Aluminum (Al) toxicity is the main factor limiting agricultural production in acidic soils around the world. In this scenario, melatonin (MET) has emerged as a promising approach to alleviate Al toxicity. Thus, we investigated morphophysiological responses of Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen, a medicinal plant, to Al toxicity and MET application. Plants were grown in vitro for 40 days in MS medium (control) supplemented wi...

In southeastern Brazil, capybaras ( Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris ) are main hosts of the ticks Amblyomma dubitatum and Amblyomma sculptum ; the latter has great medical importance for being the main vector of Rickettsia rickettsii , the agent of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF). This study aimed to quantify ticks in areas invaded and not invaded by exotic plants ( Hedychium coronarium , Cenchrus purpureus or Megathyrsus maximus ) wi...

This study assessed the functional potential of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of tambaqui ( Colossoma macropomum ) as larviculture probiotics. Five strains were selected and identified as belonging to the genus Weissella . In vitro assays revealed high tolerance to acidic pH (2.0–3.0), resistance to bile salts (10%), biofilm formation capacity, hydrophobicity and direct Aeromonas h...

Aim To (a) produce a list of the most widespread naturalised non‐native plant species across cities of the world; (b) explore whether cities on different continents are invaded by the same group of widespread naturalised species; and (c) elucidate the origins of the most widespread naturalised urban species. Location Global. Time Period No specific period. Major Taxa Studied Vascular plants. Method Using the most comprehensive...

Fungal infections have emerged as a significant public health concern, especially with the increasing incidence of severe mycoses caused by pathogens such as Aspergillus fumigatus , Candida auris , Candida albicans , and Cryptococcus neoformans . These fungi, listed as critical priorities by the World Health Organization, pose a heightened risk due to rising antifungal resistance and their severe impact on immunocompromised in...

Aim Grass‐yellow butterflies ( Eurema ) are a group of pantropical Pieridae distributed throughout Asia, Australasia, Africa and the New World. However, little is known about their diversification, including the biogeographic mechanism(s) explaining their circumglobal distribution. We present the first densely sampled, time‐calibrated phylogeny and biogeographic reconstruction of grass‐yellows to confirm the monophyly of the g...

Over recent years, we have been living under a pandemic, caused by the rapid spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). One of the major virulence factors of Coronaviruses is the Non-structural protein 1 (Nsp1), known to suppress the host cells protein translation machinery, allowing the virus to produce its own proteins, propagate and invade new cells. To unveil the molecular mechanisms of SARS...

Coxiella burnetii is the etiologic agent of Q fever, a worldwide zoonosis. Cattle, sheep and goats are considered the main reservoirs of the disease. Transmission to humans occurs mainly through the inhalation of infectious aerosols from milk, faeces, urine, and birth products from infected ruminants. In this study, a 2-year longitudinal approach was performed to ascertain the excretion of C. burnetii in bulk tank milk samples...

Aim Amazonia hosts more tree species from numerous evolutionary lineages, both young and ancient, than any other biogeographic region. Previous studies have shown that tree lineages colonized multiple edaphic environments and dispersed widely across Amazonia, leading to a hypothesis, which we test, that lineages should not be strongly associated with either geographic regions or edaphic forest types. Location Amazonia. Taxon A...