Glutathione effect on functional and histological recovery after spinal cord injury in rats.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the GSH effect on functional and histological recovery after experimental spinal cord injury in rats. METHODS: Forty Wistar rats were subjected to spinal cord injury through the Multicenter Animal Spinal Cord Injury Study (MASCIS) Impactor system. The rats were sorted and divided into four groups, as follows: Group 1 ‒ Laminectomy and spinal cord injury; Group 2 ‒ Laminectomy, spinal cord injury and Saline Solution (SS) 0.9%; Group 3 ‒ Laminectomy, spinal cord injury, and GSH; and Group 4 ‒ lLaminectomy without spinal cord injury. GSH and SS were administered intraperitoneally. Groups 1 and 4 received no intervention. RESULTS: The rats were evaluated for locomotor function recovery at seven different times by the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scale on days 2, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 after the spinal cord injury. On day 42, the rats were sacrificed to analyze the histological findings of the injured spinal cord. In the group submitted to GSH, our experimental study revealed better functional scores on the BBB scale, horizontal ladder scale, and cranial and caudal axon count. The differences found were statistically significant in BBB scores and axonal count analysis. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that using glutathione in experimental spinal trauma can lead to better functional recovery and improved axonal regeneration rate in Wistar rats submitted to experimental spinal cord injury.

Access to the Lumbosacral Spine: A Current View.

The surgical approach to the lumbosacral spine has been the subject of experimental and scientific anatomical studies since the Hippocratic era. However, it was in the 20th century that, with the evolution of asepsis and antibiotic therapy, spine surgery began to evolve at breakneck speed, and the various possibilities of access roads became objects of development and discussion. As a result, pathologies of the lumbosacral spine can be accessed in different ways and positions, from the traditional posterior approach in the prone position to the anterior, oblique, lateral, and endoscopic approaches. The current article brings state-of-the-art access routes to the lumbosacral spine. This article objective is to elucidate the possibilities of accesses the lumbar spine for any purposes, as decompression, fusion, tumour resections, reconstruction or deformity correction, despites type of implants or implants positioning.

Surgical Technique of Central and Over-the-Top Full-Endoscopic Decompression of the Cervical Spine: A Technical Note.

Endoscopic surgery of the cervical spine is constantly evolving and the spectrum of its indications has expanded in recent decades. Full-endoscopic techniques have standardized the procedures for posterior and anterior access. The full-endoscopic approach was developed to treat degenerative diseases with the least possible invasion and without causing instability of the cervical spine. The posterior full-endoscopic approach is indicated for the treatment of diseases of the lateral part of the vertebral segment, such as herniations and stenoses of the lateral recess and vertebral foramen. There has been little discussion of this approach to the treatment of central stenosis of the cervical spine. This technical note describes a step-by-step surgical technique for central and over-the-top full-endoscopic decompression in the cervical spine, using a 3.7 mm working channel endoscope. This technique has already been shown to be effective in a recent case series with a 4.7 mm working channel endoscope, and may represent a new treatment option for central or bilateral lateral recess stenosis. There is also the possibility of a bilateral full-endoscopic approach, but this may be associated with greater muscle damage and a longer operative time. Case series and comparative studies should be encouraged to confirm the safety and utility of this technique.

Effectiveness of non-operative approaches in active enamel carious lesions: a retrospective longitudinal study.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of non-invasive and micro-invasive treatments in active enamel carious lesions in high-caries-risk children. Clinical records of children treated in a dental school setting were retrospectively screened for active enamel carious lesions treated non-invasively (topical fluoride applications, oral hygiene instruction, or dietary guidance) or micro-invasively (sealant). The control of active carious lesions was set as the main outcome established by the combination of inactivation and non-progression of the lesions based on Nyvad and ICDAS criteria, respectively. Individual and clinical factors associated with the outcome were analyzed by Poisson regression. The sample consisted of 105 high-caries-risk children with a mean age of 8.3 (± 2.4) years. From a total of 365 active enamel carious lesions, most lesions (84.1%) were active non-cavitated carious lesions (ICDAS scores 1 and 2) and only 15.9% presented localized enamel breakdown (ICDAS score 3). Of these, 72.6% were inactivated and 92.1% did not progress (mean time of 6.5 ± 4.1 months). The prevalence of controlled carious lesions was higher among children older than 6 years (PR:1.43; 95%CI:1.00-2.03; p = 0.04) and in those with better biofilm control (PR:0.99; 95%CI: 0.98-0.99; p = 0.03). Non-operative approaches are effective for controlling active enamel carious lesions. The majority of active enamel carious lesions became inactive and did not progress after treatment. Caries control was associated with older children and better biofilm control.

