Water vapor pressure deficit in Portugal and implications for the development of the invasive African citrus psyllid trioza erytreae

African citrus psyllid (Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio)) is a vector insect of the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter africanus, the putative causal agent of Huanglongbing, the most devastating citrus disease in the world. The insect was found on the island of Madeira in 1994 and in mainland Portugal in 2015. Present in the north and center of the country, it is a threat to Algarve, the main citrus-producing region. Trioza erytreae eggs and first instar nymphs are sensitive to the combination of high temperatures and low relative humidity. Daily maximum air temperature and minimum relative humidity data from 18 weather stations were used to calculate the water vapor pressure deficit (vpd) from 2004 to 2018 at various locations. Based on the mean vpd and the number of unfavorable days (vpd < 34.5 and vpd < 56 mbar) of two time periods (February to May and June to September), less favorable zones for T. erytreae were identified. The zones with thermal and water conditions like those observed in the Castelo Branco and Portalegre (Center), Beja (Alentejo), Alte, and Norinha (Algarve) stations showed climatic restrictions to the development of eggs and first instar nymphs of African citrus psyllid. Effective control measures, such as the introduction and mass release of Tamarixia dryi (Waterson), a specific parasitoid, and chemical control are necessary in favorable periods for T. erytreae development, such as in spring and in areas with limited or no climate restrictions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Use of artificial neural networks in applying methodology for allocating health resources

OBJETIVO: Descrever a construção de fator de alocação de recursos financeiros com base na necessidade em saúde da população. MÉTODOS: Estudo quantitativo, com dados coletados em bases de domínio público, referentes ao estado de Pernambuco nos anos entre 2000 e 2010. Foram selecionadas variáveis que refletissem os indicadores epidemiológicos, demográficos, socioeconômicos e educacionais para compor um fator de alocação que apontasse as necessidades de saúde da população. As fontes pesquisadas foram: Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde, Atlas do Desenvolvimento Humano no Brasil, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, Sistema de Informações sobre Orçamentos Públicos em Saúde, Tesouro Nacional e dados da Secretaria Estadual de Saúde de Pernambuco de 2000 a 2010, de acordo com a disponibilidade da informação mais recente. Foi realizada a correlação linear de Pearson e, para o cálculo do fator de alocação, a análise pelas Redes Neurais Artificiais. Os quartis dos municípios foram definidos segundo as necessidades em saúde. RESULTADOS: A distribuição apresentada aponta a Região Litorânea e boa parte da Região da Mata Norte e Sul e do Agreste Setentrional e Central situados no Quartil 1, este com o maior número de municípios. O Agreste Meridional teve municípios em todos os quartis. Na Região do Pajeú/Moxotó, grande parte dos municípios esteve no Quartil 1. Semelhante distribuição foi verificada no Sertão Central. No Araripe, a maioria dos municípios esteve nos Quartis 3 ou 4 e a Região do São Francisco ficou dividida entre os Quartis 1, 2 e 3. CONCLUSÕES: O fator de alocação agregou os municípios pernambucanos, por agrupar variáveis que são relacionadas com as necessidades em saúde da população, e separou os que possuem extremas necessidades de maior aporte financeiro daqueles que precisam com menor intensidade.OBJETIVO: Describir la construcción de factor de asignación de recursos financieros basándose en la necesidad en la salud de la población. MÉTODOS: Estudio cuantitativo, con datos colectados en bases de dominio público, referentes al estado de Pernambuco, Brasil, en los años entre 2000 y 2010. Se seleccionaron variables que reflejasen los indicadores epidemiológicos, demográficos, socioeconómicos y educacionales para componer un factor de asignación que señale las necesidades de salud de la población. Las fuentes investigadas fueron: Departamento de Informática del Sistema Único de Salud, el Atlas de Desarrollo Humano en Brasil, el Instituto Brasileño de Geografía y Estadística, el Sistema de Informaciones sobre Presupuestos Públicos en Salud, el Tesoro Nacional y datos de la Secretaria Estatal de Salud de Pernambuco de 2000 a 2010, de acuerdo con la disponibilidad de la información más reciente. Se realizó la correlación linear de Pearson y para el cálculo del Factor de Asignación, el análisis por las redes neurales artificiales. Los cuartiles de los municipios fueron definidos según las necesidades en salud. RESULTADOS: La distribución presentada sitúa la Región Costera y buena parte de la Región de la Selva Norte y Sur y del Agreste Septentrional y Central, en el Cuartil 1, con el mayor número de municipios. El Agreste Meridional tuvo municipios en todos los cuartiles. En la Región de los ríos Pajeú/Moxotó, gran parte de los municipios estuvo en el Cuartil 1. Se verificó distribución semejante en el Sertón Central. En el Araripe, la mayoría de los municipios estuvo en los Cuartiles 3 o 4, y la Región de Sao Francisco se dividió entre los Cuartiles 1, 2 y 3. CONCLUSIONES: El factor de Asignación agregó los municipios pernambucanos, por agrupar variables que son relacionadas con las necesidades en salud de la población y separó los que poseen extremas necesidades de mayor aporte financiero de aquellos que lo precisan con menor intensidad.OBJECTIVE: To describe the construction of a factor of allocation of financial resources, based on the population's health needs. METHODS: Quantitative study with data collected from public databases referring to the state of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil, between 2000 and 2010. Variables which reflected epidemiological, demographic, socio-economic and educational processes were selected in order to create a factor of allocation which highlighted the health needs of the population. The data sources were: SUS (Brazilian Unified Health System) Department of Computer Science, Atlas of Human Development in Brazil, IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), Information System on Public Health Budgets, National Treasury and data from the Pernambuco Health Secretariat between 2000 and 2010. Pearson's coefficient was used to assess linear correlation and the factor of allocation was calculated using analysis by artificial neural networks. The quartiles of the municipalities were defined according to their health needs. RESULTS: The distribution shown here highlights that all the coastal region, a good part of the Mata Norte and Mata Sul regions and the Agreste Setentrional and Agreste Central regions are in Quartile 1, that which has the largest number of municipalities. The Agreste Meridional region had municipalities in all of the quartiles. In the Pajeú/Moxotó region, many of the municipalities were in Quartile 1. Similar distribution was verified in the Sertão Central region. In the Araripe region, the majority of the municipalities were in Quartiles 3 or 4 and the São Francisco region was divided between Quartiles 1, 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: The factor of allocation grouped together municipalities of Pernambuco according to variables related to public health needs and separated those with extreme needs, requiring greater financial support, from those with lesser needs

