Occurrence of seropositive sheep (Ovis aries) to Bovine Leukemia Virus in Brazil

Occurrence of seropositive sheep (Ovis aries) to Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) by agar-gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) using the antigen gp51 was surveyed for the period 2005-2007. Samples were collected from sheep in the Brazilian states of Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, São Paulo, Pernambuco, Maranhão, Pará, Bahia, Mato Grosso, Rondônia, and Acre. Two of 35 (5.7%) flocks were seropositive to BLV, and the rate of seropositive animals was 0.077% (two of 2,592). The two seropositive sheep were female, one 13-month old Santa Inês breed and other of unknown age and breed, both from the state of São Paulo. Distribution of BLV in the ovine population studied proved to be a rare event in Brazil.A ocorrência de ovinos sororreagentes ao vírus da Leucemia Bovina (VLB) pelo teste de imunodifusão em gel de ágar (IDGA) utilizando o antígeno gp51 foi avaliada no período de 2005-2007, em diferentes regiões do Brasil. Amostras foram colhidas de ovinos dos Estados do Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, São Paulo, Pernambuco, Maranhão, Pará, Bahia, Mato Grosso, Rondônia e Acre. Duas em 35 cabanhas (5,7%) e dois em 2592 ovinos (0,077%) foram soropositivos. Os únicos animais com anticorpos contra o VLB eram fêmeas, uma com 13 meses de idade e da raça Santa Inês e a outra não se conhecia a idade e raça, ambas provenientes do Estado de São Paulo. A distribuição da soropositividade na população estudada demonstrou ser rara a infecção pelo VLB em ovinos no Brasil

Pesquisa de anticorpos contra o vírus da Estomatite Vesicular em bovinos de corte criados na região de Araçatuba, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil em 2000

In 2000 a total of 1099 serum samples were obtained of adult beef cattle, from 6 herds located at Auriflama, Gastão Vidigal,, Magda, Santo Antônio do Aracanguá, Sebastianópolis do Sul e Turiúba, counties from the region of Araçatuba. Sera were tested for neutralizing antibodies to vesicular stomatitis virus by microtiter neutralization assay, using the virus strain Indiana 1 Costa Rica/72 with 10(6,0) DICT50/50mL. The indicator cells were African green monkey kidney (VERO-CCL 81), purchased from American Type Cell Colection (ATCC). The neutralization titers of each serum were the reciprocal of the highest dilution expressed at log10 that protected 100.00% of the cell monolayer. Sera with values above 1,6 log10 (1/40) were considered positive for Vesicular Stomatitis virus. Twenty-eight (2.50%) out of 1.099 samples were positive for Vesicular Stomatitis virus Indiana 1, with antibodies titers ranging from 1.9 to 2.8. Except in Turiuba, in the others 5 herds there were positive animals. The presente survey showed the presence the Vesicular Stomatitis virus in the herds stimulating the humoral response. More studies are necessary to verify the site of persistence of the virus.No ano de 2000 foram pesquisadas 1099 amostras de soro de bovinos de corte, adultos, pertencentes à seis rebanhos situados nos municípios de Auriflama, Gastão Vidigal,, Magda, Santo Antônio do Aracanguá, Sebastianópolis do Sul e Turiúba, região de Araçatuba. A técnica empregada para a dosagem de anticorpos para o vírus da Estomatite Vesicular foi a soroneutralização em microplacas, utilizando a cepa Indiana 1 Costa Rica/72 com título de 10(6,0) DICT50/50mL. As células utilizadas foram as da linhagem de Rim de Macaco Verde Africano (VERO-CCL 81), provenientes do American Type Cell Colection (ATCC). O título de anticorpos de cada amostra de soro, foi calculado como a recíproca da maior diluição do soro expresso em log10, que protegeu 100,00% da monocamada celular. Foram consideradas positivas as amostras com título superior a 1,6 log10 (1/40). Das 1099 amostras de soro analisadas, 28 (2,50%) foram positivas ao vírus da Estomatite Vesicular tipo Indiana 1, com títulos de anticorpos variando de 1,9 à 2,8. Com exceção do rebanho situado no município de Turiúba, nos outros cinco foram encontrados animais reagentes ao vírus. Esta avaliação mostrou que houve circulação do vírus da Estomatite Vesicular nestes rebanhos provocando resposta humoral. Sendo assim é necessário a realização de estudos para se determinar o sítio de permanência do vírus

