Plant age-dependent dynamics of annatto pigment (bixin) biosynthesis in Bixa orellana.

Age affects the production of secondary metabolites, but how developmental cues regulate secondary metabolism remains poorly understood. The achiote tree (Bixa orellana L.) is a source of bixin, an apocarotenoid used in diverse industries worldwide. Understanding how age-dependent mechanisms control bixin biosynthesis is of great interest for plant biology and for economic reasons. Here we overexpressed miRNA156 (miR156) in B. orellana to comprehensively study the effects of the miR156-SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) module on age-dependent bixin biosynthesis in leaves. Overexpression of miR156 in annatto plants (miR156ox) reduced BoSPL transcript levels, impacted leaf ontogeny, lessened bixin production, and increased abscisic acid levels. Modulation of expression of BoCCD4-4 and BoCCD1, key genes in carotenoid biosynthesis, was associated with diverting the carbon flux from bixin to abscisic acid in miR156ox leaves. Proteomic analyses revealed an overall low accumulation of most secondary metabolite-related enzymes in miR156ox leaves, suggesting that miR156-targeted BoSPLs may be required to activate several secondary metabolic pathways. Our findings suggest that the conserved BomiR156-BoSPL module is deployed to regulate leaf dynamics of bixin biosynthesis, and may create novel opportunities to fine-tune bixin output in B. orellana breeding programs.

The role of pacas of captivity as a potential reservoir of zoonotic fungi in Acre, Western Amazon, Brazil / O papel de pacas de cativeiro como potencial reservatório de fungos zoonóticos no Acre, Amazônia Ocidental, Brasil

Wild animals can be natural reservoirs of different microorganisms, essential for monitoring these pathogens for the generation of knowledge and creation of tools aimed at programs for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, including zoonoses. The objective was to report the fungal diversity in the skin of pacas in captivity in Acre, Western Amazon, Brazil. Twenty-six animals were evaluated, from which skin samples were collected by superficial scraping, hair avulsion, and sterile plastic brush. The samples were seeded on Mycosel agar, and the phenotypic characteristics of the colonies were analyzed. In 80.8% of the samples, different fungi were isolated, from the genera Candida, Microsporum,and Trichophyton, among others. This is the first description of the identification of fungi in the skin of pacas and suggests that these animals can be considered essential reservoirs of saprophytic or pathogenic microorganisms with zoonotic potential in the Western Amazon.(AU)

Animais silvestres podem ser reservatórios naturais de diferentes microrganismos, sendo fundamental o monitoramento destes patógenos para a geração de conhecimento e criação de ferramentas direcionadas a programas de prevenção e controle de enfermidades infecciosas, incluindo as zoonoses. Assim, objetivou-se relatar a diversidade fúngica da pele de pacas criadas em cativeiro no Acre, Amazônia Ocidental, Brasil. Foram avaliados 26 animais, dos quais amostras cutâneas foram colhidas por raspagem superficial, avulsão pilosa e escova plástica estéril. As amostras foram semeadas em ágar Mycosel e as características fenotípicas das colônias foram analisadas. Em 80,8% das amostras houve isolamento de diferentes fungos, dos gêneros Candida, Microsporum e Trichophyton, dentre outros. Esta é a primeira descrição da identificação de fungos na pele de pacas e sugere que estes animais podem ser considerados importantes reservatórios de microrganismos saprófitas ou patogênicos, de potencial zoonótico, na Amazônia Ocidental.(AU)

Using fire to enhance rewilding when agricultural policies fail.

Rewilding has been proposed as an opportunity for biodiversity conservation in abandoned landscapes. However, rewilding is challenged by the increasing fire risk associated with more flammable landscapes, and the loss of open-habitat specialist species. Contrastingly, supporting High Nature Value farmlands (HNVf) has been also highlighted as a valuable option, but the effective implementation of agricultural policies often fails leading to uncertain scenarios wherein the effects of wildfire management remain largely unexplored. Herein, we simulated fire-landscape dynamics to evaluate how fire suppression scenarios affect fire regime and biodiversity (102 species of vertebrates) under rewilding and HNVf policies in the future (2050), in a transnational biosphere reserve (Gerês-Xurés Mountains, Portugal-Spain). Rewilding and HNVf scenarios were modulated by three different levels of fire suppression effectiveness. Then, we quantified scenario effects on fire regime (burned and suppressed areas) and biodiversity (habitat suitability change for 2050). Simulations confirm HNVf as a long-term opportunity for fire suppression (up to 30,000 ha of additional suppressed areas between 2031 and 2050 in comparison to rewilding scenario) and for conservation (benefiting around 60% of species). Rewilding benefits some species (20%), including critically endangered, vulnerable and endemic taxa, while several species (33%) also profit from open habitats created by fire. Although HNVf remains the best scenario, rewilding reinforced by low fire suppression management may provide a nature-based solution when societal support through agricultural policies fails.

Parents' Emotional and Social Experiences of Caring a Child with Cleft Lip and/or Palate

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the emotional and social experiences of parents or caregivers of children with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) in a city in the Northeastern of Brazil. Material and Methods: A quantitative and cross-sectional study was conducted among parents or caregivers of children with CL/P by interviews based on a questionnaire. Interviews were conducted during the First Smile Project in Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. All participants (n=41) agreed to participate in the interview and signed an informed consent. The data was analyzed in SPSS software version 22.0. Results: The majority of participants were female (87.2%), with a mean age of 37 years, with a low level of education and low family income. The great majority (90.2%) of the parents were not prenatally diagnosed to have CL/P babies. Of those interviewed, 56.1% mentioned that the first diagnosis of cleft lip and palate was not presented by the professionals in a clarifying way to the family. Fear (36.6%) and sadness (19.5%) were the main feelings experienced when the child was diagnosed with fissure. Feeding (48.8%) was pointed out as the main concern in caring for a child with CL/P. Conclusion: The parents and caregivers interviewed faced important emotional and social problems that must be addressed by the professional team that assists the child with CL/P.

Análisis de los niveles de cortisol salival y α-amilasa en cirugía del tercer molar / Analysis of salivary cortisol and α-amylase levels in third molar surgery / Análise dos níveis de cortisol salivar e α-amilase em cirurgia de terceiro molar

Los procedimientos dentales implican una alta situación de estrés y ansiedad. Objetivos: Verificar una asociación de ansiedad dental medida por la Escala de ansiedad dental modificada (EADM), con variaciones de los niveles de cortisol salival (sC) y de α-amilasa (sAA) en pacientes sometidos a cirugía del tercer molar. Materiales y métodos: Treinta y dos pacientes fueron seleccionados en la Clínica Odontológica de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de São Paulo. EADM se logró en la primera consulta. Se recogieron muestras de saliva durante la entrevista, el día de la cirugía y las visitas de seguimiento postoperatorio a intervalos de una semana a la misma hora. Tres pacientes clasificados como ansiosos y cuatro que informaron un evento traumático previo se reunieron en un grupo. Resultados: No hubo diferencia entre este grupo y el grupo no ansioso al comparar el sexo y el dolor. Los niveles de sC (KW, p = 0,65) y sAA (KW, p = 0,69) en tres días no fueron diferentes en relación con el género. Los niveles de sAA aumentaron en la cirugía de día al comparar pacientes ansiosos / con eventos y no ansiosos, mientras que los niveles de sC fueron más altos durante la entrevista y el seguimiento postoperatorio. Conclusión: La ansiedad dental y el evento traumático dental previo mostraron una producción marcada de niveles de sC y sAA en relación con sus contrapartes en esta situación. La relación subjetiva y objetiva de ansiedad dental necesita más investigaciones.

Dental procedures involve high situation of stress and anxiety. Objectives: To verify an association of dental anxiety mea-sured by Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), with variations of salivary cortisol (sC) and salivary α-amylase (sAA) levels in patients undergoing third molar surgery. Materials and Methods: Thirty two patients were selected in Clínica Odontológica of Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade de São Paulo. MDAS was accomplished in first query. Saliva samples were collected during interview, on surgery day and postoperative follow-up visits at intervals of one week at the same hour. Three patients classified as anxious, and four who reported prior traumatic event were gathered in a group. Re-sults: There was no difference between this group and the non-anxious group when comparing gender and pain. sC levels (KW, p = 0.65) and sAA (KW, p = 0.69) on three days weren't different in relation to gender. Levels of sAA increased in day surgery when comparing anxious/ event and non-anxious patients, while sC levels were higher during interview and postoperative follow up. Conclusion: Dental anxiety and previous dental traumatic event showed marked production of sC and sAA levels in relation to their counterparts in this situation. Subjective and objective dental anxiety relationship needs further investigations.

Procedimentos odontológicos envolvem uma alta situação de estresse e ansiedade. Objetivos: Verificar a associação da ansiedade odontológica medida pela Escala Modificada de Ansiedade Dental (EMAD), com variações dos níveis de cortisol salivar (sC) e α-amilase salivar (sAA) em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia de terceiro molar. Materiais e Métodos: Trinta e dois pacientes foram selecionados na Clínica Odontológica da Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade de São Paulo. O EMAD foi realizado na primeira consulta. As amostras de saliva foram coletadas durante a entrevista, no dia da cirurgia e no acompanhamento pós-operatório em intervalos de uma semana na mesma hora. Três pacientes classificados como ansiosos e quatro que relataram evento traumático prévio foram reunidos em um grupo. Resultados: Não houve diferença entre esse grupo e o grupo não ansioso ao comparar sexo e dor. Os níveis sC (KW, p = 0,65) e sAA (KW, p = 0,69) em três dias não diferiram em relação ao sexo. Os níveis de sAA aumentaram em cirurgias diurnas quando comparados pacientes ansiosos / evento e não ansiosos, enquanto os níveis sC foram maiores durante a entrevista e acompanhamento pós-opera-tório. Conclusão: A ansiedade odontológica e o evento traumático dentário prévio mostraram marcada produção de níveis de sC e sAA em relação a suas contrapartes nessa situação. Relação de ansiedade dental subjetiva e objetiva precisa de mais investigações.

Two-temperature Brownian dynamics of a particle in a confining potential.

We consider the two-dimensional motion of a particle in a confining potential, subject to Brownian orthogonal forces associated with two different temperatures. Exact solutions are obtained for an asymmetric harmonic potential in the overdamped and underdamped regimes. For more general confining potentials, a perturbative approach shows that the stationary state exhibits some universal properties. The nonequilibrium stationary state is characterized with a nonzero orthoradial mean current, corresponding to a global rotation of the particle around the center. The rotation is due to two broken symmetries: two different temperatures and a mismatch between the principal axes of the confining asymmetric potential and the temperature axes. We confirm our predictions by performing a Brownian dynamics simulation. Finally, we propose to observe this effect on a laser-cooled atomic gas.

Relato De Caso: Transfusão Arterial Reversa / Case Report: Twin Reversed Arterial Perfusion

A transfusão arterial reversa ou feto acárdico é uma séria complicação exclusiva de gestações gemelares¹. No presente relato, mulher, 29 anos, gestante, admitida com sangramento e perda de líquido por orifício vaginal de início naquele mesmo dia. Sabe-se que havia realizado tratamento para a transfusão arterial reversa aproximadamente 20 dias antes, utilizando a fetoscopia com coagulação a laser. A ultrassonografia no dia do internamento mostrou uma gestação gemelar de 23+ 3 semanas, sendo um feto com BCFs normais e oligodrâmnio, e outro acárdico. Progrediu para parto vaginal, com nascimento dos dois fetos, um deles do sexo feminino normal e outro com acardia, apresentando malformações grosseiras e sem distinção de sexo

TRAP sequence or acardiac fetus is a serious complication that only occurs in twin pregnancies. In this case report, 29-year-old woman pregnant admitted with vaginal bleeding and fluid from the external cervical port that started hours early. The woman had already had treatment for TRAP about 20 days earlier, using fetoscopic laser coagulation. In the admission moment, ultrasound examination revealed a twin pregnancy (23+3 weeks), one fetus with normal fetal beats and oligohydramnios, and an acardiac twin. It has evolved to vaginal birth and delivery of a apparent normal female fetus, and an acardius twin with extensive malformations without distinction of gender

Collisional relaxation of two-dimensional self-gravitating systems.

Systems with long range interactions present generically the formation of quasistationary long-lived nonequilibrium states. These states relax to Boltzmann equilibrium following a dynamics which is not well understood. In this paper we study this process in two-dimensional inhomogeneous self-gravitating systems. Using the Chandrasekhar-or local-approximation we write a simple approximate kinetic equation for the relaxation process, obtaining a Fokker-Planck equation for the velocity distribution with explicit analytical diffusion coefficients. Performing molecular dynamics simulations and comparing them with the evolution predicted by the Fokker-Planck equation, we observe a good agreement with the model for all the duration of the relaxation, from the formation of the quasistationary state to thermal equilibrium. We observe however an overestimate or underestimate of the relaxation rate of the particles with the slower or larger velocities, respectively. It is due to systematic errors in estimating the velocities of the particles at the moment of the collisions, inherent to the Chandrasekhar approximation when applied to inhomogeneous systems. Theory and simulations give a scaling of the relaxation time proportional to the number of particles in the system.

Symmetry breaking in d-dimensional self-gravitating systems.

Systems with long-range interactions, such as self-gravitating clusters and magnetically confined plasmas, do not relax to the usual Boltzmann-Gibbs thermodynamic equilibrium, but become trapped in quasistationary states (QSS) the lifetime of which diverges with the number of particles. The QSS are characterized by the lack of ergodicity which can result in a symmetry broken QSS starting from a spherically symmetric particle distribution. We will present a theory which allows us to quantitatively predict the instability threshold for spontaneous symmetry breaking for a class of d-dimensional self-gravitating systems.

Breathing mode for systems of interacting particles.

We study the breathing mode in systems of trapped interacting particles. Our approach, based on a dynamical ansatz in the first equation of the Bogoliubov-Born-Green-Kirkwood-Yvon hierarchy allows us to tackle at once a wide range of power-law interactions and interaction strengths, at linear and nonlinear levels. This both puts in a common framework various results scattered in the literature, and by widely generalizing these, emphasizes universal characters of this breathing mode. Our findings are supported by direct numerical simulations.

Force distribution in a randomly perturbed lattice of identical particles with 1/r2 pair interaction.

We study the statistics of the force felt by a particle in the class of a spatially correlated distribution of identical pointlike particles, interacting via a 1/r2 pair force (i.e., gravitational or Coulomb), and obtained by randomly perturbing an infinite perfect lattice. We specify the conditions under which the force on a particle is a well-defined stochastic quantity. We then study the small displacements approximation, giving both the limitations of its validity and, when it is valid, an expression for the force variance. The method introduced by Chandrasekhar to find the force probability density function for the homogeneous Poisson particle distribution is extended to shuffled lattices of particles. In this way, we can derive an approximate expression for the probability distribution of the force over the full range of perturbations of the lattice, i.e., from very small (compared to the lattice spacing) to very large where the Poisson limit is recovered. We show in particular the qualitative change in the large-force tail of the force distribution between these two limits. Excellent accuracy of our analytic results is found on detailed comparison with results from numerical simulations. These results provide basic statistical information about the fluctuations of the interactions (i) of the masses in self-gravitating systems like those encountered in the context of cosmological N -body simulations, and (ii) of the charges in the ordered phase of the one-component plasma, the so-called Coulomb or Wigner crystal.