Search

Objective: To evaluate the effects of UV postcuring times on color stability (CS), surface properties (wettability [°] and surface roughness [Ra]), and conversion of 3D-printed resins for temporary restorations., Methods: Disc-shaped specimens (10.0×3.0 mm) and maxillary central incisors (8.2×10.3 mm) were fabricated using provisional 3D-printed resin (PriZma Bio Prov [PZ] and PrintaX AA TEMP [PX]) in A2 shade and subjected to UV postcure times of 0 (T0), 5 (T1), 10 (T2), and 15 (T3) minutes (n=15). The incisors were used for CS evaluation with a colorimeter. In contrast, discs were used to measure the contact angle using the sessile drop method, surface roughness with an optical profilometer, and degree of conversion with FT-NIR. For CS, Ra, contact angle, and degree of conversion, a two-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc test (α=0.05) was used., Results: PX resin demonstrated greater color stability than PZ (p=0.001). Long UV postcuring times (10 to 15 minutes) will increase the contact angle (p=0.013) and stabilize the degree of conversion (p=0.01), while 5 to 10 minutes of UV postcuring will provide better surface smoothness (p=0.04) of both resins., Conclusions: Long UV postcuring times (10 to 15 minutes) lead to greater alterations in color, contact angle, and stability of the degree of conversion, while 5 to 10 minutes lead to a smoother surface of the 3D-printed temporary resins., (©Operative Dentistry, 2024.)

Computational methodologies for predicting the fractional flow reserve (FFR) in coronary arteries with stenosis have gained significant attention due to their potential impact on healthcare outcomes. Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, prompting the need for accurate diagnostic and treatment approaches. The use of medical image-based anatomical vascular geometries in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to evaluate the hemodynamics has emerged as a promising tool in the medical field. This comprehensive review aims to explore the state-of-the-art computational methodologies focusing on the possible considerations. Key aspects include the rheology of blood, boundary conditions, fluid-structure interaction (FSI) between blood and the arterial wall, and multiscale modelling (MM) of stenosis. Through an in-depth analysis of the literature, the goal is to obtain an overview of the major achievements regarding non-invasive methods to compute FFR and to identify existing gaps and challenges that inform further advances in the field. This research has the major objective of improving the current diagnostic capabilities and enhancing patient care in the context of cardiovascular diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Study Objectives: Four well-established predictors of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk are body mass index, age, sex, and neck circumference. We have previously reported cheeks appearance as an OSA predictor, which may represent a combination of such predictors in a single, readily available feature. This study sought to answer the question: Is cheeks appearance an OSA risk predictor?, Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study based on STARD (standards for reporting diagnostic accuracy studies). Patients undergoing polysomnography to investigate sleep complaints at a sleep clinic affiliated with a university hospital were assessed using cheeks appearance scored 0-3 for volume and 0-3 for flaccidity to create the Cheeks Appearance for Sleep Apnea (CASA) score ranging from 0 to 6. Appearance was judged by 3 blinded and independent evaluators., Results: Among 265 patients evaluated, 248 were included. Fifty-seven patients had a CASA score of 0 and 191 had a CASA score between 1 and 6. Polysomnography diagnosed 177 of the individuals with OSA; of these, 167 had an altered CASA score. Sensitivity was 87%, specificity was 82%, positive-predictive value was 94%, negative-predictive value was 66%, and accuracy was 86%., Conclusions: Our results suggest that combining volume and flaccidity of cheeks appearance in a single index may constitute a reliable OSA predictor. CASA score is a novel predictor of OSA with internal validity in a sleep laboratory adult population. Our findings support further studies to confirm the external validity of this practical diagnostic tool., Clinical Trial Registration: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: Cheeks Appearance as a Novel Predictor of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The CASA Score Study (CASA); URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04980586; Identifier: NCT04980586., Citation: Prikladnicki A, Gomes E, Sousa LCCR, Gonçalves SC, Martinez D. Cheeks appearance as a novel predictor of obstructive sleep apnea: the CASA score study. J Clin Sleep Med . 2024;20(6):879-885., (© 2024 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.)

This article describes a technique for the fabrication of digital complete dentures guided by facial scanning using an innovative device for maxillomandibular relation records. For this, a device was designed and 3-dimensionally (3D) printed to assist in the maxillomandibular record stage. Digital files of the diagnostic casts, jaw relation record, and facial images were superimposed, and the complete denture was virtually planned. Subsequently, trial complete dentures were 3D printed, and a functional and esthetic clinical tooth evaluation was conducted. Then, definitive impressions were made, and definitive complete dentures were obtained. The method of recording the maxillomandibular relation associated with facial scanning in a digital workflow for manufacturing the dentures in a 3-appointment protocol provided better predictability of patient care and reduced clinical and laboratory time than with the conventional denture technique., (Copyright © 2024 Editorial Council for The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of models of partially edentulous arches obtained by three-dimensional (3D) printing., Settings and Design: This was an in vitro study., Materials and Methods: Fifteen partially edentulous models were evaluated, using two methods of measuring dimensions: virtual, using the Standard Tessellation Language files of the models and software (control group), and physical, through printing the models and digital caliper (test group). For both methods, measurements were made regarding the dimensions of the teeth (width and length - buccal/lingual or palatal/occlusal) and distances between the teeth., Statistical Analysis Used: For the variable of linear measurements (width and length) and distances between teeth of the same hemiarch, the Wilcoxon test was used, while for the variable between opposite hemiarches, the paired t-test was used., Results: In the evaluation of the linear measurements, a significant difference was observed only when the width of the molar tooth was analyzed (P = 0.014). When the buccal length was measured, all teeth had linear measurements provided by the virtual method that was lower than the physical (P = 0.000), as well as the lingual/palatal length in incisors (P = 0.003) and molars (P = 0.009) and in total (P = 0.001). As for the analyses between teeth, no difference was identified between the measurements provided by the virtual method compared to the physical one., Conclusions: The 3D printer used to print partially edentulous models provided linear distortions in the teeth but without changes in the distances between teeth of the same hemiarch and between teeth of opposite hemiarches.

This work proposes a mathematical solution for the attitude control problem of an ornithopter wing. An ornithopter is an artificial bird or insect-like aerial vehicle whose flight and lift movements are produced and maintained by flapping wings. The aerodynamical drag forces responsible for the flying movements are generated by the wing attitude and torques applied to its joints. This mechanical system represents a challenging problem because its dynamics consist of MIMO nonlinear equations with couplings in the input variables. For dealing with such a mathematical model, an Active Disturbance Rejection Control-based (ADRC) method is considered. The cited control technique has been studied for almost two decades and its main characteristics are the use of an extended state observer to estimate the nonmeasurable signals of the plant and a state-feedback control law in standard form fed by that observer. However, even today, the application of the basic methodology requires the exact knowledge of the plant's control gain which is difficult to measure in the case of systems with uncertain parameters. In addition, most of the related works apply the ADRC strategy to Single Input Single Output (SISO) plants. For MIMO systems, the control gain is represented by a square matrix of general entries but most of the reported works consider the simplified case of uncoupled inputs, in which a diagonal matrix is assumed. In this paper, an extension of the ADRC SISO strategy for MIMO systems is proposed. By adopting such a control methodology, the resulting closed-loop scheme exhibits some key advantages: (i) it is robust to parametric uncertainties; (ii) it can compensate for external disturbances and unmodeled dynamics; (iii) even for nonlinear plants, mathematical analysis using Laplace's approach can be always used; and (iv) it can deal with system's coupled input variables. A complete mathematical model for the dynamics of the ornithopter wing system is presented. The efficiency of the proposed control is analyzed mathematically, discussed, and illustrated via simulation results of its application in the attitude control of ornithopter wings.

Aim: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a very common endocrine disorder in women. We investigate the effect of physical exercise on body composition, nutritional parameters, and oxidative stress in rats with PCOS., Methods: Female rats were into three groups: Control, PCOS, and PCOS + Exercise. PCOS was induced by letrozole (1 mg/kg via p.o.) for 21 days consecutively. Physical exercise was swimming, for 21 consecutive days, 1 h/day with 5 % load. In all groups, we assessed the nutritional and murinometric parameters, body composition, thermography, and oxidative stress in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and peri-ovarian adipose tissue (POAT)., Key Findings: In PCOS we observed an increase (P < 0.05) in body weight vs. the Control group. But, the PCOS + Exercise group prevent this weight gain (P < 0.05). The temperature in BAT, decrease (P < 0.05) in the PCOS group vs. Control group. PCOS + Exercise prevented this reduction (P < 0.05) in BAT temperature vs. PCOS groups. We observed decreases (P < 0.05) in Lee Index and BMI in POS + Exercise vs. PCOS group. In PCOS rats, we observed an increase (P < 0.05) in murinometric (SRWG, EI, and FE) and body composition parameters (TWB, ECF, ICF, and FFM) vs. the Control group. The PCOS + Exercise prevents (P < 0.05) these changes in all groups, compared with PCOS. Regarding the BAT, we observe an increase (P < 0.05) in MPO and MDA levels in the PCOS vs. Control group. PCOS + Exercise prevents (P < 0.05) these increases vs. the PCOS group., Significance: PCOS modifies body composition, and nutritional parameters, and induces changes in oxidative stress in BAT. Physical exercise prevented these alterations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare no conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and diversity of endoparasitic fauna and the risk factors associated with parasite infections in free-range chickens in the state of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. Ten municipalities were visited and, in each of them, ten farms, to collect animal feces and apply epidemiological questionnaires. Feces from 417 poultry were used to perform EPG (eggs per gram) and OoPG (oocysts per gram) tests. Prevalences of 40.52% (169/417) and 39.08% (163/417) were observed for nematodes and coccidia, respectively. In 17% (71/417), mixed infections by nematodes and coccidia were observed. Nematodes of Heterakoidea superfamily were present in 100% of the positive samples (169/169), followed by Trichuris spp. (57.3%; 97/169). All the protozoan oocysts observed belonged to the genus Eimeria (100%; 163/163). The variable of presence of drooping wings was considered to be a factor associated with infection by coccidia (odds ratio = 5.412; confidence interval: 1.179-24.848; p = 0.030). It was concluded that there is high prevalence of nematodes and coccidia in free-range chickens in the state of Paraíba, Brazil. Better sanitary management measures, with greater hygiene of facilities, together with chemical control of parasites, can improve productivity by reducing the rate of gastrointestinal parasites.

The aim of the present study was to find out the diversity of Eimeria species in cattle herds in the semiarid region of Brazil. Forty cattle fecal samples were collected from 20 farms in the Paraíba State, Northeast Brazil, and examined by centrifugation-floatation technique in sucrose solution. From each positive animal, 20 oocysts were photographed and measured. Infection by Eimeria spp. was detected in 17.12% (137/800) of the samples analyzed. All the farms had at least one animal that was positive for Eimeria spp. (100%; 20/20). In total, 2740 coccidia were photographed and measured. The species detected were: Eimeria bovis (35.1%); Eimeria canadensis (17.48%); Eimeria auburnensis (14.7%); Eimeria ellipsoidalis (9.7%); Eimeria zuernii (7.22%); Eimeria brasiliensis (4.56%); Eimeria bukidnonensis (3.97%); Eimeria illinoisensis (2.91%); Eimeria wyomingensis (1.42%); Eimeria alabamensis (1.27%); Eimeria cylindrica (0.76%); Eimeria pellita (0.54%); Eimeria ildefonsoi (0.21%); and Eimeria subspherica (0.07%). It was concluded that cattle in the semiarid region of Brazil were parasitized by 14 species of Eimeria. It is thinked that the sanitary management employed, as well as the system used for raising these animals, is the crucial point that leads to high rates of infection in this region.

We aimed to evaluate a Brazilian commercial formulation of the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans (Bioverm®) for controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep kept on native pasture in the Caatinga biome, in the semiarid region of Brazil. Twenty ewes, aged between 12 and 18 months, were divided into two groups. In the treated group, each animal received 1 g of the Bioverm® product for each 10 kg of live weight, daily, together with commercial feed, for 6 months. In the control group, the animals received feed without Bioverm®. Each group remained throughout the experiment in a 1.2-ha paddock. Monthly counts of eggs per gram (EPG) of feces, fecal cultures, packed cell volume (PCV), weight measurements, and collection of leaf mass from the pasture were performed. There was greater reduction in EPG, greater weight gain, and less infestation by infective larvae in the paddock of the Bioverm® group, compared with the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) in the mean PCV percentage between the Bioverm® and control groups. In coprocultures, Haemonchus sp. was the most prevalent helminth. Bioverm® (D. flagrans) was efficient for biological control of sheep gastrointestinal nematodes in the semiarid region of Brazil., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Rhipicephalus microplus, also known as the cattle tick, is the parasite with the greatest impact on cattle in Brazil. The most common method for controlling this tick is the application of synthetic chemical acaricides, especially ivermectin, which belongs to the group of macrocyclic lactones (MLs). However, because ivermectin is widely used, there is concern about the development of cross-resistance within this chemical class. Thus, engorged females were collected from farms with a history of resistance to ivermectin, which was the only one among the MLs that was used as an endectocide drug. Using larval immersion tests (LIT), bioassays were performed with ivermectin, moxidectin and eprinomectin on populations of R. microplus from the semiarid region of the states of Paraíba and Ceará, Brazil. Epidemiological questionnaires were applied to collect information about tick control management. All the evaluated populations showed cross-resistance between ivermectin and moxidectin, but only one population showed cross-resistance between ivermectin and eprinomectin. Weekly or monthly administration of injectable 1% ivermectin on farms was reported. It was concluded that the frequent use of ivermectin may lead to the development of cross-resistance to moxidectin. For eprinomectin, despite the structural similarity, cross-resistance was not observed in three tick populations., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The achievement of clinically viable methodologies to simulate the hemodynamics in patient-specific coronary arteries is still a major challenge. Therefore, the novelty of this work is attained by the introduction of the viscoelastic property of blood in the numerical simulations, to study the role of the left coronary artery (LCA) geometry configuration in the atherosusceptibility. Apparently healthy patients were used and four different methodologies were tested. The methodology giving the most accurate results at the same time of having the lowest computational time is the one considering the viscoelastic property of blood and computational fluid dynamics. A Pearson correlation analysis was used to highlight relationships between geometric configuration and hemodynamic descriptors based on the simulated wall shear stress (WSS). The left main stem (LMS) has the greatest atherosusceptibility followed by the left anterior descending artery (LAD) since the relative residence time (RRT) average values are 3.81 and 3.70 Pa -1 , respectively. The geometric parameters with relevant contribution to directional flow change are the cross-sectional areas, especially the one of LMS segment (A LMS ), and the curvature of LMS segment. For LMS and LAD segments, when A LMS increases, blood flow disturbance (r = 0.81 in LMS and r = 0.74 in LAD) and atherosusceptibility (r = 0.84 in LMS and r = 0.85 in LAD) increases. When the LMS curvature decreases, the WSS magnitude (r = 0.80 in LMS and r = 0.83 in LAD) decreases, and disturbance (r=-0.80 in LMS and r=-0.91 in LAD) and atherosusceptibility (r=-0.74 in LMS and r=-0.74 in LAD) increases.

Objective: Analyze the spatio-temporal distribution of AIDS cases in Maranhão., Methods: Ecological study of AIDS cases in the Notifiable Diseases Information System, 2011-2018. Gross and adjusted incidences were calculated using the Baysean method; then, the Moran Global and Local Indices to observe the existence of spatial autocorrelation of the cases and for the delimitation of high and low risk clusters., Results: 6,349 cases were reported, which were distributed heterogeneously. There was an advance of cases to new areas and persistence in old areas, such as in the capital São Luís and its surroundings. The dissemination did not occur at random, with positive spatial autocorrelation, with evidence of the formation of clusters in the municipalities of São Luís, São José de Ribamar and Paço do Lumiar., Conclusion: High-risk areas have been identified and should be considered a priority for investment in health, management, and organization of health services.

The effectiveness of four anthelmintic classes on cattle gastrointestinal nematodes in the semi-arid region of Paraiba State, Brazil, was evaluated. Twenty farms were used, testing 40 animals in each one, totaling 800 animals. Cattle were divided into four groups composed with ten animals: I, treated with albendazole sulfoxide 15%; II, treated with ivermectin 1%; III, treated with closantel 25%; IV, treated with levamisole hydrochloride 7.5%. All treatments were administered subcutaneously. For the Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT), individual fecal samples were collected on days 0 and 14, and sent for analysis of egg count per gram of feces (EPG) and larval cultures. It was observed that multiresistance was present in 95% (19/20) of the farms. Resistance to ivermectin and albendazole was observed in 95% (19/20), to closantel in 75% (15/20) and to levamisole in 20% (4/20). The most used management system was semi-intensive (75%; 15/20) and the ivermectin was the most reported drug for controlling helminths (65%; 13/20). Haemonchus spp. was the most prevalent helminth genus. It was concluded that the anthelmintic resistance of bovine gastrointestinal nematodes is high in the semi-arid of Paraíba State, Brazil, with multiresistance observed mainly to ivermectin, albendazole and closantel.

In recent decades, the increasing complexity of arterial bypasses in the management of chronic limb-threatening ischemia has spurred the development of alternative techniques, such as revascularization of genicular arteries. Few publications on this technique can be found in the literature, and its use has been restricted to specialized vascular groups. This article describes the case of a patient with extensive femorotibial occlusive disease who received a collateral artery bypass, using the deep femoral artery as a donor, the cephalic vein as an alternative autogenous substitute, and the descending genicular artery as a recipient. Bypass to the descending genicular artery, although underutilized, is an effective option and increases the possibility of limb salvage in the management of chronic limb-threatening ischemia., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data., (© 2020 The Authors. Ecology © 2020 The Ecological Society of America.)

The distribution, seasonal variation and sources of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from suspended particulate matter (SPM) of the Aurá River, a small amazon typical river located in Northern Brazil, were determined. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of SPM revealed a mixture of PAH from different origins and a seasonal variation of PAH primary source for the studied area. Pyrene was the dominant PAH in both studied periods. Total PAH content (ΣPAH) ranged from lower than quantification limit (< LOQ) to 2498.2 ng g -1 dw during the dry season and < LOQ to 2865.8 ng g -1 dw during the wet season. Low molecular weight PAH (LMW) represented 51% of ΣPAH during the dry season and 29% during the wet season. It was noted, by comparing previous data, that the main source of these compounds was altered after the deactivation of an irregular landfill next to the river.

This paper presents a finite element analysis to investigate the biomechanical changes caused by transforaminal (TLIF) and anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) at the L5-S1 level, applying two different implants: T&#95;PAL (TLIF) and SynFix (ALIF). The main objective is to determine which one is more stable for patients. Numerical simulations of segmental motion show that, in the early postoperative phase, displacements and rotation angles obtained in ALIF are greater than the corresponding ones obtained in TLIF, as well as the principal stress values on the ligaments. So, TLIF performed with T&#95;PAL is more stable than ALIF, especially during the recovery phase.

The present study aims to compare spinal stability after two different minimally invasive techniques, the lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) and the transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) approaches. Two nonlinear three-dimensional finite element (FE) models of the L4-L5 functional spinal unit (FSU) were subjected to the loads that usually act on the lumbar spine. Findings show that the LLIF approach yields better results for torsion load case, due to the larger surface area of the implant. For extension, flexion and lateral bending loads, the TLIF approach presents smaller displacements probably due to the anterior placement of the cage and to the smaller damaged area of the annulus fibrosus.

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

Purpose: Coronary artery geometry can have a significant impact in the hemodynamic behavior of coronary blood flow, influencing atherosclerotic plaque formation. The present work focuses on, through a statistical study, the connection between several geometric parameters of the right coronary artery-ostium cross-sectional area, angles between the common trunk and the side-branches, tortuosity, curvature and cross-sectional area in each side-branch-and their influence on hemodynamic descriptors. Parameters such as low wall shear stress and local disturbed flow, which are associated with atherosclerosis formation, were analysed., Methods: Computed tomography images of ten healthy individuals were selected to reconstruct in vivo three-dimensional models of right coronary arteries. Blood flow was simulated through a compliant model with realistic boundary conditions. Calculated hemodynamic descriptors values were correlated with the geometric parameters using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and the p value., Results: The strongest correlations were found in the middle and distal segments of the right coronary artery. A decrease in the ostium area promotes a decrease in the WSS magnitude from the proximal to the distal segment (r = 0.82). Very strong correlations (r > 0.90) were achieved between geometric parameters (cross-sectional area, angle, tortuosity) of the right-ventricular branch and the wall shear stress magnitude in the middle and distal segments., Conclusions: Low values of tortuosity, smaller cross-sectional area and higher angle of the right-ventricular branch leads to a hemodynamic behavior more propitious to atherosclerosis formation, within the study cases. The right-ventricular branch seems to have the highest influence in the hemodynamic behavior of the right coronary artery.

The hemodynamics conditioned by coronary geometry may play an important role in the creation of a pro-atherogenic environment in specific locations of the coronary tree. The aim of this study is to identify how several geometric parameters of the left coronary artery - cross-section areas, proximal left anterior descending artery length, angles between the branches and the septum, curvature and tortuosity - can be related with hemodynamic descriptors, using a computational fluid-structure interaction method. It is widely accepted that the hemodynamic indicators play an important role in identifying possible pro-atherogenic locations. A statistical study, using Pearson correlation coefficient and P value, was performed for a population study of 8 normal human left coronary arteries presenting right-dominant circulation. Within the study cases, arteries with high caliber (r = 0.88), high angles LMS-LAD (r = 0.49), LAD-LCx (r = 0.57) and LAD-Septum (r = 0.52), and high tortuosity LMS-LCx (r = 0.63) were correlated with a hemodynamic behavior propitious to plaque formation in the left anterior descending artery. In contrast, high proximal left anterior descending artery length (r = -0.41), high angle LMS-LCx (r = -0.59), high tortuosity LMS-LAD (r = -0.56) and LAD-LCx (r = -0.55) and high curvature of LMS (r = -0.60) and LCx (r = -0.56) can lead to non-favorable hemodynamic conditions for atheroma formation. Graphical abstract.

