ZikaPLAN: addressing the knowledge gaps and working towards a research preparedness network in the Americas.

Zika Preparedness Latin American Network (ZikaPLAN) is a research consortium funded by the European Commission to address the research gaps in combating Zika and to establish a sustainable network with research capacity building in the Americas. Here we present a report on ZikaPLAN`s mid-term achievements since its initiation in October 2016 to June 2019, illustrating the research objectives of the 15 work packages ranging from virology, diagnostics, entomology and vector control, modelling to clinical cohort studies in pregnant women and neonates, as well as studies on the neurological complications of Zika infections in adolescents and adults. For example, the Neuroviruses Emerging in the Americas Study (NEAS) has set up more than 10 clinical sites in Colombia. Through the Butantan Phase 3 dengue vaccine trial, we have access to samples of 17,000 subjects in 14 different geographic locations in Brazil. To address the lack of access to clinical samples for diagnostic evaluation, ZikaPLAN set up a network of quality sites with access to well-characterized clinical specimens and capacity for independent evaluations. The International Committee for Congenital Anomaly Surveillance Tools was formed with global representation from regional networks conducting birth defects surveillance. We have collated a comprehensive inventory of resources and tools for birth defects surveillance, and developed an App for low resource regions facilitating the coding and description of all major externally visible congenital anomalies including congenital Zika syndrome. Research Capacity Network (REDe) is a shared and open resource centre where researchers and health workers can access tools, resources and support, enabling better and more research in the region. Addressing the gap in research capacity in LMICs is pivotal in ensuring broad-based systems to be prepared for the next outbreak. Our shared and open research space through REDe will be used to maximize the transfer of research into practice by summarizing the research output and by hosting the tools, resources, guidance and recommendations generated by these studies. Leveraging on the research from this consortium, we are working towards a research preparedness network

Comparative gut transcriptome analysis of Diatraea saccharalis in response to the dietary source.

The sugarcane borer (Diatraea saccharalis, Fabricius, 1794) is a devastating pest that causes millions of dollars of losses each year to sugarcane producers by reducing sugar and ethanol yields. The control of this pest is difficult due to its endophytic behavior and rapid development. Pest management through biotechnological approaches has emerged in recent years as an alternative to currently applied methods. Genetic information about the target pests is often required to perform biotechnology-based management. The genomic and transcriptomic data for D. saccharalis are very limited. Herein, we report a tissue-specific transcriptome of D. saccharalis larvae and a differential expression analysis highlighting the physiological characteristics of this pest in response to two different diets: sugarcane and an artificial diet. Sequencing was performed on the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform, and a de novo assembly was generated. A total of 27,626 protein-coding unigenes were identified, among which 1,934 sequences were differentially expressed between treatments. Processes such as defence, digestion, detoxification, signaling, and transport were highly represented among the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Furthermore, seven aminopeptidase genes were identified as candidates to encode receptors of Cry proteins, which are toxins of Bacillus thuringiensis used to control lepidopteran pests. Since plant-insect interactions have produced a considerable number of adaptive responses in hosts and herbivorous insects, the success of phytophagous insects relies on their ability to overcome challenges such as the response to plant defences and the intake of nutrients. In this study, we identified metabolic pathways and specific genes involved in these processes. Thus, our data strongly contribute to the knowledge advancement of insect transcripts, which can be a source of target genes for pest management

Geoprocessamento aplicado à gestão ambiental para o combate à desertificação com base no potencial de perdas de solo por erosão.

Este trabalho teve por objetivos estimar o potencial de perdas de solo por erosão hídrica com base na EUPS, confrontar estes resultados com o estado atual da erosão sob condições de campo e analisá-los do ponto de vista das aplicações na gestão ambiental de áreas ocupadas por caatinga, visando o combate à desertificação em uma área piloto do Núcleo de Desertificação do Seridó, RN

Transgenic cotton expressing Cry10Aa toxin confers high resistance to the cotton boll weevil.

201

Insights into genetic and molecular elements for transgenic crop development.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-06-02T04:38:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 fpls-11-00509.pdf: 2646442 bytes, checksum: 575263cbbb4fbaec2b8faefd5a277cd4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2020bitstream/item/213492/1/fpls-11-00509.pd

Nota sobre leishmaniose canina no noroeste do Estado do Paraná, sul do Brasil

In an American cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic area in Jussara county, Paraná State, Brazil, three dogs were found to be infected by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis.Em área endêmica de leishmaniose tegumentar americana no Município de Jussara, Estado do Paraná, Brasil, detectaram-se três cães domésticos infectados por Leishmania (Viannia) brasiliensis

Proteinuria Is Associated with Quality of Life and Depression in Adults with Primary Glomerulopathy and Preserved Renal Function

BACKGROUND: There is no information about HRQoL, depression and associated factors in adult with nephrotic syndrome-associated glomerulopathy. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Patients with primary glomerulopathy where compared with age and sex-matched hemodialysis patients and healthy subjects. Laboratory data, medical history, comorbid conditions were collected to evaluate factors associated with HRQoL (SF-36) and Depression (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-HAMD). Glomerulopathy patients had low HRQoL in all eight SF-36 domains and two composite scores (physical and mental) in comparison with healthy subjects. HAMD score also was elevated and there was high depression prevalence. Overall, these data were comparable between glomerulopathy and hemodialysis patients. Using multiple regression analysis, factors associated with low HRQoL physical composite score were: last 24 h-urine protein excretion (-0.183, 95%CI -0.223 to -0.710 for each gram of proteinuria, p = 0.01) and cyclosporine use (-15.315, 95%CI -25.913 to -2.717, p = 0.03). Low HRQoL mental composite score was associated with last 24 h-urine protein excretion (-0.157, 95%CI -0.278 to -0.310 for each gram of proteinuria, p = 0.03) and HMAD score was independently associated with age (0.155, 95%CI 0.318 to 0.988 for each year, p = 0.04), female sex (4.788, 95%CI 1.005 to 8.620, 0 = 0.03), disease duration (0.074, 95%CI 0.021 to 0.128 for each month, p = 0.01) and last 24 h-urine protein excretion (0.050, 95%CI 0.018 to 0.085 for each gram of proteinuria, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Nephrotic-syndrome associated glomerulopathy patients have low HRQoL and high prevalence of depression symptoms, comparable with those of hemodialysis patients. Last 24 h-protein excretion rate is independently associated with physical and mental HRQoL domains in addition to depression

The legacy of ZikaPLAN:a transnational research consortium addressing Zika

Global health research partnerships with institutions from high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries are one of the European Commission's flagship programmes. Here, we report on the ZikaPLAN research consortium funded by the European Commission with the primary goal of addressing the urgent knowledge gaps related to the Zika epidemic and the secondary goal of building up research capacity and establishing a Latin American-European research network for emerging vector-borne diseases. Five years of collaborative research effort have led to a better understanding of the full clinical spectrum of congenital Zika syndrome in children and the neurological complications of Zika virus infections in adults and helped explore the origins and trajectory of Zika virus transmission. Individual-level data from ZikaPLAN`s cohort studies were shared for joint analyses as part of the Zika Brazilian Cohorts Consortium, the European Commission-funded Zika Cohorts Vertical Transmission Study Group, and the World Health Organization-led Zika Virus Individual Participant Data Consortium. Furthermore, the legacy of ZikaPLAN includes new tools for birth defect surveillance and a Latin American birth defect surveillance network, an enhanced Guillain-Barre Syndrome research collaboration, a de-centralized evaluation platform for diagnostic assays, a global vector control hub, and the REDe network with freely available training resources to enhance global research capacity in vector-borne diseases.</p

Minc03328 effector gene down regulation severely affects Meloidogyne incognita parasitism in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana.

Minc03328 effector gene downregulation triggered by in planta RNAi strategy strongly reduced plant susceptibility to Meloidogyne incognita and suggests that Minc03328 gene is a promising target for the development of genetically engineered crops to improve plant tolerance to M. incognita. Meloidogyne incognita is the most economically important species of root-knot nematodes (RKN) and causes severe damage to crops worldwide. M. incognita secretes several effector proteins to suppress the host plant defense response, and manipulate the plant cell cycle and other plant processes facilitating its parasitism. Different secreted effector proteins have already been identified in M. incognita, but not all have been characterized or have had the confirmation of their involvement in nematode parasitism in their host plants. Herein, we characterized the Minc03328 (Minc3s00020g01299) effector gene, confirmed its higher expression in the early stages of M. incognita parasitism in plants, as well as the accumulation of the Minc03328 effector protein in subventral glands and its secretion. We also discuss the potential for simultaneous downregulation of its paralogue Minc3s00083g03984 gene. Using the in planta RNA interference strategy, Arabidopsis thaliana plants overexpressing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) were generated to specifically targeting and downregulating the Minc03328 gene during nematode parasitism. Transgenic Minc03328-dsRNA lines that significantly downregulated Minc03328 gene expression during M. incognita parasitism were significantly less susceptible. The number of galls, egg masses, and [galls/egg masses] ratio were reduced in these transgenic lines by up to 85%, 90%, and 87%, respectively. Transgenic Minc03328-dsRNA lines showed the presence of fewer and smaller galls, indicating that parasitism was hindered. Overall, data herein strongly suggest that Minc03328 effector protein is important for M. incognita parasitism establishment. As well, the in planta Minc03328-dsRNA strategy demonstrated high biotechnological potential for developing crop species that could efficiently control RKN in the field