Extraforaminal Full-Endoscopic Approach for the Treatment of Lateral Compressive Diseases of the Lumbar Spine.

BACKGROUND: The authors conducted a 2-year retrospective follow-up to investigate the efficiency of an extraforaminal full-endoscopic approach with foraminoplasty used to treat lateral compressive diseases of the lumbar spine in 247 patients. METHODS: The visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and MacNab scale were used to analyze the results collected during the preoperative and postoperative periods. RESULTS: The most common diagnosis was disk herniation with lateral recess stenosis, and the most common surgical level among patients was between L4 and L5 on the left side. Pain decreased over time, as determined during sessions held to evaluate pain in the lumbar, gluteal, led, and foot regions. The ODI demonstrated significant enhancement over the evaluation period and the MacNab scale classified the surgery as good or excellent. The most common complication was dysesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: An extraforaminal full-endoscopic approach with foraminoplasty can be recommended in cases of lateral herniation or stenosis for patients with symptoms of radiculopathy, and for those who have not responded to conventional rehabilitation treatment or chronic pain management. Few complications arose as a result of this approach, and most of them were treated clinically.

Epidemiological indicators of Chagas disease in the metropolitan region of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Chagas disease (CD) is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted by triatomines. Historical information from the 20th century demonstrates T. cruzi records in the metropolitan region of Salvador (MRS), the third largest urban agglomeration in the Brazilian Northeast and the eighth largest in Brazil, an area with intense migratory activity from CD-endemic regions. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate CD indicators (prevalence and mortality) in the MRS. METHODS: A mixed ecological and descriptive study was conducted using secondary data. We analyzed data from 2008 to 2015: deaths due to CD, self-reported cases of CD, and blood donors that were non-negative for T. cruzi infection. RESULTS: São Francisco do Conde was one of the municipalities with the highest mortality rates due to CD. The seroprevalence rates varied by year and municipality; those with the highest values were 2008: Vera Cruz, 2009: Mata de São João, 2010: Dias D'Ávila, 2011 and 2015: São Francisco do Conde, 2012: São Sebastião do Passé, and 2013 and 2014: Pojuca. Spatial correlations between the municipalities were not detected. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that CD is present in the MRS. The indicators analyzed in the MRS are below-state-level data. Given the importance of indicator analysis for the surveillance and control of CD at the state and national levels, it is important to strengthen the surveillance program at the municipal level, including the regions classified as low risk for T. cruzi vector transmission.

Is there a better interceptive treatment for unerupted palatally displaced canines? A network meta-analysis.

This systematic review aimed to investigate if there is a better interceptive treatment for palatally displaced canines (PDC) in the mixed dentition stage. The PubMed/MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Scopus, and EMBASE databases were searched for randomized clinical trials related to the research topic. The gray literature and reference lists were also assessed. Network meta-analysis was conducted to analyze the effects of different approaches on PDC eruption. The surface under the cumulative ranking area was calculated to rank the treatments. The certainty of the evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. Of the 892 eligible studies, 18 were selected for full-text analysis and 9 for meta-analysis, involving 506 participants and 730 PDC, to compare 9 approaches. The proportion of erupted PDC was significantly higher for all interceptive treatments compared with control (no intervention). Furthermore, the proportion of erupted PDC was higher in patients subjected to rapid maxillary expansion (RME) than those who underwent double extraction of primary canine and primary molar (relative risk (RR) = 2.68 ICr95%: 1.12-9.35). A higher proportion of erupted PDC was found for RME (RR = 3.07 ICr95%: 1.31-10.67), RME plus use of transpalatal arch (TA) plus extraction of primary canine(s) (EC) (RR = 1.43 ICr95%: 1.09-1.95), EC plus use of cervical pull headgear (RR = 1.38 ICr95%: 1.11-1.79), and EC plus use of TA (RR = 1.36 ICr95%: 1.00-1.9) than for EC. RME was most likely to be considered as the best interceptive treatment. Overall, the certainty of the evidence was considered low due to imprecision and indirectness. In conclusion, no intervention in the mixed dentition stage is the worst choice for PDC.

