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Copyright of Movimento (0104754X) is the property of Movimento, da Escola de Educacao, Fisica, Fisioterapia e Danca 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.)

The present paper presents the rutting evaluation of different asphalt mixtures in use in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's southernmost-region, through the uniaxial repeated load test and the monitoring of mixtures performance in field, culminating in a criteria proposal for the parameter Flow Number depending on traffic. For this, five distinct asphalt binders were studied, five grain size distributions, three warm mixtures and 21 hot mixes, with different mineralogical types of aggregates, and 15 monitored test sites distributed geographically throughout the state. The results indicated that the binder modifications were the most influential characteristics in the asphalt mixtures rutting. Also, it was verified that the Flow Number criteria proposed so far in the country present significant differences. In this way, a new criterion was suggested, and it is possible to infer a good applicability for asphalt concretes, except for warm mixes and those with rubber binder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling post-consumer packaging of high and linear/low-density polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE/LLDPE) and polypropylene (PP) (most representative in any plastic waste stream) is a viable alternative. However, these packages must be washed first, especially those with a high content of contaminants (such as yogurt—HDPE and margarine—PP). Therefore, this study aimed to develop a complete pre-treatment of polymeric wastes (HDPE, LDPE/LLDPE, PP) involving the steps of quantification, characterization, washing (pre-wash/ washing/rinsing), treatment of the generated effluent and the reuse of treated water in a closed circuit. Afterward, the qualification of recyclable material selectors was performed with associations/cooperatives of recyclable material in the Rio Grande do Sul, South region of Brazil. The results indicated that the subdivision in prewash/washing/rinsing utilizing sulfonic acid (1.16% v/v), lauryl (sodium lauryl ether sulfate) (0.53% v/v) and soda (0.31% v/v) was suitable for obtaining clean polymeric waste. Treatment of effluent using aluminum sulfate (4 g L−1) as a coagulant, followed by filtration, was efficient with removal values greater than 90%. These characteristics of treated water allowed its reutilization water of a safe way in closed circuit in the process of washing of the polymeric wastes. Finally, a total of sixty-four selectors of recyclable materials were trained and the theoretical–practical training was quite satisfactory for more than 95% of selectors. Therefore, it can be concluded that the great importance to transmitting the knowledge to society generated in this studies and thus provides best conditions for the development of these selectors of recyclable materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study verified the potential of volcanic rock powder residues originating from the extraction of semi-precious rocks in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, as precursors or adsorbents for dyes and metallic ion removal from water. In this way, it is possible to add value and give an adequate destination to this waste. Volcanic rock powder residues from Ametista do Sul (AME) and Nova Prata (NP) were the starting materials. These were used naturally or submitted to the alkaline activation process at 60 °C and alkaline fusion at 550 °C. The analysis of the starting samples by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) revealed that they are mainly composed of aluminum, calcium, iron, and silicon oxides, which corroborates the presence of numerous crystalline phases observed in the X-ray diffraction spectra (XRD). Moreover, by XRD analysis of the synthesized samples, alkaline fusion proved to be more efficient in the dissolution of crystalline phases and consequently in the formation of the amorphous phase (more reactive). Furthermore, the adsorption tests with acid green and acid red dyes and Ag+, Co2+, and Cu2+ ions indicated the viability of using residual volcanic rock powder as raw material for the production of adsorbents functionalized with sodium hydroxide, being that the samples synthesized by alkaline fusion showed better results of removal and adsorption capacity for all the contaminants used in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue cracking is the main type of distress in flexible pavements in Brazil. Numerical models that are based on viscoelastic continuum damage (VECD) theory can help to explain the damage evolution process in asphalt mixtures, thereby allowing the proper analysis of the fatigue phenomenon. This paper aims to characterise and verify the fatigue behaviour of four test sites constructed with dense asphalt mixtures in Santa Maria, Brazil, employing field monitoring, linear viscoelastic characterisation, uniaxial cyclic fatigue testing, the simplified VECD (S-VECD) model, and FlexPAVETM software. This study's results are coupled with a cost/benefit analysis of the evaluated test sites. The constructed sites are compared to simulated optimal pavement designed using FlexPAVETM and fatigue damage transfer function. The results indicate that this study's methodology can predict fatigue damage evolution by identifying early cracking in two of the test sites and capturing good fatigue resistance in the other two sites. Furthermore, in both cases of early cracking, the design requirements for fatigue resistance could be met by increasing the asphalt layer thickness (optimal pavements), which significantly reduced the US$/NFATIGUE ratio. Thus, an improved cost/benefit ratio was realised for the pavements designed using this methodology and analysed using only an established fatigue criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Inspirar Movimento & Saude is the property of Faculdade Inspirar 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.)

