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The whiteleg marine shrimp Penaeus vannamei, originally from the Eastern Pacific Ocean, now inhabits tropical waters across Asia and Central and Southern America. This benthic species exhibits rapid growth, wide salinity and temperature tolerance, and disease resistance. These physiological traits have led to extensive research on its osmoregulatory mechanisms, including next-generation sequencing, transcriptomic analyses, and lipidomic responses. In crustaceans, osmotic and ionic homeostasis is primarily maintained by the membrane-bound metalloenzyme (Na + , K + )-ATPase. However, little is known about how various ligands modulate this enzyme in P. vannamei. Here, we examined the kinetic characteristics of the gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase to get biochemical insights into its modulation. A prominent immunoreactive band of ~120 kDa, corresponding to the (Na + , K + )-ATPase alpha-subunit, was identified. The enzyme exhibited two ATP hydrolyzing sites with K 0.5  = 0.0003 ± 0.00002 and 0.05 ± 0.003 mmol L -1 and was stimulated by low sodium ion concentrations. Potassium and ammonium ions also stimulated enzyme activity with similar K 0.5 values of 0.08 ± 0.004 and 0.06 ± 0.003 mmol L -1 , respectively. Ouabain inhibition profile suggested a single enzyme isoform with a K I value of 2.10 ± 0.16 mmol L -1 . Our findings showed significant kinetic differences in the (Na + , K + )-ATPase in Penaeus vannamei compared to marine and freshwater crustaceans. We expect our results to enhance understanding of the modulation of gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase in Penaeus vannamei and to provide a valuable tool for studying the shrimp's biochemical acclimation to varying salinity conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is gaining heightened significance in critical care settings as it allows for quick decision-making at the bedside. While computerized tomography is still considered the standard imaging modality for many diseases, the risks and delays associated with transferring a critically ill patient out of the intensive care unit (ICU) have prompted physicians to explore alternative tools. Ultrasound guidance has increased the safety of invasive procedures in the ICU, such as the placement of vascular catheters and drainage of collections. Ultrasonography is now seen as an extension of the clinical examination, providing quick answers for rapidly deteriorating patients in the ICU. The field of nephrology is increasingly acknowledging the value of diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). By employing multi-organ POCUS, nephrologists can address specific queries that arise during the diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute kidney injury. This approach aids in ruling out hydronephrosis and offers immediate information on hemodynamics, thereby consolidating patient data and facilitating the development of personalized treatment strategies., 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 © 2024 Passos, Flato, Sanches, Pellegrino, Cordioli, Silva, Campos, Barros, Coelho, Bravim and Corrêa.)

Decapod Crustacea exhibit a marine origin, but many taxa have occupied environments ranging from brackish to fresh water and terrestrial habitats, overcoming their inherent osmotic challenges. Osmotic and ionic regulation is achieved by the gill epithelia, driven by two active ATP-hydrolyzing ion transporters, the basal (Na + , K + )-ATPase and the apical V(H + )-ATPase. The kinetic characteristic of gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase and the mRNA expression of its α subunit have been widely studied in various decapod species under different salinity challenges. However, the evolution of the primary structure has not been explored, especially considering the functional modifications associated with decapod phylogeny. Here, we proposed a model for the topology of the decapod α subunit, identifying the sites and motifs involved in its function and regulation, as well as the patterns of its evolution assuming a decapod phylogeny. We also examined both the amino acid substitutions and their functional implications within the context of biochemical and physiological adaptation. The α-subunit of decapod crustaceans shows greater conservation (∼94% identity) compared to the β-subunit (∼40%). While the binding sites for ATP and modulators are conserved in the decapod enzyme, the residues involved in the α-β interaction are only partially conserved. In the phylogenetic context of the complete sequence of (Na + , K + )-ATPase α-subunit, most substitutions appear to be characteristic of the entire group, with specific changes for different subgroups, especially among brachyuran crabs. Interestingly, there was no consistent separation of α-subunit partial sequences related to habitat, suggesting that the convergent evolution for freshwater or terrestrial modes of life is not correlated with similar changes in the enzyme's primary amino acid sequence., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Diversification of plant chemical phenotypes is typically associated with spatially and temporally variable plant-insect interactions. Floral scent is often assumed to be the target of pollinator-mediated selection, whereas foliar compounds are considered targets of antagonist-mediated selection. However, floral and vegetative phytochemicals can be biosynthetically linked and may thus evolve as integrated phenotypes. Utilizing a common garden of 28 populations of the perennial herb Arabis alpina (Brassicaceae), we investigated integration within and among floral scent compounds and foliar defense compounds (both volatile compounds and tissue-bound glucosinolates). Within floral scent volatiles, foliar volatile compounds, and glucosinolates, phytochemicals were often positively correlated, and correlations were stronger within these groups than between them. Thus, we found no evidence of integration between compound groups indicating that these are free to evolve independently. Relative to self-compatible populations, self-incompatible populations experienced stronger correlations between floral scent compounds, and a trend toward lower integration between floral scent and foliar volatiles. Our study serves as a rare test of integration of multiple, physiologically related plant traits that each are potential targets of insect-mediated selection. Our results suggest that independent evolutionary forces are likely to diversify different axes of plant chemistry without major constraints., (© 2024 The Author(s). New Phytologist © 2024 New Phytologist Foundation.)

Pseudotrimezia juncifolia (Klatt) Lovo & A. Gil (Iridaceae) is a popularly known species with primarily ornamental economic interest. It has traditional uses as purgative, in conditions related to the menstrual cycle, for blood purification, as wound healing, and as anti-inflammatory. The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities of the decoction from its aerial stems, corms, and stamens are described here with dereplication studies on LC-MS/MS supported by the GNPS platform, where phenolic compounds were annotated and correlated with its biological activity. The decoction was evaluated in chemical (formalin and capsaicin) and thermal (hot plate) induced nociception or carrageenan-induced inflammation in mice. Decoction (at 10, 30, or 100 mg/kg doses) significantly reduced formalin- or capsaicin-induced nociception. All doses also demonstrated an antinociceptive effect in the hot plate model increasing the time the animal spent in responding to thermal signal. Naloxone partially reversed the antinociceptive effect. An anti-inflammatory effect was observed since a reduction in cell migration, protein extravasation interleukin-1, and tumor necrosis factor production induced by carrageenan in the subcutaneous air pouch was quantified. Metabolomic analyses showed a predominance of phenolic substances, mainly flavonoids and chlorogenic acids. The literature showed that these two groups have significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity, and chemical data corroborate the pharmacological results observed.

The Macrobrachium amazonicum complex is composed of at least the Macrobrachium amazonicum and Macrobrachium pantanalense species, with the latter described from specimens originally identified as part of an endemic M. amazonicum population in the Brazilian Pantanal region. While there may be a reproductive barrier between these two Macrobrachium species, both are phylogenetically close, with small genetic distance. However, there is currently no available biochemical information of Macrobrachium pantanalense (Na + , K + )-ATPase. Here, we report the kinetic characteristics of the gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase in two populations of M. pantanalense from Baiazinha Lagoon (Miranda, MS, Brazil) and Araguari River (Uberlândia, MG, Brazil), and compare them with Macrobrachium amazonicum populations from the Paraná-Paraguay River Basin. (Na + , K + )-ATPase activities were 67.9 ± 3.4 and 93.3 ± 4.1 nmol Pi min -1  mg -1 protein for the Baiazinha Lagoon and Araguari River populations, respectively. Two ATP hydrolyzing sites were observed for the Araguari River population while a single ATP site was observed for the Baiazinha Lagoon shrimps. Compared to the Araguari River population, a 3-fold greater apparent affinity for Mg 2+ and Na + was estimated for the Baiazinha Lagoon population, but no difference in K + affinity and ouabain inhibition was seen. The kinetic differences observed in the gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase between the two populations of M. pantanalense, compared with those of various M. amazonicum populations, highlight interspecific divergence within the Macrobrachium genus, now examined from a biochemical perspective., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aimed to assess the consistency of data regarding the provision of fluoridation in Brazilian municipalities with water supply systems., Methods: Official data from the National Basic Sanitation Survey and the National Information System on Sanitation for 2017 were compared., Results: Out of 5,570 municipalities in Brazil, 4,546 (81.6%) had water supply systems. The agreement between data sources was 84%, with a Kappa of 0.668, indicating substantial agreement. However, the estimates of fluoridation provision exhibited an average discrepancy of 8.1 percentage points, ranging from 1.2 points in the Central-West region to 21.4 points in the Northeast region., Conclusion: To address these inconsistencies, it is essential to enhance information sources, ensuring more reliable data for health, sanitation authorities, and society at large.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of linezolid and vancomycin for the treatment of nosocomial infections in children under 12 years old., Data Sources: This is a systematic review in which five randomized clinical trials about the effectiveness of linezolid and vancomycin, involving a total of 429 children with nosocomial infections, were evaluated. They were searched in scientific databases: PubMed, Bvs, and SciELO., Summary of Findings: The main nosocomial infections that affected children were bacteremia, skin, and soft tissue infections followed by nosocomial pneumonia. Most infections were caused by Gram-positive bacteria, which all studies showed infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci strains being isolated. Both linezolid and vancomycin showed high therapeutic efficacy against different types of nosocomial infections, ranging from 84.4% to 94% for linezolid and 76.9% to 90% for vancomycin. Patients receiving linezolid had lower rates of rash and red man syndrome compared to those receiving vancomycin. However, despite the adverse reactions, antimicrobials can be safely administered to children to treat nosocomial infections caused by resistant Gram-positive bacteria., Conclusion: Both linezolid and vancomycin showed good efficacy in the treatment of bacterial infections caused by resistant Gram-positive bacteria in hospitalized children. However, linezolid stands out regarding its pharmacological safety. Importantly, to strengthen this conclusion, further clinical trials are needed to provide additional evidence., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Background: HOXA1 is a prognostic marker and a potential predictive biomarker for radioresistance in head and neck tumors. Its overexpression has been associated with promoter methylation and a worse prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients. However, opposite outcomes are also described. The effect of the methylation of this gene on different gene regions, other than the promoter, remains uncertain. We investigated the methylation profile at different genomic regions of HOXA1 in OSCC and correlated differentially methylated CpG sites with clinicopathological data., Methods: The HOXA1 DNA methylation status was evaluated by analyzing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and three Gene Expression Omnibus datasets. Significant differentially methylated CpG sites were considered with a |∆β| ≥ 0.10 and a Bonferroni-corrected p -value < 0.01. Differentially methylated CpGs were validated by pyrosequencing using two independent cohorts of 15 and 47 OSCC patients, respectively., Results: Compared to normal tissues, we found significantly higher DNA methylation levels in the 3'UTR region of HOXA1 in OSCC. Higher methylation levels in tumor samples were positively correlated with smoking habits and patients' overall survival., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that HOXA1 gene body methylation is a promising prognostic biomarker for OSCC with potential clinical applications in patient monitoring.

The number of antral follicles is considered an important fertility trait because animals with a high follicle count (HFC) produce more oocytes and embryos per cycle. Identification of these animals by genetic markers such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can accelerate selection of future generations. The aim of this study was to perform a genome wide association study (GWAS) on Nelore and Angus heifers with HFC and low (LFC) antral follicle counts. The groups HFC and LFC for genotyping were formed based on the average of total follicles (≥ 3 mm) counted in each breed consistently ± standard deviation. A total of 72 Nelore heifers (32 HFC and 40 LFC) and 48 Angus heifers (21 HFC and 27 LFC) were selected and the DNA was extracted from blood and hair bulb. Genotyping was done using the Illumina Bovine HD 770K BeadChip. The GWAS analysis showed 181 and 201 SNPs with genotype/phenotype association (P ≤ 0.01) in Nelore and Angus heifers, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis was performed on candidate genes that were associated with SNPs. A total of 97 genes were associated to the 181 SNPs in the Nelore heifers and the functional analysis identified genes (ROBO1 and SLIT3) in the ROBO-SLIT pathway that can be involved in the control of germ cell migration in the ovary as it is involved in lutheal cell migration and fetal ovary development. In the Angus heifers, 57 genes were associated with the 201 SNPs, highlighting Fribilin 1 (FBN1) gene, involved in regulation of growth factors directly involved in follicle activation and development. In summary, GWAS for Nelore and Angus heifers showed SNPs associated with higher follicle count phenotype. Furthermore, these findings offer valuable insights for the further investigation of potential mechanism involved in follicle formation and development, important for breeding programs for both breeds., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Vector-borne pathogens frequently modify traits of their primary hosts and vectors in ways that influence disease transmission. Such effects can themselves be altered by the presence of other microbial symbionts, yet we currently have limited understanding of these interactions. Here we show that effects of pea enation mosaic virus (PEMV) on interactions between host plants and aphid vectors are modulated by the presence of different aphid endosymbionts. In a series of laboratory assays, we found strong interactive effects of virus infection and endosymbionts on aphid metabolomic profiles, population growth, behavior, and virus transmission during aphid feeding. Furthermore, the strongest effects-and those predicted to favor virus transmission-were most apparent in aphid lines harboring particular endosymbionts. These findings show that virus effects on host-vector interactions can be strongly influenced by other microbial symbionts and suggest a potentially important role for such interactions in disease ecology and evolution., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

