Susceptibility of Argentinean Biomphalaria tenagophila and Biomphalaria straminea to infection by Schistosoma mansoni and the possibility of geographic expansion of mansoni schistosomiasis

IntroductionHuman migration and the presence of natural vectors (mollusks) of Schistosoma mansoni are the primary causes of the expansion of mansoni schistosomiasis into southern areas of South America. Water conditions are favorable for the expansion of this disease because of the extensive hydrographic network, which includes the basins of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers and favors mollusk reproduction. These rivers also aid agriculture and tourism in the area. Despite these favorable conditions, natural infection by S. mansoni has not yet been reported in Argentina, Uruguay, or Paraguay.MethodTwo species of planorbid from Argentina, Biomphalaria straminea and B. tenagophila, were exposed to the miracidia of five Brazilian strains of S. mansoni.Results Biomphalaria tenagophila (Atalaya, Buenos Aires province) was infected with the SJS strain (infection rate 3.3%), confirming the experimental susceptibility of this Argentinian species. Biomphalaria straminea (Rio Santa Lucía, Corrientes province) was susceptible to two Brazilian strains: SJS (infection rate 6.7%) and Sergipe (infection rate 6.7%). ConclusionThese results demonstrate that species from Argentina have the potential to be natural hosts of S. mansoni and that the appearance of foci of mansoni schistosomiasis in Argentina is possible.61161

Estimating the Importance of Civil Construction for the Brazilian Economy Through Hypothetical Extraction of the Input-Output Matrix

This paper aims to undertake a systemic analysis of civil construction to verify whether public investments made from 2007 onwards were able to increase the sector's productive linkages in the Brazilian economy. For this, the hypothetical extraction method of the input-output matrix and the official matrices of the country from 2005 and 2015 are used. The results show that the importance of the productive structure of the construction sector - total extraction - exceeds 7.42% of GDP in 2005 to 10.06% in 2015. This fact reveals that the civil construction sector in 2005 was the seventh most important moving to the fourth in 2015 in a total of twelve sectors considered. Another important finding lies in the fact that despite the construction sector presenting an increase in the complexity of its productive structure, it showed strong backward linkage, but low forward linkage, in both analyzed periods. Through these results, it is possible to conclude that the tax exemption of some inputs, reduction of real estate interest, expansion of credit for housing through public housing and infrastructure policies may have been essential for the increase in the complexity of the sector's productive chains between the years' from 2005 and 2015. Such findings are useful for the scientific literature that investigates the sector by bringing evidence to Brazil and to policymakers given that possibly the construction sector can be used as a strategy to promote and stimulate economic activity in times of crisis

Updated cardiovascular prevention guideline of the Brazilian Society of Cardiology: 2019

Sem informação113478788

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure <= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

[influence Of Hydrocortisone On Schistosoma Mansoni Development In Biomphalaria Glabrata].

The effect of hydrocortisone on the development of BH strain of S. mansoni in B. glabrata snails is evaluated. Snails in a randomly chosen group were submitted to hydrocortisone during four days. In the second day of hydrocortisone exposure, the snails were exposed, each, to ten S. mansoni miracidia. Another group, not treated with hydrocortisone, was exposed to miracidia and observed in the same manner. Various items of data were observed: the infection rate, survival time, prepatent period and total number of cercariae released. It was found that the snails in the group treated with hydrocortisone had a higher infection rate, shorter prepatent periods, produced more cercariae and also had longer survival times. This suggests that the hydrocortisone in snails induces a decrease in resistance to schistosome infection and facilitates the development of the trematode, while also reducing adverse infection effects, thereby leading to longer snail survival.35149-5

Susceptibility of Argentinean Biomphalaria tenagophila and Biomphalaria straminea to infection by Schistosoma mansoni and the possibility of geographic expansion of mansoni schistosomiasis

Introduction Human migration and the presence of natural vectors (mollusks) of Schistosoma mansoni are the primary causes of the expansion of mansoni schistosomiasis into southern areas of South America. Water conditions are favorable for the expansion of this disease because of the extensive hydrographic network, which includes the basins of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers and favors mollusk reproduction. These rivers also aid agriculture and tourism in the area. Despite these favorable conditions, natural infection by S. mansoni has not yet been reported in Argentina, Uruguay, or Paraguay. Methods Two species of planorbid from Argentina, Biomphalaria straminea and B. tenagophila, were exposed to the miracidia of five Brazilian strains of S. mansoni. Results Biomphalaria tenagophila (Atalaya, Buenos Aires province) was infected with the SJS strain (infection rate 3.3%), confirming the experimental susceptibility of this Argentinian species. Biomphalaria straminea (Rio Santa Lucía, Corrientes province) was susceptible to two Brazilian strains: SJS (infection rate 6.7%) and Sergipe (infection rate 6.7%). Conclusions These results demonstrate that species from Argentina have the potential to be natural hosts of S. mansoni and that the appearance of foci of mansoni schistosomiasis in Argentina is possible

Improvement of the oral praziquantel anthelmintic effect by cyclodextrin complexation

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease which kills a half million people per year, a I I over the world. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug-of-choice for schistosomiasis because of its effectiveness, ease of administration, and low cost. However, poor solubility restricts its delivery, especially via the oral route. In this study, we describe beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) complexation as an alternative to improve the PZQ bioavailability. Physicochemical analysis were performed to characterize the inclusion complex formed between PZQ and beta-CD. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms and morphological analysis using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) gave evidences of the complex formation. Diffusion NMR experiments allowed determination of the fraction of PZQ bound to beta-CD (37%) and the association constant (941 +/- 47 M(-1)). The in vivo evaluation of the complexation on the effect of PZQ was performed on mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni (BH strain); after 15 days of treatment with the PZQ:beta-CD complex the efficacy, evaluated by the number of remaining alive worms, was 99%, against 59% elicited by plain PZQ.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq