Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) and uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) : characterization and comparison

Introduction: Avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) are responsible for avian colibacillosis and human urinary tract infections, respectively. There are genetic similarities between the APEC and UPEC pathotypes, suggesting the APEC strains could be a potential reservoir of virulence and antimicrobial-resistance genes for the UPEC strains. This study aimed to characterize and compare APEC and UPEC strains regarding the phylogroup classification, pathogenicity and antimicrobial susceptibility. Methodology: A total of 238 APEC and 184 UPEC strains were selected and characterized. The strains were assayed for antimicrobial susceptibility and classified into phylogenetic groups using a multiplex-PCR protocol. In addition, the APEC strains had previously been classified according to their in vivo pathogenicity. Results: The results showed that both pathotypes had variation in their susceptibility to most of the antimicrobial agents evaluated, with few strains classified as multidrug resistant. The highest resistance rate for both pathotypes was to amoxicillin. Classifying the APEC and UPEC strains into phylogenetic groups determined that the most frequently frequencies were for groups D and B2, respectively. These results reflect the pathogenic potential of these strains, as all the UPEC strains were isolated from unhealthy patients, and most of the APEC strains were previously classified as pathogenic. Conclusions: The results indicate that distribution into phylogenetic groups provided, in part, similar classification to those of in vivo pathogenicity index, as it was possible to adequately differentiate most of the pathogenic and commensal or low-pathogenicity bacteria. However, no relationship could be found between the specific antimicrobial agents and pathogenicity or phylogenetic group for either pathotype

Artificial neural networks to predict egg-production traits in commercial laying breeder hens

In recent years, egg production has had an intense growth in Brazil, and Brazilian egg consumption per capita has significantly increased in the last decade. To reduce sanitary and financial risks, decisions regarding the production and health status of the flock must be made based on objective criteria. Our aim was to determine the main “input” variables for the prediction of egg production performance in commercial laying breeder flocks using an ANN model. The software NeuroShellClassifier and NeuroShell Predictor were used to build the ANN. A total of 26 egg-production traits were selected as input variables and eight as output variables. A database of 44,120 Excel cells was generated. For the training and validation of the models, 74.9% and 25.1% of the data were used, respectively. The accuracy of the ANN models was calculated and compared using the analysis of coefficient of multiple determination (R2), mean squared error (MSE), and an assessment of uniform scatter in the residual plots. The models for the outputs “weekly egg production,” “weekly incubated egg,”, “accumulated commercial egg,” and “viability” showed an R2 greater than 0.8. Other models yielded R2 values lower than 0.8. The ANN predicts adequately eight egg-production traits in the breeders of commercial laying hens. The method is an option for data management analysis in the egg industry, providing estimates of the relative contribution of each input variable to the outputs

Identification of virulence-associated markers in Escherichia coli isolated from captive red-browed amazon parrot (Amazona rhodocorytha)

Due to the genetic similarity of pathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from birds and pathotypes of human origin, it is suggested that they have a common ancestor and may exchange virulence-associated genes. This study aimed to detect virulence-associated genes in E. coli strains isolated from the Red-browed Amazon parrot (Amazona rhodocorytha) kept at a conservation institute in Brazil. High genetic variability in virulence was observed, since 12 virulence profiles were found among 14 strains. The number of virulence-associated genes of single strains ranged from 5 to 22 out of 33 genes tested, and only one strain did not present any virulence genes. Regarding adhesion genes, most strains presented from two to five genes, and crlA (85.7%) and fimC (85.7%) were the most frequent. Frequencies were similar for invasion and iron acquisition genes. Variations among genes were observed for serum resistance and toxin-related genes. Some of the E. coli strains isolated from parrots presented virulence genes that are commonly associated with pathotypes of human origin, including newborn meningitis E. coli, uropathogenic E. coli, and sepsis-associated E. coli. It is noteworthy that some of these genes were present in the majority of the analyzed strains. Our results indicate that these strains detected in clinically healthy parrots can be potential reservoirs of several virulence-associated genes. These genes can be transmitted to other E. coli strains, including those that affect humans. These E. coli strains present a high pathogenic potential of virulence-associated genes in extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli strains

