First report on the prevalence of Klossiella muris in Mus musculus for S. Miguel Island - Azores (Portugal).

Klossiella is a genus of apicomplexan coccidian parasites with a global distribution, whose members typically infect the renal tissue of a wide variety of vertebrate hosts with a high level of host specificity. The presence of this parasite has been previously associated with kidney inflammatory processes. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the prevalence of Klossiella muris in the house mouse (Mus musculus) in Portugal (São Miguel Island - Azores). The prevalence of K. muris was determined through histopathological examination of renal tissue collected during necropsy of 130 mice captured between the years of 2011-2019. K. muris was diagnosed in 45.38% (CI95: 40.9-85.4) of the examined mice. Infection with this parasite was associated with mild to severe kidney inflammation, assessed by the presence of inflammatory processes in the renal cortex and medulla. CAPSULE: First record on coccidiosis caused by infection of Klossiella muris in Mus musculus in Portugal.

Behavior and gut bacteria of Partamona helleri under sublethal exposure to a bioinsecticide and a leaf fertilizer.

The exposure of bees to agrochemicals during foraging and feeding has been associated with their population decline. Sublethal exposure to agrochemicals can affect behavior and the microbiota. Gut microbiota is associated with insect nutritional health, immunocompetence, and is essential for neutralizing the damage caused by pathogens and xenobiotics. Research on the effect of the bioinsecticides and fertilizers on the microbiota of bees remains neglected. In this study, we assessed the sublethal effect of both bioinsecticide spinosad and the fertilizer copper sulfate (CuSO4) on the behavior and gut microbiota in forager adults of the stingless bee Partamona helleri (Friese), which is an important pollinator in the Neotropical region. Behavioral assays and gut microbiota profiles were assessed on bees orally exposed to estimated LC5 values for spinosad and CuSO4. The microbiota were characterized through 16S rRNA gene target sequencing. Acute and oral sublethal exposure to spinosad and CuSO4 did not affect the overall activity, flight take-off, and food consumption. However, CuSO4 decreased bee respiration rate and copper accumulated in exposed bees. Exposure to spinosad increased the proportional abundance of the genus Gilliamella, but CuSO4 did not alter the composition of the gut microbiota. In conclusion, sublethal exposure to CuSO4 induces changes in respiration, and spinosad changes the abundance of gut microorganisms of P. helleri.

Mensuração de área de cicatrização por planimetria após aplicação do ultra-som de baixa intensidade em pele de rato / Measurement of healing area using planimetry after applying low-intensity ultrasound to the skin of rats

CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A planimetria é um método utilizado para avaliar a evolução da cicatrização de feridas. A planimetria computacional é um método ainda em experimentação, mas cujas vantagens têm sido demonstradas em várias investigações. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar os efeitos do ultra-som pulsado de baixa intensidade sobre a cicatrização de lesão cutânea produzida na região dorsal de ratos, por meio da planimetria computacional. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Utilizou-se 60 ratos machos Wistar (peso médio de 300g) divididos em dois grupos com 30 animais cada, de acordo com o tratamento: 1) irradiação simulada (controle); 2) irradiação efetiva (Freqüência fundamental de 1,5MHz, freqüência de repetição de pulsos de 1KHz, largura de pulso de 200µs, intensidade de 30mW/cm² SATA, dez minutos de aplicação em dias alternados). Cada grupo foi subdividido em três grupos, de acordo com o período de irradiação ultra-sônica, de três, sete e 14 dias, respectivamente, e a cicatrização foi avaliada por meio da planimetria, um decalque da lesão sendo obtido em papel especial, digitalizado e medido ao computador por meio de um programa gráfico. Análise estatística pelo método não-paramétrico de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Houve aumento significante (p<0,05) da área cicatrizada no grupo 2 (141,88±18,50mm²) em relação ao grupo 1 (117,38±15,14mm²), no 14º dia. Não houve diferenças significantes entre os grupos nos demais períodos. CONCLUSÕES: O ultra-som pulsado de baixa intensidade estimula a cicatrização cutânea por segunda intenção em condições experimentais. A planimetria computacional mostrou-se um recurso de baixo custo, fácil manuseio e de aplicabilidade clínica.

