Forest edge landscape context affects mosquito community composition and risk of pathogen emergence.

Forest edges, where humans, mosquitoes, and wildlife interact, may serve as a nexus for zoonotic arbovirus exchange. Although often treated as uniform interfaces, the landscape context of edge habitats can greatly impact ecological interactions. Here, we investigated how the landscape context of forest edges shapes mosquito community structure in an Amazon rainforest reserve near the city of Manaus, Brazil, using hand-nets to sample mosquitoes at three distinct forest edge types.

Validation of an automated quality control method to test sterility of two advanced therapy medicinal products: Mesenchymal stromal cells and their extracellular vesicles.

Mesenchymal stromal cells are multipotent cells present in various tissues that are widely studied for relevant therapeutic potential due to their paracrine immunomodulatory and tissue regenerating properties. Many mesenchymal stromal cell-based products are under investigation for the treatment of different clinical conditions. Recently, the therapeutic potential of the extracellular vesicles released by these cells has been under focus, with emphasis on clinical translation.

Healthcare, socioeconomic and obstetric factors associated with the excess of cesarean sections in 880,000 births from the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Objective: A study conducted in Rio de Janeiro aimed to identify the factors contributing to the high rate of cesarean deliveries in the city, which is over three times higher than the World Health Organization recommended. However, the city has a role in strategies and policies to empower primary care and to organize delivery care.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Live Birth Information System from 2012 to 2021.

COVID-19 and HIV: Clinical Outcomes and Inflammatory Markers in a Cohort from a Reference Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Background: Severe COVID-19 presents a variety of clinical manifestations associated with inflammatory profiles. People living with HIV (PLWH) could face a higher risk of hospitalization and mortality from COVID-19, depending on their immunosuppression levels. This study describes inflammatory markers in COVID-19 clinical outcomes with and without HIV infection.

Chikungunya: From Hypothesis to Evidence of Increased Severe Disease and Fatalities.

Chikungunya virus infection often manifests as an acute, self-limiting febrile illness, with arthralgia and musculoskeletal symptoms being the most commonly reported. Arthralgia can persist for months or even years, and approximately 50% of cases progress to chronic conditions. However, recent outbreaks have revealed a rising number of severe cases and fatalities.

Association Between Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in (), , and Genes with Severe Symptoms in Children Presenting COVID-19.

The global number of COVID-19 deaths has reached 7 million, with 4% of these deaths occurring in children and adolescents. In Brazil, around 1500 children up to 11 years old died from the disease. The most common symptoms in children are respiratory, potentially progressing to severe illnesses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and MIS-C.

Analysis of MLKL, RIP1 and RIP3 Immunostaining Markers in Human Liver Tissue from Fatal Yellow Fever Cases: Insights into Necroptosis.

Necroptosis is a regulated form of cell death implicated in several pathological conditions, including viral infections. In this study, we investigated the expression and correlation of necroptosis markers MLKL, RIP1 and RIP3 in human liver tissue from fatal cases of yellow fever (YF) using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The liver samples were obtained from 21 YF-positive individuals and five flavivirus-negative controls with preserved liver parenchymal architecture.

Amphotericin B Encapsulation in Polymeric Nanoparticles: Toxicity Insights via Cells and Zebrafish Embryo Testing.

Amphotericin B (AmB) is a commonly utilized antifungal agent, which is also recommended for the treatment of certain neglected tropical diseases, including leishmaniasis. However, its clinical application is constrained because of its poor oral bioavailability and adverse effects, prompting the investigation of alternative drug delivery systems. Polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) have gained attention as a potential drug delivery vehicle, providing advantages such as sustained release and enhanced bioavailability, and could have potential as AmB carriers.

Evaluation of Yellow Fever Virus Infection in Mosquitoes from Pakistan with Distinct Knockdown Resistance Genotypes.

