Feasibility and Colonoscopy Yield Using the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT)-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Latin America Country.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Organized colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is not widely practiced in Latin America and the results of regional studies may help overcome barriers for implementation of national screening programs. We aimed to describe the implementation and findings of a fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-based program in Brazil. METHODS: In a prospective population-based study, asymptomatic individuals (50-75 years old) from Sao Paulo city were invited to undergo FIT for CRC screening. Participants with positive FIT (≥10 µg Hb/g feces) were referred for colonoscopy. Subjects were classified into groups according to the presence of CRC, precursor lesions, and other benign findings, possibly related to bleeding. RESULTS: Of a total of 9881 subjects, 7.8% had positive FIT and colonoscopy compliance was 68.9% (n = 535). Boston scale was considered adequate in 99% and cecal intubation rate was 99.4%. CRC was diagnosed in 5.9% of the cases, adenoma in 63.2%, advanced adenoma in 31.4%, and advanced neoplasia in 33.0%. Age was positively associated with CRC (P = .03). Higher FIT concentrations were associated with increased detection of CRC (P < .008), advanced adenoma (P < .001), and advanced neoplasia (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a FIT-based CRC screening program was feasible in a low-resource setting, and there was a high yield for neoplasia in individuals with a positive FIT. This approach could be used as a model to plan and disseminate organized CRC screening more broadly in Brazil and Latin America.

Persistent vaginal bleeding during gender-affirming hormone therapy in transgender men.

PURPOSE: While it is common for menstrual cycles to cease within the initial 6 months of treatment, there are instances where some transgender men may not experience this cessation. We analyzed transgender men undergoing gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) with testosterone who experienced breakthrough bleeding in order to identify the factors associated with this condition. METHODS: In this case-control study, 24 transgender men in the case group and 48 in the control group were assessed for clinical, sociodemographic, hormonal, and body composition variables using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. All participants had been on GATH for at least 6 months. RESULTS: A few transgender men experienced persistent breakthrough bleeding, which was associated with decreased testosterone levels and free androgen index (FAI) compared with controls (p = 0.002 and p = 0.008, respectively). Among individuals with breakthrough bleeding, 50% had testosterone levels below the lowest tertile calculated for the sample, compared with 18.8% on controls (p = 0.007). After therapy adjustment, testosterone levels increased compared with the values obtained in the initial bleeding episode (p = 0.031). Eight transgender men required the addition of an oral progestogen to achieve amenorrhea, and these individuals had higher BMI than those in whom the adjustment of the parenteral testosterone dose was adequate (p = 0.026). A univariate prevalence ratio analysis revealed a negative association of persistent bleeding with testosterone levels (p = 0.028) and FAI levels (p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: Higher BMI and lower levels of testosterone and FAI were the main factors associated with breakthrough bleeding in transgender men.

Probiotic Potential and Application of Indigenous Non-Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria in Ripened Short-Aged Cheese.

There are massive sources of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in traditional dairy products. Some of these indigenous strains could be novel probiotics with applications in human health and supply the growing needs of the probiotic industry. In this work, were analyzed the probiotic and technological properties of three Lactobacilli strains isolated from traditional Brazilian cheeses. In vitro tests showed that the three strains are safe and have probiotic features. They presented antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria, auto-aggregation values around 60%, high biofilm formation properties, and a survivor of more than 65% to simulated acid conditions and more than 100% to bile salts. The three strains were used as adjunct cultures separately in a pilot-scale production of Prato cheese. After 45 days of ripening, the lactobacilli counts in the cheeses were close to 8 Log CFU/g, and was observed a reduction in the lactococci counts (around -3 Log CFU/g) in a strain-dependent manner. Cheese primary and secondary proteolysis were unaffected by the probiotic candidates during the ripening, and the strains showed no lipolytic effect, as no changes in the fatty acid profile of cheeses were observed. Thus, our findings suggest that the three strains evaluated have probiotic properties and have potential as adjunct non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) to improve the quality and functionality of short-aged cheeses.

Brazilian indigenous nonstarter lactic acid bacteria enhance the diversification of volatile compounds in short-aged cheese.

There is growing interest in using autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that provide unique sensory characteristics to dairy products without affecting their safety and quality. This work studied the capacity of three Brazilian indigenous nonstarter LABs (NSLAB) to produce biogenic amines (BAs) and evaluated their effect on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), microbial LAB communities, and physicochemical profile of short-aged cheese. Initially, the strain's potential for biosynthesis of BAs was assessed by PCR and in vitro assays. Then, a pilot-scale cheese was produced, including the NSLAB, and the microbial and VOC profiles were analyzed after 25 and 45 days of ripening. As a results, the strains did not present genes related to relevant BAs and did not produce them in vitro. During cheese ripening, the Lactococci counts were reduced, probably in the production of alcohols and acid compounds by the NSLAB. Each strain produces a unique VOC profile that changes over the ripening time without the main VOCs related to rancid or old cheese. Particularly, the use of the strain Lacticaseibacillus. paracasei ItalPN16 resulted in production of ester compounds with fruity notes. Thus, indigenous NSLAB could be a valuable tool for the enhancement and diversification of flavor in short-aged cheese.

Toxigenic characterization, spoilage potential, and antimicrobial susceptibility of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus species isolated from Minas Frescal cheese.

This study aimed to identify coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) species from 21 samples of clandestine Minas Frescal cheese, investigate the potential for deterioration in psychrotrophic and mesophilic conditions, verify the toxigenic potential of Staphylococcus aureus, and determine the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of toxigenic S. aureus. Species determination was performed based on the detection of ß-hemolysis in 5% ovine blood agar; fermentation of mannitol, maltose, and trehalose sugars; and production of acetoin. After species determination, DNA extraction and analysis was performed for S. aureus colonies for genes encoding staphylococcal toxins (eta, etb, tst, sea, seb, sec, sed, and see) using 2 multiplex PCR assays. Isolates identified as toxigenic S. aureus were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility to tetracycline, erythromycin, clindamycin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, sulfazotrim, trimethoprim, streptomycin, cefoxitin, vancomycin and enrofloxacin. Elevated CPS counts were observed with an average of >6 log cfu/g. Of the 355 isolates, 177 (49.86%) were identified as S. aureus. Staphylococcus hyicus, Staphylococcus intermedius, Staphylococcus delphini, and Staphylococcus coagulans were identified in 3 (0.84%), 2 (0.56%), 2 (0.56%), and 1 (0.28%) isolates, respectively. Of the total number of S. aureus, 25 (52.08%) were positive for the gene that encodes for toxic shock toxin (TSST-1). Another 16 (33.33%) were positive for the sea gene, and 4 isolates (8.33%) were positive for see and one isolate each was positive for seb (2.08%), sec (2.08%), and etb (2.08%) genes. All isolates demonstrated lipolytic activity under mesophilic and psychrotrophic conditions. S. intermedius and S. hyicus had the most prominent proteolytic potential. Multidrug resistance was observed in most of the potentially toxigenic isolates, with clindamycin having the lowest efficiency (40%), whereas the aminoglycosides (gentamicin and streptomycin) had the highest effectiveness demonstrating inhibition in all evaluated isolates. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was detected. Minas Frescal cheeses, marketed in the north of Tocantins in the Brazilian Amazon region, do not comply with legal quality standards and pose a public health risk due to the enterotoxigenic potential of multiresistant isolates, in addition to low shelf life of the samples given the high spoilage potential of this microbiota.

In-hospital breastfeeding and predictive factors during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: A retrospective cohort study - Aleitamento materno hospitalar e fatores preditores durante a pandemia pelo SARS-CoV-2: Coorte retrospectiva.

PURPOSE: To analyze breastfeeding and the factors that positively influence the first hour of life, during hospitalization, and at discharge during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. DESIGN AND METHOD: This is a retrospective cohort study, with data collected from medical records. Consisting of 225 mother-newborn dyads with deliveries between 2020 and 2021. Breastfeeding in the first hour of life, during hospitalization, and at discharge was considered as the outcome variable. The independent variables were sociodemographic, obstetric, and neonatal data. The analysis was performed with bivariate and multivariate regression through a generalized linear model (Poisson family), with a 5% significance level. It was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), under approval number 4,911,317. RESULT: Newborns of women without COVID-19 suspicion or diagnosis and who had skin-to-skin contact with their mother at birth are twice as likely to be breastfed in the first hour of life. Absence of complications in the newborn during hospitalization and no COVID-19 suspicion or diagnosis double the exclusive breastfeeding rate during hospitalization. Newborns exclusively breastfed during hospitalization present 1.6 times more chances of being exclusively breastfeeding at hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: It was evidence that women who gave birth without COVID-19 suspicion, and newborns who had skin-to-skin contact with their mother at birth represented a predictive factor for favoring exclusive breastfeeding. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: This research contributes to the innovation of evaluating breastfeeding in the newborn's first hour of life, during hospitalization, and at discharge in a pandemic context.

Potential Involvement of the South American Lungfish Intelectin-2 in Innate-Associated Immune Modulation.

Intelectins belong to a family of lectins with specific and transitory carbohydrate interaction capabilities. These interactions are related to the activity of agglutinating pathogens, as intelectins play a significant role in immunity. Despite the prominent immune defense function of intelectins, limited information about its structural characteristics and carbohydrate interaction properties is available. This study investigated an intelectin transcript identified in RNA-seq data obtained from the South American lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa), namely LpITLN2-B. The structural analyses predicted LpITLN2-B to be a homo-trimeric globular protein with the fibrinogen-like functional domain (FReD), exhibiting a molecular mass of 57 kDa. The quaternary structure is subdivided into three monomers, A, B, and C, and each domain comprises 11 ß-sheets: an anti-parallel ß-sheet, a ß-hairpin, and a disordered ß-sheet structure. Molecular docking demonstrates a significant interaction with disaccharides rather than monosaccharides. The preferential interaction with disaccharides highlights the potential interaction with pathogen molecules, such as LPS and Poly(I:C). The hemagglutination assay inhibited lectins activity, especially maltose and sucrose, highlighting lectin activity in L. paradoxa samples. Overall, our results show the potential relevance of LpITLN2-B in L. paradoxa immune defense against pathogens.

Vaccine adherence and adverse events of the SARS-COV vaccine in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess adherence to and the adverse effects of the SARS-COV vaccine in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is an observational, analytical, cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic and clinical data, SARS-COV vaccine data, medications for IBD with use during the vaccination period, and adverse events during the vaccination period were collected. Carried out logistic regressions with robust variance estimation to estimate the odds ratio with the respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) to assess the factors associated with non-serious adverse effects following vaccine doses as outcome variables. RESULTS: 194 patients participated, with vaccine compliance of 78.3% for three doses of any vaccine (n=152). Local symptoms and mild systemic symptoms predominated, regardless of the type of vaccine. The first dose of the SARS-COV vaccine with AstraZeneca had a higher percentage of patients with vaccine symptoms. AstraZeneca vaccine increased the chance of non-serious adverse effects in IBD patients by 2.65 times (95% CI: 1.38-5.08; p=0.003), regardless of age, gender, physical activity, excess weight, use of disease-modifying drugs, immunobiological and corticosteroids. CoronaVac vaccine was associated with asymptomatic patients at the first dose and reduced the chance of adverse effects by 0.28 times (OR: 0.284; 95%CI: 0.13-0.62; p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Local symptoms and mild systemic symptoms predominated, regardless of the type of vaccine. Using CoronaVac in the first dose reduced the chances of adverse effects, while AstraZeneca increased the risk of adverse effects.

HPV-related oropharyngeal carcinoma remains infrequent over 25 years in a Brazilian Oral Pathology Center: A cross-sectional study with literature review.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to evaluate the frequency, clinicopathological features, and HPV status of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OP-SCC) and benign HPV-related epithelial lesions of the oropharynx over the last 25 years. Moreover, a literature review was performed to investigate HPV frequency in OP-SCC samples diagnosed in Brazilian Centers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study analyzed OP-SCC, squamous papilloma, verruca vulgaris, and condyloma accuminatum, diagnosed from 1997 to 2021. HPV status of OP-SCC was determined by immunohistochemistry and "in situ" hybridization. Bivariate statistics were performed (p≤0.05). For the literature review, MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched. Two independent reviewers assessed the studies for eligibility. RESULTS: Cross-sectional: 211 OP-SCC (63.0%) and 124 benign lesions (37.0%) were included. OP-SCC frequency increased gradually over time, whereas benign lesions had steady trends. OP-SCC affected more males (n= 171; 81.0%), though the relative frequency in females rose over time. Smoking (n= 127; 60.2%) was common in OP-SCC. Nineteen OP-SCC (13.0%) were positive for HPV. HPV-positive and HPV-negative tumors had similar clinicopathological features (p>0.05). Benign lesions predominated in middle-aged (n= 32; 26.7%) women (n= 71; 57.3%), in the soft palate (n=101; 81.5%). LITERATURE REVIEW: 32 studies were included, and in 60% of them, HPV frequency in OP-SCC was less than 25%. CONCLUSIONS: OP-SCC prevalence has been increasing, and it was mostly associated with smoking and alcohol rather than with HPV infection in Brazil. Benign lesions had a stationary frequency over the evaluated period.

Nodular Type but Not Vitamin D Levels Increases the Risk of Second Primary Cancers in Melanoma Patients: An Observational Study of 663 Patients. / [Artículo traducido] El melanoma de tipo nodular pero no los niveles de vitamina D aumenta el riesgo de desarrollar una segunda neoplasia no cutánea en pacientes con un melanoma: estudio observacional de 663 pacientes.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency associates with the risk of developing many diseases, including cancer. At the molecular level, vitamin D appears to have an antineoplastic effect. However, the role of vitamin D deficiency in cancer pathogenesis remains unelucidated and numerous studies have resulted in discordant results. This study aimed to determine whether vitamin D deficiency during melanoma diagnosis increases the risk of developing non-cutaneous second primary cancers (SPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study on 663 patients diagnosed with melanoma between 1 January 2011 and 31 October 2022. The effect of each variable on the development of a subsequent non-cutaneous cancer was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and differences were assessed by log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazard univariate and multivariate models were used to quantify the effect of each variable in the time to develop a non-cutaneous neoplasia. RESULTS: Out of 663 patients, 34 developed a non-cutaneous SPC. There was no statistically significant association between vitamin D levels and non-cutaneous SPC development (log-rank, p=0.761). Age>60 years, stage III/IV, and nodular melanoma subtype were significantly associated with the development of a SPC. After multivariate analysis, only age>60 years (HR 3.4; HR CI 95%: 1.5-7.6) and nodular melanoma subtype (HR 2.2; HR CI 95%: 1.0-4.8) were included in the final model. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that vitamin D deficiency is not associated with an increased risk of developing non-cutaneous SPC in melanoma patients. However, age over 60 years and nodular melanoma subtype increase the risk for non-cutaneous SPC development.

Nodular type but not vitamin D levels increases the risk of second primary cancers in melanoma patients: An observational study of 663 patients.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency associates with the risk of developing many diseases, including cancer. At the molecular level, vitamin D appears to have an antineoplastic effect. However, the role of vitamin D deficiency in cancer pathogenesis remains unelucidated and numerous studies have resulted in discordant results. This study aimed to determine whether vitamin D deficiency during melanoma diagnosis increases the risk of developing non-cutaneous second primary cancers (SPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study on 663 patients diagnosed with melanoma between 1 January 2011 and 31 October 2022. The effect of each variable on the development of a subsequent non-cutaneous cancer was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and differences were assessed by log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazard univariate and multivariate models were used to quantify the effect of each variable in the time to develop a non-cutaneous neoplasia. RESULTS: Out of 663 patients, 34 developed a non-cutaneous SPC. There was no statistically significant association between vitamin D levels and non-cutaneous SPC development (log-rank, p=0.761). Age>60 years, stage III/IV, and nodular melanoma subtype were significantly associated with the development of a SPC. After multivariate analysis, only age>60 years (HR 3.4; HR CI 95%: 1.5-7.6) and nodular melanoma subtype (HR 2.2; HR CI 95%: 1.0-4.8) were included in the final model. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that vitamin D deficiency is not associated with an increased risk of developing non-cutaneous SPC in melanoma patients. However, age over 60 years and nodular melanoma subtype increase the risk for non-cutaneous SPC development.

Interobserver variability in the histopathological evaluation of melanoma: analysis of 60 case reports.

INTRODUCTION: Since the field of dermatopathology is not an exact science, it is prone to personal subjectivity, which sometimes causes disagreements on the diagnosis and assessment of some histological features. In the case of melanoma, some variables such as regression are associated with low interobserver agreement. On the contrary, other variables such as the measurement of Breslow thickness show high reproducibility. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of our study was to investigate multiple features of 60 consecutive cases of melanoma to establish interobserver reproducibility. METHODS AND MAIN RESULTS: We conducted an observational and descriptive study at Hospital de Manises, Valencia, Spain, IVO Foundation, Valencia, Spain, and Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain. The mean level of agreement of all study variables was moderate (Cohen's kappa coefficient statistic = 0.5). The highest agreement corresponded to polypoid morphology, pigmentation, ulceration, and solar elastosis. On the other hand, the lowest level agreement was reached for the presence of cellular pleomorphism and tumor necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our mean level of agreement was moderate, which reflects that some of the measured characteristics such as cellular pleomorphism or the presence of necrosis cannot be used for future studies or must be redefined and their reproducibility, reestablished. When conducting a research study, it is necessary to analyze the study variables to demonstrate their validity to measure or classify a certain feature. It is also advisable to warrant that that the variables are reproducible to be able to use them for other studies or in the routine clinical practice.

Giants of the Amazon: How does environmental variation drive the diversity patterns of large trees?

For more than three decades, major efforts in sampling and analyzing tree diversity in South America have focused almost exclusively on trees with stems of at least 10 and 2.5 cm diameter, showing highest species diversity in the wetter western and northern Amazon forests. By contrast, little attention has been paid to patterns and drivers of diversity in the largest canopy and emergent trees, which is surprising given these have dominant ecological functions. Here, we use a machine learning approach to quantify the importance of environmental factors and apply it to generate spatial predictions of the species diversity of all trees (dbh ≥ 10 cm) and for very large trees (dbh ≥ 70 cm) using data from 243 forest plots (108,450 trees and 2832 species) distributed across different forest types and biogeographic regions of the Brazilian Amazon. The diversity of large trees and of all trees was significantly associated with three environmental factors, but in contrasting ways across regions and forest types. Environmental variables associated with disturbances, for example, the lightning flash rate and wind speed, as well as the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation, tend to govern the diversity of large trees. Upland rainforests in the Guiana Shield and Roraima regions had a high diversity of large trees. By contrast, variables associated with resources tend to govern tree diversity in general. Places such as the province of Imeri and the northern portion of the province of Madeira stand out for their high diversity of species in general. Climatic and topographic stability and functional adaptation mechanisms promote ideal conditions for species diversity. Finally, we mapped general patterns of tree species diversity in the Brazilian Amazon, which differ substantially depending on size class.

Ethanol Oxidation Reaction Mechanism on Gold Nanowires from Density Functional Theory.

Thin gold nanowires (NWs) are materials that could be used as support in different chemical reactions. Using density functional theory (DFT) it was shown that NWs that form linear atomic chains (LACs) are suitable for stimulating chemical reactions. To this end, the oxidation reaction of ethanol supported on the LACs of Au-NWs was investigated. Two types of LACs were used for the study, one pure and the other with an oxygen impurity. The results showed that the oxygen atom in the LAC fulfills important functions throughout the reaction pathway. Before the chemical reaction, it was observed that the LAC with impurity gains structural stability, that is, the oxygen acts as an anchor for the gold atoms in the LAC. In addition, the LAC was shown to be sensitive to disturbances in its vicinity, which modifies its nucleophilic character. During the chemical reaction, the oxidation of ethanol occurs through two different reaction paths and in two stages, both producing acetaldehyde (CH3 CHO). The different reaction pathways are a consequence of the presence of oxygen in the LAC (oxygen conditions the formation of reaction intermediates). In addition, the oxygen in the LAC also modifies the kinetic behavior in both reaction stages. It was observed that, by introducing an oxygen impurity in the LAC, the activation energy barriers decrease ∼69 % and ∼97 % in the first and second reaction stages, respectively.

Acute Chagas disease associated with ingestion of contaminated food in Brazilian western Amazon.

OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical, epidemiological and management information on cases of acute Chagas disease (ACD) by oral transmission in the state of Amazonas in western Amazon. METHODS: Manual and electronic medical records of patients diagnosed with ACD at the Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD) were included. RESULTS: There were 147 cases of acute CD registered from 10 outbreaks that occurred in the state of Amazonas between 2004 and 2022. The transmission pathway was through oral route, with probable contaminated palm fruit juice (açaí and/or papatuá), and involved people from the same family, friends or neighbours. Of 147 identified cases, 87 (59%) were males; cases were aged 10 months to 82 years. The most common symptom was the febrile syndrome (123/147; 91.8%); cardiac alterations were present in 33/100 (33%), (2/147; 1.4%) had severe ACD with meningoencephalitis, and 12 (8.2%) were asymptomatic. Most cases were diagnosed through thick blood smear (132/147; 89.8%), a few (14/147; 9.5%) were diagnosed by serology and (1/147; 0.7%) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and blood culture. In all these outbreaks, 74.1% of the patients were analysed by PCR, and Trypanosoma cruzi TcIV was detected in all of them. No deaths were recorded. The incidence of these foci coincided with the fruit harvest period in the state of Amazonas. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of ACD outbreaks in the Amazon affected individuals of both sexes, young adults, living in rural and peri-urban areas and related to the consumption of regional foods. Early diagnosis is an important factor in surveillance. There was a low frequency of cardiac alterations. Continuous follow-up of most patients was not carried out due to difficulty in getting to specialised centres; therefore, little is known about post-treatment.

Food Aversion during Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review.

Individuals with cancer often present food aversion after initiation of anti-tumor treatment, which may impair nutritional status. We aim to assess the prevalence and factors associated with food aversion during cancer treatment. Articles from three databases were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library. English was used, with no restriction on the year of publication. Inclusion criteria were original articles that evaluated food aversion in adults and the elderly undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy treatment. Fifteen articles were included. A high prevalence of food aversion (21-62%) was observed, with meat considered the most aversive food. The aversion is usually transient and may be due to gastrointestinal problems, such as nausea and vomiting, caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment, and even psychological and emotional issues. Offering a new food before the beginning of treatment seems to be an effective strategy to reduce aversion, combined with nutritional and psychological monitoring. Cancer patients have a high prevalence of food aversion. Multidisciplinary care can minimize the consequences of cancer treatment.

Conjugated linoleic acid trans-10, cis-12 increases the expression of genes from cell cycle progression and cis-9, trans-11 stimulates apoptotic genes in different mammary tumor explants of female dogs.

BACKGROUND: The conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomer cis-9, trans-11 is an anticarcinogen that inhibits cell proliferation and/or induces apoptosis of tumor cells. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of genes responsible for cell cycle regulation and apoptosis in tumor explants of mammary anaplastic carcinoma (AC) and mammary tubulopapillary carcinoma (TC) cultured in vitro with the CLA isomers cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12. METHODS: In this study we used mammary explants from two adult female dogs that revealed two types of malignant tumors: (a) anaplastic mammary carcinoma (AC) and (b) mammary tubulopapillary carcinoma (TC). The explants (n = 6 per treatment) had an average weight of 80.0 ± 2.0 mg and were cultured for 24 h in 35 mm culture plates under the following treatments: (a) Control: Culture medium + fatty acid free bovine serum albumin (BSA); (b) Culture medium + cis-9, trans-11 CLA (75 µM) diluted with fatty acid free bovine serum albumin (BSA), and; (c) Culture medium + trans-10, cis-12 CLA (75 µM) diluted with fatty acid free bovine serum albumin (BSA). After that, total RNA was extracted, complementary DNA was synthesized (cDNA), and quantitative analysis by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was conducted. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. RESULTS: Compared with the Control, the CLA trans-10, cis-12 treatment decreased expression of the gene encoding the p53 by 20% (P = 0.02), Caspase-3 by 25% (P = 0.06) and Bax by 51% (P = 0.001) in AC. The CLA cis-9, trans-11 increased the gene expression of proapoptotic protein Bax in TC by 68% (P = 0.01), but increased the expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl2 gene in AC by 72% (P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The CLA cis-9, trans-11 stimulates apoptotic genes in mammary tubulopapillary carcinoma, but has a contrary effect on the anaplastic carcinoma, and the CLA trans-10, cis-12 stimulates cell cycle progression genes and may have an antiapoptotic effect, mainly in mammary anaplastic carcinoma.

Parents' perceptions of a modified sports intervention for children with cerebral palsy.

AIM: To explore the perceptions of parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) participating in a modified sports intervention, Sports Stars Brazil. METHOD: Parents of children with CP (n = 15, 6-12 years old, nine males, six females), classified in Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I and II, who participated in the Sports Stars Brazil intervention, were recruited for this descriptive qualitative study. Children received the 8-week (1 hour per week) modified sports intervention. After the intervention, parents participated in a focus group. The F-word (fitness, family, fun, functioning, friends, and future) interpretation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health was used to guide the discussion. Participants were invited to report their experience of participating in the intervention using the F-words for a childhood disability model. Transcripts were coded using content analysis. RESULTS: Parents reported positive experiences of the Sports Stars Brazil intervention, including a decrease in sedentarism (fitness), improvement of motor skills (functioning), greater connection between child and family (family), better socialization (friends), increased participation in pleasurable activities (fun), and awareness of the importance of physical activity (future). All positive experiences were interconnected. INTERPRETATION: This study presents the ability of the Sports Stars Brazil intervention to integrate all aspects of functioning and supports its role as an engaging and promising intervention option for ambulant children with CP.

Sonophotodynamic inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm mediated by curcumin.

The inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm is a major challenge, as biofilms are less responsive to conventional treatments and responsible for persistent infections. This has led to the investigation of alternative approaches for biofilm control such as photodynamic (PDI) and sonodynamic (SDI) inactivation. The combination of them, known as Sonophotodynamic Inactivation (SPDI), has improved the effectiveness of the process. Curcumin, a well-established photosensitizer, has been identified as a potential sonosensitizer. This study evaluated the most effective combination for SPDI against P. aeruginosa biofilms in vitro, varying curcumin concentrations and ultrasound intensities. The results indicated that the inactivation was directly proportional to the curcumin concentration. Using curcumin 120 µM and 3.0 W.cm-2 of ultrasound intensity, SPDI demonstrated the highest and the best synergistic results, equivalent to 6.9 ± 2.1 logs of reduction. PDI reduced 0.7 ± 0.9 log and SDI had no effect. In conclusion, SPDI with curcumin is a promising approach for biofilm inactivation.

Draft Genome Sequence and Comparative Genome Analysis Reveal Potential Functional Properties in Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ItalPN16.

Nowadays, there is a great interest on rapid and effective methods for initial identification of probiotic bacteria. In this work, potential probiotic features of the lactic acid bacteria strain ItalPN16 isolated from a traditional Brazilian cheese were studied using bioinformatic tools. The complete genome sequence was obtained, and in silico analyses were carried out to identify the strain and its potential probiotic properties. The sequenced genome (3.02 Mb) presented 3126 protein-coding sequences distributed on 244 SEED subsystems, classifying the strain as nomadic lactobacilli. Phylogenetic and ANI analyses allowed to locate the ItalPN16 strain as a member of the Lacticaseibacillus paracasei group, due to the highest number of orthologous genes in common with reference L. paracasei strains (>98%). In silico analyses revealed the presence of CDSs related to microbe-host interactions, such as adhesion proteins and exopolysaccharide biosynthesis genes. The comparative analysis reveals the presence of a strain-specific glycosyl transferases, compared with other three L. paracasei strains and a high level of protein expression (92%) with the probiotic L. paracasei BL29. The results obtained here indicated interesting probiotic features of the strain L. paracasei ItalPN16 that could favor a future application in the food industry.