Showing papers by "Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro published in 2020"

The emerging role of neutrophil extracellular traps in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19)

Abstract: The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19, a highly pathogenic viral infection threatening millions. The majority of the individuals infected are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic showing typical clinical signs of common cold. However, approximately 20% of the patients can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), evolving to death in about 5% of cases. Recently, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been shown to be a functional receptor for virus entry into host target cells. The upregulation of ACE2 in patients with comorbidities may represent a propensity for increased viral load and spreading of infection to extrapulmonary tissues. This systemic infection is associated with higher neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in infected tissues and high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines leading to an extensive microthrombus formation with multiorgan failure. Herein we investigated whether SARS-CoV-2 can stimulate extracellular neutrophils traps (NETs) in a process called NETosis. We demonstrated for the first time that SARS-CoV-2 in fact is able to activate NETosis in human neutrophils. Our findings indicated that this process is associated with increased levels of intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in neutrophils. The ROS-NET pathway plays a role in thrombosis formation and our study suggest the importance of this target for therapy approaches against disease.

Role of pharmacist during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review

Abstract: Background Since the start of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in December 2019, pharmacists worldwide are playing a key role adopting innovative strategies to minimize the adverse impact of the pandemic Objectives To identify and describe core services provided by the pharmacist during the COVID-19 pandemic Methods A literature search was performed in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and LILACS for studies published between December 1st, 2019 and May 20th, 2020 without language restriction Studies that reported services provided by pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic were included Two independent authors performed study selection and data extraction with a consensus process The pharmacist's intervention identified in the included studies were described based on key domains in the DEPICT v2 Results A total of 1189 records were identified, of which 11 studies fully met the eligibility criteria Most of them were conducted in the United States of America (n = 4) and China (n = 4) The most common type of publication were letters (n = 4) describing the workplace of the pharmacist in hospitals (n = 8) These findings showed the different roles of pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as disease prevention and infection control, adequate storage and drug supply, patient care and support for healthcare professionals Pharmacists' interventions were mostly conducted for healthcare professionals and patients (n = 7), through one-to-one contact (n = 11), telephone (n = 6) or video conference (n = 5) The pharmacists' main responsibility was to provide drug information for healthcare professionals (n = 7) as well as patient counseling (n = 8) Conclusions A reasonable number of studies that described the role of the pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic were found All studies reported actions taken by pharmacists, although without providing a satisfactory description Thus, future research with more detailed description as well as an evaluation of the impact of pharmacist intervention is needed in order to guide future actions in this and/or other pandemic

Dynamics of soil aggregation and organic carbon fractions over 23 years of no-till management

Abstract: Evaluation of aggregate formation in no-till farming systems and the effects on soil organic matter can provide relevant insights into soil carbon storage, nutrient cycling, and soil susceptibility to erosion. However, there is little information on the soil aggregate formation pathways in no-till systems. This study aimed to investigate the effect of no-tillage duration on soil aggregates and soil organic matter compared with undisturbed soil in the rainy and dry season. The following experimental sites were analyzed: NT7 (no-till management for 7 years), NT14 (no-till management for 14 years), NT23 (no-till management for 23 years) and AF, a preserved fragment of Atlantic Forest (reference area). Aggregate formation pathway was analysed/described according to the morphological pattern using a stereo microscope (LEICA M125), in magnification ranges between 20x and 40 × . Physical fractionation of organic matter was carried out by granulometric size separation, and humic substances were separated into humic acid, fulvic acid, and humin fractions by differential solubility. No-till management affected the dynamics of soil aggregation and organic matter fractions. In the long term, no-till farming reduced biological aggregation (52.5 ± 4.5 % in AF to 19.2 ± 3.1 % in NT23), and increased physicochemical aggregation (21,2 ± 2.1 % in AF to 47.2 ± 5.1 % in NT23), may be because the traffic-induced compaction resulting from seeding. However, over the years, no-till farming increased soil particulate organic carbon (POC), mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) and humin contents because of the constant input of crop residues to surface layers. Our results suggest that the morphological classification analysis of soil aggregates was sensitive to changes in land use over time, consisting as an indicator practical, affordable, repeatable, and easily understood and interpreted, which may be used to ascertain changes in physical soil conditions.

Persistent fire foci in all biomes undermine the Paris Agreement in Brazil.

Abstract: Brazil is one of the world's biggest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Fire foci across the country contributes to these emissions and compromises emission reduction targets pledged by Brazil under the Paris Agreement. In this paper, we quantify fire foci, burned areas, and carbon emissions in all Brazilian biomes (i.e., Amazon, Cerrado, Caatinga, Atlantic Forest, Pantanal and Pampa). We analyzed these variables using cluster analysis and non-parametric statistics to predict carbon and CO2 emissions for the next decade. Our results showed no increase in the number of fire foci and carbon emissions for the evaluated time series, whereby the highest emissions occur and will persist in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes. The Atlantic Forest, Pantanal, Caatinga and Pampa biomes had low emissions compared to the Amazon and Cerrado. Based on 2030 projections, the sum of emissions from fire foci in the six Brazilian biomes will exceed 5.7 Gt CO2, compromising the national GHG reduction targets. To reduce GHG emissions, Brazil will need to control deforestation induced by the expansion of the agricultural frontier in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes. This can only be achieved through significant political effort involving the government, entrepreneurs and society as a collective.

Psyllium (Plantago ovata Forsk): From evidence of health benefits to its food application

Abstract: Background Fiber intake has been associated with a lower risk of developing various chronic diseases such as metabolic diseases (e.g. obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia). In this line, psyllium presents a high content of soluble fiber, associated with health benefits. Scope and approach The aim of this review is to evaluate the scientific evidence of psyllium health benefits. The nutritional properties of psyllium are presented, as well as its various applications in food products. The main functional benefits of psyllium are presented in topics, as follows: the effect on cholesterol control, on type 2 diabetes, and on obesity and satiety. Key findings and conclusions Products containing psyllium can be an effective alternative to improve the functionality and produce healthy foods. The addition of psyllium to a food product (e.g. bakery goods, dairy, meat and gluten-free products). Can provide the health claim for a fiber-containing product, which is an important advantage in the market. In addition, it may allow consumers to ingest adequate amounts of fiber without increasing calorie intake, as well as contributing to other health benefits such as cholesterol control, glycemic control, satiety, among others. Psyllium can be easily added to food formulations and does not change the flavor perception of the product. Thus, the food industry may play an important role in the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases when using psyllium in food products.

Myth-busting tropical grassy biome restoration

Abstract: The historical focus in research and policy on forest restoration and temperate ecosystems has created misunderstandings for the restoration of tropical and subtropical old-growth grassy biomes (TGB). Such misconceptions have detrimental consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human livelihoods in woodlands, savannas, and grasslands worldwide. Here, we demystify TGB restoration myths to promote a positive agenda to increase the likelihood of success of ambitious landscapescale restoration goals of nonforest ecosystems. The 10 TGB restoration myths are: (1) grasslands originate from degraded forests, (2) tree cover is a reliable indicator of habitat quality, (3) planting trees is always good for biodiversity and ecosystem services, (4) grasslands are biodiversity-poor and provide few ecosystem services, (5) enhancing plant nutrition is needed in restoration, (6) disturbance is detrimental, (7) techniques used to restore temperate grasslands also work for TGB, (8) grasslands represent early stages of forest succession, (9) grassland restoration is only about grasses, and (10) grassland restoration is fast. By demystifying TGB restoration, we hope that policymakers, scientists, and restorationists come to understand and embrace the value of these ecosystems and are motivated to establish policies, standards, indicators, and techniques that enhance the success of TGB restoration. We must abandon misperceptions and misunderstandings of TGB ecology that result in ill-conceived policies and build an informed and compelling global ecosystem restoration agenda that maintains and improves the well-being of all inhabitants of grassy biomes.

Genome-based reclassification of Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 as the type strain of Azospirillum baldaniorum sp. nov

Abstract: Azospirillum sp. strain Sp245T, originally identified as belonging to Azospirillum brasilense, is recognized as a plant-growth-promoting rhizobacterium due to its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and to produce plant-beneficial compounds. Azospirillum sp. Sp245T and other related strains were isolated from the root surfaces of different plants in Brazil. Cells are Gram-negative, curved or slightly curved rods, and motile with polar and lateral flagella. Their growth temperature varies between 20 to 38 °C and their carbon source utilization is similar to other Azospirillum species. A preliminary 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that the new species is closely related to A. brasilense Sp7T and A. formosense CC-Nfb-7T. Housekeeping genes revealed that Azospirillum sp. Sp245T, BR 12001 and Vi22 form a separate cluster from strain A. formosense CC-Nfb-7T, and a group of strains closely related to A. brasilense Sp7T. Overall genome relatedness index (OGRI) analyses estimated based on average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) between Azospirillum sp. Sp245T and its close relatives to other Azospirillum species type strains, such as A. brasilense Sp7T and A. formosense CC-Nfb-7T , revealed values lower than the limit of species circumscription. Moreover, core-proteome phylogeny including 1079 common shared proteins showed the independent clusterization of A. brasilense Sp7T, A. formosense CC-Nfb-7T and Azospirillum sp. Sp245T, a finding that was corroborated by the genome clustering of OGRI values and housekeeping phylogenies. The DNA G+C content of the cluster of Sp245T was 68.4-68.6 %. Based on the phylogenetic, genomic, phenotypical and physiological analysis, we propose that strain Sp245T together with the strains Vi22 and BR12001 represent a novel species of the genus Azospirillum, for which the name Azospirillum baldaniorum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Sp245T (=BR 11005T=IBPPM 219T) (GCF_007827915.1, GCF_000237365.1, and GCF_003119195.2).

Mycorrhizal networks facilitate the colonization of legume roots by a symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacterium

Abstract: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) absorb and translocate nutrients from soil to their host plants by means of a wide network of extraradical mycelium (ERM). Here, we assessed whether nitrogen-fixing rhizobia can be transferred to the host legume Glycine max by ERM produced by Glomus formosanum isolate CNPAB020 colonizing the grass Urochloa decumbens. An H-bridge experimental system was developed to evaluate the migration of ERM and of the GFP-tagged Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens USDA 110 strain across an air gap compartment. Mycorrhizal colonization, nodule formation in legumes, and occurrence of the GFP-tagged strain in root nodules were assessed by optical and confocal laser scanning microscopy. In the presence of non-mycorrhizal U. decumbens, legume roots were neither AMF-colonized nor nodulated. In contrast, G. formosanum ERM crossing the discontinuous compartment connected mycorrhizal U. decumbens and G. max roots, which showed 30–42% mycorrhizal colonization and 7–11 nodules per plant. Fluorescent B. diazoefficiens cells were detected in 94% of G. max root nodules. Our findings reveal that, besides its main activity in nutrient transfer, ERM produced by AMF may facilitate bacterial translocation and the simultaneous associations of plants with beneficial fungi and bacteria, representing an important structure, functional to the establishment of symbiotic relationships.

O papel do instituto nacional de estudos e pesquisas educacionais anísio teixeira (inep) na reforma gerencial dos sistemas públicos de ensino no brasil

Abstract: O artigo tem como objeto de analise o processo de transformacao do Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anisio Teixeira (INEP) em agencia de avaliacao da educacao brasileira no contexto das reformas gerenciais implementadas a partir do governo de Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1995-2002) e aperfeicoadas pelos governos de Lula da Silva (2003-2010) e Dilma Roussef (2011-2016). Seu objetivo e evidenciar o papel do INEP na reforma gerencial da educacao. A promulgacao da Lei no 9.394/1996, desencadeou o processo de definicao de parâmetros de qualidade para nortear as politicas educacionais, de modo a induzir a adocao de mecanismos de coleta de dados e de estrategias sistemicas de avaliacao de desempenho escolar pelas instituicoes de ensino, tendo os principios da Nova Gestao Publica como norteadores. Este processo significou a extensao da reforma gerencial para a gestao dos sistemas publicos de ensino. A reestruturacao do INEP, alem de readequar suas funcoes, elevou seu status para orgao publico estrategico na reforma gerencial dos sistemas publicos de ensino. O conteudo do artigo e parte dos resultados de um projeto investigativo mais amplo que se caracteriza por sistematizar uma pesquisa basica, de analise qualitativa, de carater explicativo, que se insere na categoria de estudo documental cujos fundamentos teoricos e metodologicos se situam no materialismo historico e dialetico. A titulo de conclusao, o artigo aponta que nao e possivel compreender o processo de transformacao do INEP em orgao estrategico de avaliacao educacional sem observar o desempenho dos organismos internacionais no direcionamento das politicas educacionais dos paises latino-americanos.

Chemical characterization and in vivo antioxidant activity of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) aqueous extract

Abstract: Twenty-nine flavonoid glycosides were identified in the aqueous extract (PC) of Petroselinum crispum var. crispum leaves and apiin, the major compound, was isolated thereof. Apigenin was obtained (90% purity) by the hydrolysis of apiin. A high content of phenolics (12.49 ± 1.70 mg GAE per g of parsley extract - Folin-Ciocalteu method) and total flavonoids (15.05 ± 2.20 mg of quercetin equivalents per g of parsley extract - aluminum chloride method) was quantified in P. crispum, as well as high antioxidant activity ((EC50 - 15.50 mg mL-1, DPPH method) and (189.8 mM Fe(ii) per mg of dry plant aqueous extract - FRAP method)). In vivo analysis with Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells showed low toxicity of the aqueous extract of parsley, however, it revealed a high dose-dependent antioxidant potential, mainly in the lipoperoxidation assay. In addition, flavonoid apiin also showed antioxidant action on yeast cells under oxidative stress in the cell viability assay (0.1 mM) and lipid peroxidation (0.01 and 0.1 mM), while apigenin was slightly antioxidant. Therefore, it is likely that the antioxidant activity of apiin is related to the total antioxidant capacity of parsley.

No Net Loss of Species Diversity After Prescribed Fires in the Brazilian Savanna

Abstract: Although savannas are fire-adapted ecosystems, prescribing fire for biodiversity conservation remains controversial at least in some regions where savannas occur. Faced with uncertainty, many decision makers and even scientists are still reluctant to prescribe fire for conservation purposes in fire-prone ecosystems, invoking the precautionary principle. Knowledge gaps on the ideal fire regime, such as how and when to burn, and especially the fear of biodiversity losses, are among the main arguments against fire management applied to remnants of native savanna vegetation. To inform this debate, we assessed the impact of prescribed fires on diversity of plants (different growth forms), ants, frogs, lizards, birds, and small mammals, in savannas and grasslands of the Brazilian Cerrado. We assessed the existing species richness, composition, and abundance in areas subjected to long periods of fire suppression and compared to that observed over a short period after prescribed dry-season fires, within each group of plants and animals. Whenever possible, we carried out separate analyses for grassland and savanna. Burning did not significantly reduce species richness of any of the groups analyzed, but had a positive effect on richness of graminoids in grassland. When analyzed at the species level, abundance of most animal groups did not show consistent responses to fire, except for a decrease in some frog populations in grasslands. Forbs, graminoids and subshrubs increased in abundance after fire in grassland areas, though in savanna areas, abundance of forbs and subshrubs tended to decline after fire. Species composition changed little in response to fire as indicated by low levels of dissimilarity between burned and unburned areas. These results confirm the high resilience of Cerrado biota to fire, as expected for savanna ecosystems in general. Besides, we demonstrate here that the risk of biodiversity losses cannot justify the objections to the use of prescribed fire for conservation purposes in the Cerrado.

An intra‐cultural investigation in Brazil using Coalho cheese and preferred attribute elicitation

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the application of preferred attribute elicitation (PAE) methodology for assessing the perceptions of consumers from different regions of Brazil (Northeast, Southeast or South, n = 20) about Coalho cheese samples. Northeast Brazilian consumers elicited a higher number of attributes (22 vs. 13–15) and had a higher frequency of consumption (3 vs. 1.3–1.6 times a week), while those from South region had higher reliability (RV = 0.95) with a low number of consumers (n = 16). Consumers from different Brazilian regions elicited common sensory descriptors considered important for Coalho cheese characterization, such as yellow color, presence of eyes, brightness, Coalho cheese aroma, salty taste, bitter taste, acid taste, and rubbery texture. Furthermore, there was no impact of the region on the acceptance of the products. In conclusion, Brazilian consumers from different regions characterized the Coalho cheeses in a similar manner, and PAE methodology could be used in intra‐cultural investigations, being recommended a minimum of 19 consumers. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Consumer based methodologies are gaining popularity in the sensory and consumer science. This is the first study that evaluated the application of PAE methodology regards an intra‐cultural consumer perception using as stimulus Coalho cheese, a typical Brazilian cheese. The findings are relevant to improve the processing of the Coalho cheese taking in account the consumer perception as well as to develop efficient marketing strategies of commercialization of this product.

Barrow's black hole entropy and the equipartition theorem

Abstract: The Barrow entropy appears from the fact that the black hole surface can be modified due to quantum gravitational outcome. The measure of this perturbation is given by a new exponent $\Delta$. In this letter we have shown that, from the standard mathematical form of the equipartition theorem, we can relate it with Barrow entropy. From this equivalence, we have calculated precisely the value of the exponent for the equipartition law. After that, we tested the thermodynamical coherence of the system by calculating the heat capacity which established an interval of the possible thermodynamical coherent values of Barrow entropic exponent and corroborated our first result.

Machine vision for field-level wood identification

Abstract: Identifying wood species using wood anatomy is an important tool for various purposes. The traditionally used method is based on the macroscopic description of the physical and anatomical characteristics of the wood. This requires that the identifier has thorough technical knowledge about wood anatomy. A possible alternative to this task is to use intelligent systems capable of identifying species through an analysis of digital images. In this work, 21 species were used to generate a set of 2000 macroscopic images. These were produced with a smartphone under field conditions, from samples manually polished with knives. Texture characteristics obtained through a gray level co-occurrence matrix were used in developing classifiers based on support vector machines. The best model achieved a 97.7% accuracy. Our study concluded that the automated identification of species can be performed in the field in a practical, simple and precise way.

Polymer Applications for Medical Care in the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis: Will We Still Speak Ill of These Materials?

Abstract: As consumption and use increased, the accumulation of urban waste of polymeric origin drew the attention of several sectors, especially that of the organized civil society Through mobilizations and activism, environmental became more restricted regarding the use and disposal of polymer materials Plastic bags, tires, disposable cups, plastic straws, PET bottles are some examples of how polymers have had a negative impact to the environment generating pressures around the world to rethink their uses However, the pandemic crisis that emerged in January, 2020 has reinforced the importance of polymers for contemporary society If, in the past, consumerism was the driving force behind the application of polymers, nowadays health and medical emergencies are the new forces The reduction in stocks of medical-hospital supplies and personal protective equipment for health professionals and for the general public caused by the pandemic led to the emergence of alternative production movements based on polymers Because of those alternatives, which have helped a lot to save and preserve lives, the present work aims to highlight the types of polymers most used during this pandemic period, such as polycarbonate (PC), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and polypropylene (PP) For this purpose, scientific articles related to the production of masks and other devices having some type of polymer as raw material were analyzed The present research was based on the first half of 2020, highlighting the countries, the polymer used, and the final product it is intended to

The Role of Bacterial Symbionts in Triatomines: An Evolutionary Perspective.

Abstract: Insects have established mutualistic symbiotic interactions with microorganisms that are beneficial to both host and symbiont. Many insects have exploited these symbioses to diversify and expand their ecological ranges. In the Hemiptera (i.e., aphids, cicadas, and true bugs), symbioses have established and evolved with obligatory essential microorganisms (primary symbionts) and with facultative beneficial symbionts (secondary symbionts). Primary symbionts are usually intracellular microorganisms found in insects with specialized diets such as obligate hematophagy or phytophagy. Most Heteroptera (true bugs), however, have gastrointestinal (GI) tract extracellular symbionts with functions analogous to primary endosymbionts. The triatomines, are vectors of the human parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. A description of their small GI tract microbiota richness was based on a few culturable microorganisms first described almost a century ago. A growing literature describes more complex interactions between triatomines and bacteria with properties characteristic of both primary and secondary symbionts. In this review, we provide an evolutionary perspective of beneficial symbioses in the Hemiptera, illustrating the context that may drive the evolution of symbioses in triatomines. We highlight the diversity of the triatomine microbiota, bacterial taxa with potential to be beneficial symbionts, the unique characteristics of triatomine-bacteria symbioses, and the interactions among trypanosomes, microbiota, and triatomines.