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(1) Background: Medication adherence is influenced by a variety of intricate factors, presenting hurdles for nurses working to improve it among adults with chronic conditions. Pinpointing the reasons for non-adherence is crucial for customizing interventions. The objective of this quality improvement project was to improve medication adherence among adults with chronic diseases in primary healthcare by promoting evidence-based practices, identifying barriers and facilitators to compliance, and developing strategies to ensure optimal adherence through engaging the nursing team, enhancing knowledge, and evaluating the effectiveness of the implemented strategies. (2) Methods: This study was a quality improvement project that utilized the JBI Evidence Implementation framework, the Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System, and the Getting Research into Practice audit tool across three phases: (i) forming a project team and conducting a baseline audit, (ii) offering feedback via the GRiP tool, and (iii) conducting a follow-up audit to assess best practice outcomes. The study was conducted between September 2021 and March 2022 in the community care unit of Algarve Regional Health Administration, targeting adults with chronic illnesses. (3) Results: A total of 148 individuals were audited, including 8 nurses, 70 baseline patients, and 70 post-implementation patients. Initial compliance with key best practices was low, with several criteria at 0% compliance at baseline. Post-intervention, we observed significant improvements; compliance with key best practices improved dramatically, with many reaching 100%. Notable improvements included enhanced patient education on medication management, regular medication adherence assessments, and increased engagement of healthcare professionals in adherence activities. (4) Conclusions: This quality improvement project demonstrated that structured, evidence-based interventions could significantly enhance medication adherence among adults with chronic diseases. The success of the project highlights the potential of similar strategies to be applied broadly in primary healthcare settings to improve health outcomes.

From 2016 to 2021, nematode surveys in Florida strawberry fields revealed several species of foliar nematodes ( Aphelenchoides spp.). Aphelenchoides besseyi sensu stricto was detected only in 2016 and 2017 on photosynthetic strawberry leaves/buds, but other not well characterized populations of Aphelenchoides sp. were found on declining/dessicated leaves. Morphological analyses showed that these samples of Aphelenchoides sp. consisted of A. bicaudatus , a species detected in Florida for the first time, and A. rutgersi , a species previously reported in Florida from the citrus rhizosphere. These two species differed from A. besseyi in the shape of their tail terminus: bifurcate in A. bicaudatus ; mucronate with a ventral thin mucro in A. rutgersi ; and stellate in A. besseyi . One population each of these species was used for morphological and molecular analyses after being reared on Monilinia fructicola . Body and tail length differences were observed among Florida A. bicaudatus and other populations from the Far East and South Africa. Phylogenetic analyses of the rRNA gene sequences showed that Florida A. bicaudatus grouped with those of species from South Korea, Taiwan, and the Netherlands and several other populations listed as Aphelenchoides sp. from Brazil, Costa Rica, and Japan, which were considered as representatives of A. bicaudatus in this study. Similarly, sequences of Florida A. rutgersi grouped with those from environmental samples in Japan and North Carolina, which were listed as Aphelenchoides sp. and were considered as representatives of A. rutgersi in this study. Photosynthetic strawberry leaf samples were free from both A. bicaudatus and A. rutgersi , indicating that these two species did not damage strawberry. They were associated with desiccated leaves and/or propagative stolons, usually infected by fungi, confirming that they are mycetophagous under field conditions in this study. Results of soybean leaf inoculation on moist filter paper containing A. bicaudatus specimens showed that this species could become phytophagous under artificial conditions. Nematodes penetrated the leaf epidermis and migrated into the mesophyll causing leaf tissue discoloration/necrosis, which remained localized within the infested area. Soybean leaf damage was almost negligible, and no nematode reproduction was observed in the inoculated soybean areas., (© 2024 Clemen J. Oliveira et al., published by Sciendo.)

Salmonella enterica subsp houtenae has been recovered from a wide variety of species, including reptiles, and has been linked to important clinical manifestations in snakes and lizards. We describe a case of concomitant fibrinonecrotic enteritis and orchitis associated with S. enterica subsp houtenae infection in a short-tailed boa (Boa constrictor amarali). At necropsy, the mucosa of the large intestine was covered by a focally extensive fibrinonecrotic exudate (diphtheritic pseudomembrane). The left testicle was enlarged, firm and diffusely expanded by a thick fibrinous yellow exudate. Polymerase chain reaction and conclusive antigenic testing indicated that the bacteria isolated from the lesions were S. enterica subsp houtenae, and the virulence genes InvA, slyA, stn and spvC were identified. This report reinforces that, although S. enterica subsp houtenae has been isolated from asymptomatic reptiles, it has the potential to cause life-threatening disease in snakes., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Scorpion stings envenomation (SSE) is a growing medical concern in Brazil, particularly in the state of Minas Gerais, which has recorded a significant number of incidents. This study aimed to investigate the potential predictors of scorpion sting incidence and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of interventions in Minas Gerais. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) models were constructed using socioeconomic and environmental variables as predictors and scorpion sting incidence as the response variable. The analysis revealed that mean annual temperature and major land use type were significant predictors of scorpion sting incidence, while precipitation and socioeconomic variables showed no relationship with incidence. The total number of cases and annual incidence of scorpion stings overlapped with regions experiencing higher forest conversion and agricultural land use, as well as higher temperatures. The estimated Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY) for scorpion sting incidents in Minas Gerais was substantial, indicating the need for effective prevention and treatment measures. The cost per DALY averted varied among municipalities, with some requiring minimal investment while others needing significant funding to address the scorpion risk. Mean annual temperature emerged as the main risk factor for scorpion stings, contributing to increased costs associated with antivenom treatment. These findings highlight the importance of considering environmental factors and implementing targeted interventions to mitigate scorpion sting incidents and reduce associated morbidity and mortality., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Strawberry ( Fragaria × ananassa ) is native to temperate regions. However, it has been produced in tropical areas, as a seasonal crop including in Florida, USA during the winter months. In March 2022, root galls resembling those induced by root-knot nematodes ( Meloidogyne spp.) were observed in declining strawberry plants 'Winterstar TM FL 05-107' growing in an organic-certified research site in Hillsborough County, Florida, USA. To our knowledge, M. hapla is the only root-knot species reported to infect strawberry in Florida. Preliminary molecular analyses, including newly synthesized DNA sequences (TW81/AB28 = OQ469833 - OQ469836; D2A/D3B= OQ473043 - OQ473047) using extracted nematode females from the strawberry roots, initially identified the RKN as M. javanica . Nematode species confirmation was further performed using the morphology of the female perineal patterns and isozyme analysis, mainly esterase (EST) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH), DNA sequencing, (NAD5-F/NAD5-R) and the SCAR primer set (Fjav/Rjav), species-specific for M. javanica . Isozyme analyses, EST= J3, which is specific for M. javanica and MDH=N1, as well as the morphology of female perineal patterns, agreed with data previously reported for M. javanica . A pathogenicity test on strawberry 'Winterstar TM FL 05-107' transplants was performed using 10,000 eggs of the original M. javanica population, which induced galls on strawberry plants (Gall index, GI = 4.1) with egg masses clearly visible outside of the roots, producing an average of 1,344 eggs/gram of fresh root and 9,201 ± 4,206 eggs/root system. No galls or egg masses were observed on non-inoculated plants. Tomato 'HM 1823' was used as a control for the viability of the inoculum and showed numerous galls and egg masses (GI=5.0;). The newly obtained DNA sequences using NAD5-F/NAD5-R (OQ474970 - OQ474972) were compared with other sequences available in the GenBank and were shown to be 100% identical to five M. javanica populations from Polk County, Florida, USA (OM418745 - OM418749) and the complete mitochondrion genome of M. javanica (NC026556). To our knowledge, this is the first report of M. javanica infecting strawberry in the United States., (© 2023 Clemen J. Oliveira et al., published by Sciendo.)

