Road-killed wild animals: a preservation problem useful for eco-epidemiological studies of pathogens

Road-killed wild animals have been for years used for surveillance of vectors of zoonotic pathogens and may offer new opportunities for eco-epidemiological studies. In the current study, fungal infection was evaluated by PCR and nested-PCR in tissue samples collected from 19 road-killed wild animals. The necropsies were carried out and samples were collected for DNA extraction. Results, using PCR with a panfungal primer and nested PCR with specific primers, indicated that some animals are naturally infected with Amauroascus aureus, Metarhizium anisopliae, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus oryzae, Emmonsia parva, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis or Pichia stipitis. The approach employed herein proved useful for detecting the environmental occurrence of several fungi, as well as determining natural reservoirs in wild animals and facilitating the understanding of host-pathogen relationships.(FAPESP) São Paulo Research Foundatio

A influência do jazz no repertório da guitarra clássica: contributos para a versatilidade e responsabilidade de um repertório

A razão deste projeto artístico pretende ser um contributo para a expansão do repertório com influência do jazz para guitarra clássica, com a concretização de duas obras novas. A partir da recolha do repertório já existente, o presente trabalho debruça-se igualmente na autenticidade e versatilidade a ter em conta para a execução de um repertório desta natureza, tentando, simultaneamente, entender os pontos de fusão entre a música erudita e jazz através da guitarra clássica.The aim of this artistic project is to contribute to the expansion of the jazz influenced repertoire for classical guitar, with two new works commissioned. Departing from the collected information regarding the works of this repertoire that already exist, this project also focus on the authenticity and versatility needed for the execution of this type of repertoire, trying at the same time to understand the fusion points between the classical music and jazz through the classical guitar

Agarose cell block technique as a complementary method in the diagnosis of fungal osteomyelitis in a dog

A 7-year-old Labrador Retriever female dog presenting left forelimb lameness for one day was admitted to the Veterinary Hospital (UNESP-Botucatu) for clinical evaluation. Several tests, including blood and image  analysis, microbiological culture and cytology of lytic areas of affected bone were made in order to establish a diagnosis. Serum biochemical profile revealed increased levels of liver enzymes, plasma globulin, creatine  kinase (CK) and calcium. Hemogram revealed anemia and leukocytosis; left humerus image analysis revealed an osteolytic lesion and cytology revealed a suppurative periostitis. Differential diagnosis was a nonspecific  infectious inflammatory process or osteosarcoma. Since it was not possible to achieve a definitive diagnosis and there was a highly suspicious for an infectious agent, an agarose cell block of the bone marrow fine-needle aspiration was made. The cytological examination of cell block presented similar findings as described  previously. However, additional stains including periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) were positive for fungal hyphae,  which rendered a diagnosis of fungal osteomyelitis due to Aspergillus spp. This case report illustrates an  uncommon cause of osteomyelitis for breed that was diagnosed by an underused method in veterinary  medicine.Keywords: Aspergillosis, Bone, Cell Block, Cytology, Dog

Virulence attenuation and phenotypic variation of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates obtained from armadillos and patients

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is the etiological agent of paracoccidioidomycosis, the most important systemic mycosis in Latin America. The virulence profiles of five isolates of P. brasiliensis were studied in two different moments and correlated with some colonial phenotypic aspects. We observed a significant decrease in the virulence and an intense phenotypic variation in the mycelial colony. The recognition of all ranges of phenotypic and virulence variation of P. brasiliensis, as well as its physiological and genetic basis, will be important for a better comprehension of its pathogenic and epidemiological features