Search

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sheep manure in agricultural soils on the behavior of Folsomia candida and initial growth and development of Avena sativa. For this, an Oxisol was submitted to different doses of sheep manure and was subsequently evaluated for Folsomia candida survival and avoidance behavior through standardized ecotoxicological assays, the initial performance of oats by germination test and the soil basal respiration rate by respirometry methodology. There was an increase in the basal respiration rate of the soil by the application of sheep manure and this was consistent with the increase of the doses. The survival rate and avoidance behavior of springtails were not altered and there was no change in the initial performance of oats, indicating that this manure can be used for organic fertilization of soils with low soil pollutant potential.

RESUMO O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial de produção de leite ha-1 de três consorciações de aveia-preta e leguminosas em detrimento da aveia-preta estreme fertilizada com N mineral. Os tratamentos utilizados foram: aveia-preta + 200kg de N ha-1 (Av+N); aveia-preta + trevo-branco (Av+Tb); aveia-preta + ervilhaca (Av+Er) e aveia-preta + trevo-vermelho (Av+Tv). As espécies foram implantadas em parcelas de 80m2, sob um delineamento de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. As amostragens foram realizadas previamente aos cortes, em três oportunidades, e o material foi avaliado quanto à produção de matéria seca, à composição químico-bromatológica (PB, EE, FDN, FDA, CNF, MM, digestibilidade estimada da matéria seca e digestibilidade do FDN em 48 horas) e à produção estimada de leite por área (kg ha-1). Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância, e as médias comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. A composição químico-bromatológica não diferiu entre os tratamentos Av+N e Av+Er em nenhum dos atributos avaliados. O tratamento Av+N proporcionou maior produção de leite por área em relação aos demais, explicado pela maior produção de MS.

RESUMO O presente trabalho visou empregar um estudo metanalítico para sumarizar e analisar dados sobre adubação nitrogenada em pastagens formadas por gramíneas dos gêneros Brachiaria, Cynodon e Panicum. Foram selecionados 36 trabalhos de pesquisa realizados no Brasil nos últimos 10 anos, incluindo artigos científicos, teses e dissertações. Com base nos dados contidos nesses trabalhos, foi calculado o incremento relativo de matéria seca e de proteína bruta em relação ao tratamento controle (ausência de adubação nitrogenada) e a eficiência da utilização do nitrogênio na produção de matéria seca e proteína bruta. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos à análise de variância para efeito linear e quadrático em cada uma das variáveis dentro de cada gênero e, no caso de significância, foi realizada análise de regressão. A produção de matéria seca e de proteína bruta de forrageiras tropicais responde de forma expressiva à adubação nitrogenada, principalmente a segunda, porém o acréscimo nas doses de nitrogênio reduz a eficiência da adubação. Verificou-se uma frequente omissão de informações relevantes em trabalhos com adubação nitrogenada em pastagens.

Abstract Brazil is the biggest coffee producer in the world and different plantation management systems have been applied to improve sustainability and soil quality. Little is known about the environmental effects of these different management systems, therefore, the goal of this study was to use soil biological parameters as indicators of changes. Soils from plantations in Southeastern Brazil with conventional (CC), organic (OC) and integrated management systems containing intercropping of Brachiaria decumbens (IB) or Arachis pintoi (IA) were sampled. Total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN), microbial activity (C-CO2), metabolic quotient (qCO2), the enzymes dehydrogenase, urease, acid phosphatase and arylsulphatase, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization and number of spores and soil fauna were evaluated. The greatest difference between the management systems was seen in soil organic matter content. The largest quantity of TOC was found in the OC, and the smallest was found in IA. TOC content influenced soil biological parameters. The use of all combined attributes was necessary to distinguish the four systems. Each management presented distinct faunal structure, and the data obtained with the trap method was more reliable than the TSBF (Tropical Soils) method. A canonic correlation analysis showed that Isopoda was correlated with TOC and the most abundant order with OC. Isoptera was the most abundant faunal order in IA and correlated with MBC. Overall, OC had higher values for most of the biological measurements and higher populations of Oligochaeta and Isopoda, corroborating with the concept that the OC is a more sustainable system.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro bioactivity of tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) essential oil against larvae and adult forms of lesser mealworms (Alphitobius diaperinus) and its influence on the soil fauna. Tests were performed in triplicate using pure tea tree oil (TTO; 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100%), TTO nanoparticles (1, 3, and 7.5%), or terpinen-4-ol, the main compound of the tea tree oil, at the same concentrations of TTO. Larvae and adult mortality occurred at concentrations up to 10 and 50% of TTO, respectively. No larvicidal or insecticidal effect of TTO nanoparticles was observed. Terpinen-4-ol showed insecticidal and larvicidal effect at concentrations higher than 25%. The evaluation of TTO effect on soil organisms was performed by standard ecotoxicological tests (ISO) with the springtail species Folsomia candida. Only TTO was used for ecotoxicological tests in doses of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg kg-1 of soil. TTO had no negative effects on F. candida survival or reproduction. Therefore, it was concluded that M. alternifolia oil may be a new alternative for control of the lesser mealworm.

The increased production and expanding demand for cellulosic products have required companies to provide solutions for the proper disposal of generated residues without compromising soil quality. In this context, the current research aimed at evaluating the ecotoxicological impacts of dregs application in subtropical soils. The experiments were carried out with the earthworm Eisenia andrei, the springtail Folsomia candida, and the potworm Enchytraeus crypticus in two subtropical soils (Neosol and Cambisol) collected in the southern region of Brazil. The considerable differences in texture and organic matter content motivated the choosing of these soils. The reproductive rate of all organisms was influenced, with varying EC 50 values depending on the soil type. However, more pronounced effects were observed for Neosol. The springtail F. candida proved to be the most sensitive to contamination (EC 50  = 5.8 g kg -1 for Neosol and 48.5 g kg -1 for Cambisol), followed by the earthworm E. andrei (EC 50  = 62.4 g kg -1 for Neosol and 129.5 g kg -1 for Cambisol) and the potworm E. crypticus (EC 50  = 67.2 g kg -1 for Neosol and 230.4 g kg -1 for Cambisol). As a result, while dregs can be used to correct soil acidity, they have been shown to have negative effects on important organisms responsible for functions critical to maintaining ecosystem quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Springtails (Collembola) inhabit soils from the Arctic to the Antarctic and comprise an estimated ~32% of all terrestrial arthropods on Earth. Here, we present a global, spatially-explicit database on springtail communities that includes 249,912 occurrences from 44,999 samples and 2,990 sites. These data are mainly raw sample-level records at the species level collected predominantly from private archives of the authors that were quality-controlled and taxonomically-standardised. Despite covering all continents, most of the sample-level data come from the European continent (82.5% of all samples) and represent four habitats: woodlands (57.4%), grasslands (14.0%), agrosystems (13.7%) and scrublands (9.0%). We included sampling by soil layers, and across seasons and years, representing temporal and spatial within-site variation in springtail communities. We also provided data use and sharing guidelines and R code to facilitate the use of the database by other researchers. This data paper describes a static version of the database at the publication date, but the database will be further expanded to include underrepresented regions and linked with trait data., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Soil life supports the functioning and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Springtails (Collembola) are among the most abundant soil arthropods regulating soil fertility and flow of energy through above- and belowground food webs. However, the global distribution of springtail diversity and density, and how these relate to energy fluxes remains unknown. Here, using a global dataset representing 2470 sites, we estimate the total soil springtail biomass at 27.5 megatons carbon, which is threefold higher than wild terrestrial vertebrates, and record peak densities up to 2 million individuals per square meter in the tundra. Despite a 20-fold biomass difference between the tundra and the tropics, springtail energy use (community metabolism) remains similar across the latitudinal gradient, owing to the changes in temperature with latitude. Neither springtail density nor community metabolism is predicted by local species richness, which is high in the tropics, but comparably high in some temperate forests and even tundra. Changes in springtail activity may emerge from latitudinal gradients in temperature, predation and resource limitation in soil communities. Contrasting relationships of biomass, diversity and activity of springtail communities with temperature suggest that climate warming will alter fundamental soil biodiversity metrics in different directions, potentially restructuring terrestrial food webs and affecting soil functioning., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Hand hygiene is an effective behavior for preventing the spread of the respiratory disease COVID-19 and was included in public health guidelines worldwide. Behavior change interventions addressing hand hygiene have the potential to support the adherence to public health recommendations and, thereby, prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, randomized trials are largely absent during a pandemic; therefore, there is little knowledge about the most effective strategies to promote hand hygiene during an ongoing pandemic. This study addresses this gap by presenting the results of the optimization phase of a Multiphase Optimization Strategy of Soapp, a smartphone app for promoting hand hygiene in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic., Objective: This study aimed to identify the most effective combination and sequence of 3 theory- and evidence-based intervention modules (habit, motivation, and social norms) for promoting hand hygiene. To this end, 9 versions of Soapp were developed (conditions), and 2 optimization criteria were defined: the condition with the largest increase in hand hygiene at follow-up and condition with the highest engagement, usability, and satisfaction based on quantitative and qualitative analyses., Methods: This study was a parallel randomized trial with 9 intervention conditions defined by the combination of 2 intervention modules and their sequence. The trial was conducted from March to August 2021 with interested participants from the Swiss general population (N=232; randomized). Randomization was performed using Qualtrics (Qualtrics International Inc), and blinding was ensured. The duration of the intervention was 34 days. The primary outcome was self-reported hand hygiene at follow-up, which was assessed using an electronic diary. The secondary outcomes were user engagement, usability, and satisfaction assessed at follow-up. Nine participants were further invited to participate in semistructured exit interviews. A set of ANOVAs was performed to test the main hypotheses, whereas a thematic analysis was performed to analyze the qualitative data., Results: The results showed a significant increase in hand hygiene over time across all conditions. There was no interaction effect between time and intervention condition. Similarly, no between-group differences in engagement, usability, and satisfaction emerged. Seven themes (eg, "variety and timeliness of the task load" and "social interaction") were found in the thematic analysis., Conclusions: The effectiveness of Soapp in promoting hand hygiene laid the foundation for the next evaluation phase of the app. More generally, the study supported the value of digital interventions in pandemic contexts. The findings showed no differential effect of intervention conditions involving different combinations and sequences of the habit, motivation, and social norms modules on hand hygiene, engagement, usability, and satisfaction. In the absence of quantitative differences, we relied on the results from the thematic analysis to select the best version of Soapp for the evaluation phase., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04830761; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04830761., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055971., (©Dario Baretta, Melanie Alexandra Amrein, Carole Bäder, Gian Giacomo Ruschetti, Carole Rüttimann, Maria Del Rio Carral, Carlo Fabian, Jennifer Inauen. Originally published in JMIR mHealth and uHealth (https://mhealth.jmir.org), 03.02.2023.)

