All-cause and cause-specific mortality during and following incarceration in Brazil: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundMortality during and after incarceration is poorly understood in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The need to address this knowledge gap is especially urgent in South America, which has the fastest growing prison population in the world. In Brazil, insufficient data have precluded our understanding of all-cause and cause-specific mortality during and after incarceration.Methods and findingsWe linked incarceration and mortality databases for the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul to obtain a retrospective cohort of 114,751 individuals with recent incarceration. Between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2018, we identified 3,127 deaths of individuals with recent incarceration (705 in detention and 2,422 following release). We analyzed age-standardized, all-cause, and cause-specific mortality rates among individuals detained in different facility types and following release, compared to non-incarcerated residents. We additionally modeled mortality rates over time during and after incarceration for all causes of death, violence, or suicide. Deaths in custody were 2.2 times the number reported by the national prison administration (n = 317). Incarcerated men and boys experienced elevated mortality, compared with the non-incarcerated population, due to increased risk of death from violence, suicide, and communicable diseases, with the highest standardized incidence rate ratio (IRR) in semi-open prisons (2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0 to 2.8), police stations (3.1; 95% CI: 2.5 to 3.9), and youth detention (8.1; 95% CI: 5.9 to 10.8). Incarcerated women experienced increased mortality from suicide (IRR = 6.0, 95% CI: 1.2 to 17.7) and communicable diseases (IRR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.1 to 5.0). Following release from prison, mortality was markedly elevated for men (IRR = 3.0; 95% CI: 2.8 to 3.1) and women (IRR = 2.4; 95% CI: 2.1 to 2.9). The risk of violent death and suicide was highest immediately post-release and declined over time; however, all-cause mortality remained elevated 8 years post-release. The limitations of this study include inability to establish causality, uncertain reliability of data during incarceration, and underestimation of mortality rates due to imperfect database linkage.ConclusionsIncarcerated individuals in Brazil experienced increased mortality from violence, suicide, and communicable diseases. Mortality was heightened following release for all leading causes of death, with particularly high risk of early violent death and elevated all-cause mortality up to 8 years post-release. These disparities may have been underrecognized in Brazil due to underreporting and insufficient data.

In a retrospective cohort study, Yiran E Liu and colleagues investigate all-cause and cause-specific mortality during and following incarceration in Brazil.     

Hemodynamics and activation of mechanoreceptors in the human carotid sinus]

Investigation into consequences of the carotid sinus stimulation has revealed that the stimulation elicited a considerable decrease in arterial blood pressure because of a decrease in the cardiac output (often) or in peripheral vascular resistance (less frequently). The type of the response to the stimulation was found to depend on haemodynamic characteristics at rest.     

Multiple Mantel tests and isolation-by-distance, taking into account long-term historical divergence

Mantel tests of matrix correspondence have been widely used in population genetics to examine microevolutionary processes, such as isolation-by-distance (IBD). We used partial and multiple Mantel tests to simultaneously test long-term historical effects and current divergence and equilibrium processes, such as IBD. We used these procedures to calculate genetic divergence among Eugenia dysenterica (Myrtaceae) populations in Central Brazil. The Nei's genetic distances between pairs of local populations were strongly correlated with geographic distances, suggesting an IBD process, but field observations and the geographic distribution of the samples suggest that populations may have been subjected to more complex evolutionary processes of genetic divergence. Partial Mantel regression was used to partition the effects of geographic structure and long-term divergence associated with a possible historical barrier. The R(2) of the model with both effects was 73.3%, and after the partition 21.9% of the variation in the genetic distances could be attributed to long-term historical divergence alone, whereas only 1.5% of the variation in genetic distances could be attributed to IBD. As expected, there was a large overlap between these processes when explaining genetic divergence, so it was not possible to entirely partition divergence between historical and contemporary processes.     

QSPR/QSAR in N-[(dimethylamine)methyl] benzamides substituents groups influence upon electronic distribution and local anesthetics activity

It was determined, with a systematic mode, the carbonyl group frequency in the region of the infrared of N-[(dimethylamine)methyl] benzamides 4-substituted (set A) and their hydrochlorides (set B), that had its local anesthetical activity evaluated. The application of the Hammett equation considering the values of the absorption frequency of carbonyl group, nu(C=O,) using the electronic constants sigma, sigma(I), sigma(R), I and R leads to meaningful correlation. The nature and the contribution of substituent group electronic effects on the polarity of the carbonyl group was also analyzed. The use of the nu(C=O) as an experimental electronic parameter for QSPR studies was validated.     

Biological evaluation of some selected cyclic imides: mitochondrial effects and in vitro cytotoxicity

Cyclic imides such as succinimides, maleimides, glutarimides, phthalimides and their derivatives contain an imide ring and a general structure -CO-N(R)-CO- that confers hydrophobicity and neutral characteristic. A diversity of biological activities and pharmaceutical uses have been attributed to them, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antinociceptive, anticonvulsant, antitumor. In spite of these activities, much of their action mechanisms at molecular and cellular levels remain to be elucidated. We now show the effects of several related cyclic imides: maleimides (S2, S2.1, S2.2, S3), glutarimides (S4, S5, S6), 4-aminoantipyrine derivatives (L1, F1, AL1, F1.14, F1.2) and sulfonated succinimides (RO1, FA, FE, FD, MC, DMC) on isolated rat liver mitochondria, B16-F10 melanoma cell line, peritoneal macrophages and different bacterial streams. The effects on mitochondrial respiratory parameters, cell viability and antibacterial activity were also evaluated. The results indicated that S3, S5 and S6 caused an increased oxygen consumption in the presence of ADP (state III) or its absence (state IV), while all other compounds decreased those parameters at different degrees of inhibition. All the compounds decreased the respiratory control coefficient (RCC). Loss of cell viability of peritoneal macrophages and the B16-F10 cell line was observed, L1 and S2.1 being more effective. S1, S2, S3, L1 and F1 compounds showed antibacterial activity at experimental concentrations.     

Antimalarial activity of phenazines from lapachol, beta-lapachone and its derivatives against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro and Plasmodium berghei in vivo

The antimalarial activity of benzo[a]phenazines synthesized from 1,2-naphthoquinone, lapachol, beta-lapachone and several derivatives have been tested against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro using isolates of parasites with various susceptibilities to chloroquine and/or mefloquine. Parasite growth in the presence of the test drugs was measured by incorporation of [(3)H]-hipoxanthine in comparison to controls with no drugs, always testing in parallel chloroquine, a standard antimalarial. Among seven benzophenazines tested, four had significant in vitro activities; important, the parasites resistant to chloroquine were more susceptible to the active phenazines in vitro. The doses of phenazines causing 50% inhibition of parasite growth varied from 1.67 to 9.44 microM. The two most active ones were also tested in vivo against Plasmodium berghei in mice, in parallel with lapachol and beta-lapachone. The 3-sulfonic acid-beta-lapachone-derived phenazine was the most active causing up to 98% inhibition of parasitaemia in long term treatment (7 doses) subcutaneously, whereas the phenazine from 3-bromo-beta-lapachone was inactive. Thus, these simple phenazines, containing polar (-Br,-I) and ionizable (-SO(3)H, -OH) groups, easily synthesized from cheap, natural or synthetic precursors (lapachol and beta-lapachone), at rather low cost, provide prototypes for development of new antimalarials aiming the chloroquine resistant parasites.     

A Suitable <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xylella fastidiosa</Emphasis> CVC Strain for Post-Genome Studies

The genome sequence of the pathogen Xylella fastidiosa Citrus Variegated Chlorosis (CVC) strain 9a5c has revealed many genes related to pathogenicity mechanisms and virulence determinants. However, strain 9a5c is resistant to genetic transformation, impairing mutant production for the analysis of pathogenicity mechanisms and virulence determinants of this fastidious phytopathogen. By screening different strains, we found out that cloned strains J1a12, B111, and S11400, all isolated from citrus trees affected by CVC, are amenable to transformation, and J1a12 has been used as a model strain in a functional genomics program supported by FAPESP (São Paulo State Research Foundation). However, we have found that strain J1a12, unlike strains 9a5c and B111, was incapable of inducing CVC symptoms when inoculated in citrus plants. We have now determined that strain B111 is an appropriate candidate for post-genome studies of the CVC strain of X. fastidiosa.     

Rapid concerted evolution of nuclear ribosomal DNA in two Tragopogon allopolyploids of recent and recurrent origin

We investigated concerted evolution of rRNA genes in multiple populations of Tragopogon mirus and T. miscellus, two allotetraploids that formed recurrently within the last 80 years following the introduction of three diploids (T. dubius, T. pratensis, and T. porrifolius) from Europe to North America. Using the earliest herbarium specimens of the allotetraploids (1949 and 1953) to represent the genomic condition near the time of polyploidization, we found that the parental rDNA repeats were inherited in roughly equal numbers. In contrast, in most present-day populations of both tetraploids, the rDNA of T. dubius origin is reduced and may occupy as little as 5% of total rDNA in some individuals. However, in two populations of T. mirus the repeats of T. dubius origin outnumber the repeats of the second diploid parent (T. porrifolius), indicating bidirectional concerted evolution within a single species. In plants of T. miscellus having a low rDNA contribution from T. dubius, the rDNA of T. dubius was nonetheless expressed. We have apparently caught homogenization of rDNA repeats (concerted evolution) in the act, although it has not proceeded to completion in any allopolyploid population yet examined.     

Genetic Heterogeneity in Trypanosoma cruzi Strains From Naturally Infected Triatomine Vectors in Northeastern Brazil: Epidemiological Implications

Eighteen Trypanosoma cruzi strains isolated from naturally infected triatomines were studied genetically. The majority of the strains were from Triatoma brasiliensis, the principal vector of Chagas disease in the northeast of Brazil. Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses were used to investigate the genotypic diversity and the spread of the T. cruzi genotypes in different environments. MLEE clearly distinguished two distinct isoenzyme profiles, and RAPD analysis revealed 10 different genotypes circulating in rural areas. The strains could be typed as isoenzyme variants of the T. cruzi principal zymodeme Z1 (T. cruzi I). An effective program of epidemiological vigilance is required to prevent the spread of T. cruzi I strains into human dwellings.