Optical Anisotropy of Porphyrin Nanocrystals Modified by the Electrochemical Dissolution

Reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) coupled to an electrochemical cell represents a powerful tool to correlate changes in the surface optical anisotropy to changes in the electrochemical currents related to electrochemical reactions. The high sensitivity of RAS in the range of the absorption bands of organic systems, such as porphyrins, allows us to directly correlate the variations of the optical anisotropy signal to modifications in the solid-state aggregation of the porphyrin molecules. By combining in situ RAS to electrochemical techniques, we studied the case of vacuum-deposited porphyrin nanocrystals, which have been recently observed dissolving through electrochemical oxidation in diluted sulfuric acid. Specifically, we could identify the first stages of the morphological modifications of the nanocrystals, which we could attribute to the single-electron transfers involved in the oxidation reaction; in this sense, the simultaneous variation of the optical anisotropy with the electron transfer acts as a precursor of the dissolution process of porphyrin nanocrystals

Doença do Verme do Coração (Dirofilaria immitis) em gato-do-mato-pequeno (Leopardus tigrinus) no Brasil

Heartworm disease is caused by the intravascular nematode Dirofilaria immitis, a pathogen of public health importance usually associated to domestic dogs and cats, and to a lesser extend to other mammal species. The oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus) is a threatened neotropic felid species that naturally occurs in Brazil. Here, we report the encounter of adult and larval stages of heartworms in a female specimen of L. tigrinus, probable of free-ranging origin, from Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil, which died showing clinical signals compatible with heartworm disease. This was the first reported case of D. immitis infection and associated disease in L. tigrinus, also suggesting that the oncilla acted as a definitive host for this parasite. The present findings confirmed D. immitis as a pathogenic agent for this felid species, thus supporting the recommendation for the inclusion of diagnostic testing for this pathogen in routine health screening procedures for captive and free-ranging oncillas in Brazil, especially in those localities where climate conditions support the occurrence of the parasite. Potential reservoirs as oncillas are established beyond the reach of veterinary care, thus representing a continuing risk for domestic animals and humans acquiring heartworm infection. We encourage further serologic and molecular studies aiming to establish D. immitis prevalences in L. tigrinus and other wild carnivores in the region of Ubatuba, as well as ecological and veterinary studies to access the role of this pathogen for the survival of this threatened felid species.A doença do verme do coração é causada pelo nematódeo intravascular Dirofilaria immitis, um patógeno de importância em Saúde Pública geralmente associado a cães e gatos domésticos e, em menor extensão, a outras espécies de mamíferos. O gato-do-mato-pequeno (Leopardus tigrinus) é uma espécie ameaçada de felídeo neotropical que ocorre naturalmente no Brasil. Aqui relatamos o encontro de estágios adultos e larvais de vermes do coração em uma fêmea de L. tigrinus, provavelmente de vida livre e originária de Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brasil, que veio a óbito demonstrando sinais clínicos compatíveis desta doença. Este é o primeiro caso relatado de infecção e doença associada com D. immitis em L. tigrinus, sugerindo também que o gato-do-mato-pequeno agiu como hospedeiro definitivo para este parasita. Estes achados confirmaram que D. immitis é um agente patogênico para esta espécie de felino, sugerindo a recomendação para a inclusão de testes diagnósticos para este patógeno em procedimentos rotineiros de avaliação da saúde para gatos-do-mato-pequenos mantidos em cativeiro e de vida livre no Brasil, especialmente em localidades onde as condições climáticas permitam a ocorrência do parasita. Os gatos-do-mato-pequenos são potenciais reservatórios da D. immitis, mas vivem fora do alcance veterinário, representando desta forma um risco contínuo para animais domésticos e humanos. Encorajamos a realização de outros estudos epidemiológicos a fim de estabelecer as prevalências de infecção por D. immitis em L. tigrinus e outros carnívoros selvagens na região de Ubatuba, assim como estudos ecológicos e médicos veterinários para se acessar o papel deste patógeno para a sobrevivência desta espécie ameaçada de felídeo.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

DA ASSISTÊNCIA A SAÚDE À PRESERVAÇÃO DE VESTÍGIOS FORENSES: ATUAÇÃO DA EQUIPE DE ENFERMAGEM DIANTE DAS VÍTIMAS POR ARMA DE FOGO E ARMA BRANCA

Introduction: The nursing staff of urgency / emergency services often assist victims with firearms and stab wounds, therefore, these professionals have great opportunities to adequately preserve the forensic traces present in the victim's body and collaborate with the criminal investigation. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the performance and knowledge of nurses and nursing technicians in the preservation of forensic traces in shooting and stabbings victims treated at a hospital that is reference when it comes to emergencies in northeastern Brazil, highlighting the difficulties health professionals regarding the identification, collection and preservation of forensic remains in the victims. Methods: This is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach, conducted from 2017 to 2018. Results: Most nurses and nursing technicians perform less than 50% of the total actions proposed in the questionnaire (81,8% and 85,2%), as well as less than half of the procedures (87,9% and 90.9%). When comparing the answers of the three question groups (documentation, preservation and collection), it was noticed that the procedures related to documentation are the most performed and known by nurses when compared to nursing technicians. Conclusion: Although nurses and nursing technicians realize the importance of measures for the preservation of traces in shot and stabbed victims, few of them perform the necessary procedures for the preservation of forensic remains. In addition, the research findings highlight that the poor knowledge about the procedures to be performed was directly proportional to their execution.Introdução: A equipe de enfermagem dos serviços de urgência /emergência frequentemente atende vítimas por arma de fogo e branca, dessa forma, esses profissionais possuem grandes oportunidades para preservar adequadamente os vestígios forenses presentes no corpo da vítima e colaborar com a investigação criminal. Objetivo: objetivou-se analisar a atuação e conhecimento de enfermeiros e técnicos de enfermagem na preservação de vestígios forenses da vítima de violência por arma de fogo e arma branca atendida em um hospital de referência para urgências/emergências no Nordeste do Brasil, elencando as dificuldades dos profissionais de saúde quanto à identificação, coleta e preservação dos vestígios forenses nas vítimas. Métodos: trata-se de um estudo descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa, realizado no período de 2017 a 2018. Resultados: A maior parte dos enfermeiros e dos técnicos de enfermagem executam menos de 50% do total das ações propostas no questionário (81,8% e 85,2%), bem como desconhecem menos da metade dos procedimentos (87,9% e 90,9%). Ao comparar as respostas dos três grupos de perguntas (documentação, preservação e coleta), percebeu-se que os procedimentos relacionados a documentação são os mais e executados e conhecidos pelos enfermeiros quando comparado aos técnicos de enfermagem. Conclusão: Embora enfermeiros e técnicos de enfermagem percebam a importância de medidas para a preservação de vestígios de vítimas de violência por arma de fogo e arma branca, poucos deles executam os procedimentos necessários para a preservação dos vestígios forenses. Além disso, os achados da pesquisa destacam que o conhecimento deficiente sobre os procedimentos a serem realizados foi diretamente proporcional à sua execução

CMS physics technical design report : Addendum on high density QCD with heavy ions

Peer reviewe

Exposure of wild felids to selected infectious agents

Este estudo avaliou a exposição de 12 espécies de felídeos selvagens de vida livre (n=22) e mantidas em cativeiro (n=210) no Brasil a 16 agentes potencialmente patogênicos para membros da família Felidae, como herpesvírus felino 1 (FHV 1), calicivírus felino (FCV), parvovírus felino (FPV), coronavírus felino (FCoV), vírus da leucemia felina (FeLV), vírus da imunodeficiência felina (FIV), lentivírus de puma (PLV), vírus da cinomose canina (CDV), Bartonella henselae, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Mycoplasma haemofelis, ′Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum′, Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis′, Theileria sp e Cytauxzoon sp, através do emprego de IFA, Western blot, ELISA e TaqMan® PCR e RT-PCR em amostras de soro, sangue, fezes e suabes orais, conforme as amostras disponíveis para cada animal. A detecção direta de patógenos ou de anticorpos demonstrou que populações de felídeos selvagens no Brasil estão expostas pelo menos ao FHV 1, FCV, FPV, FCoV, FeLV e lentivírus felinos, Bartonella henselae, Ehrlichia canis, Mycoplasma haemofelis, ′Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum′ e Cytauxzoon sp, ou agentes relacionados, quais provavelmente contribuem em quadros não diagnosticados de morbidade e/ou mortalidade das populações de felídeos selvagens no País. A presença de patógenos comuns de carnívoros domésticos em felídeos selvagens aponta para a necessidade de cuidadoso monitoramento destas infecções através de uma abordagem integrada e multidisciplinarThis study evaluated exposure of 12 nondomestic felid species, both free-ranging (n=22) and captive (n=210) in Brazil to 16 potential pathogenic agents for members of Felid family, as feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV 1), feline calicivirus (FCV), feline parvovirus (FPV), feline coronavirus (FCoV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), puma lentivirus (PLV), canine distemper virus (CDV), Bartonella henselae, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Mycoplasma haemofelis, ′Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum′, Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis′, Theileria sp, and Cytauxzoon sp, using IFA, Western blot, ELISA, and TaqMan® PCR and RT-PCR in serum, blood, feces and oral swabs, according to available samples for each animal. The antibody or agents detection demonstrated that Brazilian wild felid populations are exposed to at least FHV 1, FCV, FPV, FCoV, FeLV, puma lentivirus (PLV), Bartonella henselae, Ehrlichia canis, Mycoplasma haemofelis, ′Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum′, and Cytauxzoon sp, related agents, which probably contribute to undiagnosed morbidity and/or mortality scenarios for the Brazilian populations of wild felids. The presence of common domestic carnivore pathogens in wild felids address the need of close monitoring of such infections throughout an integrative and multidisciplinary approac

Nerve-independence of limb regeneration in larval Xenopus laevis is correlated to the level of fgf-2 mRNA expression in limb tissues

In both larval and adult urodele amphibians, limb blastema formation requires the presence of an adequate nerve supply. In previous research, we demonstrated that the hindlimb of early Xenopus laevis larvae formed a regeneration blastema even when denervated, while the denervated limb of late larvae did not. We hypothesized that the nerve-independence was due to the autonomous synthesis of a mitogenic neurotrophic-like factor by undifferentiated limb bud cells. In this paper, we demonstrate that fgf-2 mRNA is present in larval limb tissues and that its level is correlated to the extent of mesenchymal cells populating the limb: in early limbs, fgf-2 mRNA is present at high levels all over the limb, while, in late limbs, the fgf-2 expression is low and detectable only in the distal autopodium. After denervation, fgf-2 mRNA synthesis increases in amputated early limbs but not in amputated late limbs. The implantation of anti-FGF-2 beads into amputated early limbs hardly lowers the mitotic activity of blastema cells. However, FGF-2 beads implanted into the blastema of late limbs prevent the denervation-induced inhibition of mitosis and oppose blastema regression. Our data indicate that FGF-2 is a good candidate for the endogenous mitogenic factor responsible for blastema formation and growth in amputated and denervated early limbs. However, in amputated late limbs, the very limited fgf-2 expression is not sufficient to promote blastema formation in the absence of nerves. (C) 2001 Academic Press.status: publishe

Retrovirus infections and Brazilian wild felids

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) are two retroviruses that are deadly to the domestic cat (Felis catus) and important to the conservation of the threatened wild felids worldwide. Differences in the frequencies of occurrence and the existence of varying related viruses among felid species have incited the search for understanding the relationships among hosts and viruses into individual and population levels. Felids infected can die of related diseases or cope with the infection but not show pathognomonic or overt clinical signs. As the home range for eight species of neotropic felids and the home to hundreds of felids in captivity, Brazil has the challenge of improving its diagnostic capacity for feline retroviruses and initiating long term studies as part of a monitoring progra