in the endometrium. In addition, while our NEB-induced model fails to alter YAP activity at the endometrium level, we found that fasting during the first but not second week of pregnancy affects YAP activity in the CL of pregnant ewes., Implications: The data presented herein provide considerable insight into the activity of a signalling pathway that may be a key player in pregnancy recognition and establishment in ewes.

Introduction/objectives: Clinical evidence of skeletal muscle involvement is not uncommon in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Because of the poor understanding of signaling pathways involved in SLE muscle wasting, the  aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin D supplementation on skeletal muscle in mice with pristane-induced lupus., Methods: Balb/c mice with lupus-like disease induced by pristane injection were randomized into three groups: pristane-induced lupus (PIL; n = 10), pristane-induced lupus + vitamin D supplementation (PIL + VD; n = 10) and healthy controls (CO; n = 8). Physical function was evaluated on days 0, 60, 120 and 180. The tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles were collected to evaluate myofiber cross-sectional area (CSA) and protein expression., Results: The PIL + VD group showed lower muscle strength compared to the CO and PIL groups at different time points. PIL mice showed similar myofiber CSA compared to CO and PIL + VD groups. LC3-II expression was higher in PIL compared to CO and PIL + VD groups. MyoD expression was higher in PIL mice compared to PIL + VD, while myostatin expression was higher in PIL + VD than PIL group. Myogenin expression levels were decreased in the PIL + VD group compared with the CO group. The Akt, p62 and MuRF expressions and mobility assessment showed no significance., Conclusions: Changes in skeletal muscle in PIL model happen before CSA reduction, possibly due to autophagy degradation, and treatment with Vitamin D has a impact on physical function by decreasing muscle strength and time of fatigue.. Vitamin D supplementation has a potential role modulating physical parameters and signaling pathways in muscle during pristane-induced lupus model., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Decalcification of mineralized samples for microscopic analysis involves competing factors including decalcification time, preservation of tissue integrity and cost. We investigated the utility of different decalcification solutions for studying joints in AG/WT, BALB/c, C57, DBA1/J mice and Wistar rats. The hind paws of the rodents were removed and fixed with 10% buffered formalin. Specimens were divided randomly into three groups for demineralization: 10% nitric acid, 12.5% EDTA at room temperature and 12.5% EDTA at 35 °C with shaking. Sections of joints were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H & E). We evaluated decalcification time and expense, ease of cutting sections, preservation of nuclear basophilia and intranuclear detail, and intensity of eosin staining. The 10% nitric acid solution produced the most rapid decalcification for the mice, but not the rats. The 12.5% EDTA solution at 35 °C with shaking did not decrease decalcification time. Effects on microtomy were variable as were the effects on H & E staining. The EDTA solution provided the best basophilia and intranuclear detail for the mice. For rats, only 12.5% EDTA at 35 °C with shaking produced good preservation. Preservation of nuclear basophilia and intranuclear detail for rats was best with 10% nitric acid and EDTA 35 °C. For mice, 10% nitric acid failed to preserve nuclear basophilia and intranuclear detail. For intensity of eosin staining, EDTA at room temperature and EDTA 35 °C was best for both mice and rats. Sections also exhibited good H & E staining in most samples decalcified with 10% nitric acid. Although we found considerable variation among groups of animals, we found less variation among the different mouse strains than between mice and Wistar rats.

