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Marize Lima de Sousa Holanda Biazotto,1,2 Fernanda Viana Bittencourt,3 Gilson Roberto de Araújo,2 Sérgio Eduardo Soares Fernandes,1 Leila Bernarda Donato Göttems,1 Carlos Manoel Lopes Rodrigues,4 Francisco de Assis Rocha Neves,2 Fábio Ferreira Amorim1,2 1School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences (ESCS), Brasília, Federal District, Brazil; 2Graduation Program in Health Sciences, University of Brasília (UnB), Brasília, Federal District, Brazil; 3Education and Research Foundation of Health Sciences (FEPECS), Brasília, Federal District, Brazil; 4School of Psychology, Centro Universitário de Brasília (UniCEUB), Brasília, Federal District, BrazilCorrespondence: Fábio Ferreira Amorim, School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences (ESCS), UNIDADE I - SMHN Quadra 03, Conjunto A, Bloco 1 - Edifício FEPECS, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil, Tel +55 61 999773516, Email fabio.amorim@escs.edu.brPurpose: Affirmative action policies to provide access to higher education for socially vulnerable students have been implemented in several countries and have faced many questions nowadays. The aim of the study was to compare the socioeconomic background and performance during and after completing the undergraduate course of students admitted through the regular path and social quota systems in a public medical school in Brazil.Methods: A retrospective cohort study including students admitted to a medical school within the School of Health Sciences (ESCS), in Brazil, between 2005 and 2012, and followed until May 2020. In the first phase, data collection was performed by analyzing documents from the ESCS academic management system and Brazilian government agencies. In the second phase, a survey with 12 questions was sent to the medical school alumni. The social quota system criteria were the public school attendance in all primary and secondary education levels.Results: Among 707 students, 204 (28.9%) were from the social quota and 503 (78.5%) from the regular path system. The place of residence of social quota students had a lower Human Development Index (p < 0.001) and per capita income (p < 0.001) when compared to regular path students. Regular path students were associated with the highest dropout from medical school (OR: 50.552, 95% CI: 12.438– 205.453, p < 0.001). There was no difference between regular path and social quota students attending medical residency programs (OR: 1.780, 95% CI: 0.957– 3.309, p = 0.069). Out of the 308 alumni who completed the survey, regular path students had more family members who were health professionals than social quota students (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences regarding monthly income, job satisfaction, employment, or management activities.Conclusion: Affirmative action targeted students with a disadvantaged socioeconomic background. Regular path students had a higher dropout rate than social quota students.Keywords: medical school, medical education, affirmative action, public policy, social mobility, social marginalization

The article discusses a study at a public health center in Brazil to get initial experience of treatment of chronic venous insufficiency with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy. It states that the treatment was done in patients who were in advanced stages of the disease. It mentions several improvements after the treatment which include ulcer healing, reduced heaviness and less itching.

During aging, in addition to increased oxidative stress, inflammation also occurs. A chronic and low-grade inflammation - called "inflammaging" - develops, which contributes to the etiology of diseases related to aging. Resveratrol (Resv.) is a polyphenol well known for its biologically active properties, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This balance can be regulated by Nrf2 - a transcription factor that regulates cellular defense against oxidative agents through the expression or inhibition of certain genes. The objective was to evaluate the effect of Nrf2 on the production of cytokines in leukocytes of different ages treated with resveratrol (5µm). The subjects were divided into three groups: 20-39, 40-59 and 60-80 years old. After separation of the leukocytes, a 24-hour treatment was carried out with and without ML385 inhibitor with the treatments: Control, Resv, Peroxide and Peroxide+Resv. 150 µM peroxide was set to develop an oxidative environment. Cytokines were measured by ELISA (*p < 0.05). In general, there was an increase in TNF and IL-6 in cells stimulated with peroxide compared to controls. A decrease in these two cytokines was also observed in cells treated with resveratrol, both at basal levels and in an oxidizing environment (with peroxide). The polyphenol was able to increase IL-10 only in the youngest age groups. The same profile was observed comparing the same groups when the Nrf2 pathway was inhibited with ML385. It is concluded that resveratrol may have a better effect on preventing oxidation and inflammation present in aging, especially through the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory Nrf2 pathway., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there was no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To describe the main dengue metrics generated by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019 for South American countries between 1990 and 2019., Study Design: A descriptive study was carried out using the metrics obtained by the GBD Study 2019., Methods: The metrics of incidence, years of life lost due to premature death (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were evaluated, grouped by sex and country, between 1990 and 2019. The metrics were presented with age-standardized rates per 100,000 inhabitants and their respective uncertainty intervals (95%UI)., Results: The five countries with the highest DALY rates in 2019 were Suriname [78.60 DALYs per 100,000 inhabitants (95%UI 20.06-117.82)], Colombia [57.76 DALYs per 100,000 inhabitants (95%UI 44.35-69.97)], Guyana [29.21 DALYs per 100,000 inhabitants (95%UI 18.21-31.13)], Venezuela [22.58 DALYs per 100,000 inhabitants (95%UI 12.68-31.13)] and Brazil [18.86 DALYs per 100,000 inhabitants (95%UI 12.33-23.43)]. Between 2000 and 2010, there was a relative increase in DALY rates in practically all countries, with the highest percentages in Bolivia (222.5%), Venezuela (158.66%), Brazil (127.50%), Paraguay (90.22%) and Suriname (36.04%). Between 2010 and 2019, all countries showed a relative reduction in DALY rates., Conclusions: This study contributed to the understanding of the dengue burden on the South American continent, pointing to a relative increase between 2000 and 2010 and a relative reduction between 2010 and 2019 in practically all countries., (Copyright © 2024 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Chagas disease (CD) is a parasitic infection caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae). Benznidazole (Bz) has a limited ability to interfere with the pathogenicity of the parasite, which manages to overcome host defenses., Aim: This study aimed to conduct a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to understand and describe the drugs and their combinations, as well as new promising compounds used in the treatment of CD in Brazil. This study was registered in the Open Science Framework (OSF) and the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines., Material and Methods: Searches were performed in the electronic scientific databases PubMed, LILACS, SciELO, and BVS. Searches were conducted using descriptors cataloged in the Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), in Portuguese, English, and Spanish., Results: Of the 26 articles included in this systematic review and meta-analysis, 16 were related to drug combinations, and nine described new inhibitors of parasitic molecules. Despite high heterogeneity (I 2 = 92%), studies that evaluated the combination of Bz with other treatments for CD had an overall grouped cure rate of 74% (95% CI 54-94%). Only one study presented drug repositioning by monotherapy. Thus, drug combinations offer quick and accessible solutions for CD treatment, acting against resistant strains of T. cruzi., Conclusion: Certainly, the introduction of these promising compounds into the pharmaceutical market is distant, and the adoption of prophylactic measures is recommended as a barrier to the increasing number of CD cases., (Copyright © 2024 Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Specific Pathogen-Free (SPF) animals are bred and maintained to exclude pathogens associated with significant morbidity or mortality, which may pose a risk to research replicability. The BALB/c strain is distributed globally and is among the most commonly used inbred strains in immunology and infectious disease research. Despite being a widely distributed bacterium that causes chronic infection, Bartonella henselae infection has not been investigated in any protocol that characterizes SPF animals. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential natural infection of laboratory animals of the BALB/c lineage by B. henselae. To achieve this, ten immunocompetent BALB/c mice were obtained directly from the bioterium and euthanized for collection of samples, including blood, skin, spleen, liver, heart, eye, kidney, intestine, esophagus, and brain. DNA was extracted using a commercial kit and tested via nested PCR for the ftsZ gene, as well as conventional PCR and qualitative real-time PCR using Sybr® Green for the citrate synthase gene (gltA), all specific reactions for B. henselae. All animals showed detection of B. henselae DNA in at least two different reactions in different tissues. The sequenced amplicons showed 100 % similarity to B. henselae. The use of mice infected by B. henselae in experiments is undesirable, as the bacteria can affect several aspects of the animal's physiology and consequently influence the results of the project, especially when subjected to immunosuppression. More studies are needed to understand and confirm the natural infection in experimental animals by Bartonella spp.. To date, no additional published reports of contamination of experimental animals by these bacteria have been identified., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: One of the markers of aging is oxidative stress, a condition characterized by an increase in free radicals concomitant with a reduction in antioxidant defenses. Within this, resveratrol is a compound that has been shown to act as a potent antioxidant. However, few studies highlight the cellular signaling pathways that are activated or inhibited during aging and that are responsible for this biological effect., Aim: To verify the antioxidant profile of resveratrol (5 μM) in leukocytes from donors in different age groups., Methods: The project was approved by the Ethics Committee. Individuals were divided into three groups: 20-39, 40-59, and 60-80 years old. After separating the leukocytes, assays were performed to evaluate the AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) and Nrf2 (erythroid nuclear factor 2-related factor 2) pathways. In addition, luciferase assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed to evaluate transcription factor activation and Nrf2 expression, respectively. The analysis between age and treatment was performed using Pearson correlation (*P < 0.05)., Results: There was a reduction in the antioxidant effect of resveratrol during the aging process. In leukocytes from donors over 60 years of age, the AMPK pathway was silenced. Nrf2 was active at all ages. There was an increase in the activation of the transcription factor and phosphorylated protein in all age groups., Conclusions: Nrf2 is an important biochemical mechanism responsible for the antioxidant effect of resveratrol. This effect diminishes with aging but is still observed. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 954-961., (© 2024 Japan Geriatrics Society.)

One of the theories related to aging is the increase in oxidative stress. Given this, the objective of the study is to evaluate the cellular mechanisms responsible for the resveratrol antioxidant effect on leukocytes from donors aged between 20 and 80 years old. For this, leukocytes from donors of three age groups (20-39, 40-59 and 60-80) were isolated. Image-iT™LIVE Green Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Kit was used. Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS) analysis was performed by measuring nitric oxide and peroxynitrite. The PKA, Akt/PKB and p38-MAPK were evaluated by chemiluminescence. The statistical analysis between age and treatments were performed by Pearson correlation (*p < 0.05). It was possible to observe the antioxidant effect of resveratrol in all age groups. The correlation results show loss of resveratrol effect in decreasing ROS in leukocytes from older donors. We observed an active antioxidant effect of p38-MAPK in all ages, with resveratrol acting on it. The PKA and Akt/PKB were active in leukocytes from donors aged 20-59. In cells from donors older than 60, these pathways are silenced, and an effect is also not observed in cells treated with resveratrol. Therefore, resveratrol showed antioxidant effect in all age, although it was more pronounced in leukocytes from younger. One of resveratrol's mechanisms is due to the activation of the PKA and Akt/PKB, which were activated in younger donor cells., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The in situ population of jaguars in the Caatinga is less than 250 individuals, subdivided into five subpopulations, and is classified as endangered regarding its risk of extinction. Luisa, a 15-year-old female weighing 36 kg, was the last known ex situ jaguar from this biome. Her reproductive evaluation is detailed in this manuscript. Luisa was subjected to both a clinical and laparoscopic