Da Silva

Haploid induction is a key step to obtain Zea mays doubled-haploids, which are homozygous lines in breeding programs. Genes are related to haploid induction, as mtl and dmp, and to phenotypic screening based on anthocyanin biosynthesis, as r1-nj and b1. Despite their relevance, the cytogenetics mapping of these genes is unpublished. Using interphases and metaphases, we aimed to determine the number of detectable loci, map these genes and evaluate their potential as cytomarkers, providing a revised Z. mays ideogram. Locus-specific FISH signals were detected in interphase nuclei and metaphases from the haploid inducer ‘KHI’ and five distinct donor lines, indicating single loci under the resolution limits. mtl, b1 and dmp were, respectively, mapped on chromosome 1, 2 and 9 short arm, and r1-nj on chromosome 10 long arm. Conserved chromosome mapping was observed between ‘KHI’ and donor lines. An integrated ideogram was constructed by combining the physical positions of these loci with 18S rDNA and previously described chromosome-specific cytomarkers. For the first time, we mapped these genes using direct physical mapping in Z. mays. We integrate cytogenomics and other genomic data, contributing to a better understanding of the genome organization and supporting applications in Z. mays breeding programs.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) are notable unconventional edible flowers (UEFs) that have traditionally been used as food and in herbal preparations. This study examined the in vitro bioaccessibility content of six elements (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn) in edible flower capsules sold in Brazil. Acid digestion in a closed system and microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP OES) were employed, as well as simulated gastrointestinal digestion according to the INFOGEST 2.0 in vitro protocol. Additionally, we examined the contribution of the in vitro bioaccessible fraction (FBio) in relation to the recommended daily intake (RDI). The concentrations (in µg g⁻1) of the target elements were as follows: Cr (< 0.46–2.82), Cu (< 0.48–11.45), Fe (159.44–1880.90), Mn (48.94–441.34), Ni (< 0.44–3.21), and Zn (< 0.55–30.98). The FBio of the evaluated elements ranged from 0.13% to 14.31%. Although Fe had high total levels, its bioaccessibility was limited, contributing only 0.13%. In contrast, Mn and Ni exhibited high gastrointestinal release, accounting for 12.13% and 14.31% of the FBio, respectively. Mn showed high gastrointestinal release, providing up to 209.3% of the RDI. This study is the first to specifically evaluate the bioaccessible trace element content of these edible flowers using the INFOGEST 2.0 in vitro protocol and MIP OES to assess microelements. Overall, the results highlight the importance of incorporating chemical composition and bioaccessibility data into the multi-element characterization of dandelion and hibiscus. Graphical Abstract

Potato germplasm developed under tropical conditions may contain diversity for breeding, but the Brazilian materials remain poorly characterized.

Abstract For a fixed constant \(\lambda > 0\) and a bounded Lipschitz domain \(\Omega \subset \mathbb {R}^n\) with \(n \ge 2\) , we establish

Purpose To synthesizes evidence on artificial intelligence (AI) performance in neuroblastoma (NB) diagnosis, risk stratification, prognosis, and genomic characterization. Materials and methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42024539475) across five databases. Meta-analyses used random-effects models with logit-transformed Area Under the Curve (AUCs) and cluster-robust standard errors. AI models were classified as Machine Learning Models (MLM) or Hybrid Nomograms (HN) based on their construction methodology. Results Of 3,742 articles identified, 53 were included. MLMs demonstrated higher point estimates than radiologists in differential diagnosis (AUC: 0.87 vs. 0.83), though this difference was not statistically significant and carried substantial uncertainty. HNs achieved stronger performance in risk stratification (AUC: 0.87). AI-derived nomograms (AUC: 0.9) and gene signatures (AUC: 0.8) outperformed conventional prognostic markers descriptively. Chemotherapy response prediction remained below clinical utility thresholds across all model types. Only 33.9% of models reported calibration and 24.5% underwent external validation. Conclusions AI demonstrates proof-of-concept across multiple NB clinical domains. However, clinical adoption remains premature given persistent gaps in external validation, calibration, dataset size, and pediatric-specific model development. Future studies should test these models prospectively in multicenter pediatric cohorts, ideally through COG or SIOPEN, using shared definitions for diagnosis, risk group, treatment response, and survival outcomes.

This study assessed the degradation of mortar-rendered façades with painted finish in university buildings, considering the influence of protection condition, cardinal orientation, and vertical position. The research was conducted in three buildings at the Recife campus of the Federal University of Pernambuco, comprising 65 sample units selected through stratified sampling. Protected façades were defined as those with architectural elements, such as eaves or roof projections, capable of reducing direct exposure to solar radiation and wind-driven rain. Pathological manifestations, including stains/color change, cracks, and detachments, were mapped from photographic records and quantified using the degradation severity index (Sw), a normalized indicator based on the affected area and severity of the mapped damage. The comparison between protected and unprotected façades was performed using the Wilcoxon test, while a Type III factorial ANOVA was applied to the unprotected façades, with the building included as a control factor. The results showed a significant difference between protected and unprotected façades, with mean Sw values of 0.52% and 29.8%, respectively. Among the unprotected façades, vertical position had a significant effect on degradation, unlike cardinal orientation. The highest adjusted means were observed in the top/parapet region and on the third floor, with a greater contribution of cracking in the upper regions. The findings indicate that architectural protection was associated with lower degradation severity and that Sw can support the identification of critical areas, inspection planning, prioritization of maintenance actions, and periodic monitoring of damage evolution.

Abstract Background and aims Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is vital for more than 500 million people worldwide and is an

This study analyzes the spatiotemporal dynamics of landslide occurrences in neighborhoods of the municipality of Recife (PE), from 2015 to 2024, using spatial analysis techniques based on the Global Moran’s Index and Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA). Official data from the Recife Civil Defense, as well as landslide susceptibility maps prepared by CPRM and municipal monitoring information, were used. The analyses were performed in a Python environment, with the support of geoprocessing and spatial statistics tools. The results highlight the persistent presence of positive spatial autocorrelation of landslides throughout the historical series, with significant values of the Global Moran’s Index in most of the years analyzed. Local analysis (LISA) allowed the identification of concentrated High-High type spatial clusters, mainly in the northern and southern extremes of the municipality, highlighting neighborhoods such as Guabiraba, Dois Unidos, Nova Descoberta, COHAB and Ibura. Analysis of the frequency and persistence of hotspots revealed chronic risk areas, reinforcing the consistency between observed empirical patterns and official susceptibility maps. It is concluded that landslide occurrences in Recife do not occur randomly, but exhibit persistent spatial clustering patterns that are consistent with areas of greater landslide susceptibility and recurrent socio-environmental exposure. These findings support the development of territorially focused risk-management and mitigation policies.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a relapsing inflammatory skin disease associated with substantial symptom burden and repeated healthcare use. Omalizumab is recommended for patients whose disease remains uncontrolled despite second-generation H1-antihistamines, yet large-scale data describing its use in routine care remain limited, particularly in Latin America. The objective of this study is to characterize patients initiating omalizumab for CSU in a large Brazilian healthcare system and examine treatment patterns, healthcare utilization, and concomitant medication use before and after treatment initiation. We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using the institutional data lake of a nationwide integrated healthcare organization covering more than 8.9 million beneficiaries. Patients with CSU initiating omalizumab between January 2020 and December 2025 were identified from administrative authorization records linked to clinical and healthcare utilization data. The index date was the first administrative authorization for omalizumab. The primary longitudinal analysis compared healthcare utilization during the 12 months before and after the index date. Omalizumab dosing patterns, treatment exposure, concomitant medication use, and changes in healthcare utilization were assessed. Negative binomial regression was used in sensitivity analyses to estimate incidence rate ratios. The cohort included 492 patients; the mean age was 41.3 ± 13.5 years and 394 (80.1%) were women. Among 472 patients with available dosing information, 4614 omalizumab administrations were recorded, with doses ranging from 150 to 600 mg and a median of nine treatment cycles per patient. In the 12-month paired analysis (n = 429), mean outpatient visits increased from 5.10 to 10.31 per patient after treatment initiation (p < 0.001; IRR, 2.021; p < 0.001). Emergency department use did not change significantly (2.71 vs 2.45 visits per patient; p = 0.291; IRR, 0.907; p = 0.191), nor did hospitalizations (0.07 vs 0.08 per patient; p = 0.816; IRR, 1.065; p = 0.797). Recorded concomitant prescriptions declined from 541 in the pre-index period to 193 in the post-index period. Among patients evaluable for the guideline-concordance analysis, 95.1% were not receiving chronic treatment classified as non-recommended by the study definition. In this nationwide cohort from a Brazilian integrated healthcare system, omalizumab initiation coincided with a change in the pattern of recorded healthcare use for CSU: outpatient contacts increased substantially, whereas emergency department visits and hospitalizations remained statistically stable, and recorded concomitant prescribing declined. Because the study was observational and relied on administrative data without validated measures of disease activity or a concurrent comparator group, these findings describe patterns of care within this healthcare system rather than the clinical effectiveness of omalizumab or its causal impact on healthcare utilization, and extrapolation beyond the Brazilian supplementary healthcare setting studied here should be made with caution.

Background Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the leading cause of bacterial cystitis in dogs, and these infections are commonly linked to intensive antimicrobial use, which promotes the selection of resistant strains. Materials and methods Seeking alternative strategies to reduce antimicrobial pressure in veterinary medicine, this study evaluated the in vitro inhibitory activity of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from the urogenital tract of six healthy dogs against five UPEC serotypes obtained from dogs with cystitis, using the spot-on-the-lawn (SOTL) assay. All isolates were further characterized by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Results LAB belonged to the genera Lacticaseibacillus and Enterococcus, comprising L. casei (n = 2) and E. faecalis (n = 4) isolated from both male and female dogs. The UPEC serotypes identified were O1:H28, O11:H25, O1:H6, O6:H31, and O25:H4, distributed among phylogroups B2 (n = 2), F (n = 2), and E (n = 1). After functional classification of the AMRFinderPlus output, few acquired antimicrobial resistance genes were detected (six in O1:H28, one in O25:H4, and non in the remaining serotypes), most detected genes being virulence-metal/biocides-resistance, or efflux-associated. One L. casei strain and one E. faecalis strain demonstrated strong inhibitory activity against all tested serotypes. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant inhibition (p < 0.001), and Pearson’s correlation analysis indicated moderate to strong positive associations among several LAB interactions. A significant LAB effect was observed in the linear mixed-effects model (F(5, 60) = 154.8, p < 0.001), with one L. casei strain exhibiting superior and consistent inhibitory capacity. Conclusion Overall, canine UPEC isolates displayed genetic heterogeneity, a predominantly virulence-associated gene repertoire with few acquired resistance genes, and potential zoonotic relevance, whereas host-derived LAB, particularly L. casei, showed promising antagonistic activity, supporting their potential as alternative or adjunct approaches for controlling bacterial cystitis pending further mechanistic and in vivo studies.