Effects of 12 weeks of functional training vs. Muay Thai on cardiac autonomic modulation and hemodynamic parameters in older adults: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The elevated blood pressure (BP) and lower cardiac autonomic modulation (CAM) are associated with higher morbidity mortality risk among older adults. Although exercise is an important intervention for cardiovascular promotion, it is unclear whether combat sports training could benefit cardiovascular outcomes as much as autonomic in this population. This study compared the effects of 12 weeks of Muay Thai (MT) training against functional training (FT) on CAM and hemodynamic parameters in older adults. METHODS: The sample consisted of 50 older adults (41 women; 66.0 ± 5.3 years old), who were equaly randomized into FT (n = 25) and MT (n = 25) intervention groups. CAM was measured by 30-min rest heart rate variability. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and resting heart rate (RHR) were measured using an automatic oscillometric device. Pulse pressure (PP) and the double product (DP) were also calculated. The interventions were carried out three times a week, with 60-min length per session, during 12 consecutive weeks. The intensity of the interventions was measured using the subjective perception of exertion scale and by accelerometer. Two-factor repeated measures analysis of covariance was used for groups comparison, considering intervention group and body mass as factors. The 95% confidence interval of the difference (95%CIdif) was also calculated and the effect size was measured using partial eta squared (η2p). RESULTS: CAM indices did not show significant changes across moments and intervention groups. In hemodynamic parameters, only in DBP was there an effect of the moment (F1,39 = 8.206; P = 0.007; η2p = 0.174, large) and interaction effect between group*moment (F1,39 = 7.950; P = 0.008; η2p = 0.169, large). Specifically, the MT group at the post-training moment showed lower DBP (P = 0.010; 95%CIdif = -13.3; -1.89) in relation to the FT group. Furthermore, the MT group showed a decrease in DBP during training (P = 0.002; 95%CIdif = -10.3; -2.6). Also, an increase in training intensity was also found over the 12 weeks in FT, with no difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: After 12 weeks of MT practice there was a reduction in DBP compared to FT in older adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03919968 Registration date: 01/02/2019.

Relationship of sleep quality with screen-based sedentary time and physical activity in adolescents - the moderating effect of body mass index.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association of sleep quality with reported screen-based sedentary time and reported physical activity, among overweight adolescents. METHODS: Adolescents aged 10 to 17 years enrolled in public and private schools were included. Data collection was carried out during the school semesters of 2014-2015 and participants who did not participate in all evaluations were excluded. Sleep quality and physical activity were assessed by validated questionnaires. Screen-based sedentary time was assessed by self-reported mean daily hours spent on television, computer, smartphone/tablet, and videogames. Body mass index was objectively measured and adolescents were classified into normal weight and overweight according to cutoff points for age and sex. Multiple linear regression models adjusted by covariates (age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status) were used to analyze the relationship between variables. RESULTS: A total of 1008 adolescents were assessed, with a mean age of 13.2 ± 2.4 years and a mean body mass index of 20.4 ± 4.3 kg/m2. Overweight was observed in 28.0% of sample, while 53.0% reported non-white ethnicity. Self-reported screen-based sedentary time was significantly related to poor sleep quality in adolescents (ß = 0.116, p = 0.005), remaining significant only in those who were normal weight (ß = 0.101, p = 0.007) in sensitivity analysis. Self-reported physical activity showed no relationship with sleep quality in both normal weight and overweight adolescents. CONCLUSION: Self-reported screen-based sedentary time was associated with poor sleep quality in adolescents, mainly among those with normal weight. The time spent on screen-based sedentary activities can impair sleep quality even in normal weight adolescents.

A comparison of rectal and oral cultivable microbiota in wild and captive black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus, Mikan 1823).

The black lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus) is an endangered primate species, restricted to the Atlantic Forest fragments of São Paulo state, Brazil, with an estimated wild population of ~1600 individuals. Integrative studies between zoo (ex situ) and wild (in situ) animals are crucial to modern conservation programs. They can demonstrate a substantial impact with the One Health concept, an interdisciplinary research frontier regarding the relations between human, animal, and environmental health. Studies of wild populations of Leontopithecus spp. are scarce and should be encouraged to provide baseline information to develop preventive and curative medicine in zoos and other conservation programs. Studying these animals in the wild can offer important reference parameters for the species. Comparing bacterial communities between in situ and ex situ populations can help us understand both conditions and the dynamics of potentially pathogenic microorganisms. To increase our understanding of resident microorganisms among these groups, we collected oral and rectal samples from captive (zoo) and wild black lion tamarins. We employed a culture method for the identification of aerobic bacteria. Thirty-three specimens were sampled (24 zoo and 8 wild animals) and 18 bacterial genera were identified. We found primarily Gram-positive bacteria in wild animals, whereas in zoo animals, Gram-negative bacteria were dominant. Some of the bacterial species we identified are potentially pathogenic, whereas several others are being reported here for the first time in this host species. Our results reinforce the importance of integrative studies for the future management and conservation of this endangered primate species.

Integrative microRNAome analysis of skeletal muscle of Colossoma macropomum (tambaqui), Piaractus mesopotamicus (pacu), and the hybrid tambacu, based on next-generation sequencing data.

BACKGROUND: Colossoma macropomum (tambaqui) and Piaractus mesopotamicus (pacu) are good fish species for aquaculture. The tambacu, individuals originating from the induced hybridization of the female tambaqui with the male pacu, present rapid growth and robustness, characteristics which have made the tambacu a good choice for Brazilian fish farms. Here, we used small RNA sequencing to examine global miRNA expression in the genotypes pacu (PC), tambaqui (TQ), and hybrid tambacu (TC), (Juveniles, n = 5 per genotype), to better understand the relationship between tambacu and its parental species, and also to clarify the mechanisms involved in tambacu muscle growth and maintenance based on miRNAs expression. RESULTS: Regarding differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs between the three genotypes, we observed 8 upregulated and 7 downregulated miRNAs considering TC vs. PC; 14 miRNAs were upregulated and 10 were downregulated considering TC vs. TQ, and 15 miRNAs upregulated and 9 were downregulated considering PC vs. TQ. The majority of the miRNAs showed specific regulation for each genotype pair, and no miRNA were shared between the 3 genotype pairs, in both up- and down-regulated miRNAs. Considering only the miRNAs with validated target genes, we observed the miRNAs miR-144-3p, miR-138-5p, miR-206-3p, and miR-499-5p. GO enrichment analysis showed that the main target genes for these miRNAs were grouped in pathways related to oxygen homeostasis, blood vessel modulation, and oxidative metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: Our global miRNA analysis provided interesting DE miRNAs in the skeletal muscle of pacu, tambaqui, and the hybrid tambacu. In addition, in the hybrid tambacu, we identified some miRNAs controlling important molecular muscle markers that could be relevant for the farming maximization.

Pathological factors associated with non-sentinel lymph node metastasis in early stage cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the predictive factors for non-sentinel lymph node (non-SLN) metastasis in early-stage cervical cancer. METHODS: We analyzed a series of 113 patients who underwent sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping for cervical cancer. The SLNs were examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) when the hematoxylin-eosin stain was negative. RESULTS: The overall bilateral detection rate was 81.5%, with a median of two SLNs resected. The study ultimately included 92 patients with SLNs that were mapped who had also undergone systematic pelvic lymph node dissection. Thirteen (14.1%) patients had positive SLNs, with a median of one positive SLN. Regarding the size of SLN metastasis, one (1.1%) had isolated tumor cells (ITC), seven (7.6%) had micrometastases, and five (5.4%) had macrometastases. Notably, 46.1% (6/13) had lymph node metastases detected only after IHC. Five (38.5%) cases had positive non-SLNs, with a median count of one positive lymph node. Parametrial invasion was the only risk factor for positive non-SLN (p = .045). Regarding the size of SLN metastasis, non-SLN involvement was present in the only case with ITC (1/1), 42.9% (3/7) of cases with micrometastases, and in 20% (1/5) with macrometastases. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that parametrial invasion correlates with the risk of non-SLN metastasis in cervical cancer.

Early postoperative outcomes among patients with delayed surgeries after preoperative positive test for SARS-CoV-2: A case-control study from a single institution.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on surgical complications for patients that have delayed surgery after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We aimed to analyze the surgical outcomes of patients submitted to surgery after recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: Asymptomatic patients that had surgery delayed after preoperative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 were matched in a 1:2 ratio for age, type of surgery and American Society of Anesthesiologists to patients with negative RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: About 1253 patients underwent surgical procedures and were subjected to screening for SARS-CoV-2. Forty-nine cases with a delayed surgery were included in the coronavirus disease (COVID) recovery (COVID-rec) group and were matched to 98 patients included in the COVID negative (COVID-neg) group. Overall, 22 (15%) patients had 30-days postoperative complications, but there was no statistically difference between groups -16.3% for COVID-rec and 14.3% for COVID-neg, respectively (odds ratio [OR] 1.17:95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45-3.0; p = .74). Moreover, we did not find difference regarding grades more than or equal to 3 complication rates - 8.2% for COVID-rec and 6.1% for COVID-neg (OR 1.36:95%CI 0.36-5.0; p = .64). There were no pulmonary complications or SARS-CoV-2 related infection and no deaths within the 30-days after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that patients with delayed elective surgeries due to asymptomatic preoperative positive SARS-CoV-2 test are not at higher risk of postoperative complications.

Effect of exercise on endothelial function in heart transplant recipients: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Endothelial dysfunction is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and death in heart transplant recipients (HTx). Although the measurement of peripheral endothelial function is considered a significant predictor of cardiovascular events in several populations, few studies have investigated this outcome after therapeutic strategies, including different exercise types, duration, and intensity. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of continuous moderate exercise (CON) or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to improve endothelial function (EF) in HTx. The search was conducted in Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science and Scopus/Elsevier, CINAHL/Ebsco, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), LILACS/BIREME, and SciELO databases. Quality of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE). The search strategy retrieved 5192 titles. A total of four articles met the inclusion criteria and were included for the qualitative analysis. Meta-analysis showed that exercises improved EF ([mean difference-MD] 3.48 95% CI - 0.29 to 7.25, p = 0.007) when compared with the control. However, there was a poor quality of evidence to demonstrate that CON or HIIT is better than usual care to improve EF. Exercise training provides benefits to patients, but the poor quality of evidence does not allow us to state that exercise is related to endothelial function improvement in HTx.

Neutrophil elastase promotes Leishmania donovani infection via interferon-ß.

Visceral leishmaniasis is a deadly illness caused by Leishmania donovani that provokes liver and spleen inflammation and tissue destruction. In cutaneous leishmaniasis, the protein of L. major, named inhibitor of serine peptidases (ISP) 2, inactivates neutrophil elastase (NE) present at the macrophage surface, resulting in blockade of TLR4 activation, prevention of TNF-α and IFN-ß production, and parasite survival. We report poor intracellular growth of L. donovani in macrophages from knockout mice for NE (ela-/-), TLR4, or TLR2. NE and TLR4 colocalized with the parasite in the parasitophorous vacuole. Parasite load in the liver and spleen of ela-/- mice were reduced and accompanied by increased NO and decreased TGF-ß production. Expression of ISP2 was not detected in L. donovani, and a transgenic line constitutively expressing ISP2, displayed poor intracellular growth in macrophages and decreased burden in mice. Infected ela-/- macrophages displayed significantly lower IFN-ß mRNA than background mice macrophages, and the intracellular growth was fully restored by exogenous IFN-ß. We propose that L. donovani utilizes the host NE-TLR machinery to induce IFN-ß necessary for parasite survival and growth during early infection. Low or absent expression of parasite ISP2 in L. donovani is necessary to preserve the activation of the NE-TLR pathway.-Dias, B. T., Dias-Teixeira, K. L., Godinho, J. P., Faria, M. S., Calegari-Silva, T., Mukhtar, M. M., Lopes, U. G., Mottram, J. C., Lima, A. P. C. A. Neutrophil elastase promotes Leishmania donovani infection via interferon-ß.

Effects of active video games on children and adolescents: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of active video games (AVGs) on obesity-related outcomes and physical activity levels in children and adolescents. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis. METHODS: Literature search was performed in five electronic databases and the main clinical trials registries. Randomized controlled trials investigating the effect of AVGs compared with no/minimal intervention on obesity-related outcomes (body mass index [BMI], body weight, body fat, and waist circumference) and physical activity levels of children and adolescents were eligible. Two independent reviewers extracted the data of each included study. PEDro scale was used to assess risk of bias and GRADE approach to evaluate overall quality of evidence. Pooled estimates were obtained using random effect models. RESULTS: Twelve studies were considered eligible for this review. Included studies mostly reported outcome data at short-term (less or equal than three months) and intermediate-term follow-up (more than 3 months, but <12 months). AVGs were more effective than no/minimal intervention in reducing BMI/zBMI at short-term (SMD = -0.34; 95% CI: -0.62 to -0.05) and intermediate-term follow-up (SMD = -0.36; 95% CI: -0.01 to -0.71). In addition, AVGs were more effective in reducing body weight compared with no/minimal intervention at intermediate-term follow-up (SMD = -0.25; 95% CI: -0.46 to -0.04). Regarding physical activity levels, AVGs were not more effective compared with minimal intervention at short-term and intermediate-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our review identified that AVGs were better than minimal intervention in reducing BMI and body weight, but not for increasing physical activity in young people.

Sedentary behavior is more related with cardiovascular parameters in normal weight than overweight adolescents.

This study analyzed the relationship between sedentary behavior and cardiovascular parameters in normal weight and overweight adolescents. The sample included 449 boys and 555 girls with mean age of 13 years from public schools, which were divided into five geographical regions, with data collections performed in one selected school from each region. Sedentary behavior was assessed by screen time on TV, computer, videogame and cell phone/tablet, with good reliability in adolescents. Physical activity was assessed by Baecke's questionnaire, validated for adolescents. Measures of body weight, height and waist circumference were collected. Adolescents were classified as overweight or normal weight by cut-off points of body mass index for age and sex. Cardiovascular parameters were evaluated by oscillometric device and heart rate by specific monitor. Computer use was positively related to systolic blood pressure (SBP) (ß = 0.35; 95%CI = 0.07-0.62) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (ß = 0.25; 95%CI = 0.05-0.44) in normal weight but not in overweight adolescents. Similar results were observed for cell phone/tablet in SBP (ß = 0.46; 95%CI = 0.20-0.72) and DBP (ß = 0.36; 95%CI = 0.18-0.54), only for normal weight. The cluster of screen time was related to SBP in normal weight (ß = 0.44; 95%CI = 0.03-0.84) and overweight (ß = 0.60; 95%CI = 0.01-1.19). Screen time in computer and cell phone/tablet was more related to cardiovascular parameters in normal weight than overweight adolescents.

Understanding the Interaction Modes and Reactivity of Trimedoxime toward MmAChE Inhibited by Nerve Agents: Theoretical and Experimental Aspects.

Organophosphorus (OP) compounds are used as both chemical weapons and pesticides. However, these agents are very dangerous and toxic to humans, animals, and the environment. Thus, investigations with reactivators have been deeply developed in order to design new antidotes with better efficiency, as well as a greater spectrum of action in the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivation process. With that in mind, in this work, we investigated the behavior of trimedoxime toward the Mus musculus acetylcholinesterase (MmAChE) inhibited by a range of nerve agents, such as chemical weapons. From experimental assays, reactivation percentages were obtained for the reactivation of different AChE-OP complexes. On the other hand, theoretical calculations were performed to assess the differences in interaction modes and the reactivity of trimedoxime within the AChE active site. Comparing theoretical and experimental data, it is possible to notice that the oxime, in most cases, showed better reactivation percentages at higher concentrations, with the best result for the reactivation of the AChE-VX adduct. From this work, it was revealed that the mechanistic process contributes most to the oxime efficiency than the interaction in the site. In this way, this study is important to better understand the reactivation process through trimedoxime, contributing to the proposal of novel antidotes.

Evaluation of nuclear NF-κB, transglutaminase2, and ERCC1 as predictors of platinum resistance in testicular tumors.

PURPOSE: Testicular germ cells tumor (TGCT) are associated with a high cure rate and are treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. However, a group of testicular cancer patients may have a very unfavorable evolution and insensitivity to the main therapeutic agent chemotherapy (CT) cisplatin. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of recurrence and overall survival related to the expression of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), transglutaminase 2 (TG2) and excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) in patients with TGCT treated with platinum combinations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed with TGCT patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed and the expression was correlated with clinical and laboratory data. RESULTS: Fifty patients were included, the mean age was 28.4 years (18 to 45), and 76% were non-seminoma. All patients were treated with standard cisplatin, etoposide and bleomycin or cisplatin, and etoposide. Patient's analyzed immunodetection for NF-κB, TG2, and ERCC1 were positive in 76%, 54% and 42%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified that positive expressions to ERCC1 and NF-κB are independent risk factors for higher recurrence TGCT after chemotherapy (RR 2.96 and 3.16, respectively). Patients with positive expression of ERCC1 presented a poor overall survival rate for 10-year follow (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of ERCC1 and NF-κB give a worse prognosis for relapse, and only ERCC1 had an influence on the overall survival of TGCT patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. These may represent markers that predict poor clinical outcome and response to cisplatin.

Assessment of the relationship between size, shape and volume of the sella turcica in class II and III patients prior to orthognathic surgery.

PURPOSES: The main purpose of this study was to assess the measurements and shape of the sella turcica by using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and to associate the data to skeletal class II and class III patients, including correlations with gender, age and measurements of the anterior cranial base. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A trained examiner specialist in dental radiology selected and evaluated randomly 95 CBCT images of pre-orthognathic surgery patients, 60 (63.2%) being female and 35 (36.8%) male with age between 16 and 57 years. All images were evaluated to determine the size, shape and volume of the sella turcica. The anterior cranial base, represented by the S-N line (sella-nasion), was also measured. RESULTS: Of these 95 patients, 48 (50.5%) had class III facial skeletal pattern, whereas 47 (49.5%) had class II. No statistically significant differences were found between class II and class III patients in the measurements and shape of the sella turcica (P > 0.05). The diameter and volume of the sella turcica had higher values in female patients, whereas the measurements of the anterior cranial base were higher in males (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Therefore, one can conclude that measurements of the sella turcica are not reliable parameters to evaluate whether a class II or class III patient will or will not need orthognathic surgery.

First Attempts of the Use of 195Pt NMR of Phenylbenzothiazole Complexes as Spectroscopic Technique for the Cancer Diagnosis.

Platinum complexes have been studied for cancer treatment for several decades. Furthermore, another important platinum characteristic is related to its chemical shifts, in which some studies have shown that the 195Pt chemical shifts are very sensitive to the environment, coordination sphere, and oxidation state. Based on this relevant feature, Pt complexes can be proposed as potential probes for NMR spectroscopy, as the chemical shifts values will be different in different tissues (healthy and damaged) Therefore, in this paper, the main goal was to investigate the behavior of Pt chemical shifts in the different environments. Calculations were carried out in vacuum, implicit solvent, and inside the active site of P13K enzyme, which is related with breast cancer, using the density functional theory (DFT) method. Moreover, the investigation of platinum complexes with a selective moiety can contribute to early cancer diagnosis. Accordingly, the Pt complexes selected for this study presented a selective moiety, the 2-(4'aminophenyl)benzothiazole derivative. More specifically, two Pt complexes were used herein: One containing chlorine ligands and one containing water in place of chlorine. Some studies have shown that platinum complexes coordinated to chlorine atoms may suffer hydrolyses inside the cell due to the low chloride ion concentration. Thus, the same calculations were performed for both complexes. The results showed that both complexes presented different chemical shift values in the different proposed environments. Therefore, this paper shows that platinum complexes can be a potential probe in biological systems, and they should be studied not only for cancer treatment, but also for diagnosis.