Background: Yellow fever (YF) is an acute hemorrhagic disease endemic to Africa and Latin America; however, no cases have been reported in Asian regions with high infestation. Factors such as environmental conditions and genetic variations in the yellow fever virus (YFV) strains and mosquito populations may explain this absence. Mosquito populations have undergone strong selective pressure owing to the excessive use of insecticides.

Bioactive Potential of Some Strains from Macapá, Amazon, Brazil, Against the Housefly (Diptera: Muscidae) Under Laboratory Conditions.

The high pathogenic activity of () strains against various insect orders has positioned it as the most effective, environmentally safe, and sustainable approach to integrated insect management. We aimed to identify strains capable of effectively controlling the housefly , a species of significant medical, veterinary, and public health concern. Twelve strains from Macapá, Brazil, were tested against housefly larvae.

Predicting the Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Potential of Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Brazilian Siparunaceae Species Using Chemometric Tools.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused over 7 million deaths globally in the past four years. spp. (Siparunaceae), which is used in Brazilian folk medicine, is considered a genus with potential antiviral alternatives.

The Silent Threat of Human Metapneumovirus: Clinical Challenges and Diagnostic Insights from a Severe Pneumonia Case.

Background: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a respiratory pathogen that has gained increasing recognition due to advancements in molecular diagnostic tools, which have improved its detection and characterization. While severe disease manifestations are traditionally associated with pediatric, elderly, or immunocompromised patients, hMPV-related pneumonia in immunocompetent adults remains underexplored.

Methods: This case report describes a 68-year-old male who developed severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by hMPV despite being immunocompetent and having no significant comorbidities.

Impact of Respiratory Support During Hospitalization on Functional Outcomes in Long COVID: A Post-Hoc Analysis of a Prospective Cohort Study.

Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) is characterized by the persistence of one or more symptoms after the acute phase, leading to physical disabilities. This study aims to investigate whether the functional capacity and respiratory function 120 days post-COVID-19 differed according to the level of respiratory support needed during hospitalization in acute COVID-19 in the pre-vaccine rollout period. We followed up with 118 COVID-19 hospitalized patients in the acute phase until 120 days post-acute disease, with patients split into a Non-Invasive Oxygen Therapy Group (OTG, n = 72), Invasive Mechanical Ventilation Group (IMV, n = 12), and Room Air Group (RAG, n = 34), assessing the body composition, respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, functional capacity, and muscle strength at the follow-up visit.

Characteristics of children and adolescents with multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis and their association with treatment outcomes: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: There are few data on the treatment of children and adolescents with multidrug-resistant (MDR) or rifampicin-resistant (RR) tuberculosis, especially with more recently available drugs and regimens. We aimed to describe the clinical and treatment characteristics and their associations with treatment outcomes in this susceptible population.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Neutrophils and purinergic signaling: partners in the crime against Leishmania parasites?

The parasite of the genus Leishmania is the causative agent of diseases that affect humans called leishmaniasis. These diseases affect millions of people worldwide and the currently existing drugs are either very toxic or the parasites acquire resistance. Therefore, new elimination mechanisms need to be elucidated so that new therapeutic strategies can be developed.

Natural exposure to Chikungunya virus in golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas, Kuhl, 1820) from non-protected areas in southern Bahia, Brazil: Implications and significance.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is primarily associated with non-human-primates (NHPs) in Africa, which also infect humans. Since its introduction to Brazil in 2014, CHIKV has predominantly thrived in urban cycles, involving Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Limited knowledge exists regarding CHIKV occurrence and implications in rural and sylvatic cycles where neotropical NHPs are potential hosts, from which we highlight Leontopithecus chrysomelas (Kuhl, 1820), the golden-headed lion tamarin (GHLT), an endangered species endemic to the Atlantic Forest (AF) in Southern Bahia State, Brazil.

Insights into the representativeness of biodiversity assessment in large reservoir through eDNA metabarcoding.