CARACTERÍSTICAS FÍSICO-QUÍMICAS E CITOLÓGICAS DO LÍQUIDO SINOVIAL DA ARTICULAÇÃO DO CARPO DE CAPRINOS MESTIÇOS

A articulação do carpo dos caprinos é alvo de enfermidades, como a artrite-encefalite caprina, levando à dor e à redução dos movimentos. Devido à falta de registro de parâmetros normais, este estudo avaliou a constituição físico-química e citológica do líquido sinovial da articulação do carpo de 44 caprinos sem raça definida, que não apresentavam doença articular. Os parâmetros físico-químicos avaliados foram volume (0,94 mL ± 0,26 mL), cor (incolor a amarelo), turbidez (46,50% apresentaram-se límpidas), precipitado de mucina (coágulo firme em solução límpida) e concentração de proteínas (1,95 ± 0,87 mg/dL). Os dados citológicos corresponderam às contagens global e diferencial de leucócitos. A contagem global média encontrada foi de 48,02 ± 24,47 células/µL e contagem diferencial com 25,07 ± 15,86 linfócitos/µL e 16,31 ± 12,63 grandes células mononucleadas/µL. Sugere-se que os valores obtidos nesta pesquisa sejam considerados parâmetros normais para o líquido sinovial do carpo de caprinos adultos sem raça definida. PALAVRAS-CHAVES: Articulação, caprino, carpo, sinóvia

CARACTERÍSTICAS FÍSICO-QUÍMICAS E CITOLÓGICAS DO LÍQUOR DE OVINOS SADIOS DA RAÇA SANTA INÊS

A ocorrência de doenças neurológicas é elevada na clínica médica dos animais, porém poucos estudos documentam a composição normal do líquor de ovinos, em especial o da raça Santa Inês. O objetivo deste estudo foi o de estabelecer parâmetros de normalidade para as características físico-químicas e citológicas do líquor de ovinos desta raça. Para isso, foram utilizados 40 ovinos, com idades entre seis a dezoito meses, para a realização da punção lombossacral de líquor. Foi observado um padrão límpido e incolor, e a média para densidade foi de 1,006 ± 0,0064, a concentração de proteínas foi de 25,27 ± 6,64 mg/dL e a de glicose de 46,89 ± 10,99 mg/dL. Quanto às atividades enzimáticas, foram observadas médias de 80,79 ± 116,72 U/L para creatina quinase (CK); 17,43 ± 11,91 U/L para lactato desidrogenase (LDH) e 17,08 ± 3,85 U/L para aspartato aminotransferase (AST). Os achados obtidos para contagem global de leucócitos foram de 4,61 ± 4,96 células/µL (0 a 15 linfócitos, 0 a 10 monócitos, 1 a 14 neutrófilos). Diante da carência de dados de referência para parâmetros do líquor de ovinos Santa Inês, sugere-se que os resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa sejam considerados valores normais na clínica de ovinos e, assim, contribuam no diagnóstico de doenças neurológicas nesta raça. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: bioquímica; citologia; LCR; parâmetros fisiológicos; pequenos ruminantes

Impact of temperature on the toxicity of Kraft 36 EC® (a.s. abamectin) and Score 250 EC® (a.s. difenoconazole) to soil organisms under realistic environmental exposure scenarios

