Bacterial and protozoal agents of feline vector-borne diseases in domestic and stray cats from southern Portugal

Background: Feline vector-borne diseases (FVBD) have emerged in recent years, showing a wider geographic distribution and increased global prevalence. In addition to their veterinary importance, domestic cats play a central role in the transmission cycles of some FVBD agents by acting as reservoirs and sentinels, a circumstance that requires a One Health approach. The aim of the present work was to molecularly detect feline vector-borne bacteria and protozoa with veterinary and zoonotic importance, and to assess associated risk factors in cats from southern Portugal. Methods: Six hundred and forty-nine cats (320 domestic and 329 stray), from veterinary medical centres and animal shelters in southern Portugal, were studied. Anaplasma spp./Ehrlichia spp., Babesia spp., Bartonella spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Hepatozoon spp. and Leishmania spp. infections were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in blood samples. Results: One hundred and ninety-four (29.9%) cats were PCR-positive to at least one of the tested genera or complex of FVBD agents. Sixty-four (9.9%) cats were positive to Leishmania spp., 56 (8.6%) to Hepatozoon spp., 43 (6.6%) to Babesia spp., 35 (5.4%) to Anaplasma spp./Ehrlichia spp., 19 (2.9%) to Bartonella spp. and 14 (2.2%) to B. burgdorferi s.l. Thirty-three (5.1%) cats were positive to two (n = 29) or three (n = 4) genera/complex. Babesia vogeli, Bartonella clarridgeiae, Bartonella henselae, Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon felis and Leishmania infantum were identified by DNA sequencing. Conclusions: The occurrence of FVBD agents in southern Portugal, some of them with zoonotic character, emphasizes the need to alert the veterinary community, owners and public health authorities for the risk of infection. Control measures should be implemented to prevent the infection of cats, other vertebrate hosts and people.Centro de Malaria e outras Doencas Tropicais, IHMT-UNL, Portugal; EU [FP7-261504 EDENext]; Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, Ministerio da Educacao e Ciencia, Portugal [SFRH/BPD/44082/2008, SFRH/BD/78325/2011]; Bayer HealthCare-Animal Health divisio

Effect of chronic sleep restriction and aging on calcium signaling and apoptosis in the hippocampus of young and aged animals

Aging leads to progressive deterioration of physiological function and diminished responses to environmental stress. Organic and functional alterations are frequently observed in elderly subjects. Although chronic sleep loss is observed during senescence, little is known about the impact of insufficient sleep on cellular function in aging neurons. Disruption of neuronal calcium (Ca2+) signaling is related to impaired neuronal function and cell death. It has been hypothesized that sleep deprivation may compromise neuronal stability and induce cell death in young neurons; however, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of aging on this process. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of chronic sleep restriction (CSR) on Ca2+ signaling and cell death in the hippocampus of young and aged animals. We found that glutamate and carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) induced a greater elevation in cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+](c)) in hippocampal slices from aged rats subjected to CSR compared to age-matched controls. Interestingly, aged-matched controls showed a reduced Ca2+ response to glutamate and FCCP, relative to both CSR and control young animals. Apoptotic nuclei were observed in aged rats from both treatment groups; however, the profile of apoptotic nuclei in aged CSR rats was highly variable. Bax and Bc1-2 protein expression did not change with aging in the CSR groups. Our study indicates that aging promotes changes in Ca2+ signaling, which may also be affected by CSR. These age-dependent changes in Ca2+ signaling may increase cellular vulnerability during CSR and contribute to Ca2+ signaling dysregulation, which may ultimately induce cell death. (c) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Associacao Fundo de Incentivo a Pesquisa (AFIP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CEPIDConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psicobiol, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Farmacol, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilUN1FESP, Ctr Microscopia Eletron, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psicobiol, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Farmacol, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 08/50424-3CEPID: 98/14303-3Web of Scienc

Fibrolipoma of the oral cavity - case report

O fibrolipoma é uma neoplasia benigna, caracterizada pela presença de células adiposas maduras, separadas por largas bandas de tecido conjuntivo fibroso denso. Esta patologia é uma variante microscópica do lipoma e pode acometer qualquer parte do corpo, no entanto, sua ocorrência em cavidade oral é infrequente. Em geral, é uma lesão de superfície lisa, base séssil ou pediculada, assintomática, de crescimento lento, coloração amarelada ou rósea quando mais profunda, mole a palpação, ocorrendo principalmente na mucosa jugal. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho é descrever as principais características clínicas, histopatológicas e tratamento de um caso clínico de fibrolipoma. Paciente do sexo feminino, 67 anos, leucoderma, apresentava um nódulo pediculado de cor normocrômica, assintomático, firme a palpação, consistência fibrosa e superfície lisa, com tempo de evoluçã de aproximadamente dois anos, localizado em mucosa jugal esquerda. As hipóteses de diagnóstico foram de lipoma, fibroma, fenômeno de extravasamento de muco e fibroma de células gigantes. A paciente foi submetida a biópsia excisional e o exame histopatológico revelou o diagnóstico definitivo de fibrolipoma. O paciente encontra-se em proservação, sem sinal de recidiva. Conclui-se que, apesar de o fibrolipoma ser uma lesão benigna, o seu crescimento pode alcançar grandes dimensões, reforçando a necessidade de excisão cirúrgica. Deve também ressaltar a importância do exame histopatológico para diferenciar as variações histopalógicas do lipoma.Fibrolipoma is a benign neoplasm characterized by the presence of mature adipose cells separated by broad bands of dense fibrous connective tissue. This pathology is a microscopic variant of lipoma and can affect any part of the body. However, its occurrence in the oral cavity is uncommon. It is usually a smooth-surface lesion, asymptomatic, slow-growing, pedicled, asymptomatic, yellowish or pinkish color when deeper, soft on palpation, occurring mainly in the jugal mucosa. Thus, the aim of this paper is to describe the main clinical, histopathological and treatment characteristics of a clinical case of fibrolipoma. A 67-year-old female patient, leukoderma, had a normochromic, asymptomatic, firm palpation nodule, fibrous consistency, and smooth surface, with a time course of approximately two years, located in the left jugal mucosa. The diagnostic hypotheses were lipoma, fibroma, mucus extravasation phenomenon and giant cell fibroma. The patient underwent excisional biopsy and histopathological examination revealed the definitive diagnosis of fibrolipoma. The patient is in preservation, with no sign of relapse. It is concluded that, although fibrolipoma is a benign lesion, its growth can reach large dimensions, reinforcing the need for surgical excision. It should also emphasize the importance of histopathological examination to differentiate histopathological variations of lipoma

Os livros brancos da defesa da República Popular da China 1998-2010

Este estudo é uma análise da evolução das perceções de (in)segurança da República Popular da China (RPC), através da aferição quantitativa e qualitativa de expressões idiomáticas caracterizadoras da evolução do sistema internacional, as quais foram selecionadas e associadas a tais perceções, e que constam das sete edições do Livro Branco da Defesa publicadas pelo Conselho de Estado entre 1998 e 2010. Procura-se através de um enquadramento conceptual e metodológico derivado da análise crítica do discurso baseado nas teorias de Michel Foucault e de Norman Fairclough, bem como do da perceção de ameaças por parte dos Estados no sistema internacional formulado por Robert Jervis, identificar e justificar variações nas perceções de (in)segurança da RPC entre 1998 e 2010, concluindo-se que estas refletem uma visão de natureza essencialmente realista estrutural e Lockeana quanto à evolução do sistema internacional

Genomics and epidemiology for gastric adenocarcinomas (GE4GAC): a Brazilian initiative to study gastric cancer

Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common type of cancer worldwide with high incidences in Asia, Central, and South American countries. This patchy distribution means that GC studies are neglected by large research centers from developed countries. The need for further understanding of this complex disease, including the local importance of epidemiological factors and the rich ancestral admixture found in Brazil, stimulated the implementation of the GE4GAC project. GE4GAC aims to embrace epidemiological, clinical, molecular and microbiological data from Brazilian controls and patients with malignant and pre-malignant gastric disease. In this letter, we summarize the main goals of the project, including subject and sample accrual and current findings

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Estudo da biologia de Simocephalus serrulatus (Crustacea, Cladocera) visando sua utilização em testes de toxicidade

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