Spatial distribution of Toxoplasma gondii in cows and associated risk factors.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of the prevalence of T. gondii in cows using the indirect immunofluorescence assay and determine associated risk factors. Serum samples were collected from 2970 cows on 263 rural farms in 223 municipalities.

Lethal and antifeedant effects of Bordeaux mixture on the marsh slug ().

The marsh slug, (Müller), is a generalist pest of agricultural crops. Slugs are mainly managed with synthetic pesticides that can also have high toxicity toward vertebrates and nontarget arthropods. Besides, they are not labeled for use in organic crop systems.

Clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with cystic fibrosis: An international observational study.

Background: The presence of co-morbidities, including underlying respiratory problems, has been identified as a risk factor for severe COVID-19 disease. Information on the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) is limited, yet vital to provide accurate advice for children with CF, their families, caregivers and clinical teams.

Methods: Cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with CF aged less than 18 years were collated by the CF Registry Global Harmonization Group across 13 countries between 1 February and 7 August 2020.

Evaluation of the malaria elimination policy in Brazil: a systematic review and epidemiological analysis study.

After a centenary fight against malaria, Brazil has seen an opportunity for change with the proposal of the malaria elimination policy set by the Brazilian government, in line with malaria elimination policies in other Latin American countries. Brazilian malaria experts regard eliminating malaria by 2030 to be within reach. Herein we evaluated the likelihood that malaria elimination can be accomplished in Brazil through systematic review of the literature on malaria elimination in Brazil and epidemiological analysis.

Digestibility of spineless cactus meals in extruded diets for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): energy, protein, amino acids, and carbohydrates.

The aim of the present study was to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of gross energy, dry matter, crude protein, amino acids, and different carbohydrate fractions of spineless cactus meals (SCMs) for Nile tilapia juveniles, fed with extruded diets. Fish were fed a reference diet or one of five test diets, each of which included 70% reference diet and 30% corresponding SCM. Fecal collection was performed in modified Guelph method.

The global impact of SARS-CoV-2 in 181 people with cystic fibrosis.

With the growing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, we need to better understand its impact in specific patient groups like those with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). We report on 181 people with CF (32 post-transplant) from 19 countries diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 prior to 13 June 2020. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 appears to exhibit a similar spectrum of outcomes to that seen in the general population, with 11 people admitted to intensive care (7 post-transplant), and 7 deaths (3 post-transplant).

A city cluster risk-based approach for Sars-CoV-2 and isolation barriers based on anonymized mobile phone users' location data.

Given the recent outbreak of Sars-CoV-2, several countries started to seek different strategies to control contamination and minimize fatalities, which are usually the primary objectives for all strategies. Secondary objectives are related to economic factors, therefore ensuring that society would be able is to keep its essential activities and avoid supply disruptions. This paper presents an application of anonymized mobile phone users' location data to estimate population flow amongst cities with an origin-destination matrix.

Spray drying as an efficient route for synthesis of silica nanoparticles-sodium alginate biohybrid drug carrier of doxorubicin.

Biohybrids (a combination of biological material and inorganic nanoparticles) offer a number of advantages like improved functionality over conventional materials.Thus, to understand the practical application of biohybrids as drug carriers, a biohybrid drug carrier of colloidal silica nanoparticles (NP)-sodium alginate loaded with doxorubicin (Dox-biohybrid) was synthesized by evaporation induced self-assembly (EISA) using spray drying technique. Further, the morphology, size and interactions between various components of the biohybrid were studied through SEM, DLS and FTIR techniques.

The Free-Living Stage Growth Conditions of the Endophytic Fungus May Regulate Its Potential as Plant Growth Promoting Microbe.

(former ) is a non-obligate endophytic fungus and generally a plant growth and defence promoter with high potential to be used in agriculture. However, may switch from biotrophy to saprotrophy losing its plant growth promoting traits. Our aim was to understand if the free-living stage growth conditions (namely C availability) regulate 's phenotype, and its potential as plant-growth-promoting-microbe (PGPM).

Cluster-randomised trial of community-based screening for eye disease in adults in Nepal: the Village-Integrated Eye Worker Trial II (VIEW II) trial protocol.

Introduction: The majority of blindness worldwide could be prevented or reversed with early diagnosis and treatment, yet identifying at-risk and prevalent cases of eye disease and linking them with care remain important obstacles to addressing this burden. Leading causes of blindness like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration have detectable early asymptomatic phases and can cause irreversible vision loss. Mass screening for such diseases could reduce visual impairment at the population level.

Inoculation with the endophytic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae promotes growth, nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency in rice.

Higher vacuolar proton pump activity may increase plant energy and nutrient use efficiency and provide the nexus between plant inoculation with Herbaspirillum seropedicae and growth promotion. Global change and growing human population are exhausting arable land and resources, including water and fertilizers. We present inoculation with the endophytic plant-growth promoting bacterium (PGPB) Herbaspirillum seropedicae as a strategy for promoting growth, nutrient uptake and photosynthetic efficiency in rice (Oryza sativa L.

T and genetic variations between Asian and Caucasian polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

Purpose: To compare phenotypic and genetic variations in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) between Caucasian and Asian patients.

Methods: We analysed phenotypic and genotypic data from two sites, Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image, Portugal and Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore. Baseline fundus photography, spectral domain-optical coherence tomography, indocyanine green and fluorescein angiography scans were analysed by respective reading centres using a standardised grading protocol.

Evaluation of immunoglobulin M-specific capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and commercial tests for flaviviruses diagnosis by a National Reference Laboratory.

Zika and Dengue viruses present considerable immunological cross-reactivity, resulting in a troublesome serodiagnosis due to occurrence of false positive results. Due to Brazil's wide variety of circulating flaviviruses we aimed to access the use of in house serological tests adapted by National Reference Laboratory for Arboviruses in Brazil and evaluate commercial tests available. We evaluated in house IgM ELISAs for the individual detection of anti-ZIKV, -DENV, and -YFV IgM, against a panel of samples positive for dengue, zika, yellow fever, Rocio, Ilheus, Saint Louis encephalitis, West Nile and chikungunya.

Isolation and first draft genome sequence of a linezolid-dependent clinical strain.

Antibiotic-dependent pathogenic bacteria are sporadically isolated from patients that received prolonged antibiotic treatments. Evolution of antibiotics dependence and its clinical implications are scarcely studied. A linezolid-dependent strain was isolated from a cystic fibrosis patient.

A new childhood ALL case with an extremely complex karyotype and acute spontaneous tumor lysis syndrome.

Background: B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is the most common malignancy of childhood, with, after corresponding treatment, an overall complete remission rate of 90%. Approximately 75% of B-ALL cases harbor recurrent abnormalities, including so-called complex karyotypes (CK). Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a metabolic abnormality which may arise during cancer therapy and also, extremely rarely, as spontaneous TLS before initiation of chemotherapy in patients with ALL.

Canine visceral leishmaniasis in area with recent Leishmania transmission: prevalence, diagnosis, and molecular identification of the infecting species.

Introduction: Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is an endemic disease in Brazil, and integrated control actions have been adopted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health to control its spread. However, the transmission profile is unknown in areas with recent CVL cases, including Itaúna, located in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, where the present study was carried out.

Methods: A total of 2,302 dogs from 12 neighborhoods were serologically tested for canine VL using the current diagnostic protocol adopted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health.

The use of enamel matrix derivative in the treatment of class II furcation defects: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of enamel matrix derivative (EMD) in the regeneration of class II furcation defects, used alone or in conjunction with biomaterials.

Methods: Electronic database searches and hand searches were carried out and double-blind randomized controlled trials evaluating the use of EMD in class II furcation therapy were included, and a meta-analysis comparing the effect of open flap debridement (OFD) + βTCP/HA with and without EMD was carried out.

Results: The initial search resulted in a total of 298 articles, after removing the duplicates and exclusions after analysing the titles, abstracts and full text, five studies were included for the qualitative synthesis and two for the quantitative analysis.

Baseline Cystic fibrosis disease severity has an adverse impact on pregnancy and infant outcomes, but does not impact disease progression.

Background: With increasing longevity and quality of life in adults with Cystic fibrosis (CF), growing maternity rates are reported. Women with severe CF are becoming pregnant, with unpredictable maternal and fetal outcomes.

Aim: To determine how baseline disease severity, pancreatic insufficiency (PI) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection affect fertility, the pregnancy course, delivery, neonatal outcome, and subsequent disease progression.

Probability distribution of copy number alterations along the genome: an algorithm to distinguish different tumour profiles.

Copy number alterations (CNAs) comprise deletions or amplifications of fragments of genomic material that are particularly common in cancer and play a major contribution in its development and progression. High resolution microarray-based genome-wide technologies have been widely used to detect CNAs, generating complex datasets that require further steps to allow for the determination of meaningful results. In this work, we propose a methodology to determine common regions of CNAs from these datasets, that in turn are used to infer the probability distribution of disease profiles in the population.

Tremor is a major feature of 9p13 deletion syndrome.

Proximal interstitial deletions of chromosome 9p13 have been described only in a few patients with developmental delay, moderate intellectual disability, craniofacial dysmorphism, short stature, genital anomalies, and precocious puberty. To corroborate and expand these findings, we report on two novel syndromic male patients with 9p13 deletions suffering from a similar form of tremor and compare them with literature data. Despite genomic variability in deletion sizes, all patients displayed homogeneous dysmorphism and clinical manifestations, including very invalidating tremor.

Acquired Angioedema due to C1 Inhibitor Deficiency Preceding Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma: Further Insights from Clinical Practice.

Background: Acquired angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency (AAE-C1-INH) is a very rare disease. In clinical practice, it may be difficult to differentiate AAE-C1-INH from hereditary angioedema due to C1-INH deficiency (HAE-C1-INH). In both conditions, patients are at an increased risk of death from asphyxiation due to upper airway obstruction.

Alternative treatment with Johrei: A controlled randomized study evaluating seed physiological potential.

Background: Johrei, a noncontact healing therapy that purportedly channels "universal energy", is an easily taught technique with numerous positive reports of healing in human trials. However, studies on humans have been limited by small sample sizes, the placebo effect and baseline differences between groups. Overcoming some of these limitations, this study evaluated the effect of Johrei on the physiological potential of lettuce seeds.

Development of a Genotype Assay for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The EYE-RISK Consortium.

Purpose: To develop a genotype assay to assess associations with common and rare age-related macular degeneration (AMD) risk variants, to calculate an overall genetic risk score (GRS), and to identify potential misdiagnoses with inherited macular dystrophies that mimic AMD.

Design: Case-control study.

Participants: Individuals (n = 4740) from 5 European cohorts.

Enhancement in β-galactosidase activity of Streptococcus lactis cells by entrapping in microcapsules comprising of correlated silica nanoparticles.

With the advent of nanotechnology there has been an impetus towards sol gel encapsulation of biocatalyst in mesoporous silica. In this study cells of Streptococcus lactis expressing β-galactosidase activity were entrapped in silica microcapsules using evaporation induced assembly through spray drying technique. These microcapsules were characterized using complementary techniques of electron microscopy and neutron/X-ray scattering.