New records of Forcipomyia (Pterobosca) incubans Macfie (1937) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) parasitizing wings of Odonata in Brazil / Novos registros de Forcipomyia (Pterobosca) incubans Macfie (1937) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) parasita de asas de Odonata no Brasil

This report presents the first record of Forcipomyia (Pterobosca) incubans Macfie (1937) (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in the states of Amapá and Pará, located in the North Region, and in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, in the South Region of Brazil. Besides seven new records of species of Odonata parasitized in Latin America. Females of  F. (P.) incubans were collected in the wings of 47 specimens of dragonflies. The species Homeoura chelifera Selys, 1876 and Telebasis willinki Fraser, 1948 family Coenagrionidae, Remartinia luteipennis (Burmeister, 1839) family Aeshnidae, Erythemis peruviana (Rambur, 1842), Erythemis vesiculosa (F. 1775), Erythrodiplax fusca (Rambur, 1842), Erythrodiplax umbrata (L. 1758), Miathyria marcella (Selys in Sagra, 1857), Orthemis concolor Ris, 1919 and Orthemis nodiplaga Karsch, 1891 representatives from family Libellulidae comprise the new records for the Brazil, thus increasing to 13 the number of species with parasitism F. (P.) incubans in the country. 

MANCHAS BRANCAS EM ESMALTE DENTÁRIO: CÁRIE DENTÁRIA, HIPOPLASIA OU FLUOROSE? UMA ABORDAGEM CRÍTICA / WHITE SPOTS IN TOOTH ENAMEL: TOOTH DECAY, HYPOPLASY OR FLUOROSIS? A CRITICAL APPROACH

Introdução: Manchas brancas sobre superfícies de esmalte dentário constituem opacidades que determinam alterações no aspecto de normalidade desse tecido. Vários fatores podem determinar o seu surgimento, dentre eles a cárie dentária, a fluorose e a hipoplasia, as quais são caracterizadas pela diminuição ou perda local da translucidez, e motivadas por fatores ambientais, idiopáticos ou hereditários. Objetivo: Realizar uma revisão crítica sobre lesões de mancha branca sobre o esmalte dentário, determinadas por: cárie dentária, fluorose ou hipoplasia, levando em consideração as semelhanças no aspecto clínico e consequente dificuldade no reconhecimento e diagnóstico destas lesões. Métodos: Foram realizadas pesquisas nas bases de dados Lilacs, Pubmed e Scielo, no período de 2003 a 2013. Foram selecionados 51 artigos com base nos critérios de inclusão: estudos de revisão, casosclínicos, estudos clínicos transversais ou de prevalência, e critérios de exclusão: estudos em animais, estudos laboratoriais e artigos não publicados. A estratégia de busca foi realizada com os seguintes descritores: hipoplasia do esmalte dentário, cárie dentária, fluorose dentária, diagnóstico diferencial e etiologia; e ainda a combinação dos termos: enamel white spots lesions, enamel white spot lesions AND fluorose enamel white spot lesions AND hypoplasia. Conclusão: Diante dos variados , aspectos clínicos e fatores etiológicos que determinam as manchas brancas sobre as superfícies do esmalte, se faz necessário exames criteriosos, bem elaborados e executados que possam refletir em diagnósticos precisos, adequadamente diferenciados das lesões.Palavras-Chave: Hipoplasia do esmalte dentário. Cárie dentária. Fluorose dentária. Diagnóstico diferencial. Etiologia.AbstractIntroduction: White spots on enamel surfaces are opacities that determine changes in the normal appearance of that tissue. Their appearance can be determined by several factors, including dental caries, fluorosis and hypoplasia, which are characterized by decreased or local loss of translucency motivated by environmental, hereditary or idiopathic factors. Due to varied etiology factors and clinical similarities, it is important to know the etiological diagnosis and consequential aspects of these lesions, in order to determine the success in their treatment. Objective: To perform a critical review of white spot lesions on the tooth enamel, which are determined by dental caries, fluorosis or hypoplasia, considering the similarities in the clinical aspect and the consequent difficulty to recognize and diagnose these lesions. Methods: Surveys were conducted in Lilacs, PubMed and SciELO data from 2003 to 2013, and 51 articles were carefully chosen based on the following inclusion criteria: review studies, caseclinical studies, and clinical studies or cross prevalence studies. Exclusion criteria were: studies in animals, laboratory studies and unpublished studies. The search strategy was divided into the following blocks: enamel hypoplasia, dental caries, dental fluorosis, differential diagnosis and etiology. In addition, the combination of the terms enamel white spot lesions, enamel white spot lesions AND fluorose and enamel white spot lesions AND hypoplasia was used. Conclusion: Given the varied clinical and etiological factors that determine white spots on enamel surfaces, discerning exams and well-designed tests are necessary, which may reflect in appropriate diagnosis, differentiating lesions properly.Keywords: Dental enamel hypoplasia. Dental caries. Dental fluorosis. Differential diagnosis. Etiology

