Genetic diversity of adenovirus in neotropical bats from Brazil

Bats can harbor a diversity of viruses, such as adenovirus. Ten different species of bat adenoviruses (BtAdV A to J) have been previous described worlwide. In Brazil, BtAdV was described in three species of phyllostomid species: Artibeus lituratus, Desmodus rotundus, and Sturnira lilium. There are around 180 bat species in Brazil, with 67% inhabiting the Atlantic Forest, with few information about the circulation of BtAdV in this biome. We aimed to describe the molecular detection and the phylogenetic characterization and suggest a classification of BtAdVs circulating in bats from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We collected 382 oral and rectal swabs from 208 bats between 2014-2015 and 2020-2021 from São Paulo, Pernambuco, and Santa Catarina Brazilian states. The adenovirus detection was done by a nested PCR targeting the DNA polymerase gene, and all positive samples were sequenced by the Sanger method. The phylogenetic analyses were based on the amino acid sequences using the MEGA 7 and BEAST software. We obtained 16 positive animals (detection rate 7.7%) belonging to seven bat species: Artibeus lituratus, Carollia perspicillata, Sturnira lilium, Molossus molossus, and the first record of Phyllostomus discolor, Eptesicus diminutus, and Myotis riparius. The phylogenetic analysis based on partial amino acid sequences showed that all obtained AdV sequences belong to the Mastadenovirus genus. We observed a high genetic diversity of BtAdV and identified eleven potential BtAdV species circulating in Brazil (BtAdV K to U). Our results contribute to the epidemiological surveillance of adenovirus, increasing the knowledge about the viral diversity and the distribution of AdV in bats from the Atlantic Forest.

A time with e-Natureza (e-Nature): a model of nature-based health interventions as a complex adaptive system

Discussions surrounding the positive impacts of nature on human health and strategies to enhance our connection with the natural world have been ongoing. However, a limited number of theoretical models are available to guide research and practice in this area. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a systematic framework that outlines clear steps for conducting research implementing nature-based interventions. In this study, we investigate the relationship between health and nature through the lens of Complex Adaptive Systems. This approach involves examining the dynamic interactions between multiple interconnected elements to understand the complex emergent behaviors that arise from such relationships. Our model is designed to support nature-based interventions, considering the essential interdependence between humans and nature. This perspective aims to improve both human health and biodiversity conservation in a mutually beneficial manner. The underlying interactions that drive nature-based health interventions are thoroughly explored, leading us to propose a novel intervention model named "A time with e-Natureza" (e-Nature). This model encompasses four types of experiences, drawing from scientific literature and insights from authors engaged in an interdisciplinary research group: (1) Aesthetic and emotional experience; (2) Multisensory integration experience; (3) Knowledge experience; and (4) Engagement experience. Each experience within the model targets affective, cognitive, and behavioral aspects, with a specific focus on fostering a deeper connection with nature. Distinct activities are incorporated within each experience to promote successful outcomes. The model is grounded in existing theories that address the human-nature relationship and is informed by Nursing theories that support health promotion interventions. By presenting this new model, our aim is to contribute to the effective implementation of nature-based interventions that not only enhance human well-being but also support the conservation of nature. This integrated approach recognizes the mutual benefits of human-nature interaction and offers valuable insights for future research and practical applications in the fields of nature and health.

Nature Photographs as Complementary Care in Chemotherapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The incidence of cancer cases is increasing worldwide, and chemotherapy is often necessary as part of the treatment for many of these cases. Nature-based interventions have been shown to offer potential benefits for human well-being.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the outcome of nature images on clinical symptom management related to chemotherapy.

METHODS

A randomized clinical trial was conducted in an outpatient cancer unit of a private hospital in Brazil, with 173 participants over the age of 18 who were undergoing chemotherapy and had signed an informed consent form. The intervention consisted of the presentation of a 12-min video featuring nature images categorized under the themes of Tranquility, Beauty, Emotions Up, or Miscellany. Images were sourced from the e-Nature Positive Emotions Photography Database (e-NatPOEM), a publicly available collection of affectively rated images. Sociodemographic and clinical data, as well as the participants' connection to nature, were investigated. The Positive Affect/Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) were applied pre- and post-intervention.

