Age and sex-dependent gut alterations in mice induced by neonatal immune activation with lipopolysaccharide.

Neonatal immune activation (NIA) through exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces adult behavioral changes in rodents that resemble symptoms of developmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder. The neonatal timing of LPS exposure appears to play a crucial role in determining the nature and extent of long-term changes. This study aims to explore whether a 3-day LPS-NIA triggers sex- and age-related changes in gut function, potentially linking LPS-NIA to gastrointestinal dysfunction. Male and female Swiss mice received intraperitoneal injections of LPS or saline on postnatal days (PN) 3, 5, and 7. At PN35 (juvenile) and PN70 (adult), gut inflammation and oxidative stress were evaluated in addition to assessments of working memory, depressive-like symptoms, sociability, and repetitive behavior. Gut examination showed elevated C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) in LPS-NIA mice, while MyD88 and Zonulin expressions were significantly higher only in adult LPS-NIA females. Interleukin (IL)-23 expression increased in juvenile and adult male and juvenile female LPS-NIA mice. Oxidative changes included decreased duodenal reduced glutathione (GSH) in juvenile females and ileal GSH in adult females exposed to LPS-NIA. Regarding behavioral alterations, adult LPS-NIA females exhibited depressive-like behavior. Working memory deficits were observed across all LPS-NIA groups. Only juvenile LPS-NIA females increased grooming, while rearing was higher in adult LPS-NIA mice of both sexes. The findings imply that LPS-NIA impacts intestinal barrier function and causes gut inflammatory alterations that are sex- and age-specific. These findings pave the way for exploring potential mechanisms that could contribute to LPS-induced gastrointestinal disturbances among individuals with ASD.

Updates in inspiratory muscle training for older adults: A systematic review.

Systematic reviews support the benefits of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) for exercise performance. Recently, many health benefits from IMT have been reported in older adults. Therefore, this work reviewed the literature focusing on IMT effects beyond physical performance in older adults, such as cardiorespiratory, metabolic, and postural balance outcomes. Searches were conducted with the following terms: ("respiratory muscle training" OR "inspiratory muscle training") OR ("inspiratory muscle strength training") AND ("elderly" OR "older" OR "aging" OR "aging"), and using the databases: MEDLINE (PubMed), SCOPUS and EUROPE PMC. Of the 356 articles found, 13 matched the inclusion criteria after screening. Based on reviewed studies, four to eight weeks of IMT (Mostly from 50 % up to 75 % of MIP, 7 days/week) improve cardiac autonomic control at rest and post-exercise, cerebrovascular response to orthostatic stress, static and dynamic balance, blood pressure control, endothelial function, and oxidative stress in older adults. The benefits of IMT in cardiac autonomic and vascular functions are reversed after training cessation. It thus appears that IMT promotes broad physiological gains for the older population. It is necessary to carry out more randomized clinical trials on the subject to confirm the findings of this research.

"What really matters to the patients?": assessing the impact of wound healing on the quality of life in patients undergoing incisional hernia repair.

PURPOSE: We aim to evaluate the impact of surgical wound complications in the first 30 postoperative days after incisional hernia repair on the long-term quality of life of patients. In addition, the impact of the surgical technique and preoperative comorbidities on the quality of life of patients will also be evaluated. METHOD: Prospective cohort study, which evaluates 115 patients who underwent incisional hernioplasty between 2019 and 2020, using the onlay and retromuscular techniques. These patients were initially assessed with regard to surgical wound outcomes in the first 30 postoperative days (surgical site infection (SSI) or surgical site occurrence (SSO)), and then, assessed after three years, through a specific quality of life questionnaire, the Hernia Related Quality of Life Survey (HerQLes). RESULTS: After some patients were lost to follow-up during the study period, due to death, difficulty in contact, refusal to respond to the questionnaire, eighty patients were evaluated. Of these, 11 patients (13.8%) had SSI in the first 30 postoperative days and 37 (46.3%) had some type of SSO. The impact of both SSI and SSO on quality of life indices was not identified. When analyzing others variables, we observed that the Body Mass Index (BMI) had a significant impact on the patients' quality of life. Likewise, hernia size and mesh size were identified as variables related to a worse quality of life outcome. No difference was observed regarding the surgical techniques used. CONCLUSION: In the present study, no relationship was identified between surgical wound outcomes (SSO and SSI) and worse quality of life results using the HerQLes score. We observed that both BMI and the size of meshes and hernias showed an inversely proportional relationship with quality of life indices. However, more studies evaluating preoperative quality of life indices and comparing them with postoperative indices should be carried out to evaluate these correlations.

Validation of the carolinas comfort scale (CCS) in Brazil: a hernia-specific quality of life questionnaire.

INTRODUCTION: Ventral hernia surgery (VHS) has the intent to promote a better quality of life (QoL). VHS results were evaluated by recurrence incidence in the past, however the concept of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures has changed this scenario. SF-36 is a generic questionnaire with some limitations on the hernioplasty postoperative evaluation. Disease-specific surveys such Hernia-Related Quality of Life Survey (HerQLes) and Carolinas Comfort Scale (CCS) were developed to improve specificity. The aim of this study was to validate a Brazilian version of the CCS as a QoL questionnaire for patients undergoing VHS in Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study consists of a retrospective cohort that reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent ventral hernia surgery for incisional hernias in the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre between January 2019 to December 2020. Participants answered both the HerQles questionnaire and the CCS, then we compared the patients' scores between scales. In-personal evaluations or surveys applied by telemedicine were performed. Intraclass correlation coefficient was utilized to assess the consistency of the agreement between the HerQLes and CCS scales. RESULTS: A sample of 80 patients were evaluated. Most were male (70%), mean age 61.11 years and BMI 28.4. The most common comorbidity was systemic arterial hypertension, one third were smokers and 77.5% of cases were ASA 2. The average HerQLes score was 30.40 and the CCS was 15.46 (SD: 21.81), with an intraclass coefficient of 0.68. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that CCS is a good and robust tool for assessing ventral hernia. Tools to measure QoL are increasingly used in the literature, as QoL seems to be important data to assess surgical success, since it shows the perception of the patient about the results of their surgery. Further studies with larger sample sizes should be performed to confirm our findings.

The Relationship between Inspiratory Muscle Strength and Cycling Performance: Insights from Hypoxia and Inspiratory Muscle Warm-Up.

Hypoxia increases inspiratory muscle work and consequently contributes to a reduction in exercise performance. We evaluate the effects of inspiratory muscle warm-up (IMW) on a 10 km cycling time trial in normoxia (NOR) and hypoxia (HYP). Eight cyclists performed four time trial sessions, two in HYP (FiO2: 0.145) and two in NOR (FiO2: 0.209), of which one was with IMW (set at 40% of maximal inspiratory pressure-MIP) and the other was with the placebo effect (PLA: set at 15% MIP). Time trials were unchanged by IMW (NORIMW: 893.8 ± 31.5 vs. NORPLA: 925.5 ± 51.0 s; HYPIMW: 976.8 ± 34.2 vs. HYPPLA: 1008.3 ± 56.0 s; p > 0.05), while ventilation was higher in HYPIMW (107.7 ± 18.3) than HYPPLA (100.1 ± 18.9 L.min-1; p ≤ 0.05), and SpO2 was lower (HYPIMW: 73 ± 6 vs. HYPPLA: 76 ± 6%; p ≤ 0.05). A post-exercise-induced reduction in inspiratory strength was correlated with exercise elapsed time during IMW sessions (HYPIMW: r = -0.79; p ≤ 0.05; NORIMW: r = -0.70; p ≤ 0.05). IMW did not improve the 10 km time trial performance under normoxia and hypoxia.

Heated environment increases blood pressure drop and postural sway during initial orthostasis in healthy subjects.

PURPOSE: We tested the hypothesis that heat stress influences the closed-loop cardio-postural control by an increased blood pressure (BP) drop and postural sway. METHODS: Fourteen healthy individuals (eight women) performed two orthostatic tests under thermal reference (TC; ~ 24 ºC) and HOT (~ 38 ºC) conditions. The center-of-pressure (COP) displacements and the electromyography (EMG) activity of the calf muscles (medial gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior) were recorded during the initial orthostasis (ORT onset) after the supine-to-stand challenge. At the same period, BP (beat-to-beat) was continuously monitored, and supine-to-stand variations (∆%) were calculated. Sublingual temperature (Tsl) was measured as a surrogate of internal temperature. RESULTS: Tsl increased in HOT compared to TC (TC 36.5 ± 0.3 vs. HOT 36.7 ± 0.3 ºC; p < 0.01). COP distance was greater in HOT compared to TC condition (TC 596.6 ± 242.4 vs. HOT 680.2 ± 249.1 mm; p < 0.01). EMG activity of the gastrocnemius decreased in HOT compared to TC condition (TC 95.5 ± 19.8 vs. HOT 78.4 ± 22.8%mV; p = 0.02). EMG of tibialis did not change between TC and HOT (TC 83.5 ± 42.9 vs. HOT 66.1 ± 31.9% mV; p = 0.29). BP showed a greater fall in HOT compared to TC condition (∆%TC - 24.5 ± 13.2 vs. ∆%HOT - 33.2 ± 20.2%; p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Heat stress causes a greater fall in blood pressure and a reduction in musculoskeletal pump activity during orthostatic onset. These effects could be potential mechanisms that underlie augmented postural instability under a heated environment.

A polyphenol-rich açaí seed extract protects against 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis in mice through the TLR-4/MyD88/PI3K/mTOR/NF-κBp65 signaling pathway.

Açaí seed extract (ASE) is obtained from Euterpe oleracea Mart. (açaí) plant (Amazon region) has high nutritional and functional value. ASE is rich in polyphenolic compounds, mainly proanthocyanidins. Proanthocyanidins can modulate the immune system and oxidative stress by inhibiting the toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway. A great deal of evidence suggests that inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress contribute to the pathogenesis of intestinal mucositis, and these events can lead to intestinal dysmotility. We hypothesized that ASE acts as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound in intestinal mucositis induced by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) through modulation of the TLR-4/MyD88/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase α/mechanistic target of rapamycin/NF-κBp65 pathway. The animals were divided into linear 5-FU (450 mg/kg) and 5-FU + ASE (10, 30, and 100 mg/kg) groups. The weight loss of the animals was evaluated daily. Samples from duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were obtained for histopathological, biochemical, and functional analyses. ASE reduced weight loss, inflammatory parameters (interleukin-1ß; tumor necrosis factor-α; myeloperoxidase activity) and the gene expression of mediators involved in the TLR-2/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. ASE prevented histopathological changes with beneficial effects on gastrointestinal transit delay, gastric emptying, and intestinal absorption/permeability. In conclusion, ASE protects the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier by inhibiting the TLR/MyD88/PI3K/mechanistic target of rapamycin/NF-κBp65 pathway.

Investigating changes in IQ scores over a decade in Brazil: factors at play.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine whether the factors underlying potential differences between two birth cohorts, born in 1982 and 1993, influence the changes in IQ over time. METHODS: Data from two Brazilian birth cohorts were used (1993 and 1982 Pelotas Birth Cohorts). The IQ scores were assessed using the WAIS-III test. RESULTS: Results showed that women born in 1993 had a higher average IQ score than those born in 1982, but no difference was found among men. The increase in IQ scores was only limited to participants from families with an income ranging from 1.1 to 3 times the minimum wage at the time of birth. The mean IQ score of participants born to mothers below the age of 20 remained stable over time, but increase for participants whose mothers were 20 years of age or older at the time of birth. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes the importance of considering socio-economic and demographic factors when examining differences in IQ scores over time. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of these findings.

Polysaccharide-rich extract of Genipa americana leaves protects seizures and oxidative stress in the mice model of pentylenetetrazole-induced epilepsy.

Plant polysaccharides have biological activities in the brain and those obtained from Genipa americana leaves present antioxidant and anticonvulsant effects in the mice model of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced acute seizures. This study aimed to evaluate the polysaccharide-rich extract of Genipa americana leaves (PRE-Ga) in the models of acute seizures and chronic epilepsy (kindling) induced by PTZ. In the acute seizure model, male Swiss mice (25-35 g) received PRE-Ga (1 or 9 mg/kg; intraperitoneal- IP), alone or associated with diazepam (0.01 mg/kg), 30 min before induction of seizures with PTZ (70 mg/kg; IP). In the chronic epilepsy model, seizures were induced by PTZ (40 mg/kg) 30 min after treatment and in alternated days up to 30 days and evaluated by video. Brain areas (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum) were assessed for inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. Diazepam associated to PRE-Ga (9 mg/kg; i.p.) increased the latency of seizures in acute (222.4 ± 47.57 vs. saline: 62.00 ± 4.709 s) and chronic models (6.267 ± 0.502 vs. saline: 4.067 ± 0.407 s). In hippocampus, PRE-Ga (9 mg/kg) inhibited TNF-α (105.9 ± 5.38 vs. PTZ: 133.5 ± 7.62 pmol/g) and malondialdehyde (MDA) (473.6 ± 60.51) in the chronic model. PTZ increased glial fibrillar acid proteins (GFAP) and Iba-1 in hippocampus, which was reversed by PRE-Ga (GFAP: 1.9 ± 0.23 vs PTZ: 3.1 ± 1.3 and Iba-1: 2.2 ± 0.8 vs PTZ: 3.2 ± 1.4). PRE-Ga presents neuroprotector effect in the mice model of epilepsy induced by pentylenetetrazole reducing seizures, gliosis, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress.

Pepsin Inhibitors Prevent Inflammation and Loss of Laryngeal Barrier Function in Mice with Gastroesophageal Reflux.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the role of pepsin inhibitors in the inflammatory response and their effects on laryngeal mucosal integrity during gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) under in vivo conditions. METHODS: A surgical model of GERD was used, in which mice were treated with pepstatin (0.3 mg/kg) or darunavir (8.6 mg/kg) for 3 days. On the third day after the experimental protocol, the laryngeal samples were collected to assess the severity of inflammation (wet weight and myeloperoxidase activity) and mucosal integrity (transepithelial electrical resistance and paracellular epithelial permeability to fluorescein). RESULTS: The surgical GERD model was reproduced. It showed features of inflammation and loss of barrier function in the laryngeal mucosa. Pepstatin and darunavir administration suppressed laryngeal inflammation and preserved laryngeal mucosal integrity. CONCLUSION: Pepsin inhibition by the administration of pepstatin and darunavir improved inflammation and protected the laryngeal mucosa in a mouse experimental model of GERD. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 134:3080-3085, 2024.

Maternal mental health and offspring's IQ: Evidence from two Brazilian birth cohorts.

Maternal mental health during different stages of life can have a significant impact on a child's cognitive development. This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal CMD at two distinct stages of the offspring's life (at 3 months and 11 years) and their IQ scores at 6 and 18 years across two birth cohorts. The study utilized data from two Brazilian birth cohorts: the 1993 cohort (full sample: N = 3719, subsample: N = 436), and the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort (N = 3440). IQ assessments were conducted at ages 18 and 6, employing the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, third version (WAIS-III), and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, third version (WISC-III), respectively. The presence of maternal CMD at 3 months and 11 years of age was evaluated using the Brazilian version of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). After adjustment, participants whose mothers experienced CMD at 3 months had average IQ scores 1.74 (95 % CI: -2.83 to -0.67) and 2.79 (95 % CI: -5.54 to -0.04) points lower at ages 6 (2004 cohort) and 18 (1993 cohort subsample), respectively. Furthermore, in the 1993 cohort (both full and subsample), maternal CMD at 11 years was associated with lower IQ scores at age 18. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this association, emphasized by these findings, is crucial for promoting children's cognitive development, educational achievement, and overall well-being.

Giant Quadrigeminal Cistern Lipoma: A Case Report and Literature Review / Lipoma gigante de cisterna quadrigeminal: Relato de caso e revisão da literatura

We report the case of a giant lipoma of the quadrigeminal cistern in a 30-year-old female patient with headache, nausea, vomiting, and phono and photophobia. Despite the large size of the tumor, conservative treatment was chosen. Intracranial lipomas are rare benign tumors commonly associated with congenital anomalies, and their origin is related to an incorrect embryonic development. The diagnosis is made mainly by cranial computed tomographyand magnetic resonance imaging. The treatment of lipoma can be surgical or conservative, and there is no single treatment for the different patients' cases.

Relatamos o caso de um lipoma gigante de cisterna quadrigeminal em uma paciente de 30 anos, do sexo feminino, com cefaleia, náusea, fono e fotofobia, no qual se optou pelo tratamento conservador. Os lipomas intracranianos são tumores benignos raros comumente associados a anomalias congênitas, e sua origem relaciona-se ao mau desenvolvimento embrionário. A investigação diagnóstica é feita predominantemente através da tomografia computadorizada e ressonância nuclear magnética do crânio, e não existe um tratamento único para os diferentes quadros dos pacientes.

Relation between child maltreatment and human capital: results from a population-based birth cohort / Relação entre maus-tratos infantis e capital humano: resultados de uma coorte de nascimentos de base populacional / Relación entre maltrato infantil y capital humano: resultados de una cohorte de nacimientos de base poblacional

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the association between child maltreatment and human capital, measured by intelligence quotient (IQ) at age 18 years and schooling at age 22 years in 3,736 members from a population-based birth cohort in Southern Brazil. A multiple linear regression was used to assess the association between child maltreatment and human capital measurements. Physical and emotional abuse and physical neglect occurring up to 15 years of age were considered child maltreatment. Physical neglect was associated with lower IQ scores in women (β = -4.40; 95%CI: -6.82; -1.99) and men (β = -2.58; 95%CI: -5.17; -0.01) and lower schooling for all sexes: women (β = -1.19; 95%CI: -1.64; -0.74) and men (β = -0.82; 95%CI: -1.34; -0.30). Moreover, men who had experienced one type of child maltreatment and women who had experienced two or more types had lower years of schooling at 22 years (β = -0.41; 95%CI: -0.73; -0.89 and β = -0.57; 95%CI: -0.91; -0.22, respectively) than those who suffered no kind of maltreatment. Efforts to improve future educational and cognitive outcomes must include early prevention and intervention strategies for child maltreatment.

Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a associação entre maus-tratos infantis e capital humano, medido por meio do quociente de inteligência (QI) aos 18 anos e escolaridade aos 22 anos, em 3.736 membros de uma coorte de nascimentos de base populacional no Sul do Brasil. A regressão linear múltipla foi utilizada para avaliar a associação entre maus-tratos infantis e medidas de capital humano. Foram considerados maus-tratos físicos, emocionais e a negligência física ocorrida até os 15 anos de idade. A negligência física associou-se a menores escores de QI entre mulheres (β = -4,40; IC95%: -6,82; -1,99) e homens (β = -2,58; IC95%: -5,17; -0,01), assim como menor escolaridade em mulheres (β = -1,19; IC95%: -1,64; -0,74 e homens (β = -0,82; IC95%: -1,34; -0,30). Além disso, homens que sofreram algum tipo de mau-trato na infância e mulheres que sofreram dois ou mais tipos apresentaram menor escolaridade aos 22 anos de idade (β = -0,41; IC95%: -0,73; -0,89 e β = -0,57; IC95%: -0,91; -0,22, respectivamente), em comparação com aqueles que não sofreram maus-tratos. Os esforços para aprimorar os futuros resultados educacionais e cognitivos devem incorporar estratégias de prevenção e intervenção precoce contra o mau-trato infantil.

Resumen: El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la asociación entre el maltrato infantil y el capital humano, medido utilizando el cociente de inteligencia (CI) a los 18 años y escolaridad a los 22 años, en 3.736 miembros de una cohorte de nacimientos de base poblacional en el Sur de Brasil. Se utilizó una regresión lineal múltiple para evaluar la asociación entre el maltrato infantil y las medidas de capital humano. Se consideraron el maltrato físico y emocional y la negligencia física que ocurrieron hasta los 15 años de edad. La negligencia física se asoció con puntuaciones de CI más bajas entre mujeres (β = -4,40; IC95%: -6,82; -1,99) y hombres (β = -2,58; IC95%: -5,17; -0,01), así como con una menor escolaridad en las mujeres (β = -1,19; IC95%: -1,64; -0,74 y hombres (β = -0,82; IC95%: -1,34; -0,30). Además, los hombres que sufrieron algún tipo de maltrato en la infancia y las mujeres que sufrieron dos o más tipos de maltrato tenían menor escolaridad a los 22 años (β = -0,41; IC95%: -0,73; -0,89 y β = -0,57; IC95%: -0,91; -0,22, respectivamente), en comparación con aquellos que no sufrieron maltratos. Los esfuerzos para mejorar los resultados educativos y cognitivos futuros deben incorporar estrategias de prevención e intervención temprana contra el maltrato infantil.

Women have a greater cardiac vagal withdrawal to heat stress compared to men.

The heated environment shifts the sympatho-vagal balance toward sympathetic predominance and vagal withdrawal. Women's heart is more reliant on vagal autonomic control, while men's heart is more dependent on sympathetic control. However, sex differences in cardiovascular autonomic responses to heat stress remain unknown. We aimed to investigate the cardiovascular autonomic regulation under heat stress between sexes. Thirty-two young participants (27 ± 4 years old; 16 women) were enrolled in a single visit, resting for 30min at baseline (thermal reference condition TC; ∼24°C) and 30min under a heated environment (HOT; ∼38°C). Blood pressure (BP), skin temperature, electrocardiogram, and respiratory oscillations were continuously recorded. The heart rate variability (HRV) was assessed by spectral analysis (low-frequency [LFnu; sympathetic and vagal] and high-frequency [HFnu; vagal]), and symbolic analysis (0 V% [sympathetic] and 2UV%, and 2LV% [vagal]). The spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) was calculated by the gain between BP and R-R within the LF band (αLF). The estimated maximal aerobic capacity and body surface area were employed as covariates in sex comparisons. The effects of HOT were the following: 1) Women have a greater cardiac vagal withdrawal to heat stress compared to men; 2) Sex differences on cardiac autonomic response to heat stress exist after controlling for the effect of estimated physical fitness and body surface area. Therefore, heat stress provokes a higher vagal withdrawal to the heart in women compared to men. It could be attributed to sex per se since significant differences between men and women were not modified after covariate analysis.

Eryngium foetidum reported as a new host of Meloidogyne enterolobii in the state of Pará, in the eastern Amazon region, Brazil.

Amazon chicory (Eryngium foetidum L. [Apiaceae]), also known as culantro, is native to Tropical America and the West Indies. It belongs to the unconventional food plants (UFPs) group, and in addition to be consumed as a spice herb, it possesses a wide range of ethnomedicinal uses (Paul et al. 2011). In 2019, in the eastern Amazon region of Brazil, state of Pará, producers of E. foetidum in the municipality of Castanhal (01°15'363" S 047°10'232" W) reported the occurrence of underdeveloped plants with leaf yellowing and a large number of galls in the root system, which are typical symptoms of root-knotting nematode. Soil and root samples were collected and sent to the Nematology Laboratory (LabNema) located at the Faculty of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, UNESP, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 46 second-stage juveniles (J2s) were extracted per 100 cm3 of soil, and a total of 460 eggs and J2s Meloidogyne spp. were found per gram of root. Morphological and molecular techniques were used to identify the species. The analysis of the perineal patter of ten females revealed thin striations in an oval shape with a high and semi-trapezoidal dorsal arch. No striations were observed in the perivulvar region. The labial region of the ten males analyzed exhibited a non-prominent labial disc, fused and slightly recessed submedian lips, with no apparent annulations. The morphological characteristics observed in the adults were consistent with those originally described for Meloidogyne enterolobii (Yang; Eisenback, 1983), confirming the species purity of the recovered population. Three individual nematodes had their 18S rDNA region sequenced (Holterman et al. 2006) which showed an average identity of 99.7% with other sequences of M. enterolobii available in the GenBank database. A Bayesian phylogenetic tree was constructed, providing insights into the specific relationship of M. enterolobii recovered from E. foetidum with other related nematodes. Each of the three sequenced nematodes represented a unique haplotype, resulting in their separation into distinct clades. Moreover, the obtained sequences presented polymorphisms that differed from the M. enterolobii sequences already available in the database, highlighting the genetic diversity of this species in relation to its original host (Silva et al. 2021). The species M. enterolobii was also confirmed using species-specific primers for M. incognita, M. javanica, and M. enterolobii (Zijlstra et al. 2000; Tigano et al. 2010). To confirm the pathogenicity of M. enterolobii on E. foetidum, a modified Koch Postulate was conducted. Six seedlings of E. foetidum were transplanted individually to 10-liter pots containing autoclaved soil. Each pot was then inoculated with 5 mL of a suspension containing 3,000 eggs and J2s from the original population of M. enterolobii obtained from E. foetidum. After 90 days, the inoculated plants exhibited root galls with a plentiful egg mass, in contrast to the healthy non-inoculated plants. The average number of M. enterolobii nematodes recovered from the roots of the inoculated plants was 42,040 eggs and J2s, resulting in a reproduction factor (RF) of 14.0. The importance of reporting the occurrence of M. enterolobii in E. foetidum is due to the fact that this plant species is cultivated in a crop rotation system with other vegetables such as lettuce and coriander, which are also hosts of M. enterolobii. Consequently, different crop rotation strategies and control alternatives need to be considered in areas where E. foetidum is grown. This is the first report of E. foetidum serving as a host for the root-knot nematode M. enterolobii worldwide.

Photobiomodulation, Transmucosal Laser Irradiation of Blood, or B complex as alternatives to treat Covid-19 Related Long-Term Taste Impairment: double-blind randomized clinical trial.

COVID-19 Related Long-Term Taste Impairment (CRLTTI) is a condition that can be expressed after COVID-19 contagion, lasting for months or even years, affecting the routine and quality of life of individuals. Participants expressing CRLTTI, with a minimum of 2 months, attested by PCR-RT test were assessed for taste and smell, and underwent experimental treatments in 6 distinct groups: Photobiomodulation (PBM) in tongue dorsum and lateral (660 nm, 808 nm, association of 660 and 808 nm), Transmucosal Laser Irradiation of Blood (TLIB)-ventral surface of tongue (660 nm), B complex supplementation, and Sham laser. No intergroup statistical differences were observed at the final evaluation, despite the tendencies of better results with PBM and TLIB observed. PBM, TLIB, and B complex might be treatment options in the management of CRLTTI, despite the lack of total remission of taste and smell perception after 8 sessions (PBM and TLIB) or 30 days of B complex supplementation.