In 2019-2022, declining symptoms were observed in two commercial strawberry farms in Hillsborough County, Florida. The fields in the two farms consisted of raised beds covered by plastic mulch. Both were fumigated with a mixture of 1,3-dichloropropene (40%) + chloropicrin (60%) before planting. Samples collected from large patches with declining plants were infested with stubby-root nematodes. No sting and root-knot nematode species were detected. The results of morphological and molecular analyses indicated that the stubby-root nematode populations were representative of the species Nanidorus minor . The two cultivars 'Florida Brilliance' and 'Florida Sensation' in the two fields included plants with stubby root symptoms showing a reduction in the size of the root system and arrested growth and elongation of the feeder roots on the first strawberry crop. The nematode population densities in the two fields increased at the end of strawberry season and averaged 66 and 96 specimens in 200 cm 3 soil. In one of the fields, a second strawberry crop was established as in the previous year using the same practices (fumigation and raised beds covered with plastic). However, in this field the population of N. minor declined and did not reach damaging levels at the end of the season on the second strawberry crop. The factors causing the decline of the nematode population were not elucidated. This is the first report of a direct damaging effect of N. minor to strawberry., (© 2023 Clemen J. Oliveira et al., published by Sciendo.)

The genus Rickettsia belongs to the Proteobacteria phylum and these bacteria infect animals and humans causing a range of diseases worldwide. The genus is divided into 4 groups and despite the public health threat and the knowledge accumulated so far, the mandatory intracellular bacteria behaviour and limitation for in vitro culture makes it difficult to create new vaccines and drug targets to these bacteria. In an attempt to overcome these limitations, pan-genomic approaches has used 47 genomes of the genus Rickettsia , in order to describe species similarities and genomics islands. Moreover, we conducted reverse vaccinology and docking analysis aiming the identification of proteins that have great potential to become vaccine and drug targets. We found out that the bacteria of the four Rickettsia groups have a high similarity with each other, with about 90 to 100% of identity. A pathogenicity island and a resistance island were predicted. In addition, 8 proteins were also predicted as strong candidates for vaccine and 9 as candidates for drug targets. The prediction of the proteins leads us to believe in a possibility of prospecting potential drugs or creating a polyvalent vaccine, which could reach most strains of this large group of bacteria.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Objectives: to analyze the concept of cardiovascular risk to support nursing practice., Methods: this is an analysis to define the concept of cardiovascular risk, through the use of eight steps of Walker's and Avant's framework, using a literature review in indexed scientific journals., Results: cardiovascular risk is defined in a broad and original way as a context of health and nursing care that makes it possible to identify modifiable (cardiometabolic, behavioral, psychosocial, cultural and occupational) and non-modifiable (biological) risk factors for cardiovascular diseases that act as early and interrelated markers, of multiple and heterogeneous etiology, predisposing to cardiovascular vulnerability., Conclusions: with the analysis and definition of the concept of cardiovascular risk, we realized that it will be possible to base nursing practice, with implications in clinical practice for identifying and reducing risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, with nursing relevance in the care of these subjects.

Introduction: Body packing consists of the concealment of substances (drugs and non-narcotics) or products inside the human body with the purpose of smuggling and may represent an emergency due to the fatal risk of narcotic toxicity, intestinal obstruction, and visceral perforation. However, non-narcotic body packing, especially in developing countries, is under-evaluated. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate cases of body packers in Brazil as regards narcotic and non-narcotic contents., Methods: This retrospective study analyzes the medical records of body packers admitted from January 2015 to December 2019 at one of the main tertiary hospitals in central Brazil., Results: Ten cases of body packing were observed. We found that five patients carried drugs, while seven carried non-narcotic substances such as cell phones and accessories. All the patients were male, prisoners, and young adults. In six patients, there was gastrointestinal obstruction, and in three, there was acute narcotic intoxication. Abdominal radiography diagnosed eight of the cases. In nine of the cases, emergency laparotomy was required, but all patients successfully recovered., Conclusion: There was a higher prevalence of body packing of non-narcotic content; however, diagnostic and surgical approaches were similar to those of narcotic content. Clinicians must be aware of both non-narcotic and narcotic body packing., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Guimarães et al.)

Objective: to map the early clinical deterioration technologies used in nurses' professional practice in the care of hospitalized adult patients., Methods: this is a scoping review, according to Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer's Manual, which seeks to map the main technologies for detecting early clinical deterioration of hospitalized patients available for use by nurses, summarizing them and indicating gaps in knowledge to be investigated., Results: twenty-seven studies were found. The most present variables in the technologies were vital signs, urinary output, awareness and risk scales, clinical examination and nurses' judgment. The main outcomes were activation of rapid response teams, death, cardiac arrest and admission to critical care units., Final Considerations: the study emphasizes the most accurate variables in patient clinical assessment, so that indicative signs of potential severity can be prioritized to guide health conducts aiming to intervene early in the face of ongoing clinical deterioration.

Aphelenchoides besseyi and A. pseudogoodeyi are foliar nematodes associated with commercial strawberry production in Florida, United States. The reproductive and feeding habits of these two nematode species were assessed on Florida isolates of the fungi Botrytis cinerea , Colletotrichum gloeosporioides , Macrophomina phaseolina , and Neopestalotiopsis rosae , which are pathogenic to strawberry, and nonpathogenic isolates of Fusarium oxysporum and Monilinia fructicola grown on potato dextrose agar in Petri dishes. Each culture was inoculated with six specimens of mixed life stages of A. besseyi or A. pseudogoodeyi and incubated at 24°C under axenic and nonaxenic conditions 23 and 31 days after inoculation, respectively. A. besseyi reproduction rates were greater on strawberry-pathogenic isolates of B. cinerea , C. gloeosporioides , and N. rosae than on the nonpathogenic isolates of F. oxysporum and M. fructicola . In contrast, reproductive rates of A. pseudogoodeyi did not vary among fungi cultures. For both nematode species, M. phaseolina was a poor host because it did not produce mycelium on the media used. Our findings indicate that A. besseyi is more selective in its fungal-feeding preference than A. pseudogoodeyi . Additionally, A. pseudogoodeyi eggs and juveniles were significantly more numerous than adults. Yet, for A. besseyi , adult stages were more abundant. Fungi aid in the maintenance of soil-dwelling populations of these two nematode species. Removing fungus-infected strawberry plant residues is both a desirable and effective management practice to limit A. besseyi in central Florida commercial strawberry fields.

Background: While bladder dysfunction is observed in the majority of patients with human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy (HAM), it is also observed in patients who do not fulfill all diagnostic criteria for HAM. These patients are classified as having possible or probable HAM/TSP. However, it remains unclear whether the severity and progression of bladder dysfunction occurs similarly between these two groups., Objective: Compare the severity and evolution of bladder dysfunction in HTLV-1-infected patients with possible and definite HAM/TSP., Methods: The present prospective cohort study followed 90 HTLV-1 patients with possible HAM/TSP and 84 with definite HAM/TSP between April 2011 and February 2019. Bladder dysfunction was evaluated by bladder diary, overactive bladder symptoms scores (OABSS) and urodynamic studies. Bladder dysfunction progression was defined as the need for clean self-intermittent catheterization (CIC)., Results: At baseline, nocturia, urgency and OABSS scores were worse in definite compared to possible HAM/TSP patients. The main urodynamic finding was detrusor overactivity, present in 77.8% of the patients with definite HAM/TSP versus 58.7% of those with possible HAM/TSP (P = 0.05). Upon study conclusion, the cumulative frequency of patients requiring CIC increased in both groups, from 2 to 6 in possible HAM/TSP and from 28 to 44 in definite HAM/TSP patients. The estimated time to need for CIC was 6.7 years (95%CI 6.5-7.0) in the possible HAM/TSP group compared to 5.5 years (95%CI 4.8-6.1) in the definite HAM/TSP group., Conclusions: Although both groups showed similarities in bladder dysfunction and tended to progress to requiring CIC over time, patients with possible HAM/TSP presented less severe manifestations at baseline and progressed more slowly than those with definite HAM/TSP., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objective: To verify the association between adherence to antiretroviral treatment by adults with HIV/AIDS and sociodemographic factors, social and clinical support., Methods: Cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach. Participation of 230 patients. Questionnaires of sociodemographic characterization, social and clinical support, and assessment of adherence to antiretroviral treatment were used. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed., Results: Adherence was classified as good/adequate. An association with sex, income, employment, and level of education was noted. In social support: having access to health services; communication with health professionals; health education; having support to allow venting/talking about issues; information on HIV/AIDS; and company for leisure. In the clinical profile: non-interruption of the drug treatment due to absence from the service or due to changes in the medical prescription., Conclusion: Adherence was classified as good/adequate and especially associated with social support factors, which should be enhanced in clinical practice.

Objective: to develop an ICNP® terminology subset for the care of people with heart failure., Methods: this is a methodological study, which used the theoretical framework of the Mid-Range Nursing Theory for Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, with the steps: Construction of nursing diagnoses/outcomes and interventions statements and Cross-mapping of statements constructed., Results: forty-two diagnosis/outcome statements and 179 nursing intervention statements were constructed, organized based on five theory concepts, with a higher prevalence of statements related to "Rehabilitative care", "Psychosocial support for patients and families" and "Supervised cardiovascular rehabilitation program"., Final Considerations: it was possible to build nursing diagnosis/outcome and intervention statements for developing a terminology subset for the care of people with heart failure, based on the chosen theory.

Background: One of the adverse effects of cancer treatments is the exacerbation of inflammation, which generates numerous limitations and contributes to the development of several comorbidities and the recurrence of cancer itself. Physical exercise (PE) has been proposed as an efficient complementary strategy to combat the inflammatory effects of oncological treatments and to prevent the development of comorbidities, but its adequate application in breast cancer survivors (BCS) requires the establishment of consensuses and practical recommendations., Objective: This study aimed to review the randomized controlled trials that evaluated the influence of PE in the inflammatory profile of BCS., Methods: The search for articles published between 1999 and 2020 was done in PsycINFO, PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct, and Scopus databases., Results: Current knowledge reveals the effectiveness of PE in the functional independence and health of BCS. Evidence of the capacity of PE to improve the inflammatory profile and the immune response in BCS has also been described. However, the heterogeneity of the studies regarding structural training variables, types of exercise, stages of intervention, and severity of the disease, still do not allow the establishment of precise guidelines for the prescription and progression of exercise to improve the inflammatory process in BCS., Discussion: . This review suggests a possible strategy to be used in the assessment, training prescription, and rehabilitation of BCS, to support the development of new studies and the work of exercise professionals in the prescription and application of physical training to improve health and inflammatory status in BCS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Visceral leishmaniasis is a reemerging neglected tropical disease with limitations for its diagnosis, including low concentration of antibodies in the serum of asymptomatic patients and cross-reactions. In this context, this work proposes an electrochemical immunosensor for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis in a more sensitive way that is capable of avoiding cross-reaction with Chagas disease (CD). Crude Leishmania infantum antigens tested in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were methodologically standardized to best engage to the sensor. The antibodies anti- Trypanosoma cruzi and anti- Leishmania sp. Present in serum from patients with diverse types of CD or leishmaniasis were chosen. A screen-printed carbon electrode modified with gold nanoparticles was the best platform to guarantee effective adsorption of all antigens so that the epitope of specific recognition for leishmaniasis occurred efficiently and without cross-reaction with the evaluated CD. The current peaks reduced linearly after the recognition, and still were able to notice the discrimination between different kinds of diseases (digestive, cardiac, undetermined Chagas/acute and visceral chronic leishmaniasis). Comparative analyses with ELISA were performed with the same groups, and a low specificity (44%) was verified due to cross-reactions (high number of false positives) on ELISA tests, while the proposed immunosensor presented high selectivity and specificity (100%) without any false positives or false negatives for the serum samples from isolated patients with different types of CD and visceral leishmaniasis. Furthermore, the biosensor was stable for 5 days and presented a detection limit of 200 ng mL -1 .

Rhipicephalus microplus ticks feed on a bovine host for three weeks. At the attachment site, inflammatory and immune responses are triggered resulting in the recruitment of cells and production of a set of immunological mediators. To oppose the host's immune responses, ticks inoculate bioactive salivary molecules capable of interfering with these defense mechanisms. Serpins are among the most frequent molecules present in tick saliva and have been shown to negatively affect the host's anti-tick immunity. R. microplus has at least eighteen full-length serpins (RmS) and eleven are transcribed during blood feeding. Among them, RmS-3, RmS-6, and RmS-17 are present in the saliva of engorged females. Here, the effect of these serpins on the immune responses was evaluated in cells involved in innate/inflammatory (mast cells and macrophages) and adaptive (T cells) immunity. RmS-3 modulated mast cells due to its inhibitory activity on peritoneal rat chymase and on vascular permeability in acute inflammation. In addition, both RmS-6 and RmS-17 inhibited vascular permeability. Of the three serpins studied, neither affected activation nor inflammatory cytokine production by murine macrophages. On the other hand, RmS-3 and RmS-17 presented an inhibitory effect on the metabolic activity of lymphocytes, with the latter being the most potent, while RmS-6 had no effect on it. This activity was associated with a decrease in lymphocyte proliferation, but not with induction of cell death. The present study highlights the powerful modulatory role of tick salivary serpins in the host's immune system and inspire the discovery of targets for the treatment of inflammatory/immune disorders., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Two Florida populations of foliar nematodes were collected from strawberries originating from Cashiers, North Carolina (USA) located west from Willard, the type locality of Aphelenchoides besseyi. Both nematodes were cultured on Monilinia fructicola and identified using morphological characteristics and molecular assays as Aphelenchoides besseyi and Aphelenchoides pseudogoodeyi sp. n., a herein described new species related to Aphelenchoides goodeyi belonging to the Group of Aphelenchoides exhibiting stellate tails. The morphological and biological characters of Florida A. besseyi fit those of the original description of this species. A. pseudogoodeyi sp. n., which was initially misidentified as Aphelenchoides fujianensis, differed from the type population of the latter species from China because it was without males, and females lacked a functional spermatheca, whereas type A. fujianensis is an amphimictic species. Phylogenetic analyses using near full-length 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), the D2-D3 expansion fragments of 28S rRNA, and partial COI gene sequences indicated that A. besseyi is a species complex. A. pseudogoodeyi sp. n. grouped in different clades from those of the type A. fujianensis, instead merging with populations identified of ' A. fujianensis' from Brazil and other countries, suggesting that the latter are conspecific and incorrectly identified. The Florida A. besseyi infected strawberry and gerbera daisy, but not soybean and alfalfa. A. pseudogoodeyi sp. n. is mainly mycetophagous. Localized inoculation of 300 specimens applied with filter paper adhering to the blade of the soybean leaves resulted in nematode penetration into the mesophyll with subsequent development of lesions limited to the inoculated area of the blade.

