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...

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...

Main conclusion Cisgenic introduction of Rvi15 or FB_MR5 into ‘Gala’ generated single-copy lines with ≤ 201 bp vector remnants and high disease resistance, supporting cisgenesis as a powerful tool for commercial apple improvement. Abstract Cisgenesis can be used to transfer disease resistance genes from wild apple germplasm into established apple cultivars, reducing their susceptibility to diseases. This approach allows combin...

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...

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are characterized by progressive neuronal loss associated with excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and impaired neuroplasticity. Fisetin, a naturally occurring flavonoid, has emerged as a potential neuroprotective compound due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of fisetin in cellular models of glutamate-induced excito...

In its early years, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration has mobilized unprecedented global commitments. Yet, measuring restoration success remains contested, particularly in megadiverse countries where the absence of standardized indicators and assessment protocols often leads to subjective decisions by environmental agencies. Here, we present a core set of leading indicators developed through a pioneering Brazil-led scienc...

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...

Kelp forests are among the most extensive and productive coastal ecosystems, yet they remain underrepresented in global conservation policy despite widespread declines driven by interacting global- (i.e., ocean warming, marine heatwaves) to local-scale stressors. At the same time, kelp conservation and restoration efforts are expanding rapidly across regions, but measures of success and syntheses tend to primarily focus on eco...

The genus Astyanax is highly diverse within the family Acestrorhamphidae, and species identification remains challenging due to overlapping morphological, morphometric, meristic, and coloration traits. As a result, several taxa have been considered as species complexes or treated as synonyms. Molecular and cytogenetic approaches are essential for clarifying taxonomic boundaries and assessing potential genetic divergence among...

Quaternary tufa carbonates from Brazil’s Potiguar Basin provide unique insights into the interplay of biogenic, hydrological, and climatic factors driving continental carbonate precipitation in tropical low-energy environments. This study systematically characterizes the depositional, taphonomic, and diagenetic features of the tufa deposits resulting from the dissolution of rocks from the Formação Jandaíra that overlie the lit...

Random mutagenesis combined with genome-scale analysis represents a powerful approach to uncover metabolic reprogramming in non-model microalgae. In this study we investigated the strain Desmodesmus sp. Petrobras/FURG, a thermotolerant and contamination-resistant microalga with potential for large-scale cultivation. UV mutagenesis followed by iodine-vapor screening yielded the starch-deficient mutant tN-30, which maintained wi...

Dominant approaches to drought and flood risk often marginalize the social and temporal dimensions of how communities experience environmental change. This study explores how three riverine communities in the Peruvian Amazon—Bajo Belén, Tamshiyacu, and El Chino—generate and act on knowledge of river dynamics to sustain livelihoods amid increasing hydrological variability. Using storytelling with 45 participants (2023–2024), an...