Effect of a lavender essential oil and sleep hygiene protocol on insomnia in postmenopausal women: A pilot randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Insomnia and vasomotor symptoms are frequently experienced during the menopausal transition and in postmenopause, worsening sleep maintenance and quality of life. Our study evaluated the use of lavender essential oil and sleep hygiene guidance on quality of life, sleep patterns and self-reported hot flashes in postmenopausal women with insomnia diagnosis. METHODS: This study is part of a larger experimental, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. We included 35 postmenopausal women with a diagnosis of insomnia who were distributed in two groups: A Placebo group (sunflower oil) and an Aroma group (Lavandula angustifolia essential oil); both inhaled the oils before bedtime for 29 days. The groups received sleep hygiene guidelines and weekly follow-up. Validated questionnaires were used to assess the effect of the intervention, and a sleep diary was used to assess sleep onset latency (SOL), total sleep time (TST), and sleep efficiency (SE) daily. Participants who complained of vasomotor symptoms at baseline kept a daily record of their frequency and intensity. RESULTS: All participants benefited in almost all domains of quality of life and in the self-assessed TST and SE. The Aroma group achieved a significant improvement in their overall quality of life score over time. No differences were observed in respect of the hot flashes record and daytime sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: The aromatherapy intervention was effective in improving the overall quality of life in the Aroma group. Moreover, the sleep diary and sleep hygiene instructions helped all participants to, respectively, self-assess and improve their sleep patterns.

Development of broiler chickens fed with different percentages of cassava meal.

The objective was to determine the zootechnical performance of broiler chickens fed different diets containing cassava meal. A total of 450 male broiler chickens of the Cobb lineage was used. The experimental design was completely randomized with five treatments (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% inclusion of cassava meal) and five replications, composed of 18 birds per experimental unit. Morphometric characteristics of broiler chickens were evaluated: live weight, and weights of full and empty carcasses, livers, hearts, full and empty gizzards, abdominal fat, wings, thighs, drumsticks, breasts, and dorse. Data were tested using an analysis of variance, regression model, and cluster and discriminant analyses. There was a difference in the weight of the heart, full gizzard, wing, thigh, drumstick, and breast in relation to the different diets. The inclusion of 8.2%, 57.57%, and 25.38% cassava meal maximized thighs at 323.96 g, drumsticks at 385.04 g, and breasts at 921.12 g, respectively. The formation of two groups of birds was verified, and the classification rate was 92%. Inclusion of up to 50% cassava meal in the broiler diet did not alter its zootechnical performance, implying a lower cost of production.

Association between night pain and quality of life in women: A general population sleep study.

BACKGROUND: Women with pain present decreased sleep duration and quality of life, but little is known about the consequences of nighttime pain on overall health. Our goal was to compare levels of anxiety, depression and fatigue in women with pain during the night with those without pain. We hypothesized that pain perception is associated with the worsening of fatigue and mood. METHODS: In total, 244 women aged 20-80 years who took part in the Epidemiologic Sleep Study (EPISONO) met the inclusion criteria, 85 in the self-reported pain group and 171 in the control group. Participants were assigned to the pain group if they both responded (i) they generally had pain, according to Pre-Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) and (ii) their pain generally interfered with their sleep 3 or more times a week, according to Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Those who answered negatively to both questions were allocated to the control group. All participants underwent a full night laboratory polysomnography, and completed questionnaires related to fatigue, depression, anxiety and quality of life. RESULTS: Pain group participants had a significantly lower perception of quality of life, and significantly higher levels of fatigue (5.4 times), anxiety and depression. Pain perception was also correlated to levels of anxiety and depression in the psychological (rs  = -0.463, -0.607, respectively) and social (rs  = -0.423, -0.438, respectively) quality of life domains. CONCLUSIONS: Nighttime pain in women was associated with decreased quality of life, worsening mood and fatigue. Our data shows the importance of investigating pain and its deleterious effects on women's health. SIGNIFICANCE: Our study highlights that women experiencing nighttime pain also reported worse mood outcomes and decreased quality of life, regardless of the level and type of pain. Our data, based on association analysis and not investigating causality, suggest it is important to consider nighttime pain in clinical care to improve quality of life and general health.

Sleep During Menopause.

Postmenopause is defined retrospectively after 12 consecutive months of amenorrhea. It represents the end of the reproductive period and ovarian failure. A decrease in estrogen leads to several changes in the short and long term. Among the early changes, vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) are particularly common, occurring in about 70% of women. In addition, there are changes in mood, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Insomnia occurs in almost 60% of postmenopausal women. Psychosocial aspects may also affect sleep. Proper diagnosis may lead to adequate treatment of sleep disturbances during menopause. Hormonal or other complementary therapies can improve sleep quality.

Current Scenario of Exogenously Induced RNAi for Lepidopteran Agricultural Pest Control: From dsRNA Design to Topical Application.

Invasive insects cost the global economy around USD 70 billion per year. Moreover, increasing agricultural insect pests raise concerns about global food security constraining and infestation rising after climate changes. Current agricultural pest management largely relies on plant breeding-with or without transgenes-and chemical pesticides. Both approaches face serious technological obsolescence in the field due to plant resistance breakdown or development of insecticide resistance. The need for new modes of action (MoA) for managing crop health is growing each year, driven by market demands to reduce economic losses and by consumer demand for phytosanitary measures. The disabling of pest genes through sequence-specific expression silencing is a promising tool in the development of environmentally-friendly and safe biopesticides. The specificity conferred by long dsRNA-base solutions helps minimize effects on off-target genes in the insect pest genome and the target gene in non-target organisms (NTOs). In this review, we summarize the status of gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) for agricultural control. More specifically, we focus on the engineering, development and application of gene silencing to control Lepidoptera through non-transforming dsRNA technologies. Despite some delivery and stability drawbacks of topical applications, we reviewed works showing convincing proof-of-concept results that point to innovative solutions. Considerations about the regulation of the ongoing research on dsRNA-based pesticides to produce commercialized products for exogenous application are discussed. Academic and industry initiatives have revealed a worthy effort to control Lepidoptera pests with this new mode of action, which provides more sustainable and reliable technologies for field management. New data on the genomics of this taxon may contribute to a future customized target gene portfolio. As a case study, we illustrate how dsRNA and associated methodologies could be applied to control an important lepidopteran coffee pest.

Evidence of Spread of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Mediated by Internal Transportation of Ornamental Plants in Brazil.

Two Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) species, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED), are major pests that are dispersed throughout the world. While MEAM1 was introduced in Brazil in the 1990s, MED was reported recently with limited spread. Here, a survey was performed to examine whether MED whiteflies are widely present in the Federal District region, in central Brazil. Whiteflies were collected in various locations in the Federal District and surroundings between 2018 and 2020, including garden centers and small- and large-scale farms. The species were identified using RFLPand sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I subunit gene region. Out of 108 whitefly batches, 63.89% were composed exclusively by MEAM1, followed by 16.67% presenting only MED, and another 7.40% containing unidentified whitefly species (NI). Plant varieties serving as hosts for more than one whitefly species were observed in 12.04% of the samples, either by MEAM1/MED, MEAM1/NI, or MED/NI. This study highlights the still limited presence of MED in the Federal District and surroundings, predominantly in garden centers and in the green belt of Brasília, closer to urban areas. In contrast, only MEAM1 was identified in large-scale cultivated areas.

