Hatchery fish stocking is one of the main actions adopted as a form of conservation and replacement of fishing stocks. Under Brazilian law, the release of fish has become mandatory and is seen as one ...of the main ways of mitigating the negative effects on fish populations and preserving the ichthyofauna. Since its institution, the efficiency of this method has been questioned by the Brazilian scientific community, due to the lack of monitoring based on scientific criteria. The objective of this work was to discuss the few available reports and to analyze their deficiencies and analyze the real risks and/or benefits arising from the methodologies employed in hatchery stocking activities developed in Brazil. For this, three different studies developed in the Paranapanema River, Southeast/South of Brazil, were evaluated seeking evidence of the efficiency or inefficiency of these actions, such as management of the conservation of fish species and stocks. Our analysis shows that this management policy is poorly evaluated, and review of the planning of the stocking programs is essential, in order to improve, update, modernize, and unify the knowledge of the producing stations with respect to the existing ecological and genetic studies, aiming at better monitoring and greater effectiveness in the results advance. Also, a protocol is suggested to standardize and guide new conservationist policies of hatchery fish stocking.
The importance of dermoscopy for diagnosing lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM) is well known. More recently, dermoscopy has been proposed as a useful tool also for the treatment choice and monitoring. ...Herein, we present an 87‐year‐old woman, who was successfully treated with imiquimod 5% cream after surgical persistence of residual LMM and for whom dermoscopy was helpful to assist diagnosis and assess tumor persistence after surgery and its response to topical treatment with imiquimod.
The genetic diversity of the dengue virus is characterized by four circulating serotypes, several genotypes, and an increasing number of existing lineages that may have differences in the potential ...to cause epidemics and disease severity. Accurate identification of the genetic variability of the virus is essential to identify lineages responsible for an epidemic and understanding the processes of virus spread and virulence. Here, we characterize, using portable nanopore genomic sequencing, different lineages of dengue virus 2 (DENV-2) detected in 22 serum samples from patients with and without dengue warning signs attended at Hospital de Base of São José do Rio Preto (SJRP) in 2019, during a DENV-2 outbreak. Demographic, epidemiological, and clinical data were also analyzed. The phylogenetic reconstruction and the clinical data showed that two lineages belonging to the American/Asian genotype of DENV-2-BR3 and BR4 (BR4L1 and BR4L2)-were co-circulating in SJRP. Although preliminary, these results indicate no specific association between clinical form and phylogenetic clustering at the virus consensus sequence level. Studies with larger sample sizes and which explore single nucleotide variants are needed. Therefore, we showed that portable nanopore genome sequencing could generate quick and reliable sequences for genomic surveillance to monitor viral diversity and its association with disease severity as an epidemic unfolds.
ABSTRACT Studies of soil porosity through image analysis are important to an understanding of how the soil functions. However, the lack of a simplified methodology for the quantification of the ...shape, number, and size of soil pores has limited the use of information extracted from images. The present work proposes a software program for the quantification and characterization of soil porosity from data derived from 2-D images. The user-friendly software was developed in C++ and allows for the classification of pores in terms of size, shape, and combinations of size and shape. Using raw data generated by image analysis systems, the software calculates the following parameters for the characterization of soil porosity: total area of pore (Tap), number of pores, pore shape, pore shape and pore area, and pore shape and equivalent pore diameter (EqDiam). In this paper, the input file with the raw soil porosity data was generated using the Noesis Visilog 5.4 image analysis system; however other image analysis programs can be used, in which case, the input file requires a standard format to permit processing by this software. The software also shows the descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, variance, and the coefficient of variation) of the parameters considering the total number of images evaluated. The results show that the software is a complementary tool to any analysis of soil porosity, allowing for a precise and quick analysis.
Kyotorphin (KTP) dipeptide (
l
-Tyrosine-
l
-Arginine) and their derivatives possess a multitude of functions, qualifying them as "multifunctional peptides." Considering the escalating bacterial ...resistance to antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides offer a promising road, forming the central focus of this current investigation. The effectiveness of KTP derivatives, GABA-KTP-NH
2
and Indol-KTP-NH
2
, were assessed for biofilm inhibition in bacterial and fungal strains. The viability of these derivatives was tested in fibroblasts and B16-F10-Nex2 cells. In vivo toxicity was evaluated using the model organisms
Galleria mellonella
and
Danio rerio
. Notably, both GABA-KTP-NH
2
and Indol-KTP-NH
2
derivatives effectively hindered biofilm formation in
E. coli
,
S. pneumoniae
, and
C. krusei
. In the
G. mellonella
model, the derivatives exhibited significant larval survival rates in toxicity tests, while in infection tests, they demonstrated efficient treatment against the evaluated microorganisms. Conversely, zebrafish assays revealed that Indol-KTP-NH
2
induced substantial mortality rates in embryos after 72 and 96 h of exposure. Similarly, the GABA-KTP-NH
2
derivative exhibited heightened lethality, noticeable at the 100 μM concentration after the same exposure periods. Importantly, toxicity assessments unveiled a relatively lower toxicity profile, coupled with a reduced potential for inducing abnormalities. These results highlight the necessity of employing a comprehensive approach that integrates diverse techniques to thoroughly assess toxicity implications.
Small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) is a rare and aggressive condition that is associated with the
mutation and has a dismal prognosis. It is generally diagnosed in young ...women. Here, we report a case of a young woman with SCCOHT harboring a rare molecular finding with a highly aggressive biological behavior. The patient had a somatic
mutation instead of an expected
alteration. Even though the patient was treated with high-dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplantation, she evolved with disease progression and died 11 months after her first symptoms appeared. We present a literature review of this rare disease and discuss the findings in the present patient in comparison to expected molecular alterations and options for SCCOHT treatment.
Knowledge of soils in the Amazon rainforest is becoming increasingly essential due to dynamics adopted by farmers that substitute forest for pastures, together with growing pressure from diverse ...segments of society towards adoption of sustainable production systems. The objective of this study was to characterize the soils along two toposequences, one under forest (F) and the other under pasture (P), and to verify how the change in land use influences soil attributes, evaluating their inclusion in the Brazilian Soil Classification System (SiBCS). The soils were sampled in pits located at the summit, backslope and footslope positions for morphological, chemical, physical, and clay mineralogy analysis. The results show that the soils are chemically poor and predominately kaolinitic. Sandy and loamy sand soils are in the surface horizons, with an increase in clay content with depth. The highest values of bulk density and lowest values of macroporosity were observed in the Bt horizons due to the change from a granular structure in the surface to an angular and subangular blocky structure in these horizons. The morphological properties observed in the field are strongly influenced by the annual soil water dynamics, the parent material, and the landscape, representing diagnostic characteristics that influenced classification of the soils, such as aquic with episaturation (epirredóxico), saprolitic, and gravelly. These diagnostic characteristics in the Argissolo Amarelo (Hapludults) are important morphological properties that have not been highlighted by the current edition of the SiBCS.
Knowledge of the hydraulic properties of the soil is of crucial importance to an understanding of the interactions between vegetation, soil and water. There is little information available about the ...hydraulic properties of Podzol soils found in tropical regions. The aim of this study was to present the soil morphology and hydraulic properties of a toposequence situated in a permanent plot at the Ilha do Cardoso State Park (Cananéia, SP, Brazil). Ultradetailed soil maps were used to define a toposequence inside the permanent plot. Five profiles, representing the main types of soil, were opened along the toposequence, in which Podzols are dominant. The levels of bulk density, sand content, porosity and permeability in these soils were all high. Consequently, these soils have a high level of hydraulic conductivity with low water retention. This behavior undergoes an alteration in the Bh and Bs horizons due to the accumulation of organic and metallic compounds and a changing structure that modifies the pore distribution. Furthermore, the characterization of the hydro-physical functioning of soils in natural environments is an important source of encouragement to further investigative study of soil water dynamics and its relationship to the native vegetation.
Abstract Erosion generates large amounts of sediment, which may be deposited at the site of origin, on the slope of a hill, or along waterways. The transportability of each type of sediment by runoff ...and its potential for subsequent deposition largely depends on its morphological features and particle size distribution. The aim of this study is to describe and characterize the morphology and micromorphology of sediments deposited in a reforested area and to understand the dynamics of the transport process. In order to understand the sedimentation processes, the following analyses were performed: particle size distribution, with and without the use of a dispersant solution; statistical analysis of the sand fraction using Folk and Ward parameters; sediment and soil micromorphology; and two-dimensional distribution and geometry of soil horizons and sediments. The sedimentation occurred in a localized and discontinuous manner and in the lowest parts of the landscape. The sediments were generated by low intensity erosive events producing well-sorted sediments and the clay in these deposits was transported mainly in the form of silt-sized clay aggregates. Microscopic analysis of the sediments was important for clarifying the genesis and transport dynamics of the sedimentary deposits.
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