Genomic analysis of male puberty timing highlights shared genetic basis with hair colour and lifespan.

The timing of puberty is highly variable and is associated with long-term health outcomes. To date, understanding of the genetic control of puberty timing is based largely on studies in women. Here, we report a multi-trait genome-wide association study for male puberty timing with an effective sample size of 205,354 men. We find moderately strong genomic correlation in puberty timing between sexes (rg = 0.68) and identify 76 independent signals for male puberty timing. Implicated mechanisms include an unexpected link between puberty timing and natural hair colour, possibly reflecting common effects of pituitary hormones on puberty and pigmentation. Earlier male puberty timing is genetically correlated with several adverse health outcomes and Mendelian randomization analyses show a genetic association between male puberty timing and shorter lifespan. These findings highlight the relationships between puberty timing and health outcomes, and demonstrate the value of genetic studies of puberty timing in both sexes

Nanostructured LiFe5O8 by a biogenic method for applications from electronics to medicine

The authors are grateful for the FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Program and National Funds through FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UID/CTM/50025/2019, and Romanian Ministry of Education and Research, under Romanian National Nucleu Program LAPLAS VI.The physical properties of the cubic and ferrimagnetic spinel ferrite LiFe5O8 has made it an attractive material for electronic and medical applications. In this work, LiFe5O8 nanosized crystallites were synthesized by a novel and eco-friendly sol-gel process, by using powder coconut water as a mediated reaction medium. The dried powders were heat-treated (HT) at temperatures between 400 and 1000◦C, and their structure, morphology, electrical and magnetic characteristics, cytotoxicity, and magnetic hyperthermia assays were performed. The heat treatment of the LiFe5O8 powder tunes the crystallite sizes between 50 nm and 200 nm. When increasing the temperature of the HT, secondary phases start to form. The dielectric analysis revealed, at 300 K and 10 kHz, an increase of ε′ (≈10 up to ≈14) with a tan δ almost constant (≈0.3) with the increase of the HT temperature. The cytotoxicity results reveal, for concentrations below 2.5 mg/mL, that all samples have a non-cytotoxicity property. The sample heat-treated at 1000◦C, which revealed hysteresis and magnetic saturation of 73 emu g−1 at 300 K, showed a heating profile adequate for magnetic hyperthermia applications, showing the potential for biomedical applications.publishersversionpublishe

Activation of Human CD11b+ B1 B-Cells by Trypanosoma cruzi-Derived Proteins Is Associated With Protective Immune Response in Human Chagas Disease

B-cells mediate humoral adaptive immune response via the production of antibodies and cytokines, and by inducing T-cell activation. These functions can be attributed to distinct B-cell subpopulations. Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, induces a polyclonal B-cell activation and lytic antibody production, critical for controlling parasitemia. Individuals within the chronic phase of Chagas disease may remain in an asymptomatic form (indeterminate), or develop severe cardiomyopathy (cardiac form) that can lead to death. Currently, there is no effective vaccine to prevent Chagas disease, and no treatment to halt the development of the cardiomyopathy once it is installed. The pathology associated with cardiac Chagas disease is a result of an inflammatory reaction. Thus, discovering characteristics of the host's immune response that favor the maintenance of favorable heart function may unveil important immunotherapeutic targets. Given the importance of B cells in antibody production and parasite control, we investigated T. cruzi-derived antigenic fractions responsible for B-cell activation and whether frequencies and functional characteristics of B-cell subpopulations are associated with different clinical outcomes of human Chagas disease. We stimulated cells from indeterminate (I) and cardiac (C) Chagas patients, as well as non-infected individuals (NI), with T. cruzi-derived protein- (PRO), glycolipid- (GCL) and lipid (LIP)-enriched fractions and determined functional characteristics of B-cell subpopulations. Our results showed that the frequency of B-cells was similar amongst groups. PRO, but not GCL nor LIP, led to an increased frequency of B1 B-cells in I, but not C nor NI. Although stimulation with PRO induced higher TNF expression by B1 B-cells from C and I, as compared to NI, it induced expression of IL-10 in cells from I, but not C. Stimulation with PRO induced an increased frequency of the CD11b+ B1 B-cell subpopulation, which was associated with better cardiac function. Chagas patients displayed increased IgM production, and activation of gamma-delta T-cells, which have been associated with B1 B-cell function. Our data showed that PRO activates CD11b+ B1 B-cells, and that this activation is associated with a beneficial clinical status. These findings may have implications in designing new strategies focusing on B-cell activation to prevent Chagas disease cardiomyopathy

