Da Silva

Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 2A (CMT2A) is the most common axonal CMT and is associated with an early onset and severe motor neuropathy. CMT2A ...

Pathogenic fungi that cause rust adversely affect plants, including crops, affecting them differentially depending on the cultivar. This is the case of blackberry (Rubus spp.), a member of Rosaceae, introduced in Brazil by Embrapa during the 1980s and 1990s. Given the advantageous nutritional properties of its fruits and the relatively low management costs associated with its cultivation, blackberry production has emerged as a significant alternative agricultural source for family farmers. We studied nonsymptomatic leaves of Rubus spp. and those infected with Kuehneola uredinis to evaluate structural and histochemical alterations induced by the rust fungi and compared the responses among the three blackberry cultivars. Kuehneola urenidis colonizes the mesophyll region through hyphal growth, leading to the formation of a pseudoparenchyma and to cell hypertrophy. As colonization progresses, the epidermis becomes ruptured, leading to the production of urediniospores and teliospores. While the cultivars exhibit similar anatomical characteristics, their profiles diverge in the presence of K. uredinis. The Guarani cultivar exhibits more intense tissue expansion responses in the presence of the fungus, with an increase in total leaf blade thickness (15%) and adaxial epidermis thickness (25.9%). On the other hand, the BRS Xavante cultivar suffers the greatest structural losses, showing a reduction in mesophyll (9%) and a drastic 40% drop in palisade parenchyma thickness. Finally, the BRS Tupy cultivar proved to be more stable, maintaining better tissue preservation. In regions colonized by K. uredinis, the histochemical profile undergoes significant changes, characterized by the accumulation of phenolic compounds, proteins, lipids, and essential oils, compared with those in nonsymptomatic regions, although essential oils were less detected in the more susceptible BRS Xavante. Ultimately, our results confirm varying degrees of susceptibility among the cultivars, providing insights for future research and breeding programs aimed at developing rust-resistant blackberry varieties.

The greater palatine foramen position during growth concerning deciduous dentition is extremely scarce. Knowledge of the anatomical variation of greater palatine foramen in infants and children is important to local anesthesia and to prevent injuries to the vascular-nervous bundle during surgeries. This study was conducted at Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP). Eighteen dry skulls of babies and children between 9 months to 7 years old were selected. The skulls were divided into two groups as follows: group 1: skulls with erupted first primary molars (N = 9) and group 2: skulls with erupted second primary molars (N = 9). To assess the shape and area of the greater palatine foramen, its antero-posterior and latero-lateral diameters (LL) were measured. After that, a formula was applied to determine its area. To assess the position of the foramen, a straight line was drawn and measured from it to the midpalatal suture and laterally to the margin of alveolar crest. In addition, a straight line was drawn between the midpalatal suture and the most convex region of the distal surface of the last molar. The distance between this reference line to the foramen was measured. Data were tabulated, analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test and subsequently T-test was used to compare data between groups. The greater palatine foramen shifted significantly to lateral and posterior. The results show a change in the form and position of the foramen using the deciduous last molar as a reference, which is important for anesthetic techniques and surgical procedures performed in the region.

Purpose Biliary atresia (BA) is the main cause of neonatal cholestasis and the leading indication for pediatric liver transplantation. Early diagnosis is essential for timely intervention and improved outcomes. This study evaluated accessible biomarkers for the diagnosis of BA, including serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and ultrasonographic (US) parameters. Methods This retrospective study included infants with suspected BA treated between 2014 and 2024, at a tertiary pediatric center in Brazil. Serum GGT levels and US parameters were analyzed and the diagnosis was confirmed by surgical findings. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed using a ROC curve and logistic regression. Results Sixty-seven infants were included, of whom 45 (67.2%) had confirmed BA. Median serum GGT levels were higher in BA cases (607 U/L) than in non-BA cases (243 U/L). ROC analysis identified a cutoff value of 311 U/L, with a sensitivity of 82.2% and specificity of 68.2%. US parameters were present in all BA cases, with 100% sensitivity and 86% specificity (p < 0.001). Combining GGT with abnormal US findings increased specificity to 95.5%. Conclusion Ultrasonographic parameters alone, as well as their combination with elevated serum GGT levels, demonstrated high diagnostic value for identification of biliary atresia in infants with neonatal cholestasis.

Background Health literacy is essential for individuals to access, understand, assess, and use health-related information. In riverside communities in the Brazilian Amazon, social vulnerability and difficult access to services make it urgent to understand how these communities deal with health information in their daily lives. Objective To identify the health literacy profiles of riverine communities in the Amazon region of Pará, northern Brazil. Methods This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study with 200 residents of the islands of Cotijuba and Combú in the state of Pará, Brazil, in 2024. A multidimensional questionnaire was used to assess health literacy. Cluster analysis allowed the identification of profiles with similar characteristics. The groups were described based on sociodemographic data, lifestyle, and performance on the nine assessed scales, and were named according to their main characteristics. Results Seventeen distinct profiles were identified. The greatest differences lie in the dimensions related to social support, to the search for reliable information, and to the ability to use healthcare services. Conclusions The heterogeneity in health literacy on the islands points to the need for targeted interventions, especially regarding navigating the system and understanding health information.

We propose an experimental scheme that realizes several Boolean operations nonlocally and simultaneously by exploiting the transverse spatial degrees of freedom (TSDF) of photon pairs generated via spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC). Binary information is encoded as matrices in the TSDF using Digital Micromirror Devices (DMDs) placed in the signal and idler beams. The coincidence counting rate for corresponding matrix elements yields the results of six different Boolean operations. We illustrate a possible implementation, discussing its energy costs and finding its capability to process 25 operations in parallel with only a few hundred photons.

This study evaluates the performance of BeOSL dosimeters for monitoring gamma radiation from radon progeny in indoor environments. Dosimeters were exposed in a controlled radon chamber, and the results were compared with those of a calibrated reference detector. While BeOSL readings initially showed high dispersion and poor linearity, grouping results by exposure time significantly improved correlation with the reference method. This data treatment demonstrates the potential for enhanced measurement protocols to increase BeOSL reliability for environmental dosimetry. Further protocol optimization is necessary to establish BeOSL as a robust tool for assessing radon and progeny in indoor dosimetry applications.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major opportunistic pathogen associated with high morbidity in hospitalized patients due to its intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms. Carbapenem resistance, often mediated by the production of carbapenemase, poses a critical therapeutic challenge worldwide. This study investigated the genomic organization, molecular diversity, and plasmid-mediated dissemination of carbapenemase genes in P. aeruginosa isolates from hospitals in Paraná and Santa Catarina, Brazil, and explored their correlation with phenotypic resistance profiles. Eight isolates (80%) were classified as extensively drug-resistant (XDR), showing broad resistance to β-lactams, carbapenems, and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations. Multi-Locus Sequence Typing revealed a heterogeneous clonal structure, with ST1560 being the predominant type (30%). Multiple β-lactamase genes were identified, including chromosomal blaPDC variants, blaOXA-50, and carbapenemase genes blaSPM-1, blaIMP-16, blaIMP-1, blaVIM-2, blaKPC-2, and blaNDM-1. Notably, 40% of isolates carried plasmid-borne carbapenemase genes, indicating a potential for horizontal gene transfer. Isolate 20,783 exhibited high resistance despite lacking additional carbapenemase genes, suggesting alternative mechanisms such as efflux or porin loss. The predominance of XDR P. aeruginosa,which harbors diverse carbapenemases, including plasmid-mediated determinants, underscores the complexity of antimicrobial resistance in Brazilian hospitals. The coexistence of multiple resistance mechanisms, coupled with clonal heterogeneity, highlights the urgent need for integrated genomic surveillance and targeted infection control strategies to mitigate the spread of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa in clinical settings.

Global marine habitats are increasingly threatened by the intensification of climate extremes, such as marine heatwaves (MHWs) and marine cold spells (MCSs). Brazil harbors diverse and endemic marine communities, yet the historical exposure of its coastal habitats to extreme events remains poorly quantified at local scales. Here we assess 40 years of MHWs and MCSs across eight coastal foundation habitats in Brazil using a validated, high-resolution composite sea surface temperature dataset covering over 100,000 sites. Events were characterized by their frequency, duration, and intensity, and classified into Moderate, Strong, Severe, and Extreme categories. We show a pronounced intensification of MHWs, with event frequency and duration increasing across most habitats and Strong events rising by nearly 190% over the past decade. More than half of habitat areas exhibit positive trends in both MHW frequency and duration, with the strongest increases observed in coral reefs (+ 1.5 events per decade; +3.5 days per decade) and seagrass meadows (+ 2.0 events per decade; +5.1 days per decade). In contrast, MCSs declined overall to roughly one-third of previous levels, yet record-intensity (− 4.5 °C) and exceptionally long-lasting (up to 160 days) cold events continue to punctuate the recent climate record in southern coastal habitats. Together, these results reveal strong spatial heterogeneity in exposure to climate extremes and establish a robust, site-specific baseline for assessing coastal ecosystem vulnerability under ongoing climate change.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute hepatitis worldwide. As the other positive-strand RNA viruses, it is believed to replicate its ge...