Search

The coefficient of friction for different contacting materials against skin is mainly influenced by the nature of the materials (synthetic and natural fabrics), mechanical contact parameters (interfacial pressure and sliding velocities), and physiological skin conditions (ambient humidity and skin moisture content). In the present research work, seven different types of papers used in everyday life were analyzed. The physical properties of these materials were determined through tensile tests and friction tests. By comparing mechanical properties with coefficient of friction, it was possible to conclude that the coefficient of friction is strongly correlated with the mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the expected changes in survivors' pensions resulting from the permanent rules of the 2019 pension reform in Brazil. Actuarial annuities are used for representative worker profiles. The dispersion in the replacement rate values decreases, except for the highest income level. The rates needed to finance survivors' pensions decrease relatively more than do the rates for old‐age pensions. The internal rates of return significantly decrease. There is a heterogeneous change in the distributive aspects of the pension system. The reform shall affect the adequacy and intragenerational equity of old‐age and survivors' pensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article makes a reflection on the progressivity of the pension policy in Brazil, based on the debate between Hoffmann (2021) and Cardoso et al. (2021a, 2021b) published in REP. The adequacy and equity dimensions should occupy a prominent space in this analysis. The empirical literature, through the calculation of the Replacement Rate and the Internal Rate of Return, provides evidence about progressivity of old-age benefits of RGPS, in the dimensions of income, sex, education and type of benefit. As for the federal RPPS, there is less clear evidence of progressivity in terms of sex, and evidence of regressivity in terms of income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: this paper analyzes how framing, anchoring, and certainty effects may affect the behavior of the consumer of auto insurance. Methods: an experiment was carried out, with the face-to-face application of six versions of a questionnaire with 14 questions, for 163 respondents from an educational institution. Questions were prepared to analyze the existence of the framing effect, the anchoring effect, and the certainty effect, in addition to the deductible effect (present in several insurance products). The theoretical framework of the paper is the behavioral economics. Results: younger people, singles, and men are more prone to risk. Although the findings in general corroborate the evidence in the literature, the results of the certainty effect were contrary to expectations. The payment of the deductible increased the respondents' risk aversion. Conclusions: the existence of biases and heuristics can cause the purchase of insurance to occur in a non-optimal way. Knowledge of the decisionmaking process is important for insurers and consumers. It is also relevant for regulators, in order to subsidize measures aimed at market efficiency and consumer protection, through the design of an appropriate choice architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National guidelines, regulations and incentives such as the National Curricular Guidelines, Pró-Saúde and PET-Saúde, contributed to fostering an important training arrangement known as "teaching-servicemanagement-community integration". In this context, preceptorship in primary health care (PHC) stands out. Thus, it is relevant to know, from the perspective of preceptors, what is the participation of each actor in this integration and what are the anti-pedagogical and work process barriers that make preceptorship difficult. This study aimed to understand factors that facilitate and hinder integration from the perspective of preceptors of undergraduates within the scope of PHC in the city of São Paulo-SP, Brazil. This is a qualitative, descriptiveexploratory study, which used semi-structured interviews with 14 preceptors, interpreted by thematic content analysis. As main barriers were identified: work overload, devaluation of public health, lack of pedagogical support and distance from the community in the training process. Among the contributions, interprofessional work and the approximation between educational institutions and management when planning the internship stand out. Integration has important issues to be improved from the point of view of preceptors, with a view to facilitating articulation between actors and overcoming training barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article outlines a early African ivories located in central Ghana recognized by the literature on early Africa. Topics include Ivories belonging to clusters that are well documented in historical sources of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; and position of Begho in the trans-Saharan trade and how it fostered the development of local industries rom the relevance of Posnansky's archaeological findings on early modern West Central African history, and the images of Africa and Africans in European culture.

Introduction: The benefits of mechanical thrombectomy in the treatment of patients with acute stroke due to large vessel occlusions (LVOs) have been extensively demonstrated by randomized trials and registries in developed countries. However, data on thrombectomy outside controlled trials are scarce in developing countries. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy, and to investigate the predictors for good and poor outcomes of thrombectomy for treatment of AIS due to anterior circulation LVOs in Brazil. Materials and Methods: This was a single center registry of thrombectomy in the treatment of stroke caused by anterior circulation LVOs. Between 2011 and 2019, a total of 565 patients were included. Results: the mean baseline NIHSS score on admission was 17.2. The average baseline ASPECTS was 8, and 91.0% of patients scored ≥6. Half of the patients received intravenous thrombolysis. The mean time from symptom onset to arterial puncture was 296.4 minutes. The mean procedure time was 61.4 minutes. The rates of the main outcomes were recanalization (TICI 2b-3) 85.6%, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) 8,1%, good clinical outcome (mRS=0-2) 43,5%, and mortality 22.1% at three months. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the efficacy and safety of mechanical thrombectomy for treatment of patients with AIS of the anterior circulation in real-life conditions under limited facilities and resources. The results of the present study were relatively similar to those of large trials and population registers of developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Crónica Geral de Espanha 1344 of the Academia das Ciências of Lisbon is a unique manuscript in the panorama of Late Medieval Portuguese miniature. The abundant use of figurative and narrative elements, along with a host of ingenious formal solutions, contrasts with the predominantly stereotyped ornamentation of most of the illuminated books produced in Portugal during the same period. This essay identifies and interprets the artistic specificities of this work, analyses the moral sense of its visual speech and seeks its artistic affiliation in illuminated chronicles, herbals and hygiene and health treatises from Lombardy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Assessment of the impact of the thrombectomy learning curve on clinical outcomes is essential for developing healthcare system protocols. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of thrombectomy case volume on procedural and clinical outcomes in a Brazilian registry. Methods: A total of 645 patients with acute ischemic stroke treated by thrombectomy were included in the analysis. Patients were divided into two groups regarding the period of treatment: the early period group and the late period group. Results: In the adjusted analysis, treatment in the late period was an independent predictor of recanalization (odds ratio 1.91, 95% CI 1.28-2.86) and excellent neurologic outcomes at three months (odds ratio 1.77, 95% CI 1.04-3.01). Treatment in the late period had no significant association with mortality (odds ratio 0.88, 95% CI 0.55-1.41). Conclusions: An increase in thrombectomy case volume for the treatment of AIS over time was an independent predictor of recanalization and excellent neurologic outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute basilar artery occlusion is a devastating life-threatening condition. Early recanalization is the therapeutic goal in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Despite the high rates of recanalization achieved with modern devices for basilar occlusions, many patients have had poor clinical outcomes. This study aimed to assess the predictors of good and poor outcomes among patients with basilar artery occlusion treated with thrombectomy. A consecutive registry of 80 patients was included in this retrospective study. The primary end point was to access variables associated with neurologic outcomes defined by a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0–2, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and mortality at 3 months follow-up. Recanalization was achieved in 86.2%, and the sICH rate was 8.7%. A good neurologic outcome (mRS score 0–2) was observed in 26.2% and a moderate outcome (mRS score 0–3) in 32.5% of patients. The mortality was 38.7% at 3 months follow-up. After thrombectomy for posterior circulation strokes, young patients, V4–proximal basilar occlusion, (high) baseline posterior circulation Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, and complete recanalization were independent predictors of good neurologic outcomes. Failure to recanalize was strongly related to sICH and mortality. In addition, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores ≥10 had an independent association with mortality. This study contributes to the knowledge required to optimize recanalization treatments for posterior circulation strokes and may help to improve future clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) cause hemorrhage, and the role of draining vein diameters in rupture risk is controversial. The aims of the present study were to investigate the variables related with intracranial AVM rupture and to examine the association of draining vein diameters and AVM hemorrhage. Methods: Two hundred three patients were included in this study, of which 117 (57%) had unruptured AVMs, and 86 (43%) had ruptured AVMs. Results: In an adjusted (multivariate) analysis, the variables significantly associated with AVM hemorrhagic presentation were age (OR per year increase 0.97, 95%CI 0.95–0.99, p = 0.007), a deep nidus compared with superficial nidus (OR 3.21, 95%CI 1.13–9.06, p = 0.028), the nidus diameter (OR per each mm increase 0.95, 95%CI 0.92–0.97, p < 0.001), a single draining vein compared with multiple draining veins (OR 2.14, 95%CI 1.02–4.50, p = 0.044), the draining vein diameter (OR per mm increase 1.52, 95%CI 1.26–1.83, p < 0.001), and a draining vein diameter ≥ 5 mm compared with < 5 mm (OR 5.80, 95%CI 2.70–12.47, p < 0.001). Conclusion: In this study, after adjusted analysis, the variables associated with intracranial AVM hemorrhagic presentation were a young age, a small nidus diameter, a deeply located nidus, a single draining vein, and large draining vein diameters. A draining vein diameter cutoff ≥ 5 mm was positively associated with the risk of AVM rupture. A large and prospective study is now necessary to confirm if draining vein diameter is a risk factor for AVM hemorrhage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to analyze the feasibility of a hybrid model of health insurance costing, where expenses throughout life are financed by the accumulation of resources during active life by the insured himself. We used microdata from the Health chapter of the National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) to quantify the annual frequency of medical appointments and hospital admissions, as well as the average income of potential insured persons. We also used the 2016 Pricing Panel from the National Agency for Supplementary Health (ANS), where we got information on the severity of events, that is, the average price of medical consultations and hospitalizations, by age group. We calculated the annual medical expenses of representative individuals, by gender and income range. We developed four accumulation models, respecting the principle of actuarial justice with regard to the relationship between payments and expenses. In the first, the contribution amount is fixed. In the second, the contribution is defined as a fixed percentage of the insured's income. In the third, the rates increase throughout life. In the fourth model, in addition to financing health expenses, the amount accumulated by the insured is also used to pay him an annuity at the end of his active life. The results show that the product is not viable in most of the analyzed cases. The only exception were high-income individuals, who allocated less than 20% of their income to medical expenses, in all methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The benefits of thrombectomy for occlusion of M2 segments remain controversial. The aim of this study is to assess thrombectomy's efficacy and safety in patients with M2 segment occlusion and associations between occlusion sites and anatomic variations of M1 division. Materials and methods: A prospective series of 30 patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) resulting from M2 segment occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) who underwent thrombectomy was analyzed. The primary endpoint was assessed by the Extended Treatment in Cerebral Infarction scale (eTICI). The secondary endpoints were the incidence of symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation (sICH), mortality and good functional outcome at three months. Results: The mean patient age was 69.2 years. The mean National Institutes Health Stroke Scale score (NIHSS) upon hospital admission was 16. The recanalization rates were eTICI 2b/3 in 90% and 2c/3 in 60% of the patients. Total recanalization of the M2 branch was achieved in 53% of patients. sICH incidence was 6.6%, the mortality rate was 30%, and a good functional outcome (mRS ≤2) was observed in 50% of the patients. Twenty-seven patients (90%) had a dominant M2 branch and all were occluded. Regarding the site of M2 occlusions, 74% of patients had proximal M2 occlusions. Conclusions: Thrombectomy appears to be a safe and effective method for the treatment of acute M2 segment occlusions of the MCA. Most of the cases had a dominant M2 branch, and all of them were occluded. Larger studies are needed to verify the benefits of thrombectomy for different settings of M2 occlusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Multiple ways to access the dural carotid cavernous fistula have been described. The aim of the present study was to assess the results of embolization of a dural carotid cavernous fistula via different routes using endovascular accesses as a first-line strategy. Methods A retrospective data analysis of a consecutive series of 63 patients presenting with dural carotid cavernous fistula was performed. Results The dural carotid cavernous fistula was accessed by an endovascular approach in 58 patients (92.1%) and by direct puncture in five patients (7.9%). The inferior petrosal sinus was the main route accessed (65%). A recanalization of an occluded inferior petrosal sinus was obtained in 20.6% of cases. The access via either facial ophthalmic veins or the superior petrosal sinus was obtained in 20.6% and 3.1% of cases, respectively. Complete angiographic occlusion of a dural carotid cavernous fistula immediately after treatment was achieved in 53 patients (84.1%), whereas 10 patients (15.9%) displayed a partial occlusion. Treatment-related complications were observed in two patients (3.2%). Conclusions In this study, the endovascular approach allowed dural carotid cavernous fistula embolization in most patients. The inferior petrosal sinus, even when thrombosed, was the main route used to access the dural carotid cavernous fistula, followed by the facial vein, direct cavernous sinus puncture, and the superior petrosal sinus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have been considered congenital. We present and discuss a case of a child who had no evidence of an AVM at 6 years of age when presenting with parenchymatous hemorrhage due to cavernous angioma and who developed the lesion during 10 years of follow-up. A 6-year-old female presented with parenchymatous hemorrhage and was diagnosed with cavernous angioma of the right occipital lobe. She was treated with lesion removal and remained asymptomatic during the initial follow-up. At age 16, she presented to the emergency department with a new-onset headache. A new magnetic resonance imaging scan was performed and revealed an AVM in the right temporal lobe, which was confirmed with digital subtraction angiography. The AVM had not been present 10 years earlier, as seen on the previous digital subtraction angiography and magnetic resonance imaging examinations. On the basis of recent findings of de novo AVMs and on the current theory of a postnatal origin of AVMs, we propose that AVMs cannot always be considered congenital and that several factors can contribute to their pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a multidimensional perspective of fiscal management, the present study analyses the relationship between the indexes of fiscal compliance and fiscal limits with variables that represent the pillars of planning, transparency and control. The study used primary data from 282 Brazilian municipalities, with more than 100 thousand inhabitants, in the period between 2010 and 2013. The fiscal indexes did not present relevant mutual relationships and showed a reduced association with the other variables of fiscal management. It is suggested that one of the reasons lies in the difference between the incentives that public managers have to accomplish fiscal targets and limits and to comply with the other pillars. This paper broadens the discussion about responsible fiscal management evaluation, as well as the literature on indexes of compliance with targets and fiscal limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a theory of the main patterns of artistic hybridization developed during the early protoglobalization period (the late fifteenth to the early seventeenth century). Many of the new intercontinental encounters of this period originated "hybrid" works of art--that is, objects that possess elements from two or more distinct artistic cultures, combined in an original manner. In assessing power relations between two parties confronted with each other's alterity, this article identifies three main patterns of artistic hybridization: the minority culture pattern; the partnership pattern; and the controlled contact pattern. It also provides analysis of relevant, homogeneous, and sizable forms of artistic production for each pattern, including Hebrew illumination from Iberia and Yemen, Euro-African and Euro-Ceylonese ivory art, and Chinese porcelains and European faience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study is to quantify the impacts of the creation of Funpresp in 2012, focusing on the active federal civil servants. Using techniques of actuarial mathematics, through the calculation of annuities, we calculate the difference between the retirement benefits in the old and in the new pension regime. The change is unfavorable for all servers of different ages and income levels, with losses of about 15%. Additionally, we analyzed the set of conditions that should be verified so that any worker would be affected by the changes. Only in the highly unlikely circumstances of a real interest rate above 9% or a contribution rate of 47% of the income for Funpresp that would be no reduction in the benefits. These results illustrate the need for action to increase the informational level of civil servants in order they can understand correctly the impacts of the creation of Funpresp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the cost of business through tax planning is recurring topic, both in academic research, as in business practice. This work aims to study the ownership's remuneration of companies that pay income tax based on lucro real, namely the distribution of profits (dividend payments), interest on owner's capital and pro-labor payment. Special emphasis was given to the pro-labor payment, modeled using actuarial mathematics, to incorporate the effect of shareholder's post-retirement social security benefit, in the calculation of effective rates of the remuneration's types. The effective rate is defined as the ratio between the amount actually paid to the government and the amount originally available for taxation. The effective tax rate should be considered by the actuarial present value due to the fact that some taxes have cash flow's effects in different dates (payments, receipts and refunds) of the person or legal entity. Present value must be actuarial because, besides the financial discount rate that represents the opportunity cost of a second-best investment, it was considered, because the focus of tax planning to be in the wealth of the individual, the probability of the individual receiving the value in the future. In other words, one must consider the probability of the individual being alive at the moment will be entitled to receive the values. As a result, it was observed that the inclusion of actuarial discount on remuneration of partners significantly modify what can be considered as a cheaper or less expensive compensation. Contrary to what one might infer, interest on capital may not be the cheapest form of remuneration from the company (with 15% effective rate), but small amounts of payment of pro-labor (which have values up to 8.61% effective rate). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A partir do final de 2004 verificou-se no Brasil um expressivo aumento das operações de crédito. Nesse quadro, um papel relevante foi desempenhado pelo crédito consignado para aposentados e pensionistas do INSS. Este trabalho busca investigar se a taxa de retorno obtida pelas instituições financeiras nas operações de consignação de crédito do INSS é a mesma obtida nas operações de crédito consignado para outras pessoas físicas. A metodologia de cálculo dessas taxas inclui o uso de princípios de matemática atuarial, por meio da incorporação do fator de risco biométrico, associado à idade do tomador de crédito. Empregando uma amostra de 23 instituições financeiras, compara-se a diferença entre a taxa de retorno, após considerar os custos com inadimplência, que são influenciados pelas características da pessoa que recebeu o crédito, que as instituições financeiras obtêm na concessão de crédito consignado para dois grupos. O primeiro, os aposentados e pensionistas do INSS, são o grupo de tratamento. O segundo, os servidores da Prefeitura do Município de São Paulo compõem o grupo de controle da análise efetuada. Os resultados fornecem evidências significativas que, para a amostra selecionada, a taxa de retorno obtida por essas instituições é maior nas operações de crédito consignado para os beneficiários do INSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Vaccine-induced protection against