Tuberculosis (TB) treatment is highly effective, but response to therapy varies by geography and population subgroups. We assessed differences in TB treatment response in a representative and heterogeneous Brazilian population. We estimated genetic ancestry according to major genetic ancestry groups (African, European, and Amerindian) in the Regional Prospective Observational Research in Tuberculosis (RePORT)-Brazil cohort usi...

While bats are known to harbor various viruses and bacteria, their role as hosts for hemoparasites has not been extensively studied. This research investigated the presence of ectoparasites and vector-borne pathogens—including Anaplasmataceae agents, hemoplasmas, apicomplexans, and kinetoplastids—in 74 Phyllostomidae bats sampled from an urban forest fragment in southeastern Brazil. Overall, 31.1% of the bats were infested wit...

Features of possible regional ionospheric memory manifested themselves at low-latitudes under solar eclipse conditions.

Aim We evaluated how native vegetation cover influences the diversity of arachnid assemblages across multiple spatial scales in major Brazilian ecosystems. Location Brazil (Amazon and Atlantic rainforests, Cerrado savanna and Caatinga dry forest). Taxon Arachnida (Opiliones, Pseudoscorpiones and Scorpiones). Methods We sampled arachnids at 120 sites using active search and litter sifting. Native vegetation cover was quantified...

Indigenous Peoples actively manage or have tenure rights over lands where many rare and valued species occur. To meet national and global conservation targets, it is important to meaningfully consider Indigenous knowledges and rights in endangered species laws. We examined whether the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA) has upheld its commitment to consider Indigenous knowledges in decisions pertaining to endangered species as...

Tortoise beetles (Cassidinae s. str., Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera) compose a highly diverse group of insects, with most species found in Neotropical regions, such as the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, one of the most important hotspots in the world. Neotropical cassidines are known to typically display strong host specialization and distinct temporal patterns; however, host plants of most species are still unknown and very few studi...

Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising technology for the sustainable treatment of textile industry wastewater. This study investigates the development and performance of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) incorporating varying concentrations of graphene (0.25–3.00 wt%) for direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). The membranes were characterized by SEM, AFM contact angle, porosity, and Zeta po...

Aim We investigate the distribution of dispersal modes — endozoochory (via animal ingestion), synzoochory (via animal seed accumulation) and anemochory (via wind)—and seed mass of woody plants across Brazilian ecosystems, testing whether their relative abundance in local plant communities could be predicted by climate, edaphic factors and dispersal agents (e.g., the main vectors moving seeds). We expected climate to be the mai...

Background and aims Implementing sustainable crop management to improve soil health can bolster plant and soil resistance to drought stress. This study evaluated the long-term impact of sustainable soil management on soil health in tropical coffee agroecosystems, focusing on how these practices influenced plant yield and quality, as well as soil microbiome composition and function under drought treatment. Methods Plots were se...

As many tropical aquatic ecosystems worldwide, the Doce River estuary (DRE, southeastern Brazil) has increasingly faced multiple anthropogenic threats, including deforestation, mining, species introduction and water management. The 2015 collapse of the Fundão iron ore tailings dam severely changed water properties and increased heavy metal concentration in sediment. However, the potential synergistic effects of the observed th...