The Covid-19 pandemic, a disease transmitted by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has already caused the infection of more than 120 million people, of which 70 million have been recovered, while 3 million people ...have died. The high speed of infection has led to the rapid depletion of public health resources in most countries. RT-PCR is Covid-19's reference diagnostic method. In this work we propose a new technique for representing DNA sequences: they are divided into smaller sequences with overlap in a pseudo-convolutional approach and represented by co-occurrence matrices. This technique eliminates multiple sequence alignment. Through the proposed method, it is possible to identify virus sequences from a large database: 347,363 virus DNA sequences from 24 virus families and SARS-CoV-2. When comparing SARS-CoV-2 with virus families with similar symptoms, we obtained Formula: see text for sensitivity and Formula: see text for specificity with MLP classifier and 30% overlap. When SARS-CoV-2 is compared to other coronaviruses and healthy human DNA sequences, we obtained Formula: see text for sensitivity and Formula: see text for specificity with MLP and 50% overlap. Therefore, the molecular diagnosis of Covid-19 can be optimized by combining RT-PCR and our pseudo-convolutional method to identify DNA sequences for SARS-CoV-2 with greater specificity and sensitivity.
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emergent threat provoking a worldwide explosive outbreak. Since January 2015, 41 countries reported autochthonous cases. In Brazil, an increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome and ...microcephaly cases was linked to ZIKV infections. A recent report describing low experimental transmission efficiency of its main putative vector, Ae. aegypti, in conjunction with apparent sexual transmission notifications, prompted the investigation of other potential sources of viral dissemination. Urine and saliva have been previously established as useful tools in ZIKV diagnosis. Here, we described the presence and isolation of infectious ZIKV particles from saliva and urine of acute phase patients in the Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.
Nine urine and five saliva samples from nine patients from Rio de Janeiro presenting rash and other typical Zika acute phase symptoms were inoculated in Vero cell culture and submitted to specific ZIKV RNA detection and quantification through, respectively, NAT-Zika, RT-PCR and RT-qPCR. Two ZIKV isolates were achieved, one from urine and one from saliva specimens. ZIKV nucleic acid was identified by all methods in four patients. Whenever both urine and saliva samples were available from the same patient, urine viral loads were higher, corroborating the general sense that it is a better source for ZIKV molecular diagnostic. In spite of this, from the two isolated strains, each from one patient, only one derived from urine, suggesting that other factors, like the acidic nature of this fluid, might interfere with virion infectivity. The complete genome of both ZIKV isolates was obtained. Phylogenetic analysis revealed similarity with strains previously isolated during the South America outbreak.
The detection of infectious ZIKV particles in urine and saliva of patients during the acute phase may represent a critical factor in the spread of virus. The epidemiological relevance of this finding, regarding the contribution of alternative non-vectorial ZIKV transmission routes, needs further investigation.
Yokenella regensburgei é uma bactéria bastonete gram-negativa, pertencente à família Enterobacteriaceae, que raramente causa infecções em humanos. Existem poucos relatos da identificação desse ...patógeno em processos infecciosos em todo o mundo, sobretudo no trato gastrointestinal.
Paciente M.J.F.S., sexo feminino, 76 anos, com quadro de astenia, hiporexia, náuseas e vômitos à mudança de decúbito com cerca de 2 semanas de evolução, além de episódios diarreicos de grande volume. Paciente permaneceu afebril durante toda evolução clínica. Apresentava múltiplas comorbidades prévias - HAS, asma, doença arterial coronariana com stent há 10 anos e insuficiência cardíaca com fração de ejeção reduzida de 28%. Durante investigação clínica, realizada tomografia de abdome com contraste que evidenciou moderada distensão hidroaérea do cólon ascendente e transverso, sem evidências de fatores obstrutivos. Evoluiu com quadro de sepse e necessitou de cuidados em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva. Coletado 4 pares de hemoculturas com detecção de Klebsiella oxytoca e Yokenella regensburgei em todas as amostras. Iniciado antibioticoterapia guiado com base em teste de sensibilidade aos antimicrobianos. Paciente evoluiu com melhora clínica após tratamento.
Infecções em humanos causadas por Yokenella regensburgei são raramente identificadas ao redor do mundo. Tal patógeno pode causar infecções graves, levando o paciente à quadros sépticos, e sua rápida identificação e tratamento direcionado são fundamentais para o sucesso terapêutico, assim como em qualquer microorganismo que comumente causam doenças em humanos.
Objective: Assess the level of measles vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies against the D8 genotype and the persistence of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in children who received their first ...dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine eight years previously. Methods: Measles-specific IgG and neutralizing antibodies were determined in serum using ELISA and plaque reduction neutralization test, respectively. Cellular response was evaluated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). IFN-γ-secreting cells, memory B and T cells, and immunological mediators were assayed by ELISpot, flow cytometry, and multiplex liquid microarray assay, respectively. Results: Antibody concentrations declined over time; however, the vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies’ effect against D8 and vaccinal genotypes persisted. PBMC stimulated with the vaccine virus exhibited specific IFN- γ-measles-secreting responses in most participants. Participants with high levels of neutralizing antibodies showed a higher proportion of activated B cells compared to participants with low levels of neutralizing antibodies, while proportions of memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were similar between these groups. PBMC supernatant cytokine levels showed a significant difference between stimulated and non-stimulated conditions for IL-2, TNF-α, IL-10, and CXCL10. Conclusion: Despite the decline in antibody concentrations over time, the participants still demonstrated neutralizing capacity against the measles D8 genotype five to eight years after the second dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Additionally, most of the enrolled children exhibited cell-mediated immunity responses to measles virus stimulation.
The study aimed to evaluate the genetic diversity of
Staphylococcus aureus
causing subclinical mastitis (SM) isolated from dairy cows and to assess the effect of the infection status (transient vs. ...persistent) on the milk and component yield. A total of six dairy farms in São Paulo state were used for the selection of cows with SM caused by
S. aureus
.
S. aureus
strains (
n
= 56) obtained from three biweekly aseptic mammary quarter milk samplings (
n
= 1140 from 95 cows) were subjected to MALDI-TOF MS analysis for species confirmation and further PFGE analysis. Intramammary infections (IMI) caused by
S. aureus
were categorized as transient (T: when only one out of 3 milk samplings had positive isolation of any pulsotype) or persistent (P: when two (P2) or three (P3) milk samplings had positive isolation of identical pulsotype over the consecutive episodes of SM. The
SmaI
macrorestriction fragment profiles of 56
S. aureus
isolates showed a dominant
S. aureus
clonal pattern (PFGE type A;
n
= 50; 89.3%) within and among the herds. The SM-causing
S. aureus
represented a reduction of quarter milk yield of 26.2% in transient and 54.8% in persistent cases as well as a reduction of total solid yield of 38.1% and 49.4%, respectively, when compared with the healthy control quarters. Overall, the greater chance of
S. aureus
to be persistent is when a dominant clonal pattern is present in the herd which consequently may be associated with the cause of accentuated milk loss.
O artigo objetiva analisar as contribuições da contação de histórias para a saúde mental no contexto da pandemia de Covid-19. Trata-se de uma pesquisa-intervenção que posiciona o recurso das ...histórias como uma tecnologia leve em saúde, comprometida em reduzir distâncias, criar pontes entre as pessoas através do investimento na produção de vínculos e acolhimento. A contação de histórias articula literatura e psicologia, faz parte da caixa de ferramentas necessárias para a ativação de forças psíquicas expressivas dos afetos no cenário atual. O banco de dados da pesquisa pode ser designado como banco de histórias que passam por um processo de curadoria, sendo essa uma metodologia fundamental para o encadeamento de temas abordados nas histórias e a postagem das mesmas no Instagram do projeto. As histórias videogravadas foram analisadas a partir dos núcleos semânticos contexto-afeto-texto, com destaque para os conteúdos de memória e morte; e práticas de mutualidade em cuidado. A reação dos/as seguidores/as do Instagram expressam mensagens afetuosas aos/as contadores/as.
To investigate the relationship between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and dental caries in adolescents.
Data from 996 adolescents aged 12-13 years who participated in an oral health ...sub-study of the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort in southern Brazil were analysed. The main exposure was daily UPF consumption at age 10-11 years, measured by a food frequency questionnaire containing 24 UPF items defined based on the NOVA system. UPF consumption was calculated in frequency, grams and calories, in general and for six types of food (biscuits, savoury snacks and sugar-sweetened cereals; ultra-processed meats and fats; sweets; fast food and instant noodles; soft drinks and artificially flavoured drinks; and sweetened milk and powdered chocolate). The outcome was dental caries, measured according to the decayed, missing and filled indexes (DMFS and dmfs) at age 12-13 years. Poisson regression models were used to analyse the association between UPF consumption and dental caries, adjusting for socioeconomic and demographic variables, dental visits and oral hygiene.
Overall, the daily UPF consumption in frequency, grams and calories was associated with caries. The findings were consistent for UPF consumption for all six food groups. The higher the UPF consumption, the higher the probability of having caries in adolescence. The associations between ultra-processed meats and fats, and fast food and instant noodles intake with dental caries alert to the cariogenic potential of such UPF foods.
Ultra-processed food consumption was associated with greater caries burdens in young adolescents. The findings reinforce the need for interventions and public policies to reduce UPF consumption in adolescence.
Resumo Diante da pandemia do coronavírus Sars-CoV-2, causador da Covid-19 e do número elevado de pessoas infectadas e mortes no Brasil, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo identificar e entender o ...impacto desta crise sanitária sobre os pequenos produtores rurais, que compõem um dos grupos vulneráveis da sociedade brasileira. Por meio de questionários e depoimentos de participantes de diferentes regiões, os resultados indicam que os produtores sofreram impactos da pandemia de forma multidimensional sobre a produção, a comercialização, a renda, a saúde humana e as formas de comunicação. Entretanto, conseguiram superar alguns dos desafios impostos pela pandemia a partir de um conjunto de fatores, principalmente de ações solidárias e coletivas, de soluções criativas individuais e do suporte de políticas públicas.
Abstract The pandemic of coronavirus Sars-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19 disease has infected a high number of people and caused deaths in Brazil. Thus, this study seeks to identify and understand the impact of this sanitary crisis on small-scale farmers who comprise one of the vulnerable groups of the Brazilian society. We applied questionnaires and gathered reports of participants from different regions and the results indicate that farmers have suffered from the negative impacts of pandemic on multiple dimensions regarding production, commercialization, income, human health, and forms of communication. However, they have been able to overcome some of the challenges brought by the pandemic due to a set of factors, mainly collective actions and solidarity network, individual creative solutions, and public policies.
Epidermal differentiation is a complex process in which keratinocytes go through morphological and biochemical changes in approximately 15 to 30 days. Abnormal keratinocyte differentiation is ...involved in the pathophysiology of several skin diseases. In this scenario, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) emerge as a promising approach to study skin biology in both normal and pathological conditions. Herein, we have studied the differentiation of MSC from umbilical cord into keratinocytes. MSC were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) (proliferation medium) and, after characterization, differentiation was induced by culturing cells in a defined keratinocyte serum‐free medium (KSFM) supplemented with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and calcium chloride ions. Cells cultivated in DMEM were used as control. Cultures were evaluated from day 1 to 23, based on the cell morphology, the expression of p63, involucrin and cytokeratins (KRTs) KRT5, KRT10 and KRT14, by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis or immunofluorescence, and by the detection of epidermal kallikreins activity. In cells grown in keratinocyte serum‐free medium with EGF and 1.8 mM calcium, KRT5 and KRT14 expression was shown at the first day, followed by the expression of p63 at the seventh day. KRT10 expression was detected from day seventh while involucrin was observed after this period. Data showed higher kallikrein (KLK) activity in KSFM‐cultured cells from day 11th in comparison to control. These data indicate that MSC differentiated into keratinocytes similarly to that occurs in the human epidermis. KLK activity detection appears to be a good methodology for the monitoring the differentiation of MSC into the keratinocyte lineage, providing useful tools for the better understanding of the skin biology.
Mesenchymal stem cells from umbilical cord differentiate into keratinocytes mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation can be assessed by epidermal kallikrein detection
In this study, the potential of yellow mombin (
Spondias mombin
L.)–extracted pectin as a film-forming matrix for the elaboration of edible coatings was investigated. The films of chitosan, citric ...pectin, and carboxymethylcellulose (Sigma/USA) and natural pectin were prepared by casting. The film morphological characterization was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SME), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Additionally, total phenolic compounds (TPC), total antioxidant activity (TAC), DPPH scavenging capacity, and antimicrobial activity were assayed for the natural pectin–based films. The results showed that the film based on natural pectin presented a 46% degree of esterification that was higher than commercial (34%), showing its capacity of forming gels. The film formed by chitosan presented a very different behavior for loss of mass during TGA when compared to the other films, occurring a mass loss completely at 647.7 °C in 61 min. The value obtained from the concentration of total phenolics (mg GAE/100 g dried) found in the formulated film based on pectin was 3998.99 ± 42.64 and with solubility in water of almost 100%. Additionally, the scavenging of the DPPH radical with a value of 15.48 ± 1.48 μmol TE/g was found on the film based on natural pectin thus showing antioxidant capacity. Finally, this film showed less significant mechanical properties when compared to other films and a good pronounced antimicrobial effect against the gram-negative bacteria tested. Therefore, it could be potentially used for producing food-active packages.
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