Field Monitoring of Cypermethrin Residual Effect on the Mortality Rates of the Phlebotomine Sand Fly Lutzomyia longipalpis in the State of Paraíba, Brazil

In a visceral leishmaniasis endemic locality of northeast of Brasil where all settlements were treated with cypermethrin, a follow-up of Lutzomyia longipalpis populations was carried out by regular collections. The residual effect of the insecticide was studied using biological assays on three different types of walls. The results showed that the insecticides had an effect on intradomiciliar Lu. longipalpis populations limited to two months, and had no significant effect on peridomiciliar vector populations. The mortality rates of the tested sandflies were variable according to the type of wall. The decreasing of the insecticide effect was marked since the 3rd month, and mortality rates were identical whatever the type of wall since the 4th month. Unsufficient residual effect was detected after the 4th month.

Quantifying degradation rates of transmembrane receptor kinases.

Transmembrane receptor-kinases are widespread throughout eukaryotes and their activities are known to regulate all kinds of cellular responses in diverse organs and cell types. In order to guarantee the correct amplitude and duration of signals, receptor levels at the cellular surface need to be tightly controlled. The regulation of receptor degradation is the most direct way to achieve this and elaborate mechanisms are in place to control this process. Therefore, the rate of receptor degradation is a parameter of central importance for understanding the dynamics of a signal transduction cascade. Unfortunately, degradation of transmembrane receptors is a complicated multistep process that involves internalization from the plasma membrane, invagination into the lumen of endosomal compartments, and finally fusion with the vacuole for degradation by vacuolar proteases. Therefore, degradation should be measured in an as noninvasive way as possible, such as not to interfere with the complicated transport processes. Here, a method for minimally invasive, in vivo turn-over measurements in intact organs is provided. This technique was used for quantifying the turn-over rates of the Brassinosteroid receptor kinase BRI1 (BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1) in Arabidopsis thaliana root meristems. Pulse-chase expression of a fluorescently labeled BRI1 variant was used and its turn-over rate was determined by quantitative confocal microscopy. This method is well suited to measure turn-over of transmembrane kinases, but can evidently be extended to measure turn-over of any types of transmembrane proteins.

Rates and determinants of virologic and immunological response to HAART resumption after treatment interruption in HIV-1 clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE: To describe CD4 and HIV RNA changes during treatment resumption (TR) after treatment interruption (TI) compared with response to first highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and to investigate predictors. METHODS: Using Concerted Action on SeroConversion to AIDS and Death in Europe (CASCADE) data, we identified subjects who interrupted first HAART, not initiated during primary infection. We estimated rate of CD4 change during TR and time from TR to HIV RNA<500 copies per milliliter and subsequent rebound and factors associated with these outcomes. RESULTS: Of 281 persons treated for median 18.4 months before interrupting, 259 resumed HAART. CD4 increases in the first 3 months on HAART were similar pre-TI and post-TI but after 3 months were significantly higher during pre-TI HAART, with median +106 and +172 cells per microliter at 3 and 18 months, respectively, during initial HAART compared with +99 and +142 cells per microliter during post-TI HAART, respectively. Subjects with lower CD4 counts at TI, aged older than 40 years, and those resuming the same HAART as their pre-TI regimen had lower CD4 increases during the first 3 months of TR. The majority (86%) of individuals reinitiating therapy achieved HIV RNA<500 copies per milliliter. CONCLUSIONS: Immune reconstitution after TI is generally poorer than after first HAART, particularly for patients aged older than 40 years at TI and those with poorer immunological responses to pre-TI HAART. Reinitiation of the same HAART regimen as pre-TI also seems to have unfavorable outcomes.

Batflies Parasitic on Some Phyllostomid Bats in Southeastern Brazil: Parasitism Rates and Host-parasite Relationships

Ectoparasitic batflies were studied on 12 species of phyllostomid bats, by making 35 nightly collections of bats using mist nets at the "Panga" Ecological Reservation near Uberlândia, State of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil, from August 1989 to July 1990. Eleven species of Streblidae and one of Nycteribiidae were collected on 12 species of bats. Prevalence of ectoparasitic flies was lower than those reported by other authors for the New World and may be the result of the lack of caves in the study area, causing bats to roost in less favorable locations, forming smaller colonies. The fly, Trichobius joblingi Wenzel, was found on Carollia perspicillata (Linnaeus), showing preference for adult male bats. This could be explained by the predominance of males in the bat colonies, and by the fact that females rest in isolation during the reproductive period making them less exposed to the parasites. The streblid flies, Aspidoptera falcata Wenzel and Megistopoda proxima (Séguy), were found on Sturnira lilium (Geoffroy). A. falcata occurred mainly on young and adult females, whereas M. proxima did not show any preferences relative to the reproductive condition of the host. Ecological factors are important in determining differential numbers of parasites occurring on the different sexes, ages and reproductive state of the hosts.

Tenofovir use is associated with a reduction in calculated glomerular filtration rates in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: A growing number of case reports have described tenofovir (TDF)-related proximal renal tubulopathy and impaired calculated glomerular filtration rates (cGFR). We assessed TDF-associated changes in cGFR in a large observational HIV cohort. METHODS: We compared treatment-naive patients or patients with treatment interruptions > or = 12 months starting either a TDF-based combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) (n = 363) or a TDF-sparing regime (n = 715). The predefined primary endpoint was the time to a 10 ml/min reduction in cGFR, based on the Cockcroft-Gault equation, confirmed by a follow-up measurement at least 1 month later. In sensitivity analyses, secondary endpoints including calculations based on the modified diet in renal disease (MDRD) formula were considered. Endpoints were modelled using pre-specified covariates in a multiple Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Two-year event-free probabilities were 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-0.72) and 0.80 (95% CI 0.76-0.83) for patients starting TDF-containing or TDF-sparing cART, respectively. In the multiple Cox model, diabetes mellitus (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.34 [95% CI 1.24-4.42]), higher baseline cGFR (HR = 1.03 [95% CI 1.02-1.04] by 10 ml/min), TDF use (HR = 1.84 [95% CI 1.35-2.51]) and boosted protease inhibitor use (HR = 1.71 [95% CI 1.30-2.24]) significantly increased the risk for reaching the primary endpoint. Sensitivity analyses showed high consistency. CONCLUSION: There is consistent evidence for a significant reduction in cGFR associated with TDF use in HIV-infected patients. Our findings call for a strict monitoring of renal function in long-term TDF users with tests that distinguish between glomerular dysfunction and proximal renal tubulopathy, a known adverse effect of TDF.

Mortality counts and rates for injuries in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales

Number of deaths and age-standardised death rates by type of injury for the following regions and year of occurrence:Republic of Ireland 1982, 1983, 1995-2004Northern Ireland 1982, 1983, 1995-2002England 1996-2003Scotland 1982, 1983, 1995-2004Wales 1996-2003

Hospital admission counts and rates for injuries in Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales

Number of hospital discharges and age-standardised discharge rates for emergency hospital admissions for injury by sex and type of injury for the following regions and year:Republic of Ireland 2006Northern Ireland 2006England 2006/07Scotland 2006/07Wales 2006 Numbers and rates are based on official hospital statistics from each region. All regions use International Classification of Disease (ICD) version 10 for hospital discharges in these years. Only emergency inpatient hospital spells with an ICD 10 code in the range S000-T739, T750-T759, T780-T789 (in any diagnostic position) and an ICD10 external cause code in the range V01-Y36 (in any diagnostic position) were included. A hospital spell is an unbroken period of time that a person spends as an inpatient in a hospital. The person may change consultant and/or specialty during a spell but is counted only once. See http://www.injuryobservatory.net/analysis-of-inpatient-admissions-data-f... for more details.

