Reemergence of human malaria in Atlantic Forest of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Unforeseen Plasmodium infections in the Atlantic Forest of Brazilian Extra-Amazonian region could jeopardise malaria elimination. A human malaria case was registered in Três Forquilhas, in the Atlantic Forest biome of Rio Grande do Sul, after a 45 years’ time-lapsed without any malaria autochthonous notification in this southern Brazilian state. This finding represents the expansion of the malaria distribution areas in Brazil and the southernmost human malaria case record in South America in this decade. The coexistence of the bromeliad-breeding vector Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii and non-human primates in the Atlantic Forest regularly visited by the patient claimed for the zoonotic origin of this infection. The reemergence of Atlantic Forest human malaria in Rio Grande do Sul was also discussed

Detecção de corrosão de aço carbono revestida com tinta industrial aditivada com Óxido de Grafeno por termografia ativa : Corrosion detection of carbon steel coated with industrial paint with additives of Graphene Oxide through active thermography

A corrosão é um problema de escala global e detectá-la de maneira eficiente representa um grande avanço para o setor industrial. Algumas técnicas não destrutivas (END’s) possibilitam a detecção de processos corrosivos. A termografia infravermelho, técnica que se baseia no registro térmico da superfície do objeto, é amplamente utilizada nesse setor, possuindo rapidez, reprodutibilidade e baixo custo, mas com limitação de detecção a temperatura superficial do material, interferências de condições ambientais, e falta de precisão no acúmulo de calor nas descontinuidades. Nesse contexto, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a melhoria na detecção da corrosão por termografia ativa em corpos de prova de aço carbono SAE 1020, revestidos com pintura industrial aditivada com carga nanométrica de óxido de grafeno (OG). Foi sintetizado OG através do método de Hummers adaptado, sendo então designado para formulação da tinta de acabamento aditivada nas proporções de 0.1, 0.5, 1 e 2% (m/m). O corpo de provas foi pintado com duas demãos de tinta de base e uma de tinta de acabamento. Foram realizados ensaios de termografia ativa com intervalos de 3s, 6s e 9s, visando avaliar o período de tempo mais adequado para execução do ensaio. Como resultados, a utilização da tinta aditivada de OG auxiliou no sentido de maximizar a dispersão do calor pela superfície do corpo de prova, gerando imagens com menor interferências e possibilidade de dimensionamento mais preciso, os melhores resultados experimentais foram para o tempo de 6s e concentração de 0,5% de OG na tinta de acabamento

Ethanol extracts of mango as antioxidants for broiler chicken

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da inclusão de extratos etanólicos, obtidos do caroço e da casca da manga, na ração de frangos de corte sobre o seu desempenho e a oxidação lipídica da carne. Foram utilizados 360 pintos machos da linhagem Ross 308, de um dia de idade, distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com seis tratamentos e seis repetições de dez aves. Os tratamentos consistiram de: ração sem adição de antioxidante (controle); ração com adição de 200 ppm do antioxidante butilato de hidroxitolueno (BHT); ração com 200 ou 400 ppm de extrato da casca da manga (ECAS); e ração com 200 ou 400 ppm de extrato do caroço da manga (ECAR). A adição de BHT ou dos extratos da manga não influenciou significativamente o consumo de ração, o ganho de peso e a conversão alimentar. A adição de BHT e 400 ppm de ECAR proporcionou maior estabilidade lipídica da carne fresca, mensurada pelas substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico antes do armazenamento. O extrato etanólico do caroço da manga, na dosagem de 200 e 400 ppm, retarda a oxidação lipídica da carne de frangos armazenada por 15 dias.The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of ethanol extracts, obtained from mango seed and peel, in the diet of broilers on their performance and on the lipid oxidation of meat. Three hundred and sisty one‑day‑old male chicks of the strain Ross 308 were distributed in a completely randomized design, with six treatments and six replicates of ten birds. Treatments consisted of: diet without antioxidant (control); diet with addition of 200 ppm of the antioxidant butylhydroxytoluene (BHT); diet with 200 or 400 ppm extract of mango peel (ECAS); and diet with 200 or 400 ppm extract of mango seed (ECAR). The addition of BHT or mango extracts did not significantly affect feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion. The addition of BHT and 400 ppm of ECAR provided low lipid oxidation in fresh meat, measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances before storage. Ethanol extract of mango seed, at 200 and 400 ppm dosage, delays lipid oxidation of chicken meat stored for 15 days

