Aedes aegypti entomological indices in an endemic area for dengue in Sao Paulo State, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Avaliar os tipos de imóveis e de recipientes mais produtivos para o desenvolvimento de Aedes aegyptie a distribuição espacial de indicadores entomológicos. MÉTODOS: Foram realizadas coletas de formas imaturas de mosquitos para obtenção de indicadores entomológicos em 9.875 imóveis no bairro Jaguaré, no município de São José do Rio Preto, SP, entre dezembro de 2006 e fevereiro de 2007. Aplicou-se questionário sobre as condições e características de imóveis em março e abril de 2007. Utilizou-se regressão logística para identificar as variáveis associadas com a presença de pupas nos imóveis. Índices calculados por quadra foram combinados com mapas georreferenciados, possibilitando a produção de mapas temáticos por meio de interpolação estatística. RESULTADOS: Os imóveis inspecionados apresentaram os seguintes índices para Ae. aegytpi: Índice de Breteau de 18,9, 3,7 larvas e 0,42 pupas por imóvel, 5,2 recipientes com Ae. aegypti por hectare, 100,0 larvas e 11,6 pupas por hectare, e 1,3 larva e 0,15 pupa por habitante. Presença de quintal, jardim e animais associaram-se com a presença de pupas. CONCLUSÕES: Não foram identificados tipos específicos de imóveis e de recipientes que fossem pouco frequentes dentre aqueles com a presença do vetor e, ao mesmo tempo, que apresentassem elevada participação na produtividade de larvas e pupas. O uso de índices baseados na quantificação de larvas e pupas não traria informações além daquelas obtidas com os índices estegômicos tradicionais em localidades com características similares a São José do Rio Preto. Os índices calculados por área apresentaram maior acurácia para avaliar espacialmente a infestação, e a infestação por Ae. aegypti apresentou grande variabilidade espacial, apontando a necessidade de realizar avaliações de infestação em microáreas.OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the most productive types of properties and containers for Aedes aegypti and the spatial distribution of entomological indices. METHODS: Between December 2006 and February 2007, the vector's immature forms were collected to obtain entomological indices in 9,875 properties in the Jaguare neighborhood of Sao Jose do Rio Preto, SP, Southeastern Brazil. In March and April 2007, a questionnaire about the conditions and characteristics of properties was administered. Logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with the presence of pupae at the properties. Indices calculated per block were combined with a geo-referenced map, and thematic maps of these indices were obtained using statistical interpolation. RESULTS: The properties inspected had the following Ae. aegypti indices: Breteau Index = 18.9, 3.7 larvae and 0.42 pupae per property, 5.2 containers harboring Ae. aegypti per hectare, 100.0 larvae and 11.6 pupae per hectare, and 1.3 larvae and 0.15 pupae per inhabitant. The presence of yards, gardens and animals was associated with the presence of pupae. CONCLUSIONS: Specific types of properties and containers that simultaneously had low frequencies among those positive for the vector and high participation in the productivity of larvae and pupae were not identified. The use of indices including larval and pupal counts does not provide further information beyond that obtained from the traditional Stegomyia indices in locations with characteristics similar to those of São José do Rio Preto. The indices calculated per area were found to be more accurate for the spatial assessment of infestation. The Ae. aegypti infestation levels exhibited extensive spatial variation, indicating that the assessment of infestation in micro areas is needed.OBJETIVO: Evaluar los tipos de inmuebles y de recipientes más productivos para el desarrollo de Aedes aegypti y la distribución espacial de indicadores entomológicos MÉTODOS: Se realizaron colectas de formas inmaduras de mosquitos para obtención de indicadores entomológicos en 9.875 inmuebles en la urbanización Jaguaré, en el municipio de Sao José do Rio Preto, SP (Brasil), entre diciembre de 2006 y febrero de 2007. Se aplicó cuestionario sobre las condiciones y características de los inmuebles en marzo y abril de 2007. Se utilizó regresión logística para identificar las variables asociadas con la presencia de pupas en los inmuebles. Se combinaron los Índices calculados por cuadra con mapas georeferenciados, posibilitando la producción de mapas temáticos por medio de interpolación estadística. RESULTADOS: Los inmuebles inspeccionados presentaron los siguientes índices para Aedes aegypti: Índice de Breteau de 18,9, 3,7 larvas y 0,42 pupas por inmueble, 5,2 recipientes con Ae. Aegypti por hectárea, 100,0 larvas y 11,6 pupas por hectárea, y 1,3 larvas y 0,15 pupas por habitante. Presencia de patio, jardín y animales se asociaron con la presencia de pupas. CONCLUSIONES: No se identificaron tipos específicos de inmuebles y de recipientes que fueran poco frecuentes entre aquellos con la presencia del vector y, al mismo tiempo, que presentaran elevada participación en la productividad de larvas y pupas. El uso de índices basados en la cuantificación de larvas y pupas no traería informaciones aunadas a las obtenidas con los índices Stegómicos tradicionales en localidades con características similares a Sao José do Rio Preto. Los índices calculados por área presentaron mayor precisión para evaluar espacialmente la infestación y la infestación por Ae. Aegypti presentó gran variabilidad espacial, señalando la necesidad de realizar evaluaciones de infestación en micro áreas

Structures Sédimentaires et Ichnofossiles des Formations du Crétacé Supérieur Sommital et du Tertiaire du Bassin Sud-Ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire : Intérêt Paléoenvironnemental

Les falaises de Fresco situées dans la partie occidentale du bassin côtier ivoirien font l’objet de la présente étude. La lithostratigraphie et la biostratigraphie des formations du Crétacé sommital et du Tertiaire, ont été revues à partir des cinq (5) coupes de terrain levées, décrites et datées. L’objectif du présent travail est de définir la dynamique d’un milieu (à une époque), appuyée sur l’identification et l’interprétation des figures sédimentaires et des ichnofossiles. Une description de synthèse proposée a permis de déduire l’intérêt paléoenvironnemental des dépôts analysés. 44 échantillons prélevés sur des coupes de cinq (5) falaises, ont servi de support à cette étude. La lithologie indique une sédimentation argileuse et sableuse dominante, avec intercalations de grès et calcaires glauconieux et phosphatés. Les structures sédimentaires décrites sont de types et d’origines variés. Ces figures apparaissent comme des formes construites par l’action d’un écoulement fluide, produites par les rides asymétriques et les dunes. Elles résultent de transport en masse (slumping, coulées) et de courants de turbidité. Les stratifications se présentent sous diverses formes, entrecroisées, arêtes de poissons et tabulaires, dish structures, flasers et lenticulaires. Les empreintes de déformations produites après le dépôt et avant consolidation ont été identifiées par des figures de charges, des convolutes et des structures slumpées. Sur le plan paléoenvironnemental, ces structures sédimentaires constituent de bons critères stratigraphiques et de bons indicateurs du sens du courant. Ces ichnofossiles constituant un événement post-dépositionnel, se retrouvent dans divers milieux, continentaux à marins. Ils sont généralement associés aux marges côtières et environnements marins peu profonds. Cliffs of Fresco located southwestern part of ivorian coastal basin are subjet of this study. Lithostratigraphy of upper Cretaceous and Tertiary series were reviewed from the five (5) surveyed, described and daded. This aimed to define the dynamics of an environment (at a time), based on identification and interpretation of sedimentary figures and ichnofossils. A proposed synthesis description allowed to deduce paleoenvironmental interest of analyzed deposits. 44 samples taken from the five (5) cliffs sections upported this study. The lithology indicates a dominant clay and sand sedimentation with intercalations of sandstone and glaucanious and phosphated limestone. Sedimentary structures described are of various types. These figures appear as forms built by a fluid flow action, produced by asymmetrical wrinkles and dunes. They result from mass transport (slumping, casting) and turbidity flow; The stratifications are various shapes : intertwined, fishbone and tabular, dish structures, flasers and lenticulars beddings. Deformation imprints produced after deposition and before consolidation have been identified by load figures, convolutes, slumped structures. The palaeoenvironmental level, these sedimentary structures are good stratigraphic criteria and good indicators of the direction of flow. These ichnofossils are post-depositional event and occur in a variety of environments, from continental to marine. They are generally associated with coastal margins and shallow marine environments

Caracterisation Lithostratigraphique et Sedimentologique des Depôts des Sondages de Fresco et de Grand-Lahou (Sud-Ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire) : Essai de Correlation et Paleoenvironnements

