Saúde e saneamento: uma avaliação das políticas públicas de prevenção, controle e contingência das arboviroses no Brasil / Health and sanitation: an evaluation of public policies for the prevention, control, and contingency of arboviruses in Brazil

Resumo As arboviroses, sobretudo as transmitidas pelo mosquito Aedes aegypti, têm-se constituído em grave problema de saúde pública no Brasil. Com o intuito de analisar como o saneamento básico é abordado em instrumentos norteadores das políticas públicas de controle das arboviroses no país, foi realizada uma análise de conteúdo em oito documentos governamentais de referência. Como resultados, foi possível identificar que aspectos relacionados à comunicação e mobilização social, controle vetorial e gestão são os temas mais abordados nos documentos analisados. Já as componentes do saneamento básico, destacando-se o manejo e a drenagem das águas pluviais e o esgotamento sanitário não são abordados nos instrumentos. A intersetorialidade é mencionada, no entanto, não existem proposições específicas que apontem e assegurem sua implementação. As Diretrizes Nacionais para a Prevenção e Controle de Epidemias de Dengue, do Ministério da Saúde, constitui-se no documento mais completo sobre o assunto. Conclui-se que o saneamento básico não está suficientemente abordado nos instrumentos de enfrentamento às arboviroses o que pode contribuir para a baixa efetividade de intervenção pública e que, portanto, tal contradição precisa ser superada pelas políticas públicas no Brasil.

Abstract Arboviruses, especially those transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, have become a serious public health problem in Brazil. In order to analyze how sanitation is addressed in the basic guidelines of public policies to control arboviruses in the country, content analysis was performed on eight governmental reference documents. As a result, it was possible to identify that aspects related to communication and social mobilization, vector control, and management are the themes most addressed in the documents analyzed. On the other hand, the components of basic sanitation, especially rainwater management and drainage, and sewage control, are not addressed in the instruments. Intersectorality is mentioned, however, there are no specific proposals to implement the plan and ensure its implementation. The Ministry of Health's National Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Dengue Epidemics is the most complete document on the subject. The conclusion drawn is that basic sanitation is not sufficiently addressed in the instruments for combatting arboviruses, which can contribute to the low effectiveness of public intervention and, consequently, this discrepancy needs to be focused on by public policies in Brazil.

Impaired Decision-Making Capacity in the Elderly King David (c. 1040-970 BCE): Was Hypothyroidism the Underlying Cause?

It has been suggested in the medical literature that in the last period of his life King David (c. 1040-970 BCE) suffered from dementia, osteoporosis, hyperparathyroidism, Parkinson's disease, autonomic neuropathy, major depression, and malignancy. The goal of this study was to identify, based on the "Succession Narrative (SN)," a historically objective section of the Old Testament, the clinical syndrome presented by King David and to determine whether an impaired decision making capacity may have been manipulated by his courtiers to influence his succession's politics. The "SN" indicates that besides forgetfulness and trouble in thinking, King David suffered from marked cold intolerance and sexual dysfunction. The symptom triad consisting of cognitive impairment, cold intolerance, and sexual dysfunction is more strongly suggestive of hypothyroidism than of any other diagnoses proposed in the medical literature so far. We hypothesized that hypothyroidism was the underlying cause of the elderly King David's clinical picture and that his sometimes troubled thinking was successfully manipulated by the courtiers to favor his son Solomon's accession to the throne, with profound historical consequences.

[Health and sanitation: an evaluation of public policies for the prevention, control, and contingency of arboviruses in Brazil]. / Saúde e saneamento: uma avaliação das políticas públicas de prevenção, controle e contingência das arboviroses no Brasil.

Arboviruses, especially those transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, have become a serious public health problem in Brazil. In order to analyze how sanitation is addressed in the basic guidelines of public policies to control arboviruses in the country, content analysis was performed on eight governmental reference documents. As a result, it was possible to identify that aspects related to communication and social mobilization, vector control, and management are the themes most addressed in the documents analyzed. On the other hand, the components of basic sanitation, especially rainwater management and drainage, and sewage control, are not addressed in the instruments. Intersectorality is mentioned, however, there are no specific proposals to implement the plan and ensure its implementation. The Ministry of Health's National Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Dengue Epidemics is the most complete document on the subject. The conclusion drawn is that basic sanitation is not sufficiently addressed in the instruments for combatting arboviruses, which can contribute to the low effectiveness of public intervention and, consequently, this discrepancy needs to be focused on by public policies in Brazil.

As arboviroses, sobretudo as transmitidas pelo mosquito Aedes aegypti, têm-se constituído em grave problema de saúde pública no Brasil. Com o intuito de analisar como o saneamento básico é abordado em instrumentos norteadores das políticas públicas de controle das arboviroses no país, foi realizada uma análise de conteúdo em oito documentos governamentais de referência. Como resultados, foi possível identificar que aspectos relacionados à comunicação e mobilização social, controle vetorial e gestão são os temas mais abordados nos documentos analisados. Já as componentes do saneamento básico, destacando-se o manejo e a drenagem das águas pluviais e o esgotamento sanitário não são abordados nos instrumentos. A intersetorialidade é mencionada, no entanto, não existem proposições específicas que apontem e assegurem sua implementação. As Diretrizes Nacionais para a Prevenção e Controle de Epidemias de Dengue, do Ministério da Saúde, constitui-se no documento mais completo sobre o assunto. Conclui-se que o saneamento básico não está suficientemente abordado nos instrumentos de enfrentamento às arboviroses o que pode contribuir para a baixa efetividade de intervenção pública e que, portanto, tal contradição precisa ser superada pelas políticas públicas no Brasil.

Bioengineering Tools Applied to Dentistry: Validation Methods for In Vitro and In Silico Analysis.

This study aimed to evaluate the use of bioengineering tools, finite element analysis, strain gauge analysis, photoelastic analysis, and digital image correlation, in computational studies with greater validity and reproducibility. A bibliographic search was performed in the main health databases PUBMED and Scholar Google, in which different studies, among them, laboratory studies, case reports, systematic reviews, and literature reviews, which were developed in living individuals, were included. Therefore, articles that did not deal with the use of finite element analysis, strain gauge analysis, photoelastic analysis, and digital image correlation were excluded, as well as their use in computational studies with greater validity and reproducibility. According to the methodological analysis, it is observed that the average publication of articles in the Pubmed database was 2.03 and with a standard deviation of 1.89. While in Google Scholar, the average was 0.78 and the standard deviation was 0.90. Thus, it is possible to verify that there was a significant variation in the number of articles in the two databases. Modern dentistry finds in finite element analysis, strain gauge, photoelastic and digital image correlation a way to analyze the biomechanical behavior in dental materials to obtain results that assist to obtain rehabilitations with favorable prognosis and patient satisfaction.

Presence of Trypanosoma vivax DNA in cattle semen and reproductive tissues and related changes in sperm parameters.

The present work investigated the presence of Trypanosoma vivax in semen and reproductive tissues of experimentally infected cattle and evaluated changes in seminal parameters. Two groups of cattle were established: T01 - experimentally infected with T. vivax (n = 8) and T02 - not experimentally infected with T. vivax (n = 8). After infection, blood (every seven days until 182 days post-infection - DPI), semen (7, 14, 35, 56, 70, 120 and 182 DPI) and reproductive tissue (after euthanasia, 182 DPI) were collected to search for T. vivax using different techniques, including PCR, Woo and Brener. Seminal parameters, including turbulence, motility, concentration, and vigor, were also analyzed. Packed cell volume (PCV) of the animals was determined weekly and weight gain was calculated. The PCR revealed T. vivax DNA in 7/56 semen samples of post-infection T01 cattle. Trypanosoma vivax DNA was detected in the semen of 5/8 animals at 7, 14, 56, 70 and 120 DPI, in the testis of four, and in the epididymis and fat located around the testis of two others. Trypomastigote forms of T. vivax were not found in any semen sample. Sperm of T01 cattle had lower turbulence (p ≤ 0.05) at 7, 14, 35, 56, 120 and 182 DPI, lower vigor (p ≤ 0.05) at 120 DPI and more sperm abnormalities (p ≤ 0.05) than T02. Digital dermatitis was observed among T01 cattle. Animals of T01 had lower PCV values than did those of T02 for most of the evaluations performed and T02 animals gained more weight during the experiment. The results highlight the presence of T. vivax DNA in semen of infected cattle and the importance of this disease for male breeding cattle. Further research is needed to determine whether T. vivax can be sexually transmitted in cattle.

Radiotherapy changes the salivary proteome in head and neck cancer patients: evaluation before, during, and after treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Salivary glands are affected during radiotherapy in the head and neck region, leading to a reduction in salivary flow and changes its composition. Besides negatively affecting the oral soft tissues, this can also lead to dental impairment. Thus, we evaluated the effect of radiotherapy in the proteomic profile of the saliva in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: HNC patients had their saliva collected before (BRT), during (2-5 weeks; DRT), and after (3-4 months; ART) radiotherapy. Saliva was also collected from healthy volunteers (control; C). Samples were processed for proteomic analysis. RESULTS: In total, 1055 proteins were identified, among which 46 were common to all groups, while 86, 86, 286, and 395 were exclusively found in C, BRT, DRT, and ART, respectively. Remarkably, alpha-enolase was increased 35-fold DRT compared with BRT, while proline-rich proteins were decreased. ART there was a 16-fold increase in scaffold attachment factor-B1 and a 3-fold decrease in alpha-enolase and several cystatins. When compared with C, salivary proteins of BRT patients showed increases cystatin-C, lysozyme C, histatin-1, and proline-rich proteins CONCLUSION/CLINICAL REVELANCE: Both HNC and radiotherapy remarkably change the salivary protein composition. Altogether, our results, for the first time, suggest investigating alpha-enolase levels in saliva DRT in future studies as a possible biomarker and strategy to predict the efficiency of the treatment. Moreover, our data provide important insights for designing dental products that are more effective for these patients and contribute to a better understanding of the progressive changes in salivary proteins induced by radiotherapy. Graphical abstract.

Repetitive Peripheral Sensory Stimulation as an Add-On Intervention for Upper Limb Rehabilitation in Stroke: A Randomized Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Repetitive peripheral sensory stimulation (RPSS) followed by 4-hour task-specific training (TST) improves upper limb motor function in subjects with stroke who experience moderate to severe motor upper limb impairments. Here, we compared effects of RPSS vs sham followed by a shorter duration of training in subjects with moderate to severe motor impairments in the chronic phase after stroke. METHODS: This single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial compared effects of 18 sessions of either 1.5 h of active RPSS or sham followed by a supervised session that included 45 min of TST of the paretic upper limb. In both groups, subjects were instructed to perform functional tasks at home, without supervision. The primary outcome measure was the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) after 6 weeks of treatment. Grasp and pinch strength were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: In intention-to-treat analysis, WMFT improved significantly in both active and sham groups at 3 and 6 weeks of treatment. Grasp strength improved significantly in the active, but not in the sham group, at 3 and 6 weeks. Pinch strength improved significantly in both groups at 3 weeks, and only in the active group at 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The between-group difference in changes in WMFT was not statistically significant. Despite the short duration of supervised treatment, WMFT improved significantly in subjects treated with RPSS or sham. These findings are relevant to settings that impose constraints in duration of direct contact between therapists and patients. In addition, RPSS led to significant gains in hand strength.Trial Registry Name: Peripheral Nerve Stimulation and Motor Training in Stroke Clinical Trials.gov identifier: NCT0265878 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02658578.

The Effect of Inoculation of a Diazotrophic Bacterial Consortium on the Indigenous Bacterial Community Structure of Sugarcane Apoplast Fluid.

The extracellular space in plants, termed the apoplast, has a pH and sugar content that enables bacterial growth and represents a possible niche for the establishment of endophytic bacteria. Previous studies have investigated the effects of diazotrophic bacteria inoculation in sugarcane varieties, but it has not yet been analyzed how the microbial community of apoplast fluid of sugarcane is affected. High-throughput next generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used throughout this study to determine the effect of inoculation with a diazotrophic bacteria consortium, previously isolated from sugarcane, on the native bacterial population of sugarcane variety RB867515 grown in the field. The analyses were carried out 450 days after inoculation. The results revealed the presence of 22 phyla, with predominance of Proteobacteria phylum. It was observed that the inoculated consortium changed the indigenous bacterial community structure of sugarcane apoplast fluid by decreasing diversity and evenness, interfering in the composition of rare species. Microbial community composition analysis revealed differences between treatments. The differential abundance test showed there were 43 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) which were relatively more abundant in the inoculated treatment, with predominance of the Sphingomonas genus. The predicted functions of the most abundant ASVs revealed the presence of genera related to plant growth promotion and protection against phytopathogens. Analysis to evaluate the occurrence of inoculated strains in the recovered data was not conclusive since the ASVs taxonomically close to the inoculated bacteria were observed in low abundance. The present study is the first report to elucidate the bacterial community in sugarcane apoplast fluid using a culture-independent approach. It demonstrated that the diazotrophic bacterial consortium interferes in the natural bacterial community in sugarcane variety RB867515.

Is there difference in the comparative and quantitative salivary proteome between stimulated and unstimulated saliva in head and neck cancer patients treated by radiotherapy?

Stimulation of saliva production is an alternative to improve the quality of life of patients treated by radiotherapy. However, there is no information about changes in the salivary proteome of stimulated and unstimulated saliva in these patients. OBJECTIVES: Thus, we evaluated the difference in the proteomic profile of stimulated and unstimulated saliva in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) treated by radiotherapy. METHODS: Stimulated and unstimulated saliva were collected from 9 patients with HNC before (BRT), during (DRT; 2-5 weeks) and after (ART; 3-4 months) treatment. Healthy patients paired by age and gender also had their saliva collected (C; control group). The stimulated and unstimulated salivary flow were evaluated (p < 0.05). Salivary proteins were extracted and processed for shotgun proteomic analysis. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between stimulated and unstimulated salivary flows for C and BRT (p greater than 0.001), but not for DRT and ART. Proteins involved with apoptosis, antibacterial and acid-resistance were decreased in stimulated saliva in comparison to unstimulated saliva DRT and ART. Isoforms of keratins were not identified in control and BRT. CONCLUSION: there is a marked difference in the protein profile of stimulated and unstimulated salivary flows in HNC patients treated by radiotherapy. In addition, saliva stimulation in patients with HNC decreases important proteins involved with dental protection. The unstimulated salivary flow seems to be the best alternative to search for biomarkers. Our results contribute in an unprecedented way to understand the changes in the salivary proteome of different flows in HNC patients undergoing radiotherapy treatment.

Radiotherapy changes acquired enamel pellicle proteome in head and neck cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate in vivo the proteomic profile of the acquired enamel pellicle (AEP) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) before, during and after radiotherapy. METHODS: Nine patients, after prophylaxis, had their AEPs collected before (BRT), during (DRT; 2-5 weeks) and after (ART; 3-4 months) radiotherapy. AEP was also collected from nine healthy patients (Control). The proteins were extracted in biological triplicate and processed by label-free proteomics. RESULTS: Statherin was increased more than 9-fold and several hemoglobin subunits were increased more than 5-fold DRT compared to BRT, while lactotransferrin, proline-rich proteins, cystatins, neutrophil defensins 1 and 3 and histatin-1 were decreased. ART, there was an increase in lactotransferrin and several isoforms of histones, while statherin and alpha-amylase proteins were decreased. MOAP-1 was exclusively found ART in comparison to BRT. When compared to Control, AEP of patients BRT showed an increase in proteins related to the perception of bitter taste, mucin-7 and alpha-amylases, while cystatin-S was decreased. CONCLUSIONS: HNC and radiotherapy remarkably altered the proteome of the AEP. Antibacterial and acid-resistant proteins were decreased during radiotherapy. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Our results provide important information for designing more effective dental products for these patients, in addition to contributing to a better understanding of the differential protective roles of the AEP proteins during radiotherapy. Moreover, some proteins identified in the AEP after radiotherapy may serve as prognostic markers for survival of HNC patients.

