Functional characterization and structural insights of three cutinases from the ascomycete Fusarium verticillioides.

Cutinases are serine esterases that belong to the α/ß hydrolases superfamily. The natural substrates for these enzymes are cutin and suberin, components of the plant cuticle, the first barrier in the defense system against pathogen invasion. It is well-reported that plant pathogens produce cutinases to facilitate infection. Fusarium verticillioides, one important corn pathogens, is an ascomycete upon which its cutinases are poorly explored. Consequently, the objective of this study was to perform the biochemical characterization of three precursor cutinases (FvCut1, FvCut2, and FvCut3) from F. verticillioides and to obtain structural insights about them. The cutinases were produced in Escherichia coli and purified. FvCut1, FvCut2, and FvCut3 presented optimal temperatures of 20, 40, and 35 °C, and optimal pH of 9, 7, and 8, respectively. Some chemicals stimulated the enzymatic activity. The kinetic parameters revealed that FvCut1 has higher catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km) in the p-nitrophenyl-butyrate (p-NPB) substrate. Nevertheless, the enzymes were not able to hydrolyze polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Furthermore, the three-dimensional models of these enzymes showed structural differences among them, mainly FvCut1, which presented a narrower opening cleft to access the catalytic site. Therefore, our study contributes to exploring the diversity of fungal cutinases and their potential biotechnological applications.

Performance of the IMMY® sona Aspergillus lateral flow assay for the detection of galactomannan in tracheal aspirate samples from Brazilian patients with COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis: Cross-sectional and systematic review of literature.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients in intensive care units (ICUs) were affected by invasive fungal infections, including aspergillosis, contributing to a high mortality rate. Diagnosing proven COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) requires clinical and radiological evaluations, along with laboratory testing of bronchoalveolar lavage samples or lung biopsies. However, these procedures and equipment are often inaccessible in developing countries or regions with limited resources, including Brazil. Consequently, alternative diagnostic methods, such as measuring Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) in tracheal aspirate (TA), have been explored for CAPA diagnosis. Nonetheless, research on the efficacy of TA-based diagnostic tests is limited. This study aimed to assess the performance of the IMMY® Sona Aspergillus lateral flow assay (LFA) for GM detection in TA samples from 60 ICU patients with suspected CAPA at two tertiary hospitals in Campo Grande, Brazil. The ELISA method (Platelia Aspergillus AG, Bio-Rad®) was used to detect Aspergillus GM in TA samples, serving as the microbiological criterion and reference test. Fifteen patients (12.4%) were identified as having possible CAPA. The overall accuracy of LFA was 94%, and the tests demonstrated an agreement of 93.1% (Cohen's kappa of 0.83). Based on our findings, the LFA for Aspergillus GM detection in TA samples exhibited excellent performance, proving to be a valuable diagnostic tool for potential CAPA. In a systematic review, two studies were included, and the meta-analysis revealed pooled estimates provided a sensitivity of 86% (95% CI, 80%-91%) and specificity of 93% (95% CI, 86%-97%). The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for identification of Aspergillus using LFA was 103.38 (95% CI, 38.03-281.03). Despite its lower sensitivity compared to our study, the LFA appears to be a promising diagnostic option for CAPA, particularly in suspected cases that have not received antifungal therapy. This enables timely antifungal treatment and could reduce mortality rates in regions where bronchoscopy is unavailable or limited.