BACKGROUND: Planimetry is a method used to evaluate the progression of skin wound healing. Computerized planimetry is still an experimental method, but its advantages have been demonstrated in several investigations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound on the healing of a skin lesion produced on the dorsal region of rats, by means of computerized planimetry. METHODS: Sixty male Wistar rats of mean weight 300g were used. They were divided into two groups according to the treatment applied: 1) simulated irradiation (control); 2) effective irradiation (fundamental frequency 1.5MHz, pulse repetition frequency 1KHz, pulse width 200µs, SATA intensity 30mW/cm² and application for ten minutes on alternate days). Each group was divided into three subgroups according to the length of time for which ultrasound irradiation was applied of three, seven and 14 days, respectively, and healing was evaluated by means of planimetry; a tracing of the wound was obtained on special paper and this was digitized and measured by means of a graphing software. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney non-parametric method. RESULTS: The healed area was significantly greater (p<0.05) in group 2 (141.88±18.50mm²) than in group 1 (117.38±15.14mm²) on the 14th day. There were no significant differences between the subgroups for the other experimental periods. CONCLUSIONS: Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound irradiation stimulated secondary skin healing under these experimental conditions. Computerized planimetry was shown to be a low cost method that was easy to use and present clinical applicability.

Development of the insulin secretion mechanism in fetal and neonatal rat pancreatic B-cells: response to glucose, K+, theophylline, and carbamylcholine.

We studied the development of the insulin secretion mechanism in the pancreas of fetal (19- and 21-day-old), neonatal (3-day-old), and adult (90-day-old) rats in response to stimulation with 8.3 or 16.7 mM glucose, 30 mM K+, 5 mM theophylline (Theo) and 200 microM carbamylcholine (Cch). No effect of glucose or high K+ was observed on the pancreas from 19-day-old fetuses, whereas Theo and Cch significantly increased insulin secretion at this age (82 and 127% above basal levels, respectively). High K+ also failed to alter the insulin secretion in the pancreas from 21-day-old fetuses, whereas 8.3 mM and 16.7 mM glucose significantly stimulated insulin release by 41 and 54% above basal levels, respectively. Similar results were obtained with Theo and Cch. A marked effect of glucose on insulin secretion was observed in the pancreas of 3-day-old rats, reaching 84 and 179% above basal levels with 8.3 mM and 16.7 mM glucose, respectively. At this age, both Theo and Cch increased insulin secretion to close to two-times basal levels. In islets from adult rats, 8.3 mM and 16.7 mM glucose, Theo, and Cch increased the insulin release by 104, 193, 318 and 396% above basal levels, respectively. These data indicate that pancreatic B-cells from 19-day-old fetuses were already sensitive to stimuli that use either cAMP or IP3 and DAG as second messengers, but insensitive to stimuli such as glucose and high K+ that induce membrane depolarization. The greater effect of glucose on insulin secretion during the neonatal period indicates that this period is crucial for the maturation of the glucose-sensing mechanism in B-cells.

Development of the insulin secretion mechanism in fetal and neonatal rat pancreatic B-cells: response to glucose, K+, theophylline, and carbamylcholine

We studied the development of the insulin secretion mechanism in the pancreas of fetal (19- and 21-day-old), neonatal (3-day-old), and adult (90-day-old) rats in response to stimulation with 8.3 or 16.7 mM glucose, 30 mM K + , 5 mM theophylline (Theo) and 200 µM carbamylcholine (Cch). No effect of glucose or high K + was observed on the pancreas from 19-day-old fetuses, whereas Theo and Cch significantly increased insulin secretion at this age (82 and 127 por cento above basal levels, respectively). High K + also failed to alter the insulin secretion in the pancreas from 21-day-old fetuses, whereas 8.3 mM and 16.7 mM glucose significantly stimulated insulin release by 41 and 54 percent above basal levels, respectively. Similar results were obtained with Theo and Cch. A more marked effect of glucose on insulin secretion was observed in the pancreas of 3-day-old rats, reaching 84 and 179 percent above basal levels with 8.3 mM and 16.7 mM glucose, respectively. At this age, both Theo and Cch increased insulin secretion to close to two-times basal levels. In islets from adult rats, 8.3 mM and 16.7 mM glucose, Theo, and Cch increased the insulin release by 104, 193, 318 and 396 percent above basal levels, respectively. These data indicate that pancreatic B-cells from 19-day-old fetuses were already sensitive to stimuli that use either cAMP or IP 3 and DAG as second messengers, but insensitive to stimuli such as glucose and high K + that induce membrane depolarization. The greater effect of glucose on insulin secretion during the neonatal period indicates that this period is crucial for the maturation of the glucose-sensing mechanism in B-cells