Abstracts

Resumos, em língua inglesa, dos artigos publicados nesta edição.Resumos, para a língua inglesa, dos artigos publicados nesta edição

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

The Genome of Anopheles darlingi, the main neotropical malaria vector

Anopheles darlingi is the principal neotropical malaria vector, responsible for more than a million cases of malaria per year on the American continent. Anopheles darlingi diverged from the African and Asian malaria vectors ∼100 million years ago (mya) and successfully adapted to the New World environment. Here we present an annotated reference A. darlingi genome, sequenced from a wild population of males and females collected in the Brazilian Amazon. A total of 10 481 predicted protein-coding genes were annotated, 72% of which have their closest counterpart in Anopheles gambiae and 21% have highest similarity with other mosquito species. In spite of a long period of divergent evolution, conserved gene synteny was observed between A. darlingi and A. gambiae. More than 10 million single nucleotide polymorphisms and short indels with potential use as genetic markers were identified. Transposable elements correspond to 2.3% of the A. darlingi genome. Genes associated with hematophagy, immunity and insecticide resistance, directly involved in vectorhuman and vectorparasite interactions, were identified and discussed. This study represents the first effort to sequence the genome of a neotropical malaria vector, and opens a new window through which we can contemplate the evolutionary history of anopheline mosquitoes. It also provides valuable information that may lead to novel strategies to reduce malaria transmission on the South American continent. The A. darlingi genome is accessible at www.labinfo.lncc.br/index.php/anopheles- darlingi. © 2013 The Author(s)

The complete genome sequence of Chromobacterium violaceum reveals remarkable and exploitable bacterial adaptability

Chromobacterium violaceum is one of millions of species of free-living microorganisms that populate the soil and water in the extant areas of tropical biodiversity around the world. Its complete genome sequence reveals (i) extensive alternative pathways for energy generation, (ii) ≈500 ORFs for transport-related proteins, (iii) complex and extensive systems for stress adaptation and motility, and (iv) wide-spread utilization of quorum sensing for control of inducible systems, all of which underpin the versatility and adaptability of the organism. The genome also contains extensive but incomplete arrays of ORFs coding for proteins associated with mammalian pathogenicity, possibly involved in the occasional but often fatal cases of human C. violaceum infection. There is, in addition, a series of previously unknown but important enzymes and secondary metabolites including paraquat-inducible proteins, drug and heavy-metal-resistance proteins, multiple chitinases, and proteins for the detoxification of xenobiotics that may have biotechnological applications

Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Staphylococcus spp. contaminating raw goat milk

Background and Aim: Antimicrobial resistance poses a major threat to global public health. Foodstuff of animal origin can serve as potential vehicles for the dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and resistance genes to consumers. In view of the lack of knowledge about antimicrobial resistance in bacteria associated with goat milk, the aim of this study was to report species-level identification and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of a large collection of Staphylococcus spp. isolates recovered from raw goat milk in Brazil. Materials and Methods: A total of 434 Staphylococcus spp. isolates originated from 510 goat milk samples in Northeast Brazil were investigated. The isolates were obtained by conventional microbiological methods. Species identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed by means of a semi-automated system using a panel for biochemical tests and broth microdilution method for 19 antimicrobial drugs. Results: Although Staphylococcus aureus (22.6%) accounted for the majority of the isolates, a total of 13 different non-aureus staphylococci spp. were identified. High resistance rates against erythromycin (40.8%), and the beta-lactams ampicillin (45.9%) and penicillin (42.9%) were observed among S. aureus isolates. The most significant findings were related to the resistance against quinupristin-dalfopristin, a drug of last resort used in human medicine to treat infections caused by vancomycin-resistant S. aureus and enterococci. Conclusion: The high diversity of Staphylococcus spp. showing phenotypic resistance against different antimicrobial drugs encourages further investigations on the real impact of these bacteria as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes to consumers. Furthermore, the potential impact of technological processes, such as pasteurization, fermentation, and maturation, on the maintenance and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance among the microbial populations in milk and dairy products must also be investigated

Impact Analysis of a Battery Energy Storage System Connected in Parallel to a Wind Farm

Increasing wind generation insertion levels on electrical grids through power converters may cause instabilities in the AC grid due to the intermittent wind nature. Integrating a Battery Electric Energy Storage System (BESS) in wind generation can smooth the power injection at the Common Coupling Point (PCC), contributing to the power system voltage and frequency stability. In this article, it is proposed to analyze the operation of a lithium-ion battery technology based 1 MW/1.29 MWh BESS connected in parallel with wind generation with a capacity of 50.4 MW. The main characteristics investigated are power smoothing and power factor correction. Experimental results show that BESS contributes to smoothing the active power and correcting the power factor of wind generation, improving the quality of electrical energy at the PCC

A cultura da manga sob diferentes regimes de profundidades do lençol freático em condições subúmidas Mango crop under different drainage regimes in subhumid conditions

O conhecimento dos critérios agronômicos de drenagem para a cultura da manga é fundamental na elaboração de sistemas de drenagem para áreas com essa cultura e permite antecipar o seu comportamento sob diferentes níveis de drenagem do solo . O trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar as condições de aeração e umidade do perfil de um solo arenoso (areia franca) sob diferentes regimes de profundidades do lençol freático, para determinação de critérios de drenagem para a cultura da manga, cultivar Keitt. O experimento seguiu um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos (regimes de profundidades do lençol freático às distâncias do dreno de 3,5 m; 10,5 m; 17,5 m e sem presença de lençol freático) e cinco repetições. As profundidades do lençol freático e os teores de água no perfil do solo em cada tratamento foram monitorados durante os períodos chuvosos, em três anos consecutivos (1997-1999). Não houve diferença significativa entre as produtividades da cultura nos tratamentos. As diferenças nas profundidades do lençol freático, nos tratamentos com drenagem, não foram suficientes para diferenciar o estado da água no solo nesses tratamentos. O lençol freático, na profundidade média de 1,0 m, durante os cinco ou seis meses de período chuvoso, com recargas temporárias atingindo profundidades próximas da superfície do solo, seguidas de rebaixamento imediato do lençol freático, não foi suficiente para afetar o desenvolvimento e a produtividade da manga.<br>The knowledge of mango crop drainage criteria is fundamental for drainage system planning and for prediction of crop behavior under different drainage levels. The objective of the work was to evaluate air-water status in a sand soil (sand loam) profile under different ground water depths for determination of drainage criteria for mango, Keitt variety. The experiment followed a fully randomized design with four treatments ground water depth regime at distances from drain of 3.5, 10.5 and 17.5 m and under no ground water) and five replications. Ground water depths and water content in the soil profile were monitored during raining seasons of three consecutive years (1997 -- 1999). There was no significant difference among crop yields from treatments. The differences among ground water depths from treatments were not enough to result different soil water conditions in these treatments. The Ground water at average depth of 1.0 m, with transient recharges reaching soil surface followed by immediate discharge was not enough to affect development and yield of mango