By-products from the dairy industry and mining activities represent a great environmental overload, which justify research for value-added reuse of these by-products (dairy sludge and dacite rock powder). Dairy sludge is generated at a rate of about 0.2–10 l per liter of processed milk, and dacite powder, from rock mining extraction and processing, is generated for about 52,400 m3 per year in Nova Prata city, Southern Brazil. For both by-products, the compositions of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K) and phosphorous (P), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) were determined by using appropriate analytical techniques. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine release of macronutrients, such as Ca, K, Mg, and P, from by-products to support black oat (Avena strigosa) and maize nutrition. Twelve by-products doses were blended with a typic Hapludox soil and were applied to pots with five replications each. Black oat (first cultivation) and, sequentially, maize (second cultivation) were cultivated for 70 days each. Ameliorations in soil chemical attributes, leaf dry matter yield, and plant nutritional status were evaluated at the end of each cultivation. There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in all parameters evaluated in a dose of 7251 kg ha−1 of dacite rock powder and 20,594 kg ha−1 of dairy sludge. Compared to the control treatments, both crops grew well better on all mixtures. The presence of potentially toxic elements in both by-products was irrelevant, indicating that effective blending of dacite rock powder along with dairy sludge could be a potential source of Ca, K, Mg, and P in agriculture without posing a risk of contamination to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Colloquium Agrariae is the property of Asociacao Prudentina de Educacao e Cultura (APEC) 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.)

Objective: To identify the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco drug use among pregnant women and investigate their perceptions regarding advice from health professionals during prenatal care. Method: We used a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design for this cross-sectional study; the study period was January 2017 to December 2018. Multistage random sampling resulted in the selection of 255 pregnant women assisted in primary care units and through the Family Health Strategy in a city in southern Brazil. Trained interviewers collected data on the use of alcohol and tobacco drugs and socioeconomic characteristics via a questionnaire. Qualitative interviews were performed with pregnant women identified as alcohol and tobacco drug users in the quantitative phase. Interviews proceeded consecutively until saturation was reached, followed by a thematic analysis of interview content based on Braun and Clarke. Results: The prevalence of smoking and alcohol use was 12.55% and 14.12%, respectively. From the 14 interviews conducted, five categories emerged from the discourses: prenatal care from the perspective of pregnant women, habits and knowledge regarding smoking during pregnancy, habits and knowledge regarding alcohol use during pregnancy, previous experiences and empirical knowledge, and pregnant women's preferences for talking about their habits. Conclusion for Practice: Study findings identified smoking and alcohol use as habits among some women during pregnancy and, consequently, the need for improving care because of their superficial knowledge regarding tobacco and alcohol use. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening measures and establishing new strategies that ensure women's understanding, empowerment, and choices—from the beginning of childbearing age—regarding habits during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The powdered biomass of paddle cactus (Tacinga palmadora), a rustic plant of great occurrence in the driest regions of Brazil, was evaluated as a low-cost adsorbent to treat textile effluents containing crystal violet (CV) dye. The powdered paddle cactus (PPC) was mainly composed by lignin and holocellulose, as well as, a variety of functional groups. Best results for CV adsorption were found using an adsorbent dosage of 0.5 g L−1 at solution pH equivalent to 10.0. Fast adsorption kinetics was verified, being the equilibrium reached within 100 min, and the curves were well modeled by the pseudo-first-order model. The isotherms were well-represented by the Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity was 228.74 mg g−1 at 328 K. The estimated thermodynamics parameters were ΔG0T = 328K of –9.08 kJ mol−1, ΔH0 of 12.44 kJ mol−1, and ΔS0 of 0.065 kJ mol−1 K−1. In addition, PPC was able to treat a simulated textile effluent containing organic and inorganic compounds, reaching 93% of color removal efficiency. These findings show that powdered paddle cactus can be applied as potential low-cost adsorbent to treat textile effluents containing CV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the territorial perspective of development, in the territory of the Fourth Colony of Italian immigration, located in the center of the state of Rio Grande do Sul / Brazil has been investing in tourism to leverage its development in line with other productive activities. As a strategy, tourism has been used to compose the commercialization and dissemination narratives of the specific natural and cultural resources found in the territory itself. Despite the public incentive to develop the activity, the creation of tourist routes and itineraries did not meet the expectations of local entrepreneurs. In this aspect, the main objective was to analyze the aspects that inhibited the process of tourism development in the territory. Methodologically, the study has a qualitative cut and the information was collected through primary and secondary sources. As a result, the study found that despite government support, local actors were not included in the tourism development process and the fragility of social capital prevented many tourism activities from succeeding over the years. However, tourism has resumed its growth process driven by local actors who jointly prepare and at the same time experience recreational activities, rural trails and paths, festivities and gastronomic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil analysis is used to estimate nutrient availability, but nutrient concentrations are not always related to yield in most fruit plants, including grapevines. Thus, additional multivariate mathematical models, such as the compositional nutrient diagnosis (CND), which takes into account leaves nutrient concentration, and yield, can contribute to estimating critical levels or sufficiency bands of elements, as well as to detect deficiency and/or excess of nutrients. The aim of the present study was to establish CND standards, and the critical level and sufficiency band of nutrients, in the grapevine Vitis vinifera L., grown in a subtropical climate region. Leaves were collected in 81 vineyards in the Campanha Gaúcha do Rio Grande do Sul region, Southern Brazil, and analyzed for macroand micro-nutrient concentration. The yield of each vineyard was assessed. Grapevine nutritional status was calculated through the CND method. CND-r² indices were effective in establishing the nutritional status of grapevines for macro- and micro-nutrients as sub-optimal, excessive, or balanced. The CND methodology established the critical level and sufficiency bands of nutrients more accurately than the current recommendations for grapevines. Multi-nutrient associations were more effective than the single nutrient