Tank color influences the response of tomato clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus) to an acute stress challenge.

The trade of aquarium organisms is growing worldwide. This market depends on a continuous supply of healthy and colorful aquatic animals, but this sector has few initiatives. However, in the last decade, there has been a growing interest in researching captive breeding of these animals, aiming to develop a more sustainable aquarium hobby. Larviculture is an important phase in the cultivation process because the larvae are more sensitive to stress and variations in the bulk of variables, such as temperature, salinity, nutritional management, light intensity and spectrum, and environmental background colors. Because background color could be a promoter variable of proper welfare, we tested whether it affects the endocrine response of tomato clownfish Amphiprion frenatus larvae to an acute stress challenge. We show that background color influences the endocrine stress axis responsiveness in tomato clownfish. When fish were subjected to a standard acute stressor of 61 days after hatching, only fish adapted to white walls increased the whole-body cortisol levels. From the results presented herein, we recommend that white tanks be avoided for A. frenatus larviculture. Both, the less stress level and the good welfare condition of larvae reared in colored tanks may have robust, practical applications since almost all clownfish in the ornamental aquarium trade come from captive breeding.

In vitro models to study insulin and glucocorticoids modulation of trimethyltin (TMT)-induced neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, and in vivo validation in db/db mice.

Brain susceptibility to a neurotoxic insult may be increased in a compromised health status, such as metabolic syndrome. Both metabolic syndrome and exposure to trimethyltin (TMT) are known to promote neurodegeneration. In combination the two factors may elicit additive or compensatory/regulatory mechanisms. Combined effects of TMT exposure (0.5-1 µM) and mimicked metabolic syndrome-through modulation of insulin and glucocorticoid (GC) levels-were investigated in three models: tridimensional rat brain cell cultures for neuron-glia effects; murine microglial cell line BV-2 for a mechanistic analysis of microglial reactivity; and db/db mice as an in vivo model of metabolic syndrome. In 3D cultures, low insulin condition significantly exacerbated TMT's effect on GABAergic neurons and promoted TMT-induced neuroinflammation, with increased expression of cytokines and of the regulator of intracellular GC activity, 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11ß-Hsd1). Microglial reactivity increased upon TMT exposure in medium combining low insulin and high GC. These results were corroborated in BV-2 microglial cells where lack of insulin exacerbated the TMT-induced increase in 11ß-Hsd1 expression. Furthermore, TMT-induced microglial reactivity seems to depend on mineralocorticoid receptor activation. In diabetic BKS db mice, a discrete exacerbation of TMT neurotoxic effects on GABAergic neurons was observed, together with an increase of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and of basal 11ß-Hsd1 expression as compared to controls. These results suggest only minor additive effects of the two brain insults, neurotoxicant TMT exposure and metabolic syndrome conditions, where 11ß-Hsd1 appears to play a key role in the regulation of neuroinflammation and of its protective or neurodegenerative consequences.

Epidemiologic investigation of an occupational illness of tobacco harvesters in southern Brazil, a worldwide leader in tobacco production.

OBJECTIVES: As part of smoking surveillance, the authors conducted an epidemiologic investigation in southern Brazil to identify the occurrence of Green Tobacco Sickness and risk factors for illness and to recommend control and prevention measures. METHODS: A 1:2 case-control study matched by subjects' smoking habits. The study population was residents of Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul state, who farm tobacco and provided a urine sample for cotinine measurement by high-performance liquid chromatography. Confirmed cases were persons with compatible clinical presentation (headache, nausea, vomit, dizziness or weakness) and cotinine level >10 ng/ml. Controls were persons without compatible signs or symptoms. The association measure was the matched OR with 95% CIs and p<0.05. RESULTS: Of 33 confirmed cases, 64% were men, average age was 33 years (SD ± 11.8 years) and 57% were landowners. Cases have had similar illness in the past and were likelier to be workers hired by farmers-landowners than controls. Multivariate analysis yielded independent association between these variables and illness, controlled for age and sex. Contact with pesticides and working with wet tobacco leaves were not associated with illness. CONCLUSIONS: The authors confirmed Green Tobacco Sickness in southern Brazil; the authors recommend investigation of its prevalence in tobacco-growing regions and monitoring of and education about the disease and its prevention by occupational health authorities.

Vestibular Schwannoma Volume and Tumor Growth Correlates with Macrophage Marker Expression.

Vestibular schwannoma is the most common benign tumor of the cerebellopontine angle and originates from Schwann cells surrounding the vestibulocochlear nerve. Since the size of the VS varies widely, affected patients suffer from symptoms of varying severity. It is often difficult to determine the optimal time for therapy, due to the unpredictability of the growth rate. Despite many investigations on influencing factors, no mechanism responsible for the increase in the growth rate of certain VS has been identified so far. Therefore, the present study investigates the influence of the seven markers: Ki-67, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), CD163, and CD68 on tumor progression and tumor size in a cohort of 173 VS. The markers were determined by quantitative PCR and correlated with tumor volume and VS growth rate. The analysis showed a significantly negative correlation of the Ki-67, COX2, and VEGF on tumor volume. Moreover, with a higher volume of VS, the expression of the macrophage markers CD68, CD163, and GM-CSF increased significantly. Our results suggest that the increase in VS size is not primarily due to Schwann cell growth but to an infiltration of macrophages. This may have an impact on non-invasive therapy to preserve the hearing function of affected patients.

Press Ideology as an Epistemological Connector between Framing Theory and Social Representations Theory: An Analysis of Violence and Drug Trafficking in the Mexican Press.

The present paper explores the advantages of using framing theory, social representations theory and differences in ideology to analyze polarized issues in the press. Framing uncovers the structure/format of news articles and social representations explores their meanings. These two theoretical positions are connected through the concept of ideology - a set of beliefs that shape position taking regarding social issues. Using this integrated framework, we will analyze the highly polarized topic of violence and drug trafficking in two ideologically different newspapers in Sinaloa, Mexico - Noroeste (journalistic ideology) and El Debate (elite ideology) (total N = 547 articles). This will be accomplished using three steps - a descriptive analysis, application of the framing scale and submitting the articles to ALCESTE software. The results show differences in framing and social representations of violence and drug trafficking according to ideology. Each newspaper presented different news frames (journalistic - attribution of responsibility and conflict frames; elite - human-interest and morality frames). However, at the level of representations (content) there were ideological differences in the representation of violence but not of drug trafficking, suggesting a common element in these representations, beyond ideological differences. These findings contribute to (1) the clarification of the concept used and (2) towards an analytical framework of press analysis - analyzing format and content and considering differences in press ideology.

In vitro bioprospecting of rhizospheric fungi associated to cactus (Opuntia cochenillifera) to plant growth promotion / Bioprospección in vitro de hongos rizosféricos asociados al cactus (Opuntia cochenillifera) para la promoción del crecimiento vegetal

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate in vitro the plant growth promotion capacity of rhizospheric fungi from Opuntia cochenillifera. The isolates were submitted to phosphate solubilization, acetic acid-3-indole (AIA) production, antagonism against phytopathogens, and growth under water activity. All test results were subjected to statistical analysis. The studied isolates were able to solubilize phosphate, being F04 (Aspergillus sp.) and F05 (Coprinellus radians) the ones that presented the highest solubilization indices. As to produce AIA, F02 (Penicillium sp.) and F07 (Aspergillus sp.) were the most promising. All isolates could inhibit the growth of Colletotrichum sp. and Fusarium sp. Water restriction provided mycelial growth for all isolates. Therefore, these characteristics confer characteristics as growth promoters in plants.

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar in vitro la capacidad de los hongos rizosféricos aislados del cactus Opuntia cochenillifera para promover el crecimiento de las plantas. Los aislados fueron sometidos a pruebas de solubilización de fosfato, producción de ácido 3-indol acético (AIA), antagonismo contra fitopatógenos y crecimiento bajo actividad de agua. Todos los resultados de las pruebas se sometieron a análisis estadístico. Los aislados estudiados fueron capaces de solubilizar fosfato, siendo F04 (Aspergillus sp.) y F05 (Coprinellus radians) los que presentaron los mayores índices de solubilización. Sobre la producción de AIA, los que más produjeron fueron F02 (Penicillium sp.) y F07 (Aspergillus sp.). Todos los aislados pudieron inhibir el crecimiento de Colletotrichum sp. e Fusarium sp.. La restricción de agua proporcionó el crecimiento del micelio para todos los aislados. Por lo tanto, estes aspectos les confieren características como promotores del crecimiento en las plantas.

Attraction of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) to light traps in rural areas of Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

The objective of this study was to detect phlebotomine sand fly vector species by using light traps, and thus determine the risk of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) transmission in rural areas of the Viçosa microregion, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Sand flies were captured with Shannon-like and Falcão light traps hung between 1830 and 2230 h on 22 nights. Four sampling points where CL transmission occurs naturally were chosen. A total of 888 sand flies was collected. The most abundant species was Lutzomyia intermedia. Shannon-like traps caught significantly more L. intermedia, perhaps because of a greater surface area on which the insects can land or because they reflect more light. The positive phototaxis observed in L. intermedia and L. whitmani may pose a greater risk of transmission of Leishmania in houses where an external light source is situated close to a light-colored wall that reflects light and that have adjacent bushes or trees and domestic animal shelters within 50 m.

[In vitro analysis of amitraz efficacy against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini, 1887) populations of southern region of Rio Grande do Sul state]. / Análise in vitro da eficácia do amitraz sobre populações de Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini, 1887) da região sul do Rio Grande do Sul.

Commercial formulation of the amitraz is the most used acaricide in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul State, however scientific data about the efficacy of these products in this region are sparse. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the frequency of R. (B.) microplus populations resistant to amitraz acaricides in the Southern region of Rio Grande do Sul State. So, the efficacies of five commercial products containing amitraz were compared. Results showed that the efficacy of amitraz acaricides was lower than 69% in 23% of studied populations. Nearly 29% of the tick samples showed an acaricide efficacy equal to zero, suggesting the presence of a high level of resistance to amitraz. Moreover, the most used commercial product in the region showed the lowest efficacy index. These results alert about the possible spreading of resistant on tick populations and justify research directed toward the search for alternative products to control this parasite.

Contribuições da história oral à história da enfermagem brasileira: a voz por trás dos acontecimentos / Contributions of the oral history to the history of brazilian nursing: the voice that there is behind of events

Estudo teve como objetivos descrever como as pesquisas sobre História da Enfermagem vêmutilizando a História Oral e analisar a contribuição desta para a pesquisa em História daEnfermagem brasileira. Utilizou-se a metodologia da pesquisa bibliográfica, realizada em quatrobases de dados, cruzando o descritor “Historia da Enfermagem” com os termos“fontes/documentos/depoimentos” e “oral/orais”, sendo a amostra composta por 31 artigos.Constatou-se que a História Oral é um método apropriado para a pesquisa em História daEnfermagem, tendo conquistado espaço nos periódicos nacionais e internacionais; contempla ascategorias: “profissional”, “assistencial” e “organizacional” de pesquisa em História da Enfermagem; tem como gêneros narrativos mais utilizados: História Oral Temática e História Oralde Vida. Em 100% dos artigos analisados, a História Oral contribui na pesquisa do passado recente,gerando informações ainda não documentadas, proporcionando voz àqueles cujas vivências foramnegligenciadas pela história oficial, potencializando uma fonte profícua de novos objetos deestudo.

Análise in vitro da eficácia do amitraz sobre populações de Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini, 1887) da região sul do Rio Grande do Sul

Commercial formulation of the amitraz is the most used acaricide in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul State, however scientific data about the efficacy of these products in this region are sparse. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the frequency of R. (B.) microplus populations resistant to amitraz acaricides in the Southern region of Rio Grande do Sul State. So, the efficacies of five commercial products containing amitraz were compared. Results showed that the efficacy of amitraz acaricides was lower than 69% in 23% of studied populations. Nearly 29% of the tick samples showed an acaricide efficacy equal to zero, suggesting the presence of a high level of resistance to amitraz. Moreover, the most used commercial product in the region showed the lowest efficacy index. These results alert about the possible spreading of resistant on tick populations and justify research directed toward the search for alternative products to control this parasite.

Formulações comerciais à base de amitraz são muito utilizadas como acaricidas na Região Sul do Rio Grande do Sul, contudo sem maiores estudos da sua eficácia nessa região. O presente estudo objetivou estimar a frequência de populações de R. (B.) microplus resistente ao amitraz na Região Sul do Rio Grande do Sul, e comparar a eficácia de cinco produtos comerciais à base desse princípio ativo. Os resultados demonstraram que, em 23% das populações estudadas, o amitraz teve uma eficácia inferior a 69%. Em 29% dessas amostras de carrapatos, o grau de eficácia foi igual a zero, sugerindo a presença de altos níveis de resistência ao amitraz. Além disso, o produto comercial mais utilizado na região demonstra o menor índice de eficácia. Esses resultados alertam sobre a possibilidade da dispersão de populações de carrapatos resistentes, o que justifica a necessidade de direcionar pesquisas visando a novas alternativas e produtos para o controle desse parasito.