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Background: Beyond carrying the plant embryo, seeds harbour intricate microbial communities whose transmission across successive plant generations can significantly influence the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of plant-microbe symbioses. The process of plant domestication has potential repercussions in genes involved in plant-microbiome interactions. However, the extent to which breeding can impact the seed microbiome is sparsely explored. Cannabis is a high-value crop but sparsely subjected to agricultural innovations established in other crop species during the last century. Here, we conduct a large-scale analysis of the bacterial seed microbiome of Cannabis across different domestication grades and investigate the potential of seed-associated endophytes as plant growth-promoting agents under both controlled and field conditions., Results: Analysis of Cannabis seed endophyte composition and diversity across 46 plant genotypes revealed 813 different bacterial genera with a predominance of Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, Actinobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria but a genotype-specific microbiome. The assessment of domestication and breeding on microbial assembly revealed a higher bacterial diversity in low domestication genotypes (Shannon index, H': 1.21 vs. 1.05) and a higher homogeneity in bacterial composition caused by line development. Further, a seed bacterial isolate (Bacillus frigoritolerans C1141) associated with low domestication genotypes, and with genes associated with bio-fertilization, bioremediation and phytohormone production, increased plant growth by 42.3% at the time of harvest, under field conditions., Conclusion: This study addresses critical knowledge gaps related to the assembly of the Cannabis seed-endophytic microbiome. It reveals that Cannabis breeding is linked to alterations of seed microbial communities, which potentially led to the loss of bacteria with functional significance. These results highlight the importance of preserving seed microbiomes in plant breeding to support sustainable plant health and growth enhancement in Cannabis. Video Abstract., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Not applicable. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Butter is among the most popular and commercially valuable dairy products. Its high commercial value makes it a major target for adulteration, which aims to reduce production costs by using lower-quality fats and oils from other sources. The annual global market is around USD 30 billion (2023), expected to reach USD 36 billion in 2028, which also justifies the enormous interest in adulteration. In this work, a confirmed case of butter adulteration was studied by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Stable Carbon Isotopic Ratio Analysis (SCIRA) techniques, employed to detect the inclusion in butter production of vegetable oils, such as soybean and palm oils. A total of 21 samples seized by the Brazilian Federal Police were analysed by NMR and SCIR, and compared to original butter obtained from commercial sources. The composition of all the seized samples was a mixture of butter (dairy fat of animal origin) with fat of vegetable origin (soybean and palm oil) and did not contain milk as a major component. While NMR was an unequivocal choice to discriminate the chemical composition of food samples, identifying the short-chain saturated fatty acids present in milk fat, including the butyryl alkyl chain, SCIRA was able to discriminate the origin of fat present in the butter samples as C3 sources, such as palm vegetable oils.

Introduction: Frailty is characterized by vulnerability and decline in physical, mental, and social activity, significantly contributing to adverse health outcomes. Frailty encompasses nutritional status, muscle strength, inflammation, and hormones. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) is one of the hormones hypothesized to play a role in frailty. Handgrip strength (HGS) correlates with overall muscle strength. The fatigue, resistance, ambulation, illnesses, and loss of weight (FRAIL) scale can be used to readily screen frailty. Identifying markers associated with frailty can facilitate its early diagnosis, risk stratification, and target interventions to prevent or mitigate its negative consequences. This study sought to evaluate the associations between frailty, HGS, and DHEAS in a Portuguese frailty unit (FU)., Methods: We developed an observational retrospective study in an FU. Patients admitted to the FU underwent a rehabilitation program. We assessed frailty with the FRAIL scale. We assayed DHEAS upon admission to the FU. We measured HGS at admission (i-HGS) and discharge (f-HGS). We also considered HGS variation (∆ HGS) and length of stay., Results: Out of 119 subjects, 97 fulfilled the eligibility criteria (mean age 78.35 ± 9.58 years; 44.33% men). Overall, 88 (90.72%) patients had a FRAIL scale score of 3 or more. DHEAS values were not significantly different in either the categories of the FRAIL scale or frailty status. DHEAS values were also not significantly correlated with either i-HGS, f-HGS, ∆ HGS, age, or FU length of stay. Frail patients had a significantly lower i-HGS (p = 0.002) and f-HGS (p = 0.001) and a significantly higher length of stay (p = 0.006). Also, the i-HGS and f-HGS significantly decreased with the increase of the FRAIL scale score (p < 0.0001 for both). The cut-off values of the i-HGS and the f-HGS for detecting frail patients in our study were 13.3 kg and 19.1 kg, respectively (p < 0.0001 for both). The i-HGS was significantly and independently associated with the frailty status of frail (p = 0.001), with a 15% probability reduction of a patient being frail for every kilogram increase in the i-HGS., Conclusion: Frail patients assessed with the FRAIL scale had a significantly lower i-HGS and f-HGS and a higher length of stay. In this study, we found frailty and DHEAS to be not associated and DHEAS values to be not correlated with i-HGS or f-HGS. In our opinion, the creation of an FU with an initial FRAIL scale screening and HGS measurement might have a significant impact on identifying frail people and ensuring the implementation of a multimodal multidisciplinary approach., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Ethics Committee of the Autonomous Region of Madeira Health Care System issued approval nº38/2022. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Caires et al.)

In terrestrial forested ecosystems, fungi may interact with trees in at least three distinct ways: (i) associated with roots as symbionts; (ii) as pathogens in roots, trunks, leaves, flowers, and fruits; or (iii) decomposing dead tree tissues on soil or even on dead tissues in living trees. Distinguishing the latter two nutrition modes is rather difficult in Hymenochaetaceae (Basidiomycota) species. Herein, we have used an integrative approach of comparative genomics, stable isotopes, host tree association, and bioclimatic data to investigate the lifestyle ecology of the scarcely known neotropical genus Phellinotus , focusing on the unique species Phellinotus piptadeniae . This species is strongly associated with living Piptadenia gonoacantha (Fabaceae) trees in the Atlantic Forest domain on a relatively high precipitation gradient. Phylogenomics resolved P. piptadeniae in a clade that also includes both plant pathogens and typical wood saprotrophs. Furthermore, both genome-predicted Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZy) and stable isotopes (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) revealed a rather flexible lifestyle for the species. Altogether, our findings suggest that P. piptadeniae has been undergoing a pathotrophic specialization in a particular tree species while maintaining all the metabolic repertoire of a wood saprothroph., Importance: This is the first genomic description for Phellinotus piptadeniae . This basidiomycete is found across a broad range of climates and ecosystems in South America, including regions threatened by extensive agriculture. This fungus is also relevant considering its pathotrophic-saprotrophic association with Piptadenia goanocantha , which we began to understand with these new results that locate this species among biotrophic and necrotrophic fungi., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

One of the main goals of the Spanish and Portuguese-Speaking Working Group of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (GHEP-ISFG) is to promote and contribute to the development and dissemination of scientific knowledge in the field of forensic genetics. The GHEP-ISFG supports several Working Commissions which develop different scientific activities. One of them, the Working Commission on "Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS): Forensic Applications", organized its first collaborative exercise on forensic applications of MPS technology in 2019. The aim of this exercise was to assess the concordance between the MPS results and those obtained with conventional technologies (capillary electrophoresis and Sanger sequencing), as well as to compare the results obtained within the different MPS platforms and/or the different kits/panels and analysis software packages (commercial and open-access) available on the market. The seven participating laboratories analyzed some samples of the annual GHEP-ISFG proficiency test (EIADN No. 27 (2019)), using Ion Torrent™ or MiSeq FGx® platforms. Six of them sent autosomal STR sequence data, five laboratories performed MPS analysis of individual identification SNPs, four laboratories reported MPS data of Y-chromosomal STRs, and X-chromosomal STRs, three laboratories performed MPS analysis of ancestry informative SNPs and phenotype informative SNPs, two labs performed MPS analysis of the mitochondrial DNA control region, and only one lab produced MPS data of lineage informative SNPs. Autosomal STR sequencing results were highly concordant to the consensus obtained by capillary electrophoresis in the EIADN No. 27 (2019) exercise. Furthermore, in general, a high level of concordance was observed between the results of the participating laboratories, regardless of the platform used. The main discordances were due to errors during the analysis process or from sequence data obtained with low depth of coverage. In this paper we highlight some issues that still arise, such as standardization of the nomenclature for STRs analyzed by sequencing with MPS, the universal uptake of a nomenclature framework by the analysis software, and well established validation and accreditation of the new MPS platforms for use in routine forensic case-work., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A simple, accurate, and environmentally friendly method for the simultaneous determination of the analog endocrine disruptors bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol A (BPA) was developed and validated. The determination was performed by square-wave voltammetry using a cathodically pretreated boron-doped diamond (BDD) as the working electrode, with 0.1 mol L -1  H 2 SO 4 as the supporting electrolyte. Under optimized conditions, a wide linear working range (R 2  = 0.999) from 0.20 to 80.0 mg L - 1 with a limit of detection (S/N = 3) of 0.060 mg L - 1 was attained for BPS. For BPA, a linear correlation (R 2  = 0.992) was attained from 0.10 to 50.0 mg L - 1 , with a limit of detection of 0.030 mg L - 1 . As far as we could ascertain, these are the lowest limits of detection and the widest linear ranges in the literature for this determination. The method was applied to the simultaneous determination of BPS and BPA in real water samples, with minimum sample preparation processes (dilution and acidification only). Excellent recovery values were achieved, ranging from 95 to 99%. Additionally, the method was successfully applied to the monitoring of the electrochemical degradation (anodic oxidation) of BPS using a recirculating flow system fitted with a BDD anode. The decay of [BPS] with time was also checked by an HPLC method, with results statistically similar to those obtained by the proposed electroanalytical method. Hence, the proposed method is a reliable, greener, and low-cost alternative to monitor simultaneously BPS and BPA in aquatic matrices or only BPS in wastewater treatment processes., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We present the first regional inventory of the fauna of Chalcididae in the Peruvian Amazon, with a nearly 6-fold increase in the number of species recorded for the country. A total of 418 specimens of Chalcididae were collected between 2000 and 2017 at the Panguana Reserve, Peruvian Amazon, 400 of which were obtained using Malaise traps and the remaining 18 specimens by canopy fogging. The morphological analyses indicated that these specimens represent 183 species of Chalcididae in 10 different genera, with 173 new to Peru and 134 potentially new species. We submitted 268 specimens, representing 167 species, to DNA barcoding. Of these, 141 specimens yielded sequences, 136 of them with a minimum of 300 bp. Sixty specimens were assigned a BIN by the Barcode of Life Database System (BOLD), resulting in 50 BINs. A cluster analysis of 138 individuals that yielded DNA sequences longer than 100 bp revealed 118 MOTUs (molecular operative taxonomic units), all of them highly congruent with the morphological data. Prior to the present study, 37 species in 9 genera of Chalcididae were known from Peru. With our results, this number was increased to 210 species in 13 genera. The present study is the result of a joint effort between the SNSB - Zoologische Staatssammlung München, Germany (ZSM) and the Insect Biodiversity Laboratory of the Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil (LaBI-UFES), intending to apply an accelerated taxonomic treatment of the Chalcididae of the Panguana reserve using traditional morphological approaches in combination with DNA barcoding. The complete molecular dataset and associated voucher information is publicly available through BOLD. The new species that were discovered as part of the study are being formally described elsewhere as part of taxonomic treatments of Neotropical and world generic revisions at LaBI-UFES., (Bruno Cancian de Araujo, Marcelo Teixeira Tavares, Thales Renan Aguiar Brotto, Juliana Martins Silva-Freitas, Max Estefani Vagner Santos, Pâmella Machado Saguiah, Stefan Schmidt.)

Glyoxal is a potential sequestrant of H 2 S in the pre-salt exploration. However, the mixture containing packer fluid and glyoxal is corrosive. The addition of an eco-friendly polyol phosphate acts as corrosion inhibitor of the AISI 1020 in this environment. The objective of the present work was to study the influence of phosphate content in the inhibitor formulation, as well as its action in packer fluid and glyoxal solution in the presence of dissolved CO 2 , by means of surface analysis and electrochemical measurements. The results demonstrated that the inhibition efficiency increases as the phosphate content increases. In the beginning of the tests, the polarization resistance increases from 2.2 kΩ cm 2 (2.5 % phosphate) to 11.2 kΩ cm 2 (10 % phosphate). In CO 2 - containing medium, 500 ppm dosage of polyol phosphate increases the polarization resistance (from 0.35 kΩ cm 2 to 5.9 kΩ cm 2 ) and decreases both the capacitance (from 111.5 μF cm -2 to 10.2 μF cm -2 ) and the corrosion current (in 67%). Polyol phosphate is effective as corrosion inhibitor in the presence of CO 2 due to its adsorption on the metal surface or on the film of the previously formed oxide.

Brazilians form one of the most heterogeneous populations in the world, as the result of five centuries of miscegenation between its native populations with migrants from Europe, Africa and Asia. The present study intended to characterize the frequencies of mtDNA haplotypes in a dataset of 306 individuals from Brasília, Federal District of Brazil. Brasília was built from scratch in the late 1950s and its construction attracted migrants from different regions of Brazil, mostly from Central-West, Northeast and Southeast regions. Due to its formation, its population is admixed. The goal of this study was to collect mtDNA population data and contribute to databases for a better use of mtDNA for forensic purposes. The haplotypes are available at EMPOP website under accession number EMP00695., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes present several notable properties, such as the largest potential window of all electrode materials (especially in anodic potentials), low background and capacitive currents, reduced fouling compared to other electrodes, mechanical robustness, and good stability over time. On the other hand, flow-based systems are known as well-established approaches to minimize reagent consumption and waste generation and with good compromise between sample throughput and analytical performance (mechanization of chemical assays). This review focuses on the use of BDD electrodes for electrochemical detection in flow systems, such as flow injection analysis (FIA), batch injection analysis (BIA), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and capillary electrophoresis (CE). The discussion deals with the historical evolution of BDD, types of electrochemical pre-treatments (cathodically/H-terminated or anodically/O-terminated), cell configurations, and analytical performance. Articles are discussed in chronological order and subdivided according to the type of flow system: FIA, BIA, HPLC, and CE.

The current work provides a revised and updated key to the genera of Eucharitidae occurring in the New World, with the major traits of genera illustrated through high-resolution photomicrography. We provide an annotated list of genera and species currently known from Brazil, with a new record for a genus previously unknown for the country. Additionally, we provide a literature revision of the biology and cuticular hydrocarbon profile for the Eucharitidae. The lack of knowledge on the eucharitid Brazilian fauna is briefly discussed.

Recently, Brazilian Federal Police used forensic chemistry and forensic botany techniques on a case. Two packets containing fragmented plant matter were seized and sent for forensic analysis. Forensic chemistry, the gold standard for evaluating plant material suspected to contain illicit substances, did not find illicit materials. Gas chromatography coupled mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified thujone in the botanical material. Thujone is a chemical compound naturally found in many plant species, notably Artemisia absinthium. Because doubt remained, we next used plant DNA barcoding methods. Total DNA from plant tissue fragments was extracted and five different DNA regions were amplified, sequenced, and analyzed using plant DNA barcoding methods. Genetic analysis yielded 30 good quality sequences representing five taxa. Most specimens were identified as A. absinthium. Few studies focus on practical forensic applications of plant DNA barcoding methods using a case solved in a forensic laboratory with its difficulties and limitations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report an effective joint effort of forensic chemistry and botany techniques to assess plant material in Brazil. The availability of a new technical approach for the genetic sequencing of plant species will enhance many forensic investigations and inspire similar initiatives.

Background: Asthma and allergies prevalence increased in recent decades, being a serious global health problem. They are complex diseases with strong contextual influence, so that the use of advanced machine learning tools such as genetic programming could be important for the understanding the causal mechanisms explaining those conditions. Here, we applied a multiobjective grammar-based genetic programming (MGGP) to a dataset composed by 1047 subjects. The dataset contains information on the environmental, psychosocial, socioeconomics, nutritional and infectious factors collected from participating children. The objective of this work is to generate models that explain the occurrence of asthma, and two markers of allergy: presence of IgE antibody against common allergens, and skin prick test positivity for common allergens (SPT)., Results: The average of the accuracies of the models for asthma higher in MGGP than C4.5. IgE were higher in MGGP than in both, logistic regression and C4.5. MGGP had levels of accuracy similar to RF, but unlike RF, MGGP was able to generate models that were easy to interpret., Conclusions: MGGP has shown that infections, psychosocial, nutritional, hygiene, and socioeconomic factors may be related in such an intricate way, that could be hardly detected using traditional regression based epidemiological techniques. The algorithm MGGP was implemented in c ++ and is available on repository: http://bitbucket.org/ciml-ufjf/ciml-lib .

In children, greater than 95% of Kingella kingae infections are diagnosed between 6 and 48 months of age. K. kingae has not been systematically investigated, especially in older children. We describe a case of spondylodiscitis by K. kingae in an 8-year-old child.

