Tocopherol profile of Brazil nut oil from different geographic areas of the Amazon region

The tocopherol content of Brazil nut oil from different Amazon regions (Manicoré-AM, Rio Preto da Eva-AM, São João da Baliza-RR, Caroebe-RR, Belém-PA, and Xapurí-AC) was investigated by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. For all authentic oils, two isomers: α- and γ-tocopherols were observed (37.92-74.48 µg g-1, 106.88-171.80 µg g-1, respectively), and their levels were relatively constant among the oils having these geographic origins, which would enable to distinguish Brazil nut oil from other plant oils for authentication purposes. Commercial Brazil nut oils were also evaluated, and some of these oils demonstrated a tocopherol content that was very different from that of the authentic oils. Therefore, we suggest that the tocopherol profile of Brazil nut oil can be useful chemical marker for quality control and authentication.

Exposição a trauma e transtorno de estresse pós-traumático em usuárias de crack

OBJETIVO: Verificar a ocorrência de trauma e transtorno de estresse pós-traumático (TEPT) em uma amostra de mulheres dependentes de cocaína tipo crack. MÉTODO: A amostra foi composta por 99 mulheres, entre 18 e 52 anos, internadas em uma unidade de desintoxicação e extensamente avaliadas por meio da SCID-I e a ASI-6. RESULTADOS: Verificou-se uma taxa de exposição a trauma de 86,9% entre mulheres dependentes de cocaína tipo crack. A taxa de TEPT na amostra foi de 15,1%. Os clusters de revivescência e hiperexcitabilidade foram os mais frequentes - 24,4% e 20,9% respectivamente. Entre os tipos de eventos relatados, os mais frequentes foram sofrer agressão/abuso físico e ser testemunha de violência a outros. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados sugerem uma frequente exposição a eventos traumáticos. Com relação à idade da experiência traumática, sugere-se que as usuárias expostas a trauma durante a infância e adolescência apresentam um início do uso de drogas em idades mais precoces que aquelas cujo trauma ocorreu na vida adulta.

Alterações na composição corporal e em parâmetros antropométricos de dependentes de crack internados em unidade de adição

OBJETIVOS: Verificar as alterações da composição corporal e de parâmetros antropométricos de dependentes de crack internados para tratamento da adição. MÉTODOS: Estudo de coorte prospectivo, com 40 voluntários masculinos dependentes de crack, de 18 a 60 anos, em tratamento. Foram aferidos parâmetros antropométricos e de composição corporal, por meio de bioimpedância elétrica, na internação e alta hospitalar. RESULTADOS: Com idade média de 29,3 ± 6,9 anos, os pacientes tiveram, durante a abstinência, aumento de peso de 7,6 ± 3,7 kg; 11,6 ± 6,4% do peso corporal; 5,6 ± 4,2 cm de circunferência de cintura. Houve aumento de 4,2 ± 3,2 kg de gordura, 3,5 ± 3,0 kg de massa magra e de 2,5 ± 2,6 litros de água. Ao se internarem, 75% estavam eutróficos, 17,5% apresentavam sobrepeso e 5% apresentavam desnutrição, valores que, na alta, se alteraram para 50% de eutrofia e 47,6% de sobrepeso (IMC - Índice de Massa Corporal). Observou-se que a média de ganho de peso foi maior nas duas primeiras semanas de internação. CONCLUSÃO: Ao longo da internação, foram identificados ganho de peso e alterações de composição corporal e nos parâmetros antropométricos dos pacientes, refletindo em migração da eutrofia para o sobrepeso em parcela expressiva deles.

Vasoespasmo coronariano induzido pela ecocardiografia sob estresse pela dobutamina-atropina

Relatamos caso de mulher de 45 anos de idade, com antecedentes de hipertensão arterial sistêmica e tabagismo, submetida a ecocardiografia sob estresse pela dobutamina-atropina para investigação de doença arterial coronariana. No pico do estresse, a paciente apresentou dor precordial súbita e de forte intensidade. O eletrocardiograma de doze derivações revelou elevação do segmento ST nas derivações DII, DIII, aVF, V5 e V6 e depressão do segmento ST nas derivações DI, aVL, V2 e V3. Pela monitoração das imagens ecocardiográficas foi observado aparecimento de discinesia do septo inferior e acinesia da parede inferior do ventrículo esquerdo. O exame foi interrompido imediatamente, a paciente foi medicada e evoluiu com melhora da dor precordial e das alterações de motilidade segmentar. A angiografia coronariana revelou lesões coronarianas irregulares com menos de 50% de obstrução do diâmetro luminal. Trata-se de um caso de vasoespasmo coronariano induzido por estimulação alfa-adrenérgica durante a ecocardiografia sob estresse pela dobutamina-atropina.

Cardiomiopatia de takotsubo como causa de disfunção ventricular transitória

Relato do caso de mulher de 74 anos, com hipertensão arterial sistêmica e insuficiência vascular periférica, que apresentou sintomas de síndrome coronariana aguda. A angiografia coronariana demonstrou artérias sem obstruções significativas. A ventriculografia e a ecocardiografia demonstraram acinesia dos segmentos médios e apicais, e hipercinesia dos segmentos basais do ventrículo esquerdo. A paciente evoluiu com recuperação completa da função global e motilidade segmentar em ecocardiografia realizada duas semanas após o início dos sintomas. Esse padrão incomum e reversível de disfunção sistólica e comprometimento segmentar dando ao ventrículo esquerdo forma semelhante a um takotsubo é hoje conhecido como cardiomiopatia do estresse.

Intervenção coronária percutânea utilizando Full Metal Jacket com stents farmacológicos: eventos cardíacos adversos maiores em um ano

FUNDAMENTO: O benefício clínico de intervenção coronária percutânea (ICP) para lesões coronárias longas é incerto; além disso, foram levantadas dúvidas questões sobre a sua segurança. OBJETIVO: Avaliar os preditores de eventos cardíacos adversos maiores (ECAM) associados à ICP utilizando Full Metal Jacket (FMJ), definido como a sobreposição de stents farmacológicos (SF) medindo >60 mm de comprimento, para lesões muito longas. MÉTODOS: Foram incluídos 136 pacientes consecutivos com lesões coronárias longas, requerendo FMJ em nosso cadastro de centro único. O desfecho primário incluiu a ocorrência combinada de todas as causas de morte, infarto do miocárdio (IM) e revascularização do vaso alvo (RVA). Variáveis demográficas, clínicas, angiográficas e de procedimento foram avaliadas por meio de análise de regressão de Cox para determinar os preditores independentes de desfecho. RESULTADOS: O comprimento médio do stent por lesão foi de 73,2 ± 12,3 mm e o diâmetro médio do vaso de referência foi de 2,9 ± 0,6 mm. O sucesso angiográfico foi de 96,3%. A ausência de ECAM foi de 94,9% em 30 dias e 85,3% em um ano. No acompanhamento de um ano, a taxa de mortalidade por todas as causas foi de 3,7% (1,5% por mortes cardíacas), a taxa de IM foi de 3,7%, e a incidência de trombose de stent (TS) definitiva ou provável foi de 2,9%. O gênero feminino [risco relativo (RR), 4,40; intervalo de confiança de 95% (IC), 1,81-10,66, p = 0,001) e ICP de artéria coronária não direita (RR, 3,49; p = 0,006; IC 95%, 1,42-8,59) foram preditores independentes de ECAM em um ano. A ausência de eventos adversos em um ano foi maior em pacientes com angina estável submetidos à ICP (RR, 0,33; IC 95% 0,13-0,80, p = 0,014). CONCLUSÕES: A ICP utilizando FMJ com SF para lesões muito longas foi eficaz, mas associada a uma alta taxa de TS em acompanhamento de um ano. No entanto, a taxa de mortalidade cardíaca, IM não relacionado a procedimento, e ECAM foi relativamente baixa. ICP de vaso coronário alvo, apresentação clínica, e gênero feminino são novos fatores clínicos contemporâneos que parecem apresentar efeitos adversos sobre o resultado da ICP utilizando FMJ para lesões longas.

Composición y estructura de la ictiofauna del Río Ceballos-Saldán (Córdoba, Argentina)

Los ríos presentan un gradiente longitudinal desde su naciente hasta su desembocadura, con los consiguientes cambios en sus características ambientales y en la composición específica. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir esa variación longitudinal en las características de la fauna de peces del Río Ceballos-Saldán. Los muestreos se realizaron en cinco puntos, ubicados antes y después de las ciudades más importantes, durante un año. Los ensambles de peces fueron descriptos a través de la composición específica, abundancia, riqueza, diversidad y dominancia, atributos que fueron estimados para cada localidad de muestreo. Se aplicaron diferentes modelos especie/abundancia a cada ensamble de peces a lo largo del curso. Se capturaron 1.914 individuos pertenecientes a 17 especies. Once corresponden a primeras citas para este río. El orden más representativo fue el de los Siluriformes y la especie más abundante fue Hypostomus cordovae (Günther, 1880). La abundancia total fue el único atributo que varió significativamente a lo largo del curso, siendo menor antes de la ciudad de Río Ceballos. Los ensambles de peces fueron significativamente descriptos por tres modelos diferentes de abundancia poblacional, a lo largo del río.