leishmaniasis is largely dependent on cell-mediated type 1 response and IL-12-driven IFN-γ production. Surprisingly, our previous data showed that IL-12/23p40−/− mice could be vaccinated against L. amazonensis and were able to produce limited amounts of IFN-γ. Since the role of CD8+T in immunization against L. amazonensis is obscure, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of CD8+ cells in protection against L. amazonensis in IL-12/23p40−/− mice. In order to deplete CD8+ cells, one group of vaccinated animals was treated with anti-CD8 mAb. Infection was followed for 8weeks. The vaccinated CD8+-depleted group developed smaller lesions than the non-depleted group. CD8 depletion did not affect tissue parasitism or antibody response against the parasite, and treated animals displayed milder inflammation and better tissue integrity. IFN-γ production in spleen and draining lymph node was impaired in the depleted group, suggesting that CD8+ cells produced this cytokine in IL-12-independent vaccination. Such results suggest that this T cell subset contributes to augmented pathology in IL12/23p40−/− mice vaccinated and challenged with L. amazonensis. Although these cells could produce some IFN-γ the in the absence of IL-12, they do not affect the parasite tissue load. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article presents a proposal to reform Brazil's pension system. The new system is based on the principles of actuarial fairness, incentive to formalization, universalization and simplification of the social security structure. We calculated the contribution rate needed to balance the system. The social security debt is also estimated in the present situation and in the proposed system. Finally, the transition cost of shifting to the new system is calculated. The results show that, although distributed over time, this cost is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to investigate the efficacy of three androgens applied through immersion treatments on the sex ratio of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) fry. In experiment 1, 14 days post-hatching (DPH) larvae were exposed to a single immersion treatment in 17α-methyltestosterone (MT), 17α-methyldihydrotestosterone (MDHT) or 17α-ethynyltestosterone (ET) at 200, 600 and 1800 μg L-1 over 4 h (130 larvae per treatment). In experiment 2, Nile tilapia larvae were exposed to the higher androgen concentration (1800 μg L-1 ) applied as either a single immersion (14 DPH) or double immersion (10 and 14 DPH) over 4 h (125 larvae per treatment). Change in sex proportion within each experiment as well as between experiments was analysed by the chi-square test. In experiment 1, MT, MDHT and ET were equally effective in significantly increasing the proportion of males when applied at 1800 μg L-1 (86.0%, 90.0% and 86.7% respectively). At 200 μg L-1 none of the androgens altered sex ratio. At 600 μg L-1 , only MDHT slightly, but significantly skewed the sex ratio towards males (73.0%). In experiment 2, a single immersion treatment at 14 DPH (1800 μg L-1 ) significantly increased the proportion of males, but at this time the response was significantly hormone dependent (MDHT, 100.0%; MT, 91.6%; ET, 76.9%). When compared with a single immersion, two-immersion treatments significantly increased the proportion of males in the MT-treated group (from 91.6% to 98.3%), decreased the proportion of males in the MDHT group (from 100.0% to 93.4%) and had no significant effect the ET-treated group (change from 76.9% to 82.5%). The overall comparison of the sex ratio among same treatments from different experiments (a single immersion in 1800 μg L-1 ) was not significantly different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bronchiectasis is a condition characterized by abnormal and irreversible bronchial dilation resulting from lung tissue damage and can be categorized into two main groups: cystic fibrosis (CF) and non-CF bronchiectasis (NCFB). Both diseases are marked by recurrent infections, inflammatory exacerbations, and lung damage. Given that infections are the primary drivers of disease progression, characterization of the respiratory microbiome can shed light on compositional alterations and susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs in these cases compared to healthy individuals. Methods: To assess the microbiota in the two studied diseases, 35 subjects were recruited, comprising 10 NCFB and 13 CF patients and 12 healthy individuals. Nasopharyngeal swabs and induced sputum were collected, and total DNA was extracted. The DNA was then sequenced by the shotgun method and evaluated using the SqueezeMeta pipeline and R. Results: We observed reduced species diversity in both disease cohorts, along with distinct microbial compositions and profiles of antimicrobial resistance genes, compared to healthy individuals. The nasopharynx exhibited a consistent microbiota composition across all cohorts. Enrichment of members of the Burkholderiaceae family and an increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in the CF cohort emerged as key distinguishing factors compared to NCFB group. Staphylococcus aureus and Prevotella shahii also presented differential abundance in the CF and NCFB cohorts, respectively, in the lower respiratory tract. Considering antimicrobial resistance, a high number of genes related to antibiotic efflux were detected in both disease groups, which correlated with the patient's clinical data. Conclusions: Bronchiectasis is associated with reduced microbial diversity and a shift in microbial and resistome composition compared to healthy subjects. Despite some similarities, CF and NCFB present significant differences in microbiome composition and antimicrobial resistance profiles, suggesting the need for customized management strategies for each disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every year online sales represent a higher percentage of the sales total in nearly all sectors of the economy, and the art markets are no exception. However, there are few empirical studies showing how online sales and digital technologies are transforming the art markets at a micro-level. This study is based on the detailed examination of the financial performance of one of the two largest Portuguese auction houses, Cabral Moncada Leilões (CML), over a period of twelve years (2007–2018), complemented with interviews with its top-managers. It analyses a set of financial indicators (e.g., EBIT, ROA, EQUITY, sales volume, net results, etc.), along with some markers that are specific to the auction sector (e.g., average lot value, number of auctions per year, etc.). From this analysis it is possible to conclude that the deterioration of this company's financial performance was the driving force that led it to explore the potential of digital economy. In the process, its business model changed dramatically, leading the company to a different market position and to the enlargement of its national and international customer base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening relies primarily on stool analysis to identify occult blood. However, its sensitivity for detecting precancerous lesions is limited, requiring the development of new tools to improve CRC screening. Carcinogenesis involves significant alterations in mucosal epithelium glycocalyx that decisively contribute to disease progression. Building on this knowledge, we examined patient series comprehending premalignant lesions, colorectal tumors, and healthy controls for the T-antigen—a short-chain O-glycosylation of proteins considered a surrogate marker of malignancy in multiple solid cancers. We found the T-antigen in the secretions of dysplastic lesions as well as in cancer. In CRC, T-antigen expression was associated with the presence of distant metastases. In parallel, we analyzed a broad number of stools from individuals who underwent