Rio de Janeiro State University

About: Rio de Janeiro State University is a education organization based out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 16631 authors who have published 30919 publications receiving 465753 citations. The organization is also known as: UERJ & Rio de Janeiro State University.

Diphtheria remains a threat to health in the developing world: an overview

Abstract: Changes in the epidemiology of diphtheria are occurring worldwide. A large proportion of adults in many industrialized and developing countries are now susceptible to diphtheria. Vaccine-induced immunity wanes over time unless periodic booster is given or exposure to toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae occurs. Immunity gap in adults coupled with large numbers of susceptible children creates the potential for new extensive epidemics. Epidemic emergencies may not be long in coming in countries experiencing rapid industrialization or undergoing sociopolitical instability where many of the factors thought to be important in producing epidemic such as mass population movements and difficult hygienic and economic conditions are present. The continuous circulation of toxigenic C. diphtheriae emphasizes the need to be aware of epidemiological features, clinical signs, and symptoms of diphtheria in vaccine era so that cases can be promptly diagnosed and treated, and further public health measures can be taken to contain this serious disease. This overview focused on worldwide data obtained from diphtheria with particular emphasis to main factors leading to recent epidemics, new clinical forms of C. diphtheriae infections, expression of virulence factors, other than toxin production, control strategies, and laboratory diagnosis procedures.

A pilot study on effects of 4×1 High-Definition tDCS on motor cortex excitability

Abstract: High-Definition transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) using specialized small electrodes has been proposed as a focal, non-invasive neuromodulatory technique Here we provide the first evidence of a change in cortical excitability after HD-tDCS of the motor cortex, using TMS motor evoked potential (MEP) as the measure of excitability Stimulation for 20 minutes at 1 mA with an anode centered over the hand area of the motor cortex and four surrounding return electrodes (anodal 4×1 montage) produced a significant increase in MEP amplitude and variability after stimulation, compared to sham stimulation Stimulation was well tolerated by all subjects with adverse effects limited to transient sensation under the electrodes A high-resolution computational model confirmed predictions of increased focality using the 4×1 HD tDCS montage compared to conventional tDCS Simulations also indicated that variability in placement of the center electrode relative to the location of the target (central sulcus) could account for increasing variability These results provide support for the careful use of this technique where focal tDCS is desired

Are women with lupus at higher risk of HPV infection

Abstract: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the etiological agent of cervical cancer, the second most prevalent neoplasia among women. Although it has been proven that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have higher frequency of cervical dysplasia, few studies have focused on HPV prevalence among them. This study aimed to investigate HPV prevalence among SLE patients and to evaluate associated risk factors, including the use of immunosuppressors (IM). Total DNA extracted from cervical samples of 173 SLE patients and 217 women (control group) submitted to routine cervical cytopathology was used as template in polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays for detection of HPV DNA. HPV genotyping was performed by type-specific PCR, PCR-RFLP and/or DNA sequencing. Statistical methods included univariate analysis and logistic regression. Despite presenting significantly fewer HPV risk factors, SLE patients were found to have a threefold increase in HPV infection, mostly genotypes 53, 58, 45, 66, 6, 84, 83, 61, as compared with controls, who presented types 6, 18 and 61 more frequently. The higher rate of HPV infection was associated with immunosuppressive therapy. This study provides evidence that SLE patients have a high prevalence of HPV infection, which is even higher with the use of IM, a condition that might necessitate a more frequent cervical cancer screening program for these women.

A Coxiella mutualist symbiont is essential to the development of Rhipicephalus microplus

Abstract: The cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus is a hematophagous ectoparasite that causes important economic losses in livestock. Different species of ticks harbor a symbiont bacterium of the genus Coxiella. It was showed that a Coxiella endosymbiont from R. microplus (CERM) is a vertically transmitted mutualist symbiont, comprising 98% of the 16S rRNA sequences in both eggs and larvae. Sequencing of the bacterial genome revealed genes for biosynthetic pathways for several vitamins and key metabolic cofactors that may provide a nutritional complement to the tick host. The CERM was abundant in ovary and Malpighian tubule of fully engorged female. Tetracycline treatment of either the tick or the vertebrate host reduced levels of bacteria in progeny in 74% for eggs and 90% for larvae without major impact neither on the reproductive fitness of the adult female or on embryo development. However, CERM proved to be essential for the tick to reach the adult life stage, as under antibiotic treatment no tick was able to progress beyond the metanymph stage. Data presented here suggest that interference in the symbiotic CERM-R. microplus relationship may be useful to the development of alternative control methods, highlighting the interdependence between ticks and their endosymbionts.

Search for t(t)over-barH production in the all-jet final state in proton-proton collisions root s=13 TeV

Abstract: A search is presented for the associated production of a Higgs boson with a top quark pair in the all-jet final state. Events containing seven or more jets are selected from a sample of proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s}=13 $$ TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2016, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb−1. To separate the $$ \mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}\mathrm{H} $$ signal from the irreducible $$ \mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}+\mathrm{b}\overline{\mathrm{b}} $$ background, the analysis assigns leading order matrix element signal and background probability densities to each event. A likelihood-ratio statistic based on these probability densities is used to extract the signal. The results are provided in terms of an observed ttH signal strength relative to the standard model production cross section μ = σ/σSM, assuming a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV. The best fit value is $$ \widehat{\mu}=0.9\pm 0.7\left(\mathrm{stat}\right)\pm 1.3\left(\mathrm{syst}\right)=0.9\pm 1.5\left(\mathrm{tot}\right) $$ , and the observed and expected upper limits are, respectively, μ < 3.8 and < 3.1 at 95% confidence levels.