Checklist of parasites associated with 'reptiles' in Northeast Brazil.

Reptiles, as well as other vertebrate groups, harbour a significant diversity of parasitic organisms, from nematodes and other helminths to viruses and bacteria. The Northeast is one of the richest regions in Brazil in terms of the reptile diversity, number of species and endemism. Parasites are diverse organisms and knowledge about the parasitic fauna of vertebrates is an important factor in understanding the ecological relationships between hosts and the environment. Studies on the parasitic fauna of reptiles in South America have increased in the past few years. The present review is a compilation of 122 studies published from 1924 to 2021. We present information on 101 species of reptiles from five groups (amphisbaenians, crocodile, testudines, snakes and lizards) and 183 parasitic taxa belonging to four phyla: Nematoda; Arthropoda; Platyhelminthes; and Acanthocephala. Nematodes were the most frequently recorded species. Lizards and snakes had more records of parasitism and higher levels of parasite richness and diversity. Ceará was the state with most studies and recorded cases of parasite-host association. The Caatinga and Atlantic Forest were the most investigated environments. The objective of this review was to contribute knowledge on the parasitic biodiversity in reptiles from Northeast Brazil, which may help identify gaps in our knowledge and guide future studies.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the cyclic alternating pattern across the lifespan.

BACKGROUND: Cyclic alternating pattern (CAP) is the electroencephalogram (EEG) pattern described as a marker of sleep instability and assessed by NREM transient episodes in sleep EEG. It has been associated with brain maturation. The aim of this review was to evaluate the normative data of CAP parameters according to the aging process in healthy subjects through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Two authors independently searched databases using PRISMA guidelines. Discrepancies were reconciled by a third reviewer. Subgroup analysis and tests for heterogeneity were conducted. RESULTS: Of 286 studies, 10 submitted a total of 168 healthy individuals to CAP analysis. Scoring of CAP can begin at 3 months of life, when K-complexes, delta bursts, or spindles can be recognized. Rate of CAP increased with age, mainly during the first 2 years of life, then decreased in adolescence, and increased in the elderly. The A1 CAP subtype and CAP rate were high in school-aged children during slow-wave sleep (SWS). A1 CAP subtypes were significantly more numerous in adolescents compared with other groups, while the elderly showed the highest amounts of A2 and A3 CAP subtypes. Our meta-analysis registered the lowest CAP rate in infants younger than 2 years old and the highest in the elderly. CONCLUSIONS: This review summarized the normative data of CAP in NREM sleep during the aging process. The CAP rate increased with age and sleep depth, especially during SWS. Parameters of CAP may reflect gender hormonal effects and neuroplasticity. More reports on CAP subtypes are needed for their reference values establishment.

Obstructive sleep apnea in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Adults with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) often suffer from sleep disruption and sleep apnea. As the apneic profile of CRSwNP may differ from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) classic patients without nasal polyps (NP), it may prove useful to define a new profile for OSA screening in these patients. The aim of the current study was to compare baseline characteristics and apneic profile of OSA patients with CRSwNP to OSA patients without NP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one apneic patients with CRSwNP and 62 apneic cases without NP were included in our study. Both groups underwent nasal endoscopy, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) evaluation, and overnight polysomnography (PSG). We additionally accessed anthropometric characteristics such as snoring, tiredness, observed apnea, high blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), age, neck circumference, male gender, and OSA risk via the STOP-Bang questionnaire. RESULTS: Although the patients were matched according to age and gender, the median BMI and STOP-Bang score were significantly higher in patients with OSA than in those with OSA and CRSwNP. Notably, the median ESS showed low somnolence and a low median apnea-hypopnea index in patients with CRSwNP, despite the fact that the lowest median oxygen saturation was not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Anthropometric characteristics in individuals with apnea caused by CRSwNP were significantly different from those in individuals with typical. This finding will improve screening and treatment of apneic patients CRSwNP.

L-asparaginase isolated from Streptomyces ansochromogenes promotes Th1 profile and activates CD8+ T cells in human PBMC: an in vitro investigation.

AIMS: A new L-asparaginase produced by Streptomyces ansochromogenes UFPEDA 3420 actinobacteria was used in this study against human lymphocyte cultures to evaluate the immunological profile induced by this enzyme. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cultures of lymphocytes were stimulated with S. ansochromogenes L-asparaginase, and cytotoxicity, cell viability, cell stimulation and cytokine production were analysed. This new S. ansochromogenes L-asparaginase induced activation and proliferation of the TCD8+ lymphocyte subset and produced higher TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-10 levels in a 24-h assay. CONCLUSION: Streptomyces ansochromogenes L-asparaginase is a promising molecule to be used in in vivo models and to deepen preclinical tests against acute lymphoblast leukaemia. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: L-asparaginase is an indispensable component of the chemotherapeutic treatment of acute lymphoblast leukaemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Currently, drugs such as Asparaginase® , Kidrolase® , and Elspar® and Erwinase® are efficient against leukemic disease, but promote immunosuppression and other side effects in human organisms. Our purified S. ansochromogenes L-asparaginase showed promissory results inducing, in vitro, higher immunostimulation in human PBMC, especially in T CD8+ lymphocyte subsets.

Metagenomic analysis of the microbiome in three different bioreactor configurations applied to commercial laundry wastewater treatment.

The taxonomic and functional diversity of three different biological reactors (fluidized bed reactor, FBR; up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor, UASB; and expanded granular sludge bed reactor, EGSB) used for commercial laundry wastewater treatment was investigated using metagenome shotgun sequencing. Metagenomes were sequenced on the Illumina Hiseq platform and were analyzed using MG-RAST, STAMP and PAST software. The EGSB and UASB reactors were more closely related based on taxonomic and functional profiles, likely due to similar granular sludge and procedures adopted to ensure anaerobic conditions. The EGSB and UASB reactors showed a predominance of methanogens and genes related to methanogenesis, with a prevalence of the acetoclastic pathway, in addition to the peripheral and central O2-independent pathways for aromatic compound degradation. By contrast, FBR showed a dominance of aerobic microbiota and pathways for O2-dependent aromatic compound degradation. Therefore, although the reactors showed similar surfactant removal levels, the microbial composition, functional diversity and aromatic compound degradation pathways were significantly distinct.

Antimicrobial potential of actinobacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of the Caatinga biome plant Caesalpinia pyramidalis Tul.

Actinobacteria are known to produce various secondary metabolites having antibiotic effects. This study assessed the antimicrobial potential of actinobacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of Caesalpinia pyramidalis Tul. from the Caatinga biome. Sixty-eight actinobacteria isolates were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against different microorganisms by disk diffusion and submerged fermentation, using different culture media, followed by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and chemical prospecting of the crude extract. Of the isolates studied, 52.9% of those isolated at 37°C and 47.05% of those isolated at 45°C had activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Fusarium moniliforme, and Candida albicans. When compared with others actinobacteria, the isolate C1.129 stood out with better activity and was identified by 16S rDNA gene analysis as Streptomyces parvulus. The crude ethanol extract showed an MIC of 0.97 µg/mL for MRSA and B. subtilis, while the ethyl acetate extract showed MIC of 3.9 µg/mL for S. aureus and MRSA, showing the greatest potential among the metabolites produced. Chemical prospecting revealed the presence of mono/sesquiterpenes, proanthocyanidin, triterpenes, and steroids in both crude extracts. This study evaluates S. parvulus activity against multi-resistant microorganisms such as MRSA. Thus, it proves that low-fertility soil, as is found in the Caatinga, may contain important microorganisms for the development of new antimicrobial drugs.

Efeito alelopático e análise dos rótulos de garrafadas comercializadas no Mercado Municipal de Montes Claros – MG / Allelopathic effect and analysis of bottle labels commercialized in the municipal market of Montes Claros – MG

RESUMO O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar o efeito alelopático e o rótulo dos produtos vegetais contidos nas garrafadas comercializadas no mercado municipal de Montes Claros - MG. Adquiriram-se oito garrafadas que foram utilizadas para tratar, cada uma, 20 sementes de alface (Lactuca sativa L.) dispostas em placas de Petri sobre papel saturado com 4mL do conteúdo de cada garrafada em 04 concentrações: 12,5; 25; 50; e 75%. O controle positivo foi realizado com solução de sulfato de zinco a 1%, além dos controles: água mineral, água da torneira, e água destilada. As placas de Petri foram lacradas com filme plástico, cobertas com saco plástico e incubadas em escuro por sete dias à temperatura média de 27,2°C e na umidade média de 54%. Após 7 dias, mediu-se o comprimento da radícula e do hipocótilo (mm) de cada uma das plântulas e quantificou-se o número de sementes que germinaram. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância pelo software Sisvar, sendo os resultados comparados pelo Teste Scott-Knott ao nível nominal de 5%. Os resultados do teste de germinação indicaram que houve efeito significativo das garrafadas sobre a germinação das sementes de Lactuca sativa L., onde o percentual de germinação das sementes foi inversamente proporcional ao aumento da concentração das garrafadas. Portanto, observou-se que as garrafadas apresentaram potencial alelopático ao inibirem a germinação das sementes de alface.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyze the allelopathic effect and label of plant products put in bottles commercialized in the municipal market of Montes Claros - MG. Eight bottles were employed to treat, each one, 20 lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa L.) placed at Petri plaques over saturated paper with 4mL of the content of each bottle in 04 concentrations of 12.5; 25; 50; 75% for each bottle, 1% of zinc sulfate solution (positive control) and 3 negative control groups (containing mineral water, tap water and distilled water). The Petri plaques were sealed with plastic film, covered with plastic bag and incubated in the dark for seven days at an average temperature of 27.2°C and average humidity of 54%. After 7 days, it was measured the length of the radicle and the hypocotyl (mm) of each one of the seedlings and the number of seeds that germinated was quantified. The data were submitted to analysis of variance by Sisvar software and the results were compared by Scot-Knott Test at a nominal level of 5%. The results of the germination test indicated that there was a significant impact of the bottles in the germination of the lactuca sativa L. seeds, where the percentage of seeds germination was inversely proportional to the concentration increase in the analyzed bottles. Therefore, it has been observed that the bottles presented allelopathic potential when they inhibited the germination of lettuce seeds.

Bioprospection of bacteria and yeasts from Atlantic Rainforest soil capable of growing in crude-glycerol residues.

The increasing world production of biodiesel has resulted in an accumulation of crude glycerol as the major byproduct. This could be used as carbon source for industrial microbiology, with economic and environmental advantages for the biodiesel industry. We explored an Atlantic Rainforest soil sample to search for crude glycerol-degrading microorganisms. Microcosms of this soil were established containing minimal medium + 8% crude glycerol (w/w); the biological activity was measured by respirometry. High CO2 levels were found in some of the crude glycerol microcosms, suggesting the activity of microorganisms capable of degrading this residue. In an attempt to isolate and cultivate these microorganisms in vitro, aliquots of the soil suspension were plated on minimal medium containing 10% crude glycerol (v/v). Out of 19 morphologically distinct isolates, 12 bacteria and 6 yeasts were identified by PCR from universal primers 16S and 26S rDNA, respectively. Optical density readings revealed growth differences among cultures. Two yeasts and three bacteria with distinct growth profiles stood out and appeared to have potential for liquid fermentation of crude glycerol. The yeasts adapted rapidly, but produced relatively little biomass. Opposite tendencies were found in the bacteria. Amplicon sequencing placed the bacterial isolates as close to Staphylococcus arlettae, Pseudomonas citronellolis, and Bacillus megaterium, and the yeasts to Trichosporon moniliiforme and Meyerozyma guilliermondii. We concluded that these species have potential for use in crude glycerol bioreactors and for bioremediation processes.

Molecular frequency and isolation of cyst-forming coccidia from free ranging chickens in Bahia State, Brazil.

The Toxoplasmatinae parasites Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Hammondia spp. have carnivores as definitive hosts that shed the parasite oocysts in their feces. Birds that feed directly from the soil, such as chickens, are exposed to infection and may serve as indicators of the presence of the parasite in the environment and as a source of infection for other animals. The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of infection by these parasites in free ranging chickens, to test whether chickens are intermediate hosts of Hammondia spp., and to isolate N. caninum from chickens. One hundred chickens, which were raised in contact to cattle and dogs, were bought in five towns located in Bahia, Brazil. Blood and tissues (brain and heart) were used for serology, molecular tests and bioassay in mice for parasite isolation. T. gondii DNA was detected in 29 chickens, and N. caninum DNA was observed in six animals. Hammondia spp. DNA was not detected in tissues from any chicken. Tissues from eight N. caninum seropositive chickens were bioassayed in interferon-gamma gene knockout mice, but the mice did not become infected; T. gondii was isolated from six of 14 seropositive chickens after bioassay in outbreed Swiss mice. The authors concluded that: chickens seem to be better hosts for T. gondii when compared to N. caninum, based on the molecular and bioassay results; Hammondia spp. probably does not infect chickens or is rarely found in this animal species.

