A Potential SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Interest (VOI) Harboring Mutation E484K in the Spike Protein Was Identified within Lineage B 1 1 33 Circulating in Brazil

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic in Brazil was dominated by two lineages designated as B.1.1.28 and B.1.1.33. The two SARS-CoV-2 variants harboring mutations at the receptor-binding domain of the Spike (S) protein, designated as lineages P.1 and P.2, evolved from lineage B.1.1.28 and are rapidly spreading in Brazil. Lineage P.1 is considered a Variant of Concern (VOC) because of the presence of multiple mutations in the S protein (including K417T, E484K, N501Y), while lineage P.2 only harbors mutation S:E484K and is considered a Variant of Interest (VOI). On the other hand, epidemiologically relevant B.1.1.33 deriving lineages have not been described so far. Here we report the identification of a new SARS-CoV-2 VOI within lineage B.1.1.33 that also harbors mutation S:E484K and was detected in Brazil between November 2020 and February 2021. This VOI displayed four non-synonymous lineage-defining mutations (NSP3:A1711V, NSP6:F36L, S:E484K, and NS7b:E33A) and was designated as lineage N.9. The VOI N.9 probably emerged in August 2020 and has spread across different Brazilian states from the Southeast, South, North, and Northeast regions.

Citrus limon (L.) Burm f. Essential Oil Has Anxiolytic and Sedative Properties by Modulating GABAA-Receptors

Abstract The high prevalence of anxiety disorders associated with pharmacotherapy side effects have motivated the search for new pharmacological agents. Species from Citrus genus, such as Citrus limon (sicilian lemon), have been used in folk medicine as a potential therapy to minimize emotional disorders. In order to searching for new effective treatments with fewer side effects, the present study evaluated the anxiolytic mechanism of action and the hypnotic-sedative activity from the Citrus limon fruit's peels essential oil (CLEO). Adults male Swiss mice were submitted to barbiturate-induced sleep test; elevated plus-maze (EPM) and light-dark box (LDB) (evaluation of the mechanism of action); rotarod; and catalepsy tests. CLEO oral treatment decreased latency and increased the sleep total time; moreover it induced in animals an increased the number of entries and percentage of time spent into open arms of the EPM; an increased the number of transitions and the percentage of time into light compartment in the LDB; which were only antagonized by flumazenil pretreatment, with no injury at motor function. Thus, results suggest that CLEO treatment induced an anxiolytic behavior suggestively modulated by the benzodiazepine binding site of the GABAA receptor or by an increase of GABAergic neurotransmission, without cause impairment in the motor coordination.

Prevalência de Síndrome metabólica em hipertensos de município da Zona da Mata alagoana / Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among hypertensive patients in a town in the rainforest zone, Alagoas State, Northwest Brazil

Fundamentos: Estudos em diferentes populações revelam prevalências elevadas da síndrome metabólica (SM), dependendo do critério utilizado e das características da população estudada. No Brasil, os dados são escassos, necessitando de estudos que caracterizam melhor a população, principalmente grupos vulneráveis à SM, como é o caso de indivíduos hipertensos. Objetivo: Verificar a prevalência de SM em hipertensos cadastrados no programa HIPERDIA/MS, do município de Flexeiras (AL). Métodos: Estudo transversal de amostra aleatória simples de 300 hipertensos de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 21 anos e 92 anos, cadastrados no HIPERDIA/MS do município de Flexeiras (AL), avaliados no período de janeiro a março 2005. Estimou-se a prevalência de SM utilizando-se os critérios do NCEP-ATPIII. Resultados: A prevalência de SM foi 57,3 por cento (77,9 por cento das mulheres e 22,1 por cento dos homens). Analisando-se os portadores de SM por sexo, verificou-se que as mulheres apresentaram 2,34 vezes mais chances de desenvolver SM, comparadas aos homens. Quando estratificados por faixa etária, observou-se uma prevalência de SM maior entre os adultos jovens do que entre os idosos (p<0,05). Níveis séricos de HDL-c abaixo dos limites normais foi o componente da SM mais presente nos indivíduos estudados (53,3%), seguidode obesidade abdominal (52,3%), hipertrigliceridemia (41,3%), glicemia de jejum alterada e/ ou diabetes mellitus(19,3%). Conclusões: Observou-se uma elevada prevalência de SM na população estudada comparada a outros grupospopulacionais. Os resultados encontrados poderão direcionar os cuidados prioritários que devem serimplementados nesse grupo de pacientes e assim contribuir para melhor intervenção.

Background: Studies of different populations show high Metabolic Syndrome (MS) rates, depending onthe criteria used and population characteristics. As data is scarce, studies are needed in Brazil to characterize its population more effectively, especiallygroups vulnerable to MS, such as hypertensive people. Objective: To ascertain the prevalence of MS amonghypertensive patients registered with the HIPERDIA/MS program in the town of Flexeiras, Alagoas State, Northeast Brazil. Methods: Cross-section study of a simple random sample of 300 hypertensive male and female patientsbetween 21 and 92 years old, registered with the HIPERDIA/MS program in Flexeiras and evaluated from January to March 2005, estimating the prevalenceof MS through the NCEP-ATPIII criterion.Results: The prevalence of MS was 57.3% (77.9% of women and 22.1% of men). Analyzing MS patients by gender, women are 2.34 times more likely to develop MS, than men. When stratified by age group, MS was more prevalent among young adults than among theelderly (p<0.05). Serum levels of HDL-C below normal limits was the MS component found most frequently(53.3%) among the patients studied, followed by abdominal obesity (52.3%), hypertriglyceridemia (41.3%), modified fasting blood glucose and/or diabetes mellitus (19.3%). Conclusions: A high prevalence of MS was noted in the population studied, compared to other population groups. These findings could guide the priority care.

Frequência de bactérias gram-negativas em uroculturas de paciente ambulatoriais, do sistema único de saúde (SUS) de Maceió (AL) e sua sensibilidade a antibióticos / Frequency of gram-negative in cultures of urine from ambulatorial patients of he unified health system (uhs) from Maceió (AL) and their sensitivity to antibiotics

Este trabalho visou determinar a frequência e sensibilidade a antibióticos de bactérias( Gram-negativas (BGN), isoladas de uroculturas de pacientes usuários do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) em Maceió (AL) com infecção do trato urinário (ITU), no período de janeiro a julho/2005. Foram conduzidas 1900 uroculturas (inoculação quantitativa) com posterior identificação morto-bioquímica das bactérias. Constatou-se crescimento em 10,6% (201)das uroculturas, sendo que 169 delas (84,1%) apresentaram BGN's e 32 (15,9%) apresentaram cocos Gram-positivos. Das BGN's, 133 (78,6%) foram identificados como Escherichia coli, 18 (10,7%) como Klebsiella sp, 11 (6,5%) como Proteus sp, 3 (1,8%) como Enterobacter sp, 2 (1,2%0 como Citrobacter sp e 2 (1,2%) como Providência estéril), procedeu-se o método de difusão em disco para detectar a sensibilidade a antibióticos. O Imipenem foi o mais eficiente, porém dentre as drogas de primeira escolha recomendadas pelo CLSI/NCCLS (2005), a Gentamicina apresentou a melhor ação (86,4%), enquanto as menos efetivas foram a Sulfonamida (9,3%), a associação Sulfametoxazol + Trimetoprim (31,6%), a Ampicilina (32,0%) e a Amoxicilina (30,4%), justamente as disponíveis nas farmácias públicas de Maceió.