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A comprehensive review of the non-timber forest product (NTFP) sector from 1980 to 2022 was undertaken. The study employed a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology, incorporating explicit keywords. The results indicate that NTFPs underwent significant evolution, including research and development changes, particularly following the Rio de Janeiro summit. Most published research originated from the United States, accounting for 24% of the total; Brazil and India each contributed 10% of the published research. We included 316 potential research items: 262 articles, 19 book chapters, 27 review articles, and eight conference papers. The review analysis highlighted that NTFPs are crucial in meeting food requirements, obtaining specific medicinal resources, and acquiring material inputs for rural households, serving as a safety net during agrarian distress. NTFPs play a crucial role in promoting the development of the bio-economy. In low- and high-income nations with abundant bio-resources, NTFP value chains are increasingly pertinent for generating revenue, enhancing livelihoods, and reducing poverty in forest dependent communities. Further, the analysis emphasized that NTFP consumption, utilization, and sales occur at the household level, and its comprehensive assessment is challenging, leading to the need for a reevaluation of approaches that include value chain analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to understand the tensions inherent to the commemoration of a difficult and conflicted past and the conservation of dissonant heritage. It explores the politics of memory and identity, and the power struggles that underscore the heritagisation process through a study of the transformation of Rio de Janeiro's port in preparation to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. The paper uses the notion of heritage dissonance to shed light upon contemporary struggles over the interpretation of the port's contested history and explores the debates that have surrounded the 'discovery' of archeological remains, which exposed a controversial past marked by collective amnesia. The paper identifies various actions, instruments, and strategies used by various actors to either support or undermine the project, from inertia and obstructionism to memorialisation and ritual agency. The analysis of these findings reveals the transformative potential of heritage, as an instrument of empowerment in the ideological battle over collective memory, and a tool of resistance against historical denial. It discusses the way debates over heritage have stimulated public debate, inflected the official historical narrative, and allowed the legacies of slavery to infiltrate collective consciousness. The paper concludes with a discussion of how heritage dissonance can engender actions leading to conflict mediation, thereby promoting reconciliation and dialogue, and, ultimately, societal change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sport mega-events (SMEs) remake cities as global brandscapes of leisured consumption; reliant in part upon securitization designed to create an atmosphere free from disturbance and render invisible those "abject" populations who might puncture the tourist bubble that surrounds stadia and fan-zones. Yet, such "shiny" cityspaces are not devoid of complexity, contestation, and compunction. In this paper, we draw on extensive ethnographic- and community-based participatory research in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (prior to, during, and after two SMEs) collected in collaboration with sex workers, working in areas of SME intervention. Our focus is on the contingent nature of securitization amidst the contested terrains and trajectories of SME urbanism. Our analysis resonates with observations from other host cities, challenging dominant myths that the sport mega-event creates impermeable securitized cityscapes by revealing the fluid topography of formality and informality, contestation and negotiation, and oppression and power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the Santos Basin Underwater Soundscape Monitoring Project (PMPAS-BS), a Brazilian ocean soundscape monitoring initiative. The main objective of the project is to quantify and assess hydroacoustic noise of anthropogenic origin in a large sedimentary basin extending from 23° S to 28° S on the southeastern Brazilian continental margin of the South Atlantic Ocean. Noise associated with oil and gas (O&G) exploration and production activities is the primary target, but this oceanic region also has busy shipping lanes for commercial, military, and fishing vessels. The two main hubs of Brazil’s export and import of goods by sea are located in this region: Santos and Rio de Janeiro ports. The project has three measurement components: mobile monitoring based on gliders and drifting acoustic profilers, fixed shallow-water monitoring based on acoustic measurements at coastal stations near shipping lanes associated with exploration and production activities in the Santos Basin, and fixed oceanic monitoring based on deep-water mooring lines equipped with passive autonomous acoustic recorders near production units, shipping lanes, and areas with lower intensity of O&G activities (pristine or reference sites). Numerical modeling of anthropogenic underwater acoustic noise has also been included as a fourth project component. The PMPAS-BS covers an area of more than 251,000 km² and uses several instruments with different methods and sensors for acoustic measurements. Its results provide current sound levels over a very large region of the western South Atlantic, both in areas more and less affected by anthropogenic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The governments' isolation measures to contain the transmission of COVID-19 imposed a dilemma for the people at the bottom of the pyramid. Since these people have very unreliable sources of income, a dilemma arises: they must either work under risky conditions or refrain from work and suffer from income cuts. Emergency donations of food and cleaning supplies in a pandemic context might be overlooked by government and civil society actors. This paper aims to model the effects of donations on mitigating the negative effects of COVID-19 on vulnerable communities. Applying the system dynamics method, we simulated the behaviour of the pandemic in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) communities and the impacts that donations of food and cleaning supplies have in these settings. We administered surveys to the beneficiaries and local organisations responsible for the final distribution of donations to gather information from the field operations. The results show that increasing access to cleaning supplies in