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The emergence of almond (Prunus amygdalus (L.) Batsch, syn P. dulcis (Mill.)) intensive and semi-intensive cropping systems has created a necessity for new almond cultivars with vigor and shape adapted to these new circumstances. Hence, it is important to unravel which mechanisms are behind the regulation of the tree three-dimensional structure, or tree architecture, and what factors may play a role, like the choice of rootstock. In this study, we have analyzed the rootstock influence on the scion transcriptome, regarding the biological processes that control almond tree architecture. Three commercial almond cultivars were grafted onto three hybrid rootstocks known to confer different architecture to the scion, resulting in nine combinations, whose gene expression in shoot tips was analyzed via RNA-Seq. We report that differences in tree architecture phenotype are correlated with differential expression of genes involved in hormonal and molecular responses associated with the regulation of apical dominance, branch formation, plant growth, cell wall formation, or nitrogen assimilation. These results highlight the importance of the rootstock choice in selecting a desirable scion architecture and in establishing almond orchards.

Noncoding DNA is central to our understanding of human gene regulation and complex diseases1,2, and measuring the evolutionary sequence constraint can establish the functional relevance of putative regulatory elements in the human genome3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Identifying the genomic elements that have become constrained specifically in primates has been hampered by the faster evolution of noncoding DNA compared to protein-coding DNA10, the relatively short timescales separating primate species11, and the previously limited availability of whole-genome sequences12. Here we construct a whole-genome alignment of 239 species, representing nearly half of all extant species in the primate order. Using this resource, we identified human regulatory elements that are under selective constraint across primates and other mammals at a 5% false discovery rate. We detected 111,318 DNase I hypersensitivity sites and 267,410 transcription factor binding sites that are constrained specifically in primates but not across other placental mammals and validate their cis-regulatory effects on gene expression. These regulatory elements are enriched for human genetic variants that affect gene expression and complex traits and diseases. Our results highlight the important role of recent evolution in regulatory sequence elements differentiating primates, including humans, from other placental mammals.

Increasing evidence points to an active role of oviductal extracellular vesicles (oEVs) in the early embryo-maternal dialogue. However, it remains unclear whether oEVs contribute to the recognition of the presence of embryos and their quality in the oviduct. Hence, we examined whether the molecular cargo of oEVs secreted by bovine oviduct epithelial cells (BOEC) differs depending on the presence of good (≥ 8 cells, G) or poor (< 8 cells, P) quality embryos. In addition, differences in RNA profiles between G and P embryos were analyzed in attempt to distinguish oEVs and embryonic EVs cargos.

This work evaluated the efficiency of Subcritical Water Extraction (SWE) and Pressurized Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (P-NaDESs) under different temperatures (100, 120, 140 and 160 °C) in obtaining pectin from Passion Fruit Rinds (PFR) and its residual biomass (PFR - UAPLE), and compare the results with those of Conventional Extraction (CE). The highest pectin yields, 19.1 and 27.6 %, were achieved using P-NaDES (Citric Acid:Glucose:Water) at 120 °C for PFR and its PFR-UAPLE, respectively. Regarding the Degree of Esterification (DE), pectin obtained with SWE and CE had DE below 50 %, while with P-NaDES (Citric Acid: Glucose:Water), DE was above 50 %. Higher Molecular Weights (MW) (98 and 81 kDa) were obtained with SWE and P-NaDES from PFR compared to PFR-UAPLE and CE. Galacturonic acid was the most abundant (74 to 78 %) monosaccharide obtained by SWE. In terms of morphology, water extraction provided pectin with more uniform textures, whereas extraction with acidified mixtures led to more heterogeneous surfaces. Overall, comparing SWE and P-NaDES, the obtained pectins differed in terms of monomeric composition, MW and DE. These results indicate that pectins obtained by both methods can have different applications depending on their structural characteristics.

This study examined the incorporation of cricket (Acheta domesticus) flour (CF) (0, control; 5.0%, CF5.0; 7.5%, CF7.5; and 10.0%, CF10.0) as a lean meat replacer in beef patties and its impact on composition, microbiological, sensory, and technological properties, as well as its influence on the cooking process. The inclusion of CF led to beef patties with significantly higher protein levels than the control group. Additionally, an elevation in total viable (TVC) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts was observed. However, Enterobacteriaceae counts remained at safe levels. CF5.0 demonstrated similar sensory scores and purchase intention to the control treatment. CF7.5 and CF10.0 showed comparable sensory scores to the control except for texture attributes. The inclusion of CF significantly reduced cooking loss and diameter reduction values. Beef patties with CF were notably firmer and had a browner color than the control. In general, the cooking process impacted the technological properties similarly in both the control and beef patties with CF. In all cooked samples, no significant differences in pH, redness (a*), or texture were observed. This study demonstrated that incorporating up to 5.0% CF into beef patties is optimal in terms of composition, technological, sensorial, and cooking properties.

Cu is a vital micronutrient, but free Cu ions (Cu2+) in seawater, even at subnanomolar concentrations, can impede phytoplankton growth. Natural Cu complexation with organic ligands regulates Cu acquisition and, in most instances, reduces Cu2+ concentrations below toxic thresholds. Along the Antarctic coast, the sources and sinks of Cu and its associated ligands remain poorly defined. Despite the high productivity in the area, there are no studies on the role of trophic transfer in Cu cycling. This study explores penguin guano release of Cu and Cu ligands and its potential in neutralizing copper toxicity along the Antarctic coast. We collected guano in a Chinstrap penguin nesting location in the West coast of Deception Island and extracted its components into aqueous solution imitating natural processes. Copper concentration in guano was 0.4 mg (dry weight g)−1 constituting a potential toxic threat and showed biomagnification with respect to krill. Surface seawater samples collected from various locations varying in penguin activity, were analyzed to assess the potential influence of guano on the area. Visual examination and elevated levels of Al suggested that a substantial portion of guano was lithogenic. Consequently, only a modest 16 % of the total Cu present in guano could be extracted using mechanical methods. Notably, the concentrations of the extracted organic ligands were approximately 23 times higher than the concentrations of the extracted Cu. This significant presence of ligands effectively nullifies any potential toxicity that could have arisen from free Cu2+ ions. Guano ligands' conditional stability constants were lower than those in surface seawater suggesting phytoplankton exudation was the main ligand source in the area. Overall, guano acts as a key node for Cu cycling in coastal Antarctic waters but its deleterious potential is neutralized by ligands from krill digestion and the high background concentration of phytoplankton exudates.

Artisanal cheeses are part of the heritage and identity of different countries or regions. In this work, we investigated the spectral variability of a wide range of traditional Brazilian cheeses and compared the performance of different spectrometers to discriminate cheese types and predict compositional parameters. Spectra in the visible (vis) and near infrared (NIR) region were collected, using imaging (vis/NIR-HSI and NIR-HSI) and conventional (NIRS) spectrometers, and it was determined the chemical composition of seven types of cheeses produced in Brazil. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that spectral variability in the vis/NIR spectrum is related to differences in color (yellowness index) and fat content, while in NIR there is a greater influence of productive steps and fat content. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) models based on spectral information showed greater accuracy than the model based on chemical composition to discriminate types of traditional Brazilian cheeses. Partial least squares (PLS) regression models based on vis/NIR-HSI, NIRS, NIR-HSI data and HSI spectroscopic data fusion (vis/NIR + NIR) demonstrated excellent performance to predict moisture content (RPD > 2.5), good ability to predict fat content (2.0 < RPD < 2.5) and can be used to discriminate between high and low protein values (∼1.5 < RPD < 2.0). The results obtained for imaging and conventional equipment are comparable and sufficiently accurate, so that both can be adapted to predict the chemical composition of the Brazilian traditional cheeses used in this study according to the needs of the industry.

O texto apresenta uma correlação entre a mineração ilegal de ouro em territórios indígenas no Brasil e a (des)proteção do Sistema Financeiro Nacional. O objetivo geral volta-se a analisar o conjunto de normas que regulamentam a pesquisa e a lavra de minério de ouro no Brasil para identificar a necessidade de construção de um marco regulatório mais eficiente para a proteção do Sistema Financeiro Nacional que possa evitar a mineração ilegal de ouro em territórios indígenas no Brasil. Trata-se de estudo exploratório, com método de procedimento descritivo, uma pesquisa do tipo bibliográfica e documental que possui uma abordagem qualitativa. A seguinte pergunta norteia o estudo: existe alguma necessidade de construção de um marco regulatório mais eficiente para a proteção do Sistema Financeiro nacional de modo que evite a mineração ilegal de ouro em territórios indígenas no Brasil? Para responder a questão, a pesquisa busca verificar as normas relacionadas à pesquisa e à lavra do minério de ouro no território do Brasil (primeiro objetivo específico); compreender a atual situação social do garimpo legal e ilegal de ouro nos territórios indígenas no Brasil (segundo objetivo específico); e entender o regramento sobre o comércio de ouro extraído das minas brasileiras (terceiro e úlitmo objetivo específico). Ao final, conclui-se que o marco regulatório de proteção do Sistema Financeiro Nacional possui falhas que causa a manutenção da mineração ilegal de ouro em territórios indígenas no Brasil, pois é legalmente permitida a compra de ouro ilegal por instituições financeiras.

Em meados do primeiro quarto de século, conceitos como sociedade de risco, desenvolvido no fim do século passado ainda são latentes e parecem fazer cada vez mais sentido. Com as transformações do Estado e da sociedade, o bem jurídico e sua tutela penal precisam ser rediscutidos, e é esse o objeto do presente estudo. Para isso, foi estabelecido o objetivo de identificar se a proteção a bens jurídicos ainda faz sentido na nova estrutura social denominada sociedade pós-moderna. Na metodologia, utilizou-se o método indutivo na fase de investigação; na fase de tratamento de dados, o método cartesiano; e no relatório da pesquisa, foi empregada a base indutiva. Foram também acionadas as técnicas do referente, da categoria, dos conceitos operacionais, da pesquisa bibliográfica e do fichamento.

Atualmente a superação das limitações territoriais dos sistemas sociais implica na necessidade de um autoajuste no sistema jurídico nacional para garantir um desenvolvimento econômico equilibrado para a presentes e futuras gerações e que possa andar em passo de igualdade com a expansão do agronegócio transnacional. Com efeito, inegavelmente os novos sujeitos empresariais transnacionais podem acabar agravando os conflitos no campo a partir da expansão do agronegócio predatório, legitimando a implementação de um desenvolvimento consciente para inibir o agravamento de litígios e violação de direitos humanos no setor agrário a partir da resolução n. º5 do Conselho Nacional dos Direitos Humanos de 2020, Decreto n° 9.571, de 21 de novembro de 2018 e Diretrizes da OCDE.

Importante se faz a compreensão das políticas de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional (SAN) brasileiras quando se diz respeito ao direito humano à alimentação adequada. O objetivo do artigo consiste em analisar a construção do quadro normativo-jurídico do direito à alimentação no desenho das políticas públicas de SAN, como fator decisivo para as condições de saúde e nutrição da sociedade. Para tanto, pretende-se analisar normas, diretrizes e principais temáticas atinentes ao assunto, por meio de pesquisa instrumental, para a subsequente categorização dos atores sociais e estatais, de acordo com suas respectivas estruturas institucionais, a fim de analisar a gestão e implementação das políticas públicas de SAN. Por fim, é apontado o Guia Alimentar para a população brasileira como importante instrumento nacional para assegurar o direito humano à alimentação adequada. Assim, recomenda-se o incentivo ao compromisso com a saúde alimentar por meio de programas capazes de avaliar o risco oferecido pelos alimentos que estão servindo a mesa dos brasileiros.

Importante se faz a compreensão das políticas de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional (SAN) brasileiras quando se diz respeito ao direito humano à alimentação adequada. O objetivo do artigo consiste em analisar a construção do quadro normativo-jurídico do direito à alimentação no desenho das políticas públicas de SAN, como fator decisivo para as condições de saúde e nutrição da sociedade. Para tanto, pretende-se analisar normas, diretrizes e principais temáticas atinentes ao assunto, por meio de pesquisa instrumental, para a subsequente categorização dos atores sociais e estatais, de acordo com suas respectivas estruturas institucionais, a fim de analisar a gestão e implementação das políticas públicas de SAN. Por fim, é apontado o Guia Alimentar para a população brasileira como importante instrumento nacional para assegurar o direito humano à alimentação adequada. Assim, recomenda-se o incentivo ao compromisso com a saúde alimentar por meio de programas capazes de avaliar o risco oferecido pelos alimentos que estão servindo a mesa dos brasileiros.

Importante se faz a compreensão das políticas de Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional (SAN) brasileiras quando se diz respeito ao direito humano à alimentação adequada. O objetivo do artigo consiste em analisar a construção do quadro normativo-jurídico do direito à alimentação no desenho das políticas públicas de SAN, como fator decisivo para as condições de saúde e nutrição da sociedade. Para tanto, pretende-se analisar normas, diretrizes e principais temáticas atinentes ao assunto, por meio de pesquisa instrumental, para a subsequente categorização dos atores sociais e estatais, de acordo com suas respectivas estruturas institucionais, a fim de analisar a gestão e implementação das políticas públicas de SAN. Por fim, é apontado o Guia Alimentar para a população brasileira como importante instrumento nacional para assegurar o direito humano à alimentação adequada. Assim, recomenda-se o incentivo ao compromisso com a saúde alimentar por meio de programas capazes de avaliar o risco oferecido pelos alimentos que estão servindo a mesa dos brasileiros.

A tecnologia evoluiu radicalmente nas últimas décadas, a ponto de pautar as principais discussões na sociedade. Em diversos campos do conhecimento, que vão das Ciências Tecnológicas à Jurídica, a tecnologia, notadamente a Inteligência Artificial - IA, assumiu um protagonismo ímpar no que diz respeito à interdisciplinaridade. O próprio processo de digitalização social, acelerado em razão dos efeitos da pandemia causada pelo vírus da COVID-19, trouxe à baila efeitos positivos da informatização, mas também potencializou problemas relacionados aos direitos de privacidade, principalmente no tocante a dados, sensíveis ou não. E é nesse contexto que, cada vez mais, dados são disponibilizados para empresas que deles se utilizam para oferecer produtos e serviços, além de outras finalidades, por meio de Robocalls, que são uma espécie de Inteligência Artificial desenvolvida para fazer ligações, emulando a ação humana e desafiando a melhor aplicação possível da Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados - LGPD, que pode e deve servir de freio a eventuais violações ao direito de privacidade dos cidadãos. A presente pesquisa valeu-se do método indutivo, operacionalizado pelas técnicas do conceito operacional e da pesquisa bibliográfica na análise dos desafios impostos pela IA à LGPD.