Rivaroxaban versus no anticoagulation for post-discharge thromboprophylaxis after hospitalisation for COVID-19 (MICHELLE): an open-label, multicentre, randomised, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients hospitalised with COVID-19 are at risk for thrombotic events after discharge; the role of extended thromboprophylaxis in this population is unknown. METHODS: In this open-label, multicentre, randomised trial conducted at 14 centres in Brazil, patients hospitalised with COVID-19 at increased risk for venous thromboembolism (International Medical Prevention Registry on Venous Thromboembolism [IMPROVE] venous thromboembolism [VTE] score of ≥4 or 2-3 with a D-dimer >500 ng/mL) were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive, at hospital discharge, rivaroxaban 10 mg/day or no anticoagulation for 35 days. The primary efficacy outcome in an intention-to-treat analysis was a composite of symptomatic or fatal venous thromboembolism, asymptomatic venous thromboembolism on bilateral lower-limb venous ultrasound and CT pulmonary angiogram, symptomatic arterial thromboembolism, and cardiovascular death at day 35. Adjudication was blinded. The primary safety outcome was major bleeding. The primary and safety analyses were carried out in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04662684. FINDINGS: From Oct 8, 2020, to June 29, 2021, 997 patients were screened. Of these patients, 677 did not meet eligibility criteria; the remaining 320 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive rivaroxaban (n=160 [50%]) or no anticoagulation (n=160 [50%]). All patients received thromboprophylaxis with standard doses of heparin during hospitalisation. 165 (52%) patients were in the intensive care unit while hospitalised. 197 (62%) patients had an IMPROVE score of 2-3 and elevated D-dimer levels and 121 (38%) had a score of 4 or more. Two patients (one in each group) were lost to follow-up due to withdrawal of consent and not included in the intention-to-treat primary analysis. The primary efficacy outcome occurred in five (3%) of 159 patients assigned to rivaroxaban and 15 (9%) of 159 patients assigned to no anticoagulation (relative risk 0·33, 95% CI 0·12-0·90; p=0·0293). No major bleeding occurred in either study group. Allergic reactions occurred in two (1%) patients in the rivaroxaban group. INTERPRETATION: In patients at high risk discharged after hospitalisation due to COVID-19, thromboprophylaxis with rivaroxaban 10 mg/day for 35 days improved clinical outcomes compared with no extended thromboprophylaxis. FUNDING: Bayer.

Trends on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii growth regimes and bioproducts.

The green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model microorganism for several areas of study. Among the different microalgae species, it presents advantageous characteristics, such as genomes completely sequenced and well-established techniques for genetic transformation. Despite that, C. reinhardtii production is still not easily commercially viable, especially due to the low biomass yield. So far there are no reports of scientometric study focusing only on C. reinhardtii biomass production process. Considering the need for culture optimization, a scientometric research was conducted to analyze the papers that investigated the growth regimes effects in C. reinhardtii cultivation. The search resulted in 130 papers indexed on Web of Science and Scopus platforms from 1969 to December 2022. The quantitative analysis indicated that the photoautotrophic regime was the most employed in the papers. However, when comparing the three growth regimes, the mixotrophic one led to the highest production of biomass, lipids, and heterologous protein. The production of bioproducts was considered the main objective of most of the papers and, among them, biomass was the most frequently investigated. The highest biomass production reported among the papers was 40 g L-1 in the heterotrophic growth of a transgenic strain. Other culture conditions were also crucial for C. reinhardtii growth, for instance, temperature and cultivation process.

In vivo antifungal activity and biocompatibility of Cryptocarya moschata.

The objective of this study was evaluate, in vivo model, the antifungal activity of Cryptocarya moschata extract against Candida albicans and its biocompatibility. The animals (N = 50) were divided into groups (n = 5): CI/CG: candidiasis was induced and treated with C. moschata extract (0.045 g/mL); CI/NG: candidiasis was induced and treated with nystatin; CI/NT: candidiasis was induced and no treated; CI/CG-2: candidiasis was induced and treated with C. moschata extract (0.045 g/mL), reapplied after 24 h; CI/NG-2: candidiasis was induced and treated with nystatin, reapplied after 24 h; NCI/NT: candidiasis was not induced and no treated; NCI/CG: candidiasis was not induced and treated with C. moschata extract (0.045 g/mL); NCI/NG: candidiasis was not induced treated with nystatin; NCI/CG-2: candidiasis was not induced and treated with C. moschata extract (0.045 g/mL), reapplied after 24 h; NCI/NG-2: candidiasis was not induced and treated with nystatin, reapplied after 24 h. The fungi present in the lingual dorsum of mice were collected and analyzed by the count of colony-forming units. In addition, histological analysis was performed. Histologically, there was no cell damage in the mice's tongue, and there was a decrease in Candida biofilm, similar to the use of nystatin. It was concluded that the C. moschata extract was effective against C. albicans and was biocompatible.

A Rare Case of Lesion in the Vulva: Pigmented Apocrine Hamartoma.

ABSTRACT: Apocrine hamartoma is a rare benign neoplasm. The histology is characterized by an excess of apocrine glands located predominantly in the reticular dermis. Pigmented apocrine hamartoma represents a histopathological variation of apocrine hamartoma containing tubules and linear cysts covered by apocrine cells on the inside with melanin and on the outside with myoepithelial cells. At this time, 4 cases of this pathology have been described. This case report aims to present a case of pigmented apocrine hamartoma of the vulva in a young patient, emphasizing that while occurrence is rare, it must be considered when diagnosing a pigmented lesion of the vulva in young patients.

Medically Ill hospitalized Patients for COVID-19 THrombosis Extended ProphyLaxis with rivaroxaban ThErapy: Rationale and Design of the MICHELLE Trial.

BACKGROUND: The devastating Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is associated with a high prothrombotic state. It is unclear if the coagulation abnormalities occur because of the direct effect of SARS-CoV-2 or indirectly by the cytokine storm and endothelial damage or by a combination of mechanisms. There is a clear indication of in-hospital pharmacological thromboprophylaxis for every patient with COVID-19 after bleed risk assessment. However, there is much debate regarding the best dosage regimen, and there is no consensus on the role of extended thromboprophylaxis. DESIGN: This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of rivaroxaban 10 mg once daily for 35 ± 4 days versus no intervention after hospital discharge in COVID-19 patients who were at increased risk for VTE and have received standard parenteral VTE prophylaxis during hospitalization. The composite efficacy endpoint is a combination of symptomatic VTE, VTE-related death, VTE detected by bilateral lower limbs venous duplex scan and computed tomography pulmonary angiogram on day 35 ± 4 posthospital discharge and symptomatic arterial thromboembolism (myocardial infarction, nonhemorrhagic stroke, major adverse limb events, and cardiovascular death) up to day 35 ± 4 posthospital discharge. The key safety outcome is the incidence of major bleeding according to ISTH criteria. SUMMARY: The MICHELLE trial is expected to provide high-quality evidence around the role of extended thromboprophylaxis in COVID-19 and will help guide medical decisions in clinical practice.1.

Beneficial effects of physical exercise for ß-cell maintenance in a type 1 diabetes mellitus animal model.

NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) leads to hyperglycaemia owing to pancreatic ß-cell destruction by the immune system. Physical exercise has been shown to have potentially beneficial protective roles against cytokine-induced pancreatic ß-cell death, but its benefits are yet to be proved and should be understood better, especially in the islet environment. What is the main finding and its importance? Physical exercise protects against ß-cell loss in a well-described animal model for T1D, induced by multiple low doses of streptozotocin. This seems to be related to reduced cytokine-induced ß-cell death and increased islet cell proliferation. Contributions of islet neogenesis and/or transdifferentiation of pancreatic non-ß-cells into ß-cells cannot be excluded. ABSTRACT: Physical exercise has beneficial effects on pancreatic ß-cell function and survival in a pro-inflammatory environment. Although these effects have been linked to decreased islet inflammation and modulation of pro-apoptotic pathways, little is known about the islet microenvironment. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of physical exercise in islet histomorphology in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes mellitus induced by multiple low doses of streptozotocin. As expected, induction of type 1 diabetes mellitus led to ß-cell loss and, consequently, decreased islet area. Interestingly, although the decrease in islet area was not prevented by physical exercise, this was not the case for the decrease in ß-cell mass. This was probably related to induction of ß-cell regeneration, because we observed increased proliferation and regeneration markers, such as Ki67 and Pcna, in islets of trained mice. These were found in the central and peripheral regions of the islets. An increase in the percentage of α- and δ-cells in these conditions, combined with an increase in proliferation and Pax4 labelling in peripheral regions, suggest that ß-cell regeneration might also occur by transdifferentiation. This agrees with the presence of cells double stained for insulin and glucagon only in islets of diabetic trained mice. In addition, this group had more extra-islet insulin-positive cells and islets associated with ducts than diabetic mice. Physical exercise also decreased nuclear factor-κB activation in islet cells of diabetic trained compared with diabetic untrained mice, indicating a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokine-induced ß-cell death. Taken together, these findings indicate that preservation of ß-cell mass induced by physical exercise involves an increase in ß-cell replication and decrease in ß-cell death, together with islet neogenesis and islet cell transdifferentiation.

Spatiotemporal variations on infrared temperature as a thermal comfort indicator for cattle under agroforestry systems.

With the expanding use of thermal assessment techniques in beef cattle, infrared thermography has become a promising tool for assessing the environment for animal thermal comfort. Goals of this study were: (1) to evaluate cattle thermal comfort in agroforestry systems with different shade availability (2) to verify the spatiotemporal variations of infrared temperature inside agroforestry systems, and; (3) to test infrared thermography as a potential tool to assess animal thermal comfort indices in agroforestry systems. A trial was carried out between June 2015 and February 2016, covering Central-Brazil's dry winter and rainy summer seasons, respectively. The experimental area of Embrapa Beef Cattle is located in Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul), coordinates 20°24'53″ S, 54°42'26″ W and 558 m altitude. The 12 ha plot has two agroforestry systems varying shade availability. Traditional Black Globe Temperature and Humidity Index, Heat Load Index and Radiation Thermal Load were determined, from measurements using digital thermo-hygrometers, with datalogger. Surface temperature and humidity of tree canopies and pasture were determined using an infrared thermographic camera. Results show spatiotemporal variations in infrared temperature. This means that the environment inside agroforestry systems is not homogeneously comfortable for cattle, and the system with the lowest shade availability has the greatest heat accumulation area. Weak to strong associations were identified between infrared variables and thermal comfort indices (0.08 = r ≤ 0.75). Positive relationships were also obtained and equally well explained by the Black Globe Temperature and Humidity Index and Heat Load Index (0.55 = R2 ≤ 0.94). We conclude that infrared thermography can be used as a tool to assess thermal comfort indices in agroforestry systems and to determine onset of animal thermal stress from environment and heat body accumulation.

Shading effect on physiological parameters and in vitro embryo production of tropical adapted Nellore heifers in integrated crop-livestock-forest systems.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of increased shadow supply in integrated crop-livestock-forest systems on in vitro embryonic development and physiological parameters related to stress response in Nellore heifers (Bos indicus). For the study, animals (n = 16) were randomly divided into two groups and kept in areas with different afforestation systems, the integrated crop-livestock-forest (ICLF) and the integrated crop-livestock (ICL) system. The microclimate of the ICLF system provided better comfort conditions than ICL. No differences of respiratory rate, rectal temperature, cortisol, T3, T4, oocyte quality, and cleavage rate between the systems were verified. A higher blastocyst rate was observed in the ICLF (p < 0.05). The results demonstrate that Nellore heifers managed in ICLF during summer in Midwest of Brazil showed higher production of in vitro embryos, without typical changes in its physiological parameters. The results observed in the present study indicate that zebu females are able to respond satisfactorily to the intense heat conditions; however, we believe that the long period to which these animals are exposed to these conditions interferes in the oocyte competence and embryo development.

Production of cutinase by solid-state fermentation and its use as adjuvant in bioherbicide formulation.

In the present study, it was presented a strategy to maximize the cutinase production by solid-state fermentation from different microorganisms and substrates. The best results were observed using Fusarium verticillioides, rice bran being the main substrate. Maximum yield of cutinase obtained by the strain was 16.22 U/g. For concentration, ethanol precipitation was used, and the purification factor was 2.4. The optimum temperature and pH for enzyme activity were 35 °C and 6.5, respectively. The enzyme was stable at a wide range of temperature and at all pH values tested. The concentrated cutinase was used as an adjuvant in a formulation containing cutinase + bioherbicide. The use of enzyme increased the efficiency of bioherbicide, since cutinase was responsible to remove/degrade the cutin that recovery the weed leaves and difficult the bioherbicide absorption. Cutinase showed to be a promising product to be used in formulation of bioherbicides.

In situ Effect of Arginine-Containing Dentifrice on Plaque Composition and on Enamel Demineralization under Distinct Cariogenic Conditions.

There is limited evidence that arginine-containing fluoridated dentifrices (AFD) have a better anticaries effect than regular fluoridated dentifrices (FD), especially in subjects at a higher risk for caries development. This study aimed to assess the effect of AFD on enamel demineralization and on the microbial and biochemical compositions of biofilm formed under different frequencies of sucrose exposure. It consisted of an in situ split-mouth design, where 12 adult volunteers who used FD for at least 2 months prior to the beginning of this study wore acrylic palatal appliances containing 4 bovine enamel specimens (1 pair at each side of the appliance) during 2 phases of 14 days each. FD slurry (3×/day) and 20% sucrose solution (4× and 8×/day) were dripped on the specimens during the first experimental phase. The same volunteers then used AFD during a 2-month washout period, followed by a second experimental phase where the AFD slurry and sucrose solution were applied onto a new subset of specimens. The percentage of enamel surface hardness loss (%SHL), the lesion depth (LD), the integrated mineral loss (IML), microbial counts on biofilms, the biomass, and inorganic and insoluble extracellular polysaccharide (IEPS) biofilm concentrations were determined. Higher %SHL, biomass, and IEPS and lower fluoride values were found at sucrose 8×/day exposure. Lower IEPS were found in the presence of AFD compared to FD. Similar %SHL, LD, and IML values were found between FD and AFD, irrespectively of the cariogenic challenge. The results suggest that AFD have an anticaries effect similar to that of regular FD.

Susceptibility to antifungal agents and enzymatic activity of Candida haemulonii and Cutaneotrichosporon dermatis isolated from soft corals on the Brazilian reefs.

Candida is a common fungus with the capacity to cause infections in humans. However, most studies have concentrated on clinical isolates and little is known about the identity, ecology and drug resistance of free living species/strains. Here, we isolate eight strains of Candida haemulonii and four strains of Cutaneotrichosporon dermatis from three marine cnidarian zoanthids species (Palythoa caribaeorum, Palythoa variabilis and Zoanthus sociatus) collected from Brazilian coral reefs. Strains were identified by sequencing of the D1/D2 domain LSU rDNA and ITS region. We tested these environmental isolates for their capacity to grow in media with increasing concentration of NaCl, capacity to grow in different temperatures, enzymatic activity and antifungal susceptibility. For C. haemulonii, all strains strongly produced gelatinase, esterase and albuminase and were either able to express lipase, phospholipase and keratinase, but not express urease and DNase. The strains were able to grow at 37 °C, but not at 39 °C, and except for LMS 40, all of them could grow in a 10 % NaCl medium. All isolates were resistant to all antifungals tested, with exception for ketoconazole and tioconazole (MIC = 2 µg/mL). For C. dermatis, all strains could grow at 39 °C and could not express phospholipase, keratinase or gelatinase. However, all were capable of expressing urease, lipase and esterase. Three out of four strains could grow in a 10 % NaCl medium, but none grew in a 30 % NaCl medium. The strains showed high values of minimal inhibitory concentration. LMPV 90 was resistant to tioconazole, terbinafine, fluconazole and posaconazole, and LMS 38 was resistant to all antifungal agents tested. We discuss the characterization of C. haemulonii and C. dermatis as a possible emerging pathogen due to its animal-related enzymatic arsenal and antifungal resistance.

Shading effect on microclimate and thermal comfort indexes in integrated crop-livestock-forest systems in the Brazilian Midwest.

