Erratum to: The study of cardiovascular risk in adolescents – ERICA: rationale, design and sample characteristics of a national survey examining cardiovascular risk factor profile in Brazilian adolescents

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Genetic and Functional Role of TNF-alpha in the Development Trypanosoma cruzi Infection

TNF-alpha plays an important role in trypanocidal mechanisms and is related to tissue injury. This cytokine has been detected in the heart of human chagasic patients where it is associated with tissue damage. This study investigated whether TNF-alpha levels and the presence of genetic polymorphisms are associated with the presence of T. cruzi infection and/or with the development of the cardiac form in chronic chagasic patients. Genomic DNA of 300 subjects from an endemic area was extracted and analyzed by PCR using specific primers. TNF-alpha was assayed in culture supernatants by ELISA. An association was observed between the absence of the TNF-238A allele and negative serology. Furthermore, seropositive individuals carrying the TNF-238A allele produced significantly higher TNF-alpha levels without stimulation (p = 0.04) and after stimulation with LPS (p = 0.007) and T. cruzi antigens (p = 0.004). The present results suggest that the polymorphism at position -238 influences susceptibility to infection and that this allele is associated with higher TNF-alpha production in seropositive individuals

Both “illness and temptation of the enemy”: melancholy, the medieval patient and the writings of King Duarte of Portugal (r. 1433–38)

Recent historians have rehabilitated King Duarte of Portugal, previously maligned and neglected, as an astute ruler and philosopher. There is still a tendency, however, to view Duarte as a depressive or a hypochondriac, due to his own description of his melancholy in his advice book, the Loyal Counselor. This paper reassesses Duarte's writings, drawing on key approaches in the history of medicine, such as narrative medicine and the history of the patient. It is important to take Duarte's views on his condition seriously, placing them in the medical and theological contexts of his time and avoiding modern retrospective diagnosis. Duarte's writings can be used to explore the impact of plague, doubt and death on the life of a well-educated and conscientious late-medieval ruler

SARS-CoV-2 introductions and early dynamics of the epidemic in Portugal

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal was rapidly implemented by the National Institute of Health in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic, in collaboration with more than 50 laboratories distributed nationwide. Methods By applying recent phylodynamic models that allow integration of individual-based travel history, we reconstructed and characterized the spatio-temporal dynamics of SARSCoV-2 introductions and early dissemination in Portugal. Results We detected at least 277 independent SARS-CoV-2 introductions, mostly from European countries (namely the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, and Switzerland), which were consistent with the countries with the highest connectivity with Portugal. Although most introductions were estimated to have occurred during early March 2020, it is likely that SARS-CoV-2 was silently circulating in Portugal throughout February, before the first cases were confirmed. Conclusions Here we conclude that the earlier implementation of measures could have minimized the number of introductions and subsequent virus expansion in Portugal. This study lays the foundation for genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal, and highlights the need for systematic and geographically-representative genomic surveillance.We gratefully acknowledge to Sara Hill and Nuno Faria (University of Oxford) and Joshua Quick and Nick Loman (University of Birmingham) for kindly providing us with the initial sets of Artic Network primers for NGS; Rafael Mamede (MRamirez team, IMM, Lisbon) for developing and sharing a bioinformatics script for sequence curation (https://github.com/rfm-targa/BioinfUtils); Philippe Lemey (KU Leuven) for providing guidance on the implementation of the phylodynamic models; Joshua L. Cherry (National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health) for providing guidance with the subsampling strategies; and all authors, originating and submitting laboratories who have contributed genome data on GISAID (https://www.gisaid.org/) on which part of this research is based. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the view of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government. This study is co-funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Agência de Investigação Clínica e Inovação Biomédica (234_596874175) on behalf of the Research 4 COVID-19 call. Some infrastructural resources used in this study come from the GenomePT project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022184), supported by COMPETE 2020 - Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa2020), Algarve Portugal Regional Operational Programme (CRESC Algarve2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Instalação artístico pedagógica como instrumento de construção do conhecimento sobre Plantas Alimentícias Não Convencionais, PANC

Non-Conventional Food Plants (PANC), rich in nutrients and easy cultivation, have potential to improve population nutrition; however it is neglected and might necessary to promote its rescue and dissemination. In this context, the Fair with Science Project: Production, Consumption and Commercialization of Popular Tradition Food and Products was created and the Pedagogical Artistic Installation (IAP) was used, a group dynamic where elements representative of a certain theme are used to stimulate reflection and debate. In this work, the objective was to report and analyze the IAP called PANC - Agro-food Biodiversity as an instrument for building knowledge about PANC. Observations made by the organizers based on a script, later systematization and discourse analysis. The IAP was held at the Exchange of Knowledge event in Federal University of Viçosa and in schools Viçosa, Araponga and Ervália, Minas Gerais state, involving mainly family farmers and students. They were exposed as elements: cards, pots, seeds, seedlings, plants and publications about PANC and agroecology and information was shared based on the scientific knowledge and experiences of the participants. There was an engaging debate, with strong criticisms of the current agrifood system, highlighting the important role of PANC on the change their. Most participants showed a willingness to consume, produce and disseminate PANC. In conclusion, the Pedagogical Artistic Installation is an effective instrument in building the knowledge of PANC and its dissemination.As Plantas Alimentícias Não Convencionais (PANC), ricas em nutrientes e de fácil cultivo, apresentam potencial para a melhoria da alimentação da população; no entanto são negligenciadas, sendo necessário promover seu resgate e disseminação. Assim, criou-se o Projeto “Feira com Ciência: Produção, Consumo e Comercialização de Alimentos e Produtos da Tradição Popular, e utilizou-se a Instalação Artístico Pedagógica (IAP), uma dinâmica de grupo fundamentada na utilização de elementos representativos de determinado tema para estimular a reflexão e o debate. Objetivou-se relatar e analisar a IAP denominada “PANC – Biodiversidade Agroalimentar” como instrumento de construção de conhecimento. Fizeramse observações com base em roteiro pré-elaborado, a sistematização e análise de discurso. A IAP foi realizada no evento Troca de Saberes na Universidade Federal de Viçosa e em escolas em Viçosa, Araponga e Ervália, Minas Gerais, com o envolvimento de agricultores familiares, estudantes e pesquisadores. Foram expostos os elementos: tarjetas, vasos, sementes, mudas, plantas e publicações sobre PANC e agroecologia e compartilharam-se informações com base no conhecimento científico e nas experiências dos participantes. Houve um debate envolvente, com críticas contundentes ao sistema agroalimentar atual, evidenciando-se o importante papel das PANC para mudanças. A maioria dos participantes demonstrou interesse pelo consumo, produção e difusão das PANC. Pôde-se concluir que a IAP é um instrumento eficaz de construção do conhecimento sobre PANC e sua disseminação

Survival of a lepidopteran defoliator of eucalyptus is influenced by local hillside and forest remnants in Brazil

We tested the hypothesis that Euselasia eucerus (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) the intensities of mortality factors in eucalyptus plantations in xeric environments are greater near fragments of native forest and they diminish with increasing distance from the latter. Samples were collected along a transect crossing a 70-ha planting of Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis hybrid extending from adjacent native vegetation to a hilltop. Sampling was completed along an elevation and distance gradient from the native forest in three environments, near the native forest (base), intermediate (mid way between the native forest and the hilltop) and distant from the native forest (hilltop) ones. Fungi, parasites and predators caused mortality of E. eucerus pupae. Damage to E. urophylla x E. grandis hybrid by E. eucerus was greater at the more distant location possibly because of plant water deficits and/ or increased E. eucerus survival. Mortality of E. eucerus in all ontogenetic stages was greater in areas near the native forest. Proximity to native vegetation appeared to be a key factor that influenced survival of local E. eucerus populations in E. urophylla x E. grandis hybrid plantations. The results presented here reinforce the concept that native vegetation near eucalyptus plantations exerts a local effect supporting the maintenance of natural enemies of E. eucerus, and favoring infections by entomopathogenic fungi during the pupal stage of this insect.Testamos a hipótese de que os fatores de mortalidade de E. eucerus são mais intensos nas zonas de intercepto entre o plantio de eucalipto e fragmentos de mata nativa e mais baixos em ambiente xérico. Amostras foram coletadas em transecto, em um talhão de 70 hectares de hibridos Eucalyptus urophylla X Eucalyptus grandis próximo à vegetação nativa até o topo do morro. Essas coletas foram realizadas em gradiente de altitude e distância da mata nativa, compondo três ambientes, denominados mésico (base), intermediário (meio) e xérico (topo do morro). Oito plantas foram amostradas por ambiente e os números de ovos, larvas e pupas de E. eucerus por folha foram contabilizados em vinte ramos terminais de cada planta. A morte de pupas desse inseto foi causada por fungos, parasitóides e predadores. Danos por E. eucerus foram maiores no ambiente xérico devido ao déficit hídrico da planta e/ou ao aumento da sobrevivência de E. eucerus. A mortalidade em todas as fases ontogenéticas dessa borboleta foi maior em áreas próximas á mata nativa. A vegetação nativa é um componente imponente com efeito local para o controle da borboleta E. eucerus. Os resultados aqui apresentados reforçam o conceito de que a vegetação nativa perto de plantações de eucalipto exerce efeito local de manutenção dos inimigos naturais de E. eucerus e favorece a infecção por fungos durante a fase de pupa

Glycaspis brimblecombei (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) attack patterns on different Eucalyptus genotypes

The red gum lerp psyllid, Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), an eucalypt insect pest from Australia, was reported in Brazil in 2003. This study evaluated damage patterns of this pest on Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn (Myrtaceae) and its hybrids E. urophylla X E. camaldulensis (urocam) and E. urophylla X E. grandis (urograndis). In addition, parasitism rates of Psyllaephagus bliteus Riek (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) on G. brimblecombei collected on different eucalypt genotypes are reported. Plantation plots of three eucalypt genotypes were evaluated over one year. The eucalypt leaves were collected and examined for attack by G. brimblecombei. Nymph parasitism of G. brimblecombei by P. bliteus was recorded. Damage by G. brimblecombei was lower on the hybrid genotypes and on the adaxial surface of the eucalypt leaves. G. brimblecombei egg and nymph density were negatively correlated with monthly rainfall. Nymph parasitism of G. brimblecombei by P. bliteus was low (2.9%) independent of genotype and did not vary throughout the year. Our data indicate the use of less susceptible eucalypt genotypes (e.g., hybrids) as an alternative to G. brimblecombei management. Because of the current low mortality rates for G. brimblecombei resulting from P. bliteus parasitism, biological control with this natural enemy is not recommended as a management strategy for G. brimblecombei