An improved extraction protocol for metagenomic DNA from a soil of the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest.

The need for the prospecting for and identification of new biomolecules is a reality. Molecular techniques allow access to the metabolic potential of microorganisms via the isolation of DNA from environmental samples, i.e., without the application of microbial culture techniques. With its great biological diversity, the Atlantic Rainforest biome has a soil rich in organic matter, some components of which interfere negatively in the reactions necessary for the exploitation of its biotechnological potential. Here, we describe a protocol for the optimization of the treatment of soil samples before DNA extraction. The new methodology gives higher yield and quality of extracted DNA as compared with pre-existing techniques, facilitating the amplification and digestion of environmental DNA, and thus allows optimal exploitation of the genetic potential of the Atlantic Rainforest biome.

Increased frequency of HLA-B40 in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis.

The presence of 9 HLA-A and 14 HLA-B specificities was determined in 83 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. The finding of a higher than normal incidence of HLA-B40 (chi 2 = 10.8; corrected P less than 0.026) supports the hypothesis that genetic factors may play a role in susceptibility to paracoccidioidomycosis. The risk of developing paracoccidioidomycosis is 4.3 times higher for individuals carrying HLA-B40 than for those lacking this antigen.

Kidney transplantation: the use of abnormal kidneys.

We transplanted 6 anatomically abnormal kidneys: a horseshoe kidney that after division was transplanted into 2 recipients; 1 kidney with ureteral stones and hydronephrosis; 1 ectopic and 1 hydronephrotic kidney; 2 kidneys with extensive ureteric lesions, donated as free organs. All these kidneys ultimately had normal function in the recipients, long-term in 4.2 patients died but in neither was the death caused by the renal abnormality.

Recurrence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in renal allografts.

Thirty-one renal allografts placed in 25 recipients with renal failure from biopsy-documented focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) were reviewed. These represent all of the cases with this renal histology transplanted over 13 years. Recurrence of the lesion was demonstrated histologically in five recipients. A nephrotic syndrome occurred in all five patients and failure of the graft in two. Of 20 recipients who did not show a nephrotic syndrome, allograft histology in 12 did not show FSGS in any. From these data and a review of the literature, the risks of transplantation in patients with FSGS are assessed. Recipients under the age of 15 and with a course into renal failure of less than 3 years show recurrence in about 50% of cases. Of this 50%, about one-half will lose their grafts from the recurrence within 5 years, but some may show good function for many years, despite proteinuria or a nephrotic syndrome.

Anestesia em pacientes com insuficiencia renal e uremia. / Anesthesia in patients with renal failure and uremia

Estudamos, retrospectivamente, 52 pacientes uremicos, por insufuciencia renal cronica, submetidos a 102 anestesias para cirurgias de grande porte (duracao media 195.5 +/- 76,3 minutos), analisando e comparado as alteracoes da potassemia durante diferentes tecnicas anestesicas. Hemodialise foi realizada 12 horas antes da cirurgia, exceto quando os pacientes eram admitidos para transplante de rim de cadaver, nos quais o objetivo era corrigir as alteracoes de azotemia e obter, com transfusao de hemacias, valores de hematocritos em torno de 25% (X = 27.0; DP 6,6); o potassio serico que antecedeu a cirurgia foi de 4.6 =/- 0,9 mEq/1. A associacao anestesica mais comumente empregada foi halotano, succinilcolina venosa continua (63% dos casos), seguindo-se a adicao de oxido nitroso e succinilcolina venosa continua.Nao houve obito anestesico apesar de duas paradas cardiacas e dos tres episodios de insuficiencia respiratoria imediata, que foram de curta duracao e de recuperacao espontanea. Ocasionalmente, a potassemia pos-operatoria imediata aumentou de 1.4 mEq/1, porem, em media, as alteracoes nao foram significativas e nao tiveram correlacao com as paradas cardiacas observadas