Wastewater-based epidemiology of cocaine in the Brazilian Federal District : spatial distribution, weekly variation and sample preservation strategies

The distribution of consumed cocaine in the Brazilian Federal District (FD) was estimated using the wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) approach. Sewage samples from eight wastewater treatment plants were analyzed for cocaine (COC) and benzoylecgonine (BE) using solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The highest per capita consumption was noticed for the northern area of the Brazilian Capital (1162 mg day-1 1000 inh‑1) being 32% higher than the average consumption rate of the investigated region. In this area, a day-to-day investigation revealed an average cocaine consumption of 1800 mg day-1 1000 inh-1 during the weekend, i.e., more than 50% higher than weekdays. An annual street-grade cocaine load of about 2 ton was estimated for the FD considering previous information on the actual purity of seized street drugs as well as consumers between 15 and 64 years old. Sample preservation strategies were also investigated in order to expand the WBE approach to other Brazilian areas. Sample acidification to pH 2.0 presented the smallest relative errors for COC (+11%) and BE (−4%) after a period of three days under typical transport conditions practiced by the Brazilian national postal service

Expressed sequence tags in venomous tissue of Scorpaena plumieri (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae)

Species of the family Scorpaenidae are responsible for accidents and sporadic casualties by the shore they inhabit. The species Scorpaena plumieri from this family populate the Northeastern and Eastern coast of Brazil causing human envenomation characterized by local and systemic symptoms. In experimental animals the venom induces cardiotoxic, hypotensive, and airway respiratory effects. As first step to identify the venom components we isolated gland mRNA to produce a cDNA library from the fish gland. This report describes the partial sequencing of 356 gland transcripts from S. plumieri. BLAST analysis of transcripts showed that 30% were unknown sequences, 17% hypothetical proteins, 17% related to metabolic enzymes, 14% belonged to signal transducing functions and the remaining groups (7-8%) composed by gene related with expressing proteins, regulatory proteins and structural proteins. A considerable number of these EST were not found in available databases suggesting the existence of new proteins and/or functions yet to be discovered. By screening the library with antibodies against a lectin fraction from S. plumieri venom we identified several clones whose DNA sequence showed similarities with lectins found in fish. In silico analysis of these clones confirm the identity of these molecules in the venom gland of S. plumieri. Espécies da família Scorpaenidae são responsáveis por acidentes e mortes esporádicas ao longo da costa que habitam. A espécie Scorpaena plumieri desta família povoam a costa Leste e Nordeste do Brasil, causando envenenamento humano caracterizado por sintomas locais e sistêmicos. Em modelos experimentais animais a peçonha induz cardiotoxicidade, efeitos hipotensivos e alterações nas vias aéreas respiratórias. Como primeiro passo para identificar os componentes da peçonha foram isolados os mRNA das glândulas do peixe para produzir uma biblioteca de cDNAs. Esse artigo descreve o sequenciamento parcial de 356 transcritos das glândulas de S. plumieri. Análises em bancos de dados (BLAST) dos transcritos demonstraram que 30% eram sequências desconhecidas, 17% proteínas hipotéticas, 17% relacionadas às enzimas do metabolismo, 14% pertenciam a funções de transdução de sinais e os demais grupos (7-8%) formados por genes relacionados com a expressão de proteínas, proteínas regulatórias e estruturais. Um número considerável destes EST não foi encontrado em bases de dados disponíveis, sugerindo a existência de novas proteínas e/ou funções ainda a serem descobertas. Ao fazer um barrido da biblioteca com anticorpos produzidos contra uma fração das lectinas do veneno de S. plumieri, identificamos vários clones, cuja sequência de DNA mostram semelhanças com lectinas encontradas em peixes. A análise in silico destes clones confirmam a identidade destas moléculas na glândula de peçonha de S. plumieri

Use of humanised rat basophilic leukaemia cell line RS-ATL8 for the assessment of allergenicity of Schistosoma mansoni proteins.