Pesticides can affect all receiving compartments, especially soils, and their fate and effects may be enhanced by temperature, increasing their risk to ecological functions of soils. In Brazil, the most widely used pesticides are the insecticide Kraft 36 EC® (a.s. abamectin) and the fungicide Score 250 EC® (a.s. difenoconazole), which are commonly used in strawberry, often simultaneously as a mixture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of realistic environmental applications, single and in mixtures, for both pesticides to the springtail Folsomia candida and the plant species Allium cepa (onion) and Lycopersicum esculentum (tomato). Mesocosms filled with Brazilian natural soil (lattosolo) were dosed with water (control), Kraft (10.8 g a.s/ha), Score (20 g.a.s/ha) and Kraft + Score (10.8 + 20 g a.s./ha). The applications were repeated every 7 days, during 18 days of experiment, and simulating rainfall twice a week. Collembola reproduction tests were conducted with soils from the first (day 1) and last day (day 18) of experiment for each treatment. Plant toxicity tests were carried out in the experimental units. The experiments were run at 23 °C and 33 °C. Kraft, alone and in the binary mixture, showed high toxicity to the springtails in soils from both days 1 and 18, especially at 23 °C where it caused 100% mortality. Score however, was not toxic to the springtails. Plant growth was reduced by Score, but responses varied depending on temperature. This study indicates a high environmental risk of the insecticide Kraft, particularly at lower temperatures (23 °C), and an influence of temperature on pesticide fate and effects

Immunogenicity of personalized dendritic-cell therapy in HIV-1 infected individuals under suppressive antiretroviral treatment:interim analysis from a phase II clinical trial

BACKGROUND: We developed a personalized Monocyte-Derived Dendritic-cell Therapy (MDDCT) for HIV-infected individuals on suppressive antiretroviral treatment and evaluated HIV-specific T-cell responses. METHODS: PBMCs were obtained from 10 HIV(+) individuals enrolled in trial NCT02961829. Monocytes were differentiated into DCs using IFN-α and GM-CSF. After sequencing each patient’s HIV-1 Gag and determining HLA profiles, autologous Gag peptides were selected based on the predicted individual immunogenicity and used to pulse MDDCs. Three doses of the MDDCT were administered every 15 days. To assess immunogenicity, patients’ cells were stimulated in vitro with autologous peptides, and intracellular IL-2, TNF, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production were measured in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells. RESULTS: The protocol of ex-vivo treatment with IFN-α and GM-CSF was able to induce maturation of MDDCs, as well as to preserve their viability for reinfusion. MDDCT administration was associated with increased expression of IL-2 in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells at 15 and/or 30 days after the first MDDCT administration. Moreover, intracellular TNF and IFN-γ expression was significantly increased in CD4(+) T-cells. The number of candidates that increased in vitro the cytokine levels in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells upon stimulation with Gag peptides from baseline to day 15 and from baseline to day 30 and day 120 after MDDCT was significant as compared to Gag unstimulated response. This was accompanied by an increasing trend in the frequency of polyfunctional T-cells over time, which was visible when considering both cells expressing two and three out of the three cytokines examined. CONCLUSIONS: MDDC had a mature profile, and this MDDCT promoted in-vitro T-cell immune responses in HIV-infected patients undergoing long-term suppressive antiretroviral treatment. Trial registration NCT02961829: (Multi Interventional Study Exploring HIV-1 Residual Replication: a Step Towards HIV-1 Eradication and Sterilizing Cure, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02961829, posted November 11th, 2016) SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12981-021-00426-z

Controversial issues in the management of hyperprolactinemia and prolactinomas : an overview by the Neuroendocrinology Department of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism

Prolactinomas are the most common pituitary adenomas (approximately 40% of cases), and they represent an important cause of hypogonadism and infertility in both sexes. The magnitude of prolactin (PRL) elevation can be useful in determining the etiology of hyperprolactinemia. Indeed, PRL levels > 250 ng/mL are highly suggestive of the presence of a prolactinoma. In contrast, most patients with stalk dysfunction, drug-induced hyperprolactinemia or systemic diseases present with PRL levels < 100 ng/mL. However, exceptions to these rules are not rare. On the other hand, among patients with macroprolactinomas (MACs), artificially low PRL levels may result from the so-called “hook effect”. Patients harboring cystic MACs may also present with a mild PRL elevation. The screening for macroprolactin is mostly indicated for asymptomatic patients and those with apparent idiopathic hyperprolactinemia. Dopamine agonists (DAs) are the treatment of choice for prolactinomas, particularly cabergoline, which is more effective and better tolerated than bromocriptine. After 2 years of successful treatment, DA withdrawal should be considered in all cases of microprolactinomas and in selected cases of MACs. In this publication, the goal of the Neuroendocrinology Department of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (SBEM) is to provide a review of the diagnosis and treatment of hyperprolactinemia and prolactinomas, emphasizing controversial issues regarding these topics. This review is based on data published in the literature and the authors' experience