Diversity and enzymatic, biosurfactant and phytotoxic activities of culturable Ascomycota fungi present in marine sediments obtained near the South Shetland Islands, maritime Antarctica.

We studied the culturable fungal community recovered from deep marine sediments in the maritime Antarctic, and assessed their capabilities to produce exoenzymes, emulsifiers and metabolites with phytotoxic activity. Sixty-eight Ascomycota fungal isolates were recovered and identified. The most abundant taxon recovered was the yeast Meyerozyma guilliermondii, followed by the filamentous fungi Penicillium chrysogenum, P. cf. palitans, Pseudeurotium cf. bakeri, Thelebolus balaustiformis, Antarctomyces psychrotrophicus and Cladosporium sp. Diversity indices displayed low values overall, with the highest values obtained at shallow depth, decreasing to the deepest location sampled. Only M. guilliermondii and P. cf. palitans were detected in the sediments at all depths sampled, and were the most abundant taxa at all sample sites. The most abundant enzymes detected were proteases, followed by invertases, cellulases, lipases, carrageenases, agarases, pectinases and esterases. Four isolates showed good biosurfactant activity, particularly the endemic species A. psychrotrophicus. Twenty-four isolates of P. cf. palitans displayed strong phytotoxic activities against the models Lactuca sativa and Allium schoenoprasum. The cultivable fungi recovered demonstrated good biosynthetic activity in the production of hydrolytic exoenzymes, biosurfactant molecules and metabolites with phytotoxic activity, reinforcing the importance of documenting the taxonomic, ecological and biotechnological properties of fungi present in deep oceanic sediments of the Southern Ocean.

Seasonal variations in botanical and nutritive composition, forage availability and ingestive behavior of grazing goats in the semiarid region.

The aim of this study was to assess how the different seasons of the year impact the botanical composition, availability, and quality of forage in the caatinga, as well as the frequency of ingestion and ingestive behavior of goats in a semi-arid region. The experiment used four crossbred castrated males, with an average weight of 30.2 ± 4.76 kg and an average age of 20 months. The experimental period lasted for 12 months, encompassing two rainy seasons and one dry season within this timeframe, with three replications (data collection) per season. All collected forage was categorized based on its stratum (herbaceous, woody, and litter), and a chemical composition analysis was conducted. The goats' behavior was assessed by observing variables such as feeding time, idleness, rumination, displacement, social interaction, and water intake. The findings revealed clear seasonality in both availability and quality of forage, consequently influencing the botanical composition of the goats' diet and their ingestive behavior. In addition, during the grazing period, the goats showed a shift grazing habit, in which idle and feeding peaks were alternated with increased displacement during the morning and rumination in the afternoon. The seasons of the year strongly impact the availability and nutritional quality of forage in the caatinga biome, consequently influencing the ingestive behavior and dietary composition of goats in this ecosystem.

Corticomotor Control of Lumbar Erector Spinae in Postural and Voluntary Tasks: The Influence of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Current Direction.

Lumbar erector spinae (LES) contribute to spine postural and voluntary control. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) preferentially depolarizes different neural circuits depending on the direction of electrical currents evoked in the brain. Posteroanterior current (PA-TMS) and anteroposterior (AP-TMS) current would, respectively, depolarize neurons in the primary motor cortex (M1) and the premotor cortex. These regions may contribute differently to LES control. This study examined whether responses evoked by PA- and AP-TMS are different during the preparation and execution of LES voluntary and postural tasks. Participants performed a reaction time task. A Warning signal indicated to prepare to flex shoulders (postural; n = 15) or to tilt the pelvis (voluntary; n = 13) at the Go signal. Single- and paired-pulse TMS (short-interval intracortical inhibition-SICI) were applied using PA- and AP-TMS before the Warning signal (baseline), between the Warning and Go signals (preparation), or 30 ms before the LES onset (execution). Changes from baseline during preparation and execution were calculated in AP/PA-TMS. In the postural task, MEP amplitude was higher during the execution than that during preparation independently of the current direction (p = 0.0002). In the voluntary task, AP-MEP amplitude was higher during execution than that during preparation (p = 0.016). More PA inhibition (SICI) was observed in execution than that in preparation (p = 0.028). Different neural circuits are preferentially involved in the two motor tasks assessed, as suggested by different patterns of change in execution of the voluntary task (AP-TMS, increase; PA-TMS, no change). Considering that PA-TMS preferentially depolarize neurons in M1, it questions their importance in LES voluntary control.

Evaluation of the effects of canning variables on the mineral composition of canned cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata l. Walp) using multi-response analysis.

This study aims to investigate the effects of canning variables (cooking time, storage time, volume of vinegar, salt and sugar) on the mineral composition of canned cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) and which conditions provide optimised preservation of the mineral content of the grains. Different formulations of canned cowpeas were produced following two levels factorial experimental design using five variables. A set of 11 different formulations were evaluated using the desirability function with essential minerals (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mg, P and Zn) as the response. The optimal multi-response conditions for higher mineral retention were: 360 days of storage at 30 ± 5 °C (ST2), 30 ml of vinegar, 9.0 g of NaCl, 18 min of cooking time, and 9.0 g, 19.5 g or 30 g of sugar (the effect of the sugar content at the evaluated range was not significant at 95% confidence level).

Epileptogenesis and drug-resistant in focal cortical dysplasias: Update on clinical, cellular, and molecular markers.

Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a cortical malformation in brain development and is considered as one of the major causes of drug-resistant epilepsiesin children and adults. The pathogenesis of FCD is yet to be fully understood. Imaging markers such as MRI are currently the surgeons major obstacle due to the difficulty in delimiting the precise dysplasic area and a mosaic brain where there is epileptogenic tissue invisible to MRI. Also increased gene expression and activity may be responsible for the alterations in cell proliferation, migration, growth, and survival. Altered expressions were found, particularly in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Surgery is still considered the most effective treatment option, due to drug-resistance, and up to 60 % of patients experience complete seizure control, varying according to the type and location of FCD. Both genetic and epigenetic factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of FCD, and there is no conclusive evidence whether these alterations are inherited or have an environmental origin.

Effects of elastic kinesiology taping on shoulder proprioception: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder injuries are associated with proprioceptive deficits. Elastic kinesiology tape (KT) is used for treating musculoskeletal disorders, including shoulder injuries, as it arguably improves proprioception. OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the evidence on the effects of elastic KT on proprioception in healthy and pathological shoulders. METHODS: Four databases (PubMed, WoS, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus) were searched for studies that investigated the effects of elastic KT on shoulder proprioception. Outcome measures were active joint position sense (AJPS), passive joint position sense (PJPS), kinesthesia, sense of force (SoF), and sense of velocity (SoV). Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration RoB tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and the ROBINS-1 for non-RCTs, while the certainty of evidence was determined using GRADE. RESULTS: Eight studies (5 RCTs, 3 non-RCTs) were included, yielding 187 shoulders (102 healthy and 85 pathological shoulders). RoB ranged from low (2 studies), moderate (5 studies), to high (1 study). Elastic KT has a mixed effect on AJPS of healthy shoulders (n=79) (low certainty). Elastic KT improves AJPS (subacromial pain syndrome and rotator cuff tendinopathy, n=52) and PJPS (chronic hemiparetic shoulders, n=13) among pathological shoulders (very low certainty). Elastic KT has no effect on kinesthesia among individuals with subacromial pain syndrome (n=30) (very low certainty). CONCLUSION: There is very low to low certainty of evidence that elastic KT enhances shoulder AJPS and PJPS. The aggregate of evidence is currently so low that any recommendation on the effectiveness of elastic KT on shoulder proprioception remains speculative.

Ferritin from Mycobacterium abscessus is involved in resistance to antibiotics and oxidative stress.

Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense (Mycma) is a rapidly growing Mycobacterium belonging to the M. abscessus complex that is often associated with lung and soft tissue infection outbreaks. Mycma is resistant to many antimicrobials, including those used for treating tuberculosis. Therefore, Mycma infections are difficult to treat and may lead to high infectious complication rates. Iron is essential for bacterial growth and establishment of infection. During infection, the host reduces iron concentrations as a defense mechanism. To counteract the host-induced iron deficiency, Mycma produces siderophores to capture iron. Mycma has two ferritins (encoded by mycma_0076 and mycma_0077) modulated by different iron concentrations, which allow the survival of this pathogen during iron scarcity. In this study, we constructed knockout (Mycma 0076KO) and complemented (Mycma 0076KOc) gene strains for mycma_0076 to understand the function of 0076 ferritin. Deletion of mycma_0076 in Mycma led to the transition in colony morphology from smooth to rough, alteration of the glycopeptidolipids spectra, increased permeability of the envelope, reduction in biofilm formation, increased susceptibility to antimicrobials and hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress, and decreased internalization by macrophages. This study shows that Mycma_0076 ferritin in Mycma is involved in resistance to oxidative stress and antimicrobials, and alteration of cell envelope architecture. KEY POINTS: • Deletion of the mycma_0076 gene altered colony morphology to rough; • Mycma 0076KO changed GPL profile; • Absence of Mycma_0076 ferritin results in increased susceptibility to antimicrobials and oxidative stress in Mycma. Legend: a In wild-type M. abscessus subsp. massiliense strain, iron is captured from the environment by carboxymycobactins and mycobactins (1). Iron-dependent regulator (IdeR) proteins bind to ferrous iron (Fe+2) in the bacterial cytoplasm leading to the activation of the IdeR-Fe+2 complex (2). The activated complex binds to the promoter regions of iron-dependent genes, called iron box, which in turn help in the recruitment of RNA polymerase to promote transcription of genes such as mycma_0076 and mycma_0077 ferritin genes (3). Mycma_0076 and Mycma_0077 ferritins bind to excess iron in the medium and promote Fe2+ oxidation into ferric iron (Fe3+) and store iron molecules to be released under iron scarcity conditions. (4) Genes related to biosynthesis and transport of glycopeptidolipids (GPL) are expressed normally and the cell envelope is composed of different GPL species (colored squares represented on the cell surface (GPLs). Consequently, WT Mycma present smooth colony phenotype (5). b In Mycma 0076KO strain, the lack of ferritin 0076 causes overexpression of mycma_0077 (6), but does not restore wild-type iron homeostasis and thus may result in free intracellular iron, even in the presence of miniferritins (MaDps). The excess iron potentiates oxidative stress (7) by generating hydroxyl radicals through Fenton Reaction. During this process, through an unknown mechanism, that could involve Lsr2 (8), the expression of GPL synthesis locus is regulated positively and/or negatively, resulting in alteration of GPL composition in the membrane (as represented by different colors of squares on the cell surface), resulting in a rough colony phenotype (9). The changes of GPL can increase cell wall permeability, contributing to antimicrobial susceptibility (10).

Within-Session Test-Retest Reliability of Pressure Pain Threshold and Mechanical Temporal Summation in Chronic Low Back Pain.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the absolute and relative within-session test-retest reliability of pressure pain threshold (PPT) and temporal summation of pain (TSP) at the low back and the forearm in individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP) and to test the impact of different sequences of measurements on reliability metrics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight adults with CLBP were recruited. Relative (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] and coefficient of variation) and absolute reliability (standard error of measurement and minimal detectable changes) were quantified at 4 sites (back: sacrum and lumbar erector spinae; wrist: hand dorsum and wrist flexors) for PPT and 2 sites (hand and low back) for TSP, for various sequences of measurements. RESULTS: Systematic differences were found between within test and retest for most PPT sequences at the lumbar erector spinae site and 1 TSP sequence (1-2-3) at back and hand sites, precluding reliability analyses for these data. Within-session PPT relative reliability was excellent at low back (ICC = 0.83 to 0.94) and wrist (ICC = 0.88 to 0.97) sites, whereas TSP showed good to excellent reliability at hand (ICC = 0.80 to 0.90) and low back (ICC = 0.73 to 0.89). In general, 2 and 3 measurements optimized absolute and relative reliability for TSP and PPT, respectively. DISCUSSION: Within-session reliability was generally excellent for PPT and TSP at the low back and hand sites among individuals with CLBP. We recommend using 3 measurements for PPT and 2 for TSP to optimize reliability. Caution is recommended when testing PPT of the painful lower back area since a systematic difference was present between the test and retest.

Physical Demands of Tennis Across the Different Court Surfaces, Performance Levels and Sexes: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tennis is a multidirectional high-intensity intermittent sport for male and female individuals played across multiple surfaces. Although several studies have attempted to characterise the physical demands of tennis, a meta-analysis is still lacking. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe and synthesise the physical demands of tennis across the different court surfaces, performance levels and sexes. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus were searched from inception to 19 April, 2022. A backward citation search was conducted for included articles using Scopus. The PECOS framework was used to formulate eligibility criteria. POPULATION: tennis players of regional, national or international playing levels (juniors and adults). EXPOSURE: singles match play. Comparison: sex (male/female), court surface (hard, clay, grass). OUTCOME: duration of play, on-court movement and stroke performance. STUDY DESIGN: cross-sectional, longitudinal. Pooled means or mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. A random-effects meta-analysis with robust variance estimation was performed. The measures of heterogeneity were Cochrane Q and 95% prediction intervals. Subgroup analysis was used for different court surfaces. RESULTS: The literature search generated 7736 references; 64 articles were included for qualitative and 42 for quantitative review. Mean [95% confidence interval] rally duration, strokes per rally and effective playing time on all surfaces were 5.5 s [4.9, 6.3], 4.1 [3.4, 5.0] and 18.6% [15.8, 21.7] for international male players and 6.4 s [5.4, 7.6], 3.9 [2.4, 6.2] and 20% [17.3, 23.3] for international female players. Mean running distances per point, set and match were 9.6 m [7.6, 12.2], 607 m [443, 832] and 2292 m [1767, 2973] (best-of-5) for international male players and 8.2 m [4.4, 15.2], 574 m [373, 883] and 1249 m [767, 2035] for international female players. Mean first- and second-serve speeds were 182 km·h-1 [178, 187] and 149 km·h-1 [135, 164] for international male players and 156 km·h-1 95% confidence interval [151, 161] and 134 km·h-1 [107, 168] for international female players. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study provide a comprehensive summary of the physical demands of tennis. These results may guide tennis-specific training programmes. We recommend more consistent measuring and reporting of data to enable future meta-analysts to pool meaningful data. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol for this systematic review was registered a priori at the Open Science Framework (Registration DOI https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/MDWFY ).

Soil Fungal Diversity and Ecology Assessed Using DNA Metabarcoding along a Deglaciated Chronosequence at Clearwater Mesa, James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula.

We studied the fungal diversity present in soils sampled along a deglaciated chronosequence from para- to periglacial conditions on James Ross Island, north-east Antarctic Peninsula, using DNA metabarcoding. A total of 88 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were detected, dominated by the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Mortierellomycota. The uncommon phyla Chytridiomycota, Rozellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Zoopagomycota and Basidiobolomycota were detected. Unknown fungi identified at higher hierarchical taxonomic levels (Fungal sp. 1, Fungal sp. 2, Spizellomycetales sp. and Rozellomycotina sp.) and taxa identified at generic and specific levels (Mortierella sp., Pseudogymnoascus sp., Mortierella alpina, M. turficola, Neoascochyta paspali, Penicillium sp. and Betamyces sp.) dominated the assemblages. In general, the assemblages displayed high diversity and richness, and moderate dominance. Only 12 of the fungal ASVs were detected in all chronosequence soils sampled. Sequences representing saprophytic, pathogenic and symbiotic fungi were detected. Based on the sequence diversity obtained, Clearwater Mesa soils contain a complex fungal community, including the presence of fungal groups generally considered rare in Antarctica, with dominant taxa recognized as cold-adapted cosmopolitan, endemic, saprotrophic and phytopathogenic fungi. Clearwater Mesa ecosystems are impacted by the effects of regional climatic changes, and may provide a natural observatory to understand climate change effects over time.

Potential of vermicomposting with mixtures of animal manure and vegetable leaves in the development of Eisenia foetida, microbial biomass, and enzymatic activity under semi-arid conditions.

Vermicomposting is the bio-oxidation and stabilization of organic matter involving relationships between the action of earthworms and microorganisms and the activation and dynamics of several enzyme activities. Semi-arid farmers to make (extra) money and organic production, produce their vermicompost using plant residues and animal manure, but there is no information about the final product generated. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the potential of vermicomposting with mixtures of animal manure and vegetable leaves in the development of Eisenia foetida, microbial biomass, and enzymatic activity in the semi-arid region, Brazil. The experimental design applied was randomized block in a 6 × 4 factorial scheme with four replicates, with six treatments (mixtures of cattle manure, goat manure, cashew leaves, and catanduva leaves) and evaluated at four-time intervals (30, 60, 90, and 120 days of vermicomposting). The treatments were placed in polyethylene pots in the same site, environmental conditions, and residues proportions as used by farmers. The characteristics analyzed were the number of earthworms (NE), total earthworm biomass (TEB) and earthworm multiplication index (MI), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and activities of enzymes ß-glucosidase, dehydrogenase, alkaline and acid phosphatases. The cattle manure vermicomposted shows the highest average values observed for NE, MI, TEB, MBC, and enzymatic activity, regardless of the plant leaves mix. In general, the enzymes activities were found in the descending order of ß-glucosidase > alkaline phosphatase > dehydrogenase > acid phosphatase. The maturation dynamics of vermicompost were characterized by a decline in the microbial population and number and biomass of earthworms in the substrate and consequently a decrease in new enzyme synthesis and degradation of the remaining enzyme pool. Microbial biomass and enzymatic activity were indicators for changes in the quality of vermicompost.

Metabarcoding of Soil Fungal Communities in Rupestrian Grassland Areas Preserved and Degraded by Mining: Implications for Restoration.

Rupestrian grasslands are vegetation complexes of the Cerrado biome (Brazilian savanna), exhibiting simultaneously great biodiversity and important open-pit mining areas. There is a strong demand for the conservation of remaining areas and restoration of degraded. This study evaluated, using next-generation sequencing, the diversity and ecological aspects of soil fungal communities in ferruginous rupestrian grassland areas preserved and degraded by bauxite mining in Brazil. In the preserved and degraded area, respectively, 565 and 478 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were detected. Basidiomycota and Ascomycota comprised nearly 72% of the DNA, but Ascomycota showed greater abundance than Basidiomycota in the degraded area (64% and 10%, respectively). In the preserved area, taxa of different hierarchical levels (Agaromycetes, Agaricales, Mortierelaceae, and Mortierella) associated with symbiosis and decomposition were predominant. However, taxa that colonize environments under extreme conditions and pathogens (Dothideomycetes, Pleoporales, Pleosporaceae, and Curvularia) prevailed in the degraded area. The degradation reduced the diversity, and modified the composition of taxa and predominant ecological functions in the community. The lack of fungi that facilitate plant establishment and development in the degraded area suggests the importance of seeking the restoration of this community to ensure the success of the ecological restoration of the environment. The topsoil of preserved area can be a source of inocula of several groups of fungi important for the restoration process but which occur in low abundance or are absent in the degraded area.

Effect of BaltPLA2, a phospholipase A2 from Bothrops alternatus snake venom, on the viability of cells infected with dengue virus.

Dengue fever is considered a major public health problem in tropical and subtropical regions. Our study analyzed the effect of BaltPLA2, a phospholipase A2 from Bothrops alternatus snake venom, on the viability of cells infected with Dengue virus. In presence of BaltPLA2, the viability of infected cells increased significantly in virucidal, post-treatment, and adsorption assays. Although preliminary these results reveal the need for further studies to investigated whether BaltPLA2 has antiviral activity against Dengue virus.

Fungal and fungal-like diversity in marine sediments from the maritime Antarctic assessed using DNA metabarcoding.

We assessed the fungal and fungal-like sequence diversity present in marine sediments obtained in the vicinity of the South Shetland Islands (Southern Ocean) using DNA metabarcoding through high-throughput sequencing (HTS). A total of 193,436 DNA reads were detected in sediment obtained from three locations: Walker Bay (Livingston Island) at 52 m depth (48,112 reads), Whalers Bay (Deception Island) at 151 m (104,704) and English Strait at 404 m (40,620). The DNA sequence reads were assigned to 133 distinct fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) representing the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mortierellomycota, Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mucoromycota and Rozellomycota and the fungal-like Straminopila. Thelebolus balaustiformis, Pseudogymnoascus sp., Fungi sp. 1, Ciliophora sp., Agaricomycetes sp. and Chaetoceros sp. were the dominant assigned taxa. Thirty-eight fungal ASVs could only be assigned to higher taxonomic levels, and may represent taxa not currently included in the available databases or represent new taxa and/or new records for Antarctica. The total fungal community displayed high indices of diversity, richness and moderate to low dominance. However, diversity and taxa distribution varied across the three sampling sites. In Walker Bay, unidentified fungi were dominant in the sequence assemblage. Whalers Bay sediment was dominated by Antarctic endemic and cold-adapted taxa. Sediment from English Strait was dominated by Ciliophora sp. and Chaetoceros sp. These fungal assemblages were dominated by saprotrophic, plant and animal pathogenic and symbiotic taxa. The detection of an apparently rich and diverse fungal community in these marine sediments reinforces the need for further studies to characterize their richness, functional ecology and potential biotechnological applications.

Immediate Effect of Lumbosacral Orthosis and Abdominal Drawing-In Maneuver on Postural Control in Adults With Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the immediate effects of lumbosacral orthosis and the abdominal drawing-in maneuver on the trunk postural control of adults with chronic low back pain compared with asymptomatic controls during 1-legged and semi-tandem stances. METHODS: An experimental and comparative study (cross-sectional design) was conducted in a laboratory setting. Twenty adults with chronic low back pain and 20 asymptomatic controls randomly performed 2 postural balance tasks over a force platform, considering 3 experimental conditions: (1) natural posture (baseline-control), (2) lumbosacral orthosis, and (3) abdominal drawing-in maneuver. Linear variables (mean amplitude, ellipse area, and sway velocity) derived from the center of pressure were computed, and 2-way analysis of variance (group × condition) for repeated measures were conducted. RESULTS: No group × condition interactions (.139 ≤ P ≤.938) were detected in any center of pressure parameters. No condition effect was detected, but a group effect (P = .042) was observed for 1 center of pressure parameter. The chronic low back pain group presented with a lower mean anteroposterior center of pressure amplitude than asymptomatic controls (∆ = 0.31 ± 0.66 cm [95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.56], P = .019) during the semi-tandem stance balance task. CONCLUSION: Neither lumbosacral orthosis nor the abdominal drawing-in maneuver showed immediate improvement in trunk postural control in any group. Thus, clinicians should not expect immediate benefits or improvements yielded by lumbosacral orthosis or the abdominal drawing-in maneuver when patients with chronic low back pain undergo these interventions.

Profile of judicialization in access to antineoplastic drugs and their costs: a cross-sectional, descriptive study based on a set of all lawsuits filed between 2016 and 2018 in a state in the Northeast Region of Brazil.

BACKGROUND: The judicialization of the acquisition of medication for healthcare is not restricted to Brazil but can also be found in other Latin American countries, despite the existence of a universal health system in the case of Brazil, the Unified Health System (known as the SUS). Right-to-medicines litigation has existed ever since the emergence of a high demand for treatment of Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) but the current focus is on cancer. Pharmaceutical Assistance (PA) is the area within the SUS that is responsible for ensuring access to medication and the aim of this article is thus to draw up a profile of litigation related to PA in one economically significant state in the Northeast Region of Brazil, in terms of the following characteristics of lawsuits: the plaintiff filing the lawsuit; medical and health information; the cost of acquiring the requested medications; and the proportion accounted for by spending on antineoplastic drugs. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted of lawsuits filed between 2016 and 2018 at the Litigation Center of the State of Pernambuco Department of Health. RESULTS: A total of 2,947 lawsuits containing at least one requested medication were analyzed. The majority of the plaintiffs were male (51.7%); 49.8% of the requests originated in the Unified Health System (SUS), and plaintiffs were primarily patients in the Metropolitan region of the State capital, Recife. The most frequent cancers involved were those classified by the ICD as C61, C71 and C50. The median general expense on medications for the actions was U$1,734.94. Considering antineoplastic drugs alone, the cost exceeded U$7,500 per lawsuit over the three years, given that the median unit price for antineoplastic drugs is approximately US$65 compared to US$4 for non-antineoplastic drugs. CONCLUSION: The present study is of relevance to the field of public health and examines how a profile of such healthcare litigation can be used as a tool for managing and improving decision-making in times of economic austerity.

Three-dimensional nuclear telomere architecture and differential expression of aurora kinase genes in chronic myeloid leukemia to measure cell transformation.

BACKGROUND: Telomere dysfunction results in aneuploidy, and ongoing chromosomal abnormalities. The three-dimensional (3D) nuclear organization of telomeres allows for a distinction between normal and tumor cells. On the other hand, aurora kinase genes (AURKA and AURKB) play an important role regulating the cell cycle. A correlation between overexpression of aurora kinase genes and clinical aggressiveness has been demonstrated in different types of neoplasias. To better understand cellular and molecular mechanisms of CML evolution, it was examined telomere dysfunction (alterations in the 3D nuclear telomere architecture), and the expression levels of AURKA and AURKB genes in two clinical distinct subgroups of CML samples, from the same patient. METHODS: Eighteen CML patients, in total, 36 bone marrow samples (18 patients, chronic vs. accelerated/blast phase) were eligible for 3D telomeric investigations. Quantitative 3D imaging, cytologic diagnosis and cytogenetic determination of additional chromosomal abnormalities were assessed according to standard protocols. RESULTS: Using TeloView software, two CML subgroups were defined based on their 3D telomeric profiles, reflecting the different stages of the disease (chronic vs. accelerated/blast phase). Statistical analyses showed significant differences between the CML subgroups (p < 0.001). We also found that AURKA and AURKB mRNA were expressed at significantly higher levels in both CML subgroups, when compared with healthy donors. Our findings suggest that the evolution of CML progresses from a low to a high level of telomere dysfunction, that is, from an early stage to a more aggressive stage, followed by disease transformation, as demonstrated by telomere, additional chromosomal abnormalities, and gene expression profile dynamics. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, we demonstrated that 3D telomere organization, in accordance with the genomic instability observed in CML samples were able to distinguish subgroup CML patients. Classifying CML patients based on these characteristics might represent an important strategy to define better therapeutic strategies.

Additive and Non-Additive Effects on the Control of Key Agronomic Traits in Popcorn Lines under Contrasting Phosphorus Conditions.

Phosphorus is a non-renewable natural resource that will run out of reserves in the upcoming decades, making it essential to understanding the inheritance of nutrient use efficiency for selecting superior genotypes. This study investigated the additive and non-additive effects of commercially relevant traits for the popcorn crop (grain yield-GY, popping expansion-PE, and expanded popcorn volume per hectare-PV) in different conditions of phosphorus (P) availability in two locations in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Six S7 lines previously selected for P use-L59, L70, and P7, efficient and responsive; and L54, L75, and L80, inefficient and non-responsive-were used as testers in crosses with 15 progenies from the fifth cycle of intrapopulation recurrent selection of UENF-14, with adaptation to the North and Northwest regions of Rio de Janeiro State. Using the Griffing diallel analysis, P use efficiency was predominantly additive in the expression of PE, and non-additive effects were prominent for GY and PV. For obtaining genotypes that are efficient for phosphorus use, it is recommended that heterosis with parents that provide additive gene accumulation for PE be explored.