determination in defining the threshold of a given nutrient that can reduce grapevine yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphology and composition of roots with different degrees of oxidation as a function of time were evaluated aiming to identify possible hazardous elements and nanoparticles. The roots were obtained from an abandoned coal mine located in the city of Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil. From the roots, analyses were performed to identify nanoparticles (NPs) and ultrafine particles (UFPs), containing possible hazardous elements (PHEs) that cause potential environmental risks and impacts on human health. The identification of nanoscale materials requires greater robustness, so advanced integrated techniques have been used. The characterization of different types of roots was done by using focused ion beam (FIB), to evaluate nano-compound assemblies with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (HR-TEM/EDS). The results showed the presence of NPs containing Hg, Co, Cr, Ni, and V. The presence of these elements has increased consistently with the increase of C concentration in the roots, suggesting that the PHEs were gradually released from organic matter and inorganic minerals of coal. However, even with their decrease in roots, it was found that these elements still remained in the soil in significant quantities, even after 15 years of inactivation of the coal mine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technical inspection of agricultural sprayers is responsible for generating important subsidies to inform and guide their users. In this sense, the aim of this study was to evaluate the working conditions of boom sprayers regarding their conservation status in order to identify the problems that interfere with quality sprayings. Sixty-three agricultural sprayers from rural properties were evaluated in the micro-region of Pato Branco, PR. Less than half of applicators (42.9%) performed some type of training and 58.7% of the operators had knowledge about the working pressure indicated by the spray tip manufacturer, but 24.3% of them were working with the pressure out of the recommended or with a damaged manometer. The manometer was present and operative in only 71.4% of the sprayers. Only 54% of the collected flows were in accordance with that informed by the operator. Most of the interviewed producers still do not have adequate criteria for choosing spray tips nor frequency of their replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: this study assessed the patients' perception of the outcomes of prosthetic treatment in a University of Southern Brazil. Methods: patients seeking for prosthetic treatment were invited to answer a questionnaire with 41 items about the potential risks, benefits, and consequences of no treatment. Answers were obtained according to a five-item Likert-scale varying from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree). Sociodemographic data was included in the comparison. Mann-Whitney or Kruskal-Wallis (95%) compared data depending on the variable. Results: two-hundred twenty-five patients answered the questionnaire. Median age of participants was 45-54 years. The potential benefits were similar among participants irrespective of the variable adopted. The perception of risks was significant influenced by variables gender, age, education level, type of edentulous space, prior treatment with prosthodontics, type of prosthodontics, and prosthodontics usage in years. Consequences of no treatment were affected by age, prior treatment with prosthodontics, and prosthodontics usage in years. Conclusions: the study showed the fundamental importance of correct elucidation about the potential risks (negative perception) in the initial appointment for the studied population. Elucidation about the consequences of no treatment are relevant because some differences were seen into the variables. Prosthodontics patients from the city of Passo Fundo seem well informed about the benefits of the prosthetic treatment, besides the significant influence of some sociodemographic and prosthetic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Agrotecnologia is the property of Universidade Estadual de Goias 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.)

A history of childhood maltreatment (HCM) has been associated with detrimental psychiatric outcomes. This is particularly true for transgender, for whom there is initial evidence that HCM may be associated with psychiatric morbidity. Our study aimed to further characterize the relationship between HCM and the development of mental disorder in adult life, based on a sample of Brazilian transgender women. Cross-sectional data were collected from a consecutive sample of 289 transgender women who attended the Hospital Clínicas clinic for gender dysphoria, in Porto Alegre, between 1998 and 2014. Our results demonstrated a greater risk of deteriorating mental health amongst participants who had experienced HCM. Given the disproportionally high rate of HCM in transgender persons, we advocate for greater assistance for transgender persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pregnancy can be associated with health risks for both the mother and infant, and specialised care during the pregnancy, delivery and puerperium periods can help reduce complications for the motherinfant binomial. Objective: To assess the demographic, social and reproductive aspects of delivery and the postpartum period in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted via an interview with 552 mothers with children aged 0 to 5 years between 2007 and 2008. Cluster sampling of the population was performed in two stages (census sectors and domiciles). Results: The majority of the 552 mothers were multiparous (79.6%). Around 70% of pregnancies occurred in teenage mothers. The proportion of caesarean section deliveries was 38.4% in mothers from urban zones and 28.5% in those from rural areas, and was higher in mothers who attended private clinics, who self-reported as being Caucasian, and who had a higher educational level. With regard to puerperal complications, mothers who underwent caesarean section had a higher prevalence of hypertension (71.1%) with an adjusted prevalence ratio of 3.90 (95% CI [2.00, 7.61]). Conclusions: The results revealed a high rate of teenage pregnancy, and arterial hypertension was the leading complication during the postpartum period experienced by women who had undergone caesarean section. These findings merit further attention, and should be used to improve the care provided to Rio Branco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty-two patients with diabetes negative for point mutations in GCK and HNF1A underwent further molecular screening of GCK, HNF1A, HNF4A, and HNF1B by MLPA analysis. We described the first Brazilian case of MODY5 due to a heterozygous whole-gene deletion in HNF1B, who developed rapidly progressive renal failure and death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Revista Brasileira de Ciências Agrárias is the property of Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco 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.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Revista Brasileira de Ciências Agrárias is the property of Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco 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.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Revista Brasileira de Ciências Agrárias is the property of Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco 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.)

This article consists on the study of how beekeeping can contribute to the economic development of small agricultural communities. The case study is the Retirense Association of Beekeepers (ARAPI) established by inhabitants of the «Retiro São Bento» community, located in the «Pantanal» in the city Barão de Melgaço in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The objective is to study the structure of the productive net of this organization as well as its importance for the development of the region where it is inserted. The research has been based on observation in loco and in information in documents yielded by Association and Ecological Ranch «SESC Pantanal». This is the entity that promoted the first actions for the insertion of the beekeeping in the «Retiro São Bento» community. As it has been already pointed in some studies, the Pantanal is an ecosystem of beehive, and then, the ARAPI has gotten success in its production and consequently the community could increase the familiar income, and promote actions for the development of the beekeeping as well as to guarantee a longer time of the biological wealth of this environmental «pantaneiro» to the next generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy and water exchange between the surface and the atmosphere are important drivers to Earth's climate from local to global scale. In this study, the energy dynamic and the biophysical mechanisms that control the energy partitioning over a natural grassland pasture over the Brazilian Pampa biome are investigated using two micrometeorological sites located 300 km apart, in Southern Brazil. The latent heat flux, LE, was the main component of the energy balance in both autumn-winter (AW) and spring-summer (SS) periods. Annually, approximately 60% of the available energy is used for evapotranspiration (ET). However, the Bowen ratio presents seasonal variability greater in AW than SS. Global radiation, Rg, is the atmospheric variable controlling LE and sensible heat flux, H. Hysteresis curves in the daily cycle were observed for ET and surface conductance, Cs, regarding the environmental variables, net radiation, vapor pressure deficit, and air temperature. Among the variables analyzed in the Pampa biome, surface conductance and evapotranspiration respond more strongly to the vapor pressure deficit. The hysteresis cycles formed by ET and conductance show a substantial biophysical control in the ET process. The results obtained here allowed a comprehension of the biophysical mechanisms involved in the energy partition process in natural grassland. Therefore, this study can be used as a base for research on land-use changes in this unique ecosystem of the Pampa biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides neodymium, the chemical composition of Neodymium–Iron–Boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets possibly contains other rare earth elements (REEs) such as praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium. Among its applications, NdFeB magnets are essential for Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) in computers for data storage, in Mobile Phones (MPs), and in acoustic transducers. Because REEs were classified as critical raw materials by the European Union and the USA, the recycling of them has become an important strategy to diminish supply risk. Therefore, in this publication, the authors have uncovered the recycling potential estimate (RPE) of these four REEs from both end-of-life (EoL) secondary sources. The results were based on the time-step method, using in-use stock and sales data from Brazil over the last decade (2010–2019). Moreover, the NdFeB magnets were characterized by content and weight to a more accurate RPE. The EoL generation over the decade studied showed different scenarios for MPs and HDDs, mainly due to lifespan, social behavior regarding storage and usage, and resources. Under those circumstances, the RPE revealed 211.30 t of REEs that could return as raw materials in the last decade, of which approximately 80% is neodymium. Unfortunately, recycling rates are still too low, even more so in Brazil, which is problematic for the future REE supply chain and electronic waste figures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic occurring nanoparticles (NPs) have been one of the principal catalytic components of marine pollution throughout its history. The phosphogypsum (PG) factories present environmental risks and evident marine pollution in different parts of the world. Many of these factors continue to operate, however, some have already been abandoned by the private sector. The general objective of this manuscript is to analyze the real nanoparticles (NPs) present on a beach in southern Brazil to illustrate the need to create public policies and projects for environmental recovery. This work focused on real representative sampling of suspended sediments (SSs), and on a modern analytical procedure via advanced electron microscopes (field emission scanning electron microscope-FE-SEM and high resolution transmission electron microscope-HR-TEM coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis system-EDS) to analyze NPs containing hazardous elements (HEs). The results presented in this work demonstrate who the size, morphology, among other physical-geochemical characteristics influence in the adsorption of HEs by the NPs and their respective agglomerates. This study is of great importance for carrying out the application of advanced techniques and methods to better understand the formation and transport of NPs on beaches, which allows assisting in the management of waste from plaster factories on a global scale. • South Brazilian coastal zone (Santa Catarina State) is theme to intensive anthropogenic difficulties. • Macro and microfauna is poorly diversified at shallowest stations undergoing to phosphogypsum rejects deposits. • In general human health danger indices exceeded the safety limits to nanoparticles contacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studding the behaviour and danger of nanoparticles (NPs, minerals and amorphous phases) in the estuarine ecosystem is presently incomplete by the lack of measureable description of NPs in the ecological conditions, such as suspended-sediments (SS). In the last years, several works have revealed the toxic consequences of ultra-fine and nanoparticulate compounds on diverse systems, raising apprehensions over the nanocontaminants behaviour and destiny in the numerous ecological partitions. The general objective of the manuscript is to explain the geochemical conditions of the LES (Laguna estuarine system, southern Brazil) suspended sediments covering an area around the main South American coal plant, enhancing the creation of future public policies for environmental recovery projects. Subsequently the discharge of nanoparticles and toxic element (TE) in the ecosystem, NPs react with several constituents of the nature and suffers active alteration progressions. Contamination