Centro de Tecnologias Estratégicas do Nordeste

Brazil has a monitoring system to track annual forest conversion in the Amazon and most recently to monitor the Cerrado biome. However, there is still a gap of annual land use and land cover (LULC) information in all Brazilian biomes in the country. Existing countrywide efforts to map land use and land cover lack regularly updates and high spatial resolution time-series data to better understand historical land use and land cover dynamics, and the subsequent impacts in the country biomes. In this study, we described a novel approach and the results achieved by a multi-disciplinary network called MapBiomas to reconstruct annual land use and land cover information between 1985 and 2017 for Brazil, based on random forest applied to Landsat archive using Google Earth Engine. We mapped five major classes: forest, non-forest natural formation, farming, non-vegetated areas, and water. These classes were broken into two sub-classification levels leading to the most comprehensive and detailed mapping for the country at a 30 m pixel resolution. The average overall accuracy of the land use and land cover time-series, based on a stratified random sample of 75,000 pixel locations, was 89% ranging from 73 to 95% in the biomes. The 33 years of LULC change data series revealed that Brazil lost 71 Mha of natural vegetation, mostly to cattle ranching and agriculture activities. Pasture expanded by 46% from 1985 to 2017, and agriculture by 172%, mostly replacing old pasture fields. We also identified that 86 Mha of the converted native vegetation was undergoing some level of regrowth. Several applications of the MapBiomas dataset are underway, suggesting that reconstructing historical land use and land cover change maps is useful for advancing the science and to guide social, economic and environmental policy decision-making processes in Brazil.

Abstract Aim To examine whether the tree flora of the Atlantic forest of northeastern Brazil has experienced detectable taxonomic homogenization via the proliferation of native pioneer species in response to habitat loss and fragmentation. Location Biotic homogenization (BH) was examined across the Atlantic forest of northeast Brazil, i.e. a 56,000 km 2 piece of tropical forest and a distinct centre of species endemism in South America. Methods We assessed a dataset consisting of 5122 tree records and compared the similarity of tree floras from 12 semi‐natural sub‐regions of the Atlantic forest between two time periods: pre‐1980 (plant records between 1902 and 1980), and post‐1980 (between 1981 and 2006). To understand the mechanisms leading to BH (1) tree floras were ordered (via non‐metric multidimensional scaling – NMDS) by date (pre/post 1980) based on species occurrence and frequency, (2) NMDS axes were regressed against the proportion of those species that increased their occurrence post‐1980 (i.e. the winner species), and (3) patterns of geographic distribution and frequency of particular life‐history traits were examined across winner species and a control group. Results Tree floras across the Atlantic forest became c . 20–40% more similar to each other post‐1980, but patterns of species similarity were also influenced by between‐plot geographical distance. NMDS ordination clearly segregated pre‐ and post‐1980 floras with a clear signal of floristic convergence. Furthermore, winner tree species were largely composed of short‐lived and small‐seeded pioneer species that exhibit wide geographic distributions. Main conclusions Our results suggest that tropical forest biotas are susceptible to taxonomic homogenization (i.e. increasing levels of similarity) in the context of severe human‐disturbance via the proliferation of particular groups of native species comprised mainly by ecologically‐plastic, generalist species. We are thus extending the concept of homogenization to address and highlight a pervasive biological shift in the structure of tropical forest communities currently taking place across hyper‐fragmented landscapes.

This study provides an approximation of the potential impact of fuelwood harvesting in one of the most threatened tropical biodiversity conservation hotspots, the northern portion of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We test the relationship between fuelwood consumption and per capita income for 270 households distributed over 7 rural settlements. In general 76% of the households use fuelwood regularly and consume on average 686 kg/person/year of tree biomass, poorer people, however, consume 961 kg/person/year. Harvesting is concentrated to a few early successional species. Yet, annual rural population demand from 210 municipalities may reach 303,793 tons, equivalent to 1.2 to 2.1 thousand hectares of tropical forest. Fuelwood harvesting cannot be ignored as a major and chronic source of forest degradation in highly fragmented and densely populated landscapes and conciliating biodiversity conservation with poverty amelioration is an urgent task.

In many human-modified tropical landscapes, biodiversity conservation and the provision of ecosystem services require large-scale restoration initiatives. Such initiatives must be able to augment the amount and the quality of remaining natural habitats. There is thus a growing need for long-term, multi-stakeholder and multi-purpose initiatives that result in multiple ecological and socioeconomic benefits at the biome scale. The Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact (AFRP) is a coalition of 260+ stakeholders, including governmental agencies, private sector, NGOs and research institutions, aimed at restoring 15 million ha of degraded and deforested lands by 2050. By articulating, and then integrating common interests, this initiative has allowed different sectors of society to implement an ambitious vision and create a forum for public and private concerns regarding forest restoration. The AFRP adopts a set of governance tools so multiple actors can implement key processes to achieve long-term and visionary restoration goals. Having overcome some initial challenges, AFRP now has to incorporate underrepresented stakeholders and enhance its efforts to make forest restoration more economically viable, including cases where restoration could be less expensive and profitable. The AFRP experience has resulted in many lessons learned, which can be shared to foster similar initiatives across tropical regions.

The unbridled use of fossil fuels is a serious problem that has become increasingly evident over the years. As such fuels contribute considerably to environmental pollution, there is a need to find new, sustainable sources of energy with low emissions of greenhouse gases. Climate change poses a substantial challenge for the scientific community. Thus, the use of renewable energy through technologies that offer maximum efficiency with minimal pollution and carbon emissions has become a major goal. Technology related to the use of hydrogen as a fuel is one of the most promising solutions for future systems of clean energy. The aim of the present review was to provide an overview of elements related to the potential use of hydrogen as an alternative energy source, considering its specific chemical and physical characteristics as well as prospects for an increase in the participation of hydrogen fuel in the world energy matrix.

This review addresses the different aspects of the use of titanium and its alloys in the production of dental implants, the most common causes of implant failures and the development of improved surfaces capable of stimulating osseointegration and guaranteeing the long-term success of dental implants. Titanium is the main material for the development of dental implants; despite this, different surface modifications are studied aiming to improve the osseointegration process. Nanoscale modifications and the bioactivation of surfaces with biological molecules can promote faster healing when compared to smooth surfaces. Recent studies have also pointed out that gradual changes in the implant, based on the microenvironment of insertion, are factors that may improve the integration of the implant with soft and bone tissues, preventing infections and osseointegration failures. In this context, the understanding that nanobiotechnological surface modifications in titanium dental implants improve the osseointegration process arouses interest in the development of new strategies, which is a highly relevant factor in the production of improved dental materials.

The present study investigates the prediction of increased blood pressure by body mass index (BMI), waist (WC) and hip circumference (HC), and waist hip ratio (WHR) using a machine learning technique named classification tree. Data were collected from 400 college students (56.3% women) from 16 to 63 years old. Fifteen trees were calculated in the training group for each sex, using different numbers and combinations of predictors. The result shows that for women BMI, WC, and WHR are the combination that produces the best prediction, since it has the lowest deviance (87.42), misclassification (.19), and the higher pseudo R (2) (.43). This model presented a sensitivity of 80.86% and specificity of 81.22% in the training set and, respectively, 45.65% and 65.15% in the test sample. For men BMI, WC, HC, and WHC showed the best prediction with the lowest deviance (57.25), misclassification (.16), and the higher pseudo R (2) (.46). This model had a sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 86.25% in the training set and, respectively, 58.38% and 69.70% in the test set. Finally, the result from the classification tree analysis was compared with traditional logistic regression, indicating that the former outperformed the latter in terms of predictive power.

In December 2020, Candida auris emerged in Brazil in the city of Salvador. The first two C. auris colonized patients were in the same COVID-19 intensive care unit. Antifungal susceptibility testing showed low minimal inhibitory concentrations of 1 µg/mL, 2 µg/mL, 0.03 µg/L, and 0.06 µg/mL for amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole, and anidulafungin, respectively. Microsatellite typing revealed that the strains are clonal and belong to the South Asian clade C. auris. The travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic and the absence of travel history among the colonized patients lead to the hypothesis that this species was introduced several months before the recognition of the first case and/or emerged locally in the coastline Salvador area.