A tecnologia evoluiu radicalmente nas últimas décadas, a ponto de pautar as principais discussões na sociedade. Em diversos campos do conhecimento, que vão das Ciências Tecnológicas à Jurídica, a tecnologia, notadamente a Inteligência Artificial - IA, assumiu um protagonismo ímpar no que diz respeito à interdisciplinaridade. O próprio processo de digitalização social, acelerado em razão dos efeitos da pandemia causada pelo vírus da COVID-19, trouxe à baila efeitos positivos da informatização, mas também potencializou problemas relacionados aos direitos de privacidade, principalmente no tocante a dados, sensíveis ou não. E é nesse contexto que, cada vez mais, dados são disponibilizados para empresas que deles se utilizam para oferecer produtos e serviços, além de outras finalidades, por meio de Robocalls, que são uma espécie de Inteligência Artificial desenvolvida para fazer ligações, emulando a ação humana e desafiando a melhor aplicação possível da Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados - LGPD, que pode e deve servir de freio a eventuais violações ao direito de privacidade dos cidadãos. A presente pesquisa valeu-se do método indutivo, operacionalizado pelas técnicas do conceito operacional e da pesquisa bibliográfica na análise dos desafios impostos pela IA à LGPD.

Atualmente a superação das limitações territoriais dos sistemas sociais implica na necessidade de um autoajuste no sistema jurídico nacional para garantir um desenvolvimento econômico equilibrado para a presentes e futuras gerações e que possa andar em passo de igualdade com a expansão do agronegócio transnacional. Com efeito, inegavelmente os novos sujeitos empresariais transnacionais podem acabar agravando os conflitos no campo a partir da expansão do agronegócio predatório, legitimando a implementação de um desenvolvimento consciente para inibir o agravamento de litígios e violação de direitos humanos no setor agrário a partir da resolução n. º5 do Conselho Nacional dos Direitos Humanos de 2020, Decreto n° 9.571, de 21 de novembro de 2018 e Diretrizes da OCDE.

O direito é, atualmente, um aspecto fundamental da sociedade, pelo qual esta busca soluções pacíficas e racionais para a sua problemática. É possível, no entanto, identificar um modelo tradicionalista de ensino do direito que se baseia na mera reprodução de conhecimento e o fecha para o contexto fático que lhe é objeto. As novas tecnologias impõem uma urgente mudança a esse paradigma, por acarretarem mudanças profundas às relações sociais. A aplicação do seminário, enquanto metodologia ativa de aprendizagem, mostra-se como uma ferramenta de superação das deficiências do ensino jurídico, desenvolvendo uma postura ativa dos estudantes. Objetiva-se compreender o papel da aplicação do seminário para o favorecimento do aprendizado relativo às repercussões das novas tecnologias no saber e na aplicação do direito. A pesquisa é teórica e com abordagem qualitativa, baseando-se em fontes bibliográficas para concretizar a sua proposta exploratória da temática. Observa-se, ao fim, que as características da mencionada técnica de ensino geram autonomia dos discentes no ensino-aprendizagem e os leva a terem contato com o trabalho de pesquisa, o que é relevante em meio aos desafios relacionados aos avanços técnico-científicos, cuja resposta adequada só pode ser dada por juristas que tenham domínio dos parâmetros estruturais dos princípios de compreensão pertinentes ao exercício do seu mister.

Tratar-se-á da empiria como aporte metodológico do desenvolvimento da pesquisa em Direito, sob a perspectiva reflexiva da matriz pragmático-sistêmica de Niklas Luhmann. Correlacionar-se-á os sistemas do Direito, da Ciência e da Educação com as transformações sociais exigidas para atendimento das expectativas de uma sociedade cada vez mais complexa. Objetivou-se apresentar uma abordagem teórica sobre a necessidade de observação das relações sistêmicas correlacionadas. Aponta-se a contribuição da pesquisa empírica em Direito à emergência democrática da reforma do pensamento científico, oriunda das inquietações da sociedade brasileira contemporânea. O paradigma metodológico se consistiu numa pesquisa qualitativa, de natureza social aplicada, com método de abordagem dedutivo e de caráter explicativo. Realizou-se assim, coleta de dados em fontes secundárias, com uso da técnica da pesquisa bibliográfica. A autopoiese atua como característica impeditiva de transferências automáticas entre os subsistemas, impedindo qualquer aplicação imediata no subsistema do Direito do conhecimento desenvolvido nas Instituições de Ensino Superior e nas produções científico-jurídicas. Entretanto, a empiria como metodologia ativa aproxima o Direito e a Sociedade, auxiliando na possibilidade de superação da metodologia de reprodução do conhecimento dogmático.

Tratar-se-á da empiria como aporte metodológico do desenvolvimento da pesquisa em Direito, sob a perspectiva reflexiva da matriz pragmático-sistêmica de Niklas Luhmann. Correlacionar-se-á os sistemas do Direito, da Ciência e da Educação com as transformações sociais exigidas para atendimento das expectativas de uma sociedade cada vez mais complexa. Objetivou-se apresentar uma abordagem teórica sobre a necessidade de observação das relações sistêmicas correlacionadas. Aponta-se a contribuição da pesquisa empírica em Direito à emergência democrática da reforma do pensamento científico, oriunda das inquietações da sociedade brasileira contemporânea. O paradigma metodológico se consistiu numa pesquisa qualitativa, de natureza social aplicada, com método de abordagem dedutivo e de caráter explicativo. Realizou-se assim, coleta de dados em fontes secundárias, com uso da técnica da pesquisa bibliográfica. A autopoiese atua como característica impeditiva de transferências automáticas entre os subsistemas, impedindo qualquer aplicação imediata no subsistema do Direito do conhecimento desenvolvido nas Instituições de Ensino Superior e nas produções científico-jurídicas. Entretanto, a empiria como metodologia ativa aproxima o Direito e a Sociedade, auxiliando na possibilidade de superação da metodologia de reprodução do conhecimento dogmático.

O direito é, atualmente, um aspecto fundamental da sociedade, pelo qual esta busca soluções pacíficas e racionais para a sua problemática. É possível, no entanto, identificar um modelo tradicionalista de ensino do direito que se baseia na mera reprodução de conhecimento e o fecha para o contexto fático que lhe é objeto. As novas tecnologias impõem uma urgente mudança a esse paradigma, por acarretarem mudanças profundas às relações sociais. A aplicação do seminário, enquanto metodologia ativa de aprendizagem, mostra-se como uma ferramenta de superação das deficiências do ensino jurídico, desenvolvendo uma postura ativa dos estudantes. Objetiva-se compreender o papel da aplicação do seminário para o favorecimento do aprendizado relativo às repercussões das novas tecnologias no saber e na aplicação do direito. A pesquisa é teórica e com abordagem qualitativa, baseando-se em fontes bibliográficas para concretizar a sua proposta exploratória da temática. Observa-se, ao fim, que as características da mencionada técnica de ensino geram autonomia dos discentes no ensino-aprendizagem e os leva a terem contato com o trabalho de pesquisa, o que é relevante em meio aos desafios relacionados aos avanços técnico-científicos, cuja resposta adequada só pode ser dada por juristas que tenham domínio dos parâmetros estruturais dos princípios de compreensão pertinentes ao exercício do seu mister.

Atualmente a superação das limitações territoriais dos sistemas sociais implica na necessidade de um autoajuste no sistema jurídico nacional para garantir um desenvolvimento econômico equilibrado para a presentes e futuras gerações e que possa andar em passo de igualdade com a expansão do agronegócio transnacional. Com efeito, inegavelmente os novos sujeitos empresariais transnacionais podem acabar agravando os conflitos no campo a partir da expansão do agronegócio predatório, legitimando a implementação de um desenvolvimento consciente para inibir o agravamento de litígios e violação de direitos humanos no setor agrário a partir da resolução n. º5 do Conselho Nacional dos Direitos Humanos de 2020, Decreto n° 9.571, de 21 de novembro de 2018 e Diretrizes da OCDE.

A pesquisa aborda a teoria da equidade intergeracional com análise da complexidade e processo de sua instrumentalização nas conferências mundiais sobre desenvolvimento sustentável da Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU), a partir da ECO-92, e nas agendas globais de sustentabilidade, dada a expressa previsão de preocupação com as futuras gerações constante na Conferência de Estocolmo, de 1972, que faz refletir sobre as seguintes questões: qual é a herança planetária que será deixada? Qual é o tipo de planeta que as futuras gerações habitarão? A partir dessa abordagem, é possível se enxergar, nas agendas globais sobre desenvolvimento sustentável, uma via profícua para a consecução de metas para a proteção ambiental e assegurar, assim, às futuras gerações um meio ambiente social, econômico e ecologicamente equilibrado? A partir dessa indagação objetiva-se demonstrar, por meio da pesquisa bibliográfica dentro do contexto do direito público, do direito ambiental internacional, dos direitos humanos, da governança global e da legislação relacionada ao tema, por meio de uma abordagem hipotética dedutiva, que a Governança compartilhada através dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) é a dinâmica que mais se aproxima do atingimento da equidade intergeracional.

Although ocean surface currents are not accounted for in most wave modeling studies, recent works have demonstrated that ocean circulation features may have a great impact on surface gravity waves. In this case study, we coupled in a one-way mode the hydrodynamic model Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and the wave model Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) to study the effect of currents on large wave events (LWEs) produced under the influence of cyclones in south/southeastern Brazil. For the five LWEs studied, chosen due to the distinct importance that current-to-wave effects had for the period, the results indicate that the addition of currents on the wave model improved the accuracy of the peaks of significant wave height, generally increasing them (by as much as 27%). The increase in wave height occurred mainly near the shelf edge and slope, where the southwestward-flowing Brazil Current opposes the dominant direction of cyclone-generated waves (usually from S/SE to S/SW). Modulation of wave height by currents in the subinertial band explained up to 95% of the total variance of the difference between results with and without ocean currents, and this band was largely related to the Brazil Current. Its near-inertial counterpart explained up to 22% of the total variance and was primarily due to near-inertial currents in the region. This study provides, for the first time, conclusive evidence that wave-current interaction can impact LWEs in south/southeastern Brazil.

Sea level rise has accelerated during recent decades, exceeding rates recorded during the previous two millennia, and as a result many coastal habitats and species around the globe are being impacted. This situation is expected to worsen due to anthropogenically induced climate change. However, the magnitude and relevance of expected increase in sea level rise (SLR) is uncertain for marine and terrestrial species that are reliant on coastal habitat for foraging, resting or breeding. To address this, we showcase the use of a low-cost approach to assess the impacts of SLR on sea turtles under various Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) SLR scenarios on different sea turtle nesting rookeries worldwide. The study considers seven sea turtle rookeries with five nesting species, categorized from vulnerable to critically endangered including leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Our approach combines freely available digital elevation models for continental and remote island beaches across different ocean basins with projections of field data and SLR. Our case study focuses on five of the seven living sea turtle species. Under moderate climate change scenarios, by 2050 it is predicted that at some sea turtle nesting habitats 100% will be flooded, and under an extreme scenario many sea turtle rookeries could vanish. Overall, nesting beaches with low slope and those species nesting at open beaches such as leatherback and loggerheads sea turtles might be the most vulnerable by future SLR scenarios.

Our investigation aims to answer if it is possible to detect plasma bubbles using single-frequency measurements of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). In this regard, we show a methodology based on a regional model to calibrate GNSS single-frequency measurements and derive ionospheric maps showing plasma bubbles in one of the most challenging conditions, the Brazilian region. Simultaneous observations of all-sky images at Cachoeira Paulista (22.7°S, 45.0°W), São João do Cariri (7.4°S, 36.5°W) and Boa Vista (2.8°N, 60.7°W) were used to compare the plasma bubbles structures. The results were validated by the comparison between airglow and total electron content (TEC) single-frequency maps in terms of keograms and drift velocities of the ionospheric plasma bubbles. Plasma bubbles were successfully observed by mapping TEC single-frequency. The rate of success in detecting the plasma bubbles with single-frequency TEC data was 65% when using keograms. In addition, in regions with good GNSS coverage, such as Cachoeira Paulista and São João do Cariri, it was easier to detect the plasma bubbles. The velocities of plasma bubbles were also obtained with good agreement in comparison with the velocities estimated using airglow data. For São João do Cariri, the mean drift velocities estimated with airglow data were 117.10 m/s whereas with TEC data were 117.94 m/s. Therefore, the results revealed the proposed method as an efficient tool for mapping the ionospheric plasma bubbles and computing their drift velocities. This technique provides new opportunities, in particular for ionospheric sounding, since the number of low-cost GNSS receivers continues growing.

Ants often interact aggressively for resources (e.g. nest sites and food) with members of their own or another species. In these competitive interactions, dominant ant species exert a strong influence on ant species coexistence and plant-associated arthropod community structure. However, few studies have experimentally manipulated the relative abundance of dominant ant species on plants, preventing a mechanistic understanding of the effects of ant competitive interactions on ant community structure as well as on their interactions with other insects, particularly mutualistic hemipterans. In this study, we performed a field experiment in a tropical dry forest in Brazil to investigate the effects of two dominant ant species (Camponotus crassus and Cephalotes pusillus) on the structure ant communities and the abundance of the ant-tended hemipteran Enchenopa brasiliensis in Solanum lycocarpum plants. For this, we identified and quantified all ant species foraging on plants and estimated the number of egg masses, nymphs and adults of the mutualistic hemipteran before and after experimentally removing nests of both two dominant ant species. Our results showed that removal of C. pusillus nests significantly changed ant community structure, whereas removal of C. crassus nests did not. We also found that nest removal of both dominant ant species had significant effects on hemipteran abundance. In particular, plants generally hosted more hemipteran eggs, nymphs and adults after (vs before) nest removal of both dominant ant species. Overall, this study demonstrates that dominant ant species can play a pivotal role in structuring ant communities and the interactions between ants and honeydew-producing hemipteran insects.

The Amazonian Pentaclethra macroloba (Willd.) Kuntze nuts contain a lipidic fraction with health-promoting effects, but little is known about the bioactivity of other constituents. In this study, the lipidic fraction obtained using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2 was chemically characterized by using lipidomics techniques. The SFE-CO2 residue, named as pracaxi cake, was re-extracted by pressurized liquid extraction following a biorefinery approach. Using a response surface methodology and based on the extraction yield and different in vitro assays, two optimum conditions were obtained: 80% and 12.5% of ethanol at 180 °C. Under these conditions, extraction yield and different in vitro measurements related to neuroprotection were assessed. Chemical characterization of these extracts suggested the presence of triterpenoid saponins and spermidine phenolamides, which were not previously reported in pracaxi nuts. These results suggest that pracaxi oil extraction by-products are a valuable source of bioactive compounds with neuroprotective potential.

In this study, trypsin from the porcine pancreas was immobilized on a heterofunctional support prepared by activating chitosan (Chit) hydrogel with glutaraldehyde (GA), then functionalizing it with glycine (Chit–GA–Gly). The catalytic performance of the immobilized trypsin in the hydrolysis reactions was compared with the catalytic performance of the immobilized enzyme on glutaraldehyde-activated chitosan (Chit–GA) and chitosan hydrogel (Chit). The maximum concentration of immobilized protein on Chit–GA–Gly was approximately 16 mg·g−1 at pH 9.0 (5 mmol·L−1 buffer sodium carbonate) at 25 °C from an offered protein loading of 20 mg·g−1. This biocatalyst exhibited maximum specific activity (SA) of 33.1 ± 0.2 nmol·min−1·mg−1 for benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) hydrolysis, twice as high as the enzyme immobilized on the classic Chit–GA support (SA values ranging between 6.7 ± 0.1 nmol·min−1·mg−1 and 8.1 ± 0.1 nmol·min−1·mg−1). The Elovich kinetic model was used to describe the adsorption process using low (3 mg·g−1) and high (20 mg·g−1) initial protein loadings. The optimum temperature for BAPNA hydrolysis catalyzed by the immobilized trypsin (60 °C) was 10 °C higher than that of its soluble form. Additionally, the immobilized enzyme was 16 to 20 times more stable than its soluble form at 50–55 °C. Thermodynamic studies were conducted to elucidate the kinetics of the thermal inactivation process of soluble and immobilized forms. Complete hydrolysis of bovine serum albumin (BSA) at 37 °C was achieved after 2 h using a soluble enzyme, while for its immobilized form, the hydrolysis yield was 47%. Reuse tests revealed that this biocatalyst retained 37% of its original activity after 10 successive hydrolysis batches. Based on these results, this support could be used as an interesting alternative for producing heterogeneous biocatalysts with high catalytic activity and thermal stability when producing protein hydrolysates.

Em meados do primeiro quarto de século, conceitos como sociedade de risco, desenvolvido no fim do século passado ainda são latentes e parecem fazer cada vez mais sentido. Com as transformações do Estado e da sociedade, o bem jurídico e sua tutela penal precisam ser rediscutidos, e é esse o objeto do presente estudo. Para isso, foi estabelecido o objetivo de identificar se a proteção a bens jurídicos ainda faz sentido na nova estrutura social denominada sociedade pós-moderna. Na metodologia, utilizou-se o método indutivo na fase de investigação; na fase de tratamento de dados, o método cartesiano; e no relatório da pesquisa, foi empregada a base indutiva. Foram também acionadas as técnicas do referente, da categoria, dos conceitos operacionais, da pesquisa bibliográfica e do fichamento.

O presente trabalho busca apresentar um avanço na interpretação da relação entre lei e indivíduos, de modo desmistificar algumas pressuposições e, principalmente, evidenciar qual é o real papel do soberano nessa relação. Primeiro, apresenta-se a teoria de Carl Schmitt e como ela denuncia que o formalismo jurídico conduz a uma supressão do soberano como figura importante. Em seguida, explica-se como Hobbes tinha plena consciência da relevância do Soberano, ao ponto de explicar melhor o poder por meio da identificação das causas da infinitude, que tem sua fonte na infinitude de desejos. A última parte do artigo se volta em demonstrar a fraqueza da aparente infinitude de poder comumente atribuído à soberania, por meio de Agamben e Kafka, e como a lei desempenha importante papel de manipulação retórica e justificação de sujeição ao Soberano. O artigo é um esforço em avançar na compreensão de como o Soberano opera na mediação lei e indivíduo, e como, por vezes, a lei pode ser usada como instrumento para voltar-se contra os sujeitos e justificar sua sujeição e precariedade em face do Soberano.

O texto busca avaliar em que medida as mulheres negras da periferia de Belém, no Estado do Pará, acabam enfrentando um cenário de exclusão e violação de seus direitosde acesso à cidade. Discutem-se os aspectos estruturais do direito a cidade e a realidade da discriminação socioespacial com mulheres na cidade de Belém-Pa. A metodologia utilizada como base foi a pesquisa bibliográfica, com abordagem qualitativa de dados em bancos oficiais, por meio do método hipotético-dedutivo. O trabalho detém um viés que envolve a efetivação de um direito fundamental, garantido constitucionalmente, com foco em uma classe ainda mais desfavorecida e vulnerável da sociedade. Inferindo ao longo da pesquisa a extensão da disparidade existente entre os cenários ideal e real enfrentados contemporaneamente. Entre os principais resultados, considerou-se a necessidade de abordagem a partir das questões interseccionais de raça e gênero para se ter uma visão panorâmica da problemática geral a respeito das cidades seja destrinchada, bem como de políticas públicas que alcancem o real público necessitado sejam alcançadas. Ignorar tal temática seria como fechar os olhos para problemas recorrentes da cidade, mormente, ao público feminino.The present research had the general objective of analyzing and contributing so that black women are not liable to be targeted by new forms of social discrimination according to the place of their residence. Discussing the structural aspects of the right to the city, later, the formation of Belém, and finally, about the reality of socio-spatial discrimination with women in the city of Belém-Pa from the neighborhood where they reside. In this bias, it was asked what processes act on black women in order to contribute to preventing their full use of the right to the city in Belém? The methodology used as a basis was the bibliographical research with a qualitative approach of data in official banks, through the hypothetical-deductive method. The work has a bias that

A pesquisa aborda a teoria da equidade intergeracional com análise da complexidade e processo de sua instrumentalização nas conferências mundiais sobre desenvolvimento sustentável da Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU), a partir da ECO-92, e nas agendas globais de sustentabilidade, dada a expressa previsão de preocupação com as futuras gerações constante na Conferência de Estocolmo, de 1972, que faz refletir sobre as seguintes questões: qual é a herança planetária que será deixada? Qual é o tipo de planeta que as futuras gerações habitarão? A partir dessa abordagem, é possível se enxergar, nas agendas globais sobre desenvolvimento sustentável, uma via profícua para a consecução de metas para a proteção ambiental e assegurar, assim, às futuras gerações um meio ambiente social, econômico e ecologicamente equilibrado? A partir dessa indagação objetiva-se demonstrar, por meio da pesquisa bibliográfica dentro do contexto do direito público, do direito ambiental internacional, dos direitos humanos, da governança global e da legislação relacionada ao tema, por meio de uma abordagem hipotética dedutiva, que a Governança compartilhada através dos Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) é a dinâmica que mais se aproxima do atingimento da equidade intergeracional.

Context. Quaoar is a classical trans-Neptunian object (TNO) with an area-equivalent diameter of 1100 km and an orbital semi-major axis of 43.3 astronomical units. Based on stellar occultations observed between 2018 and 2021, an inhomogeneous ring (Q1R, i.e., Quaoar’s first ring) has been detected around this body. Aims. A new stellar occultation by Quaoar was observed on August 9, 2022, with the aim of improving Quaoar’s shape models and the physical parameters of Q1R, while searching for additional material around the body. Methods. The occultation provided nine effective chords across Quaoar, pinning down its size, shape, and astrometric position. Large facilities, such as Gemini North and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), were used to obtain high acquisition rates and signal-to-noise ratios. The light curves were also used to characterize the Q1R ring (radial profiles and orbital elements). Results. Quaoar’s elliptical fit to the occultation chords yields the limb with an apparent semi-major axis of 579.5 ± 4.0 km, apparent oblateness of 0.12 ± 0.01, and area-equivalent radius of 543 ± 2 km. Quaoar’s limb orientation is consistent with Q1R and Weywot orbiting in Quaoar’s equatorial plane. The orbital radius of Q1R is refined to a value of 4057 ± 6 km. The radial opacity profile of the more opaque ring profile follows a Lorentzian shape that extends over 60 km, with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of ∼5 km and a peak normal optical depth of 0.4. Besides the secondary events related to the already reported rings, new secondary events detected during the August 2022 occultation in three different data sets are consistent with another ring around Quaoar with a radius of 2520 ± 20 km, assuming the ring is circular and co-planar with Q1R. This new ring has a typical width of 10 km and a normal optical depth of ∼0.004. Just as Q1R, it also lies outside Quaoar’s classical Roche limit. © The Authors 2023.

This paper is part of large effort within the J-PAS collaboration that aims to classify point-like sources in miniJPAS, which were observed in 60 optical bands over ~1 deg2 in the AEGIS field. We developed two algorithms based on artificial neural networks (ANN) to classify objects into four categories: stars, galaxies, quasars at low redshift (z < 2.1), and quasars at high redshift (z ≥ 2.1). As inputs, we used miniJPAS fluxes for one of the classifiers (ANN1) and colours for the other (ANN2). The ANNs were trained and tested using mock data in the first place. We studied the effect of augmenting the training set by creating hybrid objects, which combines fluxes from stars, galaxies, and quasars. Nevertheless, the augmentation processing did not improve the score of the ANN. We also evaluated the performance of the classifiers in a small subset of the SDSS DR12Q superset observed by miniJPAS. In the mock test set, the f1-score for quasars at high redshift with the ANN1 (ANN2) are 0.99 (0.99), 0.93 (0.92), and 0.63 (0.57) for 17 < r ≤ 20, 20 < r ≤ 22.5, and 22.5 < r ≤ 23.6, respectively, where r is the J-PAS rSDSS band. In the case of low-redshift quasars, galaxies, and stars, we reached 0.97 (0.97), 0.82 (0.79), and 0.61 (0.58); 0.94 (0.94), 0.90 (0.89), and 0.81 (0.80); and 1.0 (1.0), 0.96 (0.94), and 0.70 (0.52) in the same r bins. In the SDSS DR12Q superset miniJPAS sample, the weighted f1-score reaches 0.87 (0.88) for objects that are mostly within 20 < r ≤ 22.5. We find that the most common confusion occurs between quasars at low redshift and galaxies in mocks and miniJPAS data. We discuss the origin of this confusion, and we show examples in which these objects present features that are shared by both classes. Finally, we estimate the number of point-like sources that are quasars, galaxies, and stars in miniJPAS. © The Authors 2023.

Species are the currency of most biodiversity studies. However, many shortfalls and biases remain in our biodiversity estimates, preventing a comprehensive understanding of the eco-evolutionary processes that have shaped the biodiversity currently available on Earth. Biased biodiversity estimates also jeopardize the effective implementation of data-driven conservation strategies, ultimately leading to biodiversity loss. Here, we delve into the concept of the Latitudinal Taxonomy Gradient (LTG) and show how this new idea provides an interesting conceptual link between the Linnean (i.e., our ignorance of how many species there are on Earth), Darwinian (i.e., our ignorance of species evolutionary relationships), and Wallacean (i.e., our ignorance on species distribution) shortfalls. More specifically, we contribute to an improved understanding of LTGs and establish the basis for the development of new methods that allow us to: (i) better account for the integration between different shortfalls and, (ii) estimate how these interactions may affect our understanding about the evolutionary components of richness gradients at macroecological scales.

Success in any genomic prediction platform is directly dependent on establishing a representative training set. This is a complex task, even in single-trait single-environment conditions and tends to be even more intricated wherein additional information from envirotyping and correlated traits are considered. Here, we aimed to design optimized training sets focused on genomic prediction, considering multi-trait multi-environment trials, and how those methods may increase accuracy reducing phenotyping costs. For that, we considered single-trait multi-environment trials and multi-trait multi-environment trials for three traits: grain yield, plant height, and ear height, two datasets, and two cross-validation schemes. Next, two strategies for designing optimized training sets were conceived, first considering only the genomic by environment by trait interaction (GET), while a second including large-scale environmental data (W, enviromics) as genomic by enviromic by trait interaction (GWT). The effective number of individuals (genotypes × environments × traits) was assumed as those that represent at least 98% of each kernel (GET or GWT) variation, in which those individuals were then selected by a genetic algorithm based on prediction error variance criteria to compose an optimized training set for genomic prediction purposes.

Planetary rings are observed not only around giant planets1, but also around small bodies such as the Centaur Chariklo2 and the dwarf planet Haumea3. Up to now, all known dense rings were located close enough to their parent bodies, being inside the Roche limit, where tidal forces prevent material with reasonable densities from aggregating into a satellite. Here we report observations of an inhomogeneous ring around the trans-Neptunian body (50000) Quaoar. This trans-Neptunian object has an estimated radius4 of 555 km and possesses a roughly 80-km satellite5 (Weywot) that orbits at 24 Quaoar radii6,7. The detected ring orbits at 7.4 radii from the central body, which is well outside Quaoar’s classical Roche limit, thus indicating that this limit does not always determine where ring material can survive. Our local collisional simulations show that elastic collisions, based on laboratory experiments8, can maintain a ring far away from the body. Moreover, Quaoar’s ring orbits close to the 1/3 spin–orbit resonance9 with Quaoar, a property shared by Chariklo’s2,10,11 and Haumea’s3 rings, suggesting that this resonance plays a key role in ring confinement for small bodies. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

Astrophysical surveys rely heavily on the classification of sources as stars, galaxies, or quasars from multiband photometry. Surveys in narrow-band filters allow for greater discriminatory power, but the variety of different types and redshifts of the objects present a challenge to standard template-based methods. In this work, which is part of a larger effort that aims at building a catalogue of quasars from the miniJPAS survey, we present a machine learning-based method that employs convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to classify point-like sources including the information in the measurement errors. We validate our methods using data from the miniJPAS survey, a proof-of-concept project of the Javalambre Physics of the Accelerating Universe Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS) collaboration covering ∼1 deg2 of the northern sky using the 56 narrow-band filters of the J-PAS survey. Due to the scarcity of real data, we trained our algorithms using mocks that were purpose-built to reproduce the distributions of different types of objects that we expect to find in the miniJPAS survey, as well as the properties of the real observations in terms of signal and noise. We compare the performance of the CNNs with other well-established machine learning classification methods based on decision trees, finding that the CNNs improve the classification when the measurement errors are provided as inputs. The predicted distribution of objects in miniJPAS is consistent with the putative luminosity functions of stars, quasars, and unresolved galaxies. Our results are a proof of concept for the idea that the J-PAS survey will be able to detect unprecedented numbers of quasars with high confidence.

In this series of papers, we employ several machine learning (ML) methods to classify the point-like sources from the miniJPAS catalogue, and identify quasar candidates. Since no representative sample of spectroscopically confirmed sources exists at present to train these ML algorithms, we rely on mock catalogues. In this first paper, we develop a pipeline to compute synthetic photometry of quasars, galaxies, and stars using spectra of objects targeted as quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. To match the same depths and signal-to-noise ratio distributions in all bands expected for miniJPAS point sources in the range 17.5 ≤ r < 24, we augment our sample of available spectra by shifting the original r-band magnitude distributions towards the faint end, ensure that the relative incidence rates of the different objects are distributed according to their respective luminosity functions, and perform a thorough modelling of the noise distribution in each filter, by sampling the flux variance either from Gaussian realizations with given widths, or from combinations of Gaussian functions. Finally, we also add in the mocks the patterns of non-detections which are present in all real observations. Although the mock catalogues presented in this work are a first step towards simulated data sets that match the properties of the miniJPAS observations, these mocks can be adapted to serve the purposes of other photometric surveys.

Biodiversity loss is rampant worldwide, particularly in tropical regions like the Amazon. In the last decade, acoustic indices have been proposed as a rapid method for biodiversity assessment. However, their overall effectiveness as proxies for biodiversity is under debate. Here, we tested advanced statistical methods based on acoustic indices recently proposed to estimate species richness more accurately. Using an annotated audio dataset (2356 one-minute files) and song characterization of tropical bird assemblages from land-bridge islands in an Amazonian hydroelectric reservoir, we fitted both regression models and random forest algorithms to address the following questions: (1) do acoustic indices provide accurate estimates of bird species richness? (2) are univariate (a single index) or multivariate models (a combination of indices) better at predicting species richness? (3) at what temporal scale (minutes or hours) and with which measures (raw values or mean and standard deviation values)? (4) do these indices reflect spatial (island size) and temporal patterns (diel cycle) of singing activity? Although we found that multivariate models using a set of acoustic indices computed at a broader scale (hours) performed better than simpler models, their overall predictive power of species richness was poor for these tropical bird assemblages. The high heterogeneity and variation in the acoustic activity and signals of the Amazonian bird species present a considerable challenge for acoustic indices to capture changes in species diversity adequately. In agreement with recent studies, our findings point out the limits of acoustic indices, especially in tropical, highly diverse regions, emphasizing that caution should be used when applying this type of acoustic indices in biodiversity assessment. In contrast, all tested indices reflected distinct spatial and temporal patterns that were often related to habitat features (i.e. island size) and animal activity (i.e. choruses

Despite the marine environment being typified by a lack of obvious barriers to dispersal, levels of genetic divergence can arise in marine organisms from historical changes in habitat availability, current oceanographic regimes and anthropogenic factors. Here we describe the genetic structure of the Gray Parrotfish, Sparisoma axillare, and identify environmental variables associated with patterns of genetic divergence throughout most of its distribution in Brazil. The heavily exploited Gray Parrotfish is endemic to Brazil, and there is lack of data on population structure that is needed to support sustainable management. To address this shortfall we analyzed 5429 SNPs from individuals sampled in nine locations, ranging from tropical to subtropical reef systems and costal to oceanic environments with varying levels of protection. We found low levels of genetic structure along the coast, including the oceanic island of Fernando de Noronha, and that a combination of water depth, ocean currents and geographic distance were the major drivers explaining genetic divergence. We identified a distinct genetic population around Trindade Island, 1000 km from the coast, highlighting the conservation significance of this population. Colonization of this oceanic site probably occurred during the Pleistocene periods of lower sea levels, allowing this shallow water-dependent species to use the seamount chain as stepping stones to Trindade. Our data further suggest that two protected areas, Costa dos Corais and Fernando de Noronha, likely play an important role as larval sources for much of the species distribution.

The conversion of forests into open areas has large effects on the diversity and structure of native communities. The intensity of these effects may vary between regions, depending on the existence of native species adapted to open habitats in the regional pool or the time since habitat change., We assess the differences in species richness and functional diversity of dung beetle communities (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) between native forests and novel pasturelands of the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado, two biomes with contrasting histories of human occupation in Brazil. We conducted standardized surveys in seven forest fragments and adjacent pastures in each region and measured 14 traits in individuals collected in each type of habitat at each particular site. We calculated functional richness, functional evenness, functional divergence, and community-weighted mean of traits for each area, and analyzed individual variation through nested variance decomposition and Trait Statistics., Communities were richer and more numerous at the Cerrado. We did not find any consistent relationship between functional diversity and forest conversion beyond the changes in species diversity. Although landscape changes were more recent at the Cerrado, the colonization of the new habitat by native species already adapted to open habitats lessens the functional loss in this biome. This indicates that habitat change's effects on trait diversity depend on the regional species pool rather than on time since land conversion., Forest conversion effects were primarily due to internal filtering. The effects of external filtering only appear at the intraspecific variance level, with contrasting differences between the Cerrado, where traits related to relocation behavior and size are selected, and the Atlantic Forest, where selection operates for traits related to relocation behavior and flight. These results evidence the importance of considering individual variance to address the responses of dung beetle communities to forest conversion.

Kombucha is a functional beverage obtained through fermentation of sweetened Camellia sinensis infusion by a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts that exerts many beneficial biological effects, mostly related to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Alternative raw materials have been used to create new kombucha or kombucha-like products. Coffee is the most important food commodity worldwide and generates large amounts of by-products during harvest and post-harvest processing. The main coffee by-product is the dried fruit skin and pulp, popularly known as cascara. To date, no studies have evaluated the potential bioactivity of coffee cascara kombucha. In this study, we aimed to measure and compare the effects of infusions and kombuchas made with arabica coffee cascaras (n = 2) and black tea leaves (n = 1), fermented for 0, 3, 6, and 9 days on the intracellular production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Nitric Oxide (NO) in model cells. Oxidative stress was induced in HK-2 cells with indoxyl sulfate (IS) and high glucose (G). Inflammation was induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 macrophage. The contents of phenolic compounds, caffeine, and other physicochemical parameters were evaluated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study providing information on the bioactive profile and on the potential biological effects of coffee cascara kombucha. Fermentation caused the release of bound phenolic compounds from the infusions, especially total chlorogenic acids, with an average increase from 5.4 to 10.7 mg/100 mL (98%) and 2.6–3.4 mg/100 mL (30%) in coffee cascara and black tea kombucha, respectively, up to day 9. All evaluated beverages reduced (p < 0.0001) similarly the intracellular ROS (41% reduction, on average) and uric acid (10–55%) concentrations in HK-2 model cells, reversing the induced oxidative stress. All beverages also reduced (p < 0.0001, 81–90%) NO formation in LPS-induced macrophages, exhibiting an anti-inflammato

This study aimed to verify the effect of different feeding and stocking conditions during 14 days on the gene expression of several hormones and enzymes related to the stress cascade and metabolic parameters in silver catfish Rhamdia quelen under the following experimental conditions: 1) fed at low stocking density (2.5 kg m-3, LSD-F); 2) fed at high stocking density (32 kg m-3, HSD-F); 3) food-deprived at LSD (LSD-FD); and 4) food-deprived at HSD (HSD-FD). Fish from LSD-F and HSD-F groups were fed daily (1 % of their body mass), while fish from food-deprived groups (LSD-FD and HSD-FD) were not fed during the experimental time. Plasma metabolic parameters (glucose, lactate, triglycerides, and proteins) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) were evaluated. In addition, mRNA expression of genes related to the stress axis (crh, pomca, pomcb, nr3c2, star, hsd11b2 and hsd20b), heat shock protein family (hsp90 and hspa12a), sodium-dependent noradrenaline transporter (slc6a2), and growth axis (gh and igf1) were also assessed. Specific growth rate and HSI decreased in food-deprived fish regardless of stocking density. The HSD-FD group showed weight loss compared to the HSD-F, LSD-F, and LSD-FD groups. Plasma glucose and triglycerides were reduced in food-deprived groups, while lactate and protein levels did not change. The expression of key players of the stress response (crh, pomca, pomcb, hsd11b2, nr3c2, and hsp90b) and growth (gh and igf1) pathways were differently regulated depending on the experimental condition, whereas no statistical difference between treatments was found for hsd20b, scl6a2, hspa12a, and star mRNAs expression. This study suggests that LSD acts as a stressor affecting negatively the physiological status of fed fish, as demonstrated by the reduction in growth rates, altered metabolic orchestration, and a higher crh mRNA expression. In addition, food deprivation also increased mRNA expression of other assessed genes (nr3c2, hsp90b, pomca, and pomcb) in fish fr

