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Deep penetrating nevi (DPNs) are characterized by activating mutations in the MAP kinase and Wnt/beta-catenin pathways that result in large melanocytes with increased nuclear atypia, cytoplasmic pigmentation, and often mitotic activity. Together with a lack of maturation, this constellation of findings creates challenges for pathologists to distinguish deep penetrating nevus (DPN) from DPN-like melanoma. To assess the utility of next generation sequencing (NGS) in resolving this diagnostic dilemma, we performed NGS studies on 35 lesions including 24 DPNs and 11 DPN-like melanomas to characterize the specific genomic differences between the two groups and elucidate the genetic events involved in malignant transformation of DPNs. Compared to DPNs, DPN-like melanomas were clinically larger in size (1.1 vs 0.6 cm, p=0.02) and on histopathologic examination more frequently showed high grade nuclear atypia (11/11 vs 9/24; p=0.00052), increased mitotic activity (mean 3.9 vs 1.3 per mm 2 ; p=0.0004), sheet-like growth pattern (5/11 vs 2/24; p=0.01), and involvement of the subcutis (4/5 vs 3/13; p=0.026). From a genomic standpoint, DPN-like melanomas had a higher tumor mutation burden (mean 37.1 vs 7.8 mutations/megabase; p=0.002) than DPNs and more frequently harbored NRAS mutation (3/11 vs 1/24; p=0.046) whereas MAP2K1 in frame deletions were only identified in DPNs (0/11 vs 5/24). There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency or type of CTNNB1 or APC mutations between the two groups. Within progression genes, DPN-like melanomas were more frequently found to have pathogenic variants in TERT promoter (7/11 vs 0/24; p<0.00001), CDKN2A (4/11 vs 0/24; p=0.0008), and protein subunits of the SWI/SNF complex (7/11 vs 3/24; p=0.02) compared to DPNs. Our findings provide a framework for employing NGS in the evaluation of deep penetrating melanocytic tumors., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Women with gestational diabetes mellitus show a high risk of developing Gestational Diabetes Induced Myopathy (GDiM). GDiM is characterized by significant pelvic floor skeletal muscle atrophy and urinary incontinence. This study aimed to develop a natural rubber latex (NRL) based biodevice with mesenchymal/stromal stem cells (MSCs) for skeletal muscle regeneration for women with GDiM. NRL showed porosity, roughness, biocompatibility, and bioactivity. MSCs adhesion on the NRL scaffold surface was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal microscopy, and zymography. The scaffold's physicochemical and biological properties were carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), swelling and degradation studies, hemolytic activity, and antioxidant activity (AA), using Electronic Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). MSCs in culture expressed CD90, adhered to plastic, differentiated, and produced fibroblast colonies. A high rate of cell proliferation was seen in MSCs on the NRL scaffold. FTIR analysis confirmed protein structures and polyisoprene in the scaffold. Swelling and degradation showed low water uptake and weight loss. Furthermore, NRL presented a hemolytic rate of 2.90 ± 0.26 % for 24 h, and EPR revealed the scaffold's strong AA. The generated biodevice has potential for muscle regeneration and may be useful as a therapeutic option for skeletal muscle disorders in GDiM or urinary incontinence., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction: Prematurity is a factor that contributes to the increase in infant morbidity and mortality and is associated with factors determining child growth, such as nutritional deficits, mainly during the COVID-19 pandemic., Objective: To evaluate the factors determining the growth of premature neonates treated at a secondary health service during the COVID-19 pandemic., Method: Observational retrospective and prospective cohort study of premature patients followed at the follow-up clinic in the municipality of Carapicuíba from February 2020 to December 2023. Through a review of medical records, anthropometric data were collected from birth to corrected gestational age, approximately six months, and nutritional and non-nutritional data with direct or indirect influence on growth. Statistical analysis with tests for quantitative and qualitative variables was carried out with the SPSS Statistics software version 27.0 (SPSS et al., USA)., Result: The study analyzed a sample of 302 newborns, predominantly male (51.7%) and classified as moderately preterm (47.4%), with an average gestational age of 32.4 ± 2.8 weeks. Prenatal complications occurred in 59.3% of cases, while neonatal complications, such as extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR, 30.8%) and use of parenteral nutrition (36.1%), were common, with an average hospital stay of 30.2 ± 26.1 days. Most newborns were artificially fed (51%) Moreover, they received multivitamins (71.9%). At six months, the newborns showed healthy growth with an average weight of 6.718.2 ± 1.346.5 g. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed significant associations between EUGR and negative Z scores for weight, length, and head circumference at six months. Complications such as anemia and congenital abnormalities also negatively impacted these scores. Comparatively, the newborns in the group pre-vaccination against COVID-19 had more significant growth at six months and more prevalence of newborns born large for gestational age (LGA), while complications such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and viral bronchiolitis was more common in the post-vaccination group., Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, non-nutritional factors, especially EUGR, significantly influenced the anthropometry of premature babies. This condition highlighted the need for more effective therapeutic strategies and public health measures to improve the growth and development of premature infants., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Martha, Masquio, Santos, Martha, Martha and Colares Neto.)

Porphyrins are intermediate metabolites involved in the biosynthesis of vital molecules, including heme, cobalamin, and chlorophyll. Bacterial porphyrins are known to be proinflammatory and are associated with biofilm formation. This study investigated porphyrin production by strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae using emission spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, diode array detector, and mass spectrometry. Emission spectroscopy revealed characteristic porphyrin emission spectra in all strains, with coproporphyrin III predominating. Qualitative analysis by different chromatographic methods identified coproporphyrin III, uroporphyrin I, and protoporphyrin IX in all strains. Quantitative analysis revealed strain-dependent coproporphyrin III production. Further studies are required to investigate the relationship between porphyrin production and the virulence potential of Corynebacterium diphtheriae., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

