Association between Endometriosis and Risk of Preeclampsia in Women Who Conceived Spontaneously: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between endometriosis and the risk of preeclampsia and other maternal outcomes in spontaneously conceived women. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were systemically searched for studies published from inception to November 2021 (CRD42020198741). Observational studies published in English or French that investigated the risk of preeclampsia in women with endometriosis who conceived spontaneously were included. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: A total of 610 articles were reviewed once duplicates were removed. Inclusion criteria included spontaneous conception and surgical and/or imaging ascertainment of an endometriosis diagnosis. Exclusion criteria included conception using assisted reproductive technologies, multiple pregnancies, chronic hypertension, and unclear diagnoses of endometriosis. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Data of selected studies were extracted, and analysis was performed on Review Manager, version 5.4. Quality assessment of included studies for potential risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cohort studies. Three cohort studies of spontaneous pregnancies were included. Endometriosis was associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia (risk ratio [RR] = 1.47, 95% CI 1.13 -1.89, p = .003; I2 = 0%; n = 3 studies). A sensitivity analysis excluding a study with adenomyosis cases yielded similar risk (RR = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.11-1.87; p = .006; I2 = 0%; n = 2 studies). Having endometriosis did not significantly increase risk of cesarean delivery (RR = 1.38; 95% CI, 0.99-1.92; p = .06; I2 = 80%; n = 2 studies) or postpartum hemorrhage (RR = 1.16; 95% CI, 0.46-2.91; p = .76; I2 = 50%; n = 2 studies). CONCLUSION: We detected an increased risk of preeclampsia in women with endometriosis who conceived spontaneously. Endometriosis did not seem to increase the risk of cesarean delivery and postpartum hemorrhage, but the number of studies was limited, and the heterogeneity was high.

Clinical, cerebrospinal fluid, and neuroimaging findings in COVID-19 encephalopathy: a case series.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical, neurological, neuroimaging, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings associated with encephalopathy in patients admitted to a COVID-19 tertiary reference center. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records of consecutive patients with COVID-19 evaluated by a consulting neurology team from March 30, 2020 through May 15, 2020. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 were included, 43 of whom showed encephalopathy, and were further divided into mild, moderate, and severe encephalopathy groups. Nineteen patients (44%) had undergone mechanical ventilation and received intravenous sedatives. Eleven (26%) patients were on dialysis. Laboratory markers of COVID-19 severity were very common in encephalopathy patients, but did not correlate with the severity of encephalopathy. Thirty-nine patients underwent neuroimaging studies, which showed mostly non-specific changes. One patient showed lesions possibly related to CNS demyelination. Four had suffered an acute stroke. SARS-CoV-2 was detected by RT-PCR in only one of 21 CSF samples. Two CSF samples showed elevated white blood cell count and all were negative for oligoclonal bands. In our case series, the severity of encephalopathy correlated with higher probability of death during hospitalization (OR = 5.5 for each increment in the degree of encephalopathy, from absent (0) to mild (1), moderate (2), or severe (3), p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In our consecutive series with 43 encephalopathy cases, neuroimaging and CSF analysis did not support the role of direct viral CNS invasion or CNS inflammation as the cause of encephalopathy.

Putting fire on the map of Brazilian savanna ecoregions.

The Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) is considered the most floristically diverse savanna in the world, home to more than seven thousand species. The region is a mosaic of savannas, grasslands and forests whose unique biophysical and landscape attributes are on the basis of a recent ecoregional map, paving the way to improved region-based strategies for land management actions. However, as a fire-prone ecosystem, Cerrado owes much of its distribution and ecological properties to the fire regime and contributes to an important parcel of South America burned area. Accordingly, any attempt to use ecoregion geography as a guide for management strategies should take fire into account, as an essential variable. The main aim of this study is to complement the ecoregional map of the Cerrado with information related to the fire component. Using remotely sensed information, we identify patterns and trends of fire frequency, intensity, seasonality, extent and scar size, and combine this information for each ecoregion, relying on a simple classification that summarizes the main fire characteristics over the last two decades. Results show a marked north-south fire activity gradient, with increased contributions from MATOPIBA, the latest agricultural frontier. Five ecoregions alone account for two thirds of yearly burned area. More intense fires are found in the Arc of Deforestation and eastern ecoregions, while ecoregions in MATOPIBA display decreasing fire intensity. An innovative analysis of fire scars stratified by size class shows that infrequent large fires are responsible for the majority of burned area. These large fires display positive trends over many ecoregions, whereas smaller fires, albeit more frequent, have been decreasing in number. The final fire classification scheme shows well defined spatially-aggregated groups, where trends are found to be the key factor to evaluate fire within their regional contexts. Results presented here provide new insights to improve fire management strategies under a changing climate.

Characterization and mapping of secondary metabolites of Streptomyces sp. from caatinga by desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS).

The discovery of new secondary metabolites is a challenge to biotechnologists due to the emergence of superbugs and drug resistance. Knowledge about biodiversity and the discovery of new microorganisms have become major objectives; thus, new habitats like extreme ecosystems have become places of interest to research. In this context, caatinga is an unexplored biome. The ecosystem caatinga is a rich habitat for thermophilic microbes. Its high temperature and dry climate cause selective microbes to flourish and become established. Actinobacteria (Caat 1-54 genus Streptomyces sp.) isolated from the soil of caatinga was investigated to characterize and map its secondary metabolites by desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI). With this technique, the production of bioactive metabolites was detected and associated with the different morphological differentiation stages within a typical Streptomyces sp. life cycle. High-resolution mass spectrometry, tandem mass spectrometry, UV-Vis profiling and NMR analysis were also performed to characterize the metabolite ions detected by DESI-MS. A novel compound, which is presumed to be an analogue of the antifungal agent lienomycin, along with the antimicrobial compound lysolipin I were identified in this study to be produced by the bacterium. The potency of these bioactive compounds was further studied by disc diffusion assays and their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against Bacillus and Penicillium were determined. These bioactive metabolites could be useful to the pharmaceutical industry as candidate compounds, especially given growing concern about increasing resistance to available drugs with the emergence of superbugs. Consequently, the unexplored habitat caatinga affords new possibilities for novel bioactive compound discovery. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Bioguided isolation, characterization and media optimization for production of Lysolipins by actinomycete as antimicrobial compound against Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri.

Citrus Canker disease is one of the most important disease in citrus production worldwide caused by gram-negative bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, leading to great economic losses. Currently, a spray of copper-based bactericides is the primary measure for citrus canker management. However, these measures can lead to the contamination of soil by metal contamination, but also the development of copper-resistant Xanthomonas populations. Considering the need to discovery new alternatives to control the citrus canker disease, actinomycetes isolated from the Brazilian Caatinga biome and their crude extracts were tested against different strains of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri. Streptomyces sp. Caat 1-54 crude extract showed the highest antibiotic activity against Xcc. The crude extract dereplication was performed by LC-MS/MS. Through bioassay-guided fractionation strategy, the antimicrobial activity was assigned to Lysolipins, showing a MIC around 0.4-0.8 µg/mL. Growth media optimization using statistical experimental design increased the Lysolipins production in three-fold production. The preventive and curative effects of the optimized crude extract obtained by experimental design of Caat-1-54 against citrus canker were evaluated in potted 'Pera' sweet orange nursery trees. Caat 1-54 extract was effective in preventing new infections by Xcc on leaves but was not able to reduce Xcc population in pre-established citrus canker lesions. Streptomyces sp. Caat 1-54 extract is a promising, environmentally-friendly source of antimicrobial compound to protect citrus trees against citrus canker.

Unveiling overlooked pathways: The uric acid catabolism genes in the human genome.

In hominids, including Homo sapiens, uric acid is the end product of purine catabolism. In contrast, other placental mammals further degrade uric acid to (S)-allantoin by enzymes such as urate oxidase (uricase), HIU hydrolase (HIUase), and OHCU decarboxylase. Some organisms, such as frogs and fish, hydrolyze (S)-allantoin to allantoate and eventually to (S)-ureidoglycolate and urea, while marine invertebrates convert urea to ammonium. In H. sapiens, mutations in the uricase gene led to a reduction in the selective pressure for maintaining the integrity of the genes encoding the other enzymes of the purine catabolism pathway, resulting in an accumulation of uric acid. The hyperuricemia resulting from this accumulation is associated with gout, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and preeclampsia. Many commonly used drugs, such as aspirin, can also increase uric acid levels. Despite the apparent absence of these enzymes in H. sapiens, there appears to be production of transcripts for uricase (UOX), HIUase (URAHP), OHCU decarboxylase (URAD), and allantoicase (ALLC). While some URAHP transcripts are classified as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), URAD and ALLC produce protein-coding transcripts. Given the presence of these transcripts in various tissues, we hypothesized that they may play a role in the regulation of purine catabolism and the pathogenesis of diseases associated with hyperuricemia. Here, we specifically investigate the unique aspects of purine catabolism in H. sapiens, the effects mutations of the uricase gene, and the potential regulatory role of the corresponding transcripts. These findings open new avenues for research and therapeutic approaches for the treatment of hyperuricemia and related diseases.

Maternal depression and offspring mental health at age 5: MINA-Brazil cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify longitudinal patterns of maternal depression between three months and five years after child's birth, to examine predictor variables for these trajectories, and to evaluate whether distinct depression trajectories predict offspring mental health problems at age 5 years. METHODS: We used data from the Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition in Acre (MINA-Brazil) study, a population-based birth cohort in the Western Brazilian Amazon. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 3 and 6-8 months, and 1 and 2 years after delivery. Mental health problems in 5-year-old children were evaluated with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) reported by parents. Trajectories of maternal depression were calculated using a group-based modelling approach. RESULTS: We identified four trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms: "low" (67.1%), "increasing" (11.5%), "decreasing" (17.4%), and "high-chronic" (4.0%). Women in the "high/chronic" trajectory were the poorest, least educated, and oldest compared with women in the other trajectory groups. Also, they were more frequently multiparous and reported smoking and having attended fewer prenatal consultations during pregnancy. In the adjusted analyses, the odds ratio of any SDQ disorder was 3.23 (95%CI: 2.00-5.22) and 2.87 (95%CI: 1.09-7.57) times higher among children of mothers belonging to the "increasing" and "high-chronic" trajectory groups, respectively, compared with those of mothers in the "low" depressive symptoms group. These differences were not explained by maternal and child characteristics included in multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: We identified poorer mental health outcomes for children of mothers assigned to the "chronic/severe" and "increasing" depressive symptoms trajectories. Prevention and treatment initiatives to avoid the adverse short, medium, and long-term effects of maternal depression on offspring development should focus on women belonging to these groups.

Impact of maternal depressive symptoms on offspring executive functions: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to thoroughly examine the current understanding of the effect of maternal depression exposure on the executive functions of offspring. METHODS: Following the PRISMA statement, a comprehensive search for peer-reviewed cohort studies was performed on Pubmed, ScienceDirect, LILACS, PsychINFO, and SciELO. Study quality was assessed using the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-sectional studies. The evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. RESULTS: This review analyzed 33 cohort studies from different countries with a total of 38,981 participants. Twenty-four studies confirmed the hypothesis of the harmful effect of maternal depressive symptoms on the performance of children's executive functions. However, a high heterogeneity among studies was found, and meta-analysis was not feasible. Fetal programming, genetics, and parental practices have been identified as potential mechanisms that can affect the executive functions of children born to mothers who have experienced depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a negative association between maternal depressive symptoms and offspring executive functioning. Further studies on the effects of chronicity/severity of maternal symptoms and changes in executive functions in different sensitive periods are needed.

Twenty-first-century demographic and social inequalities of heat-related deaths in Brazilian urban areas.

Population exposure to heat waves (HWs) is increasing worldwide due to climate change, significantly affecting society, including public health. Despite its significant vulnerabilities and limited adaptation resources to rising temperatures, South America, particularly Brazil, lacks research on the health impacts of temperature extremes, especially on the role played by socioeconomic factors in the risk of heat-related illness. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of the effects of HWs on mortality rates in the 14 most populous urban areas, comprising approximately 35% of the country's population. Excess mortality during HWs was estimated through the observed-to-expected ratio (O/E) for total deaths during the events identified. Moreover, the interplay of intersectionality and vulnerability to heat considering demographics and socioeconomic heterogeneities, using gender, age, race, and educational level as proxies, as well as the leading causes of heat-related excess death, were assessed. A significant increase in the frequency was observed from the 1970s (0-3 HWs year-1) to the 2010s (3-11 HWs year-1), with higher tendencies in the northern, northeastern, and central-western regions. Over the 2000-2018 period, 48,075 (40,448-55,279) excessive deaths were attributed to the growing number of HWs (>20 times the number of landslides-related deaths for the same period). Nevertheless, our event-based surveillance analysis did not detect the HW-mortality nexus, reinforcing that extreme heat events are a neglected disaster in Brazil. Among the leading causes of death, diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems and neoplasms were the most frequent. Critical regional differences were observed, which can be linked to the sharp North-South inequalities in terms of socioeconomic and health indicators, such as life expectancy. Higher heat-related excess mortality was observed for low-educational level people, blacks and browns, older adults, and females. Such findings highlight that the strengthening of primary health care combined with reducing socioeconomic, racial, and gender inequalities represents a crucial step to reducing heat-related deaths.

Soybean molasses increases subcutaneous fat deposition while reducing lipid oxidation in the meat of castrated lambs.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of including soybean molasses (SM) on performance, blood parameters, carcass traits, meat quality, fatty acid, and muscle (longissimus thoracis) transcriptomic profiles of castrated lambs. Twenty Dorper × Santa Inês lambs (20.06 ±â€…0.76 kg body weight [BW]) were assigned to a randomized block design, stratified by BW, with the following treatments: CON: 0 g/kg of SM and SM20: 200 g/kg of SM on dry matter basis, allocated in individual pens. The diet consisted of 840 g/kg concentrate and 160 g/kg corn silage for 76 d, with the first 12 d as an adaptation period and the remaining 64 d on the finishing diet. The SM20 diet increased blood urea concentration (P = 0.03) while reduced glucose concentration (P = 0.04). Lambs fed SM showed higher subcutaneous fat deposition (P = 0.04) and higher subcutaneous adipocyte diameter (P < 0.01), in addition to reduced meat lipid oxidation (P < 0.01). SM reduced the quantity of branched-chain fatty acids in longissimus thoracis (P = 0.05) and increased the quantity of saturated fatty acids (P = 0.01). In the transcriptomic analysis, 294 genes were identified as differentially expressed, which belong to pathways such as oxidative phosphorylation, citric acid cycle, and monosaccharide metabolic process. In conclusion, diet with SM increased carcass fat deposition, reduced lipid oxidation, and changed the energy metabolism, supporting its use in ruminant nutrition.

This study investigated the effects of incorporating soybean molasses (SM) into the diet of castrated lambs on various aspects of their performance and meat quality. Twenty lambs were divided into two groups: one was fed a control diet without SM whereas the other was fed a similar diet but containing 20% of SM. The feeding trial lasted for 76 d. Results showed that the SM inclusion in the diet led to increased blood urea levels and decreased glucose concentrations. SM inclusion also resulted in lambs with higher levels of subcutaneous fat and larger adipocytes, while reducing meat lipid oxidation. Moreover, SM altered fatty acid composition in the meat, decreasing branched-chain fatty acids and increasing saturated fatty acids. In agreement with these findings, transcriptomic analysis revealed a significant change in the expression of genes related to energy metabolism in the muscle of lambs fed SM. In conclusion, incorporating SM in lamb's diet increased fat deposition, improved meat quality, and induced a transcriptomic change in the muscle energy metabolism, supporting its potential use in ruminant nutrition.

Risk factors for executive function impairment in adolescence: an analysis of data from the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate risk factors associated with impaired attention-related executive functions (EFs) at age 11 and working memory at age 15. METHODS: Data from participants of the population-based 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort at ages 11 (n=3,582) and 15 (n=1,950) were analyzed. The study measured attentional control, cognitive flexibility, and selective attention using the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch). Spatial working memory was assessed by the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Logistic regression was employed to explore the relationship between perinatal and childhood exposures and EF impairment. RESULTS: Low maternal education had a significant negative impact on EFs. At age 11, it was associated with decreased attentional control (OR = 3.04; 95%CI 2.09-4.43), and at age 15, it was linked to impaired spatial working memory (OR = 2.21; 95%CI 1.58-3.09). Additional risk factors included low household income, black or brown maternal skin color, high parity, prematurity, low birth weight, and multiple siblings. Breastfeeding, regardless of duration, was found to be a protective factor against impaired cognitive flexibility (OR = 0.38; 95%CI 0.22-0.65). CONCLUSION: This study underscores the lasting impact of perinatal exposures on EF development. Policies that mitigate the negative effects of risk factors and promote EF development, especially among vulnerable populations, are needed.

Hepatic damage caused by flaviviruses: A systematic review.

Flaviviruses infect arthropods and mammals and their pathologies are a considerable global health problem, affecting about 400 million people per year. The symptoms of these flaviviruses range from mild manifestations such as nausea, vomiting, and headache to more serious cases such as hemorrhage, meningitis, microcephaly, kidney, and liver failure. This review aims to compile the morphological changes that occur due to infections caused by dengue, yellow fever, and Zika viruses, as well as to describe possible mechanisms of action of such flaviviruses in the liver. PRISMA guidelines were used to search for studies associating flavivirus with liver disorders. Two independent reviewers selected the studies on PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus search platforms. The SYRCLE software was used for the evaluation of the study's quality. Eighteen experimental articles were included. The experimental animals often used in experiments were monkeys (5 %), hamsters (10 %), chicken embryos (10 %), and mice (75 %). It is evident that there is a strong hepatic interaction with flaviviruses, and the main hepatic alterations found were steatosis, apoptosis, necrosis, hemorrhage, elevation of ALT and AST levels, and total bilirubin. Flavivirus infection, in general, trigger an upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to structural changes in mitochondria that activate cascades of cellular death and promote insulin resistance. The majority of the studies primarily focus on dengue and yellow fever viruses, while the findings related to Zika virus exposure are still relatively limited and require further investigation.

New weapons against the disease vector Aedes aegypti: From natural products to nanoparticles.

Despite the global burden of viral diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti, there is a lack of effective means of prevention and treatment. Strategies for vector control include chemical and biological approaches such as organophosphates and Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti), among others. However, important concerns are associated, such as resistance in mosquito larvae and deleterious effects on non-target organisms. In this scenario, novel approaches against A. aegypti have been investigated, including natural products (e.g. vegetable oil and extracts) and nanostructured systems. This review focuses on potential strategies for fighting A. aegypti, highlighting plant-based materials and nanomaterials able to induce toxic effects on egg, larva, pupa and adult mosquitoes. Issues including aspects of conventional vector control strategies are presented, and finally new insights on development of eco-friendly nanoformulations against A. aegypti are discussed.

Sporothrix brasiliensis Infection Modulates Antimicrobial Peptides and Stress Management Gene Expression in the Invertebrate Biomodel Galleria mellonella.

Sporothrix brasiliensis is the most pathogenic species, responsible for the Brazilian cat-transmitted sporotrichosis hyperendemic. In this scenario, an investigation of the pathogen-host interaction can provide relevant information for future treatment strategies. To this end, the invertebrate Galleria mellonella has proven to be a suitable alternative for evaluating the virulence of pathogenic fungi, since the insect immune system is similar to the mammalian innate immune response. The aim of this work was to investigate phenotypic and molecular aspects of the immune response of G. mellonella throughout the S. brasiliensis infection. Hemocyte density and the evolution of the fungal load were evaluated. In parallel, RT-qPCR expression analysis of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides (Gallerimycin and Galiomycin) and stress management genes (C7 Contig 15362 and C8 Contig 19101) was conducted. The fungal load and hemocyte densities increased simultaneously and proportionally to the deleterious morphological events and larvae mortality. Gallerimycin, C7 Contig 15362 and C8 Contig 19101 genes were positively regulated (p < 0.05) at distinct moments of S. brasiliensis infection, characterizing a time-dependent and alternately modulated profile. Galiomycin gene expression remained unchanged. Our results contribute to the future proposal of potential alternative pathways for treating and consequently controlling S. brasiliensis zoonosis, a major public health issue in Latin America.

Antimicrobial peptides could antagonize uncontrolled inflammation via Toll-like 4 receptor.

Antimicrobial peptides are part of the organism's defense system. They are multifunctional molecules capable of modulating the host's immune system and recognizing molecules present in pathogens such as lipopolysaccharides (LPSs). LPSs are recognized by molecular patterns associated with pathogens known as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) that protect the organism from pathological microorganisms. TLR4 is responsible for LPS recognition, thus inducing an innate immune response. TLR4 hyperstimulation induces the uncontrolled inflammatory process that is observed in many illnesses, including neurodegenerative, autoimmune and psoriasis). Molecules that act on TLR4 can antagonize the exacerbated inflammatory process. In this context, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising molecules capable of mediating toll-like receptor signaling. Therefore, here we address the AMPs studied so far with the aim of inhibiting the intense inflammatory process. In addition, we aim to explore some of the interactions between exogenous AMPs and TLR4.

Oestrogen enforces the integrity of blood vessels in the bone during pregnancy and menopause.

The mammalian skeletal system shows sex differences in structure, functions, ageing and disease incidences. The role of blood vessels in physiological, regenerative and pathological bone functions indicates the requisite to understanding their sex specificity. Here, we find oestrogen regulates blood vessel physiology during pregnancy and menopause through oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and G-protein coupled oestrogen receptor-1 (Gper1) but not ERß-dependent signalling in mice. Oestrogen regulates BECs' lipid use and promotes lipolysis of adipocytes and FA uptake from the microenvironment. Low oestrogen conditions skew endothelial FA metabolism to accumulate lipid peroxides (LPO), leading to vascular ageing. High ferrous ion levels in female BECs intensify LPO accumulation and accelerate the ageing process. Importantly, inhibiting LPO generation using liproxstatin-1 in aged mice significantly improved bone heath. Thus, our findings illustrate oestrogen's effects on BECs and suggest LPO targeting could be an efficient strategy to manage blood and bone health in females.

Drought-heatwave nexus in Brazil and related impacts on health and fires: A comprehensive review.

Climate change is drastically altering the frequency, duration, and severity of compound drought-heatwave (CDHW) episodes, which present a new challenge in environmental and socioeconomic sectors. These threats are of particular importance in low-income regions with growing populations, fragile infrastructure, and threatened ecosystems. This review synthesizes emerging progress in the understanding of CDHW patterns in Brazil while providing insights about the impacts on fire occurrence and public health. Evidence is mounting that heatwaves are becoming increasingly linked with droughts in northeastern and southeastern Brazil, the Amazonia, and the Pantanal. In those regions, recent studies have begun to build a better understanding of the physical mechanisms behind CDHW events, such as the soil moisture-atmosphere coupling, promoted by exceptional atmospheric blocking conditions. Results hint at a synergy between CDHW events and high fire activity in the country over the last decades, with the most recent example being the catastrophic 2020 fires in the Pantanal. Moreover, we show that HWs were responsible for increasing mortality and preterm births during record-breaking droughts in southeastern Brazil. This work paves the way for a more in-depth understanding on CDHW events and their impacts, which is crucial to enhance the adaptive capacity of different Brazilian sectors.

A guide for the use of fNIRS in microcephaly associated to congenital Zika virus infection.

Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) is characterized by changes in cranial morphology associated with heterogeneous neurological manifestations and cognitive and behavioral impairments. In this syndrome, longitudinal neuroimaging could help clinicians to predict developmental trajectories of children and tailor treatment plans accordingly. However, regularly acquiring magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has several shortcomings besides cost, particularly those associated with childrens' clinical presentation as sensitivity to environmental stimuli. The indirect monitoring of local neural activity by non-invasive functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technique can be a useful alternative for longitudinally accessing the brain function in children with CZS. In order to provide a common framework for advancing longitudinal neuroimaging assessment, we propose a principled guideline for fNIRS acquisition and analyses in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Based on our experience on collecting fNIRS data in children with CZS we emphasize the methodological challenges, such as clinical characteristics of the sample, desensitization, movement artifacts and environment control, as well as suggestions for tackling such challenges. Finally, metrics based on fNIRS can be associated with established clinical metrics, thereby opening possibilities for exploring this tool as a long-term predictor when assessing the effectiveness of treatments aimed at children with severe neurodevelopmental disorders.

