Differential gene expression profile of multinodular goiter.

INTRODUCTION: The goiter, a neglected heterogeneous molecular disease, remains a major indication for thyroidectomies in its endemic regions. OBJECTIVES: This study analyzed differential gene expression in surgical specimens diagnosed with multi nodular and compared the data to that of thyroid tissue without multinodular goiter from patients undergoing thyroidectomy in Manaus-AM, Brazil using RNA-seq technology. METHODOLOGY: The transcriptome information of the surgical specimen fragments with and without multinodular goiter was accessed by Illumina HiSeq 2000 New Generation Sequencing (NGS) using the RNA-seq NEBNext® Ultra™ RNA Library Prep Kit for Illumina®-#E7530L protocol and differential gene expression analysis. RESULTS: Differences were found between the gene expression profiles of the diseased tissues and those of the healthy control tissues; at least 70 genes were differentially expressed. The HOTS gene was expressed only in multinodular goiter tissues (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that the gene expression profile of multinodular goiter is pro-tumoral and that HOTS can play a central role in multinodular goiter development.

High anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroconversion rates before the second wave in Manaus, Brazil, and the protective effect of social behaviour measures: results from the prospective DETECTCoV-19 cohort.

BACKGROUND: The city of Manaus, Brazil, has seen two collapses of the health system due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We report anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG antibody seroconversion rates and associated risk factors in Manaus residents before the second wave of the epidemic in Brazil. METHODS: A convenience sample of adult (aged ≥18 years) residents of Manaus was recruited through online and university website advertising into the DETECTCoV-19 study cohort. The current analysis of seroconversion included a subgroup of DETECTCoV-19 participants who had at least two serum sample collections separated by at least 4 weeks between Aug 19 and Oct 2, 2020 (visit 1), and Oct 19 and Nov 27, 2020 (visit 2). Those who reported (or had no data on) having a COVID-19 diagnosis before visit 1, and who were positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG antibodies at visit 1 were excluded. Using an in-house ELISA, the reactivity index (RI; calculated as the optical density ratio of the sample to the negative control) for serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG antibodies was measured at both visits. We calculated the incidence of seroconversion (defined as RI values ≤1·5 at visit 1 and ≥1·5 at visit 2, and a ratio >2 between the visit 2 and visit 1 RI values) during the study period, as well as incidence rate ratios (IRRs) through cluster-corrected and adjusted Poisson regression models to analyse associations between seroconversion and variables related to sociodemographic characteristics, health access, comorbidities, COVID-19 exposure, protective behaviours, and symptoms. FINDINGS: 2496 DETECTCoV-19 cohort participants returned for a follow-up visit between Oct 19 and Nov 27, 2020, of whom 204 reported having COVID-19 before the first visit and 24 had no data regarding previous disease status. 559 participants were seropositive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG antibodies at baseline. Of the remaining 1709 participants who were seronegative at baseline, 71 did not meet the criteria for seroconversion and were excluded from the analyses. Among the remaining 1638 participants who were seronegative at baseline, 214 showed seroconversion at visit 2. The seroconversion incidence was 13·06% (95% CI 11·52-14·79) overall and 6·78% (5·61-8·10) for symptomatic seroconversion, over a median follow-up period of 57 days (IQR 54-61). 48·1% of seroconversion events were estimated to be asymptomatic. The sample had higher proportions of affluent and higher-educated people than those reported for the Manaus city population. In the fully adjusted and corrected model, risk factors for seroconversion before visit 2 were having a COVID-19 case in the household (IRR 1·49 [95% CI 1·21-1·83]), not wearing a mask during contact with a person with COVID-19 (1·25 [1·09-1·45]), relaxation of physical distancing (1·31 [1·05-1·64]), and having flu-like symptoms (1·79 [1·23-2·59]) or a COVID-19 diagnosis (3·57 [2·27-5·63]) between the first and second visits, whereas working remotely was associated with lower incidence (0·74 [0·56-0·97]). INTERPRETATION: An intense infection transmission period preceded the second wave of COVID-19 in Manaus. Several modifiable behaviours increased the risk of seroconversion, including non-compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions measures such as not wearing a mask during contact, relaxation of protective measures, and non-remote working. Increased testing in high-transmission areas is needed to provide timely information about ongoing transmission and aid appropriate implementation of transmission mitigation measures. FUNDING: Ministry of Education, Brazil; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas; Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/WHO.

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and associated factors in Manaus, Brazil: baseline results from the DETECTCoV-19 cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Manaus, located in the Brazilian rainforest, has experienced two health system collapses due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, little is known about which groups among the general population have been most affected. METHODS: A convenience sampling strategy via online advertising recruited 3046 adults between 19 August 2020 and 2 October 2020. Sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19-related symptoms, COVID-19 testing, self-medication and prescribed medications were recorded. Serum anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleocapsid immunoglobulin G antibodies were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Prevalence ratios (PR) were obtained using cluster-corrected and adjusted Poisson's regression models. RESULTS: A crude positivity rate among asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals was estimated at 29.10%, with maximum possible seroprevalence of 44.82% corrected by test characteristics and an antibody decay rate of 32.31%. Regression models demonstrated a strong association towards marginalized low-income and vulnerable residents with limited access to health care. The presence of a COVID-19 case [PR 1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24-1.57] or death (PR 2.14, 95% CI 1.74-2.62) in a household greatly increased the risk of other household members acquiring infection. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was higher among those who self-medicated to prevent infection (PR 1.36, 95% CI 1.27-1.46). CONCLUSIONS: Disproportionate socio-economic disparity was observed among the study participants. The syndemic nature of COVID-19 in the Amazon region needs differential policies and urgent solutions to control the ongoing pandemic.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for the ornamental discus fish Symphysodon discus and cross-species amplification in other Heroini cichlid species.

The discus fishes (Symphysodon spp.) are economically important ornamental species. Thirteen microsatellite markers were developed from a CT(12) - and CA(12) -enriched whole genomic DNA library of Symphysodon discus. Allelic variability was tested on 44 individuals of two species (S. discus and S. aequifasciatus). Allelic richness ranged from two to 11 alleles per locus and observed heterozygosities from 0.083 to 0.998. All loci were at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and no pair of loci showed linkage disequilibrium within a species. Cross-species amplification was also successfully performed in the Neotropical cichlids Uaru amphiacanthoides, Hoplarchus psittacus, Hypselecara coryphaenoides, Pterophyllum sp., Mesonauta sp. and Heros sp.