Burkholderia cenocepacia is an important pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, responsible for chronic lung infections and, in severe cases, cepacia syndrome (CS), characterized by necrotizing pneumonia, bacteremia, and high mortality. Epidemic lineages, such as B. cenocepacia J2315 (ET12) and ST32, are highly transmissible and frequently associated with CS. In this study, five B. cenocepacia isolates recovered from sputu...

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....

Biodiversity monitoring programs need to deliver accurate, timely, and actionable predictions. To establish a predictive monitoring program for deep‐sea benthos of the Santos Basin, Brazil, we developed a two‐stage structured model that allowed comparison of biodiversity predictions obtained from environmental simulations (2M‐Sim). We also modeled the environmental variables as a function of spatial and temporal variables and...

The sorghum aphid, Melanaphis sorghi (Theobald, 1904) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a significant pest. This study classified the host suitability of seven Poaceae genotypes: commercial and wild sorghum ( S. bicolor , S. sudanense , S. bicolor verticilliflorum ), pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum ), and maize ( Zea mays ). Aphid biological performance was assessed via leaf-disc bioassays under controlled conditions (24 ± 2 °C, 60...

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 olfactory bulb (OB) is one of the earliest brain regions affected in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). Its high metabolic rate, dopaminergic modulation, and connectivity with the cortical and limbic regions make it particularly vulnerable to early neuroinflammatory and oxidative processes. This study aimed to investigate whether the administration of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the OB induces...

Urban beaches are increasingly vulnerable to litter accumulation, especially during large-scale coastal events that create short-lived but intense pollution pulses. Despite growing interest in marine litter monitoring, traditional methods often lack the spatial and temporal sensitivity required to capture such episodic surges. This study presents a methodological adaptation of the OSPAR beach litter monitoring protocol, applyi...

Rationale Caffeine had been proposed as an adjuvant therapy for Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Although caffeine can ameliorate some ADHD-related behaviors, its effects on impulsivity (more prevalent in boys) and potential sex differences, remains unclear. Objectives To assess sex differences in responsiveness to chronic caffeine on impulsive choice, brain cell composition and serotonergic markers in an A...

Coral reefs in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) are experiencing continuous degradation, with projections indicating rapid disappearance due to rising sea temperatures. Mozambique has the third-largest coastline in the WIO and extensive reef areas recognized as biodiversity hotspots for tropical corals, yet many taxa remain poorly studied, especially soft corals. To address this gap, 182 colonies were collected from seven reef s...

This study evaluated the removal of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), and estrogenic activity from real municipal wastewater using a pilot-scale multi-stage integrated fixed-film activated sludge (MS-IFAS) system. The configuration comprised five sequential reactors (Anaerobic, Anoxic-1, Aerobic under IFAS, Anoxic-2, and Re-aeration) providing distinct redox conditions. Influent concentrations averaged 112.6 ± 49.5 µg L −1...