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Ascaridoidea (Nematoda) is a widespread superfamily of nematodes that comprises gastrointestinal parasites from all major groups of vertebrates. Although this taxon probably emerged in the Carboniferous, its Brazilian fossil record includes mostly eggs, found in ancient remains, collected in paleontological and archeological sites from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras. The Tremembé Formation (Oligocene of the Taubaté Basin) has become an important source for paleoparasitological studies in avian coprolites during the third decade of the 21st century, with reports of eggs only at only a single cell stage, of embryonic development. Here we present the first egg of Ascaridoidea preserved containing morula, from a bird coprolite recovered from the shales of the Tremembé Formation. Three coprolites, from the outcrop of Aligra Comércio de Argila S/A, Taubaté municipality (State of São Paulo), were rehydrated and subjected to spontaneous sedimentation. Based on morphological and morphometric features and diet and zoopaleontological context, the trace fossils were assigned to piscivorous birds. The egg found showed morphological characteristics typical of Ascaridoidea: namely spherical form, ornamented, and somewhat thick shell. Moreover, this superfamily includes several taxa that infect piscivorous birds and fish in heteroxenous life cycles and produce eggs with similar features as the egg found in the present study. The paleoparasitological information associated with the paleofaunistic diversity of birds and fish from the Tremembé Formation, reveal that the ancient Brazilian paleoenvironments provided subsidies for the rise and success of nematodes infecting these animals during the Paleogene.

Aplectana hylambatis (Baylis, 1927) is a widespread nematode in South America that infects different species of anurans from different families. Although the morphology of this species shows intraspecific variations and is well studied, A. hylambatis does not have genetic characterisation. Therefore, the present study aimed to provide the first genetic characterisation of this parasite, based on 18S and 28S rDNA sequences, as well as to evaluate its phylogenetic position in the family Cosmocercidae. The present specimens showed no major morphological variations and were assigned to A. hylambatis mainly based on the shape of spicules and the presence of mamelon-like structures slightly anterior to the vulva. The genetic characterisation confirmed the close relationship between A. hylambatis and other cosmocercids, and the 28S sequences were more informative for phylogenetic reconstruction, especially for those relationships at higher and intermediate levels. Aplectana hylmabatis was in a basal position within a clade formed by other congeners and species of Cosmocerca. The geographic origin may have influence in the divergence process of Aplectana spp. and genus was non-monophyletic and closely related to Cosmocerca , similar to previous findings. The present results will be useful for future studies on the phylogeny of Cosmocercidae, since several genera and species in this family still lack genetic characterisation. Furthermore, the 28S sequences can be useful in genetic studies of A. hylambatis populations, since this species appears to have phenotypic variations.

Purpose: In this study, 143 lutjanid fishes representing four different species from the Northeast coast off Brazil were analyzed for parasites. The aim of the present study is to provide a detailed redescription of R. (I.) vicentei, collected from lutjanid fishes in Brazil, including the first observation of the species using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)., Methods: Nematodes found clarified in a crescent glycerin series, were photographed and measured (in mm), and some specimens destined for SEM. The Illustrations were made using an optical microscope with a drawing tube., Results: Nematodes found were identified as Raphidascaris (Ichthyascaris) vicentei, infecting 6.29% of the examined fish. Detailed morphological analysis revealed the following characteristics observed for the first time in this species: labial papillae, narrow lateral alae and the detailed structure of male spicules. These contributions help filling the gaps in the literature and expand the knowledge of this parasite morphology., Conclusions: The presence of R. (I.) vicentei in four lutjanid species may indicates low host specificity, highlighting its adaptability to different hosts. Furthermore, new host records are given. This research provides the most comprehensive morphological description of R. (I.) vicentei to date, generating crucial insights for a better understanding of the parasitic biodiversity off the Brazilian Northeastern coast of Brazil, as well as establishing foundation for future investigations on the ecology and impacts of these parasites in fish populations from this region., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Cuniculus paca, commonly known as the paca, is a rodent of the Cuniculidae family that is widely distributed throughout the Americas, including all Brazilian territories, and is abundant in the Amazon region. It is one of the most hunted species and faces significant predation in the extreme western Amazon region of Brazil because it constitutes a staple in the diet of local communities, for subsistence and commercial purposes. Understanding the helminthic fauna of these animals is of paramount importance, given that some nematodes have zoonotic potential and may pose risks to consumer health. This study aimed to contribute to the records of the nemtodes of this highly consumed species in the Amazon region, highlighting the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in free-living pacas intended for human subsistence consumption. The study was conducted in the Paranã da Floresta community, located in the municipality of Guajará, Amazonas from 2022 to 2023. The community members hunted this rodent for consumption and voluntarily provided the viscera for analysis. Nematodes were extracted from each organ. The organs were opened, and the contents were processed using a sieve (0.15 mm) and subsequently evaluated separately. In total, 10,157 nematodes were found in the 14 pacas. Based on morphological analyses, the nematodes were identified as Heligmostrongylus sedecimradiatus (n = 10,068), Trichuris sp. (n = 85), and Physaloptera sp. (n = 4). This study provides insights into the nematodes diversity of free-living pacas in the extreme Western Amazon region, emphasizing the importance of sanitary surveillance and public awareness of the risks associated with bushmeat consumption., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the presence of protozoan parasites in bird coprolites from the Tremembé Formation (Oligocene of the Taubaté Basin)., Materials: Twenty avian coprolites embedded in pyrobituminous shale matrices., Methods: Samples were rehydrated and subjected to spontaneous sedimentation., Results: Paleoparasitological analyses revealed oocysts compatible with the Eimeriidae family (Apicomplexa) and one single Archamoebae (Amoebozoa) cyst., Conclusions: The present work increases the amount of information about the spread of infections throughout the Cenozoic Era and reveals that the Brazilian paleoavifauna played an important role in the Apicomplexa and Amoebozoa life cycles., Significance: This is the first record of protozoans in avian coprolites from the Oligocene of Brazil. These findings can help in the interpretation of phylogenies of coccidian parasites of modern birds, as certain taxonomic characters observed in the Oligocene Protozoa characterize monophyletic groups in current molecular phylogenetic analyses., Limitations: None of the oocysts were sporulated; therefore, it is not possible to identify the morphotypes to genus or species., Suggestions for Further Research: Our results create new perspectives related to biogeographic studies of the parasitic groups described and may improve the understanding of the temporal amplitude of parasitic evolutionary relationships between Protozoans and birds., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Oestrogen deficiency increases bone resorption, contributing to osteoporosis development. Yet, the mechanisms mediating the effects of oestrogen on osteoclasts remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the early metabolic alteration induced by RANKL, the essential cytokine in osteoclastogenesis and 17-beta-oestradiol (E 2 ) on osteoclast progenitor cells, using RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages as biological models., Results: This research demonstrated that, in osteoclast precursors, RANKL stimulates complex I activity, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and mitochondria-derived ATP production as early as 3 h of exposure. This effect on mitochondrial bioenergetics is associated with an increased capacity to oxidize TCA cycle substrates, fatty acids and amino acids. E 2 inhibited all effects of RANKL on mitochondria metabolism. In the presence of RANKL, E 2 also decreased cell number and stimulated the mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathway, detected as early as 3 h. Further, the pro-apoptotic effects of E 2 during osteoclast differentiation were associated with an accumulation of p392S-p53 in mitochondria., Conclusions: These findings elucidate the early effects of RANKL on osteoclast progenitor metabolism and suggest novel p53-mediated mechanisms that contribute to postmenopausal osteoporosis., (© 2024 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The original description of Hatschekia exigua Pearse, 1951 neglected innumerous features of taxonomic value as well as morphometric data and illustrations. Posteriorly, other author tried to access the type material, but their poor state of preservation compromised a detailed redescription. Since then, this species is in need for new morphological data, mainly from fresh material. In the present work, three specimens of Holocentrus adscensionis from Mucuripe Bay, Fortaleza, State of Ceará, Northeastern Brazil, were parasitized by copepods on their gills. Parasites were fixed and preserved in 80% ethanol and cleared in 85% lactic acid for morphological observations using light microscopy. The females were identified as Hatschekia exigua by the cephalothorax representing about one-fourth of total body length, with lateral margins expanded into lateral lobes, first exopod with basal segment armed with one outer setae and terminal segment with three setae, first endopod with basal segment unarmed and terminal segment with five setae, leg 3 reduced to two setae and leg 4 reduced to single seta. Comparison with the type series revealed morphological differences in trunk and small appendages, which may be related to alterations in the specimens, caused by the mounting methodology and poor preservation. A detailed morphological analysis of the male revealed for the first time that they differ from their closest congeners by having five setae on the last endopodal segment of leg 1, by smooth intercoxal sclerites on legs 1 and 2 and by a proximolateral process on the third segment of antenna. Moreover, this work represents the first report of H. exigua in Brazil and the first hatschekiid copepod found off the coast of Ceará, highlighting that the diversity of Hatschekiidae in this oceanographic region still needs further investigation., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

A new species of Oswaldocruzia Travassos, 1917 (Nematoda, Molineidae), parasite of Leptodactylus macrosternum Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926 (Anura: Leptodactylidae), from Caatinga morphoclimatic domain, Brazil, is described based on morphological and molecular data. Oswaldocruzia franciscoensis n. sp. is characterised by an anterior extremity with a cephalic vesicle divided into two portions, a body covered by cuticular longitudinal ridges, and cervical alae. Males of the new species have caudal bursa of type I with a 2-1-2 pattern, spicules divided into a shoe, bifurcated fork, and blade with two unequal branches, in which the longer branch bifurcates at its distal portion end and the smaller branch with three distal processes, each with distal bifurcations. Females have didelphic and amphidelphic uteri, an ovijector divided into vestibule, anterior and posterior sphincters, and anterior and posterior infundibula. The new species differs from its Neotropical congeners that have caudal bursa of type I, based on the presence of cervical alae and by having a spicular blade distally divided into two unequal branches, with the longer branch bifurcating at its distal portion and smaller branch with three distal processes, each distally bifurcated. The partial 18S rDNA sequence generated for Oswaldocruzia franciscoensis n. sp. is the first of a representative belonging to this genus in the Neotropical region.

The cyclopoid family Ergasilidae Burmeister, 1835, is the most common group of parasitic copepods infesting fish in Brazil, and the type-genus Ergasilus von Nordmann, 1832 comprises the highest number of species. During a survey of freshwater fish in Northeast Brazil, a new species of Ergasilus was found on the gills of the Longtail Knifefish Sternopygus macrurus (Bloch & Schneider) (Actinopterygii: Sternopygidae) in the Viana lake system, State of Maranhão. Ergasilus lyraephorus n. sp. can be distinguished from its closest congeners mainly because it has a lyre-shaped ornamentation on the ventral surface of first pedigerous somite, a feature that has never been reported in the family. In addition, the new species differs from closely related congeners by having a maxillule bearing three elements, by the large spinules on the interpodal plates of legs 1, 2 and 3, and by having leg 5 reduced to a single seta of moderate size. The present study is the first report of an ergasilid parasitizing S. macrurus, as well as the first parasitic copepod found on a host belonging to the family Sternopygidae Cope., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the agent of a major global outbreak of respiratory tract disease known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 infects mainly lungs and may cause several immune-related complications, such as lymphocytopenia and cytokine storm, which are associated with the severity of the disease and predict mortality. The mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 infection may result in immune system dysfunction is still not fully understood. Here, we show that SARS-CoV-2 infects human CD4 + T helper cells, but not CD8 + T cells, and is present in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage T helper cells of severe COVID-19 patients. We demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (S) directly binds to the CD4 molecule, which in turn mediates the entry of SARS- CoV-2 in T helper cells. This leads to impaired CD4 T cell function and may cause cell death. SARS-CoV-2-infected T helper cells express higher levels of IL-10, which is associated with viral persistence and disease severity. Thus, CD4-mediated SARS-CoV-2 infection of T helper cells may contribute to a poor immune response in COVID-19 patients., Competing Interests: NB, GD, Dd, AF, GS, SM, TK, VB, LM, JV, GP, NW, LN, VC, AD, FV, LT, JF, IC, LS, AP, EM, RU, AB, TN, LR, MA, MM, LB, FC, RL, JG, NM, AM, RS, MA, DT, PP, MM, KB, CS, FG, VS, Ed, VF, MC, BC, AP, LC, MD, PR, AG, FP, LS, LB, SS, MP, SW, AS, RC, AV, MV, AD, LV, AF, Ld, TC, HN, HM, RM, DM, MS, JP, PM, MM, AF No competing interests declared, (© 2023, Brunetti, Davanzo, de Moraes et al.)

A new species of parasitic copepod, Colobomatus deborae n. sp., belonging to the cyclopoid family Philichthyidae Vogt, 1877, is proposed based on adult female specimens collected from the interorbital canals of the Caitipa mojarra Diapterus rhombeus (Cuvier) (Gerreidae) from Sepetiba Bay, off the State of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. The new species closely resembles six species of Colobomatus Hesse, 1873, but differs from these close congeners based on the combination of the following characters: lateral cephalic processes forked basally with sharp tips, midventral cephalic process representing about one third of the length of the laterals, thoracic processes forked and caudal rami with a pair of unequal processes. Together with the new species described in the present study, the philichthyid fauna of Brazil rises to 10 species reported from 14 Brazilian marine fish species. This is also the third report of Colobomatus in a gerreid fish, but the first species found parasitizing the genus Diapterus., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The present study provides new host and first description of the male of Colobomatus stelliferi Pombo, Turra, Paschoal & Luque, 2015 (Copepoda, Philichthyidae), collected from the mandibular canals of the Argentine croaker Umbrina canosai Berg, off the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Four out of nine fish analyzed (prevalence 44.4%) were parasitized by C. stelliferi and showed a mean intensity of 2.5 (range 2-3, standard deviation 1.25). Adult males of C. stelliferi can be differentiated from their closest congeners based on the combination of the following characters: maxilliped with naked basal segment and small apical spine, the presence of two elements on the second endopodal segment of the antenna, and the presence of leg 4. This parasitic copepod is seemingly host-specific to fish of the family Sciaenidae and its occurrence is restricted to the Brazilian coast. The present results contribute to our knowledge of the biology of C. stelliferi and of the parasitic copepod fauna from Brazil., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Two new species of copepods assigned to the genus Acusicola Cressey, 1970 (Cyclopoida: Ergasilidae) are proposed based on post-metamorphic adult females, parasitizing the gills of two actinopterygian fish off Brazil namely, the Tripletail Lobotes surinamensis (Bloch) (Lobotidae), collected in the coastal zone of the State of Pará, near Curuçá Municipallity, and the Swordspine snook Centropomus ensiferus Poey (Centropomidae) collected in Sepetiba Bay, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Acusicola iamarinoi n. sp. parasite of L. surinamensis, differs from its closet congeners based on the first segment of the antennule armed with 10 setae, the presence of a maxillule armed with four elements and a pair of blunt processes dorsally on the fourth pedigerous somite. Acusicola pasternakae n. sp., collected from C. ensiferus, can be distinguished from its closest congeners based on the membranous sheath of the first endopodal segment of antenna with horizontal marks, the first segment of the antennule armed with 11 setae and a spine on the last exopodal segment of leg 2. This is the first report of representatives of Acusicola parasitizing fish of the families Lobotidae and Centropomidae as well as new geographical records of the genus in the coast of State of Pará and in Sepetiba Bay, Brazil., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Haemulidae represents one of the most diverse, widespread and conspicuous families of Perciformes, in which most species are marine, some brackish and rarely from freshwater. From April 2009 to July 2012, 120 specimens of Conodon nobilis, 60 Orthopristis rubra and 50 Anisotremus virginicus were collected off the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and analyzed for metazoan parasites. A total of 16 parasite taxa were found on/in A. virginicus, 19 on/in Co. nobilis and 21 on/in O. rubra, in which ectoparasites were most common on A. virginicus and Co. nobilis and endoparasites in O. rubra. All parasites showed aggregate pattern of distribution (discrepancy index values higher than 0.70). Mean abundance, species richness and Brillouin index (diversity) differed among the host species, i.e., O. rubra showed the highest values, followed by A. virginicus and Co. nobilis with intermediate and lowest values, respectively. At infracommunity level was possible to observe high similarity of parasite composition among the three host species. The digeneans Leurodera decora and Monorchis latus, and the acanthocephalan Koronacantha sp. represent new locality records off Brazil. Moreover, five, four and two taxa are reported, for the first time, parasitizing Co. nobilis, A. virginicus and O. rubra, respectively.

Cucullanus pinnai has been divided in two subspecies (C. pinnai pinnai and C. pinnai pterodorasi) based on the morphology of oesophastome. While C. pinnai pinnai apparently shows low host specificity and broad geographic occurrence, with certain morphological variations, C. pinnai pterodorasi was reported once, parasitizing Pterodoras granulosus. We used an integrative taxonomic approach to evaluate whether or not populations of C. pinnai pinnai from Trychomycterus spegazzinii (Escoipe River, Argentina) and Pimelodus fur (Miranda River, Brazil), and of C. pinnai pterodorasi from Pterodoras granulosus (Miranda River, Brazil) are conspecific. Parasites were observed using light microscopy and genetically characterized based on partial sequences of the 18S and 28S rDNA, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, and COI mtDNA. Phylogenies were reconstructed and the Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC), Poisson Tree Process (bPTP), and Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD) were used for species delimitation purposes. The present samples formed well-supported monophyletic assemblages, corroborating in part the results of morphological analyses; however, they grouped according to geographic origin. Species delimitation suggested conspecificity of C. pinnai pinnai with C. pinnai pterodorasi from Brazil; consequently, the morphology of oesophastome may be an intraspecific variation. Results also indicated that C. pinnai may represent a species complex as samples from Argentina were suggestive of an independent specific entity. However, definitive affirmations are premature, since there is no autapomorphy for separating C. pinnai from Brazil and Argentina and sampling was limited to three host species from two river basins. The phylogenetic reconstructions also confirmed the artificiality of some genera within Cucullanidae., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Wild rodent species are naturally infected by Schistosoma mansoni; however, the genetic characterization of the parasite, its parasitological features, and its role in human schistosomiasis are poorly understood. In this study, we isolated and characterized Schistosoma from naturally infected Holochilus sciureus, called HS strain, collected from a schistosomiasis endemic region in Maranhão State, Brazil. To isolate the parasite, miracidia obtained from the livers of H. sciureus were used to infect Biomphalaria glabrata of sympatric (called SB) and allopatric (called BH) strains, and the produced cercariae were subcutaneously inoculated into hamsters and/or BALB/c mice. Parasitological kinetics in experimentally infected hosts were evaluated, and the tRNA Cys -12S (referred to as 16S herein) and cox 1 regions of mtDNA from isolated worms were amplified and sequenced. Only miracidia obtained from infected mice, but not from hamsters, were capable of infecting B. glabrata, allowing maintenance of the isolated parasite. Cox1 and 16S mtDNA sequences showed 100% similarity with S. mansoni, and phylogenetic analysis showed that the HS strain of S. mansoni forms an assemblage with isolates from America and Kenya, confirming the conspecificity. Experimental infection of B. glabrata SB with S. mansoni HS resulted in two peaks of cercariae shedding at 45 and 70 days post-infection (dpi) and caused higher mortality than in B. glabrata BH. The worm recovery rate in mice was approximately 13%, and the peak of egg elimination occurred at the 10th week post-infection. Therefore, S. mansoni obtained from H. sciureus was successfully isolated, genetically characterized, and maintained in mice, allowing further study of this schistosome strain., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

A new species of Ancyracanthus , parasite of the electric eel Electrophorus varii , in the Brazilian Amazon, is described based on morphological and molecular characterization. Ancyracanthus electrophori n. sp. differs from the two congeners namely, Ancyracanthus pinnatifidus and Ancyracanthus schubarti , based on the structure of cephalic appendages, number and arrangement of caudal papillae in males, vulva very close to anus in females, eggs with smoothly mamillated shell, host taxon and geographical origin. Moreover, the new species is the first in the genus to be described with thorny cuticular rings and to be observed with the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphology of A . pinnatifidus and A . schubarti is still poorly-known and should be revised in details; however, the separation between them and the new species was clear. Genetic characterization based on 28S rDNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I ( cox 1) mtDNA partial sequences, performed for the first time in Acyracanthus , along with phylogenetic reconstructions using both genetic markers, placed Ancyracanthus electrophori n. sp. in a suggestive basal position within Gnathostomatidae. Phylogenetic reconstructions using cox 1 sequences also suggested lack of monophyly in the genera Gnathostoma and Spiroxys and, consequently, in the subfamilies Gnathostominae and Spiroxyinae. However, such results are preliminary. With the first genetic characterization and observations using SEM in Ancyracanthus , resulting in the discovery of a new species and in the expansion of the geographical occurrence of the genus to Amazonian fish, an important step towards a better understanding of these nematodes has been taken.

The ichthyofauna of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts off the American continent is very rich. Consequently, a high biodiversity of nematodes parasitizing these vertebrates is also expected. Currently, data on nematode parasites of marine fish off the Americas are fragmented. A review of all adult nematode species reported parasitizing marine fish from off the American continent is herein presented, as well as comments on their patterns of diversity, life cycles and advances in the taxonomic and phylogenetic knowledge. A total of 209 valid species, 19 species inquirendae and 6 dubious records have been recorded, the majority from the fish taxa Eupercaria and Perciformes. The families Sciaenidae, Serranidae and Lutjanidae, as well as the tropical and temperate Atlantic waters, exhibited the highest records of parasitic nematodes. The Cucullanidae, Philometridae and Cystidicolidae were the most speciose families of nematodes, which may be related to technological advances and relatively recent efforts of taxonomists, resulting in description of new taxa and the resolution of taxonomic problems. Numerous taxonomic questions still need resolution and, even though genetic data have been important for this process, the database is very scarce. This is the first review on all currently known nematode species parasitizing marine fish off the Americas and may serve as an important basis of reference for future approaches on these organisms.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with a rapid progression and no effective treatment. Metabolic and mitochondrial alterations in peripheral tissues of ALS patients may present diagnostic and therapeutic interest. We aimed to identify mitochondrial fingerprints in lymphoblast from ALS patients harboring SOD1 mutations (mutSOD1) or with unidentified mutations (undSOD1), compared with age-/sex-matched controls. Three groups of lymphoblasts, from mutSOD1 or undSOD1 ALS patients and age-/sex-matched controls, were obtained from Coriell Biobank and divided into 3 age-/sex-matched cohorts. Mitochondria-associated metabolic pathways were analyzed using Seahorse MitoStress and ATP Rate assays, complemented with metabolic phenotype microarrays, metabolite levels, gene expression, and protein expression and activity. Pooled (all cohorts) and paired (intra-cohort) analyses were performed by using bioinformatic tools, and the features with higher information gain values were selected and used for principal component analysis and Naïve Bayes classification. Considering the group as a target, the features that contributed to better segregation of control, undSOD1, and mutSOD1 were found to be the protein levels of Tfam and glycolytic ATP production rate. Metabolic phenotypic profiles in lymphoblasts from ALS patients with mutSOD1 and undSOD1 revealed unique age-dependent different substrate oxidation profiles. For most parameters, different patterns of variation in experimental endpoints in lymphoblasts were found between cohorts, which may be due to the age or sex of the donor. In the present work, we investigated several metabolic and mitochondrial hallmarks in lymphoblasts from each donor, and although a high heterogeneity of results was found, we identified specific metabolic and mitochondrial fingerprints, especially protein levels of Tfam and glycolytic ATP production rate, that may have a diagnostic and therapeutic interest., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Copepods of the genus Hatschekia Poche, 1902 are parasitic on the gills of marine actinopterygians. Currently, about 151 species of this genus have been reported in marine ecosystems and only few occur in South Atlantic Ocean., Methods: Fifty specimens of A. virginicus from Angra dos Reis, off the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were parasitized by copepods on the gills. Parasites were fixed and preserved in 70% ethanol. Morphological observations were based on light and scanning electron microscopy., Results: Hatschekia nagasawai n. sp. can be distinguished from all congeners by the combination of the following characters: (1) presence of two pointed processes on the proximal (first) segment of antennule, (2) cephalothorax octagonal to ovoid, (3) absence of processes on the intercoxal sclerite of legs 1 and 2, (4) trunk without lobes at the postero-lateral margins. Other species of Hatschekia and their hosts previously collected off Brazil were analysed and discussed., Conclusions: This is the first report of a representative of the family Hatschekiidae Kabata, 1979 parasitizing a species of Anisotremus. The number of species of Hatschekia reported in the South Atlantic Ocean was increased to five, including the new species; however, the diversity of hatschekiid copepods in this oceanographic region is still underestimated, most likely being higher than what is currently known., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences.)

Fish parasite communities can be directly influenced by characteristics of host species. However, little is known about the host-parasite relationships in commercially important fish of the southeastern Atlantic. To address this knowledge gap, a comparative analysis of the parasite communities of three sympatric Clupeiformes was conducted. Cetengraulis edentulus (Engraulidae), Opisthonema oglinum (Clupeidae) and Sardinella brasiliensis (Clupeidae) were collected from an estuarine lagoon near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Prevalence, abundance and aggregation were estimated for infrapopulations; richness, diversity, evenness and dominance for infracommunities. The three component communities were compared using both quantitative and qualitative components. Canonical discriminant analysis was used to determine if a host population could be characterised by the component community of its parasites. Multivariate models revealed that host species, a proxy for diet and phylogenetic relationships, was the main factor influencing the composition of parasite infracommunities. Diet was found to be the main factor shaping the communities of endoparasites, in which digeneans were dominant and best indicator of host population. Ectoparasites (copepods, isopods and monogeneans) displayed strong host-specificity with some species restricted to a single host population. The similarity of the component communities of the two clupeid populations demonstrated the influence of host phylogeny. Parasite infracommunities exhibited low diversity and high dominance, with many taxa restricted to a single host species (specialists) and few occurring in more than one (generalists). Host phylogeny and by extension, diet, morphology and coevolution with parasites appear to be important factors in determining the host-parasite relationships of clupeiform fish in the southeastern Atlantic., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The relationship between acidosis and coagulopathy has long been described in vitro and in trauma patients, but not yet in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The association of metabolic acidosis with coagulopathy and with transfusion requirements was evaluated in patients submitted to OLT. Changes in acid-base and coagulation parameters were analyzed by repeated measures. Regression analyses [adjusted for sex, age, model for end stage liver disease (MELD) score, and baseline values of hemoglobin, fibrinogen, international normalized ratio, platelets] determined the association of acid-base parameters with coagulation markers and transfusion requirement. We included 95 patients, 66% were male, 49.5% of the patients had hepatocellular carcinoma and the mean MELD score was 20.4 (SD 8.9). The values of all the coagulation and acid-base parameters significantly changed during OLT, particularly in the reperfusion phase. After adjustments for baseline parameters, the decrease in pH and base excess (BE) values were associated with a decrease in fibrinogen levels (mean decrease of fibrinogen level = 14.88 mg/dL per 0.1 unit reduction of pH values and 3.6 mg/dL per 1 mmol/L reduction of BE levels) and an increase in red blood cells transfusion (2.16 units of RBC per 0.1 unit reduction of pH and 0.38 units of RBC per 1 mmol/L reduction of BE levels). Among multiple factors potentially associated with adverse outcomes, decreasing pH levels were independently associated with the length of hospitalization but not with in-hospital mortality. Metabolic acidosis is independently associated with decreased fibrinogen levels and increased intraoperative transfusion requirement during OLT. Awareness of that association may improve treatment strategies to reduce intraoperative bleeding risk in OLT., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

With the increase in life expectancy and consequent aging of the world's population, the prevalence of many neurodegenerative diseases is increasing, without concomitant improvement in diagnostics and therapeutics. These diseases share neuropathological hallmarks, including mitochondrial dysfunction. In fact, as mitochondrial alterations appear prior to neuronal cell death at an early phase of a disease's onset, the study and modulation of mitochondrial alterations have emerged as promising strategies to predict and prevent neurotoxicity and neuronal cell death before the onset of cell viability alterations. In this work, differentiated SH-SY5Y cells were treated with the mitochondrial-targeted neurotoxicants 6-hydroxydopamine and rotenone. These compounds were used at different concentrations and for different time points to understand the similarities and differences in their mechanisms of action. To accomplish this, data on mitochondrial parameters were acquired and analyzed using unsupervised (hierarchical clustering) and supervised (decision tree) machine learning methods. Both biochemical and computational analyses resulted in an evident distinction between the neurotoxic effects of 6-hydroxydopamine and rotenone, specifically for the highest concentrations of both compounds.

Despite being the two most recorded species of Physaloptera from lizards in the Americas, P. retusa and P. lutzi are either incompletely described or have accumulated inaccurate morphological data through the years. Here, we redescribe both species from Tropidurus torquatus in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, including evaluation of specimens from the Coleção Helmintológica do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. In P. retusa, the presence and location of amphids, presence and pattern of porous areas on pseudolabia, detailed pattern of cuticular ornamentations on ventral surface of the caudal bursa, structure of cloacal labia, presence of dome-shaped elevation between the last pair of postcloacal papillae and location of phasmids in males, were revealed for the first time. Additional morphometric data are also provided. In P. lutzi, the detailed morphological analysis revealed for the first time, porous areas on pseudolabia, as well as presence of amphids, phasmids, and the detailed ornamentation and papillae arrangement on the male bursa. Also, the presence of an internal tripartite and an external triangular labial tooth in the specimens were observed to be constant, diverging from the assertions by other authors. Finally, in P. lutzi was possible to observe that deirids are consistently located close to muscular oesophagus base with excretory pore slightly posterior to it, and the vulva is always close to anal aperture. The present observations confirmed the validity of P. lutzi and strengthened its taxonomic diagnosis. An up-to-date list of records of both species is provided, including a brief discussion on their host spectrum and geographic range., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Alterations in mitochondrial dynamics, including their intracellular trafficking, are common early manifestations of neuronal degeneration. However, current methodologies used to study mitochondrial trafficking events rely on parameters that are primarily altered in later stages of neurodegeneration. Our objective was to establish a reliable applied statistical analysis to detect early alterations in neuronal mitochondrial trafficking. We propose a novel quantitative analysis of mitochondria trajectories based on innovative movement descriptors, including straightness, efficiency, anisotropy, and kurtosis. We evaluated time- and dose-dependent alterations in trajectory descriptors using biological data from differentiated SH-SY5Y cells treated with the mitochondrial toxicants 6-hydroxydopamine and rotenone. MitoTracker Red CMXRos-labelled mitochondria movement was analyzed by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy followed by computational modelling to describe the process. Based on the aforementioned trajectory descriptors, this innovative analysis of mitochondria trajectories provides insights into mitochondrial movement characteristics and can be a consistent and sensitive method to detect alterations in mitochondrial trafficking occurring in the earliest time points of neurodegeneration., (© 2021 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.)