FIRST ISOLATION OF Leptospira kirschneri SEROVAR CANICOLA AND Leptospira interrogans SEROVAR PYROGENES IN URINE SAMPLES FROM SLAUGHTERED CATTLE IN MIDWEST REGION OF SÃO PAULO STATE, BRAZIL

A leptospirose é uma zoonose de grande importância em saúde pública. Cento e quatro (104) amostras de urina de bovinos abatidos na região centro-oeste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, foram avaliadas para detectar Leptospira spp. As amostras foram mantidas em PBS e em culturas de EMJH e Fletcher. Observamos crescimento de microrganismos em 13 amostras do meio Fletcher, embora não tenha sido observado no meio EMJH. Por PCR, 25 animais (amostras) foram positivos com os primers LEP1 / LEP2, sendo que 16 amostras foram mantidas em PBS, seis em meio Fletcher e três em meio EMJH. As 25 amostras foram submetidas a PCR com o gene LipL32 para verificação da patogenicidade. Uma amostra amplificada e por sequenciamento resultou em 99,77% de similaridade com Leptospira kirschneri sorovar Canicola e Leptospira interrogans sorovar Pyrogenes. Este é o primeiro relato de isolamento de Leptospira kirschneri sorovar Canicola e Leptospira interrogans sorovar Pyrogenes em amostra de urina bovina na Região Centro-Oeste do estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Concluímos a importância da leptospirose no rebanho avaliado e a atenção para o risco ocupacional, devido à possibilidade de urina contaminada nas pastagens e disseminação da infecção para outros animais e pessoas contactantes.Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of great importance in public health. One hundred and four urine samples from slaughtered cattle in Midwest region of São Paulo State, Brazil were evaluated to detect Leptospira spp. The samples were kept in PBS and in cultures of EMJH and Fletcher. We observed growth of microorganisms in 13 samples of Fletcher medium, although it was not observed in EMJH medium. By PCR, 25 animals (samples) were positive with LEP1/LEP2 primers, which of them 16 samples were kept in PBS, six samples in Fletcher medium and three in EMJH medium. The 25 samples were submitted to PCR with the LipL32 gene to verify the pathogenicity. One sample amplified and by sequencing resulted in 99.77% of similarity to Leptospira kirschneri serovar Canicola and Leptospira interrogans serovar Pyrogenes. This is the first report of isolation of Leptospira kirschneri serovar Canicola and Leptospira interrogans serovar Pyrogenes from bovine urine sample in the Midwest Region of São Paulo state, Brazil. We concluded the importance of leptospirosis in the herd evaluated and the attention for the ocupacional risk, because of the possibility of contaminated urine in the pastures and the spread of infection to other animals and contactants persons

Home-based exercise training by using a smartphone app in patients with Parkinson’s disease: a feasibility study

BackgroundParkinson’s disease (PD) patients experience deterioration in mobility with consequent inactivity and worsened health and social status. Physical activity and physiotherapy can improve motor impairments, but several barriers dishearten PD patients to exercise regularly. Home-based approaches (e.g., via mobile apps) and remote monitoring, could help in facing this issue.ObjectiveThis study aimed at testing the feasibility, usability and training effects of a home-based exercise program using a customized version of Parkinson Rehab® application.MethodsTwenty PD subjects participated in a two-month minimally supervised home-based training. Daily session consisted in performing PD-specific exercises plus a walking training. We measured: (i) feasibility (training adherence), usability and satisfaction (via an online survey); (ii) safety; (iii) training effects on PD severity, mobility, cognition, and mood. Evaluations were performed at: baseline, after 1-month of training, at the end of training (T2), and at 1-month follow-up (T3).ResultsEighteen out of twenty participants completed the study without important adverse events. Participants’ adherence was 91% ± 11.8 for exercise and 105.9% ± 30.6 for walking training. Usability and satisfaction survey scored 70.9 ± 7.7 out of 80. Improvements in PD severity, mobility and cognition were found at T2 and maintained at follow-up.ConclusionThe home-based training was feasible, safe and seems to positively act on PD-related symptoms, mobility, and cognition in patients with mild to moderate stage of PD disease. Additionally, the results suggest that the use of a mobile app might increase the amount of daily physical activity in our study population. Remote monitoring and tailored exercise programs appear to be key elements for promoting exercise. Future studies in a large cohort of PD participants at different stages of disease are needed to confirm these findings

Infected pancreatic necrosis: outcomes and clinical predictors of mortality. A post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study