colonoscopy, which showed high T expressions in high-grade dysplasia and carcinomas. Employing mass spectrometry-based lectin-affinity enrichment, we identified a total of 262 proteins, 67% of which potentially exhibited altered glycosylation patterns associated with cancer and advanced pre-cancerous lesions. Also, we found that the stool (glyco)proteome of pre-cancerous lesions is enriched for protein species involved in key biological processes linked to humoral and innate immune responses. This study offers a thorough analysis of the stool glycoproteome, laying the groundwork for harnessing glycosylation alterations to improve non-invasive cancer detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) remains a pressing health concern due to conventional treatment failure and significant molecular heterogeneity, hampering the development of novel targeted therapeutics. In our quest for novel targetable markers, recent glycoproteomics and bioinformatics data have pinpointed (glucose transporter 1) GLUT1 as a potential biomarker due to its increased expression in tumours compared to healthy tissues. This study explores this hypothesis in more detail, with emphasis on GLUT1 glycosylation patterns and cancer specificity. Immunohistochemistry analysis across a diverse set of human bladder tumours representing all disease stages revealed increasing GLUT1 expression with lesion severity, extending to metastasis, while remaining undetectable in healthy urothelium. In line with this, GLUT1 emerged as a marker of reduced overall survival. Revisiting nanoLC-EThcD-MS/MS data targeting immature O-glycosylation on muscle-invasive tumours identified GLUT1 as a carrier of short glycosylation associated with invasive disease. Precise glycosite mapping uncovered significant heterogeneity between patient samples, but also common glycopatterns that could provide the molecular basis for targeted solutions. Immature O-glycosylation conferred cancer specificity to GLUT1, laying the molecular groundwork for enhanced targeted therapeutics in bladder cancer. Future studies should focus on a comprehensive mapping of GLUT1 glycosites for highly specific cancer-targeted therapy development for bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A role of IL‐10 is down‐regulating T‐cell responses to schistosome antigens. Since SmATPDases can be correlated to modulation of the immune response, we evaluated the expression of enzymes in S. mansoni eggs. Faecal samples were collected from 40 infected individuals to detect coding regions of the SmATPDases. The cytokines were measured in supernatants of PBMC. The analysis was performed by the global median determination and set up high producers (HP) of cytokines. Six individuals expressed SmATPDase1, six expressed SmATPDase2 and six expressed both enzymes. The group who expressed only SmATPDase1 showed a high frequency of IFN‐γ, TNF IL‐4 HP; individuals who expressed only SmATPDase2 showed a high frequency of IFN‐γ, IL‐6 and IL‐4 HP; and individuals who expressed both enzymes showed a high frequency of IL‐10 HP. The comparison of the IFN‐γ/IL‐10 ratio presented higher indices in the group who had SmATPDase 2 expression than those who had the expression of both enzymes. The positive correlation between infection intensity and IL‐10 levels remained only in the positive SmATPDase group. The IL‐10 is the only cytokine induced by the expression of both enzymes. Our data suggest that the expression of both enzymes seems to be a factor that modulates the host immune response by inducing high IL‐10 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the MBT-ASTRA to determine susceptibility to ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA) and meropenem (MEM) of Enterobacterales directly from positive blood cultures (BC). Bacterial suspension was incubated with antibiotic and analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS. The relative growth was calculated and cutoff values were determined to categorize isolates as "S," "I," and "R." Klebsiella spp. with CZA 20/8 mg/L and 1.5-h incubation presented 1 (5.9%) major discrepancy and 96.3% category agreement; other species required 2.5 h for 100% category agreement. For MEM, 4 mg/L and 1.5h were necessary, demonstrating 2 (6.67%) minor discrepancies and 93.3% categorical agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors present a case involving a 51-year-old male who was diagnosed with a 4-cm mass in the body of the pancreas, initially suspected to be a ductal adenocarcinoma due to an elevated Ca 19.9 during routine analysis. Subsequent imaging studies confirmed a resectable disease without suspicious lymph nodes or distant metastasis, leading to the proposal of surgery. The patient underwent a laparoscopic distal splenopancreatectomy, which was uneventful. The histopathological examination revealed a 3.7-cm pancreatic mixed neuroendocrine neoplasia (MiNEN) with a predominant high-grade ductal adenocarcinoma component and a concurrent high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma, with negative margins. Two lymph node metastases were identified, each representing metastasis of one of the components. The tumor was classified as pT2N1M0. Currently, the patient is undergoing chemotherapy with FOLFIRINOX. This case prompts reflection on the optimal treatment strategy for pancreatic MiNEN and raises the question of how the preoperative diagnosis could influence the patient's outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed FAMISH score features six clinical predictors [4]: positive family history of gastric cancer, older age, male sex, corpus intestinal metaplasia, synchronous gastric lesions, and persistent I H. pylori i infection, with points for each predictor varying from 0 to 3 and a composite score of 0-9. Graph Introduction Gastric cancer remains a relevant disease that contributes to an increasing burden of digestive health care [1]. The presence of synchronous gastric lesions was the only independent risk factor for the occurrence of MGL in our study; at 3 years of follow-up, 30 % of the patients with synchronous lesions developed MGLs. An exception should be noted for patients with synchronous gastric lesions, as this was found to be a significant predictor for MGL in our cohort; we suggest that these patients could be directly assigned to a high-risk category. [Extracted from the article]

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are a subject of global concern as limited therapeutic options are available. New combinations of β-lactams and β-lactamase inhibitors, such as ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI), have recently been approved in Brazil for the treatment of CRE infections. Cases of resistance during treatment or even without previous CAZ-AVI use have been published and it is worrisome in scenarios where KPC-producing Gram-negative bacilli are endemic, as in Brazil. We aimed to assess CAZ-AVI susceptibility among a CRE population recovered from hospitalized patients in Southern Brazil from 2015 to 2021. CAZ-AVI minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by antibiotic gradient strips. All the 238 evaluated KPC-producing Enterobacterales were susceptible to CAZ-AVI (MIC = 0.25 to 8 µg/mL), with seven isolates presenting borderline MICs (8 µg/mL). Considering the clinical importance of this new antibiotic in Brazil, we emphasize the importance of surveillance studies to eventually detect resistance phenotypes or even increasing CAZ-AVI MICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer is a dominating cause of cancer-associated mortality with limited therapeutic options. Here, we show that syndecan-4 (SDC4), a transmembrane proteoglycan, is highly expressed in intestinal subtype gastric tumors and that this signature associates with patient poor survival. Further, we mechanistically demonstrate that SDC4 is a master regulator of