Avian influenza virus (H11N9) in migratory shorebirds wintering in the Amazon region, Brazil

Aquatic birds are the natural reservoir for avian influenza viruses (AIV). Habitats in Brazil provide stopover and wintering sites for water birds that migrate between North and South America. The current study was conducted to elucidate the possibility of the transport of influenza A viruses by birds that migrate annually between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In total, 556 orotracheal/cloacal swab samples were collected for influenza A virus screening using real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR). The influenza A virus-positive samples were subjected to viral isolation. Four samples were positive for the influenza A matrix gene by rRT-PCR. From these samples, three viruses were isolated, sequenced and characterized. All positive samples originated from a single bird species, the ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres), that was caught in the Amazon region at Caeté Bay, Northeast Pará, at Ilha de Canelas. To our knowledge, this is the first isolation of H11N9 in the ruddy turnstone in South America. (Résumé d'auteur

Photobiomodulation reduces the cytokine storm syndrome associated with Covid-19 in the zebrafish model

Although the exact mechanism of the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is not fully understood, oxidative stress and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been highlighted as playing a vital role in the pathogenesis of the disease. In this sense, alternative treatments are needed to reduce the inflammation caused by COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential effect of red PBM as an attractive therapy to downregulate the cytokine storm caused by COVID-19 from a zebrafish model. RT-PCR analyses and protein-protein interaction prediction among SARS-CoV-2 and Danio rerio proteins showed that rSpike was responsible for generating systemic inflammatory processes with significantly increased pro-inflammatory (il1b, il6, tnfa, and nfkbiab), oxidative stress (romo1) and energy metabolism (slc2a1a, coa1) mRNA markers, with a pattern like those observed in COVID-19 cases in humans. On the other hand, PBM treatment decreased the mRNA levels of these pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress markers compared with rSpike in various tissues, promoting an anti-inflammatory response. Conversely, PBM promotes cellular and tissue repair of injured tissues and significantly increases the survival rate of rSpike-inoculated individuals. Additionally, metabolomics analysis showed that the most impacted metabolic pathways between PBM and the rSpike-treated groups were related to steroid metabolism, immune system, and lipids metabolism. Together, our findings suggest that the inflammatory process is an incisive feature of COVID-19, and red PBM can be used as a novel therapeutic agent for COVID-19 by regulating the inflammatory response. Nevertheless, the need for more clinical trials remains, and there is a significant gap to overcome before clinical trials.publishedVersio

Long‐chain acyl‐CoA synthetase 6 regulates lipid synthesis and mitochondrial oxidative capacity in human and rat skeletal muscle

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Long-chain acyl-CoA synthetases (ACSL 1 to 6) are key enzymes regulating the partitioning of acyl-CoA species toward different metabolic fates such as lipid synthesis or beta-oxidation. Despite our understanding of ecotopic lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle being associated with metabolic diseases such as obesity and type II diabetes, the role of specific ACSL isoforms in lipid synthesis remains unclear. In the present study, we describe for the first time the presence of ACSL6 mRNA in human skeletal muscle and the role that ACSL6 plays in lipid synthesis in both rodent and human skeletal muscle. ACSL6 mRNA was observed to be up-regulated by acute high-fat meal ingestion in both rodents and humans. In rats, we also demonstrated that fasting and chronic aerobic training negatively modulated the ACSL6 mRNA and other genes of lipid synthesis. Similar results were obtained following ACSL6 knockdown in rat myotubes, which was associated with a decreased accumulation of TAGs and lipid droplets. Under the same knockdown condition, we further demonstrate an increase in fatty acid content, p-AMPK, mitochondrial content, mitochondrial respiratory rates and palmitate oxidation. These results were associated with increased PGC-1 alpha, UCP2 and UCP3 mRNA and decreased reactive oxygen species production. In human myotubes, ACSL6 overexpression reduced palmitate oxidation and PGC-1 alpha mRNA. In conclusion, ACSL6 drives acyl-CoA toward lipid synthesis and its down-regulation improves mitochondrial biogenesis, respiratory capacity and lipid oxidation. These outcomes are associated with the activation of the AMPK/PGC1-alpha pathway.Long‐chain acyl‐CoA synthetases (ACSL 1 to 6) are key enzymes regulating the partitioning of acyl‐CoA species toward different metabolic fates such as lipid synthesis or β‐oxidation. Despite our understanding of ecotopic lipid accumulation in skeletal mus5953677693FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOCAPES - COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIORFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)2010/17259‐999999.008343/2014‐0

Instrumento para identificação das necessidades do consumidor no processo de desenvolvimento do design: um estudo ilustrado com o projeto de um automóvel Instrument for identifying consumer needs in the design development process: the case of an automobile design

A inovação é hoje uma das principais prioridades para o desenvolvimento de um novo produto e nela o design emerge com destaque, principalmente quando consegue encapsular as necessidades e preferências do usuário. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho objetiva construir um modelo para avaliar o grau de atendimento das necessidades de um usuário específico, quando da aquisição de um veículo para uso particular. Para alcançar este objetivo, utilizou-se a Metodologia Multicritério de Apoio à Decisão - Construtivista (MCDA-C), por suas potencialidades para identificar, organizar, mensurar e integrar os aspectos percebidos como importantes pelo usuário. Por meio de um estudo de caso com fontes de informações primárias não obstrutivas, variáveis quali-quantitativas e a visão de conhecimento construtivista, foi construído um modelo considerado representativo das percepções das necessidades e preferências pelo usuário.<br>Innovation constitutes nowadays a major priority for the development of a new product, and it emerges with the design emphasis, especially when it includes consumer needs and preferences. This study aims to build a model to determine the extent to which the needs of a particular user are met when purchasing a vehicle for private use. To achieve this goal, the MCDA-C methodology was used for its potential to identify, organize, measure, and integrate the aspects identified as important by the user. Through a case study including primary information sources with no obstruction, qualitative and quantitative variables, and the constructivist view of knowledge, a user needs, preferences, and perceptions representative model was developed

The closest sequences to NA of influenza A virus available in public databases based on percent nucleotide similarity.

<p>The closest sequences to NA of influenza A virus available in public databases based on percent nucleotide similarity.</p

Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin gene of the influenza A virus.

<p>Trees were generated by PAUP 4.0b10 using the maximum likelihood algorithm with the parameters indicated by the GTR Modeltest (bootstrap values are shown for the branch points). The scale bar is shown on the bottom left. In this study, sequences that were available in the public database were used to construct the tree, and the accession numbers along with their branch data are shown.</p

Phylogenetic analysis of neuraminidase of the influenza A virus.

<p>Trees were generated by PAUP 4.0b10 using the maximum likelihood algorithm with the parameters indicated by the GTR Modeltest (bootstrap values are shown for the branch points). The scale bar is shown on the bottom left. In this study, sequences that were available in public databases were used to construct the tree, and the accession numbers along with their branch data are shown.</p