Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Crescimento do girassol adubado com resíduo líquido do processamento de mandioca

Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, avaliar o crescimento do girassol, Helio 250, fertilizado com manipueira. Para tanto, conduziu-se um experimento no Instituto Agronômico de Pernambuco, localizada em Vitória de Santo Antão, PE. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, com seis tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram dispostos em parcelas subdivididas e representadas pelas doses (0; 8,5; 17; 34; 68 e 136 m3 ha-1) e as subparcelas pelas épocas de amostragens (15, 30, 45, 60, 75 e 90) dias após a semeadura. Foram determinados altura de plantas, número de folhas, massa fresca e seca de folhas, massa fresca e seca do caule, massa fresca e seca do capítulo. A dose de 136 m3 ha-1 de manipueira proporcionou um desenvolvimento mais adequado das plantas sendo que os maiores valores de altura de plantas, número de folhas, massa fresca e massa seca das folhas foram obtidos aos 60 dias após a semeadura enquanto os máximos valores de massa fresca e seca do caule, massa fresca e massa seca do capítulo ocorreram aos 73 e 86 dias após a semeadura, respectivamente sendo, portanto, recomendado o uso da manipueira como fonte de nutrientes para a cultura do girassol

Rendimento e qualidade de melancia cultivada sob proteção de agrotêxtil combinado com mulching plástico

The ground cover is an agricultural practice that is designed mainly to control weeds, while the nonwoven prevents the attack of pests. The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield and fruit quality of watermelon grown under nonwoven textile protection combined with plastic mulching. The experiment was conducted at the WG Fruits Company, Baraúna, RN. A randomized block design was used in a factorial 3 x 3 + 1 with four replications, and 36 plants per plot, with the first factor of color of plastic used in mulching (black, silver and white) and the second factor nonwoven textile with different times of use (first and third crop nonwoven under textile and without nonwoven) and an absolute control (no mulching and without nonwoven). The production variables evaluated were: yield (commercial, noncommercial, and total fruit yield), and fruit quality (soluble solids - SS, titratable acidity - TA and SS/TA). The use of mulching and protection of plants with nonwoven textile provided a higher yield of watermelon fruits in relation to bare soil with and without nonwoven textile protection. Fruit quality was not affected by the use of mulching and nonwoven

Accumulation of macronutrients in different parts of sunflower fertilized with cassava wastewater

ABSTRACT The utilization of organic wastes in agriculture is an alternative that can reduce the amounts of mineral fertilizers applied to the soil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accumulation of macronutrients in sunflower cv. 'Hélio 250' fertilized with cassava wastewater. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design, with six treatments (0; 8.5; 17; 34; 68 and 136 m3 ha-1 of cassava wastewater) and four replications. The accumulation of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulfur (S) were evaluated in leaves, stem, capitulum and achenes. The cassava wastewater dose of 136 m3 ha-1 promoted the greatest accumulation of all evaluated nutrients. The pattern of macronutrients accumulation occurred in the following order: leaves - Ca > K > N > Mg > S > P; stem - K > Ca > Mg > N > P > S; capitulum - N > K > P > Mg > Ca > S; and achenes - N > P > K > Mg > S > Ca. The extraction of nutrients by whole sunflower plants occurred in the following order: N > K > Ca > Mg > P > S. Cassava wastewater provided appropriate concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S; therefore, it has potential as an organic fertilizer for the studied sunflower cultivar