Sexual Maturity of an Endemic Insular Land Crab: Priority Information toward the Conservation of Johngarthia lagostoma.

AbstractInsular land crabs (Gecarcinidae) can transit between terrestrial and aquatic environments and inhabit vacant ecological niches that other species do not occupy in oceanic islands. During the reproductive period, these crabs migrate between residential and reproductive areas; this is a critical moment because individuals are more vulnerable to stressful conditions, especially species occupying anthropized islands. Currently, many insular crab species are considered threatened; yet few studies have evaluated the biology of this group, especially the size at which individuals reach sexual maturity. Here, we evaluate the size at the onset of morphological, physiological, and functional maturity for the insular land crab Johngarthia lagostoma in Trindade Island (Brazil) and assess the chronology of the events underlying those processes. Males and females exhibited the same order of occurrence of the different maturity processes, starting by being morphologically, physiologically, and, finally, functionally mature at similar sizes (about 56 mm carapace width). This value corresponds to at least half of the maximum size that J. lagostoma reaches in Trindade Island and is close to the average relative value registered to other Gecarcinidae species. Considering the current decline in the population of insular crabs, such estimates can be used in management programs, mainly for the definition and protection of breeding and recruitment areas. Specifically, our results can be used toward the conservation of J. lagostoma, which is currently classified as endangered in Brazil, especially in the isolated population of Trindade Island.

A systematic review and meta-analyses on the effects of atorvastatin on blood pressure and heart rate.

AIMS: Considering the inconsistencies in the literature on the atorvastatin effect on blood pressure (BP), we performed these meta-analyses. METHODS AND RESULTS: Through a search of the Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), PubMed, and Web of Science databases, 1412 articles were identified, from which 33 randomized clinical trials (RCT) and 44 pre-clinical were selected. Populations from RCT were stratified according to baseline BP and lipid levels. We performed meta-analyses of the effect of atorvastatin on systolic (SBP), diastolic and mean BP; heart rate (HR); HR variability, and baroreflex. Atorvastatin reduced SBP in the overall population (P = 0.05 vs. placebo; P = 0.03 vs. baseline), in normotensive and hyperlipidaemic (P = 0.04 vs. placebo; P = 0.0001 vs. baseline) and in hypertensive and hyperlipidaemic (P = 0.02 vs. placebo; P = 0.008 vs. baseline) individuals in parallel RCT, but it did not affect SBP in normotensive and normolipidaemic individuals (P = 0.51 vs. placebo; P = 0.4 vs. baseline). Although an effect of atorvastatin was detected in hyperlipidaemic individuals, the meta-regression coefficient for the association of low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol reduction with SBP reduction in the overall population demonstrated that SBP reduction is not dependent on the changes in LDL-cholesterol. A meta-analysis of preclinical reports demonstrated that SBP was reduced in atorvastatin-treated hypertensive and normolipidaemic rats (spontaneously hypertensive rats: P < 0.00001), but not in normotensive and normolipidaemic rats (control rats: P = 0.97). Atorvastatin also reduced the HR in spontaneously hypertensive rat. CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin lowers BP independent of LDL-cholesterol levels. Additional studies are needed to estimate the involvement of the autonomic nervous system in the BP-lowering effect of atorvastatin.

Vascular retinal findings after COVID-19 vaccination in 11 cases: a coincidence or consequence?

PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this study was to assess vascular retinal findings temporally related to COVID-19 vaccination. With greater information regarding all possible future adverse events, we hope to understand the real dimension and relevance of what was presented. METHODS: Eleven patients with visual complaints after COVID-19 vaccination were enrolled. Data on the following were included: age, sex, vaccine, time of symptom onset, systemic findings, medical history, best-corrected visual acuity, and ocular findings by slit-lamp biomicroscopy as well as multimodal retinal imaging (color fundus, red-free photography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, optical coherence tomography angiography, and fluorescein-angiography). Inclusion criteria were the presence of ophthalmologic signs within 30 days after the first or second dose of any COVID-19 vaccine. RESULTS: Of 11 patients, five had arterial occlusion (45.4%), four had venous occlusion (36.4%), and two (18.2%) had nonspecific vascular alterations suggestive of retinal ischemia such as cotton-wool spots. The mean age was 57 (SD = 16; range: 27-84) years. The mean time of symptoms onset was 10 (SD = 5.4; range: 3-16) days. Nine patients were female (81.8%). Systemic risk factors were observed in 36.4% of patients. Two patients had both neurological and visual symptoms, with arterial occlusion. Overall, 36.4% patients had COVID-19 in the previous year. Seven patients (63.6%) received ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that retinal events temporally related to COVID-19 vaccination are possible but are very rare. The relationship of these events with post-COVID-19 vaccination warrants further attention to derive a meaningful conclusion.

