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Escherichia coli sequence type 131:H:22 is a consequential lineage of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, associated with human pyelonephritis and sepsis. We report the transmission of avian pathogenic E. coli in a parrot rehabilitation center in Brazil and the presence of a high-risk zoonotic lineage of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli sequence type 131-H22.

The objective of this study was to analyze the potential of the jabuticaba peel flour (JPF) as an ingredient in whole-grain bread. Pan bread formulations with different concentrations of jabuticaba peel flour were made: 0% (T0), 5% (T1), 10% (T2), and 15% (T3). Proximate composition, pH, water activity, color, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of bread were determined. The addition of JPF to the bread formulations led to a reduction of carbohydrate levels (51.14 to 46.55 g 100 g-1), lipids (4.79 to 3.35 g 100 g-1) and an increase in moisture (31.06 to 37.31 g 100 g-1) and ash (0.22 to 0.35 g 100 g-1). The fiber content increased up to three times, and the phenolic compounds up to seven times, thus increasing the antioxidant activity of the JPF-based bread when compared to the control. Bread made with the addition of JPF presented lower L* values (46.72 to 36.07) and higher a* values (3.10 to 9.07) compared to the control. Therefore, jabuticaba peel flour can be considered a potential ingredient for addition to whole-grain pan bread with desirable nutritional and functional characteristics. RESUMO: Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar o potencial da farinha de casca de jabuticaba (FCJ) como ingrediente em pães de forma integrais. Foram elaboradas formulações de pães com diferentes concentrações de farinha de casca de jabuticaba: 0% (T0), 5% (T1), 10% (T2) e 15% (T3). Foram realizadas análises de composição centesimal, pH, atividade de água, cor, compostos fenólicos e atividade antioxidante dos pães. A adição de FCJ às formulações de pão levou a uma redução dos níveis de carboidratos (51,14 a 46,55 g 100 g-1), lipídios (4,79 a 3,35 g 100 g-1) e aumento da umidade (31,06 a 37,31 g 100 g-1) e minerais (0.22 a 0.35 g 100 g-1). O teor de fibras aumentou até três vezes e os compostos fenólicos até sete vezes, aumentando a atividade antioxidante do pão à base de FCJ quando comparado ao controle. O pão elaborado com a adição de FCJ apresentou menores valores de L* (46,72 a 36,07) e maiores valores de a* (3,10 a 9,07) em relação ao controle. Portanto, a farinha de casca de jabuticaba pode ser considerada um ingrediente potencial para a adição ao pão de forma integral com características nutricionais e funcionais desejáveis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen commonly associated with infections in hospitalized and immunocompromised patients due to its virulence and antimicrobial resistance. In the poultry industry, it has been associated with hatchery mortality. This study aimed to characterize P. aeruginosa isolated from pipped eggs, one-day-old chicks, and broiler carcasses obtained from a slaughterhouse in São Paulo state, Brazil. Nineteen strains of P. aeruginosa were selected and their virulence genes were amplified via PCR. Clonality analysis was performed using BOX-PCR, and three strains were selected for whole-genome sequencing (WGS). All isolates carried aprA, plcH, plcN, lasA, lasB, lasI, lasR, rhlAB, and phzH. The exoA gene was detected in 73.7% of strains, while algD was present in 21.1%. The exoY and exoT genes were present in 94.7% of strains (18/19), whereas exoS was present in 47.4% (9/19). None of the isolates harbored the exoU gene. BOX-PCR and phylogenetic analyses revealed diverse clonal patterns. The sequenced strains were classified as O3 ST116, O2 ST1649, and O3 ST1744. The presence of virulence and antimicrobial resistance determinants in poultry-associated strains underscores the need for surveillance, as these isolates may represent a source for transmission of P. aeruginosa to humans. Our findings highlight the importance of monitoring P. aeruginosa within poultry production and emphasize the value of genomic approaches to understand its diversity, evolution, and public health risks.

Bacterial resistance in foodborne pathogens is a global concern and has stimulated the search for alternative compounds to antimicrobials. In this context, the prevention of colonization by Salmonella spp. in poultry production is particularly important. This study investigated the bactericidal effect of lysozyme on Salmonella Heidelberg and Salmonella Minnesota. A total of 44 serotyped isolates were subjected to minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing against 17 distinct antibiotics. Subsequently, the same isolates were subjected to minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) with lysozyme at concentrations ranging from 15 to 2000 ppm. One strain of S. Heidelberg was selected for an in vivo challenge. Seventy-two male chicks were randomly divided into three experimental groups, and two of them were challenged on the second day with 0.5 mL of an inoculum containing 1 × 105 CFU/mL. One of these groups was treated with lysozyme at a concentration of 1000 ppm per bird for 21 days. MIC tests showed that the multidrug resistance rate was 97.72%, with susceptibility only to fosfomycin, florfenicol, and meropenem. After the in vitro exposure of these isolates to lysozyme, 86.36% were inhibited at concentrations ≤ 15 ppm. The in vivo tests showed a significant reduction in the total number of chickens colonized by S. Heidelberg at 2, 5, 7, 14, 18, and 21 days of farming. On the day of slaughter, the percentage of positive birds in the inoculated group was 63.63%, while that in the group treated with lysozyme was 26.08%. These data highlight the potential use of lysozyme as an alternative to antibiotics in poultry production.

Disinfectant tolerance in bacteria may be related to exposure to subinhibitory concentrations of disinfectants, which may activate efflux pumps capable of expelling antimicrobial compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of disinfection on the presence of efflux pump genes and the resistance profile of Escherichia coli from commercial laying farms employing different disinfection protocols. The emrE, qacE, qacEΔ1, qacH, sugE(c), ydgE, ydgF, and class 1 integron (intl1) genes were investigated using PCR. Susceptibility to 17 antibiotics was assessed, including β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and tetracyclines. Disinfectant exposure was significantly associated with higher frequencies of qacE and qacH, and a reduced frequency of ydgF. Moreover, resistance to ampicillin, trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, and doxycycline was significantly more frequent in E. coli isolated from chickens exposed to disinfectants. These findings indicate that disinfectant use can select for E. coli carrying efflux pump genes and resistance genes, favoring the survival and dissemination of tolerant and resistant strains in poultry production. Continuous monitoring and the development of disinfection strategies that minimize selective pressures are crucial for limiting the spread of antimicrobial resistance at the animal–human–environment interface.

Background/Objectives: Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) strains, particularly those belonging to phylogenetic group B2, are clinically significant due to their frequent involvement in urinary tract infections (UTIs) and display antimicrobial resistance profiles. While the association of phylogroup B2 E. coli with human urinary tract infections is well established, the growing number of reports of ExPEC strains in canine UTIs highlights their clinical relevance in small animal medicine and raises concerns about their potential role in zoonotic transmission. This study investigated the microbiological and genomic features of E. coli strains isolated from dogs with UTIs in São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Between March and May 2023, a total of 60 E. coli strains from canine UTIs were screened for antimicrobial susceptibility and phylotyping. Accordingly, four strains (6.6%) were identified as multidrug-resistant (MDR) or belonging to phylogroup B2 and, therefore, were submitted for characterization by whole-genome sequencing. Results: The four E. coli strains exhibited diverse antimicrobial resistance profiles, including resistance to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. Phylogenetic groups B1, B2, and G, and sequence types (ST) 73, ST224, ST1193, and ST12960 were identified. The resistome included clinically important β-lactam resistance genes, such as blaCTX-M-55 and blaCMY-2, as well as mutations in the quinolone-resistance-determining region. Virulence factors associated with ExPEC pathogenesis, including adhesion, iron acquisition, immune evasion, and toxin, were detected. Plasmid sequences were identified as carrying antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes, highlighting the potential for horizontal gene transfer. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the importance of genomic surveillance in companion animals to better understand the epidemiology of ExPEC strains and monitor the spread of MDR strains.

Ferroptosis is a type of regulated cell death promoted by the appearance of oxidative perturbations in the intracellular microenvironment constitutively controlled by glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). It is characterized by increased production of reactive oxygen species, intracellular iron accumulation, lipid peroxidation, inhibition of system Xc-, glutathione depletion, and decreased GPX4 activity. Several pieces of evidence support the involvement of ferroptosis in distinct neurodegenerative diseases. In vitro and in vivo models allow a reliable transition to clinical studies. Several in vitro models, including differentiated SH-SY5Y and PC12 cells, among others, have been used to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms of distinct neurodegenerative diseases, including ferroptosis. In addition, they can be useful in the development of potential ferroptosis inhibitors that can be used as disease-modifying drugs for the treatment of such diseases. On the other hand, in vivo models based on the manipulation of rodents and invertebrate animals, such as Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, and zebrafish, have been increasingly used for research in neurodegeneration. This work provides an up-to-date review of the main in vitro and in vivo models that can be used to evaluate ferroptosis in the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, and to explore potential new drug targets and novel drug candidates for effective disease-modifying therapies.

The nucleocapsid (N) protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the causal agent of COVID-19, is a multifunction phosphoprotein that plays critical roles in the virus life cycle, including transcription and packaging of the viral RNA. To play such diverse roles, the N protein has two globular RNA-binding modules, the N- (NTD) and C-terminal (CTD) domains, which are connected by an intrinsically disordered region. Despite the wealth of structural data available for the isolated NTD and CTD, how these domains are arranged in the full-length protein and how the oligomerization of N influences its RNA-binding activity remains largely unclear. Herein, using experimental data from electron microscopy and biochemical/biophysical techniques combined with molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations, we show that, in the absence of RNA, the N protein formed structurally dynamic dimers, with the NTD and CTD arranged in extended conformations. However, in the presence of RNA, the N protein assumed a more compact conformation where the NTD and CTD are packed together. We also provided an octameric model for the full-length N bound to RNA that is consistent with electron microscopy images of the N protein in the presence of RNA. Together, our results shed new light on the dynamics and higher-order oligomeric structure of this versatile protein.

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive contaminants across all environmental compartments, with the atmosphere garnering significant attention in recent years due to its role as a crucial receptor and transporter of numerous pollutants. Deposition of these particles can occur via dry or humid processes, and their presence has been documented in areas far removed from urban and industrial centers, suggesting long-distance transport of MPs. Much of this transport is facilitated by air masses, which move in tandem with prevailing winds; however, pollinating insects, notably bees, also contribute to this dissemination as they encounter these particles during flight and foraging activities. Thus, the present study aimed to implement an established protocol for MP analysis in bees of the species Apis mellifera, given the limited research in this area within Brazil, and to ascertain whether a contamination gradient exists across three sampling sites (urban, periurban, and rural areas). A total of 505 particles were discovered across the three areas, comprising 307 fibers, 137 fragments, and sixty-one filaments. The PCA analysis indicated that the bees of the four hives located in the urban area and the bees of the two hives located in the peri-urban area had a higher amount of internal microplastic particles. Through the chemical analysis of the particles, 30 spectra were obtained, 13 polyethylene terephthalate (PET), 11 polyamide (PA), 4 polyethylene (PE), 1 polyester (PL) and 1 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were identified.