Survey of selected viral agents (herpesvirus, adenovirus and hepatitis E virus) in liver and lung samples of cetaceans, Brazil.

Hepatic and pulmonary lesions are common in cetaceans, despite their poorly understood viral etiology. Herpesviruses (HV), adenoviruses (AdV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) are emerging agents in cetaceans, associated with liver and/or pulmonary damage in mammals. We isolated and molecularly tested DNA for HV and AdV (n = 218 individuals; 187 liver and 108 lung samples) and RNA for HEV (n = 147 animals; 147 liver samples) from six cetacean families. All animals stranded or were bycaught in Brazil between 2001 and 2021. Positive-animals were analyzed by histopathology. Statistical analyses assessed if the prevalence of viral infection could be associated with the variables: species, family, habitat, region, sex, and age group. All samples were negative for AdV and HEV. Overall, 8.7% (19/218) of the cetaceans were HV-positive (4.8% [9/187] liver and 11.1% [12/108] lung), without HV-associated lesions. HV-prevalence was statistically significant higher in Pontoporiidae (19.2%, 10/52) when compared to Delphinidae (4.1%, 5/121), and in southeastern (17.1%, 13/76)-the most industrialized Brazilian region-when compared to the northeastern region (2.4%, 3/126). This study broadens the herpesvirus host range in cetaceans, including its description in pygmy sperm whales (Kogia breviceps) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Further studies must elucidate herpesvirus drivers in cetaceans.

Facial Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Abdominal Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour with Rhabdomyoblastic Differentiation in a Rough-toothed Dolphin (Steno bredanensis).

We report the pathological features of a facial squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and an abdominal peripheral nerve sheath tumour (PNST) with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation in an aged free-ranging rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis). The animal was found stranded dead in poor body condition. On external examination, there was a 25 × 7 × 3 cm extensively ulcerated area on the right maxillary region of the rostrum, involving the oral mucocutaneous junction with prominent nodular edges, severe soft tissue loss and extensive maxillary and premaxillary bone lysis. On abdominal dissection, a 5 × 4 × 3.5 cm pale tan to red, raised mass expanded the inner aspect of the right transverse abdominis muscle. Microscopically, the aggressive facial lesion was an acantholytic SCC with extensive osteolysis; there was no evidence of metastasis in the tissues examined. The abdominal mass had cytohistomorphological features compatible with a localized PNST, including whorling, Antoni A and Antoni B areas and Verocay bodies intermixed with rhabdomyoblastic components, as suggested by phosphotungstic acid haematoxylin stain. This neoplasm was locally infiltrative, yet no metastases were observed in the tissues examined. No immunohistochemical investigations could be performed due to lack of tissue availability. Total DNA from the formalin-fixed and paraffin wax-embedded SCC was extracted and tested by polymerase chain reaction for herpesvirus and papillomavirus genetic material. There was no amplification for either of these genera. Other pathological findings observed in this animal were related to the 'live-stranding stress response'. The severity and extent of the facial SCC likely related to anorexia and poor body condition and might have played a role in the stranding and death of this dolphin. These two tumour subtypes add to the relatively uncommon reports of neoplasia in cetaceans. Specifically, these appear to be the first neoplasia records for rough-toothed dolphins, including the first documentation of a PNST with features compatible with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation in a marine mammal.

A mixture approach to the acoustic properties of a macroscopically inhomogeneous porous aluminum in the equivalent fluid approximation.

The acoustic properties of an air-saturated macroscopically inhomogeneous aluminum foam in the equivalent fluid approximation are studied. A reference sample built by forcing a highly compressible melamine foam with conical shape inside a constant diameter rigid tube is studied first. In this process, a radial compression varying with depth is applied. With the help of an assumption on the compressed pore geometry, properties of the reference sample can be modelled everywhere in the thickness and it is possible to use the classical transfer matrix method as theoretical reference. In the mixture approach, the material is viewed as a mixture of two known materials placed in a patchwork configuration and with proportions of each varying with depth. The properties are derived from the use of a mixing law. For the reference sample, the classical transfer matrix method is used to validate the experimental results. These results are used to validate the mixture approach. The mixture approach is then used to characterize a porous aluminium for which only the properties of the external faces are known. A porosity profile is needed and is obtained from the simulated annealing optimization process.

Lacaziosis-like disease in Tursiops truncatus from Brazil: a histopathological and immunohistochemical approach

ABSTRACT: Cetacean lacaziosis-like disease or lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) is a chronic skin condition caused by a non-cultivable yeast of the order Onygenales, which also includes Lacazia loboi, as well as Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and P. lutzii, respectively responsible for lacaziosis and paracoccidioidomycosis in humans. Complete identification and phylogenetic classification of the LLD etiological agent still needs to be elucidated, but preliminary phylogenetic analyses have shown a closer relationship of the LLD agent to Paracoccidioides spp. than to L. loboi. Cases of LLD in South American cetaceans based on photographic identification have been reported; however, to date, only 3 histologically confirmed cases of LLD have been described. We evaluated multiple tissue samples from 4 Tursiops truncatus stranded in the states of Santa Catarina (n = 3) and Rio Grande do Sul (n = 1), southern Brazil. Macroscopically, all animals presented lesions consistent with LLD. Hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, Grocott's methenamine silver, and Mayer's mucicarmin stains were used for histological evaluation. Microscopically, numerous refractile yeasts (4-9 µm in diameter) were observed in skin samples (4/4), and for the first time in dolphins, also in a skeletal muscle abscess (1/4). Immunohistochemistry using anti-P. brasiliensis glycoprotein gp43 as a primary antibody, which is known to cross-react with L. loboi and the LLD agent, was performed and results were positive in all 4 cases. We describe 3 new cases of LLD in cetaceans based on histopathology and immunohistochemistry. This is the first report of LLD in the muscle of cetaceans.

Virulence genes, antibiotic resistance and integrons in Escherichia coli strains isolated from synanthropic birds from Spain.

The aim of this study was to determine the presence of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance profiles in 164 Escherichia coli strains isolated from birds (feral pigeons, hybrid ducks, house sparrows and spotless starlings) inhabiting urban and rural environments. A total of eight atypical enteropathogenic E. coli strains were identified: one in a house sparrow, four in feral pigeons and three in spotless starlings. Antibiotic resistance was present in 32.9% (54) of E. coli strains. The dominant type of resistance was to tetracycline (21.3%), ampicillin (19.5%) and sulfamethoxazole (18.9%). Five isolates had class 1 integrons containing gene cassettes encoding for dihydrofolate reductase A (dfrA) and aminoglycoside adenyltransferase A (aadA), one in a feral pigeon and four in spotless starlings. To our knowledge, the present study constitutes the first detection of virulence genes from E. coli in spotless starlings and house sparrows, and is also the first identification worldwide of integrons containing antibiotic resistance gene cassettes in E. coli strains from spotless starlings and pigeons.

Immediate post-extraction implants subject to immediate loading: a meta-analytic study.

UNLABELLED: Since Brånemark first started developing its implant system, there has been a continuous and significant evolution in oral implantology through experimental and clinical research, and many of the concepts that were once considered valid have now become the subject of debate. The insertion of the implant immediately after extraction of the tooth to be substituted has now become the implant treatment of choice and is associated with preserving the bone structure and the gingival architecture, as well as with reducing the treatment time, which ultimately benefits the patient. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the success rate of the immediate post-extraction implants (IPI) subject to immediate loading. STUDY DESIGN: A meta-analytic study was carried out on 659 immediate post-extraction implants obtained from a bibliographic review of 25 articles published within the last 9 years. RESULTS: We obtained a sample of 322 patients who had been treated with a total of 659 implants placed immediately following extraction. The mean age of the patients was 51 years old. A total of 441 implants were inserted in the maxilla, 152 in the mandible and 64 were placed in an unspecified location. The survival rate ranged between 85% and 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate post-extraction implant treatment is an implant alternative with a survival rate similar to that of the conventional technique for implant placement and enables preserving both the bone structure and gingival architecture, as well as providing immediate functional loading, thus improving the quality of the treatment as far as the patient is concerned.

In situ analysis of B7-2 costimulatory, major histocompatibility complex class II, and adhesion molecule expression in schistosomal egg granulomas.

Immunopathological damage in schistosomiasis consist of egg granuloma formation, which is a hypersensitivity reaction mediated by antigen-specific CD4+ T helper (Th) lymphocytes. Th cells are dependent on accessory cell-bound co-stimulatory signals for activation. The B7 molecules provide critical costimulation, as in their absence T cells are rendered unresponsive. We investigated the kinetics of B7-2 molecule expression in schistosomal egg granulomas by immunocytochemical analysis in situ. We also monitored major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) expression, as well as the presence of macrophages, T cells, and B cells. B7-2 expression was elevated in cells of the large granulomas of the acute (6-1/2 week) infection, and sharply declined thereafter. MHC class II expression was similarly elevated in the acute granulomas, but in contrast to B7-2, remained relatively constant throughout 12 1/2 weeks of infection. Moreover, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were expressed in acute and chronic granulomas. However, whereas ICAM-1 was constitutively expressed in normal liver, VCAM-1 was dramatically induced in the livers upon onset of disease. The findings suggest that the acute granulomas are rich in accessory cells with overall phenotypic configurations that support Th-cell activation, although at subsequent times, granulomas contain increasing numbers of B7-poor accessory cells capable of inducing Th-cell unresponsiveness. Thus, cellular interactions in early granulomas may be able to amplify egg-induced immunopathology, whereas interactions taking place in succeeding granulomas appear to precipitate its down-regulation.

Semitendinosus Kennedy ligament augmentation device anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

This is a prospective study of 78 chronic unilateral isolated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) patients who were treated with an arthroscopically-assisted reconstruction technique using the semitendinosus tendon, occasionally associated with the gracilis, augmented with the Kennedy-ligament augmentation device (LAD). There was a minimum two-year follow-up period (mean, 34.3 months; range, 24-50 months). Ligamentous surgery was always restricted to the ACL intraarticular reconstruction. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative examinations at three, six, 12, 18, and 24 months, and every year thereafter, including subjective and objective evaluation with KT 1000 arthrometer laxity measurements, were completed. Two-year examination data were available on 77 (98.7%) of the 78 patients compared with preoperative data. The pivot shift (side-to-side difference) improved from 49.3% with Grade 0-1 to 92.2% with Grade 0-1. KT 1000 20-pound anterior drawer (greater than 5 mm side-to-side difference) improved from 49.3% (mean, 6 mm) to 91.1% (mean, 0.55 mm). KT 1000 maximum manual anterior drawer (greater than 5 mm side-to-side difference) improved from 21.9% (mean, 7.8 mm) to 97.4% (mean, 0.55 mm). After ACL reconstruction, 89.6% of patients had a full range of motion and only 10.3% had flexion contractures of less than 5 degrees; 5.2% of patients had mild effusion. Functional Lysholm knee scoring of 100 points improved from 7.7% scoring over 85 points preoperatively (mean, 66.5) to 92.1% postoperatively (mean, 95.6). Instability was controlled in 89.4% of the patients, and 71.4% have been involved in sports after injury. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction reduces pathologic laxity, improves lower-leg function, and minimizes flexion contracture and effusion.