NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans – anteaters, sloths, and armadillos – have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with 24 domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, ten anteaters, and six sloths. Our dataset includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data-paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the south of the USA, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to its austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n=5,941), and Cyclopes sp. has the fewest (n=240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n=11,588), and the least recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n=33). With regards to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n=962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n=12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other datasets of Neotropical Series which will become available very soon (i.e. Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans dataset

Tissue factor-dependent pathway in severe preeclampsia revisited

Previously we investigated the tissue factor (TF)-dependent coagulation pathway and key haemostatic cofactors in white women with preeclampsia (P-EC) and suggested that plasma factor VII (FVII) levels can differentiate women with P-EC from healthy nonpregnant women or normal pregnant women, at the same trimester, with high sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values. Here we re-examine the TF-dependent pathway in a large cohort of Brazilian women. A total of 240 women were studied. These included healthy nonpregnant women (n = 79), normotensive pregnant women (n = 80) and women with severe P-EC (n = 81). Commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure plasma FVII, activated factor VII (FVIIa), TF and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI). All study participants were matched for age. Pregnant women (with/without P-EC) were matched for gestational age and parity. Plasma levels of FVII, FVIIa and TFPI were significantly increased in women with severe P-EC compared with healthy nonpregnant women (P < 0.01) or normotensive pregnant women (P < 0.01). FVIIa was also higher in normotensive pregnant women compared with nonpregnant women (P < 0.01). However, no such significant trends were observed for plasma TF levels (P = 0.074). In conclusion, circulating FVII, FVIIa and TFPI were significantly elevated in women with severe P-EC in the absence of comparable changes in plasma TF levels. The present work is in agreement with our previous report on FVII levels in white women with P-EC. Thus, this lends further support to the notion that plasma FVII levels are potentially valuable diagnostic marker for P-EC, irrespective of ethnicity

FVIIa-antithrombin levels in early and late preeclampsia

Background Preeclampsia (PE) is associated with a hypercoagulability state. According to the gestational age (GA) at the onset of the disease, PE has been classified as early (GA < 34 weeks) and late (GA ≥ 34 weeks). It has been admitted that early PE is associated with ischemic placental lesions, while in late PE an adequate or slightly impaired placentation occurs, which suggests that the two clinical forms have distinct etiology. Tissue factor (TF) binds and activates plasma factor VII triggering the coagulation. The inhibitor antithrombin (AT), along with tissue factor pathway inhibitor, acts as an inhibitor of the FVIIa-TF pathway. Once the TF-FVIIa complex is formed, the binding and transfer of FVIIa to AT is facilitated and FVIIa activity is inhibited. Objective: We evaluated the FVIIa-AT complex levels in pregnant women with early and late severe PE (sPE), in order to verify if this biomarker can be useful for discriminating the two forms of the disease. Methods We evaluated 26 pregnant with severe early PE and 19 pregnant with severe late PE. FVIIa-AT levels were measured by STACLOT® (Diagnostica Stago). Statistical analysis was done by Mann-Whitney test. Results: Increased FVIIa-AT levels were found in early sPE [148.4 pM (137.1)] compared to late sPE [95.9 pM (66.5)] (P = 0.046), which suggests a higher pro-coagulant state when PE onset occurs before 34 weeks of gestation. Conclusion: These pioneer data allow inferring the relevance of FVIIa-AT as a device for early sPE diagnosis. However, the clinical relevance of FVIIa-AT complex surely needs to be fully clarified

Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy Mediated by Fotenticine and Methylene Blue on Planktonic Growth, Biofilms, and Burn Infections of <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i>

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is considered a promising alternative strategy to control Acinetobacter baumannii infections. In this study, we evaluated the action of aPDT mediated by a new photosensitizer derivative from chlorin e-6 (Fotoenticine—FTC) on A. baumannii, comparing its effects with methylene blue (MB). For this, aPDT was applied on A. baumannii in planktonic growth, biofilms, and burn infections in Galleria mellonella. The absorption of FTC and MB by bacterial cells was also evaluated using microscopic and spectrophotometric analysis. The results of planktonic cultures showed that aPDT reduced the number of viable cells compared to the non-treated group for the reference and multidrug-resistant A. baumannii strains. These reductions varied from 1.4 to 2 log10 CFU for FTC and from 2 log10 CFU to total inhibition for MB. In biofilms, aPDT with MB reduced 3.9 log10 CFU of A. baumannii, whereas FTC had no effect on the cell counts. In G. mellonella, only MB-mediated aPDT had antimicrobial activity on burn injuries, increasing the larvae survival by 35%. Both photosensitizers were internalized by bacterial cells, but MB showed a higher absorption compared to FTC. In conclusion, MB had greater efficacy than FTC as a photosensitizer in aPDT against A. baumannii

Soluble endoglin, transforming growth factor-Beta 1 and soluble tumor necrosis factor alpha receptors in different clinical manifestations of preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: Despite intensive research, the etiopathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE) remains uncertain. Inflammatory and angiogenic factors are thought to play considerable roles in this disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between soluble endoglin (sEng), transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha soluble receptors (sTNF-Rs) and the clinical manifestations of PE. METHODS: Plasma levels of sEng, TGF-β1 and sTNF-Rs were determined by ELISA in 23 non-pregnant, 21 normotensive pregnant and 43 PE women. PE women were stratified into subgroups according to the severity [mild (n = 12) and severe (n = 31)] and onset-time of the disease [early (n = 19) and late (n = 24)]. RESULTS: Pregnancy was associated with higher levels of sEng, sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 than the non-pregnant state. Moreover, PE women had higher levels of sEng and sTNF-R1 than normotensive pregnant women. No difference was found in TGF-β1 levels, comparing the three study groups. Late PE had higher levels of sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 than early PE. No significant differences were found in sEng and TGF-β1 comparing early and late PE. sEng levels were higher in severe PE than in mild PE and no difference was found for TGF-β1, sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 levels. There was a positive correlation among sEng, TNF-R1 and sTNF-2 levels. Logistic regression analysis revealed that primiparity and sEng levels are independently associated with the development of PE. Furthermore, sEng levels are independently associated with the disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that pregnancy is a condition associated with higher levels of anti-angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors than the non-pregnant state and that PE is associated with an imbalance of these factors in the maternal circulation

Plasma levels of sEng, TGF-β1, sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 in non-pregnant, normotensive pregnant and preeclamptic women.

<p>NP (non-pregnant women), Norm (normotensive pregnant women), PE (preeclamptic women). Horizontal bars represent median values for sEng, TGF-β1, sTNF-R1 and mean value for sTNF-R2. *<i>p</i><0.05, **<i>p</i><0.01 and ***<i>p</i><0.001. Plasma levels of sEng (nanograms/milliliter) (A), sTNF-R1 (picograms/milliliter) (C) and sTNF-R2 (picograms/milliliter) (D) were higher in normotensive pregnant women than in non-pregnant women. When compared with normotensive pregnant women, sEng (A) and sTNF-R1 (C) were elevated in women with PE. TGF-β1 (picograms/milliliter) levels showed no significant differences among the studied groups (B).</p

Significant correlations among sEng, TGF-β1, sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 levels and laboratorial parameters in preeclamptic women.

<p>The lines represent linear regression and the closed circles represent preeclamptic (PE) women. Maternal plasma sEng concentrations (nanograms/milliliter) are correlated positively with creatinine (mg/dL) (A) and aspartate aminotransferase (U/L) (B) levels in PE women. There is a positive correlation between sTNF-R1 (picograms/milliliter) and lactate dehydrogenase (U/L) levels in PE women (C).</p

Plasma levels of sEng, TGF-β1, sTNF-R1 and sTNF-R2 according to the onset-time and severity of preeclampsia.

<p>Horizontal bars represent median values for sEng and sTNF-R1 and mean values for TGF-β1 and sTNF-R2. **<i>p</i><0.01. Women with late preeclampsia (PE) had higher levels of sTNF-R1 (picograms/milliliter) (C) and sTNF-R2 (picograms/milliliter) (D) than women with early PE. No significant differences were found in sEng (nanograms/milliliter) (A) and TGF-β1 (picograms/milliliter) (B) comparing early and late PE. sEng levels were higher in severe PE than in mild PE (E) and no difference was found for TGF-β1 (F), sTNF-R1 (G) and sTNF-R2 levels (H).</p

Demographic and clinical characteristics of the three studied groups.

<p>Abbreviations: BMI (body mass index: before pregnancy for normotensive pregnant women and preeclamptic women), GWG (gestational weight gain), GA (gestational age), SBP (systolic blood pressure), DPB (diastolic blood pressure), NP (non-pregnant women), Norm (normotensive pregnant women), PE (preeclamptic women), N/A (not applicable). Note: n =  total subjects.</p>a<p>Data are presented as median (25^th–75^th percentiles); ^bData are presented as mean ± standard deviation; ^cData are presented as number (percentage). ¹Kruskal-Wallis with <i>Bonferroni</i> correction; ²ANOVA with <i>post-hoc</i> LSD;³Pearson chi-square (χ²) test. *<i>p</i><0.05, **<i>p</i><0.017.</p