Lavender essential oil on postmenopausal women with insomnia: Double-blind randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effect of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil inhalation on sleep and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women with insomnia. PARTICIPANTS: 35 postmenopausal women with a clinical diagnosis of insomnia were included, 17 in Aroma Group (AG) and 18 in Placebo Group (PG). METHODS: In this double-blind, randomized controlled trial, PG participants inhaled sunflower oil and AG participants inhaledLavandula angustifolia essential oil, for 29 days. Both groups received sleep hygiene guidelines before the intervention and weekly follow-up during it. Evaluations were performed before and after intervention. All statistical analyses and intention-to-treat test were performed in SPSS 22. Sleep quality (Primary outcome) was measured by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Secondary outcomes were polysomnography data, severity of insomnia, anxiety and depression symptoms, and postmenopausal symptoms. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between groups after intervention in the primary outcome (P = 0.22; effect size=0.69); however, a tendency of improvement in wake after sleep onset (WASO) was observed (P = 0.07; effect size=0.81; B = 42.2). Both groups presented better sleep quality over time (AG P < 0.001; PG P = 0.011). AG participants showed a significant decrease in sleep onset latency (P = 0.001), depression levels (P = 0.025), hot flashes (P < 0.001), postmenopausal symptoms (P < 0.001) and, in polysomnography data, increased sleep efficiency (P = 0.002) compared to baseline. CONCLUSION: Although no significant differences were observed between groups, our data presented a tendency of improvement in WASO. Moreover, AG participants had enhanced overall sleep pattern, quality and sleep efficiency. Weekly follow-up and sleep hygiene instructions were essential for both groups to show improvement in almost all outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials, www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br, RBR-5q5t5z.

Effects of Supplementation with Lactobacillus Probiotics on Insomnia Treatment.

CONTEXT: According to the criteria of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-3), it is estimated that the prevalence of insomnia in the general population varies between 6.6% and 12%. Insomnia is a sleep disturbance related to a reduction in the quality or quantity of satisfactory sleep. Among the available treatments, there are both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. One recent possible non-pharmacological approach that has been suggested is based on the use of probiotics and the gut-brain axis. There has been increasing scientific focus on this area because of the suggested importance of enteric microbiota in relation to many aspects of health. It has been proposed that probiotics can be used to interact with the intestinal environment to benefit individuals suffering from a variety of conditions. In relation to sleep, some studies have indicated that gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) produced by the intestinal microbiota may influence the central nervous system (CNS) through the vagus nerve and have an influence on sleep. In this sense, Lactobacillus is one of the major GABA producing bacteria in the gut microbiota. OBJECTIVE: Our hypothesis is that supplementation with Lactobacillus as a probiotic might improve sleep pattern and quality, acting as an ally in the treatment of insomnia. DESIGN: In the present study, a search was conducted in Pubmed and Google Scholar databases, looking for articles with themes related to probiotics, intestinal microbiota and sleep. RESULTS: No clinical trials were found that evaluated the effect of probiotics for sleep disorders in humans.Conclusions • Research and clinical use of probiotics have been growing due to their health benefits in several areas. In addition, the use of probiotics for sleep and emotional disorders, such as insomnia, stress, anxiety and depression, is gaining space. This way, future research can help developing complementary treatments for people with insomnia and other sleep disorders.

Mindfulness interventions during pregnancy: A narrative review.

Pregnancy is a period of major transformations in a woman's life; increased stress, and mood and sleep disorders are frequent. This review evaluates mindfulness interventions during pregnancy and their ability to help manage stress, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, level of mindfulness and sleep quality. A search of English language scientific literature relevant to mindfulness interventions for pregnant women was conducted using PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, without restriction on publication date. Inclusion criteria were randomized clinical trials with pregnant women, using mindfulness as an intervention for at least three weeks, in one of our main areas of interest, and using only validated scales to measure outcomes. Two hundred and thirty studies were identified in our searches of research databases, and thirteen were included in our analysis. We found a large diversity of mindfulness programs, heterogeneity among the instruments used to evaluate outcomes, and inconsistency in the gestational periods used in the studies. Mindfulness interventions were beneficial for stress, anxiety and depression. Mindfulness was also effective when applied in pregnant women with a history of depression or experiencing depression. Considering emotional regulation and the level of mindfulness, there were signs of improvement, but more studies are needed. None of the studies evaluated sleep quality. Our review provides information about current mindfulness programs, an overview of the effects of mindfulness interventions, a description of the measurements used so far, and recommendations for developing high-quality mindfulness protocols for pregnant women.

The association of insomnia and quality of life: Sao Paulo epidemiologic sleep study (EPISONO).

OBJECTIVES: Sleep is essential for health and well-being and lack of sleep can have serious physiological consequences. This study aimed to evaluate sleep patterns and the influence of insomnia on quality of life. DESIGN: The epidemiologic sleep study is a population-based study of sleep and risk factors for sleep disturbances. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study recruited 574 men and 468 women aged 18 years or older randomly, to represent the population of Sao Paulo, according to gender, age, and socioeconomic status. MEASUREMENTS: Data from polysomnography were used to assess sleep objectively and a validate questionnaire to assess quality of life. Validated questionnaires based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, assessed the perception of insomnia and categorized the sample as: without insomnia symptoms, insomnia symptoms, and insomnia syndrome. Anthropometric data, objective sleep parameters and quality of life were assessed and the sample was distributed according to age for both genders. RESULTS: Participants in both insomnia groups presented a worse perception of quality of life compared to without insomnia symptoms group in both genders. Women had a lower percentage of participants without insomnia symptoms (33.3%), and a higher percentage of insomnia symptoms (48.6%), and insomnia syndrome (18.1%) than men (42.1%, 47.2%, and 10.7%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Women presented more insomnia complaints and had a lower perceived quality of life compared to men, especially at young ages. Men and women with insomnia symptoms or insomnia syndrome had a lower quality of life score.

NON-INVASIVE PREVENTIVE VENTILATION WITH TWO PRESSURE LEVELS IN THE POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD OF ROUX-EN-Y GASTRIC BYPASS: RANDOMIZED TRIAL.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat, which causes damage to the health of individuals, such as breathing difficulties. AIM: To verify the results of non-invasive ventilation as a preventive strategy on the decline of respiratory function and postoperative complications in patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. METHODS: This is a randomized trial, according to CONSORT standards, with obese adults aged 18-40 years. Randomized control group (n=25) only received guidelines regarding posture, early ambulation and cough stimuli, and in the NIV group (n=25), in addition to the aforementioned group, non-invasive ventilation was performed with two pressure levels, once day for 60 min, from the 1st to the 3rd postoperative day (POD). Both groups were evaluated in the preoperative period and in the 1st and 3rd POD for respiratory function, which were: slow vital capacity (VC), inspiratory capacity (IC), minute volume (MV), tidal volume maximal inspiratory muscle strength (Pimax) and peak expiratory flow (PEF). The length of hospital stay and the episodes of postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 50 patients the majority were young adults with degrees of obesity between III and IV. In the intergroup analysis, there was an improvement in the CVL and MV only in the 1st POD in the NIV group, CI in the three moments evaluated in the NIV group and the PFE in the 1st and 3rd PDO also in this group. The most frequent complications were pneumonia, followed by operative wound infection and atelectasis. There was a significant difference between groups, showing a higher occurrence in pneumonia and atelectasis in the control group. The days of hospitalization and intensive care unit were similar. CONCLUSION: It was observed a faster recovery until the 3rd POD in the IC and PEF variables in the NIV group; in addition, there were fewer complications in this group.

Non-invasive preventive ventilation with two pressure levels in the postoperative period of roux-en-y gastric bypass: randomized trial / Ventilação não invasiva preventiva com dois níveis pressóricos no pós-operatório de cirurgia bariátrica em y-de-roux: ensaio randomizado

ABSTRACT Background: Obesity is characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat, which causes damage to the health of individuals, such as breathing difficulties. Aim: To verify the results of non-invasive ventilation as a preventive strategy on the decline of respiratory function and postoperative complications in patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Methods: This is a randomized trial, according to CONSORT standards, with obese adults aged 18-40 years. Randomized control group (n=25) only received guidelines regarding posture, early ambulation and cough stimuli, and in the NIV group (n=25), in addition to the aforementioned group, non-invasive ventilation was performed with two pressure levels, once day for 60 min, from the 1st to the 3rd postoperative day (POD). Both groups were evaluated in the preoperative period and in the 1st and 3rd POD for respiratory function, which were: slow vital capacity (VC), inspiratory capacity (IC), minute volume (MV), tidal volume maximal inspiratory muscle strength (Pimax) and peak expiratory flow (PEF). The length of hospital stay and the episodes of postoperative complications were recorded. Results: Of the 50 patients the majority were young adults with degrees of obesity between III and IV. In the intergroup analysis, there was an improvement in the CVL and MV only in the 1st POD in the NIV group, CI in the three moments evaluated in the NIV group and the PFE in the 1st and 3rd PDO also in this group. The most frequent complications were pneumonia, followed by operative wound infection and atelectasis. There was a significant difference between groups, showing a higher occurrence in pneumonia and atelectasis in the control group. The days of hospitalization and intensive care unit were similar. Conclusion: It was observed a faster recovery until the 3rd POD in the IC and PEF variables in the NIV group; in addition, there were fewer complications in this group.

RESUMO Racional: A obesidade é caracterizada pelo acúmulo excessivo de gordura corporal, que acarreta prejuízos à saúde dos indivíduos, tais como dificuldades respiratórias. Objetivo: Verificar a efetividade da ventilação não invasiva, sobre o declínio da função respiratória e complicações pós-operatórias em pacientes submetidos ao bypass gástrico em Y-de-Roux. Métodos: Ensaio randomizado aberto, segundo padrões do CONSORT, com obesos, entre 18-40 anos. Foram randomizados em grupo controle (n=25) que receberam orientações quanto à postura, deambulação precoce e estímulo à tosse, e em grupo VNI (n=25) que além do citado, realizou ventilação não invasiva com dois níveis pressóricos, uma vez ao dia durante 60 min, do 1° ao 3º dia do pós-operatório (DPO). Ambos os grupos foram avaliados no pré-operatório e no 1o e 3o DPO quanto à função respiratória avaliando-se a capacidade vital lenta (CVL), capacidade inspiratória (CI), volume minuto (VM), volume corrente (VC), pressão inspiratória máxima (Pimáx) e pico de fluxo expiratório (PFE). O tempo de estadia hospitalar e os episódios de complicações pós-operatórias foram registrados. Resultados: Dos 50 pacientes avaliados na análise intergrupo, observou-se melhora da CVL e VM apenas no 1º )DPO no grupo VNI, CI nos três momentos avaliados no grupo VNI e o PFE no 1º )e 3º DPO também nesse grupo (p<0,05). As complicações mais frequentes foram pneumonia, infecção da ferida operatória e atelectasias; houve diferença significativa entre os grupos mostrando maior ocorrência na pneumonia e atelectasia no controle. Dias de internamento hospitalar, enfermaria e na unidade de terapia intensiva foram semelhantes. Conclusão: Houve recuperação mais rápida até o 3º DPO nas variáveis CI e PFE no grupo submetido à VNI, além de menos complicações pós-operatórias nesse grupo.

Effects of Mindfulness on Diabetes Mellitus: Rationale and Overview.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an emerging global healthcare problem and its prevalence is increasing at an alarming rate. Despite improvements in both medical and pharmacological therapies, a complex medical condition may demand a diversified approach, such as: drug therapy, healthy diet and exercises, diabetes education programs, adherence to medical treatment and active participation of the patients in their lifestyle changes, such as stress management. The concept of mindfulness is here defined as the awareness that unfolds from the intention to attentively observe the current experience in a non-judgmental and non-evaluative way. This state of awareness can be enhanced through the use of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), which have been associated to many physical and psychological health indicators. The aim of this overview is to offer the rationale and potential benefits of mindfulness in the control of DM and its complications. METHODS: a narrative review of the current and updated literature available on online database and which came up using the terms "mindfulness" and "diabetes mellitus". Mindfulness-based Interventions (MBIs) can be seen as preventive and complementary interventions in DM, particularly for the relief of symptoms related to depression and anxiety in diabetic patients and also in the management of other factors, including mindful eating, physical exercises and treatment adherence. Although many studies only present research protocols, mindfulness seems to have beneficial effects on all aspects of diabetes, including incidence, control and complications. Furthermore, longer term and more carefully controlled trials are necessary in order to draw consistent conclusions on the beneficial role of MBIs on DM.

Ambulatório de mindfulness e promoção da saúde: relato de experiência / Outpatient clinic of mindfulness and health promotion: experience report

O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever a experiência e o perfil dos usuários do ambulatório de mindfulness e promoção da saúde de uma universidade pública. O perfil dos participantes foi obtido a partir da aplicação de diferentes escalas psicométricas (BDI, SUBI, MAAS e EUROQOL 5 D), bem como informações sociodemográficas e de saúde. A descrição da experiência do ambulatório foi realizada a partir da técnica SWOT. Nesta amostra, o perfil encontrado foi predominantemente feminino, com plano de saúde e assistência médica regular. Apesar dos problemas relatados, a percepção subjetiva de qualidade de vida ficou acima da média. Pertencer a uma universidade pública, contar com equipe multiprofissional e facilitadores de distintas formações em mindfulness, além de local de fácil acesso, são pontos fortes deste ambulatório, bem como a alta prevalência de ansiedade e depressão, que podem oportunizar a expansão desta atividade.(AU)

The aim of this study was to describe the experience and the profile of users of an outpatient clinic of Mindfulness and health promotion from a public University in Brazil. The profile of the participants was obtained from the application of different psychometric scales (BDI, SUBI, MAAS and EUROQOL 5 D), as well as socio­demographic and health information. The description of the experience of the clinic was held from the SWOT technique. In this sample, the profile found was predominantly female, with health insurance and medical care. Despite the problems reported, the subjective perception of quality of life was above average. Belong to a public University, rely on multidisciplinary team and facilitators of different configurations in mindfulness, plus easily accessible location are strengths of this clinic, as well as the high prevalence of anxiety and depression, which can enhance the expansion of this activity.(AU)

Influência da Esplenectomia Total na Microbiota Intestinal, na Translocação Bacteriana e na Evolução da Sepse em Modelo Experimental / Influence of Total Splenectomy on Intestinal Microbiota, Bacterial Translocation and Sepsis Evolution in Experimental Model

A esplenectomia diminui a atividade de células imunes e pode estar relacionada com translocação bacteriana (TB) e sepse. Investigou-se a presença de TB e sepse em camundongos esplenectomizados, por meio de análises de peso, de sexo, de alterações da microbiota digestória e mucosa duodenal. 20 fêmeas e 20 machos de camundongos Swiss webster com 125 dias foram divididos em dois grupos: esplenectomizados e controles. Os animais foram pesados diariamente. Após sete dias da esplenectomia total convencional, os animais foram eutanasiados para estudo da TB, microbiota e morfometria intestinais. Para microbiota, foram coletadas as fezes da região média do intestino delgado, que foi seccionado para análise morfométrica. Após o preparo dos tubos com amostras fecais nas diferentes diluições, foram inoculados 0,1 mL de cada na superfície de placas contendo meios cromogênicos. Fragmentos do fígado e linfonodos mesentéricos foram macerados e homogeneizados, separadamente, em placas de Petri estéreis, posteriormente, adicionadas a caldo cérebro coração (BHI) na proporção de 1:5 e incubados em estufa a 37 °C por 24 horas. Posteriormente, alçadas de caldo foram semeadas em placas de Petri com diferentes meios de culturas. Os camundongos esplenectomizados apresentaram redução da evolução ponderal e maior prevalência de coproculturas positivas. A análise morfométrica duodenal revelou redução na altura e da área das vilosidades dos grupos esplenectomizados comparados aos seus controles. Os machos esplenectomizados apresentaram maiores taxas de TB e sepse. A asplênia aumenta a suscetibilidade à TB e, consequentemente, as doenças de origem séptica em camundongos. Sexo e alterações da mucosa duodenal podem influenciar no aumento deste fenômeno(AU)

Ssplenectomy diminishes the immune cells activity and may be related to bacterial translocation (BT) and sepsis. The BT and sepsis presence in splenectomized mice was investigated through analyzes of weight, sex, changes in the digestive microbiota and duodenal mucosa. Swiss Webster mice (20 females/20 males) were divided into two equal groups: splenectomized and controls, aged 125 days of life. Total splenectomy was performed in splenectomized group. The animals were weighed every day. After seven days, the animals were euthanized for the study of TB, microbiota and intestinal morphology. For microbiota study, stools were collected from the middle region of the small intestine, which was sectioned for morphometric analysis. After the tubes preparation with fecal samples at different dilutions, 0.1 mL of each sample was inoculated on the surface of plates containing chromogenic media. Fragments of the liver and mesenteric lymph nodes were macerated and homogenized separately in sterile Petri dishes, subsequently added to a brain/heart broth (BHI) in concentration 1:5 and incubated in an oven at 37 °C for 24 hours. Subsequently, the broths were seeded in Petri dishes with different culture media. The splenectomized mice presented a reduction in the ponderal evolution and a higher prevalence of positive coprocultures. Duodenal morphometric analysis revealed a reduction in the height and villus area of the splenectomized groups compared to their controls. Splenectomized males had higher BT and sepsis rates. Asplenia increases susceptibility to BT, and consequently septic diseases in mice. Sex and duodenal mucosa alterations may influence the increase of this phenomenon.(AU)

[Factors influencing the bacterial translocation in mice with chronic schistosomiasis]. / Fatores que influenciam a translocação bacteriana em camundongos corn esquistossomose crônica.

INTRODUCTION: Schistosomiasis causes alterations of the intestinal mucosa and a low cellular immune response in its chronic phase. Gender may influence the inflammatory response against Schistosoma mansoni. We investigate the association between schistosomiasis and secondary infections by bacterial translocation. METHODS: Swiss Webster mice (Mus musculus) with 35 days were divided into two groups: control (10 male and 10 female) and schistosomiasis (10 male and 10 female infected with 50 cercariae percutaneously). Stools were examined by the Kato-Katz with 45 and 97 days of infection. Liver perfusion was performed for quantification of worms. The animals were weighed after 35, 80, 125 and 132 days old when they were euthanized for study of translocation, microbiota and duodenal mucosa. For microbiota, stools were collected from the middle of the small intestine. Segments of this region were sectioned for morphometric diagnosis. RESULTS: Females had higher schistosomotic number of adult worms and eggs in stools (P = 0. 0001). Both sexes had a higher number of eggs on the 45th day (P = 0.005), decreased weight gain with 80, 125 and 132 days old (P = 0.0001) and increased spleen weight (P = 0.0001). The animals with schistosomiasis had more bacterial species and colony-forming units. Morphometric analysis revealed a reduction in height and area of villus and of perimeter of the mucosal surface of both groups with chronic disease (P = 0.0001). Increased bacterial translocation occurred in schistosomiasis when compared to controls, being more prevalent in females. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic schistosomiasis modify weight gain and weight of spleen, duodenal mucosa and microbiota in mice and favors translocation, migration and sepsis, especially in females, probably due to the intensity of parasitism.