Exosomes secreted by cardiomyocytes subjected to ischaemia promote cardiac angiogenesis

Funding Information: This work was supported by European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) through the Operational Program for Competitiveness Factors (COMPETE) [HealthyAging2020 CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000012-N2323, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016385, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007440 to CNC.IBILI, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274 to i3S/INEB and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000012 to T.L.L.]; national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) [PTDC/SAU-ORG/119296/2010, PTDC/ NEU-OSD/0312/2012, PESTC/ SAU/UI3282/2013-2014, MITP-TB/ECE/0013/ 2013, FCT-UID/NEU/04539/2013], PD/BD/52294/2013 to T.M.R.R., SFRH/ BD/85556/2012 (co-financed by QREN) to V.C.S]; Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (LISBOA 2020) and Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement; and by INFARMED Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento e Produtos de Saúde, I.P. [FIS-FIS-2015-01_CCV_20150630-157]. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 The Author.Aims Myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and results from an obstruction in the blood supply to a region of the heart. In an attempt to replenish oxygen and nutrients to the deprived area, affected cells release signals to promote the development of new vessels and confer protection against MI. However, the mechanisms underlying the growth of new vessels in an ischaemic scenario remain poorly understood. Here, we show that cardiomyocytes subjected to ischaemia release exosomes that elicit an angiogenic response of endothelial cells (ECs). Methods and results Exosomes secreted by H9c2 myocardial cells and primary cardiomyocytes, cultured either in control or ischaemic conditions were isolated and added to ECs. We show that ischaemic exosomes, in comparison with control exosomes, confer protection against oxidative-induced lesion, promote proliferation, and sprouting of ECs, stimulate the formation of capillary-like structures and strengthen adhesion complexes and barrier properties. Moreover, ischaemic exosomes display higher levels of metalloproteases (MMP) and promote the secretion of MMP by ECs. We demonstrate that miR-222 and miR-143, the relatively most abundant miRs in ischaemic exosomes, partially recapitulate the angiogenic effect of exosomes. Additionally, we show that ischaemic exosomes stimulate the formation of new functional vessels in vivo using in ovo and Matrigel plug assays. Finally, we demonstrate that intramyocardial delivery of ischaemic exosomes improves neovascularization following MI. Conclusions This study establishes that exosomes secreted by cardiomyocytes under ischaemic conditions promote heart angiogenesis, which may pave the way towards the development of add-on therapies to enhance myocardial blood supply.publishersversionpublishe

Phylogeography of the neotropical Anopheles triannulatus complex (Diptera: Culicidae) supports deep structure and complex patterns

