Resumo: Melasma é uma dermatose comum que cursa com alteração da cor da pele normal, resultante da hiperatividade melanocítica focal epidérmica de clones de melanócitos hiperfuncionantes, com consequente hiperpigmentação melânica induzida, principalmente, pela radiação ultravioleta. Clinicamente, caracteriza-se por manchas acastanhadas, localizadas preferencialmente na face, embora possa acometer também região cervical, torácica anterior e membros superiores. Mulheres em período fértil e de fototipos intermediários representam as populações mais acometidas. Grande parte de sua fisiopatogenia permanece desconhecida, havendo relação com fatores genéticos, hormonais, uso de medicamentos, cosméticos, endocrinopatias e fotoexposição. Os autores discutem os principais elementos relacionados à pigmentação da pele e ao desenvolvimento do melasma. Palavras-chave: Melanose; Pigmentação da pele; Raios Ultravioleta; Transtornos da pigmentação Abstract: Melasma is a common dermatosis that involves changes in normal skin pigmentation, resulting from the hyperactivity of epidermal melanocytes. The consequent hyperpigmentation is mostly induced by ultraviolet radiation. Clinically, melasma is characterized by light to dark brown macules that usually occur on the face, although they can also affect the cervical and anterior thoracic regions and upper members. Fertile age women and those with intermediate skin phototypes are most likely to develop melasma. Most of its physiopathogenics is not yet fully understood, but there is a relation with genetic and hormonal factors, drugs and cosmetics use, endocrinopathies and sun exposure. The authors discuss the main aspects associated with skin pigmentation and the development of melasma.

The association between parasitic infection of the appendix and acute appendicitis has been widely investigated. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prevalence of parasitic infection of the appendix in a tropical area at southeast Brazil and to assess its possible relation to acute appendicitis in surgically removed appendices. Of the 1,600 appendectomies performed during a 10-year period, 24 (1.5%) were found to have helminths within the appendix. Enterobius vermicularis was observed in 23 of the 24 specimens (95.8%), and Taenia sp. was detected in only one case. Sixteen patients (66.7%) were less than 10 years old; 15 patients were male and nine female; 21 patients were white, and three were nonwhites. Pathologic analysis disclosed acute neutrophilic inflammation in the appendix wall in 12 of the 24 specimens and lymphoid hyperplasia in 10 of the 24 appendices. Gangrenous appendicitis was diagnosed in three cases, and peritonitis was found in 11 of the 24 infected appendices. The results of the present study indicate that E. vermicularis is the commonest worm found in the appendix and that its presence can cause pathologic changes ranging from lymphoid hyperplasia to acute phlegmonous inflammation with life-threatening complications like gangrene and peritonitis.

The frequency of intra-amniotic infection, especially M. hominis, in PL women who delivered with 7 days, is high and correlates with high IL-1β and IL-6 levels, but not IL-8.

Salmonella, one of the most important pathogens transmitted by food, especially poultry, has the ability to form biofilms on surfaces. Its adhesion can be influenced by different physicochemical properties of these surfaces, while Salmonella uses fimbriae and produces cellulose as the main matrix components of biofilms. Their synthesis is co-regulated by a LuxR-type regulator, the agfD (aggregative fimbriae, curli), and adrA genes, respectively. Thus, this study investigated the production of biofilm by Salmonella spp. isolated from raw poultry (breast fillet), purchased in Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil, on glass, polyvinyl chloride, and stainless steel at different temperatures (16°, 20°, 28°, and 35°C). We analyzed the frequency of the agfD and adrA genes and the rdar morphotype at 28°C and 35°C in isolated strains. We found Salmonella in 112 of 240 poultry samples (46.7%), and 62 strains previously isolated from the same kind of food were included in the study on biofilm development, gene expression, and rdar morphotype. All of them were positive for both genes, and 98.3% were able to produce biofilm in at least one temperature. The rates of rdar morphotype at 28°C and at 35°C were 55.2% (96 strains) and 2.3% (4 strains), respectively. Glass was the best material to avoid biofilm production, while Salmonella grew even at 16°C on stainless steel. These results point out the need for more effective sanitizing processes in the slaughter plants in order to avoid the permanence of these bacteria in food and eventual human foodborne diseases.

Background Composition of the vaginal microbiome is strongly related to a woman's reproductive health and risk of sexually transmitted infections. Ethnoracial, behavioral, and environmental factors can influence microbiome. The Brazilian population is unique in terms of miscegenation of ethnic groups and behavioral characteristics across different regions. We aimed to characterize the vaginal microbiome of women from 5 geographical regions of Brazil. Methods We sequenced V3–V4 regions of 16S rRNA gene in vaginal samples of 609 reproductive-aged women. We performed logistic regression analyses to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between sociodemographic and behavioral factors with Lactobacillus-depleted microbiome (community state type [CST] IV). Results Vaginal samples were grouped into 5 CST: CST I (L. crispatus predominant, 30.5%), CST II (L. gasseri predominant, 4.4%), CST III (Lactobacillus iners predominant, 36.5%), CST IV (Lactobacillus-depleted, 27.4%), and CST V (L. jensenii predominant, 1.2%). Several factors were independently associated with CST IV, such as smoking (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.02–3.18), number of partners (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.20–3.70), and vaginal douching (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.34–3.74). A protective effect was observed for milk/dairy intake (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.27–0.82) and sitz bathing (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.19–0.98). Conclusions Nearly two thirds of Brazilian women may be at an increased risk for adverse outcomes associated with a vaginal microbiota characterized by the depletion of Lactobacillus or dominance by L. iners, whose protective role has been widely questioned. Several factors related to sexual behavior and intimate hygiene were associated with CST IV.

A more intense inflammatory host response occurs for AV than for BV when compared with normal flora. Furthermore, the increased sialidase activity in AV and BV indicates that both abnormal vaginal flora types can be harmful to the maintenance of a healthy vaginal environment.

Ancestry information can be useful in investigations of diseases with a genetic or infectious background. As the Brazilian population is highly admixed physical traits tend to be poor indicators of ancestry. The assessment of ancestry by ancestry informative markers (AIMs) can exclude the subjectivity of self-declared ethnicity and reported family origin. We aimed to evaluate the reliability of self-reported ethnicity or reported family origin as indicators of genomic ancestry in a female population from the Southeast of Brazil. Two cohorts were included: 404 women asked to self-report their ethnicity (Pop1) and 234 women asked to report their family's origin (Pop2). Identification of AIMs was performed using a panel of 61 markers and results were plotted against parental populations-Amerindian, Western European and Sub-Saharan African-using Structure v2.3.4. In Pop1 57.4 % of women self-reported as white, 34.6 % as brown and 8.0 % as black. Median global European, Amerindian and African contributions were 66.8, 12.6 and 16.6 %. In Pop2, 66.4 % of women declared European origin, 23.9 % African origin and 26.9 % Amerindian. Median global European, Amerindian and African contributions were 80.8, 7.3 and 7.6 %, respectively. Only 31.0 and 21.0 % of the global variation in African and European contributions, respectively, could be explained by self-reported ethnicity and reported family origin only accounted for 20.0 and 5.0 % of the variations observed in African and European ancestries, respectively. Amerindian ancestry did not influence self-reported ethnicity or declared family origin. Neither self-reported ethnicity nor declared family origin are reliable indicators of genomic ancestry in these Brazilian populations.

Melasma is a common acquired symmetrical hypermelanosis characterized by irregular light- to dark-brown macules on sun-exposed skin areas. The literature shows few studies on its physiopathogeny. However, changes in α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) secretion and melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1-R) expression may play a role to trigger this condition. Biopsies were taken from both melasma skin and adjacent perilesional normal skin of 44 patients. The biopsies were submitted for hematoxylin and eosin and Fontana-Masson staining and immunohistochemistry with Melan-A, α-MSH, and MC1-R, and processed for transmission electron microscopy. In some cases, they were submitted to MC1-R gene expression analysis by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Increased lymphohistiocytic infiltrate and solar elastosis, higher epidermal melanin were observed in melasma skin. Electron microscopy revealed a greater number of mature melanosomes in keratinocytes and melanocytes, and more prominent cytoplasmic organelles in melasma skin. There was no difference in melanocyte number between areas. However, melanocytes were larger and more dendritic in melasma skin. Immunohistochemistry with α-MSH and MC1-R showed significant labeling in melasmic epidermis but MC1-R messenger ribonucleic acid (RNAm) did not show significant quantitative difference between melasma and normal skin.