Purification, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Activity Against Candida parapsilosis and Staphylococcus aureus of a Highly Stable Type-1 Cystatin from Terminalia catappa L. Seeds.

Introduction: Clinic infections caused by various microorganisms are a public health concern. The rise of new strains resistant to traditional antibiotics has exacerbated the problem. Thus, the search for new antimicrobial molecules remains highly relevant.

Frequencies of an Variant in an Admixed Population from Amazonia and Its Influence on Hepatitis C Infection.

The rs12979860 polymorphism, related to the gene, is suggested as a factor that impacts fibrosis progression in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and exhibits a wide distribution pattern across global populations. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of this variant in an Amazonian population from Brazil, as well as its association with liver fibrosis development and its staging in HCV carriers. Our results show a significant association of the TT genotype in the sample of patients with HCV (OR = 2.

Dysregulation in the microbiota by HBV and HCV infection induces an altered cytokine profile in the pathobiome of infection.

Viral hepatitis is a public health problem, about 1 million people die due to complications of this viral disease, the etiological agents responsible for inducing cirrhosis and cellular hepatocarcinoma are HBV and HCV, both hepatotropic viruses that cause asymptomatic infection in most cases. The regulation of the microbiota performs many physiological functions, which can induce normal intestinal function and produce essential nutrients for the human body. Metabolites derived from gut microbiota or direct regulation of host immunity and metabolism have been reported to profoundly affect tumorigenesis in liver disease.

The Association of Gene Polymorphisms with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection in the Northern Region of Pará, Brazil.

It is heavily suggested that one gene polymorphism, rs12979860 (T/C), exerts influence on the outcome of HBV infection, with the rs12979860-T allele being classified as a risk predictor, and the rs12979860-C allele being classified as a protective one. This study investigated whether the rs12979860 gene polymorphism presented any association with the clinical severity for HBV carriers in an admixed population in Northern Brazil. A total of 69 samples were investigated from infected people from the city of Belém-Pará.

High Prevalence of Syphilis among Young Pregnant Women in the Brazilian Amazon: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Clinical Records in a Public Health Reference Unit in the City of Belém.

Background: Syphilis remains a significant global public health concern, and one of its consequences in pregnant women is the potential occurrence of congenital syphilis due to infection. This study determined the prevalence of syphilis among pregnant women undergoing prenatal care in a neighborhood on the outskirts of the city of Belém, Brazilian Amazon.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from clinical records of 611 pregnant women who underwent prenatal care at a public health unit in 2019 and 2020.

Contribution of informal caregivers to self-care in individuals with heart failure.

Objectives: to evaluate the contribution of informal caregivers to the self-care of individuals with heart failure.

Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted with 87 caregivers from March to October 2022 in the city of João Pessoa/PB. The caregivers' contribution was assessed using the Caregiver Contribution to Self-Care of Heart Failure Index instrument.

Exposure to among Female Sex Workers: A Retrospective Study Conducted in the State of Pará, Brazilian Amazon.

Background: Syphilis remains a significant global public health issue, and female sex workers (FSWs) are highly vulnerable to the etiological agent of this disease. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of exposure to , as well as the vulnerability factors among FSWs in the state of Pará, Brazilian Amazon.

Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective study involving 360 FSWs from five cities in Pará was conducted from 2005 to 2007.

Disentangling the veil line for Brazilian biodiversity: An overview from two long-term research programs reveals huge gaps in ecological data reporting.

The lack of synthesized information regarding biodiversity is a major problem among researchers, leading to a pervasive cycle where ecologists make field campaigns to collect information that already exists and yet has not been made available for a broader audience. This problem leads to long-lasting effects in public policies such as spending money multiple times to conduct similar studies in the same area. We aim to identify this knowledge gap by synthesizing information available regarding two Brazilian long-term biodiversity programs and the metadata generated by them.

Congenital and Acquired Symmastia: Experience from 100 Cases Treated.

Background: Symmastia, first defined by Spence et al. in 1984, is a medical condition characterized by the convergence of breast tissues in the midline, resulting in the absence of adhesion between the skin and subcutaneous tissue over the presternal area. It can be either congenital or acquired.

β-Glucosidase activity and antimicrobial properties of potentially probiotic autochthonous lactic cultures.

Background: The demand for lactic acid bacteria products, especially probiotics, has increased. Bacteria that increase polyphenol bioavailability and act as bio preservatives are sought after. This study aims to identify autochthonous lactic acid cultures from EMBRAPA that demonstrate β-glucosidase activity and inhibitory effect on microbial sanitary indicators.

Three years of wastewater surveillance for new psychoactive substances from 16 countries.

The proliferation of new psychoactive substances (NPS) over recent years has made their surveillance complex. The analysis of raw municipal influent wastewater can allow a broader insight into community consumption patterns of NPS. This study examines data from an international wastewater surveillance program that collected and analysed influent wastewater samples from up to 47 sites in 16 countries between 2019 and 2022.

Antibody Response to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Nucleocapsid Proteins in Patients with Different COVID-19 Clinical Profiles.

The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in Brazil was diagnosed on February 26, 2020. Due to the important epidemiological impact of COVID-19, the present study aimed to analyze the specificity of IgG antibody responses to the S1, S2 and N proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in different COVID-19 clinical profiles. This study enrolled 136 individuals who were diagnosed with or without COVID-19 based on clinical findings and laboratory results and classified as asymptomatic or as having mild, moderate or severe disease.

Giving a Hand: Synthetic Peptides Boost the Antifungal Activity of Itraconazole against .

is a multidrug-resistant pathogen responsible for infections in immunocompromised patients. Here, itraconazole (ITR), a commercial antifungal drug with low effectiveness against , was combined with different synthetic antimicrobial peptides (SAMPs), Mo-CBP3-PepII, RcAlb-PepII, RcAlb-PepIII, PepGAT, and PepKAA. The Mo-CBP3-PepII was designed based on the sequence of MoCBP3, purified from seeds.

Testing the context dependence of ant nutrient preference across habitat strata and trophic levels in Neotropical biomes.

Animals are integrated into the wider ecosystem via their foraging and behavior. The compensation hypothesis predicts that animals target their foraging efforts (i) toward nutrients that are scarce in the environment and (ii) toward nutrients that are not present in the usual diet of species, which varies across trophic levels. Understanding how foraging for resources varies locally, such as across habitat strata, and trophic levels will help to elucidate the links between the local environment and communities to the ecological functions that animals mediate.

Cationic PLGA Nanoparticle Formulations as Biocompatible Immunoadjuvant for Serum Production and Immune Response against Venom.

Snakebite envenoming represents a worldwide public health issue. Suitable technologies have been investigated for encapsulated recombinant or native proteins capable of inducing an effective and long-lasting adaptive immune response. Nanoparticles are colloidal dispersions that have been used as drug delivery systems for bioactive biological compounds.

The Benefits of Exercise in Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women, accounting for nearly 30% of all cancers, while in men, it represents only 1% of cases. Breast cancer is the main cause of death for cancer, and its incidence and mortality vary according to patients' ethnicity, geographic region, and socioeconomic status. Due to the low prevalence of breast cancer among men and the scarcity of studies in the literature, exercises have been prescribed based on extrapolations from studies on female patients.

Seroprevalence of and Associated Factors among Vulnerable Riverine in the Brazilian Amazon.

Due to social and individual conditions and access to health services, Amazonian riverside populations are highly vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, including . The aim is to estimate the seroprevalence of and analyze the associated factors among riverside dwellers in a capital city in the Brazilian Amazon. A cross-sectional study was carried out with residents of the Combu Island, Belém.

The Ground-Dwelling Ant Fauna from a Cerrado Reserve in Southeastern Brazil: Vegetation Heterogeneity as a Promoter of Ant Diversity.

Ants represent one of the most diverse and ecologically important group of insects in tropical ecosystems, including in highly threatened ones such as the Brazilian Cerrado. Yet, a detailed understanding of the species diversity and composition of local Cerrado ant assemblages is lacking in many cases. Here we present the results of a comprehensive ant inventory performed within a region of the Cerrado (in São Paulo state) where most of the original vegetation has already been lost and where few conservation units exist.

Prevalence, Diversity, and Risk Factors for Cervical HPV Infection in Women Screened for Cervical Cancer in Belém, Pará, Northern Brazil.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common viral sexually transmitted infection of the reproductive tract, and cervical cancer is the most common HPV-related disease. This study estimated the prevalence, diversity of HPV genotypes, and associated risk factors in women screened for cervical cancer in northern Brazil.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in Belém, Pará, in the Amazon region of Brazil, and it included 162 women who were spontaneously undergoing a Pap-smear routine.

MicroRNA target prediction tools for animals: Where we are at and where we are going to - A systematic review.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs containing 19-26 nucleotides, and they directly regulate the translation of mRNAs by binding to them. MiRNAs participate in various physiological processes and are associated with the development of diseases, such as cancer. Therefore, understanding miRNAs regulation on targets is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of diseases and for obtaining a more suitable treatment.

Fast screening of enteropathogens in marine water samples.

This study aimed to fast screen the microbiological contamination of recreational waters using a TaqMan Array Card (TAC), a multiplexed platform designed for the simultaneous detection of 35 enteropathogens. Surface and deep marine water samples were concentrated by skimmed milk flocculation and processed for nucleic acid extraction protocol using QIAamp Fast DNA Stool Mini Kit. Twelve microorganisms and parasites, including bacteria (n = 6), protozoa (4), and viruses (2), were detected in 85.