Biting Indices, Host-seeking Activity and Natural Infection Rates of Anopheline Species in Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil from 1996 to 1998

The epidemiology of the transmission of malaria parasites varies ecologically. To observe some entomological aspects of the malaria transmission in an urban environment, a longitudinal survey of anopheline fauna was performed in Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil. A total of 7,263 anophelines was collected in human bait at 13 de Setembro and Caranã districts: Anopheles albitarsis sensu lato (82.8%), An. darlingi (10.3%), An. braziliensis (5.5%), An. peryassui (0.9%) and An. nuneztovari (0.5%). Nightly 12 h collections showed that An. albitarsis was actively biting throughout the night with peak activities at sunset and at midnight. An. darlingi bit during all night and did not demonstrate a defined biting peak. Highest biting indices, entomological inoculation rates and malaria cases were observed seasonally during the rainy season (April-November). Hourly collections showed host seek activity for all mosquitoes peaked during the first hour after sunset. An. darlingi showed the highest plasmodial malaria infection rate followed by An. albitarsis, An. braziliensis and An. nuneztovari (8.5%, 4.6%, 3% and 2.6%, respectively). An. albitarsis was the most frequently collected anopheline, presented the highest biting index and it was the second most frequently collected infected species infected with malaria parasites. An. albitarsis and An. darlingi respectively, are the primary vectors of malaria throughout Boa Vista.

Substitution rates at neutral genes depend on population size under fluctuating demography and overlapping generations.

It is widely accepted that the rate of evolution (substitution rate) at neutral genes is unaffected by population size fluctuations. This result has implications for the analysis of genetic data in population genetics and phylogenetics, and provides, in particular, a justification for the concept of the molecular clock. Here, we show that the substitution rate at neutral genes does depend on population size fluctuations in the presence of overlapping generations. As both population size fluctuations and overlapping generations are expected to be the norm rather than the exception in natural populations, this observation may be relevant for understanding variation in substitution rates within and between lineages.

Arrested kinetic Li isotope fractionation at the margin of the llimaussaq complex, South Greenland: Evidence for open-system processes during final cooling of peralkaline igneous rocks

Li contents [Li] and isotopic composition (delta Li-7) of mafic minerals (mainly amphibole and clinopyroxene) from the alkaline to peralkaline Ilimaussaq plutonic complex, South Greenland, track the behavior of Li and its isotopes during magmatic differentiation and final cooling of an alkaline igneous system. [Li] in amphibole increase from < 10 ppm in Caamphiboles of the least differentiated unit to >3000 ppm in Na-amphiboles of the highly evolved units. In contrast, [Li] in clinopyroxene are comparatively low (<85 ppm) and do not vary systematically with differentiation. The distribution of Li between amphibole and pyroxene is controlled by the major element composition of the minerals (Ca-rich and Na-rich, respectively) and changes in oxygen fugacity (due to Li incorporation via coupled substitution with ferric iron) during magmatic differentiation. delta(7) Li values of all minerals span a wide range from + 17 to - 8 parts per thousand, with the different intrusive units of the complex having distinct Li isotopic systematics. Amphiboles, which dominate the Li budget of whole-rocks from the inner part of the complex, have constant delta Li-7 of + 1.8 +/- 2.2 parts per thousand (2 sigma, n = 15). This value reflects a homogeneous melt reservoir and is consistent with their mantle derivation, in agreement with published O and Nd isotopic data. Clinopyroxenes of these samples are consistently lighter, with Delta Li-7(amph-cpx). as large as 8 parts per thousand and are thus not in Li isotope equilibrium. These low values probably reflect late-stage diffusion of Li into clinopyroxene during final cooling of the rocks, thus enriching the clinopyroxene in 6 Li. At the margin of the complex delta(7) Li in the syenites increases systematically, from +2 to high values of + 14 parts per thousand. This, coupled with the observed Li isotope systematics of the granitic country rocks, reflects post-magmatic open-system processes occurring during final cooling of the intrusion. Although the shape and magnitude of the Li isotope and elemental profiles through syenite and country rock are suggestive of diffusion-driven isotope fractionation, they cannot be modeled by one-dimensional diffusive transport and point to circulation of a fluid having a high 67 Li value (possibly seawater) along the chilled contact. In all, this study demonstrates that Li isotopes can be used to identify complex fluid- and diffusion-governed processes taking place during the final cooling of such rocks. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae, Nycteribiidae) parasitic on bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) at Parque Estadual da Cantareira, São Paulo, Brazil: parasitism rates and host-parasite associations