The objective of the present study was to estimate whether physical activity on one day was associated with both sleep quality and quantity the following night and to examine to what extent sleep on one night was associated with physical activity the next day. We collected data from 33 young adults who were overweight or obese and consistently wore a Fitbit Charge 3. A total of 7094 days and nights were analyzed. Person-specific models were conducted to test the bi-directional associations for each participant separately. Results suggest an absence of association between steps and sleep efficiency in the two directions. More heterogeneous results were observed for the association between steps and total sleep time, with 19 participants (58%) showing a negative association between total sleep time and next day steps, and 9 (27%) showing a negative association between steps and next day total sleep time. Taken together, these results suggest a potential conflicting association between total sleep time and physical activity for some participants. Pre- and post-print doi: https://doi.org/10.31236/osf.io/nfjqv ; supplemental material: https://osf.io/y7nxg/ ., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Information concerning arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal geographical distribution in tropical and subtropical soils from the Atlantic Forest (a global hotspot of biodiversity) are scarce and often restricted to the evaluation of richness and abundance of AM fungal species at specific ecosystems or local landscapes. In this study, we hypothesized that AM fungal diversity and community composition in subtropical soils would display fundamental differences in their geographical patterns, shaped by spatial distance and land-use change, at local and regional scales. AM fungal community composition was examined by spore-based taxonomic analysis, using soil trap cultures. Acaulospora koskei and Glomus were found as generalists, regardless of mesoregions and land uses. Other Acaulospora species were also found generalists within mesoregions. Land-use change and intensification did not influence AM fungal composition, partially rejecting our first hypothesis. We then calculated the distance-decay of similarities among pairs of AM fungal communities and the distance-decay relationship within and over mesoregions. We also performed the Mantel test and redundancy analysis to discriminate the main environmental drivers of AM fungal diversity and composition turnover. Overall, we found significant distance-decays for all land uses. We also observed a distance-decay relationship within the mesoregion scale (< 104 km) and these changes were correlated mainly to soil type (not land use), with the secondary influence of both total organic carbon and clay contents. AM fungal species distribution presented significant distance-decays, regardless of land uses, which was indicative of dispersal limitation, a stochastic neutral process. Although, we found evidence that, coupled with dispersal limitation, niche differentiation also played a role in structuring AM fungal communities, driven by long-term historical contingencies, as represented by soil type, resulting from different soil origin and mineralogy across mesoregions., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sheep manure in agricultural soils on the behavior of Folsomia candida and initial growth and development of Avena sativa. For this, an Oxisol was submitted to different doses of sheep manure and was subsequently evaluated for Folsomia candida survival and avoidance behavior through standardized ecotoxicological assays, the initial performance of oats by germination test and the soil basal respiration rate by respirometry methodology. There was an increase in the basal respiration rate of the soil by the application of sheep manure and this was consistent with the increase of the doses. The survival rate and avoidance behavior of springtails were not altered and there was no change in the initial performance of oats, indicating that this manure can be used for organic fertilization of soils with low soil pollutant potential.

Earthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large spatial scales, despite the availability of considerable amounts of local-scale data. Earthworm diversity data, obtained from the primary literature or provided directly by authors, were collated with information on site locations, including coordinates, habitat cover, and soil properties. Datasets were required, at a minimum, to include abundance or biomass of earthworms at a site. Where possible, site-level species lists were included, as well as the abundance and biomass of individual species and ecological groups. This global dataset contains 10,840 sites, with 184 species, from 60 countries and all continents except Antarctica. The data were obtained from 182 published articles, published between 1973 and 2017, and 17 unpublished datasets. Amalgamating data into a single global database will assist researchers in investigating and answering a wide variety of pressing questions, for example, jointly assessing aboveground and belowground biodiversity distributions and drivers of biodiversity change.

Despite the positive health effect of physical activity, one third of the world's population is estimated to be insufficiently active. Prior research has mainly investigated physical activity on an aggregate level over short periods of time, e.g., during 3 to 7 days at baseline and a few months later, post-intervention. To develop effective interventions, we need a better understanding of the temporal dynamics of physical activity. We proposed here an approach to studying walking behavior at "high-resolution" and by capturing the idiographic and day-to-day changes in walking behavior. We analyzed daily step count among 151 young adults with overweight or obesity who had worn an accelerometer for an average of 226 days (~25,000 observations). We then used a recursive partitioning algorithm to characterize patterns of change, here sudden behavioral gains and losses, over the course of the study. These behavioral gains or losses were defined as a 30% increase or reduction in steps relative to each participants' median level of steps lasting at least 7 days. After the identification of gains and losses, fluctuation intensity in steps from each participant's individual time series was computed with a dynamic complexity algorithm to identify potential early warning signals of sudden gains or losses. Results revealed that walking behavior change exhibits discontinuous changes that can be described as sudden gains and losses. On average, participants experienced six sudden gains or losses over the study. We also observed a significant and positive association between critical fluctuations in walking behavior, a form of early warning signals, and the subsequent occurrence of sudden behavioral losses in the next days. Altogether, this study suggests that walking behavior could be well understood under a dynamic paradigm. Results also provide support for the development of "just-in-time adaptive" behavioral interventions based on the detection of early warning signals for sudden behavioral losses., Competing Interests: The authors have read the journal’s policy, and the authors of the study have the following competing interests to declare: Accenture provided support in the form of a salary for DB. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products associated with this research to declare.

The influence of temperature on the chronic toxicity and risk of imidacloprid to soil non-target species was assessed in tropical soils. Earthworms Eisenia andrei and collembolans Folsomia candida were exposed to a tropical artificial soil (TAS) and two natural tropical soils from Brazil (Entisol and Oxisol) with increasing concentrations of imidacloprid under atmospheric temperatures of 20, 25 and 28 °C. The effect of temperature on the reproduction of both species was assessed through the number of juveniles and earthworm's growth, and the risk associated was estimated through the Toxicity-Exposure Ratio (TER). Toxicity of imidacloprid increased with temperature in all tested soils, being generally lower in TAS soil (EC 50 s of 1.48, 0.66 and 0.40 mg kg -1 for E. andrei and 0.3, 0.2 and 0.06 mg kg -1 for F. candida at 20, 25 and 28 °C, respectively) compared to Entisol (EC 50 s of 0.19, 0.03 and 0.14 mg kg -1 for E. andrei and 0.04, 0.02, 0.01 mg kg -1 for F. candida at 20, 25 and 28 °C, respectively) and Oxisol (EC 50 s of 0.21, 0.07, 0.06 mg kg -1 for E. andrei and 0.16, 0.09, 0.06 mg kg -1 for F. candida at 20, 25 and 28 °C, respectively) within each temperature for both species. These values indicate that properties of TAS may not be representative of natural/local soils to adequately estimate the toxicity of pesticides to non-target soil species. At higher temperatures, the variability of imidacloprid toxicity between soils was lower, which suggests that the influence of soil properties on imidacloprid toxicity was overshadowed by temperature. TER values revealed that risk is also greater at higher temperatures. Data reported enforce the need for the inclusion of more realistic conditions in single-species tests in prospective risk assessment of pesticides to avoid underestimation of risk to non-target species., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Engagement with physical activity mobile apps has been reported to be a core precondition for their effectiveness in digital behavior change interventions. However, to date, little attention has been paid to understanding the perspectives, needs, expectations, and experiences of potential users with physical activity mobile apps., Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the features that are judged to be important for engagement with a physical activity mobile app and the reasons for their importance., Methods: A qualitative focus-group methodology with elements of co-design was adopted in this study. Participants reporting sedentary lifestyles and willingness to improve their physical activity behavior through mobile technology were recruited. The focus group sessions consisted of 13 participants (8 men and 5 women, mean [SD] age 41.9 [7.1] years). Two researchers conducted the data analysis independently by using the inductive thematic approach., Results: Four main themes emerged in relation to the research question and were named as follows: "physical activity participation motives," "autonomy and self-regulation," "need for relatedness," and "smart." Additionally, 2 subthemes originated from "physical activity participation motives" (ie, "medical guidance" and "weight loss and fitness for health") and "smart" (ie, "action planning" and "adaptable and tailored")., Conclusions: Features enhancing autonomy and self-regulation and positively affecting health and physical well-being as well as the need for relatedness, adaptability, and flexibility should be considered as core elements in the engagement of potential users with physical activity mobile apps. The emerged findings may orient future research and interventions aiming to foster engagement of potential users with physical activity apps., (©Marco D'Addario, Dario Baretta, Francesco Zanatta, Andrea Greco, Patrizia Steca. Originally published in JMIR mHealth and uHealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 16.11.2020.)

The production model used in Brazilian pig farms promotes a concentration of animals in small territorial extensions, causing difficulty in disposing of the manure generated, since the economically viable alternative is to use this as an agricultural fertilizer. The objective was to evaluate the effect of swine manure doses on the biological and behavioral parameters in Folsomia candida by ecotoxicological tests. An Ultisol, Oxisol and Tropical Artificial Soil (TAS) were contaminated with 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 m3 ha-1 of swine manure, to which springtails were exposed for evaluation of mortality, and the doses 0, 10, 15, 20 and 25 m3 ha-1 of swine manure to evaluated reproduction and avoidance. Lethality was observed in all doses as well as all soils, indicating toxicity of the manure. In the reproduction tests dose since 10 m3 ha-1 caused a reduction of juveniles in all soils. Avoidance behavior was observed in all doses of the Oxisol treatments and at 20 and 25 m3 ha-1 in Ultisol treatments. However, in TAS occurred not avoidance response of F. candida. We conclude that the swine manure was toxic to F. candida and the toxicity is dependent on the soil characteristics and the manure concentrations applied.

Poultry litter is used as a fertilizer due to the high concentration of nutrients. However, this material receives application of medicines, whether they are used to treat animals or the litter itself. Thus, the objective was to evaluate if the application in soils of poultry litter doses treated with two insecticides (cypermethrin and cinnamon oil) used to control of the Alphitobius diaperinus, affect the reproduction of Enchytraeus crypticus, and the insecticides effects over time, trough of ecotoxicological tests using soils with different textural classes an Entisol and an Oxisol. In the Oxisol the application of poultry litter stimulated the E. crypticus reproduction regardless of the insecticide and the collection time. In Entisol the poultry litter showed a toxicity at 10 t ha -1 when treated with cypermethrin and at 30 t ha -1 with cinnamon oil. Entisol results show that cypermethrin affects non-target edaphic organisms soon after spraying, but over time has reduced toxicity unlike cinnamon oil., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Wastes generated in pig production are widely used as agricultural fertilizers. Nevertheless, such form of disposal supplies large amounts of waste in soils annually and can cause environmental pollution. The ecological risk of this practice to soil organisms has received little attention. Ecotoxicological tests are used to evaluate the toxicity of contaminants added to the soil biota. The aimed to evaluate the effect of liquid pig manure (LPM) on the reproduction of Eisenia andrei and Enchytraeus crypticus when applied in natural soils. LPM doses caused effects on earthworm reproduction in both soils, with EC 50 of 112 and 150 m 3  ha -1 in the Entisol and Nitosol, respectively. On enchytraeids, LPM had bigger effects, leading to EC 50 of 17.7 and 45.0 m 3  ha -1 in the Entisol and Nitosol, respectively. The results emphasize the importance to consider the ecological risks of LPM of conducting studies with natural soils and edaphic fauna as indicators.

This study examined the between-person associations of seven health behaviors in adults with obesity participating in a weight loss intervention, as well as the covariations between these behaviors within-individuals across the intervention. The present study included data from a 12-month weight loss trial (N = 278). Seven health behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep duration, and consumption of fruits, vegetables, total fat and added sugar) were measured at baseline, 6- and 12-months. Between- and within-participants network analyses were conducted to examine how these behaviors were associated through the 12-month intervention and covaried across months. At the between-participants level, associations were found within the different diet behaviors and between total fat and sedentary behaviors. At the within-participants level, covariations were found between sedentary and diet behaviors, and within diet behaviors. Findings suggest that successful multiple health behaviors change interventions among adults with obesity will need to (1) simultaneously target sedentary and diet behaviors; and (2) prevent potential compensatory behaviors in the diet domain.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of the antiparasitic agent eprinomectin in two subtropical soils, using ecotoxicological lethality, reproduction and avoidance behavior tests with springtails (Folsomia candida). Eprinomectin concentrations were 0 (control), 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 mg kg -1 of dry soil combined with either Entisol or Oxisol soils. Statistically significant toxic effects of eprinomectin on springtails were observed in both soils. Eprinomectin was lethal starting at 8 mg kg -1 of dry soil in Entisol, and 20 mg kg -1 of dry soil in Oxisol, with effects less than 50% at lethal concentrations. Reductions in the reproduction rate of the springtails were also observed starting at 8 mg kg -1 of dry soil in Entisol, and 0.5 mg kg -1 of dry soil in Oxisol. EC repr50 value calculated for Entisol was 4.38 ± 0.62 mg kg -1 of dry soil; for Oxisol the EC repr50 was above the highest tested concentration. For avoidance behavior, the effect occurred from 0.5 mg kg -1 of dry soil for both soils. In Entisol, all concentrations caused avoidance of more than 95%, and in Oxisol the EC avoi50 value was 1.33 ± 0.83 mg kg -1 of dry soil. We conclude that eprinomectin affected survival, reproduction and caused avoidance behavior of F. candida in both soils. The toxic effects were greater as the concentration in the soils increased. The effects in Oxisol were less intense than those in Entisol with respect to the affected springtails. This discrepancy may be attributed to the different physicochemical characteristics of the soils that determine the retention capacity for eprinomectin; in particular, there are greater contents of clay, organic matter and cation exchange capacity in Oxisol., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Goal setting is an effective strategy to promote physical activity. Commercial apps that tackle physical activity often include goal setting; however, it is unknown whether the implementation of the goal-setting components is congruent with the theory. This study evaluated the quality of goal setting in popular free and paid physical activity apps by assessing the presence of effective goal-setting components., Methods: A six-item scale was developed based on the goal-setting literature and used for coding each app for the presence/absence of goal-setting components (i.e. specificity, difficulty, action planning, timeframe, goal evaluation and goal re-evaluation). Cohen's Kappa was used to evaluate inter-rater reliability for each scale item. The number of goal-setting components included in the 40 apps was calculated and the difference between free and paid apps was assessed., Results: All scale items achieved satisfactory inter-rater reliability except 'goal evaluation'. The most frequently included goal-setting components in popular physical activity apps were 'goal specificity' (95% of the apps) and 'goal timeframe' (67.5%). Conversely, only 47.5% and 25% of the apps implemented 'action planning' and 'goal difficulty', respectively, and none included 'goal re-evaluation'. No differences emerged between free and paid apps., Conclusions: The quality of the goal-setting strategy in popular physical activity apps could be improved by introducing components scarcely implemented to date. In particular, tailoring the goal difficulty to the users' ability level and re-evaluating the goals based on achievements should be implemented to increase the quality of goal setting.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether antiparasitic eprinomectin may be an environmental contaminant in water compartment in low concentrations, negatively affecting neurotransmission and, consequently, the natural behavior of the jundiá (Rhamdia quelen). Fish were randomly allocated in tanks and exposed for 24 and 48 h to eprinomectin concentrations in water [0.0 (Control), 1.124 (T1), 1.809 (T2) and 3.976 (T3) μg L -1 ], followed by 48 h of recovery in eprinomectin-free water, in order to evaluate the behavioral parameters, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the brain, as well as cerebral enzymatic activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and of the sodium-potassium ATPase pump (Na + /K + -ATPase). Especially at the two highest concentrations of eprinomectin (T2 and T3), the fish showed alterations in natural behavior, particularly hyperlocomotion and longer time on the surface. Furthermore, at these same concentrations, cerebral ROS levels increased and cerebral AChE activity decreased. At the highest concentration (T3) cerebral Na + /K + -ATPase activity was reduced. Increased ROS and impairment of AChE and Na + /K + -ATPase enzymes in the brain may have contributed directly to behavioral changes, due to neuronal damage and synapse impairment. Even after 48 h in water without eprinomectin, behavioral changes and neurotoxic effects were observed in fish, suggesting residual effects of the antiparasitic. In conclusion, eprinomectin even in low concentrations may be a hazardous environmental contaminant for aquatic organisms, as it causes brain damage and affects the natural behavior of fish., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mancozeb is a fungicide widely used in agriculture, mostly against the pathogen Glomerella cingulata responsible for the rot of ripe grape, but presents high toxicity. Strategies are sought to reduce the toxicity of this fungicide and alternative treatments are welcome. An alternative could be the use of clove oil, which has Eugenol as its major compound, and has antifungal potential against G. cingulata, however, Eugenol is susceptible to degradation processes which may compromise its efficacy. The nanoencapsulation of Mancozeb and Eugenol is a possible strategy to overcome the limitations of toxicity, solubility and instability of these compounds. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop nanoemulsions containing Mancozeb (0.1 mg/mL) and Eugenol (33 mg/mL), isolated or associated, and evaluate the safety of these formulations through cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and ecotoxicity tests. Nanoemulsions were developed by the spontaneous emulsification method, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were evaluated in healthy human cells through MTT, Dichlorofluorescein diacetate and Picogreen tests, and ecotoxicity assessment was carried out using the chronic toxicity test in springtails. After preparation, the physicochemical characterization of the nanoemulsions were performed which presented mean particle size between 200 and 300 nm, polydispersity index less than 0.3, negative zeta potential and acid pH. The nanoencapsulation was able to avoid the reduction of the cell viability caused by Mancozeb, while Eugenol was shown to be safe for cell use in both free and nanostructured forms, however the association of the two active compounds showed toxicity in the higher doses of Mancozeb. In the ecotoxicity tests, both free Mancozeb and Eugenol forms presented high toxic potential for soil, whereas the nanoencapsulation of these compounds did not cause a reduction in number of springtails. Therefore, from the tests performed, it was possible to observe that nanoencapsulation of Mancozeb and Eugenol is a safe alternative for the application of these compounds mainly in agriculture., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Although smartphone apps might support physical activity (PA), engagement with them tends to be low., Objective: This study aimed to examine potential users' needs and preferences regarding their engagement with PA apps during a first exposure to a never-used PA app and after 2 weeks' usage., Methods: A longitudinal, one-arm qualitative study was conducted with potential PA app users. At baseline, participants (N=20) were asked to explore 1 of 3 randomly allocated PA apps while thinking aloud. Semistructured interview techniques allowed participants to elaborate on their statements. After 2 weeks, follow-up interviews explored participants' (n=17) lived experiences of real-world app use. Verbal reports from both time points were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis., Results: Features that promote a fair and simple user experience, support users' self-regulation skills, and address users' exercise motives were considered important for engagement both during a first exposure and after a 2-week use of PA apps. Features that support users' need for relatedness as well as those that facilitate users to implement their intentions were expected to be important for engagement mainly during a first exposure to PA apps. Proactive and tailored features that integrate behavioral, psychological, and contextual information to provide adaptive exercise plans and just-in-time support were considered relevant to sustain engagement over time., Conclusions: App features that address users' exercise motives, promote self-regulation, and fulfill users' need for relatedness might promote engagement with PA apps. Tailored and proactive features were expected to promote sustained engagement., (©Dario Baretta, Olga Perski, Patrizia Steca. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 08.02.2019.)

Inadequate application of liquid pig manure (LPM) may pose risks to the soil due to the potential contaminants that exists, as well as by the large water input that can originate excessive moisture. By using Terrestrial Model Ecosystems, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of application of LPM (82% moisture) using the application rates of 20, 50 and 150 m 3 ha -1 and also of the corresponding amount of water to understand the origin of effects on the soil fauna of two sub-tropical soils. In general, the results obtained for the two soil types indicated that LPM (150 m 3 ha -1 ) changed the composition of soil fauna, with an increase in the abundance of insect larvae and dipterans, but a decrease in the number of earthworms and enchytraeids. Microbial biomass, soil respiration and the nutrients Mg, K and P increased with the amount of LPM supplied to the soil. When analysing the effects of adding large volumes of water via the LPM, results showed that application did not originate significant effects on the parameters measured. The differences obtained when comparing both treatments were mainly attributed to the organic load brought by the LPM and not to the amount of water without LPM., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Veterinary medicines are widely applied for the treatment and prevention of animal diseases. Consequently, animal manure contains significant amounts of environmental pollutants that are potential sources of environmental pollution when inappropriately applied in soils. This work aimed to evaluate ecotoxicological effects of doses of commercial fipronil, neem cake and neem extract in the survival and reproduction of earthworms (Eisenia andrei), enchytraeidae (Enchytraeus crypticus) and springtails (Folsomia candida) in Oxisol and tropical artificial soil (TAS). Applications of fipronil, neem cake and extract in soil were carried out according to standardized ISO methodologies by using a random experimental design with five replicates. Toxic effects of fipronil for springtails in Oxisol and TAS were observed with LC 50 of 0.26 mg kg -1 (0.18-0.35 mg kg -1 ) and 0.29 mg kg -1 (0.22-0.37 mg kg -1 ), respectively. It was not observed significant toxic effects of fipronil for earthworms and enchytraeidae in both soils. However, significant amounts of juvenile earthworm and adult enchytraeidae decreased in fipronil doses higher than 10 mg kg -1 . Neem cake and extract were not toxic for earthworms and enchytraeidae but, significant amounts of juvenile springtails decreased in neem cake doses from 500 to 1000 mg kg -1 . It can be concluded that the use of veterinary medicines containing synthetic compounds for preventing diseases in animals needs to be controlled to avoid environmental pollution after applying manure in soil. Veterinary medicines containing natural compounds as neem cake and extract are eco-friendly and could be efficiently applied in soil in a sustainable way., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study is to evaluate the toxicity of the fipronil and its metabolites, fipronil sulfone and fipronil desulfinyl on Folsomia candida. Three types of soils were used to perform the ecotoxicological tests, two natural soils (Oxisol and Entisol), and an artificial substrate (Tropical Artificial Soil). The treatments consisted of increasing doses of a veterinary medicinal product with active ingredient based on fipronil, and of its two main metabolites, fipronil sulfone and fipronil desulfinyl. The doses of fipronil were 0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, 0.15, 0.30, 0.60, and 1.00 mg kg -1 of the active ingredient. For fipronil sulfone and fipronil desulfinyl the doses tested were: 0.00, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.15, 0.30, 0.60, 1.00, and 5.00 mg kg -1 . The effects of toxicity on F. candida were evaluated by survival and reproduction tests, based on the methods described by ISO 11267. There was a completely randomized design, with six replicates for the fipronil tests and eight for the metabolites. We show that fipronil and its metabolites, even at very low concentrations, are toxic to F. candida. Reduction of reproduction can be observed at concentrations of 0.15 mg kg -1 . There was little difference in toxicity (LC 50 and EC 50 ) between fipronil and its metabolites. Rather, differences were related more to soil type, where the artificial soil was more sensitive than the two natural soils (Oxisol and Entisol). We conclude that it is important to perform ecotoxicological tests in natural soils, in order to generate more realistic representations of veterinary drug toxicity on the environment., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Engagement with smartphone applications (apps) for alcohol reduction is necessary for their effectiveness. This study explored (1) the features that are ranked as most important for engagement by excessive drinkers and (2) why particular features are judged to be more important for engagement than others., Methods: Two studies were conducted in parallel. The first was a focus group study with adult excessive drinkers, interested in reducing alcohol consumption using an app ( n groups  = 3). Participants individually ranked their top 10 features from a pre-specified list and subsequently discussed their rankings. The second was an online study with a new sample ( n  = 132). Rankings were analysed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to assess the level of agreement between raters for each study. Qualitative data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis., Results: There was low agreement between participants in their rankings, both in the focus groups (ICC = 0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.03-0.38) and the online sample (ICC = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.06-0.23). 'Personalisation', 'control features' and 'interactive features' were most highly ranked in the focus groups. These were expected to elicit a sense of benefit and usefulness, adaptability, provide motivational support or spark users' interest. Results from the online study partly corroborated these findings., Conclusion: There was little agreement between participants, but on average, the features judged to be most important for inclusion in smartphone apps for alcohol reduction were personalisation, interactive features and control features. Tailoring on users' underlying psychological needs may promote engagement with alcohol reduction apps.

We evaluated the bacterial and archaeal community dynamics and assembly in soils under forest, grassland and no-till cropping, using a high-throughput shotgun metagenomics approach. No significant alterations in alpha diversity were observed among different land uses, but beta diversity in grassland was lower than that observed in forest and no-till soils. Grassland communities showed assembly that predominantly followed the neutral model, i.e. high homogenizing selection with moderate dispersion, leading to biotic homogenization. Both no-till and forest soil communities were found to have assembly that predominantly followed a niche model, i.e. low rates of dispersal and weak homogenizing selection, resulting in maintenance of higher beta diversity relative to grasslands, indicating niche specialization or variable selection. Taken together, our results indicate that the patterns of assembly and their governing processes are dependent on the land use employed after deforestation, with consequences for taxa turnover and microbial functional potential., (© FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The REML/BLUP statistics are analyses that can be used as selective criteria in the routine of maize breeding programs. The present study aims to determine the genetic potential in crosses of landrace populations applying the REML/BLUP methodology, and to identify populations for the synthesis of new populations and intrapopulation selection for family farming systems, as well as genetic constitutions for use in maize breeding programs. Nine top cross hybrids obtained in the 2012/2013 harvest were evaluated along with their testator, the landraces used as parents, and four commercial hybrids, in a randomized block design, with information taken from the average of each plot. The evaluated traits were: leaf angle, number of ramifications of the tassel, spike insertion height, plant height, spike diameter, number of grains per spike, mass of grains per spike, spike mass, spike length, prolificity, mass of one hundred grains, and grain yield per plot. The data were analyzed using the Selegen-REML/BLUP software. The top cross hybrids Cateto Branco x Planalto, Amarelão x Planalto and the population Cateto Branco are ranked among the ten best crosses, simultaneously, for the traits: leaf angle, number of ramifications of the tassel, spike insertion height, and plant height (Cateto Branco x Planalto), and leaf angle, spike insertion height, and plant height (Amarelão x Planalto and Cateto Branco). The top cross hybrids Criolão x Planalto, Branco 8 Carreiras x Planalto, Caiano Rajado x Planalto, Amarelão x Planalto, Branco Roxo Índio x Planalto stand out for their high genotypic value of the individual BLUP mean components among the ten best genotypes for grain yield, and by combining three or more traits of interest together, being, for effects of selection, the most indicated.

Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) is a compound with known antimicrobial potential, however it is not much used due to its low solubility in water and high melting point. The nanoencapsulation of some drugs offers several advantages such as improved stability and solubility in water. The present study aimed to produce, characterize, and evaluate the ecotoxicity of GML nanocapsules. The nanocapsules were produced and presented a mean diameter of 210nm, polydispersity index of 0.044, and zeta potential of -23.4mV. The electron microscopy images showed the nanometric size and spherical shape. The assay in soil showed that GML has a high toxicity while the GML nanocapsules showed decreased toxic effects. Nanostructuration also protected the Rhamdia quelen against the toxic effects of GML. Concluding, the formulation shows positive results and is useful to predict the success of development besides not damaging the soil., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of veterinary pharmaceuticals (VPs) used to control endo- and ectoparasites in ruminants, on the survival and reproduction of the collembolan species Folsomia candida. Standard ecotoxicological tests were conducted in Tropical Artificial Soil and the treatments consisted of increasing dosages of four commercial products with different active ingredients: ivermectin, fipronil, fluazuron and closantel. Ecotoxicological effects were related to the class and mode of action of the different compounds. Fipronil and ivermectin were the most toxic compounds causing a significant reduction in the number of juveniles at the lowest doses tested (LOEC reprod values of 0.3 and 0.2 mg kg -1 of dry soil, respectively) and similar low EC 50 values (fipronil: 0.19 mg kg -1 dry soil, CL 95% 0.16-0.22; ivermectin: 0.43 mg kg -1 dry soil, CL 95% 0.09-0.77), although the effects observed in the former compound were possibly related to a low adult survival (LC 50 of 0.62 mg kg -1 dry soil; CL 95% : 0.25-1.06). For the latter compound no significant lethal effects were observed. Fluazuron caused an intermediate toxicity (EC 50 of 3.07 mg kg -1 dry soil, CL 95% : 2.26-3.87), and also here a decrease in adult survival could explain the effects observed at reproduction. Closantel, despite showing a significant reduction on the number of juveniles produced, no dose-response relationship nor effects higher than 50% were observed. Overall, all tested compounds, especially ivermectin, when present in soil even at sub-lethal concentrations, can impair the reproduction of collembolans and possibly other arthropods. However, the actual risk to arthropod communities should be further investigated performing tests under a more realistic exposure (e.g., by testing the dung itself as the contaminated matrix) and by deriving ecotoxicologically relevant exposure concentration in soil derived from the presence of cattle dung., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The acaricidal effect of seven essential oils was examined in vitro against the cattle tick ( Rhipicephalus microplus ). Engorged female ticks were manually collected in farms of Southern Brazil and placed into petri dishes ( n  = 10) in order to test the following oils: juniper ( Juniperus communis ), palmarosa ( Cymbopogon martinii ), cedar ( Cedrus atlantica ), lemon grass ( Cymbopogon citratus ), ginger ( Zingiber officinale ), geranium ( Pelargonium graveolens ) and bergamot ( Citrus aurantium var bergamia ) at concentrations of 1%, 5%, and 10% each. A control group was used to validate the tests containing Triton X-100 only. Treatment effectiveness was measured considering inhibition of tick oviposition (partial or total), egg's weight, and hatchability. C. martinii , C. citratus and C. atlantica essential oils showed efficacy higher than 99% at all concentrations tested. In addition, J. communis , Z. officinale , P. graveolens , and C. aurantium var bergamia oils showed efficiency ranging from 73% to 95%, depending on the concentration tested, where higher concentrations showed greater efficacy. It was concluded that essential oils can affect tick reproduction in vitro by inhibiting oviposition and hatchability.

