Background Undergraduate students constitute a relevant population for investigating genetic and body weight-related factors associated with vitamin D deficiency. This study aimed to assess the associations of the VDR BsmI single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and body weight status, including obesity, with vitamin D deficiency in undergraduate students. Methods and Results This cross-sectional study included biochemical and ge...

Background The Passiflora genus presents a representative variability of passion fruit species with food, pharmacological and ornamental potential. To understand this genetic variability, it is essential that genetic resources are well characterized for future use in breeding and conservation programs. The aim of this study was to investigate for the first time the diversity genetic and structure population of 88 Passiflora ge...

Obesity, characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat, is associated with reduced vitamin D levels. Several polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor exist, such as TaqI (rs731236), although their association with obesity remains inconsistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of TaqI polymorphism on biomarkers in individuals with obesity. The study has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the...

Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a critical role in the development of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). It has been proposed that mitochondrial unfolded-protein response (UPR mt ) activation improves mitochondrial function in the liver. Growing evidence demonstrates that physical exercise effectively prevents and treats MASLD. However, the effects of exercise on UPR mt activation in the liver ar...

This study evaluated the effects of providing 3–15 kg of a soluble and biodegradable biopolymer-based enrichment material (blend of biodegradable polymers and natural fibers) to prepartum sows housed in farrowing crates. Fifteen sows were blocked by body weight and backfat thickness and assigned to three treatments: no enrichment material (CONT), 3 kg of enrichment material (BN3), or 15 kg of enrichment material with added nut...

Cetaceans are sentinels of marine ecosystem health and are increasingly exposed to protozoal pathogens. This study investigated the occurrence and molecular identity of Sarcocystidae protozoa in 159 stranded cetaceans representing 21 species along the Brazilian coast. Molecular analysis based on PCR amplification and sequencing of the sarcocystid internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region revealed infections in 14 individuals...

Main conclusion Water limitation attenuated ozone-induced oxidative stress in Eugenia uniflora, maintaining physiological stability and promoting targeted biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) and metabolic adjustments rather than large-scale disruption. Abstract Tropical forests are increasingly exposed to multiple environmental stressors, yet the combined effects of drought and ozone on native tropical tree species rem...

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with neuroinflammation and oxidative stress that disrupt neurodevelopmental processes. Resveratrol (RSV) is a polyphenol with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but its poor bioavailability limits therapeutic use. This study investigated whether PEGylated liposomes encapsulating RSV (LipRSV) could modulate oxidative and behavioral alterations in a valproic acid (VPA)-indu...

Mimosa L. comprises approximately 620 species of socioeconomic and environmental importance, with about half occurring in the Brazilian Cerrado. Despite this diversity, cytogenetic studies in the genus remain limited, with most restricted to chromosome counts. We investigated 11 populations of seven Mimosa species, focusing on the heterochromatin distribution (CMA + bands), and nuclear DNA content. Polysomaty was observed in r...

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...

This study evaluated the intraoperative and postoperative analgesic effects of an ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane (ESP) block with bupivacaine in cats undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy. Sixteen healthy client-owned female cats (with, 2.62 ± 0.46 kg; and, 23.06 ± 20.34 months) were randomly assigned to two groups ( n = 8 each). All animals received dexmedetomidine (2.5 µg/kg, intramuscularly), followed by propofol a...