Abstract Background The molecular phylogenetic relationships and population structure of the species of the Anopheles triannulatus complex: Anopheles triannulatus s.s., Anopheles halophylus and the putative species Anopheles triannulatus C were investigated. Methods\ud \ud The mitochondrial COI gene, the nuclear white gene and rDNA ITS2 of samples that include the known geographic distribution of these taxa were analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using Bayesian inference, Maximum parsimony and Maximum likelihood approaches. Results Each data set analyzed septely yielded a different topology but none provided evidence for the seption of An. halophylus and An. triannulatus C, consistent with the hypothesis that the two are undergoing incipient speciation. The phylogenetic analyses of the white gene found three main clades, whereas the statistical parsimony network detected only a single metapopulation of Anopheles triannulatus s.l. Seven COI lineages were detected by phylogenetic and network analysis. In contrast, the network, but not the phylogenetic analyses, strongly supported three ITS2 groups. Combined data analyses provided the best resolution of the trees, with two major clades, Amazonian (clade I) and trans-Andean + Amazon Delta (clade II). Clade I consists of multiple subclades: An. halophylus + An. triannulatus C; trans-Andean Venezuela; central Amazonia + central Bolivia; Atlantic coastal lowland; and Amazon delta. Clade II includes three subclades: Panama; cis-Andean Colombia; and cis-Venezuela. The Amazon delta specimens are in both clades, likely indicating local sympatry. Spatial and molecular variance analyses detected nine groups, corroborating some of subclades obtained in the combined data analysis. Conclusion Combination of the three molecular markers provided the best resolution for differentiation within An. triannulatus s.s. and An. halophylus and C. The latest two species seem to be very closely related and the analyses performed were not conclusive regarding species differentiation. Further studies including new molecular markers would be desirable to solve this species status question. Besides, results of the study indicate a trans-Andean origin for An. triannulatus s.l. The potential implications for malaria epidemiology remain to be investigated.This project has been financially supported by NIH grant AI ROI 54139–02 to JE Conn, PAPES IV Fiocruz-CNPq to RLO, and from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, FAPESP (Grant 2011/20397-7 to MAMS), CNPq (BPP no. 301666/2011-3 to MAMS).This research was performed under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the Smithsonian Institution, with institutional support provided by both organizations. The material to be published reflects the views of the authors and should not be construed to represent those of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense

Phylogeography of the neotropical Anopheles triannulatus complex (Diptera: Culicidae) supports deep structure and complex patterns

Abstract Background The molecular phylogenetic relationships and population structure of the species of the Anopheles triannulatus complex: Anopheles triannulatus s.s., Anopheles halophylus and the putative species Anopheles triannulatus C were investigated. Methods\ud \ud The mitochondrial COI gene, the nuclear white gene and rDNA ITS2 of samples that include the known geographic distribution of these taxa were analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using Bayesian inference, Maximum parsimony and Maximum likelihood approaches. Results Each data set analyzed septely yielded a different topology but none provided evidence for the seption of An. halophylus and An. triannulatus C, consistent with the hypothesis that the two are undergoing incipient speciation. The phylogenetic analyses of the white gene found three main clades, whereas the statistical parsimony network detected only a single metapopulation of Anopheles triannulatus s.l. Seven COI lineages were detected by phylogenetic and network analysis. In contrast, the network, but not the phylogenetic analyses, strongly supported three ITS2 groups. Combined data analyses provided the best resolution of the trees, with two major clades, Amazonian (clade I) and trans-Andean + Amazon Delta (clade II). Clade I consists of multiple subclades: An. halophylus + An. triannulatus C; trans-Andean Venezuela; central Amazonia + central Bolivia; Atlantic coastal lowland; and Amazon delta. Clade II includes three subclades: Panama; cis-Andean Colombia; and cis-Venezuela. The Amazon delta specimens are in both clades, likely indicating local sympatry. Spatial and molecular variance analyses detected nine groups, corroborating some of subclades obtained in the combined data analysis. Conclusion Combination of the three molecular markers provided the best resolution for differentiation within An. triannulatus s.s. and An. halophylus and C. The latest two species seem to be very closely related and the analyses performed were not conclusive regarding species differentiation. Further studies including new molecular markers would be desirable to solve this species status question. Besides, results of the study indicate a trans-Andean origin for An. triannulatus s.l. The potential implications for malaria epidemiology remain to be investigated.This project has been financially supported by NIH grant AI ROI 54139–02 to JE Conn, PAPES IV Fiocruz-CNPq to RLO, and from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, FAPESP (Grant 2011/20397-7 to MAMS), CNPq (BPP no. 301666/2011-3 to MAMS).This research was performed under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the Smithsonian Institution, with institutional support provided by both organizations. The material to be published reflects the views of the authors and should not be construed to represent those of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense