Genomic Surveillance of Yellow Fever Virus Epizootic in São Paulo, Brazil, 2016 – 2018

São Paulo, a densely inhabited state in southeast Brazil that contains the fourth most populated city in the world, recently experienced its largest yellow fever virus (YFV) outbreak in decades. YFV does not normally circulate extensively in São Paulo, so most people were unvaccinated when the outbreak began. Surveillance in non-human primates (NHPs) is important for determining the magnitude and geographic extent of an epizootic, thereby helping to evaluate the risk of YFV spillover to humans. Data from infected NHPs can give more accurate insights into YFV spread than when using data from human cases alone. To contextualise human cases, identify epizootic foci and uncover the rate and direction of YFV spread in São Paulo, we generated and analysed virus genomic data and epizootic case data from NHPs in São Paulo. We report the occurrence of three spatiotemporally distinct phases of the outbreak in São Paulo prior to February 2018. We generated 51 new virus genomes from YFV positive cases identified in 23 different municipalities in São Paulo, mostly sampled from NHPs between October 2016 and January 2018. Although we observe substantial heterogeneity in lineage dispersal velocities between phylogenetic branches, continuous phylogeographic analyses of generated YFV genomes suggest that YFV lineages spread in São Paulo at a mean rate of approximately 1km per day during all phases of the outbreak. Viral lineages from the first epizootic phase in northern São Paulo subsequently dispersed towards the south of the state to cause the second and third epizootic phases there. This alters our understanding of how YFV was introduced into the densely populated south of São Paulo state. Our results shed light on the sylvatic transmission of YFV in highly fragmented forested regions in São Paulo state and highlight the importance of continued surveillance of zoonotic pathogens in sentinel species

Misturas BR/SBR: propriedades mecânicas em função do modo de preparo BR/SBR blends: mechanical properties as a function of the preparation mode

Misturas com borracha são freqüentemente usadas para se conseguir o balanço das propriedades desejadas e também, em alguns casos, a redução de custos. As misturas elastoméricas são normalmente sistemas multifásicos e a distribuição dos aditivos entre as fases não é necessariamente uniforme. Neste trabalho, o polibutadieno (BR) foi misturado ao elastômero de butadieno-estireno (SBR) na proporção 1:1 em peso. As composições foram preparadas utilizando um misturador de rolos, segundo a norma ASTM D3182, sendo que a incorporação dos aditivos foi realizada de quatro formas diferentes. Após a avaliação das propriedades reométricas e a vulcanização, foram estudadas as propriedades mecânicas para cada composição, avaliadas de acordo com as normas ASTM específicas para cada ensaio. Os resultados mostram que os diferentes modos de preparo de uma mesma formulação podem provocar mudança significativa nas propriedades mecânicas de misturas envolvendo essas duas borrachas. No caso das misturas BR/SBR estudadas, as propriedades apresentaram valores intermediários aos das borrachas isoladas.Rubber blends are frequently prepared to give a balance of the desired properties and, in some cases, reduction of cost as well. Elastomeric mixtures are usually multiphase systems and the dispersion of the additives may not be uniform throughout the phases. In this work, polybutadiene rubber (BR) was mixed with polybutadiene-styrene rubber (SBR) in a 50:50 w/w ratio. The compositions were prepared in a two-roll mill, according to ASTM D3182, and the incorporation of the ingredients was carried out according to four different modes. After the determination of the rheometric properties and the vulcanization of the compounds, mechanical properties were evaluated according to specific ASTM procedures. The results show that the mechanical properties may be altered by changing the procedure to prepare a given formulation. In the case of BR/SBR mixtures, the properties were found to be intermediate to the values presented by the compositions with the separate rubbers

The 8Li(p,α)5He reaction at low energies, and 9Be spectroscopy around the proton threshold

We present a direct measurement of the low-energy 8Li(p ,α)5He cross section, using a radioactive 8Li beam impinging on a thick target. With four beam energies, we cover the energy range between Ec.m.=0.2 and 2.1 MeV. An R-matrix analysis of the data is performed and suggests the existence of two broad overlapping resonances (5/2+ at Ec.m.=1.69 MeV and 7/2+ at E c.m.=1.76 MeV). At low energies our data are sensitive to the properties of a subthreshold state (Ex=16.67 MeV) and of two resonances above threshold. These resonances were observed in previous experiments. The R-matrix fit confirms spin assignments, and provides partial widths. We propose a new 8Li(p,α)5He reaction rate and briefly discuss its influence in nuclear astrophysics. © 2012 American Physical Society.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Scientific program of the Radioactive Ion Beams Facility in Brasil (RIBRAS)

