The production of medicines and vaccines must comply with strict Good Manufacturing Practice standards to ensure the safety of the manufactured products. Consequently, environmental monitoring of pharmaceutical production areas is essential to ensure compliance with recommended limits for microbiological contamination, and identifying microorganisms isolated from these areas supports preventive and corrective actions. This study aimed to identify at the species level strain B1373/24, which was isolated during air monitoring in a viral vaccine production area of a pharmaceutical industry in Rio de Janeiro. The strain was initially analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) with the MALDI Biotyper® (Bruker); however, it could not be identified. Therefore, the 16S rRNA gene of B1373/24 was sequenced, and the resulting data were compared with the EzBioCloud database, using the ≥98.7% threshold for species-level identification. The following species were proposed: Janibacter anophelis (100.0%), Janibacter hoylei (98.82%), and Janibacter cremeus (98.75%).The species was confirmed as Janibacter anophelis through phylogenetic analysis using the following software: MegaX, jModelTest, Mafft-online, and FigTree. This confirmation allowed the spectrum of strain B1373/24 to be incorporated into the MALDI Biotyper® system, contributing to the expansion of its database (DB). A subsequent reanalysis of B1373/24 using MALDI-TOF MS successfully identified it as Janibacter anophelis, confirming the validity of the newly added spectrum within the system's DB. The identification of B1373/24 as Janibacter anophelis highlights the importance of combining molecular tools to expand the MALDI-TOF MS database, thereby improving its capacity to identify environmental microorganisms. This study underscores its significant technological and scientific value for the pharmaceutical industry.

Intestinal inflammation is central to the pathogenesis of various gastrointestinal disorders, making the exploration of effective treatment strategies essential. This study investigates the effects of molecular hydrogen in alleviating intestinal inflammation induced in a murine model. We aim to assess its therapeutic potential through histopathological analysis, gene expression evaluation, and bacterial load quantification.

Intestinal inflammation was induced in 15 female mice using kappa-carrageenan over 3 months. Following induction, the mice were assigned to four treatment groups: diclofenac (20 mg/kg), molecular hydrogen, negative control, and positive control. Treatment lasted 15 days. Colon length was measured as an indicator of inflammation, and histopathological analysis was conducted on the colon, liver, and intestines. RNA was extracted from the colon for quantitative reverse transcription PCR to assess the expression of inflammation-related genes (TNFα, IL1β, IL6, IL10, and SOD1), while DNA from fecal samples was analyzed for E. coli and Bifidobacterium presence. Bacterial load quantification is being optimized using qPCR, with a focus on refining the melting temperature protocol for specificity.

The histopathological analysis revealed significant tissue damage in the inflammation-induced group, with partial recovery observed in the diclofenac- and molecular hydrogen-treated groups. The qRT-PCR results showed a more pronounced inflammatory response in the untreated group, while IL10 was lower in the treated groups, suggesting the modulation of the inflammatory response. IL6 was moderately reduced by diclofenac, while molecular hydrogen had only mild effects. Interestingly, IL1β was elevated in both treatment groups, indicating possible pro-inflammatory effects. Additionally, SOD1 levels were lower in treated groups, indicating reduced antioxidant activity.

The preliminary findings suggest that both diclofenac and molecular hydrogen have therapeutic potential in reducing intestinal inflammation. Diclofenac primarily acts through anti-inflammatory pathways, while molecular hydrogen may modulate oxidative stress and gut microbiota. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms of action for these treatments in gastrointestinal diseases.

Introduction: Gonarthrosis, or osteoarthritis located in the knee, is a joint disease that causes the tissues of the affected joint to progressively degenerate. When there is a wear away of the synovial membrane due to this disease, its permeability increases, causing bacteria to thrive. The objective of this study is to identify whether Gonarthrosis is associated with a microbiota profile dominated by proinflammatory bacteria in the synovial space.

Methods: Synovial fluid samples were extracted from 57 patients diagnosed with stage 4 Gonarthrosis and were subsequently stored at -80 C. The extraction of total DNA was carried out with a specific kit for microbiome measurement. Gene libraries were created by PCR of the V3-V4 region of the 16S ribosomal gene to subsequently characterize the diversity of the microbiota using next-generation sequencing. The analysis of the results was conducted using the QIIME version 2 pipeline together with the GreenGenes database for taxonomic assignment and the R programming environment to determine the comparison of the relative abundance of taxa.

Results: The results determined that more than half of the samples contained bacteria of the genera Blautia_A_141781, Bacteroides_H, Lacticaseibacillus, and Akkermansia, among others. This information reveals that there are bacteria in the synovial space, contributing to the field of research on microbiota in spaces that are considered sterile, such as, in this case, joints affected by the degenerative disease Gonarthrosis.

Conclusion: In conclusion, it was detected that there are bacteria in the synovial space in people with Osteoarthritis. This work was financed by CONACyT 163235 INFR-2011-01 and SECTEI/249/2019—CM-SECTEI/109/2020—CM-SECTEI/124/2021, Convocatoria 2019.

Introduction: This study investigates the effects of maternal obesity on microbiota composition and metabolite profiles in neonates and breast milk. Maternal obesity can alter the bacterial landscape and bioactive compounds in breast milk, increasing the risk of obesity in infants. The microbiota and metabolites in breast milk and neonatal fecal samples from obese and normal-weight Mexican mothers were compared. Methodology: Fecal and milk samples were collected from binomials. DNA extraction was performed, followed by the PCR amplification of the V3-16S ribosomal RNA gene for next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis. Taxonomic microbiota profiling was conducted, and metabolic pathway analysis was carried out using PICRUST to identify pathways associated with different bacterial taxa. Metabolites were extracted and analyzed via FT-ICR mass spectrometry. Comprehensive bioinformatics analyses were conducted to assign taxonomy and assess bacterial diversity. Results: The findings suggest that the vertical transmission of bacteria and metabolites from mother to infant exists. Patescibacteria and Firmicutes were identified as dominant phyla in human milk. Fecal samples from neonates born to obese mothers exhibited a lower abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus than those born to normal-weight mothers. In addition, fecal samples from neonates and milk from obese mothers were characterized by an increased abundance of Lactobacillus and Staphylococcus. Conclusion: This study highlights breastfeeding's crucial role in transferring maternal microbiota and metabolites to infants, showing strong microbial and metabolic connections between breast milk and meconium. Maternal BMI does not affect overall bacterial composition, but distinct metabolites linked to maternal obesity were found, suggesting potential neonatal health impacts. The research suggests a pathway for intergenerational obesity risk transmission via breastfeeding, emphasizing the need for further investigation into the long-term health effects on infants of obese mothers. This work was financed by CONACyT 163235 INFR-2011-01 and CONACyT FORDECYT-PRONACES/6669/2020_Programa Presupuestario F003-Ciencia de frontera 2019.

Liquid trees are photobioreactors cultivating microalgae such as Chlorella vulgaris and represent a promising innovation in the fight against environmental pollution. These systems leverage the photosynthetic capacity of microalgae to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂), thereby contributing to the mitigation of climate change effects. Furthermore, the produced algal biomass can be utilized for diverse applications, ranging from biofuel production to animal feed.

Construction Methodology:

1. Reactor: The core of the system is a reactor, typically a transparent glass or plastic vessel, which provides a controlled environment for microalgae cultivation, including adequate illumination, mixing, and aeration of the culture.
2. Light Source: A solar panel serves as the primary energy source for the system. During daylight hours, the solar panel provides the necessary energy for microalgae photosynthesis. Additionally, a battery can store excess energy generated during the day to power the system at night.
3. Aeration System: A compressor, powered by the solar panel, supplies CO₂-enriched air to the reactor. CO₂ is essential for the photosynthetic process and enables efficient microalgae growth.
4. Control System: A control system, which can be electronic or mechanical, monitors and regulates culture parameters, such as temperature, pH, nutrient concentration, and light intensity.
5. Recirculation Pump: A recirculation pump ensures a homogeneous distribution of nutrients and oxygen within the culture.

Expected Outcomes:

• Fix Large Amounts of CO₂: Microalgae, due to their high growth rate and photosynthetic efficiency, can capture significant amounts of atmospheric CO₂.
• Produce Algal Biomass: The produced algal biomass can be used for various applications, such as the production of biofuels, animal feed, fertilizers, and chemical products.
• Improve Air Quality: By removing CO₂ from the atmosphere, liquid trees improve air quality.
• Be Energy Self-Sufficient: Through the use of solar panels, liquid trees can operate autonomously, without requiring connection to the electricity grid.

Wolbachia sp., an alphaproteobacterium associated with reproductive phenotypes, has previously been characterized in the fruit fly pest Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae). Two Wolbachia strains (wAfraCast1_A and wAfraCast2_A) have been identified using MLST and HVR as molecular markers. Mating assays have revealed a female-biased sex ratio in flies carrying wAfraCast1_A, while behavioral tests have suggested a protective effect against parasitoids in A. fraterculus larvae harboring wAfraCast2_A. Here, we assembled the wAfraCast2_A genome from a whole-genome project of A. fraterculus morphotype 1 (Argentina).

High-molecular-weight DNA was extracted from a single adult female, and Oxford Nanopore high-throughput genome sequencing was performed. After quality control and filtering of raw reads, a metagenomic approach was followed to obtain de novo assemblies of A. fraterculus and Wolbachia sp. genomes, and a Wolbachia-assigned contig was further analyzed. Quast and BUSCO were used to check the integrity and completeness of a preliminary Wolbachia genome assembly. Annotation was carried out with Prokka and compared to the reference genome of the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Drosophila melanogaster (wMel).

A total of 15,810,325 reads were obtained after adapter removal and quality filtering (10% of the reads were discarded). From these, a total of 1,360 contigs were generated de novo, and 1 contig was assigned to the Wolbachia sp. taxon. A preliminary assembly of the wAfraCast2_A genome revealed a circularized contig of 1,463,312 bp with 93.1% completeness, 0% duplicated genes, and 6.9% missing genes (rickettsiales_odb10 database, n:364). A genome comparison with wMel showed an Average Nucleotide Identity of 99.1% and structural annotation identified 1,701 CDSs, including 633 genes, 907 hypothetical proteins, 3 rRNAs, and 34 tRNAs. These results will enhance our understanding of the Wolbachia–A. fraterculus interaction, including mechanisms influencing host behavior, physiology, and ecological functions, thereby supporting novel pest management strategies.

Avian aspergillosis is a fungal disease caused predominantly by Aspergillus fumigatus, affecting the respiratory system of birds. It occurs in both wild and domesticated avian species, often leading to significant health and conservation concerns. The disease typically arises from the inhalation of fungal spores, which proliferate in damp or poorly ventilated environments, such as contaminated feed, litter, or nesting material. Clinically, aspergillosis manifests in acute or chronic forms. Acute cases are common in young or immunocompromised birds, presenting with respiratory distress, lethargy, and sudden death. Chronic aspergillosis, frequently seen in adult birds, leads to granuloma formation in the air sacs and lungs, causing progressive respiratory issues, anorexia, and weight loss. Diagnosis relies on clinical signs, imaging, fungal cultures, or histopathology. This study aims to describe the epidemiology and the macroscopic, histological, and microbiological lesions from wild birds during postmortem exams. Samples were collected for histology and Sabouraud agar. The necropsy and histological examination established the aspergillosis diagnosis in 10 animals examined over 7 years. The main species affected was Buteo buteo. Macroscopic alterations in the animals with aspergillosis were varied. All animals presented thickened air sacs with abundant caseous and necrotic debris and greyish-green fungal colonies and nodules in the air sacs and lungs. One animal presented dissemination to the bone and muscle. The main lesions observed were on the lungs and air sacs as expected. This work shows that aspergillosis is an important disease that causes mortality in wild birds, particularly during the recovery process of rehabilitation of these animals in the recovery centres. This work shows that the part of mycological identification is still often overlooked during the necropsy, and the diagnosis is based only on the macroscopic diagnosis. Avian aspergillosis remains a critical issue in veterinary medicine and wildlife conservation, requiring continued research for improved diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a significant respiratory pathogen affecting populations worldwide, particularly young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Despite its clinical importance, the intrinsic disorder status of hMPV proteins and their roles in the pathogenic mechanism remain largely unexplored. Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and disordered protein regions (IDPRs) are members of the "dark proteome," characterized by the absence of a stable three-dimensional structure but with critical biological functions, such as host–virus interactions and immune evasion. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence and functionality of IDPs/IDPRs in the hMPV proteome using computational tools, including PONDR®, IUPred2A, DISOPRED, and ESpritz, validated with NMR, X-ray crystallography, and DisProt data. Our findings revealed significant levels of intrinsic disorder in key hMPV proteins, such as the fusion (F), nucleocapsid (N), and glycoprotein (G), which are implicated in viral replication, host entry, and immune modulation. Proteins SPQ8B9Q8 and SPQ6WB94 showed 100% intrinsic disorder, highlighting their potential roles in immune evasion, while structural proteins like SPQ6WB99 displayed minimal disorder. The hMPV proteome exhibited a mean disorder percentage of 19.19%, with nearly half of the proteins containing disordered regions exceeding 30 amino acids. These findings emphasize the critical role of intrinsic disorder in the hMPV life cycle and identify IDPs/IDPRs as promising targets for disorder-based drug design.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) even exist in soils polluted by heavy metals and play an important role in improving plant tolerance under stress conditions. A pot culture experiment was carried out to study the effects of AMF inoculation on growth and Cadmium (Cd) uptake through soil enzymatic activities under varying levels of Cd concentrations (3, 6, and 9 mg kg^-1 of soil) in soil by Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. seedlings. AMF inoculation significantly improved both shoot and root biomass at a Cd concentration of 3 mg.kg^-1, while a reduction in biomass was observed at 9 mg.kg^-1 concentration of Cd. AMF also enhanced plant growth, with maximum shoot length observed at 3 mgkg^-1 and root length at 9 mgkg^-1. However, AMF spore count decreased while the root colonization rate significantly increased with Cd concentration, leading to a reduction in Cd levels in the rhizosphere of AMF-inoculated seedlings. Soil enzymatic activities like dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and catalase were significantly reduced in non-inoculated seedlings under Cd stress, whereas AMF inoculation improved these enzymatic activities. These results indicate that AMF can alleviate Cd toxicity by decreasing translocation and enhancing the bioaccumulation factor in Albizia lebbeck seedlings. Thus, AMF in combination with Albizia lebbeck offers a promising approach for the phyto-stabilization of Cd-contaminated soils. These findings also highlight the potential of the AMF–Albizia lebbeck interactions system in the bioremediation of Cd-polluted ecosystems.

Introduction: The Zika virus emerged as a significant public health challenge in Brazil, particularly after its epidemic peak in 2016. Initially identified in Africa, Zika spread to the Americas in the mid-2010s, causing widespread concern due to its association with severe neurological complications, including microcephaly in newborns and Guillain–Barré syndrome in adults.

Methods: Secondary data were collected from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS) regarding Zika virus notifications in Brazil between January 2010 and December 2024, analyzing the number of cases by year of occurrence.

Results: Between 2010 and 2024, 497,550 cases of Zika were reported in Brazil. The peak occurred in 2016, with 277,072 cases (55.7%). In 2017 and 2018, the numbers dropped to 32,225 (6.5%) and 20,092 (4%), respectively. After an increase in 2019, with 30,800 cases (6.2%), there was another decline in 2020 and 2021, with 20,637 (4.1%) and 19,112 (3.8%) cases. In 2022, notifications rose to 34,786 (7%), followed by 22,778 (4.6%) in 2023 and 35,146 (7.1%) in 2024. The initial period (2010–2014) recorded fewer than 100 cases annually, reflecting the absence of outbreaks.

Conclusions: The data reveal a significant epidemiological dynamic of the Zika virus in Brazil. After an initial period of low notification numbers (2010-2014), the 2016 outbreak marked the peak of the epidemic, accounting for more than half of the cases recorded over the 14 years investigated. A sharp decline was observed in the following years, until a slight increase in 2019. New fluctuations occurred, with rises in 2022 and 2024. The post-2016 reduction may be associated with population immunity and public health interventions, while the occasional increases suggest seasonal or regional factors. Continuous surveillance is essential to monitor and prevent new outbreaks.