Background: Changes in the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) observed during periodontal disease were linked with vascular manifestations. Recent studies showed that the beta-blocker propranolol reduces the pathological parameters associated with certain molecules at sites of bone injury. Hence, in this study, we evaluated the activity of propranolol on hematological parameters and systemic concentrations of inflammatory proteins in a model of experimental periodontitis., Materials and Methods: Periodontal disease was induced in rats. After euthanasia, the number of inflammatory cells in each rat was quantified using histopathological assays. In addition, hematological parameters were quantitated using automated analysers, cytokine levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and CRP levels were determined using a high-sensitivity immunoturbidimetric assay., Results: Low doses of propranolol suppressed the systemic production of CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6; however, the hematological parameters were not affected., Conclusions: β-adrenergic activation indirectly contributes to the pattern of systemic inflammatory molecules observed in periodontal disease. These molecules may initiate cardiovascular diseases as a consequence of periodontitis., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2019 Indian Society of Periodontology.)

Pneumonia is an infectious disease caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi that results in millions of deaths globally. Despite the existence of prophylactic methods against some of the major pathogens of the disease, there is no efficient prophylaxis against atypical agents such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae , a bacterium associated with cases of community-acquired pneumonia. Because of the morphological peculiarity of M. pneumoniae , which leads to an increased resistance to antibiotics, studies that prospectively investigate the development of vaccines and drug targets appear to be one of the best ways forward. Hence, in this paper, bioinformatics tools were used for vaccine and pharmacological prediction. We conducted comparative genomic analysis on the genomes of 88 M. pneumoniae strains, as opposed to a reverse vaccinology analysis, in relation to the capacity of M. pneumoniae proteins to bind to the major histocompatibility complex, revealing seven targets with immunogenic potential. Predictive cytoplasmic proteins were tested as potential drug targets by studying their structures in relation to other proteins, metabolic pathways and molecular anchorage, which identified five possible drug targets. These findings are a valuable addition to the development of vaccines and the selection of new in vivo drug targets that may contribute to further elucidating the molecular basis of M. pneumoniae -host interactions., Competing Interests: We declare we have no competing interests.

Triatomines are known for their role as vectors of the causative agent of Chagas disease. The occurrence of an arsenal of molecules in their saliva is able to suppress vertebrate immune responses. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that the presence of molecules with therapeutic potential in their saliva is able to constrain inflammation in immune-mediated diseases. Thus, mice were exposed to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water uninterruptedly during 6 consecutive days and treated with T. lecticularia salivary gland extract (SGE) (3, 10, or 30  μ g) or vehicle (saline) ( n = 6/group). At the highest dose (30  μ g), an improvement in clinical outcome and macroscopic aspects of the intestine were observed. This observation was followed by amelioration in histopathological aspects in the colon especially when the doses of 10 and 30  μ g were used. Regardless of the concentration used, treatment with T. lecticularia SGE significantly reduced the levels of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 in the intestine. The production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was positively impacted by the concentrations of 3 and 30  μ g. Our results suggest that the presence of molecules in the T. lecticularia SGE is able to attenuate clinical outcome and colon shortening and improve intestinal architecture besides reducing the production of IL-6 and inducing a local production of IL-10 in the intestine.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a granulomatous disease that has affected humanity for thousands of years. The production of cytokines, such as IFN-γ and TNF-α, is fundamental in the formation and maintenance of granulomas and in the control of the disease. Recently, the introduction of TNF-α-blocking monoclonal antibodies, such as Infliximab, has brought improvements in the treatment of patients with chronic inflammatory diseases, but this treatment also increases the risk of reactivation of latent tuberculosis. Our objective was to analyze, in an in vitro model, the influence of Infliximab on the granulomatous reactions and on the production of antigen-specific cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-12p40, IL-10 and IL-17) from beads sensitized with soluble Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) antigens cultured in the presence of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from TB patients. We evaluated 76 individuals, with tuberculosis active, treated and subjects with positive PPD. Granuloma formation was induced in the presence or absence of Infliximab for up to 10 days. The use of Infliximab in cultures significantly blocked TNF-α production (p <0.05), and led to significant changes in granuloma structure, in vitro, only in the treated TB group. On the other hand, there was a significant reduction in the levels of IFN-γ, IL-12p40, IL-10 and IL-17 after TNF-α blockade in the three experimental groups (p <0.05). Taken together, our results demonstrate that TNF-α blockade by Infliximab directly influenced the structure of granuloma only in the treated TB group, but negatively modulated the production of Th1, Th17 and regulatory T cytokines in the three groups analyzed.

Staphylococcus aureus is considered a major pathogen in veterinary and human medicine, and the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains, such as livestock-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus, means that reliable, inexpensive, and fast methods are required to identify S. aureus obtained from animal sources. We tested the accuracy of a PCR targeting the genes femA, nuc, and coa in identifying S. aureus from animals. A total of 157 Staphylococcus spp. isolates were examined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry; 18 different Staphylococcus species were identified. Of 68 S. aureus isolates, the genes femA, nuc, and coa were found in 61, 53, and 32 isolates, respectively. Considering MALDI-TOF as the gold standard, the PCR assays targeting all 3 genes showed 100% specificity; the sensitivity values were 89.7, 77.9, and 47.0% for femA, nuc, and coa, respectively. Sensitivity was 100% when femA and nuc markers were targeted simultaneously. These results confirm PCR as an accurate method to identify S. aureus species from animal sources and strongly suggest the simultaneous use of primers targeting femA and nuc genes.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of the onabotulinum toxin type A in the treatment of HTLV-1 associated overactive bladder and its impact on quality of life (QoL)., Methods: Case series with 10 patients with overactive bladder refractory to conservative treatment with anticholinergic or physical therapy. They received 200Ui of onabotulinumtoxin type A intravesically and were evaluated by overactive bladder symptoms score (OABSS) and King's Health Questionnaire., Results: The mean (SD) of the age was 52+14.5 years and 60% were female. All of them had confirmed detrusor overactivity on urodynamic study. Seven patients had HAM/TSP. The median and range of the OABSS was 13 (12-15) before therapy and decreased to 1.0 (0-12) on day 30 and to 03 (0-14) on day 90 (p<0.0001). There was a significant improvement in 8 of the 9 domains of the King's Health Questionnaire after the intervention. Hematuria, urinary retention and urinary infection were the complications observed in 3 out of 10 patients. The mean time to request retreatment was 465 days., Conclusion: Onabotulinum toxin type A intravesically reduced the OABSS with last long effect and improved the quality of life of HTLV-1 infected patients with severe overactive bladder., (Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To construct nursing diagnosis statements based on the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP®) for people with metabolic syndrome, settled on the theoretical framework of Basic Human Needs., Method: Descriptive study developed in four stages: 1) Identification and validation of terms relevant to care with health priority; 2) Cross-mapping of the terms identified with ICNP® terms; 3) Construction of the nursing diagnosis statements; and 4) Cross-mapping of constructed statements with the ones in ICNP®., Results: Regarding terms extracted, 370 were validated based on the consensus (100%) among specialists, subsidizing the elaboration of 52 nursing diagnosis statements from ICNP® version 2015, distributed among the Basic Human Needs proposed by theoretical framework., Conclusion: It was possible to construct nursing diagnoses for people with metabolic syndrome based on the terms extracted from the literature, with a predominance of the need for "Health education and learning".

Background: Senescence is a multifactorial process that in humans may be accompanied by inflammation and immune dysfunction in the oral cavity. Notably, periodontal disease, considered one of the most common inflammatory disorders in the oral cavity, has also been linked to the onset of other chronic inflammatory diseases common in the elderly. Thus, investigating immunity and inflammation during senescence may not only illuminate the pathophysiology of periodontal disease, but also identify new therapeutic targets., Materials and Methods: To this end, we retrospectively and systematically reviewed studies of immune molecules associated with periodontal disease. These studies were identified in PubMed from three independent searches based on distinct sets of search terms., Results: The data highlight the need to further investigate inflammatory molecules involved in chronic periodontal disease in the elderly, but strongly suggest that interleukin (IL)-33 is involved. Indeed, various genetic and environmental factors appear to contribute to pathogenesis via IL-33., Conclusion: The IL-33 axis may be promising therapeutic target in elderly patients., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of IgG autoantibodies against desmoglein-3. Despite the variety of findings, the chemokine and cytokine profiles that characterize the immune response in the disease are still poorly explored. Thus, 20 PV patients and 20 controls were grouped according to gender, ethnicity, place of residence, and clinical parameters of the disease. Then, the levels of chemokines and of Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg/Th9/Th22-related cytokines were assessed in the serum. PV patients had higher levels of inflammatory Th1/Th17 cytokines (IFN- γ , IL-17, and IL-23), as well as higher levels of CXCL8 and reduced levels of Th1/Th2-related chemokines (IP-10 and CCL11). However, no differences in the levels of IL-2, IL-6, TNF- α , IL-1 β , IL-4, IL-9, IL-12, TGF- β , IL-33, MCP-1, RANTES, and MIP-1 α were found between PV patients and their control counterparts. Furthermore, PV patients with skin lesions had higher serum levels of IL-6 and CXCL8 when compared to PV patients without lesions. Taken together, our findings describe the role of cytokines and chemokines associated with Th1/Th17 immune response in PV patients. Finally, these data are important for better understanding of the immune aspects that control disease outcome, and they may also provide important information about why patients develop autoantibodies against desmogleins., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Introduction: Panstrongylus herreri is a main Chagas disease vector, and its success as a vector stems from its ability to establish domiciliated colonies; we aimed to explore its biology and reproduction., Methods: The average amount of blood ingested and the time from the beginning of a blood meal to the production of feces were recorded., Results: Females exhibited a higher blood ingestion rate than males, but similar defecation times and frequencies were observed., Conclusions: Despite the detected decrease in oviposition rates, P. herreri's potential as a Chagas disease vector in environments other than the Amazon forest cannot be discounted.

Morinda citrifolia L. (noni) has been shown to treat different disorders. However, data concerning its role in the treatment of intestinal inflammation still require clarification. In the current study, we investigated the effects of noni fruit juice (NFJ) in the treatment of C57BL/6 mice, which were continuously exposed to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 9 consecutive days. NFJ consumption had no impact on the reduction of the clinical signs of the disease or on weight loss. Nonetheless, when a dilution of 1 : 10 was used, the intestinal architecture of the mice was preserved, accompanied by a reduction in the inflammatory infiltrate. Regardless of the concentration of NFJ, a decrease in both the activity of myeloperoxidase and the key inflammatory cytokines, TNF- α and IFN- γ , was also observed in the intestine. Furthermore, when NFJ was diluted 1 : 10 and 1 : 100, a reduction in the production of nitric oxide and IL-17 was detected in gut homogenates. Overall, the treatment with NFJ was effective in different aspects associated with disease progression and worsening. These results may point to noni fruit as an important source of anti-inflammatory molecules with a great potential to inhibit the progression of inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Background: Triatomines are blood-sucking vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. During feeding, triatomines surpass the skin host response through biomolecules present in their saliva. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a crucial role in the induction of the protection to aggressive agents, including blood-sucking arthropods. Here, we evaluated if salivary components of triatomines from different genera evade the host immunity by modulating the biology and the function of LPS- or T. cruzi-stimulated DCs., Methods: Saliva of Panstrongylus lignarius, Meccus pallidipennis, Triatoma lecticularia and Rhodnius prolixus were obtained by dissection of salivary glands and the DCs were obtained from the differentiation of mouse bone marrow precursors., Results: The differentiation of DCs was inhibited by saliva of all species tested. Saliva differentially inhibited the expression of MHC-II, CD40, CD80 and CD86 in LPS-matured DCs. Except for the saliva of R. prolixus, which induced IL-6 cytokine production, TNF-α, IL-12 and IL-6 were inhibited by the saliva of the other three tested species and IL-10 was increased in all of them. Saliva per se, also induced the production of IL-12, IL-6 and IL-10. Only the saliva of R. prolixus induced DCs apoptosis. The presence of PGE 2 was not detected in the saliva of the four triatomines studied. Finally, T. cruzi invasion on DCs is enhanced by the presence of the triatomine saliva., Conclusions: These results demonstrate that saliva from different triatomine species exhibit immunomodulatory effects on LPS and T. cruzi-stimulated DCs. These effects could be related to hematophagy and transmission of T. cruzi during feeding.

We studied the feasibility of the microaerobic process, in comparison with the traditional chemical absorption process (NaOH), on H 2 S removal in order to improve the biogas quality. The experiment consisted of two systems: R1, biogas from an anaerobic reactor was washed in a NaOH solution, and R2, headspace microaeration with atmospheric air in a former anaerobic reactor. The microaeration used for low sulfate concentration wastewater did not affect the anaerobic digestion, but even increased system stability. Methane production in the R2 was 14 % lower compared to R1, due to biogas dilution by the atmospheric air used. The presence of oxygen in the biogas reveals that not all the oxygen was consumed for sulfide oxidation in the liquid phase indicating mass transfer limitations. The reactor was able to rapidly recover its capacity on H 2 S removal after an operational failure. Bacterial and archaeal richness shifted due to changes in operational parameters, which match with the system functioning. Finally, the microaerobic system seems to be more advantageous for both technical and economical reasons, in which the payback of microaerobic process for H 2 S removal was 4.7 months.

Introduction: Biofilm-associated antimicrobial resistance is of increasing importance to the maintenance and spread of foodborne pathogens in the food industry. This study aimed to investigate the ability to form biofilm and the antimicrobial resistance of staphylococci contaminating small-scale goat milk dairy plants., Methodology: Sixty isolates were tested for antimicrobial resistance against 20 drugs by the microdilution method. Biofilm-forming traits were assessed by the microtiter plate method (MtP), Congo red agar method (CRA), and icaD gene detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)., Results: High antimicrobial resistance to ampicillin (60/60; 100%), penicillin G (21/60; 35%), and erythromycin (15/60; 25%) was observed, but all isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin/K-clavulanate, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, levofloxacin, linezolid, and moxifloxacin. No resistance to oxacillin or vancomycin was seen among Staphylococcus aureus. Twenty-seven isolates (27/60; 45%) were considered to form biofilm according to MtP, and similar biofilm-producing frequencies were observed in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (20/44; 45.4%) and S. aureus (7/16; 43.7%). The icaD gene was observed only in S. aureus isolates. There was no association between biofilm production and antimicrobial resistance. A higher frequency of biofilm-producing staphylococci was found in isolates from bulk tank milk and hand swabs. On the other hand, isolates from pasteurized milk showed lower frequency of biofilm formation., Conclusions: Staphylococci contaminating goat dairy plants are potential biofilm producers. The results suggest no association between the ability to form biofilm and antimicrobial resistance.

Empirical and prolonged antimicrobial treatment of urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli is associated with the emergence of bacterial resistance, and not all countries have strict policies against the indiscriminate use of drugs in order to prevent resistance. This cross-sectional and retrospective study (2010-2015) aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and resistance of patient-derived E. coli to different drugs broadly used to treat urinary infections in Brazil: ampicillin + sulbactam, cephalothin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and nitrofurantoin. We obtained 1654 E. coli samples from ambulatory patients with disease symptoms of the urinary tract from a Brazilian public hospital. While all antibiotics were effective in killing E. coli to a large degree, nitrofurantoin was the most effective, with fewer samples exhibiting antibiotic resistance. We assessed the costs of generic and brand name versions of each antibiotic. Nitrofurantoin, the most effective antibiotic, was the cheapest, followed by the fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin), ampicillin + sulbactam and, lastly, cephalothin. Finally, assessment of antibiotic resistance to fluoroquinolones over the study period and extrapolation of the data led to the conclusion that these antibiotics could no longer be effective against E. coli-based urinary infections in approximately 20 years if their indiscriminate use in empirical treatment continues., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

Theileriosis is a worldwide protozoal tick-borne disease caused by Theileria equi, which may produce a variety of clinical signs and turn infected horses into lifetime carriers. This study has aimed to perform a serological and molecular detection of T. equi and associated factors in sports horses from six areas of northeastern Brazil. In overall, 59.6% horses were positive by indirect immunofluorescence assay and 50.4% by polymerase chain reaction. No significant association was found when presence of ticks, age, gender, anemia or total plasma proteins was analyzed with seropositivity and molecular techniques. Although a significant association of infection was found in two cities. Thus, local risk factors other than presence of ticks, horse age, gender, anemia and total plasmatic proteins may dictate prevalence of T. equi infection in sports horses, even in highly endemic areas with no control of infection prior to horse competitions., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The endocrine portion of the pancreas, which is characterized by pancreatic islets, has been widely investigated among different species. The BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice are extensively used in experimental research, and the morphometric differences in the pancreatic islets of these animals have not been evaluated so far. Thus, our data have a comparative perspective related to the morphometric analysis of area, diameters, circularity, and density of pancreatic islets from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. The data presented here are focused to evaluate the differences in morphology of pancreatic islets of two common laboratory mouse strains.

In previous studies, we have demonstrated that inoculation with a Trypanosoma cruzi marinkellei (avirulent RM1 strain) was able to reduce parasitemia in mice challenged with T. cruzi, although it was not able to prevent histopathological lesions. Th1 response stimulation by immunization is necessary for T. cruzi infection control, but the resistance is also dependent on immunoregulatory mechanisms, which can be induced by adjuvants. Thus, we evaluated whether inoculation of T. cruzi marinkellei associated with administration of different adjuvants would be capable of inducing different patterns of immune response to maximize the immune response against T. cruzi (virulent Romildo strain) infection. Two hundred eighty nonisogenic mice were divided into 14 groups according to the immunization scheme and the subsequent challenge with virulent Romildo T. cruzi strain. Nonimmunized groups and animals inoculated without adjuvants were also included. Immune protection was not observed with Th2 adjuvants (incomplete Freund's adjuvant [IFA] and Alum) due to high parasitemia. Th1/Th2-polarizing adjuvants also did not induce immune protection because inulin was unable to maintain survival, and immune-stimulating complexes induced intense inflammatory processes. Animals sensitized with RM1 strain without adjuvants were able to reduce parasitemia, increase survival, and protect against severe histological lesions, followed by adequate cytokine stimulation. Finally, our results demonstrate that the early and balanced IFN-γ production becomes critical to promote protection and that Th1 adjuvant elicited a controversial infection control due to increased histopathological damage. Therefore, the host's immunomodulation remains one of the most important challenges in the research for effective protection against T. cruzi infection. Similarly, the identification of protective antigens in the RM1 strain of T. cruzi marinkellei may contribute to further studies on vaccine development against human Chagas disease.

Triatomines are hematophagous arthropods that transmit Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli. Feeding behavior and pathogen transmission is known to vary between the different species, and this characteristic is directly or indirectly dependent on the bioactive molecules of the saliva that facilitate the vector-host-parasite interaction. Here, we identify, characterize and compare the sialoproteomic (from the Greek sialo: saliva) repertoire of important species of the main triatomine genera in the Americas (Rhodnius prolixus, Triatoma lecticularia and Panstrongylus herreri) to better explain this interaction through two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. We identified 221 proteins, 69 from R. prolixus, 100 from T. lecticularia and 52 from P. herreri. We identified high abundance molecules with a great potential to modulate host defenses and homeostasis, highlighting Nitrophorin-4 (28.7%), Salivary lipocalin-5 (65.2%) and Putative triabin (20.5%) in R. prolixus, T. lecticularia and P. herreri, respectively. We also observed that only a single hypothetical protein is shared among three species, which was not functionally categorized. This study corroborates previous findings with R. prolixus, increasing the knowledge about this species with relevant proteomic information and comparisons with the other two targets of the study, T. lecticularia and P. herreri, for which no studies are available from a proteomics perspective., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The data presented here were obtained from the saliva of three triatominae, Rhodnius prolixus, Triatoma lecticularia and Panstrongylus herreri from Montandon et al. study, doi:10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.02.009 [3]. These data were obtained from spectra generated by the mass spectrometry of proteins observed through the analysis of 2-D electrophoretic profiles. The data were analyzed according to the UniProt code, protein name, protein group, isoelectric point and molecular weight, electrophoretic profile, molecular mass referring to UniProt, volume percentage referring to the spot of the electrophoretic profile, number of peptides and percent coverage found by mass spectrometry related to the particular proteins. In addition, there characterizations made the most significant protein per spot, and also characterizations made for biological processes and molecular functions for all identified proteins.

The aim of this study was to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic diversity and anti-microbial resistance among staphylococci of dairy herds that originated from Paraiba State, north-eastern Brazil, a region where such studies are rare. Milk samples (n = 552) were collected from 15 dairy farms. Isolates were evaluated for anti-microbial susceptibility by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Confirmation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was performed using multiplex PCR targeting mecA and nuc genes in addition to phenotypic assay based on PBP-2a latex agglutination. Clonal relatedness of isolates was determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) genotyping. Staphylococci were detected in 269 (49%) of the samples. Among these, 65 (24%) were S. aureus. The remaining 204 isolates were either coagulase-negative staphylococci (n = 188; 70%) or coagulase positive other than S. aureus (n = 16; 6%). Staphylococci were cultured in seven (35%) of the 20 hand swab samples, from which five isolates were S. aureus. The isolates were most commonly resistant against penicillin (43%), ampicillin (38%) and oxacillin (27%). The gene mecA was detected in 21 S. aureus from milk and in one isolate from a milker's hand. None of the isolates were resistant to vancomycin. PFGE findings showed high clonal diversity among the isolates. Based on MLST, we identified a total of 11 different sequence types (STs 1, 5, 6, 83, 97, 126, 1583, 1622, 1623, 1624 and 1625) with four novel STs (ST1622-ST1625). The findings show that MRSA is prevalent in milk from semi-extensive dairy cows in north-eastern Brazil, and further investigation on its extent in various types of milk production systems and the farm-to-table continuum is warranted., (© 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of physiotherapy for urinary manifestations in patients with human T-lymphotropic virus 1-associated lower urinary tract dysfunction., Methods: Open clinical trial was conducted with 21 patients attending the physiotherapy clinic of the Hospital Universitário, Bahia, Brazil. Combinations of behavioral therapy, perineal exercises, and intravaginal or intra-anal electrical stimulation were used., Results: The mean age was 54 ± 12 years and 67% were female. After treatment, there was an improvement in symptoms of urinary urgency, frequency, incontinence, nocturia, and in the sensation of incomplete emptying (P < .001). There was also a reduction in the overactive bladder symptom score from 10 ± 4 to 6 ± 3 (P < .001) and an increase in the perineal muscle strength (P <.001). The urodynamic parameters improved, with reduction in the frequency of patients with detrusor hyperactivity from 57.9% to 42.1%, detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia from 31.6% to 5.3%, detrusor hypocontractility from 15.8% to 0%, and detrusor areflexia from 10.5% to 0%, with positive repercussions in the quality of life in all patients., Conclusion: Physiotherapy was effective in cases of human T-lymphotropic virus 1-associated neurogenic bladder, reducing symptoms, increasing perineal muscle strength, and improving urodynamic parameters and quality of life., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence, antimicrobial resistance patterns, phenotypic and genotypic relatedness of Salmonella enterica recovered from captive wildlife host species and in the environment in Ohio, USA. A total of 319 samples including faecal (n = 225), feed (n = 38) and environmental (n = 56) were collected from 32 different wild and exotic animal species in captivity and their environment in Ohio. Salmonellae were isolated using conventional culture methods and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility with the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Salmonella isolates were serotyped, and genotyping was performed using the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Salmonella was detected in 56 of 225 (24.9%) faecal samples; six of 56 (10.7%) environmental samples and six of 38 (15.8%) feed samples. Salmonella was more commonly isolated in faecal samples from giraffes (78.2%; 36/46), cranes (75%; 3/4) and raccoons (75%; 3/4). Salmonella enterica serotypes of known public health significance including S. Typhimurium (64.3%), S. Newport (32.1%) and S. Heidelberg (5.3%) were identified. While the majority of the Salmonella isolates were pan-susceptible (88.2%; 60 of 68), multidrug-resistant strains including penta-resistant type, AmStTeKmGm (8.8%; six of 68) were detected. Genotypic diversity was found among S. Typhimurium isolates. The identification of clonally related Salmonella isolates from environment and faeces suggests that indirect transmission of Salmonella among hosts via environmental contamination is an important concern to workers, visitors and other wildlife. Results of this study show the diversity of Salmonella serovars and public health implications of human exposure from wildlife reservoirs., (© 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Ticks are blood-feeding arthropods with an outstanding ability to remain attached to its host for considerable periods while blood-feeding and remaining unnoticed. Their success results from the ability to modulate hemostatic and host immune responses. The ability to "bypass" a host's defenses, prevent blood clotting and wound healing makes ticks utterly interesting animals for the development of new drugs. Studies worldwide on various tick species have shown that tick saliva possesses a wide array of lipidic and proteic biomolecules with useful properties. These include not only immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet and anti-clotting properties, but also cytotoxic and cytolitic properties that act against various cell types, and anti-angiogenic properties, which have gained increasing prominence. We searched PubMed, Science Direct, Elsevier and other sites for publications regarding tick saliva and its effects on cancer cells and angiogenesis. Our aim was to compile a list of molecules with potential for host adaptation and for the development of new cancer treatment drugs., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Physical activity evokes well-known adaptations in the cardiovascular system. Although exercise training induces cardiac remodeling, whether multipotent stem cells play a functional role in the hypertrophic process remains unknown. To evaluate this possibility, C57BL/6 mice were subjected to swimming training aimed at achieving cardiac hypertrophy, which was morphologically and electrocardiographically characterized. Subsequently, c-Kit(+)Lin(-) and Sca-1(+)Lin(-) cardiac stem cells (CSCs) were quantified using flow cytometry while cardiac muscle-derived stromal cells (CMSCs, also known as cardiac-derived mesenchymal stem cells) were assessed using in vitro colony-forming unit fibroblast assay (CFU-F). Only the number of c-Kit(+)Lin(-) cells increased in the hypertrophied heart. To investigate a possible extracardiac origin of these cells, a parabiotic eGFP transgenic/wild-type mouse model was used. The parabiotic pairs were subjected to swimming, and the wild-type heart in particular was tested for eGFP(+) stem cells. The results revealed a negligible number of extracardiac stem cells in the heart, allowing us to infer a cardiac origin for the increased amount of detected c-Kit(+) cells. In conclusion, the number of resident Sca-1(+)Lin(-) cells and CMSCs was not changed, whereas the number of c-Kit(+)Lin(-) cells was increased during physiological cardiac hypertrophy. These c-Kit(+)Lin(-) CSCs may contribute to the physiological cardiac remodeling that result from exercise training., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This study assessed the effect of both embryonic thermal manipulation and dietary threonine level on the response of broilers inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis, considering bacterial counts in the cecal contents, intestinal morphology, mucin and heat shock protein 70 gene expression, body weight and weight gain. Thermal manipulation was used from 11 days of incubation until hatch, defining three treatments: standard (37.7°C), continuous high temperature (38.7°C) and continuous low temperature (36.7°C). After hatch, chicks were distributed according to a 3x2+1 factorial arrangement (three temperatures and two threonine levels and one sham-inoculated control). At two days of age, all chicks were inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis, except for the sham-inoculated control group. There was no interaction between the factors on any analyses. High temperature during incubation was able to reduce colonization by Salmonella Enteritidis in the first days, reducing both Salmonella counts and the number of positive birds. It also increased mucin expression and decreased Hsp70 expression compared with other inoculated groups. High temperature during incubation and high threonine level act independently to reduce the negative effects associated to Salmonella Enteritidis infection on intestinal morphology and performance, with results similar to sham-inoculated birds. The findings open new perspectives for practical strategies towards the pre-harvest Salmonella control in the poultry industry.

Background: Sand fly saliva plays a crucial role in establishing Leishmania infection. We identified adenosine (ADO) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) as active pharmacologic compounds present in Phlebotomus papatasi saliva that inhibit dendritic cell (DC) functions through a PGE2/IL 10-dependent mechanism., Methodology/principal Findings: Herein, we prepared a mixture of ADO and AMP in equimolar amounts similar to those present in the salivary-gland extract (SGE) form one pair of salivary glands of P. papatasi and co-injected it with Leishmania amazonensis or L. major into mouse ears. ADO+AMP mimicked exacerbative effects of P. papatasi saliva in leishmaniasis, increasing parasite burden and cutaneous lesions. Enzymatic catabolism of salivary nucleosides reversed the SGE-induced immunosuppressive effect associated with IL-10 enhancement. Immunosuppressive factors COX2 and IL-10 were upregulated and failed to enhance ear lesion and parasite burden in IL 10-/- infected mice. Furthermore, nucleosides increased regulatory T cell (Treg) marker expression on CD4+CD25- cells, suggesting induction of Tregs on effector T cells (T eff). Treg induction (iTreg) was associated with nucleoside-induced tolerogenic dendritic cells (tDCs) expressing higher levels of COX2 and IL-10. In vitro generation of Tregs was more efficient in DCs treated with nucleosides. Suppressive effects of nucleosides during cutaneous leishmaniasis were mediated through an A2AR-dependent mechanism. Using BALB/c mice deficient in A2A ADO receptor (A2AR-/-), we showed that co-inoculated mice controlled infection, displaying lower parasite numbers at infection sites and reduced iTreg generation., Conclusion/significance: We have demonstrated that ADO and AMP in P. papatasi saliva mediate exacerbative effects of Leishmania infection by acting preferentially on DCs promoting a tolerogenic profile in DCs and by generating iTregs in inflammatory foci through an A2AR mechanism.

Background: Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and is characterized by cardiac, gastrointestinal, and nervous system disorders. Although much about the pathophysiological process of Chagas disease is already known, the influence of the parasite burden on the inflammatory process and disease progression remains uncertain., Methods: We used an acute experimental disease model to evaluate the effect of T. cruzi on intestinal lesions and assessed correlations between parasite load and inflammation and intestinal injury at 7 and 14 days post-infection. Low (3 × 10(2)), medium (3 × 10(3)), and high (3 × 10(4)) parasite loads were generated by infecting C57BL/6 mice with "Y"-strain trypomastigotes. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance with Tukey's multiple comparison post-test, Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn's multiple comparison, χ2 test and Spearman correlation., Results: High parasite load-bearing mice more rapidly and strongly developed parasitemia. Increased colon width, inflammatory infiltration, myositis, periganglionitis, ganglionitis, pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-2, IL-17, IL-6), and intestinal amastigote nests were more pronounced in high parasite load-bearing animals. These results were remarkable because a positive correlation was observed between parasite load, inflammatory infiltrate, amastigote nests, and investigated cytokines., Conclusions: These experimental data support the idea that the parasite load considerably influences the T. cruzi-induced intestinal inflammatory response and contributes to the development of the digestive form of the disease.

Background: Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells with vital roles in the activation of host immunity. Ticks are bloodsucking arthropods that secrete bioactive compounds with immunomodulatory properties via their saliva. It is known that some tick species modulate the biology of DCs with different intensities; however, studies on Amblyomma cajennense, the Cayenne tick, have not yet been performed, although this species is considered one of the most capable of modulating immune responses of different hosts., Methods: Engorged female ticks were stimulated with dopamine to induce salivation, and saliva was pooled. The effects of tick saliva on the biology of dendritic cells were assessed by examining DC differentiation, maturation, migration, cellular viability, cytokine production and expression of surface markers by flow cytometry and ELISA. Competitive enzyme immunoassays (EIA) were used to measure saliva prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2). Statistical significance was determined by ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-test or by the Kruskal-Wallis test with the Dunns post-test., Results: In this work, we demonstrated that the presence of A. cajennense saliva to bone marrow cultures inhibit DC differentiation. This inhibition was not accompanied by inhibition or induction of stimulatory and co-stimulatory molecules such as MHC-II, CD40, CD80 or CD86. Immature and mature DCs that were pre-exposed to saliva showed reduced migration toward the chemokines RANTES and MIP-3β. This inhibition was associated to a reduced expression of CCR5 (the receptor for RANTES) or CCR7 (the receptor for MIP-3β) induced by the presence of saliva in the cultures. Tick saliva also inhibited IL-12p40, IL-6 and TNF-α in a concentration-dependent manner while potentiating IL-10 cytokine production by DCs stimulated with Toll-like receptor-4 ligand. Additionally, A. cajennense tick saliva inhibited the expression of CD40 and CD86 in mature DCs while potentiating the expression of PD-L1. PGE2 was detected as one of the constituents of saliva at a concentration of ~ 80 ng/ml, and we believe that most of the results reported herein are due to the presence of PGE2., Conclusions: These results help to understand the tick-host interaction and demonstrate that A. cajennense ticks appear to have mechanisms for modulating host immune cells, including DCs.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious infectious disease caused by the TB-causing bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is considered a public health problem with enormous social impact. Disease progression is determined mainly by the balance between the microorganism and the host defense systems. Although the immune system controls the infection, this control does not necessarily lead to sterilization. Over recent decades, the patterns of CD4+ T cell responses have been studied with a goal of complete understanding of the immunological mechanisms involved in the maintenance of latent or active tuberculosis infection and of the clinical cure after treatment. Conflicting results have been suggested over the years, particularly in studies comparing experimental models and human disease. In recent years, in addition to Th1, Th2, and Th17 profiles, new standards of cellular immune responses, such as Th9, Th22, and IFN-γ-IL-10 double-producing Th cells, discussed here, have also been described. Additionally, many new roles and cellular sources have been described for IL-10, demonstrating a critical role for this cytokine as regulatory, rather than merely pathogenic cytokine, involved in the establishment of chronic latent infection, in the clinical cure after treatment and in keeping antibacillary effector mechanisms active to prevent immune-mediated damage.