Epidemiological, clinical, and genomic landscape of coccidioidomycosis in northeastern Brazil.

Coccidioidomycosis, listed as a priority mycosis by the WHO, is endemic in the United States but often overlooked in Central and South America. Employing a multi-institutional approach, we investigate how disease characteristics, pathogen genetic variation, and environmental factors impact coccidioidomycosis epidemiology and outcomes in South America. We identified 292 cases (1978-2021) and 42 outbreaks in Piauí and Maranhão states, Brazil, the largest series outside the US/Mexico epidemic zone. The male-to-female ratio was 57.4:1 and the most common activity was armadillo hunting (91.1%) 4 to 30 days before symptom onset. Most patients (92.8%) exhibited typical acute pulmonary disease, with cough (93%), fever (90%), and chest pain (77%) as predominant symptoms. The case fatality rate was 8%. Our negative binomial regression model indicates that reduced precipitation levels in the current (p = 0.015) and preceding year (p = 0.001) predict heightened incidence. Unlike other hotspots, acidic soil characterizes this region. Brazilian strains differ genomically from other C. posadasii lineages. Northeastern Brazil presents a distinctive coccidioidomycosis profile, with armadillo hunters facing elevated risks. Low annual rainfall emerges as a key factor in increasing cases. A unique C. posadasii lineage in Brazil suggests potential differences in environmental, virulence, and/or pathogenesis traits compared to other Coccidioides genotypes.

Projeto SC 100: qualidade de vida, atividades físicas e de lazer de idosos centenários de Santa Catarina / SC 100 project: quality of life, physical and leisure activities for centenarians in Santa Catarina

SC 100 Estudo Multidimensional dos Centenários de Santa Catarina. Objetivo: analisar as percepções de qualidade de vida de idosos centenários mediante atividades físicas e lazer. N: 124. Critérios de inclusão: cognição preservada e utilizar pedômetro por 7 dias. n:17, média de idade 101,53 (DP=2,00, (ativos ≥1000 e insuficientemente ativos ≤999, passos/semanais). Foram realizadas entrevista e análise de conteúdo sobre atividades de lazer e qualidade de vida. 10 centenários ativos e sete insuficientemente ativos. Lazer: assistir televisão (n=9), insuficientemente ativos (n=6) e ativo (n=3). Insuficientemente ativos e suas atividades de lazer: assistir televisão, escutar rádio e música, ler e jogar baralho. Ativos: visitar familiares, jardinagem, dançar, ir à igreja e cavalgar. Centenários com cognição preservada e ativos apresentam um lazer fora do ambiente domiciliar e maiores relações sociais.

SC 100 Multidimensional Study of the Centenarians of Santa Catarina. Objective: to analyze the perceptions of quality of life of centenarians through physical activities and leisure. N: 124. Inclusion criteria: cognition preserved and using a pedometer for 7 days. n:17, mean age 101.53 (SD=2.00, (active ≥1000 and insufficiently active ≤999, steps/week). Interview and content analysis were performed on leisure activities and quality of life. 10 centenarians active and seven insufficiently active Leisure: watching television (n=9), insufficiently active (n=6) and active (n=3) Insufficiently active and their leisure activities: watching television, listening to the radio and music, reading and playing playing cards Active: visiting family members, gardening, dancing, going to church and horseback riding Centenarians with preserved cognition and active have leisure outside the home environment and greater social relationships.

Grupo de Trabalho em Práticas Corporais e Atividades Físicas na APS da SBAFS: criação, atividades e perspectivas / Working Group on Body Practices and Physical Activities in PHC of BSPAH: creation, activities, and perspectives

A Sociedade Brasileira de Atividade Física e Saúde (SBAFS) exerce papel importante no desenvolvimento e na disseminação do conhecimento científico, além de promover a articulação entre pesquisadores, estudantes, gestores e profissionais dos serviços de saúde nos cenários nacional e internacional. Nos últimos anos, estimulou-se a elaboração e a manutenção de Grupos de Trabalhos (GT) em diferentes temáticas na área de atividade física e saúde. Em 2021, foi instituído o GT em Práticas Corporais e Atividades Físicas na Atenção Primária à Saúde (PCAF-APS), o qual busca desenvolver ações para fortalecer a área temática, por meio da realização de encontros e debates com profissionais, gestores e acadêmicos, além do desenvolvimento de pesquisas. Desse modo, o objetivo deste manuscrito é descrever as ações relacionadas à criação, trajetória e perspectivas do GT PCAF-APS

The Brazilian Society of Physical Activity and Health (BSPAH) is essential in developing and disseminat-ing scientific knowledge and promoting articulation between researchers, students, stakeholders, and health service professionals in national and international scenarios. Developing and maintaining Working Groups ( WG) on different physical activity and health topics has been encouraged in recent years. In 2021, the Body Practices and Physical Activities in Primary Health Care (BPPA-PHC) WG was established, which seeks to develop actions to strengthen the thematic area through meetings and debates with professionals, stakeholders, and academics, in addition to research development. Thus, the paper aims to describe the actions related to the creation, trajectory, and perspectives of the BPPA-PHC

Faster Cryptococcus Melanization Increases Virulence in Experimental and Human Cryptococcosis.

Cryptococcus spp. are human pathogens that cause 181,000 deaths per year. In this work, we systematically investigated the virulence attributes of Cryptococcus spp. clinical isolates and correlated them with patient data to better understand cryptococcosis. We collected 66 C. neoformans and 19 C. gattii clinical isolates and analyzed multiple virulence phenotypes and host-pathogen interaction outcomes. C. neoformans isolates tended to melanize faster and more intensely and produce thinner capsules in comparison with C. gattii. We also observed correlations that match previous studies, such as that between secreted laccase and disease outcome in patients. We measured Cryptococcus colony melanization kinetics, which followed a sigmoidal curve for most isolates, and showed that faster melanization correlated positively with LC3-associated phagocytosis evasion, virulence in Galleria mellonella and worse prognosis in humans. These results suggest that the speed of melanization, more than the total amount of melanin Cryptococcus spp. produces, is crucial for virulence.

Conhecimento sobre recomendações de atividade física por profissionais da Atenção Primária à Saúde / Knowledge about recommendations on physical activity by Primary Care professionals

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o conhecimento dos profissionais da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) sobre recomendações de atividade física (AF) para adultos. Realizou-se um estudo transversal na APS de Florianópolis, SC, em 2018. Foi aplicado um questionário com os profissionais sobre seus conhecimentos acerca das recomendações de AF, seus níveis de AF e atuação profissional, bem como suas informações sociodemográficas. Os dados foram analisados por meio do teste qui-quadrado e Regressão de Poisson. A amostra foi composta por 587 profissionais (85,4% mulheres), dos quais 49,1% declararam conhecer as recomendações e 38,2% relataram possuir um "bom" conhecimento sobre as recomendações. Contudo, apenas 6,6% responderam corretamente sobre o volume recomendado. Conclui-se que existe a necessidade da criação de ações para difundir o conhecimento sobre as recomendações e assim otimizar a promoção de AF na APS.

The aim of the study was to examine the knowledge of Primary Health Care professionals of physical activity (PA) recommendations for adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Primary Care of Florianopolis, SC, in 2018. A questionnaire was used to collect data fromthe professionals about their knowledge of PA recommendations, their level of PA and professional performance, their sociodemographic information. The data was analyzed through the chi-square test and Poisson Regression. 587 professionals (85.4% women) participed, out of which 49.1% reported knowing the recommendations and 38.2% reported having a "good" knowledge of the recommendations. However, only 6.6% correctly answered the recommended volume. We conclude that there is need to create actions to spread the knowledge of the recommendations and thus optimize the promotion of PA in Primary Care.

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Isolated from Nine-Banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) Reveal Population Structure and Admixture in the Amazon Basin.

Paracoccidioidomycosis is an endemic fungal disease to Latin America caused by at least five species-level genotypes of Paracoccidioides, named P. lutzii, P. brasiliensis (S1a and S1b populations), P. americana, P. restrepiensis, and P. venezuelensis. In this manuscript, we report on Paracoccidioides sp. sampling efforts in armadillos from two different areas in Brazil. We sequenced the genomes of seven Paracoccidioides isolates and used phylogenomics and populations genetics for genotyping. We found that P. brasiliensis and P. lutzii are both present in the Amazon region. Additionally, we identified two Paracoccidioides isolates that seem to be the result of admixture between divergent populations within P. brasiliensis sensu stricto. Both of these isolates were recovered from armadillos in a P. lutzii endemic area in Midwestern Brazil. Additionally, two isolates from human patients also show evidence of resulting from admixture. Our results suggest that the populations of P. brasiliensis sensu stricto exchange genes in nature. More generally, they suggest that population structure and admixture within species is an important source of variation for pathogenic fungi.

A novel Sporothrix brasiliensis genomic variant in Midwestern Brazil: evidence for an older and wider sporotrichosis epidemic.

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous infection caused by fungi from the genus Sporothrix. It is transmitted by inoculation of infective particles found in plant-contaminated material or diseased animals, characterizing the classic sapronotic and emerging zoonotic transmission, respectively. Since 1998, southeastern Brazil has experienced a zoonotic sporotrichosis epidemic caused by S. brasiliensis, centred in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Our observation of feline sporotrichosis cases in Brasília (Midwestern Brazil), around 900 km away from Rio de Janeiro, led us to question whether the epidemic caused by S. brasiliensis has spread from the epicentre in Rio de Janeiro, emerged independently in the two locations, or if the disease has been present and unrecognized in Midwestern Brazil. A retrospective analysis of 91 human and 4 animal cases from Brasília, ranging from 1993 to 2018, suggests the occurrence of both sapronotic and zoonotic transmission. Molecular typing of the calmodulin locus identified S. schenckii as the agent in two animals and all seven human patients from which we were able to recover clinical isolates. In two other animals, the disease was caused by S. brasiliensis. Whole-genome sequence typing of seven Sporothrix spp. strains from Brasília and Rio de Janeiro suggests that S. brasiliensis isolates from Brasília are genetically distinct from those obtained at the epicentre of the outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, both in phylogenomic and population genomic analyses. The two S. brasiliensis populations seem to have separated between 2.2 and 3.1 million years ago, indicating independent outbreaks or that the zoonotic S. brasiliensis outbreak might have started earlier and be more widespread in South America than previously recognized.

Doenças associadas à dificuldade de realizar atividade física em academias públicas de uma amostra de idosos do sul do Brasil / Diseases associated with the difficulty of performing physical activity in public academies of a sample of the elderly in the south of Brazil

Introdução:Observando um aumento da população e a criação de programas públicos de atividade física, torna-se interessante identificar as doenças que dificultam a prática de exercício físico dos idosos nesses programas, de modo que esses indicadores sirvam para promover maior adesão ao programa e melhor desenvolvimento das atividades realizadas com os participantes. Objetivo:identificar as doenças crônicas associadas à dificuldade de idosos para realizar atividade física nas Academias da Melhor Idade (AMI). Casuística e Métodos estudo transversal observacional, realizado em uma amostra de 255 idosos, durante o ano de 2011, na cidade de Joinville, do Sul do Brasil. Foi utilizado um questionário sobre características e de condições de saúde (doenças diagnosticadas pelo médico, percepção subjetiva de saúde, se o estado de saúde atual dificulta a prática de atividades físicas e satisfação com a mesma), aplicados em forma de entrevista. Para a análise de dados utilizou-se testes de associação e identificando a razão de chance por meio da regressão logística binária. Resultados: Dentre as doenças relatadas, 47,4% dos idosos disseram apresentar hipertensão arterial, 20,3% diabetes, 10,9% artrose, 8,6% dores lombares e 7,8% dislipidemia. Verificou-se também que os idosos acometidos por dores lombares e artrose apresentam, significativamente, mais chances de possuírem dificuldade da realização de atividade física. Conclusão: Idosos com dores lombares e artrose manifestam mais chances de apresentar dificuldade na prática de atividadefísica. Além disso, há associaçãodessa dificuldade com a presença de artrite e osteoporose. Os indicadores apontados permitirão a realização de programas de atividade física ajustados às necessidades dos praticantes, e por sua vez, produzirão maior aderência permitindo um ciclo de contínua evolução.

Introduction: By observing an increase of the population, and the establishment of public programs for physical activity, it is interesting to identify diseases that hindered the practice of physical exercises by elders in these programs. These indicators contribute to a better development of the activities carried out with the participants, along with the promotion of a greater adhesion to the program. Objective: Identify the chronic diseases associated with the difficulty of the elderly to perform physical activity in the Best Age Academies (BAA). Patients and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 255 elderly people in the city of Joinville, southern Brazil, in 2011. A questionnaire was used on sociodemographic characteristics and health conditions (diseases diagnosed by the physician, subjective perception of health, if the current health condition makes it difficult to practice physical activities and satisfaction with the same), applied for an interview. For data analysis, we used association tests, identifying the odds ratio applying binary logistic regression. Results: Among the diseases reported, 47.4% of the elderly reported having hypertension, 20.3% diabetes, 10.9% arthrosis, 8.6% lower-back pain and 7.8% dyslipidemia. It was also verified that the elderly affected by lumbar pain and arthrosis is significantly more likely to have difficulty performing physical activity. Conclusion: Elderly people with back pain and arthrosis are more likely to present difficulties in the practice of physical activity. In addition, there is an association of this difficulty in the presence of arthritis and osteoporosis. The indicated indicators will allow the achievement of physical activity programs adjusted to the needs of the practitioners, and in turn, will produce greater adherence allowing a cycle of continuous evolution

Estudos em Psicologia Política ­ Pólis / Studies In Political Psychology - Pólis

O atual projeto se constrói dentro da perspectiva do trabalho e das relações sociais e políticas, introduzindo a área de conhecimento da psicologia política em perspectiva emancipadora no contexto acadêmico da UFC por via do Cruso de Psicologia e do Projeto Rinepe. O projeto nasce com foco no comportamento político nas sociedades contemporâneas e nos efeitos dos movimentos sociais e políticos atuais sobre as liberdades e processos emancipatórios, bem como seus impedimentos em escala local, nacional e global. Tem por objetivos o desenvolvimento de um campo interdisciplinar de reflexão e prática investigativa e divulgadora, reunindo debates em torno de questões como: preconceito social, racismo, xenofobia, movimentos sociais, violência coletiva social, relações de poder, movimentos emancipatórios de povos e nações, valores democráticos e autoritarismos, laicismo, análises de discursos e ideologias, de universos simbólicos e práticas institucionais. Nessa perspectiva, o Pólis atua desde sua criação formal em 2013, como projeto de extensão. Criou um blog para divulgação e atualização, bem como no seu âmbito foram realizadas atividades diversas que seguem sua linha de criação, como palestras de apoio a movimentos humanos e sociais em busca da cunhada emancipação e libertação humana, bem como estudos e construções teóricos para a fundamentação de suas atividades.

The current project is built within the work, social and political relation perspectives, introducing the political psychology knowledge area in emancipatory perspective in the academic context of the Federal University of Ceará Brazil via the Psychology Faculty and the Rinepe Project. It focus on political behavior in contemporary societies and the effects of social movements and current politicians about the freedoms and emancipatory processes, and their constraints at the local, national and global scope. It aims to develop an interdisciplinary field of reflection and research and disclosure practice, gathering debates around issues such as social prejudice, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, social movements, social collective violence, power relations, emancipatory movements of peoples and nations, democratic values and authoritarianism, laicism, discourse analysis and ideologies, symbolic universes and institutional practices. In this perspective, the POLIS acts since its formal establishment in 2013, as an extension project. It has a blog to disseminate and update, as well as in its scope were carried out various activities that follow its line of creation, such as lectures to support human and social movements in search of deserved emancipation and human liberation, as well as theoretical studies and construction for foundation of its activities.