Abstract
Background
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between radiological severity, as assessed by the individual grades and grouped grades (grades “0 and 1” and “2 to 4”) of the ...Kellgren-Lawrence scale (K&Ls), and depression symptoms, cognitive loss, risk of falls, and quality of life in relation to knee osteoarthritis, as assessed by other instruments.
Methods
Data recorded between 2013 and 2014 in Amparo (São Paulo, Brazil) were retrieved for analysis. A total of 181 elderly patients who had knee osteoarthritis and underwent a radiologic exam were evaluated for depressive symptoms, cognitive loss, quality of life, and risk of falls by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), timed up and go test (TUG), and Berg balance scale (BBS). For statistical analyses, Fisher’s exact test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman’s coefficient analysis were used.
Results
There was no significant relationship between the scores of the instruments investigated and the individual K&Ls grades. However, when the K&Ls scores were assessed by groups, grades “2 to 4” were associated with the worst WOMAC score and the highest frequency and risk of falls according to the BBS but not according to TUG. For the GDS and MMSE, no significant relationships with the K&Ls grades were found. In addition, the K&Ls grade was correlated with the WOMAC score, regardless of the domain.
Conclusion
The radiological scores of the Kellgren-Lawrence (K&L) scale were associated with poorer WOMAC and BBS scores only when the K&Ls scores were evaluated in groups, and the WOMAC score was associated with an increase in the radiological grade.
Epidemiological studies found that hepatitis E virus genotype 3 (HEV-3) infection was associated with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis in immunocompromised patients. Our study aimed to investigate the ...relationship between the host immunosuppressive status and the occurrence of HEV-related chronic hepatitis. Here we describe a successful experimental study, using cynomolgus monkeys previously treated with tacrolimus, a potent calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant, and infected with a Brazilian HEV-3 strain isolated from naturally infected pigs. HEV infected monkeys were followed up during 160 days post infection (dpi) by clinical signs; virological, biochemical and haematological parameters; and liver histopathology. The tacrolimus blood levels were monitored throughout the experiment. Immunosuppression was confirmed by clinical and laboratorial findings, such as: moderate weight loss, alopecia, and herpes virus opportunistic infection. In this study, chronic HEV infection was characterized by the mild increase of liver enzymes serum levels; persistent RNA viremia and viral faecal shedding; and liver histopathology. Three out of four immunosuppressed monkeys showed recurrent HEV RNA detection in liver samples, evident hepatocellular ballooning degeneration, mild to severe macro and microvesicular steatosis (zone 1), scattered hepatocellular apoptosis, and lobular focal inflammation. At 69 dpi, liver biopsies of all infected monkeys revealed evident ballooning degeneration (zone 3), discrete hepatocellular apoptosis, and at most mild portal and intra-acinar focal inflammation. At 160 dpi, the three chronically HEV infected monkeys showed microscopic features (piecemeal necrosis) corresponding to chronic hepatitis in absence of fibrosis and cirrhosis in liver parenchyma. Within 4-months follow up, the tacrolimus-immunosuppressed cynomolgus monkeys infected with a Brazilian swine HEV-3 strain exhibited more severe hepatic lesions progressing to chronic hepatitis without liver fibrosis, similarly as shown in tacrolimus-immunosuppressed solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. The cause-effect relationship between HEV infection and tacrolimus treatment was confirmed in this experiment.
The Amazonian Craton is home to many Statherian to Calymmian taphrogenesis events that evolved over Large Igneous Provinces. The NW-SE faults on the Western Amazonian Igneous Belt (1.82-1.74Ga) and ...their reactivations, which facilitated the deposition of the Beneficente Group (1.76-1.60Ga), Prainha Formation (1.46Ga), and Alto Tapajós Group (Silurian-Devonian), are associated with these events in the southwest Amazonian Craton. Mineralogical composition, whole-rocks geochemistry, and Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic data show that the three sedimentary successions originated in the provinces of Rondônia-Juruena and Tapajós Parima, particularly during two rift stages. Beneficente Group deposition is associated with Paleoproterozoic Rift 1, while the Prainha Formation represents the post-rift 1, and Alto Tapajós Group deposition is associated with Paleozoic Rift 2. In addition, the Prainha Formation also received sediment supply from the Sunsás Province. These three sedimentary successions have an intrinsic relationship with the reworking of the local basement and their own reworking that occurred from the Paleoproterozoic to the Paleozoic. Autochthonous reworking, particularly in the Colíder and Beneficente groups, is demonstrated by Ti-magnetite grains, volcanic and arenite fragments in the Prainha Formation sublitharenite, and by angular microcline grains, high Au content, a Pb whole-rock isochron yielding the 1.796±0.096Ga age, and by
${\varepsilon _{Sr\left(0 \right)}}$
ε
Sr
0
vs 1/Rb relationship in Alto Tapajós Group.