Genetic polymorphism detection in brazilian perennial cottons (Gossypium spp.) using an ISSR marker system and its application for molecular interspecific differentiation.

BACKGROUND: The semi-domesticated Brazilian perennial cotton (Gossypium spp.) germplasm is considered a source of variability for creating modern upland cotton varieties. Here we used Inter-simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers to detect intra and interspecific genetic polymorphism in Gossypium hirsutum L. r. marie-galante and Gossypium barbadense L. and to use molecular data to assessing genetic diversity and molecular discrimination of these species. METHODS AND RESULTS: The sets contained 12 G. barbadense genotypes and 16 G. hirsutum genotypes from a Brazilian collection. The 11 ISSR primers were used for genotyping yielded 101 bands (polymorphism = 47.5%) and were classified as moderately informative (PIC = 0.304). The ISSR markers exposed a greater diversity in G. hirsutum (P = 24.72%; HE =0.071 and I = 0.111) as compared to G. barbadense (P = 17.98%, HE = 0.043 and I = 0.070). The AMOVA analysis showed that 89.47% of the genetic variation was partitioned within species which is supported by Nei's genetic differentiation (Gst = 0.598) and gene flow (Nm = 0.338), suggesting that strong reproductive barriers between species. The UPGMA Cluster Analysis, Principal Coordinate Analysis and Bayesian Model-Based Structural Analysis divided the 28 genotypes into two main clades consistent with the taxonomical delimitation. CONCLUSION: The ISSR marker system offers a new approach to determining molecular differences between two cotton species (G. hirsutum L. r. marie-galante and G. barbadense L.). This study can expand the molecular marker resources for the identification and improvement of our knowledge about the genetic diversity and relationships between perennial cotton genotypes.

Performance of resin composite restorations placed in high caries risk children: a clinical retrospective study

Background: Resin composite has been usually used for restoring primary teeth. Nevertheless, there is a lack of supporting clinical data regarding the survival of resin composite restorations and risk factors that may dictate the service time of the treatment in children. Aim: To evaluate the survival and factors associated with composite resin restoration failure in high caries risk children treated under risk-factor management clinical protocol for dental caries prior to restorative therapy. Design: A total of 230 restorations in primary teeth from records of 48 patients were included in the study. Restoration longevity, up to 3-year follow-up, was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier survival test. Multivariate Cox regression analysis with shared frailty was used to evaluate the factors associated with failures (p<0.05). Results: Mean survival time was 2.7 -year (95 %CI: 0.75-0.87). Restoration survival reached 82.5 % up to 3-year evaluation, with an overall annual failure rate of 6.2 %. The unadjusted model showed restorations performed in children with dmf-t greater than 10 had more restoration failure risk (HR 5.59, 95 % CI 1.03-30.34; p=0.04) However, this association lost significance in the adjusted analysis (p=0.08). Conclusions: Composite resin restorations in primary teeth presented satisfactory survival after 3-year follow-up

