Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ

Reference service in university libraries: in search of efficiency for the management of information and knowledge

We present the results of a study done in the course of carrying out the discipline Practice Management Information Unit, Faculty of Biblioteconomia/ICSAUFPA, under the coordination of Professor Williams Jorge C. Pinheiro. In this phase, we developed study on the efficiency of service in university libraries in the University Campus of Guamá-UFPA, in Belem, Pa. The project aims to implement a series of actions that seek to contribute to a better use of spaces in university libraries, with priority to propose expanding the number of information services at the user service area, making its most effective results, the point of view of the management of information and knowledge. It was adopted as a methodology to develop the project through annual plans, depending on the progress of semesters at UFPA. Based on plans that are defined, it was desirable to integrate the actions with the areas of teaching, research and extension. He appealed to the brainstorming technique to define the actions implemented; held meetings with active librarians in university libraries; applied research questionnaires with users; evaluated the level of satisfaction of the user service sector; It sought to determine the degree of interest in new services offered by libraries; held literature on resources used for efficiency in the aspects of accessibility of the law, and finally a meeting was presented the results for some of the campus librarians. The study had as target students of various courses of UFPA, with sampling of 400 students participating, representing 10% of users / day attending libraries Campus Guamá. Thus it reached to 362 students (88%) and 38 undergraduate students (12%) graduate, investigating the level of user satisfaction, especially on the reference services that libraries offer.Apresentam-se os resultados de em estudo feito no decorrer da realização da disciplina Prática de Gestão de Unidades de Informação, da Faculdade de Biblioteconomia/ICSA-UFPA, sob a coordenação do professor Williams Jorge C. Pinheiro. Nessa fase, desenvolveu-se estudo sobre a eficiência do atendimento em bibliotecas universitárias do Campus Universitário do Guamá-UFPA, em Belém-PA. O projeto tem como principal objetivo implantar uma série de ações que busquem contribuir para melhor utilização dos espaços em bibliotecas universitárias, com a prioridade de propor a expansão do número de serviços de informação na área de atendimento ao usuário, tornando seus resultados mais eficazes, do ponto de vista da gestão da informação e do conhecimento. Adotou-se como metodologia desenvolver o projeto por meio de planos anuais, conforme o andamento dos períodos letivos na UFPA. Com base nos planos que serão definidos, foi oportuno integrar as ações com as áreas do ensino, da pesquisa e da extensão. Recorreu-se à técnica do brainstorming para definir ações implantadas; foram realizadas reuniões com os bibliotecários atuantes em Bibliotecas universitárias; foram aplicados questionários de pesquisa junto aos usuários; avaliou-se o nível de satisfação sobre o setor de atendimento ao usuário; buscou-se conhecer o grau de interesse por novos serviços oferecidos por bibliotecas; realizou-se pesquisa bibliográfica sobre recursos utilizados para eficiência nos aspectos da Lei da Acessibilidade e, finalmente, em uma reunião, foram apresentados os resultados para alguns bibliotecários do campus. O estudo teve como público alvo estudantes de diversos cursos da UFPA, com amostragem de 400 alunos participantes, o que representa 10% de usuários/dia que frequentam as bibliotecas do Campus do Guamá. Dessa forma, atingiuse 362 alunos (88%) de graduação e 38 alunos (12%) de pós-graduação, investigando-se o nível de satisfação dos usuários, especialmente, sobre o serviço de referênciaatendimento que as bibliotecas oferecem

Targeting the Annexin A1-FPR2/ALX pathway for host-directed therapy in dengue disease

Host immune responses contribute to dengue’s pathogenesis and severity, yet the possibility that failure in endogenous inflammation resolution pathways could characterise the disease has not been contemplated. The pro-resolving protein Annexin A1 (AnxA1) is known to counterbalance overexuberant inflammation and mast cell (MC) activation. We hypothesised that inadequate AnxA1 engagement underlies the cytokine storm and vascular pathologies associated with dengue disease. Levels of AnxA1 were examined in the plasma of dengue patients and infected mice. Immunocompetent, interferon (alpha and beta) receptor one knockout (KO), AnxA1 KO, and formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) KO mice were infected with dengue virus (DENV) and treated with the AnxA1 mimetic peptide Ac2-26 for analysis. In addition, the effect of Ac2-26 on DENV-induced MC degranulation was assessed in vitro and in vivo. We observed that circulating levels of AnxA1 were reduced in dengue patients and DENV-infected mice. Whilst the absence of AnxA1 or its receptor FPR2 aggravated illness in infected mice, treatment with AnxA1 agonistic peptide attenuated disease manifestationsatteanuated the symptoms of the disease. Both clinical outcomes were attributed to modulation of DENV-mediated viral load-independent MC degranulation. We have thereby identified that altered levels of the pro-resolving mediator AnxA1 are of pathological relevance in DENV infection, suggesting FPR2/ALX agonists as a therapeutic target for dengue disease