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Abstract Background Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) are widely used for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSCR), but their effectiveness remains unclear. This research was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this drugs for cCSCR. Methods This is a review of randomized clinical trials (RCT) comparing MRAs to placebo in adults with cCSCR, using the effects of MRAs on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and adverse events as primary outcomes and the effects of MRAs on anatomical parameters as secondary outcomes: central subfield thickness (CST), subretinal fluid height (SFH) and central choroidal thickness (CCT). Our all-language online search included Medline (via PubMed), Central, Embase, Lilacs, Ibecs, and RCT registers platforms, as late as May 2021. We used the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (version 2) to assess the methodological quality of each study and synthesized the results in meta-analyses using a random-effects model. Results The search identified 302 records, five of which were eligible, totaling 225 cCSCR patients (aged 45–62 years; M/F ratio 3.1:1) treated for 1 to 12 months with spironolactone (50 mg/day) or eplerenone (50 mg/day) vs. placebo. Moderate-certainty evidence suggests MRAs result in little to no improvement in BCVA compared to placebo (SMD 0.22; 95% CI − 0.04 to 0.48; studies = 5; comparisons = 6; participants = 218; I2 = 0%). Very low-certainty evidence suggests that, when compared to placebo, MRAs have a very uncertain impact on adverse effects (no meta-analysis was performed), and CST (MD 18.1; 95% CI − 113.04 to 76.84; participants = 145; studies = 2; I2 = 68%). MRAs also result in little to no difference in SFH (SMD − 0.35; 95% CI − 0.95 to 0.26; studies = 5; comparisons = 6; participants = 221; I2 = 76%; moderate certainty) and CCT (MD − 21.23; 95% CI − 64.69 to 22.24; participants = 206; studies = 4; comparisons = 5; I2 = 85%; low certainty). Conclusion MRAs have little to no effect on BCVA. Evidence for adverse events and CST is very uncertain. MRAs also have little to no effect on SFH and CCT. These findings should be considered when prescribing MRAs for cCSCR. This research was previous registration in the PROSPERO platform (CRD42020182601).

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The incidence of dengue has increased throughout the 2000s with a consequent global increase in atypical clinical forms. METHODS: This study reports a series of cases of neurological dengue out of 498 confirmed cases of laboratory dengue in Goiânia, Brazil. Cases were confirmed based on viral RNA detection via polymerase chain reaction or IgM antibody capture. RESULTS: Neurological symptoms occurred in 5.6% of cases, including paresthesia (3.8%), encephalitis (2%), encephalopathy (1%), seizure (0.8%), meningoencephalitis (0.4%), and paresis (0.4%). DENV-3 was the predominant circulating serotype (93%). CONCLUSIONS: We reported dengue cases with neurological manifestations in endemic area.

FIG. 2. — A, B, Fulgogasparrea intensa Aptroot & M. Cáceres, sp. nov., holotype: A, habitus; B, detail with elongated marginal lobes; C Lichinella iodopulchra (Couderc ex Croz.) P.P. Moreno & Egea (right) and Synalissa matogrossensis (Malme) Henssen (left); both black (the brown squamules are Peltula euploca (Ach.) Poelt ex Ozenda & Clauzade), ISE 48050; D, E, corticolous Xanthoparmelia succedans Elix & J.Johnst., ISE 48020; D, habitus; E, detail. Scale bars: 2 mm. Published as part of Aptroot, André, A, Lidiane, Santos, lves dos, E, Marcela, S, ugenia da & Cáceres, ilva, 2021, Saxicolous lichens in the semi-arid Caatinga in Brazil show substratum shifts, pp. 181-189 in Cryptogamie, Mycologie 20 (11) on page 185, DOI: 10.5252/cryptogamie-mycologie2021v42a11, http://zenodo.org/record/7815178

FIGURE 4. Comparative illustration of informative structures to recognize the new nothospecies Calea × parviantha in comparison to its parental species C. parvifolia and C. triantha (Neurolaeneae, Asteraceae) A–C. Indumentum of stems. D–H. Cypselae with pappus scales. I–K. Leaves, abaxial surface with venation. L–N Abaxial surface with vein and indumentum in detail. A, D, E, I and L: Calea parvifolia drawn from M. L. Brotto et al. 3175 (MBM). B, F, G, J and M: Calea × parviantha nothospecies nov. drawn from A. C. Cervi 3546 (MBM). C, H, K and N: Calea triantha drawn from G. Heiden et al. 2312 (ECT); A–M: millimeter scale. Illustration by Débora Dalzotto. Published as part of Bueno, Vinicius R., Cassol, A. P. V., Leroy, C. J., Bueno, M. L. & Heiden, Gustavo, 2023, Two noteworthy Calea (Asteraceae: Neurolaeneae) from contact areas of the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado of Brazil, pp. 143-161 in Phytotaxa 579 (3) on page 150, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.579.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7550332

Aim Temporal dynamics of biodiversity along tropical elevational gradients are unknown. We studied seasonal changes of Lepidoptera biodiversity along the only complete forest elevational gradient in the Afrotropics. We focused on shifts of species richness patterns, seasonal turnover of communities, and seasonal shifts of species’ elevational ranges, the latter often serving as an indicator of the global change effects on mountain ecosystems. Location Mount Cameroon, Cameroon. Taxon Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) Methods We quantitatively sampled nine groups of Lepidoptera by bait-trapping (16,800 trap-days) and light-catching (126 nights) at seven elevations evenly distributed along the elevational gradient from sea level (30 m asl) to timberline (2,200 m asl). Sampling was repeated in three seasons. Result Altogether, 42,936 specimens of 1,099 species were recorded. A mid-elevation peak of species richness was detected for all groups but Eupterotidae. This peak shifted seasonally for five groups, most of them ascending during the dry season. Seasonal shifts of species’ elevational ranges were mostly responsible for these diversity pattern shifts along elevation: we found general upward shifts in fruit-feeding butterflies, fruit-feeding moths and Lymantriinae from beginning to end of the dry season. Contrarily, Arctiinae shifted upwards during the wet season. The average seasonal shifts of elevational ranges often exceeded 100 metres and were even several times higher for numerous species. Main conclusion We report seasonal uphill and downhill shifts of several lepidopteran groups. The reported shifts can be driven by both delay in weather seasonality and shifts in resource availability, causing phenological delay of adult hatching and/or adult migrations. Such shifts may lead to misinterpretations of diversity patterns along elevation if seasonality is ignored. More importantly, considering the surprising extent of seasonal elevational shifts of species, we encourage taking account of such natural temporal dynamics while investigating the global climate change impact on communities of Lepidoptera in tropical mountains. The dataset was collected by two methodologies: 1/ bait-trapping and 2/ manual catching of target group at light. See Maicher et al. (2019) for details.

Here, we explore the mating pattern and genetic structure of a tropical tree species, Cariniana estrellensis, in a small population in which progeny arrays (n=399), all adults (n=28) and all seedlings (n=39) were genotyped at nine highly informative microsatellite loci. From progeny arrays we were able to identify the source tree for at least 78% of pollination events. The gene immigration rates, mainly attributable to pollen, were high, varying from 23.5 to 53%. Although gene dispersal over long distance was observed, the effective gene dispersal distances within the small population were relatively short, with mean pollination distances varying from 69.9 to 146.9 m, and seed dispersal distances occurring up to a mean of 119.6 m. Mating system analyses showed that C. estrellensis is an allogamous species (tm=0.999), with both biparental inbreeding (tm−ts=−0.016) and selfing rates (s=0.001) that are not significantly different from zero. Even though the population is small, the presence of private alleles in both seedlings and progeny arrays and the elevated rates of gene immigration indicate that the C. estrellensis population is not genetically isolated. However, genetic diversity expressed by allelic richness was significantly lower in postfragmentation life stages. Although there was a loss of genetic diversity, indicating susceptibility of C. estrellensis to habitat fragmentation, no evidence of inbreeding or spatial genetic structure was observed across generations. Overall, C. estrellensis showed some resilience to negative genetic effects of habitat fragmentation, but conservation strategies are needed to preserve the remaining genetic diversity of this population. SSR genotypes for adults, seedlings and progeny arrays of Cariniana estrellensisGenotypes of Cariniana estrellensis (Lecythidaceae) individuals (adults, seedlings and progeny arrays) based on nine microsatellite loci.SSR_genotypes.xlsx

1. Woody encroachment into grassy biomes is a global phenomenon, often resulting in a nearly complete turnover of species, with savanna specialists being replaced by forest-adapted species. Understanding the mechanisms involved in this change is important for devising strategies for managing savannas. 2. We examined how isolated trees favor woody encroachment and species turnover by overcoming dispersal limitation and environmental filtering. In a savanna released from fire in southeastern Brazil (Cerrado) we sampled woody plants establishing under 40 tree canopies and in paired treeless plots. These trees comprised eight species selected for habitat preference (savanna or forest) and dispersal syndrome (bird-dispersed or not). We recorded dimensions of each tree, dispersal syndrome and habitat preference of recruits, and quantified the physical environment within each plot, aiming at a mechanistic understanding of woody encroachment. 3. We found clear evidence that isolated trees cause nucleation and drive changes in functional composition of savanna. Effectiveness as nucleator differed among species, but was unrelated to their functional guilds (habitat preference or dispersal syndrome). Density of saplings in nuclei was partially explained by soil moisture (+), daily temperature amplitude (-), and sum of bases (-). 4. Our results indicate that isolated trees act first as perches, strongly favoring bird-dispersed species. They then act as nurse trees, considerably changing the environment in favor of forest-adapted recruits. In the long term, as the nuclei expand and merge, savanna specialists tend to disappear and the savanna turns into a low-diversity forest. 5. Synthesis and applications: Fire suppression has allowed the nucleation process and consequently the woody encroachment and fast replacement of savanna specialists by forest species in the Cerrado. By elucidating the mechanisms behind woody encroachment, we recommend using prescribed fires to burn forest seedlings and to reduce tree canopy size wherever the management goal is to maintain the typical savanna structure and composition. Please see Methods in the article published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

Seed dispersal is a key process driving the structure, composition, and regeneration of tropical forests. Larger frugivores play a crucial role in community structuring by dispersing large seeds not dispersed by smaller frugivores. We assessed the hypothesis that brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) provide seed dispersal services for a wide assemblage of plant species in both small and large Atlantic forest fragments. Although fruit availability often decreases in small fragments compared with large ones, we predicted that brown howlers are efficient seed dispersers in quantitative and qualitative terms in both forest types given their high dietary flexibility. After a 36-month study period and 2,962 sampling hours, we found that howlers swallowed and defecated intact the vast majority of seeds (96%-100%) they handled in all study sites. Overall, they defecated ca. 315,600 seeds belonging to 98 species distributed in eight growth forms. We estimated that each individual howler dispersed an average of 143 (SD = 49) seeds >2 mm per day or 52,052 (SD = 17,782) seeds per year. They dispersed seeds of 58% to 93% of the local assemblages of fleshy-fruit trees. In most cases, the richness and abundance of seed species dispersed was similar between small and large fragments. However, groups inhabiting small fragments tended to disperse a higher diversity of seeds from rarely consumed fruits than those living in large fragments. We conclude that brown howlers are legitimate seed dispersers for most fleshy-fruit species of the angiosperm assemblages of their habitats, and that they might favor the regeneration of Atlantic forest fragments with the plentiful amount of intact seeds that they disperse each year. Dataset_seeds_dispersedHere we provided data on seed dispersal by six wild groups of brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans). This research was conducted during a 36-month period in three small (<10 ha: S1, S2, and S3) and three large (>90 ha: L1,L2, and L3) Atlantic forest fragments in Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil.Dataset_seed_handlingHere we provided data on seed/fruit handling by six wild groups of brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans). This research was conducted during a 36-month period in three small (<10 ha: S1, S2, and S3) and three large (>90 ha: L1,L2, and L3) Atlantic forest fragments in Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil.

Published as part of Benetti, Cesar J., Valladares, Luis F., Delgado, Juan A. & Hamada, Neusa, 2022, Hydraena bahiana sp. n., a new minute moss beetle (Coleoptera, Hydraenidae) from highlands of Northeast Brazil, pp. 538-546 in Zootaxa 5128 (4) on page 541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5128.4.4, http://zenodo.org/record/6480019 FIGURE 2. Hydraena bahiana sp. n., holotype male. Sternite X (c) and Spiculum gastrale (a, b, d). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.