Antecedentes: El composite de resina se ha utilizado habitualmente para restaurar dientes primarios. Sin embargo, se carece de datos clínicos de apoyo sobre la supervivencia de las restauraciones de resina compuesta y los factores de riesgo que pueden dictar el tiempo de servicio del tratamiento en los niños. Objetivo: Evaluar la supervivencia y los factores asociados al fracaso de las restauraciones de resina compuesta en niños con alto riesgo de caries tratados con un protocolo clínico de gestión de factores de riesgo de caries dental antes del tratamiento restaurador. Diseño: Se incluyeron en el estudio un total de 230 restauraciones en dientes primarios de registros de 48 pacientes. La longevidad de las restauraciones, hasta los 3 años de seguimiento, se evaluó mediante la prueba de supervivencia de Kaplan-Meier. Se utilizó un análisis multivariante de regresión de Cox con fragilidad compartida para evaluar los factores asociados a los fracasos (p<0,05). Resultados: El tiempo medio de supervivencia fue de 2,7 -años (IC95%: 0,75-0,87). La supervivencia de la restauración alcanzó el 82,5 % hasta la evaluación a los 3 años, con una tasa global anual de fracasos del 6,2 %. El modelo no ajustado mostró que las restauraciones realizadas en niños con dmf-t superior a 10 tenían más riesgo de fracaso de la restauración (HR 5,59; IC 95 %: 1,03-30,34; p=0,04). Sin embargo, esta asociación perdió significación en el análisis ajustado (p=0,08). Conclusiones: Las restauraciones de resina compuesta en dientes primarios presentaron una supervivencia satisfactoria tras un seguimiento de 3 años.

A 12-month Follow-Up Study of Pulp Oxygen Saturation in Deciduous Molars After Selective and Nonselective Carious-Tissue Removal: A Randomized Pilot Trial

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the pulp vitality of deciduous molars before and after selective caries removal (SCR) or nonselective caries removal to hard dentin (NSCR) over one year, using oxygen saturation percentage (%SaO2). Material and Methods: Deciduous molars with deep occlusal/proximal-occlusal caries lesions were randomized to SCR (n=22) or NSCR groups (n=22). After the caries removal, the teeth were protected with calcium hydroxide cement and restored with composite resin (Filtek Z250). The pulp condition diagnosis was evaluated at baseline, immediately after caries removal, and follow-up (7 days, 1-, 6- and 12-months) by %SaO2. Pulp exposure and pulp necrosis were primary outcomes, and %SaO2 was secondary. Results: Intraoperative pulp exposure occurred in four teeth of the NSCR group (18.2%) and one tooth of the SCR group (4.5%) (p>0.05). Two cases of pulp necrosis occurred in the NSCR group (10%). No difference in %SaO2 pulp was observed in the inter-and intragroup comparison over time (p>0.05). Conclusion: Advantageously, the %SaO2 minimizes preoperatory pulp vitality diagnosis subjectivity before SCR/ NSCR treatments. Furthermore, the pilot study results suggest the pulp response of deciduous molars, when evaluated by clinical, radiographic, and pulp %SaO2 seems not to differ between teeth treated with SCR or NSCR.

Epidemiological indicators of Chagas disease in the metropolitan region of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

ABSTRACT Background: Chagas disease (CD) is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted by triatomines. Historical information from the 20th century demonstrates T. cruzi records in the metropolitan region of Salvador (MRS), the third largest urban agglomeration in the Brazilian Northeast and the eighth largest in Brazil, an area with intense migratory activity from CD-endemic regions. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate CD indicators (prevalence and mortality) in the MRS. Methods: A mixed ecological and descriptive study was conducted using secondary data. We analyzed data from 2008 to 2015: deaths due to CD, self-reported cases of CD, and blood donors that were non-negative for T. cruzi infection. Results: São Francisco do Conde was one of the municipalities with the highest mortality rates due to CD. The seroprevalence rates varied by year and municipality; those with the highest values were 2008: Vera Cruz, 2009: Mata de São João, 2010: Dias D'Ávila, 2011 and 2015: São Francisco do Conde, 2012: São Sebastião do Passé, and 2013 and 2014: Pojuca. Spatial correlations between the municipalities were not detected. Conclusions: We conclude that CD is present in the MRS. The indicators analyzed in the MRS are below-state-level data. Given the importance of indicator analysis for the surveillance and control of CD at the state and national levels, it is important to strengthen the surveillance program at the municipal level, including the regions classified as low risk for T. cruzi vector transmission.

