In bioethanol production plants, yeast cells are generally recycled between fermentation batches by using a treatment with sulphuric acid at a pH ranging from 2.0 to 2.5. We have previously shown that Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells exposed to sulphuric acid treatment induce the general stress response pathway, fail to activate the protein kinase A signalling cascade and requires the mechanisms of cell wall integrity and high osmolarity glycerol pathways in order to survive in this stressful condition. In the present work, we used transcriptome-wide analysis as well as physiological assays to identify the transient metabolic responses of S. cerevisiae under sulphuric acid treatment. The results presented herein indicate that survival depends on a metabolic reprogramming of the yeast cells in order to assure the yeast cell viability by preventing cell growth under this harmful condition. It involves the differential expression of a subset of genes related to cell wall composition and integrity, oxidation-reduction processes, carbohydrate metabolism, ATP synthesis and iron uptake. These results open prospects for application of this knowledge in the improvement of industrial processes based on metabolic engineering to select yeasts resistant to acid treatment.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) is an emerging novel respiratory infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) that rapidly spread worldwide. In addition to lung injury, Covid‐19 patients may develop extrapulmonary symptoms, including cardiac, liver, kidney, digestive tract, and neurological injuries. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 is the major receptor for the entry of SARS‐CoV‐2 into host cells. The specific mechanisms that lead to cell death in different tissues during infection by SARS‐CoV‐2 remains unknown. Based on data of the previous human coronavirus SARS‐CoV together with information about SARS‐CoV‐2, this review provides a summary of the mechanisms involved in cell death, including apoptosis, autophagy, and necrosis, provoked by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a life-threatening disease caused by the protozoa Leishmania donovani and L. infantum. Likely, L. infantum was introduced in the new World by the iberic colonizers. Due to recent introduction, the genetic diversity is low. Access to genomic information through the sequencing of Leishmania isolates allows the characterization of populations through the identification and analysis of variations. Population structure information may reveal important data on disease dynamics. Aiming to describe the genetic diversity of L. infantum from the Middle-North, Brazil, next generation sequencing of 30 Leishmania isolates obtained in the city of Teresina, from where the disease dispersed, was performed. The variations were categorized accordingly to the genome region and impact and provided the basis for chromosomal ploidy and population structure analysis. The results showed low diversity between the isolates and the Iberic reference genome JPCM5. Most variations were seen in non-coding regions, with modifying impact. The ploidy number analysis showed aneuploid profile. The population structure analysis revealed the presence of two L. infantum populations identified in Teresina. Further population genetics studies with a larger number of isolates should be performed in order to identify the genetic background associated with virulence and parasite ecology.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for high-grade cervical lesions and cervical cancer. The inflammation plays a key role in cervical cancer progression. In this context, studies propose an association between TNFα and IL10 SNPs and susceptibility to HPV infection. The present work aimed to investigate the possible association between IL10 and TNFα promoter polymorphisms and HPV infection in the cervical carcinogenesis risk in women from Brazil. A total of 654 samples was evaluated in this study. HPV detection was performed by PCR and HPV genotyping was performed by PCR and sequencing of positive MY09/11 PCR product. Genotyping of IL10 SNPs (rs1800871 and rs1800896) was performed by High Resolution Melt analysis. Genotyping of TNFα SNP (rs1800629) was performed by fluorogenic allele-specific probes. The distribution of TNF-308 (rs1800629) allelic (p = 0.03) and genotype (p = 0.03) frequencies and HPV-58 infection has showed a statistically significant difference between case and control groups for the assessed TNFα polymorphism. When it comes to TNFα (rs1800629) allelic and genotypic distribution and HPVs 18 and 31 infections, no statistically significant differences between case and control groups were observed for the studied TNFα polymorphism. The allelic and genotypic distribution of IL10-819 (rs1800871) and IL10-1082 (rs1800896) and HPV infection (HPVs 58, 18 and 31) has showed no statistically significant differences between case and control groups for the assessed IL10 polymorphisms. Furthermore, it was observed that haplotypes were associated with an increased cervical cancer risk in HPVs 16, 18 and 58-positive women. It was observed that women carrying the GTA and ATG haplotypes had 3.85 and 17.99-fold, respectively, increased cervical cancer susceptibility when infected by HPV-58. In women infected with HPV-16 and HPV-18, statistically significant results in women carrying the GTA and ATA haplotypes was observed. They had a 2.32 and 3.67-fold, respectively, increased cervical cancer susceptibility when infected by these two HPV types. The analysis of the haplotypes distribution in women infected with HPV-31 has showed no statistically significant results. Our study indicates that the association of genetic polymorphism in inflammation-related genes represents a risk to the susceptibility in the development of cervical cancer in women infected by HPVs 16, 18 and 58.

RESUMO Objetivo Determinar a prevalência e os fatores associados aos sintomas de ansiedade e depressão e ao apego materno-fetal em gestantes com diagnóstico de malformações congênitas. Métodos Estudo prospectivo de corte transversal realizado durante o período de dezembro/2019 a março/2020. Foram incluídas 77 gestantes com diagnóstico de malformação fetal atendidas no Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP) e excluídas aquelas < 18 anos e as que sabiam o diagnóstico da malformação há menos de três semanas. Aplicou-se um questionário com variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas, além da Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão e da Escala de Apego Materno-Fetal. Para análise estatística, foi aplicado o modelo de regressão logística multivariado com nível de significância de 5%. Resultados Entre as gestantes, 46,8% possuíam sintomas ansiosos e 39%, depressivos, sendo o apego materno-fetal médio em 54,5% e alto em 45,5%. Antecedentes de ansiedade e depressão e não possuir religião foram associados a maior risco de sintomas de ansiedade e depressão, e saber da malformação há ≥ 10 semanas associou-se apenas ao risco de ansiedade e ter gestação múltipla associou-se apenas ao risco de depressão. O apego materno-fetal não foi associado a ansiedade ou depressão. Conclusão Observou-se alta prevalência de sintomas ansiosos e depressivos em gestantes com fetos malformados, além da presença de apego materno-fetal médio/alto em todas pacientes, porém sem associação com os transtornos psiquiátricos estudados. Diante disso, urge a necessidade da criação de novas linhas de cuidado voltadas à saúde mental dessas mulheres.