Trypanosomatid comparative genomics: Contributions to the study of parasite biology and different parasitic diseases

In 2005, draft sequences of the genomes of Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major, also known as the Tri-Tryp genomes, were published. These protozoan parasites are the causative agents of three distinct insect-borne diseases, namely sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, all with a worldwide distribution. Despite the large estimated evolutionary distance among them, a conserved core of ~6,200 trypanosomatid genes was found among the Tri-Tryp genomes. Extensive analysis of these genomic sequences has greatly increased our understanding of the biology of these parasites and their host-parasite interactions. In this article, we review the recent advances in the comparative genomics of these three species. This analysis also includes data on additional sequences derived from other trypanosmatid species, as well as recent data on gene expression and functional genomics. In addition to facilitating the identification of key parasite molecules that may provide a better understanding of these complex diseases, genome studies offer a rich source of new information that can be used to define potential new drug targets and vaccine candidates for controlling these parasitic infections

Diffuse Axonal Injury: Epidemiology, Outcome and Associated Risk Factors

Abstract Diffuse axonal injury (DAI), a type of traumatic injury, is known for its severe consequences. However, there are few studies describing the outcomes of DAI and the risk factors associated with it. This study aimed to describe the outcome for patients with a primary diagnosis of DAI six months after trauma and to identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with mortality and dependence at this time point. Seventy-eight patients with DAI were recruited from July 2013 to February 2014 in a prospective cohort study. Patient outcome was analyzed using the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E) within six months of the traumatic injury. The mean Injury Severity Score was 35.0 (SD = 11.9), and the mean New Injury Severity Score (NISS) was 46.2 (SD = 15.9). Mild DAI was observed in 44.9% of the patients and severe DAI in 35.9%. Six months after trauma, 30.8% of the patients had died, and 45.1% had shown full recovery according to the GOS-E. In the logistic regression model, the severity variables—DAI with hypoxia, as measured by peripheral oxygen saturation, and hypotension with NISS value—had a statistically significant association with patient mortality; on the other hand, severity of DAI and length of hospital stay were the only significant predictors for dependence. Therefore, severity of DAI emerged as a risk factor for both mortality and dependence

Physiological response of Conilon coffee clone sensitive to drought grafted onto tolerant rootstock

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar alterações fisiológicas e de tolerância à seca em clones de café Conilon (Coffea canephora) contrastantes quanto à sensibilidade ao deficit hídrico. Foram avaliadas as enxertias recíprocas entre os clones 109A, sensível ao deficit hídrico, e 120, tolerante – 120/109A, 120/120, 109A/120, 109A/109A –, além de seus respectivos pés-francos. As plantas foram cultivadas em vasos de 12 L em casa de vegetação. Após seis meses, metade das plantas foi submetida ao deficit hídrico por meio da suspensão da irrigação, até que as folhas atingissem o potencial hídrico de antemanhã de -3,0 MPa. Quando o clone 120 foi usado como porta-enxerto, as plantas apresentaram sistema radicular mais profundo, mas com menor massa, retardaram por mais tempo a desidratação celular das folhas e apresentaram maior eficiência no uso da água. Sob seca severa, os teores de amido e sacarose decresceram em todos os tratamentos, enquanto os teores de glicose, frutose, aminoácidos totais e prolina aumentaram, particularmente nos tratamentos 109A pé-franco, 109A/109A e 120/109A. Essas plantas apresentaram menor eficiência no uso da água. O acúmulo de solutos não foi associado à tolerância à seca. O uso de porta-enxertos tolerantes à seca contribui para a maior tolerância das plantas ao deficit hídrico.The objective of this work was to determine alterations in physiology and those due to drought tolerance on Conilon coffee (Coffea canephora) contrasting clones regarding the sensitivity to hydric stress. The reciprocal grafting between clones 109A, drought sensitive, and 120, drought tolerant, – 120/109A, 120/120, 109A/120, 109A/109A – along with their ungrafted control plants (109A and 120) were evaluated. Plants were cultivated in 12-L vases in greenhouse. Six months after grafting, half of the plants was subjected to water deficit, by suspending irrigation until leaves reached the hydric potential of -3,0 MPa. When clone 120 was used as rootstock, plants presented deeper roots, although with lower root-biomass, higher ability to postpone leaf dehydration and higher instantaneous water-use efficiency (WUE). Under severe drought, starch and sucrose contents decreased similarly, regardless of the treatment, whereas leaf concentrations of glucose, fructose, total amino acids and proline were higher in non-grafted 109A, 109A/109A, and 120/109A plants. These plants showed the lowest WUE values. Solute accumulation was not primarily related to drought tolerance. The use of drought tolerant rootstocks improves to drought tolerance in coffee

Isolation and characterization of genes SnRK family and his expression in response to the water deficit in Coffea canephora

A tolerância à seca é o resultado de numerosas características anatômicas, morfológicas e fisiológicas, de natureza constitutiva ou indutiva. Como um dos principais hormônios de plantas, o ácido abscísico (ABA) tem sido extensivamente estudado e vários destes estudos têm demonstrado que o ABA é responsável por diversas respostas adaptativas ao déficit hídrico. Desta forma, o isolamento e estudo da expressão de genes que participam de vias de sinalização em resposta a ABA podem fornecer dados importantes para a compreensão de sua função e de sua importância no mecanismo de tolerância à seca em café. Este trabalho teve como objetivos identificar, a partir do banco do café, genes pertencentes à família SnRK além de verificar a resposta dos mesmos em folhas e raízes de clones de Coffea canephora, em condições de déficit hídrico severo e moderado. Mudas dos clones 120 (genótipo tolerante ao déficit hídrico) e 109A (genótipo sensível) foram cultivadas em vasos de 12 L e o déficit hídrico foi alcançado suspendendo a irrigação até que as plantas atingissem um potencial hídrico de antemanhã de -1,5 MPa e -3,0 MPa. Análises de homologia utilizando o programa Blast, permitiram a identificação de 24 contigs que podem representar possíveis genes da família SnRK em café, sendo 3 contigs da subfamília SnRK1, 5 contigs pertencentes a subfamília SnRK2 e 16 sequências da subfamília SnRK3. Dentre as sequências identificadas, destacam-se 2 contigs, 15120 e 12770, que nesta investigação, demonstrou-se que correspondem a regiões distintas de um mesmo gene, homólogo a SnRK2.6 de Arabidopsis e denominado cnSnRK2.6. Desta forma, foi obtida a sequência completa deste gene que foi eficientemente colocado em vetor de transformação de plantas. Neste estudo, identificou-se também uma parte da região promotora deste gene. Análises de vii expressão, feitas por RT-PCR em Tempo Real, permitiu verificar que a expressão de alguns genes desta família são alteradas em condições de déficit hídrico, tanto em folhas como em raízes. Em folhas, os genes SnRK2.4, CIPK6 e CIPK9 são induzidos, enquanto os genes SnRK2.3, CIPK3, CIPK8, CIPK10 e CIPK11 são reprimidos pela condição de seca. Já em raízes, observou-se que os genes SnRK2.3, SnRK2.8, CIPK6, CIPK8 e CIPK9 são induzidos, o que demonstra que alguns genes apresentaram comportamento diferenciado nesses dois órgãos. Em adição, foi também verificado a expressão destes genes em resposta à ABA, estresse osmótico e estresse salino. Para isso, foi testado um novo sistema experimental, com uso de folhas destacadas de cafeeiro, que se mostrou uma forma rápida e eficiente para estudos em plantas de café. Os resultados obtidos mostraram uma redução da condutância estomática (gs) que foi acompanhada de reduções nas taxas de assimilação líquida do carbono (A) para os tratamentos com ABA e manitol, enquanto no tratamento controle nenhuma alteração foi observada. A análise de expressão gênica, demonstrou que muitos desses genes respondem a ABA, estresse osmótico e estresse salino. SnRK2.6 é induzido por ABA e manitol, mas não por salinidade. Coletivamente, estes resultados sugerem que os genes SnRKs caracterizados constituem proteínas quinases envolvidas na resposta a estresses abióticos.Drought tolerance can result from numerous anatomical, morphological and physiological characteristics that can be from constituent or inductive nature. As one of the most important phytohormones known, abscisic acid (ABA) have been studied extensively and several of these studies it has been demonstrating that ABA is responsible for several responses adaptatives in the water deficit. This way, the isolation, caracterization and expression studies of genes that participate in signalling pathway in response to ABA, can supply important data for understanding its role and importance in the mechanism of drought tolerance in coffee. The aims of this work was identifies, in the bank of the coffee, genes belonging to the SnRK family besides verifying the responses in leaves and roots of clones of Coffea canephora, in conditions of severe and moderate water deficit. Plants of the clones 120 (drought tolerant genotype) and 109A (drought sensitive genotype) were cultivated in vases of 12 L and the water deficit was reached by suspending the irrigation until the plants reached -1,5 MPa and -3,0 MPa predawn hydric potential. Homology analyses, allowed the identification of 24 contigs that can represent possible genes of SnRK family in coffee, being 3 contigs of the subfamily SnRK1, 5 contigs in the subfamily SnRK2 and 16 sequences in the subgroup SnRK3. Among the identified sequences, 2 contigs, 15120 and 12770, in this investigation, we found that the ESTs of 15120 and 12770 correspond to different regions of the same gene, homologous to Arabidopsis SnRK2.6 and named cnSnRK2.6. A complete sequence of this gene that was put efficiently in vector of transformation of plants. The promoter sequence of this gene was also identified. Expression analyses, by Real Time quantitative PCR, showed that the expression patterns of some genes of this family are altered in ix conditions of water deficit, in leaves and roots of coffee. In leaves, the genes SnRK2.4, CIPK6 and CIPK9 were induced, while the genes SnRK2.3, CIPK3, CIPK8, CIPK10 and CIPK11 were repressed by the water deficit. However, in roots, the genes SnRK2.3, SnRK2.8, CIPK6, CIPK8 and CIPK9 were induced, what demonstrates that some genes presented a different behavior in those two organs. Furthermore, SnRK genes are also involved in the response to other abiotic stresses. In this study, we also verified the expression of these genes in response to the ABA, osmotic stress and saline stress. For that, a new experimental approach was tested, with use of outstanding leaves of coffee, that a fast and efficient form to studies in coffee. The obtained results indicated a reduction in estomatical aperture (gs) that was accompanied of reductions in liquid carbon assimilation (A) for the treatments with ABA and mannitol, while in the controls treatment any alteration was observed. Gene expression analyses demonstrated that many SnRKs genes are responsive to ABA, osmotic stress and saline stress. SnRK2.6 was induced by ABA and mannitol, but not by salinity. Collectively, these results indicate that the SnRKs characterized genes consist of kinases proteins involved in response to different abiotic stresses.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológic

GRUPO DE APOIO AO TABAGISTA NA ESTRATÉGIA DE SAÚDE DA FAMÍLIA: fatores de sucessoDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5892/ruvrd.v15i2.3249

Introdução: O tabagismo é considerado pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) a principal causa de morte evitável no mundo. No Brasil é considerada uma doença epidêmica, responsável por cerca de 200 mil mortes por ano. Objetivos: Este estudo apresentou como objetivo analisar os fatores que contribuíram para o sucesso no abandono ao tabagismo, em um Grupos de apoio ao tabagista, no município de Alfenas, Sul de Minas Gerais. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo por triangulação de métodos, no qual foram entrevistados 37 usuários vinculados a seis Unidades de Saúde de Família. Foram analisadas as características sociodemográficas, a história do tabagismo e a presença de condições clínicas. As entrevistas foram submetidas à Análise de Conteúdo. Os dados quantitativos foram analisados estatisticamente por meio do teste exato de Fisher, adotando-se nível de 5% de significância. Resultados: Em relação aos resultados, 70,3% eram mulheres; 70,3% casados; 37,9% apresentavam ensino fundamental incompleto. Dos usuários, 54,1% começaram a fumar antes dos 15 anos; 75,7% já tinham tentado parar de fumar; 46,2% apresentaram alto grau de dependência; 59,5% decidiram por vontade própria participar do grupo terapêutico. Em relação à cessação do tabagismo, 56,8% pararam de fumar ao final do Programa. Conclusão: A frequência de participação nos grupos de apoio ao tabagismo e a utilização de terapia de reposição de nicotina foram fatores decisivos na cessação de fumar

Reciprocal grafting between clones with contrasting drought tolerance suggests a key role of abscisic acid in coffee acclimation to drought stress

The role of abscisic acid (ABA) in drought tolerance of Coffea canephora is unknown. To determine whether ABA is associated with drought tolerance and if the use of tolerant rootstocks could increase ABA and drought tolerance, we performed reciprocal grafting experiments between clones with contrasting tolerance to drought (clone 109, sensitive; and clone 120, tolerant). Plants were grown in large (120 L) pots in a greenhouse and subjected to drought stress by withholding irrigation. The non-grafted 120 plants and graft treatments with 120 as a rootstock showed a slower reduction of predawn leaf water potential (Ψpd) and a lower negative carbon isotopic composition ratio compared with the other grafting combinations in response to drought. The same 120 graft treatments also showed higher leaf ABA concentrations, lower levels of electrolyte leakage, and lower activities of ascorbate peroxidase and catalase under moderate (Ψpd = − 1.0 or − 1.5 MPa) and severe (Ψpd = − 3.0 MPa) drought. Root ABA concentrations were higher in plants with the 120 rootstocks regardless of watering regime. The 120 shoots could also contribute to drought tolerance because treatment with 120/109 rootstock/scion combination showed postponed dehydration, higher leaf ABA concentration, and lower leaf electrolyte leakage compared with the sensitive clone. We conclude that both the shoot and root systems of the tolerant clone can increase the concentrations of ABA in leaves in response to drought. This further suggests that ABA is associated with a delayed onset of severe water deficit and decreased oxidative damage in C. canephora

Resposta fisiológica de clone de café Conilon sensível à deficiência hídrica enxertado em porta-enxerto tolerante Physiological response of Conilon coffee clone sensitive to drought grafted onto tolerant rootstock

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar alterações fisiológicas e de tolerância à seca em clones de café Conilon (Coffea canephora) contrastantes quanto à sensibilidade ao deficit hídrico. Foram avaliadas as enxertias recíprocas entre os clones 109A, sensível ao deficit hídrico, e 120, tolerante - 120/109A, 120/120, 109A/120, 109A/109A -, além de seus respectivos pés-francos. As plantas foram cultivadas em vasos de 12 L em casa de vegetação. Após seis meses, metade das plantas foi submetida ao deficit hídrico por meio da suspensão da irrigação, até que as folhas atingissem o potencial hídrico de antemanhã de -3,0 MPa. Quando o clone 120 foi usado como porta-enxerto, as plantas apresentaram sistema radicular mais profundo, mas com menor massa, retardaram por mais tempo a desidratação celular das folhas e apresentaram maior eficiência no uso da água. Sob seca severa, os teores de amido e sacarose decresceram em todos os tratamentos, enquanto os teores de glicose, frutose, aminoácidos totais e prolina aumentaram, particularmente nos tratamentos 109A pé-franco, 109A/109A e 120/109A. Essas plantas apresentaram menor eficiência no uso da água. O acúmulo de solutos não foi associado à tolerância à seca. O uso de porta-enxertos tolerantes à seca contribui para a maior tolerância das plantas ao deficit hídrico.<br>The objective of this work was to determine alterations in physiology and those due to drought tolerance on Conilon coffee (Coffea canephora) contrasting clones regarding the sensitivity to hydric stress. The reciprocal grafting between clones 109A, drought sensitive, and 120, drought tolerant, - 120/109A, 120/120, 109A/120, 109A/109A - along with their ungrafted control plants (109A and 120) were evaluated. Plants were cultivated in 12-L vases in greenhouse. Six months after grafting, half of the plants was subjected to water deficit, by suspending irrigation until leaves reached the hydric potential of -3,0 MPa. When clone 120 was used as rootstock, plants presented deeper roots, although with lower root-biomass, higher ability to postpone leaf dehydration and higher instantaneous water-use efficiency (WUE). Under severe drought, starch and sucrose contents decreased similarly, regardless of the treatment, whereas leaf concentrations of glucose, fructose, total amino acids and proline were higher in non-grafted 109A, 109A/109A, and 120/109A plants. These plants showed the lowest WUE values. Solute accumulation was not primarily related to drought tolerance. The use of drought tolerant rootstocks improves to drought tolerance in coffee

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