Weighted gene co-expression network analysis reveals immune evasion related genes in Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l). In the intermediate host, this disease is characterized by the growth of cysts in viscera such as liver and lungs, inside of which the parasite develops to the next infective stage known as protoscoleces. There are records that the infected viscera affect the development and morphology of E. granulosus s.l. protoscolex in hosts such as buffalo or humans. However, the molecular mechanisms that drive these differences remains unknown. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) using a set of RNAseq data obtained from E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) protoscoleces found in liver and lung cysts reveals 34 modules in protoscoleces of liver origin, of which 12 have differential co-expression from protoscoleces of lung origin. Three of these twelve modules contain hub genes related to immune evasion: tegument antigen, tegumental protein, ubiquitin hydrolase isozyme L3, COP9 signalosome complex subunit 3, tetraspanin CD9 antigen, and the methyl-CpG-binding protein Mbd2. Also, two of the twelve modules contain only hypothetical proteins with unknown orthology, which means that there are a group of unknown function proteins co-expressed inside the protoscolex of liver CE cyst origin. This is the first evidence of gene expression differences in protoscoleces from CE cysts found in different viscera, with co-expression networks that are exclusive to protoscoleces from liver CE cyst samples. This should be considered in the control strategies of CE, as intermediate hosts can harbor CE cysts in liver, lungs, or both organs simultaneously.

Elucidating the Role of Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses in the Pathogenesis of Canine Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy-A Search for Potential Biomarkers.

Canine chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE) is one of the most common chronic gastrointestinal diseases affecting dogs worldwide. Genetic and environmental factors, as well as intestinal microbiota and dysregulated host immune responses, participate in this multifactorial disease. Despite advances explaining the immunological and molecular mechanisms involved in CIE development, the exact pathogenesis is still unknown. This review compiles the latest reports and advances that describe the main molecular and cellular mechanisms of both the innate and adaptive immune responses involved in canine CIE pathogenesis. Future studies should focus research on the characterization of the immunopathogenesis of canine CIE in order to advance the establishment of biomarkers and molecular targets of diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic utility.

Transcriptome analysis of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto protoscoleces reveals differences in immune modulation gene expression between cysts found in cattle and sheep.

Cystic Echinococcosis (CE), a zoonotic parasitic disease, is caused by the cestode Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. CE inflicts severe damage in cattle, sheep, and human hosts worldwide. Fertile CE cysts are characterized by the presence of viable protoscoleces. These parasite forms are studied with minimal contamination with host molecules. Hosts, cattle and sheep, show differences in their CE cyst fertility. The effect of the host in protoscolex transcriptome is not known. We genotyped and performed transcriptomic analysis on sheep protoscoleces obtained from liver and lung CE cysts. The transcriptomic data of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto protoscoleces from 6 lung CE cysts and 6 liver CE cysts were Collected. For host comparison analysis, 4 raw data files belonging to Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto protoscoleces from cattle liver CE cysts were obtained from the NCBI SRA database. Principal component and differential expression analysis did not reveal any statistical differences between protoscoleces obtained from liver or lung cysts, either within the same sheep or different sheep hosts. Conversely, there are significant differences between cattle and sheep protoscolex samples. We found differential expression of immune-related genes. In cattle, 7 genes were upregulated in protoscoleces from liver cysts. In sheep, 3 genes were upregulated in protoscoleces from liver and lung CE cysts. Noteworthy, are the differential expression of antigen B, tegument antigen, and arginase-2 in samples obtained from sheep CE cysts, and basigin in samples from cattle CE cysts. These findings suggest that the host species is an important factor involved in the differential expression of immune related genes, which in turn is possibly related to the fertility of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto cysts.

Response patterns in adventitial layer of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto cysts from naturally infected cattle and sheep.

Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the metacestode of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. The disease is characterized by the development of cystic structures inside viscera of the intermediate host, mainly liver and lungs. These cysts are formed by three layers: germinal, laminated, and adventitial layer, the latter being the local host immune response. Metacestodes that develop protoscoleces, the infective stage to the definitive host, are termed fertile, whereas cysts that do not produce protoscoleces are termed non-fertile. Sheep usually harbor fertile cysts while cattle usually harbor non-fertile cysts. Adventitial layers with fibrotic resolution are associated to fertile cysts, whereas a granulomatous reaction is associated with non-fertile cysts. The aim of this study was to analyze cellular distribution in the adventitial layer of fertile and non-fertile E. granulosus sensu stricto cysts found in liver and lungs of cattle and sheep. A total of 418 cysts were analyzed, 203 from cattle (8 fertile and 195 non-fertile) and 215 from sheep (64 fertile and 151 non-fertile). Fertile cysts from cattle showed mixed patterns of response, with fibrotic resolution and presence of granulomatous response in direct contact with the laminated layer, while sheep fertile cysts always displayed fibrotic resolution next to the laminated layer. Cattle non-fertile cysts display a granulomatous reaction in direct contact with the laminated layer, whereas sheep non-fertile cysts display a granulomatous reaction, but in direct contact with the fibrotic resolution. This shows that cattle and sheep cystic echinococcosis cysts have distinct local immune response patterns, which are associated to metacestode fertility.

Fasciola hepatica co-infection enhances Th1 immune response in the adventitial layer of non-fertile Echinococcus granulosus cysts.

Cystic echinococcosis is a widespread zoonosis caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. In intermediary hosts, two types of echinococcal cysts can be found: fertile, which produce protoscoleces, the infective form of the parasite to dogs; and infertile, that do not present protoscoleces and therefore are not able to continue with the parasite life cycle. The adventitial layer, the local immune response against the cyst, plays an important role in cyst fertility. Grazing cattle can often feature Fasciola hepatica co-infection, a parasite known to modulate the host systemic immune response. In this work the cellular Th1/Th2 immune profiles were evaluated in the adventitial layer of fertile and non-fertile cysts with and without co-infection with Fasciola hepatica. Measuring with immunohistochemistry and qPCR in adventitial layer, we report that non-fertile cysts present higher levels of Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ (P < 0.0001) and TNF-α (P < 0.05)), and fertile cysts have higher levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-4 (P < 0.001)). Co-infection with Fasciola hepatica is associated with a decrease in the expression of IL-4 (P < 0.05) and an increase in the expression of IFN-γ (P < 0.0001) in the adventitial layer of fertile cysts. Non-fertile cysts were associated with higher levels of Th1 cytokines in the adventitial layer, with IFN-γ expression enhanced by F. hepatica co-infection (P < 0.0001), confirming that polyparasitism should be considered in the treatment and control of naturally infected cattle.

Multiple haplotypes of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto in single naturally infected intermediate hosts.

Cystic echinococcosis is a disease that affects both humans and animals, caused by cryptic species complex belonging to the platyhelminth Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.). This disease is distributed worldwide, with E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) being the most widespread of the species. High genetic variability has been demonstrated within E. granulosus s.s. studying single cyst per infected animal identifying a number of different haplotypes. However, few studies have addressed the genetic diversity of this parasite within a single intermediate host with multiple Echinococcus cysts. To date, it remains unknown if specific haplotypes of E. granulosus s.s. produce differences in biological features of the cyst. Here, we use the full length of the mitochondrial gene cox1 to determine E. granulosus s.s. haplotypes in samples from both cattle and sheep which harboured more than one cyst in different areas in Chile, where this parasite is endemic. We found 16 different haplotypes in 66 echinococcal cysts from 10 animals, and both cattle and sheep can harbour up to five different haplotypes of E. granulosus s.s. in the same animal. Regarding cyst fertility, five animals had both fertile and infertile Echinococcus cysts in both single and multiple haplotype infections. There was no association between haplotype and cyst fertility, size, or adventitial layer characteristics. Sampling and sequencing every Echinococcus cyst found in the intermediate host reveals a high molecular variability. We speculate that multiple haplotype infections could also suggest that intermediate hosts come from hyperendemic areas.

Competência em informação no ensino superior: um estudo com discentes do curso de graduação em medicina da escola multicampi de ciências médicas do Rio Grande do Norte / Information literacy in higher education: a study with undergraduate students in medicine of escola multicampi de ciências médicas in Rio Grande do Norte / Competencia informacional en la educación superior: un estudio con discentes de graduación en medicina de la escola multicampi de ciências médicas en el estado del Rio Grande do Norte

O objetivo da pesquisa em que se baseia este artigo é diagnosticar a competência em informação dos estudantes do curso de graduação em Medicina da Escola Multicampi de Ciências Médicas do Rio Grandedo Norte. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo com abordagem quantitativa, em que a coleta de dados foi concebida mediante aplicação de questionários a 37 alunos. Os resultados mostram que eles sabem como definir as palavras-chave que melhor representam o assunto de um problema de pesquisa. Evidenciam também que estão familiarizados com o uso de catálogos de bibliotecas, todavia afirmam sentir dificuldades de pesquisar nas bases remotas de dados. Foram identificadas como limitações para elaborar estratégias de busca eficientes o desconhecimento das funcionalidades dos operadores lógicos booleanos e de outros recursos de pesquisa. Conclui-se que para aprimorar a competência em informação dos alunos é necessário integrar ao currículo do curso, um módulo específico que trabalhe a internalização dessa competência.