coming from engineering actions, wastewater, are something identifiable, however when these contaminations are accompanied by other contamination sources (e.g. mining and farming) the work gets defaulted. By combining material about the concentration of TE contaminants and NPs occurrences, this work offers novel visions into contaminant contact and the possible effects of such exposure on estuarine systems in Brazil. The results presented here will be useful for different areas of estuaries around the world. [Display omitted] • Estuarine suspended sediments contain several nanoparticles. • Discharge of residual water is the principal entry course of nanoparticles in the estuarine sediments. • In the estuary, nanoparticles undergo several alterations simultaneously. • Sorption ability of hazardous elements by nanoparticles was augmented with increasing salinity. • Nanomineralogy indicates human activities source pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological nitrogen fixation and plant hormone synthesis promoted by Azospirillum spp. bacteria play a role in enhancing crop productivity and reducing losses. This may constitute a strategy to enhance crop productivity and reducing losses, thereby increasing nitrogen fertilization efficiency. This research aimed to evaluate the effects of Azospirillum brasilense Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 strain inoculation and nitrogen fertilization on the agronomic characteristics and productivity of two maize hybrids (Zea mays L.) AS 1572 and AG 9030. Experiments were carried out at Santa Maria, RS, Brazil in the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 growing seasons using a 2 × 2 × 5 factorial arrangement to distribute two maize hybrids, inoculated, or not, with Azospirillum brasilense, and five nitrogen doses (0, 60, 120, 240, and 480 kg ha−1). Kernel yield, mass, and dimensions, as well as kernel number on the cobs, stalk diameter, plant height, ear insertion height, prolificacy, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and their correlations were measured. Compared to uninoculated plants, higher kernel yield (p < 0.05) was observed for AS 1572 hybrid when inoculated with A. brasilense, with an increase of 0.978 Mg ha−1 or 10.95%. This effect was primarily due to the higher NUE rate and the increase (p < 0.05) in the number of kernels per cob. The AG 9030 hybrid showed no response to inoculation. A. brasilense inoculation increased the NUE rate of the AS 1572 hybrid in the condition N zero dose at N 60 kg ha−1 dose. Nitrogen fertilization increased crop productivity, notably by raising kernel mass and other productivity components, but reduced the NUE rate. The maximum technical efficiency obtained for the AS 1572 hybrid was of 10.705 Mg ha−1 with a N dose of 342 kg ha−1, whereas the AG 9030 hybrid produced a maximum grain yield of 10.089 Mg ha−1 with a dose of 350 kg ha−1 of N. We conclude that the inoculation with A. brasilense increases NUE, maize grain yield, and agronomic characteristic in the AS 1572 hybrid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maturity‐onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a form of monogenic diabetes with autosomal dominant inheritance. To date, mutations in 11 genes have been frequently associated with this phenotype. In Brazil, few cohorts have been screened for MODY, all using a candidate gene approach, with a high prevalence of undiagnosed cases (MODY‐X). Methods: We conducted a next‐generation sequencing target panel (tNGS) study to investigate, for the first time, a Brazilian cohort of MODY patients with a negative prior genetic analysis. One hundred and two patients were selected, of which 26 had an initial clinical suspicion of MODY‐GCK and 76 were non‐GCK MODY. Results: After excluding all benign and likely benign variants and variants of uncertain significance, we were able to assign a genetic cause for 12.7% (13/102) of the probands. Three rare MODY subtypes were identified (PDX1/NEUROD1/ABCC8), and eight variants had not been previously described/mapped in genomic databases. Important clinical findings were evidenced in some cases after genetic diagnosis, such as MODY‐PDX1/HNF1B. Conclusion: A multiloci genetic approach allowed the identification of rare MODY subtypes, reducing the large percentage of MODY‐X in Brazilian cases and contributing to a better clinical, therapeutic, and prognostic characterization of these rare phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was developed in a joint partnership with the Brazilian pedometrics community to standardize and evaluate spectra within the 350–2500 nm range of Brazilian soils. The Brazilian Soil Spectral Library (BSSL) began in 1995, creating a protocol to gather soil samples from different locations in Brazil. The BSSL reached 39,284 soil samples from 65 contributors representing 41 institutions from all 26 states. Through the BSSL spectra database, it was possible to estimate important soil attributes, such as clay, sand, soil organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, pH and base saturation, resulting in differences among the multi-scale models taking Brazil (overall), regional and state scale. In general, spectral descriptive and quantitative behavior indicated important relationship with physical, chemical and mineralogical properties. Statistical analyses showed that six basic patterns of spectral signatures represent the Brazilian soils types and that environmental conditions explain the differences in spectra. This study demonstrates that spectroscopy analyses along with the establishment of soil spectral libraries are a powerful technique for providing information on a national and regional levels. We also developed an interactive online platform showing soil sample locations and their contributors. As soil spectroscopy is considered a fast, simple, accurate and nondestructive analytical procedure, its application may be integrated with wet analysis as an alternative to support the sustainable management of soils. Unlabelled Image • The first Brazilian Soil Spectral Library (BSSL) • With the BSSL it was possible to estimate important soil attributes. • Prediction of soil attributes was different for national, regional and state scales. • The Brazilian soils types can be represented with 6 patterns of spectral signatures. • The results endorse the relevance of spectral libraries on soil evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights from the article: Adsorption (selected papers presented at the 12th Adsorption Brazilian Meeting (EBA 2018), held April 23-25, 2018 in Gramado-RS, Brazil) In this special issue of Chemical Engineering Communications, a collection of 19 papers is presented based on the oral and poster communications at the 12th Adsorption Brazilian Meeting (EBA 2018). The scientific program was impressive, being composed by the traditional Adsorption School, 5 plenary lectures, 9 keynote lectures, 36 oral communications, and 277 poster communications.