The genus Corynebacterium is the largest genera among corynebacteria and has a range of species widely spread in ecological niches, some with epidemic potential and capable of causing fatal diseases. In recent years, due to the reclassifications and discoveries of new potentially toxin-producing species, microbiological identification and epidemiological control have been compromised, becoming possible only with sequencing techniques. Two bacterial strains isolated from a cat were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry as Corynebacterium diphtheriae and sent to the collaborating center of the Brazilian Ministry of Health for molecular identification and determination of toxigenicity potential, which were initially performed by multiplex PCR method. In addition, the antimicrobial susceptibility profile was determined according to BrCAST. Finally, for the final identification at the species level and effective epidemiological monitoring, the sequencing of the 16S rRNA and rpoB housekeeping genes was carried out. The isolates were identified as nontoxigenic C. diphtheriae strains by mPCR. Both strains were found susceptible to all antimicrobial agents. Although the identification at the species level was not possible through similarity analysis of  S rRNA and rpoB housekeeping genes, the phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolates belonged to the species Corynebacterium rouxii with a high value of reliability. This is the first report of the isolation of C. rouxii in Latin America. Molecular identification, whether by the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry or PCR techniques, does not discriminate C. rouxii from C. diphtheriae, requiring gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis for correct identification at the species level., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: The genetic heritage information of the samples used in this manuscript is registered in the National Genetic Heritage and Associated Traditional Knowledge Management System (SisGen) under registration number A31DF7E. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Natural rubber latex membrane (NRL) is a biocompatible macromolecule that stimulates angiogenesis and promotes bone repair. Similarly, β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) is an osteoconductive and osteoinductive bioceramic widely used as a bone substitute. Here, we investigated the combined use of these biomaterials in the guided bone regeneration process for calvarial defects in rats. Physicochemical characterization was performed to evaluate the interaction between β-TCP and NRL. Membrane toxicity was assessed using MC3T3 osteoblasts culture and in vivo assays with Caenorhabditis elegans. Lastly, NRL membranes, NRL incorporated with β-TCP membranes (NRL-β-TCP), and a periosteum-only (control group) were tested on rodents. MC3T3 cells adhered to membranes, preserving their morphology and intercellular connections. NRL-β-TCP membranes demonstrated no toxicity in larvae, which maintained their sinusoidal wave shape. Tests results on rodents revealed statistical difference between the groups at 60 days post-operation. NRL-β-TCP (56.1 ± 14.0 %) had an average 1.48-fold higher than the control group (38.0 ± 9.1 %), with tissue production and bone remodeling. Our qualitative histological analyses revealed that membranes significantly accelerated bone formation without any signs of inflammatory reactions. We conclude that NRL-β-TCP has potential to be used for flat bone regeneration, with osteoconductive properties, being a cheap, biocompatible, and effective occlusive barrier., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: P. H. F. Caria and R. D. Herculano reports financial support was provided by State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) and São Paulo State University (UNESP). P. H. F. Caria and R. D. Herculano reports financial support was provided by State of Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for the State Funding Agencies. K. Giovanetti reports financial support was provided by Coordination of Higher Education Personnel Improvement (CAPES). If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Lastly, the development of NRL-β-TCP membrane, and all the experiments regarding physicochemical characterization, cell culture (in vitro), worms (C. elegans) were performed by Rondinelli Donizetti Herculano's Group, while rodent's studies and histological analysis were carried out by Paulo Henrique F. Caria's Group. Rondinelli Donizetti Herculano's Group has also discussed and rewritten all in vivo and histological analysis., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To verify the level of oxidation of biomolecules in the peripheral blood of obese patients before and after incubation with the pummelo pulp extract at 25 mg/mL., Methods: This investigation included 241 individuals, distributed across the following groups: control (n = 69; 30 men and 39 women); pre-obesity (n = 78; 29 men and 49 women); level I obesity (n = 62; 20 men and 42 women); and level II or III obesity (n = 32; 11 men and 21 women)., Results: TBARS and MN levels were significantly altered by incubation with pummelo extract in both genders and in all the groups according to their obesity level. Another alteration in the antioxidant profile of the samples was a significant increase in vitamin C levels observed after incubation with pummelo extract in all experimental groups., Conclusions: The aqueous extract of pummelo pulp showed in vitro biological activity against the oxidation of biomolecules, suggesting that its bioactive compounds may bring health benefits of obese patients., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Bartonelloses represent a group of potentially fatal diseases associated with various clinical manifestations including endocarditis. Caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Bartonella, these microorganisms have a remarkable ability to infect mammals, and their transmission is commonly associated with hematophagous vectors such as fleas, lice, mosquitoes, and ticks. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of Bartonella sp. DNA in 81 triatomines of the species Triatoma sordida collected in the field in peri‑domiciliary areas of the Brazilian city of Seabra, located in the state of Bahia. Nested PCR was conducted targeting the ftsZ gene and real-time PCR targeting the gltA gene, both representing specific reactions for Bartonella henselae. Additionally, conventional PCR targeting kDNA was employed to evaluate the presence of Trypanosoma cruzi. Of the samples tested, 23/81 (28.39 %) bugs showed positive PCR for B. henselae. No sample showed positive PCR for T. cruzi. The high prevalence of triatomines with a positive PCR for B. henselae emphasizes the close relationship between these insects and the bacteria, indicating the need for further studies to investigate the vectorial potential of these kissing bugs., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Cases of diphtheria, even in immunized individuals, are still reported in several parts of the world, including in Brazil. New outbreaks occur in Europe and other continents. In this context, studies on Corynebacterium diphtheriae infections are highly relevant, both for a better understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease and for controlling the circulation of clones and antimicrobial resistance genes. Here we present a case of cutaneous infection by multidrug-resistant Corynebacterium diphtheriae and provide its whole-genome sequencing. Genomic analysis revealed resistance genes, including tet(W), sul1, cmx, rpoB2, rbpA and mutation in rpoB. We performed phylogenetic analyzes and used the BRIG to compare the predicted resistance genes with those found in genomes from other significant isolates, including those associated with some outbreaks. Virulence factors such as spaD, srtBC, spaH, srtDE, surface-anchored pilus proteins (sapD), nonfimbrial adhesins (DIP0733, DIP1281, and DIP1621), embC and mptC (putatively involved in CdiLAM), sigA, dtxR and MdbA (putatively involved) in post-translational modification, were detected. We identified the CRISPR-Cas system in our isolate, which was classified as Type II-U based on the database and contains 15 spacers. This system functions as an adaptive immune mechanism. The strain was attributed to a new sequence type ST-928, and phylogenetic analysis confirmed that it was related to ST-634 of C. diphtheriae strains isolated in French Guiana and Brazil. In addition, since infections are not always reported, studies with the sequence data might be a way to complement and inform C. diphtheriae surveillance., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Corynebacterium spp. are widely disseminated in the environment, and they are part of the skin and mucosal microbiota of animals and humans. Reports of human infections by Corynebacterium spp. have increased considerably in recent years and the appearance of multidrug resistant isolates around the world has drawn attention., Objectives: To describe a new species of Corynebacterium from human tissue bone is described after being misidentified using available methods., Methods: For taxonomic analyses, phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and rpoB genes, in silico DNA-DNA hybridization, average nucleotide and amino acid identity, multilocus sequence analysis, and phylogenetic analysis based on the complete genome were used., Findings: Genomic taxonomic analyzes revealed values of in silico DNA-DNA hybridization, average nucleotide and amino acids identity below the values necessary for species characterization between the analyzed isolates and the closest phylogenetic relative Corynebacterium aurimucosum DSM 44532 T ., Main Conclusions: Genomic taxonomic analyzes indicate that the isolates analyzed comprise a new species of the Corynebacterium genus, which we propose to name Corynebacterium hiratae sp. nov. with isolate 332 T (= CBAS 826 T  = CCBH 35,014 T ) as the type strain., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Leprosy reactions are among the main causes of physical disability resulting from an infectious disease and can culminate in irreversible physical disabilities, therefore they should be considered a clinical emergency, as well as the elucidation of its cause. Co-infections are considered one of the main triggering causes of leprosy reactions, aggravating and maintaining these reactions for longer in these patients. After reporting a high rate of Bartonella henselae infection in patients with chronic type 2 leprosy reaction, 19/47 (40.4 %) compared to the control group, 9/50 (18.0 %), p = 0.0149, we conducted this study to observe the rate of infection by Bartonella sp. in a group of patients with chronic type 1 leprosy reactions. Blood samples from 14 patients with chronic type 1 leprosy reactions were analyzed by molecular and microbiological tests and compared. The results showed that, like patients with chronic type 2 leprosy reactions, this group of patients has a high proportion of B. henselae infection 6/14 (42.9 %), p = 0.88. We conclude that these bacteria can trigger chronic leprosy reactions and should be investigated in all chronic leprosy reactions patients. Summary Line: Our results showed that, like patients with chronic type 2 leprosy reactions, this group of patients has the same proportion of B. henselae DNA detection 6/14 (42.9 %), p = 0.88., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) has shown to be a promising biomaterial for use as a drug delivery system to release various bioactive compounds. It is cost-effective, easy to handle, biocompatible, and exhibits pro-angiogenic and pro-healing properties for both soft and hard tissues. NRL releases compounds following burst and sustained release kinetics, exhibiting first-order release kinetics. Moreover, its pore density can be adjusted for tailored kinetics profiles. In addition, biotechnological applications of NRL in amblyopia, smart mattresses, and neovaginoplasty have demonstrated success. This comprehensive review explores NRL's diverse applications in biotechnology and biomedicine, addressing challenges in translating research into clinical practice. Organized into eight sections, the review emphasizes NRL's potential in wound healing, drug delivery, and metallic nanoparticle synthesis. It also addresses the challenges in enhancing NRL's physical properties and discusses its interactions with the human immune system. Furthermore, examines NRL's potential in creating wearable medical devices and biosensors for neurological disorders. To fully explore NRL's potential in addressing important medical conditions, we emphasize throughout this review the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration. In conclusion, this review advances our understanding of NRL's role in biomedical and biotechnological applications, offering insights into its diverse applications and promising opportunities for future development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Chronic wounds pose significant health concerns. Current treatment options include natural compounds like natural rubber latex (NRL) from Hevea brasiliensis. NRL, particularly the F1 protein fraction, has demonstrated bioactivity, biocompatibility, and angiogenic effects. So far, there is no study comparing F1 protein with total NRL serum, and the necessity of downstream processing remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the angiogenic potential of F1 protein compared to total NRL serum and the need for downstream processing. For that, ion exchange chromatography (DEAE-Sepharose), antioxidant activity, physicochemical characterization, cell culture in McCoy fibroblasts, and wound healing in Balb-C mice were performed. Also, the evaluation of histology and collagen content and the levels of inflammatory mediators were quantified. McCoy fibroblast cell assay showed that F1 protein (0.01 %) and total NRL serum (0.01 %) significantly increased cell proliferation by 47.1 ± 11.3 % and 25.5 ± 2.5 %, respectively. However, the AA of F1 protein (78.9 ± 0.8 %) did not show a significant difference compared to NRL serum (77.0 ± 1.1 %). F1 protein and NRL serum were more effective in wound management in rodents. Histopathological analysis confirmed accelerated healing and advanced tissue repair. Similarly, the F1 protein (0.01 %) increased collagen, showing that this fraction can stimulate the synthesis of collagen by fibroblastic cells. Regarding cytokines production (IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ), F1 protein and NRL serum did not exert an impact on the synthesis of these cytokines. Furthermore, we did not observe statistically significant changes in dosages of enzymes (MPO and EPO) among the groups. Nevertheless, Nitric Oxide dosage was reduced drastically when the F1 protein (0.01 %) protein was applied topically. These findings contribute to the understanding of F1 protein and NRL serum properties and provide insights into cost-effectiveness and practical applications in medicine and biotechnology. Therefore, further research is needed to assess the economic feasibility of downstream processing for NRL-based herbal medicine derived from Hevea brasiliensis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest, financial or otherwise., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Advances and the discovery of new biomaterials have opened new frontiers in regenerative medicine. These biomaterials play a key role in current medicine by improving the life quality or even saving the lives of millions of people. Since the 2000s, Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) has been employed as wound dressings, mechanical barrier for Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR), matrix for drug delivery, and grafting. NRL is a natural polymer that can stimulate cell proliferation, neoangiogenesis, and extracellular matrix (ECM) formation. Furthermore, it is well established that proteins and other biologically active molecules present in the Natural Latex Serum (NLS) are responsible for the biological properties of NRL. NLS can be obtained from NRL by three main methods, namely (i) Centrifugation (fractionation of NRL in distinct fractions), (ii) Coagulation and sedimentation (coagulating NRL to separate the NLS from rubber particles), and (iii) Alternative extraction process (elution from NRL membrane). In this review, the chemical composition, physicochemical properties, toxicity, and other biological information such as osteogenesis, vasculogenesis, adhesion, proliferation, antimicrobial behavior, and antitumoral activity of NLS, as well as some of its medical instruments and devices are discussed. The progress in NLS applications in the biomedical field, more specifically in cell cultures, alternative animals, regular animals, and clinical trials are also discussed. An overview of the challenges and future directions of the applications of NLS and its derivatives in tissue engineering for hard and soft tissue regeneration is also given., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Amphotericin B (AmB) is the gold standard for antifungal drugs. However, AmB systemic administration is restricted because of its side effects. Here, we report AmB loaded in natural rubber latex (NRL), a sustained delivery system with low toxicity, which stimulates angiogenesis, cell adhesion and accelerates wound healing. Physicochemical characterizations showed that AmB did not bind chemically to the polymeric matrix. Electronic and topographical images showed small crystalline aggregates from AmB crystals on the polymer surface. About 56.6% of AmB was released by the NRL in 120 h. However, 33.6% of this antifungal was delivered in the first 24 h due to the presence of AmB on the polymer surface. The biomaterial's excellent hemo- and cytocompatibility with erythrocytes and human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) confirmed its safety for dermal wound application. Antifungal assay against Candida albicans showed that AmB-NRL presented a dose-dependent behavior with an inhibition halo of 30.0 ± 1.0 mm. Galleria mellonella was employed as an in vivo model for C. albicans infection. Survival rates of 60% were observed following the injection of AmB (0.5 mg.mL -1 ) in G. mellonella larvae infected by C. albicans. Likewise, AmB-NRL (0.5 mg.mL -1 ) presented survival rates of 40%, inferring antifungal activity against fungus. Thus, NRL adequately acts as an AmB-sustained release matrix, which is an exciting approach, since this antifungal is toxic at high concentrations. Our findings suggest that AmB-NRL is an efficient, safe, and reasonably priced ($0.15) dressing for the treatment of cutaneous fungal infections., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

We present a case of skin lesion caused by nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Genomic taxonomy analyses corroborated the preliminary identification provided by mass spectrometry. The strain showed a susceptible phenotype with increased exposure to penicillin, the first drug of choice for the treatment. An empty type 1 class integron carrying only the sul1 gene, which encodes sulfonamide resistance, was found flanked by transposases. Virulence factors involved in adherence and iron uptake, as well as the CRISPR-Cas system, were predicted. MLST analysis revealed the ST-681, previously reported in French Guiana, a European territory., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Accurate biomarkers for predicting COVID-19 severity have remained an unmet need due to an incomplete understanding of virus pathogenesis and heterogeneity among patients. Cellular senescence and its pro-inflammatory phenotype are suggested to be a consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and potentially drive infection-dependent pathological sequelae. Senescence-associated markers in infected individuals have been identified primarily in the lower respiratory tract, while little is known about their presence in more easily accessible bio-specimens. Here, we measured the abundance of senescence-associated signatures in whole blood, plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of COVID-19 patients and patients without an infection. Bulk transcriptomic and targeted proteomic assays revealed that the level of senescence-associated markers, including the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), is predictive of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Single-cell RNA-sequencing data demonstrated that a senescence signature is particularly enriched in monocytes of COVID-19 patients, partially correlating with disease severity. Our findings suggest that monocytes are prematurely induced to senescence by SARS-CoV-2 infection, might contribute to exacerbating a SASP-like inflammatory response and can serve as markers and predictors for COVID-19 and its sequelae., (© 2023 The Authors. Aging Cell published by Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Telenursing is a component of telehealth that occurs when nurses use information and communication technologies to provide care and nursing services remotely. To understand how telenursing services in surgical oncology patients can be better implemented, it is important that the success models are collected and studied. Therefore, the general objective is to develop the scoping review protocol for the survey of existing evidence on the practice of oncological perioperative telenursing., Methods and Analysis: The scoping review will be conducted following the scoping review directions of the Joanna Briggs Institute with the use of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews checklist for the review report. The databases that will be used for these searches will be: MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science and Virtual Health Library. To search for grey literature, Google Scholar, WorldWideScience and Global ETD Search will be used. Primary studies, observational or experimental, published in any year or language will be considered. For the selection and extraction of data, two independent reviewers will read the title, summary and full text using the Rayyan software and a form prepared by the authors. The data to be extracted are related to the characterisation of the study (study design, country and year of publication) and details of the telenursing programme (surgery or surgical specialty, perioperative period, tools used, organisation and operation, outcome indicators and treatment methods and content in telenursing). Among others, the difficulties and potentialities for the development or implementation of telenursing will also be extracted, as the main result of the study., Ethics and Dissemination: The study does not require ethical approval as it will use previously published research data. The results will be shared in journals and scientific events and may be used for the development and implementation of oncological perioperative telenursing programmes., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Films and coatings manufactured with bio-based renewable materials, such as biopolymers and essential oils, could be a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative for protecting and preserving agricultural products. In this work, we developed films and coatings from pectin and chitosan to protect strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) from spoilage and microbial contamination. We developed three coatings containing equal amounts of glycerol and Sicilian lemon essential oil (LEO) nanoemulsion. We identified seventeen chemicals from LEO by GC-MS chromatogram, including d-limonene, α-Pinene, β-Pinene, and γ-Terpinene. The pectin and chitosan coatings were further characterized using different physicochemical, mechanical, and biological methods. The films demonstrated satisfactory results in strength and elongation at the perforation as fruit packaging. In addition, the coatings did not influence the weight and firmness of the strawberry pulps. We observed that 100 % essential oil was released in 1440 min resulting from the erosion process. Also, the oil preserved the chemical stability of the films. Antioxidant activity (AA), measured by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), showed that the coatings loaded with 2 % LEO nanoemulsion (PC + oil) showed that almost 50 % of AA from LEO nanoemulsion was preserved. The chitosan and the pectin-chitosan coatings (PC + oil) inhibited filamentous fungi and yeast contaminations in strawberries for at least 14 days, showing a relationship between the AA and antimicrobial results., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Diphtheria is an infectious disease potentially fatal that constitutes a threat to global health security, with possible local and systemic manifestations that result mainly from the production of diphtheria toxin (DT). In the present work, we report a case of infection by Corynebacterium diphtheriae in a cutaneous lesion of a fully immunized individual and provided an analysis of the complete genome of the isolate. The clinical isolate was first identified by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry. The commercial strip system and mPCR performed phenotypic and genotypic characterization, respectively. The antimicrobial susceptibility profile was determined by the disk diffusion method. Additionally, genomic DNA was sequenced and analyzed for species confirmation and sequence type (ST) determination. Detection of resistance and virulence genes was performed by comparisons against ResFinder and VFDB databases. The isolate was identified as a nontoxigenic C. diphtheriae biovar Gravis strain. Its genome presented a size of 2.46 Mbp and a G + C content of 53.5%. Ribosomal Multilocus Sequence Typing (rMLST) allowed the confirmation of species as C. diphtheriae with 100% identity. DDH in silico corroborated this identification. Moreover, MLST analyses revealed that the isolate belongs to ST-536. No resistance genes were predicted or mutations detected in antimicrobial-related genes. On the other hand, virulence genes, mostly involved in iron uptake and adherence, were found. Presently, we provided sufficient clinical data regarding the C. diphtheriae cutaneous infection in addition to the phenotypic and genomic data of the isolate. Our results indicate a possible circulation of ST-536 in Brazil, causing cutaneous infection. Considering that cases of C. diphtheriae infections, as well as diphtheria outbreaks, have still been reported in several regions of the world, studies focusing on taxonomic analyzes and predictions of resistance genes may help to improve the diagnosis and to monitor the propagation of resistant clones. In addition, they can contribute to understanding the association between variation in genetic factors and resistance to antimicrobials., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