evaluation of her reproductive system. After 45 days of reproductive investigation, she died unexpectedly, and skin fragments were taken to establish the postmortem fibroblast lineage. At the clinical evaluation, Luisa had small, undeveloped mammary gland and a small vulva, characteristic of a nulliparous female, with no mammary gland nodules, edema, or abnormal masses. By laparoscopy, normal-appearing bladder and bowel loops were observed, as were uterine horns with standard color, shape, and length with no striae. Ovaries and uterine horns seem free of fibrinous adhesions. Both ovaries showed a yellowish color, a fibrous consistency, a decreased size (atrophied), and no follicles, hemorrhagic corpus, corpus luteum, luteal scars, or other abnormal structures. We may assume that this jaguar female was infertile based on Luisa's mature age and the absence of birthing or ovarian activity signs. The harsh conditions of the Caatinga biome, which included low food availability and frequent conflicts with humans, may have impacted both the pregnancy and lactation of Luisa's mother and her development after birth., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Objectives: To assess the accumulated knowledge of the effects of public health emergencies of international concern on disease control and local health systems, and contribute to a better understanding of their effects on health programs and systems., Methods: This was a systematic review of published and gray literature (in English, Portuguese, or Spanish). Electronic databases (BVS/LILACS, PubMed, and SciELO) and Google Scholar were searched. Search terms were: COVID-19 OR H1N1 OR Ebola OR Zika OR poliomyelitis AND (outbreaks OR epidemics) AND (public health systems OR public health surveillance)., Results: A total of 3 508 studies were retrieved, of which 31 met the inclusion criteria. The studies addressed the effects of the emergencies on: communicable diseases notification systems; malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, and malaria surveillance, control, and treatment; microcephaly; dengue; and vaccinations. The populations affected by the emergencies experienced reduced health services, which included fewer health visits, failures in the diagnostic chain, decrease in vaccination, and increased incidence or underreporting of notifiable diseases., Conclusions: Socioeconomic inequity is a determinant of the effects of public health emergencies of international concern within affected populations. The diversion of resources and attention from health authorities disproportionately affects vulnerable populations and can lead, over time, to a weakening of health systems. The analysis of the effects of public health emergencies is important for the development of new protocols that can better respond to future crises.

The cryopreservation of jaguar semen must be improved to produce high-quality biobanking doses. Until now, the rare studies of semen freezing in the species have only evaluated glycerol, always with a significant reduction in sperm quality in thawed semen. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of three cryoprotectants, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol (GLY), and methanol (MET), in the cryopreservation of jaguar semen in an LDL-based extender, as well as the effect of thawing temperature on dosage quality. Five mature males with a history of reproduction were used. On the males, an infrared thermal image (IRT) was captured, the spicules and testes were analyzed, and the CASA system was used to evaluate the quality of fresh and thawed sperm. The superficial IRT was 4.6 ± 1.2 °C cooler than the anal sphincter, and the semen measured between 27.3 and 28.7 °C shortly after exiting the urethra. The total motility of fresh sperm was 55.3 ± 22.6%, and progressive motility was 36.3 ± 18%. The total motility of thawed sperm was 5.28 ± 2.51%, 4.49 ± %2.49, and 0.51 ± 0.62% for DMSO, GLY, and MET, respectively. DMSO and GLY performed better than MET, and there was no difference in thawing temperature (37°C 30 s vs. 50°C 12 s). All animals exhibit a considerable level of morphological changes in sperm. Low amounts of total and progressive motility were found in the thawed sperm. Males with a high level of sperm morphological changes were found to be fertile, but the lone male with normospermia was infertile. Thus, we contest the applicability of the commonly used morphological classification for bovines to felid species., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

In the elderly, there is an increase in oxidative and inflammatory activity. Resveratrol (RSV) is a polyphenol that has several proven biological activities, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Thus, the aim of our study was to verify the possible antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of RSV on human mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from donors aged between 40 and 59 and 60-80 years old. For this, 6-8 patients were selected by age group. Cells were isolated and divided into 4 groups: Control (C), RSV only, H 2 O 2 (to induce an oxidizing environment - C+) and H 2 O 2 +RSV. The quantification of reactive nitrogen species (NO and ONOO-), as well as pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6 and IL-10) was performed. Pearson's correlation and comparison between groups were performed (p<0.05). Our results showed a greater role of RSV in the middle-aged compared to the elderly group, in relation to the balance of NO/ONOO- and the levels of cytokines IL-6 and TNFα. It was also possible to observe an improvement in the anti-inflammatory profile in both age groups, but more effective in the cells in the middle-aged group. Thus, we could observe that RSV has better activity in the reduction of important biomarkers of oxidation and inflammation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that there was no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Lymphomas affecting the sublingual glands are extremely rare and very few case reports are currently available. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to describe the clinicopathological features of a series of lymphomas involving the sublingual glands., Methods: Cases diagnosed in four pathology services were assessed and the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were retrieved for diagnosis confirmation. Clinical data were obtained from patients' medical files., Results: We obtained seven cases of lymphomas in the sublingual glands, representing two follicular lymphomas, two diffuse large B cell lymphomas not otherwise specified (DLBCL NOS), two extranodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphomas) and one mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). In all cases the tumor cells infiltrated the glandular parenchyma, although in two of them the neoplastic cells were located more superficially and permeated the glandular acini and ducts. Clinically, the tumors presented as asymptomatic nodules and two patients (affected by DLBCL NOS and MCL) died, while the other five patients remained alive at last follow-up., Conclusion: Lymphomas affecting the sublingual glands are usually of the mature B cell lineage, often represent low-grade subtypes and may clinically resemble other more common lesions in the floor of the mouth like salivary gland tumors., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Since the first case of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) recorded in Brazil, in 1913, referring to a patient from Boa Esperança, state of Mato Grosso, Central-West region, epidemics have been observed, with intensified expansion and urbanization from 1980. For a better understanding of the factors associated with VL in the Brazilian Central-West region, the present study aimed to carry out a systematic review on aspects related to the occurrence of VL in this region, which includes the states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and the Distrito Federal. Three thousand and nineteen studies were evaluated, of which twenty published between the years of 2002 and 2020 were included in this systematic review. In the states of Central-West region, it was possible to verify the occurrence of VL related to epidemiological characteristics that included: climatic variables (temperature and precipitation); socioeconomic factors (male gender; age group from zero to 14 years old; deaths from 40 years old, with emphasis from the 60 years and residents of the urban area); urban infrastructure vulnerability indicators (areas with environmental degradation, occupied by low-income population, with precarious hygienic-sanitary conditions; anthropic disturbances and population agglomerations; densely vegetated and vacant lots containing rubble and material decaying organic matter); presence of the vector (Lutzomyia longipalpis and Lu. cruzi), dogs and other animals; in addition to the migratory process. Studies related to regional aspects of VL epidemiology can help in the adoption of strategies for better effectiveness in its control., 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 © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Currently, the important role of oxidative stress in the aging process and in neurodegenerative diseases has been highlighted, suggesting the beneficial effect of antioxidants as adjuvant therapy. Resveratrol (RSV) is a polyphenolic compound used in the clinic and has been shown as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Therefore, the objective was to verify neuroprotective and modulating effects of RSV on N2-A cells, pre or post inserted into an oxidative stress environment. For this, two treatment conditions were established: pre-stimulus and post-stimulus. The analysis of AMPK and SIRT1 cell signaling pathways was performed through the chemiluminescence assay using the dorsomorphin and EX527 inhibitors, respectively. The inflammatory profile was also evaluated in these neural cells, through the levels of IL-6, TNF, and IL-10. We observed that RSV in N2-A cells has anti-inflammatory effect and antioxidant property and it mechanism is dependent on the SIRT1 signaling pathway. RSV effects occurs most markedly when cells have been pre-stimulated before inducing an oxidative stress environment. These results are important for conducting more adequate protocols in the medical and nutritional clinic., (© 2022. The Society for In Vitro Biology.)