The definition of a suitable mesh to simulate blood flow in the human carotid bifurcation has been investigated. In this research, a novel mesh generation method is proposed: hexahedral cells at the center of the vessel and a fine grid of tetrahedral cells near the artery wall, in order to correctly simulate the large blood velocity gradients associated with specific locations. The selected numerical examples to show the pertinence of the novel generation method are supported by carotid ultrasound image data of a patient-specific case. Doppler systolic blood velocities measured during ultrasound examination are compared with simulated velocities using 4 different combinations of hexahedral and tetrahedral meshes and different fluid dynamic simulators. The Lin's test was applied to show the concordance of the results. Wall shear stress-based descriptors and localized normalized helicity descriptor emphasize the performance of the new method. Another feature is the reduced computation time required by the developed methodology. With the accurate combined mesh, different flow rate partitions, between the internal carotid artery and external carotid artery, were studied. The overall effect of the partitions is mainly in the blood flow patterns and in the hot-spot modulation of atherosclerosis-susceptible regions, rather than in their distribution along the bifurcation., (Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: Obesity triggers alterations in hemodynamic and autonomic control. There are few studies that investigate the effects of overweight and obesity in early adulthood on hemodynamic and autonomic variables., Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether overweight and obesity in young individuals cause alterations in hemodynamic parameters and heart rate variability (HRV) in supine and seated position, and to correlate these variables with anthropometric features., Methods: Measurements were performed in 40 young untrained male study participants. The subjects were eutrophic (22.8 ± 0.3 kg/m 2 , N = 19), overweight (27.0 ± 0.5 kg/m 2 , N = 10), and obese (33.5 ± 0.8 kg/m 2 , N = 11). After 5 min in supine and seated position, the R-R intervals and blood pressure (BP) were recorded., Results: The systolic blood pressure were higher in overweight (supine, 122.9 ± 2.3 mmHg) and obese (supine, 123.9 ± 2.2; seated, 121.7 ± 2.3 mmHg) individuals compared to eutrophic individuals (supine, 111.8 ± 1.64; seated, 111.3 ± 1.8 mmHg) (p ⩽ 0.05). Obese subjects exhibited lower HRV (SD1, RMSSD, pNN50) compared to eutrophic individuals when seated. In obese subjects, the heart rate (HR) increased and HRV decreased (p ≤ 0.05) when seated versus supine position. The body mass, body mass index (BMI), and waist and abdominal circumferences correlated positively with BP (r = 0.40-0.64, p ≤ 0.05), while the BMI, waist circumference, BP, and HR were negatively correlated (r = -0.32 -0.62, p ≤ 0.05) with HRV (pNN50 and HF) in both body positions. BMI, waist circumference, BP and HR correlated negat- ively with additional HRV indices (SD1, SD2, RMSSD, TP, and LF) when seated., Conclusions: Obese and overweight individuals presented higher SBP, and obese individuals had lower HRV and cardiac vagal activity, associated with anthropometric variables., Relevance for Patients: The monitoring of HRV in obese subjects in seated position allows improved prognosis of metabolic consequences to cardiac autonomic control.

Background: Depression is accompanied by activated neuro-oxidative and neuro-nitrosative pathways, while targeting these pathways has clinical efficacy in depression. This study aimed to investigate the effects of mirtazapine (MIRT) alone and combined with alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) against corticosterone (CORT) induced behavioral and oxidative alterations., Methods: Male mice received vehicle or CORT 20mg/kg during 14 days. From the 15th to 21st days they were divided in groups administered: vehicle, MIRT 3mg/kg or the combinations MIRT+ALA100 or MIRT+ALA200. On the 21st day of treatment, the animals were subjected to behavioral tests. Twenty-four hours after the last drug administration hippocampus (HC) and striatum (ST) were dissected for the determination reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LP) and nitrite levels., Results: CORT induced anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors as observed by increased immobility time in the tail suspension test and decreased sucrose consumption. MIRT or MIRT+ALA are effective in reversing anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors induced by CORT. CORT and MIRT alone prolonged sleeping time and this effect was reversed by MIRT+ALA. CORT significantly increased LP, which was reversed by MIRT or MIRT+ALA. Nitrite levels were increased in CORT-treated animals and reversed by MIRT+ALA200 (HC), MIRT or MIRT+ALA (ST)., Limitation: A relative small sample size and lack of a washout period between drug administration and behavioral testing., Conclusions: MIRT or MIRT+ALA reverse CORT-induced anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors probably via their central antioxidant effects. Augmentation of MIRT with ALA may reverse sedation, an important side effect of MIRT. Randomized controlled studies are needed to examine the clinical efficacy of this combination in human depression., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We demonstrate that even a partial reduction of Aire mRNA levels by siRNA-induced Aire knockdown (Aire KD) has important consequences to medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs). Aire knockdown is sufficient to reduce Aire protein levels, impair its nuclear location, and cause an imbalance in large-scale gene expression, including genes that encode cell adhesion molecules. These genes drew our attention because adhesion molecules are implicated in the process of mTEC-thymocyte adhesion, which is critical for T cell development and the establishment of central self-tolerance. Accordingly, we consider the following: 1) mTECs contribute to the elimination of self-reactive thymocytes through adhesion; 2) Adhesion molecules play a crucial role during physical contact between these cells; and 3) Aire is an important transcriptional regulator in mTECs. However, its role in controlling mTEC-thymocyte adhesion remains unclear. Because Aire controls adhesion molecule genes, we hypothesized that the disruption of its expression could influence mTEC-thymocyte interaction. To test this hypothesis, we used a murine Aire(+) mTEC cell line as a model system to reproduce mTEC-thymocyte adhesion in vitro. Transcriptome analysis of the mTEC cell line revealed that Aire KD led to the down-modulation of more than 800 genes, including those encoding for proteins involved in cell adhesion, i.e., the extracellular matrix constituent Lama1, the CAM family adhesion molecules Vcam1 and Icam4, and those that encode peripheral tissue antigens. Thymocytes co-cultured with Aire KD mTECs had a significantly reduced capacity to adhere to these cells. This finding is the first direct evidence that Aire also plays a role in controlling mTEC-thymocyte adhesion., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The compatibilities between donors and recipients are extremely important for evaluating the immunological risks of transplants. One challenge faced by data analysis tools is the transformation of complex data into simple, intuitive, and important information that can be used to resolve contemporary problems. To address this challenge, we developed the EpViX software to perform epitope reactivity analyses and automated epitope virtual crossmatching. EpViX is a facilitator of medical decision-making regarding the identification of the best donor for a high-immunologic risk recipient. The objective of this work is to describe the computational architecture of the EpViX ecosystem (http://www.epvix.com.br)., Materials and Methods: EpViX is a freeware on the web that was developed in the Ruby language. EpViX can be accessed from different platforms, e.g., PCs, tablets, and smartphones. It consists of an ecosystem of tools that are capable of integrating all of the stakeholders who are involved in a transplant process with a deceased donor., Results: We successfully developed a program that allows people to work collaboratively and effectively during the donation process by accurately predicting negative crossmatches, saving time and other resources., Conclusions: EpViX represents a significant breakthrough for the organ transplant process and may meet the current needs of transplant programs because it increases the chances of the allocation of low-immunologic risk donors to highly sensitized recipients and assures greater equity among the recipients on a waiting list. EpViX was duly verified and tested in terms of data security. Moreover, usability tests demonstrated that EpViX is an intuitive and easy-to-use tool., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The organophosphate temephos has been the main insecticide used against larvae of the dengue and yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) in Brazil since the mid-1980s. Reports of resistance date back to 1995; however, no systematic reports of widespread temephos resistance have occurred to date. As resistance investigation is paramount for strategic decision-making by health officials, our objective here was to investigate the spatial and temporal spread of temephos resistance in Ae. aegypti in Brazil for the last 12 years using discriminating temephos concentrations and the bioassay protocols of the World Health Organization. The mortality results obtained were subjected to spatial analysis for distance interpolation using semi-variance models to generate maps that depict the spread of temephos resistance in Brazil since 1999. The problem has been expanding. Since 2002-2003, approximately half the country has exhibited mosquito populations resistant to temephos. The frequency of temephos resistance and, likely, control failures, which start when the insecticide mortality level drops below 80%, has increased even further since 2004. Few parts of Brazil are able to achieve the target 80% efficacy threshold by 2010/2011, resulting in a significant risk of control failure by temephos in most of the country. The widespread resistance to temephos in Brazilian Ae. aegypti populations greatly compromise effective mosquito control efforts using this insecticide and indicates the urgent need to identify alternative insecticides aided by the preventive elimination of potential mosquito breeding sites.

Purpose: There is nowadays extensive experimental and computational investigation on the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, searching correlations between its focal nature and local hemodynamic environment. The goal of this work is to present a methodology for patient-specific hemodynamics study of the carotid artery bifurcation based on the use of ultrasound (US) morphological and blood flow velocity patient data., Materials/methods: Subject-specific studies were performed for two patients, using a developed finite element code. Geometrical models were obtained from the acquisition of longitudinal and sequential cross-sectional ultrasound images and boundary conditions from Doppler velocity measurements at the common carotid artery., Results: There was a good agreement between ultrasound imaging data and computational simulated results. For a normal and a stenosed carotid bifurcation the velocity, wall shear stress (WSS) and WSS descriptors analysis illustrated the extremely complex hemodynamic behavior along the cardiac cycle. Different patterns were found, associated with morphology and hemodynamic patient-specific conditions. High values of time-averaged WSS (TAWSS) were found at stenosis site and for both patients TAWSS fields presented low values within areas of high oscillating shear index and relative residence time values, corresponding to recirculation zones., Conclusion: Simulated hemodynamic parameters were able to capture the disturbed flow conditions in a normal and a stenosed carotid artery bifurcation, which play an important role in the development of local atherosclerotic plaques. Computational simulations based on clinic US might help improving diagnostic and treatment management of carotid atherosclerosis., (Copyright © 2015 Medical University of Bialystok. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.)

The fungus Candida albicans is the most common causative agent of human fungal infections and better drugs or drug combination strategies are urgently needed. Here, we present an agent-based model of the interplay of C. albicans with the host immune system and with the microflora of the host. We took into account the morphological change of C. albicans from the yeast to hyphae form and its dynamics during infection. The model allowed us to follow the dynamics of fungal growth and morphology, of the immune cells and of microflora in different perturbing situations. We specifically focused on the consequences of microflora reduction following antibiotic treatment. Using the agent-based model, different drug types have been tested for their effectiveness, namely drugs that inhibit cell division and drugs that constrain the yeast-to-hyphae transition. Applied individually, the division drug turned out to successfully decrease hyphae while the transition drug leads to a burst in hyphae after the end of the treatment. To evaluate the effect of different drug combinations, doses, and schedules, we introduced a measure for the return to a healthy state, the infection score. Using this measure, we found that the addition of a transition drug to a division drug treatment can improve the treatment reliability while minimizing treatment duration and drug dosage. In this work we present a theoretical study. Although our model has not been calibrated to quantitative experimental data, the technique of computationally identifying synergistic treatment combinations in an agent based model exemplifies the importance of computational techniques in translational research.

Background and Objectives: Transfusion support for immune-mediated platelet refractoriness (PR) is clinically challenging, technically laborious and costly. The development of 'EpHLA/EpVix software' has been used successfully to select kidney donors. Here, we sought to evaluate this new software as a tool for platelet virtual crossmatch (VxM)., Materials and Methods: This is a prospective study from 2007 to 2014 of PR patients in a tertiary hospital. Platelet components selected by HLAMatchmaker program were crossmatched by EpHLA/EpVix, anti-human globulin complement-dependent lymphocytotoxicity test (AHG-CDC), flow cytometry platelet crossmatch (FCxM) and then compared. Effectiveness of platelet components transfused was evaluated by CCI., Results: Ninety-seven crossmatched platelet transfusions for 27 patients were enrolled. Partial matches were analysed for 75 transfusions by the 3 methods, and 22% showed discrepant results among the assays. After further analysis, data showed that all divergent cases could be explained by HPA alloimmunization, prozone effect (FCxM), low sensitivity of AHG-CDC and possible interference in FCxM/AHG-CDC assays. Notably, sensitivity and specificity of VxM analysis was excellent (100%). Satisfactory CCI counts were obtained for the majority (22/30) of the transfusions., Conclusion: The new EpHLA/EpVix method showed to be effective, feasible and fast for VxM at no cost and able to minimize labour on donor identification. However, platelet crossmatching may be a necessary step because EpHLA/EpVix does not formally exclude HPA alloimmunization., (© 2015 International Society of Blood Transfusion.)

One of the challenges facing solid organ transplantation programs globally is the identification of low immunological risk donors for sensitized recipients by HLA allele genotype. Because recognition of donor HLA alleles by host antibodies is at the core of organ rejection, the objective of this work was to develop a new version of the EpHLA software, named EpViX, which uses an HLAMatchmaker algorithm and performs automated epitope virtual crossmatching at the initiation of the organ donation process. EpViX is a free, web-based application developed for use over the internet on a tablet, smartphone or computer. This program was developed using the Ruby programming language and the Ruby-on-Rails framework. To improve the user experience, the EpViX software interface was developed based on the best human–computer interface practices. To simplify epitope analysis and virtual crossmatching, the program was integrated with important available web-based resources, such as OPTN, IMGT/HLA and the International HLA Epitope Registry. We successfully developed a program that allows people to work collaboratively and effectively during the donation process by accurately predicting negative crossmatches, saving time and other resources.

Objective: this study aimed to report the allele and haplotype frequencies of volunteer bone marrow donors (VBMD) from the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) who were enrolled in the Brazilian Volunteer Bone Marrow Donor Registry (REDOME)., Methods: the sample comprised 12,973 VBMD who had their allele and haplotype frequencies calculated by Arlequin 3.5.1.2. A multivariate analysis of the data was obtained through a principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) performed with SPSS 8.0., Results: the most frequent allelic group was HLA-A*02, followed by -DRB1*13, -DRB1*04, -DRB1*07, -B*44, -B*35, -A*24 and -DRB1*01. Of the 2,701 haplotypes observed, the three most frequent were HLA-A*01 B*08 DRB1*03 (1.62%), -A*29 B*44 DRB1*07 (1.56%) and -A*02 B*44 DRB1*04 (1.29%). These haplotypes were in linkage disequilibrium. RN allele and haplotype frequencies were very similar to those in other Brazilian states in which similar studies have been performed. The PCA revealed that RN is highly genetically similar to Caucasian populations, especially those from Iberian countries, which strongly influenced the state's ethnic composition. Africans and Amerindians also influenced the RN population structure, to a lesser extent., Conclusion: the HCA reinforced the conclusion that, despite its highly admixed profile, the RN population is genetically similar to European and European-descended populations. The PCA also showed that RN cities do not contribute to the same extent to REDOME, with less populous cities being underrepresented, indicating the need to enroll more VBMD from these smaller cities to faithfully depict the state's population structure in the database.

The ability of using non-expensive ultrasound (US) image data together with computer fluid simulation to access various severities of carotid stenosis was inquired in this study. Subject-specific hemodynamic conditions were simulated using a developed finite element solver. Individual structured meshing of the common carotid artery (CCA) bifurcation was built from segmented longitudinal and cross-sectional US images; imposed boundary velocities were based on Doppler US measurements. Simulated hemodynamic parameters such as velocities, wall shear stress (WSS) and derived descriptors were able to predict disturbed flow conditions which play an important role in the development of local atherosclerotic plaques. Hemodynamic features from six individual CCA bifurcations were analyzed. High values of time-averaged WSS (TAWSS) were found at stenosis site. Low values of TAWSS were found at the bulb and at the carotid internal and external branches depending on the particular features of each patient. High oscillating shear index and relative residence time values assigned highly disturbed flows at the same artery surface regions that correlate only moderately with low TAWSS results. Based on clinic US examinations, results provide estimates of flow changes and forces at the carotid artery wall toward the link between hemodynamic behavior and stenosis pathophysiology.

The International Registry of Antibody-Defined HLA Epitopes (http://www.epregistry.com.br) has been recently established as a tool to understand humoral responses to HLA mismatches. These epitopes can be structurally defined as eplets by three-dimensional molecular modeling and amino acid sequence differences between HLA antigens. A major goal is to identify HLA eplets that have been verified experimentally with informative antibodies. This report addresses class II epitopes encoded by genes in the HLA-D region. Our analysis included reviews of many publications about epitope specificity of class II reactive human and murine monoclonal antibodies and informative alloantibodies from HLA sensitized patients as well as our own antibody testing results. As of July 1, 2014, 24 HLA-DRB1/3/4/5, 15 DQB, 3 DQA and 8 DPB antibody-verified epitopes have been identified and recorded. The Registry is still a work-in-progress and will become a useful resource for HLA professionals interested in histocompatibility testing at the epitope level and investigating antibody responses to HLA mismatches in transplant patients., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The International Registry of HLA Epitopes (http://epregistry.com.br) has been recently established as a tool to understand antibody responses to HLA mismatches. These epitopes are defined structurally by three-dimensional molecular modelling and amino acid sequence differences between HLA antigens. A major goal was to identify HLA epitopes that have been verified experimentally with informative antibodies. This report addresses the identification of MICA epitopes. Our analysis included published information about MICA antibody reactivity in sera from sensitized patients as well as data from our own laboratories. This report describes twenty-one MICA epitopes verified with antibodies which have primarily been tested in Luminex assays with single alleles. The epitopes correspond to distinct eplets that are often defined by single residues. The Registry is still a work-in-progress and will become a useful resource for HLA professionals interested in histocompatibility testing at the epitope level and investigating antibody responses to HLA mismatches in transplant patients., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Phlebotominae, a group of insects with great medical importance especially in Brazil, are responsible for transmitting causal agents of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. In Brazil, the most important species of Leishmania Ross, 1903 are L. (Viannia) braziliensis Vianna, 1911, whose main vectors are Nyssomyia intermedia Lutz & Neiva, 1912, Ny. neivai Pin-to, 1926, Ny. whitmani Antunes & Coutinho, 1939 and Migonemyia migonei França, 1920; and L. (Leishmania) amazon-ensis Lainson & Shaw, 1972, for which Bichromomyia flaviscutellata Mangabeira, 1942 is the main vector. The present study sought to investigate the morphological as well as geometrical and linear morphometric characteristics of these five sand flies in an attempt to cluster these species. Our aim was to reveal some of the characters that might help identify these phlebotomine species and also be useful in future phylogenetic studies. Comparative analyses by linear and geometric morphometric characters allowed us to distinguish the genera of these sand flies and assess the taxonomic position of Ny. intermedia and Ny. neivai, the so-called "cryptic species". Significant differences were observed in several of the analyzed structures, including the centroid size of the wings and the ratio between the ejaculatory filament and its tip. Based on the linear morphometric analytical results, the size of the centroids of the wings and their shapes indicated that these three species of Nyssomyia are phenetically more similar to Mg. migonei (all vectors of L. (V.) braziliensis) than to Bi. flavis-cutellata (vector of L. (L.) amazonensis). These results are in agreement with the division of the genera Nyssomyia and Bichromomyia.

The main vector for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil is Lutzomyia longipalpis. However, the absence of L. longipalpis in a region of autochthonous VL demonstrates the participation of other species in the transmission of the parasite. Studies conducted in La Banda, Argentina, and São Vicente Férrer, Pernambuco State, Brazil, have correlated the absence of L. longipalpis and the presence of L. migonei with autochthonous cases of VL. In São Vicente Férrer, Pernambuco, there was evidence for the natural infection of L. migonei with Leishmania infantum chagasi. Thus, the objective of this work was to assess the ecology of the sand flies L. longipalpis and L. migonei in Fortaleza, an endemic area for VL. Insect capture was conducted at 22 sampling points distributed across four regions of Fortaleza. In total, 32,403 sand flies were captured; of these, 18,166 (56%) were identified as L. longipalpis and 14,237 (44%) as L. migonei. There were significant density differences found between the vectors at each sampling site (indoors and outdoors) (p <0.0001). These findings confirm that L. migonei and L. longipalpis are distributed throughout Fortaleza, where they have adapted to an indoor environment, and suggest that L. migonei may share the role as a vector with L. longipalpis in the transmission of VL in Fortaleza.

The International Registry of Antibody-Defined HLA Epitopes ( http://www.epregistry.com.br) has been recently established as a tool to understand humoral responses to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches. These epitopes are defined structurally by three-dimensional molecular modeling and amino acid sequence differences between HLA antigens. So-called eplets represent essential components of HLA epitopes and they are defined by polymorphic residues. A major goal is to identify HLA epitopes that have been verified experimentally with informative antibodies. Our analysis has also included data in many publications. As of 1 November 2013, 95 HLA-ABC antibody-verified epitopes have been recorded, 62 correspond to eplets and 33 are defined by eplets paired with other residue configurations. The Registry is still a work-in-progress and will become a useful resource for HLA professionals interested in histocompatibility testing at the epitope level and investigating antibody responses to HLA mismatches in transplant patients., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The recombinant protein MSP5 has been established as an important antigen for serological diagnosis of Anaplasma marginale by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, due to the high cost of specialized equipment, this technique is not accessible to all laboratories, especially in developing countries in areas where the disease is endemic. The present study describes the standardization of a latex agglutination test (LAT) to detect antibodies against A. marginale based on recombinant MSP5. Compared with indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA), the relative sensitivity and specificity of the LAT were 95.21% and 91.86% respectively, with an almost perfect agreement between tests (kappa index = 0.863). These results can be considered important for the serological diagnosis of A. marginale, as they indicate that the test represents a rapid and low cost alternative to ELISA.

This study aimed to report the antigen and haplotype frequencies (HFs) of volunteer bone marrow donors (VBMDs) from the state of Piauí who were enrolled in the National Volunteer Bone Marrow Donor Registry (REDOME). The research subjects were 21,943 volunteer bone marrow donors, predominantly young adult women (53.3%). The most frequent allelic group was HLA-A2, followed by -DRB1*13, -DRB1*04, -DRB1*07, -B*15, -B∗35, -B*44, -A*24 and -A*03. Of the 2,704 haplotypes observed, the three most frequent haplotypes were A*29 B*44 DRB1*07 (1.45%), A*01 B*08 DRB1*03 (1.4%) and A*03 B*07 DRB1*15 (0.92%). These three haplotypes were in linkage disequilibrium. PCA showed that 98% of the VBMDs have HLA allele frequencies that are very similar to those from Teresina, the capital city of Piauí. According to the PCA results, these municipalities are distributed with a close proximity to Teresina, which in turn has a close genetic proximity to the Hispanic ethnicity, intermediate proximity to Caucasians and Africans and a distant kinship to Amerindians. The hierarchical proximity of the population of Piauí to the Portuguese and Hispanic populations to shows the strong influence of the latter on the former., (Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The concept that HLA antibodies are specific for epitopes rather than HLA antigens is important not only for the determination of mismatch acceptability for sensitized patients but also for a better understanding of the antibody response to an HLA mismatch. Numerous publications describe epitope-specific antibodies, but there is no standardized information about the repertoire of clinically relevant HLA epitopes. Under auspices of the 16th IHIW, we have developed a website-based registry of antibody-verified HLA epitopes. Epitope notations are based on HLA molecular modelling of amino acid residues in polymorphic sequence positions. Informative epitope-specific antibodies had been induced by a transplant, transfusion or pregnancy and were monoclonal antibodies or eluates of sera absorbed with single HLA alleles. Antibody reactivity was determined in binding assays with single-allele panels. Antibody producer/immunizer HLA types enhanced the characterization of specific epitopes. The Registry also includes epitopes described in original research publications. Based on the extent of antibody reactivity information, we assigned epitope status as confirmed (well documented) or provisional (more data are needed). At present, the Registry has 69 HLA-ABC, 53 DRB1/3/4/5, 17 DQ, 8 DP and 22 MICA antibody-verified epitopes and will be updated on a quarterly basis. Laboratories worldwide continue to submit data about previously unreported antibody-specific epitopes. For each epitope, the website shows its amino acid composition and HLA alleles that share the epitope. Links show antibody reactivity patterns, sensitization information and references. Other links show molecular modelling of corresponding structural epitopes and polymorphic residue information for epitope-carrying alleles. The website will also have a link to epitope frequency information in different populations. Search functions will list mismatched epitopes on mismatched alleles for selected HLA types. The HLA Epitope Registry will become a valuable resource for researchers interested in HLA compatibility at the epitope level and investigating antibody responses to HLA mismatches., (© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)