Abstract European natural history collections (NHCs) preserve countless specimens across multicellular taxa, representing critical references of biodiversity knowledge for research and conservation. Yet comprehensive surveys of NHCs and their research contributions are lacking for exceptionally species-rich and ecologically diverse taxa, leaving unclear to which extent NHCs provide a realistic representation of biodiversity. We surveyed 16 major European NHCs to examine their role in documenting true flies (Diptera), a large insect order of economic, public health, and ecosystem importance. We estimate that European NHCs house between 26 million and 35 million dipteran specimens, ∼85% preserved in ethanol, with 20,000 to 1 million identified to species level per institution. Dark taxa account for more than 10% of holdings in several families but remain incompletely represented, because taxonomic impediments and funding constraints prevent NHCs from addressing this gap. We propose critical priorities to enable European NHCs to operate at full capacity to advance our knowledge on Diptera.
Abstract The competing hypotheses on the origins of SARS-CoV-2 – the pathogen responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic – have been hotly debated in the scientific literature and popular media, especially with respect to the hypothesis that SARS-Cov-2 originated from an animal market versus the hypothesis that it originated from a laboratory leak. Since there has been little resolution of this issue, I argue for a general approach to resolve the plausibility of the competing hypotheses on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic using the method of multiple working hypotheses and strong inference. This approach has been formalized over time to objectively and quantitatively deal with issues such as the opposing and competing hypotheses about COVID-19 origins. This approach would best be formalized through professional scientific societies to provide objective rigor and credibility to the process.
Abstract The increasing pace of global change is driving unprecedented rates of biodiversity decline, necessitating innovative approaches to monitor and understand ecosystems. In this article, we discuss the transformational potential of automated sensing technologies and examine how field stations can play a pivotal role in the implementation and support of large-scale sensing networks. Recent advances in sensor technology, wireless communication, and machine learning algorithms have made automated, large-scale biodiversity discovery and monitoring possible. However, the implementation of these developing technologies can pose unique challenges and considerations. Field stations, as research centers representing highly diverse environmental contexts, are uniquely positioned to navigate these technological complexities and act as testing grounds for the integration of automated sensing approaches to the broader field of ecological research. Here, in outlining our experiences constructing a field station-based sensing network, we describe key considerations for establishing a robust, long-lasting automated sensing system.
Abstract The scientific community is increasingly delegating trust and responsibility to data sources and tools that it cannot control or fully understand. When their functioning cannot be independently inspected, evaluated, or reproduced, such systems effectively operate as scientific black boxes.
Abstract Human health is inextricably linked to the health of wildlife populations and ecological systems. One Health science offers a multi-faceted approach to pandemic prevention, holistically investigating the interrelatedness of environmental, animal, and human health. Wildlife trade is a vital context for this work; zoonotic disease transmission along the wildlife trade pathway has had devastating social, cultural, and economic consequences. In 2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the German government launched the International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade to enhance awareness, knowledge, and policies that narrow the gap between transdisciplinary science and the implementation of wildlife trade risk-reduction measures. Alliance operations have transitioned to the World Organisation for Animal Health. Herein, we establish a historical record for the Alliance, reflecting on first-phase achievements and lessons learned in the scientific, policy, and community empowerment contexts. We emphasize Alliance advancement of One Health, making recommendations for even greater returns on programmatic investments in pandemic prevention.
Abstract In northern Thailand, Lua herders do not encounter biodiversity as a fixed inventory. They learn to notice it through the movements, appetites, and bodily conditions of Nam Wa buffalo moving between rice fields and forest grazing areas. Drawing on fieldwork in Ban Huai Phan, this article follows how browsed plants, hoofprints, bells, salt-seeking, wet mineral-rich sites, and remembered routes become sources of ecological and health knowledge. Buffalo make plants, places, and seasonal changes perceptible, whereas herders compare observations, test interpretations, and connect animal feeding with household medicine, ethnoveterinary care, and landscape history. This multispecies attention also complicates conservation and One Health approaches that frame livestock primarily in terms of risk, environmental pressure, or genetic resources. It shows how biodiversity is known through situated use, movement, uncertainty, and repeated care.
Abstract Advances in remote sensing, spatial data collection, hydraulic and geospatial models, and the maturation of landscape ecology during the early 2000s spurred the concept of rivers as landscapes or “riverscapes.” Since that time, the Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program—one of the world’s longest running large-river ecosystem restoration and monitoring programs—has applied landscape ecological principles to the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). I examine spatial patterns of aquatic nutrient concentrations, submersed aquatic vegetation, and fish and mussel communities, finding that within-river patterns are often patchy in nature, likely resulting from how nutrient processes and community traits interact with spatial variability in hydraulic exchange patterns. Local-scale patchy spatial patterns in the UMRS are embedded in system-scale longitudinal gradients, and a hierarchical view of the river has provided a foundation for strategic river restoration planning.
Introduction: Hematological diseases are disorders that affect the blood, bone marrow and lymphatic system, impairing the production or functioning of blood cells. They contribute negatively to morbidity and mortality, overloading health systems due to the need for continuous treatment. Objective: To characterize the profile of patients with hematological diseases treated at a university hospital between 2018 and 2024, through principal component analysis. Method: This is a descriptive and retrospective study based on secondary data of hospitalized patients with hospitalization diagnoses classified in groups D50 to D89 of the 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases. Results: A total of 1,076 hospitalizations for non-neoplastic hematological diseases were recorded. There was a predominance of men (51%). Recovery was high (88%), while deaths and transfers added up to 12%. In the principal component analysis, five groups were identified that together explain 72.2% of the total variance. Conclusion: The profile of hematological patients is not homogeneous and the classification into five groups is important for university hospitals to optimize human and financial resources, as well as outpatient and high-complexity follow-up in the SUS.
Introduction: It is important to have a thorough understanding of the inflammatory processes involved in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, aiming to contribute to the development of new therapeutic and control strategies capable of modulating the inflammatory response associated with them. Objective: To gain a deeper understanding of the inflammatory processes involved in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Method: An integative literature review was conducted using information published on online platforms in Portuguese and English. The material for reading and analysis was selected from the SciELO, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus platforms. Initially, a search was performed using the descriptors "obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, TNF-α, IL-6" with AND or OR searches, considering the title and/or abstract. Afterwards, considering only those most closely related to the topic, the full texts were read. Result: Thirty-five articles that met the inclusion criteria were evaluated. Conclusion: TNF-α expression is significantly increased in obese and diabetic animals compared to controls. IL-6, however, requires further investigation, especially in the context of obesity and diabetes in animal models. The studies reinforce the central role of TNF-α in inflammation associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, validating its usefulness as a more sensitive biomarker
Introduction: Among the most debilitating complications of Chron’s disease are perianal manifestations, including anorectal abscesses and fistulas throughout the course and are associated with significant morbidity, impaired quality of life, and surgical interventions. Objective: To describe the epidemiology and temporal trends of hospitalizations for anorectal abscesses, anal fistulas and fissures, and Crohn’s disease in the Unified Health System of the South and Southeast regions of Brazil between 2012 and 2024. Method: Retrospective ecological time series study using administrative data on public hospital admissions in the South and Southeast regions between 2012 and 2024. Hospitalizations were identified by the codes of the International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision, corresponding to Crohn’s disease, anorectal abscesses, and anal fistulas. The volume of hospitalizations, hospital mortality, length of stay, and costs were analyzed. Temporal trends were evaluated by linear regression and mean annual percentage change. Results: A total of 211,086 hospitalizations were analyzed. Those due to Crohn’s disease increased by 128.9%, while anorectal abscesses grew by 45.6%. In-hospital mortality was higher in Crohn’s disease, followed by abscesses and fistulas, with a longer average length of hospital stay, and average cost. Abscesses and fistulas showed a strong male predominance. The Southeast region concentrated approximately 75% of hospitalizations. Conclusion: Hospitalizations for Crohn’s disease and anorectal abscesses have increased substantially in the more developed regions of Brazil, representing an increasing burden on the public health system. The findings reinforce the need for better allocation of resources, early diagnosis, and multidisciplinary management strategies for complex perianal disease.
Introduction: The skin plays a fundamental role as a biological barrier, acting in the protection of the body against physical, chemical and microbiological agents of the external environment. In this context, approaches based on tissue engineering have been widely investigated, especially those that combine the use of stem cells and biomaterials, such as the amniotic membrane. Objective: This review aimed to critically analyze the evidence available in the literature on the effects of the application of bone marrow-derived mononuclear stem cells, alone or in association with the decellularized amniotic membrane. Method: Integrative review conducted with methodological rigor, gathering evidence for clinical practice. It was performed in the PubMed and Medline databases, using the Boolean operator "AND" to associate relevant descriptors. Results: 97 articles were included that were related to the descriptors mentioned. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that mononuclear stem cells associated with the amniotic membrane improve healing in later stages of repair, and may generate less fibrosis, better aesthetic and functional quality of the scar.
Introduction: The skin plays a fundamental role as a biological barrier, acting in the protection of the body against physical, chemical and microbiological agents of the external environment. In this context, approaches based on tissue engineering have been widely investigated, especially those that combine the use of stem cells and biomaterials, such as the amniotic membrane. Objective: This review aimed to critically analyze the evidence available in the literature on the effects of the application of bone marrow-derived mononuclear stem cells, alone or in association with the decellularized amniotic membrane. Method: Integrative review conducted with methodological rigor, gathering evidence for clinical practice. It was performed in the PubMed and Medline databases, using the Boolean operator "AND" to associate relevant descriptors. Results: 97 articles were included that were related to the descriptors mentioned. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that mononuclear stem cells associated with the amniotic membrane improve healing in later stages of repair, and may generate less fibrosis, better aesthetic and functional quality of the scar.
Introduction: Obesity is a state of low-grade chronic inflammation that plays a central role in the genesis of several metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities. Among the mediators of this process, the complement system stands out, whose activation decisively contributes to the perpetuation of the inflammatory response. Objective: To review the changes in serum concentration of the C5a fraction of the complement system in obese patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and to investigate its possible correlation with changes in metabolic parameters. Method: Integrative review based on online research in virtual platforms using the DECs descriptors "complement, C5a, obesity and inflammation" related to the topic, with AND or OR search, considering the title and/or abstract. The material for reading and analysis was selected from the SciELO, Google Scholar, PubMed and Scopus platforms. Result: Considering only those with the greatest relevance to the topic, 31 articles were read in full. Conclusion: Bariatric surgery significantly reduces serum C5a levels, suggesting attenuation of inflammatory activation mediated by the complement system
Introduction: Meningococcal infection characterizes infection by Neisseriaseria meningitidis, Gram-negative bacteria, normally present as commensals in the normal nasopharyngeal microbiota, but potentially pathogenic. The combination of factors such as the specific characteristics and virulence of the strain involved with the host predisposition can culminate in the disease. Objective: To analyze the spatial and epidemiological profile of mortality from meningococcal infection in municipalities in Brazil, from 2001 to 2021. Method: Epidemiological study focusing on the spatial analysis of mortality between 2001 and 2021. Data from the Mortality Information System (SIM), made available by DATASUS, and population data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) were used to calculate crude and standardized mortality rates. The temporal analysis was performed using Joinpoint, while the spatial analysis was performed using GeoDa. Results: There were 9,815 deaths from meningococcal infection in Brazil. The analysis identified clusters of high rates in the Northeast and Southeast regions. The municipalities with the highest rates were Sampaio, TO (4.77/100 thousand inhabitants), Serra da Raiz, PB (4.33/100 thousand) and Sambaíba, MA (4.25/100 thousand). Conclusion: The study identified municipalities and clusters with high rates and the need for targeted strategies for disease prevention and control.
Introduction: Gliomas are the most frequent primary brain tumors, accounting for more than 80% of all primary neoplasms of the central nervous system. These tumors are classified into different histological subtypes, the main ones being astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, and glioblastoma. Among them, glioblastoma stands out as the most common and aggressive subtype, associated with a poor prognosis, even in the face of multimodal therapeutic approaches that combine surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy with temozolomide. Objective: To analyze the association of CD114 expression with survival in patients with glioma. Method: The articles were selected by searching the following databases: Virtual Health Library (VHL), Medline, PubMed, and SciELO. The descriptors used were "CSF3R, CD114, colony-stimulating factor of granulocytes, glioma, glioblastoma, brain tumor", performing advanced search by combining them with the Boolean operator AND. Result: A total of 95 articles were analyzed. Conclusion: There is an association between high expression of CSF3R/CD114 with worst prognosis of patients, reflected by the reduction in overall survival in different types of glial tumors.
Introdução: Entre as complicações mais debilitantes da doença de Chron encontram-se as manifestações perianais, incluindo abscessos anorretais e fístulas ao longo da evolução e estão associadas a morbidade significativa, comprometimento da qualidade de vida e intervenções cirúrgicas. Objetivo: Descrever a epidemiologia e as tendências temporais das internações por abscessos anorretais, fístulas e fissuras anais e doença de Crohn no Sistema Único de Saúde das regiões Sul e Sudeste do Brasil entre 2012 e 2024. Método: Estudo ecológico retrospectivo de série temporal utilizando dados administrativos de internações hospitalares públicas das regiões Sul e Sudeste entre 2012 e 2024. As internações foram identificadas pelos códigos da Classificação Internacional de Doenças, décima revisão, correspondentes à doença de Crohn, abscessos anorretais e fístulas anais. Foram analisados volume de internações, mortalidade hospitalar, tempo de permanência e custos. As tendências temporais foram avaliadas por regressão linear e variação percentual anual média. Resultados: Foram analisadas 211.086 internações. Aquelas por doença de Crohn aumentaram 128,9%, enquanto os abscessos anorretais cresceram 45,6%. A mortalidade hospitalar foi maior na doença de Crohn, seguida pelos abscessos e pelas fístulas, apresentou maior tempo médio de internação e custo médio. Abscessos e fístulas demonstraram forte predominância masculina. A região Sudeste concentrou aproximadamente 75% das internações. Conclusão: As internações por doença de Crohn e abscessos anorretais aumentaram substancialmente nas regiões mais desenvolvidas do Brasil, representando carga crescente para o sistema público de saúde. Os achados reforçam a necessidade de melhor alocação de recursos, diagnóstico precoce e estratégias de manejo multidisciplinar da doença perianal complexa.
The Batang Arau River is one of the main rivers in Padang City which is used intensively for various domestic, industrial and transportation activities, so it has the potential to experience a decline in water quality. Water pollution can have a direct impact on aquatic organisms, especially fish, which can be demonstrated through changes in vital organ tissue. Gills and liver are organs that are sensitive to environmental changes. This study aims to determine the histological profile of the gills and liver of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) that live in the Batang Arau River. This research uses descriptive methods with qualitative and quantitative approaches. Tilapia fish samples were taken from three different locations on the Batang Arau River, namely agricultural areas (T1), rubber factory industrial areas (T2), and densely populated areas (T3). Gills and liver were prepared using the paraffin method with Hematoxylin Eosin (HE) staining. Histological observations were carried out using a light microscope, then the level of tissue damage was analyzed using a scoring method based on the percentage of cell damage. The water quality parameters measured are temperature and pH. The results showed that there were histological changes in the gills in the form of primary lamella hyperplasia, secondary lamella distortion, lamella fusion, edema, epithelial lifting, congestion and necrosis, as well as in the liver in the form of sinusoid dilatation, congestion, vacuole degradation, sinusoid congestion, karyorrhexis and karyolysis. The highest level of histological damage was found at the T3 location, while lower damage was found at T1 and T2. Keywords: Histology, gills, liver, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Batang Arau River.