Propagação vegetativa do cafeeiro (Coffea arabica L.) por miniestacas

The introduction of methods that allow the cloning of coffee plants can be useful in breeding programs and for the commercial production of seedlings. Among the methods for vegetative propagation, cutting has allowed the cloning of coffee plants. However, one of the obstacles for commercial production is the reduced amount of orthotropic branches produced by the matrix plant. An alternative would be the use of mini-cutting, widely used in the production of eucalyptus seedlings. With this work, we aimed at studying the employment of the mini-cutting technique for the formation of clonal seedlings of Coffea arabica L. in tubes of different volumes. We evaluated five types of mini-cuttings performed on different portions of the orthotropic branch (apical, semi-apical, intermediate, semi-basal and basal) and two volumes of tubes (50 and 120 cm3). The experiment was comprised of 10 treatments in a 5x2 factorial scheme, in a completely randomized design, with four replicates. We verified differences only between the types of mini-cuttings. The mini-cuttings performed on the semi-apical, intermediate and semi-basal portions of the orthotropic branches provided better growth for the clonal seedlings, regardless of the volume of the tube used.A introdução de métodos que permitem a clonagem do cafeeiro pode ser útil em programas de melhoramento genético e até mesmo para a produção comercial de mudas. Entre os métodos de propagação vegetativa, a estaquia tem possibilitado melhores resultados, no entanto, um dos entraves para a produção em escala comercial é a quantidade reduzida de ramos ortotrópicos produzidos pela planta matriz. Uma alternativa seria a utilização de miniestaquia, a qual é amplamente usada na produção de mudas de eucalipto. Objetivou-se com este trabalho estudar o emprego da técnica de miniestaquia na formação de mudas clonais de Coffea arabica L. em diferentes volumes de tubetes. Foram avaliados cinco tipos de miniestacas oriundas de diferentes porções do ramo ortotrópico (apical, semiapical, intermediária, semibasal e basal) e dois volumes de tubete (50 e 120 cm³). O experimento foi implantado em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado disposto em um esquema fatorial 5 x 2, com quatro repetições. Foram observadas diferenças apenas entre os tipos de miniestacas oriundas das diferentes porções dos ramos ortotrópicos. As miniestacas das porções semiapical, intermediárias e semibasal dos ramos ortotrópicos promovem melhor crescimento das mudas clonais de cafeeiros, independentemente do volume do tubete utilizado

Ensino remoto emergencial na Medicina: aspectos positivos e negativos no ensino e na aprendizagem em tempos de pandemia

Resumo: Introdução: O ensino remoto surgiu como ferramenta emergencial no processo de educação superior durante a pandemia da Covid-19. Nesse cenário, amplia-se a possibilidade de ensinar e aprender por meio das tecnologias da informação e comunicação (TIC) nos cursos de Medicina. Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão integrativa que esclareça os principais aspectos positivos e negativos encontrados no exercício do ensino médico, nessas condições atípicas. Método: A busca dos artigos se deu nas seguintes bases: Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), Embase, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Medline (via PubMed), Scopus e Web of Science. Resultado: Ao final dos processos de triagem e seleção, incluíram-se 69 artigos, dos quais foram extraídas informações quanto às características dos aspectos positivos e negativos de cada experiência de ensino remoto médico ofertado nesse período pandêmico. Entre os principais aspectos positivos, destacam-se a avaliação positiva do componente curricular pelos estudantes, a maior autonomia do aluno, a maior participação e comunicação entre os alunos, e a ausência de déficit de aprendizado. Entre os principais pontos negativos, observam-se a suspensão das aulas práticas, as complicações decorrentes do uso das tecnologias (conectividade, capacitação e organização) e a ausência de contato social. Conclusão: Observa-se que a autonomia e a autodisciplina discentes são fatores cruciais para o aproveitamento pleno de abordagem de aprendizagem remotamente, e talvez o aluno presencial clássico não estivesse preparado para tal mudança brusca. Ainda, percebe-se que, pela urgência de implantação dessa nova forma de aprendizagem, o ensino remoto não tenha tido tempo e maturidade o suficiente para que fosse aperfeiçoado ao ponto de ser considerado uma estratégia de educação médica aplicável em longo prazo. O ensino remoto foi crucial para que a formação de novos médicos não fosse descontinuada por um período de tempo tão extenso. Porém, o ensino remoto precisa ser reavaliado e aperfeiçoado como estratégia pedagógica que utiliza TIC para o ensino médico

SEVERE CHRONIC PERIODONTITIS AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN LEVELS

This study aims to analyze the relationship between chronic periodontitis and C-reactive protein (CRP), taking certain associated factors into consideration. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 75 adults of both sexes. After the participants had been interviewed, they underwent physical and dental examinations and blood collection. CRP levels were evaluated by means of nephelometry. A periodontal clinical examination was conducted by trained examiners and the diagnosis of chronic periodontitis was established when at least 30% of the individual’s teeth presented clinical attachment loss ≥ 5 mm. The analysis procedures consisted of descriptive analysis and linear regression. The results showed that there was no statistically significant difference in CRP levels between the groups with and without periodontitis. The median CRP level in the group with periodontitis was 2.3 mg/l (25-75% interquartile range, IQR = 0.74-5.4) and in the group without periodontitis, 1.8 mg/l (25-75% IQR = 0.79-4.54) (p = 0.417). Log CRP was significantly correlated only with the individual’s body mass index (BMI). The main findings from this study indicate that there is no association between severe chronic periodontitis and CRP, and factors like BMI need to be analyzed carefully in studies on this topic

Fighting HIV/AIDS in a developing country: lessons from a small cohort from the largest Brazilian city

Not Applicabl

Papel da Cirurgia Bucomaxilofacial na Reabilitação de Pacientes com Câncer de Cabeça e Pescoço

The aim of this article is to investigate and elucidate the impact and relevance of oral and maxillofacial surgery in the rehabilitation process of individuals facing the challenge of head and neck cancer. The indexes SciVerse Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), U.S. National Library of Medicine (PUBMED) and ScienceDirect were used as search engines. The articles were contemplated between the years 2000 to 2023. The rehabilitation approach in oral and maxillofacial surgery for patients facing head and neck cancer represents a crucial pillar in the journey of treatment and recovery. The complexity of the functional, aesthetic and psychosocial implications of this type of cancer requires a multidisciplinary and integrated approach that goes beyond the medical aspect. The results demonstrate that this rehabilitation technique can effectively improve the quality of life of patients, allowing restoration of function, recovery of self-image and social reintegration. Collaboration between oral and maxillofacial surgeons, physical therapists, speech therapists and mental health professionals plays a vital role in this process, providing a holistic and comprehensive approach.O objetivo deste artigo é investigar e elucidar o impacto e a relevância da cirurgia bucomaxilofacial no processo de reabilitação de indivíduos que enfrentam o desafio do câncer de cabeça e pescoço. Foram utilizados como motores de busca os indexadores SciVerse Scopus, Scientific Eletronic Library Online (Scielo), U.S. National Library of Medicine (PUBMED) e ScienceDirect. Os artigos foram contemplados entre os anos de 2000 a 2023. A abordagem de reabilitação na cirurgia bucomaxilofacial para pacientes que enfrentam câncer de cabeça e pescoço representa um pilar crucial na jornada de tratamento e recuperação. A complexidade das implicações funcionais, estéticas e psicossociais desse tipo de câncer exige uma abordagem multidisciplinar e integrada que vá além do aspecto médico. Os resultados demonstram que essa técnica de reabilitação pode efetivamente melhorar a qualidade de vida dos pacientes, permitindo a restauração da função, a recuperação da autoimagem e a reintegração social. A colaboração entre cirurgiões bucomaxilofaciais, fisioterapeutas, fonoaudiólogos e profissionais de saúde mental desempenha um papel vital nesse processo, fornecendo uma abordagem holística e abrangente