communities through donations can significantly reduce coronavirus transmission, particularly in high-density and low-resource areas, such as slums in urban settings. In addition, we also show that food donations can increase the vulnerable population's ability to afford necessities, alleviating the stress caused by the pandemic on this portion of the population. Therefore, this work helps decision-makers (such as government and non-governmental organisations) understand the impacts of donations on controlling outbreaks, especially under COVID-19 conditions, in a low-resource environment and, thus, aid these hard-to-reach populations in a pandemic setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Past mining activities in northwestern Mexico have left a large number of abandoned mine tailings deposits, such as in San Felipe de Jesus, Sonora, that is known to be transferring metal(oid)s to nearby agricultural fields. Given the risk and the need to implement mitigation measures, in this paper, we describe the results of two experiments evaluating the phytostabilization potential of five plant species collected in the area. Methods: We evaluated the assisted phytostabilization approach using compost and nutrients and the soil capping approach using combinations of soil, gravel, clay, and tailings layers. Results: The assisted experiment revealed that seedlings were unable to establish under unamended treatments and only Ricinus communis showed potential under this approach. Compost and nutrients reduced the accumulation of As, Pb, Mn, and Zn in leaves of R. communis, but some were above the maximum tolerable levels for domestic animals. Under the capping approach, R. communis also showed better performance under some combinations of soil, gravel, and tailings layers than the other species. The accumulation of As, Pb, and Mn in leaves was below the maximum tolerable levels for domestic animals, indicating that soil capping has greater potential in this abandoned tailing deposit. Conclusion: The capping approach has more phytostabilization potential than the use of amendments, reducing the risk of incorporating metal(oid)s in the trophic web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a debate anchored in a dialogue between concepts of insurgent planning and humane urbanism and the idea of a subaltern urbanism through the lens of a critical reflection on the role of city-building professionals. The paper explores the idea of an insurgent urbanism as a collaborative praxis of city design and development that arises from the protagonism of marginalised communities and the accumulative knowledge of social movements, activists and scholars. It focuses on three different learning dimensions based on the experience of teaching/research actions developed at a self-organised squat in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between 2018 and 2022. Dialoguing with ideas of social learning, it shows that these practices have created a relevant exchange of different types of knowledge and have contributed to the development of other solutions that challenge the hegemonic and neoliberal city production and can therefore be seen as alternatives for the development of more egalitarian and imaginative futures that expand beyond the context of squats in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since being selected to host the 2016 Olympic Games, numerous studies have addressed the legacy of the event in Rio de Janeiro. The significance and sensitivity of the issues raised, namely the displacement of favela residents, has raised serious questions during and immediately after the Games about whether mega-events are fundamentally worthwhile. This paper revisits the topic and shares the findings of four focus groups reflecting non-favela youths’ thoughts about the Games after years. The findings show that while many still have positive attitude to few aspects of the Olympic Games, social justice issues significantly adversely affected respondents’ views of the event’s legacy. Some believe that discrimination continues a long-standing trend in the city, exacerbated by the Games. We believe that the International Olympic Committee always needs a Plan B if things do not work correctly in the host city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: Ventriculo-peritoneal shunt is the gold standard for non-obstructive hydrocephalus. Despite advances in material, infection prevention, and valve technologies, failure can still occur. The aim of this article is to present a comprehensive study based on the experience of a reference center in pediatric neurosurgery in Rio de Janeiro with the use of the ventriculo-gallbladder shunt as an alternative to peritoneal failure. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2023 of patients diagnosed with cerebrospinal fluid shunt dysfunction due to peritoneal failure and submitted to ventriculo-gallbladder shunt as an alternative in a reference center of Rio de Janeiro. Results: From 2018 to 2023, 18 peritoneal failures were diagnosed. Among them, 10 patients (55.5%) were selected for ventriculo-gallbladder shunt (VGS). Different causes were responsible for the hydrocephalus in these patients. VGS was placed at a mean age of 35.4 months. Four patients had temporary complications: 2 self-limited diarrheas in the first month and 2 shunt infections. After the resolution of the infection, a new VGS was placed successfully. The average follow-up was 18.8 months (follow-up 9–68 months) without further issues. Conclusion: VGS is a viable option for patients facing peritoneal failure. This paper provides valuable insights into the surgical technique and outcomes associated with this alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensors and actuators frequently encounter unexpected deviations from their optimal operating conditions, making their reliability an essential topic in many electric motor drives. In this paper, a comparison of structured residual synthesis methods for actuator and sensor additive fault detection and isolation (FDI) in a permanent magnet (PM) DC motor, applying two different approaches to the design of primary residuals, is presented. The first method involves a standard approach and is based on system transfer matrix synthesis. The second, more convenient approach involves the synthesis of primary residuals based on the analysis of subsystems that describe the observed system. Both methods are applicable for linear and time-invariant (LTI) systems but were successfully applied to a laboratory system that shows nonlinear behavior, time-variant properties, and is affected by a constant disturbance, thanks to the proposed technique of residual translation with the previous design of internal residuals. With the proposed method, all important performance characteristics of the residual generators such as fault sensitivity, reaction speed, and robustness are achieved. The technique can be applied to all mechatronic systems in general, whose behavior can be with satisfactory accuracy described by an LTI model. Given the transfer functions and state-space model of the system in the presence of faults in the Z domain with reduced order, presented technique is computationally efficient for embedded systems. Also, in addition to fault detection and isolation, the system can identify faults by analyzing fault sensitivities, nominal faults, and stationary residual values, making it superior for most FDI applications. A real-time experiment performed on a laboratory setup, which consists of a DC motor, an amplifier designed in the form of a linear electronic circuit, and a Compact RIO 9075 real-time processor is used to develop the FDI system, to generate residuals and confirm advantages of the proposed FDI technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments have led some philosophers to conclude that the reference determination of natural kind terms is neither simply descriptive nor simply causal‐historical. Various theories have been aired to account for this, including ambiguity, hybrid, and different‐idiolects theories. Devitt and Porter (2021) hypothesized that some terms are covered by one theory, some another, with a place for all the proposed theories. The present paper tests hypotheses that the term 'Rio de Janeiro Myrtle' is simply causal‐historical but the term 'rice' is hybrid. For, whereas the former term is of scientific but little practical interest, the latter is not: rice is a significant part of the human diet. So, we predicted there would be two factors to the reference determination of 'rice': a superficial‐descriptive one and a deep‐causal one. Our experiments confirmed these hypotheses using the methods of elicited production and truth value judgments. We take our results to support the hybrid Theory of 'rice' rather than the ambiguity or different‐idiolects theory. We were not testing 'myrtle' but, surprisingly, our results implied that 'myrtle' was partly descriptive and so like 'rice' but not 'Rio de Janeiro Myrtle'. A follow‐up experiment confirmed these puzzling results. More investigation is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the possibility of reading Rio's gun battles, or tiroteios, as events that produce meaning, order, and opportunities for profit and extraction, rather than as episodes of chaos and disorder. Shootouts in Rio are recurring incidents entwined with the particular historical trajectory of Rio's informal and illicit markets of different sorts – drugs, weapons, infrastructure, and security. I attempt to show how this intertwining, over time, has produced this atmosphere of war that spreads well beyond the sites where shootouts frequently occur. In the concluding section I discuss how ongoing, citizen‐based efforts at quantifying shootouts produce accumulated knowledge and maps that show us that this overarching structure allows the milícias to advance their territories over areas of the city that were free of these militarised spatial routines. I conclude by suggesting that this war 'yet to end' produces a constellation that fosters the continuity of Rio's shootouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates candidates' journey to being selected as a volunteer for the Rio2016 Games. Drawing on Actor–Network Theory, the research tracked the sociomaterial practices undertaken by candidates to become volunteers and sought to identify the actors that participate in these practices and the role the latter played in facilitating a positive (or negative) experience. A postmodern ethnography provided the basis to critically analyse candidates' experiences in applying for a volunteer role at the Games. Data were collected via internet sites, email communications, a volunteer Facebook page, interviews with volunteers (N = 17) and official Rio 2016 documents. The journey to volunteering at Rio 2016 comprised sociomaterial practices that impacted the volunteer candidate's progression (or lack thereof) through the journey to volunteering. These were qualifying as a candidate, Waiting for 'Godot', Being rejected and Getting the 'passport' to the Games. This research presents a practice-based conceptualisation of volunteer candidates' journey to selection. The findings demonstrate the centrality of sociomaterial practices in volunteer recruitment and the importance of an effective human and non-human interface. Flexible approaches to volunteer recruitment and selection that consider the diversity of interactions of actors involved can be profitably deployed to facilitate a good candidate experience and minimise the stress, tension and communication issues that potential volunteers face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed many market changes, driven partially by new consumer needs. In the electronic commerce field, changes occurred in parallel to an upsurge in demand, directly impacting logistics service quality. Within that context, this paper seeks a way of assessing the quality of e-commerce logistics, based on end-customer perceptions at the close of the purchasing cycle. The objective is thus to develop a mathematical model based on the artificial intelligence precepts that can interpret qualitative expressions captured through a questionnaire. Such values form partial indexes and the E-Commerce Logistics Quality Index (IQLE). After processing 180 records, it was noted that three of the seven analyzed attributes scored below 5.0, denoting some concern, but also opening up opportunities for improvement and the development of marketing solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employing the example of ECOWAS' reaction to the military coup in Niger, this article offers a fresh appraisal of the relationship between RIO s and the UN within the universal collective security system which is – once again – largely paralysed by geopolitics. Departing from an analysis of the channels available to RIO s to engage with the UN in a rapidly unfolding regional crisis, this paper argues that the UN primarily perceives RIO s as mediators and peace facilitators. This is driven by RIO s' often advantageous position due to their knowledge of local dynamics and their particularly strong interest in securing peace in their own neighbourhoods. However, UN-RIO cooperation in peacekeeping is not without tension and RIO s' use of military force without the targeted State's consent or SC authorisation is seemingly at odds with the UN Charter. However, the UNSC's ambiguous practice regarding Chapter-VIII authorisations may allow future developments involving RIO s without opening the door to their full autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ride-hailing