Search

The financial inclusion (FI) literature claims that expanding access of the poor to consumer credit in the formal financial system is an instrument to alleviate poverty. This view has been increasingly challenged by the financialization literature, which highlights unsustainable indebtedness of low-income borrowers following the introduction of FI policies. While a welcome contribution and antidote to mainstream assessments, much of the financialization literature on Brazil has, to date, focused on a macro-oriented analysis. As a major testing ground for FI, a better understanding of these dynamics in Latin America's largest country deepens our understanding of the socio-economic consequences of inserting poor populations into the financial system. This paper contributes to the financialization literature by drawing on interviews conducted in a Rio de Janeiro slum to understand how debt dynamics operate in everyday life, along with its structural conditioners. It shows that FI policies provide limited consumption smoothing and instead increase the structural vulnerability of low-income households. Wage and welfare support along with greater oversight and control of financial products supplied to low-income borrowers are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Brazil, with its remarkably diverse marine habitats, harbour one of the world's richest fish diversities. Consequently, the diversity of their trematode parasites is also expected to be extremely rich. However, our current knowledge on this group of animals is incomplete and there are many unknown trematode species that await discovery and genetic characterisation. The Hemiuridae (Digenea) is the second most speciose trematode family in marine fishes from Brazil; however, to date, it remains understudied. We examined forty-three specimens of nine fish species belonging to eight families (Carangidae, Clupeidae, Haemulidae, Muraenidae, Percophidae, Pinguipedidae, Trichiuridae, and Triglidae) collected from the coastal zone off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and found hemiurid trematodes in the stomach of 14 fishes. Using morphological and molecular analyses, we identified eight species from four genera of the family Hemiuridae. One of these species is reported in Brazil for the first time, four are reported from new fish hosts, and four were genetically characterised for the first time. Our novel data contributes to the knowledge on marine biodiversity in Brazil and will further contribute to the classification of the family Hemiuridae. Brazil is a tropical country with remarkably diverse marine habitats that harbour a rich diversity of fish. Only a small portion of this fish diversity has been investigated for parasites, and thus the diversity of their trematode parasites remains unexplored. Moreover, only 5 out of 184 known digenean trematode species of marine fish in Brazil have been genetically characterised. The Hemiuridae Looss, 1899 is the second most speciose trematode family in marine fishes from Brazil but, in many ways, it remains a neglected group. Forty-three trematode specimens from nine fish species were collected from the coastal zone off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Trematodes were found in the stomach of 14 specimens of 9 fish species belonging to 8 families (Carangidae, Clupeidae, Haemulidae, Muraenidae, Percophidae, Pinguipedidae, Trichiuridae, and Triglidae). Trematode specimens were studied using morphological and molecular genetic analyses. A total of eight hemiurid species from four genera, Ectenurus, Lecithochirium, Myosaccium, and Parahemiurus were identified. This paper reports on new host records for four species of hemiurids, adds a new record on the geographical distribution for one species, and provides the first DNA sequence data supplemented with the detailed description of morphology for five species. Phylogenetic analyses supported that the subfamily classifications of the Hemiuridae—based entirely on morphological characters—needs to be reconsidered, taking into account a wider range of information sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparison between rain gauge network and weather radar data in Angra dos Reis city, located in the State of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil. The city has a high incidence of natural disasters, especially associated with heavy rains in densely populated areas. In this work, weather radar data with a spatial resolution of 1 km were obtained from dual-polarimetric S-band radar operated by the Environmental State Institute of Rio de Janeiro (INEA), located in the Guaratiba neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil; the rain gauge measurements were provided by the National Center for Monitoring and Warning of Natural Disasters (CEMADEN), which is composed of a network with 30 rain gauges covering the studied area. The comparison between the two datasets enables the analysis of which radar products better fit the rain gauge network's accumulated rainfall by quantifying the uncertainties in precipitation estimates at radar pixels where rain gauges are located. The results indicated that radar products generated with the help of regression techniques obtained from the relation between radar reflectivities and rain gauge measurements were a better fit, constituting essential information while dealing with efficient regulation for rainfall monitoring and forecasting to minimize the risks associated with extreme events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban crime is a pressing issue in socially unequal regions like Brazil. We investigate the complex relationships between crime, victims, and urban situations in Rio de Janeiro. We analyze the connections between specific types of crime, victim characteristics, and crime locations through complex network analysis. In a large-scale empirical study, we examine 5000 randomly selected crime incidents in Rio between 2007 and 2018. Our analysis reveals a strong association between sex, race, location, and income inequality in the risk of exposure to crime. The results suggest that specific social groups, notably black and brown women, face a higher-than-average vulnerability to particular types of crime in Rio. Our investigation confirms our hypothesis that crime incidents are not random occurrences. Instead, we have discovered meaningful connections between specific types of crime, victim characteristics, and crime locations. These findings indicate a pattern of underlying factors shaping the distribution of crime and vulnerable social groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the prevalence and genetic diversity of gastroenteric viruses in mussels and oysters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. One hundred and thirty-four marketed bivalve samples were obtained between January and December 2022. The viral analysis was performed according to ISO/TS 15216, and the screening revealed the detection of norovirus GII/GI (40.3%), sapovirus (SaV; 12.7%), human mastadenovirus (7.5%), and rotavirus A (RVA; 5.9%). In total, 44.8% (60) of shellfish samples tested positive for one or more viruses, 46.7% (28/60) of the positive samples tested positive for a single viral agent, 26.7% (16) tested positive for two viral agents, 8.3% (5) for three viral agents, and 13.3% (8) for four viral agents. Additionally, three mussel samples were contaminated with the five investigated viruses (5%, 3/60). Norovirus GII showed the highest mean viral load (3.4 × 105 GC/g), followed by SaV (1.4 × 104 GC/g), RVA (1.1 × 104 GC/g), human mastadenovirus (3.9 × 103 GC/g), and norovirus GI (6.7 × 102 GC/g). Molecular characterization revealed that the recovered norovirus strains belonged to genotypes GII.2, GII.6, GII.9, GII.17, and GII.27; SaV belonged to genotypes GI.1 and GIV.1; RVA to genotypes G6, G8, P[8]-III, and human mastadenovirus to types F40 and F41. The GII.27 norovirus characterized in this study is the only strain of this genotype reported in Brazil. This study highlights the dissemination and diversity of gastroenteric viruses present in commercialized bivalves in a touristic area, indicating the potential risk to human health and the contribution of bivalves in the propagation of emerging pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne geophysical data (AGD) have great potential to represent soil-forming factors. Because of that, the objective of this study was to evaluate the importance of AGD in predicting soil attributes such as aluminum saturation (ASat), base saturation (BS), cation exchange capacity (CEC), clay, and organic carbon (OC). The AGD predictor variables include total count (μR/h), K (potassium), eU (uranium equivalent), and eTh (thorium equivalent), ratios between these elements (eTh/K, eU/K, and eU/eTh), factor F or F-parameter, anomalous potassium (Kd), anomalous uranium (Ud), anomalous magnetic field (AMF), vertical derivative (GZ), horizontal derivatives (GX and GY), and mafic index (MI). The approach was based on applying predictive modeling techniques using (1) digital elevation model (DEM) covariates and Sentinel-2 images with AGD; and (2) DEM covariates and Sentinel-2 images without the AGD. The study was conducted in Bom Jardim, a county in Rio de Janeiro-Brazil with an area of 382,430 km², with a database of 208 soil samples to a predefined depth (0–30 cm). Non-explanatory covariates for the selected soil attributes were excluded. Through the selected covariables, the random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) models were applied with separate samples for training (75%) and validation (25%). The model's performance was evaluated through the R-squared (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE), as well as null model values and coefficient of variation (CV%). The RF algorithm showed better performance with AGD (R2 values ranging from 0.15 to 0.23), as well as the SVM model (R2 values ranging from 0.08 to 0.23) when compared to RF (R2 values ranging from 0.10 to 0.20) and SVM (R2 values ranging from 0.04 to 0.10) models without AGD. Overall, the results suggest that AGD can be helpful for soil mapping. Nevertheless, it is crucial to acknowledge that the accuracy of AGD in predicting soil properties could vary depending on various common factors in DSM, such as the quality and resolution of the covariates and available soil data. Further research is needed to determine the optimal approach for using AGD in soil mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil has the second-highest COVID-19 death rate worldwide, and Rio de Janeiro is among the states with the highest rate in the country. Although vaccine coverage has been achieved, it is anticipated that COVID-19 will transition into an endemic disease. It is concerning that the molecular mechanisms underlying clinical evolution from mild to severe disease, as well as the mechanisms leading to long COVID-19, are not yet fully understood. NMR and MS-based metabolomics were used to identify metabolites associated with COVID-19 pathophysiology and disease outcome. Severe COVID-19 cases (n = 35) were enrolled in two reference centers in Rio de Janeiro within 72 h of ICU admission, alongside 12 non-infected control subjects. COVID-19 patients were grouped into survivors (n = 18) and non-survivors (n = 17). Choline-related metabolites, serine, glycine, and betaine, were reduced in severe COVID-19, indicating dysregulation in methyl donors. Non-survivors had higher levels of creatine/creatinine, 4-hydroxyproline, gluconic acid, and N-acetylserine, indicating liver and kidney dysfunction. Several changes were greater in women; thus, patients' sex should be considered in pandemic surveillance to achieve better disease stratification and improve outcomes. These metabolic alterations may be useful to monitor organ (dys) function and to understand the pathophysiology of acute and possibly post-acute COVID-19 syndromes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, Brazil has become one of the countries most affected by this disease. A year into the pandemic, a second wave of COVID-19 emerged, with a rapid spread of a new SARS-CoV-2 lineage of concern. Several vaccines have been granted emergency-use authorization, leading to a decrease in mortality and severe cases in many countries. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants raises the alert for potential new waves of transmission and an increase in pathogenicity. We compared the demographic and clinical data of critically ill patients infected with COVID-19 hospitalized in Rio de Janeiro during the first and second waves between July 2020 and October 2021. In total, 106 participants were included in this study; among them, 88% had at least one comorbidity, and 37% developed severe disease. Disease severity was associated with older age, pre-existing neurological comorbidities, higher viral load, and dyspnea. Laboratory biomarkers related to white blood cells, coagulation, cellular injury, inflammation, renal, and liver injuries were significantly associated with severe COVID-19. During the second wave of the pandemic, the necessity of invasive respiratory support was higher, and more individuals with COVID-19 developed acute hepatitis, suggesting that the progression of the second wave resulted in an increase in severe cases. These results can contribute to understanding the behavior of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and may be helpful in predicting disease severity, which is a pivotal for guiding clinical care, improving patient outcomes, and defining public policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the need to develop new popcorn cultivars and considering the uncertainties in choosing the most appropriate breeding methods to ensure consistent genetic progress, simultaneously for both popping expansion and grain yield, this study addressed the efficiency of interpopulation recurrent selection regarding genetic gains, the study of the response in genetic parameters as well as heterotic effects on the control of the main agronomic traits of popcorn. Two populations were established, Pop1 and Pop2. A total of 324 treatments were evaluated, which consisted of 200 half-sib families (100 from Pop1 and 100 from Pop2), 100 full-sib families from the two populations and 24 controls. The field experiment was arranged in a lattice design with three replications in two environments, in the north and northwest regions of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The genotype × environment interaction was partitioned and the genetic parameters, heterosis and predicted gains were estimated by the Mulamba and Mock index, based on selection results in both environments. The genetic parameters detected variability that can be explored in successive interpopulation recurrent selection cycles. Exploring heterosis for GY, PE and yield components is a promising option to increase grain yield and quality. The Mulamba and Mock index was efficient in predicting the genetic gains in GY and PE. Interpopulation recurrent selection proved effective to provide genetic gains for traits with predominantly additive and dominance inheritance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is increasing in incidence worldwide, especially in women, which can affect the outcome of pregnancy. During this period, viral infections represent a risk to the mother, the placental unit, and the fetus. The Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in Brazil has been the cause of congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), with devastating consequences such as microcephaly in newborns. Herein, we analyzed the impact of maternal overweight/obesity on the antiviral factors' expression in the placental tissue of Zika-infected mothers. We accessed placentas from women with and without obesity from 34 public health units (São Paulo) and from Zika-infected mothers with and without obesity from the Clinical Cohort Study of ZIKV pregnant women (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). We first verified that obesity, without infection, did not alter the constitutive transcriptional expression of antiviral factors or IFN type I/III expression. Interestingly, obesity, when associated with ZIKV infection, showed a decreased transcriptional expression of RIG-I and IFIH1 (MDA-5 protein precursor gene). At the protein level, we also verified a decreased RIG-I and IRF-3 expression in the decidual placenta from the Zika-infected obese group, regardless of microcephaly. This finding shows, for the first time, that obesity associated with ZIKV infection leads to an impaired type I IFN downstream signaling pathway in the maternal–fetal interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought events have affected many regions of the world, having negative economic, environmental and social impacts. When accompanied by increasing water demands, these events can lead to water scarcity. Since droughts can significantly vary in each geographic area, several indices have been developed around the world. Hazard indexes are commonly used to predict meteorological, agricultural and hydrological droughts. These indexes intend to predict hazards, but they do not provide information on when and where deficits can have negative consequences. This study presents a new planning and decision-support tool for monitoring water scarcity situations in a given region. This tool, called the Water Scarcity Risk Index (W-ScaRI), is formed by two subindices, which are proposed to describe a hazard and its consequences. Each subindex was constructed using a group of indicators and indices selected from the technical literature or originally proposed in this work. The W-ScaRI was applied to the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region (RJMR), supplied with water by the Guandu/Lajes/Acari system. The RJMR is one of the most densely populated regions in Brazil, located in an area that has no natural water bodies capable of meeting its supply needs. Therefore, the Guandu River, which, in fact, is formed by two discharge transpositions from the Paraíba do Sul River, is the main drinking water supply source for this region. The RJMR suffered the consequences of unexpected, prolonged droughts in the Southeast region in 2003 and 2014–2015, leading the local authorities to implement temporary emergency measures in the management system of Paraíba do Sul and Guandu Basins, avoiding water shortage but showing the urgent need for planning and management support tools to anticipate possible future problems. The results of the study show that the formulation of the W-ScaRI can represent the water scarcity risk in a relatively simple way and, at the same time, with adequate conceptual and methodological consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Reproductive pathologies represent a significant barrier to achieving a highly productive flock, which makes securing a fast, low-invasiveness, and low-cost diagnosis very important. In this research, we report on an eight-year retrospective study (2012–2020) of ultrasound data carried out in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, to explore the occurrence and appearance of certain reproductive tract pathologies of small ruminants. A total of 3463 animals from 16 sheep flocks (1688 ewes and 55 rams) and ten dairy goat flocks (1704 does and 16 bucks) raised under extensive and intensive management systems, respectively, were used in the study. All animals were submitted to ultrasound examination of their reproductive tracts, which occurred during the breeding and outbreeding seasons. From the 8.98% of does that presented reproductive disorders, the most frequent finding was hydrometra (50.98% of cases), while for 4.14% of ewes presenting disorders, recent fetal loss (22.85%) and cystic endometrial hyperplasia (20%) were the most frequent. For males, 43.63% and 56.25% of rams and bucks, respectively, presented disorders; for rams mainly microlithiasis. Ultrasonography provided clinically useful information about the reproductive tract, both in terms of the disorders and their stages, making the establishment of a diagnosis easier, and also making it possible to improve therapy, as well as the prognosis prediction. This study reports the occurrence and appearance of various reproductive tract pathologies of small ruminants diagnosed using ultrasound. An eight-year retrospective study of collected ultrasound data was carried out in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil from September 2012 to July 2020. A total of 3463 animals from 16 sheep flocks and 10 dairy goat flocks, raised under extensive and intensive management systems, respectively, were used in the study. All animals were submitted to an ultrasound examination of their reproductive tract. Data were analyzed using Fisher's exact test (p < 0.05), to compare disorder frequencies within and between species. Ewes (4.14%) had fewer reproductive disorders than does (8.98%), while rams (43.63%) and bucks (56.25%) presented no significant differences. Hydrometra was the most frequent finding in does, represented by 50.98% of cases; while, in ewes, recent fetal loss (22.85%) and cystic endometrial hyperplasia (20.00%) were the most frequent. In bucks, the findings showed no clear differences; while, for rams, the most frequent finding was testicular microlithiasis (75.00%). Ultrasonography offers clinically useful information about the reproductive tract via the images it provides; knowledge of which makes it possible to improve the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of genital pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: There is a lack of detailed information on the capture pressures and records regarding the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier (Péron & Lesueur, 1822) (Carcharhinidae) for the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This study aimed to expand the tiger shark record database and to improve upon future conservation and management strategies in this area. A total of 23 new records were obtained, increasing the number of tiger shark records off the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro approximately 5-fold. Possible seasonality patterns concerning tiger shark sizes were noted, indicating the need to consider the coast of Rio de Janeiro as an especially relevant area for at least part of the life history of tiger sharks. The tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier (Péron & Lesueur, 1822) (Carcharhinidae) is classified as near-threatened along the Brazilian coast, in line with its global categorization. Although Rio de Janeiro, located in southeastern Brazil, is internationally identified as a priority shark conservation area, many shark species, including tiger sharks, are landed by both industrial and artisanal fisheries in this state. However, there is a lack of detailed information on the species capture pressures and records for the state of Rio de Janeiro. Therefore, the aims of this study were to expand the tiger shark record database and to improve upon future conservation and management strategies. Tiger shark records from four coastal Rio de Janeiro regions were obtained by direct observation. The information obtained from fishery colonies/associations, environmental guards, researchers, and scientific articles, totaling 23 records, resulted in an approximately 5-fold increase in the number of tiger shark records off the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro. A possible seasonality pattern concerning the size of the captured/observed animals was noted, emphasizing the need to consider the coast of Rio de Janeiro as an especially relevant area for at least part of the life history of tiger sharks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus is a non-renewable natural resource that will run out of reserves in the upcoming decades, making it essential to understanding the inheritance of nutrient use efficiency for selecting superior genotypes. This study investigated the additive and non-additive effects of commercially relevant traits for the popcorn crop (grain yield—GY, popping expansion—PE, and expanded popcorn volume per hectare—PV) in different conditions of phosphorus (P) availability in two locations in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Six S7 lines previously selected for P use—L59, L70, and P7, efficient and responsive; and L54, L75, and L80, inefficient and non-responsive—were used as testers in crosses with 15 progenies from the fifth cycle of intrapopulation recurrent selection of UENF-14, with adaptation to the North and Northwest regions of Rio de Janeiro State. Using the Griffing diallel analysis, P use efficiency was predominantly additive in the expression of PE, and non-additive effects were prominent for GY and PV. For obtaining genotypes that are efficient for phosphorus use, it is recommended that heterosis with parents that provide additive gene accumulation for PE be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piroplasm infections in domestic cats have been reported with increasing frequency in numerous countries. However, in some states of Brazil, little information is available about the occurrence of these parasites. Blood samples were collected from 250 cats treated at a private clinic in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro. The samples were each subjected to a blood count, microscopic examination, and molecular research on piroplasms. The animals' clinical histories and epidemiological information were analyzed to identify the risk factors associated with infection. Ticks were recovered during the clinical care and were identified and subjected to molecular analyses to determine the presence of piroplasm DNA. Piroplasms were detected in 2.7% (7/250) of the cats. Nucleotide sequences of Babesia vogeli were identified in six cats, while the Cytauxzoon sp. was identified in one cat. Cats displaying apathy/weakness/prostration and hemorrhage/bleeding were more likely to be infected. In addition, Amblyomma aureolatum was recovered from a cat PCR-negative for piroplasms. This is the first study in Rio de Janeiro that has detected Babesia vogeli in cats. The results obtained here underscore the need for further studies in Rio de Janeiro to investigate the dynamics of such infections and the vectors involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the effect of neotectonics in intracratonic settings as revealed by the surface, brittle deformation associated to a regionally-sized shear corridor, which affects Southeastern Brazil. The deformation zone is characterized by the presence of nearly orthogonal fracture sets, interpreted as systematic and non-systematic joints often cutting Quaternary deposits. An original methodology of fault and joint inversion by the Monte Carlo converging approach is used to infer multiple paleostress fields. The method provides the best orientation of the principal paleo-stresses responsible for the observed fracturing. At each step of the inversion process, structures are uniquely associated to the stress tensor that provides the lowest error. The results showed the poly-phased tectonic history of the shear corridor studied and paleostresses compatible with a regional strike-slip motion. Specifically, an E-W, left-lateral shear was followed by an E-W, right-lateral kinematics related to the post-Paleogene drifting of South American Plate and its clockwise rotation. The latter tectonic event is presently responsible for brittle deformation observed in Quaternary deposits. The proposed deformation corridor may represent the Cenozoic reactivation of an ancient weakness zone. We speculate that the described intraplate strike-slip deformation belt represents the continental prosecution of the Rio de Janeiro fracture zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the epidemiological and molecular features associated with HAV transmission in adults in Rio de Janeiro during a period of increased registered cases of HAV (2017–2018). Socio-epidemiological data and serum samples from anti-HAV IgM+ individuals were obtained. HAV RNA was RT-PCR amplified and sequenced for further phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses. From fifty-two HAV IgM+ individuals, most were men (78.85%; p = 0.024), aged 20–30 years old (84.61%; p < 0.001), resided in the Rio de Janeiro north zone (31/52; 59.62%; p = 0.001), and are men who have sex with men (MSM) (57.69%; p = 0.002). Sexual practices were more frequent (96%) than others risk factors (food-borne (44%), water-borne (42.31%), and parenteral (34.62%)). Individuals who traveled to endemic regions had a 7.19-fold (1.93–36.04; p < 0.01) increased risk of HAV. Phylogenetic analysis revealed four distinct clades of subgenotype IA, three of them comprised sequences from European/Asian MSM outbreaks and one from Brazilian endemic strains. Bayesian Inference showed that the imported strains were introduced to Brazil during large mass sportive events. Sexual orientation and sexual practices may play a role in acquiring HAV infection. Public policies targeting key populations must be implemented to prevent further dissemination of HAV and other STIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]