No abstract

There has been no previous prevalence study about of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) in Brazil. The aim was to evaluate the SS prevalence in a general population in Vitória, ES, Brazil. This was an epidemiological, observational, and cross-sectional study conducted on 1,205 randomized people, aged 18-65 years, who lived in Vitória. The subjects were screened for xerostomia and xerofphthalmia through home interviews. Those with sicca symptoms were asked to report to a hospital for further medical evaluation, unstimulated salivary flow, Schirmer I test, blood analysis and minor labial salivary biopsy. Sicca symptoms were found in 18% (217 subjects) of the sample. Of the 217 subjects with sicca symptoms, 127 (58%) were available for examination. In this sample, 61.7% were female and 46.8% were under medication. Sicca syndrome was confirmed in 12% by at least one examination (salivary flow or Schirmer I). Two patients (0.17%) matched four criteria according to American-European Criteria (95% CI = 0.020-0.5983).

BackgroundChallenge tests for food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) carry some risk and have a high rate of false negatives. Our aim was to explore the usefulness of an in vitro immunodepletion assay and an allergen microarray test in the identification of IgE-mediated cross-reactive food allergens in patients with suspected FDEIA or food-dependent exercise-induced urticaria and panallergen sensitization.MethodsThree patients with a history of food dependent exercise induced urticaria/anaphylaxis and food panallergen sensitization in whom a food-exercise challenge was not feasible were selected: a 25-year-old man with cholinergic urticaria who experienced generalized urticaria and angioedema during a soccer match after drinking a peach-based soft drink; a 19-year-old woman with allergic rhinitis and controlled asthma who experienced anaphylactic shock while playing soccer, having eaten walnuts in the previous 90 min; and a 57-year-old man with baker’s asthma who experienced four episodes of anaphylaxis during exercise after ingesting wheat-containing food. All individuals underwent a diagnostic work-up with skin prick tests, specific IgE (sIgE) and ImmunoCAP ISAC test. For the in vitro immunodepletion procedure, patients’ serum was pre-incubated with the suspected native allergen (peach, walnut, or wheat) in solid phase (ImmunoCAP). The eluted serum, containing unbound IgE, was collected and samples were re-tested using Immunocap ISAC 112 and compared with baseline results.ResultsAll individuals were sensitized to lipid transfer proteins. The first patient was sensitized to Pru p 3, Cor a 8, Jug r 3, and Ara h 9; after pre-incubation with peach there was 100% depletion of sIgE to all components. The second patient was sensitized to Pru p 3, Cor a 8, Jug r 3, and Ara h 9; immunodepletion with walnut depleted sIgE to Ara h 9 by 67%, Pru p 3 and Pla a 3 (60%), Art v 3 (75%), Jug r 3 (88%), and Cor a 8 (100%). The third patient was sensitized to Pru p 3, Jug r 3, Ara h 9, and Tri a 14; immunodepletion with wheat depleted Tri a 14 only (100%).ConclusionsIn vitro immunodepletion might be a useful diagnostic tool in food dependent exercise induced urticaria/anaphylaxis with panallergen sensitization, particularly for identifying the culprit allergen and guiding dietary elimination recommendations.

Peri-urban areas are territories that combine urban and rural features, being particularly vulnerable to wildfire due to the contact between human infrastructures and dense vegetation. Wildfires may cause considerable direct and indirect effects on the local water cycle, but the influence on groundwater quality is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to characterize the chemistry of several springs connected to small public supply systems in a peri-urban area, following a large wildfire that took place in October 2017. Groundwater samples were collected in four springs that emerged within burned forests, while control samples were from one spring located in an unburned area. Sampling took place from October 2017 until September 2018, starting 15 days after the wildfire occurrence, to evaluate the influence of the time after fire and the effect of precipitation events on groundwater composition. Groundwater samples collected in burned areas presented increased content of sulfate, fluoride and nitrogen and variability in pH values. Iron, manganese and chromium contents also increased during the sampling period. Post-fire concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), mainly the carcinogenic ones, increased especially after intense winter and spring rain events, but the levels did not exceed the guideline values for drinking water.

A disciplina de Química muitas vezes é vista como algo amedrontador e impossível de criar empatia para os estudantes em geral dado o seu conteúdo um tanto quanto complexo. Haja vista este problema há uma busca pela desmistificação da referida disciplina em relação aos estudantes e até mesmo alguns docentes, utilizando para isso artefatos como atividades lúdicas e aulas práticas e experimentais. O objetivo deste estudo foi a realização de quatro aulas práticas, ministradas por discentes do 5º período do curso de Licenciatura em Química, dentro da disciplina de Práticas Pedagógicas I, no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Sul de Minas (IFSULDEMINAS) - Campus Pouso Alegre, para comprovar que o ensino da química pode ser realizado com algumas práticas sem a necessidade de um laboratório propriamente dito. Houve a possibilidade de auxílio imediatamente de acordo com as dificuldades encontradas pelos estudantes ao longo das aulas, que possuem potencial para serem aplicadas novamente tanto na disciplina de Práticas Pedagógicas I destinada ao 5º período do curso de Licenciatura em Química quanto para demais turmas de Cursos Superiores ligadas à Química, além de Ensino Fundamental e Médio. A ausência de um laboratório não impede à realização das práticas descritas e realizadas aqui.