Sewage sludge (SS) obtained after sewage treatment process may contain several toxic substances. Bioremediation can decrease the toxicity of the sludge, mainly when it is associated with stimulant ...agents, such as sugarcane bagasse (B). Samples of pure SS (SSP); SS+B; SS+Soil; and SS+B+Soil were bioremediated for 1, 3, and 6 months (T1, T2, and T3, respectively). After each period, the cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic potentials of the solid samples and their respective aqueous extracts (aqueous eluate and percolate water) were evaluated by the Allium cepa test. A microbiological analysis of the samples was also performed after each period tested. All solid samples of SS+B (in T1, T2, and T3) and the solid sample of SSP (treatment T3) showed a significant decrease of cell division (cytotoxic effects). The aqueous eluate extracts of SS+B (T1 and T3) and SSP (T2 and T3) induced cytotoxic effect. The solid sample of SS+B (T2 and T3) and aqueous extracts of SSP (T1) were genotoxic, indicating a harmful effect of SS on A. cepa, even after 6 months of bioremediation. There was an alternation in the microbial community both in diversity and in abundance, with the predominance of nonfermenting gram-negative bacilli. The tested bioremediation periods were not sufficient for the complete detoxification of SS, and the use of B did not seem to contribute to the degradation of the pollutants to inert compounds. These data emphasize that a specific relationship should exist between the sludge characteristic and the biostimulating agent used to promote a more efficient bioremediation. These results suggest the necessity to study longer periods of biodegradation and the use of other decomposing agents for greater safety and sustainability for the agricultural use of this residue.
•A. cepa test and microbial analysis were used to characterize anaerobic sewage sludge.•Sugarcane bagasse was not effective to decrease the toxicity of sewage sludge.•A. cepa test detected cyto/genotoxicity even after 6 months of biostimulation.•Aerobic bacteria prevailed in relation to fungi in all periods of bioremediation.
IntroductionBCG vaccination modulates immune responses to unrelated pathogens. This off-target effect could reduce the impact of emerging pathogens. As a readily available, inexpensive intervention ...that has a well-established safety profile, BCG is a good candidate for protecting healthcare workers (HCWs) and other vulnerable groups against COVID-19.Methods and analysisThis international multicentre phase III randomised controlled trial aims to determine if BCG vaccination reduces the incidence of symptomatic and severe COVID-19 at 6 months (co-primary outcomes) compared with no BCG vaccination. We plan to randomise 10 078 HCWs from Australia, The Netherlands, Spain, the UK and Brazil in a 1:1 ratio to BCG vaccination or no BCG (control group). The participants will be followed for 1 year with questionnaires and collection of blood samples. For any episode of illness, clinical details will be collected daily, and the participant will be tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The secondary objectives are to determine if BCG vaccination reduces the rate, incidence, and severity of any febrile or respiratory illness (including SARS-CoV-2), as well as work absenteeism. The safety of BCG vaccination in HCWs will also be evaluated. Immunological analyses will assess changes in the immune system following vaccination, and identify factors associated with susceptibility to or protection against SARS-CoV-2 and other infections.Ethics and disseminationEthical and governance approval will be obtained from participating sites. Results will be published in peer-reviewed open-access journals. The final cleaned and locked database will be deposited in a data sharing repository archiving system.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04327206
Rear-fanged and aglyphous snakes are usually considered not dangerous to humans because of their limited capacity of injecting venom. Therefore, only a few studies have been dedicated to ...characterizing the venom of the largest parcel of snake fauna. Here, we investigated the venom proteome of the rear-fanged snake Thamnodynastes strigatus , in combination with a transcriptomic evaluation of the venom gland. About 60% of all transcripts code for putative venom components. A striking finding is that the most abundant type of transcript (∼47%) and also the major protein type in the venom correspond to a new kind of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) that is unrelated to the classical snake venom metalloproteinases found in all snake families. These enzymes were recently suggested as possible venom components, and we show here that they are proteolytically active and probably recruited to venom from a MMP-9 ancestor. Other unusual proteins were suggested to be venom components: a protein related to lactadherin and an EGF repeat-containing transcript. Despite these unusual molecules, seven toxin classes commonly found in typical venomous snakes are also present in the venom. These results support the evidence that the arsenals of these snakes are very diverse and harbor new types of biologically important molecules.
We studied Spodoptera frugiperda development using different food sources in the laboratory and field. Newly hatched larvae were fed soybean, cotton, maize, wheat, and oat leaves. An artificial diet ...was used as the control. Duration of pre-pupal, pupal, and larva-adult period, pupal weight, sex ratio, survival, larva feeding preferences, oviposition preferences, and nutritional quality of different hosts were evaluated. Insects fed on wheat showed the shortest larva-adult period. The insects fed on cotton and soybean had longer larval development cycles and pupae of lower weight. Feeding preference was evident for third instar larvae and did not differ between wheat, oat, maize, and soybean, which were the preferred hosts. Moths oviposited to a greater extent on the upper canopy of wheat than that of other plants in both the no-choice and free-choice tests. Treatments influenced insect growth, food consumption, and digestion when nutritional variables were analyzed. Thus, grasses were better hosts for S. frugiperda development. Cotton was the least preferred food, followed by soybean. The present study can improve our understanding of S. frugiperda in these different crops and help in developing management strategies. Even though S. frugiperda is considered to be polyphagous, this pest is closely associated with grasses (maize, wheat, oat) and has lower potential as a soybean or cotton feeder. Howerver, S. frugiperda food intake regulation appears to be triggered by a complex of different mechanisms. Thus, S. frugiperda can also damage soybean and cotton and adapt to them in the absence of preferred hosts.
Standards of care for human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) are based on drugs used parenterally, and oral treatment options are urgently needed. In the present study, a repurposing strategy was used ...associating tamoxifen (TMX) with polyethylene glycol-block-polylactide nanocapsules (NC) and its anti-leishmanial efficacy was reported in vivo. Stable surface modified-NC (5 mg/mL of TMX) exhibited 200 nm in size, +42 mV of zeta potential, and 98% encapsulation efficiency. Atomic force microscopy evidenced core-shell-NC. Treatment with TMX-NC reduced parasite-DNA quantified in liver and spleen compared to free-TMX; and provided a similar reduction of parasite burden compared with meglumine antimoniate in mice and hamster models. Image-guided biodistribution showed accumulation of NC in liver and spleen after 30 min post-administration. TMX-NC reduced the number of liver granulomas and restored the aspect of capsules and trabeculae in the spleen of infected animals. TMX-NC was tested for the first time against VL models, indicating a promising formulation for oral treatment.
: To identify symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in Brazilian university students of both sexes and the association of physical activity parameters during the COVID-19 pandemic.
: An online ...cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2021. Data on occupational and social variables and mental health symptoms were investigated using the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Hamilton depression rating scale, and Perceived Stress Scale questionnaires. Physical activity levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.
: In total, 277 college students over eighteen years old participated in the study (66% female; 46.7% brown race). Higher scores and symptoms of anxiety and depression were observed in women (p < 0.0001). Anxiety symptoms were negatively associated with physical activity levels in women. Sedentary time, including sitting correlated with depression scores in women (r = 0.171; p < 0.05).
: University students are a risk group for the appearance of symptoms related to mental health. In addition, these disorders occur more frequently in females, and sedentary habits, such as more time sitting, were related to higher scores in depression and anxiety.
This study aimed to identify alterations in gills and hepatopancreas of the crab Ucides cordatus as indicative of environmental contamination in mangrove areas subject to chemical effluents from port ...activities in Maranhao, Brazil. Samples of gills and hepatopancreas were removed from each animal and fixed in Davidson's solution until the procedure of histological technique. The biometric data (means and standard deviations) of the specimens collected in the study areas indicated that the crabs in the reference area are significantly (P < 0.05) higher and heavier than the crabs collected in the potentially impacted area (port area). Gill alterations (rupture of pilaster cells, dilation of the marginal channel, cuticle rupture and necrosis) and hepatopancreas alterations (abnormal lumen, vacuolized B cells, pycnotic nuclei and necrosis) were significantly (P < 0.05) more frequent in crabs collected in the port area than crabs collected in the reference area. These data indicate that the health of crabs is compromised due to the pollutants present in the mangroves that surround the port area in Sao Marcos' Bay.
To simplify dental procedures, multicomponent products such as universal adhesives and self-etch ceramic primers have been recommended for glass-ceramic bonding; however, studies have shown a wide ...range of results.
The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to analyze the in vitro bond strength promoted by hydrofluoric acid+silane-containing universal adhesives and a self-etch ceramic primer to glass-ceramics and compare it with that of conventional treatments.
A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed/Medline, Scopus, LILACS, and ISI Web of Science databases up to April 2021. In vitro studies assessing the resin-mediated bond to glass-ceramics by using a self-etch ceramic primer and hydrofluoric acid+silane-containing universal adhesives and/or compared with traditional hydrofluoric acid+glass-ceramic primers were included. Selection of studies, data extraction, and risk-of-bias analysis were performed. Statistical analysis was performed by using a review management software program using a random effects model (α=.05).
A total of 33 studies were included in the qualitative analysis and 26 studies in the quantitative analysis. Bond strength to lithium disilicate ceramic was higher when a hydrofluoric acid+glass-ceramic primer was used than when using a hydrofluoric acid+silane-containing universal adhesive (P<.05), except when 9% to 10% acid concentration was used in combination with static aging (P=.100). A self-etch ceramic primer promoted bond strength values to lithium disilicate that were similar to those of the hydrofluoric acid+glass-ceramic primer (P>.100).
Hydrofluoric acid+silane-containing universal adhesive was not as effective as the hydrofluoric acid+glass-ceramic primer in promoting bond strength to glass-ceramic. Bond strength values generated by a self-etch ceramic primer to glass-ceramic were similar to those generated by the conventional treatment.
Pesticides are considered the first line of defense for the control of pests and diseases. At least in the short and medium term, the use of pesticides will remain an important strategy for pest ...management, allowing growers to produce crops of sufficient quality at low costs. A broad approach known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) combines several different pest-control strategies, among which the combination of chemical and biological control stands out. It requires pesticides that achieve optimal control of target pests with minimal impact on the activity of biological control agents. Because of the dynamics of pest infestations, IPM routines are continuously adjusted by growers, requiring comprehensive information about pesticide effects on natural enemies. However, this information is not always available and often contradictory, which constrains the design of field recommendations. In this review, we focused on the importance of selective pesticides in IPM programs, and the effects of chemical pesticides on parasitoids, predators, and entomopathogenic fungi. We provided a detailed discussion of the challenges and constraints for research on pesticide effects on natural enemies, as well as for the resulting field recommendations.
RESUMO: Para o controle de pragas e doenças, os agrotóxicos são considerados a primeira linha de defesa. Pelo menos no curto e médio prazo, o seu uso continuará a ser uma estratégia importante de manejo, permitindo aos produtores produzir com baixo custo e boa qualidade. O manejo integrado de pragas (MIP) combina várias estratégias diferentes de controle de pragas. Entre elas, a associação do controle químico e biológico tem grande importância. Isto depende de agrotóxicos que tenham um ótimo controle das pragas alvo, com mínimo de impacto possível sobre a atividade dos agentes de controle biológico. Assim, devido à dinâmica de pragas, os produtores precisam de informações completas sobre os efeitos dos agrotóxicos sobre os inimigos naturais visando constantemente ajustar suas rotinas de MIP. No entanto, estas informações não estão sempre disponíveis, e quando encontradas, são muitas vezes contraditórias, o que prejudica as recomendações de campo. Nesta revisão, destacamos a importância de agrotóxicos seletivos em programas de MIP e seus efeitos sobre parasitoides, predadores e fungos entomopatogênicos. Ainda, discutiremos com mais detalhes os desafios e restrições para a pesquisa e recomendações de campo sobre seletividade de agrotóxicos.
The complexity of snake venoms has long been investigated to explore a myriad of biologically active proteins and peptides that are used for immobilizing or killing prey, and are responsible for the ...pathological effects observed on envenomation. Glycosylation is the main post-translational modification (PTM) of viperid venoms but currently there is little understanding of how protein glycosylation impacts the variation of venom proteomes. We have previously reported that Bothrops venom glycoproteomes contain a core of components that markedly define their composition and parallel their phylogenetic classification. Here we extend those observations to eight Bothrops species evaluating the N-glycomes by LC-MS as assigned cartoon structures and detailing those structures separately as methylated analogs using ion-trap mass spectrometry (MSn). Following ion disassembly through multiple steps provided sequence and linkage isomeric details that characterized 52 unique compositions in Bothrops venoms. These occurred as 60 structures, of which 26 were identified in the venoms of the Jararaca Complex (B. alcatraz, B. insularis, and B. jararaca), 20 in B. erythromelas, B. jararacussu, B. moojeni and B. neuwiedi venoms, and 22 in B. cotiara venom. Further, quantitative analysis of these N-glycans showed variable relative abundances in the venoms. For the first time a comprehensive set of N-glycan structures present in snake venoms are defined. Despite the fact that glycosylation is not template-defined, the N-glycomes of these venoms mirror the phylogeny cladograms of South American bothropoid snakes reported in studies on morphological, molecular data and feeding habits, exhibiting distinct molecular signatures for each venom. Considering the complexity of N-glycan moieties generally found in glycoproteins, characterized by different degrees of branching, isomer structures, and variable abundances, our findings point to these factors as another level of complexity in Bothrops venoms, features that could dramatically contribute to their distinct biological activities.
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