services can expand access to opportunities in urban areas, but out-of-pocket costs may limit its benefits for low-income individuals. This paper examines how ride-hailing shapes spatial and socioeconomic differences in access to opportunities while accounting for the trade-off between travel time and monetary costs. Using one year of aggregate Uber trip data for Rio de Janeiro in 2019 and a new multi-objective routing algorithm, we analyze the potential for ride-hailing services to improve employment accessibility when used as a standalone transportation mode and in conjunction with transit as a first-mile connection. We find that, compared to transit, standalone ride-hailing can significantly expand accessibility as a standalone mode for short trips, and as a first-mile feeder to transit in trips longer than 30 min. However, the accessibility benefits of ride-hailing accrue mostly to high-income groups due to affordability barriers. These findings suggest that policy efforts to integrate rideshare with transit are likely not going to benefit low-income communities without some form of subsidized fare discounts to alleviate affordability barriers. The paper also highlights how accounting for trade-offs between travel-time and monetary costs can importantly influence the results of transportation accessibility and equity studies. • We examine how ride-hailing shapes access to opportunities as a standalone mode and when combined with transit as a first-mile feeder service • We use multi-objective optimization routing to calculate accessibility while accounting for the trade-off between travel time and monetary costs • Compared to transit, ride-hailing significantly expands accessibility as a standalone mode for shorter trips (up to 40 min.), and as a first-mile feeder to transit in trips longer than 30 min. • When we account for different affordability thresholds, the accessibility benefits of ride-hailing services accrue mostly to high-income groups • The study shows that accounting for trade-offs between travel-time and monetary costs can importantly influence the results of transportation accessibility and equity studies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To verify whether the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the safety climate based on the perception of the multiprofessional team in the operating room and to analyze the domains of the safety climate during the pre-pandemic and pandemic period of COVID-19, demonstrating the intersections of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Methods: Mixed-method research using a convergent approach strategy, carried out in the operating room of a university hospital, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The nature of the quantitative phase was cross-sectional, and the nature of the qualitative phase was descriptive. We used the Pillar Integration Process to integrate the data. This research considered the pre-pandemic period was defined as before March 2020 and for the pandemic period, the 2nd and 3rd global waves. Research was approved by the institution's board management and ethics committee. Results: 145 health professionals participated in the quantitative approach, and 20 in the qualitative approach. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was highlighted in the domains 'Perceived stress' (p-value = 0.017); 'Working conditions' (p-value = 0.040). Six categories emerged from the qualitative analysis, namely: Stress and professional performance due to COVID-19; Patient safety protocols in the operating room; Responsibility for patient safety, lack of effective communication and performance feedback; Biosafety of the professional staff in the operating room; Security culture maturity; Fair culture, organizational learning, and reporting mistakes. As a result of the data integration, 6 pillars were identified: Perception of communication in the operating room; Evolution of safety culture; Overview of protocol management and implementation; Fair organizational culture; Perception of stress due to COVID-19; Perception of professional performance due to COVID-19. Conclusions: The impact that COVID-19 had on the safety climate in the operating room is evident. It underlines the need to implement strategies that support the solidification of attitudes aimed at patient safety, even in emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Recurrent fire leads to degraded rainforest (DRf) and herbaceous-shrubby (HS). • Ksat and 6 years of rainfall-soil suction interactions are analyzed. • HS provide shallow soil saturation even during long dry periods. • Fire decreases Ksat in topsoil and it increases soil suction in depth at HS. • Post-fire soil changes tend to favor rapid suction loss in the unsatured zone. The role of fire in vegetation-soil–water interactions and its implications for soil stability and slope failures is poorly documented in humid tropical regions. This paper focuses on the relationships between vegetation change through recurrent fire and its effects on hydraulic conductivity and soil suction. Two monitoring sites were chosen on steep slopes in the mountainous domain of the Atlantic rainforest: the first is representative of degraded secondary rainforest (DRf) 25–30 years after slash and burn agriculture; the other represents herbaceous-shrubby vegetation (HS) resulting from wildfires in short-time intervals (<5 years). Two fires had previously occurred on the HS slope, one in December 2014 and the other in September 2019. Continuous records of rainfall and soil suction at depths of 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, and 220 cm provided a 6-year data collection from January 2015 to December 2020. Hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) field tests were conducted around the two monitoring sites before and after the September 2019 fire. The main results include: a) soil suction in the topsoil of both vegetation covers follow the rainfall inputs with high values of Ksat (DRf = 195 mm/h; HS = 203 mm/h); b) while quick rainfall-suction responses prevail within the DRf soil profile, soil suction at HS maintains a mean suction value around -27 kPa below 100 cm deep; c) field observations attest to the occurrence of hydrophobicity after the 2019 fire; d) Ksat tests just after this fire indicated a decreasing mean value from 203 mm/h to 46 mm/h; and e) by the end of the dry season after fire, there is a delayed increase in soil suction reaching -143 kPa at a depth of 100 cm and in smaller proportions at 220 cm deep. These results indicate that post-fire soil changes tend to favor the sudden loss of soil stability and slope failure during extreme rainfall events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a comment on the paper "Spatio-temporal analysis of shoreline changes