Reflexões sobre as redes sociais de suporte de mulheres que sofreram violência de gênero perpetrada por parceiro íntimo: considerações sobre a percepção do corpo e da sexualidade das mulheres / Reflections on women's social networks who suffered gender based violence perpetrated by intimate partner: considerations on body image and sexuality

Introdução: Tendo em vista a estrutura patriarcal da sociedade e as estratégias de controle dos corpos femininos utilizadas para a manutenção da mesma, entende-se que as violências de gênero repercutem no cotidiano das mulheres ressignificando os sentidos atribuídos a seus corpos e sexualidade, sendo importante considerar que tal ressignificação passa pela mediação das redes sociais de suporte das mulheres. Objetivo: Compreender a influência das redes sociais de suporte junto às mulheres que sofreram violência de gênero perpetrada por parceiro íntimo, no processo de percepção de si, do seu corpo e da sexualidade. Metodologia: Pesquisa qualitativa que se utilizou da análise de conteúdo para analisar entrevistas semiestruturadas virtuais com 5 jovens mulheres influenciadoras digitais. Resultados: Foram identificadas 3 categorias analíticas que gravitam sobre as ideias de uma culpabilização pela violência vivida; as marcas da violência sobre os corpos e a sexualidade das mulheres; e o papel das redes sociais e de suporte para a superação ou manutenção da violência. Conclusão: O papel da rede social desenvolve-se tanto no apoio, quanto na reafirmação das violências vividas. Essas violências impactam o corpo, a sexualidade, e o cotidiano das entrevistadas. Cabe ao terapeuta ocupacional pensar em estratégias para ressignificar a violência vivida, o sentido dos corpos e da sexualidade das mulheres

Introduction: Bearing in mind the patriarchal structure of society and the strategies to control female bodies used to maintain it, it is understood that gender violence affects women's daily lives, giving new meaning to their bodies and sexuality, being important to consider that such resignification involves the mediation of women's social support networks. Objective: To understand the influence of social support networks on women who have suffered gender violence in the process of building their bodies and sexuality. Methodology: Qualitative research that used the content analysis method to analyze virtual semi-structured interviews with 5 young digital influencers. Results: Three analytical categories were identified that gravitate towards the ideas of blaming the violence experienced; the marks of violence on women's bodies and sexuality; and the role of social networks in overcoming or maintaining violence. Conclusion: The role of the social network is developed both in support and in reaffirming the violence experienced. These violences impact the body, sexuality, and daily life of the interviewees. It is up to the occupational therapist to think of strategies to re-signify the violence experienced, the meaning of women's bodies and sexuality.

A Begomovirus Nuclear Shuttle Protein-Interacting Immune Hub: Hijacking Host Transport Activities and Suppressing Incompatible Functions.

Begomoviruses (Geminiviridae family) represent a severe constraint to agriculture worldwide. As ssDNA viruses that replicate in the nuclei of infected cells, the nascent viral DNA has to move to the cytoplasm and then to the adjacent cell to cause disease. The begomovirus nuclear shuttle protein (NSP) assists the intracellular transport of viral DNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and cooperates with the movement protein (MP) for the cell-to-cell translocation of viral DNA to uninfected cells. As a facilitator of intra- and intercellular transport of viral DNA, NSP is predicted to associate with host proteins from the nuclear export machinery, the intracytoplasmic active transport system, and the cell-to-cell transport complex. Furthermore, NSP functions as a virulence factor that suppresses antiviral immunity against begomoviruses. In this review, we focus on the protein-protein network that converges on NSP with a high degree of centrality and forms an immune hub against begomoviruses. We also describe the compatible host functions hijacked by NSP to promote the nucleocytoplasmic and intracytoplasmic movement of viral DNA. Finally, we discuss the NSP virulence function as a suppressor of the recently described NSP-interacting kinase 1 (NIK1)-mediated antiviral immunity. Understanding the NSP-host protein-protein interaction (PPI) network will probably pave the way for strategies to generate more durable resistance against begomoviruses.

Treatment of Upper Limb Paresis With Repetitive Peripheral Nerve Sensory Stimulation and Motor Training: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Repetitive peripheral nerve sensory stimulation (RPSS) has emerged as a potential adjuvant strategy to motor training in stroke rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that 3 h sessions of active RPSS associated with functional electrical stimulation (FES) and task-specific training (TST) distributed three times a week, over 6 weeks, is more beneficial to improve upper limb motor function than sham RPSS in addition to FES and TST, in subjects with moderate to severe hand motor impairments in the chronic phase (>6 months) after stroke. Methods: In this single-center, randomized, placebo controlled, parallel-group, double-blind study we compare the effects of 18 sessions of active and sham RPSS as add-on interventions to FES and task-specific training of the paretic upper limb, in 40 subjects in the chronic phase after ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, with Fugl-Meyer upper limb scores ranging from 7 to 50 and able to voluntarily activate any active range of wrist extension. The primary outcome measure is the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) after 6 weeks of treatment. The secondary outcomes are the WMFT at 3, 10, and 18 weeks after beginning of treatment, as well as the following outcomes measured at 3, 6, 10, and 18 weeks: Motor Activity Log; active range of motion of wrist extension and flexion; grasp and pinch strength in the paretic and non-paretic sides (the order of testing is randomized within and across subjects); Modified Ashworth Scale; Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Limb in the paretic arm; Barthel Index; Stroke Impact Scale. Discussion: This project represents a major step in developing a rehabilitation strategy with potential to have impact on the treatment of stroke patients with poor motor recovery in developing countries worldwide. The study preliminarily evaluates a straightforward, non-invasive, inexpensive intervention. If feasibility and preliminary efficacy are demonstrated, further investigations of the proposed intervention (underlying mechanisms/ effects in larger numbers of patients) should be performed. Trial Registration: NCT02658578.

The entomological exhibition of a Science museum and its contributions to non-formal Education

The Insecta Class is the most diverse group of animals on the planet. A big part of this composition is available in the collections of Natural History Museums, being essential for researches and diffusion actions involving a specialized and lay public. This paper aimed to verify the importance of an entomological exhibition of a Science museum for the acquisition of new knowledge and conception change regarding insects. To this end, 128 fourth-graders from elementary school were asked to draw an insect and write a brief description of it in relation to their knowledge about insects. Then, they visited an entomological exhibition, and a week later, using the "stimulated recollection method", they made a new drawing and description. The extracted data were organized in categories and statistically analyzed. Significant changes were observe regarding the children’s knowledge and concepts on insects in most of the analyzed aspects, such as the decrease of drawings and descriptions of animals belonging to other taxonomic groups and an increase on correct descriptions of concepts.

Standardization of a protocol for shotgun proteomic analysis of saliva.

INTRODUCTION: Saliva contains numerous proteins and peptides, each of them carries a number of biological functions that are very important in maintaining the oral cavity health and also yields information about both local and systemic diseases. Currently, proteomic analysis is the basis for large-scale identification of these proteins and discovery of new biomarkers for distinct diseases. OBJECTIVE: This study compared methodologies to extract salivary proteins for proteomic analysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Saliva samples were collected from 10 healthy volunteers. In the first test, the necessity for using an albumin and IgG depletion column was evaluated, employing pooled samples from the 10 volunteers. In the second test, the analysis of the pooled samples was compared with individual analysis of one sample. Salivary proteins were extracted and processed for analysis by LC-ESI-MS/MS. RESULTS: In the first test, we identified only 35 proteins using the albumin and IgG depletion column, while we identified 248 proteins without using the column. In the second test, the pooled sample identified 212 proteins, such as carbonic anhydrase 6, cystatin isoforms, histatins 1 and 3, lysozyme C, mucin 7, protein S100A8 and S100A9, and statherin, while individual analysis identified 239 proteins, among which are carbonic anhydrase 6, cystatin isoforms, histatin 1 and 3, lactotransferrin, lyzozyme C, mucin 7, protein S100A8 and S100A9, serotransferrin, and statherin. CONCLUSIONS: The standardization of protocol for salivary proteomic analysis was satisfactory, since the identification detected typical salivary proteins, among others. The results indicate that using the column for depletion of albumin and IgG is not necessary and that performing individual analysis of saliva samples is possible.

Standardization of a protocol for shotgun proteomic analysis of saliva

Abstract Saliva contains numerous proteins and peptides, each of them carries a number of biological functions that are very important in maintaining the oral cavity health and also yields information about both local and systemic diseases. Currently, proteomic analysis is the basis for large-scale identification of these proteins and discovery of new biomarkers for distinct diseases. Objective This study compared methodologies to extract salivary proteins for proteomic analysis. Material and Methods Saliva samples were collected from 10 healthy volunteers. In the first test, the necessity for using an albumin and IgG depletion column was evaluated, employing pooled samples from the 10 volunteers. In the second test, the analysis of the pooled samples was compared with individual analysis of one sample. Salivary proteins were extracted and processed for analysis by LC-ESI-MS/MS. Results In the first test, we identified only 35 proteins using the albumin and IgG depletion column, while we identified 248 proteins without using the column. In the second test, the pooled sample identified 212 proteins, such as carbonic anhydrase 6, cystatin isoforms, histatins 1 and 3, lysozyme C, mucin 7, protein S100A8 and S100A9, and statherin, while individual analysis identified 239 proteins, among which are carbonic anhydrase 6, cystatin isoforms, histatin 1 and 3, lactotransferrin, lyzozyme C, mucin 7, protein S100A8 and S100A9, serotransferrin, and statherin. Conclusions The standardization of protocol for salivary proteomic analysis was satisfactory, since the identification detected typical salivary proteins, among others. The results indicate that using the column for depletion of albumin and IgG is not necessary and that performing individual analysis of saliva samples is possible.

Beyond deficit or compensation: new insights on postural control after long-term total visual loss.

Loss of vision is well known to affect postural control in blind subjects. This effect has classically been framed in terms of deficit or compensation depending on whether body sway increases or decreases in comparison with that of sighted subjects with the eyes open. However, studies have shown that postural responses can be modulated by the context and that changes in postural sway may not necessarily mean a worsened or improved postural control. The goal of our study was to test whether balance is affected by the context in blind subjects. Additional to the quantification of center of pressure (COP) displacement, measurements of body motion (COG) and the correspondent net neuromuscular response (COP-COG) were evaluated in anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions. Thirty-eight completely blind and thirty-two sighted subjects participated of this study. The volunteers were asked to stand barefoot on a force platform for 60 s in two different conditions: feet apart and feet together. Sighted participants performed the tests with both the eyes open and eyes closed. Results showed that the COP-COG displacements in the blind group were greater than those of the sighted group with eyes open in almost all conditions tested, but not in eyes closed condition. However, the COP and COG results confirmed that the postural responses were context dependent. Together these results suggest that total visual loss does not just lead to a balance deficit or compensation, but to a specific postural signature that might imply in enhancing COP, COG and/or COP-COG in specific postural conditions.

Pathologic confirmation of valve thrombosis detected by four-dimensional computed tomography following valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

A major concern regarding transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is leaflet thrombosis. Four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) is the preferred imaging modality to evaluate patients with suspected valve thrombosis. To date, the abnormal findings visualized by 4D-CT suggestive of leaflet thrombosis have lacked pathologic confirmation from a surgically explanted valve in a surviving patient. Herein, we provide pathologic confirmation of thrombus formation following surgical explantation of a thrombosed TAVR prosthesis that was initially identified by 4D-CT.

Noninvasive biomarkers of manganese exposure and neuropsychological effects in environmentally exposed adults in Brazil.

Manganese (Mn), an essential element to humans, in excess can cause neurotoxic damage. So far, Mn exposure assessment has no ideal biomarker. This study aims to investigate the association between Mn exposure, using noninvasive biomarkers, and neuropsychological effects in environmentally exposed adults. The residents of two communities near to a ferromanganese refinery in Bahia, Brazil were evaluated. Volunteers aged 15-55 of both sexes provided scalp hair, axillary hair, fingernail and saliva specimens for Mn determination by electrothermal absorption spectrometry. Several neuropsychological tests were used to evaluate cognitive, attention, memory, motor and executive functions. Significant correlations were observed between Mn in hair (MnH, median 8.95 µg/g), axillary hair (MnAxH,18.49 µg/g) and fingernail (MnFN, 6.91 µg/g) with the performances in several neuropsychological tests. No association was observed between manganese levels in saliva (MnSal, 4.2 µg/L) and any neuropsychological function. Multiple regression analysis detected an inverse association between Log MnH and IQ (ß=-4.76 [CI 95% -9.17 to -0.36]) and between Log MnFN and visual working memory (ß=-3.33 [CI 95% -6.15 to -0.52]). Direct association was observed between Log MnFN and time of completion in the cognitive flexibility task (ß=56.29 [CI 95% 2.41-110.18]). The Mn biomonitoring using noninvasive biomarkers was able to detect high exposure levels, which were associated with detrimental neuropsychological effects in adults exposed to industrial emissions.