The objective of this paper was to perform a microclimate evaluation and determine the indexes of thermal comfort indexes, in sun and shade, in integrated crop-livestock-forest systems with different arrangements of eucalyptus and native trees, in the Brazilian Midwest. The experiment was conducted at Embrapa Beef Cattle in Campo Grande, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, from July to September 2013. The evaluations were conducted on four consecutive days, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., local time (GMT -4:00), with 1 hour intervals, recording the microclimate parameters: air temperature (°C), black globe temperature (°C), wet bulb temperature (°C), relative humidity (%), and wind speed (m.s-1), for the subsequent calculation of the Temperature and Humidity Index, the Black Globe Temperature and Humidity Index, and the Radiant Thermal Load. The largest changes in microclimate parameters were found in the full sun, between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m., in less dense eucalyptus system, followed by the scattered native trees system, resulting in a maximum Temperature and Humidity Index of 81, Black Globe Temperature and Humidity Index of 88 and Radiant Thermal Load of 794 W m-2. Therefore, it is observed that with the presence of trees in pastures were possible reductions of up to 3.7 % in Temperature and Humidity Index, 10.2 % in the Black Globe Temperature and Humidity Index, and 28.3 % of the Radiant Thermal Load in the shade. Thus, one can conclude that the presence of trees and their arrangement in the systems provide better microclimate conditions and animal thermal comfort in pastures.

Ethanol determination in frozen fruit pulps: an application of quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance.

This study reports the chemical composition of five types of industrial frozen fruit pulps (acerola, cashew, grape, passion fruit and pineapple fruit pulps) and compares them with homemade pulps at two different stages of ripening. The fruit pulps were characterized by analyzing their metabolic profiles and determining their ethanol content using quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (qNMR). In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to extract more information from the NMR data. We detected ethanol in all industrial and homemade pulps; and acetic acid in cashew, grape and passion fruit industrial and homemade pulps. The ethanol content in some industrial pulps is above the level recommended by regulatory agencies and is near the levels of some post-ripened homemade pulps. This study demonstrates that qNMR can be used to rapidly detect ethanol content in frozen fruit pulps and food derivatives. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

HR-MAS NMR metabolomics of 'Swingle' citrumelo rootstock genetically modified to overproduce proline.

The accumulation of proline is a typical physiological response to abiotic stresses in higher plants. 'Swingle' citrumelo, an important rootstock for citrus production, has been modified with a mutated Δ(1)-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase gene (VaP5CSF129A) linked to the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter to induce the overproduction of free proline. This paper presents a comparative metabolomic study of nontransgenic versus transgenic 'Swingle' citrumelo plants with high endogenous proline. (1)H high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and multivariate analysis showed significant differences in some metabolites between the nontransgenic and transgenic leaves and roots. The overproduction of proline has reduced the sucrose content in transgenic leaves, revealing a metabolic cost for these plants. In roots, the high level of free proline acts for the adjustment of cation-anion balance, causing the reduction of acetic acid content. The same sucrose level in roots indicates that they can be considered as sucrose sink. Similar behavior may be waited for fruits produced on transgenic rootstock.

Performance of Nellore heifers, forage mass, and structural and nutritional characteristics of Brachiaria brizantha grass in integrated production systems.

Our objective was to evaluate production, nutritive value and carrying capacity of piatã grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. BRS Piatã), and performance of Nellore heifers in agrosilvopastoral systems (ASPS) with three eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urograndis) tree densities, during winter, spring, summer, and fall. Three integrated systems were evaluated: ASPS-1 (357 trees ha(-1)), ASPS-2 (227 trees ha(-1)), and CON (5 trees ha(-1)). In each system, two sward heights were evaluated: short and tall. A total of 80 11-month-old Nellore heifers were randomly allocated in a randomized split-plot block, 3 × 2 factorial. Greater dry matter availability was observed on CON pastures during the fall season. Greater percentage of leaf lamina was detected on ASPS-1 with short sward height and greater during summer, compared with other seasons. A greater forage production was observed between tree rows and for tall sward height. Spring was the season with less forage nutritive value. Average daily gain was greater during summer and fall. Gain per hectare and stocking rate were greater on CON system and on ASPS-2. Pastures with short sward height had greater gain per hectare and stocking rate. Agrosilvopastoral systems with intermediate tree density seem to be a good choice for producers willing to diversify their revenue sources without decreasing animal production.

Using probiotics to improve nutrient digestibility and gut-health of weaned pigs: a comparison of maternal and nursery supplementation strategies.

Maternal probiotic supplementation has been found to have a positive impact on the gut health of piglets, not only during the lactation period, but also after weaning. Providing probiotics to nursery pigs is also a common strategy for supplementation. The goal of this study was to evaluate which would be the most effective strategy to improve nutrient digestibility, energy metabolism, and intestinal health in weaned pigs considering the maternal or nursery options. A total of 32 newly weaned pigs were randomly split into a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement considering maternal probiotic supplementation (with or without) in gestation-lactation and probiotic supplementation in the nursery period (with or without). After weaning, experimental diets were provided for 22 days. Total fecal and urine collection was performed from day 15 to 21. Blood samples were collected from all pigs on days 3 and 22 of the experiment to assess serum biochemistry and intestinal permeability. All pigs were euthanized on day 22 for intestinal tissue collection. Pigs born from probiotic-fed sows had greater (p < 0.05) total tract digestibility of dry matter (+1%) and gross energy (+1.3%), and greater (p < 0.05) metabolizable energy coefficient (+1.3%), which resulted in a 46 kcal/kg increase (p < 0.05) in the metabolizable energy content of the diet. Nitrogen intake (p = 0.035), uptake (p = 0.007), and retention (p = 0.012) were all increased in these pigs. Fecal moisture was reduced in pigs born from probiotic-fed sows and pigs fed the probiotic diet only in the nursery (p < 0.05). Pigs born from probiotic-fed sows had reduced intestinal permeability by 16% (p < 0.05), whereas pigs fed the probiotic diet in the nursery only tended to improve this response (p < 0.10). The villus:crypt ratio of pigs born from probiotic-fed sows was greater compared to the control (p < 0.05), while serum levels of alanine aminotransferase were lower (p < 0.05). Pigs born from probiotic-fed sows had increased nutrient digestibility and improved gut health. Therefore, it is concluded that supplementing the sow diets with probiotics rather than just providing diets in the nursery phase is an advantageous strategy.

Sexual function in patients with bipolar disorder type I evaluated in symptomatic remission: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic pathology that is associated with several impairments throughout a patient's life, including decreased sexual function. Despite the importance in quality of life (QoL), functionality and medication adherence, it is still little investigated in these patients. OBJECTIVE: To compare the sexual function of patients with Bipolar Disorder type I (BD-I), in remission, with healthy controls (HC) and to investigate the clinical and socio-demographic characteristics associated with sexual function in these individuals. Also, to assess the QoL in patients with and without sexual dysfunction (SD). METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 132 patients with BD-I in euthymic phase and 61 HCs from an outpatient clinic. All the participants were evaluated through the Arizona Sexual Scale (ASEX) and the brief version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQoL-BREF). The patients with BD-I were compared with the HCs. The patients were divided into two groups: the ones diagnosed with SD and the ones without it. RESULTS: The patients with BD-I had higher rates of SD (42.4%) compared to the HCs (16.4%) (OR 3.67, 95% CI 1.55 - 8.67; p=0.003). SD in patients was associated with being women (p=0.001), older age (p=0.003) and having a longer duration of untreated illness (p=0.010). Patients with SD had worse QoL scores compared to those without SD. CONCLUSION: Patients with BD-I have a high prevalence of SD and this was associated with worse QoL scores in all domains.

Tapajos cristinae gen. n., sp. n. (Diptera: Chironomidae: Chironominae) from the Neotropical region.

A new genus of non-biting midges, Tapajos gen. n., is erected for T cristinae sp. n. from the Neotropical region, and placed in the subfamily Chironominae, tribe Chironomini. Adult males are characterized by the combination of bare eyes; antenna with 11 flagellomeres; antepronotal lobes fused medially; fore tibia with inner scale broad and rounded; superior volsella with a long sickle shaped, bare part arising from the distal lateral corner of a globose, densely trichiose base; inferior volsella sub-cylindrical, surpassing the anal point, distally setose and slightly expanded.