The objective of the research in which this article bases on is to identify the information literacy of the undergraduate students of the Escola Multicampi de Ciências Médicas (pludisciplinary university of medical sciences) in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. It is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach, in which the data collection was conceived through the application of questionnaires to 37 students. The results show that students know how to define the best keywords that represent the subject of a research problem. The students are accustomed to using library catalogs, yet they claim to have difficulty in searching the remote databases. The ignorance of the functionalities of the Boolean logical operators and of other research resources were identified as limitations to elaborate efficient search strategies. It is concluded that in order to improve the students’ information literacy it is necessary to integrate in the curriculum of the course a specific module that works to internalize this competence.

El objetivo de esta pesquisa es diagnosticar la competencia informacional de los alumnos del Grado en Medicina de la Escola Multicampi de Ciências Médicas (Universidad pluridisciplinaria de Ciencias Médicas) del Rio Grande do Norte. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo con enfoque cuantitativo, en que la recolección de datos fue realizada mediante la aplicación de cuestionarios a 37 estudiantes. Los resultados muestran que ellos saben cómo definir las palabras clave que mejor representan el asunto de un problema de investigación. También se muestran familiarizados con el uso de los catálogos de bibliotecas, pero afirman tener dificultad en hacer la investigación en bases de datos remotas. Fueron identificadas como restricciones para desarrollar estrategias efectivas de búsqueda el desconocimiento de la funcionalidadde los operadores lógicos booleanos y otros recursos de investigación. Se concluye que para mejorar la studiantes es necesario integrar en el currículo del curso un módulo especifico para la interiorización de esta competencia.

Trabalho e suicídio: gesto de resistência final / Work and suicide: an ultimate resistance gesture / Trabajo y suicidio: el último gesto de resistencia

O artigo propõe um gesto de leitura de três processos judiciais sobre suicídio e trabalho. Os casos levantados junto ao Memorial do Judiciário do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul correspondem às décadas de 1960 e 1970. Apresentados aqui na interface entre as duas disciplinas de origem dos autores, Psicologia e História, e entre duas obras: Suicídio e Trabalho: o que fazer? de Christophe Dejours e Florence Bègue (2010) e Sobre o Suicídio de Karl Marx (1846/2006). A Análise de Discurso é o dispositivo teórico analítico que proporciona essa interface sendo conhecimento de entremeio entre Psicanálise, Materialismo Histórico e Linguagem, através do qual procuramos analisar os efeitos de evidência presentes nos processos judiciais. O que quer saber um processo criminal de suicídio? Observamos que os processos trabalhados procuram cúmplices e culpados encarnados. O suicídio é um gesto absoluto e silenciado, tratado como um ato individual e, portanto, atribuído ao seu autor. Pouco se discute acerca do suicídio ou da situação em que é praticado. Menos ainda, a relação do suicídio com a sociedade em que é concebido. Perde-se o sujeito que engendra o gesto. Resta o sujeito autor na condição de depositário: causa e consequência de sua própria ação.

This article proposes a reading gesture of three lawsuits about work and suicide. The cases from 1960s and 1970s were found in the collection fromRio Grande do Sul State Judiciary Memorial. As a dialogue between Psychology and History, the lawsuits are read among two different works, Suicide et travail: que faire? by Christophe Dejours e Florence Bègue (2010) and “About the Suicide” by Karl Marx (1846/2006). Discourse Analysis is the theoretic analytical device interfacing with Psychoanalysis, Historical Materialism and the Language, through what we sought analyze the evidence effects in the lawsuits. However, what a lawsuit about suicide wants to know? We have seen that the investigated lawsuits are searching for accomplices or an incarnate guilty. Suicide is an absolute and muted gesture. Historically it has been treated as individual act and, therefore, assigned by his author. The suicide or the situation where it was practiced has a short discussion, even shorter is the relation made between the suicide and society where it comes from. The subject whom engenders thegesture gets lost. Remains the author subject in the receiver condition: cause and consequence of his own action.

El presente artículo expone la lectura de tres procedimientos judiciales sobresuicidio y trabajo. Los casos recogidos en el Memorial Judicial del Estado deRío Grande del Sur corresponden a las décadas de los 1960 y 1970. Presentados en la interfaz entre las dos disciplinas de origen de los autores, Psicología e Historia y entre dos obras, Trabajo y Suicidio de Christophe Dejours y Florence Bègue (2010) y Acerca del suicidio de Karl Marx(1846/2006). El Análisis del Discurso es el dispositivo teórico analítico que proporciona este interfaz, siendo el conocimiento puente entre Psicoánalisis, Materialismo histórico y Lenguaje, a través del cual procuramos analizar las evidencias presentes en los procesos judiciales. ¿Qué es lo que se quiere saber de un proceso criminal de suicidio? Observamos que los procesos trabajados hacen una búsqueda encarnada de cómplices y culpables. El suicidio es un acto absoluto y silenciado, tratado como un acto individual y, por tanto, atribuído a su autor. Pocas son las discusiones acerca del suicidio o de la situación en la que es practicado. Menos todavía, la relación del suicidio con la sociedad en la que es concebido. Se pierde el sujeto que engendra el acto. Falta el sujeto autor en la condición de receptor: causa y consecuencia de su propio acto.

Trabalho e suicídio: gesto de resistência final / Work and suicide: an ultimate resistance gesture / Trabajo y suicidio: el último gesto de resistencia

O artigo propõe um gesto de leitura de três processos judiciais sobre suicídioe trabalho. Os casos levantados junto ao Memorial do Judiciário do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul correspondem às décadas de 1960 e 1970. Apresentados aqui na interface entre as duas disciplinas de origem dos autores, Psicologia e História, e entre duas obras: Suicídio e Trabalho: o que fazer? de Christophe Dejours e Florence Bègue (2010) e Sobre o Suicídio de Karl Marx (1846/2006). A Análise de Discurso é o dispositivo teórico analítico que proporciona essa interface sendo conhecimento de entremeio entre Psicanálise, Materialismo Histórico e Linguagem, através do qual procuramos analisar os efeitos de evidênci presentes nos processos judiciais. O que quer saber um processo criminal de suicídio? Observamos que os processos trabalhados procuram cúmplices e culpados encarnados. O suicídio é um gesto absoluto e silenciado, tratado como um ato individual e, portanto, atribuído ao seu autor. Pouco se discute acerca do suicídio ou da situação em que é praticado. Menos ainda, a relação do suicídio com a sociedade em que é concebido. Perde-se o sujeito que engendra o gesto. Resta o sujeito autor na condição de depositário: causa e consequência de sua própria ação. (AU)

This article proposes a reading gesture of three lawsuits about work and suicide. The cases from 1960s and 1970s were found in the collection fromRio Grande do Sul State Judiciary Memorial. As a dialogue between Psychology and History, the lawsuits are read among two different works, Suicide et travail: que faire? by Christophe Dejours e Florence Bègue (2010) and “About the Suicide” by Karl Marx (1846/2006). Discourse Analysis is thetheoretic analytical device interfacing with Psychoanalysis, Historical Materialism and the Language, through what we sought analyze the evidence effects in the lawsuits. However, what a lawsuit about suicide wants to know? We have seen that the investigated lawsuits are searching for accomplices or an incarnate guilty. Suicide is an absolute and muted gesture. Historically it has been treated as individual act and, therefore, assigned by his author. The suicide or the situation where it was practiced has a short discussion, even shorter is the relation made between the suicide and society where it comes from. The subject whom engenders thegesture gets lost. Remains the author subject in the receiver condition: cause and consequence of his own action. (AU)

El presente artículo expone la lectura de tres procedimientos judiciales sobresuicidio y trabajo. Los casos recogidos en el Memorial Judicial del Estado deRío Grande del Sur corresponden a las décadas de los 1960 y 1970. Presentados en la interfaz entre las dos disciplinas de origen de los autores,Psicología e Historia y entre dos obras, Trabajo y Suicidio de Christophe Dejours y Florence Bègue (2010) y Acerca del suicidio de Karl Marx(1846/2006). El Análisis del Discurso es el dispositivo teórico analítico queproporciona este interfaz, siendo el conocimiento puente entre Psicoánalisis, Materialismo histórico y Lenguaje, a través del cual procuramos analizar las evidencias presentes en los procesos judiciales. ¿Qué es lo que se quiere saber de un proceso criminal de suicidio? Observamos que los procesostrabajados hacen una búsqueda encarnada de cómplices y culpables. Elsuicidio es un acto absoluto y silenciado, tratado como un acto individual y, por tanto, atribuído a su autor. Pocas son las discusiones acerca del suicidio o de la situación en la que es practicado. Menos todavía, la relación del suicidio con la sociedad en la que es concebido. Se pierde el sujeto que engendra el acto. Falta el sujeto autor en la condición de receptor: causa y consecuencia de su propio acto. (AU)