Population genetic data and forensic parameters of 30 autosomal InDel markers in Santa Catarina State population,Southern Brazil

The application of DNA technology in forensic investigations has grown rapidly in the last 25 years and with an exponential increase of short tandem repeats (STRs) data, usually presented as allele frequencies, that may be later used as databases for forensic and population genetics purposes. Thereby, classes of molecular markers such as single nucleotide polymorphisms and insertions/deletions (InDels) have been presented as another option of genetic marker sets. These markers can be used in paternity cases, when mutations in STR polymorphisms are present, as well as in highly degraded DNA analysis. In the present study, the allele frequencies and heterozygosity (H) of a 30 InDel markers set were determined and the forensic efficacy was evaluated through estimation of discrimination power (DP), match probability, typical paternity index and power of paternity exclusion in 108 unrelated volunteers from the State of Santa Catarina (South Brazil). The observed H per locus showed a range between 0.370 and 0.574 (mean = 0.479). HLD128 was the locus with the highest DP (DP = 0.656). DP for all markers combined was greater than 99.9999999999646 % which provides satisfactory levels of information for forensic demands. Genetic comparisons (exact tests of population differentiation and pairwise genetic distances) revealed that the population of Santa Catarina State differs from Korea and USA Afro-American populations but is similar to the Portuguese, German, Polish, Spanish and Basque populations.     

Influence of inflammatory response,infection, and pulmonary function in cystic fibrosis

Aims

Recurrent infections and activation of the inflammatory response affect the prognosis of cystic fibrosis (CF). We investigated the relationship between inflammatory response, infection, and pulmonary function in CF.

Main methods

A clinical-cross-sectional study was conducted with 86 subjects: control group (CG, n = 31, the same age and sex of the CF group), and CF group (CFG, n = 55, age: 1–16 years), further distributed into CFG negative or positive bacteriology (CFGB⁻/CFGB⁺), and CFG negative or positive Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CFGPa⁻/CFGPa⁺). Using the Wald test, multiple linear regression (95% confidence interval) was performed between CG and CFG, and between CG and each of the CF subgroups (CFGB⁻/CFGB⁺ and CFGPa⁻/CFGPa⁺). The inflammatory markers evaluated were myeloperoxidase (MPO), adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities, interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) levels, and total and differential leukocyte counts.

Key findings

After adjusting for sex and age, CFG compared to CG revealed an increase of MPO, IL-1β (P < 0.001 in all subgroups), and CRP: CFG (P = 0.002), CFGB⁻ (P = 0.007), CFGB⁺ (P = 0.009), CFGPa⁻ (P = 0.004) and CFGPa⁺ (P = 0.020). NOx (P = 0.001, P < 0.001), leukocytes (P = 0.002, P = 0.001), and neutrophils (P = 0.003, P < 0.001) were increased in CFGB⁺ and CFGPa⁺, respectively. A negative correlation between FEV₁ and leukocytes (P = 0.008) and FEV₁ and neutrophils (P = 0.031) resulted in CFG.

Significance

The inflammatory response characterized by the increase of MPO, IL-1β, and CRP is determinant for CF. Also leukocytosis due to neutrophilia determines the pulmonary function deficiency in this disease.     

Interactions of F1 fractions from different strains of shape Paracoccidioides brasiliensis with human complement and with human neutrophils

The aim of our study was to investigate differences that might exist in the activation of the human complement system by F1 fractions from four different isolates of P. brasiliensis. Isolates HC and 18 (virulent), 265 (low virulence), and 9 (intermediate virulence, attenuated) were used; before the experiments, the virulence of isolates HC and 18 was recovered by in vivo passage in guinea pigs. The four isolates of the fungus were processed for purification of F1 fractions and the activation of the human complement system was studied by a kinetic method of hemolytic activity measurement. The incubation of F1 fractions in normal human serum resulted in different degrees of inhibition of the classical and alternative pathways. The F1 fraction from the low virulence isolate was more efficient than the F1 fraction from the virulent isolates (HC and 18). Previous absorption of sera with F1 fractions completely abolished classical pathway activation. Using zymosan, instead of F1, in the absorption process caused the same phenomenon, suggesting that natural or nonspecific antibodies are responsible for the classical pathway activation. The alternative pathway activation did not depend on these antibodies, but was enhanced by their presence. On the other hand, F1 fractions from virulent isolates were more active in the stimulation of neutrophil chemiluminescence compared with the F1 fraction from the low virulence isolate. Whole P. brasiliensis yeast cells (WYC) from two distinct strains, 18 and 265, showed the same patterns of response of those observed with the F1 fractions in the functions tested. These differences in the behavior of the F1 fractions as well as WYC in relation to human complement activation and consequently to neutrophil stimulation may correlate with the virulence of individual isolates and may contribute to the understanding of the inflammatory response generation and maintenance processes in paracoccidioidomycosis. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Synergic effects of ultrasound and laser therapies on mesentery for management of obesity and diabetes in rats

Nowadays, the mesentery as a new organ was discovered. Mesenteric events may play an important role in the pathophysiology of several diseases. The aim of our study was investigate the synergic effects of ultrasound (US) and laser therapies on mesentery in obese-hyperglycemic rats. The 25 male Wistar rats were randomized into five groups. Obese nondiabetic (OND) group: obese rats without diabetes and no treatment conditions; SHAM group: obese-hyperglycemic rats treated with placebo; US group: obese-hyperglycemic rats treated with US; LASER group: obese-hyperglycemic rats treated with laser and; US+LASER group: obese-hyperglycemic rats treated with US plus laser. An animal model of type 2 diabetes based on a hyperlipidemic diet combined with a low dose of streptozotocin was used in this study. Body mass and biochemical measurements were performed. GOT and GPT level showed a significant reduction in the treated groups than SHAM. The total cholesterol, triglycerides and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels showed significantly lower values for the US+LASER group. There was also reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases evidenced by Castelli index in the treated groups than SHAM. This study showed that the US and laser treatment on mesentery resulted to an improvement in biochemical measurements of the obese-hyperglycemic rats, especially the total cholesterol, triglycerides and VLDL levels.     

Secondary succession impairment in restored mangroves

In this work it was hypothesized that secondary succession on sites that have been managed by single planting of mangrove species is compromised by residual stressors, which could reduce the ecosystem??s structural development and lower its functions. Forest structure and environmental characteristics of three planted mangrove stands are compared with reference sites. Structural attributes showed significant differences in the comparison of planted and reference stands. Avicennia schaueriana was the dominant species within both natural regeneration and old-growth stands in terms of basal area (99.2 and 99.4?%, 69.6 and 84.5?%, and 59.0 and 87.1?% for Itacorubi, Saco Grande, and Ratones, respectively). Restoration stands were dominated by Laguncularia racemosa (80.6 and 94.2?% for Saco Grande and Ratones, respectively), except at one site (Itacorubi), where A. schaueriana prevailed (99.7?%). Even though restoration and regeneration stands at Itacorubi showed similar species composition and dominance, cohort sorting revealed an inferior regeneration potential in the restoration stand. Multiple correlation analysis indicated that variables related to elevation disruptions (p _w ?=?0.521) were the environmental drivers responsible for the differences observed in forest structure. At restoration sites an impaired pattern of secondary succession was observed, indicating that single species plantings may be ineffective if characteristics of the site, as well as of the area surrounding it, are not considered. The inadequate management of restoration sites can therefore have implications for both immediate and long-term large-scale ecosystem services.     

Time-related eating patterns and chronotype are associated with diet quality in pregnant women

Animal studies strongly suggest that timed feeding can have beneficial physiological effects, including protection against the obesogenic and metabolic consequences of a high-fat diet. However, the relationship between variables related to the timing of eating and diet quality in pregnancy women, which is considered as a period of nutritional vulnerability, is still poorly described in the literature. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between time-related eating patterns and chronotype with diet quality of pregnant women. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 pregnant women in the first gestational trimester (≤12 weeks of gestation). The information regarding food intake was obtained by three 24-Hour Dietary Recall (24HR). Time-related eating patterns, i.e., the interval between the first and the last meal (eating duration), nightly fasting, time of the first and last meals, and number of meals eating on a day were determined. Chronotype was derived using the mid-sleep time on free days on weekends, with a further correction for calculated sleep debt. Diet quality was evaluated using the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index-Revised (BHEI-R), validated for the Brazilian population. Linear regression modeling analyses adjusted for confounders were used to investigate the association between time-related eating patterns and chronotype with diet quality. The BHEI-R total score was negatively associated with time of the first meal (β = ?0.355; p = 0.002; r² adjusted = 0.141), and positively associated with eating duration (β = 0.262; p = 0.024; r² adjusted = 0.086) and number of meals (β = 0.273; p = 0.019; r² adjusted = 0.091). In addition, the score of total fruit component was negatively associated with chronotype (β = ?0.236; p = 0.033; r² adjusted = 0.078), time of the first meal (β = ?0.393; p = 0.001; r² adjusted = 0.171), and positively associated with eating duration (β = 0.259; p = 0.022; r² adjusted = 0.087) and number of meals (β = 0.376; p = 0.001; r² adjusted = 0.159). The score for whole fruit component was negatively associated with time of the first meal (β = ?0.388; p = 0.001; r² adjusted = 0.152), and positively associated with number of meals (β = 0.403; p = 0.001; r² adjusted = 0.164). A longer eating duration, earlier time of the first meal, higher number of meals and morningness tendency are associated with a better diet quality in the first gestational trimester – higher scores of the total BHEI-R and/or fruit components. We suggest that nutritional guidelines should consider time-related eating patterns and chronotype to ensure good diet quality of pregnant women since the beginning of gestation, contributing on prevention of metabolic-nutritional complications.