: The identification of high-risk patients in the early stages of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is critical, because it could help the clinicians to adopt more effective management strategies. We conducted a post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study to assess the association between clinical risk factors and mortality among adult patients with IPN. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors of mortality. We identified 247 consecutive patients with IPN hospitalised between January 2019 and December 2020. History of uncontrolled arterial hypertension (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.135-15.882; aOR 4.245), qSOFA (p = 0.005; 95% CI 1.359-5.879; aOR 2.828), renal failure (p = 0.022; 95% CI 1.138-5.442; aOR 2.489), and haemodynamic failure (p = 0.018; 95% CI 1.184-5.978; aOR 2.661), were identified as independent predictors of mortality in IPN patients. Cholangitis (p = 0.003; 95% CI 1.598-9.930; aOR 3.983), abdominal compartment syndrome (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.090-6.967; aOR 2.735), and gastrointestinal/intra-abdominal bleeding (p = 0.009; 95% CI 1.286-5.712; aOR 2.710) were independently associated with the risk of mortality. Upfront open surgical necrosectomy was strongly associated with the risk of mortality (p < 0.001; 95% CI 1.912-7.442; aOR 3.772), whereas endoscopic drainage of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.018; 95% CI 0.138-0.834; aOR 0.339) and enteral nutrition (p = 0.003; 95% CI 0.143-0.716; aOR 0.320) were found as protective factors. Organ failure, acute cholangitis, and upfront open surgical necrosectomy were the most significant predictors of mortality. Our study confirmed that, even in a subgroup of particularly ill patients such as those with IPN, upfront open surgery should be avoided as much as possible. Study protocol registered in ClinicalTrials.Gov (I.D. Number NCT04747990)

Female condom color and scent preference in Durban, South Africa

Objectives: To assess preferences for female condom (FC) colors and scents. Study design: Women aged 18–40 years were randomized to one of three FCs (FC2, Cupid1, Cupid2) two of which offered a choice of color and scent (red/strawberry, purple/vanilla, natural/unscented). Women could choose any variety within condom types while participating in an FC contraceptive efficacy study in South Africa. Results: One hundred and thirty-three women were allocated to each FC type. Strawberry was the most popular variety for both FC2 and Cupid1 (60.9%, 78.3% respectively). Some women chose more than one variety but few chose the natural. Conclusions: Data support a clear preference for colored and scented FCs. Implications: These data can inform FC programme managers to predict demand for different varieties of FC and can adjust supply of FCs accordingly

Untangling locality and orientation constraints in the L2 acquisition of anaphoric binding: a feature-based approach

This study offers a Minimalist analysis of the L2 acquisition of binding properties whereby cross-linguistic differences arise from the interaction of anaphoric feature specifications and operations of the computational system (Reuland 2001, 2011; Hicks 2009). This analysis attributes difficulties in the L2 acquisition of locality and orientation properties in binding to problems reanalysing the features responsible for reflexivisation in the target language. Such an approach is shown to predict, in contrast to previous accounts, that if the locality and orientation behaviour of English reflexives arise due to syntactic operations on their features (Agree), acquisition of locality cannot be achieved unless orientation is also acquired; a picture-verification task completed by 70 Korean L2 speakers of English fully bears out this prediction. We show that for independent reasons, Korean speakers could still behave apparently nativelike for locality (by means of L1 transfer), but not for orientation. Crucially, this analysis can explain how two properties traditionally subsumed under the same UG principle can appear to pose different learning difficulties to L2 speakers

Influence of an innovative, biodegradable active packaging on the quality of sunflower oil and “pesto” sauce during storage

The aim of this research was to produce an innovative, biodegradable multilayer active packaging solution, with excellent oxygen barrier properties, to extend shelf- life of oily foods. In fact, one of the main drawbacks of biodegradable films is the low barrier they offer against external agents that can thus easily accelerate the foods degradation during shelf-life. In this study, a multilayer material obtained by the adhesion of two polylactic acid (PLA) films with cold plasma application, in place of synthetic adhesives, was realized. Moreover, cold plasma treatment was employed to immobilize the oxygen scavenger agent (ascorbic acid), chosen for the activation of the packaging material. Preliminary studies on activated PLA pouches filled with sunflower oil, used as model system, were performed. Model systems were stored at 35 °C to accelerate oil oxidation phenomenon and analysed for PV and colour during 64 days of storage. After that, different samples of “Genovese pesto”, were tested as real food, stored at 25 and 45 °C and analysed for PV, water activity, rheological parameters and microbiological loads during 41 days of storage. Obtained results showed the greater ability of the new active packaging to decrease the oxidation kinetics of “pesto”, mainly when stored at 25 °C. Moreover, all samples packed in the activated biodegradable pouches (both sunflower oils stored at 35 °C and pesto stored at 25 °C) showed better and more stable quality characteristics, in terms of colorimetric, microbiological and textural parameters when compared with the respective control samples. Overall obtained results highlighted the potentiality of the new biodegradable material, activated with the oxygen scavenger, to be applied successfully in food industry, to extend food products shelf-life and/or maintain high quality levels during storage

Myocardial overexpression of ANKRD1 causes sinus venosus defects and progressive diastolic dysfunction

Increased ANKRD1 levels linked to gain of function mutations have been associated to total anomalous pulmonary venous return and adult cardiomyopathy occurrence in humans. The link between increased ANKRD1 level and cardiac structural and functional disease is not understood. To get insight into this problem, we have generated a gain of function ANKRD1 mouse model by overexpressing ANKRD1 in the myocardium