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Summary: Our group recently showed that the (ASNase) formulation available in Brazil from 2017 to 2018 when used at the same dose and frequency as the formulation provided previously did not reach the activity considered therapeutic. Based on these, our goal was to assess the impact of these facts on the prognosis of children with ALL at different oncology centers. A multicentre retrospective observational study followed by a prospective follow‐up. Patients aged >1 and <18 years in first‐line treatment followed up at 10 referral centres, between 2014 and 2018 who received the formulation Leuginase® were identified (Group B). For each patient, the centre registered 2 patients who received ASNase in the presentation of Aginasa® exclusively (Group A). Data collection was registered using (Redcap®). A total of 419 patients were included; 282 in Group A and 137 in B. Group A had a 3‐year OS and EFS of 91·8% and 84·8% respectively, while Group B had a 3‐year OS of 83·8% (P = 0·003) and EFS of 76·1% (P = 0·008). There was an impact on 3‐year OS and EFS of children who received a formulation. This result highlights the importance of evaluating ASNase and monitoring its activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Objective: To analyze retrospectively the fluoride level in the public water supply of two cities of the south Santa Catarina and to verify whether 12-year-old schoolers, who had used public water supply had dental fluorosis. Material and methods: 97 schoolers of the cities of Cocal do Sul and Morro da Fumaça were evaluated. Dental fluorosis was determined through Dean index. The annual averages of the fluoride concentrations in waters between the years of 2004 and 2015 were verified by reports supplied by the responsible company. Results: The averages of the fluoride concentrations in the water supply in the cities of Cocal do Sul and Morro da Fumaça, during the analyzed period, were 0.86 and 0,85 ppm of fluoride, respectively, without statistically significant difference. The smaller concentration was found in 2006, in the city of Morro da Fumaça, with 0.64 ppm of F; the greatest concentration occurred in Cocal do Sul, in 2007, with 1.1 ppm of F. The prevalence of dental fluorosis in Cocal do Sul was 24.5% and in Morro da Fumaça was 14.6%, without statistically significant differences. All 12-year-old schoolers who had dental fluorosis were classified as light according to Dean index. Conclusion: Most of the 12-year-old schoolers did not show any fluorosis degree. The cases of dental fluorosis were classified as little severity and with low esthetic impairment. It can be concluded that the fluoride levels in water supply were within the adequate and safe limits with low risk of dental fluorosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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• Warming and lower atmospheric humid could inhibit the axial stem growth of sun-tolerant juvenile plants. • Higher VPD and temp. raised the sugars concentrations in the shade- and sun-tolerant plants. • Warming will not affect the cellulose and lignin levels of stem of the shade- and sun-tolerant plants. Lower VPD and temp. • Inhibited the cellulose and lignin concentrations of the shade-tolerant plants and promoted the hemicelluloses concentrations of the sun-tolerant plants. • Hemicelluloses of sun-tolerant plants may decline in a warmer and less humidatmosphere. Given the eminent climate changes and the importance of carbon dynamics in the growth and survival of plants, we investigated how the non-structural carbohydrates – NSC – and cell wall polymers – CWP (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) – from sun-tolerant and shade-tolerant plants will respond to changes in vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and temperature (temp.) of atmosphere predicted for the southeast region of Brazil for the next decades. We used plants of two morphotypes of Paubrasilia echinata as a biological model. This species presents intraspecific variations from each other in leaf morphology and growth concerning luminosity in the initial phase of growth. The small morphotype is shade-tolerant and the medium morphotype is tolerant to full sun. The work was carried out in greenhouses adjusted with the combination of the higher and lower VPD and temp., constituting 4 enviroments: 1) 0.4 KPa – 19.8 °C, 2) 0.5 KPa – 23.8 °C, 3) 2.0 KPa – 25.1 °C, and 4) 1.1 KPa – 14.9 °C. On day 125 after the start of the experiment, we determined the concentrations of NSC and CWP in the root, stem, and leaves. The shade-tolerant morphotype showed an increase in sugar concentration in the environment where the plants grew the most (2.0 KPa – 25.1 °C). In this same environment, the NSC concentrations of the shoot organs increased in the sun-tolerant morphotype. The 0.4 KPa – 19.8 °C reduced the cellulose and lignin concentrations of the shade-tolerant morphotype and promoted the hemicelluloses of the sun-tolerant morphotype. The NSC and CWP allocation proved to be more influenced by VPD and temp. variations in the shade-tolerant than the sun-tolerant morphotype. We conclude that warming and lower atmospheric humidity could inhibit the axial stem growth of sun-tolerant juvenile plants. Warming, regardless of atmospheric humidity variations, will not affect the cellulose and lignin levels of stem, and consequently, the wood quality of shade- and sun-tolerant plants. However, hemicelluloses concentrations of sun-tolerant plants may decline in a warmer and less humid atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age is the major risk factor for mortality after SARS-CoV-2 infection and older people have received priority consideration for COVID-19 vaccination. However, vaccine responses are often suboptimal in this age group and few people over the age of 80 years were included in vaccine registration trials. We determined the serological and cellular response to spike protein in 100 people aged 80-96 years at 2 weeks after the second vaccination with the Pfizer BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. Antibody responses were seen in every donor with high titers in 98 %. Spike-specific cellular immune responses were detectable in only 63 % and correlated with humoral response. Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection substantially increased antibody responses after one vaccine and antibody and cellular responses remained 28-fold and 3-fold higher, respectively, after dual vaccination. Post-vaccine sera mediated strong neutralization of live Victoria infection and although neutralization titers were reduced 14-fold against the P.1 variant first discovered in Brazil they remained largely effective. These data demonstrate that the mRNA vaccine platform delivers strong humoral immunity in people up to 96 years of age and retains broad efficacy against the P.1 variant of concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Evaluating trees' responses to climate change can be challenging. • We propose the use of correlation networks to aid the integration of wood traits. • Trees coordinate carbon and water related traits along a tropical climate gradient. • Correlation networks revealed trade-offs that reflects carbon metabolic pathways. • Cell-wall xylose and mannose are central in trees responses to climate variability. Tropical forests uptake more atmospheric CO 2 and transpire more water than any other forest in the world and are critical components of the global carbon and hydrological cycles. Both cycles depend to a great extent on the carbon and water balance of individual trees. Such adjustments are usually evaluated through well-established and newly-emerging traits but integrating them for a systemic understanding of trees' responses to climate change can be challenging. We propose using complex correlation networks to integrate and understand how trees coordinate water- and carbon-related traits under changing climate conditions. We built a correlation network based on 20 traits measured in the wood of Hymenaea courbaril (Leguminosae) trees, a species known for its extreme anisohydric water-use strategy, sampled along a climate gradient in Southeastern Brazil. Intercellular to ambient CO 2 concentrations ratio (c i /c a , estimated from tree-ring δ13C) is a central network trait for being coordinated with several hydraulic and carbon allocation traits. Trees of H. courbaril coordinate these traits along the climate gradient, favoring high c i /c a under warm and dry conditions. A high c i /c a is only possible through a consistent water supply provided by wider vessels together with the investment on soluble sugars, at the detriment of starch, likely for hydraulic maintenance. Trees also favor heat resistance by investing in cell-wall xylose, another central network trait, from xyloglucans and xylans, at the expense of mannose from glucomannans. Such trade-offs within, and between, structural and non-structural carbon allocation reflect well-known metabolic pathways in plants. In summary, this systemic approach confirms previously reported patterns on leaf physiology, stem hydraulics and carbon adjustments while bringing to light the previously unreported role of cell-wall composition and its fine adjustments to cope with climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Quantitative traits were analysed to discriminate successional groups in the TMBF. • Pioneers presented higher stem glucose, larger vessel elements, greater stomatal density and higher pigment contents. • Non-pioneers were characterized by larger mesophyll cells and higher cell wall polymer contents. • The biggest differences between pioneer and non-pioneer trees were leaf blade thickness > vessel lumen diameter > stem lignin. More than half of the tropical forests are secondary forests that are undergoing a highly dynamic interplay of forest succession of uncertain outcome. Vegetation models can help predict forest trajectory but require simplifying the high biodiversity of these forests into a few distinct classes of functional or successional groups. The classification of tree species by successional groups has traditionally relied on qualitative criteria such as life span, or on parameters that are difficult to measure on mature trees in the field, like photosynthetic activity, in particular in tropical forests. Hence, quantitative traits that can be easily measured in a number of species may provide more accurate classification thresholds. The present study identifies quantitative anatomical and biochemical traits of leaf and stem of six species that are useful for classification of successional groups in the Tropical Moist Broadleaved Forest (TMBF) of south-eastern Brazil. Consistent with assumed fast growth and high light requirements of pioneers the investigated pioneer species presented higher stem glucose content (600%), larger vessel elements (162%), greater stomatal density (72%) and higher chloroplastic pigments concentrations (90%) than non-pioneer species. By contrast, non-pioneers were characterized by larger mesophyll cells (70%) and higher cell wall polymers concentrations (65–100%) in leaf and stem. The biggest differences between pioneer and non-pioneer species were observed in leaf blade thickness, followed by vessel lumen diameter, and stem lignin. We provide research laboratories a variety of different tools that they can use as a guideline to accurately assess the successional class of tree species in the TMBF of south-eastern Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]