gastric cancer cell motility and invasion. We also find that SDC4 decorated with heparan sulfate is efficiently sorted in extracellular vesicles (EVs). Interestingly, SDC4 in EVs regulates gastric cancer cell-derived EV organ distribution, uptake, and functional effects in recipient cells. Specifically, we show that SDC4 knockout disrupts the tropism of EVs for the common gastric cancer metastatic sites. Our findings set the basis for the molecular implications of SDC4 expression in gastric cancer cells and provide broader perspectives on the development of therapeutic strategies targeting the glycan-EV axis to limit tumor progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variants of concern (VOCs) of SARS-CoV-2 are viral strains that have mutations associated with increased transmissibility and/or increased virulence, and their main mutations are in the receptor binding domain (RBD) region of the viral spike. This study aimed to characterize SARS-CoV-2 VOCs via Sanger sequencing of the RBD region and compare the results with data obtained via whole genome sequencing (WGS). Clinical samples (oro/nasopharyngeal) with positive RT-qPCR results for SARS-CoV-2 were used in this study. The viral RNA from SARS-CoV-2 was extracted and a PCR fragment of 1006 base pairs was submitted for Sanger sequencing. The results of the Sanger sequencing were compared to the lineage assigned by WGS using next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. A total of 37 specimens were sequenced via WGS, and classified as: VOC gamma (8); delta (7); omicron (10), with 3 omicron specimens classified as the BQ.1 subvariant and 12 specimens classified as non-VOC variants. The results of the partial Sanger sequencing presented as 100% in agreement with the WGS. The Sanger protocol made it possible to characterize the main SARS-CoV-2 VOCs currently circulating in Brazil through partial Sanger sequencing of the RBD region of the viral spike. Therefore, the sequencing of the RBD region is a fast and cost-effective laboratory tool for clinical and epidemiological use in the genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delay in the results of standard phenotypic susceptibility tests is the main obstacle to adequate antibiotic treatment. For this reason, the European Committee for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing has proposed the Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing for the disk diffusion method directly from blood culture. However, to date, there are no studies evaluating early readings of polymyxin B broth microdilution (BMD), the only standardized methodology for assessing susceptibility to polymyxins. This study aimed to evaluate modifications in the BMD technique for polymyxin B using fewer antibiotic dilutions and reading after an incubation time of 8–9 hr (early reading) in comparison to 16–20 hr of incubation (standard reading) for isolates of Enterobacterales, Acinetobacter baumannii complex, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A total of 192 isolates of gram-negative bacteria were evaluated and the minimum inhibitory concentrations were read after early and standard incubations. The early reading presented 93.2% of essential agreement and 97.9% of categorical agreement with the standard reading of BMD. Only three isolates (2.2%) presented major errors and only one (1.7%) presented a very major error. These results indicate a high agreement between the early and the standard reading times of BMD of polymyxin B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In the last years, the global incidence of carbapenems resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) has increased. The spread of CRE is worrying, considering the therapeutic limitations and the high mortality of CRE infections. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of these infections in previously colonized patients. Methods: Retrospective cohort study conducted in a university hospital of Porto Alegre. The study evaluated medical records of patients hospitalized from January to December 2014 who had rectal swabs collected for investigation of CRE at some point during their stay. They were considered infected patients with CRE isolated from clinical sample who had previous positive rectal swab for the same species. Crude mortality was analyzed 30 days after isolation of CRE. Results: A total of 2,733 swabs were collected, 78 (2.85%) of which were positive for CRE (colonized patients). A total of 33% (26/78) of colonized patients were also positive for CRE in clinical samples. The average time between the isolation of CRE from swabs (colonization) and from clinical samples (infection) was 14.9 days (± 13.6). Most clinical isolates were positive in urine (46.1%; 12/26). Mortality was 61% (16/26) in patients colonized with infection vs. 46% (24/52) in colonized patients who did not develop infection. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that 1/3 of colonized patients developed CRE infection. Mortality rates were found to be higher in infected patients than in patients only colonized with CRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed a new methodology, the microelution ATM/CZA (mATM/CZA), based on the antibiotic disc elution and the use of resazurin, for rapid (<4h) determination of in vitro susceptibility to aztreonam combined with ceftazidime-avibactam among Enterobacterales. The mATM/CZA presented excellent accuracy with 1.9 %, 98.1 % and 100 % of major error, specificity and sensitivity, respectively. Furthermore, we assessed synergism between aztreonam and ceftazidime-avibactam in Enterobacterales and Pseudomonas aeruginosa , which was observed in 37/55 Enterobacterales and 31/56 P. aeruginosa. As reference methodologies (checkerboard, time-kill curve) are not compatible with the routine of the clinical microbiology laboratories, mATM/CZA is an important alternative to evaluate susceptibility of the combination in a scenario where its clinical use is increasingly important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (CR-GNB) are a subject of major clinical concern, mainly those associated with carbapenemase-producing isolates. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been proposed to detect specific β-lactamases, including KPC. We aimed to detect KPC enzyme directly from positive blood cultures using MALDI-TOF MS. Overall, 146 clinical Gram-negative bacilli (46 CR-GNB) recovered from consecutive blood cultures were evaluated. Proteins were extracted using formic acid, isopropyl alcohol, and water and spotted onto a steel target plate using the double-layer sinapinic acid method. The relative ions intensity ≥120 arbitrary units (a.u.) of a peak close to 28,700 m / z indicated the presence of KPC. The results were compared to HRM-qPCR methodology. This specific peak was observed in 11/14 blood bottles with bla KPC positive isolates (78.6% sensitivity), with 3 false-positive results (97.7% specificity). Analysis from colonies reached identical sensitivity (78.6%), but higher specificity (100%). The detection of KPC peaks directly from positive blood cultures using MALDI-TOF MS is feasible and rapid. It's excellent specificity indicates that positive results are consistently associated with the presence of a KPC producer in positive blood culture. • Bloodstream infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli are associated with high mortality. • The early initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy improves patient prognosis. • Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase is endemic in many geographical regions. • Rapid methodologies to detect specific mechanisms of resistance are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of the rapid colorimetric polymyxin B microelution (RCPEm) in determining polymyxin B resistance directly from Enterobacterales-positive blood cultures.A set volume