Abstract The choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) are fundamental to neurophysiological functions of the central cholinergic system. We confirmed and quantified the presence of extracellular ChAT protein in human plasma and also characterized ChAT and VAChT polymorphisms, protein and activity levels in plasma of Alzheimer's disease patients (AD; N = 112) and in cognitively healthy controls (EC; N = 118). We found no significant differences in plasma levels of ChAT activity and protein between AD and EC groups. Although no differences were observed in plasma ChAT activity and protein concentration among ChEI-treated and untreated AD patients, ChAT activity and protein levels variance in plasma were higher among the rivastigmine-treated group (ChAT protein: p = 0.005; ChAT activity: p = 0.0002). Moreover, AD patients homozygous for SNP rs1880676 A allele exhibited higher levels of ChAT activity. Considering this is the first study to report the influence of genetic variability of CHAT locus over ChAT activity in AD patients plasma, it opens a new set of important questions on peripheral cholinergic signaling in AD.

Resumo O metano é o segundo gás de efeito estufa e sua concentração na atmosfera aumentou 259% desde 1750. A média global da fração molar de CH4 atingiu um novo recorde de 1813 ± 2 ppb em 2011. Este trabalho objetiva quantificar a concentração e fluxo de metano no perfil vertical da floresta primária tropical (Floresta Nacional do Tapajós), assim como, determinar a emissão de metano na interface solo-atmosfera durante o período chuvoso e de estiagem para o ano de 2012. Amostras de ar foram coletadas in situ diretamente do solo através do uso de câmaras estáticas e no perfil vertical da floresta em três alturas diferentes (2 m, 16 m e 36 m) e acima da copa (63 m) através do uso da torre micrometeorológica de 65 m. Posteriormente, as amostras de ar foram analisadas por cromatografia gasosa. A concentração de metano na estratificação vertical da vegetação foi de 1,866 ± 0,038 ppm e o fluxo foi ~ 15,50 mg de CH4.m-2 d-1 e a emissão de metano no solo foi 0,45 ± 0,71 mg de CH4 m-2 d-1. Portanto, no período de estudo o ecossistema florestal de terra-firme atuou como fonte de CH4 para atmosfera.

Abstract Methane is the second most powerful greenhouse gas and its concentration in the atmosphere has increased 259% since 1750. The overall average of the molar fraction of CH4 reached a new record of 1813 ± 2 ppb in 2011. This study aims to quantify the concentration and flux of methane in the vertical profile of a tropical primary forest (Tapajós National Forest), as well as to determine the emission of methane in the air-soil interface during the rainy season and the dry season for the year 2012. Air samples were collected at the air-soil, interface using static chambers and throughout the vertical profile of the forest at three different heights (2 m, 16 m, and 36 m) and at above the canopy (63 m) accessed by a 65 m micrometeorological tower. Subsequently, the air samples were analyzed by gas chromatography. The concentration of methane in the vertical stratification of the vegetation was 1.866 ± 0,038 ppm and the flux was ~ 15.50 mg de CH4.m-2 d-1 and the emission of methane the soil was 0.45 ± 0,71 mg CH4.m-2 d-1. Therefore, for the period of study, the ecosystem of upland forest acted as a source of CH4 to the atmosphere.

Objectives: To estimate the current prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the diagnosis rate of this disorder ascertained by psychiatrists in training. Methods: We interviewed 200 adults under treatment in a university mental health outpatient clinic. The PTSD diagnoses obtained using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV) were compared with the patients’ medical records. Results: Forty-one patients (20.5%) were diagnosed with current PTSD, but only one of them (2.4%) had previously received this diagnosis. This study confirms that although PTSD is highly prevalent among mental health outpatients, it is remarkably underdiagnosed in teaching hospitals. Conclusions: These findings suggest that psychiatrists in training may be failing to investigate traumatic events and their consequences and strongly indicate that trauma-related issues should be given more prominence in psychiatry curricula and psychiatrist training.

Physical, physicochemical, and microbiological changes were monitored in 256 samples of artisanal Minas cheese from eight producers from Serro region (Minas Gerais, Brazil) for 64 days of ripening to determine the minimum ripening time for the cheese to reach the safe microbiological limits established by Brazilian legislation. The cheeses were produced between dry season (April–September) and rainy season (October–March); 128 cheeses were ripened at room temperature (25 ± 4 °C), and 128 were ripened under refrigeration (8 ± 1 °C), as a control. No Listeria monocytogenes was found, but one cheese under refrigeration had Salmonella at first 15 days of ripening. However, after 22 days, the pathogen was not detected. Seventeen days was the minimum ripening time at room temperature to reduce at safe limits of total coliforms > 1000 cfu.g−1), Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus (> 100 cfu.g−1) in both periods of manufacture. Otherwise under refrigeration, as expected, the minimum ripening time was longer, 33 days in the dry season and 63 days in the rainy season. To sum up, we suggest that the ripening of artisanal Minas cheese be done at room temperature, since this condition shortens the time needed to reach the microbiological quality that falls within the safety parameters required by Brazilian law, and at the same time maintain the appearance and flavor characteristics of this traditional cheese.

A Filariose bancroftiana está se disseminando em áreas urbanas de regiões endêmicas como no Recife, nordeste do Brasil, onde se constitui em um problema de saúde pública. Este artigo descreve a prevalência de microfilaremia e doença filarial em duas áreas urbanas do Recife, estudando sua associação com características individuais e variáveis relacionadas ao contacto com vetores. O inquérito parasitológico foi realizado através de um censo "porta-a-porta" e a pesquisa de microfilárias foi efetuada pela técnica da gota espessa utilizando 45µl de sangue capilar entre 20:00 e 24:00 horas. Homens com idade entre 15 e 44 anos apresentaram o maior risco de microfilaremia. Microfilaremia esteve também associada com o não uso de mosquiteiros para dormir e um maior tempo de residência nas áreas de estudo. A prevalência total de doença filarial foi 6,3%. Os homens apresentaram o maior risco de desenvolver doença aguda. O risco de manifestações clínicas crônicas foi também maior entre os homens e aumentou com a idade. Não encontramos associação entre tempo de residência nas áreas, uso de mosquiteiros, microfilaremia e doença filarial aguda e crônica. Podemos concluir que em áreas endêmicas existem subgrupos de indivíduos que têm um maior risco de serem portadores de microfilárias devido a comportamentos diferentes em relação ao contato com o vetor.

Bancroftian filariasis is spreading in towns of endemic areas as in Recife, northeastern Brazil, where it is a major public health problem. This paper deals with the prevalence of microfilaraemia and filarial disease in two urban areas of Recife, studying their association with individual characteristics and variables related to the exposure to the vectors. The parasitologic survey was performed through a "door-to-door" census and microfilaraemia was examined by the thick-drop technique using 45µl of peripheral blood collected between 20:00 and 24:00 o' clock. 2,863 individuals aged between 5 and 65 years were interviewed and submitted to clinical examination. Males aged between 15 and 44 years old presented the greatest risk of being microfilaraemic. Microfilaraemia was also significantly associated with no use of bednet to sleep. The risk of being microfilaraemic was greater among those who had lived in the studied areas for more than 5 years. The overall disease prevalence was 6.3%. Males presented the greatest risk of developing acute disease. The risk of developing chronic manifestations was also greater among males and increased with age. We found no association between time of residence, bednet use, microfilaraemia and acute and chronic disease. We may conclude that in endemic areas there are subgroups of individuals who has a higher risk of being microfilariae carriers due to different behaviours in relation to vector contact.