The material studied in this work comes from excavations of five hydraulic soundings in the localities of Fresco and Grand-Lahou located in the Southwest in the "onshore" part of the Ivorian sedimentary basin. These surveys are part of the national program for drinking water supply from aquifers. The lithological and sedimentological analyzes of the cuttings of these holes are carried out in order to identify the different lithological units crossed, to understand the sedimentary processes that have prevailed during the deposition of these sediments and to better characterize the paleoenvironments of deposit. The lithological study revealed mainly clay and sandy in the sedimentation. The granulometry of the sandy levels shows that they are medium to a very coarse sand, fairly well classified, with asymmetry towards the fine elements. Granulometric curves indicate a sigmoidal "S" shape showing a fluvial origin in a relatively medium to strong hydrodynamic deposition environment. The morphoscopy of the quartz grains indicates a dominance of blunted grains that are shiny compared to the rounded and unworn grains, indicating a transport in an aqueous medium far from the source. At Grand-Lahou, the high concentration of carbonate samples implies emplacement in a shallow marine environment and finer sedimentation under calm conditions. The Fresco sediments show a low carbonate content, indicating turbulent and unfavorable medium for limestone precipitation. Le matériel étudié dans ce travail est issu des déblais de cinq sondages hydrauliques implantés dans les localités de Fresco et de Grand-Lahou situées au Sud-Ouest dans la partie « onshore » du bassin sédimentaire ivoirien. Ces sondages s’inscrivent dans le cadre du programme national d’alimentation en eau potable à partir des nappes aquifères. Les analyses lithologiques et sédimentologiques des déblais de ces sondages sont réalisées en vue d’identifier les différentes unités lithologiques traversées, de comprendre les processus sédimentaires ayant prévalus lors du dépôt de ces sédiments et de mieux caractériser les paléoenvironnements de dépôt. L’étude lithologique a mis en évidence une sédimentation essentiellement argileuse et sableuse. La granulométrie des niveaux sableux montre qu’il s’agit des sables moyens à très grossiers, assez bien à mal classés, avec une asymétrie vers les éléments fins. Les courbes granulométriques indiquent une allure en forme sigmoïde « S » traduisant une origine fluviatile dans un environnement de dépôt à hydrodynamisme relativement moyen à fort. La morphoscopie des grains de quartz indique une dominance des grains émoussés luisants par rapport aux rond-mats et non usés, indiquant un transport dans un milieu aqueux loin de la source pourvoyeuse. A Grand-Lahou, la forte concentration des échantillons en carbonates suppose une mise en place dans un milieu marin peu profond et une sédimentation plus fine dans des conditions calmes. Les sédiments de Fresco montrent une teneur en carbonate faible, indiquant un milieu turbulent et défavorable à la précipitation du calcaire

Introduction and expansion of human American visceral leishmaniasis in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1999-2011

OBJETIVO : Analisar a expansão da ocorrência de leishmaniose visceral americana em humanos e identificar localidades prioritárias para o desenvolvimento de ações de vigilância e controle. MÉTODOS : A área de estudo constituiu-se dos 316 municípios do estado de São Paulo pertencentes às cinco regiões de saúde com ocorrência da leishmaniose visceral americana em humanos, utilizando os casos autóctones e óbitos, com ano de notificação e município de ocorrência. Calcularam-se taxas de incidência e de mortalidade e letalidade por município, por região e para a área de estudo. Utilizaram-se o estimador bayesiano empírico para obtenção de taxas de incidência e de mortalidade bayesianas locais para cada município e a krigagem para visualização da distribuição espacial das temperaturas e das precipitações pluviométricas. RESULTADOS : Foram detectados 73 municípios com transmissão da doença. As primeiras ocorrências deram-se em áreas com maiores temperaturas e menores pluviosidades, mas sua disseminação também ocorreu em áreas menos quentes e mais úmidas. A expansão da leishmaniose visceral americana em humanos apresentou um eixo principal de disseminação no sentido noroeste para sudeste, acompanhando a rodovia Marechal Rondon e o gasoduto Bolívia-Brasil, e um eixo secundário, na direção norte-sul, acompanhando a malha rodoviária. As taxas de incidência, segundo regiões de saúde, apresentaram um pico seguido de queda, com exceção da região de São José do Rio Preto. Observou-se maior concentração de municípios com altas taxas de incidência e mortalidade nas regiões de saúde de Araçatuba, Presidente Prudente e Marília. CONCLUSÕES : Possíveis fatores determinantes da expansão da doença incluíram a rodovia Marechal Rondon e a construção do gasoduto Bolívia-Brasil. Fatores climáticos pareceram não ter papel determinante nessa expansão. O uso de técnicas de análise espacial permitiu identificar municípios com possível subnotificação de casos e óbitos e indicar municípios prioritários para o desenvolvimento de ações de vigilância e controle.OBJETIVO Analizar la expansión de la ocurrencia de leishmaniosis visceral americana en humanos en el estado de Sao Paulo e identificar municipios prioritarios para el desarrollo de acciones de vigilancia y control. MÉTODOS El área de estudio estaba conformada por 316 municipios del estado pertenecientes a cinco regiones de salud con ocurrencia de la enfermedad, utilizando los casos autóctonos y óbitos de leishmaniosis visceral americana en humanos, con año de notificación y municipio de ocurrencia. Se calcularon las tasas de incidencia y de mortalidad y letalidad por municipio, por región y para el área de estudio. Se utilizaron el estimador bayesiano empírico para la obtención de tasas de incidencia y de mortalidad bayesianas locales para cada municipio y la krigagem para visualización de la distribución espacial de las temperaturas y de las precipitaciones pluviométricas. RESULTADOS Se detectaron 73 municipios con transmisión de la enfermedad. Las primeras ocurrencias se presentaron en áreas con mayores temperaturas y menores pluviosidades, sin embargo su diseminación también ocurrió en áreas menos calientes y más húmedas. La expansión de la leishmaniosis visceral americana en humanas presentó un eje principal de diseminación en el sentido noroeste hacia sureste, acompañando la carretera Marechal Rondon y el gasoducto Bolivia-Brasil, y un eje secundario, en la dirección norte-sur, acompañando la red vial. Las tasas de incidencia, según regiones de salud, presentaron un pico seguido por una disminución, con excepción de la región Sao José do Rio Preto. Se observó mayor concentración de municipios con altas tasas de incidencia y mortalidad en las regiones de salud de Araçatuba, Presidente Prudente y Marília. CONCLUSIONES Posibles factores determinantes de la expansión de la enfermedad incluyeron la carretera Marechal Rondon y la construcción del gasoducto Bolivia-Brasil. Factores climáticos parecieran no tener papel determinante en ésta expansión. El uso de técnicas de análisis espacial permitió identificar municipios con posibles sub-notificaciones de casos y óbitos e indicar municipios prioritarios para el desarrollo de acciones de vigilancia y control.=OBJECTIVE : To analyze the spread of human American visceral leishmaniasis and identify the key municipalities for developing surveillance and control activities. METHODS : The area of the study was composed of the 316 municipalities in the state of Sao Paulo belonging to the five health districts in which human American visceral leishmaniasis occurs, using data on autochthonous cases and deaths according to the reporting year and municipality in which the death occurred. The incidence, mortality and case fatality rates for each municipality and for the entire area were calculated. An empirical Bayes estimator was used to calculate the local Bayesian incidence and rates of mortality per municipality, and Kriging was used to visualize the spatial distribution of temperature and rainfall. RESULTS : A total of 73 municipalities with transmission of the disease were identified. Human American visceral leishmaniasis was first detected in areas with higher temperatures and lower rainfall, but it also spread in cooler and wetter areas. The expansion of human American visceral leishmaniasis occurred along a main axis of dissemination, from Northwest to Southeast, following the Marechal Rondon highway and the Bolivia-Brazil gas pipeline, and along a secondary axis that was derived from the main axis, which runs both North and South, following the highway network. Rates of incidence according to health district exhibit a peak, followed by a fall, except the Sao Jose do Rio Preto region. Higher concentrations of municipalities with high incidence and mortality rates were observed in the Araçatuba, Presidente Prudente and Marília health districts. CONCLUSIONS : This study indicates possible determinants of the spread of disease, including the Marechal Rondon highway and the construction of the Bolivia-Brazil gas pipeline. Climatic factors seemed to play no role in the spread. The use of spatial analysis techniques allowed the municipalities where cases and deaths are possibly underreported to be identified, which indicated the municipalities which should be prioritized for the development of surveillance and control activities

Plasmid-encoded toxin of Escherichia coli cleaves complement system proteins and inhibits complement-mediated lysis in vitro

Plasmid-encoded toxin (Pet) is an autotransporter protein of the serine protease autotransporters of Enterobacteriaceae (SPATE) family, important in the pathogenicity of Escherichia coli. The pet gene was initially found in the enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) virulence plasmid, pAA2. Although this virulence factor was initially described in EAEC, an intestinal E. coli pathotype, pet may also be present in other pathotypes, including extraintestinal pathogenic strains (ExPEC). The complement system is an important defense mechanism of the immune system that can be activated by invading pathogens. Proteases produced by pathogenic bacteria, such as SPATEs, have proteolytic activity and can cleave components of the complement system, promoting bacterial resistance to human serum. Considering these factors, the proteolytic activity of Pet and its role in evading the complement system were investigated. Proteolytic assays were performed by incubating purified components of the complement system with Pet and Pet S260I (a catalytic site mutant) proteins. Pet, but not Pet S260I, could cleave C3, C5 and C9 components, and also inhibited the natural formation of C9 polymers. Furthermore, a dose-dependent inhibition of ZnCl2-induced C9 polymerization in vitro was observed. E. coli DH5α survived incubation with human serum pre-treated with Pet. Therefore, Pet can potentially interfere with the alternative and the terminal pathways of the complement system. In addition, by cleaving C9, Pet may inhibit membrane attack complex (MAC) formation on the bacterial outer membrane. Thus, our data are suggestive of a role of Pet in resistance of E. coli to human serum

The steroid-hormone ecdysone coordinates parallel pupariation neuromotor and morphogenetic subprograms via epidermis-to-neuron Dilp8-Lgr3 signal induction

Funding Information: We thank Drs. Carlos Ribeiro, Christen Mirth, Elio Sucena, Filip Port, Frank Schnorrer, Julien Colombani, Maria Dominguez, Maria Luisa Vasconcelos, Pierre Leopold, Simon Bullock, Rita Teodoro, Gerald Rubin, Melissa Harrison, Kate O’Connor-Giles, Jill Wildonger, Mariana Melani, Pablo Wappner, and Christian Wegener for fly stocks and reagents. We thank Ryohei Yagi and Konrad Basler for the LHV2 plasmid and Brain McCabe for the mhc-Gateway destination plasmid. We thank Carlos Ribeiro and Dennis Goldschmidt for help in designing and constructing one of the pupariation arenas and Mariana Melani, Pablo Wappner, Arash Bashirullah, and Filip Port for sharing resources and unpublished data. We thank Arash Bashirullah, Fillip Port, and Carlos Ribeiro for discussions and/or comments on the manuscript, and Jim Truman for discussions on Fraenkel’s pupariation factors. Stocks obtained from the Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center (NIH P40OD018537) were used in this study. Work in the Integrative Biomedicine Laboratory was supported by the European Commission FP7 (PCIG13-GA-2013-618847), by the FCT (IF/00022/2012; Congento LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-022170, cofinanced by FCT/Lisboa2020; UID/Multi/04462/2019; PTDC/BEXBCM/1370/2014; PTDC/MED-NEU/30753/2017; PTDC/BIA-BID/31071/2017; FCT SFRH/BPD/94112/ 2013; SFRH/BD/94931/2013), the MIT Portugal Program (MIT-EXPL/BIO/0097/2017), and FAPESP (16/09659-3, 16/10342-4, and 17/17904-0). AG is a CONICET researcher, YV holds a CONICET postdoctoral fellowship and FPS and MJD hold a PhD fellowship from CONICET. Work in the Garelli lab was supported by ANPCyT (Agencia Nacional para la Promoción de la Ciencia y la Tecnología, PICT 2014-2900 and PICT 2017-0254) and CONICET (PIP11220150100182CO). Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Innate behaviors consist of a succession of genetically-hardwired motor and physiological subprograms that can be coupled to drastic morphogenetic changes. How these integrative responses are orchestrated is not completely understood. Here, we provide insight into these mechanisms by studying pupariation, a multi-step innate behavior of Drosophila larvae that is critical for survival during metamorphosis. We find that the steroid-hormone ecdysone triggers parallel pupariation neuromotor and morphogenetic subprograms, which include the induction of the relaxin-peptide hormone, Dilp8, in the epidermis. Dilp8 acts on six Lgr3-positive thoracic interneurons to couple both subprograms in time and to instruct neuromotor subprogram switching during behavior. Our work reveals that interorgan feedback gates progression between subunits of an innate behavior and points to an ancestral neuromodulatory function of relaxin signaling.publishersversionpublishe