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Aila Maria Cipriano Leal,1 Marcus Vinícius Beserra dos Santos,2 Edson Cavalcanti da Silva Filho,2 André Luis Menezes de Carvalho,3 Cinthia Pereira Machado Tabchoury,4 Glauber Campos Vale1 1Department of Restorative Dentistry, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil; 2Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil; 3Dermopharmacy Laboratory, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil; 4Departament of Physiological Sciences, Campinas State University, Piracicaba, São Paulo, BrazilCorrespondence: Glauber Campos ValeDepartment of Restorative Dentistry, Federal University of Piaui, Campus Universitário Ministro Petrônio Portella – SG 10 Bairro Ininga, CEP: 64049-550, Teresina, Piauí, BrazilTel +55 (86) 999912-9200Email glauber@ufpi.edu.brBackground: High-fluoride dentifrice is used to manage root caries, but there is no evidence whether its association with nanohydroxyapatite could provide an additional protection for root caries. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and evaluate the effect of an experimental dentifrice with high fluoride (F−) concentration and nanohydroxyapatite (nano-HA) on root dentin demineralization.Materials and Methods: After formulation of dentifrices, root dentin specimens were randomly assigned to six groups (n = 10) using different dentifrice treatments: placebo; nano-HA without F−; 1,100 μg F−/g; 1,100 μg F−/g + nano-HA; 5,000 μg F−/g; and 5,000 μg F−/g + nano-HA. A pH cycling model was performed for 10 days, in which treatments were performed twice a day. After that period, the longitudinal hardness was evaluated and the area of demineralization (ΔS) was calculated. The formulated dentifrices were evaluated for primary stability, cytotoxicity, and other technical parameters. Two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test with p set at 5% were used for data analysis.Results: The experimental dentifrices were stable and had no cytotoxicity. Regarding dentin demineralization, the placebo group significantly increased ΔS compared to all other treatment groups (p< 0.001). The dentifrices containing 5,000 μg F−/g, regardless of the presence of nano-HA, led to a smaller lesion area in relation to the other treatments (p< 0.001).Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that nano-HA reduced dentin demineralization, and dentifrice with 5,000 μg F−/g dentifrices, regardless of the presence of nano-HA, showed a greater reduction in root dentin demineralization.Keywords: material development, dentin, dentifrice, fluoride, nanohydroxyapatite

Bovine subclinical mastitis (SCM) is the costliest disease for the dairy industry. Technologies aimed at the early diagnosis of this condition, such as infrared thermography (IRT), can be used to generate large amounts of data that provide valuable information when analyzed using learning techniques. The objective of this study was to evaluate and optimize the use of machine learning by applying the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm in the diagnosis of bovine SCM, based on udder thermogram analysis. Over 14 months, a total of 1035 milk samples were collected from 97 dairy cows subjected to an automatic milking system. Somatic cell counts were performed by flow cytometry, and the health status of the mammary gland was determined based on a cutoff of 200,000 cells/mL of milk. The attributes analyzed collectively included air temperature, relative humidity, temperature-humidity index, breed, body temperature, teat dirtiness score, parity, days in milk, mammary gland position, milk yield, electrical conductivity, milk fat, coldest and hottest points in the mammary gland region of interest, average mammary gland temperature, thermal amplitude, and the difference between the average temperature of the region of interest and the animal's body temperature, as well as the microbiological evaluation of the milk. Using the XGBoost algorithm, the most relevant variables for solving the classification problem were identified and selected to construct the final model with the best fit and performance. The best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC: 0.843) and specificity (Sp: 93.3%) were obtained when using all thermographic variables. The coldest point in the region of interest was considered the most important for decision making in mastitis diagnosis. The use of XGBoost can enhance the diagnostic capability for SCM when IRT is employed. The developed optimized model can be used as a confirmatory mechanism for SCM., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2025 Raul Costa Mascarenhas Santana et al. Veterinary Medicine International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins (SEs) can lead to food poisoning and appear to play a pivotal role in the development and severity of mastitis. This study aimed to evaluate whether the presence and diversity of S. aureus Enterotoxin genes mastitis-causing are associated with the development and severity of mastitis in dairy cows. Comparative analysis of S. aureus isolates from cows with clinical and subclinical mastitis (103 isolates each, CM and SM respectively) was conducted, examining the occurrence of enterotoxins (sea-see, seg-sez, sel26, sel27, sel01 and se02). Clinical isolates exhibited greater diversity, with 14 genes compared to four in subclinical isolates, and higher gene frequency (100 % vs. 86.4 %). Among the classical SEs, only sec (1 %) and sed (4.9 %) were detected in clinical isolates, suggesting a potential insignificance in the development of mastitis. Conversely, the selw and selx genes were among the most prevalent in both clinical and subclinical mastitis isolates. While their role in human food poisoning has not been definitively established, they appear to influence mastitis development. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in clinical isolates carrying seg, seh, sei, seo, seul1, seul2, selw, and selx genes compared to subclinical isolates, suggesting their potential involvement in the severity of mastitis. Determining the frequency of SE gene and its role in mastitis establishment and in clinical mastitis severity, as well as understanding how enterotoxins contribute to pathogenicity in clinical and subclinical mastitis, is crucial for guiding optimal medical therapy for animals and establishing effective veterinary treatments to mitigate economic losses in the dairy industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Purpose: To evaluate QOL and caregiver burden of children and teenagers submitted to hemispherotomy for pharmacoresistant epilepsy, by comparing pre and post-surgical intervention data., Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of pediatric patients submitted to surgical hemispherotomy before intervention (preOP) and their follow-up at 6 months (6 M PO) and 2 years (2Y PO) after surgery. QOL was evaluated through the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QVCE-50) questionnaire and caregiver burden, through the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) tool., Results: Twenty-two patients were included in the study. Sixteen patients (72%) were classified as Engel I at 2Y PO follow-up. QVCE-50 scale showed improvement of total QOL at 2Y PO. In relation to QVCE-50-specific domains, there was an improvement in the physical domain and in the cognitive-education a decrease in psychological and a stabilization in social/familiar domain scores. The majority of caregivers classified their burden as mild to moderate, with no PO improvement., Conclusions: Hemispherotomy represents an effective seizure control treatment, as well as it contributes to improvement of QOL, particularly in the physical domain and in spite of children's physical and cognitive limitations. However, no improvement in caregiver burden was observed, probably due to the chronic condition of these patients, which might be worsened by social issues., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate consent: All procedures were in compliance with research policies and were approved by the Institutional Committee on Human Research (CAAE: 31802620.8.0000.5440). Consent for publication: The correspondent author has read and understood the publishing policy and submits this manuscript in accordance with this policy. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This case report describes an 82-year-old woman with severe mitral bioprosthesis stenosis and NYHA II-III heart failure, EuroScore II of 22.54% and STS Score of 13.7%. She received innovative treatment with transatrial mitral valve-in-valve implantation of a rapid deployment balloon-expandable prosthesis via video-assisted right lateral mini-thoracotomy, with myocardial protection through ventricular fibrillation. The patient was discharged and, under cardiology follow-up, achieved NYHA I class with no angina., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.)

Developing and investigating advanced multifunctional materials with magnetic properties as candidates for assembling spin qubits for quantum computing is imperative. A new polytopic ligand based on oxamate and aniline was used to promote the synthesis of three neutral homometallic lanthanide-coordinated polymers. New complexes with the formula {Ln(phox) 3 (DMSO) 2 (H 2 O)} n , where Ln = Eu 3+ (1), Gd 3+ (2), and Tb 3+ (3) [phox = N -(phenyl)oxamate and DMSO = dimethylsulfoxide], were synthesized and well characterized by spectroscopic methods as well as X-ray crystallographic analysis. All crystalline structures comprise neutral zigzag chains. The lanthanide ions are linked by three phox ligands, in which two oxygen atoms from two different ligands are responsible for connecting the trivalent lanthanide ions, and one phox ligand completes the coordination sphere in a bis-bidentate mode, together with two DMSO molecules and one water coordination molecule. The coordination sphere of lanthanide ions consisted of spherical capped square antiprism (CSAPR-9) symmetry. The magnetic properties of 1-3 were investigated in the 2-300 K temperature range. The dynamic (ac) magnetic properties of 2 reveal a frequency dependence involving the phonon bottleneck mechanism below 33 K under nonzero applied dc magnetic fields, resulting in an example of a field-induced single-molecule magnet. Solid-state photophysical measurements for Eu 3+ (1) and Tb 3+ (3) complexes indicate that the N -(phenyl)oxamate ligands are very efficient in sensitizing the lanthanide(III) ions in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Compounds 1 and 3 exhibited an emission in the red and green regions, respectively. Experimental results and theoretical calculations using the Sparkle/RM1 method support a quantum efficiency of ∼72% for 1, suggesting its potential as a candidate for light conversion molecular devices (LCMDs).

Introduction: Studies addressing the methylation pattern in adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) are lacking., Objective: To identify methylation signatures in ACPs regarding clinical presentation and outcome., Methods: Clinical and pathology data were collected from 35 patients with ACP (54% male; 18.1 years [2-68]). CTNNB1 mutations and methylation profile (MethylationEPIC/Array-Illumina) were analyzed in tumoral DNA. Unsupervised machine learning analysis of this comprehensive methylome sample was achieved using hierarchical clustering and multidimensional scaling. Statistical associations between clusters and clinical features were achieved using the Fisher test and global biological process interpretations were aided by Gene Ontology enrichment analyses., Results: Two clusters were revealed consistently by all unsupervised methods (ACP-1: n = 18; ACP-2: n = 17) with strong bootstrap statistical support. ACP-2 was enriched by CTNNB1 mutations (100% vs 56%, P = .0006), hypomethylated in CpG island, non-CpG Island sites, and globally (P < .001), and associated with greater tumor size (24.1 vs 9.5 cm3, P = .04). Enrichment analysis highlighted pathways on signaling transduction, transmembrane receptor, development of anatomical structures, cell adhesion, cytoskeleton organization, and cytokine binding, and cell type-specific biological processes as regulation of oligodendrocytes, keratinocyte, and epithelial cells differentiation., Conclusion: Two clusters of patients with ACP were consistently revealed by unsupervised machine learning methods, with one of them significantly hypomethylated, enriched by CTNNB1 mutated ACPs, and associated with increased tumor size. Enrichment analysis reinforced pathways involved in tumor proliferation and in cell-specific tumoral microenvironment., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Endocrine Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The study investigated the effects of cultivating Tridax procumbens in hydroponic conditions with different concentrations of copper ions, aiming to understand the physiological changes and the impact on the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. The treatments consisted of a completely randomized design, with five increasing concentrations of copper (T0 = 0.235, T1 = 12.5, T2 = 25, T3 = 50, T4 = 100 µmol L -1 of Cu), under controlled conditions for 36 days. Analysis of bioactive compounds in leaves was performed by HPLC-DAD and ESI-MS. Several phenolic compounds, alkaloids, phytosterols and triterpenoids were identified, demonstrating the plant's metabolic plasticity. The highest dose of copper (100 µmol L -1 ) significantly promoted voacangine, the most predominant compound in the analyses. Notably, 66.7% of the metabolites that showed an increase in concentration, were phenolic compounds. Furthermore, treatments with 12.5 and 25 µmol L -1 of copper were identified as promoting the biosynthesis of phytosterols and triterpenoids. These biochemical adaptations can play a fundamental role in the survival and development of plants in environments contaminated by metals, and from this it is possible to determine cultivation techniques that maximize the biosynthesis of the compound of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Mastitis, an important disease in dairy cows, causes significant losses in herd profitability. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for adequate control. Studies using artificial intelligence (AI) models to classify, identify, predict, and diagnose mastitis show promise in improving mastitis control. This bibliometric review aimed to evaluate AI and bovine mastitis terms in the most relevant Scopus-indexed papers from 2011 to 2021. Sixty-two documents were analyzed, revealing key terms, prominent researchers, relevant publications, main themes, and keyword clusters. "Mastitis" and "machine learning" were the most cited terms, with an increasing trend from 2018 to 2021. Other terms, such as "sensors" and "mastitis detection", also emerged. The United States was the most cited country and presented the largest collaboration network. Publications on mastitis and AI models notably increased from 2016 to 2021, indicating growing interest. However, few studies utilized AI for bovine mastitis detection, primarily employing artificial neural network models. This suggests a clear potential for further research in this area.

One prominent aspect of Parkinson's disease (PD) is the presence of elevated levels of free radicals, including reactive oxygen species (ROS). Syagrus coronata ( S. coronata) , a palm tree, exhibits antioxidant activity attributed to its phytochemical composition, containing fatty acids, polyphenols, and flavonoids. The aim of this investigation was to examine the potential neuroprotective effects of S. coronata fixed oil against rotenone-induced toxicity using Drosophila melanogaster . Young Drosophila specimens (3-4 d old) were exposed to a diet supplemented with rotenone (50 µM) for 7 d with and without the inclusion of S. coronata fixed oil (0.2 mg/g diet). Data demonstrated that rotenone exposure resulted in significant locomotor impairment and increased mortality rates in flies. Further, rotenone administration reduced total thiol levels but elevated lipid peroxidation, iron (Fe) levels, and nitric oxide (NO) levels while decreasing the reduced capacity of mitochondria. Concomitant administration of S. coronata exhibited a protective effect against rotenone, as evidenced by a return to control levels of Fe, NO, and total thiols, lowered lipid peroxidation levels, reversed locomotor impairment, and enhanced % cell viability. Molecular docking of the oil lipidic components with antioxidant enzymes showed strong binding affinity to superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX1) enzymes. Overall, treatment with S. coronata fixed oil was found to prevent rotenone-induced movement disorders and oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster .

Non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci (NASM) are the most frequently isolated bacterial group from bovine milk samples. Most studies focus on subclinical mastitis caused by NASM; however, NASM can cause clinical mastitis (CM) as well. We evaluated retrospective data from 6 years (2017-2022) to determine the species and frequency of NASM isolated from quarter bovine CM. The data was comprised of microbiological results from quarter CM samples routinely submitted to Quality Milk Production Services at Cornell University for microbial identification by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. A total of 9,909 microbiological results from 410 dairy herds were evaluated. Our results showed that 29 distinct NASM species were identified, with the 8 most prevalent NASM species being Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus simulans, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus sciuri (now Mammaliicoccus sciuri), Staphylococcus agnetis/Staphylococcus hyicus, Staphylococcus borealis, and Staphylococcus xylosus. The NASM distribution remained similar among seasons, but the frequency of NASM CM cases was higher during the summer. Our results showed different patterns of variations in the isolation frequency over time, depending on the bacterial species: increasing or decreasing trends, cyclic fluctuations, and, except for Staphylococcus borealis, a significant seasonality effect for our study's most prevalent NASM. This study showed that Staphylococcus chromogenes remains the most frequent (43%) NASM species identified from bovine CM, followed by Staphylococcus haemolyticus (18%), and Staphylococcus simulans (12%)., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

Cryopreservation of rainbow trout semen under field conditions was analyzed. Straw location over liquid nitrogen level is a crucial variable that affects freezing rate and fertilization yield due to changes in nitrogen vapor external temperature. The objectives were: to analyze cryopreservation protocols by experimentally measuring the cooling rates and fertilization yield of 0.5 ml plastic straws located in nitrogen vapor at different heights corresponding to different external temperatures; to numerically simulate the freezing process, by solving the heat transfer partial differential equations with the corresponding thermo-physical properties of the biological system and the plastic straw; to evaluate and analyze the surface heat transfer coefficient (h) during the freezing process of the straws; to introduce a new variable, the characteristic freezing time (tc), that enables comparison between protocols; this variable was defined as the elapsed period between the initial freezing temperature and a final reference temperature of -40 °C (temperature in which more than 80 % of the water is in a frozen state). The mathematical model predicted the temperature distribution inside the straw, showing a low effect of straw plastic materials (polyethylene-terephthalate glycol, polyvinyl-chloride, and polypropylene) on freezing rates. The average h value obtained from numerical simulations was 25.5 W/m 2 K, close to that obtained from the analytical Nusselt correlation for natural convection. An improvement on fertilization trials was observed when the average external nitrogen temperature was -129.6 °C (temperature range: -94 to -171 °C) with an average tc of 56.8 s (ranging between 47 and 72 s). These results corresponded to a height above the level of liquid nitrogen of 2 cm. Comparison with literature reported data showed satisfactory results. Applying mathematical models in the cryobiology field achieved results that are relevant for cryopreservation activities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare no conflict of interest in the present study., (Copyright © 2024 Society for Cryobiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Hydrocephalus is a brain disease prevalent in the pediatric population that presents complex pathophysiology and multiple etiologies. The best treatment is still ventricular shunting. Mechanical obstruction is the most frequent complication, but the resulting pathological effects are still unknown., Objective: Evaluation and comparison of clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical aspects in the acute phase of experimental hydrocephalus induced by kaolin, after treatment with adapted shunt, and after shunt obstruction and posterior disobstruction., Methods: Wistar rats aged 7 days were used and divided into 4 groups: control group without kaolin injection (n = 6), untreated hydrocephalic group (n = 5), hydrocephalic group treated with ventriculosubcutaneous shunt (DVSC) (n = 7), and hydrocephalic group treated with shunt, posteriorly obstructed and disobstructed (n = 5). The animals were submitted to memory and spatial learning evaluation through the Morris water maze test. The rats were sacrificed at 28 days of age and histological analysis of the brains was performed with luxol fast blue, in addition to immunohistochemical analysis in order to evaluate reactive astrocytosis, inflammation, neuronal labeling, and apoptotic activity., Results: The group with shunt obstruction had worse performance in memory tests. Reactive astrocytosis was more evident in this group, as was the inflammatory response., Conclusions: Obstruction of the shunt results in impaired performance of behavioral tests and causes irreversible histopathological changes when compared to findings in the group with treated hydrocephalus, even after unblocking the system. The developed model is feasible and efficient in simulating the clinical context of shunt dysfunction., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Establishing new somatic cell cultures has raised significant attention as an effective and convenient way to preserve genetic samples for different applications. Although many lines have been established in model animals, none derived from six-banded armadillo species is currently available. We report the successful isolation and characterization of fibroblasts from six-banded armadillos, evaluating the cell quality after extended culture and cryopreservation. Initially, we collected ear skin from five captive adult individuals and identified fibroblast lines by morphology, karyotyping, and immunophenotyping assays. The isolated fibroblasts were evaluated after several passages (fourth, seventh, and tenth passages) and cryopreservation by slow freezing. Cell morphology, viability, metabolism, proliferative activity, mitochondrial membrane potential, and apoptosis levels were analyzed. The skin explants had great adhesion, and cell outgrowth could be seen after 3-6 d. The cells were verified as fibroblasts at the fourth passage by vimentin expression and normal karyotype (2n = 58). The viability remained high (> 87%) and constant from the fourth to the tenth passage (p > 0.05). The passages did not change the cell morphology and metabolic and growth rates. Moreover, cryopreservation did not affect most evaluated parameters; post-thawed cells maintained their viability, growth, metabolism, and apoptosis levels. Nevertheless, cryopreservation increased mitochondrial membrane permeability and cell population doubling time compared to non-cryopreserved cells (p < 0.05). In summary, viable fibroblasts can be obtained from six-banded armadillo skin while conserving their quality as the number of passages increases and featuring few changes after cryopreservation., (© 2024. The Society for In Vitro Biology.)

In biosensor development, silk fibroin is advantageous for providing transparent, flexible, chemically/mechanically stable, biocompatible, and sustainable substrates, where the biorecognition element remains functional for long time periods. These properties are employed here in the production of point-of-care biosensors for resource-limited regions, which are able to display glucose levels without the need for external instrumentation. These biosensors are produced by photopatterning silk films doped with the enzymes glucose oxidase and peroxidase and photoelectrochromic molecules from the dithienylethene family acting as colorimetric mediators of the enzymatic reaction. The photopatterning results from the photoisomerization of dithienylethene molecules in the silk film from its initial uncolored opened form to its pink closed one. The photoisomerization is dose-dependent, and colored patterns with increasing color intensities are obtained by increasing either the irradiation time or the light intensity. In the presence of glucose, the enzymatic cascade reaction is activated, and peroxidase selectively returns closed dithienylethene molecules to their initial uncolored state. Color disappearance in the silk film is proportional to glucose concentration and used to distinguish between hypoglycemic (below 4 mM), normoglycemic (4-6 mM), and hyperglycemic levels (above 6 mM) by visual inspection. After the measurement, the biosensor can be regenerated by irradiation with UV light, enabling up to five measurement cycles. The coupling of peroxidase activity to other oxidoreductases opens the possibility to produce long-life reusable smart biosensors for other analytes such as lactate, cholesterol, or ethanol.

The objective of this study was to analyze the expression and prognostic role of the tight junction protein occludin in high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). Occludin protein expression by immunohistochemistry was analyzed in 602 HGSC (417 effusions, 185 surgical specimens). Expression in mesothelioma (n = 87; 45 effusions, 42 surgical specimens) was studied for comparative purposes. Occludin protein expression was found in 587/602 (98%) HGSC vs. 40/87 (46%) mesotheliomas and was predominantly limited to < 5% of cells in the latter (p < 0.001). Occludin was additionally overexpressed in HGSC effusions compared to surgical specimens (p < 0.001) and was overexpressed in post-chemotherapy effusions compared to chemo-naive effusions tapped at diagnosis (p = 0.015). Occludin expression in HGSC surgical specimens was associated with poor chemoresponse (p < 0.001) and primary resistance (p = 0.001). Expression in effusions and surgical specimens was unrelated to survival (p > 0.05). In conclusion, occludin expression is higher in HGSC compared to mesothelioma, and this protein is overexpressed in HGSC effusions, possibly reflecting changes in adhesion related to anchorage-independent growth in this microenvironment. Overexpression in post-chemotherapy compared to chemo-naïve effusions suggest a role in disease progression. Occludin expression in surgical specimens may be related to chemoresistance., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Using on-farm microbiological culture (OFC), based on chromogenic culture media, enables the identification of mastitis causing pathogens in about 24 h, allows rapid decision making on selective treatment and control management measures of cows with clinical mastitis (CM). However, accurate interpretation of OFC results requires trained and experienced operators, which could be a limitation for the use of OFC in dairy farms. Our hypothesis was that AI-based automated plate reading mobile application can analyze images of microorganisms' colonies in chromogenic culture media with similar diagnostic performance as a trained specialist evaluator. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of an AI-based application (Rumi; OnFarm, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil) for interpreting images of mastitis causing microorganism colonies grown in chromogenic culture media. For this study two trials were organized to compare the results obtained using an AI-based application Rumi with the interpretation of: (1) a trained specialist, using MALDI-TOF MS as the gold standard; (2) farm personnel users (FPU). In trial 1, a total of 476 CM milk samples, from 11 farms located in São Paulo (n = 7) and Minas Gerais (n = 4), southeast Brazil, were inoculated in chromogenic culture media plates (Smartcolor 2, OnFarm, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil) by specialists under lab conditions, and digital images were recorded 24 h after incubation at 37 °C. After that, all the 476 digital images were analyzed by the Rumi and by another specialist (who only had access to the digital images) and the diagnostic accuracy indicators sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) were calculated using MALDI-TOF MS microbiological identification of the isolates as the reference. In Trial 2, a total of 208 CM milk samples, from 150 farms from Brazil, were inoculated in chromogenic culture media plates by FPU, and the results of microbiological growth were visually interpreted by FPU under on-farm conditions. After visual interpretation, results were recorded using an OnFarmApp application (herd manage application for mastitis by OnFarm, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil), and the images of the chromogenic culture plates were captured by the OnFarmApp to be evaluated by Rumi and Bayesian Latent Class Models were performed to compare Rumi and the FPU. In Trial 1, Rumi presented high and intermediate accuracy results, with the only exception of the low Enterococcus spp.'s Se. In comparison with the specialist, Rumi performed similarly in Se and Sp for most groups of pathogens, with the only exception of non-aureus staphylococci where Se results were lower. Both Rumi and the specialist achieved Sp results > 0.96. In Trial 2, Rumi had similar results as the FPU in the Bayesian Latent Class Model analysis. In conclusion, the use of the AI-based automated plate reading mobile application can be an alternative for visual interpretation of OFC results, simplifying the procedures for selective treatment decisions for CM based on OFC., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the reliability of agreement between surgeons when using the Parkland Grading Scale for Acute Cholecystitis (PGS-AC)., Methods: A total of 43 images taken out of videos of laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCs) were collected, they were used to frame an online questionnaire that was sent to 18 surgeons and resident doctors who classified the images according to the Parkland scale criteria, followed by the evaluation of concordance between observers applying the Fleiss κ test., Results: A global Fleiss' κ value of 0.213 was obtained, which corresponds to a low interobserver concordance. Factors such as being a surgical resident, having more than 10 years of experience performing this type of procedure, or performing more than 2 LCs per week, were related to greater concordance in diagnosis., Conclusions: The low concordance found when using the Parkland grading scale, translates into a high interobserver variation related to multiple variables, which is why, we are not seeing the same., (Copyright: © 2024 Permanyer.)

