The lima bean ( Phaseolus lunatus L.) is a legume of high agronomic and nutritional importance, particularly for smallholder farming in northeastern Brazil. The breeding program at the Federal University of Piauí (UFPI, Brazil) developed lines from biparental crosses, selecting traits of agronomic relevance for crop improvement, such as determinate growth habit, earliness, and yield. This study evaluated the genetic diversity...

Background The development, differentiation, and homeostasis of adherent cells are regulated by interactions among cells, the extracellular matrix (ECM), and soluble factors. Loss of these contacts induces anoikis, a specific form of apoptosis. Tumor cells acquire resistance to anoikis, enabling them to survive without anchorage, invade the vascular system, and colonize distant organs in a process known as metastasis. Activati...

Background Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a genetic disease marked by abnormal hemoglobin S and sickle-shaped red blood cells. It is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Angola, where SCA and malaria are major causes of childhood mortality. This study aimed to explore whether genetic variants in genes associated with red blood cell adhesion to the vascular endothelium influence the manifestations of SCA in Angola...

Actinomyces (A.) hyovaginalis is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, polymorphic bacterium. In domestic pigs, the infection is typically associated with pyogranulomatous pneumonia. In wild boars, this infection was never associated with such lesion. We report the gross, histopathological, and bacteriological findings in a case of pyogranulomatous pneumonia caused by A. hyovaginalis infection in a free-ranging wild boar. Fragments of...

Increasing life expectancy has been accompanied by a higher prevalence of age-associated conditions, underscoring the need to better understand biological mechanisms of aging and to identify accessible biomarkers. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bilayer vesicles that mediate intercellular communication by transporting proteins, lipids, and regulatory RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs). Here, we investigated whether the...

Corn is a globally important crop; however, pest infestations during storage represent a major challenge. The maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a primary pest of stored maize, commonly controlled through phosphine fumigation. Nevertheless, extensive reliance on this insecticide has led to the emergence of resistant populations. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the contact and fum...

Inadequate magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) intake has been associated with impaired glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). An imbalanced dietary Ca/Mg ratio may affect the concentrations of these nutrients and contribute to poor disease control. This study investigated the association between the dietary Ca/Mg ratio, serum Ca and Mg levels, and glycemic biomarkers in individuals with T2DM. A cross-sectional ob...

Lionfish ( Pterois spp.) are hypothesized to negatively influence cryptobenthic reef fish assemblages through predation. We evaluated these potential effects on Caribbean reefs in Costa Rica and tropical reefs in Brazil. Brazil provided a reference condition for cryptobenthic assemblages prior to lionfish invasion, while the Costa Rica sites enabled comparisons between reefs inside marine protected areas (MPAs), where lionfish...