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The lack of synthesized information regarding biodiversity is a major problem among researchers, leading to a pervasive cycle where ecologists make field campaigns to collect information that already exists and yet has not been made available for a broader audience. This problem leads to long-lasting effects in public policies such as spending money multiple times to conduct similar studies in the same area. We aim to identify this knowledge gap by synthesizing information available regarding two Brazilian long-term biodiversity programs and the metadata generated by them. Using a unique dataset containing 1904 metadata, we identified patterns of metadata distribution and intensity of research conducted in Brazil, as well as where we should concentrate research efforts in the next decades. We found that the majority of metadata were about vertebrates, followed by plants, invertebrates, and fungi. Caatinga was the biome with least metadata, and that there's still a lack of information regarding all biomes in Brazil, with none of them being sufficiently sampled. We hope that these results will have implications for broader conservation and management guiding, as well as to funding allocation programs., 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 B.V. All rights reserved.)

A new and threatened polypore species, Bondarzewia loguerciae , is described from the cloud forests of southern Brazil. It is characterized by single-pileate basidiomata that grow on dead branches and along living stems of standing trunks and present a context with dark lines and resinous tubes. When growing in axenic culture, this species also develops chlamydospores. We provide an illustrated morphological description and molecular analysis. Our specimens from Brazil form a monophyletic group among other species of the Southern Hemisphere. The conservation status of B. loguerciae is assessed and published as "Critically Endangered" based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature  (IUCN) criteria. Additionally, a key to the species is provided.

Pseudohydnum , commonly known as cat's tongue mushrooms, is a monophyletic assemblage within Auriculariales, which encompasses species with gelatinous basidiomata, spathulate, flabellate, or shell-shaped pileus, hydnoid hymenophore, globose to ellipsoidal basidiospores, and longitudinally cruciate-septate basidia. According to the available literature, 16 species have been described in Pseudohydnum , mostly represented in temperate-boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere. However, the limited morphological, molecular, and ecological information, especially from the Southern Hemisphere ecosystems, does not presently allow a reliable assessment of its taxonomic boundaries nor provide a complete picture of the species diversity in the genus. In an ongoing effort to examine specimens collected in dense and mixed ombrophilous forest fragments (Atlantic Rainforest domain) from Southeastern and Southern Brazil, additional taxa assigned to Pseudohydnum were identified. Four new species are recognized based mostly on characters of the pileus surface, stipe, hymenium, and basidiospores. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS barcode), partial nuc rDNA 28S, and partial RNA polymerase II largest subunit ( RPB1 ) sequences supported the description of these new taxa. Here, we propose Pseudohydnum brasiliense, P. brunneovelutinum, P. cupulisnymphae , and P. viridimontanum as new species. Morphological descriptions, line drawings, habitat photos, and comparisons with closely related taxa are provided. A dichotomous key for identification of currently known Southern Hemisphere Pseudohydnum species is presented.

In the present investigation, we employ a novel and meticulously structured database assembled by experts, encompassing macrofungi field-collected in Brazil, featuring upwards of 13,894 photographs representing 505 distinct species. The purpose of utilizing this database is twofold: firstly, to furnish training and validation for convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with the capacity for autonomous identification of macrofungal species; secondly, to develop a sophisticated mobile application replete with an advanced user interface. This interface is specifically crafted to acquire images, and, utilizing the image recognition capabilities afforded by the trained CNN, proffer potential identifications for the macrofungal species depicted therein. Such technological advancements democratize access to the Brazilian Funga, thereby enhancing public engagement and knowledge dissemination, and also facilitating contributions from the populace to the expanding body of knowledge concerning the conservation of macrofungal species of Brazil., Competing Interests: Aristóteles Góes-Neto is an Academic Editor for PeerJ., (© 2024 Chaves et al.)

Wasps are important parasitoids of stinkbugs and frequently exposed to various types of microorganisms through environmental contact and fecal-oral transmission route. Many parasitize stinkbug eggs and are commercially used in the field to control insect population. The parasitoid T. podisi is known for its high parasitism capacity and ability to target multiple species of stinkbugs. In this study we asked whether T. podisi exposed to eggs infected by a multispecies asymptomatic stinkbug virus, the Halyomorpha halys virus (HhV) would get infected. HhV is a geographically distributed multispecies iflavirus previously found to infect four stinkbug hosts, including three Brazilian species, Chinavia ubica, Euschistus heros and Diceraeus melacanthus, and T. posidi can parasitize all of them. As results, RT-PCR screening revealed positive samples for the HhV genome in two out of four tested pools of T. podisi, whereas the antigenome, indicative of replicative activity, was not detected. The wasps were raised in E. heros eggs that presented both the genome and the antigenome forms of the HhV genome. Subsequent RNA-deep sequencing of HhV positive T. podisi RNA pools yielded a complete genome of HhV with high coverage. Phylogenetic analysis positioned the isolate HhV-Tp (isolate Telenomus podisi) alongside with the stinkbug HhV. Analysis of transcriptomes from several hymenopteran species revealed HhV-Tp reads in four species. However, the transmission mechanism and the ecological significance of HhV remain elusive, warranting further studies to illuminate both the transmission process and its capacity for environmental propagation using T. podisi as a potential vector., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

The Amazonas was one of the most heavily affected Brazilian states by the COVID-19 epidemic. Despite a large number of infected people, particularly during the second wave associated with the spread of the Variant of Concern (VOC) Gamma (lineage P.1), SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate in the Amazonas. To understand how SARS-CoV-2 persisted in a human population with a high immunity barrier, we generated 1,188 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences from individuals diagnosed in the Amazonas state from 1st January to 6th July 2021, of which 38 were vaccine breakthrough infections. Our study reveals a sharp increase in the relative prevalence of Gamma plus (P.1+) variants, designated Pango Lineages P.1.3 to P.1.6, harboring two types of additional Spike changes: deletions in the N-terminal (NTD) domain (particularly Δ144 or Δ141-144) associated with resistance to anti-NTD neutralizing antibodies or mutations at the S1/S2 junction (N679K or P681H) that probably enhance the binding affinity to the furin cleavage site, as suggested by our molecular dynamics simulations. As lineages P.1.4 (S:N679K) and P.1.6 (S:P681H) expanded (Re > 1) from March to July 2021, the lineage P.1 declined (Re < 1) and the median Ct value of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases in Amazonas significantly decreases. Still, we did not find an increased incidence of P.1+ variants among breakthrough cases of fully vaccinated patients (71%) in comparison to unvaccinated individuals (93%). This evidence supports that the ongoing endemic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Amazonas is driven by the spread of new local Gamma/P.1 sublineages that are more transmissible, although not more efficient to evade vaccine-elicited immunity than the parental VOC. Finally, as SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread in human populations with a declining density of susceptible hosts, the risk of selecting more infectious variants or antibody evasion mutations is expected to increase. IMPORTANCE The continuous evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is an expected phenomenon that will continue to happen due to the high number of cases worldwide. The present study analyzed how a Variant of Concern (VOC) could still circulate in a population hardly affected by two COVID-19 waves and with vaccination in progress. Our results showed that the answer behind that was a new generation of Gamma-like viruses, which emerged locally carrying mutations that made it more transmissible and more capable of spreading, partially evading prior immunity triggered by natural infections or vaccines. With thousands of new cases daily, the current pandemics scenario suggests that SARS-CoV-2 will continue to evolve and efforts to reduce the number of infected subjects, including global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, are mandatory. Thus, until the end of pandemics, the SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance will be an essential tool to better understand the drivers of the viral evolutionary process.

The Program for Biodiversity Research (PPBio) is an innovative program designed to integrate all biodiversity research stakeholders. Operating since 2004, it has installed long-term ecological research sites throughout Brazil and its logic has been applied in some other southern-hemisphere countries. The program supports all aspects of research necessary to understand biodiversity and the processes that affect it. There are presently 161 sampling sites (see some of them at Supplementary Appendix), most of which use a standardized methodology that allows comparisons across biomes and through time. To date, there are about 1200 publications associated with PPBio that cover topics ranging from natural history to genetics and species distributions. Most of the field data and metadata are available through PPBio web sites or DataONE. Metadata is available for researchers that intend to explore the different faces of Brazilian biodiversity spatio-temporal variation, as well as for managers intending to improve conservation strategies. The Program also fostered, directly and indirectly, local technical capacity building, and supported the training of hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students. The main challenge is maintaining the long-term funding necessary to understand biodiversity patterns and processes under pressure from global environmental changes.

The aim of this article is to describe the public service of Manaus to elderly, either victims of accidents or violence, on three levels of service (32 pre-hospital, 5 hospital and 5 rehabilitation). It is a descriptive study with a quantitative and qualitative approach, where 42 health units were investigated. The results reveal that the emergency services department presents a better physical structure. The organization concerning these matters is still incipient in Manaus. It was detected scarcity in the number of hospital beds and vacancies in the intensive care unit to offer the continuity of the treatment. There's a need for professional qualifications and medical specialties to attend elderly admitted due to injury. Very little has been done in the prevention area. Data entry and notification appear as one of the weakest points on the three levels of attention. The most critical point is related to hospitalization, being this level of attention largely mentioned by managers and health professionals as in great need for re-structuring.

The regulation of specialist medical appointments represents one of the problematic areas of the Brazilian Public Health System. In this regulation process, 2 issues stand out: 1) which patients should have the highest attendance priority, and 2) which service suppliers can best resolve the specific health problem of a patient? Based on the consideration of the existing Brazilian context in the field of medical assistance, this study proposes a model designed to aid regulation centers deal with the decisions related to the process of allocating specialist medical appointments. The model integrates multicriteria decision analysis and linear programming for the specialist medical appointment allocation, in which the allocation of patients is defined as a function of the relative significance of a set of criteria related to the notion of effectiveness of the specialist medical care and the capability of the accredited specialist health care units. The integrated model was implemented in a computer-based system and validated using cardiology and vein surgery data from the regulation center in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The validated computational system was applied to mammography services in another regulation center. The system successfully implemented a prioritization scheme, decreasing significantly the examination waiting time of severe cases.

This study aims at identifying the perception of managers and administrators of health care services, concerning the health care provided by the public health sector within SUS in the Federal District. This is a qualitative research in which the data was obtained through semi-structured interviews with health management professionals. It was concluded that the implementation of guidelines developed by the SUS still represents a challenge for the community and health care workers alike. In short, these two entities must coordinate their efforts in order to implement strategies designed at improving the health service provided to population.

The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the activities developed by the nursing team at the Northern Regional Health Unit of the Federal District. A questionnaire, which described a variety of daily nursing activities, was administered to 29 nurses, 91 nurse assistants and 42 health care agents. Focus group sessions for each of the professional categories were also conducted. Results showed that all members of the nursing team concentrate their effort in organizing, controlling and attending spontaneous demands as well as providing support to doctors. As a consequence, these professionals prioritize individual attendance to detriment of collective practice.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of two training strategies for improving essential newborn care in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil., Methods: Eight hospitals were selected, divided into two groups of four, and paired by geographical, structural, and functional characteristics. Doctors and nurses working at hospitals in Group 1 were given a conventional 5-day training course. Those in Group 2 were given the same manual used by Group 1 but the training course was organized as self-directed learning, with the participants having 5 weeks to complete the course. Participants' knowledge was tested at baseline, immediately after the course, and 3-6 months later. Participants' practices were observed before training and 3-6 months after training during 20 births and by interviewing 20 mothers before discharge at each hospital., Findings: Not all participants completed all of the tests. The scores on the tests of knowledge improved more among those in Group 2 than those in Group 1 when the answers were classified as right or wrong, but there was no difference between groups when a scoring method was used that classified answers as correct, partially correct, incorrect, or missing. Practices related to thermal control after birth improved among those in Group 2 after training but practices related to thermal control on the ward worsened. The promotion of breastfeeding improved in both groups., Conclusion: There was no difference between the two training strategies, although self-directed learning was cheaper than conventional training. Neither strategy brought about the expected improvements in the quality of care. Other interventions in addition to training may be needed to improve care.