Reduced vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression and plasma vitamin D levels are associated with aging-related prostate lesions.

BACKGROUND: Protective roles have been proposed for vitamin D in prostate cancer, which has the advanced age as the major risk factor. However, little is known about the expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the aging prostate and its association with the development of epithelial lesions that affect tissue homeostasis and may precede prostate tumors. METHODS: VDR expression in the prostatic complex of young adults to senile Wistar rats, a natural model to study age-related prostatic disorders, was evaluated by immunohistochemical, Western blotting, and image-assisted analyzes. Results were correlated with the plasma levels of vitamin D and testosterone, the occurrence of punctual histopathological changes in the aging prostate, and the expression of retinoid X receptors (RXR). RESULTS: VDR was widely distributed in the prostatic complex at all ages analyzed, with the highest immunoexpression found in basal epithelial cells. As the animals aged, VDR levels increased, except in punctual areas with intraepithelial proliferation, metaplasia, or proliferative inflammatory atrophy, which had reduced expression of this receptor concomitantly with increased cell proliferation. Interestingly, RXR expression in the aging prostate was similar to that found for its partner VDR, indicating that components of the VDR/RXR complex required for vitamin D signaling are affected in aging-related prostatic lesions. Moreover, plasma vitamin D levels declined at the same ages when prostatic alterations appeared. Although circulating levels of testosterone also decreased with aging, the changes observed in the components of the vitamin D system were not correlated with androgens. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that the aging prostate suffers from an imbalance on the intricate mechanism of tissue regulation by the vitamin D responsive system. We argue that the status of VDR expression might be determinant for the development of histopathological alterations in the aging prostate, which include premalignant lesions.

Effects of 9 Months of Martial Arts Training on Cardiac Autonomic Modulation in Healthy Children and Adolescents.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the cardiac autonomic modulation after 9 months of martial arts practice in healthy children and adolescents. METHOD: The study included 59 children and adolescents who were divided into 3 groups: judo, Muay Thai, and control. Heart rate variability was measured by a heart rate monitor, model Polar RS800CX. The intervention occurred twice a week on nonconsecutive days, lasting 60 minutes each session. A 1-way analysis of variance was used to compare participants at baseline. The comparisons between groups at baseline and after the intervention were carried out by a 2-way analysis of variance for repeated measures. RESULTS: After 9 months of intervention, significant increases were observed for root mean square successive differences, with higher values post compared with baseline (19.5%; P = .04). For SD1, an interaction effect was observed, with increased posttraining values compared with baseline (24.1%; P = .04) for the judo group. Qualitative analysis of the Poincaré plot showed greater dispersion of RR intervals, mainly beat to beat, after the judo intervention compared with the baseline. The Muay Thai and control groups presented no improvement. CONCLUSION: After 9 months of intervention, there were increases in cardiac autonomic modulation of children and adolescents participating in judo training. The practice of martial arts, such as judo, can be encouraged from an early age to improve cardiovascular system functioning, possibly providing protection against cardiovascular problems.

Lipase Immobilization on Silica Xerogel Treated with Protic Ionic Liquid and its Application in Biodiesel Production from Different Oils.

Treated silica xerogel with protic ionic liquid (PIL) and bifunctional agents (glutaraldehyde and epichlorohydrin) is a novel support strategy used in the effective immobilization of lipase from Burkholderia cepacia (LBC) by covalent binding. As biocatalysts with the highest activity recovery yields, LBC immobilized by covalent binding with epichlorohydrin without (203%) and with PIL (250%), was assessed by the following the hydrolysis reaction of olive oil and characterized biochemically (Michaelis⁻Menten constant, optimum pH and temperature, and operational stability). Further, the potential transesterification activity for three substrates: sunflower, soybean, and colza oils, was also determined, achieving a conversion of ethyl esters between 70 and 98%. The supports and the immobilized lipase systems were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis.