Bats are parasitized by a wide spectrum of ecto and endoparasites, but their role as a reservoir for some zoonoses is not fully understood. The objective of this work was to evaluate the presence of Leishmania DNA in the blood of bats from 30 municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. We analyzed samples of 120 bats, covering 29 species. The blood samples were used for DNA extraction and submitted to conventional PCR analysis with primers directed to the Leishmania ITS-1 region of the rRNA. In total, 1.67% (2/120 samples) were positive for Leishmania spp., detected in animals from the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, the state capital. Sequencing of the positive samples revealed that both bats were infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum. Considering the adaptability of some bats species to synanthropic environments, the results of the present work can contribute to a better comprehension of the leishmaniasis cycle and epidemiology., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N) is a multifunctional promiscuous nucleic acid-binding protein, which plays a major role in nucleocapsid assembly and discontinuous RNA transcription, facilitating the template switch of transcriptional regulatory sequences (TRS). Here, we dissect the structural features of the N protein N-terminal domain (N-NTD) and N-NTD plus the SR-rich motif (N-NTD-SR) upon binding to single and double-stranded TRS DNA, as well as their activities for dsTRS melting and TRS-induced liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Our study gives insights on the specificity for N-NTD(-SR) interaction with TRS. We observed an approximation of the triple-thymidine (TTT) motif of the TRS to β-sheet II, giving rise to an orientation difference of ~25° between dsTRS and non-specific sequence (dsNS). It led to a local unfavorable energetic contribution that might trigger the melting activity. The thermodynamic parameters of binding of ssTRSs and dsTRS suggested that the duplex dissociation of the dsTRS in the binding cleft is entropically favorable. We showed a preference for TRS in the formation of liquid condensates when compared to NS. Moreover, our results on DNA binding may serve as a starting point for the design of inhibitors, including aptamers, against N, a possible therapeutic target essential for the virus infectivity., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Affirmative action providing higher education access for socially vulnerable students has been implemented in several countries. However, these policies remain controversial. This study compares the performance of students admitted through the regular path and social quota systems, during and after completion of nursing education, in a public nursing school in Brazil., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all students admitted to nursing school at the School of Health Sciences (ESCS), Brazil, between 2009 and 2014, who were followed until May 2020. The first phase involved document analysis from the ESCS academic management system and Brazilian government agencies. In the second phase, a survey was conducted among the alumni. The social quota system criterion was public school attendance across all primary and secondary education levels., Results: Of the 448 students included in the study, 178 (39.7%) were from the affirmative action and 270 (60.3%) from the regular path systems. Affirmative action students were older at the time of nursing school admission (p < 0.001) and took longer to be admitted to the nursing school (p < 0.001) after completing high school. There were no significant differences in the dropout rates and years to complete nursing school. In the second phase, 108 alumni answered the survey. No significant differences were found in their participation in the undergraduate scientific research program and university extension projects, attending residency programs, getting a master's degree and doctoral degree, monthly income, teaching activity, joining public service through a government job competition process, participation in management activities in the private and public health sector, and degree of job satisfaction., Conclusion: Our results revealed that affirmative action is a policy that contributes to the reduction of inequalities and guarantees the training of nursing professionals with a similar professional qualification received through affirmative action and regular path systems., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Smooth muscle neoplasms represent an important group of lesions which is rare in the oral cavity. Leiomyoma (LM) is benign smooth muscle/pericytic tumor usually presenting as non-aggressive neoplasm, while leiomyosarcoma (LMS) represents its malignant counterpart. The rarity of these lesions, together with its unspecific clinical presentation and a variable histopathological appearance, lead to a broad list of differential diagnoses, hampering their diagnoses. Therefore, in this study we describe the clinical and microscopic features of a series of oral and maxillofacial LMs and LMSs. A retrospective search from 2000 to 2019 was performed and all cases diagnosed as LM and LMS affecting the oral cavity and gnathic bones were retrieved. Clinical and demographic data were obtained from the patients' pathology records, while microscopic features and immunohistochemistry were reviewed and completed when necessary to confirm the diagnoses. Twenty-two LMs and five LMSs were obtained. In the LM group, males predominated, with a mean age of 45.7 years. The upper lip was the most affected site, and 18 cases were classified as angioleiomyomas and four as solid LM. In the LMS group, females predominated, with a mean age of 47.6 years. The mandible was the most affected site. Diffuse proliferation of spindle cells, with necrosis and mitotic figures, were frequent microscopic findings. LMs and LMSs were positive for α-smooth muscle actin, HHF-35 and h-caldesmon. In conclusion, oral LM/LMS are uncommon neoplasms with the latter usually presenting as metastatic disease. H&E evaluation may be very suggestive of oral LMs, but h-caldesmon staining is strongly recommended to confirm LMS diagnosis., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Among the different methods used for semen collection from domestic cats, the pharmacological collection by urethral catheterization becomes disruptive. Medetomidine is the elected α 2 -adrenoceptor agonist for that, but in several countries, it is not commercially available. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of detomidine compared to medetomidine in collecting semen by urethral catheterization in domestic cats. Urethral catheterization was performed on 13 mongrel cats using a disposable semi-rigid tomcat urinary catheter. Of the 19 semen collections performed with medetomidine induction, 94.7% were successful, while with detomidine induction, only 56.3% of 16 were successful. The values semen samples variables were as follows for volume - 10.56 ± 0.4 vs 8.88 ± 0.5 mL, motility - 171.67 ± 0.79 vs 49.77 ± 3.45%, vigor - 4.1 ± 0.03 vs 3.10 ± 0.1 and concentration - 3.24 ± 0.19 vs 2.15 ± 0.13 ×10 9 sperm/mL respectively for medetomidine and detomidine group. The failure in semen collections with detomidine was mainly due to azoospermic samples, poor urethral relaxation, insufficient volume, or contamination of urine. The sperm concentration was also lower in the detomidine group (P <0.05) when compared to medetomidine. However, when the volume of semen collected was compared, we found no statistical differences. Despite its low performance in collecting semen from cats, detomidine may be an alternative when medetomidine is not accessible., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Aging is characterized by a progressive loss of physiological integrity. One common denominator is the increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by inhibition of important antioxidant pathways. Resveratrol is a polyphenol known for its potent antioxidant activity. However, antioxidant pathways activated by them change with aging. The objective of our study was to verify the antioxidant effect of resveratrol in an oxidative stress environment in Human Mononuclear Cells (PBMC) from donors with different ages. Resveratrol (5 μM), a stimulus with H 2 O 2 (0,64 % v/v) in addition to inhibitors of PKA, AkT/PKB and MAPK signaling pathways were used in chemiluminescence assay. An incresed basal production of ROS was observed in the elderly than in the middle-aged group. Resveratrol was able to reduce ROS in both groups, but with greater efficiency in the middle-aged group. By inhibiting PKA, Akt/PKB and MAPK signaling pathways we observed that resveratrol presented an altered performance in the aging process, changing signaling pattern of MAPK pathway., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cryptorchidism is a genital alteration wherein one or both testicles fail to descend into the scrotum and has multifactorial causes. A free-range adult male was captured twice in the Pantanal of Nhecolândia to put a GPS collar and semen collection. Pharmacological semen collection, andrological examination and semen analysis were performed. At the first capture and during the andrological examination only the left testis was found, and the male qualified as cryptorchid. The penis had no penile spines at either procedure. The semen volume obtained at first and second capture was 435 and 160 μL, respectively, with a concentration of 618 and 100 x 10 6 sperm/mL, progressive motility of ~ 5% and ~ 1% and total morphological sperm abnormalities of 74% and 86%. The male was monitored by a GPS collar, but the signal was lost, making it difficult to re-captures and perform new seminal and ultrasound evaluations to discard monorchidism - exceedingly rare in felids. Genetic studies to assess the individual's homozygosity are necessary to verify whether cryptorchidism in this individual has a genetic factor., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © The Author(s).)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Baccharis trimera has been traditionally used in Brazil to treat liver diseases., Aim of the Study: To evaluate the protective effect of Baccharis trimera in an ethanol induced hepatotoxicity model., Materials and Methods: The antioxidant capacity was evaluated in vitro by the ability to scavenged the DPPH radical, by the quantification of ROS, NO and the transcription factor Nrf2. Hepatotoxicity was induced in animals by administration of absolute ethanol for 2 days (acute) or with ethanol diluted for 28 days (chronic). The biochemical parameters of hepatic function (ALT and AST), renal function (urea and creatinine) and lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL) were evaluated. In addition to antioxidant defense (SOD, catalase, glutathione), oxidative damage markers (TBARS and carbonylated protein), MMP-2 activity and liver histology., Results: Baccharis trimera promoted a decrease in ROS and NO, and at low concentrations promoted increased transcription of Nrf2. In the acute experiment it promoted increase of HDL, in the activity of SOD and GPx, besides diminishing TBARS and microesteatosis. Already in the chronic experiment B. trimera improved the hepatic and renal profile, decreased triglycerides and MMP-2 activity, in addition to diminishing microesteatosis., Conclusion: We believe that B. trimera action is possibly more associated with direct neutralizing effects or inhibition of reactive species production pathways rather than the modulation of the antioxidant enzymes activity. Thus it is possible to infer that the biological effects triggered by adaptive responses are complex and multifactorial depending on the dose, the time and the compounds used., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Baccharis trimera, popularly known as "carqueja", is a native South-American plant possessing a high concentration of polyphenolic compounds and therefore high antioxidant potential. Despite the antioxidant potential described for B. trimera, there are no reports concerning the signaling pathways involved in this process. So, the aim of the present study was to assess the influence of B. trimera on the modulation of PKC signaling pathway and to characterize the effect of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase enzyme (NOX) on the generation of reactive oxygen species in SK Hep-1 cells. SK-Hep 1 cells were treated with B. trimera, quercetin, or rutin and then stimulated or not with PMA/ionomycin and labeled with carboxy H 2 DCFDA for detection of reactive oxygen species by flow cytometer. The PKC expression by Western blot and enzyme activity was performed to evaluate the influence of B. trimera and quercetin on PKC signaling pathway. p47 phox and p47 phox phosphorylated expression was performed by Western blot to evaluate the influence of B. trimera on p47 phox phosphorylation. The results showed that cells stimulated with PMA/ionomycin (activators of PKC) showed significantly increased reactive oxygen species production, and this production returned to baseline levels after treatment with DPI (NOX inhibitor). Both B. trimera and quercetin modulated reactive oxygen species production through the inhibition of PKC protein expression and enzymatic activity, also with inhibition of p47 phox phosphorylation. Taken together, these results suggest that B. trimera has a potential mechanism for inhibiting reactive oxygen species production through the PKC signaling pathway and inhibition subunit p47 phox phosphorylation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase.

The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against B. bovis and B. bigemina in calves from the region of Araguaína, State of Tocantins, Brazil. In this research we used sera obtained from 506 calves, from both genders and of 8 to 24 months old, to detect antibodies by indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA-test). Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the Chi-square (χ²) test with Yates correction. The seroprevalence obtained was 90.5 and 91.7% for B. bigemina and B. bovis, respectively, characterizing the region as an area of enzootic stability for the species analyzed. The seroprevalence to B. bovis showed higher positivity among calves 19-24 months old.

During the past few decades, the Brazilian labor market has been characterized by an increase of unregistered workers, earning lower wages, not covered by social insurance or occupational risk prevention programs. This study describes the representations and perceptions about informal work contracts and job-related health risks, analyzed in a group of injured unregistered workers. This was a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews carried out with seventeen laborers, nine housemaids and eight construction workers. The findings indicate that workers recognize the importance of formal jobs, mainly because of legal guarantees of labor rights, mentioning the symbolic downgrading of informal jobs that undermines their self-esteem. Both work groups tended to minimize occupational health risks in the work environment, and did not recognize associations between informal job contracts and occupational accidents or diseases. It was clear that workers want to have job contracts. The findings of the study demonstrate the need for broader dissemination and discussion about labor rights and the construction of public policies that encompass health and safety programs for these workers.