This study aimed to assess the effects of environmental enrichment for pigs during transportation in different phases of their productive cycle. Two trials were conducted, the first during transportation of pigs from the piglet production unit (PPU) to the nursery (n = 250) and the second during the transportation of nonhuman animals from the finishing unit (FU) to the slaughterhouse (n = 120). This work was an observational study with five environmental enrichments: Control - no enrichment; object - use of enrichment objects in the truck; aroma - use of lavender aroma in the truck; music - music in the truck; and vehicle sound. Animal behavior during transportation, respiratory rate, skin surface temperature, and skin lesion score were assessed. Piglets from the treatment music had the lowest frequency of agonistic behaviors during transportation from the farrowing to the nursery and lower skin temperature after transportation. Piglets from the control had the highest respiratory rate prior to transportation. Pigs familiarized with vehicle noises spent most of their time lying during the trip to the slaughterhouse. The creation of a familiar environment to pigs seems promising in enhancing animal well-being during transportation.

Non-diphtheria Corynebacterium species (NDC) belonging to the human skin and mucosa microbiota are frequently neglected as contaminants. However, reports of human infections by Corynebacterium spp. have increased considerably in recent years. In this study, a group of six NDC isolates of urine (n = 5) and sebaceous cyst (n = 1) from two South American countries were identified at genus level or misidentified based on API® Coryne and genetic/molecular analyses. The 16S rRNA (99.09-99.56%) and rpoB (96.18-97.14%) gene sequence similarities of the isolates were higher when compared with Corynebacterium aurimucosum DSM 44532  T . Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) indicated that these six NDC isolates compose a distinctive phylogenetic clade. Genome-based taxonomic analysis with the whole-genome sequences was able to separate these six isolates from other known Corynebacterium type strains. Average nucleotide identity (ANI), average amino acid identity (AAI), and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between closely related type strains and the six isolates were considerably lower than the currently recommended threshold values for species circumscription. Phylogenetic and genomic taxonomy analyses indicated these microorganisms as a novel Corynebacterium species, for which we formally propose the name Corynebacterium guaraldiae sp. nov. with isolate 13 T (= CBAS 827 T  = CCBH 35012 T ) as type strain., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

The Bartonella genus consists of neglected pathogens associated with potentially transfusional-transmitted and fatal human diseases. We aimed to evaluate Bartonella sp. prevalence in 500 blood donors and compare the results with the data already published about these samples. We used molecular diagnostic methods to detect Bartonella sp.-DNA from blood and liquid culture samples: (A) conventional PCR for two gene regions, the ITS targeting the genus Bartonella and the specific gltA Bartonella henselae; (B) nested PCR for the ftsZ gene and (C) qualitative real-time PCR for the gltA gene, both B. henselae specific. We obtained 30/500 (6%) DNA detections from the blood samples; 77/500 (15.4%) DNA detections from liquid culture samples and five (1%) samples had DNA detection from both. In total, we detected B. henselae DNA from 102/500 (20.4%) donors. The samples used in this study had already been submitted for Bartonella sp.-DNA detection using only a conventional PCR in liquid culture. Sixteen samples (3.2%) were positive previously, and from these 16 samples, 13 were negative in the new investigation. We concluded that the use of liquid culture combined with different molecular tests increases the possibility of detecting Bartonella sp.-DNA, but the tests do not avoid false-negative results. More than a fifth of blood donors had at least one PCR that detected Bartonella sp.-DNA among the eight molecular reactions performed now (four reactions in whole blood and four in liquid culture). Seven percent had B. henselae-DNA detection for two or more distinct regions. Considering the results obtained previously, the DNA of Bartonella spp. was detected or the agent isolated in 23% of analyzed blood donors. The results establish that the low bacteremia and the fastidious characteristics of the bacterium are challenges to laboratory diagnosis and can make it difficult to confirm the infection in patients with bartonelloses., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Drummond et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains one of the most common complications of total knee arthroplasty. Although mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus and other Gram-positive microorganisms, occasionally, commensal or environmental bacteria are reported as causative agents of these infections. The present work aimed to report a case of PJI caused by an imipenem-resistant Mycobacterium senegalense strain. A bacterial strain isolated from the culture of intraoperative samples was observed by optical microscopy after Gram and Ziehl-Neelsen staining. The species identification was performed by mass spectrometry analysis and partial sequencing of the heat shock protein 65 (hsp65) gene. The antimicrobial profile of the clinical isolate was determined according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Mass spectrometry and gene sequencing analysis identified the bacterial isolate as Mycobacterium fortuitum complex and M. senegalense, respectively. The isolated was found exhibiting an imipenem-resistant profile. The accurate and timely identification, as well as investigation of the antimicrobial susceptibility profile, of fast-growing nontuberculous mycobacteria species are crucial for establishing the prompt and correct treatment of the infection, particularly in cases of patients at greater risk for opportunistic and severe infections., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