An ELISA immunoassay employing a conserved Leishmania hypothetical protein for the serodiagnosis of visceral and tegumentary leishmaniasis in dogs and humans.

In the present study, a conserved Leishmania hypothetical protein, namely LiHypA, was evaluated for the serodiagnosis of visceral and tegumentary leishmaniasis in dogs and humans. This protein showed a high amino acid sequence homology between viscerotropic and cutaneotropic Leishmania species. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed using the recombinant antigen (rLiHypA), in addition to the A2 protein and two parasite antigenic preparations, which were used as controls. Regarding human diagnosis, results showed that rLiHypA was more sensitive and specific than ELISA-L. braziliensis SLA in detecting both cutaneous or mucosal leishmaniasis patients, but not those from Chagas disease patients or healthy subjects. Regarding canine diagnosis, this recombinant antigen showed higher sensitivity and specificity values, as well as a perfect accuracy to identify asymptomatic and symptomatic visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in dogs, but not those from vaccinated animals or those developing babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, or Chagas disease. However, using the rA2 protein or L. braziliensis SLA as controls, significant cross-reactivity was found when these samples were used, hampering their sensitivity and specificity values for the diagnosis. In this context, LiHypA could be considered a candidate to be evaluated for the serodiagnosis of visceral and tegumentary leishmaniasis in dogs and humans.

Electrical stimulation delays reinnervation in denervated rat muscle.

INTRODUCTION: It is not clear if electrical stimulation (ES) can affect muscle reinnervation. This study aimed to verify if ES affects neuromuscular recovery after nerve crush injury in rats. METHODS: Denervated muscles were electrically stimulated daily for 6 or 14 days. Neuromuscular performance and excitability, and muscle morphology were determined. Muscle trophism markers (atrogin-1, MuRF-1, and myoD), as well as neuromuscular junction (NMJ) organization (muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase [MuSK], cytoplasmic protein downstream of kinase-7 [Dok-7], nicotinic ACh receptor [nAChR], and neural cell adhesion molecule [N-CAM]) were assessed. RESULTS: ES impaired neuromuscular recovery at day 14 postdenervation. Muscle hypoexcitability was accentuated by ES at 6 and 14 days postdenervation. Although ES reduced the accumulation of atrogin-1, MuRF1, and myoD mRNAs, it increased muscle atrophy. Gene expression of MuSK, Dok-7, nAChR, and the content of N-CAM protein were altered by ES. DISCUSSION: ES can delay the reinnervation process by modulating factors related to NMJ stability and organization, and inducing dysfunction, hypoexcitability, and muscle atrophy. Muscle Nerve 56: E108-E118, 2017.

A betabaculovirus encoding a gp64 homolog.

BACKGROUND: A betabaculovirus (DisaGV) was isolated from Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), one of the most important insect pests of the sugarcane and other monocot cultures in Brazil. RESULTS: The complete genome sequence of DisaGV was determined using the 454-pyrosequencing method. The genome was 98,392 bp long, which makes it the smallest lepidopteran-infecting baculovirus sequenced to date. It had a G + C content of 29.7% encoding 125 putative open reading frames (ORF). All the 37 baculovirus core genes and a set of 19 betabaculovirus-specific genes were found. A group of 13 putative genes was not found in any other baculovirus genome sequenced so far. A phylogenetic analysis indicated that DisaGV is a member of Betabaculovirus genus and that it is a sister group to a cluster formed by ChocGV, ErelGV, PiraGV isolates, ClanGV, CaLGV, CpGV, CrleGV, AdorGV, PhopGV and EpapGV. Surprisingly, we found in the DisaGV genome a G protein-coupled receptor related to lepidopteran and other insect virus genes and a gp64 homolog, which is likely a product of horizontal gene transfer from Group 1 alphabaculoviruses. CONCLUSION: DisaGV represents a distinct lineage of the genus Betabaculovirus. It is closely related to the CpGV-related group and presents the smallest genome in size so far. Remarkably, we found a homolog of gp64, which was reported solely in group 1 alphabaculovirus genomes so far.