The present study aimed to characterize the importance of the Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in the genesis of cattle tick fever (CTF) among dairy calves in the northwest of ...Minas Gerais, Brazil. Blood samples from 300 calves were collected, followed by DNA extraction and nested PCR using oligonucleotide primers to amplify fragments of the semi-nested for the msp5 gene (A. marginale), sbp-4 (B. bovis) and rap-1a (B. bigemina) Among the examined calves, the prevalence of A. marginale was 55.6% (n=167/300), B. bovis was 4.0% (n=12/300) and B. bigemina was 15.3% (n=46/300), by PCR techniques. Parasitic forms of A. marginale and B. bigemina were found in 36,3% and 2,6% of the blood smears while B. bovis was not detected. There was a statistical difference between the positivity of infected animals in the age groups 1 (10-70 days) and (>70-300 days) for A. marginale and B. bigemina. A total of 15 calves with the classic symptoms of disease were examined, and the samples obtained were confirmed as a simple infection by A. marginale through semi-nested PCR. These results confirm bovine anaplasmosis as the primary cause of CTF among the calves of dairy cattle within the studied area.
In a recent study, our research group demonstrated that the essential oil of Ocotea odorifera (EOOO) and its major compound safrole potentiated the action fluoroquinolones, modulating bacterial ...resistance possibly due to direct inhibition of efflux pumps. Thus, in the present study, we investigated whether these treatments could enhance the activity of gentamicin and erythromycin against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. The EOOO was extracted by hydrodistillation, and the phytochemical analysis was performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The antibiotic-enhancing effect of the EOOO and safrole against MDR strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was analyzed by the broth microdilution method. The chemical analysis confirmed the presence of safrole as a major component among the 16 compounds identified in the EOOO. Both the essential oil and the isolated compound showed clinically relevant antibacterial activities against S. aureus. Regarding the modulation of antibiotic resistance, the EOOO was found to enhance the activity of erythromycin against the strains of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, as well as improving the action of gentamicin against S. aureus. On the other hand, safrole potentiated the activity of gentamicin against the S. aureus strain alone. It is concluded, therefore, that the EOOO and safrole can enhance the activity of macrolides and aminoglycosides, and as such are useful in the development of therapeutic tools to combat bacterial resistance against these classes of antibiotics.
•Twenty-eight patients with collagen VI-related dystrophies (COL6-RDs) are presented.•This is the largest cohort of this myopathy in Latin America.•A large clinical variability was seen in this ...cohort of COL6-RDs.•Ullrich´s phenotype corresponded to 42,8 %; whereas, 25 % had Bethlem´s phenotype.•Homozygous or heterozygous variants were found in COL6A1, COL6A2 and COL6A3.
Collagen VI-related dystrophies (COL6-RDs) have a broad clinical spectrum and are caused by mutations in the COL6A1, COL6A2 and COL6A3 genes. Despite the clinical variability, two phenotypes are classically recognized: Bethlem myopathy (BM, milder form) and Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy (UCMD, more severe form), with many patients presenting an intermediate phenotype. In this work, we present clinical and genetic data from 28 patients (27 families), aged 6–38 years (mean of 16.96 years), with COL6-RDs.
Clinical, muscle histology and genetic data are presented. COL6A1, COL6A2 and COL6A3 genes were analyzed by next-generation sequencing (NGS).
Homozygous or heterozygous variants were found in COL6A1 (12 families), COL6A2 (12 families) and COL6A3 (3 families). Patients with the severe UCMD phenotype (three cases) had a homogeneous clinical picture characterized by neonatal onset of manifestations, no gait acquisition and a stable course, but with severe respiratory involvement. Most of the patients with the mild UCMD phenotype had neonatal onset of manifestations (88.8 %), delayed motor development (66.6 %), slowly progressive course, pulmonary involvement (55.5 %) and loss of the walking capacity before the age of 10 (66.6 %). In the intermediate group (nine patients), some children had neonatal onset of manifestations (44.5 %) and delayed motor development (88.9 %); but all of them achieved the ability to walk and were still ambulatory. Some patients that had the BM phenotype presented neonatal manifestations (57.1 %); however, all of them had normal motor development and normal pulmonary function. Only one patient from the group of BM lost the walking capacity during the evolution of the disease. Other frequent findings observed in all groups were joint retractions, spinal deformities, distal hyperextensibility, congenital hip dislocation and keloid formation.
COL6-RDs present variable clinical manifestations, but common findings are helpful for the clinical suspicion. NGS is a valuable approach for diagnosis, providing useful information for the genetic counseling of families.
To prepare an instrument to evaluate health literacy with regard to adherence to drug treatment among diabetics, identify the validity of its content, and estimate its reliability.
Pilot study, with ...the following stages of instrument construction: literature review, content validation, reliability estimation (internal consistency/Cronbach's alpha and reproducibility/Kappa).
The validity of content was completed and presented alpha=0.77 and Kappa values ranged from 0.31 to 1.00.
The instrument was approved regarding content validity, presented acceptable internal consistency and reproducibility. However, when applied, measurement errors it can produce must be considered.
Amazonian palm berries (açaí,
Euterpe oleracea
Mart.) are fruits with high nutritional value and antioxidant activity and have aroused the interest of consumers, popularizing fruit pulps enriched ...with probiotics. Amazonian palm berries (açaí,
Euterpe oleracea
Mart.) are fruits with high nutritional potential, providing a source of carbohydrates, fibers, proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. Furthermore, açai provides several health benefits, including antioxidant activity. Nutritionally enhanced foods have aroused the interest of consumers, popularizing fruit pulps enriched with probiotics. Probiotics are dietary supplements consisting of live, beneficial microorganisms in the host which improve the intestinal microbiota. The objective of this study was to isolate, identify, and characterize the probiotic potential of an isolated
Schleiferilactobacillus harbinensis
strain (dubbed Ca12) and provide an optimized bioprocess for its production, using the complete factorial and central rotational compound design to supplement the frozen açai pulp. The isolated strain
S. harbinensis
Ca12 presented adequate resistance to gastric juice and bile salts, microbial activity against different
Candida
strains, self-aggregation and coaggregation properties, high adhesion in HT-29 cells, and 35% inhibition of Salmonella in HT-29 cells. When optimized, the cellular biomass production of the
S. harbinensis
Ca12 strain was approximately 600% higher than the unsupplemented whey, with a production of 3.6 × 1010 CFU mL
−1
. The
S. harbinensis
Ca12 strain’s viability in the creamy and traditional frozen açai pulp was shown to be stable for up to 6 months at 20 °C. The impact of this study involved for the first time the
S. harbinensis
Ca12 described in the Brazilian cocoa pulp with activity against
Candida albicans
of clinical importance, creating the potential of a new functional food with important benefits to human health as prevention for candidiasis.
The spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Koch, 1836), is one of the most important pests of strawberry production systems worldwide. Because plant resistance is an important integrated ...management strategy, the present study investigated the effects of 12 strawberry genotypes on the biological characteristics of this pest under laboratory conditions (25 ± 2 °C and RH 60 ± 10%; 12:12-hour photophase). The experiment was carried using 12 treatments (genotypes), divided into 20 replications each, in a completely randomized design. The response variables were the biological parameters of the spider mite and its survival rate. The development and survival of T. urticae were influenced by different strawberry genotypes. The Camarosa cultivar together with genotypes Selection 05 and 2017-04-03 negatively affected the development and survival of T. urticae. The Selection 02 genotype had greatest susceptibility to the spider mite, which allowed fast development and high survival rate. The reproductive parameters of T. urticae were affected differently as a function of the strawberry genotype, with the Camarosa cultivar and the genotypes Selection 05 and 2017-04-03 being unfavorable to development, suggesting a possible resistance based on antibiosis.
RESUMO: O ácaro-rajado, Tetranychus urticae (KOCH, 1836), é uma das pragas mais importantes dos sistemas de produção de morangos em todo o mundo. Considerando a resistência de plantas como importante estratégia de manejo integrado, o presente estudo investigou os efeitos de 12 genótipos nas características biológicas desta praga, em condições de laboratório (25 ± 2 °C e UR 60 ± 10%; fotofase de 12 horas). O experimento foi realizado em condições de Laboratório sendo utilizado 12 tratamentos (genótipos), divididos em 20 repetições cada, num delineamento inteiramente casualizado. As variáveis resposta foram os parâmetros biológicos do ácaro-rajado e taxa de sobrevivência. O desenvolvimento e a sobrevivência de T. urticae foram influenciados pelos diferentes genótipos de morangueiro. A cultivar Camarosa junto ao genótipo Seleção 05 e 2017-04-03 afetaram negativamente o desenvolvimento e a sobrevivência de T. urticae. O genótipo Seleção 02 demonstrou maior suscetibilidade ao ácaro-rajado, o qual apresentou rápido desenvolvimento e elevada taxa de sobrevivência. Conclui-se que os parâmetros reprodutivos de T. urticae são afetados em função do genótipo de morangueiro, sendo ‘Camarosa’ e os genótipos Seleção 05 e 2017-04-03 desfavoráveis ao desenvolvimento, sugerindo uma possível resistência do tipo antibiose.
Individuals with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP) demonstrate reduced performance in upper limb tasks compared to typically developing (TD) peers. We examined whether task conditions modify differences ...between teenagers with and without CP during a reciprocal aiming task. Twenty teenagers (nine CP and 11 TD) moved a pointer between two targets as fast as possible without missing a target. Task conditions were manipulated by changing the targets’ size, by modifying the inertial properties of the pointer and by varying the upper limb used to perform the task (preferred/non-affected and non-preferred/affected upper limbs). While compared to TD peers, CP teenagers exhibited lower performance (longer movement times). Such differences were attenuated when the task was performed with the preferred upper limb and when accuracy requirements were less stringent. CP teenagers were not differentially affected by the pointer inertia manipulation. Task conditions not only affected performance but also joint kinematics. CP teenagers revealed less movement at the elbow and more movement at the shoulder when performing the task with their less skilled upper limb. However, both CP and TD teenagers demonstrated a larger contribution of trunk movement when facing more challenging task conditions. The overall pattern of results indicated that the joint kinematics employed by individuals with unilateral CP constituted adaptive responses to task requirements. Thus, the explanation of the effects of unilateral CP on upper limb behavior needs to go beyond a context-indifferent manifestation of the brain injury to include the interaction between task demands and action capabilities.
The spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Koch, 1836), is one of the most important pests of strawberry production systems worldwide. Because plant resistance is an important integrated ...management strategy, the present study investigated the effects of 12 strawberry genotypes on the biological characteristics of this pest under laboratory conditions (25 + or - 2degreesC and RH 60 + or - 10%; 12:12-hour photophase). The experiment was carried using 12 treatments (genotypes), divided into 20 replications each, in a completely randomized design. The response variables were the biological parameters of the spider mite and its survival rate. The development and survival of T. urticae were influenced by different strawberry genotypes. The Camarosa cultivar together with genotypes Selection 05 and 2017-04-03 negatively affected the development and survival of T. urticae. The Selection 02 genotype had greatest susceptibility to the spider mite, which allowed fast development and high survival rate. The reproductive parameters of T. urticae were affected differently as a function of the strawberry genotype, with the Camarosa cultivar and the genotypes Selection 05 and 2017-04-03 being unfavorable to development, suggesting a possible resistance based on antibiosis. Key words: Tetranychus urticae (Koch, 1836), biology, plant resistance, integrated pest management. O ácaro-rajado, Tetranychus urticae (KOCH, 1836), é uma das pragas mais importantes dos sistemas de produção de morangos em todo o mundo. Considerando a resistência de plantas como importante estratégia de manejo integrado, o presente estudo investigou os efeitos de 12 genótipos nas características biológicas desta praga, em condições de laboratório (25 + or - 2degreesC e UR 60 + or - 10%; fotofase de 12 horas). O experimento foi realizado em condições de Laboratório sendo utilizado 12 tratamentos (genótipos), divididos em 20 repetições cada, num delineamento inteiramente casualizado. As variáveis resposta foram os parâmetros biológicos do ácaro-rajado e taxa de sobrevivência. O desenvolvimento e a sobrevivência de T. urticae foram influenciados pelos diferentes genótipos de morangueiro. A cultivar Camarosa junto ao genótipo Seleção 05 e 2017-04-03 afetaram negativamente o desenvolvimento e a sobrevivência de T. urticae. O genótipo Seleção 02 demonstrou maior suscetibilidade ao ácaro-rajado, o qual apresentou rápido desenvolvimento e elevada taxa de sobrevivência. Conclui-se que os parâmetros reprodutivos de T. urticae são afetados em função do genótipo de morangueiro, sendo 'Camarosa' e os genótipos Seleção 05 e 2017-04-03 desfavoráveis ao desenvolvimento, sugerindo uma possível resistência do tipo antibiose. Palavras-chave: Tetranychus urticae (KOCH, 1836), biologia, resistência de plantas, manejo integrado de pragas.
The spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Koch, 1836), is one of the most important pests of strawberry production systems worldwide. Because plant resistance is an important integrated ...management strategy, the present study investigated the effects of 12 strawberry genotypes on the biological characteristics of this pest under laboratory conditions (25 + or - 2degreesC and RH 60 + or - 10%; 12:12-hour photophase). The experiment was carried using 12 treatments (genotypes), divided into 20 replications each, in a completely randomized design. The response variables were the biological parameters of the spider mite and its survival rate. The development and survival of T. urticae were influenced by different strawberry genotypes. The Camarosa cultivar together with genotypes Selection 05 and 2017-04-03 negatively affected the development and survival of T. urticae. The Selection 02 genotype had greatest susceptibility to the spider mite, which allowed fast development and high survival rate. The reproductive parameters of T. urticae were affected differently as a function of the strawberry genotype, with the Camarosa cultivar and the genotypes Selection 05 and 2017-04-03 being unfavorable to development, suggesting a possible resistance based on antibiosis.
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