This study is an observational study that aimed to evaluate whether exposure to music in the final third of sows' gestation and during farrowing/lactation would change behavior, reduce stress, and improve reproductive rates. Forty-eight sows were used at 90 days of gestation until the weaning of their piglets. During gestation, sows were divided into two treatments: control and with music enrichment. In farrowing/lactation, sows were divided into four treatments: control - control (without music); control - music (music during farrowing/lactation); music - control (music during pregnancy); music - music (music in both phases). Sows' behavior, eye temperature, and reproductive performance were evaluated. In the gestation phase, control group sows remained standing more times and had more negative interactions with the other sows in the pen. In the farrowing/lactating phase, sows exposed to music presented more nursing behaviors. The number of weaned piglets was higher in litters in which the sows had environmental enrichment in at least one of the phases of reproductive lives. Music may be used as environmental enrichment for sows in their reproductive phases due to beneficial responses in behavior, stress relief, and reproductive rates.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are hormones involved in circadian adaptation and stress response, and it is also noteworthy that these steroidal molecules present potent anti-inflammatory action through GC receptors (GR). Upon ligand-mediated activation, GR translocates to the nucleus, and regulates gene expression related to metabolism, acute-phase response and innate immune response. GR field of research has evolved considerably in the last decades, providing varied mechanisms that contributed to the understanding of transcriptional regulation and also impacted drug design for treating inflammatory diseases. Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in cellular processes represents a recent topic in biology that conceptualizes membraneless organelles and microenvironments that promote, or inhibit, chemical reactions and interactions of protein or nucleic acids. The formation of these molecular condensates has been implicated in gene expression control, and recent evidence shows that GR and other steroid receptors can nucleate phase separation (PS). Here we briefly review the varied mechanisms of transcriptional control by GR, which are largely studied in the context of inflammation, and further present how PS can be involved in the control of gene expression. Lastly, we consider how the reported advances on LLPS during transcription control, specially for steroid hormone receptors, could impact the different modalities of GR action on gene expression, adding a new plausible molecular event in glucocorticoid signal transduction., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Pinheiro, Preato, Petrucci, dos Santos and Glezer.)

This research aims to evaluate the effects of different types and strategies of environmental enrichment for weaned pigs on behavior. Forty weaned piglets aged 21 to 28 days were distributed in a completely randomized design in five treatments: without enrichment object, full-time cognitive enrichment, intermittent cognitive enrichment, alternate cognitive and sensory enrichment every 24 hours, and alternate cognitive and sensory enrichment every 48 hours. Behavioral observations were made for 15 days considering pig as experimental unit. Pigs of control and continuous cognitive enrichment treatments were submitted to human approach test, novel arena test, and novel object test. Pigs kept in an unstimulated environment show a higher frequency of unwanted behaviors compared to pigs in other treatments regardless of enrichment type. Pigs with alternation of enrichment type every 24 hours showed a longer interaction time with enrichment objects. Enrichment objects in rearing environment during nursery phase reduced undesirable behaviors and reactivity to unknown situations. Strategies such as alternating the type of enrichment every 24 or 48 hours are effective in maintaining the novelty and the animals' interest.

Eating behavior is regulated by central and peripheral signals, which interact to modulate the response to nutrient intake. Central control is mediated by the hypothalamus through neuropeptides that activate the orexigenic and anorexigenic pathways. Energy homeostasis depends on the efficiency of these regulatory mechanisms. This neuroendocrine regulation of hunger and appetite can be modulated by nutritional sensors such as adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Thus, this systematic review discusses the literature on correlations between AMPK and hypothalamic neuropeptides regarding control of eating behavior. Lilacs, PubMed/Medline, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science were searched for articles published from 2009 to 2021 containing combinations of the following descriptors: "eating behavior," "hypothalamus," "neuropeptide," and "AMPK." Of the 1330 articles found initially, 27 were selected after application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of the selected articles, 15 reported decreased AMPK activity, due to interventions using angiotensin II infusion, fructose, glucose, cholecystokinin, leptin, or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection; dietary control through a low-protein diet or a high-fat diet (60 % fat); induction of hyperthyroidism; or injection of AMPK inhibitors. Seven studies showed a decrease in neuropeptide Y (NPY) through CV4 AICAR administration; fructose, glucose, leptin, or angiotensin II injections; or infusion of LPS from Escherichia coli and liver kinase B1 (LKB1) overexpression. Eleven studies reported a decrease in food consumption due to a decrease in AMPK activity and/or hypothalamic neuropeptides such as NPY. The results indicate that there is a relationship between AMPK and the control of eating behavior: a decrease in AMPK activity due to a dietary or non-dietary stimulus is associated with a consequent decrease in food intake. Furthermore, AMPK activity can be modulated by glucose, thyroid hormones, estradiol, leptin, and ghrelin., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of Bartonella sp.-DNA detection in blood and skin samples from patients with non-viral end-stage liver disease awaiting liver transplantation., Methodology/principal Findings: Blood samples and healthy skin fragments from 50 patients were tested using microbiological and molecular methods. Fifteen patients had cryptogenic hepatitis (CH) and 35 had alcoholic, drug-induced or autoimmune liver disease. DNA was extracted from whole blood and liquid culture samples, isolates, and skin fragments. Thirteen of the 50 patients (26%) had Bartonella henselae DNA detection in their blood (9/50) and/or skin (5/50) samples. Colonies were isolated in 3/50 (6%) and infection was detected in 7/50 (14%) of the 50 patients. B. henselae-DNA detection was more prevalent in patients with CH than in other patients (p = 0.040). Of 39 patients followed-up for at least two years, a higher mortality rate was observed among patients with CH infected with B. henselae (p = 0.039)., Conclusions/significance: Further studies assessing the role of B. henselae infection in the pathogenesis of hepatitis patients must be urgently conducted., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Corynebacterium diphtheriae, the leading causing agent of diphtheria, has been increasingly related to invasive diseases, including sepsis, endocarditis, pneumonia, and osteomyelitis. Oxidative stress defense is required not only for successful growth and survival under environmental conditions but also in the regulation of virulence mechanisms of human pathogenic species, by promoting mucosal colonization, survival, dissemination, and defense against the innate immune system. OxyR, functioning as a negative and/or positive transcriptional regulator, has been included among the major bacterial coordinators of antioxidant response. OxyR was first reported as a repressor of catalase expression in C. diphtheriae. However, the involvement of OxyR in C. diphtheriae pathogenesis remains unclear. Accordingly, this work aimed to investigate the role of OxyR in mechanisms of host-pathogen interaction of C. diphtheriae through the disruption of the OxyR of the diphtheria toxin (DT)-producing C. diphtheriae CDC-E8392 strain. The effects of OxyR gene disruption were analyzed through interaction assays with human epithelial cell lines (HEp-2 and pneumocytes A549) and by the induction of experimental infections in Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes and Swiss Webster mice. The OxyR disruption exerted influence on NO production and mechanism accountable for the expression of the aggregative-adherence pattern (AA) expressed by CDC-E8392 strain on human epithelial HEp-2 cells. Moreover, invasive potential and intracytoplasmic survival within HEp-2 cells, as well as the arthritogenic potential in mice, were found affected by the OxyR disruption. In conclusion, data suggest that OxyR is implicated in mechanisms of host-pathogen interaction of C. diphtheriae., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Aim: To analyze the effects of exposure to a high-fat diet during the perinatal period and after weaning on white adipose tissue accumulation and gene expression of TNF- α and NF- κB. Method: Wistar female rats were fed with high-fat (H) or control (C) diet during pregnancy and lactation. The offspring were allocated into four groups: Control Control (CC), offspring of mothers GC, fed a control diet after weaning; Control High-fat (CH), offspring of mothers GC, fed a hight-fat diet after weaning; High-fat Control (HC), offspring of mothers GH, fed with control diet after weaning; and High-fat High-fat (HH), offspring of mothers GH, fed a H diet after weaning. Results: HH and HC groups showed increased body weight compared to CC group and increases in caloric intake, larger amount of white adipose tissue and adipocyte size compared to CC and CH groups. The HH and CH groups showed higher NF-kB expression in white adipose tissue compared to the CC and HC groups, and the HH group also showed higher TNF- α expression. In the hypothalamus, the HH and HC groups exhibited higher TNF- α expression compared to the CC and CH groups. Conclusion: Perinatal and post-weaning exposure to the high-fat diet increases the amount of white adipose tissue, adipocyte size, and expression of the inflammatory genes TNF-α and NF-kB.

