Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Social Comfort Questionnaire for Brazilian adult survivors of burns.

PURPOSE: Burn patients may encounter social barriers and stigmatization. The objectives of this study were to adapt the Social Comfort Questionnaire (SCQ) into Brazilian Portuguese and to assess the psychometric properties of the adapted version. METHODS: Cross-cultural adaptation of the 8 items of the SCQ followed international guidelines. We interviewed 240 burn patients and verified the SCQ internal consistency, test-retest reliability and construct validity, correlating the scores with depression [Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)], affect/body image and interpersonal relationships [Burns Specific Health Scale-Revised (BSHS-R)] and self-esteem [Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (RSES)]. We also performed a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RESULTS: The cross-cultural adaptation resulted in minor semantic modifications to the original SCQ version. After CFA, a reduced 6-item version showed satisfactory fit to the one-factor model (RMSEA = 0.05, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99). Cronbach alpha's was 0.80, and test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.86. The final version presented a strong negative correlation with depression (BDI), and strong positive correlations with affect/body image (BSHS-R), interpersonal relationships (BSHS-R) and self-esteem (RSES) (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results showed that the SCQ Brazilian Portuguese adapted version complies with the validity and reliability criteria required for an instrument assessing social comfort in Brazilian burn patients. The Brazilian version yields a single score that is easy to interpret and well understood by patients.

Bisphosphonate treatment and dental implants: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: To analyze articles that studied patients submitted to diphosphonates therapy and who received dental implants before, during or after bisphosphonate (BP) treatment, compared to healthy patients, analyzing the increase of failure and loss of implants or bisphosphonate related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) incidence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement was used in this study. The clinical question in "PICO" format was: In patients under bisphosphonate therapy, do dental implants placement, compared to healthy patients, increase the failure and loss of implants or bisphosphonate related osteonecrosis of the jaw incidence? PubMed/MEDLINE was searched for articles published up until April 15, 2015 using a combination of MeSH terms and their Entry terms. RESULTS: The search resulted in 375 articles. After selection according to the eligibility criteria, 15 studies fulfilled were included (eight retrospective, one prospective and six case series), with a total of 1339 patients analyzed, 3748 implants placed, 152 loss of implants and 78 cases of BRONJ. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the lack of randomized clinical trials looking at this theme, further studies with longer follow-up are needed to elucidate the remaining questions. Thus, it is wise to be careful when planning dental implant surgery in patients undergoing bisphosphonate therapy because of the risk of developing BRONJ as well as occurring failure of implant. Moreover, complete systemic condition of the patient must be also taking into considering when such procedures are performed.

Exploring fungal mega-diversity: Pseudocercospora from Brazil.

Although the genus Pseudocercospora has a worldwide distribution, it is especially diverse in tropical and subtropical countries. Species of this genus are associated with a wide range of plant species, including several economically relevant hosts. Preliminary studies of cercosporoid fungi from Brazil allocated most taxa to Cercospora, but with the progressive refinement of the taxonomy of cercosporoid fungi, many species were relocated to or described in Pseudocercospora. Initially, species identification relied mostly on morphological features, and thus no cultures were preserved for later phylogenetic comparisons. In this study, a total of 27 Pseudocercospora spp. were collected, cultured, and subjected to a multigene analysis. Four genomic regions (LSU, ITS, tef1 and actA) were amplified and sequenced. A multigene Bayesian analysis was performed on the combined ITS, actA and tef1 sequence alignment. Our results based on DNA phylogeny, integrated with ecology, morphology and cultural characteristics revealed a rich diversity of Pseudocercospora species in Brazil. Twelve taxa were newly described, namely P. aeschynomenicola, P. diplusodonii, P. emmotunicola, P. manihotii, P. perae, P. planaltinensis, P. pothomorphes, P. sennae-multijugae, P. solani-pseudocapsicicola, P. vassobiae, P. wulffiae and P. xylopiae. Additionally, eight epitype specimens were designated, three species newly reported, and several new host records linked to known Pseudocercospora spp.

First Report of Stagonosporiopsis cucurbitacearum Causing Fruit Rot of Luffa cylindrica in Brazil.

Luffa cylindrica (Cucurbitaceae) is an Asian vine widely known as the source of loofah (4). In Brazil (local name bucha), it is cultivated by small scale producers as a cash crop. In January 2012, samples of fruits were collected in three areas in the municipality of Cipotânea, state of Minas Gerais (Brazil) bearing rot symptoms. These had large necrotic areas with a grayish epidermis and slightly sunken tissue. Internally, the fibrous parts were necrosed, darkened, and unmarketable. Isolations by surface sterilization of necrotic tissue with 10% bleach and plating onto potato dextrose agar yielded colonies with consistent morphology. A representative culture was deposited in the culture collection of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV) as COAD1119. Inoculations of seven healthy-appearing L. cylindrica fruits were performed with culture disks obtained from 4-day-old cultures grown on PDA, which were placed onto two points on the epidermis of each of seven fruits. Each point was either intact or previously injured with a sterile needle. Controls consisted of two fruits treated equally but with tap water agar disks in place of fungal inoculum. Fruits were then placed on trays with water-soaked cotton and the trays were wrapped in plastic bags and left over a bench at room temperature for 2 days. The plastic bags were then removed. After 5 days, necrosis was evident and fungal fruit bodies appeared at points with injury. No symptoms appeared on controls. Isolation from diseased tissue yielded colonies identical to those of the inoculated fungus. A dried sample was deposited in the local herbarium at UFV (VIC 32053). Slides were mounted in lactophenol and observed. The fungus had subepidermal perithecia, globose to subglobose, from 75.5 to 134 µm diam.; asci bitunicate, cylindrical, 8-spored; pseudoparaphyses filiform; ascospores fusoid to ellipsoidal, from 26 to 45 µm long and 8 to 11.5 µm wide, one septate, and hyaline. This morphology is consistent with Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum (syn. Didymella bryoniae) (3), a broad spectrum pathogen of cucurbits. Genomic DNA was extracted from the isolate growing in pure culture and ITS and LSU sequences were generated and deposited in GenBank under the accession numbers KC582022 and KC582021, respectively. Sequences were compared in BLASTn with other entries in GenBank, and the closest match for each region were S. cucurbitacearum strain CAP14C and D. bryoniae strain CBS 133.96 (JQ936326 and GU456335) with 100% of nucleotide homology for ITS and 100% of nucleotide homology for LSU. Cercospora citrullina and C. cucurbitae have been reported in Brazil on L. cylindrica and mistakenly indicated as synonyms of D. bryoniae (2). To our knowledge, this is the first valid report of S. cucurbitacearum causing fruit rot of loofah in Brazil and the first time pathogenicity to this host has been demonstrated. Losses due to the disease on the crop were reported to be high by growers and management to be difficult since there are no fungicides registered for this crop in Brazil. References: (1) M. M. Aveskamp et al. Stud. Mycol 65:1, 2010. (2) M. A. S. Mendes and A. F. Urben. Fungos em Plantas no Brasil. Brasília, Brazil: EMBRAPA-SPI. Retrieved from http://pragawall.cenargen.embrapa.br/aiqweb/michtml/micbanco01a.asp , 2012. (3) E. Puithalingam and P. Holliday. CMI Descriptions of Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria 332:1, 1972. (4) J. W. Purseglove. Tropical Crops - Dicotyledons. Longman Group, London, 1968.

Expression of genes related to the regulation of muscle protein turnover in Angus and Nellore bulls.

We aimed to evaluate the expression of genes related to the regulation of muscle protein turnover in the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle of Angus and Nellore bulls and to estimate the within-breed correlations of gene expression and performance traits. Thirteen genes related to the IGF-1 and myostatin pathways were studied. Thirteen animals, with an initial average BW of 381.2 ± 11.8 kg, from each breed were used in a completely randomized 2 × 2 factorial design (2 breeds and 2 feeding levels). The diet consisted of corn silage and a corn-soybean meal concentrate in a roughage-to-concentrate ratio of 30:70. Cattle were fed ad libitum (with 9 animals from each breed) or feed restricted (a 55% restriction of total DMI of ad libitum-fed animals, calculated as percentage of metabolic BW, with 4 animals of each breed). The experimental period lasted for 82 d and it was preceded by a 28-d adaptation period. The performance traits evaluated were slaughter body weight, total ADG (from d 1 to 82 of the trial), initial ADG (from d 1 to 41 of the trial), final ADG (from d 42 to 82 of the trial), total DMI (from d 1 to 82 of the trial), initial DMI (from d 1 to 41 of the trial), final DMI (from d 42 to 82 of the trial), HCW, LD weight (LDW), and rib eye area (REA). After slaughter, samples were taken from the LD muscle between the 12th and 13th ribs for gene expression analysis by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. There was no difference ( > 0.05) in the expression of any of the genes studied between ad libitum-fed Angus and ad libitum-fed Nellore, whereas feed restriction increased the expression of (; < 0.001), (; = 0.05), and (; = 0.04) and decreased the expression of ( < 0.01). The REA was negatively correlated to (; = 0.01), (; = 0.02), and ( = 0.05). The HCW was negatively correlated to ( = 0.01) and ( = 0.01) and tended to be negatively correlated to ( = 0.07), whereas the LDW tended to be negatively correlated to ( = 0.08). The genes , , and seem to be important for muscle growth and may be worthy of further investigation as future strategies for increasing muscle in livestock.

Doppler echocardiographic assessment of long-term progression of mitral stenosis in 103 patients: valve area and right heart disease.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine, in a large referral population, the rate of echocardiographic change in mitral valve area (MVA) without interim intervention, to determine which factors influence progression of narrowing and to examine associated changes in the right side of the heart. BACKGROUND: Little information is currently available on the echocardiographic progression of mitral stenosis, particularly on progressive changes in the right side of the heart and the ability of a previously proposed algorithm to predict progression. METHODS: We studied 103 patients (mean age 61 years; 74% female) with serial two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography. The average interval between entry and most recent follow-up study was 3.3 +/- 2 years (range 1 to 11). RESULTS: During the follow-up period, MVA decreased at a mean rate of 0.09 cm2/year. In 28 patients there was no decrease, in 40 there was only relatively little change (< 0.1 cm2/year) and in 35 the rate of progression of mitral valve narrowing was more rapid (> or = 0.1 cm2/year). The rate of progression was significantly greater among patients with a larger initial MVA and milder mitral stenosis (0.12 vs. 0.06 vs. 0.03 cm2/year for mild, moderate and severe stenosis, p < 0.01). Although the rate of mitral valve narrowing was a weak function of initial MVA and echocardiographic score by multivariate analysis, no set of individual values or cutoff points of these variables or pressure gradients could predict this rate in individual patients. There was a significant increase in right ventricular diastolic area (17 to 18.7 cm2) and tricuspid regurgitation grade (2 + to 3 +; p < 0.0001 between entry and follow-up studies). Progression in right heart disease occurred even in patients with minimal or no change in MVA. Patients with associated aortic regurgitation had a higher rate of decrease in MVA than did those with trace or no aortic regurgitation (0.19 vs. 0.086 cm2/year, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of mitral valve narrowing in individual patients is variable and cannot be predicted by initial MVA, mitral valve score or transmitral gradient, alone or in combination. Right heart disease can progress independent of mitral valve narrowing.

Echocardiography can predict which patients will develop severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy.

OBJECTIVES: Using two-dimensional echocardiography, we sought to identify features that are associated with severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy and combine them into a predictive score. BACKGROUND: Severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy is a major complication carrying an adverse prognosis that, to date, has not been predictable in advance. METHODS: In a consecutive series of 566 patients who underwent percutaneous mitral valvulotomy, 37 (6.5%) developed severe mitral regurgitation (assessed by angiography) after the procedure, 31 of whom had an echocardiogram available before percutaneous mitral valvulotomy. These 31 patients were matched by age, gender, mitral valve area and degree of mitral regurgitation before valvulotomy with 31 randomly selected patients who did not develop severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy. An echocardiographic score was developed on the basis of the pathologic studies of valves of patients who developed severe regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy (leaflet rupture of relatively thin portions of nonhomogeneously thickened leaflets in the presence of commissural and subvalvular calcification) and evaluated uneven distribution of thickness in the anterior and posterior mitral leaflets, degree of commissural disease and subvalvular disease involvement, with each component graded from 0 to 4 (total, 0 to 16). Intraobserver and interobserver variability for score assessment were 6% and 7%, respectively. RESULTS: The total mitral regurgitation echocardiographic score was significantly greater in the severe mitral regurgitation group (11.7 +/- 1.9 [mean +/- SD] vs. 8.0 +/- 1.2, p < 0.001). In addition, the component grades for the anterior leaflet (3.2 +/- 0.7 vs. 2.3 +/- 0.6, p < 0.001), commissures (2.6 +/- 0.7 vs. 1.6 +/- 0.6, p < 0.001) and subvalvular apparatus (3.2 +/- 0.6 vs. 2.3 +/- 0.7, p < 0.001) were also higher in the mitral regurgitation group. With a total score > or = 10 as a cutoff point for predicting severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy, a sensitivity of 90 +/- 5% and a specificity of 97 +/- 3% were obtained. Stepwise logistic regression analysis identified the mitral regurgitation echocardiographic score as the only independent predictor for developing severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This new mitral regurgitation echocardiographic score can predict the development of severe mitral regurgitation after percutaneous mitral valvulotomy and can be useful in the selection of patients for this technique.

Doppler echocardiographic assessment of progression of aortic regurgitation.

The rate of progression of the degree of chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) is unknown. Furthermore, although left ventricular (LV) dilation has been studied in patients with severe AR, its rate and determining factors, and specifically, its relation to the degree of regurgitation remain to be established and have not previously been studied for mild and moderate AR. The purpose of this study was to explore the progression of chronic AR by 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography, and the relation of LV dilation to the fundamental regurgitant lesion and its progression in patients with a full spectrum of initial AR severity. We studied 127 patients with AR by 2-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography (69 men; 59 +/- 21 years; 67 with mild, 45 with moderate, 15 with severe AR). AR increased in 38 patients (30%) (25% of mild, 44% of moderate, and 50% of moderate to severe lesions; p <0.006). The ratio of proximal AR jet height to LV outflow tract height also increased (30.3 +/- 17.5% vs 35.2 +/- 19.7%; p <0.0001). Initial LV volumes and mass were larger in patients with more severe AR and increased significantly during follow-up (138 +/- 53 to 164 +/- 70 ml; 59 +/- 32 to 71.7 +/- 42 ml; 203 +/- 89 to 241 +/- 114 g; p <0.0001). LV volumes and mass increased faster in patients with more severe AR, and in those in whom the degree of AR progressed more rapidly. Finally, patients with bicuspid aortic valve (n = 21) had a higher prevalence of severe AR than patients with tricuspid aortic valves (52% vs 4%; p <0.001). In conclusion, AR is a progressive disease not only in patients with severe AR but also in those with mild and moderate regurgitation. Patients with more severe AR have larger left ventricles that also dilate more rapidly.

Significant tricuspid regurgitation does not resolve after percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy.

A total of 318 consecutive patients with mitral stenosis underwent percutaneous mitral valvotomy at our institution from 1987 to 1993. Of those, 98 patients had color Doppler echocardiographic studies performed before, 24 hours after, and late after the intervention. On the basis of color Doppler echocardiographic grading of tricuspid regurgitation, 32 patients (32%; mean age 57 +/- 15 years) had significant (moderate or severe) tricuspid regurgitation before the intervention and were the subject of this study. The follow-up study was performed 18.4 +/- 13 months after the procedure. Successful percutaneous mitral valvotomy (> or = 1.5 cm2 valve area or > or = 50% increase after valvotomy) with no restenosis at follow-up was achieved in 20 patients. Tricuspid regurgitation decreased by one grade (from severe to moderate) in only four subjects in this group and in none of the 12 patients who did not meet the criteria for successful percutaneous mitral valvotomy or who had restenosis. Thus tricuspid regurgitation did not improve in 88% of all patients studied. On average, no significant change was observed in the ratio of maximal tricuspid regurgitant jet area to right atrial area 24 hours after percutaneous mitral valvotomy and at late follow-up (37% vs .33% vs 34%, respectively) or in any of the right heart dimensions, even in patients who underwent successful percutaneous mitral valvotomy. Right ventricular systolic pressure also did not change significantly on average in those patients (46 +/- 15 versus 42 +/- 14 versus 48 +/- 18 mm Hg, respectively). However, right ventricular dimensions did not decrease and tricuspid regurgitation did not resolve even in a subgroup of patients in whom right ventricular systolic pressure fell by more than 10 mm Hg (up to 41 mm Hg).

Detection of herpesvirus DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in vitreous samples from patients with necrotising retinitis.

AIMS: Viral uveitis and retinitis, usually caused by herpesviruses, are common in immunosuppressed patients. The diagnosis of viral anterior uveitis and retinitis is usually clinical. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been used for the diagnosis of some viral infections, especially those caused by herpesviruses. This paper reports the use of PCR in the diagnosis of viral retinitis in vitreous samples from Brazilian patients. METHODS: PCR was used for the diagnosis of necrotising retinitis in vitreous samples from patients from the Hospital São Geraldo, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil. The vitreous samples were collected by paracentesis and stored until analysis. Samples were analysed by PCR using specific primers designed to amplify herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), varicella zoster virus (VZV), or human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). In a case of anterior uveitis, PCR was performed with a sample from the anterior chamber. RESULTS: Herpesvirus DNA was amplified in 11 of 17 samples. HCVM DNA was detected in nine samples but DNA from HSV-1 and VZV were detected only once each. CONCLUSION: These results strongly suggest that PCR could be used for a rapid complementary diagnosis of viral uveitis and retinitis. A prospective study to evaluate the PCR results, clinical evolution, and treatment is imperative to corroborate the real value of PCR in diagnosis and how it could help the clinicians' approach.

Echocardiographic assessment of mitral stenosis and its associated valvular lesions in 205 patients and lack of association with mitral valve prolapse.

To date, the relation between mitral stenosis (MS) and other associated cardiac valvular lesions has been reported by angiography and surgical pathologic study in patients with more advanced disease but has not been studied systematically by two-dimensional echocardiography and Doppler color flow mapping in a large referral population with a broader spectrum of severity. In addition, prior reports have suggested that up to 40% of patients with MS have mitral valve prolapse (MVP); however, because of recent developments in two-dimensional echocardiographic imaging and the definition of MVP, this association must now be reconsidered. The purpose of this study was to explore the association of other valvular lesions with MS and their relation to its severity and in particular to test whether MS is in fact associated with MVP with the frequency reported previously. We reviewed the studies of 205 consecutive patients (aged 61 +/- 14 years; range 26 to 87 years) with MS who were studied from 1992 to 1994 by two-dimensional echocardiography and Doppler color flow mapping to assess valvular stenosis, regurgitation, and MVP in patients with a range of severity of MS (28% mild, 34% moderate, and 38% severe MS based on mitral valve area). MS was associated with at least mild mitral regurgitation in 78% of patients (160/205), and pure MS was correspondingly uncommon (22%). There was an inverse relationship between the severity of MS and the degree of mitral regurgitation (p < 0.001). MS was frequently associated (54% of patients) with significant lesions of other valves, including aortic stenosis (17%), at least moderate aortic regurgitation (8%) and tricuspid regurgitation (38%), and tricuspid stenosis (4%). Tricuspid stenosis was associated with more severe MS (p < 0.01), and tricuspid regurgitation was more common in patients with mixed MS and regurgitation than in those with pure stenosis (60% versus 26% for at least moderate tricuspid regurgitation; p < 0.001). Mitral valve prolapse was present in only one patient (0.5%). Superior systolic bulging of the midportion of the anterior mitral leaflet toward the left atrium (but not superior to the annular hinge points) was seen in 22 patients (11%). Patients with such superior bulging had significantly lower mitral valve scores but a similar degree of mitral regurgitation compared with those without bulging. The majority of patients with MS (78%) have associated mitral regurgitation and significant lesions of the other cardiac valves (54%). The frequency of true MVP associated with chronic MS is much lower than reported previously. This may provide insight into the underlying pathophysiologic process, tending to shorten the chordae tendineae and leaflets to produce stenosis rather than elongate them to produce prolapse.

Chemical safety and governance in Brazil.

Chemical safety is recognized in Agenda 21(UNCED--Rio 92), as one of the most serious problems to be faced worldwide being a problem not just of governability, restricted more to the role of states and governments, but of governance at the national and international levels. It poses greater challenges for countries like Brazil where the issues of democracy, security, sustainability and equity, which are fundamental to governance, are merely incipient and still far from solved. Taking as references the analysis of four cases in the Brazilian context, we illustrate the situation from less densely populated areas (as in the cases of mercury use by gold miners in the Amazon and pesticides in agricultural producing areas), through medium-sized towns (as in the accident with cesium 137 in Goiânia), to the major urban and industrial centers (as in the cases of lead from battery renovators and benzene in the oil and steel industries and oil refineries). What can be seen is a situation where problems connected with chemical safety have grown in intensity and extent far more than the capacity to deal with them. In industrializing countries, the formulation of chemical safety policies must take into account not only the complexity and uncertainties involved in understanding the problems, but also the aspects relating to the different modes and levels of vulnerability. This is necessary in order to attempt to build better contextualized and more participatory knowledge and decision-making processes at the local and global levels, which we take as basic prerequisites for governance.

[Brazilian risk map: limited applicability of a worker model]. / Mapa de risco no Brasil: as limitações da aplicabilidade de um modelo operário.

This paper shows the limitations identified in Brazilian risk map applications from a legal and methodological perspective. First, the conception, origin, and value of the risk-map methodology are presented as perceived under the Italian Health Reform. Next, the authors report on introduction of the methodology into Brazil in the early 1980s and the reactions by companies when it became a legal requirement for those which had Accident Prevention Committees. Finally, a brief discussion on the effectiveness of its use by workers in preventing health risks is included.

[Characterization of Rhizobium isolates from acid and alkaline soils in semi-arid regions of Pernambuco]. / Caracterización de aislamientos de rizobios de suelos ácidos y alcalinos en la región semiárida de Pernambuco.

The genetic variety of the Rhizobium isolates from acid and alkaline soils in the semiarid zone of Pernambuco state was evaluated through the use of 17 primers of arbitrary sequence. Amplified products were separated by electrophoresis in agarose gel at 1.4% and visualized by ethidium bromide coloration. The results obtained suggest a high genetic variety of the isolates in relation to the standard strain. Data were analyzed by UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic average), based on Jaccard's coefficient and visualized through dendrograms. The strains isolated from the acid soils were included in one group whereas the strains from alkaline soils were located in other three groups. Meanwhile, one of the groups formed by strain Isol-14, isolated from acid soils is more related to the groups of strains isolated from acid soils than to the remaining groups from alkaline soils.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis E antibodies in a population of recyclable waste pickers in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection represents an important cause of acute viral hepatitis. Selective waste collection is a widespread activity carried out by the urban poor, and recyclable waste pickers have a lifestyle that makes this group highly vulnerable to unfavorable socio-economic and environmental factors. To date, the epidemiology of HEV infection in this population remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: To assess the seroprevalence of hepatitis E-specific antibodies in a population of recyclable waste pickers in Brazil. STUDY DESIGN: Between April 2010 and May 2011, a cross-sectional study was conducted among recyclable waste pickers from all 15 recycling cooperatives in Goiânia City, Central Brazil. The participants were tested for serological markers indicative of HEV infection. RESULTS: Of 432 individuals asked to participate in the survey, 431 (99.8%) agreed to participate. Twenty-four of 431 participants were anti-HEV IgG positive by ELISA. Of these, 22 were confirmed positive by immunoblot, resulting in an anti-HEV IgG prevalence of 5.1% (95% CI: 3.4-7.6). In addition, four individuals were anti-HEV IgM positive by ELISA. Of these, three (0.7%; 95% CI: 0.4-2.4) were confirmed anti-HEV IgM positive by immunoblot, but were HEV RNA negative. One was concurrently positive for anti-HEV IgG. Only age>40 years was independently associated with the presence of anti-HEV. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated that the prevalence of HEV antibodies among recyclable waste pickers in Central Brazil is relatively low and increased with age.

Anomalous colour in Neotropical mammals: a review with new records for Didelphis sp. (Didelphidae, Didelphimorphia) and Arctocephalus australis (Otariidae, Carnivora).

Anomalous colourations occur in many tropical vertebrates. However, they are considered rare in wild populations, with very few records for the majority of animal taxa. We report two new cases of anomalous colouration in mammals. Additionally, we compiled all published cases about anomalous pigmentation registered in Neotropical mammals, throughout a comprehensive review of peer reviewed articles between 1950 and 2010. Every record was classified as albinism, leucism, piebaldism or eventually as undetermined pigmentation. As results, we report the new record of a leucistic specimen of opossum (Didelphis sp.) in southern Brazil, as well as a specimen of South American fur seal (Arctocephalus australis) with piebaldism in Uruguay. We also found 31 scientific articles resulting in 23 records of albinism, 12 of leucism, 71 of piebaldism and 92 records classified as undetermined pigmentation. Anomalous colouration is apparently rare in small terrestrial mammals, but it is much more common in cetaceans and michrochiropterans. Out of these 198 records, 149 occurred in cetaceans and 30 in bats. The results related to cetaceans suggest that males and females with anomolous pigmentation are reproductively successful and as a consequence their frequencies are becoming higher in natural populations. In bats, this result can be related to the fact these animals orient themselves primarily through echolocation, and their refuges provide protection against light and predation. It is possible that anomalous colouration occurs more frequently in other Neotropical mammal orders, which were not formally reported. Therefore, we encourage researchers to publish these events in order to better understand this phenomenon that has a significant influence on animal survival.

Parâmetros hematológicos e bioquímicos de cabras lactantes alimentadas com dietas contendo glicerina bruta oriunda da produção de biodiesel proveniente de óleo de fritura / Hematological and biochemical parameters of lactating goats fed diets containing crude glycerin from biodiesel production from waste frying oil

Objetivou-se analisar os efeitos da inclusão da glicerina bruta (GB), oriunda da produção de biodiesel proveniente de óleos residuais de fritura, sobre o consumo, e os parâmetros hematológicos e bioquímicos em cabras em lactação. Oito cabras com 42,06±3,5kg de peso corporal foram utilizadas, recebendo dietas contendo 0, 7, 14 e 21% de GB com base na MS total da dieta. O experimento foi conduzido em quadrado latino duplo 4×4, com duração de 80 dias, sendo quatro períodos de 20 dias, dos quais 15 para a adaptação e cinco para a coleta de dados. As amostras de sangue foram coletadas pela punção da veia jugular. Os consumos de MS, proteína bruta e matéria mineral decresceram linearmente, enquanto o de extrato etéreo aumentou quadraticamente. As concentrações do hematócrito, hemoglobina, hemácias e fósforo reduziram linearmente. Tendência quadrática foi observada para as concentrações séricas de cálcio. Não foram verificados efeitos para as concentrações de magnésio, glicose, colesterol total, triglicerídeos, proteínas plasmáticas totais, albumina, globulinas, ureia, creatinina, aspartato aminotransferase e fosfatase alcalina. Conclui-se que a GB pode ser utilizada em até 7% da MS total da dieta, sem promover problemas metabólicos.(AU)

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of the inclusion of crude glycerin (CG) from biodiesel production from waste frying oils on nutrients intake, hematological and biochemical parameters in lactating goats. Eight goats with 42.06±3.5kg of body weight were used, receiving diets containing 0, 7, 14 and 21% of CG based on total dietary DM. The experiment was carried out in a 4×4 double Latin square, with a duration of 80 days, four periods of 20 days, of which 15 days were for adaptation and five days for data collection. Blood samples were collected by puncture of the jugular vein. Dry matter, crude protein, and mineral matter intakes decreased linearly, while intake of ether extract increased quadratically. The concentrations of hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cells, and phosphorus reduced linearly. A quadratic tendency for serum calcium concentrations was observed. No effects were observed for concentrations of magnesium, glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, total plasmatic protein, albumin, globulins, urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. It can be concluded that CG can be used in up to 7% of total dietary DM without promoting metabolic problems.(AU)

Avaliação da migração das células progenitoras após terapia da tendinite equina / Migration evaluation of progenitor cells after treatment of equine tendinitis

A terapia celular vem sendo utilizada com resultados promissores no tratamento da tendinite equina, entretanto ainda existem dúvidas quanto à persistência e ao comportamento dessas células quando implantadas no local da lesão, e quanto à sua migração para outros focos inflamatórios. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a marcação das células-tronco mesenquimais (CTMs) com nanocristal antes e após o implante em lesões tendíneas experimentais do tendão flexor digital superficial (TFDS) de equinos, bem como observar a possibilidade de migração das CTMs marcadas para outro foco de lesão, o membro contralateral do mesmo animal. Para isso, foi realizada a indução de lesão experimental no TFDS em ambos os membros torácicos de cinco equinos e, após sete dias, foram implantadas as CTMs autólogas marcadas com o nanocristal Qtracker 655 em um dos membros dos animais. Após sete dias do implante, foi realizada a biópsia tendínea para posterior avaliação histopatológica, utilizando-se microscopia com fluorescência. Também foi realizado o teste de viabilidade celular antes e após a incubação com o nanocristal. As CTMs marcadas e injetadas no tecido tendíneo mantiveram sua fluorescência sete dias após seu implante, e não ocorreu migração para o membro contralateral. O uso do nanocristal para a marcação das CTMs derivadas da medula óssea equina mostrou-se efetivo pelo fato de essa nanopartícula não ter alterado a viabilidade celular e por ela ter permanecido ativa durante o período implantado...

Cell therapy has been used with promising results in the treatment of equine tendinitis. However, there are still doubts about the persistence and behavior of these cells implanted in the injured tissue and their migration to other inflamed sites. The aim of this study was to evaluate the labeling of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with nanocrystals before and after implantation in experimental tendinitis of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of horses, observing the migration possibility of MSCs marked to another lesion, performed on the contralateral limb of the same animal. An experimental lesion was induced in SDFT in both forelimbs of five horses, and after seven days autologous MSCs labeled with Qtracker(r) 655 were implanted in one member of the animals. Tendon biopsy was performed for subsequent histopathological evaluation using fluorescence microscopy seven days after the implant. Cell viability test was also performed before and after incubation with the cell labeling kit. MSCs labeled and injected into the tendon tissue maintained their fluorescence seven days after their implantation and there was no migration to the contralateral limb. The use of nanocrystals for labeling MSCs was effective because it does not alter cell viability and remains active during the experimental period...

Gill monogeneans of the chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus from Madeiran waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal.

Five species of monogeneans were recovered from the gill filaments of 181 chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus, from the Madeiran waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal, during 2004/2005. The monogenean Pseudokuhnia minor showed the highest prevalence (98.68%) and a mean intensity of 28.23, followed by Kuhnia scombri (prevalence of 43.71% and mean intensity of 2.69) and K. scombercolias (prevalence of 39.1% and a mean intensity of 1.81). Kuhnia sprostonae and Grubea cochlear were rare, occurring in only one and five fish hosts respectively. No correlation between fish host length and mean intensity of infection with the three most abundant monogeneans was found. However, significant differences in prevalence and abundance were found in relation to date of sampling for P. minor, and all parasites were aggregated in their distribution.