Unraveling the protective genetic architecture of COVID-19 in the Brazilian Amazon.

Despite all the efforts acquired in four years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the path to a full understanding of the biological mechanisms involved in this disease remains complex. This is partly due to a combination of factors, including the inherent characteristics of the infection, socio-environmental elements, and the variations observed within both the viral and the human genomes. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between genetic host factors and the severity of COVID-19.

Hydrogel Containing Propolis: Physical Characterization and Evaluation of Biological Activities for Potential Use in the Treatment of Skin Lesions.

Background: Skin injury affects the integrity of the skin structure and induces the wound healing process, which is defined by a well-coordinated series of cellular and molecular reactions that aim to recover or replace the injured tissue. Hydrogels are a group of promising biomaterials that are able to incorporate active ingredients for use as dressings. This study aimed to synthesize hydrogels with and without propolis extract and evaluate their physical characteristics and biological activities in vitro for potential use as active dressings in the treatment of skin lesions.

Mitochondrial variants of complex I genes associated with leprosy clinical subtypes.

Leprosy is a chronic bacterial infection mainly caused by Mycobacterium leprae that primarily affects skin and peripheral nerves. Due to its ability to absorb carbon from the host cell, the bacillus became dependent on energy production, mainly through oxidative phosphorylation. In fact, variations in genes of Complex I of oxidative phosphorylation encoded by mtDNA have been associated with several diseases in humans, including bacterial infections, which are possible influencers in the host response to leprosy.

Clofazimine-induced cutaneous hyperpigmentation as a source of stigma in the treatment of leprosy: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Cutaneous hyperpigmentation is one of the main adverse effects encountered in patients undergoing leprosy treatment with multidrug therapy (WHO-MDT). This adverse effect has been described as intolerable and capable of contributing to social stigma. The objectives of this study were to quantify the variation in skin colour induced by clofazimine during and after treatment and to assess the related stigma.

Transmission dynamics of variants in the Brazilian state of Pará.

Introduction: After three years since the beginning of the pandemic, the new coronavirus continues to raise several questions regarding its infectious process and host response. Several mutations occurred in different regions of the genome, such as in the spike gene, causing the emergence of variants of concern and interest (VOCs and VOIs), of which some present higher transmissibility and virulence, especially among patients with previous comorbidities. It is essential to understand its spread dynamics to prevent and control new biological threats that may occur in the future.

Specialized active leprosy search strategies in an endemic area of the Brazilian Amazon identifies a hypermutated strain causing primary drug resistance.

Introduction: Leprosy, an infectious disease caused by , remains a public health concern in endemic countries, particularly in Brazil. In this study, we conducted an active surveillance campaign in the hyperendemic city of Castanhal in the northeastern part of the state of Pará using clinical signs and symptoms combined with serological and molecular tools to diagnose new cases and to identify drug resistance of circulating strains and their distribution in the community.

Methods: During an active surveillance of one week, we enrolled 318 individuals using three different strategies to enroll subjects for this study: (i) an active survey of previously treated cases from 2006 to 2016 found in the Brazil National Notifiable Disease Information System database ( = 23) and their healthy household contacts (HHC) ( = 57); (ii) an active survey of school children (SC) from two primary public schools in low-income neighborhoods ( = 178), followed by visits to the houses of these newly diagnosed SC ( = 7) to examine their HHC ( = 34) where we diagnosed additional new cases ( = 6); (iii) and those people who spontaneously presented themselves to our team or the local health center with clinical signs and/or symptoms of leprosy ( = 6) with subsequent follow-up of their HHC when the case was confirmed ( = 20) where we diagnosed two additional cases ( = 2).

Leprosy among children in an area without primary health care coverage in Caratateua Island, Brazilian Amazon.

Introduction: The detection of leprosy in children is an important epidemiological marker of the disease, indicating the community's early exposure to and active transmission of the infection.

Methods: In order to detect new cases among children by combining clinical evaluation and laboratory tests, we conducted an active case finding among individuals under 15 years old on Caratateua Island, located in the city of Belém, in the Pará state, an endemic region in the Amazon. Dermato-neurological examination, collection of 5 mL of peripheral blood for IgM anti-PGL-I antibody titration, and intradermal scraping for bacilloscopy and amplification of the specific RLEP region by qPCR were performed.

A study about management of drugs for leprosy patients under medical monitoring: A solution based on AHP-Electre decision-making methods.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's, is one of the listed neglected tropical diseases as a major health problem global. Treatment is one of the main alternatives, however, the scarcity of medication and its poor distribution are important factors that have driven the spread of the disease, leading to irreversible and multi-resistant complications. This paper uses a distribution methodology to optimize medication administration, taking into account the most relevant attributes for the epidemiological profile of patients and the deficit in treatment via Polychemotherapy.

Permeability coefficients and vapour pressure determination for fragrance materials.

Objective: This study aims to correlate new experimental data relevant to the description of the combined evaporation/permeation process of a perfume applied onto the skin.

Methods: The vapour pressure data were measured by thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTA). The Antoine constants and the Clarke and Glew parameters were determined for the same set of fragrance molecules to describe its low vapour pressures at new temperature ranges.

Microbiological Indicators of Soil Quality Under Native Forests are Influenced by Topographic Factors.

Several microbiological indicators of soil quality present high sensitivity, but little is known about the influence of topographic factors on them. This work aimed to evaluate variability of biological indicators of soil quality across a hillslope under native forest and the influence of topographic factors on them. Four positions on a hillslope were evaluated.

Data set on the bioprecipitation of sulfate and trivalent arsenic by acidophilic non-traditional sulfur reducing bacteria.

Data presented here are related to the original paper "Simultaneous removal of sulfate and arsenic using immobilized non-traditional sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) mixed culture and alternative low-cost carbon sources" published by same authors (Matos et al., 2018) [1]. The data set here presented aims to facilitate this paper comprehension by giving readers some additional information.

Characteristics of environmental Paracoccidioides brasiliensis isolates.

The ecological niche or exact habitat of the fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is not known, and few isolates have been obtained from the environment. In this study, ten isolates were analyzed with respect to antigenic composition, serology, pathogenicity, and molecular aspects. Gp43 is considered to be the molecular basis for the serodiagnosis of paracoccidioidomycosis; however, in this study only six of the environmental isolates secreted this molecule (four in great amounts and two in small amounts).

Enzymatic isolation of Lacazia loboi cells from skin lesions of lobomycosis.

Lacazia loboi is the etiologic agent of Jorge Lobo's disease, a cutaneous and subcutaneous mycosis endemic to Latin America tropical regions and characterized by chronic nodular or keloidal lesions which develop after traumatic events. A new method for the extraction of L. loboi yeast cells from biopsies of lobomycosis skin lesions is presented.

Isolation of Fonsecaea pedrosoi from thorns of Mimosa pudica, a probable natural source of chromoblastomycosis.

We report the isolation of Fonsecaea pedrosoi from thorns of the plant Mimosa pudica L. at the place of infection identified by one of our patients. Clinical diagnosis of chromoblastomycosis was established by direct microscopic examination and cultures from the patient's lesion.