The Role of Computed Tomography in the Diagnosis of Congenital Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

Introduction One of the paths in the investigation of congenital sensorineural hearing loss (CSNHL) is to try to characterize its etiology through the inner ear evaluation using high resolution computer tomography (CT) scans. With minor malformation, it is not always possible for a simple visual inspection to recognize if the structure in the inner ear is normal or not. Objective To verify if measurements of the inner ear are predictive of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and suggest cutoff points of size limits. Methods Retrospective cross-sectional study of inner ear CT scan measurements of 214 patients, 50 with congenital SNHL (CSNHL) and 164 acquired SNHL (ASNHL) (control group). Results In the CSNHL group, central bony island (CBI) were 0.48 mm smaller ( p < 0.001), cochlear nerve aperture was (CNA) 0.10 mm smaller ( p < 0.001), and cochlea height was (CH) 0.15 mm smaller ( p < 0.001). Vestibular aqueduct (VA) and cochlea width (CW) were similar between groups (0.70 vs 0.72, p = 0.19, and 7.20 vs 7.15 p = 0.23). The predictive cutoff points for CSNHL were CBI = 3.6 mm, CAN = 1.4 mm, CH = 3.4 mm, CW = 7.0 mm, and VA = 0.9 mm. Conclusion Congenital sensorineural hearing loss determined a decrease in CBI, opening of the cochlear nerve (OCN), and CW. Thus, these measures, at the cutoff points indicated, should make us aware of the diagnosis of congenital hearing loss.

The effectiveness of parasacral transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in the treatment of monosymptomatic enuresis in children and adolescents: a systematic review

ABSTRACT Background: Parasacral Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (PTENS) is a treatment used in enuresis refractory to first-line treatment. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PTENS in treating monosymptomatic enuresis (MNE) in children and adolescents. Methods: The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic (PRISMA) guidelines. The search was carried out in the following databases: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, SCOPUS, Central Cochrane Library and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). The selected studies were randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The "Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials" and the "Risk of Bias VISualization" were used to analyze the risk of bias. Results: Of the 624 studies selected, four RCTs were eligible. Three included 146 children and adolescents aged between six and 16.3 years and used similar PTENS protocols with a frequency of 10 Hz, pulse duration of 700 µs and 20 minutes three times/week. One study enrolled 52 patients aged seven to 14 years used PTENS at home, with a pulse duration of 200 µs and 20 to 60 minutes twice/day. Risk of bias was observed in three studies due to results' randomization and measurement. Two studies showed a partial response with a reduction in wet nights, one a complete response in 27% of patients, and one showed no improvement. Conclusion: PTENS reduces wet nights' frequency but does not cure them, except in 27% of patients in one study. Limited RCTs and data heterogeneity are limitations.

One sixth of Amazonian tree diversity is dependent on river floodplains.

Amazonia's floodplain system is the largest and most biodiverse on Earth. Although forests are crucial to the ecological integrity of floodplains, our understanding of their species composition and how this may differ from surrounding forest types is still far too limited, particularly as changing inundation regimes begin to reshape floodplain tree communities and the critical ecosystem functions they underpin. Here we address this gap by taking a spatially explicit look at Amazonia-wide patterns of tree-species turnover and ecological specialization of the region's floodplain forests. We show that the majority of Amazonian tree species can inhabit floodplains, and about a sixth of Amazonian tree diversity is ecologically specialized on floodplains. The degree of specialization in floodplain communities is driven by regional flood patterns, with the most compositionally differentiated floodplain forests located centrally within the fluvial network and contingent on the most extraordinary flood magnitudes regionally. Our results provide a spatially explicit view of ecological specialization of floodplain forest communities and expose the need for whole-basin hydrological integrity to protect the Amazon's tree diversity and its function.

The effectiveness of parasacral transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in the treatment of monosymptomatic enuresis in children and adolescents: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Parasacral Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (PTENS) is a treatment used in enuresis refractory to first-line treatment. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PTENS in treating monosymptomatic enuresis (MNE) in children and adolescents. METHODS: The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic (PRISMA) guidelines. The search was carried out in the following databases: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, SCOPUS, Central Cochrane Library and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). The selected studies were randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The "Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials" and the "Risk of Bias VISualization" were used to analyze the risk of bias. RESULTS: Of the 624 studies selected, four RCTs were eligible. Three included 146 children and adolescents aged between six and 16.3 years and used similar PTENS protocols with a frequency of 10 Hz, pulse duration of 700 µs and 20 minutes three times/week. One study enrolled 52 patients aged seven to 14 years used PTENS at home, with a pulse duration of 200 µs and 20 to 60 minutes twice/day. Risk of bias was observed in three studies due to results' randomization and measurement. Two studies showed a partial response with a reduction in wet nights, one a complete response in 27% of patients, and one showed no improvement. CONCLUSION: PTENS reduces wet nights' frequency but does not cure them, except in 27% of patients in one study. Limited RCTs and data heterogeneity are limitations.

Bovine serum albumin nanoparticles containing Poly (I:C) can enhance the neutralizing antibody response induced by envelope protein of Orthoflavivirus zikaense.

Since the Orthoflavivirus zikaense (ZIKV) has been considered a risk for Zika congenital syndrome development, developing a safe and effective vaccine has become a high priority. Numerous research groups have developed strategies to prevent ZIKV infection and have identified the domain III of the ZIKV envelope protein (zEDIII) as a promising target. Subunit antigens are often poorly immunogenic, necessitating the use of adjuvants and/or delivery systems to induce optimal immune responses. The subject of nanotechnology has substantial expansion in recent years in terms of research and applications. Nanoparticles could be used as drug delivery systems and to increase the immunogenicity and stability of a given antigen. This work aims to characterize and validate the potential of a vaccine formulation composed of domain zEDIII and bovine serum albumin nanoparticles containing polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (NPPI). NPPI were uptake in vitro by immature bone marrow dendritic cells and histological analysis of the skin of mice treated with NPPI showed an increase in cellularity. Immunization assay showed that mice immunized with zEDIII in the presence of NPPI produced neutralizing antibodies. Through the passive transfer of sera from immunized mice to ZIKV-infected neonatal mice, it was demonstrated that these antibodies provide protection, mitigating weight loss, clinical or neurological signs induced by infection, and significantly increased survival rates. Protection was further substantiated by the reduction in the number of viable infectious ZIKV, as well as a decrease in inflammatory cytokines and tissue alterations in the brains of infected mice. Taken together, data presented in this study shows that NPPI + zEDIII is a promising vaccine candidate for ZIKV.

Bacterial microbiome changes after fecal transplantation for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection in the Brazilian center.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) poses a significant global health threat owing to its substantial morbidity and associated healthcare costs. A key challenge in controlling CDI is the risk of multiple recurrences, which can affect up to 30% of patients. In such instances, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is increasingly recognized as the optimal treatment. However, few related studies have been conducted in developing countries, and the microbiota composition of Brazilian patients and its dynamic modification post-FMT remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the bacterial gut microbiome in Brazilian patients with recurrent CDI post-FMT. Ten patients underwent FMT, and the primary and overall CDI resolution rates were 80% and 90% after the first and second FMT, respectively. FMT was associated with an early increase in Shannon's diversity, evident as soon as 1 week post-FMT and persisting for at least 25 days post-treatment. Post-treatment, the abundance of Firmicutes increased and that of Proteobacteria decreased. Specifically, the abundance of the genera Ruminococcus, Faecalibacterium, Lachnospira, and Roseburia of the Firmicutes phylum was significantly higher 1 week post-transplantation, with Ruminococcus and Faecalibacterium remaining enriched 25 days post-transplantation. This study is the first of its kind in Brazil to evaluate the microbiota of a donor and patients undergoing FMT. Our findings suggest that FMT can induce remarkable changes in the gut microbiota, characterized by an early and sustained increase in diversity lasting at least 25 days. FMT also promotes enrichment of genera such as Ruminococcus spp., Faecalibacterium spp., and Roseburia spp., essential for therapeutic success.

Mapping density, diversity and species-richness of the Amazon tree flora.

Using 2.046 botanically-inventoried tree plots across the largest tropical forest on Earth, we mapped tree species-diversity and tree species-richness at 0.1-degree resolution, and investigated drivers for diversity and richness. Using only location, stratified by forest type, as predictor, our spatial model, to the best of our knowledge, provides the most accurate map of tree diversity in Amazonia to date, explaining approximately 70% of the tree diversity and species-richness. Large soil-forest combinations determine a significant percentage of the variation in tree species-richness and tree alpha-diversity in Amazonian forest-plots. We suggest that the size and fragmentation of these systems drive their large-scale diversity patterns and hence local diversity. A model not using location but cumulative water deficit, tree density, and temperature seasonality explains 47% of the tree species-richness in the terra-firme forest in Amazonia. Over large areas across Amazonia, residuals of this relationship are small and poorly spatially structured, suggesting that much of the residual variation may be local. The Guyana Shield area has consistently negative residuals, showing that this area has lower tree species-richness than expected by our models. We provide extensive plot meta-data, including tree density, tree alpha-diversity and tree species-richness results and gridded maps at 0.1-degree resolution.

More than 10,000 pre-Columbian earthworks are still hidden throughout Amazonia.

Indigenous societies are known to have occupied the Amazon basin for more than 12,000 years, but the scale of their influence on Amazonian forests remains uncertain. We report the discovery, using LIDAR (light detection and ranging) information from across the basin, of 24 previously undetected pre-Columbian earthworks beneath the forest canopy. Modeled distribution and abundance of large-scale archaeological sites across Amazonia suggest that between 10,272 and 23,648 sites remain to be discovered and that most will be found in the southwest. We also identified 53 domesticated tree species significantly associated with earthwork occurrence probability, likely suggesting past management practices. Closed-canopy forests across Amazonia are likely to contain thousands of undiscovered archaeological sites around which pre-Columbian societies actively modified forests, a discovery that opens opportunities for better understanding the magnitude of ancient human influence on Amazonia and its current state.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in hospital workers in the southern region of Minas Gerais state in Brazil: An analysis of the pre-vaccine period.

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection seroprevalence can be performed by detecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The survey is essential to understand the disease transmission's dynamic in the studied population. This study aimed to carry out a seroepidemiological survey of SARS-CoV-2 in three hospitals located in the south of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. 859 samples were collected from August to December 2020 when SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were still not available and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were performed on participants sera. The average age of participants was 38 years, and most were women (71.4%). Likewise, most participants were classified as health professionals with direct or indirect contact with patients with COVID-19 (74.5%). The other participants tested belonged to other sectors, such as the administrative one (11,6%). Considering clinical symptoms, 15.8% of participants reported diarrhoea, 6.4% fever, 5.8% respiratory distress, and 7.0% loss of smell and taste. Many participants reported contact with infected patients (63.35%). Regarding the ELISA tests, 21.6% of the participants had positive results and hospital 3 had the highest positivity (21.7%), followed by hospital 2 (21.6%) and hospital 1 (20.3%). The prevalence was higher in women compared to men (22,8% and 18,7%, respectively). Regarding the area of expertise, the highest positivity (20.9%) was observed among health professionals. However, professionals who worked exclusively with COVID-19 had lower positivity when compared to professionals who did not work directly with COVID-19 (22.0% and 21.5%, respectively). When analysing the correlation between the ELISA tests with the other variables, a significant association was detected with these previous serological variables, previous contact with COVID-19 and the presence of fever symptoms, loss of smell and taste. Clinical symptoms associated with serological tests are important tools for monitoring the disease among health professionals.

Unraveling Amazon tree community assembly using Maximum Information Entropy: a quantitative analysis of tropical forest ecology.

In a time of rapid global change, the question of what determines patterns in species abundance distribution remains a priority for understanding the complex dynamics of ecosystems. The constrained maximization of information entropy provides a framework for the understanding of such complex systems dynamics by a quantitative analysis of important constraints via predictions using least biased probability distributions. We apply it to over two thousand hectares of Amazonian tree inventories across seven forest types and thirteen functional traits, representing major global axes of plant strategies. Results show that constraints formed by regional relative abundances of genera explain eight times more of local relative abundances than constraints based on directional selection for specific functional traits, although the latter does show clear signals of environmental dependency. These results provide a quantitative insight by inference from large-scale data using cross-disciplinary methods, furthering our understanding of ecological dynamics.

Integrative transcriptome analysis of SARS-CoV-2 human-infected cells combined with deep learning algorithms identifies two potential cellular targets for the treatment of coronavirus disease.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) quickly spread worldwide, leading coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to hit pandemic level less than 4 months after the first official cases. Hence, the search for drugs and vaccines that could prevent or treat infections by SARS-CoV-2 began, intending to reduce a possible collapse of health systems. After 2 years, efforts to find therapies to treat COVID-19 continue. However, there is still much to be understood about the virus' pathology. Tools such as transcriptomics have been used to understand the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on different cells isolated from various tissues, leaving datasets in the databases that integrate genes and differentially expressed pathways during SARS-CoV-2 infection. After retrieving transcriptome datasets from different human cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 available in the database, we performed an integrative analysis associated with deep learning algorithms to determine differentially expressed targets mainly after infection. The targets found represented a fructose transporter (GLUT5) and a component of proteasome 26s. These targets were then molecularly modeled, followed by molecular docking that identified potential inhibitors for both structures. Once the inhibition of structures that have the expression increased by the virus can represent a strategy for reducing the viral replication by selecting infected cells, associating these bioinformatics tools, therefore, can be helpful in the screening of molecules being tested for new uses, saving financial resources, time, and making a personalized screening for each infectious disease.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of new thalidomide-donepezil hybrids as neuroprotective agents targeting cholinesterases and neuroinflammation.

A new series of eight multifunctional thalidomide-donepezil hybrids were synthesized based on the multi-target-directed ligand strategy and evaluated as potential neuroprotective, cholinesterase inhibitors and anti-neuroinflammatory agents against neurodegenerative diseases. A molecular hybridization approach was used for structural design by combining the N-benzylpiperidine pharmacophore of donepezil and the isoindoline-1,3-dione fragment from the thalidomide structure. The most promising compound, PQM-189 (3g), showed good AChE inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 3.15 µM, which was predicted by docking studies as interacting with the enzyme in the same orientation observed in the AChE-donepezil complex and a similar profile of interaction. Additionally, compound 3g significantly decreased iNOS and IL-1ß levels by 43% and 39%, respectively, after 24 h of incubation with lipopolysaccharide. In vivo data confirmed the ability of 3g to prevent locomotor impairment and changes in feeding behavior elicited by lipopolysaccharide. Moreover, the PAMPA assay evidenced adequate blood-brain barrier and gastrointestinal tract permeabilities with an Fa value of 69.8%. Altogether, these biological data suggest that compound 3g can treat the inflammatory process and oxidative stress resulting from the overexpression of iNOS and therefore the increase in reactive nitrogen species, and regulate the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1ß. In this regard, compound PQM-189 (3g) was revealed to be a promising neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory agent with an innovative thalidomide-donepezil-based hybrid molecular architecture.

Unbalanced relationships: insights into the interaction between gut microbiota, geohelminths, and schistosomiasis.

Hosts and their microbiota and parasites have co-evolved in an adaptative relationship since ancient times. The interaction between parasites and intestinal bacteria in terms of the hosts' health is currently a subject of great research interest. Therapeutic interventions can include manipulations of the structure of the intestinal microbiota, which have immunological interactions important for modulating the host's immune system and for reducing inflammation. Most helminths are intestinal parasites; the intestinal environment provides complex interactions with other microorganisms in which internal and external factors can influence the composition of the intestinal microbiota. Moreover, helminths and intestinal microorganisms can modulate the host's immune system either beneficially or harmfully. The immune response can be reduced due to co-infection, and bacteria from the intestinal microbiota can translocate to other organs. In this way, the treatment can be compromised, which, together with drug resistance by the parasites makes healing even more difficult. Thus, this work aimed to understand interactions between the microbiota and parasitic diseases caused by the most important geohelminths and schistosomiasis and the consequences of these associations.

Cryptosporidium species in non-human animal species in Latin America: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cryptosporidiosis is an infection caused by a protozoon that inhabits the gastrointestinal tract. More than forty valid species have been described in the genus Cryptosporidium, infecting a broad range of hosts around the world, some with zoonotic transmission and others with predominant anthroponotic transmission. Prevalence studies conducted in Latin American countries have been specific, without consolidating information on species prevalences. Thus, the aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis addressing the prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in animals in Latin America. The estimated pooled prevalence rate for cryptosporidiosis in animals, by means of meta-analysis with a random-effects model, based on species identification, was 18.0% (95% CI 11.0%-27.0%) with high heterogeneity. The estimated overall prevalence was 20.3% (36/177) in pets, 19.9% (1309/6573) in livestock animals and 23.9% (954/3995) in exotic/captive animals. Evidence of circulation of 16 Cryptosporidium species was found in five Latin American countries: Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Mexico. Through meta-analysis with a random-effects model, the pooled prevalence rate for Cryptosporidium parvum was 0.7% (95% CI 0.2%-2.4%). Cryptosporidium felis (8.5%) was the most prevalent species in pets, C. parvum (10.3%) in livestock animals and Cryptosporidium galli (17.6%) in exotic/captive animals. C. parvum was the species with the greatest geographical dispersion, which can be explained by its eurixenic and zoonotic potential. Few studies on cryptosporidiosis in animals in Latin America were found, which shows that there is a need for investment in and expansion of studies on this parasite. The pooled prevalence of C. parvum in Latin America and its wide circulation are similar to what has been observed in other developing regions, which reaffirms the importance of this species as the cause of a neglected, emerging and zoonotic parasitosis.

Integrative transcriptome analysis of human cells treated with silver nanoparticles reveals a distinct cellular response and the importance of inorganic elements detoxification pathways.

The field of Nanotechnology has taken a great leap in recent decades, with several products currently researched in the industrial sector and even available in the market bringing nanostructured components. The pharmaceutical industry has explored this type of structure as targeted drug delivery, especially against cancer. Integrative transcriptome analysis (ITA) is considered a promising technique for understanding biological events by analyzing several transcriptomes deposited in public databases. This research recovered seven transcriptomes' studies of human cells treated with silver nanoparticles without association or conjugation with any other substance or material for the performance of ITA. This analysis consists of a bipartite network for determining shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between different datasets from human cells treated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) at both early (4 or 6 h) and late treatment time (24 h). Most of the few upregulated DEGs shared by five or more datasets belong to biological pathways related to mineral absorption, suggesting that these processes were upregulated in AgNPs-treated cells. In addition, Ferroptosis, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway were also upregulated. Thus, the ITA of human cells treated with AgNPs indicates that the expression profile induced by these nanoparticles is specific to each cell type. However, they share inorganic compounds and oxidative stress responses genes, triggering apoptosis. This work reinforces the need for the biological characterization of cellular response to silver nanoparticles for application in humans, thus ensuring the safety and optimization of the desired results.

SARS-CoV-2 mutations and where to find them: an in silico perspective of structural changes and antigenicity of the spike protein.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Rational selection of hidden epitopes for a molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor in the recognition of heat-denatured dengue NS1 protein.

Rational selection of predicted peptides to be employed as templates in molecular imprinting was carried out for the heat-denatured non-structural protein 1 (NS1) of dengue virus (DENV). Conservation analysis among 301 sequences of Brazilian isolates of DENV and zika virus (ZIKV) NS1 was carried out by UniProtKB, and peptide selection was based on in silico data of the conservational, structural and immunogenic properties of the sequences. The selected peptide (from dengue 1 NS1) was synthesized and employed as a template in the electropolymerization of polyaminophenol-imprinted films on the surface of carbon screen-printed electrodes. Heat denaturation of the protein was carried out prior to analysis, in order to expose its internal hidden epitopes. After removal of the template, the molecularly imprinted cavities were able to rebind to the whole denatured protein as determined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. This label-free sensor was efficient to distinguish the NS1 of DENV from the NS1 of ZIKV. Additionally, the sensor was also selective for dengue NS1, in comparison with human serum immunoglobulin G and human serum albumin. Additionally, the device was able to detect the DENV NS1 at concentrations from 50 to 200 µg L-1 (RSD below 5.04%, r = 0.9678) in diluted human serum samples. The calculated LOD and LOQ were, respectively, 29.3 and 88.7 µg L-1 and each sensor could be used for six sequential cycles with the same performance.

Imaging Studies in Otosclerosis: An Up-to-date Comprehensive Review.

Introduction Otosclerosis is a primary osteodystrophy of the otic capsule, frequently responsible for acquired hearing loss in adults. Although the diagnostic value of imaging investigations in otosclerosis is debatable, they might still be employed with different goals within the context of the disease. Objectives The present paper aims to review the most recent literature on the use of imaging studies in otosclerosis for the most varied purposes, from routine application and differential diagnosis to prognostic prediction and investigation of surgical failure. Data Synthesis The diagnosis of otosclerosis is usually clinical, but computed tomography (CT) is paramount in particular cases for the differential diagnosis. The routine use, however, is not supported by strong evidence. Even so, there is growing evidence of the role of this method in surgical planning and prediction of postoperative prognosis. In specific scenarios, for example when superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD) syndrome is suspected or in surgical failure, CT is crucial indeed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), however, has limited - although important - indications in the management of individuals with otosclerosis, especially in the evaluation of postoperative complications and in the follow-up of medical treatment in active ostosclerosis. Conclusion Imaging studies have a broad range of well-established indications in otosclerosis. Besides, although the routine use of CT remains controversial, the most recent papers have shed light into new potential benefits of imaging prior to surgery.