ESTUDO PRELIMINAR DA MORFOMETRIA DA CABEÇA ESPERMÁTICA DO MACACO-DE-CHEIRO DE VIDA LIVRE

The objectiveofthisstudywastodescribeand compare theheadmorphometryof normal andpathologicalspermfromSaimirimacrodon. In themorphologicalanalysis, 39% ofthespermhad normal morphology, and 61% had major orminordefects, withpathology in thetailsbeingthemostfrequentwith 47% (38% curledtail, 7% foldedtailand 2% stronglyfoldedtail). Amongtheevaluatedheadmorphometryparameters, area (A), width (L) andellipticity (E) showedstatisticaldifference (p<0.05) between normal andpathologicalsperm. The averageheadareaandwidthwaslower in normal sperm (p=0,01 e p=0,04, respectively), andthemeanellipticitywashigher (p=0,038), whencomparedtopathologicalsperm. ThisdefinitionofthespermmorphometricparametersofS. macrodonisimportant for the samples selectiondestinedtoreproductionbiotechnologiesand for theclarificationoftaxonomicandevolutionaryissues in the genus Saimiri.The objectiveofthisstudywastodescribeand compare theheadmorphometryof normal andpathologicalspermfromSaimirimacrodon. In themorphologicalanalysis, 39% ofthespermhad normal morphology, and 61% had major orminordefects, withpathology in thetailsbeingthemostfrequentwith 47% (38% curledtail, 7% foldedtailand 2% stronglyfoldedtail). Amongtheevaluatedheadmorphometryparameters, area (A), width (L) andellipticity (E) showedstatisticaldifference (p<0.05) between normal andpathologicalsperm. The averageheadareaandwidthwaslower in normal sperm (p=0,01 e p=0,04, respectively), andthemeanellipticitywashigher (p=0,038), whencomparedtopathologicalsperm. ThisdefinitionofthespermmorphometricparametersofS. macrodonisimportant for the samples selectiondestinedtoreproductionbiotechnologiesand for theclarificationoftaxonomicandevolutionaryissues in the genus Saimiri

ANÁLISE MORFOMÉTRICA DA CABEÇA ESPERMÁTICA EM Saimiri cassiquiarensis

The objective was to evaluate the sperm morphometry between normal and pathological cells in Saimiri cassiquiarensis aiming at the future use of data in CASA (Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis). Semen was collected from a male (S. cassiquiarensis) by electroejaculation. After collection, a smear in the proportion of 1: 1 (semen and eosin-nigrosin stain) was performed, and 100 sperm were measured and morphologically classified as normal and pathological defects (major and minor). Of the total sperm analyzed, 48% were classified as normal and 52% pathological. Of the pathologies, the most frequent was a folded tail (40%), followed by a strongly folded tail (5%), curled tail (2%) and isolated head (5%). The morphometric data showed no statistical difference (p<0.05) between normal and pathological defects. This is the first description for the sperm morphometry in Saimiri cassiquiarensis, therefore, from this database, future assessments at CASA can be conducted for this species.O objetivo foi avaliar a morfometria espermática entre células normais e patológicas em Saimiri cassiquiarensis visando futura utilização de dados em CASA (Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis). O sêmen foi coletado de um macho (S. cassiquiarensis) por eletroejaculação. Após a coleta, foi realizado esfregaço na proporção de 1:1 (sêmen e coloração eosina-nigrosina), sendo mensurados 100 espermatozoides e classificados morfologicamente em normais e defeitos patológicos (maiores e menores). Do total de espermatozoides analisados, 48% foram classificados como normais e 52% patológicos. Das patologias, a mais frequente foi cauda dobrada (40%), seguida de cauda fortemente dobrada (5%), cauda enrolada (2%) e cabeça isolada (5%). Os dados morfométricos não mostraram diferença estatística (p<0,05) entre defeitos normais e patológicos. Esta é a primeira descrição da morfometria espermática em Saimiri cassiquiarensis, portanto, a partir desta base de dados, futuras avaliações no CASA poderão ser realizadas para esta espécie.   &nbsp

Disease Severity in Patients Infected with Leishmania mexicana Relates to IL-1β

Leishmania mexicana can cause both localized (LCL) and diffuse (DCL) cutaneous leishmaniasis, yet little is known about factors regulating disease severity in these patients. We analyzed if the disease was associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL-1β (−511), CXCL8 (−251) and/or the inhibitor IL-1RA (+2018) in 58 Mexican mestizo patients with LCL, 6 with DCL and 123 control cases. Additionally, we analyzed the in vitro production of IL-1β by monocytes, the expression of this cytokine in sera of these patients, as well as the tissue distribution of IL-1β and the number of parasites in lesions of LCL and DCL patients. Our results show a significant difference in the distribution of IL-1β (−511 C/T) genotypes between patients and controls (heterozygous OR), with respect to the reference group CC, which was estimated with a value of 3.23, 95% CI = (1.2, 8.7) and p-value = 0.0167), indicating that IL-1β (−511 C/T) represents a variable influencing the risk to develop the disease in patients infected with Leishmania mexicana. Additionally, an increased in vitro production of IL-1β by monocytes and an increased serum expression of the cytokine correlated with the severity of the disease, since it was significantly higher in DCL patients heavily infected with Leishmania mexicana. The distribution of IL-1β in lesions also varied according to the number of parasites harbored in the tissues: in heavily infected LCL patients and in all DCL patients, the cytokine was scattered diffusely throughout the lesion. In contrast, in LCL patients with lower numbers of parasites in the lesions, IL-1β was confined to the cells. These data suggest that IL-1β possibly is a key player determining the severity of the disease in DCL patients. The analysis of polymorphisms in CXCL8 and IL-1RA showed no differences between patients with different disease severities or between patients and controls

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements