Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso

About: Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso is a education organization based out in Cuiabá, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Species richness. The organization has 7748 authors who have published 10181 publications receiving 89994 citations.

Neotropical freshwater fishes imperilled by unsustainable policies

Abstract: Neotropical freshwater fishes are the most diverse on the planet (>5,500 species), although nations in Latin America have been negligent regarding their conservation National policies have historically encouraged unsustainable practices, and recent decades have witnessed a sharp increase in harmful activities Our aim with this review was to expose this situation and illustrate how national policies constitute the main threat to freshwater fish biodiversity We explain that the most devastating, pervasive and systemic threats are rooted in official policies, particularly unsustainable activities (eg hydropower, water diversion, mining, aquaculture, agriculture and fishing), poor management/conservation (eg fish stocking and passages) and harmful legislation (eg poor licensing, non-native species) We provide a broad portrait of the Neotropical scenario, where unsustainable policies have caused considerable damage to freshwater ecosystems, and focus on major examples from Brazil, where development projects have caused large-scale losses to fish biodiversity Such modus operandi of human development is incompatible with the persistence of biodiversity, and no simple solution is available to correct or minimize its effects The current situation demands a profound behavioural shift towards better practices and policies, or these multiple high-impact activities will continue eroding freshwater fish biodiversity and impairing essential ecosystem services

Nodulation and nitrogen fixation by Mimosa spp. in the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes of Brazil.

Abstract: P>An extensive survey of nodulation in the legume genus Mimosa was undertaken in two major biomes in Brazil, the Cerrado and the Caatinga, in both of which there are high degrees of endemicity of the genus. Nodules were collected from 67 of the 70 Mimosa spp. found. Thirteen of the species were newly reported as nodulating. Nodules were examined by light and electron microscopy, and all except for M. gatesiae had a structure typical of effective Mimosa nodules. The endosymbiotic bacteria in nodules from all of the Mimosa spp. were identified as Burkholderia via immunolabelling with an antibody against Burkholderia phymatum STM815. Twenty of the 23 Mimosa nodules tested were shown to contain nitrogenase by immunolabelling with an antibody to the nitrogenase Fe- (nifH) protein, and using the delta 15N (15N natural abundance) technique, contributions by biological N-2 fixation of up to 60% of total plant N were calculated for Caatinga Mimosa spp. It is concluded that nodulation in Mimosa is a generic character, and that the preferred symbionts of Brazilian species are Burkholderia. This is the first study to demonstrate N-2 fixation by beta-rhizobial symbioses in the field.

Efficacy and Safety of a COVID-19 Inactivated Vaccine in Healthcare Professionals in Brazil: The PROFISCOV Study

Abstract: Background: Vaccines are urgently needed to tackle the unprecedented morbidity and mortality of COVID-19. Administration of inactivated viruses are the common and mature platform of developing new vaccines. CoronaVac is an inactivated vaccine that has undergone preclinical tests and phase I/II clinical trials. Methods: We conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trial with CoronaVac among healthy healthcare professionals in 16 centres in Brazil. Participants received two doses of vaccine (3 μg in 0.5 mL) vaccine or placebo at day 0 and 14. The primary efficacy endpoint was the number of symptomatic COVID-19 cases confirmed by RT-PCR 14 days after the second dose of the vaccine. Prevention of disease severity was a major secondary efficacy endpoint, and adverse events incidence up to seven days after immunization was the primary safety outcome. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04456595. Findings: Between July 21 and Dec 16, 2020, 12 396 participants were enrolled and received at least one vaccine or placebo dose. There were 9,823 participants who received the two doses and were followed for at least 14 days and had, therefore, reached the final efficacy analysis. There were 253 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the cohort: 85 cases (11.0/100 person-year) among 4,953 participants in the vaccine group, and 168 cases (22·3/100 person-year) among 4,870 participants in the placebo group. The primary efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 was 50·7% (95%CI 36·0-62·0). The secondary efficacy against cases requiring assistance (score ≥3) and moderate and severe cases (score ≥4) were 83·7% (95%CI 58·0-93.7) and 100% (95%CI 56·4-100.0) respectively. All 6 cases of severe COVID-19 occurred in the placebo group. The incidence of adverse reactions, which was mainly pain at the administration site, was higher in the vaccine group (77·1%) than in the placebo group (66·4%). There were 67 serious adverse events reported by 64 participants and all were determined to be unrelated to vaccination, including two fatal cases. In a subset of participants, neutralizing antibody assays showed similar seroconversion and geometric mean titres against B.1.128, P.1, and P.2 variants. Interpretation: A phase 3 clinical trial conducted in healthcare professionals in Brazil demonstrated that the inactivated CoronaVac vaccine has a good safety profile and is efficacious against any symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and highly protective against moderate and severe COVID-19.

Zooplankton community structure of two marginal lakes of the River Cuiabá (Mato Grosso, Brazil) with analysis of Rotifera and Cladocera diversity

Abstract: In the present study, two small lakes on the margins of the River Cuiaba were analyzed regarding taxonomic composition and population densities of the zooplankton. Diversity was evaluated for two groups, Rotifera and Cladocera; sampling was carried out on two dates: 2 March 1999, in the rainy season, and 25 August 1999, in the dry season. Seventy-nine rotifer taxa, 30 cladoceran taxa, and 6 copepod taxa were found. Comparing the species identified in the present study with those recorded by other authors for several water bodies in Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states, it was found that 9 species of Cladocera, 2 of Copepoda, and 14 of Rotifera are new records for the region. The most abundant rotifer species were Keratella cochlearis, Brachionus angularis, Polyarthra vulgaris, and Keratella americana. Moina minuta and Bosminopsis deitersi were dominant among the cladocerans, and Notodiaptomus transitans and N. devoyorum among the copepods. Comparing both lakes, the greatest species richness of both Rotifera and Cladocera was observed in Lake Souza Lima, during the rainy season. This is probably linked to the fact that the littoral region of this lake is densely colonized by macrophytes. The lake also has better environmental conditions since it does not receive domestic sewage inputs, as does Lake Parque Atalaia. The diversity of the Rotifera was markedly low in Lake Parque Atalaia, during the dry season, again perhaps linked domestic sewage input found in this water body.