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Introduction: Chagas disease is a severe parasitic illness that is prevalent in Latin America and often goes unaddressed. Early detection and treatment are critical in preventing the progression of the illness and its associated life-threatening complications. In recent years, machine learning algorithms have emerged as powerful tools for disease prediction and diagnosis. Methods: In this study, we developed machine learning algorithms to predict the risk of Chagas disease based on five general factors: age, gender, history of living in a mud or wooden house, history of being bitten by a triatomine bug, and family history of Chagas disease. We analyzed data from the Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study (REDS) to train five popular machine learning algorithms. The sample comprised 2,006 patients, divided into 75% for training and 25% for testing algorithm performance. We evaluated the model performance using precision, recall, and AUC-ROC metrics. Results: The Adaboost algorithm yielded an AUC-ROC of 0.772, a precision of 0.199, and a recall of 0.612. We simulated the decision boundary using various thresholds and observed that in this dataset a threshold of 0.45 resulted in a 100% recall. This finding suggests that employing such a threshold could potentially save 22.5% of the cost associated with mass testing of Chagas disease. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the potential of applying machine learning to improve the sensitivity and effectiveness of Chagas disease diagnosis and prevention. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of integrating socio-demographic and environmental factors into neglected disease prediction models to enhance their performance. Author summary: Chagas disease, a severe parasitic illness prevalent in Latin America, poses significant challenges due to delayed detection and treatment. Machine learning algorithms, advanced computer programs, have emerged as valuable tools for disease prediction and diagnosis. In our study, we utilized these algorithms to forecast Chagas disease risk based on factors such as age, gender, and living conditions. Drawing on data from the Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study (REDS), we trained five algorithms, with one showing promising results, achieving an impressive score of 0.772 out of 1. By establishing a specific threshold, we could potentially reduce testing costs while maintaining high detection rates. This research highlights the potential of machine learning in improving Chagas disease diagnosis and prevention by incorporating socio-demographic and environmental factors. Integrating these elements into predictive models has the potential to enhance their effectiveness and sensitivity, thereby improving disease management outcomes and ultimately reducing the burden of Chagas disease in affected regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Through citizen science projects, like Projeto Bromélias, community members contribute valuable data on species diversity, notably those with low detectability like the Heterodactylus imbricatus lizard. A recent observation in the State of Espírito Santo (southeastern Brazil), amidst coffee and eucalyptus crops, highlights the utility of widespread technology use in tracking and documenting wildlife. Such initiatives are especially beneficial for mapping the distribution of rare, endemic or endangered reptiles. Therefore, we advocate for more citizen science initiatives near protected areas, involving local communities. New information: We provide a new record for the species Heterodactylus imbricatus, a microteiid lizard of low detectability from the Atlantic Forest of south-eastern Brazil. Heterodactylus imbricatus (Rio de Janeiro Teiid) was recorded near the protected area "Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi" by a citizen volunteer who contributes herpetofauna records to the Bromelias Project (https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/projeto-bromelias). Heterodactylus imbricatus is a very poorly-known species in the localities where it occurs, probably due to its fossorial habit, genera's restricted occurrence range, habitat specificity and the absence of proper survey methods fitted to fossorial species, such as the utilisation of pitfall traps. By publishing the records of volunteer citizens, we hope that more people will contribute to increase the knowledge of biodiversity in the mountainous region of Espírito Santo State and expand our collective knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By studying fossil bite traces, we can reconstruct the behaviour of extinct organisms and better understand past communities, environments, and ecosystems. In this paper, we analyse bite traces on a fragmented sauropod rib from the Upper Cretaceous of the Bauru Basin, southeastern Brazil. The fossil was collected in the Ibirá municipality, São Paulo State, in the strata of the São José do Rio Preto Formation (Santonian-?Maastrichtian). The analysed specimen displays nine tooth drag traces on its external surface, produced by six or seven biting events. The traces consist of shallow linear grooves, with tapered ends and a serrated or smooth edge morphology. They can be classified as Linichnus serratus, Linichnus bromleyi, and Knethichnus parallelum and were produced by an organism with ziphodont dentition, probably an Abelisauridae. This work adds to the knowledge of the Bauru Basin palaeoecology and palaeobiology and expands the record of Mordichnia of Gondwana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen science networks can provide support and visibility to existing initiatives. Although citizen science is a growing practice in Brazil, several challenges still exist. A network can play an important role in overcoming these challenges, helping with the exchange of knowledge between initiatives or raising funding, for example. The Brazilian Citizen Science Network was created to advance citizen science in the country. The launch took place in March 2021 at a two-day online workshop focused on topics such as financial sustainability, technology, data quality, inter- and transdisciplinary infrastructure, engagement, and good practices. Based on the contents of the presentations and comments during the event, the authors of this report held follow-up meetings to identify favourable and unfavourable factors that can foster or constrain citizen science in Brazil. Afterwards, an open letter expressing these factors was produced and shared with the network members to register the status of challenges and opportunities we have discussed so far, to be used as a guide for future actions. This report provides an overview of the workshop. Despite depicting a local perspective, the challenges and opportunities discussed during the workshop and summarised in this report may also apply to fostering citizen science in other countries or establishing global practices. We consider that the Brazilian Citizen Science Network can play an important role in promoting the establishment of collaborative actions across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of the air sac system present in birds has been an enigma for decades. Skeletal pneumaticity related to an air sac system is present in both derived non-avian dinosaurs and pterosaurs. But the question remained open whether this was a shared trait present in the common avemetatarsalian ancestor. We analyzed three taxa from the Late Triassic of South Brazil, which are some of the oldest representatives of this clade (233.23 ± 0.73 Ma), including two sauropodomorphs and one herrerasaurid. All three taxa present shallow lateral fossae in the centra of their presacral vertebrae. Foramina are present in many of the fossae but at diminutive sizes consistent with neurovascular rather than pneumatic origin. Micro-tomography reveals a chaotic architecture of dense apneumatic bone tissue in all three taxa. The early sauropodomorphs showed more complex vascularity, which possibly served as the framework for the future camerate and camellate pneumatic structures of more derived saurischians. Finally, the evidence of the absence of postcranial skeletal pneumaticity in the oldest dinosaurs contradicts the homology hypothesis for an invasive diverticula system and suggests that this trait evolved independently at least 3 times in pterosaurs, theropods, and sauropodomorphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanosaurian sauropods are known to exhibit remarkable body size disparity, with some taxa famed for nearing the zenith of terrestrial vertebrate body size. Here, we describe a new titanosaurian - Ibirania parva gen. et sp. nov. - from the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian-Campanian) São José do Rio Preto Formation of Bauru Basin, in which represents one of the smallest sauropods known to date. The new taxon is diagnosed by seven autapomorphies and had an estimated body length of 5.7 m. Histological and µCT scan analyses showed that this new taxon is represented by skeletally mature individuals, which had attained somatic maturity prior to death. Phylogenetic analyses recovered the new taxon deeply nested within Saltasaurinae, a clade previously known by small-sized forms. Ibirania parva gen. et sp. nov. brings new information indicating that the body size reduction in some titanosaurians could be driven by recurrent ecophysiographical settings, present in South America prior to the diversity peak attained by the group during the Campanian-Maastrichtian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stressful conditions, such as mechanical damage, can significantly compromise the survival of algal beds by reducing their biomass, reproductive output, and even altering their production of defensive chemical compounds. In the present work, the effect of different intensities of trampling (no trampling, low and high trampling intensities) on reproduction, morphology, and phenolic content of Sargassum species was studied in three sites along the southwestern Atlantic Coast, Brazil, from March to October 2015. The parameters were evaluated in distinct periods (0, 90, and 180 days) after trampling, using 40- × 40-cm quadrats along transects. Trampling reduced algal reproductive biomass in two of the three studied sites (Pernambuco and Fortaleza beaches) shortly after the experimental treatment (T0). The mean thallus length was higher in trampled plots in all study sites, and the dry biomass of the individuals were higher in Pernambuco and Cigarras beaches, which also presented lower phenolic levels after damage. These results suggest a probable trade-off in resource allocation, with an immediate compromise of the individuals' reproduction followed by a decrease in the production of defense compounds, probably due to an investment in damage repairing of vegetative portions, maximizing the individuals' survival in the long term. Although the individuals reach larger sizes, they reproduce less and are more susceptible to other sources of stress that can compromise Sargassum spp. fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brazilian Supreme Court rulings on the Arguição de Descumprimento de preceito fundamental (ADPF) n° 132 and the Ação Direta de Inconstitucionalidade (ADI) n° 4277 created the precedents responsible for the recognition of same-sex civil unions in Brazil, a breakthrough in the history of LGBT rights. However, with the legal obligation to meet the same requirements demanded for heterosexual civil unions, homosexual unions face a barrier: the need to prove the relationship's publicity. In fact, the requirement of notoriety, when applied by courts in cases where the bonds are not externalized due to fear of homophobic practices isn't adequate. Furthermore, this requirement must be pondered in order to ensure the fundamental right to privacy, as provided in the Constitution. In conclusion, the flexibilization of the legal requirement of publicity does not always occur in Brazilian courts and, when applied, it's not enough to ensure the recognition of homo-affective civil unions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonellosis ranks among the most frequently reported zoonosis worldwide and is often associated with foodborne outbreaks. Since the 1950s, the distribution of Salmonella serotypes in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, has been documented and periodically reported. In this study, we updated the data on the distribution of Salmonella serotypes received in our reference laboratory, isolated from human infections and nonhuman sources, from 2004 to 2020. In that period, a total of 9,014 Salmonella isolates were analyzed, of which 3,553 (39.4%) were recovered from human samples, mainly of stool (65%) and blood (25.6%), and 5,461 (60.6%) were isolated from nonhuman origins, such as animals (47.2%), food (27.7%) and animal environments (18.6%). In human isolates, a total of 104 serotypes were identified and the most frequent ones were Enteritidis, Typhimurium, S. I. 4,[5],12:i:-, Dublin and Typhi. A consistent reduction of the Enteritidis proportion was observed over the years. Among the 156 serotypes identified in isolates with nonhuman origins, Enteritidis, Mbandaka, Typhimurium, Agona and Anatum were ranked as the top five Salmonella serotypes; in more recent years, S. Heidelberg has increased in frequency. Although with different proportions, the top 10 prevalent serotypes were identified in both human and nonhuman origins, underscoring the role of animals, food products and environment as reservoirs of Salmonella with potential to cause human salmonellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of interpreting and evaluating a fossil is a difficult task. Isopoda is a species-rich group of peracarid eumalacostracans which represent quite a challenge when found as fossils, independent of whether we are working with fragmentary or more complete specimens. Here we describe a new fossil species of crustacean, Platuropodus odysseus n. gen. n. sp., from the Irati Formation, Permian of Paraná Basin, Brazil. After misinterpretations, the fossil taxon is recognised here as a representative of Isopoda. The new species presents characters found in Phreatoicidea, Asellota and Oniscidea in a unique combination for the fossil and extant record, such as two pairs of sub-chelate anterior trunk appendages, a short region after the anus and flat uropods. This chimera-like morphology and a morphometric analysis of the sub-chelae indicate convergent evolution in the early diversification of Isopoda. The morphological diversification present in the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic fossil record of Eumalacostraca indicate a "push of the past" effect in different ingroups of Peracarida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The therapeutic arsenal for the treatment of leishmaniasis is limited and has serious obstacles, such as variable activity, high toxicity, and costs. To overcome such limitations, it becomes urgent to characterize new bioactive molecules. Plants produce and accumulate different classes of bioactive compounds, and these molecules can be studied as a strategy to combat leishmaniasis. The study presented herein evaluated the leishmanicidal effect of maslinic acid isolated from the leaves of Hyptidendron canum (Lamiaceae) and investigated the morphological that occurred on Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum upon treatment. Maslinic acid was active and selective against promastigote and amastigote forms in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, it was not toxic to peritoneal macrophages isolated from golden hamsters, while miltefosine and amphotericin B showed mild toxicity for macrophages. Morphological changes in promastigotes of L. (L.) infantum treated with maslinic acid were related to cytoplasmic degeneration, intense exocytic activity, and blebbing in the kDNA; disruption of mitochondrial cristae was observed in some parasites. The nucleus of promastigote forms seems to be degraded and the chromatin fragmented, suggesting that maslinic acid triggers programmed cell death. These results indicate that maslinic acid may be an interesting molecule to develop new classes of drugs against leishmaniasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chagas disease (CD) is still a neglected disease. Infected individuals are diagnosed late, being treated in worse clinical conditions. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the prevalence and the factors associated with new confirmed cases of CD identified by serological screening in an endemic region of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. This is an analytical crosssectional study with data from a project of the Research Center in Tropical Medicine of Sao Paulo-Minas Gerais (SaMi-Trop) conducted in two municipalities. Data collection included a questionnaire with closed questions, a venous blood collection and an ELISA serological test for CD. A total of 2,038 individuals with no previous diagnosis of CD participated in the study. The result of the serological test for CD was adopted as the dependent variable. The independent variables addressed personal issues, health conditions and lifetime housing. A descriptive analysis of individual variables was performed. Subsequently, a bivariate analysis was performed using the Pearson's chi-square test. Households sheltering individuals positive for CD were georeferenced, and the analysis of spatial distribution was performed using the quartic function to estimate the density of the nucleus. Among the participants, 188 (9.2 %) were positive for CD. The profile of participants with CD was associated with place of residence, age, relative/family member with CD and living conditions. It is noteworthy that there are still patients with CD who are unaware of their diagnosis in both, rural and urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Street trees provide several ecosystem services in urban areas, including food for fauna. Tree species richness, composition and the relative abundance of native vs. non-native species can affect the populations of pollinators and dispersers. This work aims to evaluate the potential availability of food resources provided by street trees, in space and time, considering different pollination and seed dispersal syndromes at Santo André city (Southeastern Brazil). The georeferenced data for all catalogued tree individuals in the Urban Macrozone constituted our sampling domain. The species were categorized according to its geographical origin, pollination and seed dispersal syndromes, flowering and fruiting season. We divided the study area into cells and calculated: number of individuals, species richness, species diversity; richness and diversity of potentially flowering and fruiting individuals in each season of the year. 38,379 trees were catalogued, representing 578 trees/km2, totalizing 230 species. Most individuals (73%) were non-native. The number of individuals, species richness and diversity varied spatially. The pollination syndrome with higher potential resources availability was melittophily (pollination by bees and wasps) has during spring whereas ornithochory (seed dispersal by birds) was the dispersal syndrome with higher potential resources availability which occurred in summer. Despite the dominance of exotic individuals, the most common syndromes are in accordance with what is expected for tropical Atlantic rainforest regions. However, some pollination and dispersal syndromes presented very low potential resource availability in different seasons and no availability in some regions. These results should be taken into account by stakeholders for a better planning of planting efforts, considering the distribution, in space and time, of the potential availability of resources provided by street trees to fauna in order to improve connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anuario do Instituto de Geociencias is the property of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Geociencias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Notiomastodon platensis was a Pleistocene proboscidean endemic to South America, and until now, the unique proboscidean taxon recognized in Brazil, representing one of the most important herbivorous megamammals present in the Brazilian Intertropical Region (BIR). The aim of this study was to analyze δ 13C and δ 18O isotopic signatures from samples from two dentin incremental layers of an individual tusk from the Sousa municipality (Paraíba State, Brazil), in order to infer diet, niche breadth, and paleoenvironment. Radiocarbon dating suggests that the studied individual lived in the Last Glacial Maximum age (24,190–24,567 Cal yr BP), and probably had a mixed-feeder diet with slightly higher consumption of C 3 plants (δ 13C = −7.5 ± 0.2‰, p i = 68%) during two years of its life. We suggest a generalist habit (B A = 0.83) for this individual, similar to the results found for this species in other BIR locations. In addition, we suggest that the individual from Sousa/PB lived in a wetter environment (δ 18O = 27.2 ± 0.5‰) when compared to other localities in the BIR. • A two years isotopic diet for a mastodont is presented; • This individual lived between 24,190–24,567 Cal yr BP; • The δ 13C indicate a mixed-feeder diet; • The δ 18O signature suggests a wetter moment in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by a protozoan belonging to Leishmania genus. Different clinical outcomes can be observed depending on the parasite species and patient's health condition. The outcomes can range from single cutaneous lesions to lethal visceral form. The treatment of all forms of leishmaniasis is based on pentavalent antimonials, and, in some cases, the second-line drug, amphotericin B, is used. Beside the toxicity of both classes of drugs, in some areas of the world, parasites are resistant to antimonial. These detrimental features make fundamental the discovery and characterization of new drugs or plant extracts with leishmanicidal effects. Brazil is a well-known country for its biodiversity. Additionally, the common knowledge inherited for generations in small villages makes Brazil a source of new information and resources for the discovery and development of new drugs. Based on ethnopharmacology, elderlies were interviewed about plants they commonly used for skin diseases and infections. Five native plants from Atlantic forest were indicated; EtOH and n-hexane extracts were prepared with the vegetative organs of the plants and assayed against promastigote and amastigote forms of L. (L.) amazonensis. The major molecules of each extract were detected using qualitative nuclear magnetic resonance. Among all tested extracts, the n-hexane extract from the leave of Eugenia uniflora (Myrtaceae), enriched in myricitrin and quercitrin flavonoids, was the most effective against L. (L.) amazonensis amastigotes. This data supports the ethnopharmacology approach as a successful tool for the discovery of new drugs with leishmanicidal effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Early Cretaceous, a large area in Brazil and other South American countries was covered by an extensive paleoerg field, the Botucatu Desert. The Araraquara County (São Paulo State, Brazil) contains some of the most diverse ichnological assemblages in the Botucatu Formation. Mammaliform trace fossils from the Botucatu Formation are of great interest, as they may represent the only record of Lower Cretaceous Mammaliamorpha from Brazil. These trace fossils can be grouped into two distinct classes, based on the dimensions of the footprints. The larger morphotype is described and classified as a new ichnotaxon, Aracoaraichnium leonardii igen. nov. isp. nov., with a discussion of preservational features and paleoecological aspects. This morphotype can be differentiated from Brasilichnium Leonardi, 1981 by digit morphology, with digits III and IV being larger and sub-equal in size. The tracks are mesaxonic, unlike Brasilichnium , which is ectaxonic, and the stride is proportionally smaller, suggesting a trackmaker with shorter limbs in relation to body length. Another characteristic that reinforces the new ichnotaxon is the larger size of the footprints of Aracoaraichnium igen. nov. Footprints representing intermediate ontogenetic stages between Brasilichnium and the larger morphotype are not observed, suggesting that the two track types were made by different taxa. Compared with others tetrapod ichnotaxa, the new ichnotaxon is characterized by differences in the number and morphology of the digits, track morphology, the degree of heteropody, and locomotor parameters. Tracks with good preservation quality were likely originally produced in the humid subsurface, below the surficial dry sand layer. Tracks with smaller dimensions, and trackways with the presence or absence of the manus, may be due to variable degrees of impression into subsurface layers, and substrate heterogeneity. The Aracoaraichnium igen. nov. trackmakers probably inhabited areas near the desert, making occasional incursions into desert areas, while Brasilichnium trackmakers may have been mostly nocturnal residents of the desert environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Oceanography is the property of Instituto Oceanografico da Universidade de Sao Paulo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Pesquisa em Educação Ambiental is the property of Pesquisa em Educacao Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The genus Synechococcus is widespread in aquatic environments and is known to be abundant in the Tucuruí Hydroelectric Power Station (HPS) reservoir, in eastern Brazilian Amazonia. However, little is known about this man-made water body's planktonic community. The diversity and phylogeny of the Synechococcus group present in the Tucuruí HPS reservoir were analysed using a culture-independent approach, by amplifying three different loci: the rpoC1 gene, the 16S-23S rRNA-internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the cpcBA-IGS operon and comparing them to the 16S rRNA gene. The phenograms inferred independently using the three markers indicate the presence of at least six Synechococcus groups in the reservoir. The results also demonstrate a high level of microdiversity in the reservoir. The rpoC1 gene was unable to resolve the most recent branches and is therefore not suggested for studies at the Cyanobacteria genus level. The ITS sequences obtained permitted the modelling of the secondary structure of the RNA of the segment containing the two transfer RNAs and a variable stem region, which was a useful complementary tool in diversity studies of the group. The cpcBA genes have good phylogenetic signal and resolution throughout several taxonomic levels, allowing for correlation between the sequence and pigmentation physiology. However, the choice of molecular markers for phylogenetic analysis of cyanobacteria should be made carefully to maximize the phylogenetic signal. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of RGO: Revista Gaúcha de Odontologia is the property of RGO: Revista Gaucha de Odontologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

PHYSA MEZZALIRAI: A NEW GASTROPOD FROM ADAMANTINA FORMATION (BAURU BASIN), LATE CRETACEOUS, SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL. Physa mezzalirai n. sp. (Family Physidae, Order Basommatophora), a fresh-water gastropod is described from sand-silty beds of Adamantina Formation (Bauru Basin), Late Cretaceous of São Paulo State, Brazil. This is the first occurrence of gastropods in the analyzed region and to this geological unit where the paleontological content is mostly known by the big turtle bones and shells, and by other vertebrate remains. These finding attests the paleontological potential of Adamantina Formation to the study of invertebrate fossils, nearly neglected in the moment, and could help in the refinement of fluviolacustrine paleoenvironmental and about the paleoecology during the time of Bauru Group depositon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper emphasizes the important role that secondary bone grafting plays on the treatment of patients with alveolar clefts. The authors present a literature review and, based on panoramic radiographs, retrospectively and longitudinally analyze the behavior of permanent canines after completion of secondary bone grafting in 50 patients at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Twelve patients with unilateral cleft lip and alveolus and 38 patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (n = 50) had undergone bone grafts to repair their residual alveolar clefts before the eruption of their permanent canines. These patients were observed over an average period of 3 years. In 94% of the sample (47 patients), the permanent canines presented intra-alveolar movement toward the oral cavity. In 72% of those 47 patients (36 patients), the permanent canines spontaneously erupted through the grafted area. In 6% of the 47 patients (3 patients), the permanent canines required orthodontic traction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, research with natural products had a strong impulse when FAPESP supported the creation of the Laboratory of Chemistry of Natural Products of the Institute of Chemistry of USP (1966). In 1999, FAPESP launched the Research Program in the Characterization, Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity (BIOTA-FAPESP), which intensified the sustainable exploitation of biodiversity, and which evolved to form the Biota Network for Bioprospection and Bioassays (BIOprospecTA), which integrates groups from all over the country, optimizing the use of the skills already installed for the bioprospecting of microorganisms, plants, invertebrates, vertebrates and marine organisms. Of the 104 projects related to plant sciences, 35 carried out bioprospection of Brazilian flora, belonging to the areas of Chemistry, Botany, Genetics, Plant Physiology, Plant Morphology, Plant (Chemo)taxonomy, Ecosystem Ecology, Plant Genetics. Physical Sciences, Forest Resources, Forestry Engineering, Agronomy, leading to thousands of publications, engagement of hundreds of students and a deeper understanding of natural products in different biological models through macromolecules analysis aided by computational and spectrometric strategies, in addition to pharmacological evaluations. The development of omics approaches led to a more comprehensive view of the chemical profile of an organism, and enabled integrated and concomitant studies of several samples, and faster annotation of known molecules, through the use of hyphenated and chemometric techniques, and molecular networking. This also helped to overcome the lack of information on the safety and efficacy of herbal preparations, in projects dealing with the standardization of herbal products, according to international standards. The BIOTA-FAPESP program has also focused on environmental aspects, in accordance with the principles of Green Chemistry and has had positive effects on international collaboration, on the number and impact of scientific publications and on partnership with companies, a crucial step to add value and expand the production chain of bioproducts. Also, the compilation, systematization and sharing of data were contemplated with the creation of the NUBBEDB database, of free access, and that integrates with international databases (ACD/labs, American Chemical Society -- ACS), helping researchers and companies in the development from different areas of science, technology, strengthening the bioeconomy and subsidizing public policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The individuals' perception may vary according to their values and life experiences, thus, the goal of the present study was to evaluate if the relationship to coastal areas (work, research and leisure) and frequency of beach attendance would influence the environmental perception of people living in greater São Paulo (Brazil). The environmental values were measured using online questionnaires based on the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale (adapted to coastal and marine environments) and considering that the type of relation with the coastal environment could alter their level of perception. A total of 386 participants answered the questionnaires and the results showed mainly a pro-NEP attitude of all respondents, However, people that establish some kind of relationship to marine environment presented significantly higher scores. In general, although they were conscious that we are reaching the Earth's limit and that the human interference on the environment is mainly negative, there was still a belief that human beings are able to dominate nature and in the inexhaustibility of marine resources, once we know how to handle it. Besides that, most respondents think that climate change; sea level rise and ocean acidification has been treated with exaggerated concern. The results also showed that age and educational level significantly influenced the participants' performance in the test. Therefore, we conclude that there is a necessity of educational investment from the beginning of the school age on and the importance of good quality in scientific dissemination. Image 1 • For most respondents, current environmental changes have been treated with exaggerated concern. • People's environmental are related to the relationship to coastal areas. • The grouping variable reflected different marine environmental perception. • There's still a belief that man can rule the nature. • Educational background and scientific dissemination in Brazil are still unsatisfying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The record of thalloid macrofossils in the North-Northwest region of the Paraná Basin is less studied compared to that of invertebrate paleofauna in the same area. Consequently, the lack of important information regarding the niches occupied by thalloid embryophytes during early land colonization in this coastal paleoenvironment is evident. This study presents the first chemical and elemental data on Spongiophyton for this region of the basin, offering insights into its paleoenvironment and fossilization processes and providing considerations about the phylogeny of this enigmatic assemblage Spongiophyton nanum Kräusel emend. Chaloner et al. (1974) collected fragments from an outcropping rock in Jaciara, Mato Grosso, Brazil, and studied them using scanning electron microscope/energy X-ray dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques. The EDS analysis showed the highest elemental concentration of carbon, oxygen, and calcium as the main elements of the cuticle composition. Silicon and aluminum were better represented inside the pores than in other areas of the cuticle. The high carbon concentration in the cuticle suggested an anoxic condition prevalent during the deposition of the fine-grained sediments, which prevented its oxidation before and during diagenesis. The carbon present in the EDS spectra was restricted to the cuticle area, and the FTIR spectra indicated the presence of some functional groups, both related to the original organic matter, possibly cutin. Based on elemental characterization, the fossilization of S. nanum may involve more than one process, such as carbonification and mineralization, and S. nanum has more affinities with lichen groups. • FTIR and EDS confirm organic matter preservation in fossil cuticles. • Spongiophyton nanum fossilization involves carbonification and mineralization. • The presence of calcium and iron is linked to sediment provenance. • Anaerobic sulfur reduction aids iron incorporation in early diagenesis. • S. nanum shares metabolic pathways with lichens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Devonian, the Gondwana occupied areas close to the South Pole and hosted many epicontinental seas, with a benthic fauna dominated by brachiopods. Due to the limited preservation of chronostratigraphic markers (e.g. conodonts and graptolites) on this paleocontinent, the study of ichnology and palynology has helped to track Devonian events in the South American and African continents. In the Paraná Basin, there are records of several transgressive and regressive cycles that occurred throughout the Devonian. Thus, this study considers changes in the size and shape of the brachiopod (Australocoelia palmata Morris and Sharpe, 1846) in the Lower-Middle Devonian Chapada Group (Early Pragian-Eifelian) in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil as a proxy for paleoenvironmental change. Morphometric analysis (length, width and length x width) shows that fossils collected in transgressive strata (Lower Unit 2, Chapada Group) had the most diverse sizes. However, fossils from a regressive context (Upper 2 Unit, Chapada Group) tend to be 25% smaller in length and width. This case of dwarfism in Australocoelia palmata may be related to changes in the composition of marine waters, resulting from an anoxic moment, driven by sea-level fluctuations. • Transgressive and regressive cycles impacted the brachiopod fauna of the Paraná Basin. • Anoxic conditions in the Devonian of the Paraná basin hampered the growth of brachiopods. • The morphometric reduction of brachiopods indicates paleoecological stresses during the Emsian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in Brazil, ZIKV infections were linked to damage to the central nervous system (CNS) and congenital anomalies. Due to the virus’s ability to cross the placenta and reach brain tissue, its effects become severe, leading to Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) and resulting in neuroinflammation, microglial activation, and secretion of neurotoxic factors. The presence of ZIKV triggers an inadequate fetal immune response, as the fetus only has the protection of maternal antibodies of the Immunoglobulin G (IgG) class, which are the only antibodies capable of crossing the placenta. Because of limited understanding regarding the long term consequences of ZIKV infection and the involvement of maternal antibodies, this study sought to assess the impact of the ZIKV + IgG⁺complex on murine microglial cells. The cells were exposed to ZIKV, IgG antibodies, and the ZIKV + IgG⁺complex for 24 and 72 h. Treatment-induced cytotoxic effects were evaluated using the cell viability assay, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial membrane potential. The findings indicated that IgG antibodies exhibit cytotoxic effects on microglia, whether alone or in the presence of ZIKV, leading to compromised cell viability, disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential, and heightened oxidative damage. Our conclusion is that IgG antibodies exert detrimental effects on microglia, triggering their activation and potentially disrupting the creation of a neurotoxic environment. Moreover, the presence of antibodies may correlate with an elevated risk of ZIKV-induced neuroinflammation, contributing to long-term CNS damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten Salmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium isolates producing CTX-M-2 extended-spectrum β-lactamase were identified from clinical and poultry sources in two distant cities in Brazil between 2003 and 2004. They included two isolates from pediatric patients and eight isolates from poultry or its environment. All isolates exhibited coresistance to non-β-lactam antimicrobials including tetracycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. The CTX-M-2 gene was located on transferable plasmids with sizes between 90 and 170 kb that also carried other resistance determinants in some isolates. By pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, the genetic similarity of the isolates including clinical and poultry ones ranged from 89% to 100%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Devonian was a geological period marked by many climatic, geological and biological changes on a global scale. The Kačák Event is one of them, and it was the result of anoxia generated by a major marine transgression that began in the late Eifelian and lasted through the Givetian. In the Paraná Basin, this event had already been recognized, based on the Lilliput Effect, but without any morphometric or statistical data to infer this. Thus, we applied morphometric analysis (height and width) of brachiopods from different localities in the Paraná Basin. It was possible to verify a reduction of 67,93% (height) and 70,30% (width) in the dorsal valves, 74,59% (height) and 73,96% (width) in the ventral valves of Orbiculoidea baini. In Orbiculoidea excentrica the reduction is about 62,10% (height) and 61,57% (width) in dorsal valves, and 87,80% (height) and 87,70% (width) in the ventral valves. However, relictual benthic invertebrates that surpassed the Eifelian-Givetian transition inhabited alterated paleoenvironmental conditions after the biotic crisis. The brachiopods found in the north of the basin had a growth pattern distinct from those in the south. This may be related to the stressed conditions at the edge of the basin associated with the entry of warm waters from the Parnaíba Basin. • The brachiopod fauna in Paraná Basin was strongly impacted by the Kačák Event. • The Eifelian-Givetian in Paraná Basin is recognized by morphological reduction of the fauna. • Brachiopod growth in the north of the Paraná Basin differs from those in the south. • The Kačák Event impacted the brachiopods in different ways throughout the Paraná Basin. • Devonian brachiopods from north of Paraná Basin were impacted by the transgression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydroethanolic root extract of Arrabidaea brachypoda , from Bignoniaceae family, a Brazilian medicinal plant, demonstrated significant in vivo gastroprotective effects using different in vivo assays. The activity was evaluated in several models of experimental gastric ulcer in rats (absolute ethanol, glutathione depletion, nitric oxide depletion, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, pylorus ligation and acetic acid). Using 300 mg/kg (p.o.) the extract significantly reduced gastric injury in all models. In depth phytochemical investigation of this extract led to the isolation of two previously undescribed phenylethanoid glycosides derivatives and seven unusual glycosylated dimeric flavonoids. The structures were elucidated using UV, NMR and HRMS analysis. Absolute configuration of the dimeric flavonoids was performed by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chagas disease, after more than a century after its discovery, is still a major public health problem. It is estimated that approximately 10 million people worldwide are infected with T. cruzi. However, the situation is more critical in Latin America and other regions where the disease is endemic. The largest number of cases occurs in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico as more than 100 million people in these regions are located in areas with a high risk of contamination by the vector. The need for new therapeutic alternatives is urgent, as the available drugs have severe limitations such as low efficacy and high toxicity. From this scenario, in this work, we employed the virtual screening technique using cruzain and BDF2 as key biological targets for the survival of the parasite. Our objective was to identify potential inhibitors of T. cruzi trypomastigotes, which could be considered drug candidates against Chagas disease. For this, we employed different in silico methodologies and the obtained results were corroborated using in vitro biological assays. For the VS studies, a database containing synthetic compounds was simulated at the binding site of cruzain and BDF2. In addition, pharmacophoric models were constructed in the initial phases of VS, as well as other advanced analyses (molecular dynamics simulations, calculations of binding free energy, and ADME prediction) were carried out and the results allowed the selection of potential inhibitors of T. cruzi. Based on the obtained data, 32 different compounds commercially available were subjected to biological tests against the trypomastigote form of T. cruzi. As result, 11 of those compounds displayed significant activity against T. cruzi and can be considered potential candidates for the treatment of Chagas disease. [Display omitted] • Chagas disease is still a major public health problem. • New therapeutic alternatives is urgent, as the available drugs have severe limitations such as low efficacy and high toxicity. • We employed the virtual screening technique and in vitro assays to identify potential inhibitors of T. cruzi trypomastigotes. • 32 different compounds commercially available were subjected to biological tests against the trypomastigote form of T. cruzi. • 11 compounds were activity against T. cruzi and can be considered potential hits in the drug design studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micropaleontology is crucial branch of Earth Sciences, with a pivotal role in the success of the oil and gas industry over the decades. This sector of paleontology is based on the taxonomical description of microfossils, which encompass fossils with size variation from 0.001 mm to 1 m. Normally these microorganisms have a high rate on preservation, thus they are widely accepted as reliable evidence to infer about paleodepositional settings and paleoclimate change. Furthermore, microfossils are critical to understanding the evolution through time, being many of them recognized as index fossil and providing useful biozones to correlation. Since 1950, microfossils have been taxonomically described mainly by stereomicroscopes. However, as the technology progress, traditional ways to study these organisms are challenged and improved by nondestructive three-dimensional imaging techniques, as X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM), three-dimensional X-ray microscopy (3D-XRM), the X-ray computed microtomography (microCT) and X-ray computed nanotomography (nanoCT). Recently, one of the most compelling research areas in micropaleontology is the desire to automatize and enhance the details of systematic classification. Thereby, an increasing number of researches have applied the high-resolution X-ray analysis aiming to improve the morphological, taxonomic and taphonomic examination. Most of them have detailed the enhancement provided by the technique when compared with the standard microscopes, and raised questions about the traditional characters used on the microfossil systematic taxonomy. Nevertheless, even with the surpassing detail on microfossil characterization, the application of microCT has been hampered by the costs and sometimes by the needs of specific computer skill. Thus, this research has evaluated the use of microCT as the technique to classify a random bulk of microfossil (comprising foraminifers, ostracods, radiolarians, gastropods and echinoderms) with no further software treatment. No standard microscope analysis was performed. Despite chemical composition of microfossils, most of the specimens morphology, especially internal structures, have been easily acquired and analyzed. 96% of the microfossils of the dataset were identified at least on genus level. Irrespective of the deepness of detail, when considering the overall taxonomic identification, the microCT seems to be effective as the standard microscope. Nonetheless, when problematic specimens are evaluated, the microCT seems to be a more reliable and practical tool than other methods as Scanning Electron Microscopy. Thus, the technique can be used solo or as a complementary method to the stereomicroscope. Additionally, the high-resolution has the potential to lead to the expected automatized micropaleontology, since they can provide numerous images in several planes. This may create a strong database necessary to machine learning and computer identification. • Random bulk of microfossils are evaluated through microCT. • No further computer treatment on microfossil image. • microCT effective method to microfossil identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theropod tooth crowns are abundant in the Upper Cretaceous (post-Coniacian) continental deposits of the Bauru Group, Brazil. The distribution of anatomical crown features indicates that a variety of carnivorous dinosaurs inhabited the area at that time, which is consistent with fossil records from other parts of Gondwana. More specifically, some authors have attributed several isolated specimens to the Carcharodontosauridae; while this has important implications for palaeobiogeography and paleoecology, other scholars have argued that the clade became extinct during the Turonian. In this study, we conducted discriminant and phylogenetic analyses for 18 crowns putatively assigned to the Carcharodontosauridae. In short, the discriminant analysis suggested that the specimens should be tentatively assigned to the following groups: non-abelisauroid Ceratosauria, Abelisauridae, Neovenatoridae, Dromaeosauridae, and Pantyrannosauria. By contrast, the phylogenetic analysis indicated that all should be assigned to abelisaurid theropods, which is consistent with the theropod osteological records in both Brazil and Argentina. We recommend using a combined approach involving morphometric and phylogenetic tools when identifying isolated teeth, as this may yield more reliable identifications. We also suggest that all previous reports on the presence of post-Turonian carcharodontosaurids in the Bauru Group are invalid, which also corroborates previous work. Our results indicate that abelisaurids from the Bauru Basin were diverse in morphology and activity; that is, many were quite large and/or played important ecological roles. Findings also support the hypothesis that this taxon had a preference for semi-arid environments. • Several Carcharodontosauridae isolated crowns from Upper Cretaceous of Brazil were reassessed. • Morphological, phylogenetic and morphometric tests were performed. • The materials belong to indeterminate Abelisauridae. • Abelisauridae from Bauru Basin were well diverse and reached large body-sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 102 Escherichia coli strains belonging to serogroups O127 and O142 were examined for genotypic and phenotypic characteristics. The most frequent serotypes found were O127:H21, O127:H40 and O142:H34. The virulence properties were evaluated by adhesion to HeLa cells and hybridization with gene probes for diarrhoeagenic E. coli. Most strains in the two serogroups were categorized as enteropathogenic E. coli, but enteroaggregative E. coli was also detected in both serogroups. All strains that carried the eae sequence presented the LEE region inserted in selC. Five ribotypes were detected in serogroup O127 and four in serogroup O142 and a correlation between serotypes and ribotypes was observed mainly in serogroup O142.

Genetic and phenotypic virulence markers of different categories of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli were investigated in 106 strains of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) serogroup O86. The most frequent serotype found was O86:H34 (86%). Strains of this serotype and the non motile ones behaved as EPEC i.e., carried eae, bfpA and EAF DNA sequences and presented localised adherence to HeLa cells. Serotypes O86:H2, O86:H6, O86:H10, O86:H18, O86:H27 and O86:H non determined, belonged to other categories. The majority of the strains of serotype O86:H34 and non motile strains produced cytolethal-distending toxin (CDT). The ribotyping analysis showed a correlation among ribotypes, virulence markers and serotypes, thus suggesting that CDT production might be a property associated with a universal clone represented by the O86:H34 serotype.