Different infective forms trigger distinct lesions in the colon during experimental Chagas disease.

With the control of vectorial transmission of Chagas disease caused by metacyclic trypomastigotes (MT) in endemic countries, other pathways of infection have become important. The infection caused by blood trypomastigotes (BT) is relevant in places where the blood transfusion and organ transplantation are poorly controlled. This study aimed to evaluate immunopathogenic parameters in the colon during the acute and chronic phases of experimental infection in Swiss mice infected with BT or MT forms of VL-10 strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. We have found that animals infected with MT forms presented lower survival rate, and higher tissue parasitism in the acute phase of the disease, which may be associated with the exacerbated activation of the immune system with the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines even in the chronic phase of infection. Taken together, these results can also be associated to the maintenance of the inflammatory process in chronic phase and an earlier denervation of myenteric plexus in colon. These findings emphasized the importance of the inoculum source and the strain, once different forms of different strains seem to promote distinct diseases.

Antibacterial activity of honeys from Amazonian stingless bees of Melipona spp. and its effects on bacterial cell morphology.

BACKGROUND: Stingless bee honey has great therapeutic potential, especially as an antimicrobial agent. In the present study, we evaluated the in vitro antibacterial potential of honey from Melipona spp. with occurrence in Rio Branco-AC and Xapuri-AC from the Amazonian region. Samples were collected from the species Melipona eburnea, Melipona grandis, Melipona flavolineata and Melipona seminigra. The antibacterial activity of the honey samples was tested against standard Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and two strains isolated from bovine mastitis. RESULTS: In the agar diffusion assay, we observed antibacterial activity for the four honeys against the tested strains. The honey from M. flavolineata showed a minimmum inhibitory concentration (MIC) lower than 3.12% (v/v). The minimum bactericidal concentration values were larger than the MIC for most of the microorganisms tested. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the damaging effect of the honey of M. flavolineata on Staphylococcus aureus cells, as well as its inhibitory effect on cell division. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study demonstrate that the honey from stingless bees possesses in vitro antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria. The effects observed by SEM show that honey from the Amazonian stingless bee M. flavolineata has promising therapeutic potential as a future antimicrobial agent. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Low-cost, safe, and effective smoke evacuation device for surgical procedures in the COVID-19 age.

BACKGROUND: Smoke is generated by energy-based surgical instruments. The airborne by-products may have potential health implications. METHODS: We developed a simple way to use de conventional surgical evacuator coupled with de electrosurgical pen attached to a 14G bladder catheter for open surgery. It was used in ten prospective patients with breast cancer. RESULTS: We notice a high reduction in surgical smoke during all breast surgery. A questionnaire was used for all participants of the surgery to answer the impression that they had about the device. The subjective impression was that the surgical smoke in contact whit the surgical team was reduced by more than 95%. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical smoke is the gaseous by-product produced by heat-generating devices in various surgical procedures. Surgical smoke may contain chemicals particles, bacteria, and viruses that are harmful and increase the risk of infection for surgeons and all the team in the operation room due to long term exposure of smoke mainly in coronavirus disease 2019 age. The adapted device described is a very simple and cheaper way to use smoke evacuators attached with the monopolar electrosurgical pen to reduce smoke exposure to the surgical team worldwide.

Low-dose of benznidazole promotes therapeutic cure in experimental chronic Chagas' disease with absence of parasitism in blood, heart and colon.

Studies suggest that the dose of the standard benznidazole (BNZ) treatment regimen might be too high. We investigated the efficacy of BNZ 20 and 40 mg/kg/day compared with standard dose (100 mg/kg/day) to induce cure in mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi Y strain in the acute and chronic phases of Chagas' disease. Our findings indicate that an experimental treatment with a BNZ low-dose (40 mg/kg/day) is similarly effective as the usual dose in the chronic mice model (100% of cure). In addition, the treatment in the chronic model of Chagas' disease presented better results than the acute model and colon appears to be a key tissue when it comes to evaluating treatment efficacy compared to blood and heart. Therefore, our data suggest the reconsideration of the current therapy, mainly in the chronic phase of the disease.

A systematic review on the distribution of Mycobacterium bovis infection among wildlife in the Americas.

The occurrence of Mycobacterium bovis infection in wildlife places at risk livestock, public health, and ecosystems that house endangered species. However, data on wild species that may act as possible reservoirs in the Americas are scarce. This systematic review analyses the available data on wildlife in the Americas regarding the infection by M. bovis. We searched articles published in indexed journals using the keywords: "Mycobacterium bovis," "wild," and "animals". After applying the keywords using online databases, during March and August of 2018, we found 12 articles which encompassed 15 species of wild animals, of which three consisted of wild ruminants. The evidence showed that M. bovis is present among the wild animals in the Americas. The methodological limitations for diagnosing M. bovis in wild animals are many, demanding the development of new and more precise tools. Furthermore, new researches are needed to elucidate the role of the wild animals in the epidemiology of M. bovis and its possible impact on production animals and public health.

Patterns and spatial distribution of sea turtle strandings in Alagoas, Brazil.

This study makes a descriptive analysis of necropsied sea turtles registered in the Biota Conservation Institute database between May 2018 and May 2022 on the coast of Alagoas, Brazil. During this period, 79 animals of four species were necropsied: 87.4 % (69) Chelonia mydas, 6.3 % (5) Caretta caretta, 3.8 % (3) Lepidochelys olivacea and 2.5 % (2) Eretmochelys imbricata. C. mydas was the most frequent species, mainly juvenile females. In 29.1 % (23/79) evidence of anthropogenic interactions was found (e.g., fishing net marks, plastic waste in the digestive tract, trauma from collisions with boats). Cutaneous tumors suggestive of fibropapillomatosis in 35.4 % (28/79), in C. mydas and E. imbricata, half were in an area of high eutrophication, close to the capital. Endoparasites were found in 46.8 % (37/79) individuals. Information on strandings in the region is essential for understanding the use of the area and the impacts to which these animals are exposed.

Transition towards cancer mortality predominance over cardiovascular disease mortality in Brazil, 2000-2019: a population-based study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer are the first and second leading causes of death in Brazil and worldwide. However, an ongoing epidemiological transition in which cancer surpasses CVD has been observed in many high and middle-income countries. In this study, we provided a nationwide analysis of the transition towards cancer mortality predominance over CVD mortality in Brazil. Methods: We leveraged data from 5570 municipalities using the Mortality Information System and classified the causes of death using ICD-10 codes. Age-standardized CVD and cancer mortality rates were calculated annually between 2000 and 2019. Mortality rate ratios (MRRs = CVD rates divided by cancer rates) described the predominance of cancer or CVD mortality across municipalities and states. Choropleth maps displayed state-specific MRRs and the transition in the predominant cause of death over time. Findings: From 2000 to 2019, CVD mortality rates declined in 25 out of 27 states, whereas cancer mortality increased in 15 states, indicating a shift towards cancer predominance. While in 2000 cancer mortality was lower than CVD in all states and only exceeded the latter in 7% of the municipalities, by 2019 the gap narrowed considerably, with 13% of municipalities displaying higher cancer mortality rates vs CVD mortality rates. Additionally, higher household income correlated with higher mortality from cancer vs CVD. Interpretation: An ongoing epidemiological transition in which cancer mortality surpasses CVD mortality is occurring in Brazil, particularly in municipalities with higher household incomes. Our findings may provide important information for policymakers and public health practitioners in Brazil. Funding: National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).

Alternative flours from pulp melons (Cucumis melo L.): Seasonality influence on physical, chemical, technological parameters, and utilization in bakery product.

Fresh vegetables have high water content and low acidity, so drying can extend shelf life, allowing the obtaining of alternative flours for the development of new products. The study aimed to investigate the influence of the melon harvest and off-season on the chemical composition of melon (Cantaloupe, Charentais e Honey Dew) flours and the potential application in products. The flours were evaluated for granulometry, morphology, centesimal composition, lipid and mineral content, total phenolic compound (TPC), antioxidant activity, and technological properties. Cakes containing melon flour were produced to replace wheat flour (0, 25, and 50 %) and evaluated for proximate composition, microbiology, and sensory parameters. Flours were classified as fine-grained (MESH >16), except Charentais off-season (medium - MESH 8-16, and fine-grained - MESH >16), and all presented a rough surface and minimal cell wall ruptures. The harvest homogeneously influenced the humidity, as all the off-season flours showed higher levels [17-22 %] (p < 0.05) due to weather conditions. For TPC, Cantaloupe melon flours from the harvest (CFH) [208 mg/100 g] and off-season [877 mg/100 g] stood out (p < 0.05), and the latter showed greater antioxidant potential [328 µmol TE/g]. Palmitic, linoleic, and linolenic acid stood out in all flours, and potassium for minerals (63-78 %) in the harvest and off-season. The harvest and off-season specifically influenced the flour of each variety in swelling power, water solubility, oil absorption, and emulsifying capacity. For cakes with CFH, no thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli were detected, and the mesophilic count was <1.0 CFU/g. The ash, protein, lipid, and fiber contents increased proportionally to melon flour addition (p < 0.05). Sensory acceptance was high for cakes containing 25 and 50 % of CFH [82.78 % and 82.53 %], and most consumers would likely buy the products (4.04 and 3.99) (p < 0.05). The study contributed to knowledge about the seasonality effect and demonstrated the potential use of melon flour in developing new products.

Coevolutionary Implications of Obligate Commensalism in Sea Turtles: the Case of the Genus Hyachelia Barnard, 1967 (Crustacea, Amphipoda).

Obligate commensalism in the marine environment and its evolutionary role are still poorly understood. Although sea turtles may serve as ideal substrates for epibionts, within amphipods, only the genus Hyachelia evolved in obligate commensalism with turtles. Here, we report a new host record for Hyachelia lowryi on the hawksbill turtle and describe a larger distribution of the genus in the Atlantic Ocean on green and loggerhead turtles. Hyachelia spp. were sampled from nesting sites of Caretta caretta and feeding grounds of Eretmochelys imbricata and Chelonia mydas along the Brazilian coast. Insights regarding the coevolution of this remarkable genus with its hosts based on molecular analyses are inferred based on mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (18SrRNA) genes using new and previously available sequences from the infraorder Talitrida. Divergence times for Hyachelia are around the Cretaceous (~127.66 Mya), corresponding to an ancient origin and in agreement with modern green turtle (Chelonioidea) radiation. Later, diversification of Hyachelia species is dated at about 26 Mya, suggesting a coevolutionary association between amphipods and Carettini/Chelonini sea turtles.

Pigmented fungiform papillae of the tongue.

Pigmented fungiform papillae of the tongue is a benign condition characterized by localized hyperpigmentation confined to fungiform papillae. Although the condition is not rare and might be easily diagnosed in dark-skinned adults and children, it is seldom mentioned in the medical literature. Here, we describe an 11-year-old boy presenting typical features of pigmented fungiform papillae of the tongue.

Species distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of staphylococci isolated from canine otitis externa.

The diversity of species of the genus Staphylococcus sp. and the antimicrobial resistance of isolates from 151 unmedicated dogs of both sexes with a clinical diagnosis of otitis were recorded. Ninety-one isolates of Staphylococcus spp. were identified by biochemical reactions and tested for susceptibility to 15 antimicrobials. Coagulase-positive species were most common; S. pseudintermedius (38.4%), S. schleiferi schleiferi (15.4%), S. aureus (14.3%), S. epidermidis (11%), S. simulans (11%), S. schleiferi coagulans (8.8%) and S. saprophyticus (1.1%). All the isolates showed resistance to at least one drug and 89% were multiresistant. Amoxicillin combined with clavulanic acid and oxacillin were the most effective, while resistance was widely observed for neomycin and erythromycin. The results highlight the recognition and the potential need for bacterial culture with species identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests for appropriate antimicrobial therapy.

Potential application of new diagnostic methods for controlling bovine tuberculosis in Brazil.

Bovine tuberculosis, a chronic infection in cattle caused by Mycobacterium bovis, remains an economic and public health problem for several countries. Due to its economic impact on international trade, contagious nature, and implications for human health, global programs to eradicate the disease were implemented worldwide. Those programs are based on slaughtering PPD-reactive animals. Despite the National Programs in Brazil, complete eradication has not been achieved, and the disease remains, albeit at a lower prevalence. The central purpose of this review is to address diagnostic tests for tuberculosis. Considering the course of the infection in cattle, at least two tests, ideally complementary to one another, may be necessary for an adequate diagnosis: the first based on the cellular response, and the second capable of identifying anergic animals by detection of specific anti-M.bovis antibodies.

Small Mammals as Carriers/Hosts of Leptospira spp. in the Western Amazon Forest.

Leptospira is a bacteria that causes leptospirosis and is transmitted through water, soil, or mud that is contaminated by the urine of infected animals. Although it is mainly associated with the urban environment, Leptospires also circulate in rural and wild environments. This study aimed to investigate the role of small mammals in leptospirosis epidemiology in the western Amazon, Brazil. In total, 103 animals from 23 species belonging to the orders Didelphimorphia and Rodentia were captured. Blood, kidney, and urine samples were collected and Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT), lipL32 PCR, secY sequencing, and culturing were conducted. MAT was reactive on 1/15 sera, and no bacterial isolate was obtained. PCR yielded 44.7% positive samples from 16 species. Twenty samples were genetically characterized and identified as L. interrogans (n = 12), L. noguchii (n = 4), and L. santarosai (n = 4). No statistical association was found between the prevalence of infection by Leptospira spp. in small mammals within carrier/hosts species, orders, study area, and forest strata. Our results indicate a high prevalence of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in several rodent and marsupial species and report the first evidence of Leptospira spp. carrier/hosts in the Brazilian Western Amazon.

Identification of Mycobacterium bovis Isolates by a multiplex PCR.

Isolates from suggestive bovine tuberculosis lesions were tested by a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (m-PCR) targeting for RvD1Rv2031c and IS6110 sequences, specific for M. bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex respectively. The m-PCR successfully identified as M. bovis 88.24% of the isolates.

Ingestion of plastic marine litter by sea turtles in southern Brazil: abundance, characteristics and potential selectivity.

The ingestion of plastic marine litter (PML) by sea turtles is widespread and concerning, and the five species that occur in the southwestern Atlantic - green, loggerhead, olive ridley, leatherback and hawksbill - are vulnerable to this pollution. Here, we quantified and characterized PML ingested by these species in southern Brazil, and observed PML ingestion in 49 of 86 sampled individuals (~57.0%). Green turtles presented the highest rates and variety of ingested plastics, and such ingestion has been high at least since 1997. Omnivorous turtles presented higher PML ingestion than carnivorous ones. Loggerheads displayed a negative correlation between body size and number of ingested items. Green turtles ingested mostly flexible transparent and flexible/hard white plastics; loggerheads ate mainly flexible, hard and foam fragments, in white and black/brown colors. These results help us better understand PML ingestion by sea turtles, highlighting the seriousness of this threat and providing information for prevention and mitigation strategies.

Night workers have lower levels of antioxidant defenses and higher levels of oxidative stress damage when compared to day workers.

The effects of circadian misalignment and work shift on oxidative stress profile of shift workers have not been explored in the literature. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of shift work (day and night) and social jetlag - a measure of circadian misalignment - with oxidative stress markers. A cross-sectional study was performed with 79 men (21-65 years old, 27.56 ± 4.0 kg/m2) who worked the night shift (n = 37) or daytime (n = 42). The analyzed variables included anthropometric measures and determination of systemic levels of markers of oxidative damage and antioxidant defense. Social jetlag was calculated by the absolute difference between the mean sleep point on working and rest days. The night group presented higher systemic values of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hydrogen peroxide, and lower levels of nitrite, total antioxidant capacity, and catalase and superoxide dismutase activities in relation to the day group. However, social jetlag was not associated with oxidative stress-related biomarkers analyzed in the night group. These results suggest that the night worker has higher levels of oxidative stress damage and lower levels of antioxidant defenses, while social jetlag was not a possible responsible factor for this condition.

Natural Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) evansi (Steel, 1885) infection among mammals from Brazilian Amazon.

Trypanosoma evansi (Kinetoplastea Trypanosomatidae) is the Trypanosoma species that infects the greatest variety of mammals worldwide. In 2014, a dog from Rio Branco/AC, in the Brazilian Amazon region, presented flagellates without evident kinetoplasts in blood and symptoms of T. evansi infection. Our aim was to investigate the occurrence of T. evansi in dogs, bats and capybaras from Rio Branco. Blood was collected from 78 dogs from residential areas near the Zoobotanical Park (PZ). The serological diagnosis by IFAT detected the presence of anti-T. evansi antibodies in 21.9% of the evaluated dogs. T. evansi DNA was detected in one dog using a higly specific target of a repeated monomer of the satellite DNA of Trypanosoma (Trypanozoon) sp. Molecular diagnosis was also performed on 182 bat spleen samples collected inside PZ, and one Carollia perspicillata was positive. The DNA sequences obtained from these two samples showed similarities with T. brucei satellite DNA. Anti-T. evansi IFAT was carried out in 46 capybaras from rural and urban areas and the infection detected in 17.4% of them. We confirmed for the first time the presence of T. evansi in Acre State and describe three putative host species involved in the parasite transmission in that Amazon region. Moreover, this is the first study that confirms the infection by T. evansi through DNA sequence analysis in the Brazilian Amazon Region.

The role of the erythrocyte in the outcome of pregnancy with preeclampsia.

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationships of osmotic and mechanical stability of erythrocytes with anthropometric, biochemical, hematologic and hemodynamic variables in pregnant women with preeclampsia (PE). The studied population consisted of 20 normotensive patients and 16 patients with PE. Patients with PE presented worse gestational outcome, greater hematologic impairment, erythrocytes osmotically more stable in vitro, but in conditions of isotonicity with the in vivo medium, in addition to hyperflow in orbital territory, when compared to normotensive patients. The correlation analysis between anthropometric, hematologic and hemodynamic variables in patients with PE indicated that erythrocytes with lower volumes and lower levels of hemoglobin favor the occurrence of a better gestational outcome, because they are more stable and because they are associated with a decrease in the hemodynamic changes present in the disease. This should mean that the tendency to microcytosis, probably due to a mechanism of compensatory mechanical selection, is a desirable characteristic in the disease.

Toxicological aspects of trihalomethanes: a systematic review.

Chlorine is considered the most used chemical agent for water disinfection worldwide. However, water chlorination can lead to by-product generation which can be toxic to humans. The present study aimed to perform a systematic review on the toxicity of trihalomethanes (THMs) through bioindicators of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and mutagenicity. The results showed that studies on the effects of THMs on DNA are a current research concern for evaluating the toxicity of the pure compounds and real samples involving several types including water for recreational use, reused water, and drinking water. THMs deleterious effects have been assessed using several biosystems, where the Ames test along with experimental animal models were the most cited. A wide range of THM concentrations have been tested. Nevertheless, DNA damage was demonstrated, highlighting the potential human health risk. Among the studied THMs, chloroform presented a different action mechanism when compared with brominated THMs, with the former being cytotoxic while brominated THMs (bromodichloromethane, bromoform, and dibromochloromethane) were cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic. The described evidence in this research highlights the relevance of this topic as a human health issue. Nevertheless, research aimed to represent THMs current exposure conditions in a more accurate way would be needed to understand the real impact on human health.

The erythrocyte membrane stability is associated with sleep time and social jetlag in shift workers.

The osmotic stability of the erythrocyte membrane (OSEM) has been associated with changes in lipid profile, blood glucose and blood pressure. Changes in these parameters are very frequent in shift workers, possibly because of the lack of synchronization of biological rhythms, which results in the social jetlag. However, the existence of association between OSEM and circadian misalignment has not been investigated in this population. Therefore, this study investigated whether shift work, sleep time and social jetlag (SJL) are associated with biochemical and hematological variables. A population consisting of 79 men working at night (n = 37) or during the day (n = 42), aged between 21 and 65 years and with a mean BMI of 27.56 ± 4.0 kg/m2, was investigated cross-sectionally in relation to sleep time, SJL, anthropometric (height, weight and waist circumference) and blood variables, with emphasis on the OSEM. SJL was calculated by the absolute difference between the midpoint of sleep on work and rest days. The Generalized Linear Model (GzLM) was used to investigate the existence of associations between SJL and average sleep time in relation to the analyzed variables. Workers without SJL presented lower baseline lysis values of erythrocytes in isotonic medium in relation to workers with SJL. In addition, workers who slept on average less than 6 hours had higher OSEM, and higher total and LDL-cholesterol in relation to those who slept more than 6 hours, regardless of the shift. It is possible that the association of sleep deprivation and SJL with erythrocyte membrane stability is mediated through changes in the lipid profile.