Monitoring biodiversity on a large scale, such as in hydropower reservoirs, poses scientific challenges. Conventional methods such as passive fishing gear are prone to various biases, while the utilization of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has been restricted. Most eDNA studies have primarily focused on replicating results from traditional methods, which themselves have limitations regarding representativeness and bias.

Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO) Plasma Levels in Patients with Different Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: In patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), trimethylamine n-oxide (TMAO) accumulation exacerbates inflammation and contributes to oxidative stress. These complications are putatively linked to the development of cardiovascular diseases. Despite the known associations, the variation in TMAO plasma levels across different CKD stages and dialysis modalities remains underexplored.

Brazilian Gold Miners Working Irregularly in French Guiana: Health Status and Risk Determinants.

Brazilian garimpeiros are a highly hard-to-reach and mobile population, with little access to basic hygiene and health services, and have been crossing the border to work irregularly in gold mines in French Guiana since the 1990s. This study aimed to characterize this population and identify their main health problems. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the municipality of Oiapoque-AP, with two surveys: before (2018) and after (2019) the implementation of Malakit.

Spatial Analysis and Socio-Environmental Determinants of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis in an Urban Area in Northeastern Brazil.

The urbanization process has led to significant changes in the landscape, shifting the epidemiological profile of the visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Brazil. Dogs are considered the main urban reservoir of VL, whose infections precede cases in humans. In order to understand the socio-environmental determinants associated with canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), we conducted a spatial analysis of CVL cases in northeastern Brazil from 2013 to 2015, georeferencing 3288 domiciled dogs.

Carboxylated Graphene: An Innovative Approach to Enhanced IgA-SARS-CoV-2 Electrochemical Biosensing.

Biosensors harness biological materials as receptors linked to transducers, enabling the capture and transformation of primary biorecognition signals into measurable outputs. This study presents a novel carboxylation method for synthesizing carboxylated graphene (CG) under acidic conditions, enhancing biosensing capabilities. The characterization of the CG was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Functional heterogeneity of mesenchymal stem cells and their therapeutic potential in the K18-hACE2 mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Despite many years of investigation into mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their potential for treating inflammatory conditions such as COVID-19, clinical outcomes remain variable due to factors like donor variability, different tissue sources, and diversity within MSC populations. Variations in MSCs' secretory and proliferation profiles, and their proteomic and transcriptional characteristics significantly influence their therapeutic potency, highlighting the need for enhanced characterization methods to better predict their efficacy. This study aimed to evaluate the biological characteristics of MSCs from different tissue origins, selecting the most promising line for further validation in a K18-hACE2 mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Pretreatment with serine protease inhibitors impairs Leishmania amazonensis survival on macrophages.

Background: Leishmaniases are neglected tropical diseases with great clinical and epidemiological importance. The current chemotherapy available for the treatment of leishmaniasis presents several problems, such as adverse effects, toxicity, long treatment time, and parasite resistance. The discovery of new therapeutic alternatives is extremely essential, and the discovery of cellular targets is a tool that helps in the development of new drugs.

Chronic inflammation in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 modulates gut microbiome: a review of literature on COVID-19 sequelae and gut dysbiosis.

Background: Long COVID or Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 is an emerging syndrome, recognized in COVID-19 patients who suffer from mild to severe illness and do not recover completely. Most studies define Long COVID, through symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and headache prevailing four or more weeks post-initial infection. Global variations in Long COVID presentation and symptoms make it challenging to standardize features of Long COVID.

Sexual Mosaicism and Teratogenesis in Simulium guianense s.l. and S. incrustatum s.l. (Diptera: Simuliidae), Onchocerciasis vectors, from Environmentally Impacted Areas in the Yanomami Indigenous Land, Brazil.

Sexual mosaics in Simuliidae members have been detected at low frequencies in various locations worldwide. These phenotypic expressions are expected in very small amounts in any natural insect population and may result from inherent individual formation factors, such as hormonal or external elements, i.e.