RESULTS

Data showed very strong evidence of a reduction in negative affect for the intervention group (p < 0.001) and moderate evidence for the control group (p = 0.034). There was also a significant reduction in the intervention group for pain (p < 0.001), tiredness (p = 0.002), sadness (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), and appetite (p = 0.001). The Beauty video had the best performance, while the Tranquility video showed no significant improvement in any of the symptoms evaluated. These findings suggest that images of nature may be a valuable tool to help control clinical and psychological symptoms in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

A novel method for extraction and quantification of feather triiodothyronine (T3) and application to ecotoxicology of Purple Martin (Progne subis)

Seventy-three percent of aerial insectivore species of birds breeding in North America have declined in the past five years. This decline is even greater in migratory insectivorous species, which face stressors in both their breeding and non-breeding ranges. The Purple Martin (Progne subis) is an aerial insectivore swallow that overwinters in South America and migrates to North America to breed. Purple Martin populations have declined by an estimated 25% since 1966. The eastern subspecies (P. subis subis) has declined the most and overwinters in the Amazon Basin, a region rich in environmental mercury (Hg) contamination. Previous studies reported elevated levels of Hg in feathers of this subspecies, which correlated negatively with body mass and fat reserves. Given the propensity of Hg to disrupt the endocrine system, and the role of thyroid hormones in regulating fat metabolism, this study quantifies concentrations of Hg and the thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T₃) in the feathers of P. subis subis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to extract and quantify T₃ in feathers; thus, we developed, tested, and optimized a method for extracting T₃ from feather tissue and validated an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to quantify T₃ in Purple Martin feathers. The developed method yielded acceptable results for both parallelism and accuracy. The observed T₃ concentrations were statistically modeled along with total Hg (THg) concentrations, but these variables were not significantly correlated. This suggests that the observed variation in THg concentration may be insufficient to cause a discernible change in T₃ concentration. Furthermore, the observed effect of breeding location on feather T₃ concentration might have obscured any effect of Hg.

Bacterial pathogens' screening in Brazilian chigger mites (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae), with the first report of 'Candidatus Rickettsia colombianensi'-like in avian-associated chiggers

Chiggers are larval ectoparasites of the Trombiculidae that can transmit pathogens to their hosts. In this study, chiggers collected from birds in Brazil were morphologically identified as Blankaartia sinnamaryi, Eutrombicula batatas, Eutrombicula daemoni, Eutrombicula goeldii, Eutrombicula tinami, and Parasecia gilbertoi. For these specimens, a beginning attempt at molecular identification were also provided, as well as, were genetically screened to detect bacterial pathogens. The species B. sinnamaryi and E. tinami were positive for Rickettsia felis-like and 'Candidatus Rickettsia colombianensi'-like, respectively. For the other agents (Anaplasmataceae, Borrelia spp. and Orientia tsutsugamushi), the tests were negative. This is the first report of 'Ca. R. colombianensi'-like and the second record of R. felis-like in chigger collected on birds from Brazil.

Interrelationships among feather mercury content, body condition and feather corticosterone in a Neotropical migratory bird, the Purple Martin (Progne subis subis)

Purple Martins (Progne subis) are migratory birds that breed in North America and overwinter and complete their molt in South America. Many of the breeding populations are declining. The eastern North American subspecies of Purple Martin (P. subis subis) comprises >90% of all Purple Martins. This subspecies overwinters and molts in the Amazon Basin, a region that is high in mercury (Hg) contamination, which raises the possibility that observed declines in Purple Martins could be linked to Hg exposure. Exposure to Hg results in numerous and systemic negative health outcomes, including endocrine disruption. Corticosterone (CORT) is a primary modulator of the stress and metabolic axes of vertebrates; thus, it is important in meeting metabolic and other challenges of migration. Because feathers accumulate Hg and hormones while growing, quantification of Hg and CORT in feathers provides an opportunity to retrospectively assess Hg exposure and adrenal activity of birds using minimally invasive methods. We evaluated interrelationships among concentrations of total Hg (THg) and CORT in feathers that grew in the Amazon Basin and body condition (mass, fat score) of these birds in North America. Concentrations of THg in Purple Martin feathers ranged from 1.103 to 8.740 μg/g dw, levels associated with negative physiological impacts in other avian species. Concentrations of CORT did not correlate with THg concentration at the time of feather growth. However, we found evidence that THg concentration may negatively impact the ability of Purple Martins to accumulate fat, which could impair migratory performance and survivorship due to the high energy requirements of migration. This finding suggests potential carryover effects of Hg contamination at the wintering grounds in the Amazon to the summer breeding grounds in North America.

Hidden diversity of the genus Trinomys (Rodentia: Echimyidae): phylogenetic and populational structure analyses uncover putative new lineages

Trinomys, one of the most species-rich spiny rat genera in Brazil, is widely distributed in Caatinga, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes, and currently includes ten recognized species, three of which are polytypic. Although some studies employing molecular data have been conducted to better characterize phylogenetic relationships among species, 19 nominal taxa have been suggested, implying considerable incongruence regarding species boundaries. We addressed this incongruence by intensively sampling all species across the geographic distribution of the genus. In addition to publicly available data, we generated 182 mt-Cytb gene sequences, and employed phylogenetic and computational species delimitation methods to obtain a clearer picture of the genus diversity. Moreover, we evaluated populational diversity within each accepted species, considering their geographical distribution and a timescale for the evolution of the genus. Beyond confirming the general patterns described for the evolution of the group, this new analysis suggests that Trinomys is comprised of at least 16 evolutionary lineages, 13 of them recognized as species or subspecies, and three never before characterized. This study highlights the importance of increased sample sizes and computational species delimitation methods in uncovering hidden diversity in Trinomys.

High genetic diversity of alphacoronaviruses in bat species (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from the Atlantic Forest in Brazil

Bat coronaviruses (Bat-CoV) represent around 35% of all virus genomes described in bats. Brazil has one of the highest mammal species diversities, with 181 species of bats described so far. However, few Bat-CoV surveillance programs were carried out in the country. Thus, our aim was to evaluate the Bat-CoV diversity in the Atlantic Forest, the second biome with the highest number of bat species in Brazil. We analyzed 456 oral and rectal swabs and 22 tissue samples from Atlantic Forest bats, detecting Alphacoronavirus in 44 swab samples (9.64%) targeting the RdRp gene from seven different bat species, three of them that have never been described as Bat-CoV hosts. Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid (aa) sequences coding the RdRp gene grouped the sequences obtained in our study with Bat-CoV previously detected in identical or congeneric bat species, with high aa identity (over 90%). The RdRp gene was also detected in three tissue samples from Diphylla ecaudata and Sturnira lilium, and the partial S gene was successfully sequenced in five tissues and swab samples of D. ecaudata. The phylogenetic analysis based on the partial S gene obtained here grouped with the sequence of D. ecaudata with CoV from Desmodus rotundus previously detected in Peru and Brazil, with aa identity ranging from 73.6% to 88.8%. Our data reinforce the wide distribution of Coronaviruses in bats from Brazil and the novelty of three bats species as Bat-CoV hosts and the co-circulation of four Alphacoronavirus subgenera in Brazil. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Ancestrally reconstructed Von Willebrand Factor (vWF) reveals evidence for trench warfare coevolution between opossums and pit vipers

Opossums in the tribe Didelphini are resistant to pit viper venoms and are hypothesized to be coevolving with venomous snakes. Specifically, a protein involved in blood clotting (von Willebrand factor [vWF] which is targeted by snake venom C-type lectins [CTLs]) has been found to undergo rapid adaptive evolution in Didelphini. Several unique amino acid changes in vWF could explain their resistance; however, experimental evidence that these changes disrupt binding to venom CTLs was lacking. Furthermore, without explicit testing of ancestral phenotypes to reveal the mode of evolution, the assertion that this system represents an example of coevolution rather than noncoevolutionary adaptation remains unsupported. Using expressed vWF proteins and purified venom CTLs, we quantified binding affinity for vWF proteins from all resistant taxa, their venom-sensitive relatives, and their ancestors. We show that CTL-resistant vWF is present in opossums outside clade Didelphini and likely across a wider swath of opossums (family Didelphidae) than previously thought. Ancestral reconstruction and in vitro testing of vWF phenotypes in a clade of rapidly evolving opossums reveal a pattern consistent with trench warfare coevolution between opossums and their venomous snake prey.

Phylogenetically diverse diets favor more complex venoms in North American pitvipers

The role of natural selection in the evolution of trait complexity can be characterized by testing hypothesized links between complex forms and their functions across species. Predatory venoms are composed of multiple proteins that collectively function to incapacitate prey. Venom complexity fluctuates over evolutionary timescales, with apparent increases and decreases in complexity, and yet the causes of this variation are unclear. We tested alternative hypotheses linking venom complexity and ecological sources of selection from diet in the largest clade of front-fanged venomous snakes in North America: the rattlesnakes, copperheads, cantils, and cottonmouths. We generated independent transcriptomic and proteomic measures of venom complexity and collated several natural history studies to quantify dietary variation. We then constructed genome-scale phylogenies for these snakes for comparative analyses. Strikingly, prey phylogenetic diversity was more strongly correlated to venom complexity than was overall prey species diversity, specifically implicating prey species' divergence, rather than the number of lineages alone, in the evolution of complexity. Prey phylogenetic diversity further predicted transcriptomic complexity of three of the four largest gene families in viper venom, showing that complexity evolution is a concerted response among many independent gene families. We suggest that the phylogenetic diversity of prey measures functionally relevant divergence in the targets of venom, a claim supported by sequence diversity in the coagulation cascade targets of venom. Our results support the general concept that the diversity of species in an ecological community is more important than their overall number in determining evolutionary patterns in predator trait complexity.

A Revision of Parasecia (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) With a Description of a New Species, a New Genus and a Key to Species

Chiggers of the genus Parasecia Loomis parasitize birds, mammals, and reptiles in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. In the present review, we examined 18 species previously included in the genus, 15 of them being retained in the genus Parasecia, one genus is created, Nahuacarus bulbocalcarn. gen. (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae), and new combinations are proposed for two species: Lorillatum lasiurusn. comb. and Lorillatum orphanan. comb. (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae). In addition, Parasecia kansasensis (Loomis) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) is synonymized with Parasecia gurneyi (Ewing) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae), Parasecia gilbetoin. sp. (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) is described and new locality and host records are added for Parasecia chara (Wharton), Parasecia longicalcar (Brennan and Jones), Parasecia manueli (Brennan and Jones), and Parasecia thalurania (Brennan) (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae).

Resistance of South American opossums to vWF-binding venom C-type lectins

Opossums in the clade Didelphini are well known to be resistant to snake venom due to endogenous circulating inhibitors which target metalloproteinases and phospholipases. However, the mechanisms through which these opossums cope with a variety of other damaging venom proteins are unknown. A protein involved in blood clotting (von Willebrand Factor) has been found to have undergone rapid adaptive evolution in venom-resistant opossums. This protein is a known target for a subset of snake venom C-type lectins (CTLs), which bind it and then induce it to bind platelets, causing hemostatic disruption. Several amino acid changes in vWF unique to these opossums could explain their resistance; however, experimental evidence that these changes disrupt venom CTL binding was lacking. We used platelet aggregation assays to quantify resistance to a venom-induced platelet response in two species of venom-resistant opossums (Didelphis virginiana, Didelphis aurita), and one venom-sensitive opossum (Monodelphis domestica). We found that all three species have lost nearly all their aggregation response to the venom CTLs tested. Using washed platelet assays we showed that this loss of aggregation response is not due to inhibitors in the plasma, but rather to the failure of either vWF or platelets (or both) to respond to venom CTLs. These results demonstrate the potential adaptive function of a trait previously shown to be evolving under positive selection. Surprisingly, these findings also expand the list of potentially venom tolerant species to include Monodelphis domestica and suggest that an ecological relationship between opossums and vipers may be a broader driver of adaptive evolution across South American marsupials than previously thought.

Checklist dos mamíferos do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

A fauna de mamíferos do estado de São Paulo consta de 231 táxons, sendo este número uma estimativa da real diversidade presente na região, dado a falta de amostragem em grandes extensões do estado, e também de revisões taxonômicas para determinados grupos. Ainda assim, nosso conhecimento aumentou em 20% desde a última estimativa em 1998, principalmente em relação aos quirópteros e roedores. Estes dados são provenientes de inventários faunísticos, e também do estudo de espécimes depositados em coleções científicas oriundos de revisões taxonômicas. Também temos um maior volume de dados a respeito da distribuição dos mamíferos em relação às diferentes paisagens presentes no estado, o que nos permite dividir a mastofauna em três componentes distintos: o mais importante desses é o das espécies generalistas, que ocorrem em todas as principais paisagens do estado; o segundo grupo concentra espécies das formações abertas, e o terceiro grupo inclui as espécies essencialmente florestais. Além disso, o número de estudos que tem se preocupado com o efeito da fragmentação de hábitats sobre as comunidades de mamíferos, bem como a respeito da permeabilidade das espécies em áreas alteradas, também aumentaram. Dados a respeito da ocorrência, abundância e vulnerabilidade das espécies foram essenciais para traçar estratégias em relação à escolha de áreas e à indicação de ações prioritárias para a conservação dos mamíferos no estado, assim como classificar as espécies nas diferentes categorias de ameaças propostas, culminando na Lista das Espécies Ameaçadas do Estado de São Paulo. Entretanto, ainda existem inúmeras lacunas de conhecimento, que vão desde o número limitado de amostras zoológicas, até a falta de informações acerca da ecologia e história natural de várias espécies. É imprescindível que aumentemos as amostras de mamíferos em coleções zoológicas, principalmente em áreas de Floresta Ombrófila Densa, nos fragmentos de Cerrado, bem como em áreas do centro e oeste do Estado, que permanecem ainda pouco estudadas, com o objetivo de produzir um maior número de revisões taxonômicas em diversos grupos de mamíferos, e de estudos com abordagens filogeográficas e de genética de populações, para diagnosticarmos de forma efetiva a riqueza de mamíferos no estado, bem como os mecanismos evolutivos responsáveis por esta diversificação. Aliados a esses estudos serão necessárias abordagens ecológicas para gerarmos conhecimento, que em conjunto, nos permitirá avaliarmos o estado de conservação dos mamíferos de São Paulo e tomarmos decisões sobre as melhores estratégias para manejarmos e preservarmos estas espécies.