Background: The treatment of dentin before the use of self-adhesive cements is still a crucial point to achieve the best bond strength values. The objective of this study was to evaluate the bond strength between dentin and composite resin using different adhesion strategies with self-adhesive resin cement., Material and Methods: Forty healthy third human molars were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 10): CA (control); application of self-adhesive cement (Rely X U200, 3M ESPE), AD + CA: only application of conventional adhesive (Adper Single Bond 2, 3M ESPE) + self-adhesive cement, AC + AD + CA; conditioning with 37% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds + application of conventional adhesive + self-adhesive cement and AC + CA; conditioning with 37% phosphoric acid for 15s + self-adhesive cement. Blocks made of composite resin (Z250 XT, 3M ESPE) were cemented over dentin. The samples were stored for 24h in distilled water at 37ºC and then were sectioned on a metallographic cutter to obtain tooth picks with approximately 1.0 mm2 in cross section. A universal testing machine was used with a speed of 0.5 mm/min to test the microtensile bond strength,. The fracture patterns were classified as adhesive, cohesive and mixed failures. The data (MPa) were analyzed statistically by One-way ANOVA and Holm-Sidak test (α=5%)., Results: The AC + AD + CA and AC + CA groups had the highest averages, while the CA and AD + CA groups had the lowest bond strength values. Adhesive failure was prevalent in all groups., Conclusions: Conditioning with 37% phosphoric acid for 15s increases the adhesion of the self-adhesive resin cement to the dentin, regardless of the use of dental adhesive system. Key words: Resin cement, microtensile bond strength, acid conditioning., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest None declared., (Copyright: © 2022 Medicina Oral S.L.)

Colleters are secretory structures involved in the protection of young and developing plant organs. Although the presence of colleters in Gentianales is described as a synapomorphy, studies on the morphofunctionality of colleters and the mechanisms underlying the synthesis and release of colleter secretion in Gentianaceae are scarce. Here, we described the ontogeny and the morphological and functional aspects of colleters of Prepusa montana, revealed the nature of the key compounds present in the secretion, and explored the cellular aspects of the synthesis and release of secretion and senescence of colleters. Samples of the stem apical meristem with leaf primordium and young leaves; adult and senescent leaves were observed using light and electron microscopy. The colleters, located in the axil of the leaf, have a protodermal origin and develop asynchronously. They are digitiform, possessing a short peduncle and a secretory head containing homogeneous cells with dense cytoplasm and abundant endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi bodies. The secretion, composed of polysaccharides and proteins, is accumulated in schizogenous spaces and released through the separation of peripheral secretory cells and loosening of the external periclinal wall. Presumably, senescence is caused by programmed cell death. The morphoanatomical characterization of P. montana leaf colleters described here is the first record for the genus and the peculiar accumulation of colleter secretion in schizogenous spaces expanding our knowledge on the diversity of these secretory structures. Our results also provide insights into programmed cell death as an eminent topic related to secretory structures., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a sequential feeding program (SEQ) with diets varying in amino acid (AA) concentrations in the first and last 12 h of the day on the performance, body composition, and nutrient balance of growing-finishing pigs. Sixty-eight castrated male pigs were distributed in four treatments: a daily feeding program (DP) and three SEQs. In the DP, dietary requirements of AA were adjusted daily. In the SEQ, dietary daily requirements of AA were adjusted every 12 h, providing a low AA concentration in period 1 (P1; 00:00-11:59 h) and a high AA concentration in period 2 (P2; 12:00-23:59 h). In the SEQ, three different levels of low and high AA concentrations were evaluated: ±20%, ±30%, and ±40%. The experiment lasted 82 days and was divided into phase 1 (25-50 kg body weight; BW), phase 2 (50-70 kg BW), and phase 3 (70-100 kg BW). During phase 1, irrespective of dietary AA concentration, SEQ pigs had higher lysine intake, protein gain, and phosphorus efficiency than DP pigs (P ≤ 0.05). Pigs in the SEQ showed a tendency for greater average daily gain, body protein, and body lipids compared to the DP pigs (P ≤ 0.10). During phase 2, SEQ pigs showed a tendency for higher average feed intake in P2 compared to DP pigs (P = 0.07); consequently, average daily gain, body protein, and phosphorus retention tended to increase (P ≤ 0.10). During phase 3, SEQ pigs had a higher average feed intake in P2 than DP pigs (P = 0.03). However, they had a similar body composition (P > 0.05) and a tendency for higher nitrogen excretion (P = 0.06) than DP pigs. Our results suggest that SEQ is an effective approach for improving the performance and body composition of growing pigs., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Diphtheria is a potentially fatal infection, mostly caused by diphtheria toxin (DT)-producing Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains. During the last decades, the isolation of DT-producing C. diphtheriae strains has been decreasing worldwide. However, non-DT-producing C. diphtheriae strains emerged as causative agents of cutaneous and invasive infections. Although endemic in countries with warm climates, cutaneous diphtheria is rarely reported in Brazil. Presently, an unusual case of skin lesion in a Brazilian elderly diabetic patient infected by a penicillin-resistant non-DT-producing C. diphtheriae strain was reported. Laboratory diagnosis included mass spectrometry and multiplex PCR analyses. Since cutaneous diphtheria lesions are possible sources of secondary diphtheria cases and systemic diseases and considering that penicillin is the first line of antimicrobial agent for the treatment of these infections, the detection of penicillin-resistant strains of diphtheria bacilli should be a matter of concern. Thus, cases similar to the presently reported should be appropriately investigated and treated, particularly in patients with risk factor (s) for the development of C. diphtheriae invasive infections, such as diabetes. Moreover, health professionals must be aware of the presence of C. diphtheriae in cutaneous lesions of lower limbs, a common type of morbidity in diabetic patients, especially in tropical and subtropical countries., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Antibiotics are essential molecules for the treatment and prophylaxis of many infectious diseases. However, drugs that combat microbial infections can become a human health threat due to their high and often indiscriminate consumption, considered one of the factors of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emergence. The AMR crisis, the decrease in new drug development by the pharmaceutical industry, and reduced economic incentives for research have all reduced the options for treating infections, and new strategies are necessary, including the return of some traditional but "forgotten" antibiotics. However, prescriptions for these older drugs including nitrofurantoin and oral fosfomycin, have been based on the results of pioneer studies, and the limited knowledge generated 50-70 years ago may not be enough. To avoid harming patients and further increasing multidrug resistance, systematic evaluation is required, mainly for the drugs prescribed for community-acquired infections, such as urinary tract infections (UTI). Therefore, this review has the objective of reporting the use of two classic drugs from the nitrofuran and phosphonic acid classes for UTI control nowadays. Furthermore, we also explore new approaches used for these antibiotics, including new combination regimes for spectral amplification, and the prospects for reducing bacterial resistance in the fight against bacteria responsible for UTI., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the Japan Antibiotics Research Association.)