We used the gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase as a molecular marker to provide a comprehensive kinetic analysis of the effects of Co 2+ in vitro on the modulation of K + -phosphatase activity in the Blue crab Callinectes danae. Co 2+ can stimulate or inhibit K + -phosphatase activity. With Mg 2+ , K + -phosphatase activity is almost completely inhibited by Co 2+ . Co 2+ stimulates K + -phosphatase activity similarly to Mg 2+ although with a ≈4.5-fold greater affinity. At saturating Mg 2+ concentrations, Mg 2+ displaces bound Co 2+ from the Mg 2+ -binding site in a concentration dependent manner, but Co 2+ cannot displace Mg 2+ from its binding site even at millimolar concentrations. Saturation by Co 2+ of the Mg 2+ binding site does not affect pNPP recognition by the enzyme. Substitution of Mg 2+ by Co 2+ slightly increases enzyme affinity for K + and NH 4 + . Independently of Mg 2+ , inhibition by ouabain or sodium ions is unaffected by Co 2+ . Investigation of gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase K + -phosphatase activity provides a reliable tool to examine the kinetic effects of Co 2+ with and without Na + and ATP. Given that the toxic effects of Co 2+ at the molecular level are poorly understood, these findings advance our knowledge of the mechanism of action of Co 2+ on the crustacean gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purinergic signaling activated by extracellular nucleotides and their derivative nucleosides trigger sophisticated signaling networks. The outcome of these pathways determine the capacity of the organism to survive under challenging conditions. Both extracellular ATP (eATP) and Adenosine (eAdo) act as primary messengers in mammals, essential for immunosuppressive responses. Despite the clear role of eATP as a plant damage-associated molecular pattern, the function of its nucleoside, eAdo, and of the eAdo/eATP balance in plant stress response remain to be fully elucidated. This is particularly relevant in the context of plant-microbe interaction, where the intruder manipulates the extracellular matrix. Here, we identify Ado as a main molecule secreted by the vascular fungus Fusarium oxysporum . We show that eAdo modulates the plant's susceptibility to fungal colonization by altering the eATP-mediated apoplastic pH homeostasis, an essential physiological player during the infection of this pathogen. Our work indicates that plant pathogens actively imbalance the apoplastic eAdo/eATP levels as a virulence mechanism., Competing Interests: CK, VL, SD, JS, JD, CZ, CD, CS No competing interests declared, (© 2023, Kesten, Leitner et al.)

Parasitoids in the genus Lysiphlebus specialize on ant-tended aphids and have previously been reported to mimic the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles of their aphid hosts to avoid detection by ants. However, the precise mechanisms that mediate reduced ant aggression toward Lysiphlebus spp. are not known, nor is it clear whether such mechanisms are broadly effective or specialized on particular aphid hosts. Here we explore the effects of wasp genotype and host environment on Lysiphlebus CHC profiles and ant aggression. Rearing asexual Lysiphlebus lines in different host aphid environments revealed effects of both wasp line and aphid host on wasp CHCs. However, variation in genotype and host affected different features of the CHC profile, with wasp genotype explaining most variation in linear and long-chain methyl alkanes, while aphid host environment primarily influenced short-chain methyl alkanes . Subsequent behavioural experiments revealed no effects of host environment on ant aggression, but strong evidence for genotypic effects. The influence of genotypic variation on experienced ant aggression and relevant chemical traits is particularly relevant in light of recent evidence for genetic divergence among Lysiphlebus parasitoids collected from different aphid hosts.

This investigation examines the kinetic characteristics and effect of acclimation to a brackish medium (21 ‰S) on gill V(H + )-ATPase activity in two hololimnetic populations of M. amazonicum. We also investigate the cellular immunolocalization of the enzyme. Immunofluorescence findings demonstrate that the V(H + )-ATPase c-subunit is distributed in the apical pillar cells of shrimps in fresh water but is absent after acclimation to 21 ‰S for 10 days. V(H + )-ATPase activity from the Tietê River population is ≈50% greater than the Grande River population, comparable to a wild population from the Santa Elisa Reservoir, but is 2-fold less than in cultivated shrimps. V(H + )-ATPase activity in the Tietê and the Grande River shrimps is abolished after 21 ‰S acclimation. The apparent affinities of the V(H + )-ATPase for ATP (0.27 ± 0.04 and 0.16 ± 0.03 mmol L -1 , respectively) and Mg 2+ (0.28 ± 0.05 and 0.14 ± 0.02 mmol L -1 , respectively) are similar in both populations. The absence of V(H + )-ATPase activity in salinity-acclimated shrimps and its apical distribution in shrimps in fresh water underpins the importance of the crustacean V(H + )-ATPase for ion uptake in fresh water., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The response to controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) for in vitro fertilization (IVF) varies dramatically from one patient to another, affecting success rates. A previous large-scale study identified increased serum miR-181d-5p levels in patients with high response to COS prior to stimulation. We aim to evaluate whether the expression of miR-181d-5p differs according to the ovarian response to COS in women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Samples collected prior to COS for ICSI were split into three groups depending on the ovarian response to COS: poor response (PR), <4 oocytes retrieved (n=25); normal response (NR), ≥8 and ≤12 oocytes retrieved (n=21); and high response (HR), >25 oocytes retrieved (n=20). miR-181d-5p serum levels were compared among experimental groups. miR-181d-5p levels were increased in the HR group when compared to the PR (p=0.0001) and NR groups (p=0.0079). miR-181d-5p levels correlated with the number of aspirated follicles (p<0.0001), retrieved oocytes (p<0.0001), and mature oocytes (p=0.0002). Increased miR-181d-5p levels independently predict a high response (p=0.006), with Positive and Negative Predictive Values of 66.7% and 69.4%, respectively. miR-181d-5p was also detected in the ovarian tissue in a mouse model. Moreover, computational analysis of miR-181d-5p predicted targets and promoter region suggested that this miRNA might be involved in the regulation of key signaling pathways and biological processes for female reproductive biology. In conclusion, miR-181d-5p is a promising circulating predictor of high stimulation and potential mediator of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis, providing opportunities for the individualization of COS protocols.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa and causes toxoplasmosis infections, a disease that affects a quarter of the world's population and has no effective cure. Epigenetic regulation is one of the mechanisms controlling gene expression and plays an essential role in all organisms. Lysine deacetylases (KDACs) act as epigenetic regulators affecting gene silencing in many eukaryotes. Here, we focus on TgKDAC4, an enzyme unique to apicomplexan parasites, and a class IV KDAC, the least-studied class of deacetylases so far. This enzyme shares only a portion of the specific KDAC domain with other organisms. Phylogenetic analysis from the TgKDAC4 domain shows a putative prokaryotic origin. Surprisingly, TgKDAC4 is located in the apicoplast, making it the only KDAC found in this organelle to date. Transmission electron microscopy assays confirmed the presence of TgKDAC4 in the periphery of the apicoplast. We identified possible targets or/and partners of TgKDAC4 by immunoprecipitation assays followed by mass spectrometry analysis, including TgCPN60 and TgGAPDH2, both located at the apicoplast and containing acetylation sites. Understanding how the protein works could provide new insights into the metabolism of the apicoplast, an essential organelle for parasite survival.

Cafestol and kahweol are expressive furane-diterpenoids from the lipid fraction of coffee beans with relevant pharmacological properties for human health. Due to their thermolability, they suffer degradation during roasting, whose products are poorly studied regarding their identity and content in the roasted coffee beans and beverages. This article describes the extraction of these diterpenes, from the raw bean to coffee beverages, identifying them and understanding the kinetics of formation and degradation in roasting (light, medium and dark roasts) as the extraction rate for different beverages of coffee (filtered, Moka, French press, Turkish and boiled). Sixteen compounds were identified as degradation products, ten derived from kahweol and six from cafestol, produced by oxidation and inter and intramolecular elimination reactions, with the roasting degree (relationship between time and temperature) being the main factor for thermodegradation and the way of preparing the beverage responsible for the content of these substances in them.

Objective: To investigate whether the classification of a patient's caries activity based on lesion activity assessment can predict the increment and progression of coronal and root caries lesions among adults., Methods: This population-based prospective cohort study followed 413 individuals (mean age 54.1) from southern Brazil for 4 years. Data collection included a questionnaire and clinical examination to record coronal/root caries and gingival recession. The main outcomes were caries increment measured as decayed, missing and filled tooth surfaces (DMFS) and caries progression (surface-level analysis). The main predictor variable was patients' caries activity at baseline ("caries-inactive" or "caries-active"). Negative binomial regression models (unadjusted and adjusted) were used., Results: Caries-active individuals were more likely to present DMFS increment than caries-inactive ones when migrations among DMFS components were considered (IRR [incidence risk ratio] = 1.26, 95%CI [confidence interval] = 1.01-1.58). On the other hand, no such association was found when these migrations were disregarded. The risk for coronal caries progression on filled surfaces was 90% higher among caries-active patients (IRR=1.9; 95%CI=1.4-2.6). In addition, patient's caries activity was able to predict higher risk for root caries progression in newly exposed root surfaces (IRR=1.9; 95%CI=1.0-3.6)., Conclusion: The classification of a patient's caries activity based on lesion activity was able to foresee lesion progression on the coronal and root surfaces more susceptible to caries among adults. Clinical relevance Classifying a patient's caries activity is a useful tool for the clinical management of dental caries in adults., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In this work, a hydrothermal method was proposed to fabricate a nanomaterial composed of titanium dioxide and graphene oxide (10 wt%) (TiO 2 -GO). The GO was synthesized according to the modified Hummers and Offeman method, followed by exfoliation. Several characterization analyses were performed in order to investigate the structure, functional groups, and elemental composition of the nanomaterial. XRD analysis showed that the presence of GO does not change the crystalline structure of TiO 2 . FTIR evidenced the characteristic peaks present in both precursor materials (TiO 2 and GO) and EDX confirmed the presence of GO on the TiO 2 -GO material. The nanomaterial was used as a photocatalyst in the TWW treatment, where the color and COD removal and the decrease of the characteristic peaks presented in the UV-Vis spectrum were investigated. The dosages of TiO 2 -GO and pH were studied to find the optimum operating condition. The results revealed that 0.5 g of photocatalyst with an initial pH of 3 achieve the best results under UV-A radiation. The kinetic test shows a COD removal of 87% after 90 min. The reuse test shows a decrease in COD removal after four cycles attributed to the deposition of some oxidized compounds on the catalyst surface. Finally, the efficiency of the photocatalyst was evaluated under solar radiation and it was shown that despite the good results, the performance of the TiO 2 -GO was better under UV-A radiation., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To assess the association between acute disease severity and 1-year quality of life in patients discharged after hospitalisation due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)., Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study nested in 5 randomised clinical trials between March 2020 and March 2022 at 84 sites in Brazil. Adult post-hospitalisation COVID-19 patients were followed for 1 year. The primary outcome was the utility score of EuroQol five-dimension three-level (EQ-5D-3L). Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, major cardiovascular events, and new disabilities in instrumental activities of daily living. Adjusted generalised estimating equations were used to assess the association between outcomes and acute disease severity according to the highest level on a modified ordinal scale during hospital stay (2: no oxygen therapy; 3: oxygen by mask or nasal prongs; 4: high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy or non-invasive ventilation; 5: mechanical ventilation)., Results: 1508 COVID-19 survivors were enrolled. Primary outcome data were available for 1156 participants. At 1 year, compared with severity score 2, severity score 5 was associated with lower EQ-5D-3L utility scores (0.7 vs 0.84; adjusted difference, - 0.1 [95% CI - 0.15 to - 0.06]); and worse results for all-cause mortality (7.9% vs 1.2%; adjusted difference, 7.1% [95% CI 2.5%-11.8%]), major cardiovascular events (5.6% vs 2.3%; adjusted difference, 2.6% [95% CI 0.6%-4.6%]), and new disabilities (40.4% vs 23.5%; adjusted difference, 15.5% [95% CI 8.5%-22.5]). Severity scores 3 and 4 did not differ consistently from score 2., Conclusions: COVID-19 patients who needed mechanical ventilation during hospitalisation have lower 1-year quality of life than COVID-19 patients who did not need mechanical ventilation during hospitalisation., (© 2022. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This cross-sectional study aimed to verify the influence of parental behavior on the development of dental caries in children by assessing parents' behavior during their children's meals and their parental level of oral health literacy. This study was conducted with children aged 2 to 4 in Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil. Six hundred and thirty children were examined to assess the prevalence of dental caries (dmft index). Parents answered a questionnaire related to socio-demographic conditions, oral health literacy (OHL), and the parents' behavior during the meal - Parent Mealtime Action Scale - (PMAS). The analysis fitted zero-inflated negative binomial regression (ZINB) models to assess unadjusted and adjusted associations between the study outcome and covariates. In the unadjusted analysis, the child's age, the number of siblings, household crowding, family income, socioeconomic status and OHL were associated with the outcome (p <0.05). In the adjusted model, dental caries was more prevalent among 3- (PR: 1.85, 95%CI: 1.19-2.87) and 4-year-old children (PR: 2.43, 95%CI: 1.60-3.71), those with at least one sibling (PR: 1.66, 95%CI:1.18-2.33). Poor children were more likely to have dental caries (PR: 0.66, 95%CI: 0.48-0.91); the Use of Rewards dimension of the PMAS was associated positively with dental caries severity (RR: 0.90, 95%CI: 0.84-0.97). Although OHL was not associated with caries, parents' mealtime behaviors were related to dental caries. This suggested that communication between parents and children related to good eating practices could play a protective role against dental caries in children.

In addition to directly inducing physical and chemical defenses, herbivory experienced by plants in one generation can influence the expression of defensive traits in offspring. Plant defense phenotypes can be compromised by inbreeding, and there is some evidence that such adverse effects can extend to the transgenerational expression of induced resistance. We explored how the inbreeding status of maternal Solanum carolinense plants influenced the transgenerational effects of herbivory on the defensive traits and herbivore resistance of offspring. Manduca sexta caterpillars were used to damage inbred and outbred S. carolinense maternal plants and cross pollinations were performed to produced seeds from herbivore-damaged and undamaged, inbred and outbred maternal plants. Seeds were grown in the greenhouse to assess offspring defense-related traits (i.e., leaf trichomes, internode spines, volatile organic compounds) and resistance to herbivores. We found that feeding by M. sexta caterpillars on maternal plants had a positive influence on trichome and spine production in offspring and that caterpillar development on offspring of herbivore-damaged maternal plants was delayed relative to that on offspring of undamaged plants. Offspring of inbred maternal plants had reduced spine production, compared to those of outbred maternal plants, and caterpillars performed better on the offspring of inbred plants. Both herbivory and inbreeding in the maternal generation altered volatile emissions of offspring. In general, maternal plant inbreeding dampened transgenerational effects of herbivory on offspring defensive traits and herbivore resistance. Taken together, this study demonstrates that inducible defenses in S. carolinense can persist across generations and that inbreeding compromises transgenerational resistance in S. carolinense., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Pepper is one of the most consumed spices in the world. Its main compound is capsaicin, a widely studied biomarker that has pharmacological activities due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic capacity. Topical formulations such as patches based on capsaicin have been developed as an option in relieving pain and reducing swelling. In addition, capsaicin is used as an active ingredient in non-lethal weapon formulations such as pepper spray through the QuEChERS concept ( Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Robust, Safe ) technique. Used for food analysis, it allows the direct analysis of the biomarker by TLC-ESI-MS, which are previously separated by HPTLC ( High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography ) using an internal standard for determination of Rf and confirmation of capsaicin in different matrices.[Formula: see text].

The geographical distribution of aquatic crustaceans is determined by ambient factors like salinity that modulate their biochemistry, physiology, behavior, reproduction, development and growth. We investigated the effects of exogenous pig FXYD2 peptide and endogenous protein kinases A and C on gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase activity, and characterized enzyme kinetic properties in a freshwater population of Macrobrachium amazonicum in fresh water (<0.5 ‰ salinity) or acclimated to 21 ‰S. Stimulation by FXYD2 peptide and inhibition by endogenous kinase phosphorylation are salinity-dependent. While without effect in shrimps in fresh water, the FXYD2 peptide stimulated activity in salinity-acclimated shrimps by ≈50 %. PKA-mediated phosphorylation inhibited gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase activity by 85 % in acclimated shrimps while PKC phosphorylation markedly inhibited enzyme activity in freshwater- and salinity-acclimated shrimps. The (Na + , K + )-ATPase in salinity-acclimated shrimp gills hydrolyzed ATP at a V max of 54.9 ± 1.8 nmol min -1  mg -1 protein, corresponding to ≈60 % that of freshwater shrimps. Mg 2+ affinity increased with salinity acclimation while K + affinity decreased. (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ )-ATPase activity increased while V(H + )- and Na + - or K + -stimulated activities decreased on salinity acclimation. The 120-kDa immunoreactive band expressed in salinity-acclimated shrimps suggests nonspecific α-subunit phosphorylation by PKA and/or PKC. These alterations in (Na + , K + )-ATPase kinetics in salinity-acclimated M. amazonicum may result from regulatory mechanisms mediated by phosphorylation via protein kinases A and C and the FXYD2 peptide rather than through the expression of a different α-subunit isoform. This is the first demonstration of gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase regulation by protein kinases in freshwater shrimps during salinity challenge., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The division of labour hypothesis between stamens has explained the evolution of divergent functions between dimorphic stamens in the same flower. However, little is known about whether the distinct type of stamens differs in attractiveness to pollinators. Therefore, we investigate whether the two types of stamens commonly found in Swartzia have different visual and olfactory attractants. We performed observations of anthesis dynamics, registration and collection of floral visitors, measurements of reflectance of floral parts and chemical analysis of the volatile organic compounds of the floral parts of two species, S. flaemingii and S. simplex . Both species have two distinct sets of stamens: one with smaller and abundant stamens in the centre of the flower and the other with fewer but larger abaxial stamens. The sets differ in UV reflectance (only S. simplex ) and exhibit a distinct chromatic contrast. Concerning olfactory attractiveness, aliphatic compounds make up most of the odour of the two species, both whole flowers and most of their floral organs. On the other hand, only S. simplex presented apocarotenoids (as ionones) and benzenoids. Furthermore, there are differences in the proportion of volatiles emitted by the stamen in both cases, as the high proportion of sesquiterpenes among the smaller stamens compared to the larger ones. In conclusion, the two types of stamens found in S. flaemingii and S. simplex show a distinct attractiveness. In addition, our data have demonstrated diverse ways of differential attractiveness both between distinct stamens set per flower and between the two species from the same pollen flowers genus., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.)

Background: Oral health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate oral health decisions. However, scientific evidence about the oral health literacy of caregivers and the children's oral health-related quality of life. The purpose of this study was to verify the relationship between the level of oral health literacy of caregivers and the children's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL)., Methods: This study was conducted with children aged 2 to 4 in Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil. Six hundred thirty children were examined to assess the prevalence of dental caries (dmft index). Parents were interviewed to obtain sociodemographic status, oral conditions, and oral health literacy (OHL). The variable outcome was the children's OHRQOL as assessed by the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). We fitted zero-inflated negative binomial regression (ZINB) models to evaluate associations between the study outcome and covariates in terms of PR (Prevalence Ratios), RR (Rate Ratios), and their respective Confidence Intervals (95% CI)., Results: Children's OHRQOL was not associated with OHL. Dental caries had a negative impact on the children's quality of life (p < 0.05). A reduced impact on OHRQOL is also associated with having siblings (PR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.52-0.95). A higher age of the mother reduced OHRQOL impacts (PR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.52-0.98)., Conclusions: The factors associated with children's OHRQOL were the number of siblings, the mothers' age, and dental caries. This study observed no association between parental OHL and children's OHRQOL., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Aim: Inflammatory bowel diseases present progressive and potentially debilitating characteristics with an impact on health-related quality of life (QoL) throughout the course of the disease, and this parameter may even be used as a method of evaluating response to treatment. The aim of this study was to analyze epidemiological data, medications in use, previous surgeries, and hospitalizations in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, and to determine the impairment in QoL of these patients., Methods: This is a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study in patients with inflammatory bowel disease followed up in a tertiary hospital in São Paulo-SP, Brazil. General and disease-related, evolution, and quality-of-life data were analyzed using a validated quality-of-life questionnaire, namely, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ)., Results: Fifty-six individuals were evaluated, with an equal number of patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. A higher prevalence of previous surgeries (p=0.001) and hospitalizations (p=0.003) for clinical-surgical complications was observed in patients with Crohn's disease. In addition, the impairment of QoL also occurred more significantly in these patients (p=0.022), and there was a greater impact on females in both forms of inflammatory bowel disease (p=0.005)., Conclusions: Patients with Crohn's disease are more commonly submitted to surgeries and hospitalizations. Patients affected by both forms of inflammatory bowel disease present impairments in QoL, which are mainly related to intestinal symptoms, and females are more affected than men.

Cutaneous melanoma emerges from the malignant transformation of melanocytes and is the most aggressive type of skin cancer. The progression can occur in different stages: radial growth phase (RGP), vertical growth phase (VGP), and metastasis. Reactive oxygen species contribute to all phases of melanomagenesis through the modulation of oncogenic signaling pathways. Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an important cofactor for NOS coupling, and an uncoupled enzyme is a source of superoxide anion (O 2 •- ) rather than nitric oxide (NO), altering the redox homeostasis and contributing to melanoma progression. In the present work, we showed that the BH4 amount varies between different cell lines corresponding to distinct stages of melanoma progression; however, they all presented higher O 2 •- levels and lower NO levels compared to melanocytes. Our results showed increased NOS expression in melanoma cells, contributing to NOS uncoupling. BH4 supplementation of RGP cells, and the DAHP treatment of metastatic melanoma cells reduced cell growth. Finally, Western blot analysis indicated that both treatments act on the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways of these melanoma cells in different ways. Disruption of cellular redox homeostasis by the altered BH4 concentration can be explored as a therapeutic strategy according to the stage of melanoma.

Objective: To develop a nomogram of the thickness of the umbilical cord (UC) and its components in monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies., Methods: This prospective longitudinal study involved 47 MCDA twin pregnancies (94 fetuses) between 18 and 33 weeks of gestation. Ultrasound assessments of UC cross-sections and measurements of the umbilical cord area (UCA), the umbilical vein area (UVA), the umbilical artery area (UAA), and the Wharton jelly area (WJA) were made. The UC measurements were correlated with gestational ages. Reference values for the gestational ages of MCDA pregnancies were determined and compared with those of dichorionic twins and singletons. The cases which developed selective intrauterine growth restriction were contrasted with normal cases., Results: A positive correlation was found between all UC components and gestational age and fetal weight. The UCA of MCDA fetuses was significantly larger than that of DC fetuses (p < 0.001) at the expense of a larger WJA (p < 0.001) and similar to that of singleton pregnancies. The MCDA fetuses with an estimated fetal weight below the 10th percentile had a smaller UCA than fetuses with a normal estimated weight (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The MCDA twins exhibited a thicker UC than that of dichorionic twins., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Water quality is essential for successful aquaculture. For freshwater shrimp farming, ammonia concentrations can increase considerably, even when culture water is renewed frequently, consequently increasing the risk of ammonia intoxication. We investigated ammonia lethality (LC 50 -96 h) in a hololimnetic population of the Amazon River shrimp Macrobrachium amazonicum from the Paraná/Paraguay River basin, including the effects of exposure to 4.93 mg L -1 total ammonia concentration on gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase activity. The mean LC 50 -96 h was 49.27 mg L -1 total ammonia, corresponding to 1.8 mg L -1 un-ionized ammonia. Except for NH 4 + affinity that increased 2.5-fold, that of the gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase for ATP, Mg 2+ , Na + , K + and ouabain was unchanged after ammonia exposure. Western blotting of gill microsomal preparations from fresh caught shrimps showed a single immunoreactive band of ≈110 kDa, corresponding to the gill (Na + , K + )-ATPase α-subunit. Ammonia exposure increased (Na + , K + )-ATPase activity by ≈25%, coincident with an additional 130 kDa α-subunit immunoreactive band, and increased K + -stimulated and V(H + )-ATPase activities by ≈2.5-fold. Macrobrachium amazonicum from the Paraná/Paraguay River basin is as tolerant to ammonia as are other Amazon River basins populations, showing toxicity comparable to that of marine crustaceans., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

[Formula: see text]-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) is a neurotoxic non-protein amino acid found in the tissues of cycad plants. The demonstrated toxicity of BMAA to diverse organisms, including humans, is widely assumed to imply a defensive function of BMAA against herbivores; however, this hypothesis has not previously been tested in an ecologically relevant system. We investigated the effects of dietary BMAA, across a range of dosages matching and exceeding levels typically present in cycad leaves, on the feeding preferences and performance of a generalist lepidopteran herbivore (Spodoptera littoralis).We observed no effects of dietary BMAA on the survival or development of S. littoralis larvae, nor any larval preference between BMAA-laced and control diets. These findings suggest that BMAA in cycad tissues does not deter feeding by insect herbivores, raising questions about other potential physiological or ecological functions of this compound., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: To present a protocol to criticize data on fluoride monitoring in water with R software programming features, illustrating its application to describe data coverage, and fluoridation quality in 2015., Methods: The study used big data from the Sistema de Informação de Vigilância da Qualidade da Água para Consumo Humano (Information System for Surveillance of Water Quality for Human Consumption) that included all the Brazilian municipalities. Data criticism procedures were performed with the aid of R software. Filters were applied to remove municipalities with less than four months of records (1), and records with null values (2) and outliers (3). Municipalities were classified regarding the presence of valid information and fluoridation quality according to macro-region, federation units, and population size, presenting the roadmap at each step., Results: Approximately 134,000 records were reviewed. Of the Brazilian municipalities, 39% had data on the fluoride parameter, and only 33.3% had four months or more of information frequency. After applying filters, 1,810 (32.5%) municipalities had valid information for the fluoride parameter, with substantial variation between the South (83.6%) and North (0.7%) macro-regions. Of these, 726 (40.1%) showed very good fluoridation quality, determined by 80% or more records within the optimal concentration interval for prevention of dental caries, with higher value (54.3%) in municipalities with 50,000 inhabitants or more, and lower (34.2%) in those with less than 10,000 inhabitants., Conclusions: Important differences persist within and between the Brazilian macro-regions regarding both the availability of information on the parameter, and the quality of water fluoridation in public supply systems in Brazil. The protocol for data review and processing with R software programming resources proved to be very useful for the production of information for decision-making based on a standardized method.

Plant-associated microbes can influence above- and belowground interactions between plants and other organisms and thus have significant potential for use in the management of agricultural ecosystems. However, fully realizing this potential will require improved understanding of the specific ways in which microbes influence plant ecology, which are both more complex and less well studied than the direct effects of microbes on host-plant physiology. Microbial effects on mutualistic and antagonistic interactions between plants and insects are of particular interest in this regard. This study examines the effects of two strains of Pseudomonas rhizobacteria on the direct and indirect (predator-mediated) resistance of tomato plants to a generalist herbivore ( Spodoptera littoralis ) and associated changes in levels of defense compounds. We observed no significant effects of rhizobacteria inoculation on caterpillar weight, suggesting that rhizobacteria did not influence direct resistance. However, the generalist predator Podisus maculiventris avoided plants inoculated with one of our rhizobacteria strains, Pseudomonas simiae . Consistent with these results, we found that inoculation with P. simiae influenced plant volatile emissions, but not levels of defense-related compounds. These findings show that rhizobacteria can negatively affect the attraction of generalist predators, while highlighting the complexity and context dependence of microbial effects on plant-insect interactions.

Objetivo: Avaliar os padrões tomográficos relacionados aos agentes etiológicos da pneumonia em pacientes durante o primeiro ano após transplante renal., Materiais E Métodos: Foram analisados dados de prontuários de 956 pacientes submetidos a transplante renal, no período de 2013 a 2018, em um centro transplantador renal do nordeste do Brasil. Nos pacientes que desenvolveram pneumonia, os agentes etiológicos foram classificados em bactérias piogênicas, micobactérias, fungos, vírus e pneumonia polimicrobiana, enquanto os padrões tomográficos foram classificados em consolidação, broncopneumonia, pneumonia intersticial e nódulos e massas. Para verificar associação estatística entre micro-organismos e padrões tomográficos, foi utilizado o teste exato de Fisher, com p < 0,001., Resultados: Foram encontrados 101 casos de pneumonia, dos quais 60 (59,4%) tiveram agente etiológico identificado, sendo as bactérias piogênicas as mais frequentes, detectadas em 22 (36,7%) dos casos. Entre os pacientes com agente causal identificado, o padrão tomográfico predominante foi o de nódulos e massas, identificado em 25 (41,7%) casos. Foi observada associação entre bactérias piogênicas e o padrão de consolidação, fungos com nódulos e massas, bem como entre agentes virais e padrão intersticial., Conclusão: Foi demonstrada associação estatística entre micro-organismos causadores de pneumonia e padrões tomográficos, informação que pode contribuir para o planejamento da terapia de pacientes transplantados renais.

Serial dependence is the effect in which the immediately preceding trial influences participants' responses to the current stimulus. But for how long does this bias last in the absence of interference from other stimuli? Here, we had 20 healthy young adult participants (12 women) perform a coincident timing task using different inter-trial intervals to characterize the serial dependence effect as the time between trials increases. Our results show that serial dependence abruptly decreases from 0.1 s to 1 s inter-trial interval, but it remains pronounced after that for up to 8 s. In addition, participants' response variability slightly decreases over longer intervals. We discuss these results in light of recent models suggesting that serial dependence might rely on a short-term memory trace kept through changes in synaptic weights, which might explain its long duration and apparent stability over time., (© 2021. The Psychonomic Society, Inc.)

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages worldwide. Cafestol is an endogenous coffee diterpene present in raw coffee beans and also found in hot beverages, with several biological activities. However, there is still little information on this molecule after ingestion of coffee infusion. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a promising in vivo model for metabolic studies due to the annotation of mammalian orthologs to encode enzymes related to drug metabolism. Experiments using Zebrafish Water Tank (ZWT) model produce more significant number of metabolites for molecular investigation in a cleaner matrix than other classical models, such as purified hepatocytes. This work aimed to investigate the biotransformation of cafestol by the ZWT model using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry equipped with electrospray ionization (UPLC-HRMS) supported by in silico approach using SMARTCyp, Way2Drug and XenoSite Softwares. Twenty-five metabolites of cafestol were proposed by in silico analysis, in which 5 phase I metabolites were confirmed in the ZWT by UPLC and MS/HRMS investigation: 6-hydroxy-cafestol, 6,12-dihydroxy-cafestol, 2-oxo-cafestol, 6-oxo-cafestol and one isomer whose position in the carboxyl group was not determined. These metabolites were observed during 9 h of the experiment, whose contents were associated with the behavioral responses of the fish., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Astrocytes play an important role in the central nervous system function and may contribute to brain plasticity response during static magnetic fields (SMF) brain therapy. However, most studies evaluate SMF stimulation in brain plasticity while few studies evaluate the consequences of SMF at the cellular level. Thus, we here evaluate the effects of SMF at 305 mT (medium-intensity) in a primary culture of healthy/normal cortical astrocytes obtained from neonatal (1 to 2-day-old) Wistar rats. After reaching confluence, cells were daily subjected to SMF stimulation for 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, and 40 min during 7 consecutive days. Oxidative stress parameters, cell cycle, cell viability, and mitochondrial function were analyzed. The antioxidant capacity was reduced in groups stimulated for 5 and 40 min. Although no difference was observed in the enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase or the total thiol content, lipid peroxidation was increased in all stimulated groups. The cell cycle was changed after 40 min of SMF stimulation while 15, 30, and 40 min led cells to death by necrosis. Mitochondrial function was reduced after SMF stimulation, although imaging analysis did not reveal substantial changes in the mitochondrial network. Results mainly revealed that SMF compromised healthy astrocytes' oxidative status and viability. This finding reveals how important is to understand the SMF stimulation at the cellular level since this therapeutic approach has been largely used against neurological and psychiatric diseases., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Cancer cachexia occurs in up to 85% of advanced cancer patients, affecting different tissues and organs, mainly the liver, which plays a central role in body metabolism control. However, liver responses to cancer cachexia progression are still poorly understood. Considering the possible different challenges provided by the rodent's phase of life and the cachexia progression, we evaluated the liver metabolic alterations affected by Walker-256 tumour growth in weanling and young-adult rats. For this, we applied a metabolomics approach associated with protein and gene expression analyses. Higher amino acid levels and impaired glucose metabolism were important features in tumour-bearing animals' liver tissue. The weanling hosts had more pronounced cachexia, with higher carcass spoliation, liver lipid metabolism and impaired CII and CIV mitochondrial complexes. The liver alterations in young adult tumour-bearing rats were related to energy status and nucleotide metabolites, such as uridine, NAD+, xanthosine, hypoxanthine and inosine. In conclusion, the Walker-256 tumour-induced cachexia impaired liver metabolism, being more severe in the weanling hosts. Further studies are needed to correlate these changes in the preclinical model, which can be correlated to the clinical features of cancer cachexia, allowing for a translational potential involving the liver function and its responses to potential treatments.

Skeletal muscle atrophy occurs in several pathological conditions, such as cancer, especially during cancer-induced cachexia. This condition is associated with increased morbidity and poor treatment response, decreased quality of life, and increased mortality in cancer patients. A leucine-rich diet could be used as a coadjutant therapy to prevent muscle atrophy in patients suffering from cancer cachexia. Besides muscle atrophy, muscle function loss is even more important to patient quality of life. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential beneficial effects of leucine supplementation on whole-body functional/movement properties, as well as some markers of muscle breakdown and inflammatory status. Adult Wistar rats were randomly distributed into four experimental groups. Two groups were fed with a control diet (18% protein): Control (C) and Walker 256 tumour-bearing (W), and two other groups were fed with a leucine-rich diet (18% protein + 3% leucine): Leucine Control (L) and Leucine Walker 256 tumour-bearing (LW). A functional analysis (walking, behaviour, and strength tests) was performed before and after tumour inoculation. Cachexia parameters such as body weight loss, muscle and fat mass, pro-inflammatory cytokine profile, and molecular and morphological aspects of skeletal muscle were also determined. As expected, Walker 256 tumour growth led to muscle function decline, cachexia manifestation symptoms, muscle fibre cross-section area reduction, and classical muscle protein degradation pathway activation, with upregulation of FoxO1, MuRF-1, and 20S proteins. On the other hand, despite having no effect on the walking test, inflammation status or muscle oxidative capacity, the leucine-rich diet improved muscle strength and behaviour performance, maintained body weight, fat and muscle mass and decreased some protein degradation markers in Walker 256 tumour-bearing rats. Indeed, a leucine-rich diet alone could not completely revert cachexia but could potentially diminish muscle protein degradation, leading to better muscle functional performance in cancer cachexia.

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) have important communicative functions for ants, which use CHC profiles to recognize mutualistic aphid partners. Aphid endosymbionts can influence the quality of their hosts as ant mutualists, via effects on honeydew composition, and might also affect CHC profiles, suggesting that ants could potentially use CHC cues to discriminate among aphid lines harbouring different endosymbionts. We explored how several strains of Hamiltonella defensa and Regiella insecticola influence the CHC profiles of host aphids (Aphis fabae) and the ability of aphid-tending ants (Lasius niger) to distinguish the profiles of aphids hosting different endosymbionts. We found significant compositional differences between the CHCs of aphids with different infections. Some endosymbionts changed the proportions of odd-chain linear alkanes, while others changed primarily methyl-branched compounds, which may be particularly important for communication. Behavioural assays, in which we trained ants to associate CHC profiles of endosymbiont infected or uninfected aphids with food rewards, revealed that ants readily learned to distinguish differences in aphid CHC profiles associated with variation in endosymbiont strains. While previous work has documented endosymbiont effects on aphid interactions with antagonists, the current findings support the hypothesis that endosymbionts also alter traits that influence communicative interactions with ant mutualists., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Two Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) species, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED), are major pests that are dispersed throughout the world. While MEAM1 was introduced in Brazil in the 1990s, MED was reported recently with limited spread. Here, a survey was performed to examine whether MED whiteflies are widely present in the Federal District region, in central Brazil. Whiteflies were collected in various locations in the Federal District and surroundings between 2018 and 2020, including garden centers and small- and large-scale farms. The species were identified using RFLPand sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I subunit gene region. Out of 108 whitefly batches, 63.89% were composed exclusively by MEAM1, followed by 16.67% presenting only MED, and another 7.40% containing unidentified whitefly species (NI). Plant varieties serving as hosts for more than one whitefly species were observed in 12.04% of the samples, either by MEAM1/MED, MEAM1/NI, or MED/NI. This study highlights the still limited presence of MED in the Federal District and surroundings, predominantly in garden centers and in the green belt of Brasília, closer to urban areas. In contrast, only MEAM1 was identified in large-scale cultivated areas., (© 2021. Sociedade Entomológica do Brasil.)

Most flowering plants must defend themselves against herbivores for survival and attract pollinators for reproduction. Although traits involved in plant defence and pollinator attraction are often localised in leaves and flowers, respectively, they will show a diffuse evolution if they share the same molecular machinery and regulatory networks. We performed RNA-sequencing to characterise and compare transcriptomic changes involved in herbivory-induced defences and flower development, in tomato leaves and flowers, respectively. We found that both the herbivory-induced responses and flower development involved alterations in jasmonic acid signalling, suppression of primary metabolism and reprogramming of secondary metabolism. We identified 411 genes that were involved in both processes, a number significantly higher than expected by chance. Genetic manipulation of key regulators of induced defences also led to the expression changes in the same genes in both leaves and flowers. Targeted metabolomic analysis showed that among closely related tomato species, jasmonic acid and α-tomatine are correlated in flower buds and herbivory-induced leaves. These findings suggest that herbivory-induced responses and flower development share a common molecular machinery and likely have coevolved in nature., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Ke, Wang, Schäfer, Städler, Zeng, Fabian, Pulido, De Moraes, Song and Xu.)

Purpose: To analyze the presence of microorganisms in fluorescein eyedrops used in a reference eye center in Recife-PE., Methods: This real-life and masked study evaluated fluorescein eyedrops used at the Altino Ventura Foundation in May 2019. Cultures were performed according to exposure times; I) three eyedrop bottles were analyzed after one day of use, II) three eyedrop bottles after 4 d of use, III) three eyedrop bottles after 8 d of use, and IV) three unopened bottles used as control. Samples were collected from the bottle's tip, instilled drop, and residual fluid. After incubation, all colonies were analyzed and identified through biochemical tests., Results: The contamination rate of the fluorescein eyedrop bottles in this study was 55.5% (5/9 vials). There was no contamination in the control group. The highest contamination was seen in one day exposed eyedrops, in 100% of the bottles. The bottle's tip had a higher rate of contamination compared to the drop and residual fluid. Gram-positive bacteria were isolated in 7/27 (25.9%) samples. Growth of fungi or gram-negative bacteria was not observed., Conclusion: The identification of gram-positive bacteria predominantly on the tip of the fluorescein eyedrop bottles suggests inadequate handling as the main cause of contamination.