Brain ischemia affects the integrity of local white matter and regions that are distant to the primary lesion location. In this study, we analyzed the patterns of white matter microstructural damage and the cognitive performance of 22 patients with left hemisphere stroke. Patients were divided in two groups: one with target lesion affecting the left inferior frontal gyrus (left inferior frontal gyrus, LIFG, n = 11) and the other without ischemic lesion in this region (non-left inferior frontal gyrus, NLIFG, n = 11). Each group was compared with 11 matched healthy controls. Tract-Based Spatial Statistics was used to assess differences in diffusion tensor indices between the groups and for the association of white matter structure with cognitive performance. When compared to Controls, the LIFG showed extensive intra- and interhemispheric disconnection, with surrogate markers for tissue loss with demyelination in the corpus callosum, and microstructural changes that are independent of gross tissue loss in the contralateral hemisphere. The NLIFG group presented discrete alterations in white matter from the ipsilateral hemisphere, with surrogate markers for tissue loss with axonal injury. When LIFG is compared to NLIFG, white matter abnormalities with no gross tissue loss were observed in the corpus callosum and in the contralateral hemisphere. In addition LIFG had worse performance on cognitive functions. In conclusion, our results identify different diffusion profiles for LIFG and NLIFG groups, suggesting more extensive and pronounced white matter damage in the commissural and interhemispheric connections in the LIFG group, in addition to more pronounced cognitive impairment., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction/objectives: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may have neurological complications, characterizing neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE). Studies have investigated alternative therapies such as vitamin D, which has an effect on the immune system and brain, to control manifestations of SLE. Experimental lupus models may be a good alternative to best study the immunological mechanisms underlying the development of NPSLE, and the animal model of pristane-induced lupus (PIL) may mimic SLE symptoms in humans. Our objective was to evaluate central nervous system involvement and vitamin D supplementation in a PIL model., Method: Female BALB/c mice were divided into controls (CO; n = 7), PIL (n = 9), and PIL supplemented with vitamin D (VD; n = 7). The hippocampus area was measured and immunoassays were performed for detecting vitamin D receptor (VDR) and IgG., Results: The PIL group had a higher hippocampal IgG infiltrate when compared to the CO group. Vitamin D showed potential for reducing IgG infiltration. The hippocampus area was similar in all groups. No differences in VDR expression were observed between groups. A positive correlation was observed between the expression of VDR and IgG in the hippocampus., Conclusion: Our data suggest that increased IgG infiltration into the hippocampus indicated an inflammatory process that may have stimulated VDR expression. Key Points • IgG infiltrate is higher in PIL animals than controls • VDR increases along with IgG infiltrate • Hippocampal VDR expression does not increase with vitamin D supplementation., (© 2022. International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR).)

We announce the complete genome sequences of 14 Serratia bacteriophages isolated from wastewater treatment plants. These phages define two previously undescribed types which we call the Carrot-like phage cluster (phages Carrot, BigDog, LittleDog, Niamh, Opt-148, Opt-169, PhooPhighters, Rovert, Serratianator, Stoker, Swain, and Ulliraptor) and Tlacuache-like phage cluster (Tlacuache and Opt-155).

Paraquat (PQ) is a widely used herbicide that can cross the dopaminergic neuronal membrane, accumulate in mitochondria and damage complex I of the electron transport chain, leading to neuronal death. In Drosophila melanogaster, PQ exposure leads to the development of parkinsonism and is a classical model for studying Parkinson's Disease (PD). Muscle mitochondrial dysfunction, affecting survival and locomotion, is described in familial PD in D. melanogaster mutants. However, no study has shown the effects of PQ-induced parkinsonism in D. melanogaster regarding muscle ultrastructure and locomotor behavior at different ages. Thus, we evaluated survival, locomotion, and morphological parameters of mitochondria and myofibrils using transmission electron microscopy in 2 and 15-day-old D. melanogaster, treated with different PQ doses: control, 10, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM. PQ100mM presented 100% lethality in 15-day-old D. melanogaster, while in 2-day-old animals PQ150mM produced 20% lethality. Bradykinesia was only observed in 15-day-old D. melanogaster treated with PQ10 mM and PQ50 mM. However, these results are unlikely to be associated with changes to morphology. Taken together, our data indicate pathophysiological differences between PQ-induced parkinsonism and familial parkinsonism in D. melanogaster (resultant from gene mutations), demonstrating for the first time a differential susceptibility to PQ in two developmental stages., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is an infection that is mostly observed in contact lens wearers. It is often misdiagnosed causing delays in the administration of the correct treatment. The aim of this study was to report the outcome of clinical and molecular diagnosis of AK cases during the summer of 2019 in the southern region of Brazil. Three suspected cases of AK were discovered after an ophthalmic examination at a public hospital in the city of Porto Alegre. These cases were then confirmed through laboratory diagnosis (cell culture and molecular analysis by PCR and sequencing). In each of the three clinical sample cell cultures of corneal scraping and molecular analysis confirmed the presence of Acanthamoeba spp., all belonging to the morphological group II and to the genotype T4, which is the most common genotype associated with AK. In addition, Acanthamoeba spp. isolated from one of the clinical samples was found to harbor the Candidatus Paracaedibacter acanthamoeba, a bacterial endosymbiont. The presence of Ca. Paracaedibacter acanthamoeba in clinical isolates requires further research to reveal its possible role in the pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba infections., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: International guidelines recommend additional salt supplementation during infancy in classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. The influence of corticoid medication and growth has not been assessed., Aim: To investigate the current use of salt supplementation, fludrocortisone (FC) and hydrocortisone (HC) dosage as well as weight, height, BMI and blood pressure (BP) in CAH children aged 0-3 years., Methods: Retrospective multicentre analysis using data from the I-CAH registry. Salt-treated (ST) and non-salt-treated (NST) children were compared regarding FC and HC dosage, weight, height and BP at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months., Results: We analysed 2483 visits of 331 patients born after year 2000 in 13 countries (male, n = 145) with 203 ST patients (61%). NST children had significantly higher FC dosages at 1.5-4.5 months and higher HC dosages until 1.5 months of age. No differences in weight, length and BP between subgroups were observed. Children of the whole cohort showed increased BMI-SDS during the study period and about half of the reported BP readings were >P95., Conclusion: In children treated with additional salt supplementation, FC and HC dosages are lower during the first months of life but without differences in weight, length and BP until 3 years of age compared to NST children. All children showed an increase in BMI-SDS and a high rate of BP readings >P95 until 3 years, indicating the start of weight gain and negative effects on blood pressure already in very early life.

The study aimed to assess socioeconomic, family, and individual factors associated with infant development (i.e., in the first year of life) among families with social vulnerability. This was a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a randomized trial. The study included 3,242 children < 12 months of age living in 30 municipalities from five regions of Brazil. The choice of states and municipalities was intentional, based on the implementation of the Brazilian Happy Child Program. The sample was selected among eligible children for the Brazilian Happy Child Program, and the objective was the promotion of infant development. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) was used to assess infant development. A three-level analytical model (state, municipality, and individuals), using the Wald test for heterogeneity and linear trend, estimated the mean ASQ-3 and 95% confidence interval (95%CI). The analyses were adjusted for potential confounders. Information was analyzed for 3,061 (94.4%) children with available data for ASQ-3. Infant development scores (total and in all the domains) were some 12% lower in preterm children and those with intrauterine growth restriction (small for gestational age). Lower scores were seen in children of mothers with low schooling, depressive symptoms, two or more children under seven years of age living in the household, and who did not report self-perceived support or help during the pregnancy. In conclusion, potentially modifiable characteristics (schooling, maternal depression, and prematurity/intrauterine growth restriction) showed greater impact on reducing the infant development score in all the target domains.

Background: Previous studies of hippocampal function and volume related to episodic memory deficits in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have produced mixed results including increased or decreased activity and volume. However, most of them have not included biomarkers, such as amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition which is the hallmark for early identification of the Alzheimer's disease continuum., Objective: We investigated the role of Aβ deposition, functional hippocampal activity and structural volume in aMCI patients and healthy elderly controls (HC) using a new functional MRI (fMRI) ecological episodic memory task., Methods: Forty-six older adults were included, among them Aβ PET PIB positive (PIB+) aMCI (N = 17), Aβ PET PIB negative (PIB-) aMCI (N = 15), and HC (N = 14). Hippocampal volume and function were analyzed using Freesurfer v6.0 and FSL for news headlines episodic memory fMRI task, and logistic regression for group classification in conjunction with episodic memory task and traditional neuropsychological tests., Results: The aMCI PIB+ and PIB-patients showed significantly worse performance in relation to HC in most traditional neuropsychological tests and within group difference only on story recall and the ecological episodic memory fMRI task delayed recall. The classification model reached a significant accuracy (78%) and the classification pattern characterizing the PIB+ included decreased left hippocampal function and volume, increased right hippocampal function and volume, and worse episodic memory performance differing from PIB-which showed increased left hippocampus volume., Conclusion: The main findings showed differential neural correlates, hippocampal volume and function during episodic memory in aMCI patients with the presence of Aβ deposition.

A fast and easy methodology to estimate total polyphenol content in extra virgin olive oil was developed by applying the chemometric multiblock method sequential and orthogonalized partial least squares (SO-PLS) in order to combine front-face emission fluorescence spectra (270 nm excitation wavelength) and absorbance spectra. The hypothesis of this work stated that inner-filter effects in fluorescence spectra that would reduce the estimation performance of a single block model could be overcome by incorporating the absorbance spectral information of the compounds causing them. Different spectral preprocessing algorithms were applied. Double cross-validation with 50 iterations was implemented to improve the robustness of the obtained results. The PLSR model on the single block of fluorescence raw spectra achieved an RMSEP of 177.11 mg·kg -1 as the median value, and the complexity of the model was high, as the median value of latent variables (LVs) was eight. Multiblock SO-PLS models with pretreated fluorescence and absorbance spectra provided better performance, although artefacts could be introduced by transformation. The combination of fluorescence and absorbance raw data decreased the RMSEP median to 134.45 mg·kg -1 . Moreover, the complexity of the model was greatly reduced, which contributed to an increase in robustness. The median value of LVs was three for fluorescence data and only one for absorbance data. Validation of the methodology could be addressed by further work considering a higher number of samples and a detailed composition of polyphenols.

Introduction: Ovotesticular disorder of sex development (OTD) is a rare condition. There's a lack of literature addressing gonad-sparing surgery for OTD., Objective: Report the laparoscopic partial gonadectomy technique - gonad-sparing surgery - in an 11-year-old child, 46, XX karyotype with OTD with atypical genitalia., Material and Methods: After a complete diagnostic evaluation the patient underwent feminizing genitoplasty followed by laparoscopic partial gonadectomy (gonad-sparing surgery). The patient was positioned on supine position and Trendelenburg. One 5 mm port was placed on the umbilicus and two 3 mm ports in both flanks. A gonadal wedge biopsy was performed to achieve histopathological confirmation before resection. The testicular component of the ovotestis is clearly identified based on macroscopic aspects, and resected with laparoscopic scissors and limited use of electrocautery., Discussion: This case was classified as bipolar or terminal ovotestis. At the 5-month follow-up, the patient attained menarche. No adverse outcomes have been recorded. Postoperative third year follow-up hormone evaluation revealed a= female pattern characteristic and ultrasound demonstraed uterine volume increase, as well as bilateral ovarian tissue development with follicles., Conclusions: Gonad-sparing procedure is feasible and desirable whenever possible, especially in 46, XX patients with female sex of rearing, since it preserves the fertility potential. The risk of malignancy must be monitored., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests None., (Copyright © 2021 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess vaccination coverage, based on the National Immunization Program schedule, among children receiving financial support from the Family Income Transfer Program, Brazil, according to the family socioeconomic status and maternal characteristics., Methods: 3,242 children under 12 months old were assessed between August/2018 and April/2019, of whom 3,008 were reassessed between September/2019 and January/2020. The analyses were performed using multilevel models (level 3, Federative Unit; level 2, municipality; level 1, children)., Results: Vaccination coverage was 2.5 fold higher in the first follow-up (61.0% - 95% CI 59.3;62.6%), compared to the second follow-up (24.8% - 95% CI 22.8;25.9%) (p<0.001). In the first follow-up, coverage was higher in the richest quintile (67.9%) and in children whose mothers had ≥9 years of schooling (63.3%). In the second follow-up, there were no differences. The highest coverage occurred between 0.5-2.5 (93.5%) and 12.5-15.5 months (34.4%), respectively, first and second follow-ups., Conclusion: Low coverage was found, both in the first and second year of life.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that involves neurological complications is known as neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE). Research in humans is difficult due to the disease's great heterogeneity. Animal models are a resource for new discoveries. In this review, we examine experimental models of lupus that present neuropsychiatric manifestations. Spontaneous animal models such as NZB/W F1 and MRL/lpr are commonly used in NPSLE research; these models present few SLE symptoms compared to induced animal models, such as pristane-induced lupus (PIL). The PIL model is known to present eight of the main clinical and laboratory manifestations of SLE described by the American College of Rheumatology. Many cytokines associated with NPSLE are expressed in the PIL model, such as IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN. However, to date, NPSLE manifestations have been poorly studied in the PIL model. In this review article, we discuss whether the PIL model can mimic neuropsychiatric manifestations of SLE. Key Points • PIL model have a strong interferon signature. • Animals with PIL express learning and memory deficit.