Coffee consumption has been investigated as a protective factor against prostate cancer. Coffee may be related to prostate cancer risk reduction due to its phytochemical compounds, such as caffeine, chlorogenic acids, and trigonelline. The roasting process affects the content of the phytochemicals and undesired compounds can be formed. Microwave-assisted extraction is an alternative to conventional extraction techniques since it preserves more bioactive compounds. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition and the putative preventive effects in prostate cancer development of coffee beans submitted to four different coffee-roasting degrees extracted using microwave-assisted extraction. Coffea arabica green beans (1) were roasted into light (2), medium (3) and dark (4) and these four coffee samples were submitted to microwave-assisted extraction. The antioxidant capacity of these samples was evaluated by five different methods. Caffeine, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid were measured through HPLC. Samples were tested against PC-3 and DU-145 metastatic prostate cancer cell lines regarding their effects on cell viability, cell cycle progression and apoptotic cell death. We found that green and light roasted coffee extracts had the highest antioxidant activity. Caffeine content was not affected by roasting, chlorogenic acid was degraded due to the temperature, and caffeic acid increased in light roasted and decreased in medium and dark roasted. Green and light roasted coffee extracts promoted higher inhibition of cell viability, caused greater cell cycle arrest in S and G 2 /M and induced apoptosis more compared to medium and dark roasted coffee extracts and the control samples. Coffee extracts were more effective against DU-145 than in PC-3 cells. Our data provide initial evidence that among the four tested samples, the consumption of green and light coffee extracts contributes to inhibit prostate cancer tumor progression features, potentially preventing aspects related to advanced prostate cancer subtypes., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The maxillary central incisor impaction represents a complex challenge in paediatric dentistry practice and may result in aesthetic and functional disharmony. The causes of this condition include physical barriers associated or not with a lack of space making eruption not possible, idiopathic ectopic positioning of the teeth or by trauma, non-coordination in rhizalysis and rhizogenesis between deciduous and successor or tooth shape abnormalities. The incidence of this involvement is quite rare, around 1% of the population. Opening of space through disjunction of the palatal suture is the main treatment proposed to solve this situation and, when necessary, the orthodontic traction assisted by surgery., Description: Were presented two cases of maxillary central incisors impaction in children treated with rapid maxillary expansion, alignment and levelling, and a follow-up after 5 years of treatment., Results and Conclusions: The challenge of these treatments were based on the early treatment in mixed dentition with expansion. The treatment of permanent maxillary central incisor impaction in children enabled excellent periodontal response and post-treatment occlusal stability., (Copyright © 2020 CEO. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Auriculotherapy is based on the stimulation of reflex points in the ear. However, little is known about its weight-reducing effects. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the effects of auriculotherapy on weight and/or (BMI) reduction in overweight or patients with obesity., Methods: Twelve articles were selected for systematic review. Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating weight reduction and five investigating BMI reduction were selected for the meta-analyzes., Results: The results revealed an association between auriculotherapy and weight reduction (WMD, 1.507; 95% CI, 0.606-2.407; p < 0.000). Auriculotherapy was also significantly associated with BMI reduction (WMD, 0.865; 95% CI, 0.533-1.196; p < 0.004)., Conclusions: We found that auriculotherapy was effective in reducing weight and/or BMI in overweight or patients with obesity. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution due to heterogeneity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: We designed a cohort study to describe characteristics and outcomes of patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in the largest public hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, as Latin America becomes the epicenter of the pandemic., Methods: This is the protocol for a study being conducted at an academic hospital in Brazil with 300 adult ICU beds dedicated to COVID-19 patients. We will include adult patients admitted to the ICU with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 during the study period. The main outcome is ICU survival at 28 days. Data will be collected prospectively and retrospectively by trained investigators from the hospital's electronic medical records, using an electronic data capture tool. We will collect data on demographics, comorbidities, severity of disease, and laboratorial test results at admission. Information on the need for advanced life support and ventilator parameters will be collected during ICU stay. Patients will be followed up for 28 days in the ICU and 60 days in the hospital. We will plot Kaplan-Meier curves to estimate ICU and hospital survival and perform survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model to identify the main risk factors for mortality. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04378582., Results: We expect to include a large sample of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU and to be able to provide data on admission characteristics, use of advanced life support, ICU survival at 28 days, and hospital survival at 60 days., Conclusions: This study will provide epidemiological data about critically ill patients with COVID-19 in Brazil, which could inform health policy and resource allocation in low- and middle-income countries.

We report a fatal case of Bartonella henselae bacteremic patient. He had negative serology and PCRs from whole blood and liquid culture; only ftsZ nested PCR was positive from the blood liquid culture. The isolate had positive PCRs. When considered, bartonellosis diagnosis can be still challenging because of technical limitations.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of sequential feeding technique in two genetic lines (GL; Line A [cross having a greater proportion of Pietrain] and Line B [cross having a lower proportion of Pietrain]) of growing-finishing pigs reared under daily cyclic high ambient temperature conditions. Seventy-eight castrated male pigs (22 ± 2.5 kg BW) were housed in a single group and were allocated to one of the three feeding programs: control (CON, 24 h control diet), high-fat/low-crude protein (HF/LP, 24 h high-fat/low-crude protein diet), and sequential feeding (SEQ, control diet from 1800 to 1000 h and HF/LP diet from 1001 to 1759 h). Cyclic high ambient temperature was induced by exposing the pigs to 22ºC ambient temperature from 1800 to 1000 h (time-period 22ºC, TP22) and to 30ºC from 1001 to 1759 h (TP30). The experimental period lasted 84 days and was divided into 3 growth phases, growing 1 (from day 0 to 20), growing 2 (from day 21 to 48) and finishing (from day 49 to 83). Feed intake was recorded in real time using an automatic feeder system. Pigs were weighed at the beginning and end of each experimental phase. Animal body composition was measured through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry on days 0, 35, and 70. The ambient temperature averaged 22.3 ± 0.4ºC during TP22 and 30.2 ± 0.5ºC during TP30, characterizing the condition of daily ambient temperature variation that which pigs are usually exposed in tropical climate areas. During growing phase 1, the feeding programs had negligible effects on pig performance (P > 0.05), whereas during growing phase 2, ADG was greater in SEQ than in CON pigs (7%; P = 0.04). During the finishing phase, HF/LP pigs had greater ADFI (+ 10%) and ADG (+ 8%) than CON pigs. Lean mass and gain did not differ among feeding programs (P > 0.05). Overall, fat mass and gain were similar between SEQ and HF/LP pigs (P > 0.05), and both were greater than those of CON pigs (P < 0.05). On the basis of pig performance per phase, the supply of high-fat/low-crude protein diets (SEQ and HF/LP feeding) improved the performance of pigs under daily cyclic high ambient temperature. However, the use of these techniques resulted in fatter carcasses and in higher energy cost of gain. Finally, pigs with greater proportion of Pietrain genes had decreased growth performance in our experimental conditions., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Obesity is a predisposing factor for numerous morbidities, including those affecting the central nervous system. Hypothalamic inflammation is a hallmark of obesity and is believed to participate in the onset and progression of the obese phenotype, by promoting changes in neuronal functions involved in the control of metabolism. The activation of brain immune cells in the hypothalamus, which are represented by microglia and brain macrophages, is associated with obesity and has been the focus of intense research. Despite the significant body of knowledge gathered on this topic, obesity-induced metabolic changes in brain cells involved in innate immune responses are still poorly characterized due, at least in part, to limitations in the existing experimental methods. Since the metabolic state influences immune responses of microglia and other myeloid cells, the understanding and characterization of the effects of cellular metabolism on the functions of these cells, and their impact on brain integrity, are crucial for the development of efficient therapeutic interventions for individuals exposed to a long-term high fat diet (HFD). Here we review and speculate on the cellular basis that may underlie the observed changes in the reactivity and metabolism of the innate immune cells of the brain in diet-induced obesity (DIO), and discuss important points that deserve further investigation.