Soybean molasses to replace corn for feedlot lambs on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality.

Soybean molasses (SBM) is a byproduct of the manufacture of soy protein concentrate and has high energy value. This byproduct has a high potential for use in the nutrition of ruminant animals, mainly in the replacement of other energy feeds such as corn grain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of SBM to replace corn grain up to 30% dry matter (DM) in the total diet on growth performance, feeding behavior, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of feedlot lambs (½ Santa Inês × ½ Dorper). Forty intact male lambs with an initial average body weight of 20.6 ± 2.5 kg and approximate age of 120 d were used. The animals were distributed in four treatments (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% SBM), divided into five randomized blocks according to the initial weight and adapted for 16 d, with diets containing increasing concentrations of concentrate and SBM. Feeding behavior was analyzed at the beginning, middle, and final of the finishing period, and when animals reached 42 d on the finishing diet they were slaughtered. Data were evaluated using SAS software (version 9.4), by polynomial orthogonal contrasts, where the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality values were analyzed as randomized blocks, and the feeding behavior data as randomized blocks with a repeated measure over time. Significant differences were detected for the contrast 0 vs. SBM treatments, which the inclusion of SBM caused an increase (P ≤ 0.05) in ash intake but decreased the ether extract intake. The intake of DM in % body weight was higher for SBM treatments than 0% treatment (P ≤ 0.05). Feeding behavior, ruminating while lying down and drinking water presented a decreasing linear effect (P ≤ 0.05), and for feeding, efficiency increased with the addition of SBM (P ≤ 0.05). Fatty acids C14:0, C17:0, C17:1, C18:2n6c, C20:2, and C20:3n6 showed lower values ​​with the inclusion of SBM (P ≤ 0.05), while fatty acids C22:0 and C22:6n3 increased. The values ​​of n6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and n-6/n-3 ratio were lower (P ≤ 0.05) for SBM treatments. The values ​​of total polyunsaturated fatty acids showed a decreasing linear effect (P ≤ 0.05) with the inclusion of SBM. The use of up to 30% SBM in DM did not impair animal growth performance and feeding behavior did not cause damages to carcass parameters and still made the meat healthier, improving the n-6/n-3 ratio, therefore can be used to feed finishing lambs.

Meta-analysis of the effect of glycerin inclusion in dairy cattle diet on milk fatty acid profile.

The use of glycerin in diets for dairy cows initially emerged as an alternative for the prevention and control of ketosis. However, despite some controversy, there are still several studies associating glycerin with increases in daily milk yield, with possible changes in its constituents. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate, using a meta-analysis approach, the effect of glycerin inclusion in dairy cow diets on milk fatty acid. Twenty-two peer-reviewed publications with 66 treatment means were included in data set. The effect of glycerin inclusion in diet (treatment) were evaluated using random-effect models to examine the weighted mean differences (WMD) between a control diet (without glycerin in the diet) and the treatment diet. Heterogeneity was explored by meta-regression and subgroup analysis performed for: genetic type; days in milk; experimental period; glycerin in diet; glycerin type and concentrate in diet. Inclusion of glycerin in the diet increased the digestibility of dry matter and protein, as well as ruminal propionate. It did not affect dry matter intake (P = 0.351) and milk yield (P = 0.730). The effect of glycerin inclusion on the milk fat yield is dependent on the genetic group, in which Holstein (WMD = -0.04 kg/d; P = 0.010) and Holstein-crossbreed (WMD = -0.10 kg/d; P < 0.0001) cows produced less fat in milk compared to Jersey cows, when glycerin was included in the diets. Glycine inclusions of up to 100 g/kg in the diet of dairy cows did not negatively affect milk production and composition. However, inclusions above 150 g/kg of glycerin in the diet reduced the concentration of fat, and of unsaturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA C18: 2 cis-9 and trans-11) in milk. The results reported in our meta-analysis does not demonstrate the effectiveness of glycerin in improving the composition of milk and a group of fatty acids of importance for human health such as C18: 2 cis-9, trans-11 CLA.