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Introduction: Lung cancer in never-smoker (LCINS) patients accounts for 20% of lung cancer cases, and its biology remains poorly understood, particularly in genetically admixed populations. We elucidated the molecular profile of driver genes in Brazilian LCINS., Methods: The mutational and gene fusion status of 119 lung adenocarcinomas from self-reported never-smoker patients, was assessed using targeted sequencing (NGS), nCounter, and immunohistochemistry. A panel of 46 ancestry-informative markers determined patients' genetic ancestry., Results: The most frequently mutated gene was EGFR (49.6%), followed by TP53 (39.5%), ALK (12.6%), ERBB2 (7.6%), KRAS (5.9%), PIK3CA (1.7%), and less than 1% alterations in RET, NTRK1, MET∆ex14, PDGFRA, and BRAF. Except for TP53 and PIK3CA, all other alterations were mutually exclusive. Genetic ancestry analysis revealed a predominance of European (71.1%), and a higher African ancestry was associated with TP53 mutations., Conclusion: Brazilian LCINS exhibited a similar molecular profile to other populations, except the increased ALK and TP53 alterations. Importantly, 73% of these patients have actionable alterations that are suitable for targeted treatments., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Methods: One-hundred-six patients diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and treated with intravesical BCG were included and divided into two groups, BCG-responsive (n = 47) and -unresponsive (n = 59). Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate PD-L1 expression and MSI was assessed by a commercial multiplex PCR kit. The mRNA expression profile of 15 immune checkpoints was performed using the nCounter technology. For in silico validation, two distinct cohorts sourced from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were used., Results: Among the 106 patients, only one (<1 %) exhibited MSI instability. PD-L1 expression was present in 9.4 % of cases, and no association was found with BCG-responsive status. We found low gene expression of canonic actionable immune checkpoints PDCD1 (PD-1), CD274 (PD-L1), and CTLA4, while high expression was observed for CD276 (B7-H3), CD47, TNFRSF14, IDO1 and PVR (CD155) genes. High IDO1 expression levels was associated with worst overall survival. The PDCD1, CTLA4 and TNFRSF14 expression levels were associated with BCG responsiveness, whereas TIGIT and CD276 were associated with unresponsiveness. Finally, CD276 was validated in silico cohorts., Conclusion: In NMIBC, MSI is rare and PD-L1 expression is present in a small subset of cases. Expression levels of PDCD1, CTLA4, TNFRSF14, TIGIT and CD276 could constitute predictive biomarkers of BCG responsiveness., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Soybean is the main oilseed cultivated worldwide. Even though Brazil is the world's largest producer and exporter of soybean, its production is severely limited by biotic factors. Soil borne diseases are the most damaging biotic stressors since they significantly reduce yield and are challenging to manage. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the potential of a bacterial strain (Ag109) as a biocontrol agent for different soil pathogens (nematodes and fungi) of soybean. In addition, the genome of Ag109 was wholly sequenced and genes related to secondary metabolite production and plant growth promotion were mined. Ag109 showed nematode control in soybean and controlled 69 and 45% of the populations of Meloidogyne javanica and Pratylenchus brachyurus, respectively. Regarding antifungal activity, these strains showed activity against Macrophomia phaseolina, Rhizoctonia solani, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. For S. sclerotiorum, this strain increased the number of healthy plants and root dry mass compared to the control (with inoculation). Based on the average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization, this strain was identified as Bacillus velezensis. Diverse clusters of specific genes related to secondary metabolite biosynthesis and root growth promotion were identified, highlighting the potential of this strain to be used as a multifunctional microbial inoculant that acts as a biological control agent while promoting plant growth in soybean., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most prevalent malignant brain tumor in children, known for its heterogeneity and treatment-associated toxicity, and there is a critical need for new therapeutic targets. We analyzed the somatic mutation profile of 15 driver genes in 69 Latin-Iberian molecularly characterized medulloblastomas using the Illumina TruSight Tumor 15 panel. We classified the variants based on their clinical impact and oncogenicity. Among the patients, 66.7% were MB SHH , 13.0% MB WNT , 7.3% MB Grp3 , and 13.0% MB Grp4 . Among the 63 variants found, 54% were classified as Tier I/II and 31.7% as oncogenic/likely oncogenic. We observed 33.3% of cases harboring at least one mutation. TP53 (23.2%, 16/69) was the most mutated gene, followed by PIK3CA (5.8%, 4/69), KIT (4.3%, 3/69), PDGFRA (2.9%, 2/69), EGFR (1.4%, 1/69), ERBB2 (1.4%, 1/69), and NRAS (1.4%, 1/69). Approximately 41% of MB SHH tumors exhibited mutations, TP53 (32.6%) being the most frequently mutated gene. Tier I/II and oncogenic/likely oncogenic TP53 variants were associated with relapse, progression, and lower survival rates. Potentially actionable variants in the PIK3CA and KIT genes were identified. Latin-Iberian medulloblastomas, particularly the MB SHH , exhibit higher mutation frequencies than other populations. We corroborate the TP53 mutation status as an important prognostic factor, while PIK3CA and KIT are potential therapeutic targets., (© 2024 The Authors. Neuropathology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Neuropathology.)

Freshwater crustaceans of the genus Aegla are endemic to southern South America, and present greater richness in the river basins of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. However, recent studies have shown the enormous potential for discovering new species of Aegla in the state of Paran. In the last six year the number of species recorded has almost doubled, increasing from 9 to 16. In the present work, we expand the current knowledge about the diversity of Aegla in a set of poorly explored drainage basins in the western region of the state and describe a new species, Aegla urussanga n. sp., based on morphological and molecular evidence. A combination of morphological characters supports the new species: orbital spine absent, non-elevated epigastric prominences, robust protogastric lobes with scales, anterior dorsal margin of epimeron 2 armed and with pronounced concavity, sub-rectangular palmar crest of chelipeds, internal margin of the ventral face of the ischium of the cheliped with a proximal stout spine, a distal stout spine, and up to three tubercles with spiniform scales. The molecular data, based on partial COI sequences, also support the distinction of the new species from others that occur in adjacent river basins. The species with the smallest genetic distance from A. urussanga n. sp. is Aegla castro Schmitt, 1942 which occurs in the Iguau River basin. The new species occurs in distinct streams, probably interconnected in the past and currently isolated by the Itaipu reservoir and is the second species of Aegla described from the complex of drainage basins called Paran 3 basin.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) remains a significant health care challenge, and treatment approaches continue to evolve. Among these, neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NET) has gained prominence, particularly for postmenopausal, hormone-receptor positive, HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) BC patients. Despite this, a significant gap exists in identifying patients who stand to benefit from NET. The objective of this study was to assess whether Magee equations (MEs) could serve as predictors of response to NET., Methods: This retrospective study included adult patients with invasive BC who underwent NET followed by curative surgery. Assessment of sociodemographic, clinical, and tumor-related variables was conducted. The ME1, ME2, ME3, and ME mean were analyzed to explore their predictive role for NET response. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed, along with the determination of optimal cutoff points. Logistic regression models were utilized to identify the most significant predictors of pathological response., Results: Among the 75 female participants, the mean age was 69.4 years, with the majority being postmenopausal ( n = 72, 96%) and having an ECOG-PS of 0/1 ( n = 63, 84%). Most patients were classified as luminal A ( n = 41, 54.7%). ME3 emerged as a promising predictor, boasting an AUC of 0.734, with sensitivity of 90.62% and specificity of 57.50% when the threshold was ≤ 19.97. In univariate analysis, clinical staging ( p = 0.002), molecular subtype ( p = 0.001), and ME3 (continuous = 0.001, original 3-tier: p = 0.013, new 2-tier: <0.001) categories exhibited significant associations with pathological response. In the multivariate model, clinical staging and new 2-tier ME3 (<20 vs. ≥20) were included as significant variables., Conclusions: Patients with ME3 < 20 have a higher likelihood of presenting a pathological response, offering a cost-effective alternative tool to Oncotype DX. Larger future studies with a prospective design are awaited to confirm our findings.

Introduction: Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NET) is recommended for the treatment of invasive breast cancer (BC), particularly luminal subtypes, in locally advanced stages. Previous randomized studies have demonstrated the benefits of aromatase inhibitors in this context. However, NET is typically reserved for elderly or frail patients who may not tolerate neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Identifying non-responsive patients early and extending treatment for responsive ones would be ideal, yet optimal strategies are awaited., Aims: This non-randomized phase 2 clinical trial aims to assess NET feasibility and efficacy in postmenopausal stage II and III luminal BC patients, identifying predictive therapeutic response biomarkers. Efficacy will be gauged by patients with Ki67 ≤ 10% after 4 weeks and Preoperative Endocrine Prognostic Index (PEPI) scores 0 post-surgery. Study feasibility will be determined by participation acceptance rate (recruitment rate ≥50%) and inclusion rate (>2 patients/month)., Methods: Postmenopausal women with luminal, HER2-tumors in stages II and III undergo neoadjuvant anastrozole treatment, evaluating continuing NET or receiving chemotherapy through early Ki67 analysis after 2 to 4 weeks. The study assesses NET extension for up to 10 months, using serial follow-ups with standardized breast ultrasound and clinical criteria-based NET suspension. Clinical and pathological responses will be measured overall and in the luminal tumor A subgroup. Toxicity, health-related quality of life, and circulating biomarkers predicting early NET response will also be evaluated., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

NTRK1, 2, and 3 fusions are important therapeutic targets for NSCLC patients, but their prevalence in South American admixed populations needs to be better explored. NTRK fusion detection in small biopsies is a challenge, and distinct methodologies are used, such as RNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS), immunohistochemistry, and RNA-based nCounter. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and concordance of positive samples for NTRK fusions using a custom nCounter assay in a real-world scenario of a single institution in Brazil. Out of 147 NSCLC patients, 12 (8.2%) cases depicted pan-NTRK positivity by IHC. Due to the absence of biological material, RNA-based NGS and/or nCounter could be performed in six of the 12 IHC-positive cases (50%). We found one case exhibiting an NTRK1 fusion and another an NTRK3 gene fusion by both RNA-based NGS and nCounter techniques. Both NTRK fusions were detected in patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, with no history of tobacco consumption. Moreover, no concomitant EGFR, KRAS, and ALK gene alterations were detected in NTRK-positive patients. The concordance rate between IHC and RNA-based NGS was 33.4%, and between immunohistochemistry and nCounter was 40%. Our findings indicate that NTRK fusions in Brazilian NSCLC patients are relatively rare (1.3%), and RNA-based nCounter methodology is a suitable approach for NRTK fusion identification in small biopsies., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Medulloblastomas are the most common primary malignant brain tumors in children. They are divided into molecular subgroups: WNT-activated, SHH-Activated, TP53 mutant or wild type, and non-WNT/non-SHH (Groups 3 and 4). WNT-activated medulloblastomas are usually caused by mutations in the CTNNB1 gene (85%-90%), and most remaining cases of CTNNB1 wild type are thought to be caused by germline mutations in APC . So far, the frequencies of CTNNB1 have been reported mainly in North American and European populations. The aim of this study was to report the frequency of CTNNB1 mutations in WNT-activated medulloblastomas in a Latin-Iberian population and correlate with their clinicopathological characteristics., Methods: A total of 266 medulloblastomas from seven different institutions from Brazil (n=211), Portugal (n=38), and Argentina (n=17) were evaluated. Following RNA and DNA isolation from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissues, the molecular classification and CTNNB1 mutation analysis were performed by nCounter and Sanger sequencing, respectively., Results: WNT-activated medulloblastomas accounted for 15% (40/266) of the series. We observed that 73% of WNT-activated medulloblastomas harbored CTNNB1 mutations. CTNNB1 wild-type cases (27%) were more prevalent in female individuals and suggested to be associated with a worse outcome. Among the CTNNB1 wild-type cases, the available analysis of family history revealed two cases with familiar adenomatous polyposis, harboring APC germline variants., Conclusion: We observed a lower incidence of CTNNB1 mutations in WNT-activated medulloblastomas in our Latin-Iberian cohort compared to frequencies previously described in other populations. Considering that CTNNB1 wild-type cases may exhibit APC germline mutations, our study suggests a higher incidence (~30%) of hereditary WNT-activated medulloblastomas in the Latin-Iberian population., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Moreno, Bonatelli, Antoniazzi, de Paula, Leal, Garcia, de Paula, Teixeira, Santana, Saggioro, Neder, Valera, Scrideli, Stavale, Malheiros, Lima, Hajj, Garcia-Rivello, Christiansen, Nunes, Gil-da-Costa, Pinheiro, Martins, Junior, Mançano and Reis.)

Foodborne diseases are a major challenge in the global food industry, especially those caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Bacteria capable of biofilm formation, in addition to MDR strains, reduce the treatment efficacy, posing a significant threat to bacterial control. Bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect and kill bacteria, are considered a promising alternative in combating MDR bacteria, both in human medicine and animal production. Phage cocktails, comprising multiple phages, are commonly employed to broaden the host range and prevent or delay the development of phage resistance. There are numerous techniques and protocols available to evaluate the lytic activity of bacteriophages, with the most commonly used methods being Spot Test Assays, Efficiency of Plating (EOP), and infection assays in liquid culture. However, there is currently no standardization for which analyses should be employed and the possible differences among them in order to precisely determine the host range of phages and the composition of a cocktail. A preliminary selection using the Spot Test Assay resulted in four phages for subsequent evaluation against a panel of 36 Salmonella isolates of numerous serovars. Comparing EOP and infection assays in liquid culture revealed that EOP could underestimate the lytic activity of phages, directly influencing phage cocktail development. Moreover, the phage cocktail containing the four selected phages was able to control or remove biofilms formed by 66% (23/35) of the isolates, including those exhibiting low susceptibility to phages, according to EOP. Phages were characterized genomically, revealing the absence of genes associated with antibiotic resistance, virulence factors, or integrases. According to confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis, the biofilm maturation of one Salmonella isolate, which exhibited high susceptibility to phages in liquid culture and 96-well plates biofilm viability assays but had low values for EOP, was found to be inhibited and controlled by the phage cocktail. These observations indicate that phages could control and remove Salmonella biofilms throughout their growth and maturation process, despite their low EOP values. Moreover, using infection assays in liquid culture enables a more precise study of phage interactions for cocktail design timelessly and effortlessly. Hence, integrating strategies and techniques to comprehensively assess the host range and lytic activity of bacteriophages under different conditions can demonstrate more accurately the antibacterial potential of phage cocktails., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

The purpose of this pictorial essay is to describe the recommendations of the 2021 World Health Organization classification for adult-type and pediatric-type gliomas and to discuss the main modifications in relation to the previous (2016) classification, exemplified by imaging, histological, and molecular findings in nine patients followed at our institutions. In recent years, molecular biomarkers have gained importance in the diagnosis and classification of gliomas, mainly because they have been shown to correlate with the biological behavior and prognosis of such tumors. It is important for neuroradiologists to familiarize themselves with this new classification of central nervous system tumors, so that they can use this knowledge in evaluating and reporting the imaging examinations of patients with glioma.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the incidence of depression and other mental disorders in the general population, influenced by various individual and contextual factors. Physical activity (PA) interventions offer a promising approach to mitigating the negative mental health effects of the pandemic. This study aims to analyze the association between PA and depressive symptoms. A total of 785 individuals aged 37.4 ± 13.2 years (72.5% female) were evaluated at two different time points: the first between 2018 and 2019, and the second during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Depressive symptoms, demographic, and socioeconomic data were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory to estimate depressive symptoms. Frequency analysis and binary and multinomial regression were employed for data analysis. The prevalence of mild depressive symptoms increased from 23.1% before the pandemic to 35.1% during the pandemic. Our findings reveal that practicing PA before the pandemic was a protective factor (OR: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.30; p < 0.001) against mild depressive symptoms. Additionally, individuals who continued to practice PA during the pandemic had a lower chance of presenting mild (OR: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.30) and moderate/severe (OR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.27) symptoms. Furthermore, our study shows that PA, which was already a protective factor before the pandemic, remained protective during the pandemic, even for those with the highest levels of depression.

Purpose: This prospective Brazilian single-arm trial was conducted to determine response to chemotherapy and survival after response-based radiotherapy in children with intracranial germinomas, in the setting of a multi-institutional study in a middle-income country (MIC) with significant disparity of subspecialty care., Patients and Methods: Since 2013, 58 patients with histologic and/or serum and CSF tumor marker evaluations of primary intracranial germ cell tumors were diagnosed; 43 were germinoma with HCGβ levels ≤200 mIU/mL and five between 100 and 200 mIU/mL. The treatment plan consisted of four cycles of carboplatin and etoposide followed by 18 Gy whole-ventricular field irradiation (WVFI) and primary site(s) boost up to 30 Gy; 24 Gy craniospinal was prescribed for disseminated disease., Results: Mean age 13.2 years (range, 4.7-25.5 years); 29 were males. Diagnosis was made by tumor markers (n = 6), surgery (n = 25), or both (n = 10). Two bifocal cases with negative tumor markers were treated as germinoma. Primary tumor location was pineal (n = 18), suprasellar (n = 14), bifocal (n = 10), and basal ganglia/thalamus (n = 1). Fourteen had ventricular/spinal spread documented by imaging studies. Second-look surgery occurred in three patients after chemotherapy. Thirty-five patients achieved complete responses after chemotherapy, and eight showed residual teratoma/scar. Toxicity was mostly grade 3/4 neutropenia/thrombocytopenia during chemotherapy. At a median follow-up of 44.5 months, overall and event-free survivals were 100%., Conclusion: The treatment is tolerable, and WVFI dose reduction to 18 Gy preserves efficacy; we have demonstrated the feasibility of successfully conducting a prospective multicenter trial in a large MIC despite resource disparity.

Choroid plexus tumors (CPTs) are rare intracranial neoplasms, representing <1% of all brain tumors, yet they represent 20% of first-year pediatric brain tumors. Although these tumors have been linked to TP53 germline mutations in the context of Li-Fraumeni syndrome, their somatic driver alterations remain poorly understood. In this study, we report two cases of lateral ventricle tumors: 3-yr-old male diagnosed with an atypical choroid plexus papilloma (aCPP), and a 6-mo-old female diagnosed with a choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC). We performed whole-exome sequencing of paired blood and tumor tissue in both patients, categorized somatic variants, and determined copy-number alterations. Our analysis revealed a tier II variant (Association for Molecular Pathology [AMP] criteria) in BRD1, a H3 and TP53 acetylation agent, in the aCPP. In addition, we detected copy-number gains on Chromosomes 12, 18, and 20 and copy-number losses on Chromosomes 13q and 22q ( BRD1 locus) in this tumor. The CPC tumor had only a pathogenic germline TP53 variant, based on American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) criteria, with a clinical and familiar history of Li-Fraumeni syndrome. The CPC patient presented loss of heterozygosity (LoH) of TP53 loci and hyperdiploid genome. Both tumors were microsatellite-stable. This is the first study performing whole-exome sequencing in Brazilian choroid plexus tumors, and in line with the literature, we corroborate the absence of recurrent somatic mutations in these tumors. Further studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to confirm our findings and better understand the underlying biology of these tumors., (© 2023 Garcia et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.)

Introduction: Medulloblastoma is the most common and lethal pediatric malignant brain tumor. It comprises four main molecular subgroups: WNT-activated, SHH-activated, Group 3, and Group 4. Medulloblastoma treatment is surgical resection, craniospinal radiation, and chemotherapy. However, many patients do not respond to therapy, and most suffer severe side effects. Cancer immunotherapy targeting immune checkpoints (IC) (PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA4) has been getting disappointing outcomes in brain tumors. Nevertheless, other less explored immune checkpoints may be promising candidates for medulloblastoma therapy., Objectives: In the present study, we aimed to characterize the expression profile of 19 immune checkpoints in medulloblastoma., Methods: We analyzed 88 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded medulloblastomas previously classified for each molecular subgroup and three non-tumoral brain tissue. mRNA levels of 19 immune checkpoint-related genes were quantified using the nCounter (PanCancer Immune Profiling Panel) assay. Further in silico analysis was performed in two larger public microarray datasets, one of which enabled comparisons between tumoral and non-tumoral tissues. Immunohistochemistry of PD-L1 was performed in a subset of cases. Microsatellite instability was also molecularly analyzed., Results: We observed an absence of expression of the canonic ICs, namely PDCD1 (PD-1), CD274 (PD-L1), and CTLA4 , as well as CD80, CD86, BTLA, IDO1, CD48, TNFSF14, CD160, CEACAM1 , and CD244. PD-L1 protein expression was also practically absent. We found higher mRNA levels of CD24, CD47 , CD276 (B7-H3), and PVR , and lower mRNA levels of HAVCR2 , LAG3 , and TIGIT genes, with significant differences across the four molecular subgroups. Compared to the non-tumor tissues, the expression levels of CD276 in all subgroups and CD24 in SHH, Group 3, and Group 4 subgroups are significantly higher. The in silico analysis confirmed the expression profile found in the Brazilian cohort, including the lower/absent expression of the canonic ICs. Moreover, it confirmed the overexpression of CD24 and CD276 in medulloblastomas compared with the non-tumor tissue. Additionally, CD276 and CD24 high levels were associated with worse survival., Conclusion: These results highlight the low or absence of mRNA levels of the canonic targetable ICs in medulloblastomas. Importantly, the analysis revealed overexpression of CD24 and CD276 , which can constitute prognostic biomarkers and attractive immunotherapy targets for medulloblastomas., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Marques, Moreno, da Silva, Leal, de Paula, Santana, Teixeira, Saggioro, Neder, Junior, Mançano and Reis.)

Introduction: The Acute Leukemia-European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (AL-EBMT) risk score was recently developed and validated by Shouval et al. OBJECTIVE: To assess the ability of this score in predicting the 2-year overall survival (OS-2), leukemia-free survival (LFS-2) and transplant-related mortality (TRM) in acute leukemia (AL) adult patients undergoing a first allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) at a transplant center in Brazil., Methods: In this prospective, cohort study, we used the formula published by Shouval et al. to calculate the AL-EBMT score and stratify patients into three risk categories., Results: A total of 79 patients transplanted between 2008 and 2018 were analyzed. The median age was 38 years. Acute myeloid leukemia was the most common diagnosis (68%). Almost a quarter of the cases were at an advanced stage. All hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCTs) were human leukocyte antigen-matched (HLA-matched) and the majority used familial donors (77%). Myeloablative conditioning was used in 92% of the cases. Stratification according to the AL-EBMT score into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups yielded the following results: 40%, 12% and 47% of the cases, respectively. The high scoring group was associated with a hazard ratio of 2.1 (p = 0.007), 2.1 (p = 0.009) and 2.47 (p = 0.01) for the 2-year OS, LFS and TRM, respectively., Conclusion: This study supports the ability of the AL-EBMT score to reasonably predict the 2-year post-transplant OS, LFS and TRM and to discriminate between risk categories in adult patients with AL, thus confirming its usefulness in clinical decision-making in this setting. Larger, multicenter studies may further help confirm these findings., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Associação Brasileira de Hematologia, Hemoterapia e Terapia Celular. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

The Barretos Cancer Hospital Animal Facility (BCHAF) is a unique facility in Brazil exclusively dedicated to working with animal models for cancer research. In this article, we briefly present our modern facility and the main experiments performed, focusing on mutant strains of mice (PTCH-knockout and Apc Min mice), xenograft models, and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). Our results show the progress and challenges in establishing these models and the need for having an appropriate representation of our cancer population to better understand tumor biology and to identify cancer biomarkers, which could be putatively targeted, allowing for personalized therapy.

The present study demonstrates the biocontrol potential of a plant growth-promoting bacterial strain using three different approaches: (i) an in vitro evaluation of antagonistic activity against important phytopathogenic fungi; (ii) an evaluation under greenhouse conditions with strawberry plants to assess the control of gray mold; and (iii) an in silico whole genome sequence mining to assign genetic features such as gene clusters or isolated genes to the strain activity. The in vitro assay showed that the B.BV10 strain presented antagonistic activity, inhibiting the mycelial growth in all the phytopathogenic fungi evaluated. The application of the Bacillus velezensis strain B.BV10 under greenhouse conditions reduced the presence of Botrytis cinerea and increased the mean fruit biomass. The genome of B.BV10 was estimated at 3,917,533 bp, with a GC content of 46.6% and 4088 coding DNA sequences, and was identified as B. velezensis . Biosynthetic gene clusters related to the synthesis of the molecules with antifungal activity were found in its genome. Genes related to the regulation/formation of biofilms, motility, and the important properties for the rhizospheric colonization were also found in the genome. The current study offers a comprehensive understanding of the genomic architecture and control activity of phytopathogenic fungi by the B. velezensis strain B.BV10 that may substantiate the industrialization of this strain in the future.

The development of bio-based products has increased in recent years, and species of the Bacillus genus have been widely used for product development due to their elevated production of antimicrobial molecules and resistance to extreme environmental conditions through endospore formation. In this context, the antifungal potential of Bacillus velezensis CMRP 4489 was investigated using in silico predictions of secondary metabolites in its genome and in vitro tests against the following phytopathogenic fungi: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Macrophomina phaseolina, and Botrytis cinerea. The in-silico predictions indicated that CMRP 4489 possesses several Biosynthetic Gene Clusters (BGCs) capable of producing molecules with antifungal properties and other non-identified BGCs. The in vitro assay results evidenced strong antifungal activity, inhibiting more than 60% of the tested fungi, and the isolate's molecules were stable under diverse physicochemical conditions. The in vitro assay evidenced significant antifungal activity, deformation of the hyphal structure in SS, biofilm formation capacity, and swarming motility. In the colonization assay, we observed attachment, colonization, and net-shaped biofilm formation, with the strain transitioning from the seeds to nearby structures. Therefore, CMRP 4489 showed to be a potential biocontrol agent against various diseases with agronomic importance and can be used under adverse environmental conditions., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Treatment with low temperatures can be used to quarantine mangoes against fruit-fly infestation. However, mangoes can develop chilling injury (CI) when stored at temperatures below 13 °C. We demonstrated that the immersion in polyol solutions can alleviate CI symptoms in 'Palmer' mangoes stored at 8 °C. These suggest that polyols can be used to reduce CI in mangoes during quarantine at low temperatures. Thus, we investigated the efficacy of applying 0.1% (v/v) glycerol, propylene glycol, or sorbitol to 'Palmer' mangoes subjected to cold treatment (1.0 °C) for 28 days. Mangoes were then ripened at 23 °C for 7 days., Results: Among these polyols, sorbitol was the most effective in alleviating CI for up to 14 days of cold treatment. Mangoes treated with sorbitol showed lower levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), and reduced polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. These fruit also had elevated levels of ascorbate (AsA), especially in the epicarp, and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity., Conclusion: Sorbitol can reduce the CI, but to an unsatisfying level, and it should be combined with other treatments storage at low temperature. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Soybean and maize are some of the main drivers of Brazilian agribusiness. However, biotic and abiotic factors are of great concern, causing huge grain yield and quality losses. Phosphorus (P) deficiency is important among the abiotic factors because most Brazilian soils have a highly P-fixing nature. Thus, large amounts of phosphate fertilizers are regularly applied to overcome the rapid precipitation of P. Searching for alternatives to improve the use of P by crops is essential to reduce the demand for P input. The use of multifunctional rhizobacteria can be considered one of these alternatives. In this sense, the objective of the present work was to select and validate bacterial strains with triple action (plant growth promoter, phosphate solubilizer, and biocontrol agent) in maize and soybean, aiming to develop a multifunctional microbial inoculant for Brazilian agriculture. Bacterial strains with high indole acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, and antifungal activity against soil pathogenic fungi (Rhizoctonia solani, Macrophomina phaseolina, and Fusarium solani) were selected from the maize rhizosphere. Then, they were evaluated as growth promoters in maize under greenhouse conditions. Based on this study, strain 03 (Ag75) was selected due to its high potential for increasing biomass (root and shoot) and shoot P content in maize. This strain was identified through genomic sequencing as Bacillus velezensis. In field experiments, the inoculation of this bacterium increased maize and soybean yields by 17.8 and 26.5%, respectively, compared to the control (25 kg P 2 O 5 ). In addition, the inoculation results did not differ from the control with 84 kg P 2 O 5 , indicating that it is possible to reduce the application of phosphate in these crops. Thus, the Ag75 strain has great potential for developing a multifunctional microbial inoculant that combines the ability to solubilize phosphate, promote plant growth, and be a biocontrol agent for several phytopathogenic fungi., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Increasing phosphorus (P) use efficiency in agricultural systems is urgent and essential to significantly reduce the global demand for this nutrient. Applying phosphate-solubilizing and plant growth-promoting bacteria in the rhizosphere represents a strategy worthy of attention. In this context, the present work aimed to select and validate bacterial strains capable of solubilizing phosphorous and promoting maize growth, aiming to develop a microbial inoculant to be used in Brazilian agriculture. Bacterial strains from the maize rhizosphere were evaluated based on their ability to solubilize phosphate and produce indole acetic acid. Based on these characteristics, 24 strains were selected to be further evaluated under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. Among the selected strains, four (I04, I12, I13, and I17) showed a high potential to increase maize root growth and shoot P content. Strains I13 (Ag87) and I17 (Ag94) were identified by genomic sequencing as Bacillus megaterium and Lysinibacillus sp., respectively. These strains presented superior yield increments relative to the control treatment with 30% P. In addition, combining Ag87 and Ag94 resulted in even higher yield gains, indicating a synergistic effect that could be harnessed in a commercial inoculant for Brazilian agriculture.

Low Field Time-Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (TD-NMR) relaxometry was used to determine moisture, fat, and defatted dry matter contents in "requeijão cremoso" (RC) processed cheese directly in commercial packaged (plastic cups or tubes with approximately 200 g). Forty-five samples of commercial RC types (traditional, light, lactose-free, vegan, and fiber) were analyzed using longitudinal (T 1 ) and transverse (T 2 ) relaxation measurements in a wide bore Halbach magnet (0.23 T) with a 100 mm probe. The T 1 and T 2 analyses were performed using CWFP-T 1 (Continuous Wave Free Precession) and CPMG (Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill) single shot pulses. The scores of the principal component analysis (PCA) of CWFP-T 1 and CPMG signals did not show clustering related to the RC types. Optimization by variable selection was carried out with ordered predictors selection (OPS), providing simpler and predictive partial least squares (PLS) calibration models. The best results were obtained with CWFP-T 1 data, with root-mean-square errors of prediction (RMSEP) of 1.38, 4.71, 3.28, and 3.00% for defatted dry mass, fat in the dry and wet matter, and moisture, respectively. Therefore, CWFP-T 1 data modeled with chemometrics can be a fast method to monitor the quality of RC directly in commercial packages.

Background: Despite the advances in glioblastoma (GBM) treatment, the average life span of patients is 14 months. Therefore, it is urgent to identity biomarkers of prognosis, treatment response, or development of novel treatment strategies. We previously described the association of high epidermal growth factor-like domain multiple 7 (EGFL7) expression and unfavorable outcome of pilocytic astrocytoma patients. The present study aims to analyze the prognostic potential of EGFL7 in GBM isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wildtype, using immunohistochemistry and in silico approaches., Methods: Spearman's correlation analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas RNA sequencing data was performed. The genes strongly correlated to EGFL7 expression were submitted to enrichment gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Additionally, EGFL7 expression was associated with patient overall survival. The expression of EGFL7 was analyzed through immunohistochemistry in 74 GBM IDH-wildtype patients' samples, and was associated with clinicopathological data and overall survival., Results: In silico analysis found 78 genes strongly correlated to EGFL7 expression. These genes were enriched in 40 biological processes and eight KEGG pathways, including angiogenesis/vasculogenesis, cell adhesion, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt, Notch, and Rap1 signaling pathways. The immunostaining showed high EGFL7 expression in 39 cases (52.7%). High immunolabelling was significantly associated with low Karnofsky Performance Status and poor overall survival. Cox analysis showed that GBMs IDH-wildtype with high EGFL7 expression presented a higher risk of death compared to low expression (hazard ratio, 1.645; 95% confidence interval, 1.021 to 2.650; p = .041)., Conclusions: This study gives insights regarding the genes that are correlated with EGFL7, as well as biological processes and signaling pathways, which should be further investigated in order to elucidate their role in glioblastoma biology.

Brevibacillus brevis LABIM17 is a bacterial isolate with biotechnological potential. Its draft genome sequence contains a chromosome of 5,950,202 bp, with 5,477 coding sequences, and exhibits 12 clusters involved in the production of secondary metabolites, which are likely responsible for its antimicrobial activity against several human and plant pathogens.

Purpose: Medulloblastoma is the most frequent pediatric malignant brain tumor, and is divided into four main subgroups: WNT, SHH, group 3, and group 4. MYCN amplification is an important medulloblastoma prognostic biomarker. We aimed to molecular classify and predict MYCN amplification in a single assay., Methods: It was included 209 medulloblastomas from 205 patients (Brazil, Argentina, and Portugal), divided into training (n = 50) and validation (n = 159) sets. A nCounter assay was carried out using a custom panel for molecular classification, with additional genes, including MYCN. nSolver 4.0 software and the R environment were used for profiling and MYCN mRNA analysis. MYCN amplification by FISH was performed in 64 cases., Results: The 205 medulloblastomas were classified in SHH (44.9%), WNT (15.6%), group 3 (18.1%) and group 4 (21.4%). In the training set, MYCN amplification was detected in three SHH medulloblastomas by FISH, which showed significantly higher MYCN mRNA counts than non-FISH amplified cases, and a cutoff for MYCN amplification was established ([Formula: see text] + 4σ = 11,124.3). Applying this threshold value in the validation set, we identified MYCN mRNA counts above the cutoff in three cases, which were FISH validated., Conclusion: We successfully stratified medulloblastoma molecular subgroups and predicted MYCN amplification using a single nCounter assay without the requirement of additional biological tissue, costs, or bench time., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Sunscald is a physiological disorder that occurs in many horticultural products when exposed to excessive solar radiation and high temperatures. Traditionally, sunscald is controlled using physical barriers that reflect radiation, however this practice is not always efficient. A possible alternative would be the use of chemical barriers, such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), which protect aquatic organisms against ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Thus, this study aimed to develop a lipid-based emulsion containing MAAs for using in the preharvest of horticultural products., Results: Emulsions were developed using 10% (w/v) of corn oil (CO) and soybean oil (SO), carnauba wax (CW), and beeswax (BW) as lipid bases (LBs). The emulsion containing CW and ammonium hydroxide was the most stable, resembling commercial wax. Therefore, this formulation was used as the basis for the incorporation of the commercial product Helioguard™ 365, a source of MAA, in concentrations of 0%, 1%, 2%, and 4% (v/v). The MAA incorporation resulted in little modifications in the stability of the emulsion, providing an increase in the absorbance with peaks in the UV-B ranging from 280 to 300 nm., Conclusion: The lipid-base emulsion containing MAAs could be used as a chemical barrier to control sunscald in horticultural products. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Biofortification is a nutritional strategy used to enhance nutrients in a variety of staple foods. As bananas and plantains (Musa spp.) are considered staple food in many developing countries, monitoring zinc (Zn) content in biofortified bananas is crucial to ensure this mineral intake. Bananas were biofortified by injecting Zn sulfate heptahydrate (ZnSO 4 ·7H 2 O) solutions into banana trees' pseudostem (1%, 2%, and 4%) compared with the control treatment. Zinc content was estimated using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and multivariate calibration using partial least squares (PLS). The impressive result is the possibility of high throughput analysis of Zn in bananas after biofortification to guarantee the quality when eaten as a central portion of the diet., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A new species of freshwater anomuran crab, Aegla buenoi n. sp., is described. The new taxon was collected from two streams within the Cinzas River basin, Paran state, Brazil. We used morphological and molecular data (COI mtDNA) to distinguish the new species from its congeners. Aegla buenoi n. sp. is differentiated by morphological diagnostic features of the cephalothorax, chelipeds, second abdominal epimeron, and uropods. Molecular results confirm the separation of A. buenoi n. sp. from closely related species (A. castro Schmitt, 1942, A. lata Bond-Buckup Buckup, 1994, and A. jacutinga Marl Teixeira, 2020). Hence, our study increases the known diversity of aeglids and reports the first species of Aegla from the Cinzas River basin.

Objectives: to understand nursing representative entities' articulations and the influence on nursing., Methods: a qualitative study of a historical-social approach with a conceptual framework by nurse Denise Elvira Pires de Pires. With a historical profile from 1975 to 2018, five former presidents of Brazilian Nursing Association - Santa Catarina Section and Regional Nursing Board of Santa Catarina were interviewed. The methodology for understanding data was through Bardin's content analysis., Results: the board structuring and performance generated changes in the relations between the two entities and debate about the role and power of representation of each one. There were periods of approach and removal, with consequences for professional representation effectiveness., Conclusions: nursing valuation and recognition as a profession in society has a strong influence on entities' performance that represent it. The union of them, politically or organizationally, is necessary and urgent.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate Bacillus velezensis strain CMRP 4490 regarding its ability to inhibit soil-borne plant pathogens and to increase plant growth. The study included evaluation of in vitro antifungal control, sequencing the bacterial genome, mining genes responsible for the synthesis of secondary metabolites, root colonization ability, and greenhouse studies for the assessment of plant growth-promoting ability. The strain was obtained from soil samples in the north of Paraná in Brazil and was classified as a B. velezensis , which is considered a promising biological control agent. In vitro assay showed that B. velezensis CMRP 4490 presented antagonistic activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum , Macrophomina phaseolina , Botrytis cinerea , and Rhizoctonia solani with a mycelial growth inhibition of approximately 60%, without any significant difference among them. To well understand this strain and to validate its effect on growth-promoting rhizobacteria, it was decided to explore its genetic content through genome sequencing, in vitro , and greenhouse studies. The genome of CMRP 4490 was estimated at 3,996,396 bp with a GC content of 46.4% and presents 4,042 coding DNA sequences. Biosynthetic gene clusters related to the synthesis of molecules with antifungal activity were found in the genome. Genes linked to the regulation/formation of biofilms, motility, and important properties for rhizospheric colonization were also found in the genome. Application of CMRP 4490 as a coating film on soybean increased from 55.5 to 64% on germination rates when compared to the control; no differences were observed among treatments for the maize germination. The results indicated that B. velezensis CMRP 4490 could be a potential biocontrol agent with plant growth-promoting ability., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Teixeira, Mosela, Nicoletto, Ribeiro, Hungria, Youssef, Higashi, Mian, Ferreira, Gonçalves, Pereira and de Oliveira.)

Soil fertilization with dehydrated sewage sludge (DSS) accelerates the recovery process of degraded areas by improving nutrient concentration, and favors the development of trophic webs with pioneer plants such as Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Beth (Fabales: Fabaceae), phytophagous Hemiptera, predators, and protocooperanting ants. This study aimed to evaluate the development and production of A. auriculiformis litter with or without dehydrated sewage sludge application and the ecological indices of sucking insects (Hemiptera), their predators and protocooperating ants, as bioindicators, in a degraded area for 24 months. Complete randomization was applied for two treatments (with or without application of dehydrated sewage sludge) in 24 replications (one repetition = one plant). We evaluated the number of leaves/branch and branches/plant, percentage of soil cover (litter), ecological indices of phytophagous Hemiptera, their predators, and protocooperating ants. The plants of A. auriculiformis, that were applied with dehydrated sewage sludge, had superior development when compared to plants where DSS were not applied. The highest abundance and richness of phytophagous Hemiptera species and Sternorrhyncha predators occurred on A. auriculiformis plants that were applied with dehydrated sewage sludge. The increase in richness of species of protocooperanting ants that established mutualistic relationships positively influenced the phytophagous Hemiptera. The use of A. auriculiformis, with application of dehydrated sewage sludge, can increase recovery of degraded areas due to its higher soil cover (e.g., litter) and results in higher ecological indices of phytophagous Hemiptera and their predators., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Nutrients from dehydrated sewage sludge play an essential role in the development of many plants such as Terminalia argentea, in the recovery of degraded areas. The aims were to assess the abundance, diversity and species richness of phytophagous, pollinators and predators arthropods, as well as the percentage of defoliation of T. argentea trees, fertilized (or not) with dehydrated sewage sludge in a degraded area. The abundance, diversity and species richness of phytophagous Coleoptera and total predators (predator insects + protocooperating ants + spiders); abundance and species richness of Diptera, pollinator insects, spiders, and predators (predator insects + spiders) were higher on trees fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge. The abundance of phytophagous Coleoptera declined with the presence of phytophagous Hemiptera and protocooperating ants; population of phytophagous Orthoptera declined in response to phytophagous Coleoptera and total predators; the numbers of the leafminer Lyriomyza sp. directly increased with the numbers of spiders. The ecological indices of phytophagous, pollinators, and predator arthopods increased on Terminalia argentea trees fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge; such a better ecological indices in fertilized than in unfertilized trees, show it more suitable for the recovery of degraded areas. We discuss the competition between phytophagous insects groups as well as herbivory reduction by predators.

It has been suggested that bridging therapy with intensive chemotherapy and/or hypomethylating agents followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can be valuable in the treatment of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). However, the influence of this approach on HSCT outcomes remains poorly defined. Therefore, our objective was to investigate the influence of treatment before HSCT in patients with MDS. We retrospectively analyzed data from the Latin American registry of 258 patients from 17 Latin American centers who underwent HSCT from 1988 to 2019. Our data showed that there was pre-HSCT. We detected no significant difference regarding the impact on overall survival of treated and untreated patients before HSCT. Despite these data, the type of previous treatment among treated patients showed a significant difference in overall survival. Treatment with hypomethylating agents together with pre-HSCT chemotherapy seems to result in better survival of the studied population. These data correspond to the first results obtained through cooperative work between various centers in Latin America comparing the different approaches to patients and reflecting their reality and challenges. Therefore, the selection of pretransplant bridge therapy should be analyzed and focus given primarily to those approaches that result in better survival of patients with MDS., (Copyright © 2020 American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A new species of freshwater anomuran, Aegla nebeccana n. sp. (Decapoda: Aeglidae), is described from the Ivaí River sub-basin, a tributary of the Paraná River Basin, in Paraná state, southern Brazil. The species is illustrated in detail with drawings and photographs. It can be distinguished from its congeners based on both morphological and molecular evidence. Morphologically, the new species resembles Aegla meloi Bond-Buckup Santos, 2015 by the general shape of the carapace and chelipeds, but differs by having a developed protograstic lobe and by the cheliped ischium ornamentation. Aegla nebeccana n. sp. has pronounced protogastric lobes, similar to Aegla castro Schmitt, 1942 and Aegla schimitti Bond-Buckup Buckup, 1994 but differs clearly from these in relation to the morphology of the cheliped palmar crest. Based on molecular analysis, A. nebeccana is sister species of Aegla parva Bond-Buckup Buckup 1994.

Background: ABO blood group incompatibility between donor and recipient is associated with a number of immunohematological complications, but is not considered a major contraindication to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However, available evidence from the literature seems to be conflicting as to the impact of incompatibility on overall survival, event-free survival, transplant-related mortality, graft-versus-host disease, and time to neutrophil and platelet engraftment., Methods: This single-center, prospective, cohort study included patients with hematological malignancies who underwent a first allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation between 2008 and 2014. Patients receiving umbilical cord blood as the stem cell source were excluded from this analysis. The impact of ABO incompatibility was evaluated in respect to overall survival, event-free survival, transplant-related mortality, acute graft-versus-host disease and engraftment., Results: A total of 130 patients were included of whom 78 (60%) were males. The median age at transplant was 36 (range: 2-65) years, 44 (33%) presented ABO incompatibility, 75 (58%) had acute leukemia, 111 (85%) had a related donor, 100 (77%) received peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells as graft source and 99 (76%) underwent a myeloablative conditioning regimen. There was no statistically significant association between ABO incompatibility and overall survival, event-free survival, transplant-related mortality, grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease, neutrophil or platelet engraftment in multivariate analysis., Conclusion: These results show that ABO incompatibility does not seem to influence these parameters in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

A new species of aeglid crab, Aegla okora n. sp., is described. This species was found in the Iguaçu River basin in Paraná state, southern Brazil. Aegla okora n. sp. was discriminated based on morphological and molecular data (mitochondrial COI). Morphologically, the new species differs from congeners of the same river basin by the presence of a trapezoidal areola and the ventromesial border of the ischium having three tubercles, besides other exclusive additional morphological characteristics. Molecular results demonstrated that there is no overlap between the intraspecific distances of Aegla okora n. sp. and the interspecific distance of other species of Aegla added to the analysis, confirming the separation of species and increasing the known diversity of the Iguaçu River basin.

Background: Dovyalis species Dovyalis abyssinica Warb. and Dovyalis hebecarpa Warb. were introduced into Brazil, but the fruit quality of these species is not appropriate for fresh consumption due to their high titratable acidity (TA) and low soluble solids content (SSC). With the selection of new D. abyssinica clones with lower acidity and the hybridization of these two dovyalis species (D. abyssinica and D. hebecarpa) the fruit quality improved and the better physical-chemical characteristics make them more suitable for fresh consumption. The objective of this study was to develop partial least squares (PLS) models using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the determination of SSC, TA and pH in intact dovyalis hybrid fruit (D. abyssinica Warb. × D. hebecarpa Warb.)., Results: The best SSC prediction model was developed with PLS regression (root mean square error of prediction (RMSE P ) of 0.71 °Brix, prediction data set (R P 2 ) of 0.74 and residual predictive deviation (RPD) of 2.82). Although interval PLS was tested, genetic algorithm PLS performed better for TA (RMSE P of 4.8 g kg -1 , R P 2 of 0.40, and RPD of 1.67), and for pH (RMSE P of 0.03, R P 2 of 0.90, and RPD of 6.67)., Conclusion: NIRS can be used as a non-destructive method to determine quality parameters in intact dovyalis hybrid fruit. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The main definition for meat quality should include factors that affect consumer appreciation of the product. Physical laboratory analyses are necessary to identify factors that affect meat quality and specific equipment is used for this purpose, which is expensive and destructive, and the analyses are usually time consuming. An alternative method to performing several beef analyses is near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS), which permits to reduce costs and to obtain faster, simpler, and nondestructive measurements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of NIRS to predict shear force [Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF)], marbling, and color (*a = redness; b* = yellowness; and L* = lightness) in meat samples of uncastrated male Nelore cattle, that were approximately 2-yr-old. Samples of longissimus thoracis (n = 644) were collected and spectra were obtained prior to meat quality analysis. Multivariate calibration was performed by partial least squares regression. Several preprocessing techniques were evaluated alone and in combination: raw data, reduction of spectral range, multiplicative scatter correction, and 1st derivative. Accuracies of the calibration models were evaluated using the root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC), root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP), coefficient of determination in the calibration (R2C), and prediction (R2P) groups. Among the different preprocessing techniques, the reduction of spectral range provided the best prediction accuracy for all traits. The NIRS showed a better performance to predict WBSF (RMSEP = 1.42 kg, R2P = 0.40) and b* color (RMSEP = 1.21, R2P = 0.44), while its ability to accurately predict L* (RMSEP = 1.98, R2P = 0.16) and a* (RMSEP = 1.42, R2P = 0.17) was limited. NIRS was unsuitable to predict subjective meat quality traits such as marbling in Nelore cattle.

Schyzocotyle acheilognathi is a tapeworm cestode commonly found in native freshwater fishes from Asia. This cestode has low host specificity and for that reason it has been registered parasitizing more than 200 cultured and wild fish species, besides amphibians, reptiles and birds from different regions of the world. With a high pathogenic potential, S. acheilognathi may cause mortalities in highly infected fish. In South America, Schyzocotyle was reported in Cyprinus carpio from a Brazilian fish farm at the municipality of Cornélio Procópio, northern Paraná State and from the natural environment in C. carpio from Neuquen River, Patagonia, Argentina. So far, there has been no report of this parasite in South American native fishes. Herein we report the first occurrence of the invasive tapeworm S. acheilognathi in Rineloricaria pentamaculata (Siluriformes, Loricariidae), a native armored freshwater catfish from southern Brazil.

Bacillus velezensis strain LABIM40 holds high potential for biological control of plant pathogens. Its complete genome contains one chromosome of 3,972,310 bp with 3,777 DNA coding sequences and displays 33 gene clusters potentially involved in the suppression of fungal pathogens., (Copyright © 2018 Baptista et al.)

Species of Stratiodrilus are ectocommensals of freshwater decapod crustaceans, and the genus is also the most speciose within the family Histriobdellidae. However, a global review of the species of Stratiodrilus and their hosts has not been performed in nearly two decades. Based new field collections in Brazil and a literature search, we present a list of Stratiodrilus species and their hosts. We searched for host and occurrence records in papers of species descriptions, review papers and specialized databases. Forty-one host records were summarized worldwide. All host taxa were freshwater decapod crustaceans belonging to Aegla, Astacoides, Astacopsis, Cherax, Parastacus, Samastacus, and Trichodactylus. In addition, we report four new host records for Stratiodrilus circensis, and found Aegla lata as the northernmost host record for this polychaete species. Stratiodrilus circensis also had the largest number of different host species. The greatest species richness of Stratiodrilus is found in the Neotropical region, although members of this genus are also found in Australia and Madagascar associated with crayfishes. Aegla was the most reported host genus associated with species of Stratiodrilus. We provide an updated list to the known species of Stratiodrilus and also discuss the distribution of these histriobdellids.

With the objective to evaluate the modifications in the fruit quality, 'Palmer' mangoes were stored at 12.8 °C for 30 days in controlled atmosphere storage that contained a low level of oxygen (5 kPa) which was associated with increasing levels of carbon dioxide CO 2 (0, 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 kPa CO 2 ). Controlled atmosphere storage did not effect mango respiration. However, transfer mangoes, that were previously stored at high levels of CO 2 (5 kPa O 2  + 15 kPa CO 2 and 5 kPa O 2  + 20 kPa CO 2 ) to ambient temperature presented higher respiratory rates. No significant effects of increasing CO 2 levels on color (L*, chromaticity, and hue angle), firmness, physical-chemical parameter and carbohydrate metabolism (total and reducing sugars, soluble pectin) were observed. After transfer to ambient temperature the mangoes ripened normally without any signs of CO 2 injury. Therefore, the increment levels of CO 2 neither improved the quality of the 'Palmer' mangoes nor presented a synergistic effect with low-oxygen when compared to 5 kPa O 2 -control.

Lactobacillus probiotics have been investigated in periodontitis. However, the effects of the genus Bifidobacterium on periodontitis are hardly known. This study evaluated the effects of the probiotic (PROB) Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (B. lactis) HN019 as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in rats with experimental periodontitis (EP). At baseline, 32 rats were assigned to 4 groups: C (control), PROB, EP-SRP and EP-SRP-PROB. In groups EP-SRP and EP-SRP-PROB, the mandibular first molars of the animals received a ligature. At day 14, the ligatures were removed and SRP was performed. Animals of groups PROB and EP-SRP-PROB were orally administered with 10 mL/day of 109 colony forming units of B. lactis HN019 for 15 days, starting at day 14. Animals were euthanized at day 29. Histomorphometric, microtomographic and immunohistochemical analyses were performed. Microbiological effects of B. lactis on biofilm were also evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed (ANOVA, Tukey; Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn's; Two-tailed t-test; p<0.05). Group EP-SRP-PROB presented reduced alveolar bone resorption and attachment loss when compared with Group EP-SRP (p<0.05). Group EP-SRP-PROB showed significantly fewer osteoclasts, increased expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines and reduced expression of proinflammatory cytokines compared with Group EP-SRP (p<0.05). B. lactis promoted a higher ratio between aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in biofilm samples (p<0.05). B. lactis HN019 may have a role in the treatment of EP in rats, as an adjunct to SRP.

This study describes and illustrates the morphology of the first juvenile stage of Aegla castro Schmitt, 1942. Ovigerous females were collected from May to July 2013, in Couro River (Mauá da Serra, Paraná, Brazil). These females were kept individually under controlled feeding, aeration, water temperature and quality and checked daily for hatching of juveniles. The newly-hatched juveniles were fixed in alcohol series and kept in 70% alcohol with glycerin in a 2:1 ratio prior to study under light microscopy. The newly-hatched juvenile of A. castro is the largest among aeglid species whose juveniles have been described. Aegla castro has asynchronous hatching. Some specimens were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, revealing details of the setal morphology, some cephalothoracic appendages and lineae aeglicae. The number of setae in newly-hatched A. castro is lower than that described for other species, but does not appear to be diagnostic. However, A. castro is the only species described that combines the presence of four plumose setae on the third maxilliped exopod and 63-65 plumose setae on the maxilla exopod.

The quality of shelled and unshelled macadamia nuts was assessed by means of Fourier transformed near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy. Shelled macadamia nuts were sorted as sound nuts; nuts infected by Ecdytolopha aurantiana and Leucopteara coffeella; and cracked nuts caused by germination. Unshelled nuts were sorted as intact nuts (<10% half nuts, 2014); half nuts (March, 2013; November, 2013); and crushed nuts (2014). Peroxide value (PV) and acidity index (AI) were determined according to AOAC. PCA-LDA shelled macadamia nuts classification resulted in 93.2% accurate classification. PLS PV prediction model resulted in a square error of prediction (SEP) of 3.45 meq/kg, and a prediction coefficient determination value (Rp (2) ) of 0.72. The AI PLS prediction model was better (SEP = 0.14%, Rp (2) = 0.80). Although adequate classification was possible (93.2%), shelled nuts must not contain live insects, therefore the classification accuracy was not satisfactory. FT-NIR spectroscopy can be successfully used to predict PV and AI in unshelled macadamia nuts, though., (© 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®)

Although the application of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation-specific Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) has enabled better prediction of transplant-related mortality (TRM) in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (AHSCT), data from developing countries are scarce. This study prospectively evaluated the HCT-CI and the Adult Comorbidity Evaluation (ACE-27), in its original and in a modified version, as predictors of post-transplant complications in adults undergoing a first related or unrelated AHSCT in Brazil. Both bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) as graft sources were included. We analyzed the cumulative incidence of granulocyte and platelet recovery, sinusoidal obstructive syndrome, acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease, relapse and transplant-related mortality, and rates of event-free survival and overall survival. Ninety-nine patients were assessed. Median age was 38 years (18-65 years); HCT-CI ≥ 3 accounted for only 8% of cases; hematologic malignancies comprised 75.8% of the indications for AHSCT. There was no association between the HCT-CI or the original or modified ACE-27 with TRM or any other studied outcomes after AHSCT. These results show that, in the population studied, none of the comorbidity indexes seem to be associated with AHSCT outcomes. A significantly low frequency of high-risk (HCT-CI ≥ 3) in this Brazilian population might justify these results.

This study aimed to evaluate protection induced by the vaccine candidate B. ovis ΔabcBA against experimental challenge with wild type B. ovis in rams. Rams were subcutaneously immunized with B. ovis ΔabcBA encapsulated with sterile alginate or with the non encapsulated vaccine strain. Serum, urine, and semen samples were collected during two months after immunization. The rams were then challenged with wild type B. ovis (ATCC25840), and the results were compared to non immunized and experimentally challenged rams. Immunization, particularly with encapsulated B. ovis ΔabcBA, prevented infection, secretion of wild type B. ovis in the semen and urine, shedding of neutrophils in the semen, and the development of clinical changes, gross and microscopic lesions induced by the wild type B. ovis reference strain. Collectively, our data indicates that the B. ovis ΔabcBA strain is an exceptionally good vaccine strain for preventing brucellosis caused by B. ovis infection in rams.