Effectiveness of non-operative approaches in active enamel carious lesions: a retrospective longitudinal study

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of non-invasive and micro-invasive treatments in active enamel carious lesions in high-caries-risk children. Clinical records of children treated in a dental school setting were retrospectively screened for active enamel carious lesions treated non-invasively (topical fluoride applications, oral hygiene instruction, or dietary guidance) or micro-invasively (sealant). The control of active carious lesions was set as the main outcome established by the combination of inactivation and non-progression of the lesions based on Nyvad and ICDAS criteria, respectively. Individual and clinical factors associated with the outcome were analyzed by Poisson regression. The sample consisted of 105 high-caries-risk children with a mean age of 8.3 (± 2.4) years. From a total of 365 active enamel carious lesions, most lesions (84.1%) were active non-cavitated carious lesions (ICDAS scores 1 and 2) and only 15.9% presented localized enamel breakdown (ICDAS score 3). Of these, 72.6% were inactivated and 92.1% did not progress (mean time of 6.5 ± 4.1 months). The prevalence of controlled carious lesions was higher among children older than 6 years (PR:1.43; 95%CI:1.00-2.03; p = 0.04) and in those with better biofilm control (PR:0.99; 95%CI: 0.98-0.99; p = 0.03). Non-operative approaches are effective for controlling active enamel carious lesions. The majority of active enamel carious lesions became inactive and did not progress after treatment. Caries control was associated with older children and better biofilm control.

Neuraxial block anesthetic technique in a patient with SCN8A encephalopathy: case report

Abstract Mutations in SCN8A gene lead to changes in sodium channels in the brain, which are correlated with severe epileptic syndrome. Due to the rarity, there are few studies that support anesthesia in that population. The present study aims to report alternatives to inhalation anesthesia at epileptic encephalopathy. Case report: Male, 4 years old, with SCN8A encephalopathy with surgical indication of orchidopexy. Neuroaxis block was performed and dexmedetomidine was used as a pre-anesthetic and sedation. The anestheticsurgical act was uneventful. Conclusion: The association of neuraxial block and dexmedetomidine proved to be a viable alternative for surgery in patients with SCN8A encephalopathy.

The resilience of cryptocurrency market efficiency to COVID-19 shock.

We examine the price disorder and informational efficiency of five cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, BNB, Cardano, Ethereum, and XRP) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this sense, we estimate the permutation entropy and Fisher information measure (FIM). We use these complexity measures to construct the Shannon-Fisher causality plane (SFCP) to map these cryptocurrencies and their respective locations in a two-dimensional plane and then apply the sliding time window approach to study the temporal evolution of informational efficiency. All cryptocurrencies exhibit high but slightly varying informational efficiency during both periods. Cardano was the most efficient cryptocurrency. These results might point to the increasing maturity and lower potential for price predictability, which matter to cryptocurrencies' usage for liquidity risk diversification strategy.

SARS-CoV-2 antibody dynamics in blood donors and COVID-19 epidemiology in eight Brazilian state capitals: A serial cross-sectional study.

Background: The COVID-19 situation in Brazil is complex due to large differences in the shape and size of regional epidemics. Understanding these patterns is crucial to understand future outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 or other respiratory pathogens in the country. Methods: We tested 97,950 blood donation samples for IgG antibodies from March 2020 to March 2021 in 8 of Brazil's most populous cities. Residential postal codes were used to obtain representative samples. Weekly age- and sex-specific seroprevalence were estimated by correcting the crude seroprevalence by test sensitivity, specificity, and antibody waning. Results: The inferred attack rate of SARS-CoV-2 in December 2020, before the Gamma variant of concern (VOC) was dominant, ranged from 19.3% (95% credible interval [CrI] 17.5-21.2%) in Curitiba to 75.0% (95% CrI 70.8-80.3%) in Manaus. Seroprevalence was consistently smaller in women and donors older than 55 years. The age-specific infection fatality rate (IFR) differed between cities and consistently increased with age. The infection hospitalisation rate increased significantly during the Gamma-dominated second wave in Manaus, suggesting increased morbidity of the Gamma VOC compared to previous variants circulating in Manaus. The higher disease penetrance associated with the health system's collapse increased the overall IFR by a minimum factor of 2.91 (95% CrI 2.43-3.53). Conclusions: These results highlight the utility of blood donor serosurveillance to track epidemic maturity and demonstrate demographic and spatial heterogeneity in SARS-CoV-2 spread. Funding: This work was supported by Itaú Unibanco 'Todos pela Saude' program; FAPESP (grants 18/14389-0, 2019/21585-0); Wellcome Trust and Royal Society Sir Henry Dale Fellowship 204311/Z/16/Z; the Gates Foundation (INV- 034540 and INV-034652); REDS-IV-P (grant HHSN268201100007I); the UK Medical Research Council (MR/S0195/1, MR/V038109/1); CAPES; CNPq (304714/2018-6); Fundação Faculdade de Medicina; Programa Inova Fiocruz-CE/Funcap - Edital 01/2020 Number: FIO-0167-00065.01.00/20 SPU N°06531047/2020; JBS - Fazer o bem faz bem.

Modeling the health impact of legislation to limit the salt content of bread in Portugal: A macro simulation study.

Background: Excessive salt consumption-associated with a range of adverse health outcomes-is very high in Portugal, and bread is the second largest source. Current Portuguese legislation sets a maximum limit of 1.4 g salt per 100 g bread, but imported and traditional breads are exempted. In 2017 the Ministry of Health proposed reducing the salt threshold to 1.0/100 g by 2022, however the legislation was vetoed by the European Commission on free-trade grounds. Aims: To estimate the health impact of subjecting imported and traditional breads to the current 1.4 g threshold, and to model the potential health impact of implementing the proposed 1.0 g threshold. Methods: We gathered bread sales, salt consumption, and epidemiological data from robust publicly available data sources. We used the open source WHO PRIME modeling tool to estimate the number of salt-related deaths that would have been averted in 2016 (the latest year for which all data were available) from; (1) Extending the 1.4 g threshold to all types of bread, and (2) Applying the 1.0 g threshold to all bread sold in Portugal. We used Monte Carlo simulations to generate confidence intervals. Results: Applying the current 1.4 g threshold to imported and traditional bread would have averted 107 deaths in 2016 (95% CI: 43-172). Lowering the current threshold from 1.4 to 1.0 g and applying it to all bread products would reduce daily salt consumption by 3.6 tons per day, saving an estimated 286 lives a year (95% CI: 123-454). Conclusions: Salt is an important risk factor in Portugal and bread is a major source. Lowering maximum permissible levels and removing exemptions would save lives. The European Commission should revisit its decision on the basis of this new evidence.

Use of bulk fill resin composite and universal adhesive for restoring primary teeth after selective carious tissue removal to soft dentin: A randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To investigate the survival of adhesive restorations after selective carious tissue removal to soft dentin in primary molars. METHODS: This two-arm randomized clinical trial included 62 subjects (5.9 years ± 1.7) and 144 primary molars presenting deep active dentin carious lesions. The sample was randomly assigned based on restorative material: universal adhesive (Scotchbond Universal) plus bulk fill resin composite (Filtek Bulk Fill Posterior Restorative) and resin-modified glass-ionomer cement (Vitremer). Two operators performed all restorative procedures. Restorations were evaluated at 6, 12, and 18 months using the FDI World Dental Federation criteria. Survival estimates for restorations' longevity were evaluated with Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox regression analysis with shared frailty was used to assess the factors associated with failures (P< 0.05). RESULTS: Restorative material did not influence the restorations' survival (HR 1.56 95% CI 0.78-3.13; P= 0.12). The survival rates at 18 months of follow-up were 62.9% and 76.8% (AFR: 26.6% and 16.1%) for resin-modified glass-ionomer cement and bulk fill resin composite restorations, respectively (long-rank P= 0.14). Boys had higher risk of failure in their restorations (HR: 2.64, 95% CI: 1.29-5.40). Restorations performed by a less experienced operator had 3.26 times more risk of failure (P= 0.001). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The effectiveness of resin-modified glass-ionomer cement (Vitremer) and bulk fill resin composite (Filtek Bulk Fill Posterior Restorative) restorations after selective removal of carious tissue to soft dentin in primary molars was similar at 18 months of follow-up.

