Molecular dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic in Espirito Santo (Brazil) and border States.

This study represents the first overview of the epidemiological dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in Espirito Santo (ES) State, Brazil, filling in knowledge on this topic, observing data collected in the State, and aiming at understanding the epidemiological dynamics of the virus in ES, as well as its possible routes of transmission and dissemination. . Our results highlight that, so far, nine lineages have been identified with ES State.

Using high-resolution melting to identify Calliphoridae (blowflies) species from Brazil.

Forensic entomology is the study of insects and other arthropods used in the solution of crimes. Most of entomological evidences strongly depend on accurate species identification. Therefore, new methods are being developed due to difficulties in morphological identification, including molecular methods such as High-Resolution Melting.

Dose-dependent effect of triiodothyronine on the chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells from the bone marrow of female rats.

Objectives: Verify the in-vitro effect of triiodothyronine (T3) on the chondrogenic differentiation of female rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) over several time periods and at several doses.

Methods: CD54 + /CD73 + /CD90 +  BMMSCs from Wistar female rats were cultured in chondrogenic medium with or without T3 (0.01; 1; 100; 1000 nm).

Applying GIS to develop a model for forest fire risk: A case study in Espírito Santo, Brazil.

A forest fire risk map is a basic element for planning and protecting forested areas. The main goal of this study was to develop a statistical model for preparing a forest fire risk map using GIS. Such model is based on assigning weights to nine variables divided into two classes: physical factors of the site (terrain slope, land-use/occupation, proximity to roads, terrain orientation, and altitude) and climatic factors (precipitation, temperature, water deficit, and evapotranspiration).

Using DNA Barcodes to Identify Road-Killed Animals in Two Atlantic Forest Nature Reserves, Brazil.

Road mortality is the leading source of biodiversity loss in the world, especially due to fragmentation of natural habitats and loss of wildlife. The survey of the main species victims of roadkill is of fundamental importance for the better understanding of the problem, being necessary, for this, the correct species identification. The aim of this study was to verify if DNA barcodes can be applied to identify road-killed samples that often cannot be determined morphologically.

Designing primers for SNaPshot technique.

The SNaPshot technique, also known as minisequencing, is a primer extension-based method developed for the analysis of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). Using this technique, it is possible to analyze more than 50 SNPs distributed throughout the genome in a single multiplex reaction, making it an advantage when compared with traditional sequencing reaction. In this chapter, you will find a step-by-step guide to design a multiplex primer assay for SNaPshot reaction.

Mitochondrial DNA control region diversity in a population from Espirito Santo state, Brazil.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis has proved to be useful for forensic identification, especially in cases which nuclear DNA markers fail, as in degraded samples or in cases where the biological material has few traces or no nuclear DNA. Moreover, it can be applied in population genetics, inferring the origin of a population. In this work, the entire mtDNA control region of 97 individuals from the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, was analyzed.

Development and validation of a D-loop mtDNA SNP assay for the screening of specimens in forensic casework.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis is usually a last resort in routine forensic DNA casework. However, it has become a powerful tool for the analysis of highly degraded samples or samples containing too little or no nuclear DNA, such as old bones and hair shafts. The gold standard methodology still constitutes the direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products or cloned amplicons from the HVS-1 and HVS-2 (hypervariable segment) control region segments.

Recent patents on high-throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping methods.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are single-base inheritable variations in a given and defined genetic location that occur in at least 1% of the population. SNPs are useful markers for genetic association studies in disease susceptibility or adverse drug reactions, in evolutionary studies and forensic science. Given the potential impact of SNPs, the biotechnology industry has focused on the development of high-throughput methods for SNP genotyping.

Genetic data of 15 autosomal STR loci: an analysis of the Araraquara population colonization (São Paulo, Brazil).

The genetic markers most commonly utilized to determine identity and in paternity testing are autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs); to interpret the DNA analysis, the results of a case have to be compared with a pertinent reference population. Thus, the aim of this work was to characterize the genetic profile of the population of Araraquara (São Paulo, Brazil) by analyzing 15 STR loci included in the PowerPlex(®) 16 System and to correlate these data with the migration history of the population. No deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were observed for any of the loci, after Bonferroni's correction.

A single multiplex PCR and SNaPshot minisequencing reaction of 42 SNPs to classify admixture populations into mitochondrial DNA haplogroups.

SNaPshot minisequencing reaction is in increasing use because of its fast detection of many polymorphisms in a single assay. In this work we described a highly sensitive single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) typing method with detection of 42 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) SNPs in a single PCR and SNaPshot multiplex reaction, in order to allow haplogroup classification in Latin American admixture population. We validated the panel typing 160 Brazilian individuals.

No relationship found between point heteroplasmy in mitochondrial DNA control region and age range, sex and haplogroup in human hairs.

The analysis of heteroplasmy (presence of more than one type of mitochondrial DNA in an individual) is used as a tool in human identification studies, anthropology, and most currently in studies that relate heteroplasmy with longevity. The frequency of heteroplasmy and its correlation with age has been analyzed using different tissues such as blood, muscle, heart, bone and brain and in different regions of mitochondrial DNA, but this analysis had never been performed using hair samples. In this study, samples of hair were sequenced in order to ascertain whether the presence or not of heteroplasmy varied according to age, sex and origin of haplogroup individuals.

Genetic profile characterization of 10 X-STRs in four populations of the southeastern region of Brazil.

Ten X-chromosomal short tandem repeats (DXS8378, DXS9902, DXS7132, DXS9898, DXS6809, DXS6789, DXS7133, GATA172D05, GATA31E08 and DXS7423) were analyzed in four populations of the southeastern region of Brazil (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Vitória and Belo Horizonte). No deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were observed for any of the analyzed loci in the four populations. The average diversity per locus varied between 68% for DXS8378, DXS7133, and DXS7423 and 83%, for DXS6809, with Rio de Janeiro being the most diverse population.

Heteroplasmy in hair: study of mitochondrial DNA third hypervariable region in hair and blood samples.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis has proved useful for forensic identification especially in cases where nuclear DNA is not available, such as with hair evidence. Heteroplasmy, the presence of more than one type of mtDNA in one individual, is a common situation often reported in the first and second mtDNA hypervariable regions (HV1/HV2), particularly in hair samples. However, there is no data about heteroplasmy frequency in the third mtDNA hypervariable region (HV3).

Heteroplasmy in hair: differences among hair and blood from the same individuals are still a matter of debate.

The analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a useful tool in forensic cases when sample contents too little or degraded nuclear DNA to genotype by autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci, but it is especially useful when the only forensic evidence is a hair shaft. Several authors have related differences in mtDNA from different tissues within the same individual, with high frequency of heteroplasmic variants in hair, as also in some other tissues. Is still a matter of debate how the differences influence the interpretation forensic protocols.

Oncogene-induced transcriptional patterns in established cell lines as a model for in vitro analysis of tumor biology.

Established cell lines have long been used for in vitro studies of tumor biology, enabling investigators to control growth conditions and to draw important conclusions about the oncogenic microenvironment. However, gene expression behavior in cultured cells may not always reflect the actual in vivo scenario, and analysis derived from such experiments should take into consideration the existing differences between the two environments. We used suppression subtractive hybridization to study transcriptional changes elicited after oncogene transformation and cell line establishment.