Swine production in Brazil results in a great volume of manure that normally is disposed of as agricultural fertilizer. However, this form of soil disposal, generally on small farms, causes the accumulation of large amounts of manure and this results in contaminated soil and water tables. To evaluate the effects of increasing concentrations of swine manure on earthworms, several ecotoxicological tests were performed using Eisenia andrei as test organism in different tropical soils, classified respectively as Ultisol, Oxisol, and Entisol, as well as Tropical Artificial Soil (TAS). The survival, reproduction and behavior of the earthworms were evaluated in experiments using a completely randomized design, with five replications. In the Ultisol, Oxisol and TAS the swine manure showed no lethality, but in the Entisol it caused earthworm mortality (LOEC=45 m(3)ha(-1)). In the Entisol, the waste reduced the reproductive rate and caused avoidance behavior in E. andrei (LOEC=30 m(3)ha(-1)) even in lower concentrations. The Entisol is extremely sandy, with low cation exchange capacity (CEC), and this may be the reason for the higher toxicity on soil fauna, with the soil not being able to hold large amounts of pollutants (e.g. toxic metals), but leaving them in bioavailable forms. These results should be a warning of the necessity to consider soil parameters (e.g. texture and CEC) when evaluating soil contamination by means of ecotoxicological assays, as there still are no standards for natural soils in tropical regions. E. andrei earthworms act as indicators for a soil to support disposal of swine manure without generating harm to agriculture and ecosystems., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Brazil is the biggest coffee producer in the world and different plantation management systems have been applied to improve sustainability and soil quality. Little is known about the environmental effects of these different management systems, therefore, the goal of this study was to use soil biological parameters as indicators of changes. Soils from plantations in Southeastern Brazil with conventional (CC), organic (OC) and integrated management systems containing intercropping of Brachiaria decumbens (IB) or Arachis pintoi (IA) were sampled. Total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN), microbial activity (C-CO2), metabolic quotient (qCO2), the enzymes dehydrogenase, urease, acid phosphatase and arylsulphatase, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization and number of spores and soil fauna were evaluated. The greatest difference between the management systems was seen in soil organic matter content. The largest quantity of TOC was found in the OC, and the smallest was found in IA. TOC content influenced soil biological parameters. The use of all combined attributes was necessary to distinguish the four systems. Each management presented distinct faunal structure, and the data obtained with the trap method was more reliable than the TSBF (Tropical Soils) method. A canonic correlation analysis showed that Isopoda was correlated with TOC and the most abundant order with OC. Isoptera was the most abundant faunal order in IA and correlated with MBC. Overall, OC had higher values for most of the biological measurements and higher populations of Oligochaeta and Isopoda, corroborating with the concept that the OC is a more sustainable system.

Cypermethrin is a pyrethroid widely used in agriculture and in control of animal ectoparasites, being effective against a large number of insects. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of cypermethrin on soil fauna using reproduction and behavior ecotoxicological tests with the springtail Folsomia candida. The surface layer of a soil characteristic of the western region of the Santa Catarina State, classified as Typic Dystrupept, was used as test substrate. The treatments on both tests consisted of five concentrations of cypermethrin (0, 7.5, 15.0, 22.5, and 30.0mgkg(-)(1)) corresponding to 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0gm(-2), respectively. This range was chosen according to technical instruction for the use of this product in broilers beds (that are used afterwards as organic fertilizer in soil) that recommends 15mgkg(-1) (3.0gm(-2)). The results obtained with tests for F. candida showed toxicity at all doses tested, following a dose-related response resulting in reduction in survival rate (LC50 of 18.41mgkg(-1), equivalent to 3.8gm(-2)), in the number of juveniles (EC50 of 15.05mgkg(-1), corresponding to 3.01gm(-2)), and an increase in avoidance response (AC50 of 29mgkg(-1), corresponding to 5.8gm(-2)). Although more studies are needed focusing on the fate of cypermethrin in soil when the poultry beds are used as fertilizer and how it may affect soil fauna, data obtained in this study, by showing effects within the range of the doses that are recommended implies that caution and possible mitigation measures should be taken when using this compound., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)