Development and Validation of a PCR-ELISA for the Diagnosis of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Infection by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum

A kDNA PCR enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (kDNA PCR-ELISA) for the diagnosis of human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) was developed. The detection limit of the reaction, precision measurements, and cut-off of the kDNA PCR-ELISA were defined in a proof-of-concept phase. A reference strain of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and a bank of 14 peripheral blood samples from immunocompetent patients with VL were characterized using techniques considered gold standards, and 11 blood samples obtained from healthy individuals of an endemic area were also assessed. Phase II evaluation determined the performance of the assay in peripheral blood samples from 105 patients with VL (adults and children), 25 patients with Leishmania/HIV coinfection, 40 healthy individuals, and 33 asymptomatic individuals living in endemic areas. The kDNA PCR-ELISA exhibited satisfactory precision, with a detection limit of 0.07 fg of DNA from L. (L.) infantum and 1 parasite/mL blood. The overall sensitivity of the assay for all groups studied was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 97.1–100%), and the specificity was 95% (95% CI: 83.5–98.6%). The kDNA PCR-ELISA was shown to be a useful tool for VL symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals diagnosis and its use in endemic countries may help monitor control interventions

Integração Ensino-Serviço no acolhimento ao calouro do Campus USP-Bauru.

The reception of new students in college is the focus of great concern today. This paper aims to report the activity "Health is what matters" from New Students Reception’s Week 2014 with a view to disseminate an activity eminently about health promotion community accomplished from the concept of education-service integration in the host of new students of Dentistry and Speech Language and Hearing Sciences from the Campus USP at Bauru. A public square was structured by areas: education and prevention in dentistry, fisiology and speech language pathology and Audiology, supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste and prevention of oral cancer. This activity enabled the experience of the needs of the community Bauru, alowing students to reflect from the first week at university about the responsibilities that the healthcare professional has with society.A recepção ao calouro na universidade é foco de grande preocupação atualmente. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de relatar a atividade “Saúde é o que interessa” da Semana de Recepção de Calouros 2014, com vistas à divulgação de uma atividade eminentemente de promoção de saúde da comunidade, realizada a partir do conceito de integração ensino-serviço no acolhimento ao calouro de Odontologia e Fonoaudiologia do Campus USP-Bauru. Uma praça pública foi estruturada por áreas de atuação: educação e prevenção em odontologia e em fonoaudiologia e em fisiologia, escovação dentária com dentifrício fluoretado supervisionada e prevenção do câncer bucal. Esta atividade permitiu a vivência das necessidades da comunidade bauruense, fazendo com que os estudantes pudessem refletir desde a primeira semana na universidade sobre as responsabilidades que o profissional da área de saúde tem com a sociedade

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Regeneração óssea em defeitos mandibulares com auto-enxerto ósseo e suspensão celular da medula óssea em coelhos

Avaliou-se a regeneração óssea de auto-enxerto, considerado “padrão ouro” da crista ilíaca associado à terapia celular da medula óssea em coelhos. Foi criado um defeito ósseo de 10x5x5mm na mandíbula de 28 coelhos, distribuídos em grupo-controle com, 14 animais, reparados com auto-enxerto de crista ilíaca, e grupo experimental com, 14 animais, em que o auto-enxerto foi associado a células mononucleares da medula óssea autógena do fêmur. Foram realizadas radiografias semanais da região operada e análise histológica em sete animais de cada grupo aos 15 e em sete de cada grupo aos 30 dias do pós-operatório. Houve aumento gradativo da densidade óssea, e 85,7% (6/7) dos animais do grupo experimental e 42,8% (3/7) do grupo-controle apresentaram formação de ponte óssea 28 dias após a cirurgia. Na análise histopatológica aos 15 dias, os enxertos foram facilmente visualizados e a atividade das células fagocitárias foi intensa. Já aos 30 dias, a visualização foi mais difícil e, quando possível, apenas um resquício foi visualizado. Os resultados sugerem que a adição de células mononucleares da medula óssea favorece a regeneração do auto-enxerto em defeitos mandibulares de coelhos.The objective of this study was to investigate the bone regeneration of a “gold standard” (autograft) from iliac crest associated with cellular therapy in rabbits. A bone defect was created with 10x5x5mm in 28 rabbit mandibles. The control group animals (n=14) were repaired with autograft of iliac crest and the experimental group animals (n=14) received iliac crest autograft in association with mononuclear cells from the bone marrow of the femur. Weekly radiographs were taken of the surgery region and histological analyses was performed in seven animals in each group at 15 days and in seven animals of each group at 30 days after the surgery. A gradual increase of bone density was observed and the experimental animals presented the bone bridge in 85.7% (6/7) of the cases, while only 42.8% (3/7) of the animals in the control group presented this structure 28 days after the surgery. The histopathological parameters analyzed did not show any statistical difference between the control and experimental group in 15 and 30 days of analysis. The results suggest that the mononuclear cells from the marrow bone can better support the autograft regeneration in mandible defects in rabbits

Reduction in oxidative stress levels in the colonic mucosa without fecal stream after the application of enemas containing aqueous Ilex paraguariensis extract Redução dos níveis de estresse oxidativo na mucosa cólica sem trânsito intestinal após aplicação de enemas contendo extrato aquoso de Ilex paraguariensis

