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Distinct bacteria are able to cope with highly diverse lifestyles; for instance, they can be free living or host-associated. Thus, these organisms must possess a large and varied genomic arsenal to withstand different environmental conditions. To facilitate the identification of genomic features that might influence bacterial adaptation to a specific niche, we introduce LifeStyle-Specific-Islands (LiSSI). LiSSI combines evolutionary sequence analysis with statistical learning (Random Forest with feature selection, model tuning and robustness analysis). In summary, our strategy aims to identify conserved consecutive homology sequences (islands) in genomes and to identify the most discriminant islands for each lifestyle.

Microbes are highly diverse and widely distributed organisms. They account for ~60% of Earth’s biomass and new predictions point for the existence of 1011 to 1012 species, which are constantly sharing genes through several different mechanisms. Genomic Islands (GI) are critical in this context, as they are large regions acquired through horizontal gene transfer. Also, they present common features like genomic signature deviation, transposase genes, flanking tRNAs and insertion sequences. GIs carry large numbers of genes related to specific lifestyle and are commonly classified in Pathogenicity, Resistance, Metabolic or Symbiotic Islands. With the advent of the next-generation sequencing technologies and the deluge of genomic data, many software tools have been developed that aim to tackle the problem of GI prediction and they are all based on the prediction of GI common features. However, there is still room for the development of new software tools that implements new approaches, such as, machine learning and pangenomics based analyses. Finally, GIs will always hold a potential application in every newly invented genomic approach as they are directly responsible for much of the genomic plasticity of bacteria.

Systems biology plays a central role for biological network analysis in the post-genomic era. Cytoscape is the standard bioinformatics tool offering the community an extensible platform for computational analysis of the emerging cellular network together with experimental omics data sets. However, only few apps/plugins/tools are available for simulating network dynamics in Cytoscape 3. Many approaches of varying complexity exist but none of them have been integrated into Cytoscape as app/plugin yet. Here, we introduce PetriScape, the first Petri net simulator for Cytoscape. Although discrete Petri nets are quite simplistic models, they are capable of modeling global network properties and simulating their behaviour. In addition, they are easily understood and well visualizable. PetriScape comes with the following main functionalities: (1) import of biological networks in SBML format, (2) conversion into a Petri net, (3) visualization as Petri net, and (4) simulation and visualization of the token flow in Cytoscape. PetriScape is the first Cytoscape plugin for Petri nets. It allows a straightforward Petri net model creation, simulation and visualization with Cytoscape, providing clues about the activity of key components in biological networks.

Background: Riverine communities face various health problems, which involve geographical and cultural barriers to accessing care, in addition to a lack of financial investments in services aimed at these communities, resulting in a process of invisibility for the population living in these regions. In this scenario, the significant burden of snakebite envenoming (SBE) highlights the need for participatory research to address ways to minimize this situation. Thus, this study aimed to describe the priority health problems identified by this population and the ranking of SBEs in that context, mapping solutions according to the local reality., Methodology/principal Findings: This study was conducted in Limeira, a riverine community located in Tabatinga, in the extreme Western Brazilian Amazonia, on the borders with Peru and Colombia. The research lasted approximately one year, from 2021 to 2022.It is a participatory study that followed three steps: baseline assessment of the community, community assembly, and final data analysis. The study included a total of 42 participants in the sociodemographic survey, which served as the basis for the subsequent stages of data collection. Of these 42 individuals, 32 participated in the qualitative interviews, and 20 took part in the community assembly. Participants emphasized snakebite envenoming as a significant health issue, though not the only one, and reported frequent encounters with snakes, underscoring its severity as a concern. The qualitative analysis identified three main themes: Snakebites in the Community, which focused on personal experiences with snakes; Common Health Problems, which addressed other health issues faced by community members; and Community Defining Solutions, which discussed strategies and solutions proposed by the community to address these challenges., Conclusions/significance: Improvements in health care delivery to populations living in Amazonian communities are possible with the judicious use of tested integrated interventions, particularly when the community identifies various concurrent health problems. SBE control programs in remote areas of the Brazilian Amazon should be planned with a multidisciplinary and intercultural approach, preferably integrated with broader interventions that address the population's needs for a range of health issues., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2025 Santos et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objectives: High sodium intake is a major risk factor for hypertension and renal diseases. Previous studies have shown that a suspension of ethanolic extract of Psidium guajava (guava) leaves (PsE) has antihypertensive effects in rats on a high-sodium diet (HSD), but some mechanisms to that remain unexplored. This study explored whether oral PsE treatment affects sodium handling by the intestine and alters the gut microbiome in HSD-fed rats., Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: standard salt diet (SSD) and HSD (0.9% Na+), from weaning. After 12 weeks, both groups received PsE (200 mg/kg) or a vehicle for an additional 4 weeks., Key Findings: Sodium excretion was measured using flame photometry, and sodium absorption was assessed by intestinal perfusion technique. The gut microbiome was analysed through 16S ribosomal gene sequencing. HSD increased faecal sodium, further elevated by PsE, which inhibited intestinal sodium absorption in HSD rats. HSD altered the abundance of specific bacterial families, which PsE partially reversed. No changes in alpha diversity were noted among groups., Conclusions: These findings suggest that PsE inhibited intestinal sodium handling and that PsE, combined with increased faecal sodium, may reshape the gut microbiome of HSD rats to resemble that of SSD rats., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Microbial biofilms constitute a significant virulence factor and a substantial challenge in clinical environments due to their role in promoting antimicrobial resistance and their resilience to eradication efforts. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections substantially increase healthcare costs, extend hospitalizations, and elevate morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, developing innovative strategies to target and eliminate these bacteria and their biofilms effectively is imperative for robust epidemiological control. In this study, we evaluated the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of cell-free supernatant (CFS) obtained from the Bacillus velezensis 1273 strain culture. Our data showed that CFS inhibited the growth of S. aureus ATCC 29213 and MRSA (clinical strain), with greater efficacy observed against S. aureus (1:16 dilution). Furthermore, CFS showed substantial potential in reducing biofilm formation in both strains (∼30 %) at subinhibitory concentrations. Additionally, the antibacterial activity against biofilm-formed cells showed that pure CFS treatment decreased the viability of S. aureus (60 %) and MRSA (45 %) sessile cells. We further demonstrated that CFS treatment induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damages the membranes and cell walls of the pathogen cells. Genome analysis revealed the presence of genes encoding bacteriocins and secondary metabolites with antibacterial activity in the B. velezensis 1273 genome. These findings highlight the potential of probiotic bacterial metabolites as antibiofilm and anti-multidrug-resistant pathogens., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The traditional communities of the Brazilian Amazon possess significant knowledge regarding the huge therapeutic arsenal available from natural sources that can be used to care for their health problems. This study aimed to identify, map and synthesize the scientific evidence on the use of traditional medicine as a therapeutic resource when used by traditional communities of the Brazilian Amazon., Methods: This is a scoping review, which is a method used to map the main concepts of a research area, the available evidence and its sources. It is developed in five steps: (1) identification of the research question; (2) identification of relevant studies; (3) selection of studies; (4) data analysis; and (5) grouping, synthesis and presentation of data., Results: Medicinal plants, vertebrates and invertebrates, among other medicinal products, are elements that are widely used by traditional populations. Plant stems, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, roots, tubers and even the whole plant are prepared in various forms, such as teas, infusions, smoke for rituals, baths, macerations, oils, ointments, concoctions, dressings, incenses and exfoliants, among others. The main structures and forms used from animals are lards, fats, viscera, horns, cocoons, nests, feathers and beaks of birds, eggs and roes. These therapeutic practices are often carried out using endogenous, wild and domesticated natural resources present in the biodiverse environments of traditional populations. They involve magical-religious beliefs to treat all types of illnesses, including cultural syndromes that affect children, young people, adults and the elderly., Conclusion: This scoping review has an important role to disseminate and expand the discussion of traditional medicine practices, inviting readers - whether they are health professionals, community members, managers or decision-makers - to a continuing debate using an intercultural dialogue necessary to improve approaches. From this perspective, it is essential to consider the comprehensive legal and legal framework that guides the public policies of national health systems.

In the Brazilian Amazon, snakebite envenomations (SBEs) disproportionately affect Indigenous populations, and have a significantly higher incidence and lethality than in non-Indigenous populations. This qualitative study describes the Indigenous and biomedical healthcare domains for SBE care from the perspective of the Indigenous medical and nursing students in Manaus, Western Brazilian Amazon. In-depth interviews were conducted with five Indigenous students from the Amazonas State University, between January and December 2021. The interviews were analyzed using inductive content analysis. We organized an explanatory model with five themes: (1) participants' identities; (2) causality levels in Indigenous and biomedical systems; (3) therapeutic itineraries in Indigenous and biomedical systems; (4) ideological implications of adding biomedical devices to Indigenous healing systems; and (5) therapeutic failure in and efficacy of Indigenous and biomedical systems. From a noncolonial perspective and seeking to increase the quality and acceptability of health care for the Indigenous populations of the Brazilian Amazon, the training of Indigenous health professionals presents itself as a promising strategy. For this goal, universities should serve as empowering settings for Indigenous health students that support them in their growth and development, raise their awareness of injustice, and catalyze change toward a culturally adapted and effective service for the users., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This scoping review mapped the academic literature focused on the therapeutic itinerary of children who seek care in health services and proposed an explanatory model to expand the concept and classification of these health itineraries. A total of 789 articles were reviewed, of which 28 were eligible for inclusion. In these 28 it was possible to observe that the child's therapeutic itinerary is more than a physical path, but also encompasses all choices within a specific social and cultural environment in which the child is inserted. Our proposal is to expand the concept beyond the therapeutic, classifying the itinerary also according to the objective, the decision-making agent, respect for the presence of company, the health subsystem used, according to the physical continuity of the itinerary, the perception of efficacy of the patient, the nature of the illness, the administration of healthcare, the means of transport used, the person providing information about the itinerary, the planning of the itinerary and its completeness. Knowing the child's itineraries toward healthcare allows the development of innovative discourses and practices for future public policies, through which the principles of comprehensiveness and resoluteness in children's health would be strengthened. There is still a need to deepen knowledge about the meanings and feelings regarding their interpretations of the events suffered in childhood., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: to comprehend men's perception of paternal parenthood while caring for infants to promote child development., Methods: this qualitative study adopts an exploratory approach and was conducted with undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff who are fathers of infants up to 6 months old from a higher education institution, excluding fathers from mononuclear families. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews and was analyzed using thematic categorical analysis., Results: fifteen men participated in the study. From the analysis, two empirical categories emerged: "Perception of being a father: challenges and novelties" and "Promotion of child development: actions carried out by fathers". Fathers revealed feeling unprepared, the need for emotional support, and recognized activities aimed at their children's development., Final Considerations: the relevance of the paternal figure for child development is highlighted, as well as the need for public policies to encourage paternal parenthood.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) are widely related to pyometra and cystitis in dogs, and these infections can occur simultaneously. The goal of this study was to determine genetic and pathogenic insights of 14 E. coli isolated simultaneously from pyometra content and bladder urine of seven bitches. To achieve this, in silico and in vitro comparative analyses were conducted. Whole-genome comparisons demonstrated that E. coli isolated from pyometra and urine of the same animal were predominantly genetic extraintestinal E. coli clones belonging to the same Sequence Type and phylogroup. The E. coli clones identified in this study included ST372, ST457, ST12, ST127, ST646, and ST961. Five isolates (35.7%) belonged to the ST12 complex. Except for two E. coli, all other isolates belonged to the B2 Clermont phylogroup. Interestingly, some genomes of E. coli from urine carried more virulence genes than those E. coli from pyometra. Both pyometra and urine E. coli isolates demonstrated a strong affinity for adhering to HeLa and T24 cells, with a low affinity for invading them. However, certain isolates from urine exhibited a greater tendency to adhere to T24 cells in qualitative and quantitative assays compared to isolates from pyometra. In conclusion, this study revealed the high genomic similarity between pyometra and urine E. coli isolates, as well as the virulent capacity of both to colonize endometrial and urothelial cells. The findings of this study underscore the importance of concurrently managing both infections clinically and could potentially contribute to future resources for the prevention of cystitis and pyometra., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Introduction: Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic pathogen found ubiquitously in the environment and associated with a wide range of nosocomial infections. This multidrug-resistant bacterium has been a cause of concern for hospitals and healthcare facilities due to its ability to spread rapidly and cause outbreaks. Next generation sequencing genotyping of bacterial isolates has proven to be a valuable tool for tracking the spread and transmission of nosocomial infections. This has allowed for the identification of outbreaks and transmission chains, as well as determining whether cases are due to endogenous or exogenous sources. Evidence of nosocomial transmission has been gathered through genotyping methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of carbapenemase-producing S. marcescens in an outbreak at a public hospital in Cuiaba, MT, Brazil., Methodology: Ten isolates of S. marcenses were sequenced and antibiotic resistance profiles analyzed over 12 days., Results: The isolates were clonal and multidrug resistant. Gentamycin and tigecycline had sensitivity in 90% and 80% isolates, respectively. Genomic analysis identified several genes that encode β-lactamases, aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes, efflux pumps, and other virulence factors., Conclusions: Systematic surveillance is crucial in monitoring the evolution of S. marcescens genotypes, as it can lead to early detection and prevention of outbreaks., Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared, (Copyright (c) 2024 Thalita PPS Cruz, Francisco KSF Azevedo, Marco A Pepato, Paula S Rizzo, Francisco JD Souto, Bertram Brenig, Aristóteles Góes-Neto, Siomar C Soares, Rommel TJ Ramos, Vasco AC Azevedo, Mateus M Costa, Leonardo Broetto, Luciano Nakazato, Valéria Dutra.)

Aerobic exercise training (AET) has emerged as a strategy to reduce cancer mortality, however, the mechanisms explaining AET on tumor development remain unclear. Tumors escape immune detection by generating immunosuppressive microenvironments and impaired T cell function, which is associated with T cell mitochondrial loss. AET improves mitochondrial content and function, thus we tested whether AET would modulate mitochondrial metabolism in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). Balb/c mice were subjected to a treadmill AET protocol prior to CT26 colon carcinoma cells injection and until tumor harvest. Tissue hypoxia, TIL infiltration and effector function, and mitochondrial content, morphology and function were evaluated. AET reduced tumor growth, improved survival, and decreased tumor hypoxia. An increased CD8 + TIL infiltration, IFN-γ and ATP production promoted by AET was correlated with reduced mitochondrial loss in these cells. Collectively, AET decreases tumor growth partially by increasing CD8 + TIL effector function through an improvement in their mitochondrial content and function., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interest., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis is a major side effect of cancer treatment. Statins are 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme reductase inhibitors used to treat hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerotic diseases. Recent studies have demonstrated that atorvastatin (ATV) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and resulting from the regulation of different molecular pathways. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ATV on intestinal homeostasis in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced mucositis. Our results showed that ATV protected the intestinal mucosa from epithelial damage caused by 5-FU mainly due to inflammatory infiltrate and intestinal permeability reduction, downregulation of inflammatory markers, such as Tlr4, MyD88, NF-κB, Tnf-a, Il1β, and Il6 dose-dependent. ATV also improved epithelial barrier function by upregulating the mRNA transcript levels of mucin 2 (MUC2), and ZO-1 and occludin tight junction proteins. The results suggest that the ATV anti-inflammatory and protective effects on 5-FU-induced mice mucositis involve the inhibition of the TLR4/MYD88/NPRL3/NF-κB, iNos, and caspase 3.

The exogenous application of bioregulators, such as salicylic acid (SA), has exhibited promising outcomes in alleviating drought stress. Nevertheless, its impact on culantro ( Eryngium foetidum L.) remains unexplored. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess how SA impacts the growth, morphophysiology, and essential oil composition of culantro when subjected to drought. To achieve this, culantro plants were grown under three different watering regimes: well-watered, drought-stressed, and re-watered. Additionally, they were either treated with SA (100 µM) or left untreated, with water serving as the control. SA application did not mitigate the effects of drought in biomass production but increased biomass, leaf number, leaf area, and photosynthetic pigments under well-irrigated and re-watered conditions. After a drought period followed by re-watering, plants recovered membrane integrity independently of SA application. Water stress and the exogenous application of SA also modulated the profile of essential oils. This is the first report about SA and drought affecting growth and essential oil composition in culantro.

Trametes villosa is a remarkable white-rot fungus (WRF) with the potential to be applied in lignocellulose conversion to obtain chemical compounds and biofuels. Lignocellulose breakdown by WRF is carried out through the secretion of oxidative and hydrolytic enzymes. Despite the existing knowledge about this process, the complete molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of this metabolic system have not yet been elucidated. Therefore, in order to understand the genes and metabolic pathways regulated during lignocellulose degradation, the strain T. villosa CCMB561 was cultured in media with different carbon sources (lignin, sugarcane bagasse, and malt extract). Subsequently, biochemical assays and differential gene expression analysis by qPCR and high-throughput RNA sequencing were carried out. Our results revealed the ability of T. villosa CCMB561 to grow on lignin (AL medium) as the unique carbon source. An overexpression of Cytochrome P450 was detected in this medium, which may be associated with the lignin O-demethylation pathway. Clusters of up-regulated CAZymes-encoding genes were identified in lignin and sugarcane bagasse, revealing that T. villosa CCMB561 acts simultaneously in the depolymerization of lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin. Furthermore, genes encoding nitroreductases and homogentisate-1,2-dioxygenase that act in the degradation of organic pollutants were up-regulated in the lignin medium. Altogether, these findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of lignocellulose degradation by T . villosa and confirm the ability of this fungal species to be applied in biorefineries and in the bioremediation of organic pollutants., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper, (© 2024 The Authors.)

The clinical aspects and lineages involved in Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) infections in dogs remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial resistance and molecular structures of ExPECs isolated from infected dogs in Brazil. Samples were obtained from dogs (n = 42) with suspected extraintestinal bacterial infections. Phylogroup B2 was predominant (65.1%). No association was observed between the site of infection, phylogroups, or virulence factors. Almost half of the isolates (44.2%) were MDR, and 20.9% were extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-positive. E. coli isolates that were resistant to fluoroquinolones (27.9%) were more likely to be MDR. The CTX-M-15 enzyme was predominant among the ESBL-producing strains, and seven sequence types were identified, including the high-risk clones ST44 and ST131. Single SNPs analysis confirmed the presence of two clonal transmissions. The present study showed a high frequency of ExPECs from phylogroup B2 infecting various sites and a high frequency of ESBL-producing strains that included STs frequently associated with human infection. This study also confirmed the nosocomial transmission of ESBL-producing E. coli, highlighting the need for further studies on the prevention and diagnosis of nosocomial infections in veterinary settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective . To track the BP (blood pressure) trajectory of healthy infants during the first year of life of healthy infants born in Northeast Brazil. Methods . In this cohort study, BP was assessed by oscillometry at the first 24 hours of life and 12 months of age. Results . Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) increased with age ( P  < .001) and were not influenced by gender (SBP: P  = .178 and DBP: P  = .623) or type of delivery (SBP: P  = .827 and DBP: P  = .106), when compared between the first 24 hours of life and 12 months of age. Conclusion . The data from the present study increased knowledge about the trajectory of BP during the first year of life. The increase in BP between the first month and the first year of life was not influenced by gender or type of delivery., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

The poultry sector demands alternative additives to antibiotics that can be used as performance enhancers. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to evaluate the probiotics effects on performance, intestinal health, and redox status of 720 broilers exposed to heat stress from 15 days of age. Eight dietary treatments were evaluated: basal diet (BD) without antibiotic and probiotic (T1); BD supplemented with antibiotic zinc bacitracin (T2), BD supplemented with commercial probiotic of Bacillus subtilis DSM 17,299 (T3), BD supplemented with non-commercial probiotic of Lactococcus lactis NCDO 2118, Lactobacillus delbrueckii CNRZ 327, Escherichia coli CEC15, or Saccharomyces boulardii (T4 to T7), and BD simultaneously supplemented with the four non-commercial probiotics (T8). Feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion were determined in the period from 1 to 42 days of age. Carcass and cuts yield, abdominal fat deposition, cloacal temperature, weight and length of intestine, activity of myeloperoxidase and eosinophilic peroxidase enzymes in the jejunum, jejunal histomorphometry, relative gene expression in the jejunum (occludin, zonulin, interleukin-8, cholecystokinin, ghrelin, and heat shock protein-70), and liver (heat shock protein-70), in addition to malondialdehyde level and superoxide dismutase activity in the intestine, liver, and blood, were measured in broilers at 42 days old. As main results, broilers fed T1 diet exhibited lower weight gain (3.222 kg) and worse feed conversion (1.70 kg/kg). However, diets containing non-commercial probiotics resulted in up to 3.584 kg of weight gain and improved feed conversion by up to 10%, similar to that observed for broilers of the T2 and T3 groups., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

This study of multiple cases aimed to analyze the social support network of young mothers of children diagnosed with congenital syphilis in a municipality in Ceará with six participants. Information was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the cross-case synthesis analytical technique. The young women's social network comprised family members, people outside the family, and social facilities. We identified heterogeneous bonds and social support as essential in the gestational and postpartum periods after the diagnosis of syphilis. The vertical transmission of syphilis is permeated by subjectivities identified from understanding the context involving social networks, interpersonal relationships, and support for mothers and their children.

Antimicrobial resistance is increasing despite new treatments being employed, so novel strategies are required to ensure that bacterial infections remain treatable. Bacteriophages (phages; bacteria viruses) have the potential to be used as natural antimicrobial methods to control bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella spp. A Salmonella phage, Wara, was isolated from environmental water samples at the Subaé River Basin, Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. The basin has environmental impacts in its main watercourses arising from the dumping of domestic and industrial effluents and agricultural and anthropological activities. The phage genome sequence was determined by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION and Illumina HiSeq sequencing, and assembly was carried out by Racon (MinION) and Unicycler (Illumina, Illumina + MinION). The genome was annotated and compared to other Salmonella phages using various bioinformatics approaches. MinION DNA sequencing combined with Racon assembly gave the best complete genome sequence. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Wara is a member of the Tequintavirus genus. A lack of lysogeny genes, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence genes indicated that Wara has therapeutic and biocontrol potential against Salmonella species in healthcare and agriculture.

Background: The indigenous populations of Brazil present poor health indicators and a disproportionate prevalence and case-fatality rate of neglected tropical diseases, including snakebite envenomations (SBEs). This study aims to estimate access to medical care for SBEs and analyze the barriers that prevent victims from accessing healthcare in indigenous communities in two health districts located in the Western Brazilian Amazon., Methodology/principal Findings: This cross-sectional study used semi-structured interviews to collect data from individuals who experienced SBEs in the Upper Rio Solimões and Upper Rio Negro indigenous health districts. Of the 187 participants, 164 (87.7%) reported that they had access to healthcare and received assistance in a hospital in the urban area of the municipalities. Frequency was 95.4% in the Upper Rio Solimões SIHD, and 69.6% in the Upper Rio Negro SIHD (P<0.0001). The study found that the availability of indigenous medicine as the only choice in the village was the main reason for not accessing healthcare (75%), followed by a lack of financial resources and means of transportation (28.1%). Four deaths were reported from SBEs, resulting in a case-fatality rate of 2.1%., Conclusions/significance: In the study areas, there are records of SBE patients who did not receive medical attention. Availability of pre-hospital emergency transport using motorboats, a greater number of hospitals and better navigability of the Solimões River and its tributaries would make access easier for indigenous people living in the region of the Upper Solimões River. The implementation of cross-cultural hospital care needs to be considered in order to reduce the resistance of indigenous populations in relation to seeking treatment for SBEs., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 de Farias et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are gastrointestinal disorders characterized by a breakdown in intestinal homeostasis by inflammatory immune responses to luminal antigens. Novel strategies for ameliorating IBD have been proposed in many studies using animal models. Our group has demonstrated that administration of Lactococcus lactis NCDO 2118 can improve clinical parameters of colitis induced by oral administration of dextran sulphate sodium (DSS). However, it is not clear whether other strains of L. lactis can yield the same effect. The objective of present study was to analyze the effects of three different L. lactis strains (NCDO2118, IL1403 and MG1363) in the development of DSS-induced colitis in C57BL/6 mice. Acute colitis was induced in C57/BL6 mice by the administration of 2% DSS during 7 consecutive days. Body weight loss and shortening of colon length were observed in DSS-treated mice, and none of L. lactis strains had an impact in these clinical signs of colitis. On the other hand, all strains improved the global macroscopical disease index and prevented goblet cells depletion as well as the increase of intestinal permeability. TNF-α production was reduced in gut mucosa of L. lactis DSS-treated mice indicating a modulation of a critical pro-inflammatory response by all strains tested. However, only L. lactis NCDO2118 and MG1363 induced a higher frequency of CD11c + CD11b - CD103 + tolerogenic dendritic cells in lymphoid organs of mice at steady state. We conclude that all tested strains of L. lactis improved the clinical scores and parameters of colitis, which confirm their anti-inflammatory properties in this model of colitis., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Rotavirus (RV) and Norovirus (NV) are the main viral etiologic agents of acute gastroenteritis (AG), a serious pediatric condition associated with significant death rates and long-term complications. Anti-RV vaccination has been proved efficient in the reduction of severe AG worldwide, however, the available vaccines are all attenuated and have suboptimal efficiencies in developing countries, where AG leads to substantial disease burden. On the other hand, no NV vaccine has been licensed so far. Therefore, we used immunoinformatics tools to develop a multi-epitope vaccine (ChRNV22) to prevent severe AG by RV and NV. Epitopes were predicted against 17 prevalent genotypes of four structural proteins (NV's VP1, RV's VP4, VP6 and VP7), and then assembled in a chimeric protein, with two small adjuvant sequences (tetanus toxin P2 epitope and a conserved sequence of RV's enterotoxin, NSP4). Simulations of the immune response and interactions with immune receptors indicated the immunogenic properties of ChRNV22, including a Th1-biased response. In silico search for putative host-homologous, allergenic and toxic regions also indicated the vaccine safety. In summary, we developed a multi-epitope vaccine against different NV and RV genotypes that seems promising for the prevention of severe AG, which will be further assessed by in vivo tests., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Helioswilton Sales-Campos reports financial support was provided by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa (FUNAPE). Amanda de Oliveira Matos reports financial support was provided by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). Pedro Henrique dos Santos Dantas reports financial support was provided by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Heme is an iron-protoporphyrin complex with an essential physiologic function for all cells, especially for those in which heme is a key prosthetic group of proteins such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, and cytochromes of the mitochondria. However, it is also known that heme can participate in pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory responses, leading to cytotoxicity in various tissues and organs such as the kidney, brain, heart, liver, and in immune cells. Indeed, heme, released as a result of tissue damage, can stimulate local and remote inflammatory reactions. These can initiate innate immune responses that, if left uncontrolled, can compound primary injuries and promote organ failure. In contrast, a cadre of heme receptors are arrayed on the plasma membrane that is designed either for heme import into the cell, or for the purpose of activating specific signaling pathways. Thus, free heme can serve either as a deleterious molecule, or one that can traffic and initiate highly specific cellular responses that are teleologically important for survival. Herein, we review heme metabolism and signaling pathways, including heme synthesis, degradation, and scavenging. We will focus on trauma and inflammatory diseases, including traumatic brain injury, trauma-related sepsis, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases where current work suggests that heme may be most important.

Background and Objectives: Lean management is a strategy for improving health care experiences of patients. While best practices for engaging patients in quality improvement have solidified in recent years, few reports specifically address patient engagement in Lean activities. This study examines the benefits and challenges of incorporating patient engagement strategies into the Veterans Health Administration's (VA) Lean transformation., Methods: We conducted a multisite, mixed-methods evaluation of Lean deployment at 10 VA medical facilities, including 227 semistructured interviews with stakeholders, including patients., Results: Interviewees noted that a patient-engaged Lean approach is mutually beneficial to patients and health care employees. Benefits included understanding the veteran's point of view, uncovering inefficient aspects of care processes, improved employee participation in Lean events, increased transparency, and improved reputation for the organization. Challenges included a need for focused time and resources to optimize veteran participation, difficulty recruiting a diverse group of veteran stakeholders, and a lack of specific instructions to encourage meaningful participation of veterans., Conclusions/implications: As the first study to focus on patient engagement in Lean transformation efforts at the VA, this study highlights ways to effectively partner with patients in Lean-based improvement efforts. Lessons learned may also help optimize patient input into quality improvement more generally., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mucositis is defined as inflammatory and ulcerative lesions along of the gastrointestinal tract that leads to the imbalance of the intestinal microbiota. The use of compounds with action on the integrity of the intestinal epithelium and their microbiota may be a beneficial alternative for the prevention and/or treatment of mucositis. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the association of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and arginine on intestinal damage in experimental mucositis. BALB/c mice were randomized into five groups: CTL (without mucositis + saline), MUC (mucositis + saline), MUC + FOS (mucositis + supplementation with FOS-1st until 10th day), MUC + ARG (mucositis + supplementation with arginine-1st until 10th day), and MUC + FOS + ARG (mucositis + supplementation with FOS and arginine-1st until 10th day). On the 7th day, mucositis was induced with an intraperitoneal injection of 300 mg/kg 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and after 72 h, the animals were euthanized. The results showed that association of FOS and arginine reduced weight loss and oxidative stress (P < 0.05) and maintained intestinal permeability and histological score at physiological levels. The supplementation with FOS and arginine also increased the number of goblet cells, collagen area, and GPR41 and GPR43 gene expression (P < 0.05). Besides these, the association of FOS and arginine modulated intestinal microbiota, leading to an increase in the abundance of the genera Bacteroides, Anaerostipes, and Lactobacillus (P < 0.05) in relation to increased concentration of propionate and acetate. In conclusion, the present results show that the association of FOS and arginine could be important adjuvants in the prevention of intestinal mucositis probably due to modulated intestinal microbiota., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Intestinal mucositis (IM) is a common side effect resulting from cancer treatment. However, the management so far has not been very effective. In the last years, the role of the gut microbiota in the development and severity of mucositis has been studied. Therefore, the use of probiotics and paraprobiotics could have a potential therapeutic effect on IM. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of the administration of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) CGMCC1.3724 and the paraprobiotic on IM in mice. For 13 days, male Balb/c mice were divided into six groups: control (CTL) and mucositis (MUC)/0.1 mL of saline; CTL LrV and MUC LrV/0.1 mL of 10 8  CFU of viable Lr; CTL LrI and MUC LrI/0.1 mL of 10 8  CFU of inactivated Lr. On the 10th day, mice from the MUC, MUC LrV, and MUC LrI groups received an intraperitoneal injection (300 mg/kg) of 5-fluorouracil to induce mucositis. The results showed that the administration of the chemotherapeutic agent increased the weight loss and intestinal permeability of the animals in the MUC and MUC LrV groups. However, administration of paraprobiotic reduced weight loss and maintained PI at physiological levels. The paraprobiotic also preserved the villi and intestinal crypts, reduced the inflammatory infiltrate, and increased the mucus secretion, Muc2 gene expression, and Treg cells frequency., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Stingless bees are a diverse group with a relevant role in pollinating native species. Its diet is rich in carbohydrates and proteins, by collecting pollen and nectar supplies the development of its offspring. Fermentation of these products is associated with microorganisms in the colony. However, the composition of microorganisms that comprise this microbiome and its fundamental role in colony development is still unclear. To characterize the colonizing microorganisms of larval food in the brood cells of stingless bees Frieseomelitta varia, Melipona quadrifasciata, Melipona scutellaris, and Tetragonisca angustula, we have utilized molecular and culture-based techniques. Bacteria of the phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and fungi of the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mucoromycota, and Mortierellomycota were found. Diversity analysis showed that F. varia had a greater diversity of bacteria in its microbiota, and T. angustula had a greater diversity of fungi. The isolation technique allowed the identification of 189 bacteria and 75 fungi. In summary, this research showed bacteria and fungi associated with the species F. varia, M. quadrifasciata, M. scutellaris, and T. angustula, which may play an essential role in the survival of these organisms. Besides that, a biobank with bacteria and fungus isolates from LF of Brazilian stingless bees was created, which can be used for different studies and the prospection of biotechnology compounds., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: In the Brazilian Amazon, snakebite envenomings (SBE) disproportionately affect indigenous peoples. Communication between indigenous and biomedical health sectors in regards to SBEs has never been explored in this region. This study aims to build an explanatory model (EM) of the indigenous healthcare domain for SBE patients from the perspective of the indigenous caregivers., Methodology/principal Findings: This is a qualitative study involving in-depth interviews of eight indigenous caregivers who are representatives of the Tikuna, Kokama and Kambeba ethnic groups, in the Alto Solimões River, western Brazilian Amazon. Data analysis was carried out via deductive thematic analysis. A framework was built containing the explanations based on three explanatory model (EM) components: etiology, course of sickness, and treatment. To indigenous caregivers, snakes are enemies and present conscience and intention. Snakebites have a natural or a supernatural cause, the last being more difficult to prevent and treat. Use of ayahuasca tea is a strategy used by some caregivers to identify the underlying cause of the SBE. Severe or lethal SBEs are understood as having been triggered by sorcery. Treatment is characterized by four components: i) immediate self-care; ii) first care in the village, mostly including tobacco smoking, chants and prayers, combined with the intake of animal bile and emetic plants; iii) a stay in a hospital, to receive antivenom and other treatments; iv) care in the village after hospital discharge, which is a phase of re-establishment of well-being and reintroduction into social life, using tobacco smoking, massages and compresses to the affected limb, and teas of bitter plants. Dietary taboos and behavioral interdictions (avoiding contact with menstruating and pregnant women) prevent complications, relapses, and death, and must be performed up to three months after the snakebite. Caregivers are in favor of antivenom treatment in indigenous areas., Conclusions/significance: There is a potential for articulation between different healthcare sectors to improve the management of SBEs in the Amazon region, and the aim is to decentralize antivenom treatment so that it occurs in indigenous health centers with the active participation of the indigenous caregivers., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 de Farias et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Caseous lymphadenitis is a well-known disease caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis affecting small ruminants with small significance to human health because of its minor zoonotic potential. In both cases, few treatment options are available and conventional antimicrobial therapy is commonly refractory due to development of pyogranulomatous reactions, bringing great interest in discovering novel therapeutics for more suitable approaches. Dideoxynucleotides presented antibacterial action against various bacteria but were never described for C. pseudotuberculosis. Hypothesizing the antimicrobial action of 2',3'-dideoxiadenosine (ddATP) against C. pseudotuberculosis, we performed for the first time an investigation of its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) in the ATCC® 19,410 strain and a well-characterized clinical isolate of C. pseudotuberculosis. We also assessed potential synergism with penicillin. ddATP showed a growth delay effect for C. pseudotuberculosis at 2 µmol/mL and a MIC and MBC of 4 µmol/mL against the ATCC® 19,410 strain, but not for the clinical strain. An antimicrobial effect was observed when using concentrations lower than the MIC of ddATP associated with penicillin for both strains tested. Our data suggest the potential of nucleotide analogs, especially adenosine, and its combination with penicillin, as a possible novel treatment for C. pseudotuberculosis-induced infections, and contributes with knowledge regarding alternative drugs to treat C. pseudotuberculosis infections., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

In Brazil, Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is a significant health threat. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis SE3 was isolated from soil at the Subaé River in Santo Amaro, Brazil, a region contaminated with heavy metals and organic waste. Illumina HiSeq and Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION sequencing were used for de novo hybrid assembly of the Salmonella SE3 genome. This approach yielded 10 contigs with 99.98% identity with S. enterica serovar Enteritidis OLF-SE2-98984-6. Twelve Salmonella pathogenic islands, multiple virulence genes, multiple antimicrobial gene resistance genes, seven phage defense systems, seven prophages and a heavy metal resistance gene were encoded in the genome. Pangenome analysis of the S. enterica clade, including Salmonella SE3, revealed an open pangenome, with a core genome of 2137 genes. Our study showed the effectiveness of a hybrid sequence assembly approach for environmental Salmonella genome analysis using HiSeq and MinION data. This approach enabled the identification of key resistance and virulence genes, and these data are important to inform the control of Salmonella and heavy metal pollution in the Santo Amaro region of Brazil.

With the advancements in therapeutics and available treatment options, almost all deaths and permanent disabilities from snakebite envenoming (SBE) are preventable. The challenge lies in implementing these evidence-based treatments and practices across different settings and populations. This study aims to compare data on provider perceptions of SBE care across health systems and cultural contexts to inform potential implementation science approaches. We hypothesize different health systems and cultural contexts will influence specific perceived needs to provide adequate snakebite care within central tenets of care delivery (e.g., cost, access, human resources). We previously conducted exploratory descriptive studies in the US and Brazil in order to understand the experience, knowledge, and perceptions of health professionals treating SBE. In the US, in-depth interviews were performed with emergency physicians from January 2020 to March 2020. In BR, focus group discussions were conducted with health professionals from community health centers at the end of June 2021. The focus group discussions (BR) were originally analyzed through an inductive thematic analysis approach. We conducted a secondary qualitative analysis in which this codebook was then applied to the interviews (US) in a deductive content analysis. The analysis concluded in August 2022. Brazil participants were physicians (n=5) or nurses (n=20) from three municipalities in the State of Amazonas with an average of three years of professional experience. US participants were emergency physicians (n=16) with an average of 15 years of professional experience. Four main themes emerged: 1) barriers to adequate care on the patient and/or community side and 2) on the health system side, 3) perceived considerations for how to address SBE, and 4) identified needs for improving care. There were 25 subthemes within the four themes. These subthemes were largely the same across the Brazil and US data, but the rationale and content within each shared subtheme varied significantly. For example, the subtheme "role of health professionals in improving care" extended across Brazil and the US. Brazil emphasized the need for task-shifting and -sharing amongst health care disciplines, whereas the US suggested specialized approaches geared toward increasing access to toxicologists and other referral resources. Despite similar core barriers to adequate snakebite envenoming care and factors to consider when trying to improve care delivery, health professionals in different health systems and sociocultural contexts identified different needs. Accounting for, and understanding, these differences is crucial to the success of initiatives intended to strengthen snakebite envenoming care. Implementation science efforts, with explicit health professional input, should be applied to develop new and/or adapt existing evidence-based treatments and practices for SBE., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Charles J Gerardo reports financial support was provided by National Institutes of Health. Wuelton Monteiro, Jacqueline Sachett, and Flavia Regina Ramos report financial support was provided by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico. Wuelton Monteiro reports financial support was provided by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas and the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Felipe Murta reports financial support was provided by Fiocruz. Wuelton Monteiro and Joao RN Vissoci have served in an editorial capacity for Toxicon:X., (© 2022 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Microcephalic children due congenital Zika virus syndrome (CZS) present neurological symptoms already well described. However, several other alterations can also be observed. Here, we aimed to evaluate the immune system of microcephaly CZS children. We showed that these patients have enlarged thymus, spleen and cervical lymph nodes, analysed by ultrasound and compared to the reference values for healthy children. In the periphery, they have an increase in eosinophil count and morphological alterations as hypersegmented neutrophils and atypical lymphocytes, even in the absence of urinary tract infections, parasitological infections or other current symptomatic infections. Microcephalic children due CZS also have high levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and type I IFNs, compared to healthy controls. In addition, this population showed a deficient cellular immune memory as demonstrated by the low reactivity to the tuberculin skin test even though they had been vaccinated with BCG less than 2 years before the challenge with the PPD. Together, our data demonstrate for the first time that CZS can cause alterations in primary and secondary lymphoid organs and also alters the morphology and functionality of the immune system cells, which broadens the spectrum of CZS symptoms. This knowledge may assist the development of specific therapeutic and more efficient vaccination schemes for this population of patients., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Aspergillus welwitschiae causes bole rot disease in sisal (Agave sisalana and related species) which affects the production of natural fibers in Brazil, the main worldwide producer of sisal fibers. This fungus is a saprotroph with a broad host range. Previous research established A. welwitschiae as the only causative agent of bole rot in the field, but little is known about the evolution of this species and its strains. In this work, we performed a comparative genomics analysis of 40 Aspergillus strains. We show the conflicting molecular identity of this species, with one sisal-infecting strain sharing its last common ancestor with Aspergillus niger, having diverged only 833 thousand years ago. Furthermore, our analysis of positive selection reveals sites under selection in genes coding for siderophore transporters, Sodium‑calcium exchangers, and Phosphatidylethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBPs). Herein, we discuss the possible impacts of these gene functions on the pathogenicity in sisal., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors have any competing interests., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Lectins isolated from Canavalia ensiformis (ConA) and Canavalia brasiliensis (ConBr) are promising molecules to prevent cell death. Acute pancreatitis, characterized by acinar cell necrosis and inflammation, presents significant morbidity and mortality. This study has investigated the effects of ConA and ConBr in experimental acute pancreatitis and pancreatic acinar cell death induced by bile acid. Pancreatitis was induced by retrograde pancreatic ductal injection of 3% sodium taurocholate (Na-TC) in male Swiss mice. ConA or ConBr (0.1, 1 or 10 mg/kg) were intravenously applied to mice 1 h and 12 h after induction. After 24 h, the severity of pancreatitis was evaluated by serum amylase and lipase, histopathological changes and myeloperoxidase assay. Pancreatic acinar cells were incubated with ConA (200 µg/ml) or ConBr (200 µg/ml) and taurolithocholic acid 3-sulfate (TLCS; 500 µM). Necrosis and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔѰm) were detected by fluorescence confocal microscopy. Treatment (post-insult) with ConA and ConBr decreased pancreatic damage caused by retrograde injection of Na-TC in mice, reducing pancreatic neutrophil infiltration, edema and necrosis. In addition, ConA and ConBr decreased pancreatic acinar cell necrosis and depolarization of ΔѰm caused by TLCS. The inhibition of necrosis was prevented by the lectin domain blockade. In conclusion, ConA and ConBr markedly inhibited in vitro and in vivo damage, effects partly dependent on the interaction with mannose residues on acinar cells. These data support the potential application of these proteins for treatment of acute pancreatitis., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We investigated whether a set of phylogeographical tracked emergent events of Orthocoronavirinae were related to developed, urban and polluted environments worldwide. We explored coronavirus records in response to climate (rainfall parameters), population density, CO 2 emission, Human Developmental Index (HDI) and deforestation. We contrasted environmental characteristics from regions with spillovers or encounters of wild Orthocoronavirinae against adjacent areas having best-preserved conditions. We used all complete sequenced CoVs genomes deposited in NCBI and GISAID databases until January 2021. Except for Deltacoronavirus, concentrated in Hong Kong and in birds, the other three genera were scattered all over the planet, beyond the original distribution of the subfamily, and found in humans, mammals, fishes and birds, wild or domestic. Spillovers and presence in wild animals were only reported in developed/densely populated places. We found significantly more occurrences reported in places with higher HDI, CO 2 emission, or population density, along with more rainfall and more accentuated seasonality. Orthocoronavirinae occurred in areas with significantly higher human populations, CO 2 emissions and deforestation rates than in adjacent locations. Intermediately disturbed ecosystems seemed more vulnerable for Orthocoronavirinae emergence than forested regions in frontiers of deforestation. Sadly, people experiencing poverty in an intensely consumerist society are the most vulnerable., (© 2022 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Staphylococcus aureus , a major opportunistic pathogen in humans, produces extracellular vesicles (EVs) that are involved in cellular communication, the delivery of virulence factors, and modulation of the host immune system response. However, to date, the impact of culture conditions on the physicochemical and functional properties of S. aureus EVs is still largely unexplored. Here, we use a proteomic approach to provide a complete protein characterization of S. aureus HG003, a NCTC8325 derivative strain and its derived EVs under four growth conditions: early- and late-stationary growth phases, and in the absence and presence of a sub-inhibitory concentration of vancomycin. The HG003 EV protein composition in terms of subcellular localization, COG and KEGG categories, as well as their relative abundance are modulated by the environment and differs from that of whole-cell (WC). Moreover, the environmental conditions that were tested had a more pronounced impact on the EV protein composition when compared to the WC, supporting the existence of mechanisms for the selective packing of EV cargo. This study provides the first general picture of the impact of different growth conditions in the proteome of S. aureus EVs and its producing-cells and paves the way for future studies to understand better S. aureus EV production, composition, and roles.

Antarctica is a mosaic of extremes. It harbors active polar volcanoes, such as Deception Island, a marine stratovolcano having notable temperature gradients over very short distances, with the temperature reaching up to 100 °C near the fumaroles and subzero temperatures being noted in the glaciers. From the sediments of Deception Island, we isolated representatives of the genus Anoxybacillus, a widely spread genus that is mainly encountered in thermophilic environments. However, the phylogeny of this genus and its adaptive mechanisms in the geothermal sites of cold environments remain unknown. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to unravel the genomic features and provide insights into the phylogenomics and metabolic potential of members of the genus Anoxybacillus inhabiting the Antarctic thermophilic ecosystem. Here, we report the genome sequencing data of seven A. flavithermus strains isolated from two geothermal sites on Deception Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Their genomes were approximately 3.0 Mb in size, had a G + C ratio of 42%, and were predicted to encode 3500 proteins on average. We observed that the strains were phylogenomically closest to each other (Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) > 98%) and to A. flavithermus (ANI 95%). In silico genomic analysis revealed 15 resistance and metabolic islands, as well as genes related to genome stabilization, DNA repair systems against UV radiation threats, temperature adaptation, heat- and cold-shock proteins (Csps), and resistance to alkaline conditions. Remarkably, glycosyl hydrolase enzyme-encoding genes, secondary metabolites, and prophage sequences were predicted, revealing metabolic and cellular capabilities for potential biotechnological applications.

The Zika virus was responsible for an outbreak between 2015 and 2016 in Brazil: an alarming public health problem of international relevance. The Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) is often associated with manifestations that are responsible for cognitive and motor development delays and behavioral disorders. Thus, we aimed to characterize the clinical-epidemiological and familial context of those children and to identify factors associated with the risk of behavioral disorders using the Survey of Well-Being of Young Children questionnaire (SWYC). In total, 52 children diagnosed with CZS were evaluated. Logistic regressions were employed to assess predictive variables for behavioral alteration. Eighteen (35%) of the children presented a risk of behavioral alteration. Children born normocephalic were 36-fold more likely to present behavioral alteration (95% CI: 3.82 to 337.92, p = 0.002). Children with hearing and visual impairments showed reduced risks. In total, 35% percent of families reported food insecurity and 21% were at risk for maternal depression. Our findings suggest better social interactions and conditions to externalize reactions for children with CZS born normocephalic. The continuous assessment of these children and families may identify conditions associated with behavioral alteration and psychosocial vulnerabilities that help in decision-making, therefore optimizing patient-family interactions.

Water deficit is the most critical factor limiting plant growth and production and salicylic acid (SA) has potential for stress mitigation in plants; therefore, we evaluated the effect of SA on radish (Raphanus sativus L.) growth and ecophysiology under water deficit. Plants were sprayed with SA (100μM) or water (control), and irrigated at 80% (W80), 60% (W60), 40% (W40), and 20% (W20) of field capacity. The SA treatments and drought stress started 7days after sowing and lasted until the end of the cycle (30days after sowing). The morphophysiological analyses showed that radish plants had impaired growth at the lower water supply levels, but the treatment with SA reversed these growth restraints under moderate stress, leading to increases in shoot mass at W40 and storage root mass at W60 and W40. SA treatment also reversed the reduction of storage root volume at W60. The tendency of water deficit to increase F O and reduce F V /F M suggests possible damage to the photosystem II of drought-stressed plants. The parameters of gas exchange and photosynthetic pigments showed maintained photosynthetic efficiency, but total photosynthesis decreased due the lower shoot dry mass. Overall, exogenously applied SA reversed the growth restraints at W60 and W40, which revealed that SA was effective in mitigating the effects of moderate water deficit on biomass accumulation and partitioning in radish plants.

Aims: Develop a species-specific multiplex PCR to correctly identify Edwardsiella species in routine diagnostic for fish bacterial diseases., Methods and Results: The genomes of 62 Edwardsiella spp. isolates available from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database were subjected to taxonomic and pan-genomic analyses to identify unique regions that could be exploited by species-specific PCR. The designed primers were tested against isolated Edwardsiella spp. strains, revealing errors in commercial biochemical tests for bacterial classification regarding Edwardsiella species., Conclusion: Some of the genomes of Edwardsiella spp. in the NCBI platform were incorrectly classified, which can lead to errors in some research. A functional mPCR was developed to differentiate between phenotypically and genetically ambiguous Edwardsiella, with which, we detected the presence of Edwardsiella anguillarum affecting fish in Brazil., Significance and Impact of the Study: This study shows that the misclassification of Edwardsiella spp in Brazil concealed the presence of E. anguillarum in South America. Also, this review of the taxonomic classification of the Edwardsiella genus is a contribution to the field to help researchers with their sequencing and identification of genomes, showing some misclassifications in online databases that must be corrected, as well as developing an easy assay to characterize Edwardsiella species in an end-point mPCR., (© 2022 Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Snakebite envenoming (SBE) is a neglected tropical disease with significant global morbidity and mortality. Even when antivenom is available in low-resource areas, health workers do not receive adequate training to manage SBEs. This study aims to develop and validate a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for SBE management across Brazil. A panel of expert judges with academic and/or technical expertise in SBE management performed content validation. The content validity index (CVI) score was 90% for CPG objectives, 89% for structure and presentation and 92% for relevance and classified the CPG as valid. A semantic validation was performed by analyzing focus group discussions with doctors and nurses from three municipalities of the Brazilian Amazon, after a 5-day meeting during which the CPG was presented. Two central themes emerged: knowledge acquired during the meeting and recommendations for improving the CPG. Based on these results, the CPG was revised into a final version. This study presents the successful development and validation process of a CPG for SBE management, which is targeted to a specific low-resource, high-burden setting. This development and validation process can be adapted to other settings and/or other neglected tropical diseases.

Objectives: to understand families' behaviors and eating practices in the face of childhood obesity., Methods: a qualitative study, which used the Grounded Theory as a methodological framework and the Complexity Theory as a theoretical framework. Twenty-six informants participated in the study, who were part of two sample groups. Data were collected through intensive interviews, using a semi-structured script., Results: "The family system seeking to change eating behavior patterns in the face of childhood obesity" emerged as a central concept, relating three conceptual categories: "Recognizing its behavior patterns and eating practices"; "Reorganizing in the face of childhood obesity"; "Responding to change"., Final Considerations: the family influences children's eating behavior and contributes to changes that occur in it, which highlights the relevance of the family approach in childhood obesity care, raising reflection on the current nursing practice together with families who experience the same problem.

Komagataeibacter is the dominant taxon and cellulose-producing bacteria in the Kombucha Microbial Community (KMC). This is the first study to isolate the K. oboediens genome from a reactivated space-exposed KMC sample and comprehensively characterize it. The space-exposed genome was compared with the Earth-based reference genome to understand the genome stability of K. oboediens under extraterrestrial conditions during a long time. Our results suggest that the genomes of K. oboediens IMBG180 (ground sample) and K. oboediens IMBG185 (space-exposed) are remarkably similar in topology, genomic islands, transposases, prion-like proteins, and number of plasmids and CRISPR-Cas cassettes. Nonetheless, there was a difference in the length of plasmids and the location of cas genes. A small difference was observed in the number of protein coding genes. Despite these differences, they do not affect any genetic metabolic profile of the cellulose synthesis, nitrogen-fixation, hopanoid lipids biosynthesis, and stress-related pathways. Minor changes are only observed in central carbohydrate and energy metabolism pathways gene numbers or sequence completeness. Altogether, these findings suggest that K. oboediens maintains its genome stability and functionality in KMC exposed to the space environment most probably due to the protective role of the KMC biofilm. Furthermore, due to its unaffected metabolic pathways, this bacterial species may also retain some promising potential for space applications., 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 © 2022 Santana de Carvalho, Trovatti Uetanabaro, Kato, Aburjaile, Jaiswal, Profeta, De Oliveira Carvalho, Tiwar, Cybelle Pinto Gomide, Almeida Costa, Kukharenko, Orlovska, Podolich, Reva, Ramos, De Carvalho Azevedo, Brenig, Andrade, de Vera, Kozyrovska, Barh and Góes-Neto.)

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) has recently been widely used in the separation and preconcentration of various chemical species. Among the various approaches using DLLME are systems that use a syringe as an extraction environment. In this review, details of some methods that use this approach are presented. The ways to promote dispersion, analytical characteristics, and the advantages and disadvantages of the methods, among other aspects, are discussed critically. Finally, some trends in the use of in-syringe microextraction systems are described., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)