Mite Fauna Assessment in Houses of Two distinct Socioeconomic Groups From Southern Brazil.

House dust mites (HDM) are the main source of aeroallergens worldwide, yet epidemiological differences between socioeconomic factors in association with this medical condition have not been studied in the south region of Brazil. To assess the prevalence of HDM in two socioeconomically distinct populations of patients with allergic asthma or rhinitis, the differences between samples from houses of high-income families and low-income families were analyzed. Mite samples were collected between July and December 2015, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The HDM were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae (Hughes; Acari: Pyroglyphidae). Also, other non-pyroglyphid house mites were identified in dust samples: Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank; Acari: Acaridae), Chortoglyphus arcuatus, and Cheyletus malaccensis. Identification of species was performed through morphological keys with a stereomicroscope and a phase optical microscope. A total of 104 homes was evaluated (low-income group: n = 53; high-income group, n = 51). We found a total of 721 mites, representing 11 species, in 93 (89%) houses. In the remaining houses, no mites were found. We observed no significant differences of species composition between the groups studied. However, the number of mites was significantly higher in the low-income group (P < 0.001). D. pteronyssinus was the predominant species detected, with 286 mites (39.6%). D. farinae was not detected in any sample. Our results show that living-rooms from low-income families present higher numbers of HDM.

Responses of water mite assemblages (Acari) to environmental parameters at irrigated rice cultivation fields and native lakes

Many studies have revealed that water mite communities can be affected by the physical and chemical parameters of the water. The similarity between the water ‘mite assemblages in local water bodies and in irrigated rice areas can be a way to measure the water conditions, enabling an assessment of the anthropic impact in the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of water mites in lakes and irrigated rice fields in south Brazil. To accomplish that we characterized the distinctive environments using physical and chemical variables such as pH, turbidity (NTU), water temperature (°C) and dissolved oxygen (mg/L), in order to verify the influence of these abiotic factors on the species composition of water mite communities; and to compare water mite abundance, richness and composition among different habitats. We assessed three native lakes and four sites with irrigated rice cultivation. Our results showed, for the first time in Brazil, strong correlations between the water mite fauna and turbidity. In addition, native lakes were richer and had greater mite abundance when compared with the irrigated rice areas.(AU)

Responses of water mite assemblages (Acari) to environmental parameters at irrigated rice cultivation fields and native lakes

Many studies have revealed that water mite communities can be affected by the physical and chemical parameters of the water. The similarity between the water ‘mite assemblages in local water bodies and in irrigated rice areas can be a way to measure the water conditions, enabling an assessment of the anthropic impact in the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of water mites in lakes and irrigated rice fields in south Brazil. To accomplish that we characterized the distinctive environments using physical and chemical variables such as pH, turbidity (NTU), water temperature (°C) and dissolved oxygen (mg/L), in order to verify the influence of these abiotic factors on the species composition of water mite communities; and to compare water mite abundance, richness and composition among different habitats. We assessed three native lakes and four sites with irrigated rice cultivation. Our results showed, for the first time in Brazil, strong correlations between the water mite fauna and turbidity. In addition, native lakes were richer and had greater mite abundance when compared with the irrigated rice areas.

Two new species of Tydeidae (Acari: Prostigmata), records of species of this family and Triophtydeidae from Brazil

Two new species of Tydeidae are described, Brachytydeus lorenzatus sp. nov. and Quasitydeus feresi sp. nov. Brachytydeus lorenzatus sp. nov. differs from B. aegyptiaca (Rasmy & El Bagoury, 1979) by having a reticulated area on the region of f1 and f2, dorsal setae smooth, solenidion vI shorter than or equal to the width of tarsus I, most setae on dorsal shield shorter than the length between their bases and setae d forked distally. The new species is distinguished from B. scutatus Silva, Rocha & Ferla, 2013 by having a slightly reticulate area on the aspidosoma, near setae bo, all dorsal setae slender and club-shaped. Quasitydeus feresi sp. nov. differs from the only other species of the genus, Q. ricensis (Baker, 1970), by having all dorsal setae simple and serrated, similar in shape. Eleven tydeoid species are reported also from several plants native to the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This is the second species of Brachytydeus Thor, 1931 described from and the second species described for Quasitydeus Kamierski, 1996.

Two new species of Tydeidae (Acari: Prostigmata), records of species of this family and Triophtydeidae from Brazil

Two new species of Tydeidae are described, Brachytydeus lorenzatus sp. nov. and Quasitydeus feresi sp. nov. Brachytydeus lorenzatus sp. nov. differs from B. aegyptiaca (Rasmy & El Bagoury, 1979) by having a reticulated area on the region of f1 and f2, dorsal setae smooth, solenidion vI shorter than or equal to the width of tarsus I, most setae on dorsal shield shorter than the length between their bases and setae d forked distally. The new species is distinguished from B. scutatus Silva, Rocha & Ferla, 2013 by having a slightly reticulate area on the aspidosoma, near setae bo, all dorsal setae slender and club-shaped. Quasitydeus feresi sp. nov. differs from the only other species of the genus, Q. ricensis (Baker, 1970), by having all dorsal setae simple and serrated, similar in shape. Eleven tydeoid species are reported also from several plants native to the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This is the second species of Brachytydeus Thor, 1931 described from and the second species described for Quasitydeus Kamierski, 1996.(AU)

Evidence for a network transcriptional control of promiscuous gene expression in medullary thymic epithelial cells.

The expression of peripheral tissue antigens (PTAs) in the thymus by medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) is essential for the central self-tolerance in the generation of the T cell repertoire. Due to heterogeneity of autoantigen representation, this phenomenon has been termed promiscuous gene expression (PGE), in which the autoimmune regulator (Aire) gene plays a key role as a transcription factor in part of these genes. Here we used a microarray strategy to access PGE in cultured murine CD80(+) 3.10 mTEC line. Hierarchical clustering of the data allowed observation that PTA genes were differentially expressed being possible to found their respective induced or repressed mRNAs. To further investigate the control of PGE, we tested the hypothesis that genes involved in this phenomenon might also be modulated by transcriptional network. We then reconstructed such network based on the microarray expression data, featuring the guanylate cyclase 2d (Gucy2d) gene as a main node. In such condition, we established 167 positive and negative interactions with downstream PTA genes. Silencing Aire by RNA interference, Gucy2d while down regulated established a larger number (355) of interactions with PTA genes. T- and G-boxes corresponding to AIRE protein binding sites located upstream to ATG codon of Gucy2d supports this effect. These findings provide evidence that Aire plays a role in association with Gucy2d, which is connected to several PTA genes and establishes a cascade-like transcriptional control of promiscuous gene expression in mTEC cells.

Profiling meta-analysis reveals primarily gene coexpression concordance between systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Consensus gene expression profiling by meta-analysis of 4,500 cDNA sequence microarray data obtained from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was assembled and systematically analyzed. The normalized data were statistically analyzed by the significance analysis of microarray (SAM) program (false discovery rate