and future forecast using remote sensing, GIS and Kalman filter model: A case study of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil". Results obtained by Palanisamy et al. (2023) differ from other works on the coastline of Rio de Janeiro. Images from the Landsat 1–3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) satellite and Landsat 5–9 images were inappropriately used in the detailing to delimit the shoreline variations. The lack of information about tides and waves at the time of image acquisition compromised the research results. Oceanographic - meteorological data relating to the month, day and time of the satellite's passage are fundamental in studies of this nature. These forcings are capable of temporarily modifying the morphology and position of coastline. The article proposed by Palanisamy et al. (2023) underestimated the rates of accretion and coastal erosion along the coastline of Rio de Janeiro city by neglecting the issues addressed here. • Results obtained by Palanisamy et al. (2023)on the shoreline variations in Rio de Janeiro city are questioned here. • Methodological procedures used to delimit the historical shoreline variations of Rio de Janeiro city presented inconsistencies. • Results obtained by Palanisamy et al. (2023) on the shoreline of Rio de Janeiro city are incompatibles with other work carried out in the study area. • Comments presented here aim to contribute to the evolution of knowledge about the coastal erosion process (geological hazard) on the shoreline of Rio de Janeiro - Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An approach involving data on wave-induced sediment transport estimates is essential for managing coastal environments. Numerical models are powerful tools to understand and investigate many processes responsible for longshore sediment transport (LST) in a systematic way, since direct measurement of LST is a difficult task. This paper presents estimates of longshore sediment transport through numerical modeling of wave-induced sediment dispersion patterns in the Formosa Bay, State of Rio de Janeiro - Southeast Brazil. The analysis was conducted using the computational package Coastal Modeling System/SMC-Brazil and mathematical formulations proposed by Cerc (1984). The results suggest average residual solid discharge (Qsr avg) in the order of 131,442.745 m3/yr in northern sector, −151,908.32 m3/yr in central sector, and 71,987.69 m3/yr in southern sector of investigated area. In addition, it is important to highlight that minor variations in the wave incidence angle may cause changes in the longshore sediment drift, promoting the convergence and divergence zones throughout the investigated area. The results presented contribute to the advancement of knowledge on the topic addressed here and will be useful in future engineering projects related to beach nourishment and the management of coastal areas subject to erosion processes. • Data are presented on simulations of wave-induced longshore sediment transport rates in Baia Formosa Bay, southeastern Brazil. • The Coastal Modeling System SMC/Brazil were used. • Results suggest different solid outflow rates for each sector of investigated area. • The model may provide a basis for planning actions and environmental management in coastal zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is based on an investigation into the Brazilian anti-doping policy, with a specific focus on the establishment and operational mechanisms of the Brazilian Doping Control Authority (ABCD), under the auspices of the Ministry of Sport (ME). The objective was to describe how Brazilian national policy (general political decisions, interests of parties or particular politicians/agents) affects the fight against doping and, vice versa, how the harmonization process controlled by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) affects national sports policy. A multi-sited ethnographic study was undertaken, involving field diary practices, interviews and document analysis. Adopting the perspective of pragmatic sociology, this study delves into the descriptions of three key periods in the recent history of anti-doping in Brazil: the creation of ABCD and the dissolution of ANAD (National Anti-Doping Agency), the realization of the first 100 anti-doping tests by the ABCD (critical period for its members who managed to keep away ex-officers from ANAD) and the impeachment of the Brazilian president in 2016 (ex-officers from ANAD took over the direction of the ABCD). Our analysis allowed us to conclude that 'diverting others from decision-making spheres' comprised a political strategy to occupy spaces of power or to stabilize itself in them, which, in this case, allowed the control of anti-doping actions in the country. Local protagonists tried to make use of international injunctions and pressure or local political events to achieve these goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report the first isolation of Hanseniaspora opuntiae obtained from four pregnant women in Brazil. Clinical isolates were obtained from four samples taken between 35 and 37 gestational weeks, as part of the routine antenatal care for maternal colonization screening for Streptococcus agalactiae group B. The patients were immunocompetent, with two of them diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus. Species identification was performed by MALDI-TOF MS and rDNA sequencing. While Hanseniaspora species have not traditionally been considered a typical opportunist pathogen, our findings emphasize the importance of investigating and screening for Hanseniaspora in pregnant populations, highlighting H. opuntiae as a potential agent of human infections. [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]

Seeded bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) cultivars are a popular choice for many athletic fields and golf course areas throughout the transition zone and southern United States, but the nitrogen (N) needs to optimize turf coverage are not well defined, and N is likely often applied in excess of actual plant needs. A field study was conducted to compare a controlled release versus readily soluble N‐source, total N‐rate, and application frequency for seeded bermudagrass establishment on a native soil in the northern transition zone. 