Acetylcholine in the larval food, honey and stored pollen of a stingless bee, Melipona quadrifasciata

Com o emprêgo de diversos métodos, verificou-se que o alimento da larva Melipona quadrifasciata contêm quantidades de acetilcolina equivalentes entre 0,5 e 2,0 mg de cloreto de acetilcolina por grama de alimento. quantidades semelhantes foram registradas no alimento da larva de abelha Apis mellifera

Monitoring waterborne pathogens in surface and drinking waters : are water treatment plants (WTPs) simultaneously efficient in the elimination of enteric viruses and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB)?

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Monitoring the quality of water is a requisite to prevent outbreaks related to waterborne diseases, predominantly caused by pathogens like enteric viruses, usually transmitted via the fecal-oral route. This study aimed to survey a group of enteric viruses (Enterovirus, Norovirus genogroups I and II, and hepatitis A virus) in two surface water sources of drinking water, also intending to evaluate the extent of their elimination in the two water treatment plants (WTPs) involved in drinking water production. Correlations between these viruses and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) were also evaluated. Positive samples for viral RNA were recurrently found by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and quantified, in genomic copies per liter (gc/L) of sampled water. Viral RNAs were detected in 14 out of 27 samples of surface water, and 21 out of 36 samples of drinking water, NoV II having been the most frequently detected in both (0–78.6 gc/L and 0–12.5 gc/L, respectively). Both WTPs showed variable efficacies in the elimination of viral RNA. Only one correlation was found with FIB, between NoV II and intestinal enterococci. These results recommend the monitoring of enteric viruses over time and their inclusion in the mandatory analysis of water quality.This research was funded by the Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres (EPAL) and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) Portugal through a Ph.D. grant to D. Salvador (PDE/BDE/114582/2016) and financial support to CESAM and ISAMB (FCT/MCTES projects UIDP/50017/2020+UIDB/50017/2020 and UIDB/04295/2020, respectively) through national funds.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

AIP1 is a novel Agenet/Tudor domain protein from Arabidopsis that interacts with regulators of DNA replication, transcription and chromatin remodeling

Background: DNA replication and transcription are dynamic processes regulating plant development that are dependent on the chromatin accessibility. Proteins belonging to the Agenet/Tudor domain family are known as histone modification "readers" and classified as chromatin remodeling proteins. Histone modifications and chromatin remodeling have profound effects on gene expression as well as on DNA replication, but how these processes are integrated has not been completely elucidated. It is clear that members of the Agenet/Tudor family are important regulators of development playing roles not well known in plants. Methods: Bioinformatics and phylogenetic analyses of the Agenet/Tudor Family domain in the plant kingdom were carried out with sequences from available complete genomes databases. 3D structure predictions of Agenet/Tudor domains were calculated by I-TASSER server. Protein interactions were tested in two-hybrid, GST pulldown, semi-in vivo pulldown and Tandem Affinity Purification assays. Gene function was studied in a T-DNA insertion GABI-line. Results: In the present work we analyzed the family of Agenet/Tudor domain proteins in the plant kingdom and we mapped the organization of this family throughout plant evolution. Furthermore, we characterized a member from Arabidopsis thaliana named AIP1 that harbors Agenet/Tudor and DUF724 domains. AIP1 interacts with ABAP1, a plant regulator of DNA replication licensing and gene transcription, with a plant histone modification "reader" (LHP1) and with non modified histones. AIP1 is expressed in reproductive tissues and its down-regulation delays flower development timing. Also, expression of ABAP1 and LHP1 target genes were repressed in flower buds of plants with reduced levels of AIP1. Conclusions: AIP1 is a novel Agenet/Tudor domain protein in plants that could act as a link between DNA replication, transcription and chromatin remodeling during flower development

Dental Whitening: Self-Referred Needs versus Professional Indication

Objective: To analyze the self-reported need of patients compared to professional indications for tooth whitening. Material and Methods: Initially, 58 undergraduate students responded to a form that highlighted the question: "Do you think you need to have your teeth whitened?" Among those who answered positively to the previous question, ten individuals were photographed with their smiles. In addition, they were asked to point out, on the Vita 3D-Master scale, which color they believed their teeth had, a value that was compared to the actual color obtained by a spectrophotometer. Finally, the photographs were presented to dentists, who were asked about the indication or not of the whitening treatment. Results: Most interviewees (63.8%) self-reported the need for whitening, as well as there was a greater incidence of a positive indication among professionals (53.9%). Pearson's Chi-square test revealed a relationship between patient gender and the training course on the desire to have teeth whitened. Among the professionals, the specialty, as well as time since graduation, interfered in the indication for whitening. Conclusion: Professionals and patients share the aesthetic ideal directly related to light teeth; most patients self-perceive the color of their teeth darker than it actually is; the opinion about the color of the teeth has an extremely subjective character and varies greatly from one professional to another

