Non-human primates (NHPs) are reported as exclusive hosts of Trypanosoma minasense, whose transmission cycle remains unknown. We investigated trypanosomatid infections in 194 NHPs of nine species from the Brazilian Southeast region. We evaluated the impact of landscape composition and forest fragmentation on T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS Comput Biol
December 2024
Astrocytes respond to neurotransmitters by increasing their intracellular Ca2+ concentration (Ca2+ signals). While glutamate released by neurons trigger Ca2+ signals through IP3- and glutamate transporter-dependent mechanisms, dopamine released in distant sites activates astrocytes via dopaminergic receptors. However, little is known about the modulatory effects of dopamine on glutamate-evoked astrocytic activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Myopia, a leading cause of correctable visual impairment, is projected to affect nearly 50% of the global population by 2050, posing a significant public health challenge. Understanding its prevalence and associated factors, particularly in children, is crucial for devising prevention and intervention strategies. This study aims to determine the proportion of myopia in school-aged children in Portugal and to examine the correlation between myopia occurrence and various environmental and genetic factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFResearch Question: What are the trends and impact of new technologies on the effectiveness and safety of assisted reproductive technology (ART) performed in Latin America during 2021?
Design: This was a retrospective collection of cycle-based multinational data obtained from ART procedures performed by 204 accredited institutions in 16 countries.
Results: In total 127,351initiated cycles resulted in 20,032 deliveries and 22,708 births. ART utilization showed great variability, from 623.
Histone H1 is involved in the regulation of chromatin structure. Human somatic cells express up to seven subtypes. The variability in the proportions of somatic H1s (H1 complement) is one piece of evidence supporting their functional specificity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by dietary gluten in genetically predisposed individuals that primarily affects the small intestine. Studies have reported differentially abundant bacterial taxa in the gut microbiota of celiac patients compared with non-celiac controls. However, findings across studies have inconsistencies and no microbial signature of celiac disease has been defined so far.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite the great diversity of bats (64 species) in the State of Acre, northwestern Brazil, there are no studies on occurrence and diversity of Bartonella spp. in bats in this region. The present study investigated the occurrence and molecular identity of Bartonella spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSolution-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) coupled to native ion mobility spectrometry mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) can provide complementary structural information about the conformational dynamics of biological molecules. In the present work, the solution-stable isotope labeling (SIL) combined with trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) in tandem with top-down electron capture dissociation (ECD) is illustrated for the structural characterization of the solution native states of ubiquitin. Four different ubiquitin electrospray solution conditions: (i) single-tip nondeuterated, (ii) theta tip for online SIL HDX, (iii) single-tip SIL-deuterated, and (iv) theta tip for online SIL H/D back exchange (HDbX), were investigated to assess the H/D exchange reactivities of native ubiquitin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To compare the impact of a commercial "sleep lotion" versus a placebo control lotion on salivary melatonin and sleep quality.
Methods: The presence of melatonin in the lotion was confirmed and quantitated with High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). In this randomized, controlled, double-blind crossover trial, undergraduate student participants applied lotions on two separate nights and we quantitated melatonin in saliva samples with enzyme linked immunosorbent assays.
Objectives: to understand the process of adapting to childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of a group of pregnant women.
Methods: a qualitative, descriptive-exploratory study was conducted with 23 women. Data were collected between October and December 2021 through documentation and semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using Minayo's methodology and Roy's Adaptation Model.
Latin America (LATAM) plays an important role in the world's production of aquatic animals and is the second most productive region in the world. Chile, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Perú contribute 87% of LATAM aquaculture production. The fish welfare in aquaculture is of increasing public concern globally, and LATAM is no exception, growing in importance for fish farmers, authorities, and scientists.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrypanosomatids have achieved significant evolutionary success in parasitizing various groups, yet reptiles remain relatively unexplored. The utilization of advanced molecular tools has revealed an increased richness of trypanosomatids in vertebrate hosts. The aim of this study was to identify the trypanosomatid species infecting Bothrops moojeni and Crotalus durissus kept in captivity from 2000 to 2022.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe sensorimotor gating is a nervous system function that modulates the acoustic startle response (ASR). Prepulse inhibition (PPI) phenomenon is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating, defined as the reduction of ASR when a high intensity sound (pulse) is preceded in milliseconds by a weaker stimulus (prepulse). Brainstem nuclei are associated with the mediation of ASR and PPI, whereas cortical and subcortical regions are associated with their modulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPanic disorder is a common psychiatric diagnosis characterized by acute, distressing somatic symptoms that mimic medically-relevant symptoms. As a result, individuals with panic disorder overutilize personal and healthcare resources in an attempt to diagnose and treat physical symptoms that are often medically benign. A biobehavioral perspective on these symptoms is needed that integrates psychological and medical knowledge to avoid costly treatments and prolonged suffering.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe capability of peptide and amino acid-based molecules to act as ionogelators and eutectogelators entrapping ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) forming ionogels and eutectogels has gathered attention in recent decades. The self-assembly process, primarily driven by non-covalent interactions as hydrogen bonding, remains serendipitous in nature. This review provides a comprehensive and detailed report on self-assembly of unmodified and modified amino acids and peptides in the non-conventional solvents, ILs and DESs.
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