'Rio' bermudagrass was seeded in June 2020 and 2021 to evaluate eight granular N‐fertilizer programs using either ammonium sulfate or polymer‐coated urea (PCU). Total N ranged from 0.0 to 6.0 lb N 1,000 ft−2 among three application frequencies, including applications only at planting (PCU only), or applications at planting with repeat applications every 7 or 14 days following bermudagrass germination. Time to 50% green coverage ranged from 20 to 24 and 23 to 30 days in Year 1 and 2, respectively, and varied by N‐program. Applying PCU at planting, 2 lb N 1,000 ft−2, resulted in similar number of days to 90% green coverage compared with other fertilization programs in both study years but with less overall N and fewer applications. These results indicate that applying more than 3 lb N 1,000 ft−2 over the first 60 days of establishment provided no measurable benefit in terms of time to maximum turf coverage. Plain Language Summary: Bermudagrass is a popular choice for many turfgrass areas; however, there is limited information regarding the optimal establishment nitrogen (N) requirements for seeded bermudagrasses. A 2‐year field study was conducted in West Lafayette, IN, to determine the optimal grow‐in N establishment program for a seeded bermudagrass cultivar using two N sources and variable application rates and frequencies. Eight grow‐in granular N‐fertilization programs were evaluated which varied by N‐source, application rate, and frequency. Based on the results of this study, the application of 2.0 to 3.0 lb N 1,000 ft−2 during the first 60 days after planting was sufficient to maximize seedling establishment on a silt‐loam soil when seeded in the northern transition zone. Further, this amount of N did not result in excessive canopy growth rate, which would necessitate increased mowing requirements, increased establishment costs, and potentially cause injurious mechanical damage to young seedling plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil's favela residents have long challenged the dominant media and social narrative that has described them by employing discourses of criminality. That prevailing, and discriminatory, view obscures the complex and multifaceted character, dynamism, and individual and collective agency of these communities' populations. This article examines the work of Redes da Maré, a civil society organization that offers cultural spaces for community-based creation and diffusion of the arts in its namesake favela. We employ the concepts of the social imaginary as well as individual and collective agency to investigate whether and in what ways this nongovernmental organization (NGO), which has adopted a cultural development approach, encourages participants' democratic attitudes and behaviors at the organizational and community level by fostering participation in the development process and offering a platform for the expression of the voices of those it engages. Our analysis is based on interviews with organizers and participants of Redes' arts program and its Free Dance School of Maré and on a review of relevant events in Maré's Arts Center. This inquiry contributes to a more nuanced view of the roles the arts can play in encouraging democratic agency and possibility among favela citizens despite adverse political and social conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulation of protein synthesis is a key factor in hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and differentiation. Rio-kinase 2 (RIOK2) is a ribosome biogenesis factor that has recently been described an important regulator of human blood cell development. Additionally, we have previously identified RIOK2 as a regulator of protein synthesis and a potential target for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, its functional relevance in several organ systems, including normal hematopoiesis, is not well understood. Here, we investigate the consequences of RIOK2 loss on normal hematopoiesis using two different conditional knockout mouse models. Using competitive and non-competitive bone marrow transplantations, we demonstrate that RIOK2 is essential for the differentiation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) as well as for the maintenance of fully differentiated blood cells in vivo as well as in vitro. Loss of RIOK2 leads to rapid death in full-body knockout mice as well as mice with RIOK2 loss specific to the hematopoietic system. Taken together, our results indicate that regulation of protein synthesis and ribosome biogenesis by RIOK2 is essential for the function of the hematopoietic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ocean economy is becoming more than ever a key to job creation, value addition, and sustainable development of countries and regions. Given the growth of the world population and the pressure on onshore resources, the demand for marine resource exploration and maritime activities is growing, leading to different policies around the world. In the case of Brazil, a country with an extensive coastline, there are still few public policies and official definitions/data capable of fostering the ocean economy. Hence, this paper aims to map the sectors of the ocean economy of the state of Rio de Janeiro (SRJ), highlighting its potential for recovery of the local economic dynamics. To this end, the methodology considers the economic sectors that present a direct influence from the sea, encompassing 89 economic activities that were divided into 6 sectors. The treatment, cleaning, graphics, and maps created from R 4.2.2 used the following packages: tidyverse, basedosdados, paletteer, ggthemes, systemfonts, ggtext, sf, geobr. 2021 is the base year for the data, which used two main official Brazilian bases: Annual Social Information Report (RAIS) and tax data from the Internal Revenue Service, compiled by Datalake Neoway. Among the main results, we highlight the relevance of the service sector, particularly those related to the oil and gas industry (P&G) and tourism. • The ocean economy should be taken as a vector of sustainable development in Brazil. • Promoting the ocean economy requires a reformulation of public policies. • There are many industries and stakeholders involved in SRJ's ocean economy. • Like other countries, the service sector stands out in SRJ's ocean economy. • Despite its informality, tourism generates more jobs in SRJ's ocean economy. [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]

