Serological survey of bovine viral diarrhea (BVDV-1), brucellosis, and leptospirosis in captive white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) from the Midwest region in Brazil

The present study was conducted to assess the occurrence of anti-Brucella sp., anti-BVDV-1, and anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies from captive white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari). A cross-sectional survey was performed testing 100 serum samples collected in a commercial breeding herd. All samples were submitted to the acidified antigen test (AAT), virus neutralization test (VNT) and microscopic agglutination test (MAT) with live antigens. None of the samples tested agglutinated in the AAT screening test. In the VNT, 28 samples presented a cytotoxic effect and were excluded from the evaluation. For BVDV-1, only one sample (1/72; 1.38%) was positive, with antibody titers of 40. For leptospirosis, 9% (9/100) of the samples reacted to at least one of the 24 serovars tested, with 8% (8/100) positive for serovar Patoc and 1% (1/100) for serovar Grippotyphosa. The maximum titer observed was 100. The identification of antibodies against the serovars Patoc and Grippotyphosa suggests that the sampled individuals have been exposed to the pathogen at some point during their lifetime. Regarding BVDV-1, this may be the first serological survey to describe seropositive samples in tayassuids

Parenting Science Gang : radical co-creation of research projects led by parents of young children

Background Parents are increasingly searching online for information supported by research but can find it difficult to identify results relevant to their own experiences. More troublingly, a number of studies indicate that parenting information found online often can be misleading or wrong. The goal of the Parenting Science Gang (PSG) project was to use the power of the Internet to help parents ask questions they wanted to have answered by scientific research and to feel confident in assessing research evidence. Methods By using Facebook to recruit groups and facilitate interactions, PSG was able to engage fully the target public of parents of young children in the radical co-production of scientific studies, while not creating an undue burden on time or restricting participants due to disability, financial status or location. By giving parents true partnership and control of creation of projects, PSG ensured that the chosen questions were ones that were of most relevance and interest to them. Results This paper presents a summary of eight projects, with three in more detail, designed and implemented by PSG Facebook groups in collaboration with experts. Most projects had health related themes, often prompted by dissatisfaction with treatment of parents by health professionals or by feelings of being marginalised by pregnancy and motherhood, as well as by the lack of evidence for their questions and concerns. The PSG approach meant that these frustrations were channelled into actions. All eight of the PSG groups engaged in meaningful interactions with experts and co-produced studies with the groups defining the questions of interest. Conclusions This radically user-led design meant that the PSG staff and the collaborating experts had to live with a high degree of uncertainty. Nevertheless, PSG achieved its goal of academically productive, truly co-produced projects, but as important were the positive effects it had on many of the participants, both parents and experts. At the point of writing this paper, PSG projects have led to outputs including at least eight papers published, in press or in preparation, seven conference presentations, testimony to the Infant Feeding All-Party Parliamentary Group, and with more to come

Complicaciones de la diabetes y su asociación con el estrés oxidativo: un viaje hacia el daño endotelial

La diabetes es un trastorno metabólico que se ha incrementado en Latinoamérica y Venezuela en la última década. Ejerce una influencia considerable en la morbimortalidad de las enfermedades cardiovasculares debido al desequilibrio hidrocarbonado y a los pacientes fuera de los objetivos de la Asociación americana de diabetes 2012, con factores de riesgo como hipertensión y dislipidemia. Es, igualmente, un estado de estrés oxidativo en el que hay un desequilibrio entre la formación excesiva y la eliminación insuficiente de moléculas altamente reactivas, como las especies reactivas de oxígeno y las de nitrógeno. El estrés oxidativo desempeña un papel importante en el desarrollo de complicaciones de la diabetes debido a la actividad oxidativa excesiva. La disfunción endotelial se define como alteraciones que afectan la síntesis, liberación, difusión o degradación de los factores sintetizados por el endotelio. El mecanismo intrínseco que impulsa a las células endoteliales para cambiar su fenotipo fisiológico es un estado de activación, conocido erróneamente como disfunción en la capacidad de expresar los sistemas enzimáticos de producción de oxígeno. Los fármacos que modulan la vía de la incretina (GLP-1 y los inhibidores de la DPP-4) se caracterizan por la baja incidencia de su efecto hipoglucemiante, fenómeno que aumenta su seguridad. Estudios recientes con GLP-1 demuestran su capacidad para revertir el estrés oxidativo producido por la hiperglucemia, la hipoglucemia y la transición de esta última y la primera

Chagasic Cardiomyopathy: New trends for an old burden. Epidemiology, Pathology, Diagnosis and Treatment of the American Trypanosomiasis

The American Trypanosomiasis was first described by Carlos Chagas in 1909. Chagas´ disease is a zoonosis caused by a parasite, the Trypanosoma Cruzi. This parasite is transmitted by hematophageous bugs of the Triatominae species, in underserved rural areas of Latinamerica. Other forms of transmission include blood transfusion, intravenous drug abuse, digestive, transplacentary, breast feeding, and organ transplant. Considering these varied forms of transmission and the increasing immigration rates this disease gains importance in the United States and Europe as well. Three phases of the disease can be distinguished: 1) acute phase, with high tissue and blood parasitic involvement; 2) undetermined phase, in which the diagnosis requires further clinical investigations; 3) chronic phase (10-30 years following the infection). The diagnosis of Chagas Disease is based on epidemiology, clinical manifestations and laboratory findings. The last two factors will vary according to the phase of the disease. Given the fact that in the chronic phase there is low parasitemia, the diagnosis relies on serologic studies. Nevertheless direct studies can be used in reactivations of the disease in patients with HIV or immunosuppression states. About one fourth of infected individuals develop chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (ChrChC), the most severe form of the disease. It can be manifested by complex ventricular arrhythmias, bradiarrhythmias, A-V blocks, apical ventricular aneurysm, thromboembolism, ventricular dysfunction with heart failure and sudden death. In our experience patients with higher mortality risk showed clinical manifestations such as third tone, right bundle branch block with left anterior hemiblock and left ventricle dilation (p<0.001). Chronic recurrent ventricular tachycardia often occurs in patients with chagasic aneurysms, and ventricular mapping indicates that these arrhythmias originate in regions adjacent to those aneurysms. ChrChC is histologically characterized by the presence of multifocal inflammatory infiltrates, composed mainly by mononuclear cells, adhered to myocytes and leading to myocytolysis, and by interstitial fibrosis with or without apical ventricular aneurysms. These lesions are thought to be mediated by immune phenomena rather than by continuing parasitic invasion of the heart The treatment of the parasite is limited to the acute phase using benznidazole or nifurtimox. Some articles support this treatment also in the undetermined phase. Heart transplantation is a useful therapy for end-stage ChrChC; however, Chagas reactivation remains a mayor complication. Given the fact that antibodies against Trypanosoma Cruzi bare great similarity with beta-1-adrenergic receptors, a new field for future treatment arises.Fil: Milei, Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Guerri Guttenberg, Roberto Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Azzato, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Storino, Ruben A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; Argentin