Bovine brucellosis poses a risk to human health and causes serious economic losses for the animal industry. This report describes the use of different diagnostic methods for the diagnosis of brucellosis in cattle affected by cervical bursitis from a slaughterhouse located in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. Serum samples from a total of 47 cattle with bursitis were collected and submitted to the Rose Bengal Test (RBT), and RBT-positive samples were further confirmed by the 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) assay. RBT indicated 85.1% (40/47) of positive samples, from which 78.7% (37/47) were confirmed by 2-ME. Immunohistochemistry detected Brucella spp. in 34.0% (16/47) of tissues with bursitis. PCR and/or bacterial isolation demonstrated that 63.8% (30/47) of samples were positive and morphologically compatible with Brucella sp. All colonies suggestive of Brucella sp. were confirmed by PCR. Isolates were further characterized by PCR Multiplex AMOS-ENHANCED, which indicated that the isolates corresponded to biovar 1, 2, 4 (43.33%). This study evidences an association between cervical bursitis and Brucella spp. infection in cattle, and that different biovars of Brucella circulate in bovine herds in Maranhão.

Physical exercise generates several benefits in a short time in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, it can increase the chances of muscle damage, a serious problem for diabetic patients. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used to treat these injuries, despite the serious adverse effects. In this way, photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and/or light emitting diode therapy (LEDT) can be used as an alternative in this case. However, its efficacy in tissue repair of trauma injuries in diabetes mellitus until now is unknown, as well as the combination between PBMT and NSAIDs. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of NSAIDs and PBMT applied alone or combined on functional and biochemical aspects, in an experimental model of muscle injury through controlled trauma in diabetic rats. Muscle injury was induced by means of a single trauma to the animals' anterior tibialis muscle. After 1 h, the rats were treated with PBMT (830 nm; continuous mode, with a power output of 100 mW; 3.57 W/cm 2 ; 3 J; 107.1 J/cm 2 , 30 s), diclofenac sodium for topical use (1 g), or combination of them. Our results demonstrated that PBMT + diclofenac, and PBMT alone reduced the gene expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) at all assessed times as compared to the injury and diclofenac groups (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 respectively). The diclofenac alone showed reduced levels of COX-2 only in relation to the injury group (p < 0.05). Prostaglandin E 2 levels in blood plasma demonstrated similar results to COX2. In addition, we observed that PBMT + diclofenac and PBMT alone showed significant improvement compared with injury and diclofenac groups in functional analysis at all time points. The results indicate that PBMT alone or in combination with diclofenac reduces levels of inflammatory markers and improves gait of diabetic rats in the acute phase of muscle injury.

Factors influencing effectiveness of automated comparisons, test-fired bullets, and cartridge cases from 0.38 Special revolvers were logged into the Evofinder ® Ballistic ID System. Tests were performed as follows: First test correlated test-fires of the same type, second test compared different types of ammunition components, third test replicated the second test in a larger database, and fourth test replicated the third test with students having no previous firearm identification experience. System effectiveness with projectiles in the first test was 0.89. With cartridge cases, effectiveness was 0.79 with combined results, but analysis of separate results by breech face and firing pin revealed low effectiveness by breech face (0.40). In the second, third, and fourth tests, effectiveness with projectiles were 0.61, 0.51, and 0.44. In addition, these tests had effectiveness with cartridge cases equivalent to 0.55, 0.43, and 0.44. Results are useful to establish routine protocols, system improvements, or comparative assessment of other electronic systems., (© 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

The aim of the current study is to diagnose Brucella spp. infection using methods such as serology, bacterial isolation, and molecular analysis in buffaloes bred in Maranhão State. In order to do so, 390 samples of buffalo serum were subjected to serological tests, to Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and to 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) combined with slow agglutination test (SAT). Vaginal swabs were collected from seropositive animals and subjected to bacterial isolation and to generic PCR. According to the serological test, 16 animals had a positive reaction to the confirmatory test (2-ME/SAT). As for bacterial isolation, three samples resulted in the isolation of Brucella spp.-characteristic colonies, which were confirmed through PCR. These results confirmed Brucella spp. infection in the buffalo herd from Maranhão State.

Background: Globally, prison inmates are a high-risk population for tuberculosis (TB), but the specific drivers of disease and impact of mass screening interventions are poorly understood., Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study to characterize the incidence and risk factors for tuberculosis infection and disease in 12 Brazilian prisons, and to investigate the effect of mass screening on subsequent disease risk. After recruiting a stratified random sample of inmates, we administered a questionnaire to ascertain symptoms and potential risk factors for tuberculosis; performed tuberculin skin testing (TST); collected sera for HIV testing; and obtained two sputum samples for smear microscopy and culture, from participants reporting a cough of any duration. We repeated the questionnaire and all tests for inmates who remained incarcerated after 1 year. TST conversion was defined as TST ≥10 mm and an induration increase of at least 6 mm in an individual with a baseline TST <10 mm. Cox proportional hazard models were performed to identify risk factors associated with active TB. To evaluate the impact of screening on subsequent risk of disease, we compared TB notifications over one year among individuals randomized to screening for active TB with those not randomized to screening., Results: Among 3,771 inmates recruited, 3,380 (89.6 %) were enrolled in the study, and 1,422 remained incarcerated after one year. Among 1,350 inmates (94.9 %) with paired TSTs at baseline and one-year follow-up, 25.7 % (272/1060) converted to positive. Among those incarcerated for the year, 10 (0.7 %) had TB at baseline and 25 (1.8 %) were diagnosed with TB over the subsequent year. Cases identified through active screening were less likely to be smear-positive than passively detected cases (10.0 % vs 50.9 %; p < 0.01), suggesting early case detection. However, there was no reduction in subsequent disease among individuals actively screened versus those not screened (1.3 % vs 1.7 %; p = 0.88). Drug use during the year (AHR 3.22; 95 % CI 1.05-9.89) and knows somebody with TB were (AHR 2.86; 95 % CI 1.01-8.10) associated with active TB during one year of follow up CONCLUSIONS: Mass screening in twelve Brazilian prisons did not reduce risk of subsequent disease in twelve Brazilian prisons, likely due to an extremely high force of infection. New approaches are needed to control TB in this high-transmission setting.