A total of 443 bat flies belonging to the families Nycteribiidae and Strelidae, were collected on 22 species of bats (Molossidae, Phyllostomidae, and Vespertilionidae) from Parque Estadual da Cantareira (São Paulo, Brazil), between January, 2000 and January, 2001. Eighteen new occurrences of bat flies were recorded on Anoura geoffroyi (Anastrebla caudiferae), Glossophaga soricina (A. caudiferae), Sturnira lilium (Trichobius phyllostomae, T. furmani, and Paraeuctenodes similis), Artibeus lituratus (A. caudiferae), A. fimbriatus (Megistopoda proxima), A. obscurus (Metelasmus pseudopterus), Myotis nigricans (M. proxima, M. aranea, Paratrichobius longicrus), M. ruber (Anatrichobius passosi, Joblingia sp.), M. levis (A. passosi), M. albescens (A. passosi, Basilia andersoni), and Histiotus velatus (M. aranea). Seven new occurrences were recorded for the state of São Paulo, increasing the range for T. tiptoni, T. furmani, M. proxima, Aspidoptera falcata, A. caudiferae, A. modestini and B. andersoni. The relationships between parasitism and host sex, reproductive stage, age hyperparasitism by fungi are discussed.

Hospital admission rates for alcoholic intoxication after policy changes in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland.

Background: In February, 2005, the canton of Geneva in Switzerland prohibited the off-premise sale of alcoholic beverages between 9pm and 7am, and banned their sale in gas stations and video stores. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of this policy change on hospital admission rates for alcoholic intoxication.Methods: An interrupted time series analysis of this natural experiment was performed with data on hospitalisations for acute alcoholic intoxication during the 2002-2007 period. The canton of Geneva was treated as the experimental group, while all other Swiss cantons were used as the control group.Results: In the experimental site, the policy change was found to have a significant effect on admission rates among adolescents and young adults. Depending on the age group, hospitalisation rates for alcoholic intoxication fell by an estimated 25-40% as the result of restricted alcohol availability.Conclusions: Modest restrictions on opening hours and the density of off-premise outlets were found to be of relevance for public health in the canton of Geneva. In light of this finding, policy makers should consider such action as a promising approach to alcohol prevention. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Novel Pulse-Chase SILAC Strategy Measures Changes in Protein Decay and Synthesis Rates Induced by Perturbation of Proteostasis with an Hsp90 Inhibitor.

Standard proteomics methods allow the relative quantitation of levels of thousands of proteins in two or more samples. While such methods are invaluable for defining the variations in protein concentrations which follow the perturbation of a biological system, they do not offer information on the mechanisms underlying such changes. Expanding on previous work [1], we developed a pulse-chase (pc) variant of SILAC (stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture). pcSILAC can quantitate in one experiment and for two conditions the relative levels of proteins newly synthesized in a given time as well as the relative levels of remaining preexisting proteins. We validated the method studying the drug-mediated inhibition of the Hsp90 molecular chaperone, which is known to lead to increased synthesis of stress response proteins as well as the increased decay of Hsp90 "clients". We showed that pcSILAC can give information on changes in global cellular proteostasis induced by treatment with the inhibitor, which are normally not captured by standard relative quantitation techniques. Furthermore, we have developed a mathematical model and computational framework that uses pcSILAC data to determine degradation constants kd and synthesis rates Vs for proteins in both control and drug-treated cells. The results show that Hsp90 inhibition induced a generalized slowdown of protein synthesis and an increase in protein decay. Treatment with the inhibitor also resulted in widespread protein-specific changes in relative synthesis rates, together with variations in protein decay rates. The latter were more restricted to individual proteins or protein families than the variations in synthesis. Our results establish pcSILAC as a viable workflow for the mechanistic dissection of changes in the proteome which follow perturbations. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD000538.