Atendimento ao paciente com queimadura em região estomatognática

A queimadura é um grave problema de saúde pública com alta taxa de mortalidade e inabilidade descrita. Lesões que envolvem a região estomatognática podem provocar restrições funcionais severas com os tratamentos dessas lesões serem limitados a depender do nível de acometimento. Objetivo: avaliar pacientes vítimas de queimadura no aparelho estomatognático, complicações associadas, fatores etiológicos e necessidade do acompanhamento multidisciplinar. Metodologia: foi realizado um estudo descritivo observacional entre o período de outubro e novembro de 2015 em centro especializado de queimados na cidade de Salvador, Bahia, Brasil. Resultados: De 117 pacientes avaliados 38,5% apresentaram algum tipo de queimadura na região estomatognática. Desses pacientes, notou-se prevalência do gênero feminino (51,1%), adultos (57,8%), queimaduras de segundo grau (94,9%) e provocados por fogo/chama (31,6%). Conclusão: queimaduras na região estomatognática são frequentes sendo necessário o acompanhamento multidisciplinar.

Perda de glicosaminoglicanas da cartilagem após ruptura do ligamento cruzado anterior: influência do tempo de ruptura e da lesão condral

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the concentration of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) concentration in the synovial fluid (SF) of knees with chronic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and to identify possible associations between GAG concentration in SF and the time elapsed since rupture and degree of chondral injury. METHOD: Fourteen adult male subjects with total unilateral ACL rupture, which had occurred between 5 and 144 months earlier, were assessed. All subjects underwent joint aspiration; it was possible to collect SF from ten individuals. The samples were quantified to determine the GAG concentration using dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) staining. The degree of chondral injury was macroscopically evaluated using the modified Mankin histological scale. Spearman correlation test (< 0.05) was used to evaluate the association between GAG concentration and chondral injury, and Pearson correlation test (< 0.05) was used to evaluate the association between GAG concentration and the time elapsed since rupture. RESULTS: The GAG concentration in SF showed a mean variation of 73.84 ± 40.75 µg/ml, with a mean time of 40.4 ± 40.3 months since the rupture. There was no correlation between GAG concentration and time since the rupture (r= -0.09, p= 0.81). The chondral injury grades found were 0, 1, 4 and 5. There was no correlation between chondral injury grade and GAG concentration in SF (r= -0.41, p= 0.24). CONCLUSION: After at least 5 months, the GAG concentration in SF from knees with ACL rupture is independent of the time elapsed since rupture and/or the severity of chondral injury.OBJETIVO: Quantificar a concentração de glicosaminoglicanas sulfatadas (GAGs) no líquido sinovial (LS) de joelhos com ruptura crônica do ligamento cruzado anterior (LCA) e identificar uma possível correlação entre a concentração de GAGs no LS e o tempo pós-ruptura e grau de lesão condral. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 14 indivíduos adultos do sexo masculino com ruptura total unilateral do LCA, ocorrida entre cinco a 144 meses. Todos os sujeitos foram puncionados, sendo possível a coleta de LS em dez indivíduos. As amostras foram quantificadas para determinar a concentração de GAGs usando a coloração azul de dimetilmetileno, método descrito por Farndale21. O grau de lesão condral foi macroscopicamente avaliado pela escala histológica de Mankin modificada por Messner14. As correlações entre concentração de GAGs e lesão condral foram feitas pelo teste de correlação de Sperman (p< 0,05) e a concentração de GAGs e tempo pós-ruptura pelo teste de correlação de Pearson (p< 0,05). RESULTADOS: Concentração de GAGs no LS apresentou variação média de 73,84 ± 40,75µg/mL, sendo o tempo médio pós-ruptura de 40,4 + 40,3 meses. Não houve correlação entre concentração de GAGs e o tempo pós-ruptura (r= -0,09, p= 0,81). Os graus de lesão condral encontrados foram de 0, 1, 4 e 5. Não houve correlação entre grau de lesão condral e a concentração de GAGs no LS (r= -0,41, p= 0,24). CONCLUSÕES: Após no mínimo cinco meses, a concentração de GAGs no LS de joelhos com ruptura do LCA independe do tempo pós-ruptura e/ou do grau de lesão condral.Universidade Federal de São Carlos Department of PhysiotherapyUniversidade Federal de São Carlos Department of Morphology and PathologyUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Department of Orthopedics and TraumatologyUniversidade Estadual de Campinas Department of Cell BiologyUNIFESP, Department of Orthopedics and TraumatologySciEL