Not Always Toxoplasmosis: Active Retinochoroiditis Presumably Secondary to Herpes in Eyes with Hyperpigmented Retinochoroidal Previous Scars.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate that the presence of active retinochoroiditis in eyes with previous hyperpigmented old retinochoroidal lesions is not exclusive of ocular toxoplasmosis. METHODS: A case series was constructed by reviewing medical records. RESULTS: Four Brazilian patients presenting active posterior uveitis in eyes with previous hyperpigmented old retinochoroidal lesions were identified. Ocular toxoplasmosis was ruled out in all cases. One case had viral etiology confirmed through vitreous PCR (HSV-2 was positive), and the other 3 cases had a presumed diagnosis of herpetic posterior uveitis. CONCLUSION: Focus active retinitis adjacent to an old cicatricial lesion should not be considered pathognomonic of toxoplasmosis and viral etiology must be considered.

Long-term complications and outcomes of therapeutic embolization of cerebral arteriovenous malformations: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Embolization is a promising treatment strategy for cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). However, consensus regarding the main complications or long-term outcomes of embolization in AVMs remains lacking. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the most prevalent complications and long-term outcomes in patients with AVM undergoing therapeutic embolization. DESIGN AND SETTING: This systematic review was conducted at the Federal University of Alagoas, Arapiraca, Brazil. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria. Data were obtained from MEDLINE, PubMed, LILACS, and SciELO databases, which included the epidemiological profile of the population, characteristics of the proposed therapy, complications (hemorrhagic events and neurological deficits), and long-term outcomes (modified Rankin scale pre- and post-treatment, AVM recanalization, complete obliteration, and deaths). RESULTS: Overall, the analysis included 34 articles (2,799 patients). Grade III Spetzler-Martin AVMs were observed in 34.2% of cases. Notably, 39.3% of patients underwent embolization combined with radiosurgery. The most frequently reported long-term complication was hemorrhage, which occurred in 8.7% of patients at a mean follow-up period of 58.6 months. Further, 6.3% of patients exhibited neurological deficits after an average of 34.7 months. Complete obliteration was achieved in 51.4% of the cases after a mean period of 36 months. Recanalization of AVMs was observed in 3.5% of patients. Long-term death occurred in 4.0% of patients. CONCLUSION: Embolization of AVMs is an increasingly safe strategy with low long-term complications and satisfactory outcomes, especially in patients who have undergone combination therapies. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ Registration number CRD42020204867.

Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-ß1) expression in patients with adenomyosis.

Objective: To compare Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-ß1) expression in patients with and without adenomyosis. Methods: A prospective design was performed including 49 patients submitted to hysterectomy. Immunohistochemistry was performed on anatomopathological samples staged in paraffin blocks from patients with and without adenomyosis. The sample contained 28 adenomyosis cases and 21 controls. Student's t-test and multivariate logistic regression tests were used for statistical analysis. Associations were considered significant at p < 0.05. Results: We found no significant association between adenomyosis and: smoking (p = 0.75), miscarriage (p = 0.29), number of previous pregnancies (p = 0.85), curettage (p = 0.81), pelvic pain (p = 0.72) and myoma (p = 0.15). However, we did find a relationship between adenomyosis and abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) (p = 0.02) and previous cesarean section (p = 0.02). The mean TGF-ß1 intensity (mean ± SD) in the ectopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis showed no significant association (184.17 ± 9.4 vs.184.66 ± 16.08, p = 0.86) from the topic endometrium of women without adenomyosis. Conclusion: TGF-ß1 expression was not increased in the ectopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the activities of the Schistosomiasis Control Program in Brazil: is the goal of controlling the disease by 2030 at risk?

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis continues to represent a serious public health problem in Brazil. With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, several control strategies were suspended, probably compromising the goals of eradicating the disease in the country. We aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Schistosomiasis Control Program (PCE) actions in all endemic states of Brazil. METHODS: We performed an ecological study using spatial analysis techniques. The PCE variables assessed were the population surveyed, the number of Kato-Katz tests, positive cases of schistosomiasis and the percentage of cases treated between 2015 and 2021. The percent change was calculated to verify if there was an increase or decrease in 2020 and 2021, along with time trend analyses provided by the Joinpoint model. Spatial distribution maps were elaborated considering the percent change. RESULTS: The surveyed population decreased in 2020 (-65.38%) and 2021 (-37.94%) across Brazil. There was a proportional reduction in the number of Kato-Katz tests (2020, -67.48%; 2021, -40.52%), a decrease in the percentage of positive cases (2020, -71.16%; 2021, -40.5%) and a reduction in the percentage of treated cases (2020, -72.09%; 2021, -41.67%). Time trend analyses showed a decreasing trend in most PCE variables. CONCLUSIONS: The PCE activities were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and PCE strategies must be urgently reviewed, focusing on investments in all endemic areas.

First report of Colletotrichum siamense causing anthracnose in Oenocarpus bacaba in Brazil.

Bacaba (Oenocarpus bacaba Mart.) is a native palm tree from Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado biomes. This tree produces a small, rounded fruit with dark skin and approximately 1.5 mm thick pulp, extensively utilized for palm heart extraction, juices, and jellies (De Cól et al. 2021). However, several diseases can adversely impact fruit yield and quality. During the 2021 growing season, anthracnose symptoms were observed in Bacaba fruits, with a disease incidence of 58% in fruits collected from the Abreulândia (9°37'15″ S, 49°9'3″ W) and Gurupi (12°25'46" S; 49°16'42" W) municipalities in Tocantins state, Brazil. A total of 198 fruits exhibiting anthracnose symptoms, characterized by deep necrotic spots, were collected. In the laboratory, symptomatic fruits had their external surfaces sterilized for 30 seconds in 70% ethanol, 1 min in 1.5% NaOCl, and then rinsed with sterile distilled water. Sterilized pieces of the fruit tissue were transferred to PDA medium and incubated for 7 days at 28 ºC with a 12 h photoperiod. After this period, two isolates were obtained from the colonies and were identified both macroscopically and microscopically as Colletotrichum sp. The colonies grown at PDA showed a white to grey cottony mycelia, with straight and fusiform conidia, ranging from 14.0 to 21.0 (mean value of 15.8 ± 1.8) µm in length and 4.0 to 7.0 (mean value of 5.5 ± 0.7) µm in width, (n = 50). For species identification, the intergenic spacer between DNA lyase, mating-type locus MAT1-2-1 (APN2/MAT-IGS), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), glutamine synthetase (GS), and ß-tubulin (TUB) loci were amplified and sequenced. Resulting sequences were deposited in GenBank (OR333843, OR333844, OR333845 and OR333846). BLAST analysis of the partial APN2/MAT-IGS (99%), GAPDH (99,48%), GS (99,32%) and TUB (99,48%) sequences showed highly similarity to C. siamense isolates (IIFT223 and CBS130147). Maximum likelihood multilocus analysis placed the isolate UFTC16 within the C. siamense clade with 98% bootstrap support, clearly assigning the isolate to this species. Morphological features were consistent with the description of C. siamense (Prihastuti et al., 2009). Inoculation of Bacaba fruits and seedlings was conducted to confirm pathogenicity. The surface of uninjured Bacaba fruits was inoculated with two drops (20 µL) of conidial suspension (106 conidia mL-1). The same methodology was adopted to placed healthy leaves of 35-day-old seedlings grown in plastic tubes. Two drops of sterile distilled water were inoculated on nonwounded healthy fruits and seedlings as a negative control. The fruits and seedlings were incubated for five days in a controlled chamber at 28 °C, 70-80% humidity and a "12-h photoperiod". The experiment was conducted with five replicates (five fruits and five seedlings inoculated per isolate) and repeated once. Typical symptoms of anthracnose were observed in the fruits and leaves of Bacaba seedlings five days after inoculation. No symptoms were observed in the negative control. The pathogen was reisolated from symptomatic fruits and leaves, showing similar morphological characteristics as the original isolate, fulfilling Koch's postulates. The identification of C. siamense as the causal agent of Bacaba anthracnose helps in the diagnosis and disease control strategies of the disease. Colletotrichum siamense is a cosmopolitan species and easily found in cultivated and non-cultivated species (Batista et al. 2023). However, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of C. siamense causing anthracnose on Bacaba.

Multi-trait selection for nutritional and physiological quality of cacao genotypes in irrigated and non-irrigated environments.

Water is a scarce, strategic resource and the most important input for economic development, especially in agricultural countries such as Brazil. Cocoa production is directly related to water availability, and, as climate changes, selecting drought-tolerant genotypes is vital to keep cacao crops sustainable. Here, we evaluated cacao genotypes under irrigated and water-stressed conditions and selected drought-tolerant ones based on nutritional and physiological traits. Thirty-nine genotypes were monitored for three years for agronomic traits and higher fruit yield. After this evaluation, the 18 most promising genotypes were evaluated in a randomized block design, under a 2 (with and without irrigation)  ×  18 (genotypes) factorial arrangement, with three replicates and five plants per plot. We evaluated seven physiological and 11 nutritional traits, selecting genotypes based on the Genotype-by-Trait Biplot approach. Significant effects (p < 0.05) were observed for the nutritional traits N, P, Mg, S, Zn, Cu, Mn and for the physiological traits CO2 assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (E), intercellular and atmospheric CO2 concentrations (Ci/Ca), intrinsic water use efficiency (A/gs), instantaneous water use efficiency (A/E), and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency (A/Ci), as determined by analysis of variance. The genotype  ×  irrigation treatment interaction was significant (p < 0.05) for the traits A, gs, and E. Genotypes CP 41, CP 43, and CCN 51 exhibited superior performance for both nutritional and physiological traits (A, gs, and E). In the irrigated environment, CP 41 showed superiority in traits such as P, A/E, A/gs, Mn, S, and Zn. Conversely, under non-irrigated conditions, CP 43 exhibited better performance in nutritional properties, specifically Mn, Mg, and Zn. Notably, in both irrigated and non-irrigated environments, CCN 51 excelled in key physiological traits, including A/Ci, A/E, and A/gs. This robust performance across diverse conditions suggests that these three genotypes possess physiological mechanisms to endure water-stressed conditions. Our research can generate valuable insights into these genotypes informing suitable choices for cocoa cultivation, especially in the context of global climate change.

Soil fertility impact on recruitment and diversity of the soil microbiome in sub-humid tropical pastures in Northeastern Brazil.

Soil fertility is key point to pastures systems and drives the microbial communities and their functionality. Therefore, an understanding of the interaction between soil fertility and microbial communities can increase our ability to manage pasturelands and maintain their soil functioning and productivity. This study probed the influence of soil fertility on microbial communities in tropical pastures in Brazil. Soil samples, gathered from the top 20 cm of twelve distinct areas with diverse fertility levels, were analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing. The soils were subsequently classified into two categories, namely high fertility (HF) and low fertility (LF), using the K-Means clustering. The random forest analysis revealed that high fertility (HF) soils had more bacterial diversity, predominantly Proteobacteria, Nitrospira, Chloroflexi, and Bacteroidetes, while Acidobacteria increased in low fertility (LF) soils. High fertility (HF) soils exhibited more complex network interactions and an enrichment of nitrogen-cycling bacterial groups. Additionally, functional annotation based on 16S rRNA varied between clusters. Microbial groups in HF soil demonstrated enhanced functions such as nitrate reduction, aerobic ammonia oxidation, and aromatic compound degradation. In contrast, in the LF soil, the predominant processes were ureolysis, cellulolysis, methanol oxidation, and methanotrophy. Our findings expand our knowledge about how soil fertility drives bacterial communities in pastures.

Follicular fluid concentration of soluble Human-G Leukocytic Antigen (sHLA-G) in in vitro fertilization cycles of women with and without peritoneal endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to investigate the association between the concentrations of soluble human leukocyte G antigen (sHLA-G) in the follicular fluid (FF) in infertile patients with peritoneal endometriosis submitted to in vitro fertilization. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study, including ninety-six women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) ageing ≤ 40 years. Infertile patients were classified into two groups: with endometriosis diagnosed by laparoscopy and without endometriosis due to tubal factor. ELISA measured soluble HLA-G in the FF of a pool of punctured (more than 17mm) follicles from women with endometriosis and without endometriosis who were subjected to ovulation induction for IVF. Embryos obtained after fertilization were classified according to the graduated embryo score (GES). RESULTS: Groups were comparables in terms of age, the number of follicles, AMH, FSH and all included reproductive outcomes. There was no association between sHLA-G concentrations and the average score of the generated embryos (p>0.05). Measurement of sHLA-G in the follicle fluid in women with endometriosis and without endometriosis (tubal factor) showed no significant difference (p>0.05). We also compared sHLA-G per follicle and per embryo, which were not different between both groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with peritoneal endometriosis submitted to IVF did not demonstrate an altered sHLA-G in the follicular fluid compared to the follicular fluid sHLA-G concentration in tubal factor patients. Also, this molecule was not linked to any other reproductive outcome.

High production MBL2 polymorphisms protect against COVID-19 complications in critically ill patients: A retrospective cohort study.

Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) binds to SARS-CoV-2, inhibits infection of susceptible cells, and activates the complement system via the lectin pathway. In this study, we investigated the association of MBL2 polymorphisms with the risk of hospitalization and clinical worsening in patients with COVID-19. A total of 550 patients with COVID-19 were included (94 non-hospitalized and 456 hospitalized). Polymorphisms in MBL2 exon 1 (codons 52, 54 and 57) and promoter region (-550, -221, and +4) were determined by real-time PCR. MBL and complement proteins were measured by Luminex. A higher frequency of the H/H genotype and the HYPA haplotype was observed in non-hospitalized patients when compared to hospitalized. In addition, critically ill patients carrying haplotypes associated with high MBL levels (HYPA/HYPA + HYPA/LYPA + HYPA/LYQA + LYPA/LYQA + LYPA/LYPA + LYQA/LYQA + LXPA/HYPA + LXPA/LYQA + LXPA/LYPA) were protected against lower oxygen saturation levels (P = 0.02), use of invasive ventilation use (P = 0.02, OR 0.38), and shock (P = 0.01, OR 0.40), independent of other potential confounders adjusted by multivariate analysis. Our results suggest that variants in MBL2 associated with high MBL levels may play a protective role in the clinical course of COVID-19.

Grape Pomace Rich-Phenolics and Anthocyanins Extract: Production by Pressurized Liquid Extraction in Intermittent Process and Encapsulation by Spray-Drying.

A considerable number of grape pomaces are generated annually. It represents a rich source of bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds and anthocyanins. Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) has emerged as a green technology for recovering bioactive compounds from vegetal matrixes. In our study, PLE parameters (temperature, number of cycles, and rinse volume) have been studied to produce grape pomace extracts with high bioactive content using an experimental design. The experimental data obtained were adjusted to linear and quadratic models. The first-order model was better in predicting anthocyanins contents (TA, R2 = 0.94), whereas the second-order model was predictive for total phenolic compounds (TPC, R2 = 0.96). The main process parameter for the recovery of bioactive compounds was temperature, and the results showed opposing behaviors concerning TPC and TA, as it is difficult to optimize conditions for both. The extract containing the higher concentration of TPC (97.4 ± 1.1 mg GAE/g, d.b.) was encapsulated by spray-drying using maltodextrin as wall material. Particles presented with a spherical shape (~7.73 ± 0.95 µm) with a recovery yield of 79%. The results demonstrated that extraction followed by encapsulation of grape pomace extract is a good strategy to simplify future applications, whether for food, cosmetics or pharmaceutical fields.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Olfactory Dysfunction in Individuals with COVID-19 in Brazil: A Study of 20,669 Cases from 2020 to 2021.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence and factors associated with olfactory dysfunction in individuals with COVID-19 in the first 2 years of the pandemic in Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prevalent study involving the confirmed cases of COVID-19 recorded in the municipality between the years 2020 and 2021. Individuals symptomatic for COVID-19, with a positive laboratory result and aged 12 or older were included in this study. Measures of central tendency and dispersion were used in the description of continuous variables and frequency was used for categorical variables. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to evaluate data distribution. RESULTS: Data from 20,669 individuals were analyzed. The prevalence of olfactory disorders was 17.9% and increased from 11.5% to 21.9% between 2020 and 2021. A female gender predominance was observed among individuals who reported anosmia, with 61.1% (n = 564) in 2020 and 61.7% (n = 1,713) in 2021. On the other hand, the median age of individuals with olfactory disorders was lower than that of the group without disorders (35 [IQR 27-46] vs. 39 [IQR 29-50]; p < 0.001). Smell disturbances were present in 18.2% (n = 3,634) of patients who recovered and in 7.1% (n = 38) of those who died. Furthermore, in 2021, a prevalence rate of 30.6% for olfactory disorders was linked to obesity as a comorbidity. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of olfactory disorders was lower compared to other studies, with cough and fever being negatively related to olfactory dysfunction and headache, coryza, and taste disorders being positively related. Obesity was the only associated comorbidity.

How is the water footprint of the species Vachellia farnesiana, Amburana cearensis, and Handroanthus impetiginosus influenced by abiotic stresses as water deficit and salinity?

In semi-arid regions, is necessary to explore strategies to mitigate abiotic stresses such as water deficit and salinity. This study aimed to evaluate the stress tolerance capacity of three species subjected to different water regimes and salinity levels, based on dry matter production and water use efficiency (WUE). The species Handroanthus impetiginosus, Vachellia farnesiana, and Amburana cearensis were evaluated in combination with different water regimes (50%, 75%, and 100% of reference evapotranspiration - ET0) and salinity levels (0.18, 1.50, and 1.90 dS m-1). The results show that biomass accumulation increased at 50% and 75% ET0, while the WUE decreased at 100% ET0. The salinity level (1.90 dS m-1) caused reductions in leaf dry biomass (LDB), total dry biomass (TDB), LDB/TDB ratio, and WUE. The negative effects of high salinity on plant height were greater with the application of 75% ET0. The highest WUE was obtained at 50% ET0 for A. cearensis and H. impetiginosus, while V. farnesiana obtained the highest WUE at 75% ET0. A. cearensis exhibited the highest biomass accumulation (2.58 g) and WUE (0.21 g L-1). Overall, the species can tolerate drought and salinity conditions, being sensitive to high salinity concentrations during their initial growth.

The Caatinga is characterized by low water availability and soil salinization. Therefore, assessing the ability of native species to cope with these conditions allows for their utilization in reforestation programs in drought and salinity-exposed environments. Studies on the combined effects of these factors are scarce. The results indicated that native species show tolerance to drought and salinity conditions, albeit with some reductions in biomass production and water use efficiency at high NaCl concentrations. Among the species, A. cearensis performed the best under water and salinity stress conditions.

Avaliação e Ensino de Emoções com Crianças e Jovens Adultos com Autismo ou Síndrome de Down Mediado pela Família / Assessment and Teaching of Emotions with Children and Young Adults with Autism or Down Syndrome Mediated by Family / Evaluación y Enseñanza de las Emociones con Niños y Jóvenes con Autismo o Síndrome de Down Mediadas por la Familia

Resumo: Este estudo avaliou o reconhecimento (imitação, identidade e identificação) e a nomeação de estímulos emocionais de valência negativa (raiva e tristeza) e positiva (alegria e surpresa) em conjunto com a influência dos tipos de estímulos utilizados (social-feminino, social-masculino, familiar e emoji) em crianças e jovens adultos com autismo ou síndrome de Down, por meio de tarefas aplicadas pela família e mediadas por recursos tecnológicos durante a pandemia de covid-19. Participaram cinco crianças e dois jovens adultos com autismo e uma criança e dois jovens adultos com síndrome de Down. Foram implementadas tarefas de identidade, reconhecimento, nomeação e imitação, com estímulos faciais de função avaliativa (sem consequência diferencial) e de ensino (com consequência diferencial, uso de dicas e critério de aprendizagem), visando a emergência da nomeação emocional por meio do ensino das tarefas de reconhecimento. Os resultados da linha de base identificaram que, para os participantes que apresentaram menor tempo de resposta para o mesmo gênero, a diferença de tempo de resposta foi em média 57,28% menor. Em relação à valência emocional, 50% dos participantes apresentaram diferenças nos acertos, a depender da valência positiva e negativa, sendo que 66,66% apresentaram diferenças para o tempo de resposta a depender da valência emocional. Após o procedimento de ensino, os participantes mostraram maior número de acertos nas tarefas, independentemente do gênero de estímulo e valência emocional, criando ocasião para generalização da aprendizagem de reconhecimento e nomeação de emoções, além de consolidar a viabilidade de estratégias de ensino mediadas por recursos tecnológicos e aplicadas por familiares.

Abstract: This study evaluated the recognition (imitation, identity, and identification) and naming of negative (anger and sadness) and positive (joy and surprise) emotional stimuli alongside the influence of the types of stimuli (social-female, social-male, family, and emoji) in children and young adults with autism and Down syndrome, via tasks applied by the family and mediated by technological resources, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Five children and two young adults with autism and one child and two young adults with Down syndrome participated. Identity, recognition, naming, and imitation tasks were planned and implemented using facial stimuli with evaluative (without differential consequence) and teaching (with differential consequence, tips, and learning criteria) functions, aiming at the emergence of emotional naming from the recognition teaching tasks. The baseline results showed that, for participants who had a shorter response time for the same gender, the response time difference was on average 57.28% lower. Regarding the emotional valence, 50% of the participants showed differences in the correct answers, depending on the positive and negative valence, and 66.66% showed differences in the response time depending on the emotional valence. After the teaching procedure, the participants showed a greater number of correct answers in the tasks, regardless of the stimulus type and emotional valence, creating an opportunity for generalizing learning of emotion recognition and naming, in addition to consolidating the feasibility of teaching strategies mediated by technological resources and applied by family members.

Resumen: Este estudio evaluó el reconocimiento (imitación, identidad e identificación) y la denominación de estímulos emocionales negativos (enfado y tristeza) y positivos (alegría y sorpresa) y la influencia de los tipos de estímulos utilizados (social-femenino, social-masculino, familiar y emoji ) de niños y jóvenes con autismo o síndrome de Down, a través de tareas aplicadas por la familia, mediadas por recursos tecnológicos durante la pandemia de la covid-19. Participaron cinco niños y dos adultos jóvenes con autismo, y un niño y dos adultos jóvenes con síndrome de Down. Se planificaron e implementaron tareas de identidad, reconocimiento, nombramiento e imitación con estímulos faciales con función evaluativa (sin consecuencia diferencial) y enseñanza (con consecuencia diferencial, uso de ayudas y criterios de aprendizaje), buscando la emergencia del nombramiento emocional después de la enseñanza de tareas de reconocimiento. Los resultados de la línea de base identificaron que para los participantes que tenían un tiempo de respuesta más corto para el mismo género, la diferencia en el tiempo de respuesta fue un 57,28% menor. En cuanto a la valencia emocional, el 50% de los participantes mostraron diferencias en las respuestas correctas, en función de la valencia positiva y negativa, y el 66,66% tuvieron diferencias en el tiempo de respuesta, en función de la valencia emocional. Después del procedimiento de enseñanza, los participantes mostraron mayor número de aciertos en las tareas evaluadas, independientemente del tipo de estímulo o valencia emocional, lo que genera una oportunidad para la generalización del aprendizaje de reconocimiento y denominación de emociones, además de consolidar la viabilidad de estrategias de enseñanza mediadas por recursos tecnológicos y aplicadas por la familia.

Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) expression in patients with adenomyosis

Abstract Objective: To compare Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) expression in patients with and without adenomyosis. Methods: A prospective design was performed including 49 patients submitted to hysterectomy. Immunohistochemistry was performed on anatomopathological samples staged in paraffin blocks from patients with and without adenomyosis. The sample contained 28 adenomyosis cases and 21 controls. Student's t-test and multivariate logistic regression tests were used for statistical analysis. Associations were considered significant at p < 0.05. Results: We found no significant association between adenomyosis and: smoking (p = 0.75), miscarriage (p = 0.29), number of previous pregnancies (p = 0.85), curettage (p = 0.81), pelvic pain (p = 0.72) and myoma (p = 0.15). However, we did find a relationship between adenomyosis and abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) (p = 0.02) and previous cesarean section (p = 0.02). The mean TGF-β1 intensity (mean ± SD) in the ectopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis showed no significant association (184.17 ± 9.4 vs.184.66 ± 16.08, p = 0.86) from the topic endometrium of women without adenomyosis. Conclusion: TGF-β1 expression was not increased in the ectopic endometrium of women with adenomyosis.

Oral health of an indigenous population in northeastern Brazil: a cross-sectional Study of the Fulni-ô ethnic group

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: There is a lack of studies evaluating the oral health of traditional indigenous communities in Brazil. OBJECTIVES: Thus, the objective of this study was to describe the oral health characteristics of the indigenous Fulni-ô ethnic group in Northeast Brazil. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional observational investigation was conducted within the Project on Atherosclerosis among Indigenous Populations. METHODS: This study included participants of both sexes from the Fulni-ô ethnic group. The participants included in this investigation underwent a comprehensive oral health evaluation by a registered and experienced dentist to assess oral health and identify potentially malignant oral lesions. Participants with suspicious lesions were referred for biopsy. Shapiro-Wilk, Mann-Whitney, and Student's t-tests were used, and measures of central tendency and dispersion were described. Statistical significance was 5%. RESULTS: A total of 104 individuals were included in this study. The prevalence of the use of tobacco derivatives was 94.0%, with similarities between sexes. The prevalence of oral changes in this study population was 84.4%. Fifty-one individuals who underwent oral reassessment were referred for oral lesion biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a high prevalence of oral alterations in the Fulni-ô population. Histopathological analyses indicated the presence of mild oral epithelial dysplasia in five cases.

Association of PTX3 gene polymorphisms and PTX3 plasma levels with leprosy susceptibility.

BACKGROUND: Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a soluble pattern recognition receptor that plays a crucial role in modulating the inflammatory response and activating the complement system. Additionally, plasma PTX3 has emerged as a potential biomarker for various infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of PTX3 gene polymorphisms and PTX3 plasma levels with susceptibility to leprosy and clinical characteristics. METHODS: Patients with leprosy from a hyperendemic area in the Northeast Region of Brazil were included. Healthy household contacts and healthy blood donors from the same geographical area were recruited as a control group. The rs1840680 and rs2305619 polymorphisms of PTX3 were determined by real-time PCR. Plasma levels of PTX3 were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: A total of 512 individuals were included. Of these, 273 were patients diagnosed with leprosy; 53 were household contacts, and 186 were healthy blood donors. No association was observed between PTX3 polymorphisms and susceptibility to leprosy or development of leprosy reaction or physical disability. On the other hand, plasma levels of PTX3 were significantly higher in patients with leprosy when compared to household contacts (p = 0.003) or blood donors (p = 0.04). It was also observed that PTX3 levels drop significantly after multidrug therapy (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that PTX3 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of leprosy and point to the potential use of this molecule as an infection marker.

A global land cover training dataset from 1984 to 2020.

State-of-the-art cloud computing platforms such as Google Earth Engine (GEE) enable regional-to-global land cover and land cover change mapping with machine learning algorithms. However, collection of high-quality training data, which is necessary for accurate land cover mapping, remains costly and labor-intensive. To address this need, we created a global database of nearly 2 million training units spanning the period from 1984 to 2020 for seven primary and nine secondary land cover classes. Our training data collection approach leveraged GEE and machine learning algorithms to ensure data quality and biogeographic representation. We sampled the spectral-temporal feature space from Landsat imagery to efficiently allocate training data across global ecoregions and incorporated publicly available and collaborator-provided datasets to our database. To reflect the underlying regional class distribution and post-disturbance landscapes, we strategically augmented the database. We used a machine learning-based cross-validation procedure to remove potentially mis-labeled training units. Our training database is relevant for a wide array of studies such as land cover change, agriculture, forestry, hydrology, urban development, among many others.

Reduced HIV/AIDS diagnosis rates and increased AIDS mortality due to late diagnosis in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected global health, leading to the suspension of numerous routine healthcare services and posing challenges in efforts to control other diseases, such as HIV/AIDS. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV/AIDS diagnoses and mortality rates in Brazil during 2020 and 2021. The percentage change was calculated to determine whether there was an increase or decrease in HIV/AIDS diagnoses and mortality, considering the average numbers from the last 5 years. Additionally, a Joinpoint regression model and an interrupted time series analysis were applied to assess time trends before and after the onset of the pandemic. Lastly, choropleth maps were prepared. We observed a reduction of 22.4% (2020) and 9.8% (2021) in the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in Brazil. Conversely, there was a significant increase in the percentage change of late diagnosis of AIDS deaths in 2020 (6.9%) and 2021 (13.9%), with some states showing an increase of over 87%. Decreasing time trends in the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS were identified before the pandemic in Brazil, especially in the Southeast and South regions, and then time trends stabilized after including the pandemic years. Along with the dissemination of COVID-19, there was a reduction in the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS and an increase in late diagnosis AIDS deaths, signaling a serious impact of the pandemic on HIV/AIDS control strategies in Brazil. Therefore, we highlight the need for continuous efforts to control both diseases, that is, maintaining regular health services even in crisis situations.

Bridging the Gaps: Investigating the Complex Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Tuberculosis Records in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the temporal evolution, spatial distribution, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis records in a northeastern state of Brazil. METHODS: This is an ecological study involving all diagnoses of Tuberculosis (TB) in residents of the state of Pernambuco/Brazil. Data were extracted from the National System of Notifiable Diseases. A pre-pandemic COVID-19 temporal analysis (2001-2019), a spatial analysis before (2015-2019) and during the first two pandemic years (2020-2021), and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cases of TB diagnoses in Pernambuco in the years 2020 and 2021 were performed. Inflection point regression models, Global and Local Moran's statistics, and spatial scan statistics were used. RESULTS: In the period from 2001 to 2019, 91,225 cases of TB were registered in Pernambuco (48.40/100,000 inhabitants), with a tendency of growth starting in 2007 (0.7% per year; p = 0.005). In the pre-pandemic period (2015-2019), 10.8% (n = 20) of Pernambuco municipalities had TB incidence rates below 10/100,000. In 2020, this percentage reached 27.0% (n = 50) and in 2021 it was 17.8% (n = 33). Risk clusters were identified in the eastern region of the state, with five clusters in the pre-pandemic period and in 2021 and six in 2020. In the first year of the pandemic, an 8.5% reduction in the number of new TB cases was observed. In 2021, the state showed a slight increase (1.1%) in the number of new TB cases. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic may have caused a reduction in the number of new TB case reports in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil.