This study evaluated changes in the use of sweeteners over one decade and the relationship between socio-demographics, diet and weight status with the type of sweetener. Data came from the Brazilian National Dietary Surveys of 2008–2009 and 2017–2018, including ≥ 10-year-old individuals (n 32 749; n 44 744, respectively, after excluding pregnant and lactating women). The use of table sugar, non-caloric sweeteners (NCS), both or none was reported through a specific question. Food consumption was assessed using two non-consecutive food records (2008–2009) and 24-h recalls (2017–2018). For the last survey, means of energy, macro and micronutrient intake, food groups’ contribution (%) to daily energy intake and age- and energy-adjusted nutrient intake were estimated according to the type of sweetener used. Differences in means and proportions across the categories of sweeteners used were evaluated based on the 95 % CI. All analyses were stratified by sex and considered sample design and weights. Over 10 years, the use of table sugar decreased by 8 %, while the habit of not using any sweetener increased almost three times, and the use of NCS remained stable. Larger reductions in the use of table sugar were observed in the highest income level and among men. Regardless of sex, compared with NCS users, table sugar users had greater mean intake of energy, carbohydrates and added sugar and lower micronutrient intake means. Although table sugar is still the most used sweetener, the increased choice of ‘no sweetener’ is noteworthy in Brazil.

Congenital Zika is a devastating consequence of maternal Zika virus infections. Estimates of age-dependent seroprevalence profiles are central to our understanding of the force of Zika virus infections. We set out to calculate the age-dependent seroprevalence of Zika virus infections in Brazil. We analyzed serum samples stratified by age and geographic location, collected from 2016 to 2019, from about 16,000 volunteers enrolled in a Phase 3 dengue vaccine trial led by the Institute Butantan in Brazil. Our results show that Zika seroprevalence has a remarkable age-dependent and geographical distribution, with an average age of the first infection varying from region to region, ranging from 4.97 (3.03–5.41) to 7.24 (6.98–7.90) years. The calculated basic reproduction number, $ {R}_0 $, varied from region to region, ranging from 1.18 (1.04–1.41) to 2.33 (1.54–3.85). Such data are paramount to determine the optimal age to vaccinate against Zika, if and when such a vaccine becomes available.

Few studies have focused on nutrient-deficient diets and associated pathobiological dynamics of body composition and intestinal barrier function. This study evaluated the impact of a nutrient-deficient diet on physical development and intestinal morphofunctional barrier in mice. C57BL/6 (21 days of age) mice were fed a Northeastern Brazil regional basic diet (RBD) or a control diet for 21 d. The animals were subjected to bioimpedance analysis, lactulose test, morphometric analysis and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR to evaluate tight junctions and intestinal transporters. RBD feeding significantly reduced weight (P < 0·05) from day 5, weight gain from day 3 and tail length from day 14. The intake of RBD reduced total body water, extracellular fluid, fat mass and fat-free mass from day 7 (P < 0·05). RBD induced changes in the jejunum, with an increase in the villus:crypt ratio on day 7, followed by reduction on days 14 and 21 (P < 0·05). Lactulose:mannitol ratio increased on day 14 (P < 0·05). Changes in intestinal barrier function on day 14 were associated with reductions in claudin-1 and occludin, and on day 21, there was a reduction in the levels of claudin-2 and occludin. SGLT-1 levels decreased on day 21. RBD compromises body composition and physical development with dynamic changes in intestinal barrier morphofunctional. RBD is associated with damage to intestinal permeability, reduced levels of claudin-1 and occludin transcripts and return of bowel function in a chronic period.

Iridopsis panopla (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) is a defoliator of eucalyptus (Myrtaceae). Iridopsis panopla pupae were collected on a commercial plantation of Eucalyptus grandis, in the locality of Ribas do Rio Pardo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. After 18 days, the hymenopteran parasitoids Brachymeria annulata (Chalcididae) and Trichospilus diatraeae (Eulophidae) emerged from the I. panopla pupae. This is the first host record of these parasitoids from this important eucalyptus pest. Biological aspects of T. diatraeae were evaluated under laboratory conditions.

Rabies in cattle is a viral disease with mandatory notification in Brazil, transmitted by Desmodus rotundus, which causes an invariably fatal acute encephalitis. To understand the dynamics of this disease in Tocantins state, Brazil, an analysis of the time series of rabies cases in cattle between 2006 and 2019 was carried out to describe the pattern of its occurrence, aiming to subsidise the Official Veterinary Service (OVS) with relevant information to enable the improvement of control actions provided for in the guidelines of the National Program for the Control of Rabies in Herbivores (NPCRH). The statistical analyses of the time series under study were performed using the R Studio software, version 1.1.463, in which the existence of trend, cyclicality and seasonality of rabies cases in cattle was assessed. These analyses showed that this disease is endemic in Tocantins state, with epidemic outbreaks that can occur every 3 or 4 years, without a seasonality pattern. The autoregressive integrated by moving average (ARIMA(4,1,4)) model predicted the approximate occurrence of 38 rabies cases in cattle in 2022 and all monthly records of this disease remained within the predicted confidence interval (95% CI) in 2020 and 2021, demonstrating it has a good predictive capacity and allowing OVS to intervene in the present processes to achieve better control of this disease.

A new phenotype of obesity has been studied: normal-weight obesity (NWO), which describes individuals with normal-weight by BMI and excess body fat. Despite normal-weight, individuals with NWO have a higher cardiometabolic risk. There is still a gap in the literature on the subject, especially in adolescents, as studies with this population are scarce. This study aims to investigate the sociodemographic factors, family history of chronic non-communicable diseases, body perception, lifestyle and food consumption associated with NWO in adolescents. This is a cross-sectional study, with 506 normal-weight adolescents aged 10–19 years, of both sexes. Weight and height were obtained, and BMI/age was calculated. Body fat analysis was performed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Sociodemographic data, level of physical activity, food consumption, body self-perception and lifestyle habits were also obtained. Logistic regression with hierarchical approach was used to analyse the associations. The odds of NWO are greater with age (OR = 1·14; 95 % CI = 1·04, 1·26), lower in male adolescents (OR = 0·21; 95 % CI = 0·11, 0·41) and higher in those with a history of familial dyslipidemia (OR = 1·81; 95 % CI = 1·01, 3·28). Adolescents satisfied with their body (OR = 0·30; 95 % CI 0·16, 0·56) and physically active (OR = 0·44; 95 % CI = 0·24, 0·81) have a lower odds of NWO, compared with the others. In addition, it was observed that the odds of NWO is greater among adolescents who use sweeteners (sugar substitutes) (OR = 3·84; 95 % CI = 1·70, 8·65). The factors associated with NWO were female sex, older age, positive family history of dyslipidemia, lower body satisfaction, lower level of physical activity and greater use of sweeteners.

We aimed to investigate the anthropometric and body composition parameters associated with the metabolically obese normal-weight (MONW) phenotype. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 506 adolescents in Brazil (aged 10–19 y). The MONW phenotype was defined as normal-weight, according to BMI/age, and at least one metabolic alteration. Anthropometric measurements were obtained and the DEXA was used for body composition analysis. Crude and adjusted Poisson regression models with robust variance were used to estimate the associations. The phenotype was positively associated with waist circumference (male: prevalence ratio (PR) = 1·05; 95% CI 1·01, 1·09; female: PR = 1·06; 95% CI 1·02, 1·09), waist:height ratio (male: PR = 1·26; 95% CI 1·07, 1·49; female: PR = 1·29; 95% CI 1·07, 1·56) and android:gynoid fat ratio (male: PR = 1·25; 95% CI 1·03, 1·51; female: PR = 1·39; 95% CI 1·20, 1·62), in both sexes. Furthermore, there was a positive association of phenotype with waist:hip ratio (PR = 1·32; 95% CI 1·06, 1·65) and trunk:arm fat ratio (PR = 1·13; 95% CI 1·02, 1·24) only in males and with trunk:leg fat ratio (PR = 2·84; 95% CI 1·46, 5·53), BAIp (PR = 1·06; 95% CI 1·01, 1·12), fat mass index (PR = 1·24; 95% CI 1·10, 1·41) and regional indices of metabolic load and capacity (PR = 1·29; 95% CI 1·09, 1·53), in females. Anthropometric and body composition parameters indicative of central and total fat are associated with the MONW phenotype.

Zn deficiency compromises its biological functions, its effect on the immune system and its antiviral activity, increasing vulnerability to infectious diseases. This narrative review aims at presenting and discussing functional aspects and possible mechanisms involved in the potential role of Zn in the immune response and antiviral activity for coronavirus infectious disease-19 (COVID-19) prevention and control. The searches were conducted in PubMed and Science Direct databases, using clinical trials, experimental studies in animals and humans, case–control studies, case series, letters to the editor, and review articles published in English, without restrictions on year of publication. Search approach was based on using the terms: ‘zinc’, ‘COVID-19’, ‘antiviral agents’, ‘immunologic factors’ and ‘respiratory tract infections’. Literature shows the importance of Zn as an essential mineral immunomodulator with relevant antiviral activity in the body. Thus, although there is still a scarcity of studies evaluating Zn supplementation in patients with COVID-19, the results on the topic show the necessity of controlling Zn mineral deficiency, as well as maintaining its homoeostasis in the body in order to strengthen the immune system and improve the prevention of highly complex viral infections, such as that of the COVID-19.

The modification of minerals with metals can promote changes in their surface and, consequently, in their physicochemical properties. Minerals could have played an important role in the origin of life as they can protect molecules against degradation by radiation and hydrolysis, pre-concentrate molecules from dilute solutions and catalyse the formation of polymers. Thus, the current work studied the modification of montmorillonite with Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions. These modified montmorillonites were used to study the interaction with adenine dissolved in distilled water and artificial seawater 4.0 Gy (Gy = billion years ago). The most important result of this work is that the adsorption of adenine onto modified montmorillonites is a complex interaction among adenine, salts in seawater and Cu2+/Fe3+-montmorillonite (Cu2+/Fe3+-Mont) . The adsorption of Cu2+ and Fe3+ onto montmorillonite decreased its surface area and pore volume. The Sips isotherm model showed the best fit of the data and n values indicate that the adenine adsorption process was homogeneous. The highest adenine adsorption was obtained in artificial seawater 4.0 Gy onto Fe3+-Mont at 60°C and the lowest in distilled water or artificial seawater 4.0 Gy onto montmorillonite [montmorillonite washed with distilled water (Mont-STD)] at 60°C. Adenine adsorption onto Mont-STD/montmorillonite modified with 500 ml of 0.1 mol l−1 of CuCl2 and Fe3+-Mont was an exothermic process and an endothermic process, respectively. For all adsorptions ΔG was negative. The adsorption of adenine onto Fe3+-Mont was ruled out by entropy and the other samples by enthalpy and entropy, being a major contribution for Gibbs free energy from enthalpy. The Fourier transform-infrared data indicate that the interaction of adenine with minerals may occur through the NH2 functional group.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is the main aetiological agent of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans. Several outbreaks have been documented around the world, cementing its status as an emerging global public health concern. As a result, new strategies for the diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment of cerebral angiostrongyliasis are urgently needed. In this study, we report on the de novo assembly of the A. cantonensis transcriptome, its full functional annotation and a reconstruction of complete metabolic pathways. All results are available at AngiostrongylusDB (http://angiostrongylus.lad.pucrs.br/admin/welcome). The aim of this study was to identify the active genes and metabolic pathways involved in the mechanisms of infection and survival inside Rattus norvegicus. Among 389 metabolic mapped pathways, the blood coagulation/antithrombin pathways of heparan sulphate/heparin are highlighted. Moreover, we identified genes codified to GP63 (leishmanolysin), CALR (calreticulin), ACE (peptidyl-dipeptidase A), myoglobin and vWD (von Willebrand factor type D domain protein) involved in the infection invasion and survival of the parasite. The large dataset of functional annotations provided and the full-length transcripts identified in this research may facilitate future functional genomics studies and provides a basis for the development of new techniques for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cerebral angiostrongyliasis.

In paleoenvironmental research, several proxies are used to reconstruct climate and vegetation. The establishment of a chronological framework allows for the association of different proxies and correlation of events happening in different geographic areas. Cultural deposits, such as the shellmounds found along the coast of Brazil, play an important role in paleoenvironmental interpretations. Here, we have employed anthracological analysis in charcoal fragments from the Amourins shellmound, located at the margins of the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro. This allowed for the taxonomic identification and selection of short-lived trees and specific parts of plants for accurate radiocarbon dating. We recorded genera and families typical of the Atlantic Forest, restinga forest, open restinga and mangrove. The 14C ages of charred nuts from different occupational layers range from 3807 ± 35 to 3503 ± 70 BP and a sequential chronological model was built, relating the predominance of mangrove vegetation to the period between 4130–3960 cal BP.

School-based studies, despite the large number of studies conducted, have reported inconclusive results on obesity prevention. The sample size is a major constraint in such studies by requiring large samples. This pooled analysis overcomes this problem by analysing 5926 students (mean age 11·5 years) from five randomised school-based interventions. These studies focused on encouraging students to change their drinking and eating habits, and physical activities over the one school year, with monthly 1-h sessions in the classroom; culinary class aimed at developing cooking skills to increase healthy eating and attempts to family engagement. Pooled intention-to-treat analysis using linear mixed models accounted for school clusters. Control and intervention groups were balanced at baseline. The overall result was a non-significant change in BMI after one school year of positive changes in behaviours associated with obesity. Estimated mean BMI changed from 19·02 to 19·22 kg/m2 in the control group and from 19·08 to 19·32 kg/m2 in the intervention group (P value of change over time = 0·09). Subgroup analyses among those overweight or with obesity at baseline also did not show differences between intervention and control groups. The percentage of fat measured by bioimpedance indicated a small reduction in the control compared with intervention (P = 0·05). This large pooled analysis showed no effect on obesity measures, although promising results were observed about modifying behaviours associated with obesity.

Collagen extraction depends on the state of bone preservation, and the acidity of Brazilian soils often prevents the use of this material for radiocarbon dating. When available, however, bone samples constitute very important chronological records for both archaeological sites and natural depositional sites of specific animals. The extraction of collagen was performed using two filters, the first aiming to remove insoluble contaminants, and the second, a vivaspin ultrafilter 30KD to retain large molecular weight materials. The collagen was liofilized and converted to CO2 by combustion in sealed quartz tubes with CuO and Ag. The graphite was produced by zinc reduction in independently sealed Pyrex™ tubes. In order to verify the accuracy of this protocol, we analyzed a modern bone and four previously dated fragments, including those from the Sixth International Radiocarbon Intercomparison (SIRI), and a fragment of human bone from the Amourins site, a Brazilian shellmound. The results for the known age material are in agreement with the expected and the studied sector of Amourins shellmound was dated 4100–3900 years cal BP from a chronological model performed with charcoal dating found in different stratigraphic layers. Samples were dated at the radiocarbon laboratory of Universidade Federal Fluminense (LAC-UFF) in Brazil.

Less invasive protocols are necessary to study energy expenditure (EE) of cats living in homes for expressing their normal living conditions. The present study compared sampling times and the use of saliva, urine and blood to measure 2H and 18O to apply the doubly labelled water method. In the first study, four cats were used to evaluate the enrichment (2, 4, 6, 7 and 8 h) and elimination (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 d) of 2H and 18O (subcutaneously injected). The maximum enrichment was after 5 h (R2 0·82) of injection, with an Ln linear elimination of both isotopes (P < 0·001; R2 0·99). The results of EE were similar, regardless of the sampling time used (P = 0·999). In the second study, seven male cats and seven female cats were used. Before and after isotope injection (5 h, 7 d, 10 d and 14 d), blood, saliva and urine were collected. Isotope enrichment was lower in urine (P < 0·05) and at the similar level in blood and saliva. Isotope elimination was similar for all fluids (P < 0·473). The EE calculated with blood and saliva was similar but higher for urine (P = 0·015). According to Bland–Altman statistics, blood and saliva presented low bias and high correlation (P < 0·001), but this was not observed for urine (P = 0·096). Higher EE was observed for male cats (384 (se 39) kJ/kg0·67 per d) than for female cats (337 (se 34) kJ/kg0·67 per d; P < 0·05). The sampling time for the method is flexible, and saliva can be used as a substitute for blood.