Objective: To evaluate the functional outcomes of patients submitted to arthroscopic repair of triple labral lesion., Methods: This was an analytical retrospective study of patients who underwent arthroscopic treatment of triple labral lesion from March 2005 to December 2014. Patients with at least one year of postoperative follow-up were included. A total of nine patients were evaluated. The mean age was 32.3 years and the dominant side was affected in five patients. Patients were functionally assessed regarding the range of motion (ROM) in elevation, external rotation with the arm close to the body the arm in abduction of 90°, and internal rotation, and by the Carter-Rowe score. The degree of satisfaction was assessed at the end of the follow-up period., Results: Three patients had less than five episodes of instability, four patients had between five and ten episodes, and two patients had more than ten episodes. Seven patients had positive O'Brien test for SLAP lesions and positive apprehension test in abduction and external rotation, and only one patient had apprehension in adduction and internal rotation. Three patients persisted with positive O'Brien test and one with apprehension in abduction and external rotation at the end of follow-up. The range of motion was complete in all cases. The median Carter-Rowe score increased from 40 preoperatively to 90 ( p  = 0.008)., Conclusion: The arthroscopic repair of triple labral lesions allows for the restoration of the stability of the glenohumeral joint, achieving excellent functional results.

In this work, a batch-injection analysis system with square-wave voltammetric (BIA-SWV) detection was applied for the first time to the simultaneous determination of inorganic (zinc) and organic (naphazoline) species. Both compounds were detected in a single run (70 injections h(-1)) with a small injection volume (∼100 µL). The calibration curves exhibited linear response range between 3.0 and 21.0 μmol L(-1) (r=0.999) for naphazoline and between 10.0 and 60.0 μmol L(-1) (r=0.992) for zinc. The detection limits were 0.13 and 0.04 μmol L(-1) for zinc and naphazoline, respectively. Good reproducibility was achieved for multiple measurements of a solution containing both species (RSD<1.0%; n=20). The results obtained with the BIA-SWV method for the simultaneous determination of naphazoline and zinc were compared to those obtained by HPLC (naphazoline) and by FAAS (zinc); no statistically significant differences were observed (95% confidence level)., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcome of arthroscopic rotator cuff fixation and, when present, simultaneous repair of the Bankart lesion caused by traumatic dislocation; and to assess whether the size of the rotator cuff injury caused by traumatic dislocation has any influence on the postoperative clinical outcomes., Methods: Thirty-three patients with traumatic shoulder dislocation and complete rotator cuff injury, with at least two years of follow up, were retrospectively evaluated. For analysis purposes, the patients were divided into groups: presence of fixed Bankart lesion or absence of this lesion, and rotator cuff lesions smaller than 3.0 cm (group A) or greater than or equal to 3.0 cm (group B). All the patients underwent arthroscopic repair of the lesions and were evaluated postoperatively by means of the UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) score and strength measurements., Results: The group with Bankart lesion repair had a postoperative UCLA score of 33.96, while the score of the group without Bankart lesion was 33.7, without statistical significance (p = 0.743). Group A had a postoperative UCLA score of 34.35 and group B, 33.15, without statistical significance (p = 0.416)., Conclusion: The functional outcomes of the patients who only presented complete rotator cuff tearing after traumatic shoulder dislocation, which underwent arthroscopic repair, were similar to the outcomes of those who presented an associated with a Bankart lesion that was corrected simultaneously with the rotator cuff injury. The extent of the original rotator cuff injury did not alter the functional results in the postoperative evaluation.

In this work, the possibility of simultaneous determination of three compounds with a single-injection step using batch injection analysis with multiple pulse amperometric detection (BIA-MPA) is demonstrated for the first time. A sequence of three potential pulses (+1.25 V, +1.60 V, and +1.80 V) was applied with the acquisition of three separate amperograms. 8-Chlorotheophylline was detected selectively at +1.25 V, both 8-chlorotheophylline and pyridoxine at +1.60V and 8-chlorotheophylline, pyridoxine, and diphenhydramine at +1.80 V. Subtraction between the currents detected at the three amperograms (with the help of correction factors) was used for the selective determination of pyridoxine and diphenhydramine. The proposed method is simple, inexpensive, fast (60 injections h(-1)), and present selectivity for the determination of the three compounds in pharmaceutical samples, with results similar to those obtained by HPLC (95% confidence level)., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Since the 1990s, evidence has been raised that there is an association between maternal periodontal disease and undesirable gestational events, for example low birth weight; this issue is controversial., Objective: To evaluate whether there is an association between maternal periodontitis and low birth weight (LBW)., Methods: A case-control study was carried out on 951 mothers that had been cared for by the Brazilian Unified Health System in Petrolina-PE and Juazeiro-BA, Brazil. The case group (n = 269) consisted of mothers of newborns with birth weight <2500 g and a control group (n = 682) of mothers of newborns with birth weight ≥2500 g. An interview was realized, using a questionnaire as well as a full mouth examination to diagnose the periodontal condition. Women who had at least four teeth with probing depth ≥4 mm and clinical attachment loss ≥3 mm, with bleeding on probing at the same site, were diagnosed with periodontitis. The birth weight was obtained through the hospital book record. The main association was evaluated using the multivariate regression model, considering confounders., Results: The frequency of periodontitis was 16.4% (case group) and 17.4% (control group). Periodontitis did not show an association with LBW (ORcrude = 0.92; 95% CI = 0.63-1.35), even after adjustment for the following confounders: maternal age, pre-gestational body mass index, number of pre-natal consultations, number of pregnancies, maternal schooling level, smoking habit during pregnancy and hypertension (ORadjusted = 1.00; 95% CI = 0.61-1.68)., Conclusion: The findings of this study showed no association between maternal periodontal disease and low birth weight, even after appropriate adjustments for confounding factors.