Currículo e saberes docentes: o que aprendemos pesquisando leitura e escrita em três escolas de formação de professores

O artigo se baseia em pesquisa sobre leitura e escrita de professores. Fundamenta-se na perspectiva da teoria crítica da cultura. Analisa a escrita e a leitura de futuros professores de três escolas de formação docente. Amplia a reflexão com questionamentos e recomendações a respeito de políticas públicas de formação de professores

Extensão de Cobertura ou Reorganização da Atenção Básica? A trajetória do Programa de Saúde da Família de Manaus-AM

Este trabalho analisa sete anos de implantação do Programa de Saúde da Família (PSF) de Manaus, procurando identificar mudanças no sistema municipal de saúde a ele relacionadas e capazes de contribuir para a redução de desigualdades em saúde. Contextualiza a gênese do PSF no município, suas características, contradições e limitações, investigando se o programa construiu apenas uma trajetória de extensão de cobertura ou contribuiu efetivamente para a reorganização do modelo de atenção básica à saúde. As categorias de análise priorizaram princípios específicos de gestão do PSF: caráter substitutivo, integração com instituições e organizações sociais, territorialização, planejamento situacional com base na família e na comunidade, participação popular e controle social. A metodologia utilizada foi quali-quantitativa, compreendendo a análise dos dados de duas pesquisas avaliativas da implementação do PSF no município, realizadas em 2001 e em 2006. Os resultados mostram que, em Manaus, o PSF se constitui em uma estratégia de extensão de cobertura, com parcial superposição à estrutura assistencial de atenção básica (AB) preexistente e paralelismo de ações. Dadas as condições de sua implantação, conclui-se que o PSF se expressa como um programa isolado dentro do sistema municipal de saúde, com potencialidade para se converter em estratégia reestruturadora da AB em Manaus. A confluência com a implantação dos Distritos Sanitários poderá contribuir para um caminho de reorientação do modelo assistencial que garanta atenção integral e concretize o direito à saúde.This paper analyzes seven years of implementation of Programa Saúde da Família (PSF - Family Health Program) in the city of Manaus, state of Amazonas, aiming at identifying its influence on changes in the municipal health care system that are capable of contributing to the reduction in health care inequalities. It contextualizes the genesis of the PSF in the municipality, its characteristics, contradictions and limitations, thus investigating whether the program has built only a coverage extension history or whether it has effectively contributed to the reorganization of the primary health care model. The analysis categories prioritized specific management principles of the PSF: substitutive nature, integration with institutions and social organizations, territorialization, situational planning based on the family and community, popular participation and social control. The methodology was qualitative-quantitative, including the analysis of data from two studies evaluating the implementation of the PSF in the municipality, carried out in 2001 and 2006. The results show that, in Manaus, the PSF is a coverage extension strategy, with partial superposition on the preexisting primary medical care structure and parallelism of actions. Given the conditions of its implementation we conclude that the PSF expresses itself as an isolated program within the municipal health care system, with the potentiality to become a restructuring strategy of primary health care in Manaus. The confluence with the implementation of the Sanitary Districts may be able to contribute to redirect the medical attention model, thus assuring integral care and concretizing the right to health

Genome of Herbaspirillum seropedicae Strain SmR1, a Specialized Diazotrophic Endophyte of Tropical Grasses

The molecular mechanisms of plant recognition, colonization, and nutrient exchange between diazotrophic endophytes and plants are scarcely known. Herbaspirillum seropedicae is an endophytic bacterium capable of colonizing intercellular spaces of grasses such as rice and sugar cane. The genome of H. seropedicae strain SmR1 was sequenced and annotated by The Paraná State Genome Programme—GENOPAR. The genome is composed of a circular chromosome of 5,513,887 bp and contains a total of 4,804 genes. The genome sequence revealed that H. seropedicae is a highly versatile microorganism with capacity to metabolize a wide range of carbon and nitrogen sources and with possession of four distinct terminal oxidases. The genome contains a multitude of protein secretion systems, including type I, type II, type III, type V, and type VI secretion systems, and type IV pili, suggesting a high potential to interact with host plants. H. seropedicae is able to synthesize indole acetic acid as reflected by the four IAA biosynthetic pathways present. A gene coding for ACC deaminase, which may be involved in modulating the associated plant ethylene-signaling pathway, is also present. Genes for hemagglutinins/hemolysins/adhesins were found and may play a role in plant cell surface adhesion. These features may endow H. seropedicae with the ability to establish an endophytic life-style in a large number of plant species