BACKGROUND Parasite-specific IgE is thought to correlate with protection against Schistosoma mansoni infection or re-infection. Only a few molecular targets of the IgE response in S. mansoni infection have been characterised. A better insight into the basic mechanisms of anti-parasite immunity could be gained from a genome-wide characterisation of such S. mansoni allergens. This would have repercussions on our understanding of allergy and the development of safe and efficacious vaccinations against helminthic parasites. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A complete medium- to high-throughput amenable workflow, including important quality controls, is described, which enables the rapid translation of S. mansoni proteins using wheat germ lysate and subsequent assessment of potential allergenicity with a humanised Rat Basophilic Leukemia (RBL) reporter cell line. Cell-free translation is completed within 90 minutes, generating sufficient amounts of parasitic protein for rapid screening of allergenicity without any need for purification. Antigenic integrity is demonstrated using Western Blotting. After overnight incubation with infected individuals' serum, the RS-ATL8 reporter cell line is challenged with the complete wheat germ translation mixture and Luciferase activity measured, reporting cellular activation by the suspected allergen. The suitability of this system for characterization of novel S. mansoni allergens is demonstrated using well characterised plant and parasitic allergens such as Par j 2, SmTAL-1 and the IgE binding factor IPSE/alpha-1, expressed in wheat germ lysates and/or E. coli. SmTAL-1, but not SmTAL2 (used as a negative control), was able to activate the basophil reporter cell line. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE This method offers an accessible way for assessment of potential allergenicity of anti-helminthic vaccine candidates and is suitable for medium- to high-throughput studies using infected individual sera. It is also suitable for the study of the basis of allergenicity of helminthic proteins

Search for new particles in events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A search is presented for new particles produced at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV, using events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101 fb(-1), collected in 2017-2018 with the CMS detector. Machine learning techniques are used to define separate categories for events with narrow jets from initial-state radiation and events with large-radius jets consistent with a hadronic decay of a W or Z boson. A statistical combination is made with an earlier search based on a data sample of 36 fb(-1), collected in 2016. No significant excess of events is observed with respect to the standard model background expectation determined from control samples in data. The results are interpreted in terms of limits on the branching fraction of an invisible decay of the Higgs boson, as well as constraints on simplified models of dark matter, on first-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying to quarks and neutrinos, and on models with large extra dimensions. Several of the new limits, specifically for spin-1 dark matter mediators, pseudoscalar mediators, colored mediators, and leptoquarks, are the most restrictive to date.Peer reviewe

Combined searches for the production of supersymmetric top quark partners in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A combination of searches for top squark pair production using proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb(-1) collected by the CMS experiment, is presented. Signatures with at least 2 jets and large missing transverse momentum are categorized into events with 0, 1, or 2 leptons. New results for regions of parameter space where the kinematical properties of top squark pair production and top quark pair production are very similar are presented. Depending on themodel, the combined result excludes a top squarkmass up to 1325 GeV for amassless neutralino, and a neutralinomass up to 700 GeV for a top squarkmass of 1150 GeV. Top squarks with masses from 145 to 295 GeV, for neutralino masses from 0 to 100 GeV, with a mass difference between the top squark and the neutralino in a window of 30 GeV around the mass of the top quark, are excluded for the first time with CMS data. The results of theses searches are also interpreted in an alternative signal model of dark matter production via a spin-0 mediator in association with a top quark pair. Upper limits are set on the cross section for mediator particle masses of up to 420 GeV

Probing effective field theory operators in the associated production of top quarks with a Z boson in multilepton final states at root s=13 TeV

Peer reviewe

MUSiC : a model-unspecific search for new physics in proton-proton collisions at root s=13TeV

Results of the Model Unspecific Search in CMS (MUSiC), using proton-proton collision data recorded at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1), are presented. The MUSiC analysis searches for anomalies that could be signatures of physics beyond the standard model. The analysis is based on the comparison of observed data with the standard model prediction, as determined from simulation, in several hundred final states and multiple kinematic distributions. Events containing at least one electron or muon are classified based on their final state topology, and an automated search algorithm surveys the observed data for deviations from the prediction. The sensitivity of the search is validated using multiple methods. No significant deviations from the predictions have been observed. For a wide range of final state topologies, agreement is found between the data and the standard model simulation. This analysis complements dedicated search analyses by significantly expanding the range of final states covered using a model independent approach with the largest data set to date to probe phase space regions beyond the reach of previous general searches.Peer reviewe