Objective: To present a new technique for bicipital tenodesis and its results: accomplished partially via arthroscopy and grounded in concepts of the normal and pathological anatomy of the tendon of the biceps long head. It is based on the predisposition of this tendon towards becoming attached to the intertubercular sulcus after rupture or tenotomy (auto-tenodesis)., Methods: Evaluations were conducted on 63 patients (63 shoulders), aged from 32 to 77 years (average 55), consisting of 32 females (51%) and 31 males (49%). Thirty-five of the patients (55.6%) were over 60 years of age and 28 patients (44.4%) were under 60 years of age. Eighteen were sports participants (28.6%). Fourteen had injuries associated with the subscapularis (22.2%). The average follow up was 43 months (ranging from 12 to 74 months). The right shoulder accounted for 48 cases (76.2%), of which one was a left-handed individual and 47 were right-handed. The left shoulder accounted for 15 (23%) of the patients, of whom two were left-handed and 13 were right-handed. There were no bilateral occurrences. The statistical analysis were done using SPSS version 18. Pearson's chi-square test and continuity corrections were used to investigate the statistical significance of associations between variables. Associations were taken to be statistically significant when p was less than 0.05., Results: Residual Popeye deformity was perceived by seven patients (11.1%); it was only observed by the examiner in 15 cases (23.8%); and neither the patient nor the examiner observed it in 41 cases (65%). There were no statistically valid influences from age, participation in contact or throwing sports, subscapularis tendon-associated injury or Popeye deformity. Fifty-eight patients (92.06%) were satisfied, two patients were dissatisfied (3.17%) and three patients were indifferent (4.76%)., Conclusion: The technique presented high patient satisfaction rates (92.06%) and residual deformity was perceived by 11.1% of the patients. The appearance did not have any statistically valid correlation with ages over or under 60 years (p = 0.883), sports practice (p = 0.195) or subscapularis-associated injury (p = 0.958).

Unlabelled: To identify the complications concerning the use of metal anchors in shoulder arthroscopic procedures., Methods: 28 shoulders of 28 patients (23 male and 5 female) have been re-operated in the period between December 1997 and August 2007, at Hospital Ortopédico, Belo Horizonte Hospital and Military Police Hospital in Belo Horizonte, MG, as a result of complications such as loose anchors and prominent anchors. The primary surgeries intended to treat 20 anterior traumatic instabilities (71.5%), one posterior instability (3.5%), one slap injury (3.5%), six procedures for treating injuries on the rotator cuff (21.5%). We used the X-ray classification suggested by Samilson and Prieto and Outerbridge arthroscopic classification for assessing patients' degree of arthrosis. All patients were evaluated by the UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) index criteria., Results: In all patients, arthroscopic reviews were made. In two cases, after anchors removal, clinical signs of instability were seen, leading to the decision of providing open stabilization by Latarjet-Patte technique., Conclusion: the complications with metallic-suture anchors result from inappropriate surgical techniques applied in arthroscopy.

The aim of this study was to estimate the diversity of 30 insertion/deletion (INDEL) markers (Investigator(®) DIPplex kit) in a sample of 519 individuals from six Brazilian states and to evaluate their applicability in forensic genetics. All INDEL markers were found to be highly polymorphic in the Brazilian population and were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. To determine their forensic suitability in the Brazilian population, the markers were evaluated for discrimination power, match probability and exclusion power. The combined discrimination power (CDP), combined match power (CMP) and combined power of exclusion (CPE) were higher than 0.999999, 3.4 × 10(-13) and 0.9973, respectively. Further comparison of 29 worldwide populations revealed significant genetic differences between continental populations and a closer relationship between the Brazilian and European populations., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To demonstrate the clinical and functional results from treatment of humeral diaphysis fractures using Ender nails., Methods: Eighteen patients who underwent osteosynthesis of humeral diaphysis fractures using Ender nails were evaluated. In addition to the clinical and radiographic evaluations, patients with a minimum of one year of follow-up were assessed by means of the Constant, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), Mayo Clinic and Simple Shoulder Value (SSV) functional scores, and in relation to the degree of satisfaction with the final result. The fixation technique used was by means of an anterograde percutaneous route., Results: All the patients achieved fracture consolidation, after a mean of 2.9 months (ranging from 2 to 4 months). The mean Constant score was 85.7 (ranging from 54 to 100) and the mean ASES score was 95.9 (ranging from 76 to 100). All the patients achieved the maximum score on the Mayo Clinic scale., Conclusion: Fixation of humeral diaphysis fractures using Ender nails by means of a percutaneous technique was shown to be a method with promising preliminary results.

Objective: To compare the functional results from high and low-grade isolated partial lesions of the supraspinatus tendon of bursal and articular types, after arthroscopic treatment., Methods: Sixty-four patients with isolated partial lesions of the supraspinatus tendon were evaluated. The mean length of follow-up was 76 months (range: 29-193). The mean age was 59 years (range: 36-82). The dominant side was affected in 44 patients (68.8%). There were 35 bursal lesions (54.7%) and 29 articular lesions (45.3%). We used the Ellman classification and characterized the lesions as low or high-grade according to whether they affected less than or more than 50% of the tendon thickness, respectively. Debridement was performed in 15 patients (23.5%), repair without completing the lesion in 11 (17%) and repair after completing the lesion in 38 (59.5%). The functional assessments on the patients were done using the Constant & Murley and UCLA scores., Results: The mean Constant & Murley score among the patients with bursal lesions was 82.64 ± 6.98 (range: 59.3-99) and among those with articular lesions, 83.57 ± 7.58 (range: 66-95), while the mean UCLA score in the bursal lesions was 33.37 ± 2.85 (range: 21-35) and in the articular lesions, 32.83 ± 2.95 (range: 22-35)., Conclusion: Videoarthroscopic treatment of partial lesions of the rotator cuff presents good or excellent results when the low-grade lesions are debrided and the high-grade lesions are completed and repaired. These results are maintained over the long term, with a high satisfaction rate and few complications.

