The mitogenomic landscape of Banisteriopsis caapi (Malpighiaceae), the sacred liana used for ayahuasca preparation.

The sacred ayahuasca brew, utilized by indigenous communities in the Amazon and syncretic religious groups in Brazil, primarily consists of a decoction of two plants: (i) the Amazonian liana known as Mariri or Jagube (Banisteriopsis caapi), and (ii) the shrub referred as Chacrona or Rainha (Psychotria viridis). While Chacrona leaves are rich in N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a potent psychedelic, the macerated vine of Mariri provides beta-carboline alkaloids acting as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, preventing DMT's degradation. This study sequenced, assembled, and analyzed the complete genome of B. caapi's mitochondrion, yielding a circular structure spanning 503,502 bp. Although the mtDNA encompasses most plant mitochondrial genes, it lacks some ribosomal genes, presents some atypical genes, and contains plastid pseudogenes, suggesting gene transfer between organelles. The presence of a 7-Kb repetitive segment containing copies of the rrnL and trnfM genes suggests mitogenome isomerization, supporting the hypothesis of dynamic mitogenome maintenance in plants. Phylogenetics and phylogenomics across 24 Malpighiales confirms the sample's placement in the "Tucunacá" ethnovariety, aligning with morphological identification. This study spearheads efforts to decode the genome of this esteemed Malpighiaceae.

The complete organellar genomes of the entheogenic plant Psychotria viridis (Rubiaceae), a main component of the ayahuasca brew.

Psychotria viridis (Rubioideae: Rubiaceae), popularly known as chacrona, is commonly found as a shrub in the Amazon region and is well-known to produce psychoactive compounds, such as the N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Together with the liana Banisteropsis caapi, P. viridis is one of the main components of the Amerindian traditional, entheogenic beverage known as ayahuasca. In this work, we assembled and annotated the organellar genomes (ptDNA and mtDNA), presenting the first genomics resources for this species. The P. viridis ptDNA exhibits 154,106 bp, encoding all known ptDNA gene repertoire found in angiosperms. The Psychotria genus is a complex paraphyletic group, and according to phylogenomic analyses, P. viridis is nested in the Psychotrieae clade. Comparative ptDNA analyses indicate that most Rubiaceae plastomes present conserved ptDNA structures, often showing slight differences at the junction sites of the major four regions (LSC-IR-SSC). For the mitochondrion, assembly graph-based analysis supports a complex mtDNA organization, presenting at least two alternative and circular mitogenomes structures exhibiting two main repeats spanning 24 kb and 749 bp that may symmetrically isomerize the mitogenome into variable arrangements and isoforms. The circular mtDNA sequences (615,370 and 570,344 bp) encode almost all plant mitochondrial genes (except for the ccmC, rps7, rps10, rps14, rps19, rpl2 and rpl16 that appears as pseudogenes, and the absent genes sdh3, rps2, rsp4, rsp8, rps11, rpl6, and rpl10), showing slight variations related to exclusive regions, ptDNA integration, and relics of previous events of LTR-RT integration. The detection of two mitogenomes haplotypes is evidence of heteroplasmy as observed by the complex organization of the mitochondrial genome using graph-based analysis. Taken together, these results elicit the primary insights into the genome biology and evolutionary history of Psychotria viridis and may be used to aid strategies for conservation of this sacred, entheogenic species.

[Aberrant regeneration of the oculomotor nerve followed by intracranial aneurysm: case report]. / Regeneração aberrante do nervo oculomotor secundária a aneurisma intracraniano: relato de caso.

To report a case of aberrant regeneration followed by acute palsy of the oculomotor nerve caused by intracranial aneurysm. A 59-year-old patient was attended in February 2006 complaining of headache with diplopia and blepharoptosis in the right eye. At the external ocular motility exam. Aduction, supraduction and infraduction defects with blepharoptosis in the right eye were observed. Regarding the internal ocular motility, mydriasis in the right eye. Acute palsy of the oculomotor nerve in the right eye was diagnosed and neurological examination was requested. At the Department of Neurosurgery, after having diagnosed aneurysm of the posterior communicating artery, the patient was submitted to an operation. In December 2006, it improvement of the aduction was observed, supraduction and infraduction defects remained and blepharoptosis improved during aduction of the right eye. In the internal ocular motility, miosis in the affected eye. The diagnosis of the aberrant regeneration of the oculomotor nerve after acute palsy was formulated based on anamnesis and ophthalmological follow-up tests.

Regeneração aberrante do nervo oculomotor secundária a aneurisma intracraniano: relato de caso / Aberrant regeneration of the oculomotor nerve followed by intracranial aneurysm: case report

Relatar um caso de regeneração aberrante secundária à paralisia aguda do nervo oculomotor causada por aneurisma intracraniano. Paciente atendida em fevereiro de 2006 queixando-se de dor de cabeça acompanhada de visão dupla e queda da pálpebra no olho direito. Na avaliação da motilidade ocular extrínseca, verificou-se incapacidade da adução, da supradução e da infradução associada à blefaroptose no olho direito. Com relação à motilidade intrínseca, midríase paralítica no olho direito. Formulou-se diagnóstico de paralisia aguda de nervo oculomotor no olho direito e solicitou-se avaliação neurológica. No Departamento de Neurocirurgia, após ser diagnosticada presença de aneurisma de artéria comunicante posterior, a paciente foi submetida a tratamento cirúrgico. Em dezembro de 2006, observou-se melhora relativa da adução, mantendo a incapacidade da supradução e da infradução com blefaroptose melhorada à adução do olho direito. Com relação à motilidade intrínseca, miose no olho afetado. O diagnóstico de regeneração aberrante do nervo oculomotor pós-paralisia aguda foi formulado baseando-se na anamnese e nos exames oftalmológicos seqüenciais.

To report a case of aberrant regeneration followed by acute palsy of the oculomotor nerve caused by intracranial aneurysm. A 59-year-old patient was attended in February 2006 complaining of headache with diplopia and blepharoptosis in the right eye. At the external ocular motility exam. Aduction, supraduction and infraduction defects with blepharoptosis in the right eye were observed. Regarding the internal ocular motility, mydriasis in the right eye. Acute palsy of the oculomotor nerve in the right eye was diagnosed and neurological examination was requested. At the Department of Neurosurgery, after having diagnosed aneurysm of the posterior communicating artery, the patient was submitted to an operation. In December 2006, it improvement of the aduction was observed, supraduction and infraduction defects remained and blepharoptosis improved during aduction of the right eye. In the internal ocular motility, miosis in the affected eye. The diagnosis of the aberrant regeneration of the oculomotor nerve after acute palsy was formulated based on anamnesis and ophthalmological follow-up tests.

Apresentaçäo de um caso de síndrome de Zollinger-Ellison na infância / A case of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome in early childhood

Os autores apresentam um caso de síndrome de Zollinger-Ellison na infância, chamando a atençäo para os poucos casos publicados na literatura brasileira. Constatam a dificuldade da maioria dos hospitais brasileiros em realizar dosagens de gastrina basal e após estímulos, tomografia computadorizada e arteriografia do tronco celíaco, deixando o diagnóstico näo esclarecido muitas vezes, explicando a raridade desta doença em nosso meio, já que é muito mais diagnosticada em países com tecnologia avançada. Fazem consideraçöes gerais sobre a doença e comentam a preferência em nosso meio pelo tratamento cirúrgico, já que o alto custo e o caráter permanente do tratamento clínico o tornam praticamente inviabilizado em nosso país