Staphylococcus aureus in Some Brazilian Dairy Industries: Changes of Contamination and Diversity

Staphylococcus aureus, a major food-poisoning pathogen, is a common contaminant in dairy industries worldwide, including in Brazil. We determined the occurrence of S. aureus in five dairies in Brazil over 8 months. Of 421 samples, 31 (7.4%) were positive for S. aureus and prevalence varied from 0 to 63.3% between dairies. Sixty-six isolates from the 31 samples were typed by Multi-Locus Sequence Typing to determine if these isolates were persistent or continuously reintroduced. Seven known sequence types (STs), ST1, ST5, ST30, ST97, ST126, ST188 and ST398, and four new ST were identified, ST3531, ST3540, ST3562 and ST3534. Clonal complex (CC) 1 (including the four new ST), known as an epidemic clone, was the dominant CC. However, there were no indications of persistence of particular ST. The resistance toward 11 antibiotic compounds was assessed. Twelve profiles were generated with 75.8% of strains being sensitive to all antibiotic classes and no Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains were found. The enterotoxin-encoding genes involved in food-poisoning, e.g., sea, sed, see, and seg were targeted by PCR. The two toxin-encoding genes, sed and see, were not detected. Only three strains (4.5%) harbored seg and two of these also harbored sea. Despite the isolates being Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), the presence of CC1 clones in the processing environment, including some harboring enterotoxin encoding genes, is of concern and hygiene must have high priority to reduce contamination

The health and socio-demographic factors associated with depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic:A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Our objective was to analyze depressive symptoms during the COVID‐19 pandemic and their association with health and sociodemographic factors. Methods: A survey of 4203 adults from ten municipalities was conducted in Mato Grosso state, Amazon region of Brazil. Data collection was done at home, with the collection of sociodemographic characteristics, and aspects of both physical and mental health. The DSM‐5 level 1 cross‐sectional symptom scale was used to identify symptoms of depression, substance use disorders, sleep disturbances, and anxiety. Chemiluminescence was also used to detect IgG anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies. Results: The estimated prevalence of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies was 12.5% and the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 23.2%. In the multivariate analysis, depression was associated with being male, having a low income, the level of physical activity before the pandemic, chronic illness, substance use disorder, sleep and anxiety disorders. Conclusion: Evidence on depression and its associated factors is critical to understanding the extent of the population situation from which recommendations can be made to guide public policy.Introdução: O nosso objetivo foi analisar a associação entre sintomas depressivos e fatores sociodemográficos e de saúde durante a pandemia de COVID‐19. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo com 4203 adultos de dez municípios do estado de Mato Grosso, região amazônica do Brasil. A recolha de dados foi realizada na residência, com levantamento de informações sobre as características sociodemográficas, aspectos de saúde física e mental. A Escala de Sintomas Transversais de Nível 1 do DSM‐5 foi utilizada para identificar sintomas de depressão, transtorno por uso de substâncias, distúrbios do sono e ansiedade. A quimiluminescência foi utilizada para detectar anticorpos IgG anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2. Resultados: A prevalência estimada de anticorpos anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 foi de 12,5% e a prevalência de sintomas depressivos foi de 23,2%. Na análise multivariada, a depressão esteve associada a ser do sexo masculino, ter baixa renda, nível de atividade física antes da pandemia, ter doença crónica, apresentar transtorno por uso de substâncias, transtornos do sono e de ansiedade. Conclusão: Os achados sobre a depressão e seus fatores associados são essenciais para a compreensão sobre a magnitude do quadro desses sintomas na população, a partir de onde podem ser feitas recomendações que norteiem as políticas públicas

Sarcoma - características e resultados em um centro de referência oncológica no sul do Brasil / Sarcoma - characteristics and results in a reference oncology center in southern Brazil

Revisar as características clínicas de pacientes com sarcoma ósseo e de partes moles confirmados histologicamente, internados de 2000 a 2019 em um hospital público de oncologia no Brasil. Material e métodos: Foram analisados dados clínicos e epidemiológicos de prontuários médicos de 918 pacientes com sarcoma ósseo e de partes moles. Resultados: Dos casos avaliados 53,6% eram do sexo masculino e 46,4% do feminino. A média de idade foi de 40,78 anos. Os sarcomas mais frequentes foram de partes moles, correspondendo a 650 casos (70,81%). O subtipo mais comum de sarcoma ósseo foi o osteossarcoma e o tecido mole mais comum foi o leiomiossarcoma. Os pulmões foram o local de metástase mais afetado. A sobrevida global para sarcomas incluindo osso e tecido mole foi de 20,7 meses. Conclusão: O perfil clínico e epidemiológico dos pacientes com sarcomas indicou predomínio do osteossarcoma, entre os sarcomas ósseos, e do leiomiossarcoma, entre os sarcomas de partes moles. 22,1% apresentavam metástases ao diagnóstico, sendo o local mais comum o pulmão

Wild dogs at stake: deforestation threatens the only Amazon endemic canid, the short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis)

The persistent high deforestation rate and fragmentation of the Amazon forests are the main threats to their biodiversity. To anticipate and mitigate these threats, it is important to understand and predict how species respond to the rapidly changing landscape. The short-eared dog Atelocynus microtis is the only Amazon-endemic canid and one of the most understudied wild dogs worldwide. We investigated short-eared dog habitat associations on two spatial scales. First, we used the largest record database ever compiled for short-eared dogs in combination with species distribution models to map species habitat suitability, estimate its distribution range and predict shifts in species distribution in response to predicted deforestation across the entire Amazon (regional scale). Second, we used systematic camera trap surveys and occupancy models to investigate how forest cover and forest fragmentation affect the space use of this species in the Southern Brazilian Amazon (local scale). Species distribution models suggested that the short-eared dog potentially occurs over an extensive and continuous area, through most of the Amazon region south of the Amazon River. However, approximately 30% of the short-eared dog's current distribution is expected to be lost or suffer sharp declines in habitat suitability by 2027 (within three generations) due to forest loss. This proportion might reach 40% of the species distribution in unprotected areas and exceed 60% in some interfluves (i.e. portions of land separated by large rivers) of the Amazon basin. Our local-scale analysis indicated that the presence of forest positively affected short-eared dog space use, while the density of forest edges had a negative effect. Beyond shedding light on the ecology of the short-eared dog and refining its distribution range, our results stress that forest loss poses a serious threat to the conservation of the species in a short time frame. Hence, we propose a re-assessment of the short-eared dog's current IUCN Red List status (Near Threatened) based on findings presented here. Our study exemplifies how data can be integrated across sources and modelling procedures to improve our knowledge of relatively understudied species

Linking compact dwarf starburst galaxies in the resolve survey to downsized blue nuggets

Abstract We identify and characterize compact dwarf starburst (CDS) galaxies in the RESOLVE survey, a volume-limited census of galaxies in the local universe, to probe whether this population contains any residual “blue nuggets,” a class of intensely star-forming compact galaxies first identified at high redshift z. Our 50 low-z CDS galaxies are defined by dwarf masses (stellar mass M* < 109.5 M⊙), compact bulged-disk or spheroid-dominated morphologies (using a quantitative criterion, \mu _\Delta > 8.6), and specific star formation rates above the defining threshold for high-z blue nuggets (log SSFR [Gyr−1] > −0.5). Across redshifts, blue nuggets exhibit three defining properties: compactness relative to contemporaneous galaxies, abundant cold gas, and formation via compaction in mergers or colliding streams. Those with halo mass below Mhalo ∼ 1011.5 M⊙ may in theory evade permanent quenching and cyclically refuel until the present day. Selected only for compactness and starburst activity, our CDS galaxies generally have Mhalo ≲ 1011.5 M⊙ and gas-to-stellar mass ratio ≳1. Moreover, analysis of archival DECaLS photometry and new 3D spectroscopic observations for CDS galaxies reveals a high rate of photometric and kinematic disturbances suggestive of dwarf mergers. The SSFRs, surface mass densities, and number counts of CDS galaxies are compatible with theoretical and observational expectations for redshift evolution in blue nuggets. We argue that CDS galaxies represent a maximally-starbursting subset of traditional compact dwarf classes such as blue compact dwarfs and blue E/S0s. We conclude that CDS galaxies represent a low-z tail of the blue nugget phenomenon formed via a moderated compaction channel that leaves open the possibility of disk regrowth and evolution into normal disk galaxies

In Vitro

Stryphnodendron species, popularly named “barbatimão,” are traditionally used in Brazil as anti-inflammatory agents. This study aimed to investigate the effect of barbatimão and 11 other species on the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated THP-1 cells, as well as their anti-arthritis activity. The extracts of Stryphnodendron adstringens, Stryphnodendron obovatum, Campomanesia lineatifolia, and Terminalia glabrescens promoted a concentration-dependent inhibition of TNF-α. Mice injected with LPS in the knee joint were treated per os with fractions from the selected extracts. Both the organic (SAO) and the aqueous (SAA) fractions of S. adstringens promoted a dose-dependent reduction of leukocyte migration and neutrophil accumulation into the joint, but none of them reduced CXCL1 concentration in the periarticular tissue. In contrast, treatment with C. lineatifolia and T. glabrescens fractions did not ameliorate the inflammatory parameters. Analyses of SAO by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) led to the identification of gallic acid along with 11 prodelphinidins, characterized as monomers and dimers of the B-type. Our findings contribute to some extent to corroborating the traditional use of S. adstringens as an anti-inflammatory agent. This activity is probably related to a decrease of leukocyte migration into the inflammatory site. Polyphenols like gallic acid and prodelphinidins, identified in the active fraction, may contribute to the observed activity

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells are increased in cerebrospinal fluid of untreated patients during multiple sclerosis relapse

The plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) express a high level of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR-9), which recognizes viral DNA. Activated via TLR-9, pDCs also secrete large amounts of type I interferon which are involved either in stimulation or down regulation of immune response in multiple sclerosis (MS). In the present study, we determinate pDCs levels by flow cytometry in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) and Peripheral Blood from MS patients in relapsing and in remitting phases of the disease, comparing with other non-inflammatory diseases (OND). We provide evidence that MS patients in relapse without any treatment have a significantly (p < 0.01) higher percentage of pDCs in CSF than do patients in remission or those with OND. No change in the percentage of pDCs was observed in the peripheral blood of any of these patients. The increase of pDCs in central nervous system during relapse may be explained either by a virus infection or a down regulatory process