Unveiling mycobacterial infections in Brazilian swine: Insights from epidemiological and diagnostic studies.

Stringent sanitary standards are imperative for swine production, ensuring high biosecurity and safe meat. However, granulomatous lesions, often detected as "lymphadenitis" in slaughterhouses, lack routine laboratory examination, potentially overlooking tuberculosis among other etiologies. This study aimed to: (i) explore epidemiological variables linked to swine carcasses condemned due to "tuberculosis" or "lymphadenitis" in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil in a retrospective survey; and (ii) evaluate the frequency of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in granulomatous lymphadenitis lesions.

CCR5Δ32 and HLA allele diversity in bone marrow donors from southern Brazil.

Transplantation of stem cells derived from donors with CCR5Δ32 homozygous genotype is a potential strategy to achieve both the control of malignant hematological disease as well as sustained remission of the HIV infection, and researchers in different countries are looking for CCR5Δ32 homozygous donors to replicate such a 'double-target' strategy. We determined the frequency of the CCR5Δ32 variant in a sample of 1,398 bone marrow donors from Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. This study also evaluated whether HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DRB1 genotypes are homogeneously distributed between CCR5Δ32 carriers and non-carriers in a population characterized by a significant genetic admixture.

Autophagy and nuclear morphometry are associated with histopathologic features in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Less than 15% of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) survive 5 years after diagnosis. A better understanding of the biology of these tumors and the development of clinical biomarkers is needed. Autophagy is a physiological mechanism involved in the turnover of cellular components that plays a key role in cancer.

SARS-CoV-2 infected children form early immune memory responses dominated by nucleocapsid-specific CD8+ T cells and antibodies.

This is the third year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and yet most children remain unvaccinated. COVID-19 in children manifests as mostly mild or asymptomatic, however high viral titers and strong cellular and humoral responses are observed upon acute infection. It is still unclear how long these responses persist, and if they can protect from re-infection and/or disease severity.

Reduced mastication is a risk factor for Rome IV postprandial distress syndrome in patients investigated with upper endoscopy.

Background And Aims: Reduced mastication could force the stomach to do extra work on crushing food and contribute to dyspeptic symptoms. This study aimed to assess the relationship between mastication and dyspepsia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 209 consecutive patients referred for elective upper endoscopy.

Short-term intestinal effects of water intake in fibre supplementation in healthy, low-habitual fibre consumers: a phase 2 clinical trial.

A randomised clinical trial was conducted on 20 healthy, low-habitual fibre consumers to assess the short-term effects of water intake (2 l/day) on fibre supplementation with wheat bran, pectin, and green banana flour. During the 14-days trial, fibre intake doubled in both fibre ( = 10) and fibre/water ( = 10) interventions ( < 0.001), whereas daily water intake increased from 538 to 1990 ml in the fibre/water group ( < 0.

Multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli from free-living pigeons (Columba livia): Insights into antibiotic environmental contamination and detection of resistance genes.

Bacterial resistance is a public and one health problem. Free-living birds can be reservoirs of multidrug-resistant bacteria and resistance genes. This study aimed to characterize the antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from free-living urban pigeons (Columba livia) in South Brazil.

Evaluation of Polymorphisms in Toll-Like Receptor Genes as Biomarkers of the Response to Treatment of Erythema Nodosum Leprosum.

Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) is an inflammatory complication caused by a dysregulated immune response to . Some Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been identified as capable of recognizing antigens from , triggering a wide antimicrobial and inflammatory response. Genetic polymorphisms in these receptors could influence in the appearance of ENL as well as in its treatment.

Pediatric COVID-19 patients in South Brazil show abundant viral mRNA and strong specific anti-viral responses.

COVID-19 manifests as a milder disease in children than adults, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully characterized. Here we assess the difference in cellular or humoral immune responses of pediatric and adult COVID-19 patients to see if these factors contribute to the severity dichotomy. Children's non-specific immune profile is dominated by naive lymphocytes and HLA-DRCX3CR1 dendritic cells; meanwhile, children show strong specific antibody and T cell responses for viral structural proteins, with their T cell responses differing from adults by having weaker CD8TNF T cells responses to S peptide pool but stronger responses to N and M peptide pools.

Reduced masticatory function predicts gastroesophageal reflux disease and esophageal dysphagia in patients referred for upper endoscopy: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The role of mastication on gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is unknown.

Aims: To assess whether reduced masticatory function predicts GERD and esophageal dysphagia in patients investigated with upper endoscopy.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 179 adult patients referred for elective upper gastrointestinal endoscopy agreed to participate.

Blood groups in Native Americans: a look beyond ABO and Rh.

The study presents comparisons between blood group frequencies beyond ABO and Rh blood systems in Native American populations and previously published data from Brazilian blood donors. The frequencies of Diego (c.2561C>T, rs2285644), Kell (c.

Cancer Cell Fitness Is Dynamic.

Several phenotypes that impact the capacity of cancer cells to survive and proliferate are dynamic. Here we used the number of cells in colonies as an assessment of fitness and devised a novel method called Dynamic Fitness Analysis (DynaFit) to measure the dynamics in fitness over the course of colony formation. DynaFit is based on the variance in growth rate of a population of founder cells compared with the variance in growth rate of colonies with different sizes.

Lactobacillus brevis CD2 attenuates traumatic oral lesions induced by fixed orthodontic appliance: A randomized phase 2 trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the probiotic Lactobacillus brevis CD2 on the prevention of early traumatic oral lesions induced by a fixed orthodontic appliance.

Settings And Sample Population: Twenty orthodontic patients (14-57 yo) were recruited from a private clinic.

Subjects And Methods: In a phase 2, double-blind clinical trial, all patients were randomly allocated (1:1 ratio) to a 21-day course of soluble tablets containing L brevis CD2 (4 billion colony-forming units after breakfast, lunch and dinner) or placebo, starting at the day of orthodontic appliance placement.

Abdominal Palpation Does Not Modify the Number of Bowel Sounds in Healthy Volunteers and Gastrointestinal Outpatients.

Background: The effect of abdominal palpation on bowel sounds is controversial. The authors developed an auscultation apparatus to count bowel sounds and determined whether abdominal palpation modifies the number of bowel sounds in healthy volunteers and gastrointestinal outpatients.

Methods: Four medical students developed an auscultation apparatus by attaching a Littmann stethoscope to an electret condenser microphone.

Predictors of dental erosions in patients evaluated with upper digestive endoscopy: a cross-sectional study.

The most studied medical condition related with dental erosions is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The aim of this study was to assess other predictors of dental erosions besides GERD in outpatients referred for upper digestive endoscopy. In a cross-sectional study, we prospectively evaluated 235 patients who underwent upper digestive endoscopy.

Poor sleep quality associates with self-reported psychiatric and cardiometabolic symptoms independently of sleep timing patterns in a large sample of rural and urban workers.

Poor sleep associates with mental and cardiometabolic pathological outcomes. The participation of sleep timing features in the pathways by which this relationship occurs is not clear. This study aims to evaluate the interrelationship between sleep quality and self-reported psychiatric/cardiometabolic symptoms, considering mediation and moderation effects of sleep timing patterns, and urban versus rural work environment, respectively; and to verify the association between sleep quality and polymorphisms of AANAT, RORA and TIMELESS genes.

Are Lactobacillus salivarius G60 and inulin more efficacious to treat patients with oral halitosis and tongue coating than the probiotic alone and placebo? A randomized clinical trial.

Background: The combination of probiotics and prebiotics might be useful to treat oral halitosis. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Lactobacillus salivarius G60 (LS) and inulin on oral halitosis and tongue coating.

Methods: In this double-masked, randomized, phase II clinical trial, 45 patients (aged 35 ± 15 years, 66% female) with oral halitosis and tongue coating were allocated to three treatment groups (n = 15) using gums of oral dissolution (one gum every 12 hours) for 10 days.

Nuclear morphometric analysis in tissue as an objective tool with potential use to improve melanoma staging.

Alterations in nuclear size and shape are commonly observed in cancers, and its objective evaluation may provide valuable clinical information about the outcome of the disease. Here, we applied the nuclear morphometric analysis in tissues in hematoxylin and eosin-digitized slides of nevi and melanoma, to objectively contribute to the prognostic evaluation of these tumors. To this, we analyzed the nuclear morphometry of 34 melanomas classified according to the TNM stage.

The somatic mobilization of transposable element mariner-Mos1 during the Drosophila lifespan and its biological consequences.

Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile DNA sequences on genomes. Some elements are able to transpose in somatic cells, a process known as somatic transposition (ST), which has been associated with detrimental biological effects. The mariner-Mos1 element of Drosophila promotes transposition in somatic and germline cells and is an excellent model for studies related to the biological consequence of somatic excision (SE).

Acoustic signal of silent tracheal aspiration in children with oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Unlabelled: Objetive: The aim of this study was to characterize the acoustic signal of silent tracheal aspiration in children with oropharyngeal dysphagia (OPD).

Method: Thirty-two children with OPD were examined with combined digital cervical auscultation (DCA) and videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS). Power spectral density (PSD, in 1/√Hz) of the acoustic signal from a sequential series of five liquid swallows was used for comparisons between children who silently aspirated and children who did not aspirate on VFSS.

Twin Peaks: A spatial and temporal study of twinning rates in Brazil.

Twin births are an important public health issue due to health complications for both mother and children. While it is known that contemporary factors have drastically changed the epidemiology of twins in certain developed countries, in Brazil, relevant data are still scarce. Thus, we carried out a population-based study of live births in spatial and temporal dimensions using data from Brazil's Live Birth Information System, which covers the entire country.

Cytological and genome size data analyzed in a phylogenetic frame: Evolutionary implications concerning Sisyrinchium taxa (Iridaceae: Iridoideae).

Sisyrinchium is the largest genus of Iridaceae in the Americas and has the greatest amount of cytological data available. This study aimed at investigating how genomes evolved in this genus. Chromosome number, genome size and altitude from species of sect.

Juice Test for Identification of Nonerosive Reflux Disease in Heartburn Patients.

Background/aims: Evaluation of esophageal clearance by orange juice swallowing could be useful to identify different categories of gastroesophageal reflux disease. We determined whether a juice test at the beginning of esophageal pH monitoring can identify nonerosive reflux disease (NERD) among heartburn patients.

Methods: Multiple swallows of orange juice (pH 3) were performed at the beginning of esophageal pH monitoring in 71 heartburn patients off acid-suppressive therapy.