Graphene and gold nanoparticle-based bionanocomposite for the voltammetric determination of bisphenol A in (micro)plastics.

The monitoring of endocrine disruptors in the environment is one of the main strategies in the investigation of potential risks associated with exposure to these chemicals. Bisphenol A is one of the most prevalent endocrine-disrupting compounds and is prone to leaching out from polycarbonate plastic in both freshwater and marine environments. Additionally, microplastics also can leach out bisphenol A during their fragmentation in the water environment.

COVID-19 evidence for all: development of a learning object in health teaching.

Objective: Describe the development of a learning object focused on scientific evidence about COVID-19.

Method: Experience report on the production of a learning object based on the DADI web sites methodology, aimed at adults and children, built by nurses and academics from a Brazilian Federal University in 2020. Data collection in databases and reference organizations.

TNF-α inhibition, antioxidant effects and chemical analysis of extracts and fraction from Brazilian guaraná seed powder.

Paullinia cupana Kunth., commonly named Guaraná, is a plant from Brazil used as stimulant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of extracts and tannins-rich and methylxanthines-free fraction from guaraná in the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect in vitro.

Leprosy surveillance study in a highly endemic Brazilian area using leprosy specific serologic tests and IFNγ whole blood assay.

This surveillance study evaluated leprosy-serologic tests and the IFNγ whole-blood-assay/WBA as adjunct diagnostic tools. Previously diagnosed leprosy index cases, intradomiciliary, peridomiciliary contacts from a Brazilian endemic area were enrolled during domiciliary visits. Physical evaluation was performed by trained nurses and leprosy diagnosis confirmed by expert dermatologist.

In situ T regulatory cells and Th17 cytokines in paired samples of leprosy type 1 and type 2 reactions.

Leprosy is a complex chronic, infectious dermato-neurological disease that affects the skin and peripheral nerves especially during immuno-inflammatory episodes known as type 1/T1R and type 2/T2R reactions. This study investigated the in situ expression of CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells and TGF-β1, IFN-γ, IL-17 in leprosy T1R and T2R. Tregs were evaluated in 114 skin biopsies from 74 leprosy patients: 56 T1R (28-paired reaction-free/reactional biopsies, 28 unpaired T1R), 18 T2R (12 paired reaction-free/reactional biopsies, 6 unpaired T2R).

Mast cell heterogeneity and anti-inflammatory annexin A1 expression in leprosy skin lesions.

Mast cells (MCs) have important immunoregulatory roles in skin inflammation. Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is an endogenous anti-inflammatory protein that can be expressed by mast cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, epithelial and T cells. This study investigated MCs heterogeneity and ANXA1 expression in human dermatoses with special emphasis in leprosy.

Warfarin Safety: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Factors Associated with the Consumption of Medicinal Plants in a Brazilian Anticoagulation Clinic.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants by patients being treated with warfarin in a Brazilian anticoagulation clinic and to study the safety of medicinal plant use in patients on warfarin therapy.

Methods: The study was performed as an observational cross-sectional analysis. Study participants were outpatients on long-term warfarin therapy for at least 2 months for atrial fibrillation or prosthetic cardiac valves.

A rapid simultaneous determination of methylxanthines and proanthocyanidins in Brazilian guaraná (Paullinia cupana Kunth.).

Paullinia cupana is a plant native to Brazil that is widely used in traditional medicine as a physical and mental stimulant. It is also used worldwide to produce soft drinks. A method for the simultaneous quantitation of seven markers in guaraná by HPLC-PDA was developed, and extraction methods for the determination of methylxanthines and tannins were investigated.

Antigen-specific secretion of IFNγ and CXCL10 in whole blood assay detects Mycobacterium leprae infection but does not discriminate asymptomatic infection from symptomatic leprosy.

To advance toward a whole blood assay (WBA)-based test capable of facilitating the diagnosis of paucibacillary (PB) leprosy, we evaluated a prototype in-tube WBA using combinations of Mycobacterium leprae antigens. Blood was collected from newly diagnosed untreated PB (n=38), multibacillary (MB) (n=30), healthy household contacts (HHC) of MB (n=27), and endemic controls (n=61) residing in Goiânia and Fortaleza, Brazil. Blood was incubated with M.

Application of Mycobacterium Leprae-specific cellular and serological tests for the differential diagnosis of leprosy from confounding dermatoses.

Mycobacterium leprae-specific serological and cell-mediated-immunity/CMI test were evaluated for the differential diagnosis of multibacillary/MB, and paucibacillary/PB leprosy from other dermatoses. Whole-blood assay/WBA/IFNγ stimulated with LID-1 antigen and ELISA tests for IgG to LID-1 and IgM to PGL-I were performed. WBA/LID-1/IFNγ production was observed in 72% PB, 11% MB leprosy, 38% dermatoses, 40% healthy endemic controls/EC.

IFN-gamma role in granuloma formation in experimental subcutaneous cysticercosis.

Cysticercosis is an infection caused by the metacestode larval stage of Taenia parasites in tissues and elicits a host-parasite reaction in which the immune response may be decisive in the disease development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of IFNγ (IFN-gamma) in the experimental model of subcutaneous infection with Taenia crassiceps (T. crassiceps) cysticerci using IFNγ knockout mice.

Multibacillary leprosy patients with high and persistent serum antibodies to leprosy IDRI diagnostic-1/LID-1: higher susceptibility to develop type 2 reactions.

Leprosy inflammatory episodes [type 1 (T1R) and type 2 (T2R) reactions] represent the major cause of irreversible nerve damage. Leprosy serology is known to be influenced by the patient's bacterial index (BI) with higher positivity in multibacillary patients (MB) and specific multidrug therapy (MDT) reduces antibody production. This study evaluated by ELISA antibody responses to leprosy Infectious Disease Research Institute diagnostic-1 (LID-1) fusion protein and phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) in 100 paired serum samples of 50 MB patients collected in the presence/absence of reactions and in nonreactional patients before/after MDT.

Alterations to antigen-specific immune responses before and after multidrug therapy of leprosy.

This study evaluated the impact of leprosy multidrug therapy (MDT) on cell-mediated immunity (CMI) and antibody responses at diagnosis in untreated paucibacillary (PB) (n=15) and multibacillary (MB) patients (n=15) using a panel of Mycobacterium leprae recombinant antigens (rMLs) (CMI: 46f, ML0276, ML2055, leprosy IDRI diagnostic 1 [LID-1], and ML2629, as negative control; serology: LID-1, 46f, 92f, and 33f, as negative control, and phenolic glycolipid I [PGL-I]) and at 2 time points after MDT (PB: 8-20months; MB: 4-22months). At diagnosis, PB patients produced interferon gamma (IFNγ), and MB patients exhibited low/absent response. Shortly after MDT, IFNγ production in PB patients declined except for LID-1; MB patients produced IFNγ to LID-1.

Development of a quantitative rapid diagnostic test for multibacillary leprosy using smart phone technology.

Background: Despite efforts to eliminate leprosy as public health problem, delayed diagnosis and disabilities still occur in many countries. Leprosy diagnosis remains based on clinical manifestations and the number of clinicians with expertise in leprosy diagnosis is in decline. We have developed a new immunochromatographic test with the goal of producing a simple and rapid system that can be used, with a minimal amount of training, to provide an objective and consistent diagnosis of multibacillary leprosy.