Prioritizing nurturing care at the municipal and district level with the Brazilian Early Childhood Friendly Municipal Index (IMAPI).

The Brazilian Early Childhood Friendly Municipal Index (IMAPI) is a population-based approach to monitor the nurturing care environment for early childhood development (ECD) using routine information system data. It is unknown whether IMAPI can be applied to document metropolitan urban territorial differences in nurturing care environments. We used Brasilia, Brazil's capital with a large metropolitan population of 2,881,854 inhabitants divided into 31 districts, as a case study to examine whether disaggregation of nurturing care data can inform a more equitable prioritization for ECD in metropolitan areas. IMAPI scores were estimated at the municipal level (IMAPI-M, 31 indicators) and at the district level (IMAPI-D, 29 indicators). We developed a quantitative prioritization process for indicators in each IMAPI analysis, and those selected were jointly mapped in the socioecological model for the role of indicators in relation to the enabling environment for nurturing care. Out of 28 common nurturing care indicators across IMAPI analysis, only four were prioritized in both analyses: one from the Adequate nutrition, two from the Opportunities for early learning, and one from the Responsive caregiving domains. These four indicators were mapped as enabling policies, supportive services, and caregivers' capabilities (socioecological model) and Effort, Coverage, and Quality (indicator's role). In conclusion, the different levels of nurturing care data disaggregation in the IMAPI can better inform decision-making than each one individually, especially in metropolitan areas where municipalities and districts within metropolitan areas have relative decision-making autonomy.

Population-based approaches for monitoring the nurturing care environment for early childhood development: A scoping review.

Selecting indicators to monitor nurturing care (NC) environments that support decision-making and guide the implementation of integrated early childhood development (ECD) programmes has become a priority globally. Several population-based approaches have been attempted to create a set of indicators or a composite index methodology to measure the NC environment using existing secondary data. However, they have not been systematized. Our scoping review aimed to analyse the population-based approaches for monitoring the domains of the NC (e.g. good health, adequate nutrition, responsive caregiving, security and safety, and opportunities for early learning). ECD experts, peer-reviewed, and grey literature were systematically searched with no year or language restrictions. Data extraction used a standard predefined protocol. Thirty-two population-based approaches were identified. Most approaches were composed of a set of indicators (53.1%, n = 17) versus composite indexes (46.9%, n = 15) and had the country as their unit of analysis (68.8%, n = 22). Twenty-seven approaches were applied in middle-income countries (84.4%) and thirteen in low-income countries (40.6%). Four approaches were guided by the NC framework (12.5%), and 56.3% (n = 18) did not include any indicator representing responsive caregiving. NC indicators (n = 867) were sorted into 100 groups of indicators. Twenty of the 32 approaches had some kind of methodological validation (62.5%). We identified six methodological challenges to build a population-based approach. Standardized methods for selecting and validating indicators, and coordinated efforts to share findings/data with stakeholders should be prioritized. Given the great variability in methods and indicators used to measure NC environments, valid approaches should be flexible to work well across different contexts.

The evolution of realized niches within freshwater Synechococcus.

Understanding how ecological traits have changed over evolutionary time is a fundamental question in biology. Specifically, the extent to which more closely related organisms share similar ecological preferences due to phylogenetic conservation - or if they are forced apart by competition - is still debated. Here, we explored the co-occurrence patterns of freshwater cyanobacteria at the sub-genus level to investigate whether more closely related taxa share more similar niches and to what extent these niches were defined by abiotic or biotic variables. We used deep 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and measured several abiotic environmental parameters (nutrients, temperature, etc.) in water samples collected over time and space in Furnas Reservoir, Brazil. We found that relatively more closely related Synechococcus (in the continuous range of 93%-100% nucleotide identity in 16S) had an increased tendency to co-occur with one another (i.e. had similar realized niches). This tendency could not be easily explained by shared preferences for measured abiotic niche dimensions. Thus, commonly measured abiotic parameters might not be sufficient to characterize, nor to predict community assembly or dynamics. Rather, co-occurrence between Synechococcus and the surrounding community (whether or not they represent true biological interactions) may be a more sensitive measure of realized niches. Overall, our results suggest that realized niches are phylogenetically conserved, at least at the sub-genus level and at the resolution of the 16S marker. Determining how these results generalize to other genera and at finer genetic resolution merits further investigation.

Microcystin production and regulation under nutrient stress conditions in toxic microcystis strains.

Microcystin is a common and well-known cyanobacterial toxin whose intracellular role is still under investigation. Increasing knowledge on microcystin gene expression and regulation can contribute to the understanding of its putative cellular function. In this work, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to investigate the transcriptional response of the mcyD gene to nitrogen (nitrate and ammonium) and phosphorus limitation in two toxic Microcystis strains. The existence of a direct correlation between transcripts of mcyD and ntcA genes was also identified. In previous studies, NtcA (global nitrogen regulator) has been described as a potential component in the control of microcystin biosynthesis. This research showed that stress agents linked to nutrient deprivation could lead to a significant increase of microcystin production in both strains studied. The more toxic strain proved to be more resistant to nutrient limitation. The similar outcomes of mcyD regulation observed for all nutrients suggest that this response can be linked to oxidative stress of cells undergoing adverse growth conditions.

Eco-evolutionary factors that influence its demographic oscillations in Prochilodus costatus (Actinopterygii: Characiformes) populations evidenced through a genetic spatial-temporal evaluation.

The human activity impact on wild animal populations is indicated by eco-evolutionary and demographic processes, along with their survival and capacity to evolve; consequently, such data can contribute toward enhancing genetic-based conservation programs. In this context, knowledge on the life-history and the eco-evolutionary processes is required to understand extant patterns of population structure in Prochilodus costatus a Neotropical migratory fish that has been threatened due to loss and fragmentation of its natural habitat since 1960s promoted by the expansion of hydroelectric power plant construction programs. This study evaluated the eco-evolutionary parameters that cause oscillations in the demography and structure of P. costatus populations. An integrated approach was used, including temporal and spatial sampling, next-generation sequencing of eight microsatellite loci, multivariate genetic analysis, and demographic life-history reconstruction. The results provided evidence of the complex interplay of ecological-evolutionary and human-interference events on the life history of this species in the upper basin. In particular, spawning wave behavior might have ecological triggers resulting in an overlapping of distinct genetic generations, and arising distinct migratory and nonmigratory genetic patterns living in the same area. An abrupt decrease in the effective population size of the P. costatus populations in the recent past (1960-80) was likely driven by environment fragmentation promoted by the construction of the Três Marias hydropower dam. The low allelic diversity that resulted from this event is still detected today; thus, active stocking programs are not effective at expanding the genetic diversity of this species in the river basin. Finally, this study highlights the importance of using mixed methods to understand spatial and temporal variation in genetic structure for effective mitigation and conservation programs for threatened species that are directly affected by human actions.

Nutrition and Diet Apps: Brazilian Panorama before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the last decade, we have seen a substantial increase in the development and use of mobile technology to improve diet and healthy eating behaviors. OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of nutrition and diet apps before and after the COVID-19 pandemic available in Brazil. METHODS: Nutrition and diet apps were identified using the official Apple and Google stores. The search occurred in January 2020 and May 2022 in Brazil. We extracted the nutritional content and standard indicators (e.g., being developed before or after 2020, number of languages, target population, investment, prices, seller, number of reviews and downloads, consumer rating). RESULTS: 280 apps were launched before and 411 during the COVID-19 period. Most apps were available in at least ten languages (96.6%), with no indication of age (95.6%) or partial or full cost (59%). As for the contents, 18.9% addressed personal diet suggestions; 73.4%, nutritional education; 48.8%, revenues; 35.9%, physical activity with a nutritional guide; 2.3%, nutritional recommendation for eating out; 23.9%, grocery shopping with a scan code; 32.4%, food diary; 18.9%, water intake; and 4.6%, nutrition/diseases. The data show an evolution that may have been boosted by the pandemic and that reveals a trend towards the development of apps with educational content. CONCLUSION: During the pandemic, there was a positive qualitative and quantitative movement in e-health regarding the promotion of education.

Heterocyte production, gene expression, and phylogeography in Raphidiopsis (=Cylindrospermopsis) raciborskii.

Raphidiopsis (=Cylindrospermopsis) raciborskii was described as a subtropical-tropical cyanobacterium, later reported expanding into temperate regions. Heterocyte presence used to distinguish Cylindrospermopsis from the very similar Raphidiopsis, but recently the two genera were recognized as one and unified. This study aimed to investigate how heterocyte production is related to nitrogen (N) limitation in heterocytous and non-heterocytous strains of R.raciborskii. High N-concentrations did not inhibit heterocyte development in some strains, while prolonged N-starvation periods never stimulated production in others. RT-qPCR was used to examine the genetic background, through the expression patterns of nifH, ntcA and hetR. While gene expression increased under N-restriction, N-sufficiency did not suppress nifH transcripts as previously observed in other diazotrophyc cyanobacteria, suggesting that heterocyte production in R. raciborskii is not regulated by N-availability. Heterocytous and non-heterocytous strains were genotypically characterized to assess their phylogenetic relationships. In the phylogenetic tree, clusters were intermixed and confirmed Raphidiopsis and Cylindrospermopsis as the same genus. The tree supported previous findings of earlier splitting of American strains, while contesting the African origin hypothesis. The existence of two lines of Chinese strains, with distinct evolutionary patterns, is a significant addition that could lead to new hypotheses of the species biogeography.

Use of complete mitochondrial genome sequences to identify barcoding markers for groups with low genetic distance.

Complete mitochondrial sequences can be rapidly obtained and are widely available, providing a great source of species information and allowing for the discovery of new specific molecular markers. However, for some taxonomic groups, traditional approaches for species delimitation are impaired by the low genetic distance values. In these cases, other species-level markers are used. For Prochilodus, which includes important neotropical fish species, species-level delimitation usually results in poor phylogenetic resolution when using mitochondrial COI/cytB genes as barcoding markers because of low genetic variability and low species-level resolution. Thus, in this study, we developed an approach to design and validate new barcoding markers with high species-level resolution obtained from the D-loop region, using Prochilodus spp. as a model. For the new barcoding marker validation, the amplicon region was used to infer the phylogenetic relationships of Prochilodus spp. through three distinct methods: Bayesian inference (BI), Neighbor-Joining method (NJ), and Maximum Likelihood method (ML). The phylogenetic relationships of Prochilodus spp. revealed high resolution at species-level, nonoverlapping clades, and high branch support. The genetic distance results allied to two different clustering methods (Bayesian Poisson tree processes and automatic barcode gap discovery) revealed the existence of a barcoding gap, thus, validating the use of the barcoding markers designed in this study. The approach proposed here may, therefore, be expanded to other taxa to access and validate new barcoding markers with higher resolution at the species level.

Genetic evaluation of migratory fish: Implications for conservation and stocking programs.

Fish stocking programs have been implemented to mitigate the blockage of original riverbeds by the construction of hydropower dams, which affects the natural migration of fish populations. However, this method raises concerns regarding the genetic rescue of the original populations of migratory fish species. We investigated the spatial distribution of genetic properties, such as genetic diversity, population structure, and gene flow (migration), of the Neotropical migratory fish Prochilodus costatus in the Três Marias dam in the São Francisco River basin, Brazil, and examined the possible effects of fish stocking programs on P. costatus populations in this region. In total, 1,017 specimens were sampled from 12 natural sites and a fish stocking program, and genotyped for high-throughput sequencing at 8 microsatellite loci. The populations presented low genetic variability, with evidence of inbreeding and the presence of only four genetic pools; three pools were observed throughout the study region, and the fourth was exclusive to one area in the Paraopeba River. Additionally, we identified high unidirectional gene flow between regions, and a preferred migratory route between the Pará River and the upper portion of the São Francisco River. The fish stocking program succeeded in transposing the genetic pools from downstream to upstream of the Três Marias dam, but, regrettably, promoted genetic homogenization in the upper São Francisco River basin. Moreover, the data show the fragility of this species at the genetic level. This monitoring strategy could be a model for the development of conservation and management measures for migratory fish populations that are consumed by humans.

High-Throughput Sequencing Strategy for Microsatellite Genotyping Using Neotropical Fish as a Model.

Genetic diversity and population studies are essential for conservation and wildlife management programs. However, monitoring requires the analysis of multiple loci from many samples. These processes can be laborious and expensive. The choice of microsatellites and PCR calibration for genotyping are particularly daunting. Here we optimized a low-cost genotyping method using multiple microsatellite loci for simultaneous genotyping of up to 384 samples using next-generation sequencing (NGS). We designed primers with adapters to the combinatorial barcoding amplicon library and sequenced samples by MiSeq. Next, we adapted a bioinformatics pipeline for genotyping microsatellites based on read-length and sequence content. Using primer pairs for eight microsatellite loci from the fish Prochilodus costatus, we amplified, sequenced, and analyzed the DNA of 96, 288, or 384 individuals for allele detection. The most cost-effective methodology was a pseudo-multiplex reaction using a low-throughput kit of 1 M reads (Nano) for 384 DNA samples. We observed an average of 325 reads per individual per locus when genotyping eight loci. Assuming a minimum requirement of 10 reads per loci, two to four times more loci could be tested in each run, depending on the quality of the PCR reaction of each locus. In conclusion, we present a novel method for microsatellite genotyping using Illumina combinatorial barcoding that dispenses exhaustive PCR calibrations, since non-specific amplicons can be eliminated by bioinformatics analyses. This methodology rapidly provides genotyping data and is therefore a promising development for large-scale conservation-genetics studies.

Complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Brycon orbignyanus (Characiformes, Bryconidae).

We report the whole mitochondrial genome of the Brycon orbignyanus, commonly known as the piracanjuba. The mitogenome was determined to be a circular, 16,800 bp DNA molecule, containing 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and one 1160 bp noncoding control region. Twelve of the PCGs were located on the heavy strand, and one PCG (Nd6) was located on the light strand. The most common start codon was ATG; however, the Cox1 gene displayed the GTG start codon. Seven PCGs had incomplete stop codons: specifically, Cox2, Cox3, Nd3, Nd4, and Cytb contained the T- - codon, and Nd2 and Atp6 contained the TA- codon. The Cox1 gene contained the AGG stop codon.

Autocuidado de usuários com diabetes mellitus inseridos em um programa de automonitorização da glicemia capilar / Self-care of users with diabetes mellitus entered into a program of capillary blood glucose self-monitoring / Autocuidado de los usuarios con diabetes mellitus entrado en un programa de la sangre capilar automonitorización de la glucosa

Objetivo: Avaliar o desempenho das atividades de autocuidado de usuários com diabetes mellitus inseridos em um programa de automonitorização da glicemia capilar no domicílio. Método: estudo transversal, descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa, realizado no domicílio de usuários com diabetes mellitus que realizam a automonitorização da glicemia capilar, totalizando uma amostra de 279 usuários. Na avaliação das atividades de autocuidado utilizou-se o Questionário de Atividades de Autocuidado com o Diabetes, e para coleta dos dados sociodemográficos e clínico foi aplicado um roteiro sistematizado. Resultados: os dados revelaram que as dimensões alimentação específica, atividade física e monitorização glicêmica demostra comportamento de autocuidado não desejável, enquanto adesão medicamentosa apresentou o melhor comportamento de autocuidado desejável. Conclusão: os usuários com diabetes mellitus que realizam a automonitorização da glicemia capilar no domicílio necessitam de um acompanhamento específico, acrescido de práticas educativas contínuas que estimulem a participação efetiva nas atividades de autocuidado

Objective:To evaluate the performance of self-care activities of users with diabetes mellitus entered into a program of capillary blood glucose self-monitoring at home. Method: cross-sectional study, descriptive, with a quantitative approach, held at the domicile of users with diabetes mellitus that perform capillary blood glucose self-monitoring, totaling a sample of 279 users. In the evaluation of the activities of self-care Questionnaire was used of Self-care activities with Diabetes, and to collect demographic and clinical data was applied a systematic roadmap. Results: the data revealed that the specific power supply dimensions, physical activity and monitoring Glycemic demonstrates behavior of self-care is not desirable, while drug membership presented the best self-care behavior desirable. Conclusión: users with diabetes mellitus that perform capillary blood glucose self-monitoring at home require a specific accompaniment, plus continuous educational practices that foster the effective participation in the activities of self-care

Objetivo: Evaluar el desempeño de las actividades de autocuidado de los usuarios con diabetes mellitus entró en un programa de sangre capilar glucosa autocontrol en casa. Método: estudio transversal descriptivo con enfoque cuantitativo, celebrada en el domicilio de los usuarios con diabetes mellitus que realizan sangre capilar Self-monitoring de la glucosa, por un total de una muestra de 279 usuarios. En la evaluación de las actividades de autocuidado se utilizó cuestionario de actividades de autocuidado con Diabetes, y recopilar datos demográficos y clínicos se aplicó un plan sistemático. Resultados:Los datos revelaron que la alimentación específicos dimensiones, actividad física y control glicémico demuestra comportamiento de autocuidado no es deseable, mientras que miembros de drogas presentaron el mejor comportamiento de autocuidado deseable. Conclusión: los usuarios con diabetes mellitus que realizan sangre capilar glucosa autocontrol en casa requieren de un acompañamiento específico, además de continuas prácticas educativas que fomentan la participación efectiva en las actividades de cuidados personales

Complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Piaractus mesopotamicus (Holmberg, 1887).

The migratory species Piaractus Mesopotamicus, popularly known as the pacu, was determined to have a complete mitochondrial genome of 16,722 bp with 45% GC content. The genome contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and a 1048 bp Control Region (D-loop). Almost all the PCGs used the standard ATG start codon, except for Cox1 that used a GTG start codon. Five of the 13 PCGs had a TAA stop codon, two had the incomplete stop codon TA- (Atp6 and Cox3), and five had the incomplete stop codon T-- (Nd2, Cox2, Nd3, Nd4, and Cytb). AGG was the stop codon of Cox1.

Pimelodus maculatus (Siluriformes, Pimelodidae): complete mtDNA sequence of an economically important fish from the São Francisco river basin.

Pimelodus maculatus is an important commercial fish found in the São Francisco and Paraná river basins. NGS was used to sequence the mtDNA of P. maculatus. The mtDNA was annotated and aligned with that of 25 other fish species to enable phylogenetic analysis. The complete mtDNA molecule had 16,561 bp and its GC content was 43.7%; the structure was similar to that of other vertebrates: 2 rRNA, 22 tRNA, 13 protein-coding genes, and a D-loop region containing 914 bp. Phylogenetic analysis yielded a tree with a high bootstrap coefficient that was coherent with the actual phylogeny of the species.