Comparison of the biological effects of gadodiamide (Omniscan) and gadoteridol ({ProHance}) by means of multi-organ and plasma metabolomics

Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are massively employed in radiology to increase the diagnostic power of MRI. However, investigations aiming at detecting possible metabolic perturbations or adverse health effects due to gadolinium deposition are still lacking. In this work, aqueous organs extract and plasma samples were analyzed by GC-MS and H-1-NMR, respectively, to investigate the effects of multiple administrations of one linear (Omniscan) and one macrocyclic (ProHance) GBCA, on the main metabolic pathways in healthy mice. Multivariate analysis revealed that plasma metabolome was not differently perturbed by the two GBCAs, while, the multiorgan analysis displayed a clear separation of the Omniscan-treated from the control and the ProHance-treated groups. Interestingly, the most affected organs were the brain, cerebellum and liver. Thus, this work paves the way to both the safest use of the commercially available GBCAs and the development of new GBCAs characterized by lower general toxicity

Increase of multidrug-resistant bacteria after the COVID-19 pandemic in a major teaching Hospital in Sicily (2018-2021)

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the continuing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to global health and economic development. In the last two decades, AMR has raised increasing concern, with an estimated 4.95 million deaths globally due to bacterial AMR in 2019 alone. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of the pandemic on the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) using data from the Hospital "P. Giaccone" in Palermo, comparing pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. Methods: This observational study involved adult patients who were discharged from the hospital between 01 January 2018 and 31 December 2021. Hospital Discharge Cards were linked with microbiological laboratory reports to assess MDRO isolations. SARS-CoV-2 positivity during hospitalisation was evaluated using the National Institute of Health surveillance system. Results: A total of 58 427 hospitalisations were evaluated in this study. Half the patients were aged over 65 years (N=26 984) and most admissions were in the medical area (N=31 716). During the hospitalisation period, there were 2681 patients (5%) with MDROs isolations, and 946 patients (2%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Multivariable analyses showed that during 2020 and 2021, there was a significantly increased risk of isolation of Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Age, weight of the Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG), wards with higher intensity of care, and length-of-stay were associated with a higher risk of MDRO isolation. Conclusion: This study provides new insights into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MDRO isolation and has important implications for infection control and prevention efforts in healthcare facilities. Age, DRG-weight, and longer hospital stays further increased the risk of MDRO isolation. Thus, it is imperative to improve and follow hospital protocols to prevent healthcare-associated infections

DETECÇÃO DE ANTICORPOS CONTRA O VÍRUS DA LÍNGUA AZUL EM OVINOS NA REGIÃO DE ARAÇATUBA – SÃO PAULO, BRASIL

A língua azul é uma doença viral, cujo agente etiológico pertence à família Reoviridae, gênero Orbivirus, transmitida por um vetor (artrópode) hematófago, do gênero Culicoides. Os animais acometidos são ruminantes domésticos e selvagens, porém os pequenos ruminantes são os mais afetados. O estudo teve como objetivo detectar a presença de anticorpos para língua azul em ovinos da região de Araçatuba, por possuir um rebanho expressivo e condições climáticas favoráveis à multiplicação de insetos. Foram analisadas 1.002 amostras de soros ovinos, provenientes de 31 cabanhas, pelas provas de imunodifusão dupla em gel de ágar (AGID) e ELISA (Enzyme Linked immunosorbent Assay) de competição da fase sólida (ELISA CFS), provenientes do Centro Panamericano de Febre Aftosa. Desses soros, 651 (65%) foram reagentes ao vírus da língua azul, pela técnica de AGID, e 742 (74,1%) ao teste de ELISA–CFS. Esses resultados sugerem que o vírus da língua azul encontra-se disseminado nessas regiões, ocasionando infecções inaparentes.  PALAVRAS-CHAVES: AGID, ELISA, inquérito soroepidemiológico, vírus da língua azul

Abortamento e morte embrionária em receptoras bovinas por Histophilus somni (Haemophilus somnus)

