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...

The Asian green mussel, Perna viridis , is a globally successful invasive bivalve first recorded in the South Atlantic in 2018. Here, we report and characterize the establishment of P. viridis in the Canal do Itajurú, a coastal channel connecting the hypersaline Araruama Lagoon to the Atlantic Ocean in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We assessed its spatial distribution, substrate association, and morphometric variation to evaluate lo...

Pathogenic fungi that cause rust adversely affect plants, including crops, affecting them differentially depending on the cultivar. This is the case of blackberry ( Rubus spp.), a member of Rosaceae, introduced in Brazil by Embrapa during the 1980s and 1990s. Given the advantageous nutritional properties of its fruits and the relatively low management costs associated with its cultivation, blackberry production has emerged as...

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...

Purpose Vascular dysfunction is a pathophysiological mechanism in peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD patients exhibit reduced circulating expression of microRNA-126 (c-miRNA-126) and VEGF. Submaximal walking (SW) is recommended in PAD because it increases walking capacity, partially by improving vascular regulation, which can be observed after a walking session. Nevertheless, previous studies were conducted with maximal walk...

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...

Brain cancers hijack biological systems involved in neural development and synaptic plasticity. Medulloblastoma (MB), the most common malignant brain tumor in children, is thought to arise from disruptions in neurodevelopmental programs. Glutamatergic transmission mediated by α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors (AMPARs) has been implicated in synaptic communication between adult brain tumors a...

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...