Modulation of IMD, Toll, and Jak/STAT Immune Pathways Genes in the Fat Body of Rhodnius prolixus During Trypanosoma rangeli Infection.

Trypanosoma rangeli is the second most common American trypanosome that infects man. It is vectored by triatomines from the genus Rhodnius, in which it invades the hemolymph and infects the salivary glands, avoiding the bug immune responses. In insects, these responses are initiated by well conserved pathways, mainly the IMD, Toll, and Jak/STAT. We hypothesize that long-term infection with T. rangeli in the gut or hemolymph of Rhodnius prolixus triggers different systemic immune responses, which influence the number of parasites that survive inside the vector. Thus, we investigated groups of insects with infections in the gut and/or hemolymph, and evaluated the parasite load and the expression in the fat body of transcription factors (Rp-Relish, Rp-Dorsal, and Rp-STAT) and inhibitors (Rp-Cactus and Rp-Caspar) of the IMD, Toll, and Jak/STAT pathways. We detected lower parasite counts in the gut of insects without hemolymph infection, compared to hemolymph-infected groups. Besides, we measured higher parasite numbers in the gut of bugs that were first inoculated with T. rangeli and then fed on infected mice, compared with control insects, indicating that hemolymph infection increases parasite numbers in the gut. Interestingly, we observed that genes from the three immune pathways where differentially modulated, depending on the region parasites were present, as we found (1) Rp-Relish downregulated in gut-and/or-hemolymph-infected insects, compared with controls; (2) Rp-Cactus upregulated in gut-infected insect, compared with controls and gut-and-hemolymph-infected groups; and (3) Rp-STAT downregulated in all groups of hemolymph-infected insects. Finally, we uncovered negative correlations between parasite loads in the gut and Rp-Relish and Rp-Cactus expression, and between parasite counts in the hemolymph and Rp-Relish levels, suggesting an association between parasite numbers and the IMD and Toll pathways. Overall, our findings reveal new players in R. prolixus-T. rangeli interactions that could be key for the capacity of the bug to transmit the pathogen.

Efficient Synthesis and Antibacterial Profile of Bis(2-hydroxynaphthalene- 1,4-dione).

BACKGROUND: Antibacterial resistance is a serious public health problem infecting millions in the global population. Currently, there are few antimicrobials on the market against resistant bacterial infections. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic options against these strains. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we synthesized and evaluated ten Bis(2-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione) against Gram-positive strains, including a hospital Methicillin-resistant (MRSA), and Gram-negative strains. METHODS: The compounds were prepared by condensation of aldehydes and lawsone in the presence of different L-aminoacids as catalysts in very good yields. The compounds were submitted to antibacterial analysis through disk diffusion and Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) assays. RESULTS: L-aminoacids have been shown to be efficient catalysts in the preparation of Bis(2- hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione) from 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones and arylaldehydes in excellent yields of up to 96%. The evaluation of the antibacterial profile against Gram-positive strains (Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, S. epidermidis ATCC 12228) also including a hospital Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and Gram-negative strains (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 4352), revealed that seven compounds showed antibacterial activity within the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) levels mainly against P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853 (MIC 8-128 µg/mL) and MRSA (MIC 32-128 µg/mL). In addition, the in vitro toxicity showed all derivatives with no hemolytic effects on healthy human erythrocytes. Furthermore, the derivatives showed satisfactory theoretical absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, toxicity (ADMET) parameters, and a similar profile to antibiotics currently in use. Finally, the in silico evaluation pointed to a structure-activity relationship related to lipophilicity for these compounds. This feature may help them in acting against Gram-negative strains, which present a rich lipid cell wall selective for several antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Our data showed the potential of this series for exploring new and more effective antibacterial activities in vivo against other resistant bacteria.