Purpose: The incidence of fungal infection after corneal transplant has increased significantly in recent years, especially Candida spp. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the addition of cycloheximide in Optisol-GS media in decreasing the growth of Candida spp. strains., Methods: This in vitro laboratory efficacy study measured fungal colony growth in 24 vials of Optisol-GS that were divided into 6 groups of 4 vials each, as follows: (1) MIC/2 cycloheximide, (2) MIC cycloheximide, (3) MICx5 cycloheximide, (4) MICx10 cycloheximide, from MIC values obtained for each strain, (5) unsupplemented optisol-GS as a positive control (added inoculum), and (6) unsupplemented optisol-GS as a negative control (no inoculum). In each group was added Candida albicans, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis , except in the negative control. The evaluated variables were fungal colony growth from the Optisol-GS vials, corneal endothelial cell density and endothelial cell viability at different concentrations of cycloheximide., Results: In the efficacy study, all strains showed a reduction in fungal cell growth from the second day at all evaluated concentrations of optisol-GS supplemented with cycloheximide, even at subinhibitory concentrations (MIC/2). For C. glabrata , the colony count was reduced to 99%. No evidence of corneal endothelial toxicity was found at any concentration, in the safety study, compared with the paired control., Conclusion: The addition of cycloheximide to optisol-GS decreased the fungal growth, demonstrating fungicide action against C. glabrata and fungistatic action against C. albicans and C. parapsilosis . This drug did not demonstrate toxicity to the corneal endothelium at different concentrations., Competing Interests: All authors declared they have no conflicts of interest for this work., (© 2021 Dal Pizzol et al.)

Objective: Despite published guidelines no unified approach to hormone replacement in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) exists. We aimed to explore geographical and temporal variations in the treatment with glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids in CAH., Design: This retrospective multi-center study, including 31 centers (16 countries), analyzed data from the International-CAH Registry., Methods: Data were collected from 461 patients aged 0-18 years with classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency (54.9% females) under follow-up between 1982 and 2018. Type, dose and timing of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement were analyzed from 4174 patient visits., Results: The most frequently used glucocorticoid was hydrocortisone (87.6%). Overall, there were significant differences between age groups with regards to daily hydrocortisone-equivalent dose for body surface, with the lowest dose (median with interquartile range) of 12.0 (10.0-14.5) mg/m2/day at age 1-8 years and the highest dose of 14.0 (11.6-17.4) mg/m2/day at age 12-18 years. Glucocorticoid doses decreased after 2010 in patients 0-8 years (P < 0.001) and remained unchanged in patients aged 8-18 years. Fludrocortisone was used in 92% of patients, with relative doses decreasing with age. A wide variation was observed among countries with regards to all aspects of steroid hormone replacement., Conclusions: Data from the I-CAH Registry suggests international variations in hormone replacement therapy, with a tendency to treatment with high doses in children.

Objective: Investigate factors associated with symptoms of postpartum depression in mothers from families in social vulnerability., Methods: Information was used from the baseline of a randomized trial to assess a child development program that enrolled 3,242 children < 12 months of age from beneficiary families of the Bolsa Família Program residing in 30 municipalities (counties) in six states of Brazil. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was applied to the mothers, and depression was defined as score ≥10. Information on the mother (schooling, age, parity, marital status, skin color, smoking, number of prenatal appointments, and planning of the pregnancy), family (paternal schooling, household crowding, support from the child's father and the family during the pregnancy, and number of children under 7 years living in the household), and infant (sex, gestational age, birthweight, Apgar score, and child's age at the time of the interview) was collected. Prevalence rates for depressive symptoms were calculated with crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), using hierarchical logistic regression, in a multilevel model., Results: The analysis included 3,174 mothers with information on EPDS. The interviews were conducted on average 7.9 months (standard deviation= 2.9) after childbirth. Overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 26.5% (25.0-28.1%). In the adjusted analysis, higher parity was associated with higher odds of postpartum depression (p <0.001). Women with ≥3 previous deliveries showed an odds 84% higher of presenting depressive symptoms (OR= 1.84; 1.43-2.35) than primiparae. Higher maternal and paternal schooling, presence of husband or partner, and having received support from the child's father and the family during the pregnancy were protective factors against postpartum depression., Conclusion: The study showed high prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms. Promotion of parental education, alongside with the promotion of support to the woman during pregnancy by the child's father and by the family, as well as family planning leading to birth spacing are measures that may help to prevent postpartum depressive symptoms., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Although congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is known to be associated with adrenal crises (AC), its association with patient- or clinician-reported sick day episodes (SDE) is less clear., Methods: Data on children with classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency CAH from 34 centers in 18 countries, of which 7 were Low or Middle Income Countries (LMIC) and 11 were High Income (HIC), were collected from the International CAH Registry and analyzed to examine the clinical factors associated with SDE and AC., Results: A total of 518 children-with a median of 11 children (range 1, 53) per center-had 5388 visits evaluated over a total of 2300 patient-years. The median number of AC and SDE per patient-year per center was 0 (0, 3) and 0.4 (0.0, 13.3), respectively. Of the 1544 SDE, an AC was reported in 62 (4%), with no fatalities. Infectious illness was the most frequent precipitating event, reported in 1105 (72%) and 29 (47%) of SDE and AC, respectively. On comparing cases from LMIC and HIC, the median SDE per patient-year was 0.75 (0, 13.3) vs 0.11 (0, 12.0) (P < 0.001), respectively, and the median AC per patient-year was 0 (0, 2.2) vs 0 (0, 3.0) (P = 0.43), respectively., Conclusions: The real-world data that are collected within the I-CAH Registry show wide variability in the reported occurrence of adrenal insufficiency-related adverse events. As these data become increasingly used as a clinical benchmark in CAH care, there is a need for further research to improve and standardize the definition of SDE., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

In this article international trends in surgical practice in girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are evaluated. All cases that had been classified in the I-CAH/I-DSD registry as 46,XX CAH and who were born prior to 2017 were identified. Centers were approached to obtain information on surgical decision making. Of the 330 included participants, 208 (63.0%) presented within the first month of life, and 326 (98.8%) cases were assigned female. Genital surgery had been performed in 250 (75.8%). A total of 64.3, 89.2, and 96.8% of cases residing in Europe, South America and Asia, respectively, had at least one surgery. In a logistic regression model for the probability of surgery before the second birthday (early surgery) over time an increase of probability for early vaginal surgery could be identified, but not for clitoral surgery or both surgeries combined. Genitoplasty in girls with CAH remains controversial. This large international study provides a snapshot of current practice and reveals geographical and temporal differences. Fewer surgeries were reported for Europe, and there seems to be a significant trend towards aiming for vaginal surgery within the first 2 years of life., (© 2021 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objectives: To report the experience in teaching internship in the elective discipline "Spirituality in the Health Field" of the curriculum of the graduation course in Nursing of Universidade Federal Fluminense., Methods: This is a case report with descriptive-reflexive approach of the class "the meaning of life as spiritual care strategy in the nursing practice". For the elaboration of the discipline, a lesson plan and active methodologies were used., Results: The strategy used for preparation of the class allowed transmitting and constructing knowledge objectively. The reflections disclosed along with students showed the importance of the meaning of life as spiritual care in nursing practices for the health professional and for the act of being cared for., Final Considerations: The class was considered a successful experience, as the theme proposed was essential for the theoretical-reflective construction about spirituality and meaning of life as a form of care that transcends technical procedures.

In this work, a complete fattening period (81 days) of a total of 30 Landrace pigs housed in two pens of a nucleus in Villatobas (Castilla-La Mancha, Spain) were supervised. The ear skin temperature of each animal was recorded every three minutes. The body weight, the date, the duration, and the amount of feed consumed per animal was monitored via an electronic feeding station. The objective was the identification of animals with different behaviors based on the integration of their thermal and intake patterns. The ear skin temperatures of the animals showed a negative relationship between the mean and the standard deviation (r = 0.83), distinguishing animals with different thermal patterns: individuals with high-temperature values show less thermal variability and vice versa. Feeding parameters showed differences in the feeding strategies of animals, identifying fast-eating animals with a high rate feed intake (60 g/min) and slow eaters (30 g/min). The correlation between the change in the rate of feed intake along with animal growth and feed efficiency reached a significant negative value (-0.57), indicating that animals that do not alter their rate of feed intake along breeding showed higher efficiencies. The difference in temperature of an animal with respect to the averaged group value has allowed us to identify animals with differentiated feeding patterns.

Introduction: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. NMOSD starting after the age of 50 years is considered a "late onset" (LO-NMOSD) and seems to be particularly aggressive. The objective of this paper is to present a series of 37 Brazilian patients with LO-NMOSD., Methods: Retrospective data collection from medical records of patients with LO-NMOSD seen at 14 Brazilian specialized units., Results: The ratio of women to men in the sample was 4.3 to 1. The patients were followed up for a median period of 4 years. Sex, age at disease onset, and ethnic background were not associated with the number of relapses or disability outcomes. Extensive longitudinal myelitis affected 86% of patients, while optic neuritis affected 70%, and brainstem syndromes were present in only 16% of these patients. Six patients are currently using some type of support for walking or are wheelchair-bound. Three have died. Therapeutic options for NMOSD were particularly complicated for these elderly patients, since medications for controlling NMOSD are, in essence, immunosuppressive. Long-term use of corticosteroids can be an issue when the patients have high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, or dyslipidemia (conditions often seen in elderly individuals)., Conclusion: This series of LO-NMOSD cases highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment for these patients.