PURPOSE: To evaluate the antioxidant effects of enemas containing aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis, comparing segments with and without fecal stream and correlating the segments with the duration of intervention. METHODS: Twenty-six Wistar rats were subjected to a diversion of the fecal stream in the left colon by a proximal colostomy and distal mucosal fistula. The rats were distributed randomly into two experimental groups of 13 animals each based on the time of sacrifice after surgical procedure (two or four weeks). Each group was then divided into two experimental subgroups that received either second daily enemas containing 0.9% saline solution or aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis at 0.2g/100g. Colitis was diagnosed by histopathological analysis and the detection of oxidative tissue damage by measuring the levels of malondialdehyde. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the tissue levels of malondialdehyde between colon segments with and without fecal stream in each experimental group, and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to verify the variance between the levels of oxidative stress according the duration of the irrigation; both tests determined significance at 5% (p<0.05). RESULTS: The levels of malondialdehyde in the animals subjected to intervention in the colon with saline with and without fecal stream after two and four weeks of irrigation were 0.05±0.006 and 0.06±0.006, and 0.05± 0.03 and 0.08 ±0.02, respectively. The malondialdehyde levels in the animals irrigated with Ilex paraguariensis with and without fecal stream after two and four weeks of irrigation were 0.010±0.002 and 0.02±0.004, and 0.03±0.007 and 0.04±0.01, respectively. After two and four weeks of intervention, the levels of malondialdehyde were lower in the animals irrigated with Ilex paraguariensis regardless of the time of irrigation (p=0.0001 and p=0.002, respectively). CONCLUSION: The daily rectal application of enemas containing aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis decreases oxidative tissue damage in the colon without fecal stream regardless of the time of irrigation.<br>OBJETIVO: Avaliar os efeitos antioxidantes de clisteres contendo extrato aquoso de Ilex paraguariensis comparando segmentos com e sem trânsito fecal e correlacionando com o tempo de intervenção. MÉTODOS: Vinte e seis ratos Wistar machos foram submetidos à derivação do trânsito no cólon esquerdo pela confecção de colostomia proximal e fístula mucosa distal. Foram divididos de forma randomizada em dois grupos experimentais de 13 animais, de acordo com o sacrifício ser realizado após duas ou quatro semanas do procedimento cirúrgico. Cada grupo foi dividido em dois subgrupos experimentais segundo a aplicação diária ter sido realizada com enemas diários contendo solução fisiológica a 0,9% ou extrato aquoso de Ilex paraguariensis na concentração de 0,2 g/100 ml. O diagnóstico de colite foi estabelecido por análise histológica e os níveis de estresse oxidativo pela dosagem tecidual de malondialdeído Para comparar os níveis de malondialdeído entre os cólons com e sem trânsito fecal em cada grupo experimental adotou-se o teste de Mann-Withney, e o teste de Kruskal-Wallis para verificar a variação dos níveis de estresse oxidativo segundo o tempo de irrigação, estabelecendo-se para ambos o nível de significância de 5% (p<0,05). RESULTADOS: Os níveis de malondialdeído nos animais submetidos à intervenção com soro fisiológico nos cólons providos e desprovidos de trânsito fecal após duas e quatro semanas de irrigação foram de 0,05±0,006, 0,06±0,006 e 0,05±0,03, 0,08±0,02 respectivamente. Os níveis de malondialdeído nos animais irrigados com Ilex paraguariensis, nos cólons providos e desprovidos de trânsito, após duas e quatro semanas de irrigação foram de 0,010±0,002, 0,02±0,004 e 0,03±0,007, 0,04±0,01, respectivamente. Após duas e quatro semanas de intervenção os níveis de malondialdeído foram menores nos animais irrigados com Ilex paraguariensis, independente do tempo de irrigação (p=0,0001 e p=0,002, respectivamente). CONCLUSÃO: A aplicação diária de extrato aquoso de Ilex paraguariensis reduz os níveis de dano oxidativo tecidual nos segmentos cólicos sem trânsito fecal, independente do tempo de irrigação

Development and Validation of a PCR-ELISA for the Diagnosis of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Infection by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum

A kDNA PCR enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (kDNA PCR-ELISA) for the diagnosis of human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) was developed. The detection limit of the reaction, precision measurements, and cut-off of the kDNA PCR-ELISA were defined in a proof-of-concept phase. A reference strain of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and a bank of 14 peripheral blood samples from immunocompetent patients with VL were characterized using techniques considered gold standards, and 11 blood samples obtained from healthy individuals of an endemic area were also assessed. Phase II evaluation determined the performance of the assay in peripheral blood samples from 105 patients with VL (adults and children), 25 patients with Leishmania/HIV coinfection, 40 healthy individuals, and 33 asymptomatic individuals living in endemic areas. The kDNA PCR-ELISA exhibited satisfactory precision, with a detection limit of 0.07 fg of DNA from L. (L.) infantum and 1 parasite/mL blood. The overall sensitivity of the assay for all groups studied was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 97.1–100%), and the specificity was 95% (95% CI: 83.5–98.6%). The kDNA PCR-ELISA was shown to be a useful tool for VL symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals diagnosis and its use in endemic countries may help monitor control interventions