Background Dysregulation of the innate immune response to SARS-CoV-2 has been linked to poor outcomes in COVID-19. Neutrophils are key players in this response, displaying distinct functional profiles associated with disease severity. This study investigates how neutrophil phenotypes, and their mediators are modulated in severe COVID-19 following vaccination. Methods and Results We conducted an observational case-control study...

Low biochar rates (5 Mg ha −1 ) increased bacterial richness and diversity in degraded soil. Biochar origin controlled microbial assembly and niche specialization patterns. Sewage-sludge biochar favored stress-tolerant and metal-adapted bacterial taxa. Cashew bagasse biochar enhanced nitrogen cycling and chemoheterotrophic functions. Network complexity peaked at intermediate biochar doses and declined at high rates. Biochar ha...

While bats are known to harbor various viruses and bacteria, their role as hosts for hemoparasites has not been extensively studied. This research investigated the presence of ectoparasites and vector-borne pathogens—including Anaplasmataceae agents, hemoplasmas, apicomplexans, and kinetoplastids—in 74 Phyllostomidae bats sampled from an urban forest fragment in southeastern Brazil. Overall, 31.1% of the bats were infested wit...

The use of sewage sludge as biochar or compost in organomineral fertilizers has been investigated as an alternative to mineral fertilizers, as it can maintain crop yields, reduce environmental impacts, and improve soil quality. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of organomineral fertilizers derived from sewage sludge and lignolytic compounds, formulated through different technologies, on the bioaccumulation...

Stillbirth remains a major public health concern, particularly in urban settings with persistent air pollution, while evidence remains limited in middle-income countries. This study aims to examine the association between prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) PM2.5 and stillbirth in São Paulo, Brazil. Case-control study including 348 antepartum stillbirths and 419 live births recruited from 14 public hospitals....

Bees play an important role as pollinators, and evidence of global bee population declines has become increasingly common. While most studies of plant-pollinator networks focus on contemporary ecosystems, historical interaction datasets remain rare, particularly in tropical regions. Here, we revisited a historical dataset of plant-bee interactions collected between 1971 and 1975 in a cerrado area from southeastern Brazil that...

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...

Otolith microchemistry analysis revealed that bycatch of European shads, allis shad Alosa alosa and twaite shad Alosa fallax , in western Iberian commercial fisheries removes individuals from a wide array of natal origins, with the most abundant source rivers suffering the heaviest losses. Spatial variation in bycatch risk was evident: Specific marine areas exhibited high natal origin diversity, reflecting complex dispersal. A...

We used acoustic telemetry to investigate the nursery habitat use of 33 juvenile meagre Argyrosomus regius (mean size = 581 ± 105.1 mm), recording more than 60,000 detections in the Tagus estuary, located in the North-Eastern Atlantic. All individuals used the nursery area from spring to autumn, and a small number (22.2%) remained in the Tagus estuary during winter. Daily movements averaged 6.2 ± 1.9 km, with maximum daily dis...

The Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (SWAO) is an important feeding and developmental area for loggerhead turtle ( Caretta caretta ). However, long-term patterns of resource use across life stages and sexes remain poorly understood for the species in this region. Here, we used stable isotope analysis (SIA) of sequential layers of carapace scutes to investigate resource use of loggerhead turtles in the SWAO across life stages and se...

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...

Diadromous fish such as Petromyzon marinus and Alosa alosa support economically and culturally important small‐scale fisheries in Portugal but face increasing pressures such as habitat degradation, climate change, and overexploitation. In response, a voluntary label‐of‐origin system was introduced in selected river basins to enhance product differentiation and improve traceability. This study evaluates the implementation and p...