The simple heating (120 °C) of Pd(OAc)2 in 1-butyronitrile-3-methylimidazolium-N-bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide ((BCN)MI·NTf2) under reduced pressure leads to the formation of stable and small-sized Pd(0)-NPs (diameter: 7.3 ± 2.2 nm). These metal nanoparticles were characterised by means of TEM, HRTEM and XPS analysis techniques. Moreover, the potential for partial hydrogenation of alkynes in multiphase systems was evaluated. The hydrogenation of internal alkynes at 25 °C and under 1 bar of hydrogen yields Z-alkenes (up to 98% selectivity). Application of higher hydrogen pressure (4 bar) in these reactions always led to the formation of alkanes without the detection of any alkenes. TOF values were attained up to 1282 h−1 with a good recyclability of the system which does not lose its activity for at least 4 runs.

O objetivo deste artigo é resgatar elementos para subsidiar uma reflexão crítica sobre o modelo de desenvolvimento econômico prevalente na sociedade e as relações com o meio ambiente, sob a ameaça que ronda o destino da espécie humana, conforme afirmação de Lovelock (2006, p. 20) sobre o conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável: “uma ideia adorável se a tivéssemos aplicado 200 anos atrás, quando havia um bilhão de pessoas no mundo. Agora é tarde demais. Não há mais espaço para nenhum tipo de desenvolvimento. A humanidade tem que regredir”. Este artigo apresenta a evolução do conceito de desenvolvimento econômico sob a ótica da sustentabilidade, e interliga temas como: o ambientalismo, aglutinador de distintos pensamentos sobre as relações entre a sociedade e a natureza; o movimento ambiental, a fundamentar a disseminação do conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável, e a gestão ambiental, abordada como prática orientada pelo conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável.

O presente estudo foi conduzido objetivando-se avaliar a influência do estresse climático sobre o desempenho produtivo e as respostas fisiológicas de ovinos da raça Santa Inês em confinamento. Foram avaliados dois ambientes (sombra e sol) e duas dietas com duas relações volumoso:concentrado (70C:30V: 70% de concentrado e 30% de volumoso; 30C:70V: 30% de concentrado e 70% de volumoso). Os animais mantidos à sombra e alimentados com dieta contendo alto teor de concentrado (70C:30V) apresentaram maior consumo de matéria seca (1258 g/animal/dia) e de proteína bruta (0,8% do peso vivo [PV] e 18 g/PV0,75) e maior ganho de peso (247 g/animal/dia). A temperatura nos ambientes de sol e sombra durante a tarde foi de 32,1 e 30,6:C e os valores do índice de temperatura e umidade (ITU), 82,3 e 81,1, respectivamente. Os animais alimentados com alto teor de concentrado (70C:30V) apresentaram maior freqüência respiratória (FR), tanto à sombra quanto ao sol (87 e 71 mov/min, respectivamente). Durante a tarde, a temperatura retal (TR) dos animais foi maior (39,1:C) que pela manhã (38,9:C). Porém, a TR mais elevada (39,3:C) foi observada nos animais mantidos à sombra e alimentados com alto percentual de concentrado (70C:30V). Independentemente do ambiente, os animais alimentados com alto teor de concentrado (70C:30V) apresentaram maior TR (39,2:C) do que aqueles alimentados com reduzido teor de concentrado (30C:70V) (38,8:C). O tipo de dieta teve efeito sobre a susceptibilidade dos animais ao estresse causado pelas condições ambientais críticas durante o experimento. Os animais da raça Santa Inês mostraram-se sensíveis ao estresse ambiental, uma vez que apresentaram menor desempenho produtivo, quando expostos a condições de ausência de sombra.

The organometallic complexes ([Ru(COD)(2-methylallyl)2] and [Ni(COD)2] (COD=1,5-cyclooctadiene) dissolved in imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) undergo reduction and decomposition, respectively, to afford stable ruthenium and nickel metal(0) nanoparticles (Ru(0)-NPs and Ni(0)-NPs) in the absence of classical reducing agents. Depending on the case, the reduction/auto-decomposition is promoted by either the cation and/or anion of the neat imidazolium ILs.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo effect of the addition of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) to ram semen freezing extender. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were detected between groups regarding total motility (TM), straightness (STR) and wobble (WOB), for which the GSH 7 mM group had lesser TM and better STR than the other groups and the GSH 5 and 7 mM groups had higher wobble values than the control, SOD 25 and 100 U/ml groups. The ultrastructural analysis revealed that the acrosome was better preserved after freezing in the SOD 100 U/ml and GSH 2 and 5 mM (p < 0.05) groups than the other groups, whereas mitochondria in both the control group and the 7 mM GSH group suffered the greatest damage. The plasma membrane remained preserved after freezing, regardless of the group. For in vivo fertilization, the SOD group achieved better results than the GSH group (p > 0.05). It can therefore be concluded that the addition of SOD 100 U/ml and GSH 2 and 5 mM preserves the acrosome integrity of frozen ram spermatozoa, while the addition of SOD 100 U/ml to Tris egg-yolk extender offers protection to the membranes of sperm cells after thawing.

BRAZIL.The Araripe basin is composed of four unconformity-bounded sequences: 1) Lower sequence; 2) Jurassic-Neocomian sequence; 3) Aptian-Albian sequence, and 4) Albian-Cenomanian sequence.Each sequence shows different alluvial paleocurrent pattern and bears no relation to the geometry of their areas of occurrence, suggesting that these areas are fragments of distinct and originally larger basins.The main sedimentary flow direction N-NW in the Lower sequence (Cariri Formation) is similar to the flow directions in the Paleozoic units in the neighbouring Tucano-Jatobá and Parnaíba basins.The paleocurrent pattern in the Jurassic-Neocomian sequence (Missão Velha and Abaiara formations) indicates a southward paleoflow towards the Recôncavo-Tucano basin.In both sequences the paleocurrent pattern is constant regardless of the several faults, either cutting through them or running along their boundaries, suggesting that the horst-and-graben style is a basin-modifying tectonic product.The fluvial deposits present at the base of the Aptian-Albian sequence (Barbalha Formation) portray southeast paleoflows towards the Sergipe-Alagoas basin.An opposite direction is suggested for the Albian marine transgression in the Santana Formation.Although the sea level was in a global eustatic rising movement, the Albian-Cenomanian deposits of the Exu Formation record the return to continental conditions with rivers flowing westward in the direction of the Parnaíba basin.Such rearrangement in the continental paleodrainage was a consequence of the uplift of Northeast Brazil during the Albian time.

Background: The use of agro-industrial wastes to produce high value-added biomolecules such as biosurfactants is a promising approach for lowering the total costs of production. This study aimed to produce biosurfactants using Rhizopus arrhizus UCP 1607, with crude glycerol (CG) and corn steep liquor (CSL) as substrates. In addition, the biomolecule was characterized, and its efficiency in removing petroderivatives from marine soil was investigated. Results: A 22 factorial design was applied, and the best condition for producing the biosurfactant was determined in assay 4 (3% CG and 5% CSL). The biosurfactant reduced the surface tension of water from 72 to 28.8 mN/m and produced a yield of 1.74 g/L. The preliminary biochemical characterization showed that the biosurfactant consisted of proteins (38.0%), carbohydrates (35.4%), and lipids (5.5%). The compounds presented an anionic character, nontoxicity, and great stability for all conditions tested. The biomolecule displayed great ability in dispersing hydrophobic substrates in water, thereby resulting in 53.4 cm2 ODA. The best efficiency of the biosurfactant in removing the pollutant diesel oil from marine soil was 79.4%. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the ability of R. arrhizus UCP1607 to produce a low-cost biosurfactant characterized as a glycoprotein and its potential use in the bioremediation of the hydrophobic diesel oil pollutant in marine soil.How to cite: Pele MA, Ribeaux DR, Vieira ER, et al. Conversion of renewable substrates for biosurfactant production by Rhizopus arrhizus UCP 1607 and enhancing the removal of diesel oil from marine soil. Electron J Biotechnol 2019;38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2018.12.003. Keywords: Agro-industrial wastes, Biomolecules, Biosurfactant, Corn steep liquor, Crude glycerol, Diesel oil, Marine soil, Mucoralean fungus, Removing hydrophobic compound, Rhizopus, Tensioactive agent

Metallic nanoshells have been in evidence as multifunctional particles for optical and biomedical applications. Their surface plasmon resonance can be tuned over the electromagnetic spectrum by simply adjusting the shell thickness. Obtaining these particles, however, is a complex and time-consuming process, which involves the preparation and functionalization of silica nanoparticles, synthesis of very small metallic nanoparticles seeds, attachment of these seeds to the silica core, and, finally, growing of the shells in a solution commonly referred as K-gold. Here we present synthetic modifications that allow metallic nanoshells to be obtained in a faster and highly reproducible manner. The main improved steps include a procedure for quick preparation of 2.3 ± 0.5 nm gold particles and a faster approach to synthesize the silica cores. An investigation on the effect of the stirring speed on the shell growth showed that the optimal stirring speeds for gold and silver shells were 190 and 1500 rpm, respectively. In order to demonstrate the performance of the nanoshells fabricated by our method in a typical plasmonic application, a method to immobilize these particles on a glass slide was implemented. The immobilized nanoshells were used as substrates for the surface-enhanced Raman scattering from Nile Blue A.

Thymol is a monoterpene and acetylation form of this compound can reduce the toxicity and enhance its biological effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of thymol and thymol acetate (TA) on egg, larva and adult Haemonchus contortus and the cuticular changes, acute toxicity in mice and the efficacy on sheep gastrointestinal nematodes. In vitro tests results were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and followed by comparison with Tukey test or Bonferroni. The efficacy of in vivo test was calculated by the BootStreet program. In the egg hatch test (EHT), thymol (0.5 mg/mL) and TA (4 mg/mL) inhibited larval hatching by 98% and 67.1%, respectively. Thymol and TA (8 mg/mL) inhibited 100% of larval development. Thymol and TA (800 µg/mL) reduced the motility of adult worms, by 100% and 83.4%, respectively. Thymol caused cuticular changes in adult worm teguments. In the acute toxicity test, the LD50 of thymol and TA were 1,350.9 mg/kg and 4,144.4 mg/kg, respectively. Thymol and TA reduced sheep egg count per gram of faeces (epg) by 59.8% and 76.2%, respectively. In in vitro tests thymol presented better anthelmintic activity than TA. However TA was less toxic and in in vivo test efficacy was similar.

NPs is reduced to only 21% and 9% of the original cost when using 1,2-octanediol and cyclohexanol, respectively.

Coated TiO2 nanoparticles by dicationic imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) were prepared and studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Three ILs with different hydrophobicity degrees and structural characteristics were used (IL-1, IL-2, and IL-3). The interaction between IL molecules and the TiO2 surface was analyzed in both solid state and in solution. The physical and chemical properties of coated nanoparticles (TiO2 + IL-1, TiO2 + IL-2, and TiO2 + IL-3) were compared to pure materials (TiO2, IL-1, IL-2, and IL-3) in order to evaluate the interaction between both components. Thermal behavior, diffraction pattern, and morphologic characteristics were evaluated in the solid state. It was observed that all mixtures (TiO2 + IL) showed different behavior from that detected for pure substances, which is an evidence of film formation. DLS experiments were conducted to determine film thickness on the TiO2 surface comparing the size (hydrodynamic radius, Rh) of pure TiO2 with coated nanoparticles (TiO2 + IL). Results showed the thickness of the film increased with hydrophobicity of the IL compound. TEM images support this observation. Finally, X-ray diffraction patterns showed that, in coated samples, no structural changes in TiO2 diffraction peaks were observed, which is related to the maintenance of the crystalline structure. On the contrary, ILs showed different diffraction patterns, which confirms the hypothesis of interactions happening between IL and the TiO2 nanoparticles surface.

The phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, Sildenafil, is a novel, oral treatment approach for pulmonary hypertension. As Leydig cells present PDE5, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of the chronic treatment with Sildenafil (25 mg/kg) on male Swiss Webster mice steroidogenesis. After a 4-week long experimental design, Leydig cells were analysed by morphological and immunocytochemical procedures. Serum testosterone was assayed by radioimmunoassay. Leydig cells presented noteworthy ultrastructural alterations, such as a vesicular smooth endoplasmic reticulum, large vacuoles scattered through the cytoplasm, enlarged mitochondria with discontinue cristaes and whorle membranes with vesicles at the periphery, which are typical characteristics of an activated steroid-secreting cell. Important immunocytochemical labelling for steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme and testosterone were detected in isolated Leydig cells. In addition, Sildenafil-treated mice showed significant increased levels of total testosterone. The results obtained in the present study are consistent with the hypothesis that the accumulation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate by PDE5 inhibition could be involved in the androgen biosynthesis stimulation. Important clinical implications of hormonal disorders should be taken into account for patients with pulmonary hypertension.