Genetic diversity and relationships among Nopalea sp. and Opuntia spp. accessions revealed by RAPD, ISSR and ITS molecular markers.

BACKGROUND: Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) (carmine cochineal) is an insect pest highly noxious that has spread through cactus pear crops in the Brazilian semiarid region. Knowledge of diversity and genetic relationships of the cactus pear accessions is fundamental to create new varieties resistance to carmine cochineal. Therefore, this investigation was undertaken to assess the genetic diversity and genetic relationships that existed among cactus pear accessions of Nopalea sp. and Opuntia spp. with contrasting resistance to D. opuntiae. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a molecular analysis in seven cactus pear accessions from the "reference collection" of the Agronomic Institute of Pernambuco, Brazil using RAPD, ISSR and ITS molecular markers. A total of 242 bands were detected from 26 polymorphic primers. The high percentage of polymorphism by RAPD (89.8%), ISSR (81.2%) and ITS (75%) markers suggests that the cactus pear accessions have high genetic diversity. The combined analysis of markers systems enabled the accessions discrimination of about the genus and ploidy, but were incongruous in relation to resistance level to D. opuntiae. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic diversity, discrimination of about the genus and ploidy was confirmed by merging information from ISSR, RAPD and ITS markers systems. The IPA-200016, IPA-200149, IPA-100004, IPA-200205 accessions are genetically divergent, therefore could be potentially incorporated into any further breeding programs directed to create new varieties of cactus pear resistant to D. opuntiae.

Performance of Chimeric Trypanosoma cruzi Antigens in Serological Screening for Chagas Disease in Blood Banks.

Chagas disease (CD) is among the top 10 causes of inability to blood donation. Blood donation centers screen for anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies using highly sensitive immunoenzymatic (ELISA) or chemiluminescent methods, which can lead to false positive results. Since positive samples cannot be used, to avoid the loss of valuable blood donations, it is necessary to improve specificity without reducing the sensitivity of the tests used for blood screening. For this purpose, our group has developed four chimeric proteins (IBMP-8.1, IBMP-8.2, IBMP-8.3, and IBMP-8.4) that have been evaluated in phase I and II studies with high performance and low cross-reactivity rates. The study included a panel of 5,014 serum samples collected from volunteer blood donors at the Hematology and Hemotherapy Foundation of the State of Bahia (Brazil). They were subjected to the detection of anti-T. cruzi antibodies, using all four IBMP antigens individually and latent class analysis (LCA) as a reference test, since there is no gold standard test for this purpose. Considering the sample size analyzed, LCA classified 4,993 (99.6%) samples as T. cruzi-negative and 21 (0.42%) as T. cruzi-positive. Sensitivity values ranged from 85.71% for IBMP-8.1 and 90.48% for IBMP-8.2-95.24% for IBMP-8.3 and 100% for IBMP-8.4, while specificity ranged from 99.98% for IBMP-8.3 and IBMP-8.4-100% for IBMP-8.1 and IBMP-8.2. Accuracy values ranged from 99.4 to 99.98%. The pretest probability for the molecules was 0.42, whereas the positive posttest probability ranged from 95.24 to 99.95% and the negative posttest probability ranged from 0.00001 to 0.0006% for all antigens. The higher odds ratio diagnosis was found for IBMP-8.4, which has been shown to be a safe single antigen for serological screening of CD in blood samples. The use of chimeric IBMP antigens is an alternative to reduce the number of bags discarded due to false-positive results. These molecules have high diagnostic performance and were shown to be suitable for use in screening CD in blood banks, isolated (IBMP-8.4) or in combination; and their use in blood banks could significantly reduce unnecessary disposal of blood bags or the risk of T. cruzi transmission.