Histophilus somni (Haemophilus somnus)  é um importante patógeno que pode desencadear quatro diferentes tipos de manifestações: doença respiratória, meningoencefalopatia trombótica (TEM), artrite e distúrbios reprodutivos. A via de infecção geralmente é a respiratória, porém nos distúrbios reprodutivos, pode ser transmitido através de muco prepucial, sêmen e secreções vaginais contaminadas causando metrite, infertilidade, morte embrionária precoce, abortamento ao redor dos 6 a 9 meses de gestação por morte fetal ou placentite, vulvovaginite granular e orquiepidimite crônica. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo relatar o isolamento e detecção pela Reação da Polimerase em Cadeia (PCR) de Histophilus somni de um feto bovino abortado e de um aspirado uterino de duas receptoras de embrião da raça Red Angus, oriundas de gado de corte da região de Campo Grande-MS. Trata-se do primeiro caso no Brasil de isolamento de H. somni de aborto bovino, demonstrando a importância do diagnóstico diferencial mais abrangente. Além disto, ressalta-se também o risco sanitário de transmissão de H. somni por transferência de embriões

OnabotulinumtoxinA reduces temporal pain processing at spinal level in patients with lower limb spasticity

Spasticity is a muscle tone disorder associated with different neurological conditions. Spasticity could be associated with pain, high disability, poor functional recovery, and reduced quality of life. Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT-A) is considered a first-line treatment for spasticity and, more recently, it also represents a therapeutic option for various chronic pain conditions. In this open label study, we aim to evaluate the effect of the BoNT-A on the spinal nociception in patients affected by spasticity of the lower limbs with associated pain with predominantly neuropathic features. Ten patients with stroke, 10 with multiple sclerosis and 5 with spinal cord injury were enrolled in the study. They were tested with clinical scales (neuropathic pain scale inventory (NPSI), numerical rating scale (NRS), modified Ashworth scale (MAS) and with the nociceptive withdrawal reflex at lower limbs to explore the spinal temporal summation threshold at baseline and 30 day after BoNT-A injection. OnabotulinumtoxinA (50 to 200 units per site) was injected in the lower limb muscles according to the distribution of spasticity. No significant differences were found at baseline for neurophysiological features across groups. After the BoNT-A injection, we recorded a significant reduction in MAS and NRS scores. Regarding the neurophysiological parameters, we described a significant increase in the temporal summation threshold after the BoNT-A injection. Our data supports the hypothesis that peripherally injected OnabotulinumtoxinA modulates the excitability of spinal cord nociceptive pathways. This activity may take place irrespective of the effect of the drug on spasticity

The Highly Energetic Expansion of SN2010bh Associated with GRB 100316D

We present the spectroscopic and photometric evolution of the nearby (z = 0.059) spectroscopically confirmed type Ic supernova, SN 2010bh, associated with the soft, long-duration gamma-ray burst (X-ray flash) GRB 100316D. Intensive follow-up observations of SN 2010bh were performed at the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) using the X-shooter and FORS2 instruments. Owing to the detailed temporal coverage and the extended wavelength range (3000--24800 A), we obtained an unprecedentedly rich spectral sequence among the hypernovae, making SN 2010bh one of the best studied representatives of this SN class. We find that SN 2010bh has a more rapid rise to maximum brightness (8.0 +/- 1.0 rest-frame days) and a fainter absolute peak luminosity (L_bol~3e42 erg/s) than previously observed SN events associated with GRBs. Our estimate of the ejected (56)Ni mass is 0.12 +/- 0.02 Msun. From the broad spectral features we measure expansion velocities up to 47,000 km/s, higher than those of SNe 1998bw (GRB 980425) and 2006aj (GRB 060218). Helium absorption lines He I lambda5876 and He I 1.083 microm, blueshifted by ~20,000--30,000 km/s and ~28,000--38,000 km/s, respectively, may be present in the optical spectra. However, the lack of coverage of the He I 2.058 microm line prevents us from confirming such identifications. The nebular spectrum, taken at ~186 days after the explosion, shows a broad but faint [O I] emission at 6340 A. The light-curve shape and photospheric expansion velocities of SN 2010bh suggest that we witnessed a highly energetic explosion with a small ejected mass (E_k ~ 1e52 erg and M_ej ~ 3 Msun). The observed properties of SN 2010bh further extend the heterogeneity of the class of GRB supernovae.Comment: 37 pages and 12 figures (one-column pre-print format), accepted for publication in Ap

Corrigendum: Interpretation of spatiotemporal gravity changes accompanying the earthquake of 21 August 2017 on Ischia (Italy)

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