Evolutionary Control of Infectious Disease: Prospects for Vectorborne and Waterborne Pathogens

Evolutionary theory may contribute to practical solutions for control of disease by identifying interventions that may cause pathogens to evolve to reduced virulence. Theory predicts, for example, that pathogens transmitted by water or arthropod vectors should evolve to relatively high levels of virulence because such pathogens can gain the evolutionary benefits of relatively high levels of host exploitation while paying little price from host illness. The entrance of Vibrio cholerae into South America in 1991 has generated a natural experiment that allows testing of this idea by determining whether geographic and temporal variations in toxigenicity correspond to variation in the potential for waterborne transmission. Preliminary studies show such correspondences: toxigenicity is negatively associated with access to uncontaminated water in Brazil; and in Chile, where the potential for waterborne transmission is particularly low, toxigenicity of strains declined between 1991 and 1998. In theory vector-proofing of houses should be similarly associated with benignity of vectorborne pathogens, such as the agents of dengue, malaria, and Chagas' disease. These preliminary studies draw attention to the need for definitive prospective experiments to determine whether interventions such as provisioning of uncontaminated water and vector-proofing of houses cause evolutionary reductions in virulence

Patterns of infection with the nematodes Syphacia obvelata and Aspiculuris tetraptera in conventionally maintained laboratory mice

Data on the frequency, distribution and mean intensity of the helminth fauna recovered from outbred and inbred mice conventionally maintained in Brazilian animal houses, are reported. The oxyurid nematodes Syphacia obvelata and Aspiculuris tetraptera presented overall frequencies of 91.5% and 8.5%, respectively. The frequency of S. obvelata in animals of three groups out of the four investigated ranged from 9% to 74% and A. tetraptera from 17% to 83%, since animals of one of the groups were negative for helminths. Infections due to a single species were observed in 62% of the animals, compared to 16% related to associations. The frequency of single infections in each group varied from 58.6% to 100% whereas associations varied from 24.1% to 41.4%. The analysis of specific mean intensities showed that S. obvelata was represented by 13.35 to 66.58 specimens/host and A. tetraptera by 5.85 to 16.75 specimens/host.

IgG and IgG2 antibodies from cattle naturally infected with Anaplasma marginale recognize the recombinant vaccine candidate antigens VirB9, VirB10, and elongation factor-Tu

Anaplasma marginale is an important vector-borne rickettsia of ruminants in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Immunization with purified outer membranes of this organism induces protection against acute anaplasmosis. Previous studies, with proteomic and genomic approach identified 21 proteins within the outer membrane immunogen in addition to previously characterized major surface protein1a-5 (MSP1a-5). Among the newly described proteins were VirB9, VirB10, and elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu). VirB9, VirB10 are considered part of the type IV secretion system (TFSS), which mediates secretion or cell-to-cell transfer of macromolecules, proteins, or DNA-protein complexes in Gram-negative bacteria. EF-Tu can be located in the bacterial surface, mediating bacterial attachment to host cells, or in the bacterial cytoplasm for protein synthesis. However, the roles of VirB9, VirB10, and TFSS in A. marginale have not been defined. VirB9, VirB10, and EF-Tu have not been explored as vaccine antigens. In this study, we demonstrate that sera of cattle infected with A. marginale, with homologous or heterologous isolates recognize recombinant VirB9, VirB10, and EF-Tu. IgG2 from naturally infected cattle also reacts with these proteins. Recognition of epitopes by total IgG and by IgG2 from infected cattle with A. marginale support the inclusion of these proteins in recombinant vaccines against this rickettsia.

Seasonal dynamics of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in the northernmost state of Brazil: a likely port-of-entry for dengue virus 4

Roraima is the northernmost state of Brazil, bordering both Venezuela and Guyana. Appropriate climate and vector conditions for dengue transmission together with its proximity to countries where all four dengue serotypes circulate make this state, particularly the capital Boa Vista, strategically important for dengue surveillance in Brazil. Nonetheless, few studies have addressed the population dynamics of Aedes aegypti in Boa Vista. In this study, we report temporal and spatial variations in Ae. aegypti population density using ovitraps in two highly populated neighbourhoods; Centro and Tancredo Neves. In three out of six surveys, Ae. aegypti was present in more than 80% of the sites visited. High presence levels of this mosquito suggest ubiquitous human exposure to the vector, at least during part of the year. The highest infestation rates occurred during the peak of the rainy seasons, but a large presence was also observed during the early dry season (although with more variation among years). Spatial distribution of positive houses changed from a sparse and local pattern to a very dense pattern during the dry-wet season transition. These results suggest that the risk of dengue transmission and the potential for the new serotype invasions are high for most of the year.

Molecular and antigenic characterisation of ribosomal phosphoprotein P0 from Babesia bovis

Babesia bovis is a tick-borne pathogen that remains an important constraint for the development of cattle industries in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Effective control can be achieved by vaccination with live attenuated phenotypes of the parasite. However, these phenotypes have a number of drawbacks, which justifies the search for new, more efficient immunogens based mainly on recombinant protein technology. In the present paper, ribosomal phosphoprotein P0 from a Brazilian isolate of B. bovis was produced and evaluated with regard to conservation and antigenicity. The protein sequence displayed high conservation between different Brazilian isolates of B. bovis and several Apicomplexa parasites such as Theileria, Neospora and Toxoplasma. IgG from cattle experimentally and naturally infected with B. bovisas well as IgG1 and IgG2 from naturally infected cattle reacted with the recombinant protein. IgG from cattle experimentally infected with Babesia bigemina cross-reacted with B. bovis recombinant P0. These characteristics suggest that P0 is a potential antigen for recombinant vaccine preparations against bovine babesiosis.

Description of Culicoides lisicarruni (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), a new species from Cundinamarca, Colombia

A new species of Culicoides of the subgenus Diphaomyia Vargas from high altitudes of the Andes in Colombia is described and photographied. The species is compared with its similar congener Culicoides marinkellei Wirth & Lee. Data on the collecting site and notes on the species daily activity are also provided.

Association of hepatitis C virus NS5B variants with resistance to new antiviral drugs among untreated patients

Mutations located in the 109-amino acid fragment of NS5B are typically associated with resistance to interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RIB) and to new antiviral drugs. The prevalence of these mutations was examined in 69 drug-naïve individuals with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mutations related to non-response to IFN/RIB were observed in all subtypes studied (1a, 1b, 2b, 3a and 4). The most common mutation was Q309R, present in all subtypes, except subtype 2b with frequency above 20%. D244N was detected only in subtype 3a and A333E was detected only in subtype 2b. We did not detect the S282T, S326G or T329I mutations in any of the samples analysed. Of note, the C316N mutation, previously related to a new non-nucleoside compound (HCV796 and AG-021541), was observed in only eight of 33 (24%) samples from subtype 1b. Site 316 was under positive selection in this HCV variant. Our data highlight the presence of previously described resistance mutations in HCV genotypes from drug-naïve patients.

In vitro antimicrobial assessment of Cuban propolis extracts

Propolis is a resinous mixture of different plant exudates collected by honeybees. Currently, propolis is widely used as a food supplement and in folk medicine. We have evaluated 20 Cuban propolis extracts of different chemical types, brown (BCP), red and yellow (YCP), with respect to their in vitro antibacterial, antifungal and antiprotozoal properties. The extracts inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Trichophyton rubrum at low µg/mL concentrations, whereas they were not active against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. The major activity of the extracts was found against the protozoa Leishmania, Trypanosoma and Plasmodium, although cytotoxicity against MRC-5 cells was also observed. The BCP-3, YCP-39 and YCP-60 extracts showed the highest activity against P. falciparum, with 50% of microbial growth (IC50) values of 0.2 µg/mL. A positive correlation between the biological activity and the chemical composition was observed for YCP extracts. The most promising antimicrobial activity corresponds to YCP subtype B, which contains acetyl triterpenes as the main constituents. The present in vitro study highlights the potential of propolis against protozoa, but further research is needed to increase selectivity towards the parasite. The observed chemical composition-activity relationship of propolis can contribute to the identification of the active principles and standardisation of this bee product.