Andrade, H.A.A.; Rodrigues, F.C.G.; Fletcher, C.H.; Casey, G., and Giannini, P.C.F., 2024. Winter sedimentology and morphology of the Maçambaba beach–foredune system, SE Brazil. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(2), 338–352. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. The Maçambaba Holocene coastal barrier and dune system in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, is located immediately west of an abrupt orientation change from SW-NE to W-E on the SE Brazilian coastline. The eolian deposits are formed by winds from the SW, associated with polar air masses advancing in austral winter, and winds from the NE, associated with summer monsoon and upwelling intensification. The active beach–foredune system consists of intermediate reflective beaches and ramp incipient foredunes in the western (km 0–km 14) and central (km 15–km 35) sectors of the barrier and intermediate to dissipative beaches with more common ridge incipient foredunes in the eastern sector (km 36–km 48). This pattern from W to E indicates a change in the beach–foredune system from a more erosional regime with lower sand supply in the west to a more depositional setting in the east. Measured at the swash line, winter mean grain size fines and granulometric sorting increases from W to E, evidence of a net longshore drift in this direction. The increase in eolian sand supply toward the east favors sand reworking by SW (onshore) winds in the winter; consequently, coastal dunes are well developed in this sector. Overwash processes frequently develop where eolian deflation favors marine inundation during winter swell events. After their formation, washover fans are typically reworked by reverse winds from the NE (offshore) in austral summer. Throughout the entire barrier system, seasonal shifts in both swell orientation and wind direction are dominant climatic factors determining the development of washover fans, blowouts, and parabolic dunes with opposing migration directions. Investigating the effect of this climatic seasonality on the beach–foredune system is critical to understanding coastal response to storm events and climatic variations on longer timescales. A barreira costeira holocênica de Maçambaba localiza-se no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Sudeste do Brasil, imediatamente a oeste de uma mudança abrupta de orientação na costa, de sudoeste-nordeste para oeste-leste. Os depósitos eólicos são formados pelos ventos de sudoeste, associados às massas de ar polar que avançam no inverno austral, e pelos ventos de nordeste, associados à monção de verão e à intensificação da ressurgência. Nos setores central e oeste da barreira, o sistema praia-duna ativo consiste em praias intermediárias refletivas e dunas frontais incipientes em rampa. No setor leste, ele é composto por praias intermediárias dissipativas e dunas frontais incipientes em cordão. A passagem de dunas frontais em rampa, na parte oeste da barreira, para dunas frontais dominantemente em cordão, na parte leste, indicam que o aporte de areia eólica é maior a leste que a oeste. Nas amostras coletadas no espraiamento, a seleção granulométrica melhora e o tamanho médio de grão diminui de oeste para leste, o que é sugestivo de transporte longitudinal de sedimentos nesse rumo. O crescimento do aporte sedimentar para leste aumenta o retrabalhamento eólico pelos ventos de sudoeste (onshore) no inverno, e consequentemente as dunas costeiras são melhor desenvolvidas no setor leste, incluindo a formação de rupturas de deflação (blowouts). Neste setor, processos de sobrelavagem costeira frequentemente se desenvolvem onde a deflação eólica favorece a inundação marinha durante eventos de swell no inverno. Após sua formação, os leques de sobrelavagem são geralmente retrabalhados pelos ventos reversos de nordeste (offshore) no verão austral. Na barreira como todo, mudanças sazonais na orientação do swell e na direção do vento são fatores climáticos dominantes que determinam o desenvolvimento e deposição de leques de sobrelavagem, blowouts e dunas parabólicas com direções de migração opostas. Investigar o efeito dessa sazonalidade climática no sistema praia-duna ativo é fundamental para entender a resposta costeira a eventos de tempestade e variações climáticas em escalas de tempo mais longas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses everyday spatial heritage practices in Rio de Janeiro's favelas. It focusses on the experiences of faveladas, Black and poor women residents of the favelas, as they build their houses and struggle for political memory in the city. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and photowalks conducted in 2011–2013 and 2018 with residents of the favelas of Pavão-Pavãozinho and Cantagalo (PPG), this article documents the insurgent heritage practices of 'women warriors' and analyses the ways in which these practices typify means of resistance to urban coloniality. I draw on theories by the Afro-Brazilian feminist scholars and activists Beatriz Nascimento on quilombos (maroon communities) and Lélia Gonzalez on 'Amefricanity', who recourse to black and indigenous women's Southern Atlantic experiences of oppression and forced migration and of resistance, to suggest the notion of 'Amefrican' heritage practices. The women warriors' spatial practices and resistance encompass curated favela heritage. They challenge prejudice against the favelas and Afro-Brazilians, thereby sustaining 'Amefrican' heritage practices and shaping Rio de Janeiro's cultural heritage and future, especially against contemporary processes of urban coloniality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The occurrence of adverse drug events (ADEs) during dapsone (DDS) treatment in patients with leprosy can constitute a significant barrier to the successful completion of the standardized therapeutic regimen for this disease. Well-known DDS-ADEs are hemolytic anemia, methemoglobinemia, hepatotoxicity, agranulocytosis, and hypersensitivity reactions. Identifying risk factors for ADEs before starting World Health Organization recommended standard multidrug therapy (WHO/MDT) can guide therapeutic planning for the patient. The objective of this study was to develop a predictive model for DDS-ADEs in patients with leprosy receiving standard WHO/MDT. Methodology: This is a case-control study that involved the review of medical records of adult (≥18 years) patients registered at a Leprosy Reference Center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The cohort included individuals that received standard WHO/MDT between January 2000 to December 2021. A prediction nomogram was developed by means of multivariable logistic regression (LR) using variables. The Hosmer–Lemeshow test was used to determine the model fit. Odds ratios (ORs) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. The predictive ability of the LRM was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: A total of 329 medical records were assessed, comprising 120 cases and 209 controls. Based on the final LRM analysis, female sex (OR = 3.61; 95% CI: 2.03–6.59), multibacillary classification (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.39–4.66), and higher education level (completed primary education) (OR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.14–3.47) were considered factors to predict ADEs that caused standard WHO/MDT discontinuation. The prediction model developed had an AUC of 0.7208, that is 72% capable of predicting DDS-ADEs. Conclusion: We propose a clinical model that could become a helpful tool for physicians in predicting ADEs in DDS-treated leprosy patients. Author summary: Adverse events (AE) produced by the drugs used to treat leprosy can hinder the successful completion of the therapeutic regimen. Well-known AE produced by dapsone (DDS) are related to liver problems, allergic reactions, or to the destruction of red and/or white blood cells, causing anemia. Helping the physician to recognize a patient that may develop these adverse reactions can be useful. Thus, we developed a model to predict AE in patients with leprosy receiving standard World Health Organization-recommended multidrug therapy (WHO/MDT). Our question was whether we could use sociodemographic and clinical variables to generate a predictive model for DDS-ADEs. The model developed in this study could be a useful tool to assist physicians in predicting DDS-ADEs when treating patients with standard WHO/MDT for leprosy, and thus, establish a safer therapeutic plan for patients with a greater ADE risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coverage of female athletes in sports media has been claimed to exhibit prejudice in favor of male athletes. Therefore, they promote the dominance of traditional masculine hegemony. Accordingly, the present study examines Al-Jazeera's coverage of Arab female athletes participating in the Rio Olympics. The study, therefore, aims to identify Al-Jazeera's strategies for covering Arab female athletes in selected online stories and their ideological perspectives in terms of "Self" or public and "Other" or private dichotomy. Furthermore, it aims to examine the feminist critical discourse analysis perspective in the gendered social practices of the Eastern world. This study analyses two Al-Jazeera news stories using feminist critical discourse analysis. Feminist critical discourse analysis challenges social practices related to gender stereotypes. Occasionally, gender inequalities are manifested explicitly as well as implicitly. Patriarchy persists in many social institutions and among women (and men) globally. The researchers implement Lazar's (2018) Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis. Thus, sports news ideological methods are analyzed using positive "in-group" and negative "out-group" dichotomy. The current research findings indicate that the patriarchal society has been transformed with respect to women's empowerment. Arab female athletes take place in public life as their male counterparts. However, the analyzed data demonstrated Arab women's gender resistance to the stereotypical gender norms. However, the current research is essential for revealing the progress of gender-based hierarchal social norms. Deconstructing conventional unequal gender roles is a key component of this research project's contribution to developing and promoting gender equality in Arabic culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: This research was conducted to understand how vulnerable communities used social media (SM) tools to face the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Affected by the lack of information and the absence of effective public policies, residents from slums in the city of Rio de Janeiro displayed new and unexpected uses to SM tools to tackle the health and socio-economic impacts of the pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: The research methodology consisted of a qualitative, exploratory study, combining a series of in-depth interviews with the analysis of various posts, containing videos and texts, extracted from SM during the first six months of the pandemic. The data were collected in the context of 10 different communities in Rio de Janeiro city. Findings: In the context of the pandemic, people combined different uses of SM not only to inform themselves and communicate with others but also to articulate and execute fundraising and food donation strategies within vulnerable communities. Accordingly, this SM use is characterized by improvisation, learning by doing and building resilience, which are all constructs related to the concept of bricolage. Users had no specific SM knowledge, and adjusted these technological tools to emergent new activities in practice, which is characteristic of sociomaterial process. In addition to emphasizing the importance of context for the emergence of the phenomenon, this work also highlights reliability, validity and authority as characteristics related to the citizen-led participation approach that was observed. Research limitations/implications: Future research can develop approaches based on pandemic sociomaterial bricolage (PSB) aspects, which could guide governments and practitioners on building innovative solutions for the use of SM by the population, especially in emergency situations. Originality/value: This study proposes a framework, termed PSB, to represent SM usage promoted by the pandemic context, which emerged from the triangulation of empirical data and an analysis based on the concepts of bricolage and sociomateriality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the potential for economic activities related to the ocean economy in Brazil to become blue economy (BE) activities, in which the concept of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is central. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the aim, the authors collected information on the SDGs and estimated data from the ocean economy sectors for the 256 Brazilian coastal cities. The authors predicted the indices for potential development of territories and sectors in the BE using two parameters: employed persons (EP) and sectoral added value (AV). Findings: The results show that the capitals of coastal states present the highest potential indices for the BE, especially Rio de Janeiro, which accounted for 83.3% of sectoral added value in the Brazilian ocean economy with potential for sustainable development and generated 107,800 active formal jobs (26.9% of the country's total). In addition, restaurants, hotels and similar establishments are, on the Brazilian coast, the most frequent on the coastal zone and have the highest potential for BE activities. Originality/value: Regarding its contributions, this research innovates by developing an indicator that can help stakeholders understand the similarities and differences between cities and regions, whether through a social, economic, or environmental lens. Therefore, by following this methodological path for measuring the BE, viewing the distinct patterns of sustainable development by area is possible, thereby supporting action plans for the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda and the implementation of a marine spatial planning process for the country in the context of the Ocean Decade (2021–2030). Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-02-2023-0112 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sociologia & Antropologia is the property of Sociologia & Antropologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)