Background: Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) is characterized by pharmacoresistant epilepsy and progressive neurological deficits concurrent with unilateral hemispheric atrophy. Evidence of an inflammatory autoimmune process has been extensively described in the literature; however, the precise etiology of RE is still unknown. Despite data supporting a beneficial effect of early immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory interventions, surgical disconnection of the affected hemisphere is considered the treatment of choice for these patients. The aim of this study was to report a series of children and adolescents who underwent hemispheric surgery (HS) for the treatment of RE, analyzing their clinical, electrographic, and neuroimaging features pre-operatively, as well as their postoperative status, including seizure and functional outcomes., Methods: All patients with RE who underwent HS in the Epilepsy Surgery Center (CIREP) of the University Hospital of Ribeirão Preto Medical School, between 1995 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative and postoperative analyses included gender; age at epilepsy onset; seizure semiology; seizure frequency; interictal and ictal electroencephalographic (EEG) findings; age at surgery; duration of epilepsy; surgical complications; duration of follow-up; histopathological findings; and postoperative seizure, cognitive, and functional outcomes., Results: Forty-four patients were evaluated. Mean age at seizure onset and epilepsy duration was 6 years and 2.5 years, respectively. Mean age at surgery was 9 years, with an average follow-up ranging from 3 months to 23 years. All patients presented with severe epilepsy and distinct neurological abnormalities on MRI. Before HS, different degrees of abnormal intellectual performance as well as hemiparesis were seen in 86% and 90%, respectively. Histopathology examination confirmed this diagnosis in 95% patients. At the last follow-up, 68% of patients were seizure free, and 70% were classified as Engel Class I or II. Postoperatively, the cognitive status remained unchanged in 64% of patients. Likewise, the gross motor function remained unchanged in 54% of patients and 74% had functional hand ability after HS., Conclusions: Considering the progressive damage course of RE, hemispheric surgery should be offered to pediatric patients. It has manageable risks and results in good seizure outcome, and the preoperative functional status of these children is often preserved (even when the left hemisphere is involved), thus improving their quality of life., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare to have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe form of epileptic encephalopathy, presenting during the first years of life, and is very resistant to treatment. Once medical therapy has failed, palliative surgeries such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) or corpus callosotomy (CC) are considered. Although CC is more effective than VNS as the primary neurosurgical treatment for LGS-associated drop attacks, there are limited data regarding the added value of CC following VNS. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of CC preceded by VNS., Methods: This multinational, multicenter retrospective study focuses on LGS children who underwent CC before the age of 18 years, following prior VNS, which failed to achieve satisfactory seizure control. Collected data included epilepsy characteristics, surgical details, epilepsy outcomes, and complications. The primary outcome of this study was a 50% reduction in drop attacks., Results: A total of 127 cases were reviewed (80 males). The median age at epilepsy onset was 6 months (interquartile range [IQR] = 3.12-22.75). The median age at VNS surgery was 7 years (IQR = 4-10), and CC was performed at a median age of 11 years (IQR = 8.76-15). The dominant seizure type was drop attacks (tonic or atonic) in 102 patients. Eighty-six patients underwent a single-stage complete CC, and 41 an anterior callosotomy. Ten patients who did not initially have a complete CC underwent a second surgery for completion of CC due to seizure persistence. Overall, there was at least a 50% reduction in drop attacks and other seizures in 83% and 60%, respectively. Permanent morbidity occurred in 1.5%, with no mortality., Significance: CC is vital in seizure control in children with LGS in whom VNS has failed. Surgical risks are low. A complete CC has a tendency toward better effectiveness than anterior CC for some seizure types., (© 2023 The Authors. Epilepsia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International League Against Epilepsy.)

The compost-bedded pack barn (CBPB) system has been increasingly adopted by dairy farms due to its ability to enhance animal comfort and milk production. This study evaluated the associations among bedding characteristics, milk quality and composition, and subclinical mastitis (SCM) occurrence in dairy herds housed in CBPB systems. Over a period of six months, data related to milk quality and udder health and bedding sampling were collected from eight dairy farms. Monthly measurements of the bedding temperature and wind speed inside the CBPB were taken, while temperature and relative humidity data inside the CBPB were recorded using a datalogger. Bedding samples were subjected to analysis of moisture, pH, microbiological count, and carbon/nitrogen ratio. Data on milk composition (fat, protein, milk urea nitrogen, and total solids) and quality (somatic cell count and standard plate count) of bulk tank milk were obtained from DHIA results. Canonical correlation analyses were used to evaluate the association between the analyzed group variables, and linear regression models were used to identify associations between bedding characteristics and SCM occurrence in the studied herds. The bedding characteristics that most influenced milk composition and quality were moisture, temperature at 30 cm depth (T30), and bedding pH. Environmental variables played an important role in bedding composting, as they were closely related to the surface temperature and pH. Overall, 62.71% of the variation in milk quality and composition could be explained by the bedding variables, and 77.50% of the variation in the bedding variables was associated with environmental variables. Median SCM prevalence and incidence were 28.6 and 13.8%, respectively. An increase of 1 °C for T30 resulted in a 0.6% reduction in the prevalence of SCM. Additionally, the bedding surface temperature at 22.3 °C resulted in the highest incidence of SCM (~18.1%). Our results demonstrate the importance of controlling microclimatic conditions in the CBPB to optimize the bedding composting process and milk quality.

Background: Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes infections mainly in immunosuppressed individuals, such as transplant recipients. Aims: This study investigated the effects of rapamycin, an immunosuppressant drug, on the cellular organization, biophysical characteristics, and main virulence factors of C. neoformans . Methods: Morphological, structural, physicochemical and biophysical analyses of cells and secreted polysaccharides of the reference H99 C. neoformans strain were investigated under the effect of subinhibitory concentrations of rapamycin. Results: Rapamycin at a minimum inhibitory concentration of 2.5 μM reduced C. neoformans cell viability by 53%, decreased capsule, increased cell size, chitin and lipid body formation, and changed peptidase and urease activity. Conclusion: Further studies are needed to assess how rapamycin affects the virulence factors and pathogenicity of C. neoformans.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) bacterial subtyping for the rapid detection of biomarkers in Staphylococcus aureus from subclinical bovine mastitis., Methods and Results: A total of 229 S. aureus isolates were obtained from milk samples collected from cows with subclinical mastitis using microbiological culture. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were also submitted to PCR analysis targeting the mecA and mecC genes, which are indicative of methicillin resistance. Confirmation of the species was achieved through MALDI-TOF MS analysis. To analyze antimicrobial resistance patterns, the MALDI BioTyper Compass Explorer and ClinProTools Bruker software were employed, and dendrograms were generated using Bionumerics software., Conclusions: MALDI-TOF MS successfully identified S. aureus at the species level, but no methicillin resistance was observed. Moreover, spectral typing displayed limited similarity when compared to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Applied Microbiology International.)

Groups (Grp) 3 and 4 are aggressive molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma (MB), with high rates of leptomeningeal dissemination. To date, there is still a paucity of biomarkers for these subtypes of MBs. In this study, we investigated the clinical significance and biological functions of Musashi-1 (MSI1) in Grp3 and Grp4-MBs. First, we assessed the expression profile of MSI1 in 59 primary MB samples (15-WNT, 18-SHH, 9-Grp3, and 17-Grp4 subgroups) by qRT-PCR. MSI1 mRNA expression levels were also validated in an additional public dataset of MBs (GSE85217). The ROC curve was used to validate the diagnostic standards of MSI1 expression. Next, the potential correlated cell-cycle genes were measured by RNA-Seq. Cell cycle, cell viability, and apoptosis were evaluated in a Grp3/Grp4 MB cell line after knockdown of MSI1 and cisplatin treatment. We identified an overexpression of MSI1 with a high accuracy to discriminate Grp3/Grp4-MBs from non-Grp3/Grp4-MBs. We identified that MSI1 knockdown not only triggered transcriptional changes in the cell-cycle pathway, but also affected G2/M phase in vitro, supporting the role of knockdown of MSI1 in cell-cycle arrest. Finally, MSI1 knockdown decreased cell viability and sensitized D283-Med cells to cisplatin treatment by enhancing cell apoptosis. Based on these findings, we suggest that MSI1 modulates cell-cycle progression and may play a role as biomarker for Grp3/Grp4-MBs. In addition, MSI1 knockdown combined with cisplatin may offer a potential strategy to be further explored in Grp3/Grp4-MBs., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Japan Human Cell Society.)

Background: Several operative procedures have been described for treating a Kim lesion. However, no physical therapy intervention has been documented as conservative treatment for these cases., Objective: The purpose of this report was to describe a physical therapy management protocol for an athlete with a Kim lesion., Case Description: A 22-year-old female volleyball athlete presented to physical therapy with an 8-month history of right shoulder pain when performing the serve and attack sports gestures. Pain was 5/10 on the visual analogue scale (VAS). Pain was localized along the glenohumeral joint, around the long head of the biceps brachii tendon, and at the subscapularis tendon insertion. Shoulder range of motion (ROM) was limited to flexion (150°), abduction (158°), and internal rotation (80°). Kim lesion was confirmed by clinical tests (Kim test and Jerk test) and via magnetic resonance imaging. Shoulder functional outcomes were verified through the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating scale. Upper extremity sensorimotor control was verified in bimanual support by stabilometry on a baropodometer. Core function was assessed through a plank test and a side plank test. The 8-week course of treatment included manual therapy, physical agents, shoulder and scapular mobilizations, resistance and sensorimotor exercises, core strengthening, and functional exercises., Outcomes: Physical therapy interventions resulted in a decrease in VAS pain (3/10), an increase in shoulder ROM (10.8°) and in UCLA shoulder score (from 22 to 33 points), a reduction in the center of pressure displacement (27-56%), and an increase in plank test (45%) and side plank test (21-29%) performance. The athlete had a full return to sport after the treatment., Conclusion: We concluded that the protocol used for conservative management of Kim lesion resulted in clinical satisfactory physical and functional outcomes for the athlete.

Objective: Rasmussen Encephalitis (RE) is a rare inflammatory neurodegenerative disease associated with refractory seizures, hemiparesis, and cognitive deterioration, due to lateralized cortical atrophy. Hemispheric surgery (hemispherotomy) is the mainstay of treatment, but its unavoidable motor deficits and lack of long-term data regarding seizure outcomes can make patients and families apprehensive to undergo this procedure. The present study aimed at analyzing the results of surgical treatment for RE from a motor and epilepsy standpoint, and mitigate such concerns., Methods: Clinical and operative data were retrospectively collected from medical records of pharmacoresistant patients treated with functional hemispherectomy at a tertiary reference center for epilepsy surgery, during a 24-year period (1996-2020). Variables such as age of epilepsy onset, seizure semiology, seizure frequency, immunomodulatory therapy, age at surgery, duration of epilepsy, surgical procedures and complications, number of medications used preoperatively and postoperatively were described and statistically analyzed., Results: Forty-three (43) patients were included in this study. Mean age of epilepsy onset was 6.14 years, the average interval between epilepsy onset and hemispherotomy was 2.21 years. and the mean age at surgery was 8.28 years. Thirty patients (69.7%) were Engel I at their last follow-up, of whom 23 (56.4%) were Engel Ia, within a mean follow-up of 11.3 years. Duration of epilepsy, seizure frequency, and age at surgery, among others, did not correlate with seizure outcome, except the use of immunotherapy which led to worse outcomes (p < .05). Also, after surgery, motor functionality was significantly recovered (i.e., most patients returned to their previous status) with time., Significance: This study tackled some issues regarding the surgical treatment of this disease, particularly showing that hemispherotomy is safe and leads to potentially recoverable disability of motor functions while providing high rates of effective and long-lasting seizure control; therefore, early surgical indication should be warranted once medical refractoriness has been established., (© 2023 International League Against Epilepsy.)

Biosurfactants can replace fossil-driven surfactants with positive environmental impacts, owing to their low eco-toxicity and high biodegradability. However, their large-scale production and application are restricted by high production costs. Such costs can be reduced using renewable raw materials and facilitated downstream processing. Here, a novel strategy for mannosylerythritol lipid (MEL) production explores the combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic carbon sources sideways with a novel downstream processing strategy, based on nanofiltration technology. Co-substrate MEL production by Moesziomyces antarcticus was threefold higher than using D-glucose with low levels of residual lipids. The use of waste frying oil instead of soybean oil (SBO) in co-substrate strategy resulted in similar MEL production. Moesziomyces antarcticus cultivations, using 3.9 M of total carbon in substrates, yields 7.3, 18.1, and 20.1 g/L of MEL, and 2.1, 10.0, and 5.1 g/L of residual lipids, for D-glucose, SBO, and a combination of D-Glucose and SBO, respectively. Such approach makes it possible to reduce the amount of oil used, offset by the equivalent molar increase in D-glucose, improving sustainability and decreasing residual unconsumed oil substrates, facilitating downstream processing. Moesziomyces spp. also produces lipases that broken down the oil and, thus, residual unconsumed oils are in the form of free fatty-acids or monoacylglycerol, which are smaller molecules than MEL. Therefore, nanofiltration of ethyl acetate extracts from co-substrate-based culture broths allows to improve MEL purity (ratio of MEL per total MEL and residual lipids) from 66 to 93% using 3-diavolumes., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: To analyze the expression and prognostic role of L1CAM in tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC)., Methods: L1CAM protein expression by immunohistochemistry was analyzed in 644 HGSC (413 effusions, 231 surgical specimens). Expression was analyzed for association with clinicopathologic parameters and survival., Results: L1CAM protein expression was found in 401/413 (97%) effusions and 209/231 (90%) surgical specimens, with significantly higher staining extent in effusions (p < 0.001). L1CAM protein expression in effusions was unrelated to clinicopathologic parameters (p > 0.05). In surgical specimens, higher L1CAM expression was significantly related to primary (intrinsic) chemoresistance (p = 0.017). High (>25%) L1CAM expression in HGSC effusions (p = 0.02), older patient age (p = 0.013), FIGO stage IV disease (p < 0.001) and larger residual disease volume (p = 0.001) were significantly associated with shorter overall survival (OS) in univariate analysis. In Cox multivariate analysis, only FIGO stage (p = 0.001) and residual disease volume (p = 0.003) were independent prognosticators of OS. L1CAM expression in effusions was unrelated to progression-free survival (PFS). There was no association between L1CAM expression in surgical specimens and survival., Conclusion: L1CAM is overexpressed in HGSC effusions compared to surgical specimens. Its overexpression in effusions is significantly associated with shorter OS, but not independently of established prognostic factors such as FIGO stage and residual disease volume., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None declared., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Choroid plexus papillomas (CPPs) are rare benign neoplasms which are particularly uncommon in the posterior fossa in children. We herein present a case series of five patients treated at a tertiary care hospital. A comprehensive literature review was also carried out. The patients treated at the tertiary care hospital were aged between 4 and 16 years. Gross total resection (GTR) was initially achieved in two patients. All patients showed clinical improvement. Moreover, 27 articles published between 1975 and 2021 were selected for the literature review, totaling 46 patients; with the 5 patients previously described, the total sample was composed of 51 cases, With a mean age was 8.2 years. The lesions were located either in the fourth ventricle (65.3%) or the cerebellopontine angle (34.7%). Hydrocephalus was present preoperatively in 66.7% of the patients, and a permanent shunt was required in 31.6% of the cases. The GTR procedure was feasible in 64.5%, and 93.8% showed clinical improvement. For CPPs, GTR is the gold standard treatment and should be attempted whenever feasible, especially because the role of the adjuvant treatment remains controversial. Neuromonitoring is a valuable tool to achieve maximal safe resection. Hydrocephalus is common and must be recognized and promptly treated. Most patients will need a permanent shunt. Though there is still controversy on its efficacy, endoscopic third ventriculostomy is a safe procedure, and was the authors' first choice to treat hydrocephalus., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

The core objective of this study was to genetically and phenotypically characterize subclinical mastitis-causing multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDRSA). In addition, risk factors associated with subclinical mastitis caused by MDRSA were investigated. Bacterial cultures were performed on 2120 mammary quarters, 40 swabs of milk utensils, 5 bulk tank milk samples, and 11 nostril and 11 hand swabs from milkers from five dairy farms. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was conducted for S. aureus identification. Antimicrobial resistance was screened phenotypically using the disk diffusion test in all S. aureus isolates. A biofilm formation assay; detection of genes associated with beta-lactam resistance, efflux pump, and biofilm formation; and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were performed in all MDRSA isolates. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was carried out in cefoxitin-resistant MDRSA isolates. A total of 188 S. aureus isolates from milk as well as two from milking utensils and one from bulk tank milk were identified. Most of the isolates (92.7%; 177 of 191) showed beta-lactam resistance, and 7% (14 of 191) were MDRSA. Interestingly, 36% (5 of 14) of MDRSA isolates were cefoxitin-resistant, but none carried mecA or mecC genes. Based on PFGE results, it was observed that S. aureus strains were more likely to be unique to a specific herd. Two clonal complexes were identified, CC97 (ST126; commonly livestock-associated) and CC1 (ST7440; usually community-associated). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ST7440 isolated from bovine mastitis in Brazil. The risk factor results underscored the importance of considering parity, stage of lactation, SCC, milk production, and herd size when studying the risk of subclinical mastitis and antimicrobial resistance in S. aureus . Thus, to implement effective strategies to prevent subclinical mastitis in dairy herds and to minimize MDRSA spread, it is important to understand MDRSA strains' distribution and their antimicrobial resistance profile.

Enterococcus spp., including E. faecalis and E. faecium , pose risks to dairy farms as opportunistic pathogens. The study evaluates antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence characteristics of Enterococcus spp. isolated from bovine milk. Bile esculin agar was used to assess 1471 milk samples, followed by colony identification, gram staining, catalase tests, and 45 °C incubation. PCR analysis targeted E. faecalis and E. faecium in characteristic Enterococcus spp. colonies, with MALDI-TOF used for negative samples. Multiple tests, including disk diffusion, chromogenic VRE agar for vancomycin resistance, Vancomycin Etest ® for MIC determination, and PCR for virulence factors ( cyl A, esp , efa A, ace , asa 1, gel E, and hyl genes), were performed. Out of 100 identified strains, E. durans (30.66%), E. faecium (26.28%), and E. faecalis (18.25%) were predominant. AMR in Enterococcus spp. varied, with the highest rates against rifampicin (27%), tetracycline (20%), and erythromycin (18%). Linezolid (5%), vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, and teicoplanin (3% each) had lower prevalence. E. faecium and E. faecalis showed high AMR to rifampicin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. Thirty-two strains (18.98%) grew on VRE Chromoselect agar, while 4 (2 E. faecalis and 2 E. faecium ) showed vancomycin resistance by MIC values. E. faecalis carried gel E (45.5%) and asa 1 (36%), and E. gallinarum had 9.1% with the asa 1 gene. Detecting resistant Enterococcus in bovine milk supports control strategies for enterococci on dairy farms, highlighting AMR concerns in the food chain.

The study aimed to evaluate the genetic diversity of Staphylococcus aureus causing subclinical mastitis (SM) isolated from dairy cows and to assess the effect of the infection status (transient vs. persistent) on the milk and component yield. A total of six dairy farms in São Paulo state were used for the selection of cows with SM caused by S. aureus. S. aureus strains (n = 56) obtained from three biweekly aseptic mammary quarter milk samplings (n = 1140 from 95 cows) were subjected to MALDI-TOF MS analysis for species confirmation and further PFGE analysis. Intramammary infections (IMI) caused by S. aureus were categorized as transient (T: when only one out of 3 milk samplings had positive isolation of any pulsotype) or persistent (P: when two (P2) or three (P3) milk samplings had positive isolation of identical pulsotype over the consecutive episodes of SM. The SmaI macrorestriction fragment profiles of 56 S. aureus isolates showed a dominant S. aureus clonal pattern (PFGE type A; n = 50; 89.3%) within and among the herds. The SM-causing S. aureus represented a reduction of quarter milk yield of 26.2% in transient and 54.8% in persistent cases as well as a reduction of total solid yield of 38.1% and 49.4%, respectively, when compared with the healthy control quarters. Overall, the greater chance of S. aureus to be persistent is when a dominant clonal pattern is present in the herd which consequently may be associated with the cause of accentuated milk loss., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Introduction: Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) constitute the most prevalent congenital pathology, and they are a consequence of structural and functional abnormalities during fetal development. The etiology of CHD involves the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Fetal cardiac surgery aims at preventing natural pathways of CHD in utero, mitigating progression to more complex abnormalities. The goal of this review was to demonstrate the benefits and risks of fetal interventions in the two most prevalent CHDs, pulmonary stenosis and pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum, but also critical aortic stenosis and hypoplastic left heart syndrome., Methods: Original and relevant articles were selected by meta-aggregation to perform a qualitative analysis of fetal cardiac interventions for pulmonary stenosis and critical aortic stenosis. The Joanna Briggs Institute's Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (or JBI-QARI) was used for data quality appraisal., Results: Of 61 potential articles, 13 were selected, and nine were finally included. Discussion: The present review demonstrated that fetal cardiac surgery increases right ventricular growth and hemodynamic flow in pulmonary stenosis, whereas in critical aortic stenosis it enables growth of the left ventricle and increases left ventricular pressure. However, it has a high complication rate, along with considerable morbidity and mortality., Conclusion: The benefits of fetal cardiac surgery for pulmonary stenosis and critical aortic stenosis are well-described in the literature; however, there is a significant risk of complications which can be reduced by the surgeon's technical expertise and well-structured hospital facilities.

Objective: Describe the epidemiological profile and social-economic burden that hydrocephalus patients represent to the national public health system, using data available at the online database of the Brazilian Health Ministry (DataSUS)., Methods: This is a populational study based on descriptive statistics of all clinical and surgical appointments included in the DataSUS database. Data included herein were collected between 2015 and 2021 and subdivided into three main groups, related to hydrocephalus incidence and mortality, hospitalizations, and financial costs., Results: In the study period, 3993 new cases of congenital hydrocephalus were diagnosed, with 6051 deaths overall. The mortality rate in the country was 1.5/100000 live births and the prevalence was 0.374/100000 inhabitants. The number of hospitalizations resulting from treatment procedures and complications of hydrocephalus was 137,880 and there was a reduction of up to 27.2% during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemics concerning previous years. Total costs for hydrocephalus management in the country amounted to 140,610,585.51 dollars., Conclusions: Hydrocephalus has a significant impact on public health budgets and pediatric mortality rates; however, it is probably underestimated, due to the paucity of demographic data and epidemiological studies in Latin America and, specifically, in Brazil. The dataSUS also has several limitations in accessing certain data related to hydrocephalus, making it difficult to have a more assertive understanding of the disease in Brazil. The results of this study provide important guidance for future research projects in clinical and experimental hydrocephalus and also the creation of public policies for better governance and care of hydrocephalus patients., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: We aimed to analyze the potential for postoperative (PO) medication suspension and reduction, emphasizing passive withdrawal., Methods: Retrospective study of patients under 18 years old submitted to surgical treatment for pharmacoresistant epilepsy and classified as Engel I during the first year of PO follow-up. Therapeutic management was evaluated through discontinuation or reduction of medications, both in terms of the number of ASM prescribed and in daily maintenance dosages in mg/kg., Results: ASM withdrawal started in the first year PO and occurred in 1.2% of cases, with a significant yearly reduction in the number of ASM during follow-up (p < 0.001). A comparison of the most commonly used ASM in daily mg/kg between the preoperative period (preop) and PO showed a reduction of ASM maintenance dosages during PO. Even though recurrence of seizures was observed 5 years after surgery, 125 patients (85%) were still classified as Engel I, albeit a higher number of ASM per patient was observed. Most patients showed no changes in cognitive and adaptive behavior evaluation between preop and PO, even in those who were able to reduce ASM., Conclusion: Significant reduction observed both in the number and daily maintenance dosages of ASM following each year of PO may be an indirect measure of the effectiveness of epilepsy surgery., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: People with epilepsy are at an increased risk of experiencing executive dysfunction, particularly those with frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE). The literature has also demonstrated alterations in executive functioning (EF) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, few studies have examined the neuropsychological profile of posterior cortex epilepsy (PCE), and little attention has been given to cognitive impairments in the pediatric population with PCE. This study aims to investigate EF performance in children with drug-resistant PCE compared to patients with FLE and TLE., Methods: We analyzed neuropsychological data from 217 patients aged 6-18 years who underwent preoperative evaluation for epilepsy surgery. The EF of patients with PCE was compared to patients with FLE and TLE., Results: There was no significant difference in Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) means between groups. However, we found a significant effect of brain region on the Coding task, in which patients with PCE and FLE performed worse than those with TLE (p = 0.034). We also observed performance differences between groups on the Stroop test (p = 0.005), with patients with PCE and FLE performing worse than the TLE group., Significance: These findings suggest that children with PCE have alterations in their EF that are similar to the deficits found in FLE compared to patients with TLE. This emphasizes the importance of understanding the neuroanatomy of executive functions and the model of neural networks extending beyond the prefrontal cortex., Competing Interests: Declarations of interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate the effects of cyclosporine on the morphology, cell wall structure, and secretion characteristics of Cryptococcus neoformans . The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cyclosporine was found to be 2 µM (2.4 µg/mL) for the H99 strain. Yeast cells treated with cyclosporine at half the MIC showed altered morphology, including irregular shapes and elongated projections, without an effect on cell metabolism. Cyclosporine treatment resulted in an 18-fold increase in chitin and an 8-fold increase in lipid bodies, demonstrating changes in the fungal cell wall structure. Cyclosporine also reduced cell body and polysaccharide capsule diameters, with a significant reduction in urease secretion in C. neoformans cultures. Additionally, the study showed that cyclosporine increased the viscosity of secreted polysaccharides and reduced the electronegativity and conductance of cells. The findings suggest that cyclosporine has significant effects on C. neoformans morphology, cell wall structure, and secretion, which could have implications for the development of new antifungal agents.

Compost-bedded pack barns (CB) are receiving increasing attention as a housing system that can potentially improve the welfare of dairy cows. This study characterized the frequency and profile of pathogens isolated from clinical (CM) and subclinical (SCM) mastitis in dairy cows housed in CB. It evaluated the association between mastitis occurrence and bedding characteristics in CB systems. Over six months, seven dairy herds were visited monthly for milk and bedding sample collections. Milk samples from mastitis cases were submitted to microbiological identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF MS). Bedding samples were submitted to physical-chemical (pH, organic matter, moisture, and carbon to nitrogen ratio) and microbiological counting (total bacterial counts, coliforms, streptococci, and staphylococci) analyses. Regression analysis was used to determine the association between mastitis occurrence and CB characteristics. Our results showed that Escherichia coli and environmental streptococci were the most frequently isolated pathogens from CM cases, while Staphylococcus chromogenes and contagious pathogens ( Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae ) were the most commonly isolated from SCM cases. Bedding moisture content was positively associated with the incidence of CM. The bedding carbon to nitrogen ratio was negatively associated with the incidence of SCM, and the bedding total bacteria counts tended to be associated with the incidence of SCM. Bedding counts of coliforms positively associated with the prevalence of SCM. Our results can support decision-makers in the dairy industry seeking strategies for bedding management and mastitis control.

Aims: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common pathogens associated with mastitis in dairy herds worldwide. This study evaluated the profile of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes of spa type t605 methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus isolated from subclinical bovine mastitis in São Paulo, Brazil., Methods and Results: A total of 57 S. aureus strains were screened by conventional PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) for 49 virulence genes. The most prevalent virulence genes detected were icaD (94.7%), fib (93%), fnbA (82.5%), clfA (80.7%), bap (78.9%), clfB (73.7%), icaA (66.7%), see (64.9%), and sed (61.4%). The blaZ (94.7%), aac6'aph2' (15.8%), and ant4 (12.3%) genes were the most common antimicrobial resistance genes; however, mecA and mecC genes were not found. All methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strains were characterized through spa and agr typing. The spa type t605 was found in all isolates. By agr typing, the most prevalent were type II (56.1%). Antimicrobial resistance was determined by the disk diffusion method, and 93% showed resistance to at least one antibiotic. Penicillin resistance was the most prevalent (87.7%), followed by tetracycline (12.3%), oxacillin (10.5%), and gentamicin (10.5%) resistance., Conclusion: Our study confirmed the spa type t605 as endemic, carrying a wide variety of virulence factors and high-level penicillin resistance. The profile seems to be associated with the colonization of MSSA and its persistence in subclinical mastitis., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Applied Microbiology International.)

Abstract: A 15-year-old adolescent boy with left body epilepsia partialis continua, hemiparesis, and electroencephalogram abnormalities lateralized to the right hemisphere. MRI finding was small hyperintense signal in the left putamen. 18F-FDG PET showed focal glucose hypermetabolism in the right paracentral lobule and hypometabolism in the inferior right frontal and precentral gyri. One month later, a new MRI showed a hyperintense signal over the paracentral lobule. Biopsy on this region confirmed the diagnosis of Rasmussen encephalitis. This patient finally underwent right hemispherotomy and became seizure free. This case emphasize the PET as an important early tool for the diagnosis of Rasmussen encephalitis., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest and sources of funding: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences, Provost’s Office for Research, University of São Paulo (grant no. 2011.1.9333.1.3)., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The increased awareness of population regarding the impact of consumption habits is leading to interest in new, innovative, diversified and health promoting foods. In this work, two new amazake fermented products were developed with chestnut ( Castanea sativa Mill.), using rice or chestnut koji as source of glycolytic enzymes. The analysis of the amazakes evolution showed improvements in chestnuts physicochemical characteristics. The fermented products presented higher values of soluble protein, sugars, starches, antioxidant capacity, and similar values of ascorbic acid for chestnut koji amazake. The adhesiveness increased, which is related to the enhanced concentrations of sugars and starches. The evolution into less structured products was observed in the firmness followed by a consistent decrease of the viscoelastic moduli. The developed chestnut amazakes can represent a suitable alternative to traditional amazake, creating an opportunity for valorisation of chestnut industrial by-products, as new, tasty, and nutritive fermented products with potential functional characteristics., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

The pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been responsible for approximately 6.8 million deaths worldwide, threatening more than 753 million individuals. People with severe coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection often exhibit an immunosuppression condition, resulting in greater chances of developing co-infections with bacteria and fungi, including opportunistic yeasts belonging to the Saccharomyces and Candida genera. In the present work, we have reported the case of a 75-year-old woman admitted at a Brazilian university hospital with an arterial ulcer in the left foot, which was being prepared for surgical amputation. The patient presented other underlying diseases and presented positive tests for COVID-19 prior to hospitalization. She received antimicrobial treatment, but her general condition worsened quickly, leading to death by septic shock after 4 days of hospitalization. Blood samples collected on the day she died were positive for yeast-like organisms, which were later identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae by both biochemical and molecular methods. The fungal strain exhibited low minimal inhibitory concentration values for the antifungal agents tested (amphotericin B, 5-flucytosine, caspofungin, fluconazole and voriconazole), and it was able to produce important virulence factors, such as extracellular bioactive molecules (e.g., aspartic peptidase, phospholipase, esterase, phytase, catalase, hemolysin and siderophore) and biofilm. Despite the activity against planktonic cells, the antifungals were not able to impact the mature biofilm parameters (biomass and viability). Additionally, the S. cerevisiae strain caused the death of Tenebrio molitor larvae, depending on the fungal inoculum, and larvae immunosuppression with corticosteroids increased the larvae mortality rate. In conclusion, the present study highlighted the emergence of S. cerevisiae as an opportunistic fungal pathogen in immunosuppressed patients presenting several severe comorbidities, including COVID-19 infection.

Prototheca spp. is a frequent cause of bovine mastitis and is highly resistant to commonly used disinfectants. This study aimed to: (1) evaluate the antimicrobial activity of polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) against mastitis-causing Prototheca spp., and (2) evaluate the biofilm production ability of Prototheca spp. A total of 85 Prototheca bovis and 2 Prototheca blaschkeae isolates from bovine mastitis cases were submitted to biofilm production assays and antimicrobial susceptibility tests against PHMB and disinfectants commonly used in dairy herds (chlorhexidine digluconate, povidone-iodine, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, and sodium hypochlorite). The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal algicidal concentration (MAC) were determined by microdilution assays. We observed that PHMB (MIC 90 : ≥2 µg/mL and MAC 90 : ≥4 µg/mL) and chlorhexidine gluconate (MIC 90 and MAC 90 : ≥2 µg/mL) presented the highest antimicrobial activity against P. bovis isolates, followed by sodium dichloroisocyanurate (MIC 90 and MAC 90 : ≥1,400 µg/mL), sodium hypochlorite (MIC 90 and MAC 90 : ≥2,800 µg/mL), and povidone-iodine (MIC 90 and MAC 90 : ≥3,200 µg/mL). Concerning P. blaschkeae isolates, PHMB (MIC and MAC ≥1 µg/mL) and chlorhexidine gluconate (MIC and MAC ≥1 µg/mL) were the disinfectants that presented the lowest concentration values required to inhibit the isolates. Regarding biofilms formation, 63.5% (n = 54/85) of the P. bovis isolates were classified as strong, 28.3% (n = 24/85) moderate, and 8.2% (n = 7/85) weak biofilm producers. In contrast, the P. blaschkeae isolates were classified as weak and moderate biofilm producers. These findings suggest that PHMB has the potential to be used for teat and milking-equipment disinfection for the prevention of mastitis-causing Prototheca spp. in dairy herds., (The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. and Fass Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

The present article describes pathophysiological and clinical aspects of congenital malformations of the cerebral tissue (cortex and white matter) that cause epilepsy and very frequently require surgical treatment. A particular emphasis is given to focal cortical dysplasias, the most common pathology among these epilepsy-related malformations. Specific radiological and surgical features are also highlighted, so a thorough overview of cortical dysplasias is provided., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The objective of this work was to evaluate crops for their ability to phytoremediate diclosulam residues in the soil and produce lignocellulosic ethanol. Physiological characteristics, biomass production, soil cover rate, fermentable sugar production and lignocellulosic ethanol production potential of the crops were evaluated in soil with diclosulam residues. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications. The treatments were arranged in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme with the following crops as the first factor: Avena sativa, Canavalia ensiformis, Mucuna aterrima , and Pennisetum glaucum . The second factor was the presence or absence of the herbicide diclosulam in the soil (30 g ha -1 ). The physiological variables of the plant species were not affected by the presence of diclosulam; the soil cover of P. glaucum was lower in the area with diclosulam, with a value of 26%. The levels of glucose were not affected by the presence of diclosulam in A. sativa, C. ensiformis , and M. aterrima , indicate not change the estimated yield of ethanol for this species. Avena sativa and Pennisetum glaucum have the potential to phytoremediate soils containing diclosulam residues, with concomitant lignocellulosic ethanol production ability.

Most new pathogens of humans and animals arise via switching events from distinct host species. However, our understanding of the evolutionary and ecological drivers of successful host adaptation, expansion, and dissemination are limited. Staphylococcus aureus is a major bacterial pathogen of humans and a leading cause of mastitis in dairy cows worldwide. Here we trace the evolutionary history of bovine S. aureus using a global dataset of 10,254 S. aureus genomes including 1,896 bovine isolates from 32 countries in 6 continents. We identified 7 major contemporary endemic clones of S. aureus causing bovine mastitis around the world and traced them back to 4 independent host-jump events from humans that occurred up to 2,500 y ago. Individual clones emerged and underwent clonal expansion from the mid-19th to late 20th century coinciding with the commercialization and industrialization of dairy farming, and older lineages have become globally distributed via established cattle trade links. Importantly, we identified lineage-dependent differences in the frequency of host transmission events between humans and cows in both directions revealing high risk clones threatening veterinary and human health. Finally, pangenome network analysis revealed that some bovine S. aureus lineages contained distinct sets of bovine-associated genes, consistent with multiple trajectories to host adaptation via gene acquisition. Taken together, we have dissected the evolutionary history of a major endemic pathogen of livestock providing a comprehensive temporal, geographic, and gene-level perspective of its remarkable success.

SU-8 polymer is an excellent platform for diverse applications due to its high aspect ratio of micro/nanostructure fabrication and exceptional physicochemical and biocompatible properties. Although SU-8 polymer has often been investigated for various biological applications, how its surface properties influence the interaction of bacterial cells with the substrate and its colonization is poorly understood. In this work, we tailor SU-8 nanoscale surface properties to investigate single-cell motility, adhesion, and successive colonization of phytopathogenic bacteria, Xylella fastidiosa . Different surface properties of SU-8 thin films have been prepared using photolithography processing and oxygen plasma treatment. A more significant density of carboxyl groups in hydrophilic plasma-treated SU-8 surfaces promotes faster cell motility in the earlier growth stage. The hydrophobic nature of pristine SU-8 surfaces shows no trackable bacterial motility and 5-10 times more single cells adhered to the surface than its plasma-treated counterpart. In addition, plasma-treated SU-8 samples suppressed bacterial adhesion, with surfaces showing less than 5% coverage. These results not only showcase that SU-8 surface properties can impact the spatiotemporal bacterial behavior but also provide insights into pathogens' prominent ability to evolve and adapt to different surface properties.

We aimed to evaluate the impact of selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) (protocol 1: antimicrobial combined with internal teat sealant (ITS); vs. protocol 2: ITS alone) on bacterial diversity and the abundance of quarter milk. Eighty high production cows (parity ≤ 3 and an average milk yield of 36.5 kg/cow/day) from the largest Brazilian dairy herd available were randomly selected; milk quarter samples were collected for microbiological culture (MC) on the day of drying-off ( n = 313) and on day 7 post-calving ( n = 313). Based on the results of the MC before and after calving, 240 quarters out of 313 were considered healthy, 38 were cured, 29 showed new infections and 6 had persistent infections. Mammary quarters were randomly selected based on intramammary information status and SDCT protocols for bacterial diversity analyses. The bacterial diversity was similar when comparing both healthy and cured quarters submitted to both drying-off protocols. Despite healthy cows that were treated at dry-off using only teat sealant showing no alteration in the alpha and beta bacterial diversity, they did show a higher abundance of bacterial groups that may be beneficial to or commensals of the mammary gland, which implies that antibiotic therapy should be reserved for mammary quarters with a history of mastitis.