Paulo State Research Articles

Rabies Virus-Neutralizing Antibodies in Free-Ranging Invasive Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) from Brazil.

Rabies, one of the most lethal global zoonoses, affects all mammals. It remains circulating worldwide in sylvatic cycles through terrestrial and airborne reservoirs, and in Brazil, bats are currently the main reservoirs and source of transmission. Wild boars, an important invasive alien species in Brazil, are a proven food source for hematophagous bats and may participate in the Brazilian sylvatic cycle of rabies. We evaluated the presence of this pathogen in hunted wild boars from the São Paulo state using histopathology, the direct fluorescent antibody test (DFA), viral isolation in cell culture (VICC), the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT), and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The results of histopathological, DFA, VICC, and RT-qPCR analysis were negative for all samples; seven serum samples tested positive in the RFFIT, and titers ranged from 0.13 IU/mL to 0.5 IU/mL. The presence of rabies virus-neutralizing antibodies in the studied wild boars suggests the circulation of the virus in these animals. Educative actions directed at hunters should include information on the prevention of this important zoonosis.

Impacts of urban emissions and air quality in São Paulo State, Brazil.

Daily violations of air quality have an impact on urban populations and cause damage to the environment. Thus, the study evaluated the violations of the daily concentrations of SO2, NO2, and PM10, in regions of the State of São Paulo (SSP), based on the National Environment Council (CONAMA) resolution no 491/2018 and the World Health Organization (WHO - World Health Organization. (2016). Ambient air pollution: a global assessment of exposure and burden of disease.) criteria. Daily SO2, NO2, and PM10data from 6 air quality stations operated by Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo CETESB (1996-2011) were organized and submitted to quality control, with data faults (gaps) being identified. The imputation of data via spline proved satisfactory in filling in the gaps (r > 0.7 and low values of Standard Error of the Estimate (SEE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). The cluster analysis (CA) applied to SO2 formed only one homogeneous group (G1). Contrariwise, NO2 and PM10 formed two homogeneous groups (G1 and G2) each. The stations that showed the greatest similarity according to the CA were Cerqueira Cesar and Osasco. The cophenetic matrix generated for SO2 (0.83), NO2 (0.79), and PM10 (0.77) indicate a satisfactory adjustment of the dendrograms. The exploratory statistics applied to groups G1 and G2 point to the high variability of outliers. The WHO criteria are more restrictive than CONAMA regarding daily violations, with a reduction in SO2 and an increase in specific years for NO2 and PM10. Such variability is due to the adoption of public policies by the SSP and the influence of meteorological systems, being confirmed by the Run test that indicated oscillations in the time series, mainly in PM10, and also recognized well-defined biannual cycles.

Prospective Cohort Study Identifies Medical Predictors of Treatment-Related Oral Toxicities in Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients.

The dental treatment of patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OOPSCC) may be challenging for dentists. This study aimed to characterize systemic changes in patients with OOPSCC undergoing dental treatment prior to cancer therapy, with a specific focus on laboratory assessments. The primary objectives included identifying potential adverse events, such as infections or bleeding, resulting from dental procedures. Additionally, the study aimed to correlate baseline patient characteristics with treatment-related toxicities. This was a prospective cohort study that included 110 OOPSCC patients referred to the Dental Oncology Service at São Paulo State Cancer Institute, Brazil, between November/2019 and December/2020. Comorbidities, sociodemographic data, medication in use, cancer treatment-related toxicities, and altered laboratory tests results were correlated. The most common comorbidities and altered laboratory results were hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, as well as elevated levels of C-reactive protein, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. Toxicities exhibited a progressive pattern over time, encompassing oral mucositis (OM), xerostomia, dysphagia, dysgeusia, trismus, and radiodermatitis. No correlation between comorbidities and cancer treatment-related toxicities, a positive correlation between medications in use and OM, and a negative correlation between medications and dysgeusia were found. OM was associated with altered thyroxine (T4) and free thyroxine (FT4), calcium, urea, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, and syphilis. Family income and housing were OM predictors. Altered T4/FT4/urea/calcium/alkaline phosphatase/creatinine/syphilis may be useful clinical predictors of OM. Despite the elevated prevalence of comorbidities and abnormal laboratory findings, dental treatment prior to cancer treatment yielded no adverse events.

Mediation of Socioenvironmental Conflict in Macrodrainage Works: The Experience of the Municipal Government of Guarujá, São Paulo State, Brazil

Urban growth has been correlated with substantial changes in land use, triggering socio-environmental conflicts. In Brazil, the lack of a tradition in mediating socio-environmental conflicts is evident through numerous lawsuits that often take years to reach a resolution. This study emphasized the actions taken by the Municipal Government of Guarujá (PMG) in 2022 as a tool for resolving socio-environmental conflicts without resorting to litigation. The research focused on the specific case of a macro-drainage project in the Santo Antônio neighborhood, which involved the relocation of 29 families from their homes with equivalent compensation guided by a Terms of Conduct Adjustment (TAC). This qualitative study was grounded in document analysis, a systematic literature review, and interviews with stakeholders. The study aimed to analyze how mediation techniques could contribute to resolving socio-environmental conflicts between public infrastructure projects and the local population. The research findings indicated that the PMG's initiatives were essential in creating a mediation space where, through dialogue, officials involved in the relocation process addressed the families' concerns, even amending clauses within the Comparative Data Market Method for Urban Areas, used for compensation payments, in accordance with legal instruments. This initiative led all the families involved to adhere to the negotiated terms, avoiding litigation and facilitating the project's realization.

Replacing Natural Gas with Biomethane from Sewage Treatment: Optimizing the Potential in São Paulo State, Brazil

The search for cleaner and more sustainable energy sources is increasingly growing. Aligning this demand with another environmental problem, such as sewage treatment/disposal, is a strategic priority. In light of this, the aim of this study was to estimate the energy potential of sewage generated in the Brazilian state of São Paulo (SP) by using it to produce biomethane. The study also evaluated the viability of using this byproduct of sewage treatment (biomethane) as a substitute for natural gas (NG), as both of them have similar lower heat values. To do this, information was gathered regarding the population, gross domestic product per capita, sewage collected, and natural gas consumption for each of the state’s 645 cities, and, based on this, the sewage energy potential, the amount of NG to be substituted by biomethane, and the reduction in CO2 emissions were calculated. Moreover, in order to address a possible allocation of biomethane that could potentially be produced in each SP city and sent to currently NG-consuming cities, an optimization algorithm was proposed. The results indicated a sewage energy potential of 4.68 × 109 kWh/yr for the entire SP state, which would be enough to supply around 10% of the energy value of all the NG currently consumed. It was also observed that from 130 cities with NG consumption, 10 could produce enough biomethane to fully satisfy the natural gas demand. In the elected scenario of optimization, 291 cities were found to be capable of supplying the demand of 26 cities that currently use NG. The potential to reduce CO2 emissions is between 1.81 × 106 and 2.42 × 106 ton/yr, and this range could increase if sewage treatment coverage grows. Despite the challenges inherent in extrapolating a potential study to scenarios that require significative investment, the results obtained are useful for formulating public policies for decarbonization in the near future.

Combined effect of silicon and nitrogen doses applied to planting furrows on sugar, biomass and energy water productivity of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.)