The RIBRAS facility (Radioactive Ion Beams in Brasil) is installed in connection with the 8MV Pelletron tandem of the University of São Paulo Physics Institute. It consists of two superconducting solenoids which focalize light radioactive secondary beams of low energy, produced by transfer reactions. Recent experimental results include the elastic scattering and transfer reactions of 6He halo nucleus on 9Be, 27Al, 51V and 120Sn targets. The elastic scattering and transfer of 8Li and 7Be on several targets is also being studied. The transfer reaction 8Li(p,α)5He of astrophysical interest was also studied in the Ec m = 0.2 - 2.5 MeV energy range. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

The ongoing COVID-19 epidemic in Minas Gerais, Brazil: insights from epidemiological data and SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing.

The recent emergence of a previously unknown coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), first confirmed in the city of Wuhan in China in December 2019, has caused serious public health and economic issues due to its rapid dissemination worldwide. Although 61,888 confirmed cases had been reported in Brazil by 28 April 2020, little was known about the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in the country. To better understand the recent epidemic in the second most populous state in southeast Brazil (Minas Gerais, MG), we looked at existing epidemiological data from 3 states and sequenced 40 complete genomes from MG cases using Nanopore. We found evidence of multiple independent introductions from outside MG, both from genome analyses and the overly dispersed distribution of reported cases and deaths. Epidemiological estimates of the reproductive number using different data sources and theoretical assumptions all suggest a reduction in transmission potential since the first reported case, but potential for sustained transmission in the near future. The estimated date of introduction in Brazil was consistent with epidemiological data from the first case of a returning-traveler from Lombardia, Italy. These findings highlight the unique reality of MGs epidemic and reinforce the need for real-time and continued genomic surveillance strategies as a way of understanding and therefore preparing against the epidemic spread of emerging viral pathogens

The ongoing COVID-19 epidemic in Minas Gerais, Brazil: insights from epidemiological data and SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing

The recent emergence of a coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has had major public health and economic consequences. Although 61,888 confirmed cases were reported in Brazil by 28 April 2020, little is known about the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in this country. To better understand the recent epidemic in the second most populous state in southeast Brazil - Minas Gerais (MG) - we sequenced 40 complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes from MG cases and examined epidemiological data from three Brazilian states. Both the genome analyses and the geographical distribution of reported cases indicate for multiple independent introductions into MG. Epidemiological estimates of the reproductive number (R) using different data sources and theoretical assumptions suggest the potential for sustained virus transmission despite a reduction in R from the first reported case to the end of April 2020. The estimated date of SARS-CoV-2 introduction into Brazil was consistent with epidemiological data from the first case of a returned traveller from Lombardy, Italy. These findings highlight the nature of the COVID-19 epidemic in MG and reinforce the need for real-time and continued genomic surveillance strategies to better understand and prepare for the epidemic spread of emerging viral pathogens

Zika virus in the Americas: Early epidemiological and genetic findings

Submitted by sandra infurna ([email protected]) on 2016-06-21T16:53:42Z No. of bitstreams: 1 gonzalo2_bello_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 1066180 bytes, checksum: d43c1cf1b828de79e634ed276cc62178 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by sandra infurna ([email protected]) on 2016-06-21T17:27:43Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 gonzalo2_bello_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 1066180 bytes, checksum: d43c1cf1b828de79e634ed276cc62178 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-21T17:27:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 gonzalo2_bello_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 1066180 bytes, checksum: d43c1cf1b828de79e634ed276cc62178 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016Submitted by Angelo Silva ([email protected]) on 2016-07-07T11:16:45Z No. of bitstreams: 3 gonzalo2_bello_etal_IOC_2016.pdf.txt: 51037 bytes, checksum: bebf604bcb5623ddff92fec2bebc02a5 (MD5) gonzalo2_bello_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 1066180 bytes, checksum: d43c1cf1b828de79e634ed276cc62178 (MD5) license.txt: 2991 bytes, checksum: 5a560609d32a3863062d77ff32785d58 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by sandra infurna ([email protected]) on 2016-07-07T11:43:23Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 3 license.txt: 2991 bytes, checksum: 5a560609d32a3863062d77ff32785d58 (MD5) gonzalo2_bello_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 1066180 bytes, checksum: d43c1cf1b828de79e634ed276cc62178 (MD5) gonzalo2_bello_etal_IOC_2016.pdf.txt: 51037 bytes, checksum: bebf604bcb5623ddff92fec2bebc02a5 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-07T11:43:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 license.txt: 2991 bytes, checksum: 5a560609d32a3863062d77ff32785d58 (MD5) gonzalo2_bello_etal_IOC_2016.pdf: 1066180 bytes, checksum: d43c1cf1b828de79e634ed276cc62178 (MD5) gonzalo2_bello_etal_IOC_2016.pdf.txt: 51037 bytes, checksum: bebf604bcb5623ddff92fec2bebc02a5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, UK.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, UK.Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto Adolfo Lutz. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto Adolfo Lutz. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics. Oxford, UK.Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto Adolfo Lutz. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto Adolfo Lutz. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto Adolfo Lutz. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto Adolfo Lutz. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto Adolfo Lutz. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto Adolfo Lutz. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, UK / Metabiota. San Francisco, CA 94104, USA.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, UK.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana. Departamento de Saúde. Centro de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva. Feira de Santana, BA, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Salvador, BA, Brasil.University of Washington. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation,. Seattle, WA, USA / University of Oxford. Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics. Oxford, UK.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilMinistério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de AIDS e Imunologia Molecular. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de AIDS e Imunologia Molecular. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de AIDS e Imunologia Molecular. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. St. Michael’s Hospital. Toronto, Canada / University of Toronto. Department of Medicine. Division of Infectious Diseases. Toronto, Canada.University of Toronto.Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Toronto, Canada;Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Brasília, DF, Brasil.Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Brasília, DF, Brasil.University of Texas Medical Branch. Department of Pathology. Galveston, TX, USA.University of Oxford. Department of Zoology. Oxford, UK / Metabiota. San Francisco, CA 94104, USA.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas, Centro de Inovação tecnológica. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / University of Texas Medical Branch. Department of Pathology. Galveston, TX, USA.Ministério da Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Departamento de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Brazil has experienced an unprecedented epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV), with ~30,000 cases reported to date. ZIKV was first detected in Brazil in May 2015 and cases of microcephaly potentially associated with ZIKV infection were identified in November 2015. Using next generation sequencing we generated seven Brazilian ZIKV genomes, sampled from four self-limited cases, one blood donor, one fatal adult case, and one newborn with microcephaly and congenital malformations. Phylogenetic and molecular clock analyses show a single introduction of ZIKV into the Americas, estimated to have occurred between May-Dec 2013, more than 12 months prior to the detection of ZIKV in Brazil. The estimated date of origin coincides with an increase in air passengers to Brazil from ZIKV endemic areas, and with reported outbreaks in Pacific Islands. ZIKV genomes from Brazil are phylogenetically interspersed with those from other South American and Caribbean countries. Mapping mutations onto existing structural models revealed the context of viral amino acid changes present in the outbreak lineage; however no shared amino acid changes were found among the three currently available virus genomes from microcephaly cases. Municipality-level incidence data indicate that reports of suspected microcephaly in Brazil best correlate with ZIKV incidence around week 17 of pregnancy, although this does not demonstrate causation. Our genetic description and analysis of ZIKV isolates in Brazil provide a baseline for future studies of the evolution and molecular epidemiology in the Americas of this emerging virus

Data from: Zika virus in the Americas: early epidemiological and genetic findings

Brazil has experienced an unprecedented epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV), with ~30,000 cases reported to date. ZIKV was first detected in Brazil in May 2015 and cases of microcephaly potentially associated with ZIKV infection were identified in November 2015. Using next generation sequencing we generated seven Brazilian ZIKV genomes, sampled from four self-limited cases, one blood donor, one fatal adult case, and one newborn with microcephaly and congenital malformations. Phylogenetic and molecular clock analyses show a single introduction of ZIKV into the Americas, estimated to have occurred between May-Dec 2013, more than 12 months prior to the detection of ZIKV in Brazil. The estimated date of origin coincides with an increase in air passengers to Brazil from ZIKV endemic areas, and with reported outbreaks in Pacific Islands. ZIKV genomes from Brazil are phylogenetically interspersed with those from other South American and Caribbean countries. Mapping mutations onto existing structural models revealed the context of viral amino acid changes present in the outbreak lineage; however no shared amino acid changes were found among the three currently available virus genomes from microcephaly cases. Municipality-level incidence data indicate that reports of suspected microcephaly in Brazil best correlate with ZIKV incidence around week 17 of pregnancy, although this does not demonstrate causation. Our genetic description and analysis of ZIKV isolates in Brazil provide a baseline for future studies of the evolution and molecular epidemiology in the Americas of this emerging virus