Spatiotemporal distribution of the magnetotactic multicellular prokaryote Candidatus Magnetoglobus multicellularis in a Brazilian hypersaline lagoon and in microcosms

Candidatus Magnetoglobus multicellularis is an unusual morphotype of magnetotactic prokaryotes. These microorganisms are composed of a spherical assemblage of gram-negative prokaryotic cells capable of swimming as a unitaligned along a magnetic field. While they occur in many aquatic habitats around the world, high numbers of Ca. M. multicellularishave been detected in Araruama Lagoon, a large hypersaline lagoon near the city of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. Here,we report on the spatiotemporal distribution of one such population in sediments of Araruama Lagoon, including its annualdistribution and its abundance compared with the total bacterial community. In microcosm experiments, Ca. M. multicellulariswas unable to survive for more than 45 days: the population density gradually decreased coinciding with a shift to theupper layers of the sediment. Nonetheless, Ca. M. multicellularis was detected throughout the year in all sites studied. Changes in the population density seemed to be related to the input of organic matter as well as to salinity. The populationdensity of Ca. M. multicellularis did not correlate with the total bacterial counts; instead, changes in the microbial communitystructure altered their counts in the environment. [Int Microbiol 2012; 15(3):141-149

BOAS PRÁTICAS AGRÍCOLAS NO CULTIVO DE PLANTAS MEDICINAIS

O município de Feira de Santana, localizado a cerca de 116 km da capital baiana, detém significativo número de famílias rurais que possuem a agricultura familiar como base de sustento

AUTISMO: O PAPEL DO SISTEMA ÚNICO DE SAÚDE NO ACOLHIMENTO E TRATAMENTO INFANTOJUVENIL

O autismo caracteriza-se pelo desenvolvimento atípico das linguagens e comunicação, meio social e emocional, além de apresentar interesses e atividades circunscritas. O artigo trata de uma revisão literária e versa sobre o diagnóstico do Transtorno do Espectro Autista em crianças, o acolhimento oferecido à família e ao tratamento multidisciplinar oferecidos pelo SUS – Sistema Único de Saúde, em rede nacional, trazendo dados relevantes e uma discussão acerca da importância do profissional Assistente Social frente à luta pela garantia dos direitos de crianças e adolescentes com Transtorno do Espectro Autista, enfatizando o quão importante é o apoio familiar no tratamento destes jovens. Palavras-chave: Autismo infantil, Serviço Social, Direitos e SUS

“Um imperceptível traço de goma de tragacanto…”

Sem resum

Genomic variations in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and karyotypes without numerical or structural changes

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is an onco-hematologic disease with distinct levels of peripheral blood cytopenias, dysplasias in cell differentiation and various forms of chromosomal and cytogenomic alterations. In this study, the Chromosomal Microarray Analysis (CMA) was performed in patients with primary MDS without numerical and/or structural chromosomal alterations in karyotypes. A total of 17 patients was evaluated by GTG banding and eight patients showed no numerical and/or structural alterations. Then, the CMA was carried out and identified gains and losses CNVs and long continuous stretches of homozygosity (LCSHs). They were mapped on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, X, and Y. Ninety-one genes that have already been implicated in molecular pathways important for cell viability were selected and in-silico expression analyses demonstrated 28 genes differentially expressed in mesenchymal stromal cells of patients. Alterations in these genes may be related to the inactivation of suppressor genes or the activation of oncogenes contributing to the evolution and malignization of MDS. CMA provided additional information in patients without visible changes in the karyotype and our findings could contribute with additional information to improve the prognostic and personalized stratification for patients

Resuscitative procedures at birth in late preterm infants

Objective: Evaluate the need for resuscitative procedures at birth, in late prematures.Study Design: This prospective cohort study enrolled all liveborn infants from 1 to 30 September 2003, with 34 to 41 weeks of gestation without congenital anomalies, born in 35 public hospitals of 20 Brazilian state capitals. Logistic regression analyzed variables associated with the need for bag and mask ventilation.Result: of the 10 774 infants studied, 1054 were late preterms and 485 required resuscitative measures. of the 1054, 338 ( 32%) received only free-flow oxygen, 143 ( 14%) were bag and mask ventilated, 27 ( 3%) were intubated and 10/27 received chest compressions and/or medications. Bag and mask ventilation in late preterms was associated with twin gestation, maternal hypertension, nonvertex presentation, cesarean delivery and lower gestational age.Conclusion: Improving control of maternal hypertension, prolonging gestation for 1 to 2 weeks and restricting operative deliveries could decrease the need of resuscitation of late preterms at birth.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pediat, Div Neonatol, São Paulo, BrazilMed Sch Barbacena, Dept Epidemiol, Barbacena, BrazilUniv Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Pediat, Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniv Brasilia, Dept Pediat, Brasilia, DF, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pediat, Div Neonatol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

The Association of Field Test Outcomes with Peak Oxygen Uptake in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(3): 1381-1394, 2022. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association of field test outcomes with peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and to describe the main prediction equations available. Data searches were performed in five databases (Pubmed, Embase, LILACs, Scopus and Web of Science) and also in the reference lists of articles included. The following inclusion criteria were used: studies including individuals with CF, presenting both a field test and a cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), and describing a predictive equation or coefficient of correlation/determination. Case studies, abstracts, letters of reply, editorials and duplicate publications were excluded. The methodological quality analysis was performed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies scale. Protocol registration number: CRD42020148363. Ten studies were eligible. Five equations were found to predict VO2peak. Equations derived from the shuttle tests (ST) showed strong correlations with VO2peak (r = 0.79 to 0.95). The six-minute walk test (6MWT) showed moderate associations with VO2peak in participants with moderate disease severity (r = 0.53 to 0.65). Furthermore, patients with lower maximum heart rate on the three-minute step test tended to have a higher percent predicted VO2peak (r = -0.40), and the one-minute sit-to-stand test demonstrated moderate correlations between VO2peak and the number of repetitions (r = 0.52 to 0.66). In conclusion, field test outcomes correlate with oxygen consumption assessed through CPET, although only the ST seems to be valid as a predictor of VO2peak in patients with CF

Morphological characteristics of Schistosoma mansoni PZQ-resistant and -susceptible strains are different in presence of Praziquantel

Schistosomiasis is one of the most common human parasitic diseases whose socioeconomic impact is only surpassed by malaria. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug commercially available for the treatment of all schistosome species causing disease in humans. However, there has been stronger evidences of PZQ-resistance on Schistosoma mansoni and thus it is very important to study the phenotypic characteristics associated with it. The aim of this study was to evaluate morphological alterations in S. mansoni PZQ-resistant adult worms and eggs, by comparing a PZQ- resistant strain obtained under PZQ drug pressure with a PZQ-susceptible strain. For this, scanning electronic microscopy was used to assess tegumental responsiveness of both strains under PZQ exposure, and optical microscopy allowed the monitoring of worms and eggs in the presence of the drug. Those assays showed that PZQ-susceptible worms exposed to the drug had more severe tegumental damages than the resistant one, which had only minor alterations. Moreover, contrary to what occurred in the susceptible strain, resistant worms were viable after PZQ exposure and gradually regaining full motility after removal of the drug. Eggs from resistant strain parasites are considerably smaller than those from susceptible strain. Our results suggest that there might be a difference in the tegument composition of the resistant strain and that worms are less responsive to PZQ. Changes observed in egg morphology might imply alterations in the biology of schistosomes associated to PZQ-resistance, which could impact on transmission and pathology of the disease. Moreover, we propose a hypothetical scenario where there is a different egg tropism of the S. mansoni resistant strain. This study is the first comparing two strains that only differ in their resistance characteristics, which makes it a relevant step in the search for resistance determinants.publishersversionpublishe

Effect of the intra-alveolar administration of dexamethasone on swelling, trismus, and pain after impacted lower third molar extraction:a randomized, double-blind clinical trial

To evaluate the efficacy of intra-alveolar administration of dexamethasone 4 mg in the control of edema, trismus, and pain resulting from the extraction of impacted lower third molars and the drug permeability through the oral mucosa by in silico prediction. The randomized, double-blind, split-mouth clinical trial included patients who had both impacted lower third molars in equivalent positions. Hemiarches were divided into control side when dexamethasone was administered orally and experimental side when dexamethasone was administered using the intra-alveolar route. Patients were evaluated considering edema, trismus, and pain. The permeability of dexamethasone through the oral mucosa was assessed by in silico prediction. Student?s t-test was selected for comparative analysis of edema and trismus, and the chi-square test analyzed the distribution of postoperative pain between the sides. There were no significant differences between the routes of administration in measuring symptoms between the pre and postoperative times (p>0.05). In silico prediction suggested that dexamethasone molecular characteristics facilitate intra-alveolar administration. Intra-alveolar administration had similar efficacy to oral administration in controlling symptoms of post-surgical inflammation of impacted lower third molars

Modulation of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor by a single dose of ayahuasca : observation from a randomized controlled trial

Serotonergic psychedelics are emerging as potential antidepressant therapeutic tools, as suggested in a recent randomized controlled trial with ayahuasca for treatment-resistant depression. Preclinical and clinical studies have suggested that serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels increase after treatment with serotoninergic antidepressants, but the exact role of BDNF as a biomarker for diagnostic and treatment of major depression is still poorly understood. Here we investigated serum BDNF levels in healthy controls (N = 45) and patients with treatment-resistant depression (N = 28) before (baseline) and 48 h after (D2) a single dose of ayahuasca or placebo. In our sample, baseline serum BDNF levels did not predict major depression and the clinical characteristics of the patients did not predict their BDNF levels. However, at baseline, serum cortisol was a predictor of serum BDNF levels, where lower levels of serum BDNF were detected in a subgroup of subjects with hypocortisolemia. Moreover, at baseline we found a negative correlation between BDNF and serum cortisol in volunteers with eucortisolemia. After treatment (D2) we observed higher BDNF levels in both patients and controls that ingested ayahuasca (N = 35) when compared to placebo (N = 34). Furthermore, at D2 just patients treated with ayahuasca (N = 14), and not with placebo (N = 14), presented a significant negative correlation between serum BDNF levels and depressive symptoms. This is the first double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial that explored the modulation of BDNF in response to a psychedelic in patients with depression. The results suggest a potential link between the observed antidepressant effects of ayahuasca and changes in serum BDNF, which contributes to the emerging view of using psychedelics as an antidepressant. This trial is registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02914769)