${\varepsilon _{Nd\left(t \right)}}$
ε
Nd
t
and flat REE patterns and some positive Eu anomalies in the Prainha Formation and Alto Tapajós Group record the influence of the mafic rocks of the Mata-Matá suite. A Pb-Pb whole-rock isochron allowed hydrothermal activity recognition at 1.32Ga in the Vila do Carmo Formation. This event was ratified by positive Eu/Eu* (1.3-1.43), Ce/Ce* (1.24-2.84), and Gd/Gd*(~1.5) anomalies. Finally, Nd model ages, geochemistry, and Sr isotopes allow for correlating the local basement and the overlaying sedimentary successions along the Columbia and Gondwana boundaries.
Habitat fragmentation caused by hydroelectric dams has depleted fish populations worldwide. Restocking actions are usually adopted to recover those populations, but hatchery management protocols ...rarely guarantee the maintenance of genetic diversity and a balanced contribution among captive breeders each generation. Here, a set of 10 microsatellite markers was used to assess the genetic diversity (average allelic richness
A
R
= 10.87 and expected heterozygosity
H
E
= 0.742, respectively) and structuring of
Megaleporinus obtusidens
, a migratory freshwater fish inhabiting over 2500 km of the São Francisco River in Brazil. Three main genetic clusters were identified in this species across the river basin that could be related to the sharply different climatic and hydrologic regimes from the Upper to the Lower course. A significant reduction (> 50%) in genetic diversity was observed in the broodstock when compared to their wild conspecifics, especially in the allelic richness. The information here presented will aid for management of genetic resources of this species in the São Francisco River taking as reference the genetic clusters identified. Furthermore, the results indicated that restocking is not necessary unless signals of population depletion occurs and, if so, hatchery reproductive protocols should rely on artificial fertilization rather than mass spawning.
A multigene phylogeny including 24
Rhipicephalus
species from the Afrotropical and Mediterranean regions, based on mitochondrial DNA genes (COI, 12S and 16S), was constructed based on Bayesian ...inference and maximum likelihood estimations. The phylogenetic reconstruction revealed 31
Rhipicephalus
clades, which include the first molecular records of
Rhipicephalus duttoni
(Neumann), and
Rhipicephalus
senegalensis
(Koch). Our results support the
R
.
pulchellus
,
R
.
evertsi
and
R
.
pravus
complexes as more phylogenetically close to
Rhipicephalus
(
Boophilus
) than to the remaining
Rhipicephalus
clades, suggesting two main monophyletic groups within the genus. Additionally, the phenotypic resembling
R
.
sanguineus
s.l. and
Rhipicephalus
turanicus
(Pomerantsev) are here represented by nine clades, of which none of the
R
.
turanicus
assemblages appeared as distributed in the Iberian Peninsula. These results not only indicate that both species include more cryptic diversity than the already reported, but also suggest that
R
.
turanicus
distribution is less extended than previously anticipated. This analysis allowed to improve species identification by exposing cryptic species and reinforced mtDNA markers suitability for intra/inter-species clarification analyses. Incorporating new species molecular records to improve phylogenetic clarification can significantly improve ticks’ identification methods which will have epidemiologic implications on public health.
ABSTRACT
Rhipicephalus ticks are competent vectors of several pathogens, such as Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae (SFGR) and many Babesia species. Within this genus, different R. sanguineus s.l. ...lineages show an unequal vector competence and resistance regarding some pathogenic strains. Current literature supports that tick endosymbionts may play an essential role in the transmission ability of a vector. Indeed, the microbial community of Rhipicephalus seems to be dominated by Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLE). Still, their co-evolutionary associations with the complicated phylogeny of Rhipicephalus lineages and their transmissible pathogens remain unclear. We performed a phylogenetic congruence analysis to address whether divergent R. sanguineus s.l. lineages had a different symbiont composition. For that, we applied a PCR based approach to screen part of the microbial community present in 279 Rhipicephalus ticks from the Iberian Peninsula and Africa. Our analyses detected several qPCR-positive signals for both SFGR and Babesia species, of which we suggest R. sanguineus-tropical lineage as a natural vector of Babesia vogeli and R. sanguineus-temperate lineage of SFGR. The acquisition of 190 CLE sequences allowed to evaluate co-phylogenetic associations between the tick and the symbiont. With this data, we observed a strong but incomplete co-cladogenesis between CLE strains and their Rhipicephalus tick lineages hosts.
Coxiella and Rhipicephalus mitochondrial lineages revealed an almost complete co-cladogenesis signature between ixodid lineages and endosymbiont strains, evidencing the strong co-evolutionary history between these taxa.
Background and Objective: Disordered eating behaviours are a spectrum of maladaptive eating behaviours that affect a substantial proportion of today's society, having been studied regarding their ...relationship with different dietary patterns. The present study aimed to better characterise the omnivore, vegan, vegetarian and palaeolithic (paleo) dietary patterns and explore dietary pattern's differences regarding disordered eating indicators, sociodemographic data, the motive of choice of dietary pattern and perception of health value. Method: All data were collected online, comprising a sample of 447 omnivores (n = 281), vegetarians (n = 61), vegans (n = 50) and paleo (n = 55) women from the general Portuguese population. Results: Results revealed that the dietary patterns differed regarding motive of choice (omnivores: "Family habit"; vegetarians and vegans: "Ethical/Moral"; paleo: "Weight/Shape control") and on the self-assessed health value of their dietary pattern, with the vegan and paleo diets reporting the highest values. Finally, the groups differed significantly regarding disordered eating, binge eating, and orthorexic behaviours, with the paleo group generally presenting the highest values. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of exploring the individual's dietary pattern, including motive of choice, in the field of eating psychopathology, with an emphasis on the paleo diet as a risk factor. This means that prevention and intervention clinical guidelines should be developed for individuals with this dietary pattern.
(1) Background: The repercussions of work environments were widely studied before the pandemic. However, there are still many difficulties to be discovered considering the impact generated by it. ...Thus, this study aimed to analyse the impact of COVID-19 on nursing practice environments and nurses' job satisfaction. (2) Methods: A correlational study was conducted in a hospital in northern Portugal, with the participation of 416 registered nurses. Data were collected in June 2021 through questionnaires. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. (3) Results: COVID-19 had a favourable impact on the structure component of the practice environments; the process component decreased compared to the pre-pandemic period; the outcome component remained moderately favourable to the quality of care. Nurses were not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with their valuation and remuneration; moderately satisfied with the leadership and staffing; and satisfied with the organisation and resources, co-workers and valuation by patients and families. In more favourable environments, nurses' job satisfactions were higher. (4) Conclusions: Identifying the dimensions with the best and worst scores allowed the institution's managers to concentrate efforts on where improvements were needed, thus preparing professional contexts for the recovery of care activities.
A trypsin inhibitor isolated from tamarind seed (TTI) has satietogenic effects in animals, increasing the cholecystokinin (CCK) in eutrophy and reducing leptin in obesity. We purified TTI (pTTI), ...characterised, and observed its effect upon CCK and leptin in obese Wistar rats. By HPLC, and after amplification of resolution, two protein fractions were observed: Fr1 and Fr2, with average mass of M + 14H
+
= 19,594,690 Da and M + 13H
+
= 19,578,266 Da, respectively. The protein fractions showed 54 and 53 amino acid residues with the same sequence. pTTI presented resistance to temperature and pH variations; IC
50
was 2.7 × 10
−10
mol.L
−1
and Ki was 2.9 × 10
−11
mol.L
−1
. The 2-DE revealed spots with isoelectric points between pH 5 and 6, and one near pH 8. pTTI action on leptin decrease was confirmed. We conclude that pTTI is a Kunitz trypsin inhibitor with possible biotechnological health-related application.
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