We present results of what are believed to be the first underwater acoustic sensor using an optical micro-knot resonator. The mechanism involves straining the micro-fibre loop of the knot via an appropriate encapsulation material. The micro-knot sensor exhibited a spectral full-width half-depth of 37.7pm with a Q-factor of 41100 after deconvolution with the source. The shift in wavelength at 1550nm was observed to be around 67pm RMS when exposed to underwater acoustic excitation at 40Hz demonstrating a normalized sensitivity of -288 dB re μPa(-1), or 5.83 fm/Pa.

Objectives: To evaluate function among patients with postoperative recurrence of rotator cuff injuries that was treated arthroscopically (case series) and compare this with function in patients without recurrence (control group); and to compare function among patients with recurrence of rotator cuff injuries that were greater than and smaller than 3 cm., Methods: This was a retrospective evaluation of patients who underwent arthroscopic revision of rotator cuff injuries using the ASES, Constant & Murley and UCLA scores and a visual analog pain scale, in comparison with patients in a control group who underwent primary rotator cuff repair., Results: The size of the rotator cuff injury recurrence had a statistically significant influence on the result from the arthroscopic surgical treatment. The functional scores showed worse results than those from the first procedure., Conclusion: Arthroscopic surgical treatment of renewed tearing of rotator cuff injuries showed worse functional scores than those from primary repair of the injury.

Objective: To compare the use of anchors with double and single-thread loading in the single-row Bankart arthroscopic procedure., Methods: 252 patients (258 shoulders) underwent Bankart arthroscopic surgery with evaluation after a minimum follow-up of 2 years. They underwent repairs either using anchors with single loading of a high-resistance non-absorbable braided thread (206 shoulders; group AS) or using double loading of thread with the same characteristics (52 shoulders; group AD). The patients were evaluated using the UCLA and Carter-Rowe scales. The patients' return to sports activity and recurrences were also compared., Results: There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the surgical failure rate (group AS 5.8%; group AD 7.7%; p = 0.62). Group AS presented a better mean Carter-Rowe score (group AS 94.4; group AD 88.6; p < 0.05) and greater return to the same sports level (group AS 79.1; group AD 72.1; p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Use of anchors with double thread loading did not show any clinical advantage for arthroscopic repair of traumatic anterior shoulder instability, in relation to use of single-thread anchors, over a 2-year follow-up.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis is usually a last resort in routine forensic DNA casework. However, it has become a powerful tool for the analysis of highly degraded samples or samples containing too little or no nuclear DNA, such as old bones and hair shafts. The gold standard methodology still constitutes the direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products or cloned amplicons from the HVS-1 and HVS-2 (hypervariable segment) control region segments. Identifications using mtDNA are time consuming, expensive and can be very complex, depending on the amount and nature of the material being tested. The main goal of this work is to develop a less labour-intensive and less expensive screening method for mtDNA analysis, in order to aid in the exclusion of non-matching samples and as a presumptive test prior to final confirmatory DNA sequencing. We have selected 14 highly discriminatory single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) based on simulations performed by Salas and Amigo (2010) to be typed using SNaPShot(TM) (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA). The assay was validated by typing more than 100 HVS-1/HVS-2 sequenced samples. No differences were observed between the SNP typing and DNA sequencing when results were compared, with the exception of allelic dropouts observed in a few haplotypes. Haplotype diversity simulations were performed using 172 mtDNA sequences representative of the Brazilian population and a score of 0.9794 was obtained when the 14 SNPs were used, showing that the theoretical prediction approach for the selection of highly discriminatory SNPs suggested by Salas and Amigo (2010) was confirmed in the population studied. As the main goal of the work is to develop a screening assay to skip the sequencing of all samples in a particular case, a pair-wise comparison of the sequences was done using the selected SNPs. When both HVS-1/HVS-2 SNPs were used for simulations, at least two differences were observed in 93.2% of the comparisons performed. The assay was validated with casework samples. Results show that the method is straightforward and can be used for exclusionary purposes, saving time and laboratory resources. The assay confirms the theoretic prediction suggested by Salas and Amigo (2010). All forensic advantages, such as high sensitivity and power of discrimination, as also the disadvantages, such as the occurrence of allele dropouts, are discussed throughout the article., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) interferes with cellular membrane structure. The orientation of lipid molecules is changed, especially in the vicinity of proteins, leading to decreased membrane fluidity. Adaptation to HHP requires increased membrane fluidity, often achieved through a rise in the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. In this work, a desaturase-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strain (OLE1 gene deletion) was grown in media supplemented with fatty acids differing in size and number of unsaturations and submitted to pressure up to 200 MPa for 30 min. Desaturase-deficient yeast supplemented with palmitoleic acid demonstrated increased sensitivity to pressure compared to cells supplemented with oleic acid or a proportionate mixture of both acids. In contrast, yeast cells grown with linoleic and linolenic acids were more piezoresistant than cells treated with oleic acid. Furthermore, growth with palmitoleic acid led to higher levels of lipid peroxidation. Intracellular trehalose during HHP treatment increased cell tolerance to pressure. However, when trehalose remained extracellular cells were sensitised to pressure. Therefore, fatty acid composition and trehalose content might play a role in the protection of the cell membrane from oxidative damage produced by HHP, confirming that alteration in cell membrane fluidity is correlated with pressure resistance in yeast., (© 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In various countries, motives for contact of patients with Primary Health Care (PHC) is classified by the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2). This instrument enables the assessment of why people seek care, thereby assisting in planning strategies to attend the population's health needs. The scope of this study was to identify the main reasons for same-day appointments in PHC units of a medium-sized Brazilian city. The methodology used was to examine all records of a typical month of three family practice residents. Data were extracted from a secondary database of same-day appointments during the spring of 2010, classified with ICPC and then statistically analyzed. 1222 records were considered; 32 motives accounted for 50% of contacts. Most common motives were related to the General and Unspecific chapter of the ICPC. About 20% of visits occurred for administrative reasons. Female sex and greater age were determinants of greater motives for consultation. Knowing the motives for appointments by gender and age may help PHC teams in tackling health problems at the critical point of access to PHC.

Background: Both increased anteversion and retroversion of the acetabulum can lead to clinical problems. Although computed tomography (CT) is the gold standard in acetabular version imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is becoming increasingly popular. We conducted this retrospective study to answer the following questions: 1) can the bony landmarks necessary to outline and measure acetabular version on MRI be consistently and reproducibly identified; 2) are soft-tissue (labral) landmarks comparable to bony landmarks for the measurement of acetabular version?, Methods: Twenty-nine MRI torsional profile examinations were studied. A total of 232 readings (116 each for right and left sided acetabulae) were involved. Acetabular anteversion angle (AAA) was measured using two different methods (i.e. bony acetabulum landmarks and labrum), by two investigators, at two separate times., Results: Mean age was 13 years, 8 months with a range of 14 years. There were 12 male patients and 17 female. It was possible to consistently identify bony and labral landmarks in all MR images. AAA measurements using both methods were consistent and reproducible. When comparing the two methods to each other we found them to be in excellent agreement with an ICC of 0.943 (95% confidence interval, 0.927 to 0.956), 37% of all readings were in perfect agreement and 97% were within 5 degrees. The mean difference in measurement between methods was 1.34 degrees., Conclusion: Measurement of acetabular version using MRI remains consistent independent of the method used (bone versus labrum). MRI can provide adequate information for calculating acetabular version.

Background: Assessment of lower extremity (LE) torsional profile using computed tomography (CT) imaging is a well-recognized imaging method that supplements the clinical examination. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is another advanced imaging modality that can be used as an alternative, since there are many growing concerns of radiation exposure with traditional CT studies, particularly in the skeletally immature population., Methods: Sixty-two patients between the ages of 7 and 19 years were included. Thirty-four had CT and 28 had MRI for assessment of LE torsional profile. All patients had clinical evidence of torsional malalignment. CT and MR images were randomized and de-identified. Two observers measured femoral anteversion and tibial torsion based on previously published methodologies. This exercise was repeated 2 weeks later and the data were tabulated and statistical analysis was performed. Radiation exposure for the patients studied by CT was estimated., Results: The mean age of the patients was 14.4 years (range 9.5-18.9 years) and 13.8 years (range 7.3-18.9 years) for the CT and MRI groups, respectively. Inter-observer reliability for both CT and MRI studies were excellent. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for femoral anteversion and tibial torsion studied by CT and MRI for both observers at both times were excellent. The radiation exposure for CT examination averaged 0.3-0.5 mSv, compared to none with the MRI method., Conclusions: MRI provides a reproducible method for assessing the torsional profile in children and adolescents using similar anatomic landmarks for measurements as those used on CT torsional profile. In circumstances where MRI methods are readily available (and affordable), the CT torsional profile can be replaced with MRI methods, in the current era of growing concerns of radiation hazards and increasing awareness about radiation safety., Level of Evidence: Diagnostic Level III.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether some mandibular measurements on panoramic radiographs are associated with low bone mineral density in postmenopausal women., Methods: A sample of 122 panoramic dental radiographs and bone density tests from women 50 years or older were examined. Bone mineral density was measured in the lumbar spine and proximal femur regions through dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The mandibular cortical bone thickness below the mental foramen, mandibular alveolar bone resorption, and panoramic mandibular index were measured., Results: The mandibular cortical thickness and mandibular alveolar bone resorption showed the highest specificity (lumbar spine: 89.8% vs 73.5%, proximal femur: 83.6% vs 71.2%, respectively). The panoramic mandibular index demonstrated the highest sensitivity (lumbar spine: 43.8%; proximal femur: 40.8%). The association between the mandibular cortical thickness and bone mineral density was statistically significant even after adjustment for hormonal treatment, smoking, age at menopause, and body mass index (P = 0.04)., Conclusions: It is suggested that panoramic radiography may be useful for confirming individuals who present with low bone mineral density.

Neurological endovascular therapy is a discipline that has shown effectiveness and safety in the management of intracranial aneurysms, however recanalization persists as one of the most important obstacles to overcome. Precise knowledge of the anatomy and hemodynamics of the aneurysm and the parent artery as well as currently available endovascular devices, are decisive in the analysis and to design a specific treatment plan for each case. In this manner we ensure, as long as possible, success and durability of the treatment.

The success and stability of the occlusion of intracranial aneurysms can be achieved after an adequate conceptualization and implementation of current endovascular techniques, which in turn should be based on knowledge of available devices and the analysis of the specific characteristics the aneurysm and its parent artery to what we called aneurysmal complex.

Objective: To identify factors associated with nosocomial pneumonia in individuals admitted to a public hospital in Feira de Santana, Bahia., Methods: This case control study was carried out in 211 adult individuals (46 cases and 165 controls), of a mean age of 41 years, treated at clinical wards, surgical wards or the adult intensive care unit of Cleriston Andrade General Hospital in Feira de Santana. The cases comprised individuals who developed respiratory tract infections (nosocomial pneumonia) after hospital admission. The controls consisted of patients without nosocomial pneumonia. Information on socioeconomic status, medical history, lifestyle and oral hygiene habits was obtained through interviews. The medical records were checked to verify subjects' health status and the diagnosis of pneumonia. A clinical oral examination was performed by a trained dental surgeon. Odds ratio (OR) was estimated in the bivariate analysis as an association measurement, along with the respective 95% confidence interval through the Mantel-Haenszel method., Results: The frequency of nosocomial pneumonia in the sample was 21.8%. The occurrence of hypertension was higher and hospital stay duration was longer in the cases than in controls (p ≤ 0.05). Lack of dental floss and mouthwash use were higher in the controls (p = 0.01)., Conclusion: The findings indicate that arterial hypertension, length of hospital stay of five days and lack of dental floss and mouthwash use are factors likely associated with nosocomial pneumonia, suggesting that these factors should be targeted for effective prevention.

The brewing and baking yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a useful eukaryotic model of stress response systems whose study could lead to the understanding of stress response mechanisms in other organisms. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) exerts broad effects upon yeast cells, interfering with cell membranes, cellular architecture, and the processes of polymerization and denaturation of proteins. In this review, we focus on the effect of HHP on the S. cerevisiae cell membrane and describe the main signaling pathways involved in the pressure response.

Mimicking mammalian apoptotic cells by exposing phosphatidylserine (PS) is a strategy used by virus and parasitic protozoa to escape host protective inflammatory responses. With Leishmania amazonensis (La), apoptotic mimicry is a prerogative of the intramacrophagic amastigote form of the parasite and is modulated by the host. Now we show that differently from what happens with amastigotes, promastigotes exposing PS are non-viable, non-infective cells, undergoing apoptotic death. As part of the normal metacyclogenic process occurring in axenic cultures and in the gut of sand fly vectors, a sub-population of metacyclic promastigotes exposes PS. Apoptotic death of the purified PS-positive (PS(POS)) sub-population was confirmed by TUNEL staining and DNA laddering. Transmission electron microscopy revealed morphological alterations in PS(POS) metacyclics such as DNA condensation, cytoplasm degradation and mitochondrion and kinetoplast destruction, both in in vitro cultures and in sand fly guts. TUNEL(POS) promastigotes were detected only in the anterior midgut to foregut boundary of infected sand flies. Interestingly, caspase inhibitors modulated parasite death and PS exposure, when added to parasite cultures in a specific time window. Efficient in vitro macrophage infections and in vivo lesions only occur when PS(POS) and PS-negative (PS(NEG)) parasites were simultaneously added to the cell culture or inoculated in the mammalian host. The viable PS(NEG) promastigote was the infective form, as shown by following the fate of fluorescently labeled parasites, while the PS(POS) apoptotic sub-population inhibited host macrophage inflammatory response. PS exposure and macrophage inhibition by a subpopulation of promastigotes is a different mechanism than the one previously described with amastigotes, where the entire population exposes PS. Both mechanisms co-exist and play a role in the transmission and development of the disease in case of infection by La. Since both processes confer selective advantages to the infective microorganism they justify the occurrence of apoptotic features in a unicellular pathogen.

We have previously demonstrated that both parasite genetic variability and host genetic background were important in determining the differential tissue distribution of the Col1.7G2 and JG T. cruzi monoclonal strains after artificial infections in mice. We observed that the JG strain was most prevalent in hearts of mouse lineages with the MHC haplotype H-2(d) (BALB/c and DBA2), while Col1.7G2 was predominant in hearts from C57BL/6 mice, which have the H-2(b) haplotype. To assess whether the MHC gene region indeed influenced tissue tropism of T. cruzi, we used the same two parasite strains to infect C57BL/6 (H-2(b)) and C57BLKS/J (H-2(d)) mice; the latter strain results from the introgression of DBA2 MHC region into the C57BL/6 background. We also performed ex vivo infections of cardiac explants from four congenic mice lineages with the H-2(b) and H-2(d) haplotypes arranged in two different genetic backgrounds: C57BLKS/J (H-2(d)) versus C57BL/6 (H-2(b)) and BALB/c (H-2(d)) versus BALB/B10-H2(b) (H-2(b)). In agreement with our former observations, Col1.7G2 was predominant in hearts from C57BL/6 mice (H-2(b)), but we observed a clear predominance of the JG strain in hearts from C57BLKS/J animals (H-2(d)). In the ex vivo experiments Col1.7G2 also prevailed in explants from H-2(b) animals while no predominance of any of the strains was observed in H-2(d) mice explants, regardless of the genetic background. These observations clearly demonstrate that the MHC region influences the differential tissue distribution pattern of infecting T. cruzi strains, which by its turn may be in a human infection the determinant for the clinical forms of the Chagas disease.

The investigation of the importance of the genetics of Trypanosoma cruzi in determining the clinical course of Chagas disease will depend on precise characterisation of the parasites present in the tissue lesions. This can be adequately accomplished by the use of hypervariable nuclear markers such as microsatellites. However the unilocal nature of these loci and the scarcity of parasites in chronic lesions make it necessary to use high sensitivity PCR with nested primers, whose design depends on the availability of long flanking regions, a feature not hitherto available for any known T. cruzi microsatellites. Herein, making use of the extensive T. cruzi genome sequence now available and using the Tandem Repeats Finder software, it was possible to identify and characterise seven new microsatellite loci--six composed of trinucleotide (TcTAC15, TcTAT20, TcAAT8, TcATT14, TcGAG10 and TcCAA10) and one composed of tetranucleotide (TcAAAT6) motifs. All except the TcCAA10 locus were physically mapped onto distinct intergenic regions of chromosome III of the CL Brener clone contigs. The TcCAA10 locus was localised within a hypothetical protein gene in the T. cruzi genome. All microsatellites were polymorphic and useful for T. cruzi genetic variability studies. Using the TcTAC15 locus it was possible to separate the strains belonging to the T. cruzi I lineage (DTU I) from those belonging to T. cruzi II (DTU IIb), T. cruzi III (DTU IIc) and a hybrid group (DTU IId, IIe). The long flanking regions of these novel microsatellites allowed construction of nested primers and the use of full nested PCR protocols. This strategy enabled us to detect and differentiate T. cruzi strains directly in clinical specimens including heart, blood, CSF and skin tissues from patients in the acute and chronic phases of Chagas disease.