of positive blood culture bottles (diluted 1:10) was inoculated into a glucose-broth-phenol red solution (NP solution), where a polymyxin B disk was previously eluted (final concentration of 3 µg/mL). Test was read each 1 h for up to 4 h. Color change from red/orange to yellow indicated resistant isolates. Results were compared to the reference method, broth microdilution (BMD), performed from colonies grown on solid media from the same blood culture bottle.One hundred fifty-two Enterobacterales-positive blood cultures were evaluated, 22.4% (34/152) of them resistant to polymyxin B (including 6.6% with borderline MICs). When performing directly from positive blood cultures (RCPEm-BC), specificity and sensitivity were 99.1% and 94.1%, respectively. Of note, 79.4% (27/34) of truly resistant isolates required 3 h of incubation, compared to the 18 ± 2 h incubation that microtiter plates of BMD demand before reading can be performed.RCPEm directly from blood cultures has great potential to be part of the routine of clinical microbiology laboratories to establish polymyxin B susceptibility, impacting outcome of patients with bloodstream infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales.Methods: To evaluate the performance of the rapid colorimetric polymyxin B microelution (RCPEm) in determining polymyxin B resistance directly from Enterobacterales-positive blood cultures.A set volume of positive blood culture bottles (diluted 1:10) was inoculated into a glucose-broth-phenol red solution (NP solution), where a polymyxin B disk was previously eluted (final concentration of 3 µg/mL). Test was read each 1 h for up to 4 h. Color change from red/orange to yellow indicated resistant isolates. Results were compared to the reference method, broth microdilution (BMD), performed from colonies grown on solid media from the same blood culture bottle.One hundred fifty-two Enterobacterales-positive blood cultures were evaluated, 22.4% (34/152) of them resistant to polymyxin B (including 6.6% with borderline MICs). When performing directly from positive blood cultures (RCPEm-BC), specificity and sensitivity were 99.1% and 94.1%, respectively. Of note, 79.4% (27/34) of truly resistant isolates required 3 h of incubation, compared to the 18 ± 2 h incubation that microtiter plates of BMD demand before reading can be performed.RCPEm directly from blood cultures has great potential to be part of the routine of clinical microbiology laboratories to establish polymyxin B susceptibility, impacting outcome of patients with bloodstream infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales.Results: To evaluate the performance of the rapid colorimetric polymyxin B microelution (RCPEm) in determining polymyxin B resistance directly from Enterobacterales-positive blood cultures.A set volume of positive blood culture bottles (diluted 1:10) was inoculated into a glucose-broth-phenol red solution (NP solution), where a polymyxin B disk was previously eluted (final concentration of 3 µg/mL). Test was read each 1 h for up to 4 h. Color change from red/orange to yellow indicated resistant isolates. Results were compared to the reference method, broth microdilution (BMD), performed from colonies grown on solid media from the same blood culture bottle.One hundred fifty-two Enterobacterales-positive blood cultures were evaluated, 22.4% (34/152) of them resistant to polymyxin B (including 6.6% with borderline MICs). When performing directly from positive blood cultures (RCPEm-BC), specificity and sensitivity were 99.1% and 94.1%, respectively. Of note, 79.4% (27/34) of truly resistant isolates required 3 h of incubation, compared to the 18 ± 2 h incubation that microtiter plates of BMD demand before reading can be performed.RCPEm directly from blood cultures has great potential to be part of the routine of clinical microbiology laboratories to establish polymyxin B susceptibility, impacting outcome of patients with bloodstream infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales.Conclusions: To evaluate the performance of the rapid colorimetric polymyxin B microelution (RCPEm) in determining polymyxin B resistance directly from Enterobacterales-positive blood cultures.A set volume of positive blood culture bottles (diluted 1:10) was inoculated into a glucose-broth-phenol red solution (NP solution), where a polymyxin B disk was previously eluted (final concentration of 3 µg/mL). Test was read each 1 h for up to 4 h. Color change from red/orange to yellow indicated resistant isolates. Results were compared to the reference method, broth microdilution (BMD), performed from colonies grown on solid media from the same blood culture bottle.One hundred fifty-two Enterobacterales-positive blood cultures were evaluated, 22.4% (34/152) of them resistant to polymyxin B (including 6.6% with borderline MICs). When performing directly from positive blood cultures (RCPEm-BC), specificity and sensitivity were 99.1% and 94.1%, respectively. Of note, 79.4% (27/34) of truly resistant isolates required 3 h of incubation, compared to the 18 ± 2 h incubation that microtiter plates of BMD demand before reading can be performed.RCPEm directly from blood cultures has great potential to be part of the routine of clinical microbiology laboratories to establish polymyxin B susceptibility, impacting outcome of patients with bloodstream infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the performance of OXA-48 K-SeT assay for detecting OXA-370 directly from spiked rectal swabs and blood culture vials. The limit of detection of this test was 10 4 UFC/mL for rectal swabs. Detection of the OXA-370-producing isolates was successfully achieved directly from positive blood culture vials independent of growing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endogenous nucleotides produced by various group of cells under inflammatory conditions act as potential danger signals in vivo. Extracellularly released nucleotides such as ATP are rapidly hydrolyzed to adenosine by the coordinated ectonucleotidase activities of CD39 and CD73. Leishmania is an obligate intracellular parasite of macrophages and capable of modulating host immune response in order to survive and multiply within host cells. In this study, the activity of CD73 induced by Leishmania amazonensis in infected macrophages has been investigated and correlated with parasite survival and infection in vitro. For this, the expression of CD39 and CD73, by flow cytometry, in murine peritoneal macrophages infected with metacyclic promastigotes of L. amazonensis has been analyzed. Our results showed that L. amazonensis-infected macrophages, unlike LPS-treated macrophages, increased CD73 expression. It was also noted that when CD73 enzymatic activity was blocked by α, β-methyleneadenosine 5 ′ -diphosphate sodium salt (APCP), macrophage parasitism was significantly decreased. Interestingly, these effects were not associated with the production of TNF-α, IL-10, or nitric oxide (NO). Together, these data demonstrate that L. amazonensis induces a regulatory phenotype in macrophages, which by activating the CD39/CD73 pathway allows parasite survival through the action of immunomodulatory adenosine receptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated expression of TLR2, TLR4 and proinflammatory genes [NF-κB, TNF-α, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)] in liver samples of patients in different stages of liver disease. Fifteen patients with unexplained transaminases elevation (reference group), 22 with viral chronic hepatitis (hepatitis group), 14 with virus-induced severe fibrosis/cirrhosis (cirrhosis group) and 10 with hepatocarcinoma (hepatocarcinoma group) were consecutively included in the study. Quantification of TLR2, TLR4, NF-κB, TNF-α and COX-2 mRNA was done by real-time RT-PCR and TLR2 and TLR4 protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Compared with