Vertical total electron content (VTEC) has great importance in describing the ionosphere. VTEC values are commonly distributed in regular grids by means of so-called global ionospheric maps (GIMs) and regional ionospheric maps (RIMs). Although considerable research has been conducted to develop regional and global models, there is no clear understanding of the benefits of using RIMs over GIMs. Aiming to contribute to this discussion, our investigation presents a comparison between seven global and regional ionospheric maps considering two approaches: (a) ionosonde data-based assessment and (b) global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) positioning assessment. A challenging low latitude ionosphere scenario, the Brazilian region, was selected during a week with an active geomagnetic storm. The assessment results with ionosonde data have shown better performance of the RIM products named OTHR and OTRG. Among the global products, CODG and UQRG have shown the best performances. The worst results were obtained with the RIM named Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais. The assessment with GNSS positioning led to larger and noisier errors close to the equatorial anomaly. Two of the analyzed RIMs presented expected large errors in stations at the edges of the coverage area. To overcome this issue, a hybrid product was proposed to extend the RIM covered region. The proposed hybrid product (OTRG) presented the best results in the GNSS positioning domain.

We present a chemodynamical study of the Triangulum–Andromeda overdensity (TriAnd) employing a sample of 31 candidate stars observed with the GRACES high-resolution (R = 40,000) spectrograph at the Gemini North (8.1 m) telescope. TriAnd is a stellar substructure found toward the outer disk of the Milky Way, located at RGC ∼ 18 kpc from the Sun, toward Galactic latitude b ∼ 25°. Most stars in our sample have dynamical properties compatible with a disk stellar population. In addition, by applying an eccentricity cut, we are able to detect a stellar contamination that seems to be consistent with an accreted population. In chemical abundance space, the majority of our TriAnd candidates are similar to the outer thin-disk population, suggesting that the overdensity has an in situ origin. Finally, the found accreted halo interlopers spatially overlapping with TriAnd should explain the historical discussion of the overdensity's nature due to its complex chemical patterns.

In this work, we study the phase-space and chemical properties of the Sagittarius (Sgr) stream, the tidal tails produced by the ongoing destruction of the Sgr dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy, focusing on its very metal-poor (VMP; [Fe/H] < −2) content. We combine spectroscopic and astrometric information from SEGUE and Gaia EDR3, respectively, with data products from a new large-scale run of the StarHorse spectrophotometric code. Our selection criteria yield ∼1600 stream members, including >200 VMP stars. We find the leading arm (b > 0°) of the Sgr stream to be more metal-poor, by ∼0.2 dex, than the trailing one (b < 0°). With a subsample of turnoff and subgiant stars, we estimate this substructure's stellar population to be ∼1 Gyr older than the thick disk's. With the aid of an N-body model of the Sgr system, we verify that simulated particles stripped earlier (>2 Gyr ago) have present-day phase-space properties similar to lower metallicity stream stars. Conversely, those stripped more recently (<2 Gyr) are preferentially akin to metal-rich ([Fe/H] > −1) members of the stream. Such correlation between kinematics and chemistry can be explained by the existence of a dynamically hotter, less centrally concentrated, and more metal-poor population in Sgr dSph prior to its disruption, implying that this galaxy was able to develop a metallicity gradient before its accretion. Finally, we identified several carbon-enhanced metal-poor ([C/Fe] > +0.7 and [Fe/H] ≤ −1.5) stars in the Sgr stream, which might be in tension with current observations of its remaining core where such objects are not found.

Magnetic fields are observed in massive Ap/Bp stars and are presumably present in the radiative zone of solar-like stars. To date, there is no clear understanding of the dynamics of the magnetic field in stably stratified layers. A purely toroidal magnetic field configuration is known to be unstable, developing mainly non-axisymmetric modes. Rotation and a poloidal field component may lead to stabilization. Here we perform global MHD simulations with the EULAG-MHD code to explore the evolution of a toroidal magnetic field located in a layer whose Brunt-Väisälä frequency resembles the lower solar tachocline. Our numerical experiments allow us to explore the initial unstable phase as well as the long-term evolution of such field. During the first Alfven cycles, we observe the development of the Tayler instability with the prominent longitudinal wavenumber, m = 1. Rotation decreases the growth rate of the instability and eventually suppresses it. However, after a stable phase, energy surges lead to the development of higher-order modes even for fast rotation. These modes extract energy from the initial toroidal field. Nevertheless, our results show that sufficiently fast rotation leads to a lower saturation energy of the unstable modes, resulting in a magnetic topology with only a small fraction of poloidal field, which remains steady for several hundreds of Alfven traveltimes. The system then becomes turbulent and the field is prone to turbulent diffusion. The final toroidal–poloidal configuration of the magnetic field may represent an important aspect of the field generation and evolution in stably stratified layers.

Heavy metal pollutants are of great concern to environmental monitoring due to their potent toxicity. Electrochemical detection, one of the main techniques, is hindered by the mutual interferences of various heavy metal ions in practical use. In particular, the sensitivity of carbon electrodes to Cd2+ ions (one of the most toxic heavy metals) is often overshadowed by some heavy metals (e.g. Pb2+ and Cu2+). To mitigate interference, metallic particles/films (e.g. Hg, Au, Bi, and Sn) typically need to be embedded in the carbon electrodes. However, these additional metallic materials may face issues of secondary pollution and unsustainability. In this study, a metal-free and sustainable nanomaterial, namely cysteamine covalently functionalized graphene (GSH), was found to lead to a 6-fold boost in the Cd2+ sensitivity of the screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE), while the sensitivities to Pb2+ and Cu2+ were not influenced in simultaneous detection. The selective enhancement could be attributed to the grafted thiols on GSH sheets with good affinity to Cd2+ ions based on Pearson's hard and soft acid and base principle. More intriguingly, the GSH-modified SPCE (GSH-SPCE) featured high reusability with extended cycling times (23 times), surpassing the state-of-art SPCEs modified by non-covalently functionalized graphene derivatives. Last, the GSH-SPCE was validated in tap water.

The orbital magnetoelectric effect (OME) generically refers to the appearance of an orbital magnetization induced by an applied electric field. Here, we show that nanoribbons of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with zigzag edges may exhibit a sizable OME activated by an electric field applied along the ribbons' axis. We examine nanoribbons extracted from a monolayer (1L) and a bilayer (2L) of MoS 2 in the trigonal structural phase. Transverse profiles of the induced orbital angular momentum accumulations are calculated to first order in the longitudinally applied electric field. Our results show that close to the nanoribbon's edge-state crossings energy, the orbital angular momentum accumulations take place mainly around the ribbons' edges. They have two contributions: one arising from the orbital Hall effect (OHE) and the other consisting in the OME. The former is transversely antisymmetric with respect to the principal axis of the nanoribbon, whereas the latter is symmetric and hence responsible for the resultant orbital magnetization induced in the system. We found that the orbital accumulation originating from the OHE for the 1L nanoribbon is approximately half that of a 2L nanoribbon. Furthermore, while the OME can reach fairly high values in 1L-TMD nanoribbons, it vanishes in the 2L ones that preserve spatial inversion symmetry. The microscopic features that justify our findings are also discussed.