Total oil content (OC) is one of the main parameters used to characterize the whole of olives entering a commercial mill, quantified by the total fresh weight of the lot and the oil concentration (%) assessed in a representative sample on olive paste, by means of chemical extraction. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and NIR spectroscopy are alternative methods even at individual olives. This work evaluates several strategies to calibrate precise NIR models for the estimation of the total OC. To this end, 278 olives were analysed covering whole season variability in terms of olive fresh-weight and the corresponding OC by chemical extraction in 31 batches. The average spectra from hyperspectral NIR images (1003-2208 nm) were computed for each fruit and the actual OC (g) of those olives determined by NMR (0.09 to 1.29 g with a precision of 0.017 g). According to the results, current batch based assessment of the OC (Soxhlet, %) in mills only reproduces 44% of the underlying heterogeneity, despite being the factory standard. The incorporation of individual NIR spectra (278) to the 31 Soxhlet values of the batches allows a 67% explanation of the OC (%) of olives. When estimating OC (g) gathering individual fresh weight and the estimation of oil concentration in olives, a standard error of prediction of 0.061 g is reached (r 2  = 0.93), a precision value that approaches the potential limit according to the NMR reference (0.017 g).

Background: Studies on toad poison are relevant since they are considered a good source of toxins that act on different biological systems. Among the molecules found in the toad poison, it can be highlighted the cardiotonic heterosides, which have a known mechanism that inhibit Na + /K + -ATPase enzyme. However, these poisons have many other molecules that may have important biological actions. Therefore, this work evaluated the action of the low molecular weight components from Rhinella schneideri toad poison on Na + /K + -ATPase and their anticonvulsive and / or neurotoxic effects, in order to detect molecules with actions of biotechnological interest., Methods: Rhinella schneideri toad (male and female) poison was collected by pressuring their parotoid glands and immediately dried and stored at -20 °C. The poison was dialysed and the water containing the low molecular mass molecules (< 8 kDa) that permeate the dialysis membrane was collected, frozen and lyophilized, resulting in the sample used in the assays, named low molecular weight fraction (LMWF). Na + /K + ATPase was isolated from rabbit kidneys and enzyme activity assays performed by the quantification of phosphate released due to enzyme activity in the presence of LMWF (1.0; 10; 50 and 100 µg/mL) from Rhinella schneideri poison. Evaluation of the L-Glutamate (L-Glu) excitatory amino acid uptake in brain-cortical synaptosomes of Wistar rats was performed using [3H]L-glutamate and different concentration of LMWF (10 -5 to 10 µg/µL). Anticonvulsant assays were performed using pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) to induce seizures in Wistar rats (n= 6), which were cannulated in the lateral ventricle and treated with different concentration of LMWF (0.25; 0.5; 1.0; 2.0; 3.0 and 4.0 µg/µL) 15 min prior to the injection of the seizure agent., Results: LMWF induced a concentration-dependent inhibition of Na + /K + -ATPase (IC 50% = 107.5 μg/mL). The poison induces an increased uptake of the amino acid L-glutamate in brain-cortical synaptosomes of Wistar rats. This increase in the L-glutamate uptake was observed mainly at the lowest concentrations tested (10 -5 to 10 -2 µg/µL). In addition, this fraction showed a very relevant central neuroprotection on seizures induced by PTZ and NMDA., Conclusions: LMWF from Rhinella schneideri poison has low molecular weight compounds, which were able to inhibit Na + /K + -ATPase activity, increase the L-glutamate uptake and reduced seizures induced by PTZ and NMDA . These results showed that LMWF is a rich source of components with biological functions of high medical and scientific interest., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare that there are no competing interests.