Effect of the gelatin extraction method from tilapia skin and its application as a coating

The objective of this study was to analyze gelatins extracted from tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) skin and evaluate its effect as a coating on fish fillets of the same species. Four gelatin extractions from tilapia skins were prepared in acidic and alkaline conditions, followed by filtration and freeze drying. The samples were analyzed for moisture, lipids, ash, proteins, color parameters, viscosity, spectrophotometry and the coatings made with fish gelatin (FG) and commercial gelatin (CG) were sensorially tested. The protein content and the viscosity of the FG were influenced by the extraction method. The fillets coated with FG showed less moisture than those coated with CG. The sensorial acceptance of the fillets was not influenced by the use of the coatings. Therefore, the use of fish gelatin appears as a sustainable alternative to use tilapia skin after disposal in industrial processing

Leishmania infantum Virulence Factor A2 Protein: Linear B-Cell Epitope Mapping and Identification of Three Main Linear B-Cell Epitopes in Vaccinated and Naturally Infected Dogs

In Brazil, canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is caused by Leishmania infantum, presenting a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. Dogs are the main parasite reservoir in urban areas and canine cases precede human infection. Currently, A2 protein based Leish-Tec® vaccine is the only vaccine commercially available against CVL in Brazil. Considering that the main screening and confirmatory tests of canine infection are serological, it is possible that the antibody response elicited after vaccination interfere with diagnosis, leading to the inability to distinguish between vaccinated and infected animals. In order to identify the specific B-cell response induced after vaccination, A2 protein sequence was screened for main linear B-cell epitopes using in silico prediction (Bepipred) and immunological confirmation by ELISA. Three amino acid sequences were described as potential B-cell epitopes (SV11-SAEPHKAAVDV, PP16-PQSVGPLSVGPQSVGP, and VQ34-VGPLSVGPQSVGPLSVGPLSVGPQAVGPLSVGPQ). Specific IgG ELISAs were performed in sera of 12 immunized dogs living in non-endemic areas, followed for up to 1 year after immunization. The results were compared with those obtained in a group of 10 symptomatic and 10 asymptomatic CVL dogs. All predicted epitopes were confirmed as linear B-cell epitopes broadly recognized by sera from studied dogs. Total IgG ELISAs demonstrated distinct patterns of response between peptides in the immunized and CVL groups. VQ34 peptide was recognized by the majority of sera from vaccinated and symptomatic dogs, and increases after vaccination. PP16 induced low levels of specific IgG that increased 1 year after immunization. Interestingly, a low frequency of reactivity was found against SV11 in naturally infected dogs (symptomatic and asymptomatic), while 83.3% of vaccinated dogs presented positive responses 1 year after immunization. The two animals in the vaccinated group that did not respond to SV11 1 year after immunization presented positive serology both 30 days and 6 months after immunization. In summary, we identified three main linear B-cell epitopes in A2 based vaccine. Moreover, the humoral response against SV11 presented marked differences between infected and Leish-Tec vaccinated dogs, and should be further investigated, in large trials, to confirm its potential as a serological marker able to distinguish between infected and vaccinated dogs

Percepção da identidade alimentar: uma análise sob a ótica do consumidor em um mercado público de Teresina, PI / Perception of food identity: an analysis from the perspective of the consumer in a public market in Teresina, PI

A alimentação está envolta por diversos significados, questões socioculturais, experiências pessoais. O estudo objetivou descrever o perfil do indivíduo que consome alimentos habitualmente em um mercado público da capital teresinense e conhecer as principais motivações que os levam a fazer suas refeições nesse espaço. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de campo transversal, de natureza quantitativa, com aspectos qualitativos. O mercado é um local frequentado por um público diversificado, representado em maior parte por adultos jovens, em maioria do sexo masculino, casados ou solteiros, pardos, com pelo menos o ensino médio e com prevalência de baixa renda. Sabor, tempo e preço foram valores destacados pelos entrevistados, mostrando que a gastronomia local contribui para a motivação da escolha alimentar. Conclui-se que a comida do mercado é dotada de simbolismo e o espaço é um replicador da cultura local, uma vez que fornece à população produtos e pratos típicos da região. 

Alterações musculares e esqueléticas cervicais em mulheres disfônicas

Termo clínico, a disfonia envolve a todas as transformações e dificuldades durante a emissão vocal, as quais resultam no impedimento da produção normal da voz. Pacientes como esse problema, podem apresentar desequilíbrio da musculatura crâniocervical e laríngea e lesão orgânica subjacente. A disfonia resulta em modificações fonatórias, limitando atividades diárias relacionadas ao uso da voz, impactando na vida social e na qualidade de vida do indivíduo. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar alterações musculares e esqueléticas cervicais em mulheres com disfonia, conforme identificado na literatura científica sobre o tema. Para isso, realizou-se uma revisão integrativa de literatura, selecionando estudos nas bases de dados Literatura Latino-americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (Lilacs) e Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline). A partir da análise qualitativa dos resultados, concluiu-se que dor intensa na região posterior do pescoço e na laringe se manifestam em mulheres disfônicas. Contribuem para isso a função prejudicada da articulação cervical e alterações da amplitude de movimento cervical. Com isso, compreende-se que o abuso vocal e o mau uso da voz como fatores mais comuns para a disfonia

Cabbage and fermented vegetables : From death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19

Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT(1)R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance as well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID-19. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block in particular the AT(1)R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are: kimchi in Korea, westernized foods, and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof-of-concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2-associated antioxidant effects, helpful in mitigating COVID-19 severity.Peer reviewe

Nrf2-interacting nutrients and COVID-19 : time for research to develop adaptation strategies

There are large between- and within-country variations in COVID-19 death rates. Some very low death rate settings such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, the Balkans and Africa have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods whose intake is associated with the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2) anti-oxidant transcription factor. There are many Nrf2-interacting nutrients (berberine, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, sulforaphane) that all act similarly to reduce insulin resistance, endothelial damage, lung injury and cytokine storm. They also act on the same mechanisms (mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin, PPAR gamma:Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, NF kappa B: Nuclear factor kappa B, ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and eIF2 alpha:Elongation initiation factor 2 alpha). They may as a result be important in mitigating the severity of COVID-19, acting through the endoplasmic reticulum stress or ACE-Angiotensin-II-AT(1)R axis (AT(1)R) pathway. Many Nrf2-interacting nutrients are also interacting with TRPA1 and/or TRPV1. Interestingly, geographical areas with very low COVID-19 mortality are those with the lowest prevalence of obesity (Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia). It is tempting to propose that Nrf2-interacting foods and nutrients can re-balance insulin resistance and have a significant effect on COVID-19 severity. It is therefore possible that the intake of these foods may restore an optimal natural balance for the Nrf2 pathway and may be of interest in the mitigation of COVID-19 severity