Background Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a condition caused by a mutation in the HBB gene, leading to the production of hemoglobin S in red blood cells. Hydroxyurea (HU), used in treatment, increases fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels, thereby reducing erythrocyte sickling, as do single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the BCL11A gene and the HBS1L-MYB intergenic region. In this study, we investigated the combined effects of HU the...

The increase in fungal infections, the limited therapeutic arsenal, and the emergence of resistance pose a global health problem. Candida spp. stand out as opportunistic pathogens that cause superficial and invasive diseases. Thus, the search for new therapeutic alternatives, such as drug repositioning, is necessary. Duloxetine (DUL), a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor antidepressant used to treat depression, has de...

Nutrition is a key determinant of performance, carcass traits, and production efficiency in beef cattle. In this context, feed additives have emerged as a promising strategy to enhance nutrient utilization and reduce production costs. We aimed to evaluate the effects of replacing urea with a product extruded urea enriched with essential oils (NFeed ® ) on nutrient intake, performance, blood parameters, and feed cost in feedlot...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with the microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata and Phaeodactylum tricornutum , either separately or in combination, on growth performance, lipid profile, haematoimmunological parameters, and resistance to Edwardsiella tarda infection in Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ). A total of 960 juvenile Nile tilapia (2.87 ± 0.68 g and 5.65 ± 0.16 cm)...

Respiratory diseases remain a major public health challenge in tropical coastal cities, where persistent heat-humidity interactions and climate variability shape population vulnerability. This study quantified associations between atmospheric conditions and respiratory hospitalizations in Maceió, Brazil, using a 20-years time series (2000–2019). Weekly hospitalization rates stratified by age (children 0–4 years, adults 5–59 ye...

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...

In 2022, the World Health Organization published a list highlighting Candida auris and Cryptococcus neoformans as among the priority pathogens in need of new therapeutic alternatives. The essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (EOCC) is used in folk medicine for its various properties, including antimicrobial activity. However, there are few reports of its activity against these yeasts and the possible action mechanism. EOCC was...

Fragmentation and degradation have profound effects on species’ habitat use and activity patterns. According to their diel activity guild, species may respond differently to environmental change, with diurnal species expected to be more vulnerable to these changes. Here, we test this hypothesis by investigating how fragmentation, and degradation modulate the habitat use and overlap in diel activity of contrasting mammal diel a...

Understanding the feeding physiological mechanisms of determined oyster species is fundamental for adaptation and growth stabilization, aiming for gains in aquaculture production. To assess its potential for Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) with shrimp, we analyzed the feeding physiology of the mangrove oyster Crassostrea gasar. In this study, we determined the feeding physiology of the mangrove oyster Crassostrea g...

Air pollution remains a persistent environmental and public health concern in urban regions. This study presents a 22-year analysis (2001–2022) of coarse particulate matter (PM 10 ) concentrations across 15 monitoring stations in the Porto Metropolitan Area (PMA), Portugal. The stations, pre-classified by national authorities as traffic, background-urban, background-suburban, or industrial, were used to assess long-term tempor...