The relevance of trunk evaluation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: the segmental assessment of trunk control

The aim was to describe trunk control in ambulant and non-ambulant patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of a sample of 50 DMD patients, (M age = 16.7 years) who underwent the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo). A seven-level scale of trunk control was used (1: head control only7: control of entire trunk while unsupported). Static, active and reactive posture control were evaluated in ambulant and non-ambulant patients. Inter-rater reliability for all assessments was evaluated by calculating the kappa coefficient. More advanced disease (having higher Vignos scores), was associated with poorer trunk control. Ambulant patients showed better trunk control than non-ambulant patients (p = 0.003). There was strong inter-rater agreement for SATCo scale scores.Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Movimento Humano, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Neurol Neurocirurgia, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Ciências do Movimento Humano, São Paulo SP, BrasilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo SP, BrasilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Neurologia/Neurocirurgia, São Paulo SP, BrasilWeb of Scienc

Morphologic and Genomic Analyses of New Isolates Reveal a Second Lineage of Cedratviruses

International audienceGiant viruses have been isolated and characterized in different environments, expanding our knowledge about the biology of these unique microorganisms. In the last 2 years, a new group was discovered, the cedratviruses, currently composed of only two isolates and members of a putative new family, ``Pithoviridae,'' along with previously known pithoviruses. Here we report the isolation and biological and genomic characterization of two novel cedratviruses isolated from samples collected in France and Brazil. Both viruses were isolated using Acanthamoeba castellanii as a host cell and exhibit ovoid particles with corks at either extremity of the particle. Curiously, the Brazilian cedratvirus is similar to 20% smaller and presents a shorter genome of 460,038 bp, coding for fewer proteins than other cedratviruses. In addition, it has a completely asyntenic genome and presents a lower amino acid identity of orthologous genes (similar to 73%). Pangenome analysis comprising the four cedratviruses revealed an increase in the pangenome concomitant with a decrease in the core genome with the addition of the two novel viruses. Finally, phylogenetic analyses clustered the Brazilian virus in a separate branch within the group of cedratviruses, while the French isolate is closer to the previously reported Cedratvirus lausannensis. Taking all together, we propose the existence of a second lineage of this emerging viral genus and provide new insights into the biodiversity and ubiquity of these giant viruses. IMPORTANCE Various giant viruses have been described in recent years, revealing a unique part of the virosphere. A new group among the giant viruses has recently been described, the cedratviruses, which is currently composed of only two isolates. In this paper, we describe two novel cedratviruses isolated from French and Brazilian samples. Biological and genomic analyses showed viruses with different particle sizes, genome lengths, and architecture, revealing the existence of a second lineage of this new group of giant viruses. Our results provide new insights into the biodiversity of cedratviruses and highlight the importance of ongoing efforts to prospect for and characterize new giant viruses

PERFIL EPIDEMIOLÓGICO E CLÍNICO DOS PACIENTES INTERNADOS COINFECTADOS COM SÍFILIS E HIV EM UM HOSPITAL REFERÊNCIA, EM SALVADOR, BAHIA

Introdução: O HIV e a sífilis são doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, sendo frequente quadros de coinfecção. A sífilis aumenta o risco de transmissão do HIV por causar úlceras genitais e o HIV piora o desfecho da sífilis. Assim, é de suma importância reconhecer a interação entre ambas as doenças. Objetivo: Descrever o perfil epidemiológico e clínico dos pacientes coinfectados com sífilis e HIV internados em um hospital especializado em doenças infectocontagiosas, no município de Salvador, Bahia, de 2022 a 2023. Método: Trata-se de um estudo transversal descritivo, informações obtidas no prontuário médico eletrônico, entre 2022 e 2023, com amostra de conveniência. Resultados: Foram analisados 131 perfis de indivíduos com HIV/AIDS, sendo que 33 possuíam VDRL sérico positivo (25.19%). A maioria dos pacientes que apresentavam coinfecção eram do sexo masculino (75.76%), de orientação heterossexual (48.48%), solteiro (84.85%), sem filhos (63.64%), de cor autodeclarada parda (63.64%), com ensino fundamental incompleto (45.45%), renda inferior a um salário mínimo (30.30%) e sem religião (39.39%). 24.24% faziam uso somente de álcool e tabaco e 24.24% eram alcoolistas, tabagistas e usuários de substâncias psicoativas. A idade média dos pacientes foi 37.5 anos (24-66). No geral, não possuíam internações prévias (54.55%), outras comorbidades (75.76%) e receberam alta melhorado (81.82%). A média da contagem de células CD4 foi 148.3 (4-615), sendo que 9.09% tinham CV indetectável, 57.58% possuía diagnóstico de HIV há mais de 1 ano e 12.12% iniciaram a TARV durante o internamento. 18.8% tiveram como diagnóstico neurossífilis, observando-se como sintomas frequentes nesses pacientes: febre (50%), déficit motor (66.67%) e perda ponderal (50%). Entre os pacientes com neurossífilis que realizaram estudo do líquido cefalorraquidiano (83.33%), notou-se uma média de 51.6 de celularidade (2-127), 95.2 de proteína (27-157), 61.2 (44-91) de glicose e VDRL positivo em 40% dos casos. 3,03% desenvolveu sífilis ocular. Conclusão: Houve predomínio de homens jovens adultos, pardos, heterossexuais, solteiros, com ensino fundamental incompleto, renda inferior a um salário mínimo, sem internações prévias e outras comorbidades, que faziam uso de álcool, tabaco e substâncias psicoativas. Em relação às apresentações clínicas da sífilis, observou-se uma prevalência significativa de casos de neurossífis com pleocitose e hiperproteinorraquia no líquor

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora