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ABSTRACT Water is the most important substance in nature and all known life forms on the planet depend on it. Among aquatic species, microalgae and cyanobacteria stand out as indicators of their quality, as their increase can be harmful for human consumption, and their concentrations should be monitored. This research aimed to identify reflectance patterns of the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and Raphidocelis subcapitata that allow, through the creation of an algorithm, the estimation of their chl-a concentrations. The R software found that cell density and growth were higher in C. vulgaris Pearson correlation of 0.96 (p-value 0.000041) and Chl-a content was higher in R. Subcapitata Pearson correlation of 0.81 (p-value 0.013778). An algorithm made it possible to edit the dependent variable based on statistical models. The best readings for the microalgae used were in the spectral range of 524.84 nm in R. subcapitata and 671.13 nm in C. vulgaris. The use of the spectroradiometer for such an analysis, previously unprecedented, was due to the best cost-benefit for measuring the reflectance of Chl-a. It is expected that these two equations will be used in satellites to remotely check water quality through the incidence of these microalgae.

Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma that affects over 200 million people worldwide. For decades, praziquantel (PZQ) has been the only available drug to treat the disease. Despite recent discoveries that identified a transient receptor ion channel as the target of PZQ, schistosome response to this drug remains incompletely understood, since effectiveness relies on other factors that may trigger a complex regulation of parasite gene expression. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides with low or no protein-coding potential that play important roles in S. mansoni homeostasis, reproduction, and fertility. Here, we show that in vivo PZQ treatment modulates lncRNA levels in S. mansoni. We re-analyzed public RNA-Seq data from mature and immature S. mansoni worms treated in vivo with PZQ and detected hundreds of lncRNAs differentially expressed following drug exposure, many of which are shared among mature and immature worms. Through RT-qPCR, seven out of ten selected lncRNAs were validated as differentially expressed; interestingly, we show that these lncRNAs are not adult worm stage-specific and are co-expressed with PZQ-modulated protein-coding genes. By demonstrating that parasite lncRNA expression levels alter in response to PZQ, this study unravels an important step toward elucidating the complex mechanisms of S. mansoni response to PZQ.

Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma that affects over 200 million people worldwide. For decades, praziquantel (PZQ) has been the only available drug to treat the disease. Despite recent discoveries that identified a transient receptor ion channel as the target of PZQ, schistosome response to this drug remains incompletely understood, since effectiveness relies on other factors that may trigger a complex regulation of parasite gene expression. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides with low or no protein-coding potential that play important roles in S. mansoni homeostasis, reproduction, and fertility. Here, we show that in vivo PZQ treatment modulates lncRNA levels in S. mansoni. We re-analyzed public RNA-Seq data from mature and immature S. mansoni worms treated in vivo with PZQ and detected hundreds of lncRNAs differentially expressed following drug exposure, many of which are shared among mature and immature worms. Through RT-qPCR, seven out of ten selected lncRNAs were validated as differentially expressed; interestingly, we show that these lncRNAs are not adult worm stage-specific and are co-expressed with PZQ-modulated protein-coding genes. By demonstrating that parasite lncRNA expression levels alter in response to PZQ, this study unravels an important step toward elucidating the complex mechanisms of S. mansoni response to PZQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]