Background: The 2015 criteria for diagnosing neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have encouraged several groups across the world to report on their patients using these criteria. The disease typically manifests with severe relapses of optic neuritis, longitudinally extensive myelitis and/or brainstem syndromes, often leading to severe disability. Some patients are seropositive for antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4), others are positive for anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), while a few are negative for both biomarkers. The disease is complex, and only now are specific therapeutic clinical trials being carried out. The present study adds to the literature through detailed clinical data from 153 medical records of Brazilian patients., Methods: Retrospective assessment of medical records from nine specialized units in Brazil., Results: NMOSD was more prevalent in females (4.1:1), who had significantly fewer relapses than males (p = 0.007) but presented similar levels of disability over time. African ancestry was associated with higher levels of disability throughout the disease course (p < 0.001), although the number of relapses was similar to that observed in white patients. Concomitant autoimmune diseases were relatively rare in this population (6.5%). Positivity for anti-AQP4 antibodies was identified in 62% of the patients tested, while 3% presented anti-MOG antibodies. Anti-AQP4 antibodies were not associated to worse disease course. The last medical record showed that six patients had died and 13 were wheelchair-bound. Seventy percent of the patients did not respond to first-line therapy (azathioprine and/or corticosteroids), and five patients continued to relapse even after four different courses of treatment., Conclusion: The present study adds to the reports from other countries presenting original data on Brazilian patients diagnosed with NMOSD according to the 2015 criteria., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Treatment options for multiple sclerosis (MS) have changed over the last few years, bringing about a new category of drugs with more efficient profiles. However, these drugs have come with a whole new profile of potential adverse events that neurologists have to learn well and quickly. One of the most feared complications of these MS treatments is progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy caused by the reactivation of the John Cunningham virus (JCV)., Objective: To identify the serologic profile of JCV in patients with MS., Methods: Data on serum antibodies for JCV were obtained using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay provided by the STRATIFY-JCV program., Results: A total of 1,501 blood tests were obtained from 1,102 patients with MS. There were 633 patients (57.1%) who were positive for antibodies for JCV and 469 patients who were negative (42.9%). Twenty-three patients became positive after initially having negative JCV antibody status. The rate of seroconversion was 18.5% over 22 months., Conclusion: The JCV serologic profile and seroconversion in Brazilian patients were similar to those described in other countries.

Objectives: To assess the effects of resistance training on the anxiety symptoms and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease., Methods: Thirty-five elderly patients were randomly divided into two groups: 17 patients in the control group and 18 in the intervention group. All patients maintained standard pharmacological treatment for Parkinson's disease, but the intervention group participated in a 24-week resistance training program. The anxiety symptoms were assessed through the Beck's Anxiety Inventory, and quality of life by the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39., Results: There was a significant reduction in anxiety level and increase in quality of life after 24 weeks of resistance training., Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that resistance training is an effective intervention in the reduction of anxiety symptoms and improves the quality of life in elderly people with Parkinson's disease.

Background: Low-education attainment is associated with worse cognitive performance in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, and possibly with a lower cognitive reserve and/or increased inflammatory activity. Cognitive reserve refers to the capability of a source of intellectual enrichment in attenuating a negative effect of a disease-related factor; while the inflammatory activity is often related to T2-lesion load (T2-LL) increase., Objective: To disentangle the effects of cognitive reserve and an increased T2-LL in MS-patients with low-education levels., Methods: The study included 136 MS patients and 65 healthy-controls, divided in low-education (12 years or less of school education without obtaining any technical superior degree) and high-education (more than 12 years of school education with technical or superior degree) groups. An extensive battery of neuropsychological tests was applied examining intelligence quotient and six cognitive domains. Test results were z-scored and subjects with z-scores ≤ -1.5 in two or more domains were considered cognitively impaired. To test the factors associated with worse cognitive performance, regression models were applied using average cognition as target; education level, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), T2-LL, disease duration, age of disease onset, age and gender as predictors. We also tested the correlation between T2-LL and cognition in the groups. To investigate the role of education level as a source of intellectual enrichment/cognitive reserve in different stages of MS, we sub-divided the MS patients in three groups according to the disease duration (less than 5 years, between 5 and 10 years and more than 10 years)., Results: Worse average cognition was associated with low-education level, higher T2-LL and male gender. A higher frequency of cognitively impaired patients was observed in MS patients with low-education level, in all stages of the disease. In patients with a disease duration shorter than five years, there was a lower correlation between worse average cognition and T2-LL in the high-education level group, compared to the patients with low-education level; in MS patients with longer disease duration, we observed a stronger correlation between lesion burden and cognitive impairment in both groups., Conclusion: Education attainment is a source of intellectual enrichment and can enhance the cognitive reserve in MS patients. The protective effect of a high-education level was stronger in patients with less than five years of disease, suggesting a stronger role of cognitive reserve in short-term disease. In long-term disease we observed a greater impact of increased inflammatory activity on cognition., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)