The article presents a cross-sectional study which examines the association between tobacco smoking and mental depression. For the study, researchers analyzed depression symptoms among 1,021 unrelated blood donors classified as former smokers, current smokers and never smokers. They found that depression levels are lower among former smokers compared to current smokers and never smokers.

Pollution caused by hazardous and carcinogenic inorganic elements and organic compounds from coal may be more severe when coupled by other sources of pollution. In addition, the modes of occurrence of potential hazardous elements (PHEs) in coal cleaning rejects (CCRs) have been widely investigated using different methods, including statistical methods, which, however, in some cases resulted in misleading interpretations. In order to verify this potential problem and find an effective solution, we selected a data set, which contained comprehensive analyses of CCRs. The secondary products in sulphides-bearing coal mine rejects were studied in demand to determine their geochemical and ecological structures and to assess their position in the reduction of PHEs in the nature. A zone located in south Brazil, which is the major coal power plant in South America, can be given as an example of such a problem. In this work, a novel methodology for the analysis of PHEs in soils and sediments is proposed for this affected coal area. The analytical method combining X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and advanced electron microscopies shows the importance of nanomineralogy in understanding different circumstances of coal contamination. Several ultrafine-nanoparticles (UNPs) were identified in the sampled soils and river sediments together with the PHEs. A decrease in PHEs was identified in association with UNPs. However, still further investigations are required with regard to the mobility of PHEs in water, atmosphere, soils, and sediments. The site studied around the coal power plant showed the highest sorption capacity possibly due to the high retention ability of components of soil and sediments such as carbon and clay. These observations of the coal-derived nanoparticles confirm their capability of regulating the mobility of hazardous elements, implying the need for restoring complex abandoned coal areas. Image 1 • Pollutant concentrations in sediments are higher near coal mine discharge areas. • Description of cemented amorphous compounds in coal-bearing mines from South America. • Nanoparticles and ultra-fine particles included cemented fragments of (transformed) sulfides. • New nanogeohemistry quotient was proposed in this work. • The extreme environments allowed the hazardous elements incidence and the hardpan momentary constancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) comprises a heterogeneous group of monogenic forms of diabetes caused by mutations in at least 14 genes, but mostly by mutations in Glucokinase (GCK) and hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 homeobox A (HNF1A). This study aims to establish a national registry of MODY cases in Brazilian patients, assessing published and unpublished data.Methods: 311 patients with clinical characteristics of MODY were analyzed, with unpublished data on 298 individuals described in 12 previous publications and 13 newly described cases in this report.Results: 72 individuals had GCK mutations, 9 described in Brazilian individuals for the first time. One previously unpublished novel GCK mutation, Gly178Ala, was found in one family. 31 individuals had HNF1A mutations, 2 described for the first time in Brazilian individuals. Comparisons of GCK probands vs HNF1A: age 16±11 vs 35±20years; age at diagnosis 11±8 vs 21±7years; BMI 19±6 vs 25±6kg/m2; sulfonylurea users 5 vs 83%; insulin users 5 vs 17%; presence of arterial hypertension 0 vs. 33%, all p<0.05. No differences were observed in lipids and C-peptide.Conclusions: Most MODY cases in Brazil are due to GCK mutations. In agreement with other studied populations, novel mutations are common. Only 14% of patients with familial diabetes carry a HNF1A mutation. Diagnosis of other rare forms of MODY is still a challenge in Brazilian population, as well as adequate strategies to screen individuals for molecular diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dithiocarbamate determination method is proposed for first time for yerba mate. • Miniaturized sample preparation suitable in commercial yerba mate samples. • Analysis of 65 yerba mate commercial brands samples, from 46 Latin American cities. • Dithiocarbamate was detected in 33.8% and quantified in 10.8%, totalizing circa of 45% of the total samples with residues. • In Brazil, there are no authorized pesticides for yerba mate, and consequently there is no MRL. This work presents an easy and quick miniaturized procedure for the analysis of dithiocarbamates fungicides (DTC), by GC-MS, in yerba mate, an important product in South America. The sample amount, the volume of extracting solvent and acid solution, and the time of hot bath shaking were minimized. A clean-up procedure based on PSA, GCB and MgSO4 was studied in order to improve analytical signal and reduce GC-MS system damage. Blank yerba mate samples were spiked with thiram at equivalent CS 2 concentrations of 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 and 1 mg kg–1. The validated method at least 2 times faster than the traditional method and was according to the latest European guidelines for pesticide residue analysis. Linearity, limits of detection and quantification, matrix effects, trueness and precision were assessed. Sixty-five commercialized samples from southern Brazil and Argentina were analyzed; 14% of samples presented CS 2 concentration greater than LOQ (0.1 mg kg–1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An algorithm for automated endmember selection was assessed in geeSEBAL. • A sensitivity analysis of the automated calibration was conducted. • New set of quantiles were proposed to increase E T accuracy in humid climates. • Impacts of global meteorology in geeSEBAL were also assessed. The application of energy balance models for estimation of evapotranspiration (E T) still has challenges to be addressed for large scale applications. The algorithm for automated calibration using inverse modeling at extreme conditions (CIMEC) is based on the definition of endmembers that represent the extreme conditions of the E T spectrum, between hot (dry and sparse vegetation) and cold (wet and dense vegetation) surfaces, with pre-defined quantiles for the endmember selection. The main goal was to assess geeSEBAL algorithm uncertainties related to the (i) automated calibration, including the use of additional filters (land cover, homogeneity, and domain area) and (ii) the use of a global climate grid as input data. Based on a sensitivity analysis, we defined new set of quantiles to increase the accuracy of E T estimates in subtropical humid climates, since the default quantiles were adjusted to semiarid climates with dry summers. To validate our E T estimates we used eddy covariance measurements from five flux towers located in the South of Brazil. Processing 132 Landsat cloud free images and using adjusted quantiles, we found a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.91 mm d −1 and a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.82 with geeSEBAL driven by meteorological measurements. Using the pre-defined quantiles, we found an RMSE of 1.16 mm d −1 (27% higher) and R² of 0.75. The upscaling instantaneous E T to daily E T resulted in an underestimation of the daily E T using the pre-defined quantiles, while the optimized quantiles corrected the daily estimates. Furthermore, our results suggested a low sensitivity of geeSEBAL to meteorological inputs, since RMSE slightly increased to 1.04 mm d −1 (14.3% higher) and R² decreased to 0.76 (8.5% smaller) when driven by global climate data. For data scarce areas, geeSEBAL is a feasible alternative for cropland E T estimation and water resources management in subtropical humid climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Spectral and terrain features for mapping cropland soils in Brazil. • Detailed soil spatial distribution and SOC stock was estimated in croplands. • Predicted maps revealed a high variability of topsoil among the cropped areas. • Earth Observation data is a valuable source for mapping and monitoring cropland soils. Despite the natural spatial variability, cropland soils are subject to many interventions that can lead to alterations of soil functioning. As the cropland expansion took place in Brazil the last decades, leading to significant land-use change and environmental impacts, detailed information about soils is fundamental for sustainable development. Thus, considering the lack of spatially explicit information about cropland soils in Brazil, we aimed at performing high-resolution mapping of key topsoil attributes using spectral and terrain features extracted from Earth observation data (EOD). With the resulting information, we also aimed at performing a general examination of the main agricultural regions and estimate the total organic carbon stocks on croplands soils. For this, we obtained environmental predictors from the historical collection of Landsat data and the digital elevation model from Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission at the cloud-based platform of Google Earth Engine. The environmental predictors (30 m spatial resolution) with georeferenced soil samples (n = 5097) were used for predicting the topsoil content (0–20 cm) of clay, sand, silt, cation exchange capacity, pH, soil organic carbon (SOC) and SOC stock. Prediction models of clay, sand, SOC content, and SOC stocks had the best performance metrics, achieving a R2 ranging from 0.44 to 0.74 and ratio of performance to the interquartile range higher than 1.5. The predicted maps revealed the variability of topsoil among the cropped areas, indicating that the agricultural expansion took place on sandy soils. The SOC stock map provided consistent estimates compared to previous datasets but revealed additional information at the local and regional scales. Thus, this study supports the proposition that EOD is a valuable source for extracting environmental features for mapping and monitoring cropland soils at finer resolutions, assisting the evaluation of soil spatial distribution and the historical agriculture expansion over large geographical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Random forest supported by high resolution landscape parameters improved soil maps. • Drainage network patterns are related to soil classes in tropical environments. • Digital soil mapping benefitted more from drainage attributes than relief. • The proposed methods are preliminary for the advance of digital soil mapping. Soil maps are an important tool for agricultural planning and land management. Digital techniques have been used to create soil maps. However, most studies did not explore drainage network (DN) information on prediction models, which are related to soil variability. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the contribution of DN to predict soil classes using digital soil mapping techniques. We used a conventional soil class map (1:20,000) and environmental variables, such as drainage and relief attributes and satellite images, aiming to extrapolate the soil map to a larger area. The work was conducted in São Paulo State, Brazil. We created a point grid with 30 × 30 m resolution to extract the soil and variables information. We used these data to calibrate a random forest model along with cross-validation to optimize the model selection. The predicted soil classes for the 53,800-ha study area were determined on two levels according to the World Reference Base (WRB) soil classification system. The first level considered only soil groups (i.e. Acrisol and Ferralsol), while the second level considered the soil group and a qualifier (i.e. Chromic Acrisol and Rhodic Acrisol). We validated the maps using other conventional soils maps (internal validation) and field sampling points (external validation). After extrapolating the soil map, we validated the model s performance using field observations. In this case, the method reached an accuracy of 0.56 and kappa of 0.31 for the soil's first level, and 0.38 and 0.25 for the second level. Regosols and Cambisols prediction was underestimated, lowering the accuracy and kappa results on the validation. However, Ferralsols reached accuracy and Acrisols reached around 70% accuracy. The drainage related attributes had the highest contribution to the model's performance (accuracy = 56%) and improved the soil map extrapolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on soil degradation are essential for environmental preservation. Since almost 30% of the global soils are degraded, it is important to study and map them for improving their management and use. We aimed to obtain a Soil Degradation Index (SDI) based on multi-temporal satellite images associated with climate variables, land use, terrain and soil attributes. The study was conducted in a 2598 km2 area in São Paulo State, Brazil, where 1562 soil samples (0–20 cm) were collected and analyzed by conventional methods. Spatial predictions of soil attributes such as clay, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and soil organic matter (OM) were performed using machine learning algorithms. A collection of 35-year Landsat images was used to obtain a multi-temporal bare soil image, whose spectral bands were used as soil attributes predictors. The maps of clay, CEC, climate variables, terrain attributes and land use were overlaid and the K-means clustering algorithm was applied to obtain five groups, which represented levels of soil degradation (classes from 1 to 5 representing very low to very high soil degradation). The SDI was validated using the predicted map of OM. The highest degradation level obtained in 15% of the area had the lowest OM content. Levels 1 and 4 of SDI were the most representative covering 24% and 23% of the area, respectively. Therefore, satellite images combined with environmental information significantly contributed to the SDI development, which supports decision-making on land use planning and management. • Areas with higher amount of Clay, OM and CEC showed lower levels of degradation risk. • Higher frequency of bare soil showed higher susceptibility to degradation. • Regions with lower terrain elevation were more susceptible to degradation. • The SDI could be generated from environmental variables and remote sensing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soil variability was correctly described by the bare surface composite image. • Depth-transfer functions were combined to remote sensing to map subsoil reflectance. • Prediction models had good performance for clay content, color and iron concentration. • Soil classes were mapped using attribute predictions and Boolean classification key. • Uncertainties in clay and CEC prediction contributed to soil misclassifications. Detailed soil maps are essential for agricultural management, but they are scarce in many regions. Even with the recent development of digital soil mapping (DSM) strategies, providing an adequate spatial representation of soils is still a challenging task. Therefore, this work aims to define a DSM approach, which combines proximal and remote sensing data to describe the spatial variation of soil attributes and types. The study was carried out in a site at southeastern Brazil, where 326 sampling points were defined and collected at two depths. Soil Vis-NIR spectra and physico-chemical attributes were measured in laboratory. A bare surface synthetic image (SYSI) was created from multi-temporal Landsat images and later validated with lab. spectra. Geographically weighted regression was used to calibrate depth transfer functions, which were applied to SYSI, generating a subsurface soil synthetic image (SYSI sub). Soil attributes at both depths were mapped with SYSI, SYSI sub and terrain derivatives. A soil classification key was designed following the Brazilian Soil Classification System and boolean logic. Soils were classified based on the soil attributes maps and boolean key. Hence, Monte-Carlo simulation (MCS) was performed to evaluate the error propagation from predicted attribute maps to soil types map. Correlations between satellite and lab. spectra varied from 0.68 to 0.8, indicating good capacity of SYSI in retrieving bare soil reflectance. Depth transfer functions also had good performance, with R2 ranging from 0.62 to 0.72. The soil attribute maps with best performance were clay content (R2 = 0.63), iron concentration (R2 = 0.72) and soil color (hue R2 = 0.57; value R2 = 0.73; chroma R2 = 0.63). Soil organic matter and chemical attributes were poorly predicted, with R2 between 0.12 and 0.38. MCS indicated that uncertainties in attributes maps might result in confusion between Ferralsols and Acrisols, Regosols and Luvisols, as well as Luvisols and Acrisols. Comparison between digital and conventional maps of soil classes, presented satisfactory kappa (34.65%) and global accuracy (54.46%). The technique presents an improvement to DSM, as it integrates soil sensing and depth transfer functions into DSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]