reference, TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA was increased in hepatitis (TLR2: 2.66 ± 0.69; TLR4: 3.11 ± 0.79; P < 0.05) and cirrhosis (TLR2: 2.14 ± 0.5; TLR4: 1.74 ± 0.27; P < 0.05) and decreased in hepatocarcinoma (TLR2: 0.48 ± 0.15; TLR4: 0.54 ± 0.10; P < 0.05). This associated with increased TNF-α and COX-2 mRNA in hepatitis (TNF-α: 3.24 ± 0.79; COX-2: 2.47 ± 0.36; P < 0.05) and cirrhosis (TNF-α: 1.73 ± 0.28; COX-2: 1.8 ± 0.35, P < 0.05), whereas NF-κB mRNA was increased in hepatitis (2.42 ± 0.31; P < 0.05) and unchanged in cirrhosis (1.34 ± 0.17; P = 0.3). Hepatocarcinoma presented increased COX-2 mRNA (1.63 ± 0.15; P < 0.05) and maintained (at decreased levels) mRNA of NF-κB (0.52 ± 0.12) and TNF-α (0.52 ± 0.12; P < 0.05, all genes). Immunohistochemistry confirmed increased expression of TLR2 and TLR4 in hepatitis and cirrhosis and maintained expression in hepatocarcinoma. Upregulation of TLR2, TLR4 and their proinflammatory mediators is associated with virus-induced hepatic IFC sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Total aneurysm occlusion is crucial for the prevention of rebleeding of a ruptured aneurysm or to avoid rupture of an unruptured lesion. Both surgical and endovascular embolization fail to achieve complete aneurysm occlusion in all the cases. The objective of the study was to establish the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment for previously clipped residual or recurrent aneurysms. Methods: This was an observational, retrospective study of patients harboring incompletely occluded intracranial aneurysms after clipping who underwent endovascular treatment. Patients were treated using 4 different techniques: (1) simple coiling, (2) balloon remodeling, (3) stent-assisted coiling, and (4) flow diversion. Analyses were performed to identify predictors of total aneurysm occlusion, recanalization and complications. Results: Between May 2010 and September 2018, 70 patients harboring incompletely occluded intracranial aneurysms after clipping met the inclusion criteria in 5 centers. The mean residual aneurysm size was 7.5 mm. Fifty-nine aneurysms were unruptured. Total aneurysm occlusion was achieved in 75.3% of the aneurysms after 1 year. All aneurysms treated with flow diversion revealed complete occlusion according to control angiography. Recanalization was observed in 14.5%. Permanent morbidity and mortality occurred in 2.9% and 1.4% of the patients, respectively. Conclusions: Endovascular treatment of recurrent or residual aneurysms after surgical clipping was safe and efficacious. Flow diversion seems to be associated with better anatomical results. A more rigid study, a larger group of patients, and longterm follow-up are required to provide stronger conclusions about the best approach for residual clipped aneurysms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study has aimed to evaluate the use pool of samples as a strategy to optimize the diagnostic of SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR. A total of 220 naso/orofaryngeal swab samples were collected and tested using two different protocols of sample pooling. Results from protocol A were identical with the individual results. However, for results from protocol B, reduced agreement (91%) was observed in relation to individual testing. Inconsistencies observed were related to RT-qPCR results with higher cycle thresholds. These results suggest that pooling of samples before RNA extraction is preferable in terms of diagnostic for SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent restoration work at the church of the Convent of S. Francisco in Leiria (Portugal) revealed a large Late Gothic Calvary on the back wall of the main chapel. This paper is a first report of the study carried out by an interdisciplinary team, and provides information about the organization and practice of a Portuguese wall-painting workshop in the late fifteenth century. The stratigraphy and composition of the renders are analysed, as well as the different stages of the preparatory drawing, the palette, the binding media and the painting processes, particularly the giornate and the different methods used for the flesh painting. In comparison with known treatises, such as that of Cennino Cennini, the results of the laboratory analyses are surprising, particularly in regard to the binding media used in the secco painting and the gilding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The six Brazilian genomes, as analysed by the Nexclade algorithm (https://clades.nextstrain.org/), exhibited almost all the lineage's 30 synapomorphies.1 The N gene T366I substitution was not present in three SP sequences (EPI ISL 2674368, EPI ISL 1966094 and EPI ISL 1445272). Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; Lambda; South America; Brazil; C.37 EN SARS-CoV-2 Lambda South America Brazil C.37 1 3 3 01/05/22 20211201 NES 211201 The SARS-CoV-2 variant assigned to PangoLineage C.37 was first reported in late December 2020 in Peru and by April 2021 was responsible for 97% of new infections in that country.1 It is currently expanding in Chile and Argentina, and there is evidence of onward transmission in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, the USA, Germany and Israel.2 C.37 presents 30 molecular signatures, seven nonsynonymous substitutions (G75V, T76I, R246N, L452Q, F490S, D614G, T859N) and a deleted region ( 247-253) in the Spike protein.1 Another deleted region is found in the ORF1a gene ( 3675-3677) also present in variants of concern Alpha, Beta and Gamma.1 Due to genomic characteristics and epidemiological relevance, on 15 June 2021, WHO designated C.37 as Variant of Interest (VOI) Lambda.2 SP , sp SP . sp 3 Until 26 July 2021, six cases of C.37 were notified in Brazil, two in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and four in the southeastern state of São Paulo (SP). SARS-CoV-2, Lambda, South America, Brazil, C.37. [Extracted from the article]

The clinical importance of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli has increased steadily over the years. The presence of the blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M genes in the environment has been recently recognized as an important issue in the dissemination of resistance to cephalosporins. Food animals are considered important vectors for transfer of ESBL genes from the environment to humans. The objective of this study was to characterize the ESBL genes (blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M types) that were most prevalent among 343 ceftazidime-resistant E. coli isolates (17 batches from 12 different farms) obtained from cloacal swabs of broiler chicken in southern Brazil. The blaSHV, blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaIMP-type, blaVIM-type, blaNDM-1, blaKPC-type, blaGES-type, blaOXA-48, and mcr-1 genes were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction. A total of 27 (7.9%) E. coli isolates were positive for ESBL genes as follows: 24 for blaCTX-M (23 blaCTX-M-2 Group and 1 blaCTX-M-8) and 3 for blaSHV (2 blaSHV-2a and 1 blaSHV-18). A random sample of 32 ceftazidime/cefotaxime-resistant isolates that were negative for ESBL genes were evaluated for the presence of blaCMY-2 and 24 (75%) tested positive. We detected the blaCMY-2 gene in isolates from all farms. All isolates positive for ESBL or blaCMY-2 are considered multidrug resistant (resistant to at least three antibiotic classes). Our results suggest that broiler chickens are an important reservoir of blaCMY-2 and ESBL genes, including blaSHV-2a, described for the first time in animals originating from Brazil in this study, and blaSHV-18, which has never been described in Brazil before. This fact highlights the importance of controlling the use of antibiotics in animal production to reduce environmental sources of resistance genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]