Brazil has the largest cultivated area for sugarcane in the world, with a predominance of rain-fed production systems (64%) and marginal areas that are subject to frequent water deficits. The remaining 36% under cultivation is equipped with irrigation systems; however, a significant portion of these irrigation systems (76%) is dedicated to crop maintenance. Their primary purpose is to provide water for initial plant maintenance during planting and regrowth of ratoons, which helps to alleviate drought stress caused by water scarcity during dry periods. The remaining 24% of the irrigated sugarcane production areas use deficit and full irrigation strategies to partially (50%) and fully (100%) meet the plants’ water demands, respectively. Therefore, a large part of the cultivated area for sugarcane in Brazil is subject to a water deficit at one or more stages of the crop's development cycle, which can retard plant growth, nutrient use and productivity. One potential strategy for mitigating these harmful effects is the application of silicon (Si) in the furrow at planting, which can also increase crop water productivity (WPc). The objective of this research was to determine the effects of different applications of Si and nitrogen (N) on WPc, in terms of sugar (SWPc), biomass (BWPc) and energy (ENWPc) for sugarcane crop. The research was conducted at the University of São Paulo (USP/ESALQ), Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil. The experimental design involved randomized blocks, with four blocks and 12 treatments. The treatments consisted of three applications of Si, 175, 350 and 525 kg·ha−1 and four N treatments of 15, 30, 60 and 90 kg·ha−1. Biometric responses, effects on juice quality, and indices related to yield and WPc were determined. The water consumption and agricultural yield (AY) of sugarcane were clearly influenced by the treatments. The lowest water consumption was obtained with the 15Nx350Si treatment, 561 mm per year. The treatment with the highest AY value was 60Nx350Si (162.3 Mg·ha−1). The SWPc, BWPc and ENWPc of the sugarcane crop were affected by the different application rates of N and Si. In general, the highest average WPc values were obtained with the 15Nx350Si treatment (SWPc=2.6 kg·m−3, BWPc=10 kg·m−3 and ENWPc=224.5 MJ·m−3). The different N and Si treatments did not significantly affect biometric variables (except for fresh biomass and leaf area) or juice quality; therefore, Si application did not compromise the quality of the end-product.

O QUE REVELAM OS DOCUMENTOS OFICIAIS PARA A FORMAÇÃO INICIAL DE PROFESSORES DA EDUCAÇÃO BÁSICA NO BRASIL E NO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO

This investigation is part of research in the field of teacher training. It is the result of an ongoing doctoral study and its main objective is to analyze the conceptual guidelines for professional teacher training recommended in the resolutions on teacher training in Brazil. Based on the National Curriculum Guidelines for teacher training, the article asks: what is the professional teacher profile expressed in these documents for working in basic education schools? Documentary analysis was used to answer this question. The documentary corpus of this research comprises the following public documents available online: a) CNE/CP Resolutions 1/2002 and 2/2002; b) CNE/CP Resolution 2/2015; c) CNE/CP Resolution 2/2019; d) CNE/CP Resolution 1/2006; e) CEE/SP Deliberations 111/2012 and 154/2017; f) Political Pedagogical Project of the Pedagogy Course at São Paulo State University, Presidente Prudente Campus. The study signals a profound setback for teacher training. CNE/CP Resolution 2/2019 determines the organization of a standardized curriculum in line with the learning prescribed in the National Common Core Curriculum for Basic Education, with the centrality of practice as its guiding principles. In this way, it imposes a curriculum for the country's degree courses that vehemently affronts the constitutional principle of didactic-scientific and administrative autonomy and the plurality of pedagogical conception of Brazilian universities. In addition, the distance between the university and the school has an impact on the compulsory supervised internship.

Near-Surface Geophysical Characterization of a Marble Deposit to Promote a Sustainable Small-Scale Mining

Small-scale mining (SSM) is responsible for almost all the production of non-metallic minerals in the world and represents around 80% of the mining in Brazil. The lack of direct geological information increases the level of uncertainty associated with the exploratory process, compromises mine planning, limits mineral extraction, and contributes to maximizing environmental issues. In this research, near-surface geophysical methods, including Electrical Resistivity, Capacitive Resistivity, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), and Transient Electromagnetic (TEM), were applied to characterize a marble deposit in an SSM located in the Campos do Jordão region, São Paulo state, southeast Brazil. The geophysical methods used provide indirect information about the subsurface geology based on the contrast in electrical and electromagnetic properties. Resistivity results show the efficiency of locating marble deposits, as well as fracture zones. GPR profiles allowed for the investigation of the structural heterogeneities in the subsurface. Geophysical data and lithological information from drill holes were integrated into Micromine software and guided the development of a geological model and a conceptual pit model. The information inferred from the pit modeling allowed us to analyze the potential of the deposit and should be used to assist in developing sustainable mining planning. The results of this work demonstrate that the investment in geophysical research can support the modernization of an SSM and contribute to more sustainable and productive mining.

A revision of Peckena Gnaspini, 1996 with description of the second species and Amplexella Gnaspini, 1996 (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae: Ptomaphagini), using scanning electron microscopy as a key tool to understand the evolution of aedeagal morphology

We revisit the diagnosis and evolution of aedeagal morphology in the tribe Ptomaphagini using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, here focusing on the genera Peckena Gnaspini, 1996 and Amplexella Gnaspini, 1996. In a revision of the genus Adelopsis Portevin, 1907 (previously with a non-monophyletic status), and based on a phylogenetic analysis, four new genera (with Neotropical distribution) were described in 1996. Among them, Peckena was based on a single species (from Peru) with a ventral opening as the plesiomorphic state of the aedeagus (whereas all other species in the subtribe Ptomaphagina have a dorsal opening); and Amplexella, based on two species (from Venezuela), with a typical aedeagus bearing an extremely long flagellum. SEM Images of the aedeagus of the species of the genus Peckena showed a dorsally visible notch cutting the left side of the aedeagus, as is the condition in the other neotropical ptomaphagines, but, still, the opening is indeed ventral. Based on that new information, we recognized and describe one new Brazilian species tentatively assigning it to the until now monotypic genus Peckena: Peckena verrucosa sp. n., from São Paulo and Minas Gerais states. There is a large geographical distance between the two species, placed on opposite sides of South America, with important phylogenetic and biogeographic implications. SEM images of the aedeagus of the species of the genus Amplexella showed that the opening of the aedeagus cuts the apical left side through a very narrow slit diagonally, and the dorsal opening is small and defined by a space between the apices of the left and right lobes, unnoticeable because it is obliterated by the thick flagellum coming out of it.

From port to port: the invasive bivalve Mytilopsis cf. sallei (Dreissenidae) is confirmed in southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT This study records a new introduction of the estuarine, invasive bivalve Mytilopsis cf. sallei in southeastern Brazil. The new record lies close to the largest port of the country (the Port of Santos, in São Paulo state), raising serious concerns related to the probable expansion of this bivalve in future years. Two out of five sampling stations showed live specimens of M. cf. sallei in the soft sediment, in sites with polluted waters and salinity below 20 ppt, reaching a maximum abundance of 1983 specimens/m2. According to COI evidence, two lineages of M. cf. sallei are present in the region, one of which was previously recorded from northeastern Brazil (where it is probably exotic), and another previously recorded from Florida (native) and Asia (exotic). Potential sources for the introduction are discussed, as well as the role of ballast water vs. biofouling as vectors. Because adults of M. cf. sallei are tolerant to long periods in marine waters, it is possible that biofouling from distant sources contributed to this introduction. In order to enable a robust mitigation plan, a complete spatial evaluation for the presence of this bivalve should be conducted in the Santos Estuary.

The Secretary of Agriculture in the Action Plan of the São Paulo State Government (1959-1963)

Logo após assumir o Governo do Estado de São Paulo em 1959, Carlos Alberto de Carvalho Pinto começa a delinear o que seria uma das mais emblemáticas experiências de planejamento no Brasil, o Plano de Ação do Estado de São Paulo. Ao lado dos investimentos setoriais em justiça, educação e saúde, que viabilizaram obras paradigmáticas da arquitetura paulista, a Secretaria da Agricultura atuou durante essa experiência de planejamento com a proposição de um programa específico para o setor agrícola, o que rendeu um importante acervo documental de mais de 450 obras, que compõem redes infraestruturais para o avanço produtivo. Esse acervo inédito lança luz sobre a trajetória de personagens desconhecidos pela historiografia e atuantes nos quadros técnicos do Estado, além de contribuir para ampliar o debate sobre os horizontes do desenho moderno, apresentando arquiteturas de viéses pragmático e econômico, bem como de caráter certamente pioneiro, ao marcar uma fase de inflexão na arquitetura pública promovida pelo estado de São Paulo.

Palynological, palynofaciological and organic geochemistry analysis of oligocene microclastics sediments from the tremembé formation - São Paulo State, Brazil

Samples of outcrops from the mining companies Extrativa Santa Fé Ltda and Aligra - Indústria e Comércio de Argila Ltda provided the base material for this investigation into palynological, palynofaciological and organic geochemistry analyses of the Taubaté Basin, São Paulo State. The sediments belong to the Tremembé Formation and comprise microclastic rocks. The Tremembé Formation is known for its rich fossil record and clay mineral content, widely used as raw material for various industrial processes. The generating potential of the sediments was evaluated through qualitative and quantitative analyses of organic content, percentage of total organic carbon (TOC), and Rock-Eval pyrolysis.Furthermore, using transmitted light optical microscopy, observation of the palynological content allowed the identification of characteristic species in terms of age and thermal maturation through the Spore Color Index (SCI) and depositional paleoenvironment.Palynofacies were individualized via reflected light optical microscopy, and together with Rock-Eval pyrolysis data, the quality and type of kerogen were determined. The organic content of the two mining companies shows a predominance of amorphous, globose, and dispersed organic matter of lacustrine origin. Moreover, it is composed mainly of the genera Botryococcus and Pediastrum algae. Palynological associations allowed the section to be temporally positioned in the Oligocene.The abundance of bisaccate pollen grains attributable to conifers, represented mainly by the species Podocarpidites marwickii and Dacrydiumites florinii, combined with the presence of spores, suggests a temperate paleoclimate with humid niche conditions. The pyrolysis results and microscopic observation of the organic content in fluorescence mode show that deposition occurred under anoxic conditions, allowing better preservation of organic matter with high potential for generating hydrocarbons.

Perception and adoption of integrated plant disease management by family farmers in Ribeira Valley (São Paulo State, Brazil)

Family farming, crop diversity and traditional knowledge for plant diseases management characterize Ribeira Valley, São Paulo State, Brazil. Our aim was to diagnose the profile of family farmers from Registro, a municipality of Ribeira Valley, and to determine their perception and adoption of integrated plant disease management (IDM). Semi-structured questionnaire was conducted with farmers and data were analyzed by average, median, mode, Pearson's χ2 test and Monte Carlo simulation. Men and women are involved in farming, but men are prevalent (68%). There are few young people (18% were up to 30 years old), reaffirming their exodus from rural activities. These farmers grow and sell vegetable, fruit, medicinal, and ornamental plants, and they exchange information among themselves, with low demand for farm store sellers. Elimination of symptomatic plants is the main control (13% of strategies adopted). Crop residues elimination, crop rotation and resistant plants were also highlighted (12% each one). Most of the respondents did not know IDM concepts, and after the explanation, they agreed that it is possible put into practice. Dialogue between farmers is strategic for them to obtain information, and rural extension is important for the dialogical transmission of knowledge, and for IDM adoption and maintenance in small properties.

Pathological analysis and etiological assessment of pulmonary lesions and its association with pleurisy in slaughtered pigs

The intensification of pig farming has posed significant challenges in managing and preventing sanitary problems, particularly diseases of the respiratory complex. Monitoring at slaughter is an important control tool and cannot be overstated. Hence, this study aimed at characterizing both macroscopical and microscopical lesions and identifying the Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP), Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhyo), and Pasteurella multocida (PM) associated with pleurisy in swine. For this, a selected slaughterhouse in São Paulo State underwent a thorough examination of carcasses on the slaughter line, followed by lung sampling. The carcasses and lungs underwent macroscopical examination and were classified according to the score of pleurisy and lung samples were allocated into five groups, being: G0: score 0 – no lesions; G1: score 1; G2: score 2; G3: score 3; and G4: score 4. In total, 217 lung fragments were collected, for the histopathological evaluation and detection of the following respiratory pathogens: APP, Mhyo, and PM by qPCR. The results demonstrated that Mhyo and APP were the most prevalent etiological agents (single and co-identification) in lung samples, in different scores of pleurisies, while bronchopneumonia and bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) hyperplasia lesions were the most frequent histopathological findings. Positive correlations were found between the quantification of APP DNA with 1) the score of pleurisy (R=0.254); 2) with the score of lung consolidation in all lung lobes (R=0.181 to R=0.329); and 3) with the score of lung consolidation in the entire lung (R=0.389). The study brings relevant information regarding the main bacterial pathogens associated with pleurisy in pigs and helps with understanding the relationship between the abovementioned pathogens and their impact on the respiratory health of pigs.

Eutrichophilus cordiceps Mjöberg, 1910 (Ischnocera: Trichodectidae) in Spiny Tree Porcupines (Coendou villosus): New locality records and the first molecular evidence of association with Bartonella sp.

The chewing louse genus Eutrichophilus Mjöberg has 19 species only associated with porcupines (Rodentia: Erethizontidae). Of these species, E. cercolabes, E. cordiceps, E. emersoni, E. minor, E. moojeni, and E. paraguayensis have been recorded in Brazil. In the present study, we report E. cordiceps for the first time in the São Paulo State (Bauru Municipality) and for the second time in the Santa Catarina State (Lages Municipality), providing scanning electron images and light microscopy for the eggs, as well as the first molecular data (18S rRNA) for the genus. Additionally, Bartonella sp. was detected for the first time in this chewing lice species.

Preserving a Legacy: Ensuring the Access and Conservation of the Harold (Harry) G. Fowler (19502018) Ant Collection and Data.

Biological collections are important repositories of biodiversity, as they include various types of data potentially useful to different areas of science and can contribute to the establishment of biodiversity conservation policies. For a long time, scientific collections were considered only as physical databases; in this context Harold G. Fowler (19502018) built an ant collection at the Universidade Estadual Paulista, campus Rio Claro (So Paulo state, Brazil), over the course of a 34-year career, comprising around 20,000 ant specimens. Most specimens came from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, but many others came from distinct locations in Brazil and abroad. After his death, the collection was left without the necessary curatorial care for a period of time, which required a project to be conceived for its recovery and conservation, with the goal of incorporating it to the Zoology Museum of the University of So Paulo (MZSP). In addition to applying modern technical curation protocols, other activities such as checking, material identification and digitization of the information contained on the sample labels were carried out, forming an accurate database. This process enabled the identification of new distribution records and the discovery of possible undescribed species and unpublished natural history data. After validating this information, we counted 524 valid species and 201 morphospecies belonging to 105 genera and 10 subfamilies. In addition, we integrated technical curation activities with scientific outreach to draw the general publics attention to the importance of biological collections, thus fostering interest in science, biodiversity and nature conservation. Our work highlights the importance of preserving the areas sampled by Fowlers research group. The preservation of vouchers using curatorial practices reinforces the role of scientific collections as important tools for the study, understanding and preservation of biodiversity.

Phylogenetic analysis reveals a new introduction of Yellow Fever virus in São Paulo State, Brazil, 2023

Yellow Fever (YF) is a viral arbovirosis of Public Health importance. In Brazil, surveillance is focused mainly on detecting epizootic events of Platyrrhini. Herein, we compared the detection and phylogenetic analysis of YF virus in two neotropical primates (NTP), a Callithrix detected in the previous epidemic period (2016-2020), and a Callicebus nigrifons, showing a new introduction of YF in 2023. This paper illustrates the importance of joint actions of laboratory and field teams to ensure quick response to Public Health emergencies, such as the intensification of vaccination of susceptible human populations.

Phylogeographic analyses of an endemic Neotropical fox (Lycalopex vetulus) reveal evidence of hybridization with a different canid species (L. gymnocercus).

The hoary fox (Lycalopex vetulus) is the only species of the Canidae (Mammalia: Carnivora) endemic to Brazil, and so far has been the target of few genetic studies. Using microsatellites and mtDNA markers, we investigated its present genetic diversity and population structure. We also tested the hypothesis that this species currently hybridizes with the pampas fox (L. gymnocercus), as suggested by previous mtDNA data from two individuals. We collected tissue and blood samples from animals representing most of the two species' distributions in Brazil (n = 87), including their recently discovered geographic contact zone in São Paulo state. We observed that the hoary fox exhibits high levels of genetic diversity and low levels of population structure. We identified six individuals from São Paulo state with clear evidence of hybridization based on introgressed pampas fox mitochondrial DNA and/or admixed microsatellite genotypes (three individuals bore both types of evidence). These results demonstrate the existence of admixed individuals between hoary and pampas foxes in southeastern Brazil, representing the first identified case of interspecies admixture between native South American canids. We discuss our findings in the context of the evolutionary history of these foxes and address potential conservation implications of this interspecies hybridization process.

Influence of sample preparation methods on FTIR spectra for taxonomic identification of tropical trees in the Atlantic forest

The Atlantic forest is one of the world's major tropical biomes due to its rich biodiversity. Its vast diversity of plant species poses challenges in floristic surveys. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) enables rapid and residue-free data collection, providing diverse applications in organic sample analysis. FTIR spectra quality depends on the sample preparation methodology. However, no research on FTIR spectroscopy methodology for taxonomy has been conducted with tropical tree species. Hence, this study addresses the sample preparation influence on FTIR spectra for the taxonomic classification of 12 tree species collected in the Serra do Mar State Park (PESM) - Cunha Nucleus – São Paulo State, Brazil. Spectra were obtained from intact fresh (FL), intact dried (DL), and heat-dried ground (GL) leaves. The spectra were evaluated through chemometrics using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) with validation by LDA-PCA. The results demonstrate that sample preparation directly influences tropical species FTIR spectra categorization capability. The best taxonomic classification result for all techniques, validated by LDA-PCA, was obtained from GL. FTIR spectra evaluation through PCA, HCA, and LDA allow for the observation of phylogenetic relationships among the species. FTIR spectroscopy proves to be a viable technique for taxonomic evaluation of tree species in floristic exploration of tropical biomes which can complement traditional tools used for taxonomic studies.

Patterns of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in different anatomical sites among Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) users in Brazil

BackgroundThe presence of untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs) significantly increases the chance of acquiring HIV. In Brazil, testing for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) among Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) users is insufficient, and syndromic treatment is a priority in clinical practice. Multi-site testing for CT/NG improves thescreening of asymptomatic cases and ensures timely treatment. Therefore, it is essential for HIV prevention. This study aims to test the importance of two-site testing for better screening of these pathogens and to determine whether the presence of symptoms is an indicator of CT/NG infection.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study carried out in four public infectious diseases clinics in São Paulo State, Brazil between January of 2022 and March of 2023. All participants had an anal swab and a first-pass or mid-stream urine collected for CT/NG analysis by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Data about sociodemographic, sexual behavioural and clinical aspects were collected. Pathway analysis was used to examine the direct and indirect relationships between variables according to the theoretical model.ResultsWe screened 171 PrEP users which had two samples collected, resulting in 342 samples. Comparing the anatomic sites, the urine samples showed lower sensitivity for CT and NG than anal samples. Gonorrhoea was directly linked to lower age (β= -0.161, p = 0.001). Time of PrEP use was directly associated with CT infection (β = 0.202; p = 0.042) and inversely associated with dysuria (β= -0.121, p = 0.009). Lower occurrence of yellow-green secretion was linked to detection of CT (β= -0.089, p = 0.005) and NG (β= -0.048, p = 0.002) infections. Foul-smelling discharge was directly associated with CT (β = 0.275, p = 0.004) and NG (β = 0.295, p = 0.037) infection.ConclusionThe symptoms are a bad indicator of CT and NG infection, and the screening must be done in more than one site since most of the positive results would be missed if only urines were tested. In the case of testing only one anatomical site, specifically the urethra, the CT/NG incidence and prevalence would be underestimated. The two-sites testing improves detection rates of CT/NG, and PrEP follow-up benefits people offering STI testing.